u/JunkIsMansBestFriend

Makes my blood boil.

Every school I've been to, admin have the latest and greatest computers. Core i7, SSDs, dual monitors. The biggest and newest laser printer and whatnot.

But teachers? Oh my. My desktop has that "you are expired" message. They replaced it with a 7+ year old computer with mechanical hard drive. Screen is not have full HD.

Laptops in trolleys are ancient. Admin doesn't believe us. Just turn them on at the start of the lesson!

BUT NAPLAN and OLNA? Let's use the computer labs, no no it's not because the laptops are bad...

My approach to passing any type of exam has been practice, practice and more practice. But it seems, apart from a few official practice tests (which don't generate new questions), there are little free resources to actually support students.

Paid resources seem to be out there, but haven't evaluated them.

OLNA, according to AI, is linked to Level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), and searching for that gives me a lot more specifics.

So yea, I feel like OLNA is such an important test to pass, but with few free practice banks available for students to actually improve...

Some practical tips, how you save a bit more.

Cancelled all my TV subscriptions. Netflix, Stan and Prime. There is so much free content on the local TV apps, tubi and whatnot.

Cancelled my NBN. Noticed I've got like 300GB data on my Woolies SIM, will just hotspot it.

Moving funds around, closing accounts, signing up for new accounts to get bonus interest rates like Rabo 5.9% or Bankwest.

Sold car years ago. Walking to work, riding bike to shops.

Mealprep. 2 KG mince beef, 2KG frozen veggies, canned tomatoes, beans, lentils. Herbs and spices.

Cancelled gym. Going on walks in the evening. Bought from Kmart a resistance rope fitness set and a doorframe pull-up bar.

If I treat myself to a coffee, I hike/walk to Coles express servo. 3.50 for a large one and one free every 5 with Flybuys...

My hands usually look quite rough, and handling anything with water, especially hot water, like doing dishes, but also cleaning and other chores, it's always been a challenge.

Wife is supportive, but I always felt bad not doing my share, so I tried all sorts of gloves you can buy at Coles or Woolworths. Cheap ones, silver lined ones. They all make me itchy, or get wet inside, I struggle to take them off or the are too lose.

So finally, this is what worked for me:

First I put on cotton gloves. These are white and just out of cotton, I often wear them for sleeping after layering my hands with Vaseline. This never makes my hands itch. Of course, I often wake up and the I have taken them off in my sleep.

Anyway, wearing the cotton clothes, I then put on cleaning cloves. They are Vileda branded and one size bigger, they slide on easy and there is zero issues taking them off.

I'm so happy, doing dishes and cleaning is now an activity I look forward to, no discomfort :)

Maybe this helps out someone else :D

Been teaching for over 10 years, took my first LSL and have accrued maybe 10 days from the second one. I was permanent for most of my career, then took around 2 years LSL and now on a 1 year contract.

I doubt I'll renew or sign elsewhere, and will just take another sabbatical. So what happens after the 1 year contract is completed? Holiday pay I believe, and there is also a regional retained, but will I get paid out my second accrued LSL?

We booked through the Qantas site, a multi city trip. Regional town to Perth to Guangzhou and return.

We could check-in online through the Qantas App, but only domestic. App just said, contact China Southern. We did. They told us the tickets aren't confirmed, check with Qantas. Checked with Qantas, they said it's all good. Rang China Southern again, same story, not confirmed.

So we commence the trip, hoping everything will be ok. At Perth, we go to China Southern check-in. Everyone that booked with Qantas had to go to a special lane. They did some manual computer magic to give us tickets, calling Qantas to confirm things.

I asked what went wrong and what we can do to avoid such issues in the future. They said it's just a Qantas issue, happens everytime...

I'm in the market for reader. Nothing fancy, all I want to use it for is Maths PDF files. I'm a teacher and enjoy learning further Maths and doing exercises.

I'm heading to China, so there is an opportunity to pick something up from places like Taobao.

Ideally a large tablet would be nice. Black and white is fine, don't need annotation.

Hi everyone!

I'm a former Computer Science, now Maths classroom teacher in Australian High School. Have been teaching for around 15 years and always struggled with Imposter Syndrom, which meant I stay at the same school longer than I should or hesitate to teaching higher level classes.

I've always wanted to get into online Maths tutoring but overthinking things Fromm equipment to what platform I should sign up. I wish I had the confidence to just jump in and give it a go.

I think Australia and UK system are very similar, so that's what I want to tutor. GCSE content seems right at my level, but I'm self studying Maths Methods after work, which should be similar to A levels.

I absolutely plan to start with some free lessons to learn the ropes, but not sure exactly where and how to start. I have some in-person tutoring through our school, we offer it once a week for an hour, but it's quite different to going online.

We currently live in Australia, but will return to China because my wife is pregnant again!

Child has my EU passport, he was born in China, but also Chinese travel document.

The travel document is going to expire end of this year, so we need to renew it. I believe this can only happen overseas. But apparently it can be done in HK also? We will be staying in Dongguan, so HK is much easier to reach logistically.

Perth is an option, but it's an expensive round trip for us because we live rural.

I'm sure some have done this, please share your experiences.

Any recommendations?

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Currently I got some older textbooks from Sadler, and working my way through Unit 1 and 2.

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I don't think the syllabus changes much over the years, but if some other resource is recommended, I'd appreciate it.

My issue: I cannot stand the humidity in Dongguan. Absolutely hate it. 2 minutes outside and you're already sweating like a pig. The winters are wonderful, but just can't handle the summer and so Kunming has come up.

Specifically I am asking for suitable suburbs or areas:

What I liked about China, and what I would love to have in Kunming:

• Affordable rent and getting a spacious apartment (3 or 4 bedroom, something modern)
• Good access to hospital, early child centres
• Close to amenities in walking distance, be it shops, convenience stores, parks, playgrounds
• For me access to Western food, even Maccas, BK, Walmart help keep me sane
• Access to other foreigners so I have someone to talk to
• Access to Chinese classes? I really don't like doing it online...
• Luckin and Cottee Coffee
• Loved the sharing bikes, the blue or yellow ones
• Flat if possible, no hills
• Good public transportation
• Easy to get to police station, entry-exit department

We likely be staying for a year or two, then plan our next move.

Thank you!

My issue: I cannot stand the humidity in Dongguan. Absolutely hate it. 2 minutes outside and you're already sweating like a pig. The winters are wonderful, but just can't handle the summer and so Kunming has come up.

Specifically I am asking for suitable suburbs or areas:

What I liked about China, and what I would love to have in Kunming:

• Affordable rent and getting a spacious apartment (3 or 4 bedroom, something modern)
• Good access to hospital, early child centres
• Close to amenities in walking distance, be it shops, convenience stores, parks, playgrounds
• For me access to Western food, even Maccas, BK, Walmart help keep me sane
• Access to other foreigners so I have someone to talk to
• Access to Chinese classes? I really don't like doing it online...
• Luckin and Cottee Coffee
• Loved the sharing bikes, the blue or yellow ones
• Flat if possible, no hills
• Good public transportation
• Easy to get to police station, entry-exit department

We likely be staying for a year or two, then plan our next move.

Thank you!

I'm a foreigner and married to a Chinese. We had our first child in Dongguan, but now back in Australia. Wife is expecting again, we both feel more comfortable delivering in China again. The health care is just so much better, and we are familiar with the process of sorting out documents, citizenship and all of that.

That' just the backstory to give context. My issue: I cannot stand the humidity in Dongguan. Absolutely hate it. 2 minutes outside and you're already sweating like a pig. The winters are wonderful, but just can't handle the summer and so Kunming has come up.

What I liked about China, and what I would love to have in Kunming:

• Affordable rent and getting a spacious apartment (3 or 4 bedroom, something modern)
• Good access to hospital, early child centres
• Close to amenities in walking distance, be it shops, convenience stores, parks, playgrounds
• For me access to Western food, even Maccas, BK, Walmart help keep me sane
• Access to other foreigners so I have someone to talk to
• Access to Chinese classes? I really don't like doing it online...
• Luckin and Cottee Coffee
• Loved the sharing bikes, the blue or yellow ones
• Flat if possible, no hills
• Good public transportation
• Easy to get to police station, entry-exit department

We likely be staying for a year or two, then plan our next move.

Thank you!

Long term this one. Haven't taken any days so far, pushed through all the marking, EST and whatnot and I'm exhausted, mostly lacking sleep. You know when you're super tired but just can't sleep well?

We have a SDD tomorrow heading into the long weekend. Seriously considering taking the day off. Tomorrow is also my light day with DOTT, now that's been replaced with meetings all day.

I once heard being absent from SSD takes a special reason? Definitely will get a medical cert line to be safe.