I worked in OSHC (out-of-School-Hours-Care, like child care but kids aged 6-12) for years and left last year to follow a job opportunity in a new college.
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I used to:
paint with marbles
help with homework
tell jokes
teach
play with new toys
wipe away tears
make elephants from paper plates
play cricket, or basketball, or catch, or whatever
listen to school problems
plant seeds in our kids vege patch
say the same phrases 20 times a day
turn the jump rope for hoouurrs
play card games
comfort
think of new things to do with paddlepop sticks
have little hands hold mine
experiment with science kits
take 60 kids on excursion
listen to stories
discipline
fix scraped knees
have a great 'teacher' voice that could bounce across the playground
get excited about missing teeth
have to shake small bodies from my lap whenever I stood up
do really big jigsaw puzzles
play chase
have to get up really early
watch shrek, and finding nemo, and the incredibles
wear jeans to work
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Now I:
write policies and procedures
implement changes
enforce continoius improvement practises
organise
file. scan and file
can sleep in every now and then
plan
get excited about funky stationary
fix problems
keep records
make, attend and note minutes for meetings
drink too much tea
manage staff
compile reports
ensure company compliance with boring legislation
sit down 90% of the day
get paid twice as much
make many lists
wear stockings that get ladders reeaally easssily and piss me off
wear clothes that you have.to.iron.
use many post-it notes
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I find my job challenging and enjoy it much of the time. But I can't help but miss the kids.
You can have my kids for a day if you like! I miss the excitement of new stationery and the smell of 'meeting-coffee' (different from 'mum-needs-a-coffee-before-I-can-function-coffee).
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