About Me

I am American born and raised, but have been living and working in Australia (Australian Citizen) for the past 10 years.

I graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (Edinboro, PA) in December 2000, having transfered from Anderson University (Anderson, IN) in 1996.

I began teaching when I finally settled in Australia, in 2004. I began my teaching, having spent just over a year in Karratha, Western Australia (mining territory), and then transfered over to the lovely wheatbelt, Hyden, Western Australia to be exact (home of Wave Rock). I loved my 4 years of teaching Year 1, but for personal reasons decided to move.

I then moved to Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) in 2010 to study for a Masters of Education (Early Childhood). I continued to live in Melbourne throughout 2011, and worked full time at a wonderful school in the northern suburbs, while attempting to complete my last 2 courses for my post-graduate degree. I taught Year 5/6 in Melbourne which kept me so incredibly busy, more than I ever could have imagined. Perhaps its my memory of the last week of school that has me reeling with memories of constant fatigue...but either way, I learned so much in my 2 years in Melbourne, both from my courses at the University and through the teaching position.

While I was sad to have to leave, I made the decision to move back to Western Australia, in October 2011, at the end of the school year. Over the 2011 year I reconnected with an old friend, and surprisingly fell in love. While he has extended family in Melbourne, I thought it best if I made the move back to WA, considering his immediate family and mine were both in Perth, WA.

Finding work in the city is proving to be much more difficult than I had originally thought it would. When I left WA for Melbourne, I took a leave of absense for study from the Department of Education WA, but when I needed another year to finish my degree, I didn't feel it right for the school I had been posted at (near the city) to hold my place for me, so I resigned. It was a hard decision, but I didn't think I'd be moving back. Resigning lost me my teaching security in WA, so now I'm in the mix like everyone else. I'm still trying to find the ins and outs of applying for Independent Public Schools and Private schools (as some of my first posts indicate), as well as having put myself in the centralized pool of teachers for schools who are not IPS.

While I have been unemployed for this whole 2012 Semester 1, I have however been able to accomplish at the very least ONE thing. I recieved back my grade for my last class to complete my Masters of Education and have passed (I was so nervous)! Although I can't officially get my credentials updated with the Department of Education until August 15th (commencement date at the University of Melbourne).

So, here I am. Learning about blogging, learning about new and exciting teaching practices around the world though blogs (such a new world to me). I've always been tech saavy, but I've not really delved into the value of blogs before. This time off has allowed me to get in the mix and keep upgrading my skills. Now if only I could utilize them....hmmmm :)  Luckily some of the things I've learned CAN be tested out and used with relief (substitute) teaching, as I've just begun that adventure (ugh).

I hope to add to this blog, ideas I've learned along the way, new ideas (I have a list of creations to include, but just need to get a move on them). Feel free to stop in and say hello :) Enjoy!

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Hello there! My name is Laura and I am an elementary education trained teacher originally from the area of Erie, Pennsylvania.

I have been teaching in Australian primary schools (rural WA, Perth, WA and Melbourne, VIC) over the past 8 years and am currently studying a Masters of Education, specialising in Early Childhood through the University of Melbourne.

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