Pretty damn interesting thread. I had a good time reading everyones stories!
Mine happened in 2006, when I was in year 9. Basically what happened was that with one of the electives I chose, you go on an excursion for a week near the end of the year. Practically my whole year chose that subject just because of the excursion, rofl. Anyway, I figured, stuff coming to school for a week when no one will be there. So I went to my careers advisor and asked her if it was possible to do any Work Experience that week. She asked me what sort of thing I was interested in, and last year I was considering becomming a teacher (No offense to you lot out there, but Im reconsidering right now for a few reasons
), so I asked to help out at a school.
I got given some form thing to give to the Primary School I went to. I was really excited about it, so I filled it out, and then walked up to the Primary School and introduced myself to the Principal (new one since I'd been there) and showed her the work experience form and explained what I was doing. She tells me that apparently the school has to organise it. I was a little surprised (considering I had a form - from the school), so I left her the form to sort out and went home.
Waited a few weeks (I'd organised it for about 5 weeks in advance) and then the Careers Advisor approached me and said that the principal expected older people (year 10+) to be doing Work Experience, and to be prepared incase I wasn't wanted up there.
I was a little dissapointed, and felt like I was being screwed over a bit. I know, a bit silly, but I was very hopeful. Then I hadn't been told until 2 weeks until Id hoped to do it, it didn't leave me much room to organise anything else.
So I went back up to the Primary School. The principal tells me she had a talk with my Principal and that she'd said I was a 'good kid' (which is interesting, because my principal is a guy. Im assuming she meant the careers advisor) and that she'd be happy to have me. So I asked for the form back because in my excited rush that first day, I never got mum and dad to fill out their section.
So I went home, explained what I wanted to do, they filled it out, I returned it and it was all set for 2 weeks time.
That was all the bit before the work experience. As for the actual work experience, I NOW understand why they wanted someone a bit older, mature etc.
I was basically a teacher's aid for kindergarten. While it was all well and fun, the
little monsters used me as a punching bag! A few of them pretended to not know anything so they couldn't do any work, and I had to go around explaining it/giving the answers out, and the teacher told them off for it, because she knew that they knew how to do it. I even gave a few of them piggy back-rides, until I was asked by the principal not to as I was an 'acting-teacher'.
I was just basically their all-round supervisor (Practically the whole class stuck around together during the lunch breaks). I also helped out in the library a little bit - you know how at the end of the year they do a stocktake of the books they have, arrange them and prepare them for the next year.
Dont get me wrong, I definately enjoyed myself. But I felt more like I was there to
be a 'play-buddy' than anything else. I didn't have access to the staff-room or anything a normal 'teacher' does - I used their toilets (the tiny things! Damn glad I didn't need to do a crap at all in school hours that week).
All in all, that was my interesting week of Work Experience.
They did ask me to come back this year though, which I thought was really cute - but Im more interested in an office-related environment this year.