I always thought the stage would be my home. And so it became. I left school to persue my dream of the arts, and studied a degree in Drama and Performance. And I revelled in its splendour until a rather nasty reality call in the form of graduation hit me. I was an actress, yes. Was I any good? Debatable. In any case, I knew that I had to find a different stage. And in a moment of inspiration (I am starting to believe it was more like deluded desperation and the need for a car that didn't break down every 2kms), I decided that being a teacher would be a SPLENDID job, and surely the pleasure of educating young minds would far outweigh the rather meagre salary...
I am starting to believe I watched too many movies about young American teachers changing their delinquent students and becoming their lifelong heroes. Robin Williams and Hilary Swank sure made it look easy.
In any case, I became a drama teacher, and by some strange twist of fortune, a LO teacher as well. (For non South Africans, its a class where kids get to learn about life and get given marks. In theory. In reality however, its a place for them to talk about sex and use up the lesson trying to distract the teacher from actually going through the textbook). And in a moment of madness I believed a high school teacher would suit me best. Apart from the fact I still look like I'm 18 and meant to be in class, I felt I could relate to them better then any screeching midget.
Three months in, I'm starting to question how sane I really was when deciding this.
And so, before the masses of hormonal, screeching female teenagers at the all-girls high school I teach at consume me... I felt I better record my days. Just in case they're in need of evidence when they find me huddled in the corner, fetal position, clutching my Complete Works of William Shakespeare and an apple, rocking back and forth, muttering: "it would be rewarding, they said... you'll love it, they said.... you're smarter than them, they said.... why... whyyyyyy"........
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