Magcats: I teach 3rd grade here in Oregon. One of the key differences is the lack of any formal curriculums in NZ - teaching in the US is a lot more text book oriented - somewhat prescriptive. In NZ it seems you are provided with the objectives to cover at each grade level, but how you get these objectives covered is left up to the teacher to some extent. I'm sure it varies from school to school (like anywhere). I have enjoyed having such readily available resources etc here in the U.S, but have missed the creativity that I could put to use in NZ. What grade do you teach in NC?