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It's been a while!
- Charmaine Attard
- Dec 31, 2022
- 7 min read
Time! My reason for longing to blog has been at the tips of my finger but lately finding TIME for myself to be alone and think, has been difficult. The stories have been there, those special moments have grown but finding TIME for me has decreased. Juggling work, family and studies have taken a toll on my personal space. Lucky me I have great support around me to pick me up when I feel broken.
All families go through phases. Mine is constantly changing. Nevertheless we always have each other. Work is work! It is what it is! We have days that go smoothly and others with rough patches but somehow or another you always get through the days, weeks and now a whole Term has ended. Studies on the other hand has been a whirl-winding experience. The lectures, the assignments, the teaching practice, the dissertation....a load of stress, anxiety and a high level of Déjà vu. What is keeping me going? The warm embrace of my classmates who together we have unannounced counselling sessions at any time of the day. It is incredible to know that you are not alone in all this turbulences so that finally we can all reach our goal with smiles, giggles and a huge well earned celebration.
Amongst all these challenges, work has been sustainable for laughter among each stressful day. The students giggles, the endless chitchats between the team and the unpredictable changes that occur throughout our days. On the whole our first term was an eventful one. I get to wake up everyday to a large group of individuals who come with their own heavy baggage but are so eager to make mine lighter just by a simple hug, thank you or a smile.
October...The month of chaos, new beginnings and expanding friendships. I got the opportunity to work with most of my students from last scholastic year while also topping up with new fabulous faces. Characters have changed so much and growth was instantly observed. What a difference Summer can make! We started a FUN theme soon after the first two weeks.
"The Playground", a new project for exploration that took our gross motor skills on a big high and my classroom space on a big low. Turning our classroom into a playground was challenging due to space, however I must say that it was such a fabulous idea to have a mini jungle gym for children to connect in during Freeplay. Paying a visit to a playground was on our bucket list which of course we successfully explored once visiting.
Outside school, October always awarded me with a token of appreciation for the work I do as an eTwinning ambassador. This all sounds cliche but truthfully and honestly I am grateful for the recognition and support my colleagues have given me, which allow me to reach out to the community beyond my classroom walls. Being able to see educators you mentored and helped get rewarded for their achievements through out the local eTwinning Award Ceremony has been the cherry on top of the cake, yet alone being part of the ceremony itself and presenting a snip it intro to what we eTwinning ambassadors do in our work. Thank you October for closing in with another opportunity but thank you collauges for trusting me with such tasks.
November rolled in quicker than expected and oh BOY was there ongoing ACTION! Soon I had to jet off to Slovakia for an eTwinning seminar aimed for the Kindergarten sector. THAT was simply a highlight which I am still gitty about till this present day. Being invited to open the seminar as a Plenary Speaker together with my colleague, boss and great friend Dr.Rose-Anna Camilleri, was an opportunity of a lifetime! Opening up my little world to a community of dedicated Early Years educators has been such a rewarding moment which up till today give me enough strength to carry on as bigger things are waiting to be explored beyond my classroom walls. Meeting new eTwinners, expanding friendships and creating innovative content which is relevant to my work! An experience to cherish beyond what words can express. Click here to see more about our experience 👉 https://fb.watch/hLzK9JO639/
Meanwhile back in class we were transitioning to a new theme that covered everything about "Singing". Here I am in the beginning of my teaching practice having to switch a new theme, while abroad on a seminar and trying to keep track of my visitations with my tutor. Stressful November is always a good November. This time around in the mist of all the Christmas shenanigans a teaching practice was added to the cocktail of chaos and mayhem. The good thing though is that I was allowed to remain with my students, which helped in abundance since it caused less stress to move around, make new acquaintances and above all disrupt my students, colleagues and guardians. But of course teaching practice visitations always add up the gitters making me double guess my moves and actions. Nonetheless we survived!!! Hallelujah 🙌
Of course I must NOT forget one prestigious achievement that occurred throughout my busy November. The chance to get my first paper published in an international journal together with my mentors Dr. Charmaine Bonello and Dr. Rose-Anne Camilleri. Being a co- author with such inspirational ladies is undesirable. A humble moment to take in but an even more so rewarding for the Kindergarten community on our island. Being a KGE might feel lonely no matter the amount of children and colleagues you have. However investing in our own professional development is always a good TIME to take on board. Say YES to experiences that will make you work hard enough to celebrate your successes. This one right here was and still is a highlighted moment in my career.
Access to the online publication can be made through the link here https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/jnp/ct/2022/00000037/00000002/art00003
December and by now everyone is in full Christmas mode....Except us! My young ones wanted to explore more about "Singing" and so we had to make do with their wishes. As time progressed we engaged in Christmas carolling and incorporated some jolly season cheer in all we did. We sang at Daniel's shopping complex and received a lovely surprise in which students together with us educators were gifted vouchers to spend in shops there. Couldn't believe what was happening but what a generous and thoughtful appreciation gift. Such tokens glorify and uplift our moods. Mine is no exception. In fact it made me feel grateful for the little things whilst regenerating me towards positive thinking.
The brain fog I have been getting due to stress and anxiety has sometimes shifted me towards despair as everything coming to a toll slowly, slowly because indeed this load can be draining. Nonetheless soon got something exciting to explore in class. Something new which I never dreamed of getting until that day Mr. Klaus Conrad from Headstart Technology Limited sent me a message with an absolute fabulous opportunity to indulge our digital compentcies in. Behold the adventures of our X-Maker 3D printing started. Yes this was not planned ahead BUT that is when the beauty of the Emergent Curriculum comes in. Combining opportunities with experiences can eventually cause more reasons for students to question their surroundings, in which for answers to unfold they must explore. This 3D printer opened up so many doors for learning that one has to be present to understand the magnitude of how things truly went down. Read more about it on my Facebook post here in hopes to give you a sense of how our encounter with the X-Maker 3D printer was astonishingly fabulous from the get go. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02jzT63EQi76kmyfVLoQPp8nihJV9Dbpp8pfJyRPUDE4kU7qCzK
Special thank you must be given to the production team of a local TV documentary series called "Il-Mara" shown on TVM, who payed me a visit at school and interviewed me throughout this eventful Term 1. Never did I imagine that I would get such a public recognition for my work and the time my episode was aired was indeed uplifting especially since pressure was piling in again from every angle of my life. While struggling to keep my sanity and understanding with what was becoming a turbulence in my personal life, this short documentary got aired and just like a GPS I got re-routed back to gratitude towards everyone who believe in me more than sometimes I believe in myself.
If you haven't watched it you can catch a glimpse of the episode here https://tvmi.mt/episode/14124
What is in store for me in my so called holidays? More work related to my studies to which I can't wait to get over and done with as this year has already been an eventful one. I am loving the lectures, the collaborative work and the experience in terms of lessons, but the assignments and above all dissertation is indeed time consuming, especially for me who has so much on my plate. Hence why I have been declining some offers to grow in my profession. I am pressing the pause button on some opportunities. Too much going on that I am afraid something would be missing out. My family from one end and my profession from the other. BUT....if I ever have to choose my relationship with my family is the one who is always on TOP of my list, hence why it has been a while since I penned down my thoughts, reflections and updates. Not due to negligence, but prioritising my well-being over anything else.
The first term has been ever so eventful which I am sure I have missed out a thing or two while blogging. I may find the time to blog deeper on specific successful activities, events and opportunities that took place during my hectic Life in Kindy, but for the time being I step back to enjoy a moment of relief, a sigh of Hallelujah before continuing digging in my dissertation full speed ahead. May the good, the bad and the ugly be reigned with powerful, positive outcomes and until the next blog cheers to the many who are rocking the same boat. We will get through this and surprise the ones who doubted our progress while making proud the ones who believed in us more than we do in ourselves.
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