Schlieffen Plan and Teaching Modern History...

As the last post suggests, I am in Cootamundra! I am teaching at Cootmaundra High School for my final practicum. I have completed Day One. So, there are only 19 more days to go...

I am teaching the Core component of the HSC Modern History syllabus (well, at least part of it anyway). I am pretty well prepared, but like anything else there is always the prospect of Mr. Murphy turning up and bringing along his laws of chaos. Besides, in my limited high school teaching experience to date, if there is one thing that I have learned it is this, lesson planning is critical. Now, that said, it is possible to prepare a lesson which covers all the bases; syllabus outcomes, content, differentiated learning styles, quality teaching outcomes, and whatever else takes your fancy in the buzz words stakes. However, no matter how good this lesson is on paper, it can all go arse about face in a matter of seconds.

I only mention this because I wonder where my arse about face moments are going to spring up. I have prepared a whole series of lessons to teach the bulk of the four week practicum that I am currently on with a view to just adding little bits and pieces to have a complete package, and if I do say so myself - they are good, very good. Engaging and all that other "right" stuff that is expected of graduate teachers.

Anyway, I digress with the blowing my own trumpet thing. Back to the Schlieffen Plan.

I have a lesson plan to teach the Schlieffen Plan. It is a lesson that runs for 50 minutes. However, in terms of preparing it, doing the research, putting the materials / content in place, and setting it up to be taught, I have spent a considerable amount of time learning about the Schlieffen Plan. The background reading and the deep knowledge / understanding stuff takes a whole lot of time to master. People do undergraduate and post-graduate degrees on this topic alone.

So, this is where I am thinking Mr. Murphy might show up. I am wondering at 03.29 (yes, that is the am) whether I can truly impart the deep knowledge and understanding that my lesson aims for in the 50 minutes that I have to do it. I wonder this even though my lesson looks good, very good, on paper.

This is the thing about teaching; the process. I have written about the "lights on" moments a couple of times in the blog. I am really hoping that later this morning when I teach the Schlieffen Plan that there are at least 10 lights on moments (maybe 11 if I include the teacher supervising my practicum. But his lights on moment would be, "wow, the boy can teach!)!

I am a life-long learner. I have learned a few things in putting this lesson together. Perhaps more accurately, I have come to appreciate a new perspective on how I might go about teaching this part of the core HSC Modern History course. Maybe, just maybe, I will get the students to do a major assessment task in this part. I am thinking a video where they explain, assess, discuss or even re-enact how the Schlieffen Plan came to be or was executed, and then why it failed. The failure, after all, is what they really need to understand in order to lead into the reasons the war of movement ended in favour of static war, which is the next part that I cover...trench warfare.

But, when it is all said and done, I am prepared! So, come what may (hopefully I am ready).

Heading to Cootamundra for Practicum...

I am just finalising a month's worth of lesson plans for Advanced English and Modern History. Then, it is bed time. I will be leaving real early in the morning to head out to Cootamundra. I am doing my final practicum at Cootmaundra High School over the next four weeks, which also happen to be the first four weeks of the last school term in NSW.

To be honest, I am looking forward to the teaching. I enjoy teaching a whole lot. I most enjoy watching young people learn, particularly those "lights on" moments where it all clicks into place and the youngster finally gets it.

Funnily enough, I had a "lights on" moment today. I have been doing some work with a young fellow about to embark on his HSC, the defining end of high school moment for students in NSW. We have been working on English and Modern History. But, in the last 48 hours his English has gone from average to wow. And, it has been nothing more than re-arranging the pieces of the puzzle so that they are easier to spot. Hopefully, this carries over for him through the HSC exams.

But, I digress sort of.

In terms of blogging, I guess it will be a time thing. The place I am staying, the White Ibis, has a good wireless internet connection of reasonable speed. So, maybe I will log more or less unchanged. I am tending to think that I might have more time now than when I did while I was studying.

I will be sure to keep my loyal readers (and any others who only drop by because of the misleading "tags") updated and informed of the time in Coota.

Anti-Bullying Campaigns and Homophobia...

Bullying is a serious problem in schools. Bullying happened when I was in high school, but when I think about bullying in 2010 then it becomes pretty obvious that school life for me was a breeze. Simply, in this age of technology bullying has become a 24/7 problem. In my day bullying sort of started when one got to school and ended at the end of the school day.

However, what I have noticed in my practicums to date is that mobile technology is so prevalent amongst our youth that problems like cyber-bullying are increasingly prevalent. It is not uncommon to see children with a happy disposition at the beginning of the day deteriorate throughout the day as a result of 'stuff' being posted about them on Facebook and Twitter and other social networking and media sites.

What used to be one-on-one or small groups-on-one has now morphed into something where "X is doing the deed with Y" is posted to 100s of people in an instant and then forwarded or retweeted into other social networks. It really is scary. And, in a lot of ways I am very glad to no longer be a child myself. But, I am a teacher, and a parent, and these are issues that I will have to deal with throughout my professional and personal life.

This post came about because of an interesting discussion I watched on Anderson Cooper 360 (and I embed it here courtesy of CNN) that was discussing bullying and the incorporation of material to address increasing homophobia in schools as part of an anti-bullying program. It was interesting to hear that children are coming out at ever-younger ages. This is interesting to me because I do not think that as a community we are ready for this. I do not think that we have universal and uniform mechanisms in place to deal with it. I think that in the school situation we are not prepared to address the gaps between policy and practice.

It amazes me that there are still those that want to stick their collective heads in the sand and continue to debate nature vs. nurture couched in terms of some sort of liberal conspiracy to promote a homosexual agenda. If people want to debate whether gay and lesbians are born or created then they should go for it on their own time. On my time I want constructive debate and discussion about how I can create and maintain a safe learning environment where children can get the education that I believe they have a right to receive. I am not going to get this by sticking my head in the sand and pretending that the children who are coming out proud about their sexual preferences are confused adolescent victims of a liberal homosexual conspiracy.

Bullying, and particularly cyber-bullying, is going to be one of the biggest challenges I face as a teacher / educator. I really hope I am up to the challenge.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun...

Or in my case, time flies when you are doing an accelerated Masters program and any time that you do have never seems to be enough. As I was sitting here tidying up a my last couple of assessment tasks before heading out on practicum placement next week at Cootamundra High School, it dawned on me that Wednesday is my last day of university classes. To all intents and purposes, today is the day, it is all over red rover (or is that bar the shouting?)

So, what have I done since February and where has that time gone? Well, I have done two teaching methods (English & History) for  both the junior and senior high school levels. I have done subjects on teaching, inclusive education, positive learning environments, diversity, and pedagogy. I have also done two practicum placements (East Hills Boys High School and Bingara Central School).

So, as I sit here and type this, I am wondering whether I have paid enough attention in class and done enough reading and practice to be a teacher. It is not long now and we will be finding out whether Mr. Baiton is up to the task!

The only other thing that I am wondering right now is, "where is the Department of Education and Training going to place me for my first appointment?" The beauty of being a scholarship holder, and having been assessed as suitable to teach, is that I am going to be employed somewhere. The only unknown is the name of the town where Dyah, Will and I are to call home for the next 2 or 3 years.

No point in worrying about that now.

Nothing Personal...

If I do not post anything here between now and next Saturday, it is not personal. I have four university assessments due between now and midnight on Friday.

I have English due on Tuesday, Diversity and Pedagogies due on Wednesday, and History on Friday. None of the assessment tasks are too taxing, but they are picky in terms of satisfying the marking rubrics that accompany them.

You are always welcome to trawl back through the archives and see if there is anything of interest still to be read.

Rob

Postscript...
I am getting more done than I thought I would. So, maybe I will post something substantial over the next few days :)

School for Virgin Girls Only...

They obviously do not have a lot to do in Jambi.

Jambi is a province in Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra. It now has a new claim to fame in Bambang Bayu Suseno. Suseno is a legislator in the local parliament up there in Jambi. He has decided in his infinite wisdom that all young girls intending to enroll in a state school must first undergo a virginity test.

Yes, punters, a virginity test. It seems that in Jambi only virgin girls have a right to get an education. I am guessing that Suseno must be thinking that a girl who is no-longer a virgin probably has nothing else left to learn so why waste time getting an education in school?

Suseno seems to think that this is a way of protecting the girls and maintaining their dignity. Protecting them from what? And, maintaining what dignity? Since when has it been a good idea to base access to education on your virginity status? Perhaps we could tie young Suseno to a stake and set him on fire. If he lives he is not fit to be a legislator, and if he dies he is...oops!

Which gives rise to my next point. Are these virginity tests infallible? Is there a right to appeal? Who makes this life-altering judgment? I wonder what "age" are we living in now? Are there any exceptions where a non-virgin might be granted a reprieve to enter a state school although she is no longer "pure"? I only ask because I am wondering how constitutional it is to exclude students based on their virginity status from state schools. I am also wondering whether it is right to exclude a victim of rape from gaining an education?

But why test for just virginity? And, why just the girls? Why not test all girls and all boys to determine whether they are virgins? While we are testing them, why not check out their IQs and exclude anyone below 99 as being a little too slow for state school and anyone over 101 as being too demanding, and therefore too difficult to accommodate in a state school. From there we should also start testing for medical conditions. So, anyone wearing glasses are excluded from state schools. Let's face it, there would need to be too may resources devoted to providing the necessary facilities for sight-challenged students. The list can go on and on and on and on.

The whole idea that you would want to test for virginity as a pre-requisite for entry into state schools is absurd.

Not to be deterred though, Suseno is focused on his plan of drafting a regional law that mandates entry to state schools in Jambi be based on the successful completion of a virginity test. Successful here being you test positive for virginity.

I am still shaking my head as I think about how silly this is. Maybe it is just a publicity stunt? Then again, they test for virginity in Africa, and give the girls a certificate if they pass the test (make the grade so to speak).

The Captain's Walk -- Cootamundra...

Less than 24 hours to go on my focus week! I am looking forward to getting home. This is not because I have not enjoyed Cootamundra, the high school (staff and students), or the White Ibis. It is simply because I miss my family. Although Sydney is not all that far away at about four hours drive, it is too far away to drive to and from school everyday!

That said, I am looking forward to coming back to finish off the final four weeks of my practicum life as this represents the culmination of my Masters. I get a satisfactory grade on the practicum and then I am applying for a casual teaching number, and then I am on my way. I have casual teaching work lined up for the first working day after I finish. However, all that depends on successful completion of this practicum placement. So, there is a need to remain a little focused.

The focus week has been relaxed. I was expecting it to be. After all, it is the last week of term 3 and both the students and staff have wound down in preparation for the school holidays. Nevertheless, I have done what I needed to do; found out what I am teaching and who, and observed plenty of classes. I am thinking that I might get roped into helping out with the LOTE class as the LOTE stream here is Indonesian.

I must add that "roped in" is said in the most positive of ways. It is something that I would enjoy doing; passing on my enthusiasm for Indonesia and the Indonesian language to others. Going to Indonesia and learning Indonesian was a wonderful experience and has provided me with a lifetime of memories already. Not to mention that my better half is Indonesian and my Will is half Indonesian as well!

Anyways, I digress. This post is about this really cool walk that they have here in Cootamundra. It is called the "Captain's Walk". It is just a short winding path through a small park just down from Cootamundra High School. I think the park is called Jubilee Park (I will check on my way to work in the morning). The path has brass busts / sculptures on either side of the path of each of the men who have captained the Australian Cricket Team from the very first to the current.

I photographed each and every head. Unfortunately, I have not formatted the photos in order to decrease their size. So, I will only post a few here. I am not sure that it is worth coming to Cootamundra just for the Captain's Walk, but if you were ever in town then it is certainly worth a look. I figured that I would be able to use them at some point in teaching Australian / Modern History. I am guessing that I could put them into a PowerPoint presentation and add some biographical information to each slide.

The first captain is an Aboriginal gentleman by the name of Unaarrimin (Johnny Mullagh - there seems to be an alternate spelling of his Aboriginal name; Unaarrimim). He was part of the first ever Australian team to tour to Britain in 1868.

The following is Australia's greatest ever cricketer, Don Bradman.

And the last, is the current captain, Ricky Ponting.

Life in a Small Town...

I am now into the fourth day and, I have to say, it has been enjoyable. Cootamundra High School is a good little school and the staff are very accommodating and helpful. I am looking forward to spending four weeks here to complete my final practicum. It would have been nice to have Dyah and Will here as well, but they are house and dog sitting...so, I will just have to go this one on my own.

As a consequence of my newly minted "early to bed, early to rise" philosophy, I was awake and chirpy by about 5.15 this morning. So, I figured in my early morning zeal and vigour for life that I would go for a walk. I did not bother to look out the window, it was on with the clothes and out the door.

Perhaps a quick look-see would have revealed an alternate plan.

The road home appears to be a foggy one, at least really early in the morning!

Not to be defeated in my mission I ploughed ahead and walked the streets of Cootamundra. There is a great little early opener called "the Outback Cafe". It serves good, and fresh, hot bread. There were plenty of cakes too, but I figured that would defeat the purpose of exercising. That said, it was a tempting thought to just buy some cakes and eat them while I walked.

It was foggy and cool, but surprisingly there were lots of people out and about.

On my wandering ways I passed a little clothes shop, one of several in bustling Cootamundra. It was not the quality of the clothes that caught my eye, but this t-shirt certainly did.

I guess Cootamundra is not as "small town" as I thought it might be :D

White Ibis -- Cootamundra...

I am staying at the White Ibis while I am in Cootamundra. It is described on its website as "boutique accommodation". It is a renovated hotel / pub that was originally built in 1876 (I will post some more photos in addition to the one here, later). I might have described it as quaint. I like it the rooms are big and the beds comfortable, which are two keys to a good stay.

However, if you are looking for internal bathrooms and kitchen facilities, then you probably need to remember this was once a pub. The bathrooms are shared. They are, however, big and clean with lots of hot running water. There is a kitchenette upstairs attached to 'the lounge' and it has a microwave, a toaster, and a kettle. It also have all the necessary crockery and cutlery.

Last night I was here by myself, no other patrons in sight. Although, judging by the voices wafting in through the room door from the lounge area, I am guessing there are people here who have checked in through the day. Or, there are very chatty ghosts that I have not heard in the past.

So, if you are ever in Cootamundra then this is a pretty good place to bed and breakfast from.

Oh, Cootamundra is also the Birthplace of Don Bradman. I am pretty sure Bowral takes most of the credit for his cricket, but hey you are born where you are born, and the Don was born in Cootamundra. The actual house that he was born in has been bought and converted into a museum. There is also this thing called the "Captain's Walk" just down from the high school. It is a walking path that has a bronze relief of all of the Australian Test Cricket Captains from go to whoa. And, as we all know being Prime Minister of Australia is the second most prestigious and important job in Australia after the Captaincy of the Australian Test Cricket Team!

See you in Cootamundra!

In The Country...

The posts the past few days have been floating around in my skull while I figured out an internet connection. I am currently doing my third, and last, pracitcum placement. I am doing this in a town called Cootamundra. I cannot remember exactly the last time I was in Cootamundra, but it must have been 25, maybe 30, years ago. I used to live in a neighbouring town, Young (the Cherry Capital of the world). And, before that, a really small town called Monteagle.

I am teaching, or at least will be, at Cootamundra High School (photos in a later post) for 4 weeks next school term. I am here this week to observe. Unfortunately, being the last week of term, it has been as most schools are, relaxed. Relaxed in the sense that the classes I am scheduled to teach, Year 11, have just finished exams and have had a camp organised for today. Tomorrow they are on sport and Thursday they get results back, and Friday is expected to see very few students make it to class. So, on the observation front, I have done lots but just not of the students I was hoping to.

Nevertheless, I am getting to observe some other classes. They have a LOTE (languages other than English) stream. Funnily enough, it is Indonesian. So, I am getting to test out my Indonesian in a teaching setting with Year 7 students. Sadly, they are not seemingly all that keen...oh well!

Cootamundra is about 40 minutes from Young. So, seeing I drove out here for the week, I figured I would duck on over to Young and visit my childhood home (there is a ghost story there, but maybe that is for a post for another time).

Visit in the Baiton sense was drive past, park, get out of the car, and then photograph it, jump back in the car and leave again (that photo is attached here). Young has many good memories for me, as does the old home.

It is funny how the memories work, things were so different in how the yard looks, yet there was also something that remains forever familiar.

My Nan used to live next door, so it was good to see both houses again. It was an opportunity to have a little chuckle about the mischief that my brother, sister, and I used to get up to in our youth.

Life goes on!

Teaching -- What Makes it Worthwhile...

This is just a short personal reflection.

I am writing it partly as a means of refocusing on why I want to be a teacher. Doing an accelerated Masters program while trying to juggle the processes of surviving life often leaves me tired and somewhat bitter, twisted and jaded. These things are often exacerbated by organisational bureaucracy and dealing with people who seem intent on making things more difficult than they need to be. So, to all intents and purposes, this is my own little pep rally...Go Rob Baiton, Go!

I tutor a couple of kids in addition to trying to juggle everything else. I do this for a number of reasons; putting it all into practice and to see whether I really have the skills and patience necessary to make this teaching gig work. It is one of these kids that sort of re-grounded me and showed me why I want to do this teaching thing for a crust.

What makes teaching really rewarding for me is that "lights on" moment where someone that you have taught finally sees all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place and the light goes on. This is almost always followed by a smile and an exclamation of surprise, "I can do it!" I had three of those moments in one day today; a young bloke in Year 6, a young girl in Year 8, and a soon to be doing the HSC lad. Each are studying different subjects, which is a challenge for me, but this is not about me.

It might have just been a fluke of coincidence, but each of them today had a "lights on" moment where they realised that they can actually do the work, and do it well. In most respects, all I do is help them visualise the pieces of the puzzle and facilitate in getting the pieces into the right spots. It is nice, and it feels good, to watch children understand that they can be successful and grow into that new-found confidence.

It is for these moments that I want to pursue a career in teaching. I am not naive enough to think that I will have them every day, but if I can have more lights on days than lights off days throughout the course of my career then I will be a happy teacher. I must add that the disillusionment I was feeling with my course quickly dissipated.

This sort of got me thinking. I did a lot of teaching while I was living in Indonesia. I worked with, and taught, many wonderful young women and men (and some older ones too) who have gone on to achieve excellent and wonderful things in all manner of fields of endeavour. I hope they remember me as fondly as I remember them (particularly because when they become famous I will be forever telling the story..."I remember when ..."). It was these experiences that drove me towards returning to Australia and formalising some teaching qualifications to make it all academic looking.

Onwards and upwards, I say!

And Death Shall Have No Dominion...

I like the poetry of Dylan Thomas. Maybe it is simply because the poetry is good, or it might be because of a shared Welsh heritage, or it could be something that I am yet to realise. However, there was some discussion before Will was born about names that he might be given before we decided on Will. Among these was Dylan.

Anyways, I have been going through all my books in order to sort them out into some kind of order in readiness for packing them into specifically labelled boxes so that I can find them again. Whilst on this mission I came across some Dylan Thomas poetry, including one of my favourites; "And Death Shall Have No Dominion".

The beauty of poetry is that a poem is really anything anyone cares to label as such. There is, obviously, good poetry and not-so-good poetry, but it is all poetry at the end of the day. I am not going to analyse this poem for you. Rather, I would encourage you to read it, and bring to it your own life experiences and views. My biggest enjoyment in reading poetry is imagining that the poet was writing this poem for you to read and interpret it as you will.

This poem has even been interpreted as being a commentary on the inevitable socialist underpinnings of our existence.

So, it is within this framework that I post "And Death Shall Have No Dominion".

Enjoy...


And death shall have no dominion. 
Dead men naked they shall be one 
With the man in the wind and the west moon; 
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone, 
They shall have stars at elbow and foot; 
Though they go mad they shall be sane, 
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again; 
Though lovers be lost love shall not; 
And death shall have no dominion. 


And death shall have no dominion. 
Under the windings of the sea 
They lying long shall not die windily; 
Twisting on racks when sinews give way, 
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break; 
Faith in their hands shall snap in two, 
And the unicorn evils run them through; 
Split all ends up they shan't crack; 
And death shall have no dominion. 


And death shall have no dominion. 
No more may gulls cry at their ears 
Or waves break loud on the seashores; 
Where blew a flower may a flower no more 
Lift its head to the blows of the rain; 
Though they be mad and dead as nails, 
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies; 
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down, 
And death shall have no dominion.

Photos from the Bus...

I recently went Beyond the Line. It sounds much more dramatic than it really is. The Beyond the Line program is a program that introduces prospective new teachers to the joys of teaching in rural and remote schools in New South Wales.

The Beyond the Line program recently took me to Bingara via Moree and Narrabri. This photo was taken as I was sitting on the bus and in between Narrabri and Bingara. The photo is of a field of cotton just waiting to be harvested.

Bingara -- Beyond the Line...

Just a few happy snappies from my time in Bingara. If you want to look it up you can, a simple Google search will do the trick. However, for those of you less inclined to do so, then it is about 1.5 hours from Moree.

The Beyond the Line program is a program run by the Department of Education and Training in New South Wales. The program is designed to encourage new teachers to take the plunge in a rural and / or remote school.

For me, there is not a lot of choice. I am on a Beyond the Line scholarship, so I am destined to go teaching in a rural or remote school.

Adios!

Just a Thought...

I regularly see the following quote "those who can, do; those who can't, teach." The quote I find to be an interesting juxtaposition when read together with this quote "a teacher affects eternity; no one can tell where his [or her] influence stops."

The first is attributed to George Bernard Shaw and the second to Henry Adams. Perhaps this is interesting because Shaw was one of the founders of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The quotes resonate with me as I am about to embark on a Masters degree that will take me away from what I have been doing and place me fair and square within the ranks of educators. I have always believed that teachers are the most influential people in our lives after our parents. So, I agree with the sentiments expressed by Adams (although I added the [or her] to the original quote).

However, I am also tempted to tinker with Shaw's quote so that it reads, those that can teach, do; and those that can't, do something else. My version probably will never be all that well-received or widely used, but I believe that you really have to want to teach in order to be a teacher, because if you are not committed to the cause then you will never do it well.

Such is life.

Prejudice is Ignorance

I am not sure whether this is an original Michael Jackson quote. However, after Googling it, it seems that it is generally attributed to him.

A title such as this lends itself to a good rant and vent against the ills afflicting this world. It also lends itself to some introspection and reflection on what we have been, what we are, and what we hope to be.

Whether I am remembered at the end of time is immaterial and unimportant to me in the big scheme of things. If I can exit stage left at the end of my life time knowing that I have made a difference in some one's life then I depart this world a success.

I guess this is why I enjoy teaching. Teachers shape the future. Teaching is probably the most influential job in the world after being a parent, as teachers will shape the young minds of the next generation. I reckon that everyone when they think about it can name a teacher that has impacted on their lives in a significant way.

However, this is a post about reflecting on one's self (and perhaps about Michael Jackson) and making changes. Thanks to You Tube I have been able to spend a considerable amount of time watching and listening to Michael Jackson videos. One of my favourite songs is "Man in the Mirror" as it challenges us to understand that changes must first happen with us before we can hope to see change in others.

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

Australia -- Chronic Teacher Shortages

The Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, who also happens to double as Education Minister feels inspired by a British teacher recruitment drive. She is so inspired by the recruitment drive that she is hoping to introduce it to Australia.

Australia suffers a chronic teacher shortage for a number of reasons. Primarily among these is that teachers were underpaid for the value that they provide to the community through education and many simply became more valuable in the private sector and in other fields.

The recruitment drive was somewhat provocatively themed, "Those who can, teach". There were other catchy little slogans used such as, "Use your head, teach". It seems that this has resulted in a significant increase in the numbers of undergraduates entering into teaching based degrees.

However, the government's only real commitment to date on this front is to offer to halve the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) fees for those graduates that take a teaching qualification. I think that a commitment to raising salaries might go a fair way to "inspiring" people to get into teaching.

I guess we wait and see!

Going Through the Motions

I reckon everyone reaches a point where they know they are done on something! I am done on Indonesia, I need to be somewhere else and doing something else. I have been here a long time and the last five years in the same company and doing the same job...there are no real prospects of promotion and it feels very much like treading water, a sort of going through the motions.

This year is going to be a year of change. Our family will grow by one later in the year and that sounds like the perfect time for a fresh start! We will be heading back to Australia and I am going to do a teaching qualification and then teach English, Indonesian, and Legal Studies, which sounds like as good a plan as anything else right at this point in time. Teaching offers something I am not currently getting besides a real salary for real work, it offers the chance of promotion. The Department of Education even offers scholarships in these areas so maybe I will get lucky!

This post is not about Indonesia per se but rather about the lack of progress I am making and perhaps this lack of progress is my fault. However, a change is as good as a holiday and it is time for a holiday!