Been a bit quiet again lately, this time for a reason.
I'm trained as an engineer, so under Danish law I'm allowed to teach at technical high schools. However, within two years of employment I have to start the so-called PG, Pædagogiske Grunduddannelse, a basic teacher's license.
This is a "Get it or get out" exam. If you fail, you cannot continue to teach anywhere within the Danish school system. In other words I'd have to go looking for a new job. Not an easy proposition at my age and the current economic situation. I do have a "plan B", but I'm not quite physically ready for that one. More about that at some later time
My first year at it was a very bad experience for me, mostly because the supervisor appointed to me by the ministry for education and I absolutely didn't get along. I felt like I could do nothing right, no feed-back from her but criticism, just pressure...
Result: I crashed with stress and crashed badly!
It took me half a year to get over that (and over her).
So this spring I was appointed two new supervisors and work with them has been great. They still demanded a lot from me, but they did so in a way that made me feel good, appreciated, and so on.
This friday last I then had the final supervisory visit from them. They came to watch me teach two classes, applied technology and chemistry. We had a short discussion afterwards and then I was given a quite satisfactory statement that I had passed the practical part of my teacher's license.
So now I can add 'Licensed Teacher (High School, Technology & Chemistry)' to my business cards soon (if I had any of those).
Just need to pass a written test where I write an essay on a didactic problem, but that I think I'm good at.
Been celebrating a bit, but one of the most rewarding things for me was to be able to sit at my miniSpinner yesterday for an hour or two and just relax as I spun some fine singles.
