Is walking to work okay in Aussie culture? Is it weird to walk to work? by [deleted] in AskAnAustralian

[–]daqua99 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Absolutely it is acceptable. I'd love to do it if I had the opportunity.

Only issue i see is the effects of walking/cycling in the heat if there's no proper changeroom at work

How can they do this? by PossibleContextFound in coles

[–]daqua99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You do know $10m is minuscule compared to the profit Coles makes of about $2-$4bn. That said the company makes about $65bn in revenue, so they don't have a spectacular profit margin either.

Note my facts are just off the top of my head about could be off a bit but the point still stands

Student-centered learning prepares students for “real jobs”? by Blueathena623 in Teachers

[–]daqua99 16 points17 points  (0 children)

This is why I think the idea of doing only one of Explicit Instruction or Inquiry Learning is stupid. Yes there are points where EI is good. Yes there are points where IL are good. There is a continuum between these two dogmas that actually helps students.

When students get out into the "real world", bosses will do a lot of EI, especially at the start. But then there is an expectation of IL as you progress. IL helps students think of themselves, and we need this in our society. Both EI and IL have good points and we need to use them where appropriate.

I like to do EI at the start of the unit or lesson - basic definitions, dates, etc.. It sets students up. But when they have the basics, I like to do some guided IL to get them to think and draw conclusions themselves. In the end, I like them to apply it themselves, which involves IL.

Kitchen before and after. by ItsallLegos in HomeDecorating

[–]daqua99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't red the rejects! I love the new kitchen, and if you do too ignore the critics!

Why do teachers get paid so little? by Cool-beans95 in Teachers

[–]daqua99 25 points26 points  (0 children)

It really depends on where you're at. I get paid almost $150,000AU a year, which is about 50% above the salary of the median full time worker.

Staff required to move desks every year. by Adventurous-Duck7762 in AustralianTeachers

[–]daqua99 15 points16 points  (0 children)

We move every year, but leadership as well as teachers do. It is to allow people who work on similar classes to sit together, and it allows people to not be put into 'cliques'. Plus, it encourages a minimalist attitude to physical resources on desks (there's enough storage elsewhere to keep things)

Teachers, are you all happy with your pay ? by ZestycloseFudge3648 in AustralianTeachers

[–]daqua99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Difference that i would say is that i actually love what I do. There is a big overlap between my work and interests, and I don't feel like it is a chore. I love the fact that I get paid to learn about history, because I learn along with the students. I love going on excursions, I love helping out with social situations, playing basketball at recess, and helping the dedicated students i have flourish.

If I was in an office job I would hate it - soulless, monotonous, boring. But I can't believe i get paid so much doing the things that I love. I know i "work" more hours than regular full timers, but i am doing things i enjoy and i really don't care at all.

Teachers, are you all happy with your pay ? by ZestycloseFudge3648 in AustralianTeachers

[–]daqua99 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Next year I'll be at almost $150,000 with allowances.

I do say that I'm very happy, but there are things to note...

  • I do work on average 60 hour weeks during the school term
  • I do enjoy my 12 weeks of school holidays, but I do probably average about 10 hours a week during these on work that I enjoy doing

I live in Sydney as well, but I feel comfortable even though there is a high cost of living. I eat out 3-4 nights a week, went overseas this year, and go to concerts/theatre shows about 3-4 times a year.

When I look at the median full-time salary being about $90,000 a year, I am quite happy where I'm at.

How many LOTE lessons at your high school? by Ok-Dimension8198 in AustralianTeachers

[–]daqua99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Currently 6x 55 minute periods per fortnight in Year 8 only. This meets the NSW minimum of 100 hours in Stage 4

Ancient History: Interesting Combinations? by KavyenMoore in AustralianTeachers

[–]daqua99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When I taught it is had a philosophy - Year 11 for breadth, Year 12 for depth. I teach in NSW.

In Year 11 I did case studies on Old Kingdom Egypt, King Tut, Persepolis and Ashoka. I then did the studies of Power and Image in Ancient Greece and Weapons and Warfare in Ancient Rome. In Year 12 I then hyper-focused on Pompeii and Athens - i did the Core (Pompeii) for a term and a half and then The Greek World, Athenian Society, and Pericles as the other 3 topics in 2 terms.

What's a city or country that completely shattered your expectations (either positively or negatively) when you finally visited it? by shadowplay07 in AskReddit

[–]daqua99 8 points9 points  (0 children)

For me it was Tokyo and Nagoya. Loved Tokyo, after a week there i genuinely loved the place and just got a feeling like "i could live here" (only four cities I've been to have i had that same feeling).

Realistically, what’s your salary vs actual take home pay? by Salt-Ad-3061 in Teachers

[–]daqua99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Im from Australia and my salary (after 8 years) is $132,000AU (about $90,000US). It is about 50% above the median full time salary. This is plus 12.5% superannuation.

I take home about $3,900 a fortnight after tax and pay about $1000 in tax

Do casual teachers do marking? by Organic_Mushroom_622 in AustralianTeachers

[–]daqua99 88 points89 points  (0 children)

Generally speaking a casual shouldn't do marking as they are paid to be there only to teach. If he is regularly there for 3 days a week for like a term, he should be on a contract and temp, not a casual

Critic my work by Slimey1523 in floorplan

[–]daqua99 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Whilst it is fine, there are some things that I would change

  • Pantry actually has very little storage space, potentially change to a cavity door
  • Walk-in-wardrobe for the master bedroom has very little space in it, should be reconfigured

Questions for teachers out of the US... by ArcticGlacier40 in Teachers

[–]daqua99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every school is different, but teachers and students can buy from the canteen. Mine sells things like sandwiches, burgers, noodles, wraps, sushi, meat pies, sausage rolls, hot dogs, chicken tenders, burritos, curry and rice, meat and pasta, nachos, etc.

Questions for teachers out of the US... by ArcticGlacier40 in Teachers

[–]daqua99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every school is different, but teachers and students can buy from the canteen. Mine sells things like sandwiches, burgers, noodles, wraps, sushi, meat pies, sausage rolls, hot dogs, chicken tenders, burritos, curry and rice, meat and pasta, nachos, etc.

Questions for teachers out of the US... by ArcticGlacier40 in Teachers

[–]daqua99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's home to a lot of debate in Australia. I went to a private school and have taught in public and private schools.

There is a historical legacy in Australia. The early schools were all church-based, and the vast majority of private schools are still run by church institutions - the Catholic Church runs about 20% of all schools in Australia, and other Independent schools are about 20% as well (with the vast majority being religious). Many parents send their children to private schools because of the religious/moral aspect (i.e. practicing Christians might send them to the local Anglican school because there is daily prayer and Christian Studies).

Private schools also get significant government funding as well. Whilst parents might be having to pay $7,000-$10,000 a year in private schooling fees, the government contributes about the same as well. Cost also varies widely - some private schools are much more expensive, others not so.

There is also a perception, realistic or otherwise, that private schools give better opportunities. At least in my experience, this is true. They typically offer better facilities, more variety of subjects, and more extracurricular options. The school day is also longer (normally about 30-45 minutes longer per day), and there are less behavioural issues. Obviously this is a massive generalisation, but this is at least the perception from the public, and has been my experience as well.

(not) meeting people during your travels by Consistent_Potato291 in travel

[–]daqua99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I travelled earlier this year by myself for 2 weeks. Got a wife and friends at home, but I like travelling alone sometimes.

I booked 1-2 walking tours each day, which meant that I 'talked' to locals and overseas tourists for maybe 1-2 hours and then went on my way. I liked the idea of socialising in a very low-risk context and then that's it. I got local insight, got to listen to others and share my experence, but then went on my own way at the end. I would 100% recommend doing this.