Or at least in my case anyway. Since I've been back after Herbstferien, my workload seems to have crashed down like a tonne of bricks. Not only am I teaching the hour-and-a-half Cambridge classes entirely on my onesy savvy three times a week (and I mean entirely - I research the work, I plan the lessons, I teach the lessons, I set the homework) but I find myself with new responsibilities too; a Nachhilfestunde (which, admittedly, is ten extra Euros in my back pocket every week, though it still demands a certain amount of planning), a much more active role in a Klasse 5 group (involving taking half the class for speaking practise whilst the others learn their grammar, something which means yet more time given over to planning) not to mention the other timetabled classes I assist in. I've attended two teacher conferences so far, a full faculty one and one just for English,* and soon I'm also going to start helping Klasse 6 with learning their lines for an English play, to be performed at various school functions early next year. This is something I'm particularly excited about, as I believe it will give me chance to explore my hitherto unexplored dramatic depths.** Also, it's about Robin Hood, and as a proud Nottingham lass, I believe this is a subject in which I can seriously kick some arse.
So, yes. A lot to keep me busy, wouldn't you say? And to be honest, I think I'd rather have it this way. Initially, after speaking to a couple of my friends who don't consider themselves to have been asked to do anywhere near as much work, I was slightly indignant. How come I wasn't getting such an easy ride? However, the more I thought about it, the more I considered myself lucky. Though the workload seems a little heavy at times, I don't think I'd pass it up for hours of sitting at the back of classrooms and wondering why I was there. I know that a few people subjected to this feel a bit useless and undervalued by their schools; at least I can say that mine is bothered that I'm there. It is nice to feel like I'm a proper member of the faculty and it's good to be valued, to have the responsibilities of my own classes and to find myself being actually useful. I'm not by any means claiming that I do an amazing job*** but I do feel like I'm earning my keep. The other teachers, for their part, have gone out of their way to make me feel completely involved in school life; I've attended a BBQ for the Klasse 9 and Klasse 10 student mentors, been invited to the Kulturabend (an invite which, unfortunately due to another engagement, I had to turn down) and this Wednesday I'm going out for a meal to celebrate one of the teachers' birthdays.
And it's not as if I'm entirely snowed under by test papers and English grammar guides. I mean, this week is unusually hectic work wise because, due to the compulsory language assistant conference between the 22nd and the 24th, I'm having to plan lessons for a couple of weeks in advance so nobody misses anything, but normally I can get everything done before Thursday's out, leaving me plenty of time at the weekends to enjoy all NRW has to offer. The latest addition to my cities-visited collection is beautiful Cologne, where I spent a cracking couple of days with Sophie, shopping, eating sushi and generally hanging out, and despite my hefty to do list this week, I'm still hoping to hit Bonn at the weekend. Who wants to live the lazy life, anyway?
All in all, I think I've definitely landed on my feet at Heinrich-Heine; I've got the perfect balance of work and play. In fact, I'm so busy, I've almost forgotten to be homesick! And now I best go; as you may appreciate, time is of the essence these days and I can't spend all my time blogging. After all, I've got lessons to plan!
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* Before you ask, I didn't understand a word.
** If I used smileys in my blogs, I reckon this would be the perfect moment for the one that comprises of a colon and a slanty line.
*** I'm a photocopying beast, but I still stumble my way through pages of notes and plans in my lessons in an attempt to make it appear as if I'm at least vaguely in control of the situation
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