half way...

My first full week is done!

I am really enjoying it. My confidence is just really soaring this prac, and I'm feeling really comfortable both in my planning and teaching. I have gotten awesome feedback from my teacher, but she also challenges me, which I really appreciate. I'm enjoying the kids, it's a great class with a good sense of humour so you can have a bit of a joke with them and make school a bit more fun.

I have my week organised for next week... quite a few lessons but most of them I am teaching in both year 7 classes, which means that although I'm taking 14 or so lessons, I only have to do up 7 lesson plans. It's really valuable experience being able to teach a lesson twice as a prac teacher.
I have to do two religion lessons next week... will have to study up on Catholic theology so I don't lead them astray ;-) What does transfiguration mean again???

teaching teaching

I got to do three lessons today! It was good. I'm gaining a lot more confidence as I get to know the kids better, and I got really great feedback for all of my lessons.

Today I am a third of a way through my prac: 5 days down, 10 to go. It is going quickly, and I'm enjoying it more as the days go on.

Tomorrow I'm taking the entire day! I only have to teach 2 actual lessons, and other than that I'm just facilitating work that they are working on (assignments and such). It should be good. I haven't actually done that on any prac before, so it will be good experience.

To answer questions in my comments: Mass was pretty good. I liked the priest's message, and the kids were all really involved reading prayers etc. We all got to sit up on the alter instead of in the church. St Patrick's Cathedral is humongous, but a very beautiful church. The Priest said he preferred for the class to be up close rather than back, because the Mass service is intended to be intimate and is more meaningful that way instead of people sitting way back from the altar in uncomfortable pews! I thought that was a pretty good way of looking at it. They did do communion, but I opted not to take it as I didn't want to offend anyone. I got a blessing instead. It was quite a lovely service actually...

Anyway, I'm off - we have antenatal class tonight, touring the birthing centre!!!!!

First lessons...

So today I had my first lessons. I did the same maths lesson for both classes.
I feel that I did pretty well, but I can see some areas where I could have done things differently.

I felt a bit nervous, so I think that was probably not helping - always like that in your first lesson. My intro's were okay- not as strong as they usually are. I didn't use questioning as much as I usually would. If anything, I usually over question but it totally slipped out of my mind to do this to check for understanding. I won't do it again, as both teachers commented on it, and as soon as I finished my lessons I realised that I hadn't done it. Other than that though, the lessons went really well and I got great feedback.

So apart from those lessons, I mostly did TA type work today: marking, photocopying etc. I seriously have doubted the whole 'pregnancy brain' thing before, but not anymore! You have no idea, it's so bizarre, I am totally conscious of my brain processing things so much more slowly than it usually would. You should have seen how long it took me to figure out how to photocopy the order of service for Mass into a booklet form... seriously! And I've been marking the maths book of a girl who has an Intellectual Impairment, so is only doing year 3 work. You would think I could add together 2 digit numbers to be able to mark them? Far out! I resisted the urge to find a calculator but it was a slow process.

Yes, so we have Mass tomorrow, should be interesting. Kind of throws our day a bit out of whack, plus the class has music, LOTE & PE, which means we have a lot of non-contact (or as they call it 'release') time. So should be a pretty cruisy day tomorrow. Suits me!

I'm starting to settle in a lot more now.. getting to know the kid's names (which really helps!) and I'm enjoying myself.

Fingers crossed it continues that way!

Zoey

Two days down

So far so good...

My teacher is lovely, my class is great... I think it's going to be a really good prac.

So far I've only really been observing...getting a feel for the class, learning the kids names and that sort of thing, but I have a list of lessons to teach next week. The class next door (also year 7) has got another prac student, and we are both being given the opportunity to do lessons with both classes. This means that we can plan, say, a maths lesson and deliver it to both classes. This is really great as a prac teacher, because it gives me a chance to reflect on what I have done in the first lesson, and make changes where necessary and try again. It's really great.

My teacher's also very understanding about the whole pregnant bladder thing (without me even saying anything) and told me that any time I need to go, she's good with it. I know it seems silly, but I was worried about that.

I am totally stuffed this afternoon. I guess it's a lot to do with the fact that we had interschool sports this afternoon, so I was standing out in the sun for about 2 hours, and that tends to take it out with you. So I'm veging in front of Better Homes & Gardents (Woohoo the olympics is OVER), eating left over spaghetti from last night and keeping my feet up. Hoping for a nice sleep in tomorrow... then some time for planning my lessons for the week, and then my lovely husband is whisking me up to Ravensbourne for a picnic at the lookout. I think he missed me today.

comment setting fixed

Just letting you know for those who were having problems posting comments on this blog that I have fixed the settings.

I still haven't started prac... Pete and I have both had a yucky tummy bug and I'm in recovery. It's been horrid, and annoying because now I'm going to have to do 3 make up days, meaning that chances are we are going to miss out on our anniversary get-away, which REALLY sucks.

Hopefully, I'll be able to start tomorrow.

Prac again

So tomorrow, I'm back on prac. This will be my first prac in a CathEd school, and I'm not quite sure what to expect. I'm not looking forward to it as much as I have previous pracs, but only because of me. I'm just so tired still, it's the only first trimester pregnancy symptom that I can't shake, I guess it doesn't help that I'm still up and down to the toilet a few times a night. Also, I'm so aware of my little bump that everytime I roll over (I tend to do so face down rather than on my back) I wake up because it feels so strange. So early nights for this little Friend family for the next three weeks! There's also a huge assignment that goes with this prac that I'm not over-confident about. I'll muddle through somehow, I guess I'm always a little nervous before a new prac. My last prac was so awesome, this one has a lot to live up to!

Anyway, tomorrow I'll be back with a prac post. If I'm not in bed, lol.

Later!

Day 6

Sorry I didn't come in yesterday - slack I know. Nothing too much really happened.. I did my black plague lesson and it went really well, the kids had some great discussion and I loved it actually.

Today I had big plans for certain lessons which all went down the drain when I got to school and was asked to go and supervise for the national year 5 testing. Fun fun fun. I swear they purposely put us on prac when these types of testing are on because then they can use us.. lol.

SO I basically just had to walk around and watch the year 5's do these tests - there were two parts, english conventions, and written. It was so tiring walking around for the few hours. I swear I feel most tired today of any day of prac so far and I did next to nothing. And my feet were so sore!

Tomorrow I have to go and supervise for the maths, and on thursday I'll be down there for the reading test. Then hopefully I'll be getting a lot more done in actual teaching!

Tomorrow I'm doing a lesson on the Village that chose to die... intriguing.. no? It should be good. And I'll also be doing an art lesson where the kids will make family crests.

So for now I should go and do some planning to show my liason tomorrow!!

Later...

Denzel

The school I'm at has a support dog (in training). His name is Denzel and he's really cool. He's a big black friendly poodle. He comes into classes and visits the kids, and also spends time with kids who have learning difficulties when they are doing one-on-one with teachers or support people. He also is available when kids are talking to the 'Life Coach' (guidance counsellor) as it has been found that a lot of kids find it easier to open up to an animal than a person.

In any case it may sound weird, but they have had great results with Denzel - the kids adore him.

MAX class gets to have him all day Wednesday, and at one stage the kids were working silently over on the carpet on the opposite side of the room from him. Well Denzel didn't think much of that - he wanted some attention. Mr R had put the kids homework on the floor under my desk to be marked later. Next thing you know, I hear this tearing noise, and I look around and there's Denzel eating the homework!!!!

I bet you've never heard of a dog eating the homework AFTER it's been handed in!!

Hehe.. I just thought it was funy.

notes..

Just thought I'd copy over the email I sent to my liason, because I think it says stuff that I haven't put in here yet..

Hi J,

My name is Zoey and I am on prac at Suncoast Christian College. I am in my third year of study and I'm majoring in special needs. I'm not sure that I want to be teaching in a special needs unit, but I believe it is a really important area to have knowledge in no matter what classroom you are in.

I am really enjoying my prac so far - I had a great first week. I am in a 5/6 class called the MAX class. It's full of kids who are gifted and talented, who have to pass a strict criteria to be a part of the class. The teacher, Mr R, is a big believer in the constructivist theory of teaching, which works really well with these kids. They are very independent learners and I am really enjoying getting to know them.

I have enjoyed watching a different teaching style than what I have seen previously. I don't think that it would work in every classroom, but because these kids are capable of working so well independently, and are also taught and encouraged to take responsibility for their learning, it's perfect for them.

On Friday I had the opportunity to teach for almost the entire day. It was a great experience, and probably the most confident that I have felt teaching so far. The class is doing a medieval unit, so I have a lot of scope for lessons and Mr R encourages me to run with any ideas that I have. He's a very encouraging mentor teacher and I have learned a lot from him even in just one week. So I'm really looking forward to the next two weeks!

Looking forward to meeting you on Wednesday.

Kind regards,

Zoey

Day 4

Friday. Mr R was away, and I had a relief teacher. It was a really interesting day. The relief teacher pretty much let me take over the whole day. I had fun and felt so confident with my teaching. I feel like I'm really getting a good rapport with the kids - I know pretty much all of their names now and they all seem to like me pretty well.

Next week I will really be getting down to business, starting my case studies and hopefully doing a whole lot more teaching. I LOVED teaching today. Mr R is the most supportive mentor teacher that I have had so far, and he's really keen to let me run with my own ideas which I appreciate so much because I think it gives me more opportunity to learn.

Really loving it...

Day 3

I can't believe it's only been three days! I feel like I've been here for much longer.

Today was a weirrrd day all chopped up becuase the kids had a library lesson and SCISSA (Sunshine Coast Independent Schools Sport Association - or something).

I didn't get to do my black plague lesson today but I will on Monday. Tomorrow, Mr R is away so I'm going to run a few things which I'm pretty excited about.

I had to go out to SCISSA with the netball girls and I tell you what it makes you so tired when you have to stand around in the sun all afternoon!!

I should have more to say tomorrow...

Later x

Day 2

Another good day..
I'm starting to get to know all the kid's names and develop a bit of rapport with them. I'm enjoying the way Mr R teaches, it's so different to what I have been exposed to before, and I love it. Lots of fun.

Tomorrow I'm going to be doing my first actual teaching episode... all about the black plauge. It's damn freaky stuff!

I've found some crazy youtube videos that I'm going to show them - I know they'll like that.

I know Mr R will laugh at my lesson plan, but I'll have to do it for my liason.

All good so far.. sorry this is short, am trying to plan and had internet problems so it's taking me longer than it should!!

Later gaze...

Day 1

and so we begin...

Day one started by meeting with my teacher for the first time - I walked up to his classroom with the deputy principal and walked into a crazy room (semi-organised chaos) with loud music.. it was awesome! lol.


The first thing Mr R said to me was that i get to choose the music every second day..
Then he lit a sparkler and told me that this is what he does at the beginning of each new year as an illustration to his class of his teaching philosophy: learning is fun and magical.

I told him that I would love being in his classroom because one negative thing I always get told is that my classrooms are too noisy - I'm 110% sure that this won't be an issue in Mr R's class.

His class is called the MAX class and it's full of kids who are gifted and talented. He completely subscribes to the constructivist teaching philosophy and believes in teaching kids to be responsible for their own learning. This means that learning is student-directed, which is good for kids who can handle it, but not good for all learners. It works really well in this class though.

It will be very interesting to see how this prac progresses and how I go with teaching and everything.

Later gaze....

Blog in waiting

I start my first prac of 2008 on the 5th of May. I'm not sure where I'll be teaching or who I'll be teaching but I promise I will tell you all about it. And this will be the place to read it.

So until May...