The Definitive Guide To Surviving Your Last Week Of Summer As A Teacher In Malta
Oh, would you look at that – it’s almost back to school time. We think kids get enough of the love when it comes education, but have you ever stopped and wondered what it’s like for a teacher to go back to school?
It’s time to dive into the minds that shape our younger minds with our definitive guide to being a teacher in Malta and surviving your final week of summer…
1. Gozo is your best friend
We know; you’re trying to save for a house and can’t afford to holiday and, well, you live in Malta anyway so it’s kinda like a holiday.
But then you get to September and you feel like you deserve a break and all your girlfriends have been raving about Thailand and the elephants.
The closest thing you’ll find in Malta is Gozo and its chameleons, but given that the majority of local feasts are now behind us, you can all rest assured knowing that our sister island is super, super chill. Let Gozo be that one friend who levels your head in preparation for the year ahead (and screaming kids come Monday morning).
2. Make the most of what’s left of the good weather
Head to the beach and make use of the sunny weather. The rain (and thunder) has already started making some appearances over the last couple of days… and with them, the grey skies and glum of every first scholastic term in Malta.
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Why not kill two birds with one stone and top up your tan while refreshing your mind on the syllabus for the year ahead?
3. Stock up on wine
You will thank yourself for this when you get back home on the first Friday back and realise you’re already falling behind on marking and class-prep.
We aren’t condoning drinking on the job, but a glass of wine makes everything better and if you’re still too scared about spilling a drop on your students’ papers, then just use a straw.
4. Use your friends as therapists
You’re no doubt going to have a few panic attacks about what kinds of students you’ll be teaching this year, but that shouldn’t make you feel the need to lean on the shoulders of a shrink.
Use your friends as open ears and grovel about the potential troublemakers to your hearts content. That’s what friends are for.
5. Shop around for your coveted red pens
Red ink prices rise in September*, but you might still find a bargain in your local stationer.
Always best to keep in mind that individual pens tend to cost more, but their reduced packaging helps you save the environment, so the choice is left in your hands if you wish to set the example for your students.
BONUS: Pray for an educational reform that cancels school
Because kids don’t deserve your time and effort being poured into their spongeous brains, do they?
Why spend five days a week helping the little tykes invest in their own knowledge when you can be out there doing exactly what your friends are: finding themselves, aged 33, unable to pay back the loan they took a car 12 years ago because they haven’t chosen a steady career path like teaching? Such fun!