Some days you are ahead of the game, and other days you feel like you are invisible. Today was an invisible day.
It is an unfortunate side effect of being a Learning Support Officer that people often assume that you are an idiot or of lesser value than a teacher. I don't know why people have this idea about what we do or who we are. Our job is actually really difficult, we have to deal with a lot of challenging behaviours and we get paid a pretty crappy wage when you compare it to what we actually deliver.
This idea that we aren't really all that important can sometimes leave you feeling a bit like a barnacle clinging to a much larger ship, the crew all know that you there but you aren't really factoring in enough for anyone to really care that you're there.
It isn't always like that, but some days it is, and those days are the shitty ones. Those are the days that I feel like I am wasting my life being treated like I don't matter. But then I always remind myself of something that a co-worker that has never made me feel devalued once said to me - 'it is hard to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by turkeys.'
That statement has always made me smile, and it helps me to remember that what I do really is valuable and that there are kids at school that are relying on me, so do I really need validation from people that would make me feel unimportant?
Nah, it was just one of those days.
It is an unfortunate side effect of being a Learning Support Officer that people often assume that you are an idiot or of lesser value than a teacher. I don't know why people have this idea about what we do or who we are. Our job is actually really difficult, we have to deal with a lot of challenging behaviours and we get paid a pretty crappy wage when you compare it to what we actually deliver.
This idea that we aren't really all that important can sometimes leave you feeling a bit like a barnacle clinging to a much larger ship, the crew all know that you there but you aren't really factoring in enough for anyone to really care that you're there.
It isn't always like that, but some days it is, and those days are the shitty ones. Those are the days that I feel like I am wasting my life being treated like I don't matter. But then I always remind myself of something that a co-worker that has never made me feel devalued once said to me - 'it is hard to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by turkeys.'
That statement has always made me smile, and it helps me to remember that what I do really is valuable and that there are kids at school that are relying on me, so do I really need validation from people that would make me feel unimportant?
Nah, it was just one of those days.
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
Release Date: 1994
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 142 mins
This dramatic depiction of life inside the walls of the Shawshank State Penitentiary in rural Maine was adapted from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and after disappointing box office success, went on to become one of the most viewed and adored movies of all time.
In 1949, Andy Dufrese (Tim Robbins) was convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and sent to Shawshank to serve two back to back life sentences. After initially suffering great abuse at the hands of "the sisters," Dufrese manages to secure the safety of himself and his friends by using his skills as a banker and financial consultant to help the guards and wardens with tax dodging and eventually money laundering. He becomes best friends with Red (Morgan Freeman) another 'lifer' and tries to make positive changes to the prison that will benefit the experiences of the inmates. However, in 1965 a new inmate named Tommy Williams shakes things up when he shares a story with Andy and Red about a murderer that he once celled with, that bragged about killing Andy's wife and her lover and getting away with it.
This is an epic cinematic experience, spanning over forty years and perfectly depicting the best and the worst kinds of people that you would encounter in the prison system. There is a great sensitivity to this movie, especially the scenes involving the experiences of the lifetime inmates after release. Robbins and Freeman are at their best, delivering touching and believable performances that have allowed The Shawshank Redemption to become the number one movie on IMDb's user generated top movies since 2008.
FINAL SAY: For the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free.
4 Chili Peppers
Release Date: 1994
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 142 mins
This dramatic depiction of life inside the walls of the Shawshank State Penitentiary in rural Maine was adapted from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and after disappointing box office success, went on to become one of the most viewed and adored movies of all time.
In 1949, Andy Dufrese (Tim Robbins) was convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and sent to Shawshank to serve two back to back life sentences. After initially suffering great abuse at the hands of "the sisters," Dufrese manages to secure the safety of himself and his friends by using his skills as a banker and financial consultant to help the guards and wardens with tax dodging and eventually money laundering. He becomes best friends with Red (Morgan Freeman) another 'lifer' and tries to make positive changes to the prison that will benefit the experiences of the inmates. However, in 1965 a new inmate named Tommy Williams shakes things up when he shares a story with Andy and Red about a murderer that he once celled with, that bragged about killing Andy's wife and her lover and getting away with it.
This is an epic cinematic experience, spanning over forty years and perfectly depicting the best and the worst kinds of people that you would encounter in the prison system. There is a great sensitivity to this movie, especially the scenes involving the experiences of the lifetime inmates after release. Robbins and Freeman are at their best, delivering touching and believable performances that have allowed The Shawshank Redemption to become the number one movie on IMDb's user generated top movies since 2008.
FINAL SAY: For the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free.
4 Chili Peppers
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