You may recall what a horror last year was? All of the emotions. All of the hospital visits. All of the falling over! All while I was trying to complete my university degree and go on a pre-primary school prac placement for my studies in becoming a teacher.

And then remember how we thought it was all going to be over this year? Until I collapsed at university in May and the drama has started all over again?

Well. I am mixing things up. I have said no more. I will get my foot firmly wedged in the door and take the lead. I was determined that nothing would throw me off this time in my attempt at a prac placement in a primary school. Especially when I had elected to go regional or remote. I was going to show fate that I was in control.

Or so I thought.

About two weeks ago the email came. It asked if I was still open to a regional placement. I responded that I was. I was then offered a school in Bunbury. I contacted my mother and it turned out the address was a short distance from her cousins. After some phone calls my accommodation was organised with the family and I was able to accept the offer. Following university protocol I was  obliged to organise of discussions with my mentor teacher. This was to begin my presumed lesson planning for my two week school teaching prac experience. I knew what my past experiences had been like and wanted to get off on a good foot.

Let’s be honest, I was in chemo and recovering from the brain surgery last time. NOT good circumstances. My skills were lacking and I wanted to do better. I know I can do better.

This in mind I organised a day to visit my teacher and class. I wanted to meet them before I planned. This way I could get an idea of curriculum, behaviours, spaces and physical layout, classroom strategies. You might say I like to be prepared. Again it meant organising a visit with my cousins who were only too happy to welcome me into their home. They even offered to drive me to and from the school and train station. Easing out the remnants of an ongoing cold, I managed to accomplish my reading for next week’s topics on the train from Perth to Bunbury. I then finished off a nasty assignment when I arrived. My cousin is under the weather also so we all went to bed early.

A restful sleep on a rainy night under a tin roof told me I was out of the city once more. I was chipper and bright for class in the morning and excited to meet my teacher. She was lovely! I can feel we will get along and will be a positive and helpful mentor for me during my full prac fortnight of pre-service teaching. We had time to begin planning what I was going to teach, how I may do this and what may be useful to include.

The cheekiest thing however, and the reason I say that fate keeps taking control is the first thing that happened to me at the school. Bear in mind I come from a small country town, Lake Grace, in the Great Southern of Western Australia (WA). Bunbury is a few hours away from here, but in WA it is not uncommon to go to the bigger centres and keep bumping into people you know, especially if you are from the south. Five minutes after the morning bell rings, some children aren’t even at their desks yet, my Mentor asks if A student can take me to Mrs F classroom to check school iPad numbers.

IT WAS A RUSE! Mr F was actually my teacher from when I was in Year 4 at Lake Grace and had recognised my name when Mentor mentioned it and suggested this trick! Naughty ladies surprising me like that! Of course it took me a while to remember her name and how I knew her, but I knew her face for sure. If it had been a year ago I think this would have put me in tears and made me so anxious and uncontrollably shaky. I am just so proud at how far I have come and how great a surprise this was. I will really enjoy my prac/placement at this school and with this class. Everything about it seems to be positive for me so far. I just hope I do well.

Tomorrow I leave for Perth on the train once more. I want to submit my assignment and relax for a day. Then it will be back to the real world for Jessie and my MRI on Friday.