Week 6

Welcome to week 6. I am teaching 3 doubles in the next two days, including a prac I wrote myself. The prac uses the Pascoe sensor data gathering system. The school just updated the software for their sensors and has streamlined things considerably. The girls will be using the sensor with a colorimeter to detect concetrations of a solution. I think it should be a success!

Halfway Through Prac #1

It's official, I have passed the halfway point. Yesterday was day 16 of my prac and today is day 17. Huzzah! I am really enjoying it, and I have learned a ton, particularly about teaching the senior subjects. For me the answer is to BE PREPARED. I have had a great deal of anxiety, particularly about my grade 11 Physics class. I am finding that the content knowledge required is taking more effort to refresh than in Biology, Chemistry or General Science. Using OHTs, handouts and pracs has broken up the anxiety about teaching content in 100 minute blocks. What's terrifying is that the term has flown by and my senior classes only have four more content lessons each before exam week. I can understand how teachers (or learning managers) can feel under the gun when the terms move so quickly!

The semester is heating up

So I had a look at my planner and the next few weeks are going to be a bit hectic. I am really enjoying my student teaching, but I regret that it is not getting all of the attention it deserves. Keeping up with the uni work is taking its toll on my nights and weekends. I try to keep Ken's words of wisdom about balance and relaxation in mind, but it is a challenge. The upshot is that I feel like I am being hazed, not educated.