Meals Today:
Breakfast: mixed fruit + yogurt + toast with peanut butter + milk
Lunch: salad + pasta and tomato sauce + lemonade
Supper: salad + chicken + rice + steamed veggies + ice cream bar + lemonade + water
Today, I woke up around 8:30. I started some laundry and then got ready for the day. I had to do a bunch of homework, make some more travel plans, and also call my family.
After starting laundry, I ate breakfast and then started on my travel plans. I got everything booked and ready for my Cairns trip and a few things in New Zealand. This took a huge amount of the stress off and now I am really excited for it.
Around noon, I called my parents and talked to them for a hour! This was a busy week so we had a lot to talk about!
Then after talking to them, I looked at a few more things before starting on homework. I did my capstone assignment and a couple other things for school. I won't get back from my travels until October 7th, so I am trying to get the majority of my stuff done before I go so I won't have to do quite as much when I get back.
I worked on homework for most of the afternoon. I also finished my laundry and packed for my trip. I only get 7 kg on the plane so I'm only taking my backpack. It should be interesting.
Finally, around 7:30 we ate supper and discussed some travel plans and what I was doing. Takuya is also going to Cairns so we were talking about what we were doing and what days we were doing what.
Then I went back to homework and finished up the paper I had to write.
Today was a pretty boring day. I got a lot of homework done so that's good. I will also get to bed early which is also a plus considering tomorrow and the next 2 weeks will be pretty busy with travel.
I'm not bringing my computer with, so I will have to hope their is a computer at the hostels I am staying in, or catch up on them when I get back. I think their are computers at the hostels, so we will hope for that.
Until then, wish me luck on my journeys! :)
Travel Plan:
Sunday, September 24th:
Fly from Sydney to Brisbane 1:30 pm - 3 pm
Brisbane to Cairns 8 pm - 10:25
Take a shuttle from the airport to Cairns Central YHA at 11 pm
Monday, September 25th:
Get on the shuttle outside my hostel at 6:45 am to go to Mossman Gorge from 9 am - 1 pm
Look around Port Douglas from 1 pm - 3 pm
Get on the shuttle to go to Palm Cove at 3:15 pm and get picked up again at 6 pm
Ride the shuttle back to my hostel in Cairns
Tuesday, September 26th:
Walk down to the reef terminal and check in 7 am
Load up on the boat around 8 am
Spend the whole day out on the Great Barrier Reef snorkeling and I am going to learn how to scuba dive as well!
Wednesday, September 27th:
Hopefully sleep in :)
Look around Cairns all day, probably hang around a beach all day
Catch a shuttle or bus back to the airport around 3 pm
Fly from Cairns to Melbourne 8:40 pm - 12:05 am
Fly from Melbourne to Queenstown 5:15 am - 11:30 am
Thursday, September 28th:
Arrive in Queenstown, New Zealand
Take a shuttle to Lakefront YHA where I will be staying
*Figure out what I want to do in New Zealand.
- I know I'm taking the 8.5 hour bus trip from Queenstown to Christchurch but I'm not sure which day
- I also know that I will be doing a lot of hiking and nature exploring, and seeing the towns as well (museums, lakes, art galleries, gardens, etc.) while I'm there.
The rest of the days are up in the air until;
Saturday, October 7th:
Fly from Christchurch to Sydney 5:15 pm - 6:45 pm
Wish me luck! :)
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Friday, September 22, 2017
9-22-2017
Meals Today:
Breakfast: mixed fruit + yogurt + hard boiled egg + water
Lunch: sandwich with spinach, cheese, cucumber, and tomatoes + raspberry and chocolate chip muffin + bottled water + popcorn
Supper: fish tacos + fries + a couple drinks
*We had a teacher party at the Rose Hotel so I had a couple drinks there. Then 2 of the Boston girls and I went out to a Mexican restaurant and that's where I had the fish tacos and fries. We also got a pitcher of sangria to share. My first night out in Sydney!!
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading
8:45 - Presentions
9:25 - Library
10:00 - Presentations
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Presentations/ clean up :)
11:40 - Golden Time
12:20 - Music
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Language
2:35 - Language
3:15 - Go home
*On Fridays, David (my cooperating teacher) lets me go home when the kids leave for music. So, I ate a little of my lunch and then left to get on the bus. This way I can get work done or use it to explore the city more! Yay! :)
Today, I woke up and got ready just like every other school day. Then at school, the students mainly worked on finishing their presentations and cleaning up the classroom and their lockers for the end of term.
At library, I checked out the book "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen so I can read it and get ready for next term since I will be using it for my lessons. I am doing a whole unit called "Shipwrecked" which I am super excited but nervous for. In this lesson, the students will get into teams and then they will pick which island off of Australia they are stranded on. Then they will make up their character and background of the character to tell us about. Next, they will be researching that island. What animals and plants are on this island? What's the weather like? And so on. After that we will go into voting for who the leader should be in their team and what the different jobs are that each person will be doing. They will also have to map out the island and use math to convert the measurements and draw it smaller but proportional on paper.
I have to teach the whole time for 1 week during the middle of the term, and 2 weeks at the end of the term but I will be doing this whole unit throughout the term. I think it'll be fun and I'm hoping the students really enjoy it!
Finally around 12:45 I got on the bus to go back home. Once I got home I did my weekly reflection that I have to turn into my supervisor every Friday, and then I got ready to go back into town to the pub.
The pub we went to was called the Rose Hotel. It was a really cute little bar that had a really nice enclosed patio that we all sat in. It was so nice to be able to talk to every one and see how they act outside of school! :)
At around 6:30, 2 of the Boston University girls and I left and went to their apartment quick to decide what we were going to do next.
We then decided to go get food so we went to a little Mexican restaurant and that is where I had fish tacos and we shared a pitcher of sangria. It was really nice and fun to get to know them better!
After we ate, we went back to their apartment. As they were getting ready to go out, we just talked and listened to music until around 9.
Finally, at 9:30 they were ready to go but I was getting tired and I knew I had a lot to get done the next day so I walked down to the bus stop and got on the 412 so I wouldn't have as far of a walk back to the house.
Once I got home, I quickly got home and went to bed. I was exhausted and tomorrow was going to be another big day!
8:45 - Presentions
9:25 - Library
10:00 - Presentations
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Presentations/ clean up :)
11:40 - Golden Time
12:20 - Music
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Language
2:35 - Language
3:15 - Go home
*On Fridays, David (my cooperating teacher) lets me go home when the kids leave for music. So, I ate a little of my lunch and then left to get on the bus. This way I can get work done or use it to explore the city more! Yay! :)
Today, I woke up and got ready just like every other school day. Then at school, the students mainly worked on finishing their presentations and cleaning up the classroom and their lockers for the end of term.
At library, I checked out the book "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen so I can read it and get ready for next term since I will be using it for my lessons. I am doing a whole unit called "Shipwrecked" which I am super excited but nervous for. In this lesson, the students will get into teams and then they will pick which island off of Australia they are stranded on. Then they will make up their character and background of the character to tell us about. Next, they will be researching that island. What animals and plants are on this island? What's the weather like? And so on. After that we will go into voting for who the leader should be in their team and what the different jobs are that each person will be doing. They will also have to map out the island and use math to convert the measurements and draw it smaller but proportional on paper.
I have to teach the whole time for 1 week during the middle of the term, and 2 weeks at the end of the term but I will be doing this whole unit throughout the term. I think it'll be fun and I'm hoping the students really enjoy it!
Finally around 12:45 I got on the bus to go back home. Once I got home I did my weekly reflection that I have to turn into my supervisor every Friday, and then I got ready to go back into town to the pub.
The pub we went to was called the Rose Hotel. It was a really cute little bar that had a really nice enclosed patio that we all sat in. It was so nice to be able to talk to every one and see how they act outside of school! :)
At around 6:30, 2 of the Boston University girls and I left and went to their apartment quick to decide what we were going to do next.
We then decided to go get food so we went to a little Mexican restaurant and that is where I had fish tacos and we shared a pitcher of sangria. It was really nice and fun to get to know them better!
After we ate, we went back to their apartment. As they were getting ready to go out, we just talked and listened to music until around 9.
Finally, at 9:30 they were ready to go but I was getting tired and I knew I had a lot to get done the next day so I walked down to the bus stop and got on the 412 so I wouldn't have as far of a walk back to the house.
Once I got home, I quickly got home and went to bed. I was exhausted and tomorrow was going to be another big day!
More flowers on my walk home.
On my walk to the bus stop to go to the pub.
At the Rose Hotel.
Violet, me, and Amye. Two of the Boston University girls who are also student teaching at IGS.
They aren't very big Trump fans here...
Walking to their apartment.
Our sangria at the Mexican Restaurant!
Sydney at night!! I love all the lights.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
9-21-2017
Meals Today:
Breakfast: fresh fruit + yogurt + water
Lunch: sandwich with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers + hard boiled egg + raspberry/chocolate muffin + and orange + bottled water
Supper: beef 'chunks' + steamed veggies + salad + rice + cheesecake + juice + water
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading
8:45 - Drama
9:25 - Presentations
10:00 - Language - I sat in on French today!
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Language
11:40 - Presentations
12:20 - Lunch
1:00 - Sport
1:55 - Sport
2:35 - Sport/ Pack up
3:15 - Go home - I helped with pickup again today.
Today, I was running a bit behind this morning so I need to make it a priority to get up earlier from now on. I wasn't late, I just felt a bit overwhelmed when I don't have time before class to 'gather myself''. I also had to go down to the tech center at the school to talk with the IT guys and see if they could help me with my computer. I found out that the hard drive had crapped out so my options were to buy a new hard drive and install it myself, or take it to Apple and have them install it which would cost more. They also said if I needed documents off of it, I would have to pay quite a bit to have it recovered. I did not need this extra stress before my already stressful trip with planning, but what can you do? So, after talking with them I finally got to class.
Today in class, we finished the book we were reading for drama and got almost done with the presentations. We will finish the last couple up tomorrow. I also got to sit in on one period of French class. This was really cool. Along with the other language classes, it's interesting to see but I have no idea what they are saying.
After the first period of language they had recess so I had a little snack then. I had a gluten free chocolate chip cookie. I also called home to let them know what was happening with my computer. Then at 11, I went and met my cooperating teacher to discuss lesson plans for the next term. We also got it settled so the school will lend me a computer for the remainder of the time I am here. I am so relieved that they are allowing this because I need a computer for lesson plans and I don't want to have to use Jeanette's all the time.
Next, we went back to the room and the students showed more presentations. They have done such a good job with this project, I'm blown away with the information they are explaining.
After this, we had lunch and then it was time for sport. Because it's the end of the term we weren't bussed to a playing field today. Instead all the grade 5 and 6 students went to the park. There, we split them up for different things. I was able to go on a hike with about 15 of the and 2 other teachers. This was really cool because I was able to see more of the city. We walked down by Blackwattle Bay Harbor, and then played at a park for a little bit. We were gone for about an hour and a half so it was a good walk to go on. We were also a bit late getting back so I didn't have to help with pickup for very long. I don't know the cars and kids anyway so I really don't do much during pickup time.
After school, I went to the Broadway mall to add more money to my Opal card so I can keep riding the bus. This didn't take very long and then I was on my way to try and find the Sydney Center YHA. The YHA is a company that has hostels all over the world and they are a very good and safe for younger people to stay. I am planning to stay in these during my trip so I wanted to go and get more information and help booking my stay.
While there, I booked what nights I would be staying and I also became a member. By being a member, you get 10% off your stay each time. It was only $15 Australian Dollars so I figured it was worth it.
After that, I got a bus home and relaxed until supper was ready. It sucks not having a computer to do homework and stuff, but yet it's kind of nice because then I can relax and read if I want.
Soon it was time for supper, and then I talked with Takuya (the Japanese student) about where he was staying because we will be in Cairns and Port Douglas at the same time.
After that, I have been updating my blog because I want to get to bed early tonight!
*Tomorrow my cooperating teacher invited me out to drinks and supper with him and a few of the other teachers so that should be fun!
Hopefully tomorrow is a better day than yesterday and today have been with bad things happening. I'll update tomorrow to let you know!
Breakfast: fresh fruit + yogurt + water
Lunch: sandwich with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers + hard boiled egg + raspberry/chocolate muffin + and orange + bottled water
Supper: beef 'chunks' + steamed veggies + salad + rice + cheesecake + juice + water
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading
8:45 - Drama
9:25 - Presentations
10:00 - Language - I sat in on French today!
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Language
11:40 - Presentations
12:20 - Lunch
1:00 - Sport
1:55 - Sport
2:35 - Sport/ Pack up
3:15 - Go home - I helped with pickup again today.
Today, I was running a bit behind this morning so I need to make it a priority to get up earlier from now on. I wasn't late, I just felt a bit overwhelmed when I don't have time before class to 'gather myself''. I also had to go down to the tech center at the school to talk with the IT guys and see if they could help me with my computer. I found out that the hard drive had crapped out so my options were to buy a new hard drive and install it myself, or take it to Apple and have them install it which would cost more. They also said if I needed documents off of it, I would have to pay quite a bit to have it recovered. I did not need this extra stress before my already stressful trip with planning, but what can you do? So, after talking with them I finally got to class.
Today in class, we finished the book we were reading for drama and got almost done with the presentations. We will finish the last couple up tomorrow. I also got to sit in on one period of French class. This was really cool. Along with the other language classes, it's interesting to see but I have no idea what they are saying.
After the first period of language they had recess so I had a little snack then. I had a gluten free chocolate chip cookie. I also called home to let them know what was happening with my computer. Then at 11, I went and met my cooperating teacher to discuss lesson plans for the next term. We also got it settled so the school will lend me a computer for the remainder of the time I am here. I am so relieved that they are allowing this because I need a computer for lesson plans and I don't want to have to use Jeanette's all the time.
Next, we went back to the room and the students showed more presentations. They have done such a good job with this project, I'm blown away with the information they are explaining.
After this, we had lunch and then it was time for sport. Because it's the end of the term we weren't bussed to a playing field today. Instead all the grade 5 and 6 students went to the park. There, we split them up for different things. I was able to go on a hike with about 15 of the and 2 other teachers. This was really cool because I was able to see more of the city. We walked down by Blackwattle Bay Harbor, and then played at a park for a little bit. We were gone for about an hour and a half so it was a good walk to go on. We were also a bit late getting back so I didn't have to help with pickup for very long. I don't know the cars and kids anyway so I really don't do much during pickup time.
After school, I went to the Broadway mall to add more money to my Opal card so I can keep riding the bus. This didn't take very long and then I was on my way to try and find the Sydney Center YHA. The YHA is a company that has hostels all over the world and they are a very good and safe for younger people to stay. I am planning to stay in these during my trip so I wanted to go and get more information and help booking my stay.
While there, I booked what nights I would be staying and I also became a member. By being a member, you get 10% off your stay each time. It was only $15 Australian Dollars so I figured it was worth it.
After that, I got a bus home and relaxed until supper was ready. It sucks not having a computer to do homework and stuff, but yet it's kind of nice because then I can relax and read if I want.
Soon it was time for supper, and then I talked with Takuya (the Japanese student) about where he was staying because we will be in Cairns and Port Douglas at the same time.
After that, I have been updating my blog because I want to get to bed early tonight!
*Tomorrow my cooperating teacher invited me out to drinks and supper with him and a few of the other teachers so that should be fun!
Hopefully tomorrow is a better day than yesterday and today have been with bad things happening. I'll update tomorrow to let you know!
Pictures from out 'hike' down by the harbor.
This is the building with all the plants growing up the side of it again. I took this from the other side this time.
More plants and flowers that I walk by too and from the bus stop each day. They are so pretty!
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
9-20-2017
Meals Today:
Breakfast: fresh fruit + yogurt + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch: sandwich with spinach, cheese, tomatoes, and cucumbers + raspberry muffin + bottled water + orange + a sugar banana (it tastes the same as a regular banana it is just a bit sweeter and also smaller)
Supper: salmon + rice + steamed veggies + salad + lemonade + water + cheesecake
School Schedule:
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading
8:45 - Assembly - This is the last week of the term so they had their end of term awards today.
9:25 - Language - Today, I was able to sit in on Japanese. I've been sitting in on German but I switched it up today, and tomorrow I'm going to French. It amazes me how much these kids know. It's really cool to sit in on these lessons, but also really boring because I don't know what they are saying.
10:00 - Language
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Presentations
11:40 - Drama
12:20 - Drama
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Presentations
2:35 - Presentations
3:15 - Go home
*I also went to an all primary teacher staff meeting tonight that went from 4-5. At this meeting, they talked about development and what the staff thought the biggest changes to be. The biggest issue was discipline and trying to improve the behavioral system. The teachers would also like to see a procedure that is used across the board when it comes to rules and following them. The system right now is really old and kids are different these days so therefore some changes need to be made.
It was interesting to see the conversations that got brought up and see the problems that were an issue in their school and what they are doing to fix it. It was a good experience.
Today, I got up and get ready just like any other day. I left without Jeanette though, because she was waiting for Lewis to see if he wanted us to wait for him. He ended up telling her to go without him, but I had already gotten on a bus before she arrived at the stop. So, I rode the bus by myself which was just fine.
In school, we focused mainly on having the students present their websites today. They were really good and the students did a nice job and working to spread awareness on how important clean water is for developing countries.
After school, I worked on an assignment I have for my Capstone class for about 45 minutes and then we went to the meeting which I described up top.
Finally, I was able to go home. I caught the 412 bus so I wouldn't have as far of a walk because it was starting to get dark outside. So, I quickly walked home.
Once I was home, I was doing some stuff on my computer but then my computer froze so I shut it down. Now it won't show the home screen where I log on so I am on Jeanette's computer right now. Hopefully it just needed a rest and in the morning it will turn on. If not, I'll take it to tec support and pray they can fix it. It's never done this before so I hope it turns on in the morning.
Soon after I got on the computer, Jeanette called for supper. During super, Haroun was talking about his trip that he's going on and how there have been some problems with his flight home (back to Belgium). The Japanese guy also wants to change some things dealing with his trip. On top of it, I'm trying to book my trips so it's really a stressful time here with everyone's travel plans and on top of that, school and work. Tomorrow I will go to a travel agency and get things in order. I have my flights I just need to figure out where I am staying. Jeanette mentioned the YHA youth hostels that are all over the world so I am going to their office tomorrow to talk to someone there for more information and to hopefully book a bed. The YHA is a really good and safe organization from what Jeanette has told me, and their website seems really good too. Also, for how much I will be traveling, I plan on to become a member so I get discounted rooms as well. I just want to get this planning process over with!
Tomorrow is a new day, and I hope I get some answers and the rest of my trip booked! Wish me luck (with my trip and my computer, please)!!
Breakfast: fresh fruit + yogurt + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch: sandwich with spinach, cheese, tomatoes, and cucumbers + raspberry muffin + bottled water + orange + a sugar banana (it tastes the same as a regular banana it is just a bit sweeter and also smaller)
Supper: salmon + rice + steamed veggies + salad + lemonade + water + cheesecake
School Schedule:
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading
8:45 - Assembly - This is the last week of the term so they had their end of term awards today.
9:25 - Language - Today, I was able to sit in on Japanese. I've been sitting in on German but I switched it up today, and tomorrow I'm going to French. It amazes me how much these kids know. It's really cool to sit in on these lessons, but also really boring because I don't know what they are saying.
10:00 - Language
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Presentations
11:40 - Drama
12:20 - Drama
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Presentations
2:35 - Presentations
3:15 - Go home
*I also went to an all primary teacher staff meeting tonight that went from 4-5. At this meeting, they talked about development and what the staff thought the biggest changes to be. The biggest issue was discipline and trying to improve the behavioral system. The teachers would also like to see a procedure that is used across the board when it comes to rules and following them. The system right now is really old and kids are different these days so therefore some changes need to be made.
It was interesting to see the conversations that got brought up and see the problems that were an issue in their school and what they are doing to fix it. It was a good experience.
Today, I got up and get ready just like any other day. I left without Jeanette though, because she was waiting for Lewis to see if he wanted us to wait for him. He ended up telling her to go without him, but I had already gotten on a bus before she arrived at the stop. So, I rode the bus by myself which was just fine.
In school, we focused mainly on having the students present their websites today. They were really good and the students did a nice job and working to spread awareness on how important clean water is for developing countries.
After school, I worked on an assignment I have for my Capstone class for about 45 minutes and then we went to the meeting which I described up top.
Finally, I was able to go home. I caught the 412 bus so I wouldn't have as far of a walk because it was starting to get dark outside. So, I quickly walked home.
Once I was home, I was doing some stuff on my computer but then my computer froze so I shut it down. Now it won't show the home screen where I log on so I am on Jeanette's computer right now. Hopefully it just needed a rest and in the morning it will turn on. If not, I'll take it to tec support and pray they can fix it. It's never done this before so I hope it turns on in the morning.
Soon after I got on the computer, Jeanette called for supper. During super, Haroun was talking about his trip that he's going on and how there have been some problems with his flight home (back to Belgium). The Japanese guy also wants to change some things dealing with his trip. On top of it, I'm trying to book my trips so it's really a stressful time here with everyone's travel plans and on top of that, school and work. Tomorrow I will go to a travel agency and get things in order. I have my flights I just need to figure out where I am staying. Jeanette mentioned the YHA youth hostels that are all over the world so I am going to their office tomorrow to talk to someone there for more information and to hopefully book a bed. The YHA is a really good and safe organization from what Jeanette has told me, and their website seems really good too. Also, for how much I will be traveling, I plan on to become a member so I get discounted rooms as well. I just want to get this planning process over with!
Tomorrow is a new day, and I hope I get some answers and the rest of my trip booked! Wish me luck (with my trip and my computer, please)!!
This is a picture of one of the many kinds of flowers I walk by on my way to the bus stop.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
9-19-2017
Today's Meals:
Breakfast: fresh fruit + yogurt + hard boiled egg + water
Lunch: sandwich with cheese, tomato, spinach, and cucumber + 2 little oranges + rice crispy bar + bottled water
Supper: ham + salad + steamed veggies + lentil burger + lemonade + water + cheesecake
Today's Schedule:
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading and writing 2nd draft
8:45 - English
9:25 - 6th grade IRT Presentations
10:00 - Topic
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Phy. Ed. - my cooperating teacher and I met with a parent to discuss his progress in school and what they can do at home to help him succeed more in school.
11:40 - Language
12:20 - Language
1:00 - Lunch - I ate an early lunch during language so I could go help my cooperating teacher and another teacher with a "lunch club". Basically during this time, it's a bootcamp for the naughty kids! The teachers set up 3 different stations and they run around to help get all of their aggression and energy out so they can do better during class. My cooperating teacher told me that all of these kids had been diagnosed with some sort of autism that effects them behaviorally and emotionally so this is a good way to work with them and hopefully help them have a break during this day.
1:55 - Writing
2:35 - Math/Art/ Pack up
3:15 - Go home - My cooperating teacher and I helped with pickup as well.
Today Jeanette got up at 4:30 am to get everything ready and get on the bus because on Tuesday's she watches her granddaughter while her daughter goes to the school. So, I got ready and ate breakfast and then walked to the bus alone. This was the first time I had ridden the bus to school by myself, but after a week, I knew right when my stop was coming up!
After I got off the bus I went to the classroom and had another day of observation and helping when I could. Something new that I experienced to was a parent meeting. It was great to see because the parent had actually called the meeting. He had noticed his child wasn't doing as well in school as he had in the previous months so he said (the dad) he'd been reading books on ways to help and really trying at home to help the situation. This was mind blowing to me, because in the US teachers don't get that kind of support from the parents. It was amazing and I'm so glad I was able to sit in and listen to their conversation.
After this I went to the lounge and worked on some 'homework' I had to do. I also ate my lunch early so I could help with the 'bootcamp' that I explained up in the schedule. This was a neat idea, but some of the kids got out of hand and it wasn't managed very well I felt like. I'm sure the kids appreciate it and hopefully it helps their behavior in class as well.
Finally I was on my way home at 3:30. The bus was so crowded I had to stand for half the trip. I've never seen it that busy before so I was really surprised. I am down to $15 on my opal card so I'll have to put more on that soon. It isn't fun having to pay about $3.50 every time I ride the bus in and then home from school, but I guess I have to get their somehow.
Once I got home, I checked my phone and laid on my bed for a bit to unwind. Then I got changed and went for a 3 mile run at 5. I hadn't been outside for a walk/run since last Tuesday so I thought it'd be good. It was also a beautiful day today so the weather was perfect. I ran by the river too which is always a good view!
When I got back, I showered and talked to Jeanette about her day and we discussed travel plans more while she made supper. Then we ate and we all talked about how our days went and such. I then helped the guy from Japan with proofreading his writing assignment. Then it was back to travel plans. I have my flights book and now I just have to figure out what I want to do in each place and where I will be staying.
Tomorrow, I plan on going to a travel agency to get help with all of these because there are a lot of places and I want to find the best one for the best price and I'm sure they can help me with that. Wish me luck! :)
Breakfast: fresh fruit + yogurt + hard boiled egg + water
Lunch: sandwich with cheese, tomato, spinach, and cucumber + 2 little oranges + rice crispy bar + bottled water
Supper: ham + salad + steamed veggies + lentil burger + lemonade + water + cheesecake
Today's Schedule:
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading and writing 2nd draft
8:45 - English
9:25 - 6th grade IRT Presentations
10:00 - Topic
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Phy. Ed. - my cooperating teacher and I met with a parent to discuss his progress in school and what they can do at home to help him succeed more in school.
11:40 - Language
12:20 - Language
1:00 - Lunch - I ate an early lunch during language so I could go help my cooperating teacher and another teacher with a "lunch club". Basically during this time, it's a bootcamp for the naughty kids! The teachers set up 3 different stations and they run around to help get all of their aggression and energy out so they can do better during class. My cooperating teacher told me that all of these kids had been diagnosed with some sort of autism that effects them behaviorally and emotionally so this is a good way to work with them and hopefully help them have a break during this day.
1:55 - Writing
2:35 - Math/Art/ Pack up
3:15 - Go home - My cooperating teacher and I helped with pickup as well.
Today Jeanette got up at 4:30 am to get everything ready and get on the bus because on Tuesday's she watches her granddaughter while her daughter goes to the school. So, I got ready and ate breakfast and then walked to the bus alone. This was the first time I had ridden the bus to school by myself, but after a week, I knew right when my stop was coming up!
After I got off the bus I went to the classroom and had another day of observation and helping when I could. Something new that I experienced to was a parent meeting. It was great to see because the parent had actually called the meeting. He had noticed his child wasn't doing as well in school as he had in the previous months so he said (the dad) he'd been reading books on ways to help and really trying at home to help the situation. This was mind blowing to me, because in the US teachers don't get that kind of support from the parents. It was amazing and I'm so glad I was able to sit in and listen to their conversation.
After this I went to the lounge and worked on some 'homework' I had to do. I also ate my lunch early so I could help with the 'bootcamp' that I explained up in the schedule. This was a neat idea, but some of the kids got out of hand and it wasn't managed very well I felt like. I'm sure the kids appreciate it and hopefully it helps their behavior in class as well.
Finally I was on my way home at 3:30. The bus was so crowded I had to stand for half the trip. I've never seen it that busy before so I was really surprised. I am down to $15 on my opal card so I'll have to put more on that soon. It isn't fun having to pay about $3.50 every time I ride the bus in and then home from school, but I guess I have to get their somehow.
Once I got home, I checked my phone and laid on my bed for a bit to unwind. Then I got changed and went for a 3 mile run at 5. I hadn't been outside for a walk/run since last Tuesday so I thought it'd be good. It was also a beautiful day today so the weather was perfect. I ran by the river too which is always a good view!
When I got back, I showered and talked to Jeanette about her day and we discussed travel plans more while she made supper. Then we ate and we all talked about how our days went and such. I then helped the guy from Japan with proofreading his writing assignment. Then it was back to travel plans. I have my flights book and now I just have to figure out what I want to do in each place and where I will be staying.
Tomorrow, I plan on going to a travel agency to get help with all of these because there are a lot of places and I want to find the best one for the best price and I'm sure they can help me with that. Wish me luck! :)
My selfie for the day! :)
Late night green tea before bed.
Good Night! Happy hump day tomorrow :)
Monday, September 18, 2017
9-18-2017
Today's Meals:
Breakfast: yogurt + fresh fruit + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch: sandwich with cheese, spinach, and tomatoes + popcorn + orange + banana
Supper: chicken + wrap with humus and falafel + cheesecake
*I also had a rice crispy bar before supper because I was really hungry and I had forgotten about them in my drawer. My mom sent them with me when I left, so I should probably eat those soon!
School Schedule:
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading or writing 2nd draft
8:45 - Ms. Harder: About Me lesson
9:25 - 6th grade IRT Presentations
10:00 - Language
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Language
11:40 - Ms. Harder: Math lesson on 2D shapes
12:20 - Math and Art/ Writing (if time)
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Topic
2:35 - Music/ pack up
3:15 - Music/ Go home
Today was SUPER busy. I taught two lessons today so that was fun, and I didn't have that much preparation because everything I had done this weekend so that was nice. We had little things that popped up during that day that we went to such as; talking about how my lessons went, talking to Joliette (a Boston student who is also in a 5th grade classroom) about next term's planning, looking over their journals that I had them use in my lesson, looking over their math workbooks that I had them use in my lesson (this I never actually got to), a meeting after school at 3:30 with teachers from another school who were there to talk about math. Just things like this that I was informed about, but I had to go to for experience and such. All this being said, I didn't get home until 6:30 and luckily I took the 412 today so my walk in the dark wasn't too far. Don't worry, I had a key in my hand and also pepper spray just in case, but hopefully I won't have to use it!
My 'All About Me' lesson went really well. The students asked me questions and were very good listeners during the whole thing so I was really happy about that. I also enjoyed reading about them in their journals and leaving them little comments to go back and read as well!
My math lesson about how to translate, rotate, and reflect 2D shapes was a bit different. I felt really prepared and I think it went well, I just had a little trouble with classroom management and I should've demonstrated how to do the rotation part because that confused a lot of people. As a result of the confusion, my cooperating teacher and I were going around the room and doing a mini/ one-on-one lesson with the students who needed a bit more help. I didn't mind doing this but it was a bit time consuming and could've been avoided had I demonstrated the process better. Oh well, you live and learn and next time I know how to make my lesson better.
Once I finally got home, I took a shower to relax and unwind from the day, then I started looking at flights and travel plans a bit more. I also updated my blog entry from yesterday so it's all caught up.
Then around 7 Jeanette called me for supper and we ate, and then she asked me a whole bunch of questions about my travels and helped me sort some things out. I'm still not completely booked, but I'm getting there and hopefully tomorrow I will know more and have more things planned! Right now though, I am exhausted so I am off to bed to rest up for another busy and exciting school day tomorrow!
Goodnight and I'll post again tomorrow! :)
*Sidenote: I can't believe I've already been here for a week! It's going to fly by!
Breakfast: yogurt + fresh fruit + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch: sandwich with cheese, spinach, and tomatoes + popcorn + orange + banana
Supper: chicken + wrap with humus and falafel + cheesecake
*I also had a rice crispy bar before supper because I was really hungry and I had forgotten about them in my drawer. My mom sent them with me when I left, so I should probably eat those soon!
School Schedule:
8:35 - roll call/ silent reading or writing 2nd draft
8:45 - Ms. Harder: About Me lesson
9:25 - 6th grade IRT Presentations
10:00 - Language
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Language
11:40 - Ms. Harder: Math lesson on 2D shapes
12:20 - Math and Art/ Writing (if time)
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Topic
2:35 - Music/ pack up
3:15 - Music/ Go home
Today was SUPER busy. I taught two lessons today so that was fun, and I didn't have that much preparation because everything I had done this weekend so that was nice. We had little things that popped up during that day that we went to such as; talking about how my lessons went, talking to Joliette (a Boston student who is also in a 5th grade classroom) about next term's planning, looking over their journals that I had them use in my lesson, looking over their math workbooks that I had them use in my lesson (this I never actually got to), a meeting after school at 3:30 with teachers from another school who were there to talk about math. Just things like this that I was informed about, but I had to go to for experience and such. All this being said, I didn't get home until 6:30 and luckily I took the 412 today so my walk in the dark wasn't too far. Don't worry, I had a key in my hand and also pepper spray just in case, but hopefully I won't have to use it!
My 'All About Me' lesson went really well. The students asked me questions and were very good listeners during the whole thing so I was really happy about that. I also enjoyed reading about them in their journals and leaving them little comments to go back and read as well!
My math lesson about how to translate, rotate, and reflect 2D shapes was a bit different. I felt really prepared and I think it went well, I just had a little trouble with classroom management and I should've demonstrated how to do the rotation part because that confused a lot of people. As a result of the confusion, my cooperating teacher and I were going around the room and doing a mini/ one-on-one lesson with the students who needed a bit more help. I didn't mind doing this but it was a bit time consuming and could've been avoided had I demonstrated the process better. Oh well, you live and learn and next time I know how to make my lesson better.
Once I finally got home, I took a shower to relax and unwind from the day, then I started looking at flights and travel plans a bit more. I also updated my blog entry from yesterday so it's all caught up.
Then around 7 Jeanette called me for supper and we ate, and then she asked me a whole bunch of questions about my travels and helped me sort some things out. I'm still not completely booked, but I'm getting there and hopefully tomorrow I will know more and have more things planned! Right now though, I am exhausted so I am off to bed to rest up for another busy and exciting school day tomorrow!
Goodnight and I'll post again tomorrow! :)
*Sidenote: I can't believe I've already been here for a week! It's going to fly by!
Sunday, September 17, 2017
9-17-2017
Today's Meals:
Breakfast = fresh fruit + yogurt + toast with peanut butter + orange juice
Lunch = a sandwich with cheese, tomatoes, and spinach + a 'fruit granola bar' + water
Snack = raspberry gelato in a cone + super food balls
Supper = BBQ ribs + salad + steamed veggies + seared steak + strawberry cheesecake with ice cream
Today, I woke up around 9 am to get ready for the busy day ahead. I showered, got dressed, did my morning routine, ate breakfast, and then started laundry. Jeanette only has a washer therefore, she hangs it all out to dry. This is great and I am completely fine with it because I like my clothes to air dry better any way. On the other hand though, I'm not a huge fan of everyone seeing my underwear. This being said, I hung them on the far end of the line and brought everything in as soon as we got home for our adventures that day.
Jeanette was expecting another homestay to be coming today and she said if he wasn't here by 1 pm we would just go and the Japanese guy could let him in. Luckily, he texted her around 10 to say he wouldn't be here until 6 or 7. This was good because then we didn't have to wait around for him.
All morning, she was busy getting his bedroom ready so I used this time to make some phone calls and FaceTime my family. It was a great talk and they gave me the go head to travel during my break (next week and the week after are school holidays)! So, I found a really cheap flight to Cairns where the Great Barrier Reef is so I booked that quick before we left around 1 pm.
When we left, we headed to the 412 bus stop. I hadn't taken this bus before so it was nice to be able to test it out with Jeanette and Haroun (the guy from Belgium). We rode the bus until we got to Dulwich Hill where we got on the train. The train then took us all the way to where we were going to get onto the ferry.
We had to rush to get on the ferry. Because it was Sunday, (and family fun day where you can ride the train, bus, and ferry as much as you want and only pay $2.50 the entire day) the ferry was really busy so we had to quickly get there before it was full and they didn't accept any more people on until the next one that came later.
Once we got on the ferry, we stood by the edge to get a better view. It was awesome because not only did I get some amazing pictures of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, I was able to look at the water and the whole coastline as we made our way to Manly. The ferry ride took about 20 minutes, and it was great!
Finally we arrived at Manly and we walked down the coast to see where the aquarium was and where you would go if you wanted to do the Manly walk. This walk takes you all along the coast, through the national park, and past some really pretty beaches. Hopefully I am able to do that some weekend when it gets a bit warmer.
Next, we walked down the sidewalks, through the market, and to the Manly surf beach. The beach was really pretty and I was surprised at how busy it was for it still being pretty chilly out. After seeing the beach then, we walked through the stands at the market and looked around the shops in that area too.
After that, we didn't have a lot of time left so we went and got ice cream. I got raspberry ice cream in a cone and it was sooo good! I love ice cream so it was the perfect way to end the day. While Haroun and I ate our ice cream, Jeanette went into a grocery store to get food for supper that night. Then we were off to meet the bus because the ferry would've been too busy and taken too long to get home.
Once on the bus, we rode it all the way to Sydney Centre where we then got off and got on the train. The train then took us Newtown where we got on another bus that took us to the bus stop close to the house.
When we got home, I worked some on my lesson, we ate supper, and the new guy from Belgium (named Louis) arrived and he ate with us. He seams really nice.
Then after supper I went and finished my lesson, got ready for bed, and finally went to sleep after a long day!
Breakfast = fresh fruit + yogurt + toast with peanut butter + orange juice
Lunch = a sandwich with cheese, tomatoes, and spinach + a 'fruit granola bar' + water
Snack = raspberry gelato in a cone + super food balls
Supper = BBQ ribs + salad + steamed veggies + seared steak + strawberry cheesecake with ice cream
Today, I woke up around 9 am to get ready for the busy day ahead. I showered, got dressed, did my morning routine, ate breakfast, and then started laundry. Jeanette only has a washer therefore, she hangs it all out to dry. This is great and I am completely fine with it because I like my clothes to air dry better any way. On the other hand though, I'm not a huge fan of everyone seeing my underwear. This being said, I hung them on the far end of the line and brought everything in as soon as we got home for our adventures that day.
Jeanette was expecting another homestay to be coming today and she said if he wasn't here by 1 pm we would just go and the Japanese guy could let him in. Luckily, he texted her around 10 to say he wouldn't be here until 6 or 7. This was good because then we didn't have to wait around for him.
All morning, she was busy getting his bedroom ready so I used this time to make some phone calls and FaceTime my family. It was a great talk and they gave me the go head to travel during my break (next week and the week after are school holidays)! So, I found a really cheap flight to Cairns where the Great Barrier Reef is so I booked that quick before we left around 1 pm.
When we left, we headed to the 412 bus stop. I hadn't taken this bus before so it was nice to be able to test it out with Jeanette and Haroun (the guy from Belgium). We rode the bus until we got to Dulwich Hill where we got on the train. The train then took us all the way to where we were going to get onto the ferry.
We had to rush to get on the ferry. Because it was Sunday, (and family fun day where you can ride the train, bus, and ferry as much as you want and only pay $2.50 the entire day) the ferry was really busy so we had to quickly get there before it was full and they didn't accept any more people on until the next one that came later.
Once we got on the ferry, we stood by the edge to get a better view. It was awesome because not only did I get some amazing pictures of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, I was able to look at the water and the whole coastline as we made our way to Manly. The ferry ride took about 20 minutes, and it was great!
Finally we arrived at Manly and we walked down the coast to see where the aquarium was and where you would go if you wanted to do the Manly walk. This walk takes you all along the coast, through the national park, and past some really pretty beaches. Hopefully I am able to do that some weekend when it gets a bit warmer.
Next, we walked down the sidewalks, through the market, and to the Manly surf beach. The beach was really pretty and I was surprised at how busy it was for it still being pretty chilly out. After seeing the beach then, we walked through the stands at the market and looked around the shops in that area too.
After that, we didn't have a lot of time left so we went and got ice cream. I got raspberry ice cream in a cone and it was sooo good! I love ice cream so it was the perfect way to end the day. While Haroun and I ate our ice cream, Jeanette went into a grocery store to get food for supper that night. Then we were off to meet the bus because the ferry would've been too busy and taken too long to get home.
Once on the bus, we rode it all the way to Sydney Centre where we then got off and got on the train. The train then took us Newtown where we got on another bus that took us to the bus stop close to the house.
When we got home, I worked some on my lesson, we ate supper, and the new guy from Belgium (named Louis) arrived and he ate with us. He seams really nice.
Then after supper I went and finished my lesson, got ready for bed, and finally went to sleep after a long day!
My laundry hanging out to dry.
The train station at Dulwich Hill.
Sydney Opera House from our ferry ride.
Harbour Bridge from our ferry ride.
Luna Park next to the Harbour Bridge.
So excited for Manly!!
The coastline from our ferry ride.
Manly surf beach!
The amazing ice cream shop that we stopped at!
Me with my raspberry ice cream!!
Saturday, September 16, 2017
9-16-17
Meals Today:
Breakfast = fresh fruit + orange juice + gluten free toast
Lunch = sushi + popcorn
Snack = fish and chips
Supper = salad + spinach roll thing + steamed veggies + a humus, veggie roll + lamb 'chunks' + lemonade + water
Today I woke up around 8 am, but I didn't actually get out of bed until around 9 am. Once I finally got up, I took my time getting ready for the day and ate breakfast. Jeanette and Paul had went to the market or something for a bit so she texted me and said they'd be back shortly.
After getting ready and eating breakfast, I used that time to FaceTime my family. Usually we just talk on the phone over speaker, so it was nice to be able to see them and actually talk to them 'face-to-face'. We talked for quite awhile, but our conversation was cut a bit short because Jeanette and Paul had gotten home and so therefore they wanted to take off shortly after their return. This was alright because I wanted to see the city as well, so I plan on calling my family back again tomorrow. Due to the 15 hour time difference, our times to talk are limited, so on the weekends it'll work better to call and have a long talk with them.
Today, we left and went down to a health food shop. Jeanette is a big 'organic' and health food person, plus this shop was having a 30% off sale so that was nice. I noticed while we were there, that we have some of the same brands back home. I also realized how expensive everything was. She only got about 7 or 8 things I would say plus the 30% off it was still over $100. I couldn't believe it! Needless to say, I don't plan on buying anything really unless I need it!
After the shop, we went down to the metro so I could finalize my Working With Children Permit. When I had applied for it the first time on my own, I put my birthday it as we normally do ex. mm/dd/yyyy but here they do dd/mm/yyyy so my entry was backwards to them. The lady therefore couldn't finish putting me into the system until I changed that. Luckily they had computers there that I could use, I reapplied, and now I have that taken care of.
Finally, after finishing all of our business, we took of towards the city and on to Hornsby. This trip took over an hour because the traffic was so bad. We had also taken Paul's car, so actually the train would've been faster but this way we could come and go as we pleased. It was really funny because Paul takes a lot of pride in his car, so I wasn't allowed to open or close the door. He did that for me because he didn't want the doors to be slammed. It was a different experience, but I understand that in the city, cars are expensive and plus there is so much public transports that you really don't need one. Jeanette for example doesn't own a car and she has never even had a driver's license.
Finally, we made it to Hornsby. Jeanette had free movie passes so she dropped me off and went to see her mom. It was her mom's birthday. I saw Rip Tide and it was really good even though I believe I was the oldest one in the theater. Also, there were a bunch of kids running around and being obnoxious, but I still enjoyed the movie. One thing about going to a movie here, you can bring snacks and drinks into the movie and no one says anything. It was nice to be able to bring snacks from 'home' and not have to pay and arm and a leg for snacks at the theater.
After the movie, Jeanette and Paul were waiting for me outside. We then went down to the bottom floor (I forgot to mention that the movie theater was on the 3rd floor of the Hornsby mall) and I got to meet Jeanette's mom, her brother, and her mom's boyfriend. They seemed like really nice people.
After meeting them briefly, we left the mall and went to a little shop and had fish and chips for a 'snack'. It was pretty good, but I can't say it was the best fish I've ever had. It was a good experience though.
Once we were done eating then, we got back in the car and headed back. On the way home the traffic wasn't so bad so that was nice. We also took a different way home so I was able to see more of the city and the harbor from a different view. *I also forgot to mention before, but we took harbor bridge and I was able to see the Sydney Opera House out my window on they way over the bridge. It was amazing and I'm looking forward to tomorrow when we are able to see it more in depth and closer up!
Here in Sydney, they have a thing called "Family Fun Day" on Sundays. This means that you can ride the train, bus, or ferry as much as you want and it only costs $2.50 for the whole day so hopefully we can ride the train there and then go on a ferry tour around the harbor! I'm looking forward to that!
After we got home then, I went to my room and started working on my lesson plans for Monday. I believe I got my math one done along with a slideshow I will use during the lesson.
Next, we had supper. After talking for awhile and then after supper we got to talking about the farm I live on so I showed everyone a picture of my farm, the different crops we got, and some of the equipment we use on the farm during harvest and seeding. It's so funny because they have never really even heard of this stuff, but growing up with it I see it every day and it's part of my lifestyle! It's really amazing how different parts of the world are.
After that, I worked some more on my lesson plans and now updated this blog. I am now going to get to bed shortly and enjoy another day of sleeping in! Along with a busy day in the city I am also planning on doing laundry, so hopefully I get to it along with FaceTiming family and friends some more in the morning!
Goodnight everyone and I'll hopefully have lots of pictures to post tomorrow!
Breakfast = fresh fruit + orange juice + gluten free toast
Lunch = sushi + popcorn
Snack = fish and chips
Supper = salad + spinach roll thing + steamed veggies + a humus, veggie roll + lamb 'chunks' + lemonade + water
Today I woke up around 8 am, but I didn't actually get out of bed until around 9 am. Once I finally got up, I took my time getting ready for the day and ate breakfast. Jeanette and Paul had went to the market or something for a bit so she texted me and said they'd be back shortly.
After getting ready and eating breakfast, I used that time to FaceTime my family. Usually we just talk on the phone over speaker, so it was nice to be able to see them and actually talk to them 'face-to-face'. We talked for quite awhile, but our conversation was cut a bit short because Jeanette and Paul had gotten home and so therefore they wanted to take off shortly after their return. This was alright because I wanted to see the city as well, so I plan on calling my family back again tomorrow. Due to the 15 hour time difference, our times to talk are limited, so on the weekends it'll work better to call and have a long talk with them.
Today, we left and went down to a health food shop. Jeanette is a big 'organic' and health food person, plus this shop was having a 30% off sale so that was nice. I noticed while we were there, that we have some of the same brands back home. I also realized how expensive everything was. She only got about 7 or 8 things I would say plus the 30% off it was still over $100. I couldn't believe it! Needless to say, I don't plan on buying anything really unless I need it!
After the shop, we went down to the metro so I could finalize my Working With Children Permit. When I had applied for it the first time on my own, I put my birthday it as we normally do ex. mm/dd/yyyy but here they do dd/mm/yyyy so my entry was backwards to them. The lady therefore couldn't finish putting me into the system until I changed that. Luckily they had computers there that I could use, I reapplied, and now I have that taken care of.
Finally, after finishing all of our business, we took of towards the city and on to Hornsby. This trip took over an hour because the traffic was so bad. We had also taken Paul's car, so actually the train would've been faster but this way we could come and go as we pleased. It was really funny because Paul takes a lot of pride in his car, so I wasn't allowed to open or close the door. He did that for me because he didn't want the doors to be slammed. It was a different experience, but I understand that in the city, cars are expensive and plus there is so much public transports that you really don't need one. Jeanette for example doesn't own a car and she has never even had a driver's license.
Finally, we made it to Hornsby. Jeanette had free movie passes so she dropped me off and went to see her mom. It was her mom's birthday. I saw Rip Tide and it was really good even though I believe I was the oldest one in the theater. Also, there were a bunch of kids running around and being obnoxious, but I still enjoyed the movie. One thing about going to a movie here, you can bring snacks and drinks into the movie and no one says anything. It was nice to be able to bring snacks from 'home' and not have to pay and arm and a leg for snacks at the theater.
After the movie, Jeanette and Paul were waiting for me outside. We then went down to the bottom floor (I forgot to mention that the movie theater was on the 3rd floor of the Hornsby mall) and I got to meet Jeanette's mom, her brother, and her mom's boyfriend. They seemed like really nice people.
After meeting them briefly, we left the mall and went to a little shop and had fish and chips for a 'snack'. It was pretty good, but I can't say it was the best fish I've ever had. It was a good experience though.
Once we were done eating then, we got back in the car and headed back. On the way home the traffic wasn't so bad so that was nice. We also took a different way home so I was able to see more of the city and the harbor from a different view. *I also forgot to mention before, but we took harbor bridge and I was able to see the Sydney Opera House out my window on they way over the bridge. It was amazing and I'm looking forward to tomorrow when we are able to see it more in depth and closer up!
Here in Sydney, they have a thing called "Family Fun Day" on Sundays. This means that you can ride the train, bus, or ferry as much as you want and it only costs $2.50 for the whole day so hopefully we can ride the train there and then go on a ferry tour around the harbor! I'm looking forward to that!
After we got home then, I went to my room and started working on my lesson plans for Monday. I believe I got my math one done along with a slideshow I will use during the lesson.
Next, we had supper. After talking for awhile and then after supper we got to talking about the farm I live on so I showed everyone a picture of my farm, the different crops we got, and some of the equipment we use on the farm during harvest and seeding. It's so funny because they have never really even heard of this stuff, but growing up with it I see it every day and it's part of my lifestyle! It's really amazing how different parts of the world are.
After that, I worked some more on my lesson plans and now updated this blog. I am now going to get to bed shortly and enjoy another day of sleeping in! Along with a busy day in the city I am also planning on doing laundry, so hopefully I get to it along with FaceTiming family and friends some more in the morning!
Goodnight everyone and I'll hopefully have lots of pictures to post tomorrow!
The view of Darling Harbor from the Harbor Bridge. The Sydney Opera House would be on the other side of this!
The big fountain/ cloth in the middle of the mall. This is where I saw the movie and we ate fish and chips!
A view of the city from another bridge we took on the way home!
Friday, September 15, 2017
9-15-2017
Meals today:
Breakfast = yogurt + fruit + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch = roast beef sandwich + popcorn + fresh fruit + a banana + bottle of water
Supper = salad + steamed veggies + beef 'chunks' + lemonade + water + cheesecake
School Schedule:
8:35 -Silent reading
8:45 - Digital Citizenship
9:25 - Library
10:00 - Writing
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Writing
11:40 - Golden Time (If they get a certain amount of points they get free time during this period)
12:20 - Music
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Language
2:35 - Language
3:15 - End of the day
Today was a pretty relaxed day! I woke up, got ready, ate breakfast, and then was on my way to the bus stop. Jeanette has been riding the bus with me to school every morning. She usually would take the train but this way we both have company, I don't get lost, and it's about the same amount of time I think.
When I walked into the school this morning, the band was set up halfway in the entrance and on the sidewalk playing. It was really cool and it helped the morning start off in a good way in my opinion.
Fridays are kind of different or a 'joke' in a way because as you can see from the schedule, we are only teaching the kids for 2 periods. Other than that they are going to other classrooms for library, music lessons, language, etc. This being said, I was able to go home at lunch time so around 1:00. My teacher said they way I will have time to plan lessons and do other homework if I have to. This is really nice because it can be my 'prep' time when I'm having to plan a lot of lessons.
Also, today I met another Boston girl who is doing her student teaching at IGS as well. Boston University has a chain of their campus here so she said there are about 60 students, 13 of which are teachers and the other 45 or so are in other majors. I've meet 3 of them so far, and it is really nice to be able to talk to other Americans!
After I got home, I unpacked my backpack and took a nap. Once I woke up, I did some homework and planning, looked at travel plans to try to find cheap flights and such for if I go, and then it was time for supper. Supper has been really good every night and so far, she's made something different every night as well.
After supper then, Jeanette put in the movie Maleficent. I hadn't seen it before so I was glad she had it. She has a ton of movies so that'll be nice to pop one in during the evenings to unwind. Then I took a shower, got ready for bed, and now I'm updating this before going to bed.
Tomorrow Jeanette, Paul, and I are heading into the city. We have to stop at a help center so I can get my Working With Children Permit finalized and then on to the harbor, markets, and other fun things we go. It's not supposed to be super nice tomorrow so Jeanette also mentioned going to a movie as well which would be fun! I hope to post a lot of pictures of things we see so stay tuned! :)
Good night for now!
Breakfast = yogurt + fruit + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch = roast beef sandwich + popcorn + fresh fruit + a banana + bottle of water
Supper = salad + steamed veggies + beef 'chunks' + lemonade + water + cheesecake
School Schedule:
8:35 -Silent reading
8:45 - Digital Citizenship
9:25 - Library
10:00 - Writing
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Writing
11:40 - Golden Time (If they get a certain amount of points they get free time during this period)
12:20 - Music
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Language
2:35 - Language
3:15 - End of the day
Today was a pretty relaxed day! I woke up, got ready, ate breakfast, and then was on my way to the bus stop. Jeanette has been riding the bus with me to school every morning. She usually would take the train but this way we both have company, I don't get lost, and it's about the same amount of time I think.
When I walked into the school this morning, the band was set up halfway in the entrance and on the sidewalk playing. It was really cool and it helped the morning start off in a good way in my opinion.
Fridays are kind of different or a 'joke' in a way because as you can see from the schedule, we are only teaching the kids for 2 periods. Other than that they are going to other classrooms for library, music lessons, language, etc. This being said, I was able to go home at lunch time so around 1:00. My teacher said they way I will have time to plan lessons and do other homework if I have to. This is really nice because it can be my 'prep' time when I'm having to plan a lot of lessons.
Also, today I met another Boston girl who is doing her student teaching at IGS as well. Boston University has a chain of their campus here so she said there are about 60 students, 13 of which are teachers and the other 45 or so are in other majors. I've meet 3 of them so far, and it is really nice to be able to talk to other Americans!
After I got home, I unpacked my backpack and took a nap. Once I woke up, I did some homework and planning, looked at travel plans to try to find cheap flights and such for if I go, and then it was time for supper. Supper has been really good every night and so far, she's made something different every night as well.
After supper then, Jeanette put in the movie Maleficent. I hadn't seen it before so I was glad she had it. She has a ton of movies so that'll be nice to pop one in during the evenings to unwind. Then I took a shower, got ready for bed, and now I'm updating this before going to bed.
Tomorrow Jeanette, Paul, and I are heading into the city. We have to stop at a help center so I can get my Working With Children Permit finalized and then on to the harbor, markets, and other fun things we go. It's not supposed to be super nice tomorrow so Jeanette also mentioned going to a movie as well which would be fun! I hope to post a lot of pictures of things we see so stay tuned! :)
Good night for now!
This was the band playing in the front of the school today! The mural that was in my first day of school picture would be right to the right of these doors!
Thursday, September 14, 2017
9-14-2017
Meals today:
Breakfast = yogurt + fruit + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch = a salad with roast beef, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and honey mustard dressing + popcorn + mixed fruit + a banana
Supper = lentil soup + roast beef + lamb chop + steamed veggies + a salad + lemonade + cheesecake
School Schedule:
8:35 - Persuasive writing
8:45 - Math
9:25 - Math
10:00 - Language (my teacher and I met for scheduling)
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Language (mindfulness with the first grade)
11:40 - Writing / Pack up
12:20 - Lunch
1-3:15 - Sport
Today was a 'mofty' day, or a day where we got to wear casual clothes because it was a sport day. I wore tennis shoes, joggers, a nicer t-shirt, and a zip up sweatshirt. I was glad we could wear these clothes because 1. they are more comfy then dressing up and 2. it was cold out today. The temperature was only about 17 degrees Celsius, so around 62 Fahrenheit with a chilly breeze so it was actually cold out. It was a huge difference from yesterday. Yesterday was around 80 degrees Fahrenheit!
Today was a good day because I was able to go around the room more and help the kids with the assignments they were doing. Each day I get more and more comfortable so that's always helpful. I was also surprised today that my cooperating teacher addressed the students about their talking during our advanced math period. He told them it was very rude and actually told them what I had said about how in America we don't talk hardly while walking down the halls, and that if the class is talking the teacher might scold them and say they are wasting the teachers' time by delaying the lesson or what he/she is trying to say. I thought this was a good step because I don't have a loud voice, so I was hoping the students would learn to not talk while the teacher was talking before I take the role of their teacher. It still needs work, but I think we are moving in the right direction.
At 10:00, my teacher and I met again to go over the schedule for the next week because 1. it's good to know and 2. I need to hand a plan in for the next week every Friday before to my supervisor. So now I can do that. Next week is also the last week of their term 3, so we are working on finishing up projects and presenting them next week so we can start fresh next term.
Today, we also had sport. Every Thursday, the boys and girls split up and then they are bussed to a different part of the city (today we were over in the east part in a suburb called Paddington) and then they play the same sport against different schools all through the term. This term they were doing volleyball. My cooperating teacher said that during one of the other terms they did soccer and next term (term 4) they can pick between 5 different options. This was a really cool experience because we were able to be outside for about 2 hours and just enjoy the sun and fresh air. A little more running for them would've been nice because, being boys, they have tons of energy.
After we got back from sport, the kids packed up and went down to go home. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I will try and help with the pickup, but it's quite difficult because I don't know very many of the kids and I surely don't know any of their parents or the cars their parents drive. So basically today I just stood there. I'm sure it'll get better, but it was a bit awkward today.
After that I walked to the bus stop and caught the 423 bus. I rode it to where I normally get on, got off, and walked back 'home'. It was about 4:30 when I got back. I had a quick snack, checked my phone for a bit, then started on some homework that I needed to finish. That didn't take too long so when I was finished I looked more into flights and traveling during my 2 week break. I'm trying to find the cheapest flights and tours I can. It's not too hard if you have an open mind. I know I would like to go to New Zealand, but I'm find with seeing the free attractions and stuff rather than paying a bunch of money. It's still a new place with amazing views and I hope it works for me to go there. I also would like to see the Great Barrier Reef up in Cairns so I hope I can get something to work out!
Finally, supper was ready and we all ate together. Paul was back so of course there wasn't a silent moment all during supper, but that's ok. It keeps it interesting. He loves America so it's actually a lot of fun to talk to him. He is also a very smart man, so so far I've learned a lot from him. That's one thing that I really admire about Australia is that they know a lot about the world and current events happening all over. I feel that Americans are more focused on things happening in our country and we don't worry or care that much about the rest of the world.
After supper then, I talked a bit more with Paul and Jeanette, showered, and now I'm updating this blog before I go to bed. Tomorrow, it's a short day for us teachers because the students have other things going on almost all day so we don't hardly see them very much. Maybe this way I can do my weekly reflective journal and get that done before the weekend. Yay for Friday! :)
Goodnight everyone!
Breakfast = yogurt + fruit + hard boiled egg + orange juice
Lunch = a salad with roast beef, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and honey mustard dressing + popcorn + mixed fruit + a banana
Supper = lentil soup + roast beef + lamb chop + steamed veggies + a salad + lemonade + cheesecake
School Schedule:
8:35 - Persuasive writing
8:45 - Math
9:25 - Math
10:00 - Language (my teacher and I met for scheduling)
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Language (mindfulness with the first grade)
11:40 - Writing / Pack up
12:20 - Lunch
1-3:15 - Sport
Today was a 'mofty' day, or a day where we got to wear casual clothes because it was a sport day. I wore tennis shoes, joggers, a nicer t-shirt, and a zip up sweatshirt. I was glad we could wear these clothes because 1. they are more comfy then dressing up and 2. it was cold out today. The temperature was only about 17 degrees Celsius, so around 62 Fahrenheit with a chilly breeze so it was actually cold out. It was a huge difference from yesterday. Yesterday was around 80 degrees Fahrenheit!
Today was a good day because I was able to go around the room more and help the kids with the assignments they were doing. Each day I get more and more comfortable so that's always helpful. I was also surprised today that my cooperating teacher addressed the students about their talking during our advanced math period. He told them it was very rude and actually told them what I had said about how in America we don't talk hardly while walking down the halls, and that if the class is talking the teacher might scold them and say they are wasting the teachers' time by delaying the lesson or what he/she is trying to say. I thought this was a good step because I don't have a loud voice, so I was hoping the students would learn to not talk while the teacher was talking before I take the role of their teacher. It still needs work, but I think we are moving in the right direction.
At 10:00, my teacher and I met again to go over the schedule for the next week because 1. it's good to know and 2. I need to hand a plan in for the next week every Friday before to my supervisor. So now I can do that. Next week is also the last week of their term 3, so we are working on finishing up projects and presenting them next week so we can start fresh next term.
Today, we also had sport. Every Thursday, the boys and girls split up and then they are bussed to a different part of the city (today we were over in the east part in a suburb called Paddington) and then they play the same sport against different schools all through the term. This term they were doing volleyball. My cooperating teacher said that during one of the other terms they did soccer and next term (term 4) they can pick between 5 different options. This was a really cool experience because we were able to be outside for about 2 hours and just enjoy the sun and fresh air. A little more running for them would've been nice because, being boys, they have tons of energy.
After we got back from sport, the kids packed up and went down to go home. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I will try and help with the pickup, but it's quite difficult because I don't know very many of the kids and I surely don't know any of their parents or the cars their parents drive. So basically today I just stood there. I'm sure it'll get better, but it was a bit awkward today.
After that I walked to the bus stop and caught the 423 bus. I rode it to where I normally get on, got off, and walked back 'home'. It was about 4:30 when I got back. I had a quick snack, checked my phone for a bit, then started on some homework that I needed to finish. That didn't take too long so when I was finished I looked more into flights and traveling during my 2 week break. I'm trying to find the cheapest flights and tours I can. It's not too hard if you have an open mind. I know I would like to go to New Zealand, but I'm find with seeing the free attractions and stuff rather than paying a bunch of money. It's still a new place with amazing views and I hope it works for me to go there. I also would like to see the Great Barrier Reef up in Cairns so I hope I can get something to work out!
Finally, supper was ready and we all ate together. Paul was back so of course there wasn't a silent moment all during supper, but that's ok. It keeps it interesting. He loves America so it's actually a lot of fun to talk to him. He is also a very smart man, so so far I've learned a lot from him. That's one thing that I really admire about Australia is that they know a lot about the world and current events happening all over. I feel that Americans are more focused on things happening in our country and we don't worry or care that much about the rest of the world.
After supper then, I talked a bit more with Paul and Jeanette, showered, and now I'm updating this blog before I go to bed. Tomorrow, it's a short day for us teachers because the students have other things going on almost all day so we don't hardly see them very much. Maybe this way I can do my weekly reflective journal and get that done before the weekend. Yay for Friday! :)
Goodnight everyone!
My 'mofty' day attire.
My favorite hallway in the school. It's not very long, but it is glass on both sides and I think it is so cool!
These pictures don't do this building justice, but it has moss and vines growing all the way up the sides! It also has a balcony about 2/3 of the way up with a mirror on the bottom so the sun reflects off of it and gives light to the plants growing on it! Super cool! We drove past it on our way to sport, so these were taken out the bus window.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
9-13-17: First day of student teaching!
My meals for the day:
Breakfast = vanilla yogurt with blueberries and strawberries + a glass of orange juice
Lunch = a gluten free sandwich with spinach, tomatoes, cheese, and cucumbers + a nutrition bar with nuts and berries in it + one rice cake with chocolate + a bottle of water
Supper = a salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and honey mustard dressing + roast beef + steamed veggies + cheesecake + an ice cream bar! 2 desserts, I know :)
Last night I didn't sleep the greatest. I believe it was from how much I napped today. Hopefully tonight I sleep better. Anyways, I woke up this morning around 6:15 am to get ready in time to leave the house by 7 am to catch the bus. I either take the L23 which is the faster bus because it doesn't have as many stops, or the 423. Jeanette and I got on the 423 at around 7:25 because we had missed the other one. This bus was still pretty fast though, because by the time we got to the school and she took a picture of me in front of the painting it was only 8:10 and the teacher wasn't expecting me until around 8:15-8:20.
Once I arrived and found the room, I talked with me cooperating teacher about what the day was going to be like and things that were going on.
Here was the schedule for the day:
8:35 - roll call/ quiet reading
8:45 - Assembly
9:25 - Language
10:00 - Language
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Math
11:40 - Drama
12:20 - Drama
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Topic
2:35 - Topic/ pack up
3:15 - Go home
First off, during our assembly the 5th and 6th grade orchestra and choir performed. The orchestra did two songs and one of them happened to be the Game of Thrones theme song which was really cool. It was so neat to have them perform at the beginning of the day because it was such a great start to a good day.
After the assembly then, they go to language for about 80 minutes everyday and during this time, the students either learn German, French, Italian, or Japanese depending on what they picked and they stay on the same language for the entire year. During the first 40 minutes my cooperating teacher and I sat down and discussed different procedures and plans for my time here, but after that I got to be a part of a German class that takes place in our room. This was such a cool thing to be a part of because not only do I only know English, but it is part of the school's curriculum to teach these languages which I think is awesome.
After recess then was math. During math they finished up a writing sample that needed to be finished in order for their art projects to be done, but after that they were working on shapes. They had to pick 2-3 shapes, cute them out, trace them in their math journal, measure the sides and angles, and explain all the characteristics of that shape that they knew.
Next, they went into drama. During this time they are reading a book that is a journal from the point of a refuge. This was a very intense book because it talks about people dying because of starvation, people being murdered because they are going through tough times and they have arguments about splitting food, and it goes into great depth about what these people go through. My cooperating teacher told me that last week he made a student cry because the details were just too much, and it's a really good story that 'sucks you in' and makes you feel like you are actually living that story.
To go along with what we read, the students then had to come of with 3 freeze frames where the first frame was something that had already been read, and then the other 2 were predictions about what they thought might happen next. There were groups with 3-5 students and each group took turns going. Then, without saying anything in their performances, the rest of the class had to try to guess what was happening in their sequence of frames. It was really cool.
Then, after that, my teacher read a couple more pages and then we did another activity. During this activity, students had to act out a person from the story. Then one-by-on, they entered the 'postcard'. As they walked on to the 'stage' they introduced themselves as the person they were and the emotion that person was feeling, then they stayed in that spot until eventually the whole class was on the 'stage' and at the end my teacher took a picture so we could see the resemblance to the picture they were recreating from the book. It was a great idea!
Next was lunch. They don't have cafeterias here so everyone is allowed go basically go anywhere to eat as long as they are back by 1:55. During this time, I found a little table outside a coffee shop where I sat and had my lunch. It was nice to be by myself and have a little quiet before it got crazy again in the afternoon.
When I got back from lunch, it was then time for Topic. During this time, they have been working on making websites that introduce and spread awareness for topics that deal with issues involving children having a tougher time succeeding in developing countries. A couple examples are; dirty water, education upbringing, medication, etc. I thought this was a great project because not only does it inform the students, it makes them more aware of a bunch of issues because they are going to share their websites with the rest of the class next week.
Finally, at 3:15 school was let out. I stayed and helped with gymnastics from 3:30-4:30 though, because 1. my cooperation teacher helps with it and 2. I didn't have anything else to do. I have never been around gymnastics that much in my life so it was really fun and a good experience to be able to help out for an hour!
After gymnastics was done, I walked up and across the street to the bus stop to wait for the bus. I got on the L23 and road it to the bus stop close to the one I got on this morning, I walked back to the house, and got home at about 5:20.
I had a really good day! :)
Differences I have noticed between Australian school and American school:
* Because Australia doesn't allow people to have/buy guns, students are allowed to talk about them in school which threw me off right away.
*Australian school do a lot of integrated lessons (as in, teaching about one subject but relating it to as many subjects as you can. Ex. Talking about India you would talk about it's history (history), maybe see how far away it is (math), maybe look in the news or write a paper on some interesting facts you find about it (current events and writing), etc.). This was interesting to hear because we had to do a lesson like this last semester in school and that was the first time I had ever heard of it.
*At least in the class I'm in, the teacher doesn't find it very disrespectful if students are loud during a discussion or are talking some when he is trying to talk or a video is being played. This I found to be very interesting and I'm a little worried when I have to teach because I don't want to have to constantly talk over people and repeat myself because they aren't listening.
*No one 'bats an eye' if the students swear every once in awhile in Australia.
*If religion gets brought up, the teacher just basically goes with it.
All of these I noticed just today on my first day, so I'm sure there will be other things. It's so interesting how different schools are across the globe and I'm glad I get to see first hand some of the differences and how I form my opinions and how it shapes my structure of how I think teaching should go.
Tomorrow is a new day and I'm looking forward to seeing what else I learn. It's also sport day, so I'm looking forward to that!
Breakfast = vanilla yogurt with blueberries and strawberries + a glass of orange juice
Lunch = a gluten free sandwich with spinach, tomatoes, cheese, and cucumbers + a nutrition bar with nuts and berries in it + one rice cake with chocolate + a bottle of water
Supper = a salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and honey mustard dressing + roast beef + steamed veggies + cheesecake + an ice cream bar! 2 desserts, I know :)
Last night I didn't sleep the greatest. I believe it was from how much I napped today. Hopefully tonight I sleep better. Anyways, I woke up this morning around 6:15 am to get ready in time to leave the house by 7 am to catch the bus. I either take the L23 which is the faster bus because it doesn't have as many stops, or the 423. Jeanette and I got on the 423 at around 7:25 because we had missed the other one. This bus was still pretty fast though, because by the time we got to the school and she took a picture of me in front of the painting it was only 8:10 and the teacher wasn't expecting me until around 8:15-8:20.
Once I arrived and found the room, I talked with me cooperating teacher about what the day was going to be like and things that were going on.
Here was the schedule for the day:
8:35 - roll call/ quiet reading
8:45 - Assembly
9:25 - Language
10:00 - Language
10:40 - Recess
11:00 - Math
11:40 - Drama
12:20 - Drama
1:00 - Lunch
1:55 - Topic
2:35 - Topic/ pack up
3:15 - Go home
First off, during our assembly the 5th and 6th grade orchestra and choir performed. The orchestra did two songs and one of them happened to be the Game of Thrones theme song which was really cool. It was so neat to have them perform at the beginning of the day because it was such a great start to a good day.
After the assembly then, they go to language for about 80 minutes everyday and during this time, the students either learn German, French, Italian, or Japanese depending on what they picked and they stay on the same language for the entire year. During the first 40 minutes my cooperating teacher and I sat down and discussed different procedures and plans for my time here, but after that I got to be a part of a German class that takes place in our room. This was such a cool thing to be a part of because not only do I only know English, but it is part of the school's curriculum to teach these languages which I think is awesome.
After recess then was math. During math they finished up a writing sample that needed to be finished in order for their art projects to be done, but after that they were working on shapes. They had to pick 2-3 shapes, cute them out, trace them in their math journal, measure the sides and angles, and explain all the characteristics of that shape that they knew.
Next, they went into drama. During this time they are reading a book that is a journal from the point of a refuge. This was a very intense book because it talks about people dying because of starvation, people being murdered because they are going through tough times and they have arguments about splitting food, and it goes into great depth about what these people go through. My cooperating teacher told me that last week he made a student cry because the details were just too much, and it's a really good story that 'sucks you in' and makes you feel like you are actually living that story.
To go along with what we read, the students then had to come of with 3 freeze frames where the first frame was something that had already been read, and then the other 2 were predictions about what they thought might happen next. There were groups with 3-5 students and each group took turns going. Then, without saying anything in their performances, the rest of the class had to try to guess what was happening in their sequence of frames. It was really cool.
Then, after that, my teacher read a couple more pages and then we did another activity. During this activity, students had to act out a person from the story. Then one-by-on, they entered the 'postcard'. As they walked on to the 'stage' they introduced themselves as the person they were and the emotion that person was feeling, then they stayed in that spot until eventually the whole class was on the 'stage' and at the end my teacher took a picture so we could see the resemblance to the picture they were recreating from the book. It was a great idea!
Next was lunch. They don't have cafeterias here so everyone is allowed go basically go anywhere to eat as long as they are back by 1:55. During this time, I found a little table outside a coffee shop where I sat and had my lunch. It was nice to be by myself and have a little quiet before it got crazy again in the afternoon.
When I got back from lunch, it was then time for Topic. During this time, they have been working on making websites that introduce and spread awareness for topics that deal with issues involving children having a tougher time succeeding in developing countries. A couple examples are; dirty water, education upbringing, medication, etc. I thought this was a great project because not only does it inform the students, it makes them more aware of a bunch of issues because they are going to share their websites with the rest of the class next week.
Finally, at 3:15 school was let out. I stayed and helped with gymnastics from 3:30-4:30 though, because 1. my cooperation teacher helps with it and 2. I didn't have anything else to do. I have never been around gymnastics that much in my life so it was really fun and a good experience to be able to help out for an hour!
After gymnastics was done, I walked up and across the street to the bus stop to wait for the bus. I got on the L23 and road it to the bus stop close to the one I got on this morning, I walked back to the house, and got home at about 5:20.
I had a really good day! :)
Differences I have noticed between Australian school and American school:
* Because Australia doesn't allow people to have/buy guns, students are allowed to talk about them in school which threw me off right away.
*Australian school do a lot of integrated lessons (as in, teaching about one subject but relating it to as many subjects as you can. Ex. Talking about India you would talk about it's history (history), maybe see how far away it is (math), maybe look in the news or write a paper on some interesting facts you find about it (current events and writing), etc.). This was interesting to hear because we had to do a lesson like this last semester in school and that was the first time I had ever heard of it.
*At least in the class I'm in, the teacher doesn't find it very disrespectful if students are loud during a discussion or are talking some when he is trying to talk or a video is being played. This I found to be very interesting and I'm a little worried when I have to teach because I don't want to have to constantly talk over people and repeat myself because they aren't listening.
*No one 'bats an eye' if the students swear every once in awhile in Australia.
*If religion gets brought up, the teacher just basically goes with it.
All of these I noticed just today on my first day, so I'm sure there will be other things. It's so interesting how different schools are across the globe and I'm glad I get to see first hand some of the differences and how I form my opinions and how it shapes my structure of how I think teaching should go.
Tomorrow is a new day and I'm looking forward to seeing what else I learn. It's also sport day, so I'm looking forward to that!
My first day of Student Teaching! These were taken by the mural right by where you enter the school!
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