School Concert
Tonight I went to the kids school concert. I was so delighted to be invited. I have been looking forward to it and this week has been very busy and it’s crept up on me. It was sensational! I loved seeing the primary school students sing and dance their hearts out. Our two J(8) and E(5) were lit with the buzz of the performance and putting everything they had into it. J crashed as soon as we got home, but E was on a bit of a high from the days events and took a little longer. The concert was a great standard and they had a past student choreograph who is a professional. He did an amazing job and the students clearly adored him. School concerts are exhausting yet seriously educational in my opinion. They build self esteem, kids love performing and enjoy the audience adulation.
Our careers expo today at school went really well too. The first break I got in the day to check the time, was 5 minutes before closing and I would have sworn it was 3 hours earlier. I love chatting to parents and students one on one about their choices. The school looked great and everyone pulled their weight to make it happen. It was good to catch up with my friends from the other campus where I used to work when we were setting up. I was glad I got around to most of them before the crowd arrived, cause if I’d put it off, I wouldn’t have got the chance.
It’s been a very full day!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Technology at School
Today we had a student free day. We focussed on implementing IT into the curriculum. I was struggling to be positive about it all to be honest. I am fairly up to speed with technology in classrooms. It was sunny outside and I had to break myself into sitting still. I have wondered if they do that to us, to create an empathy for when our students return to the restraint of the desk the next day. That’s what I like to think anyway.
I learnt a couple of new tricks from a fellow teacher. I’m keen to have a try of Glogster. You can make online posters and embed them with videos and audio clips. She also used Prezi and it looks an interesting way to avoid the overused phrase ‘death by powerpoint’, yet I imagine if you have nothing to put on your slides other than the words you are about to speak, it will still hurt your audience.
I realised today that the handful of teachers who are technological at school all have taken different paths and use it in different ways in the classroom. I think this makes it more interesting, yet I wonder if it makes it overwhelming for those who have not embarked on the journey.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Year 12 Retreat
I haven’t been on a year 12 retreat since 1983 when I was in year 12. I didn’t have really clear memories but vaguely recall going on a really long walk, not allowing enough time to get back, so hitchhiking for the first time with around 5 other girls. An unusual man picked us up (which was to be expected in some ways), fortunately no harm occurred and we made it back on time with the leaders none the wiser. If any of our students managed such feats I am also none the wiser. I found the students to be wonderfully behaved and enjoyed their company.
We had an amazing speaker talk to the kids for a couple of hours and he was one of the best public speakers I’ve seen since I saw Anthea Paul speak. Sam Clear is a storyteller with a very inspiring tale to tell. The students were captivated. Young people today are a tough gig for a speaker. They are incredibly sophisticated critics as they receive so many messages and whilst this group has been well trained to be attentive, it’s rare for them to be so universally impressed by a presentation. I’ve been teaching many of them since they were in year 7, so I’ve heard many negative reviews over the years. That’s another subject for another day.
It was a three day break away from phones and screens for me. There were TVs but I didn’t indulge, prefering conversation, music and journalling in my free time. I did miss my phone and laptop though. I have to say I would prefer not to be without them.
Darin made me a sensational French Onion Soup and Chocolate tart to take for lunch. They were much appreciated by the teachers I had to feed. I didn’t learn how to make them as I’d hoped, it was quicker and easier for him to just do it. So I just watched while he did all the quick chopping and whisking ect. I think I would have to go into training to do these things with ease as he does. I never really appreciated the difference between a good cook and trained chef until lately. The things I’ve have seen him do in the kitchen are under the category of minor miracles for me.
Interestingly enough there was one activity on the retreat that was the same as when I went on retreat. The others were quite similar but had evolved in different ways. I still have my folder from my retreat. It’s in my box of things to pull out to make me feel good along with the lovely cards like those referred to in this awesome post I read today: Prep isn’t the time for assessment. When I say box, I mean boxes and since I have redone that activity, perhaps it’s time for a cleanout.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Can’t Blog
Correcting Exams… writing reports…
Popularity: 1% [?]
Have Your Say about Education
I’m relatively confident those who are interested or have children know that the Australian Government has come up with a new Curriculum. I have been reading it this week whilst I’ve been off work unwell. I don’t know that I would have had time to otherwise to be honest. It would be great if lots of people did respond to the call for feedback. Click here if you are interested. Yes, you have to register, yes, it’s a lot of reading… if you’re not in the education ‘field’, there are probably words you’ll have to look up~but really, if you’ve ever complained about schools, teachers or education today…. I think …. here’s your chance! These are the documents that teachers in your kids classrooms will use to guide the learning that happens in the classroom.
I hope there is a great diversity of ideas and feedback. I have my own ideas, but I believe everyone does, and that’s how things can improve. We need to express ourselves about the important things. There are only a couple of days left to do it and I’m sorry really that I didn’t share this earlier, but I honestly hadn’t had a chance to check it out.
I watched something awesome this week on TED talks. “Sir Ken Robertson:Bring on the Education Revolution” says it all. I loved what he said. I felt less alone in my thinking. Watch it:
His previous appearance at TED talks “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” is also well worth a watch and perhaps should be viewed first.
I am very excited about the potential for the future of education, but I want to yell “HURRY UP” at times.
Popularity: 1% [?]
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
This book is subtitled “How Little Things Make a Big Difference” and since I’m always interested in doing more with less (by product of being lazy I think), I was very engaged with this book. I really like the variety of examples he uses to make his points about things like what makes something take off. They range from books to educational experiments to epidemics.
There is a summary of the book on wikisummaries: The Tipping Point but I enjoyed hearing all the studies in a bit more detail than I would have just getting a summary of the theory. It really made me think. I especially enjoyed the findings about Sesame Street and the idea that once an organisation has more than 150 people to deal with it loses it’s effectiveness. I could relate to the information about having zero tolerance for smaller crimes such as vandalism and fare evading helped to reduce more serious crimes of violence. I think I am seeing something like that happen in our school as we focus on issues like uniform and stick with our standards, the overall tone of the school improves and there are less of the larger issues to battle.
I recommend this book. There is a whole lot more than I have mentioned here. It’s very thought provoking. Now I have to wait for him to write another…
Popularity: 1% [?]
Update At Last
I have finally had my blog and Poohduck updated to the latest version of wordpress. I notice my colours and the header have all changed.
I wanted to make some changes to the appearance anyway, so I will have a fiddle with it all over the next weeks. It’s a little different to be working in a different space, but it is similar to the edublogs one we are using at school, so I may as well get used to it.
My year 10 English class are taking to the blogging well. Some of the students in this class have been along the ride with my frustrated attempts at blogging in the classroom since they were in year 7. I don’t know why I am surprised at how well they are taking to it. It’s easy when all the technology works!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Blissful Weekend
Just when I thought winter had crept in, this weekend was a sunny, welcome one. It kick-started for me on Friday when Asha surprised me at school bringing a box of delicious muffins for me for lunch. I got to show her my new office and we caught up. She popped around after school and I am really pleased she is going to be around for a couple of weeks while she does her placement here.
Darin got home early so we had a great Friday night together. The kids came Saturday morning and I have enjoyed their company for the weekend. I love hearing them talk to their nanny in Sydney on Skype. Technology is so fantastic for keeping people in touch. We went to the park and enjoyed the weather. We fed the ducks and they had another fish, this time no carps lost their lives. It brightens my time having these three little people around with their unique personalities.
I talked to Tom tonight. He sounds well. I saw some photos on facebook taken by one of his friends who went to visit. I miss him. This is probably the longest time I have gone without seeing him. He won’t be home till after his birthday now.
This week will be busy. We have a Marist basketball carnival at school so there will be plenty on. I feel very happy at work now. I got a laptop from school on Thursday. Now I can leave mine at home and not have to lug one around as much. I think the improvement in technology at school has also added to my enjoyment. I have been waiting for this for so long. On Friday one of my students created an excellent documentary for his Local History project. It excites me to think what they will be able to do now they have the tools. I think there is greater independence and engagement in their learning.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tuesdays that feel like Mondays
Ah the long weekend that passed. I felt reluctant about getting up this morning. I got into work and had morning yard duty straight up. It was cold. I missed getting my new timetable and thinking I had a free as per my old timetable missed a class altogether. The students obviously kept themselves to a low chatter about the weekend and didn’t alert anyone to having no teacher. Many of them had seen me in the morning and knew I was there so I’m at a loss to explain why they didn’t come and find me. The pleasant outcome for me was that I had an extra free later in the day.
Some switched on students in my IT class solved a problem I’d spent the weekend trying to work in about 10 seconds. They are destined to get good reports. There is a group of students that are really advanced in their skills. I asked them today who had taught them so much. Apparently they had a teacher who had provided a pile of videos for them to access when they had a problem to solve. I thought they were probably from Adobe TV, but when I asked the students thought they were more likely from YouTube. These students are great at solving problems when they come across them in class. It makes me wonder if as an IT teacher I don’t sometimes hold students back by my own limited knowledge and trying to stick to the curriculum.
I am exercising again. I am tired of feeling tired. I’ve had a lot of physical discomfort since I adopted my luxurious lifestyle of not exercising and eating lots of divine food. I reckon I got away with it for about 9 months and the last 3 have piled on weight and become increasingly uncomfortable in my own skin, not to mention tightening clothes. Luckily I remember the formula for me of how to feel healthy. Less fortunately it feels quite harder this time I clamour back on the exercise wagon. I have a massage tomorrow night though. Not only have I neglected the parts of being healthy that I’m not so keen on, I’ve also let go of massages and other more pleasant parts of maintaining my health. It can only go on for a limited time, and I’ve reached my limit.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Study… what was I thinking?
I haven’t studied at Uni since the 90s. I just logged into the CSU site and that overwhelmed feeling is coming back to me. I’m not sure I really want to do this. Feels like I’m just about to go into labour with my second child and I’m remembering what it’s about and kicking myself. There is just so much information! Where do I start?
I have done most of my subjects (apart from a first year full time BA) by distance ed. Back in the 80′s, you would get a couple of thick books and a list of assignments. I would cram my study around due dates I must admit. I don’t think I will be able to operate like this on this course. The internet has allowed for forums and electures and all kinds of “have to show up” type activities. There are lots of things I need to learn.
On a brighter note, Tom is coming home tomorrow. I am excited! I can’t wait to see him. I had a great weekend and finished all my corrections in anticipation of starting to study, lucky!
I had three associations with cars not working today. I picked up a friend from the Drs whose car was out of action. Darin called because he had a flat battery, then my car got a flat tyre. I managed though!
Popularity: 6% [?]
Falling Brick-
- Stumbles
- Seths Blog: Little lies and small promises
- 10 Tips Before Seeking Intuitive Counsel | Evolve - The Human Experience
- the only thing you need to know about soul mate love... & danae sinclair
- Why did the chicken cross the road? | Dancing with Frogs
- Billionaires vow to give away half their fortune
- Life balance still not working
- Food memories | Jill Dupleix, Table Talk Blog
- The Green Bough: Coming Home To Myself
- Saturn in Libra: Committed : Moonkissd by Jessica
- Suspended | poohduck
- My Favourites on Watch and Learn Magnify Channel
Subscribe
Recent Comments
- Michael J Flannery: Queenslander never give the seasons a second thought thereis no human meddling with the clocks...
- Jessica Shepherd: Hi Joh, Thanks for the sweet mention of my site, Moonkissd.com. It warms my heart to know folks...
- Kristy yr 9: i read the book and loved it im now doing a reveiw on it for a school assignment but i have lost my copy...
- PlanningQueen: I have heard goog things about Breaking Bad and it is on my list to check it out.
- Snoskred: I am a huge fan of Breaking Bad
awesome show!
