End of September

It's the last week of September, and I'm realizing that I haven't been able to complete my goal of 20 working days at York—I've only managed 7. Jesus! I was so exhausted today after supplying in Newmarket. I miss my beautiful new home so much. Yesterday, I was in Brampton, doing library duty, just sitting there scanning books like a cashier at Walmart. It took me an hour to drive 29 km... it felt endless.

On the bright side, I recently received an assignment as a supply resource teacher for two weeks, working from 10 AM to 4 PM. What a blessing! I can still drive Dudu to work and pick him up. Thank you, Jesus! I just pray that the Lord gives me the strength to drive back home after work and blesses me with the energy to prepare all the food for tomorrow's party. I'm a little nervous since I have so much left to finish.

Last week, I was so happy to find the cutest plush cushions for just $2.99 each—what a steal! I bought six of them. Honestly, I feel like adding this to my résumé as a major life achievement, hahaha! I've been looking online for cushions, and the cheapest ones I could find were $17 each. And to top it off, I was able to host dinner for my girlfriends, which made me so happy.

I'm looking forward to many more joyful dinners with Dudu and our friends around our cozy, lovely dining table. Life has its challenges, but moments like these remind me of the blessings.

Drama OT Supply Diary

First Day:

My first day of drama teaching was definitely overwhelming. I was asked to lead an Echo activity. This game involves students standing in a circle, where one person starts by saying their names or doing something (a sound or movement), and the others "echo" it. It's a fun way to warm up the class, get everyone engaged, and build group cohesion. I was also supposed to go over classroom norms and lead a discussion on constructive criticism in theatre—a concept that’s so vital for actors. Theatre is all about feedback, but it has to be done in a way that helps actors improve, not break them down. Ms. Goldman, the department head, ended up taking the lead on this, and I was so relieved to learn from her how to guide discussions that build confidence while offering helpful, honest feedback.

Second Day:

This day was all about stepping up and running the Mirror, Mirror activity on my own... This game pairs students up, with one person acting as the leader and the other as the "mirror," imitating every movement and expression in sync. It helps develop students' focus, coordination, and connection with their scene partners—key skills in acting.

I also introduced Love/Hate Rants to the Grade 10 class. In this activity, students pick a random object or idea and deliver a passionate rant, either loving or hating it. It’s great for helping them explore extremes in emotion and tone, plus it encourages creativity and improvisation.

For the Grade 12 class, I was introduced to Verbatim Theatre, a style of theatre where actors perform real-life testimonies or interviews word-for-word. It’s an intense way to teach students about real-world stories, but it also challenges their ability to stay truthful to the source material while interpreting it for the stage. The class explored the power of acting real experiences authentically, learning how to handle sensitive material with respect and responsibility.

For Verbatim Theatre, students can pair up and interview each other, focusing on personal stories that help them explore authentic human experiences. Some questions that can be used in the interviews to get rich, emotional responses that will translate well into performance...:

1. What are your dreams or fantasies?
   (This helps explore deeper desires or goals, whether realistic or imaginative.)

2. What is a memory that has shaped who you are today?
   (This invites reflection on personal experiences that have impacted their lives.)

3. What’s something you’re most proud of?
   (Encourages them to reflect on their achievements or qualities they value in themselves.)

4. What’s a fear or insecurity you’ve had to overcome?
   (A question that brings out vulnerability and personal growth.)

5. Who has been your biggest influence, and how have they impacted you?
   (This can help explore personal connections and the influence of relationships.)

6. What’s a moment in your life where you felt completely out of your comfort zone?
   (A great way to uncover challenging or uncomfortable moments and how they shaped the person.)

Acting Techniques I’ve Explored So Far:

1. Stanislavsky’s System:
   The foundation for most modern acting techniques, this system focuses on emotional truth and realism in acting. Actors use techniques like emotional memory to recall past feelings and experiences to bring authenticity to their performances.

2. The Method (popularized by Lee Strasberg):
   An evolution of Stanislavsky’s work, Method acting encourages actors to fully immerse themselves in their characters, often staying in character even off-stage. It emphasizes emotional memory and using personal experiences to create a deep emotional connection to the role.

3. Stella Adler Technique:
   Adler believed that actors shouldn’t rely solely on personal experiences. Instead, she emphasized imagination and understanding the script’s social, cultural, and political context. The actor’s job is to study the world of the play and create truthful performances based on the script and character.

4. Meisner Technique:
   Sanford Meisner’s technique focuses on living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. It uses repetitive exercises to help actors get out of their heads and react instinctively to what their scene partner is doing, emphasizing listening and responding in the moment.

5. Uta Hagen’s Technique:
   Uta Hagen focused on making performances natural and believable. She introduced exercises like "substitution," where actors replace fictional circumstances with real-life experiences, helping them connect deeply to their characters.

6. Spolin Technique:
   Viola Spolin's method revolves around improvisation, encouraging actors to be spontaneous, playful, and flexible. Her exercises help actors break out of rigid patterns and discover new ways to approach their performances, making them more adaptable.

7. Practical Aesthetics:
   Developed by David Mamet and William H. Macy, this technique encourages actors to break down scenes based on what the character wants and what they are doing to achieve it. It focuses on analyzing the script’s objective realities rather than relying on emotional recall.

8. Viewpoints:
   Originally created by choreographer Mary Overlie, Viewpoints focuses on time and space in performance. It trains actors to be aware of their physical presence on stage and how they move through space and interact with others, creating dynamic performances.

9. Chekhov Technique:
   Mikhail Chekhov’s technique centers on using the actor's imagination and physical movement to explore a character’s inner life. It incorporates psychological gestures—specific physical movements that represent a character's desires and emotions.

10. Linklater Voice Method:
    Developed by Kristin Linklater, this method focuses on freeing the natural voice. It helps actors connect their breath and voice with their emotions and intentions, allowing for more powerful and authentic vocal performances.

11. Grotowski Technique:
    Jerzy Grotowski focused on the physicality of performance, pushing actors to use their bodies in extreme ways to express emotions and tell stories. His approach emphasized stripping away the excess and relying on raw, physical expression to connect with the audience.

    
    

    Reflecting on these first few days, I’ve realized how much I’m learning.... My mind is blown away.. 

Finding Rest and Grace Amidst the Chaos

After a crazy 7-week summer camp at Renaissance (now Lolart, lol), I finally got a relaxing week at my beautiful new home and spent some time with Dudu. But honestly, I was sick the *entire* week! Non-stop coughing, feeling so tired, and cold all the time... ugh. The summer was pretty amazing overall, especially since I didn't even think about job hunting in June. I was so swamped with writing report cards, marking, and grading final assignments. It seriously felt like I was writing essays every single day!

On top of that, I was chasing Peel Board HR for my internal candidate job link. Tried reaching out countless times, but nothing worked. So frustrating—😩Canadian bureaucracy at its finest! Thank goodness for Dudu, though. He helped me finally get access to the internal link, so now I can apply for jobs. Hallelujah!

As September creeps closer, I’ve become a regular secondary OT under the York board. I’ve decided to put off staying in Vaughan for now. But I’m still doing the back-and-forth drives, constantly worrying if Dudu’s eating enough or dressing warmly enough—it’s exhausting. I really hope I can get through my 20 mandatory days and fulfill the board's requirements.

I’ve sent out about 30 resumes (maybe a bit less), mainly aiming for high school ESL teaching positions. Elementary school is just too much with all the subjects to teach—I don’t feel confident handling that right now. Last school year was pretty eventful, though. Got a few board offers, did some LTOs, got my experience certification from Peel Board, and also sorted out my QECO. 

Thank you, Jesus, for all the beautiful things that have happened. Truly, all your grace. I’ve been feeling sick these past few months and just want to rest without guilt if I miss a day of work here and there. I pray that the Lord keeps blessing my family, my relationship with Dudu, my friends, and all the wonderful people I’ve met in person and online. They’re so precious to me.

Time to rest...

My beautiful new home by the way💗...