My last week was full of fun lessons (and observations). Unfortunately I was sick on Monday so I had to send my lesson plans to school with another girl so my teacher would have them. Not that she needed them, she is very experienced. I spent the day sleeping and watching movies. How productive.
Wednesday was a bit stressful because I was being observed right away in the morning. I had put together a maths lesson in which the students would be in groups forming representations of double digit numbers. The kids loved the stations and demonstrated understanding by creating some awesome representations with unifix cubes, plastic fruit, and bundle sticks. I was terrified of what my post observation was going o bring because I spent most of my time trying to get some students to stop yelling at each other, stop throwing the manipulatives, stop running around the room, and start working. By the time the lesson was over I was in tears. I was afraid that the teacher observing me would think that I did not have any managemant skills. During the observation the teacher said the stations looked like they were a lot of fun and that she knows how hard it is to observe and assess students progress when there is disruptive behavior in the room. I was relieved. The lesson had went well and I wasn't going to be kicked out of the school. :)
Thursday was my last day with the students and I was very sad to be leaving. My mentor teacher had taught me so much over the past three weeks. I have grown so much as an individual and as a teacher. I cannot wait to get home and share my experiences. The day went by fairly normal. I think my most memorable moment was when I had a heart to heart with a student who displays a lot of behavior issues. It was second lunch and time for all of the students with detention to go to the detention room. Second break was almost over and I walked down to the tuckshop to grab a lemon drink. There I saw the student sitting on a bench. I very casually went up to him and asked him what he was doing and where is was supposed to be. He knew he was supposed to be in detention but he did not want to go. He explained to me that detention is boring and he just wants to play. He also said that he thought all of his detentions were wiped clean after break. I explained to him that they were, but his behavior since being back was why he had detention. I then asked him what was worse one day of detention or two. Because in this school students are given an extra day if they fail to show up. And of course he responded that two days was worse. We continued to talk about respectful behavior and how to stay out of detention. He ended up going to detention. I was so proud of him. For the past week he had been avoiding it. He just needed a different perspective to look at the situation.
At the end of the day I brought 100% real fruit juice strings in for the kiddos along with some new pencils (I think pencils are actually afraid of elementary schools because you can't find them anywhere!). The students loved them and unfortunately had to be excused to go home. I wasn't with this class as long but it still hurt when I saw the last ponytail flick around the corner. Although I may never see any of those kids again I will never forget the many lessons they taught me.
Australia
Brisbane
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Anzac Day
Anzac day is a day Australians use to remember and honor all of the soldiers that have given their lives during wars. Anzac stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and began after the the ANZACS set out to capture the
Gallipoli peninsula in order to open the Dardanelles to the allied
navies on April 25th, 1915. What happened was horrible. Many men lost their lives.
This day most resembles Veterans Day in the States where we hold services and honor our current and fallen soldiers. On Wednesday April 24th the students in the school held a beautiful remembrance service for ANZAC day. Everyone gathered in the hall to show tier respect and honor the soldiers. There were many special people who came to speak including a soldier who had fought for Australia. He told about that horrible day almost 100 years ago on the shores of Gallipoli. Some one else read a beautiful poem titled Not A Hero.
This day most resembles Veterans Day in the States where we hold services and honor our current and fallen soldiers. On Wednesday April 24th the students in the school held a beautiful remembrance service for ANZAC day. Everyone gathered in the hall to show tier respect and honor the soldiers. There were many special people who came to speak including a soldier who had fought for Australia. He told about that horrible day almost 100 years ago on the shores of Gallipoli. Some one else read a beautiful poem titled Not A Hero.
The ANZAC Day march was over - the old
Digger had done his best.
His body ached from marching - it was time to sit and rest.
He made his way to a park bench and sat with lowered head.
A young boy passing saw him - approached and politely said,
"Please sir do you mind if I ask you what the medals you wear are for?
Did you get them for being a hero, when fighting in a war?"
His body ached from marching - it was time to sit and rest.
He made his way to a park bench and sat with lowered head.
A young boy passing saw him - approached and politely said,
"Please sir do you mind if I ask you what the medals you wear are for?
Did you get them for being a hero, when fighting in a war?"
Startled, the old Digger moved over and
beckoned the boy to sit.
Eagerly the lad accepted - he had not expected this!
"First of all I was not a hero," said the old Digger in solemn tone,
"But I served with many heroes, the ones that never came home.
So when you talk of heroes, it's important to understand,
The greatest of all heroes gave their lives defending this land.
Eagerly the lad accepted - he had not expected this!
"First of all I was not a hero," said the old Digger in solemn tone,
"But I served with many heroes, the ones that never came home.
So when you talk of heroes, it's important to understand,
The greatest of all heroes gave their lives defending this land.
"The medals are worn in their honour,
as a symbol of respect.
All diggers wear them on ANZAC Day - it shows they don't forget."
The old digger then climbed to his feet and asked the boy to stand.
Carefully he removed the medals and placed them in his hand.
He told him he could keep them - to treasure throughout his life,
A legacy of a kind - left behind - paid for in sacrifice.
All diggers wear them on ANZAC Day - it shows they don't forget."
The old digger then climbed to his feet and asked the boy to stand.
Carefully he removed the medals and placed them in his hand.
He told him he could keep them - to treasure throughout his life,
A legacy of a kind - left behind - paid for in sacrifice.
Overwhelmed the young boy was speechless -
he couldn’t find words to say.
It was there the old Digger left him - going quietly on his way.
In the distance the young boy glimpsed him - saw him turn and wave goodbye.
Saddened he sat alone on the bench - tears welled in his eyes.
He never again saw him ever - but still remembers with pride,
When the old Digger told him of Heroes and a young boy sat and cried.
It was there the old Digger left him - going quietly on his way.
In the distance the young boy glimpsed him - saw him turn and wave goodbye.
Saddened he sat alone on the bench - tears welled in his eyes.
He never again saw him ever - but still remembers with pride,
When the old Digger told him of Heroes and a young boy sat and cried.
Clyde Hamilton
This poem was so beautiful are really brought home what a true hero is. I teared up thinking about all of the brave soldiers from around the world who go out to defend their land and never come home. Near the end of the service all of the classes were asked to bring up the wreaths they had constructed in honor of ANZAC day. Many of the wreaths had, Lest We Forget, written on them. Such a beautiful and powerful phrase. It was touching watching all of the students bring up their class wreath.
When the whole school stood to sing Australia Fair I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of unity. Although some of the children in that hall were still too young to fully understand the significance of the service they had just attended, they were still respectful and watched wide eyed as many of the teachers and parents shed a tear.
The next day was ANZAC day. Nothing was open and everyone was out of their homes at four in the morning to attend the Dawn Services. I was among them. Although I am not Australian I respect any man or woman that is willing to fight for their country or come to the aid of another in need; as Australia has done for the United States. We were out the door around 3:40 on our way to Bribie Island to gather and watch the dawn service. The air was crisp and you could hear the sound of the waves smashing against the shore. Even before the service started everyone was silent. The service started at precisely 4:28 honoring the actual time of the soldiers landing on the shores of Gallipoli. There were soldiers everywhere. Some in uniform and some not. The families of soldiers were easy to spot as many eyes were red and some of the women were held tight by family. It was a beautiful service. Near the end individuals were called to the flag to lay a wreath in honor of the fallen and fighting soldiers. After they were all lain it was then open for anyone else who had created a wreath to lay it in front of the flag as well. I was surprised at how many people came forward. It was breathtaking. As the ceremony came to an end everyone was invited to a breakfast barbeque. Heather, Kevin, Kelli, and I decided to go down to the beach and watch the sun come up. It was a beautiful sight. As I stared at the horizon waiting for the sun to show itself I began to think of how we honor and celebrate our fallen and fighting on Veterans day and Memorial day.When the sun did rise it took its time and shown down brilliantly on all of the men, women, and children remembering and honoring all of those soldiers lost so long ago.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Cultural differences
I never talked about my first driving experience when I arrived in Australia. It was scary. Every time the car turned down a new street I thought I was going to die. It really is strange driving on the other side of the road, and on the other side of the car. It took me a while before I could sit in the passenger seat without trying to press the brake. Another thing I noticed is that the roads actually look really nice. There aren't pot holes everywhere and cracks. I guess winter really does take a toll on the roads.
One thing I discovered was a huge difference in the way they run the licensure status for driving.
We went down to the markets the other morning and my host dad said something about probationary drivers and how they can’t afford to get pulled over. My roommate, Kelli, and I became very confused and asked him how he knew that the car pulled over was a probationary driver. He said that in Australia they give first year drivers a P sticker to put on their car when they are driving. After the first year their license plate color gives away their experience. He said that the color changes every couple years or so. The part that I really agreed with is when you lose all of the points associated with your license you have a 6 month suspension and then you have to re-take the drivers courses. I think that is a wonderful system and the US should adopt it. Yes it would cost a whole lot of money, but the strictness that they have regarding reckless and careless driving would scare people into being more defensive and aware when they are driving. I’m sure some points would clash with the fact that MN is a no fault state and it may in fact not work. But I still like the idea of it. This has shown me that road safety is very important in Australia. I’m not sure about the rest of the world. I have heard some interesting stories about driving in India.
For a while the accents and occasional word abbreviation didn't obstruct meaning from a conversation, until I entered the elementary school. The students are always to excited to talk and they don't think about who they are talking to. I have had to ask for repeats on a lot of things! My first day in the classroom I was monitoring the students as they were writing a story about their Easter holiday. I struggled with my handwriting because I was trying so hard to write in the Australian, Queensland way and the correcting was very slow. At one point I instructed a student to place the period at the end of the sentence and they just looked up at me. I repeated that they needed a period but they still just looked at me. Then I realized that is not what they call periods. I just said the dot, the dot at the end of the sentence, you need one. They hesitantly marked their period. I went up to the teacher and asked her what on earth they call periods and she had no idea what I was talking about either. I just laughed and thought, good thing we both speak English and can use other words to describe what we mean! I found out that they call it a full stop.
I have been lulled into the pace of Queensland and I love it. I have always been the type of person to show up a half an hour early so I could just sit there and relax. Here I don't feel like I need to do that because everyone seems so relaxed all of the time anyway! It's always no worries and g'day! Back home I feel like no matter what situation I am in if someone is late everyone is looking at their watches and tapping their feet. People seem to be more forgiving if timelines are not followed or if it rains on you while your walking to school and you have to dry off under the hand dryer and become late for school.
One thing I discovered was a huge difference in the way they run the licensure status for driving.
We went down to the markets the other morning and my host dad said something about probationary drivers and how they can’t afford to get pulled over. My roommate, Kelli, and I became very confused and asked him how he knew that the car pulled over was a probationary driver. He said that in Australia they give first year drivers a P sticker to put on their car when they are driving. After the first year their license plate color gives away their experience. He said that the color changes every couple years or so. The part that I really agreed with is when you lose all of the points associated with your license you have a 6 month suspension and then you have to re-take the drivers courses. I think that is a wonderful system and the US should adopt it. Yes it would cost a whole lot of money, but the strictness that they have regarding reckless and careless driving would scare people into being more defensive and aware when they are driving. I’m sure some points would clash with the fact that MN is a no fault state and it may in fact not work. But I still like the idea of it. This has shown me that road safety is very important in Australia. I’m not sure about the rest of the world. I have heard some interesting stories about driving in India.
For a while the accents and occasional word abbreviation didn't obstruct meaning from a conversation, until I entered the elementary school. The students are always to excited to talk and they don't think about who they are talking to. I have had to ask for repeats on a lot of things! My first day in the classroom I was monitoring the students as they were writing a story about their Easter holiday. I struggled with my handwriting because I was trying so hard to write in the Australian, Queensland way and the correcting was very slow. At one point I instructed a student to place the period at the end of the sentence and they just looked up at me. I repeated that they needed a period but they still just looked at me. Then I realized that is not what they call periods. I just said the dot, the dot at the end of the sentence, you need one. They hesitantly marked their period. I went up to the teacher and asked her what on earth they call periods and she had no idea what I was talking about either. I just laughed and thought, good thing we both speak English and can use other words to describe what we mean! I found out that they call it a full stop.
I have been lulled into the pace of Queensland and I love it. I have always been the type of person to show up a half an hour early so I could just sit there and relax. Here I don't feel like I need to do that because everyone seems so relaxed all of the time anyway! It's always no worries and g'day! Back home I feel like no matter what situation I am in if someone is late everyone is looking at their watches and tapping their feet. People seem to be more forgiving if timelines are not followed or if it rains on you while your walking to school and you have to dry off under the hand dryer and become late for school.
Second Week Teaching!
My second week teaching was more eye opening than the first. In the beginning the students were excited to have me in the room and they followed directions, usually with a little bit of push. But the second week was not like that. As many of the students became more comfortable with me and also being back in school (they had just finished a two week holiday) their behaviors became more defiant. I have never had to worry about one child's safety so much as I tried to also watch 24 other students. The realities of behavior issues in the classroom are really sad. Because one student decides to run out of the room or throw things I have to stop my instruction to calm the child down or call the administration. I also know that however difficult I thought this behavior experience was it wasn't as bad as it could have been because I had my mentor teacher in the room with me. We were able to work together to teach the students and work with the behavior issues at the same time.
The school has recently started a school wide positive behavioral intervention system (SWPBIS) but it is still new and the students and staff are still working towards full commitment and understanding of how it needs to be implemented. Back home we also have a positive behavioral intervention system in place but it has been implemented for a while. The center of the whole system is the Quiet Room. This room acts as a safe zone for students who need a break because they need to control their anger, either by teacher request or students may ask to go there. Inside the room there is another little room where students can throw a ball or jump around. There are also multiple desks in the main part of the room for students when they are fulfilling detention during recess and have work to complete. The staff member who runs the room is in charge of the positive behavior slips that students around the school receive and she inputs the data to see where all the tickets come from--classroom teachers, specialists, other teachers, etc. The staff member also inputs data for misbehavior around the school--where did it happen, what happened, when did it happen. The school looks at all of the data once a month to see if they need to apply any changes or to focus on a certain behavior school wide.
Even though the behavior issues in the class have become very difficult for me I am learning strategies to implement that can lower the occurrences of these behaviors. The strategies work with most of the students but there are still a few that I cannot reach. I have never seen so many detentions and suspensions in the first grade, in my life. I am saddened that it is the same five students who choose to misbehave. I wish there was somewhere in the school the kids could go to talk to someone about their likes and dislikes and how they feel when they go home and those relationships they have with their parents. I understand first hand that behavior issues can stem from disadvantaged homes and it does make a difference when someone listens. I am not sure how the culture in Australia looks at people who talk about their feelings, but I believe it helps. Some people just need to talk about whats happening.
All of the lessons that I taught during my second week went great. We were mainly working with two digit numbers--skip counting, number identification, and number representations. The students were hands on with some kind of manipulative every day. It was wonderful to watch as their understanding and ability to incorporate the numbers correctly grew every day. I am also becoming more aware of how to teach students in first grade. I am still so used to third grade that I occasionally try and implement a lesson that is too difficult. I lean towards teaching lessons in which the students have to make the connections between concepts I am teaching (with guidance) and the younger students still need to be explicitly taught everything so they are able to use their knowledge later in life to make their own connections. Everything we know was taught to us at some point. Even counting and manners.
This was a very short week because one of the most important Australian holiday fell on Thursday. Anzac Day.
Till next time.
The school has recently started a school wide positive behavioral intervention system (SWPBIS) but it is still new and the students and staff are still working towards full commitment and understanding of how it needs to be implemented. Back home we also have a positive behavioral intervention system in place but it has been implemented for a while. The center of the whole system is the Quiet Room. This room acts as a safe zone for students who need a break because they need to control their anger, either by teacher request or students may ask to go there. Inside the room there is another little room where students can throw a ball or jump around. There are also multiple desks in the main part of the room for students when they are fulfilling detention during recess and have work to complete. The staff member who runs the room is in charge of the positive behavior slips that students around the school receive and she inputs the data to see where all the tickets come from--classroom teachers, specialists, other teachers, etc. The staff member also inputs data for misbehavior around the school--where did it happen, what happened, when did it happen. The school looks at all of the data once a month to see if they need to apply any changes or to focus on a certain behavior school wide.
Even though the behavior issues in the class have become very difficult for me I am learning strategies to implement that can lower the occurrences of these behaviors. The strategies work with most of the students but there are still a few that I cannot reach. I have never seen so many detentions and suspensions in the first grade, in my life. I am saddened that it is the same five students who choose to misbehave. I wish there was somewhere in the school the kids could go to talk to someone about their likes and dislikes and how they feel when they go home and those relationships they have with their parents. I understand first hand that behavior issues can stem from disadvantaged homes and it does make a difference when someone listens. I am not sure how the culture in Australia looks at people who talk about their feelings, but I believe it helps. Some people just need to talk about whats happening.
All of the lessons that I taught during my second week went great. We were mainly working with two digit numbers--skip counting, number identification, and number representations. The students were hands on with some kind of manipulative every day. It was wonderful to watch as their understanding and ability to incorporate the numbers correctly grew every day. I am also becoming more aware of how to teach students in first grade. I am still so used to third grade that I occasionally try and implement a lesson that is too difficult. I lean towards teaching lessons in which the students have to make the connections between concepts I am teaching (with guidance) and the younger students still need to be explicitly taught everything so they are able to use their knowledge later in life to make their own connections. Everything we know was taught to us at some point. Even counting and manners.
This was a very short week because one of the most important Australian holiday fell on Thursday. Anzac Day.
Till next time.
My second relaxing weekend!
After my first week of teaching I was ready to take a little rest and really get in to the beaches and the Australian culture! Our plan was to leave midday Saturday and see some sights as we made our way to the Sunshine Coast and Mooloolaba Beach! Our first stop on the trip was an overlook. I have no idea what the mountains were called but it was still a beautiful sight. If I had more time I would love to take a whole day and hike up and down them... maybe try some rock climbing! :)
Our next stop was inspired by an old Australian comic called Ettamogah Pub. A silly pub in the middle of the bush that was falling apart and tilted sideways. There were a lot of the old comics framed on the inside of the building. I thought some of them were funny, but I didn't understand all of the aussie jokes. From where we parked leading up to the pub were many shops. We went in all of them. I love touring the little shops, I feel like they always have the friendliest people and the coolest stuff. One shop was all fudge, and boy did we indulge. Buy 5 get one freeeeeeee mmmmm. So very good. We also stumbled upon a shop with many cool knick knacks. I loved all of the little trinkets that were made from drift wood. They had boomerangs and didgeridoos! The didgeridoo was one gift I wanted to bring back for someone and they had small ones for sale that would actually fit in my carry-on!! Score! The most ridiculous thing I saw was a metal sculpture of Predator and Aliens; the sculpture of the Predator was $10,000. That'll put a dent in the bank account. The rest of the shops were also very special. I stepped into one that specialized in gems and I was pretty set on buying some opals. Unfortunately they only had a small bag with two slivers of opal so I held out for hopefully finding something better before I left for home.
When we finally reached our destination on the Sunshine coast we had to find some accommodations. We ended up staying at a caravan park. I have never stayed in a place like it before, but it was like a tiny trailer park. Kelli and I shared the room pictured below an slept in beds we barely fit in. I thought they were comfortable enough but everyone else felt like they were sleeping on the floor.
We collectively decided to get some snacks from a grocery store just a few blocks away and then go out for dinner down by Mooloolaba Beach. It took a while to find a parking spot when we went out to dinner but thankfully there were some spots open by Sea Life. Also conveniently located nearby was a delicious restaurant called The Hogs Breath. We inquired about a table for four and were informed that the place was filled up. There were some seats outside but it was dark and breezy and we weren't prepared with sweaters. We decided to move on so we let the hosts know. They apparently would not take no for an answer. They found an open, but still dirty table for us and said it would just be a few minutes. So we grabbed some drinks at the bar while we waited. When we were finally seated we ordered the triple threat (I have no idea if that was what it was actually called, I've forgotten). This involved a meat plate with steak, ribs, and lamb; a plate of salad; and a plate of french fries (called chips down here. What I think of as a chip is what they call crisps... yeah, that got really confusing). It was just the perfect amount to feed four people with a little bit of room left to share a plate of chocolate fondue! It was so delicious Kelli and Heather ended up sucking the leftover chocolate through a straw... classy ladies ;)
We spent the rest of the evening walking along the shops near the beach. It was a lot of window shopping because the shops were closed, but there was one shop still open and everything was 50% off! What a deal. Thinking back I really should have taken better advantage of the deals. They had a lot of interesting jewelry and decorations. I ended up purchasing some bracelets for my homestay mum and dad and Kelli, and myself. They were cheap, simple, and made of leather. We found ourselves at an Irish bar near the end of the night. We talked and watched as the bar changed from casual to nightlife. We left around 10:00 afraid that we would get kicked out for wearing athletic shorts and tennis shoes. They had bouncers at the door enforcing the dress code.
The next morning we went out for breakfast at a nice restaurant that offered gluten free options. It was delicious. I was surprised when I saw a girl, by the looks of it around 11 years old, walking around in a uniform seating people and gathering dishes. I have know some small family owned restaurants in the states to let their kids help out sometimes, but I had no idea what she was doing. When we explained to our homestay family that you cannot get a "real"job in the states till you turn 15/16 they seemed surprised. I guess it wasn't made extremely clear to me but it sounded like you could get a job as soon as you were able to start work. (And when I say real job I mean restaurants, retail, and anything else large business. Some younger kids can mow lawns and babysit for money as young as 10.) After breakfast we walked around and looked at shops. I saw the most adorable dress in a market for my niece and a t-shirt that said 'beach patrol; Queensland Australia' for my nephew. I hope they fit!
When we had finally digested our food we made our way to Maloolaba Beach.
It was beautiful. We spent a lot of time playing in the waves and getting thrown around. It was loads of fun! Except when the salt water got up my nose again. That really is a terrible taste. Besides playing in the water we spent some relaxing time laying in the sun. I did fall asleep, but I did not get burned thanks to the loads of sunscreen I put on. I spent a long time just watching people on the beach. Their were so many families and groups of people. One group of guys were playing footie right along the beach. I was glad they knew how to kick the ball because they didn't have much room to spare with all of the people laying around.
The most interesting thing happened when a helicopter started flying in really low to the beach circling around all of the swimmers. It must be common knowledge to get out of the water when the helicopter does this because EVERYONE got out of the water, and fast. We were watching from a distance and wondering what was happening. Unfortunately we had to get going but we found out later that a school of sharks had been swimming nearby and then ended up closing the beach and other beaches nearby. What timing. I'm glad no one was hurt!
We made our way home around 3:00 because we needed to go pick up the dogs from the kennel. It was a nice drive home and quite a relaxing night. I ended up going to bed early so I could be rested for teaching the next day.
What a weekend!!
Our next stop was inspired by an old Australian comic called Ettamogah Pub. A silly pub in the middle of the bush that was falling apart and tilted sideways. There were a lot of the old comics framed on the inside of the building. I thought some of them were funny, but I didn't understand all of the aussie jokes. From where we parked leading up to the pub were many shops. We went in all of them. I love touring the little shops, I feel like they always have the friendliest people and the coolest stuff. One shop was all fudge, and boy did we indulge. Buy 5 get one freeeeeeee mmmmm. So very good. We also stumbled upon a shop with many cool knick knacks. I loved all of the little trinkets that were made from drift wood. They had boomerangs and didgeridoos! The didgeridoo was one gift I wanted to bring back for someone and they had small ones for sale that would actually fit in my carry-on!! Score! The most ridiculous thing I saw was a metal sculpture of Predator and Aliens; the sculpture of the Predator was $10,000. That'll put a dent in the bank account. The rest of the shops were also very special. I stepped into one that specialized in gems and I was pretty set on buying some opals. Unfortunately they only had a small bag with two slivers of opal so I held out for hopefully finding something better before I left for home.
When we finally reached our destination on the Sunshine coast we had to find some accommodations. We ended up staying at a caravan park. I have never stayed in a place like it before, but it was like a tiny trailer park. Kelli and I shared the room pictured below an slept in beds we barely fit in. I thought they were comfortable enough but everyone else felt like they were sleeping on the floor.
We collectively decided to get some snacks from a grocery store just a few blocks away and then go out for dinner down by Mooloolaba Beach. It took a while to find a parking spot when we went out to dinner but thankfully there were some spots open by Sea Life. Also conveniently located nearby was a delicious restaurant called The Hogs Breath. We inquired about a table for four and were informed that the place was filled up. There were some seats outside but it was dark and breezy and we weren't prepared with sweaters. We decided to move on so we let the hosts know. They apparently would not take no for an answer. They found an open, but still dirty table for us and said it would just be a few minutes. So we grabbed some drinks at the bar while we waited. When we were finally seated we ordered the triple threat (I have no idea if that was what it was actually called, I've forgotten). This involved a meat plate with steak, ribs, and lamb; a plate of salad; and a plate of french fries (called chips down here. What I think of as a chip is what they call crisps... yeah, that got really confusing). It was just the perfect amount to feed four people with a little bit of room left to share a plate of chocolate fondue! It was so delicious Kelli and Heather ended up sucking the leftover chocolate through a straw... classy ladies ;)
We spent the rest of the evening walking along the shops near the beach. It was a lot of window shopping because the shops were closed, but there was one shop still open and everything was 50% off! What a deal. Thinking back I really should have taken better advantage of the deals. They had a lot of interesting jewelry and decorations. I ended up purchasing some bracelets for my homestay mum and dad and Kelli, and myself. They were cheap, simple, and made of leather. We found ourselves at an Irish bar near the end of the night. We talked and watched as the bar changed from casual to nightlife. We left around 10:00 afraid that we would get kicked out for wearing athletic shorts and tennis shoes. They had bouncers at the door enforcing the dress code.
The next morning we went out for breakfast at a nice restaurant that offered gluten free options. It was delicious. I was surprised when I saw a girl, by the looks of it around 11 years old, walking around in a uniform seating people and gathering dishes. I have know some small family owned restaurants in the states to let their kids help out sometimes, but I had no idea what she was doing. When we explained to our homestay family that you cannot get a "real"job in the states till you turn 15/16 they seemed surprised. I guess it wasn't made extremely clear to me but it sounded like you could get a job as soon as you were able to start work. (And when I say real job I mean restaurants, retail, and anything else large business. Some younger kids can mow lawns and babysit for money as young as 10.) After breakfast we walked around and looked at shops. I saw the most adorable dress in a market for my niece and a t-shirt that said 'beach patrol; Queensland Australia' for my nephew. I hope they fit!
When we had finally digested our food we made our way to Maloolaba Beach.
It was beautiful. We spent a lot of time playing in the waves and getting thrown around. It was loads of fun! Except when the salt water got up my nose again. That really is a terrible taste. Besides playing in the water we spent some relaxing time laying in the sun. I did fall asleep, but I did not get burned thanks to the loads of sunscreen I put on. I spent a long time just watching people on the beach. Their were so many families and groups of people. One group of guys were playing footie right along the beach. I was glad they knew how to kick the ball because they didn't have much room to spare with all of the people laying around.
The most interesting thing happened when a helicopter started flying in really low to the beach circling around all of the swimmers. It must be common knowledge to get out of the water when the helicopter does this because EVERYONE got out of the water, and fast. We were watching from a distance and wondering what was happening. Unfortunately we had to get going but we found out later that a school of sharks had been swimming nearby and then ended up closing the beach and other beaches nearby. What timing. I'm glad no one was hurt!
We made our way home around 3:00 because we needed to go pick up the dogs from the kennel. It was a nice drive home and quite a relaxing night. I ended up going to bed early so I could be rested for teaching the next day.
What a weekend!!
First week teaching!
I have enjoyed my first week in the first grade class. My teacher has given me many wonderful ideas about how to keep the students in small groups and switch the activities after 15-20 minutes because of the little ones and their attention spans. She has guided reading groups every day and they are connected in pairs. What I mean by this is on Monday the students will be introduced to a new book. They will look through at the title and make predictions, look at the pictures and alter their predictions, read the story and discuss characters, setting and plot, and then do a retelling with comprehension questions. On Tuesday the students will have an activity that goes along with the book on Monday. Some of the activities I have seen so far involve the students completing a cloze representation of the book where they have to re-read it in order to find the missing words, putting pictures from the story in order of events while also matching the sentences that go with each picture, and question sheets that have the students making inferences about situations in the story and also asking detail questions (what happened to the race car in the story? He got stuck in the mud). I have already put many of these ideas in my teaching book. Because I have gone from teaching 3rd grade for about a year and a half into teaching 1st grade I have a lot to learn and I am soaking up as much as I can before I teach my first whole group lessons.
I am getting a great experience because I have two mentor teachers. One teacher is on Monday through Thursday and the second is on Friday. They have similar teaching styles but yet they are two very different teachers. They have worked out a system for teaching maths, history, and art that works for them. And it seems to be working for the students. They communicate about student behavior and progress as well as lesson plans that need to be done differently than originally planned.
One thing that is new to me are the amount of meetings the teachers go to each week. There are at least two meetings my teacher attends each week. Some are for committees she is on, but there is one on Wednesday afternoons that cycles between grade level and whole school. It's wonderful to see that the school is working for constant communication so everyone is aware of what is happening. Each meeting has updates on a range of things. The first whole school meeting I attended discussed the behavior intervention plan that the school is just starting to implement, updates from the library, and a reminder that the literacy coach on staff would love to meet with everyone to put literacy plans together and discuss more effective ways of teaching vocabulary.
My second day in the classroom I was asked to teach the students the tooti-ta as a representation for a growing pattern. What I didn't know was that I was actually teaching it to two classes (about 50 five/six/seven year olds) and that the principal would want to see it. Talk about taking some initiative right away! The kids loved the song and had a whole lot of fun learning it, the principal also enjoyed it :) For the most part my involvement in the classroom was working in small groups with the students which was most of the day and it allowed me to get to know them better. By the end of the week I had taken over maths and was teaching the students about skip counting by tens and ways to show them with counters and unifix cubes.
Unrelated to teaching, but we also went to the Chermside mall. Half the size of the Mall of America, maybe? less? Still, it was big and my feet were killing me when I got home. I felt pretty silly at one point because I was starving and ordered some food... and my card was denied three times. I just looked at my companions and said, "will someone please pay for my meal? I will get money out of the ATM as soon as we're done eating." Thankfully one of the QUT students offered to pay for it so I didn't have to delete the order, get money, stand in the long line again just to re-order and pay for it. Saved me some time. I saw a lot of really cool stores and bought lots of good presents and souvenirs for family and friends. Also purchased myself an amazing pair of thongs (flip flops/sandals) because my walks to school and back were taking a toll on my poor heels. I had blisters everywhere and they were starting to pop and re-blister. Yeah--ew is right. And they HURT!! So the flip flops were to be used at the beaches and walking back and forth to school.
Speaking of beaches... my second weekend was amazing! :)
Meeting the school and the Students!
I really enjoyed the fact that I called this blog "Teaching Down Under"and then I stopped blogging as soon as I started teaching. I did warn everyone that I am not a blogger, I don't keep a diary or a journal, and I really don't keep track of my daily experiences.
The first day at the school was amazing. I have had the wonderful opportunity to walk to school in the mornings and I love it. I don't exercise as much as I should... and I'm positive the 20 minute walks to school and back have been keeping me pretty healthy. When I arrived on campus the first day I had to ask where the administrations office was because the school is "outdoors" and all of the classrooms are separated by covered sidewalks. It's not like back home where you walk into the school and the office is to the left or right of the front doors. If we had open "hallways" like this in MN we would be snowed into our classrooms four to five months out of the year.
When I signed in I was led into the teachers lounge and joined the other girls who were teaching at Morayfield East and we waited patiently for our teachers to come and pick us up! I had briefly met my mentor teacher when we met our homestay families on the first day because she is housing one of the students from Pitt State (Kansas). She was ready to go when she picked me up. I was immediately lost when we left the administration building. As we were walking to the classroom we walked under a large covered area. My teacher explained to me that the students line up and sit in rows in this area for first and second break when they are eating. There are no cafeterias filled with tables and chairs for the kids to sit at. The daily schedule over here regarding lunch is also much different. Back home our kiddos have 10 minutes of recess and 20 minutes to eat. In Australia, at least in the school I've been in, the students have a 30 minute break in the morning for little lunch and play and then another break in the afternoon for 45 minutes to finish their lunch and play. All of the students have a break at the same time so it looks like chaos when the bell rings; happy chaos. The students are required to wear a hat if they want to play outside of the covered area. The sun is so extreme here the hat is required to keep them safe. Just like we require snow pants if the students want to play in the snow to keep them warm.
The classroom was very different from what I was used to in the states. Granted, I was also in a third grade classroom and was teaching different standards. The students have their own desks with their names on them (it made it much easier to learn their names). The desks don't open from the top either, they pull out like a drawer. I do not know how some of those students ever find anything in their "tidy boxes"as they like to call them because they are so cluttered! 8 year olds. Hard to keep them organized :)
My teacher did a wonderful job showing me around the classroom and introducing me to the manipulatives and explaining the reading corner to me. She has an excellent system that works for her and it wasn't too difficult to get a hold of either. On the very left of the picture above you can sort of see the interactive whiteboard and the regular whiteboard. What you cannot see is the BLACKBOARD! I did not know they still existed. I thought it was a cute little wall of history. First there was stone writing, and then the blackboard, and then the whiteboard, and then the smartboard... what will be next. I also enjoyed all of the student artwork around the classroom. There is not a specialist that teaches art so it needs to be implemented into the school day by the classroom teacher throughout the terms. (The school I am in runs from January to December and has four terms separated by 1-2 week breaks. Different from the norm in the states where school runs from September to June and has a three month break before the next year.) Since I was little I urged for year round school... and uniforms. I've heard both arguments and I still agree with my decision. Anyway, the reason I bring that up is because the students all have uniforms :) They look so cute. They are shown below as well as having accessories that match the school colors available in the tuckshop (canteen/cafeteria/food area). Girls are also required to wear their hair up or braided if it is below the shoulders. Many good reasons for this, like making it harder to spread lice--always an issue in the younger grades wherever you go.
Meeting the students for the first time was great. I found a book from MN about the North Woods to read to them so they would have a foundational understanding of the area I come from. They really liked the book and asked many questions about things they didn't understand. Many of the questions were about snow--and how you stay warm when it gets so cold. I told them we wear long underwear under all of our clothes and they thought it was hilarious. I jumped in right away helping with reading groups. The kids were great and seemed to really like having another teacher in the room. I did notice right away that there were some behavior issues in the room. What I didn't realize was the emotional drain I would feel from the behaviors. I had a couple students back home that had some challenging behaviors and I think it was to help prepare me for these kiddos.
The first day at the school was amazing. I have had the wonderful opportunity to walk to school in the mornings and I love it. I don't exercise as much as I should... and I'm positive the 20 minute walks to school and back have been keeping me pretty healthy. When I arrived on campus the first day I had to ask where the administrations office was because the school is "outdoors" and all of the classrooms are separated by covered sidewalks. It's not like back home where you walk into the school and the office is to the left or right of the front doors. If we had open "hallways" like this in MN we would be snowed into our classrooms four to five months out of the year.
When I signed in I was led into the teachers lounge and joined the other girls who were teaching at Morayfield East and we waited patiently for our teachers to come and pick us up! I had briefly met my mentor teacher when we met our homestay families on the first day because she is housing one of the students from Pitt State (Kansas). She was ready to go when she picked me up. I was immediately lost when we left the administration building. As we were walking to the classroom we walked under a large covered area. My teacher explained to me that the students line up and sit in rows in this area for first and second break when they are eating. There are no cafeterias filled with tables and chairs for the kids to sit at. The daily schedule over here regarding lunch is also much different. Back home our kiddos have 10 minutes of recess and 20 minutes to eat. In Australia, at least in the school I've been in, the students have a 30 minute break in the morning for little lunch and play and then another break in the afternoon for 45 minutes to finish their lunch and play. All of the students have a break at the same time so it looks like chaos when the bell rings; happy chaos. The students are required to wear a hat if they want to play outside of the covered area. The sun is so extreme here the hat is required to keep them safe. Just like we require snow pants if the students want to play in the snow to keep them warm.
The classroom was very different from what I was used to in the states. Granted, I was also in a third grade classroom and was teaching different standards. The students have their own desks with their names on them (it made it much easier to learn their names). The desks don't open from the top either, they pull out like a drawer. I do not know how some of those students ever find anything in their "tidy boxes"as they like to call them because they are so cluttered! 8 year olds. Hard to keep them organized :)
My teacher did a wonderful job showing me around the classroom and introducing me to the manipulatives and explaining the reading corner to me. She has an excellent system that works for her and it wasn't too difficult to get a hold of either. On the very left of the picture above you can sort of see the interactive whiteboard and the regular whiteboard. What you cannot see is the BLACKBOARD! I did not know they still existed. I thought it was a cute little wall of history. First there was stone writing, and then the blackboard, and then the whiteboard, and then the smartboard... what will be next. I also enjoyed all of the student artwork around the classroom. There is not a specialist that teaches art so it needs to be implemented into the school day by the classroom teacher throughout the terms. (The school I am in runs from January to December and has four terms separated by 1-2 week breaks. Different from the norm in the states where school runs from September to June and has a three month break before the next year.) Since I was little I urged for year round school... and uniforms. I've heard both arguments and I still agree with my decision. Anyway, the reason I bring that up is because the students all have uniforms :) They look so cute. They are shown below as well as having accessories that match the school colors available in the tuckshop (canteen/cafeteria/food area). Girls are also required to wear their hair up or braided if it is below the shoulders. Many good reasons for this, like making it harder to spread lice--always an issue in the younger grades wherever you go.
Meeting the students for the first time was great. I found a book from MN about the North Woods to read to them so they would have a foundational understanding of the area I come from. They really liked the book and asked many questions about things they didn't understand. Many of the questions were about snow--and how you stay warm when it gets so cold. I told them we wear long underwear under all of our clothes and they thought it was hilarious. I jumped in right away helping with reading groups. The kids were great and seemed to really like having another teacher in the room. I did notice right away that there were some behavior issues in the room. What I didn't realize was the emotional drain I would feel from the behaviors. I had a couple students back home that had some challenging behaviors and I think it was to help prepare me for these kiddos.
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