Interesting Week

Now everything can't be happy go lucky fun happy times. Since we entered higher gear (note how I did NOT say high gear, but rather higher) at skool things have been progressively been getting more stressful. Yet at the same time a number of notable occurrences have been spliced throughout.

Maths

Probably the number one cause of all my stress has been the essential maths course that I've been "advised" to take. This is a review of all maths needed for the primary school level. Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a math pro or anything. However the means that I ended up in this course have left me a little annoyed.

We had to take a math competency test at the beginning of the course. On it I scored 56%. What was interesting was the breakdown. I got the majority of questions worth 1-3 points correct (with a few exceptions in measurement which I was a little rusty in). Where I lost all my marks were questions worth 5 and 7 points. It was interesting looking at the test that though I only got 5 questions wrong I did so poorly.

What were the manner of questions I got wrong you might ask? All were high school level math that you would NEVER teach a primary class. However they require you to take this course if you get lower then 75% on the test. So the cause of my frustration. Well apart from the fact I had to pay a ridiculously large amount for it.

Thus far in class it has not only been subjects of a totally primary level that I know, but due to a slightly flaky prof, I've been basically teaching everyone at my table group how to do our subjects. Leaving with a very cheated and exploited feeling on the part of the college. The test was rigged so that those of us who haven't taken math in 6-7 years would fall on account of rustiness.

Making it even worse they have scheduled it to be at the end of the two LONGEST days of my week, and in one case I have to book it from my placement school to skool for the stupid course.

GRRRRRRRRR

Woredrobe Malfunction

So on the second day of my hardcore student teaching back at the kids school (last week having seen them at camp) adding to the pains of my maths stress of the Monday was the destruction of my dress shoes. The sole fell right off my left shoe. In the middle of a rain storm no less.

GRRRRRRRRRRR

No One Makes Me Bleed My Own Blood

If there is a subject I'm worse at then Math its languages. In this course we're required to learn and teach the language of the indigenous Maori. Now normal this class is interesting enough as is for me. However in this weeks lesson a girl sitting cross from me suddenly points down at my leg alarmed saying "you're bleeding!". Darn tooting right I was. It had soaked through my pants allowing her to see it.

The culprit a rather impressive nick on my leg. The thing is though I have NO idea how it happened. It didn' t even hurt?

New Roommate

Traumador the T-Rex my old partner in crime from the Tyrrell and Badlands Science Camp showed up at my door this week asking for a place to stay. Now I don't have time to waste it telling you about this. Check out his blog for his side of things.

Having him around here is bound to add to my current "interesting" factor.

Finished the Book

Me and Scott as of this weekend finished the first draft of our kids picture book. Sally and her world now encompass a 17 page prototype draft that we showed off to a select crowd throughout the week.

Response has been overwhelmingly positive, and this is from 2 key profs of ours who know what their talking about.

Our next step on this front is looking into publishing. Obviously keep you advised on progress with this.

Placement

My placement has been going well at the kids school. I got my first evaluation here this week, and it was mostly good. I'm naturally pretty good at managing a group of kids these days, and attempting to teach them something. My major weak spot is adapting to the classroom environment, and in particular the environment of my current classroom. My behavioural management style differs a LOT from my associate teachers, and I'll need to adapt to it for the short term anyway.

Conclusion

So whats all this mean, and where am I going from here?

Well we've been noticing that ALL of us student teachers are starting to feel the crunch. Stress levels are high, brain capacities are being maxed, and in some cases tempers flare (again read me speak about Maths).

I suspect this is what cults aim to do to converts. Stretch and push them to the point that their on edge like us. At moment I think we're being prepped for major molding and reshaping.

How exactly I'm not sure. I just see it coming. Which hopefully doesn't ruin the process.

I don't know in any case. That's an overview of my last chunk of missing time. I'll try to update more frequently. I have been meaning too. Just like today so much going on, and so little time. Speaking of which I need to pop off to bed here. Damn early mornings!