Reflecting on #28days Day 28

Today marks the end of #28daysofwriting and the opportunity to reflect on the blogging process. Due to illness I missed a week, but I found this exercise worthwhile. It has been a useful tool to explore, reflect, consider and express. As a teacher, I think that blogging or reflecting regularly is very useful for personal and professional growth, it is a great idea to document our own experiences and what we have accomplished in the classroom. It is an opportunity to be vulnerable and see how to improve, it is a platform to develop as a teacher and acknowledge what has worked and what has not.

Writing for 28minutes every day is not easy. Some days I suffered from writer's block. Some days I had little to say and other days I had too much to say. I think that a topic or focus thread for a blog is a good idea as it helps when creating a blog. I usually have too much to say and can spend ages trying to find the write words, so just writing was pretty liberating, though I found most of my posts only mediocre and that my 'writers voice' suffered because of this. As the saying goes, time is a thief and committing to 28 minutes a day, although not a long period of time, is not always easy in the busyness of life. 

What 28days has taught me though, is that regularly writing is great to reflect and share ideas, it often helps consolidate and concrete ideas, emotions, thoughts and experiences. By grappling with this, we not only live in the moment of our day, but reflect on it which is an important tool in being a lifelong invested learner and teacher. 

I doubt I will blog daily and my life gets even busier this coming week as my studies commence once again, but I do hope to make a regular effort in sharing some experiences with you and hopefully in time my 'voice' will become stronger, my learning will improve and you will contribute to my blog to help me develop, grow and learn more along the way.

A big thank you to Tom Barrett for his great idea. What a great initiative. You rock.

Let's be brave, let us be bold, LET'S BLOG.

Sink or swim #28days day27

Today was the school swimming carnival. Yes, it is a long day in the sun, yes I am often wrecked by the end of it, but such a worthwhile day. We get to see our students outside the classroom, outside the confines of the curriculum, having fun and where yelling is an expectation. Team spirit, camaraderie and fun are expressed in full.

Things ran differently when I was at high school in South Africa. Only the top swimmers got to swim, there was no opportunity to swim unless you 'made it'. This involved rigorous time trials and practices during weekly Physical Education lessons at the school pool, and these times determined your success, or lack thereof. Quite frankly, I didn't want to swim, as the other swimmers were so strong, that I was afraid to look a fool anyway, so I got used to and felt comfort in being a supporter...until grade 12 when by some miracle I made it into a race. I have no idea where I placed, I remember getting halfway across the pool thinking (breathlessly wishing) I was nearly at the other end and when I did finally reach the other side, I was pretty thrilled that I was still alive...when you are not a swimmer, 50m is no walk in the park lol. But, it was fun participating, hearing all the houses yelling.

Today, though, I loved. Anyone could participate. There were some kids using pool noodles, some who were almost stranded and in the midst of those up ahead, I saw some beautiful acts of kindness and support. Seniors, getting in alongside those less stronger swimmers, helping them, encouraging them and shouting even louder for them. That is team spirit. These kids entrusted to us are diverse, wonderful creatures and it is a great opportunity to enjoy seeing them outside the classroom. What a privilege to see the unity and enjoy getting to see different sides of the students. Oh and those who choose to miss these events, you really don't know what you are missing, it is a great day, heat and all.  

Ghosts of teachers past #28days day25

As I look back on my school days, there are 3 types of teachers I remember - the ones I loved and the ones I 'didn't love'. The teachers I loved were friendly, kind, vibrant. Then there were the teachers I call 'inbetweeners', they were adequate. Of all my teachers, the majority feature on the 'adequate, I have to really think hard to remember their names, what they taught and any other information I can try wrack from my memory' list. It is sad to think that not a larger majority featured on the 'awesome list'. Though, I am pleased that the teachers who I believe 'failed' me, are a minority. 

My most vivid memory of this teacher was my grade 5 teacher. I was terrified of her, she was always yelling. She reminded us often that we were like a bunch of jellyfish (I am not entirely sure what it meant, but it was not a good thing being a jellyfish!) and her other favourite saying was that getting anything out of us was 'like drawing blood out of a stone'. I don't think anyone contributed because we were so scared. My marks went down, I looked forward to getting to subjects we had with other teachers just so I could feel a little more at ease. That was more than 25 years ago, but I have clear memories of how I felt, the fear and dread I felt when I arrived in class, never knowing when the volcano might erupt and afraid to get the work wrong in case I got into trouble. I lived year 5 in a constant state of fear and anxiety. My peers did as well. I felt flat and on edge. My day was dominated with feelings of negativity and inadequacy. As I got older, I often wondered why this teacher even considered teaching. It is amazing though, that these memories are still with me and have defined me to an extent.

All I hope for as a teacher is to touch someone's life and make them passionate about learning, to know that I truly care. I don't want to be adequate. There are days when I feel I fail my students, but I reflect and hope that I can challenge and inspire them. We respond differently to different teachers and I realise that personality and subject matter also play a role, but for the most part, I hope that if my students look back, they remember me and remember for being passionate, kind and teaching them something they remember. I want them to know that I value them for who they are, that I know there is more to them than the walls of my classroom and that when they look back at their past one day, that their memories are good ones, of inspiration, hope and challenge. 

No recipes for teaching #28days Day24

There are people who walk into a room and own it. They have an air of confidence, something that captures the crowd. I am not that person. I am an introvert, public speaking scares me and alone time gives me the energy I need to recharge. Your personality doesn't define your teaching ability, your passion does. Your desire to learn, grow and the ability to change and meet your students needs are also paramount. There are times that I feel I fail my students, but as I reflect, I am able to learn from it and as I develop, I can address these areas and continually improve. 

No student, no class, no school is the same, so unlike grandma's secret non-flop chocolate cake recipe that works every time, there is no recipe to follow to have the 'perfect' lesson. There will always be challenges and as a teacher, you have to roll with the punches, you need to adapt and change the 'recipe' each time. The recipe has more success though when it is shared with the students, the recipe works wonders when injected with love and passion. And, facing some challenges, well that helps along the way. I was recently asked to MC an event of about 50 people, I didn't hesitate to say 'Yes' (After reading something on Twitter last year sometime to say yes and think afterwards). I surprised myself, mostly because usually whatever I want to say falls out my head, along with any vocabulary and I usually shake. I was surprisingly calm, relaxed and in control. I decided that in order to grow, I need to accept challenges and I did, and it was worth it :) Maybe next I will try be the person who owns the room... ;) 

Teachers who define us. Part 2. #28days day 23

When just one teacher believes in you, it can change your world. My grade three teacher certainly changed my life. From a mediocre performer, she saw something in me and sparked a flame. She challenged me, inspired me and believed in me. I don't remember all the details, what I do remember is her telling me to try harder levels of maths and phonics, she encouraged me to find answers without her help. She didn't neglect me, but what she gave me was the confidence that I could figure it out on my own and feel the satisfaction of accomplishment. She helped me see that if I kept trying, I could come to a solution. She showed me that patience and determination are a strong combination in success. In essence she taught me about grit. Furthermore, I remember her being there when I was stuck, giving me clues and when I was really stumped, she showed me step by step until I understood. She showed me that she valued my education and that although she was the teacher, that I was as much part of the journey as she was. She made me feel loved and valued as a child and as a student. She was animated and funny, she was passionate and kind. I remember her often embracing kids who were crying, I remember her smiling and laughing, but most of all I remember that when I looked at her, she seemed to be enjoying herself and that in itself was contagious. 

Before grade three I saw school as a place I had to go, but Mrs Hoy made me love school and learning. I was the top of my class for the rest of my primary school years, not because I was the smartest, but because I loved to learn and absorb the world around me. No teacher will ever compare to her. She gave me a gift that year, a gift that I have held onto my whole life. She showed me that I mattered, that your attitude to learning is what counts (you can choose to enjoy it) and that kindness and passion can never be 'too much'. 

Teachers who define us. Part 1 #28days Day22

High school was a totally different experience to primary school. I loved primary school. I loved learning and I loved my teachers. Then I hit a thousand plus all girls high school. We were not allowed earrings at all, wearing jumpers was not permitted outside the school property unless we had a blazer over it, we had badges that needed to be worn always (including a school crest and name badge in the colour of your house) and detentions were always looming. Detention not only included picking up litter after school, scraping gum from underneath desks, sanding desks and and cleaning toilets (to mention a few), it also involved having your name called out in assembly (parade), walking onto the stage and standing in a line with fellow 'detainees' while the whole school looked on.

I found high school intimidating. Teachers made me nervous and I had very little desire to put much effort in. Having a positive encounter was not often and none of my teachers really took the time to get to know me. I felt as if I was on a conveyor belt, knowledge was pounded into me and if I didn't understand I was simply left behind. The only teachers who seemed to be vaguely interested in me as as person, allowed me to explore ideas and opinions were my English teachers. I had amazing English teachers all through high school. I was still lazy, but I felt that doors opened beyond school. I especially remember my grade 8 and grade 12 teachers, they were frank, honest and pushed me to see the world through my eyes, not theirs. I felt connected, we discussed current events from newspapers, we analysed poetry, seeing how many different ways it could be interpreted, we engaged with texts that they made us relate to our own lives and present issues. 

These teachers taught me that despite the constraints of a curriculum, passion and relevance are great tools in the classroom. They were the first teachers who actually shared who they were with us. I felt that I knew them a little more and felt inspired as a citizen of the world. I was still naive and innocent, but I felt that my world had been opened up and that I could contribute to the world as an adult. I felt that I could safely share an idea in class and it would be valid. I felt that I would not be mocked or laughed. 

I often wonder if I only enjoyed English because it was my own passion, or if it was because of the teachers. Perhaps it is a bit of both.

PS in case you were wondering I got a detention once and vowed it would be the last time. Some grade 8's (including myself) failed the prefects test - we had to memorise the names of all the prefects, if they were also house captains, had academic colours etc and know the school hymn and prayer by heart. A prefect could be a house captain or vice captain as well - and both had to be noted if that were the case. I was so nervous and certainly did not enjoy the consequences. I knew the hymn and school prayer but all those names were just too much. 

Make or break - social media #28days Day21

Due to ill health, I unfortunately missed a week of #28 Days:(  My last post was about how the media broke my heart and what I learnt from the experience. Jen English recommended this article to me
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tweet-ruined-justine-saccos-life.html?referrer=&_r=0and it really got me thinking and reflecting on the human race and that we can learn from incidents such as these, and start developing a way to address these issues in the classroom.

Several issues caught my attention. You never know if something will go viral and thus any controversial statements should only be delivered if you are aware what the consequences may be and feel that you are able to deal with these consequences. It reminded me once more that media relying on sensationalism, have very little regard for a person. A tweet may be made in jest, taken out of context or be as a result of a bad day and in a moment your life is no longer your own. An audience of people who do not know you wishing and waiting for your demise.

Our situation was by no means as harsh or life altering as Justine Sacco's, but I certainly learnt that my best interests are not close to the hearts of strangers. Once posted on Social Media, opening with a question and leaving the public to comment, was a sure way to get a response. And it made me realise that we say we are kind, but this proved the contrary.

I am absolutely for social media, if exercised with kindness and respect. Unfortunately through the ages, as a human race, we often lack kindness. Love is kind, so I am afraid that the main missing ingredient in our lives is love. I am not talking romantic love, I am talking the kind of love where we empathise, we look to help people meet needs and when people make mistakes we don't attack it like vultures, but rather suggest why we are in disagreement and show them a loving alternative. Yes, it probably wasn't the best tweet from Justine, but who of us can say we have not said things we regret. It is when it is capitalised upon and we feel part of a group mentality to publicly humiliate another person that I feel saddened. It is a good opportunity to help me keep a check on myself, that I do not fall into the trap of degrading another human being.

It is atimely reminder that my role as a teacher is to instil in my students a deeper understanding of social media, both in being mindful about what they post but also how to interact with others and to act with kindness, love and respect. And finally, something I subscribe to - do not get involved in arguments on social media. There are some interesting topics that come through my newsfeed and people immediately jumping in until it becomes a bitter mess. I don't take the bait. I refuse to enter into a duel with a person (or person's) I do not know. We are entitled to our opinion, we all have them, but we need to share them with love and know when to walk away.

The day the media broke my heart part 2 #28days #day13

Let's just say that a lot of processing took place after the media destroyed my reputation, but through it all, I saw a light. The people who know us came to our rescue with kind words, heartfelt love, some even defending us on social media. I bumped into a friend who reminded me that a person's opinion is a reflection on them and not me and another who took my hand in prayer. And despite the misery I found silver linings were everywhere.

What did I learn? I learnt that the media certainly hasn't got my best interests at heart, I learnt that people can be mean, so mean. I learnt that people who know nothing about IVF are pretty insensitive and I learnt that although there are bitter, angry people in the world, there are people who may not agree with the cause, but defend a person they don't know.

Apart from the media letting me down, the human race certainly fell short too. I felt a sense of sadness for people who must be negative based on their own life circumstances, and like my mom says, they really just need prayer. I wonder if these people knew me, if they would say the same thing or if they would actually say that to my face, as a stranger, but still have the guts to tell me in person?

Social media can be used positively, but in the same way we show respect to fellow human beings in society, the same respect should be exercised on social media. As a teacher, I hope that I can teach my students about respect, respect in all areas. A human in 'cyberspace' is still a person and we need to use the same skills, respect and kindness whether we agree or not, in all arena's. There is an unwritten etiquette that we are responsible to share with our students if we want them to contribute positively as digital citizens.

Hiding behind a screen sprouting negativity has no place in my world. And even when you are subjected to ridicule, bitterness and unkindness, rise above it and don't merely become a reflection of these people. Criticism certainly helps us grow. We can change if we see room to improve, but don't let it break you, let it make you stronger and better.

The day the media broke my heart. Part 1. #28days Day12

In an earlier blog post I mentioned that I was going to write about a media incident that recently threw our lives into a bit or turmoil. Well, my life hubby is not as affected by such things as me. He is stronger than me when it comes to matters of the heart. I take more personally things said, I need to analyse and do a full check of myself before I can move on. It was a tough week! Here's the first part of the story:

A few weeks ago, The Project on channel 10 contacted us about a doing a story on the high costs of IVF, especially if you experience several unsuccessful rounds in your journey to trying to have a baby. Anyway, a few months ago hubby set up a crowd-funded page for friends and family overseas who had indicated they would like to donate some money so we could do a fifth and final attempt to give our little girl a baby brother or sister (she regularly asks me to grow a baby in my belly and also prays for a baby, a 'real one, not a pretend one'.). The Project came across this page and that is how they made contact. The premise for the interview (that would be televised nationally) was a focus on the high costs of IVF and making people aware of these high costs and that the gofundme page would be mentioned briefly if someone felt the desire to donate. No pressure, no expectations. Well that is how I understood it.

Sadly, my intrigue about appearing on national TV clearly clouded my thinking, that a controversial topic like this could potentially be a great hook for viewership. The interviewer was great. We covered plenty of information. The televised interview wasn't bad, though there was some parts of the interviewI would've not cut out. Anyway, the story did talk about the high costs of IVF though there was more mention of the crowd-funding than I expected. The panel were pretty positive about the cause though, in our interview the part where we explained that setting up crowd-funding made it much easier for friends and family to donate was omitted for the general public.

On their website and Facebook page things went absolutely crazy. All it said was 'Would you crowd-fund a baby?' Seriously? That is not the story I signed up for, but they capitalised in my life, my journey and made a media spectacle of my family. I am not impressed at how it was portrayed on the internet at all. I sent them an email but by the time the posts were removed all the bitter, ugly comments had already scarred my heart. The fact that they could use something so sensitive to promote viewership is beyond me. I really should know the media better.

I have learnt a valuable lesson and I will share more about this with you tomorrow. I hope you will follow my story of stupidity. Someone said 'Go big or go home', well this story of embarrassing myself certainly went big - if you are going to make a fool of yourself, why not do it nationally. (Hey, at least I can laugh at myself now, despite some lingering heart ache)

Before Uni starts #28days day11

I have spent some of the evening catching up on one of my favourite shows 'Hart of Dixie' and now I just ordered my text books for this semester's Uni subject. Once I complete this subject I will be halfway through my Masters woohooo! Still a couple of years to go though, but I am finding studying again a worthwhile experience in achieving one of my lifelong goals, to be a school guidance officer/counsellor.

I do hope that one day when I pursue a job in this area that I will still be able to get into the classroom with students and work on areas such as resilience, self-esteem, kindness, respect, believing in dreams etc.

I think working with a group and individuals is a benefit to a school as for many students this could actually help prevent issues from arising if the skills are taught before landing up in a situation.

Anyway, 3 textbooks ordered and in a few short weeks I am going to be very busy in the evenings between school work and studying (no more Hart of Dixie) but that's okay :) I am content, happy and ready for it (though our healthier eating plan does not include chocolate, which is proving to be a little more difficult for me;))

These are a few of my favourite things :) #28days Day10

A few of my favourite things: credit to the Sound of Music :)
(Oh and these are just a few, I love many things and am grateful for all my blessings)

Chocolates on Fridays and train station breezes
Glitter and laughter and when a baby sneezes
Lonely park benches and beds that are kings (king size)
These are a few of my favourite things.

Movies on weekends and comfortable shoes
Reading great novels, an afternoon snooze
Days in pyjama's and when my little girl sings
These are a few of my favourite things.

Pancakes on rainy days and eskimo kisses,
Holding hands with my hubby and moments so precious
My Bible, my parents and random ponderings
These are a few of my favourite things

When life hurts
When my heart aches
When tears run down my cheeks
I simply remember my favourite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Staff showcasing-100minute engagement plan. #28days Day9

This year my school has introduced 100 minute lessons. Keeping students engaged for this amount of time is not easy, so today after school we were privileged to visit a few staff members show-casing their tools on keeping students engaged for 100 minutes.

There were several sessions to choose from, but we only had enough time to attend three 10 minute slot each.

Some of the strategies shared by our Head of English Susan included: evoking emotions with mind maps and artefacts, brainstorming or quizzes (a little bit of competition), dividing questions up to groups and certain individuals in groups so in essence peers teach peers, but each student has a responsibility and needs to be responsible for their own question. Puppets or posters for the learners who like to visualise, let them use these props to explain parts of the text. Get the students to dramatise parts of the text, this could be done by acting out parts, pretending to d a TV segment etc. And of course technology, use it well and both you and the students benefit.

The next session I attended was that of our Head of Middle School, Robyn. Her list of 10 compliments of http://www.edutopia.org/classroom-student-participation-tips She walked us through some of these ideas including mind warm-ups, using movement, co-operative learning structures, Quickwrites, undivided attention, fairness cup (I think I am going to try this one - I have some chatty students but all only the same ones raise their hands to answer questions), teamwork, again the use of technology and mixing up your teaching style to keep them interested and engaged.

My final visit was to the music teacher Ian who did a session on Maths and Music. There were so many choices, but this one intrigued me and and it certainly was fun clapping and keeping a beat. It required a bit of co-ordination, but counting helped me stay in rhythm (mostly) and by doing, participating in a group and having to concentrate on my beats, that I can see that this would get the students attention first before they have to do some theory work.

So what is my '100 minute engagement plan'? Shake it up, get them moving a bit, change activities often and include some fun and crazies as energisers. I might do some thumb wars halfway through my history lesson tomorrow to get the energy flowing. I will use a term that my daughter and I say 'I've got our crazies on,' I think I might have to get my crazies on for more fun and engaged learners...now just to get them to laugh at my jokes ;)

It certainly is a privilege to be part of a team where we can learn from one another, we can create ideas, implement new ideas and all this learnt from our very own staff. As a 'kind of' new staff member I feel that these opportunities offer so much value. I can ask more questions, adopt new approaches and add more skills to my teaching. I can try things I haven't tried before more confidently because others have and can offer me advice. I certainly am learning heaps and feel inspired by being part of this team, I just wish I could've attended more and seen more of what other staff members are doing.

GRIT as an acronym, my teaching words for 2015: #28days Day8

While following twitter so far this year, I saw a few people suggest a word that they would choose to be their focus for the year. I like the word GRIT and although as a word it is great stand-alone, I found that using it as an acronym for my year will be my source of encouragement. I hope it challenges me to focus on these areas and regularly assess them: 

G- Gratitude, thankfulness. When I am grateful I seem to enjoy life more. It makes us more resilient to challenging times and we don't take for granted all those great people in our lives. I want to focus on being more grateful for all my blessings, my husband, my daughter, my family, friends, colleagues and students, the opportunity to teach, study and enjoy days off with my daughter before she starts school next year. 

R- Relationships. Along with being grateful, I want to develop positive and engaging relationships with my students, their parents and the people I work alongside. Good relationships need work, effort and time, but they are so worth it. 

I- Invested, this is one of my favourite words. When we are invested in something, we give it our all, we want what is best for it and this is what I want for my family, my students, my school and my studies. I am going to have to balance it all, but I will ensure that I am giving each area the attention it requires and loving the variety of moments I find myself in.

T- Try. If you don't try, you won't know. Taking risks, exploring ideas and implementing them. If I fail, brush myself off, learn from them and move on. Try, try and try again. 

Well that is my acronym for GRIT. Grit is important in life, we need it to succeed, we need it to get up from failures, we need it to cope with challenges and most of all we need to model it to teach our young people. 

Resilience #28Days Day7

One of my favourite topics is resilience. We live in a world where many of our young people face challenges and difficulties. We expect them to concentrate in class and keep up, but if circumstances do not permit and we are unaware, we can be setting them up for disaster. 

Last year I took a different direction as a high school chaplain and it was an eye-opener to me as to how many students face lives I could never imagine: parent suicides, abuse, neglect, parents disappearing and uncaring, incest, suicidal thoughts, and so the list continues. It made me realise that many kids have parents and family failing them. School is the place where they spend a lot of time and it should be a place where instead of adding to the risk factors that could put their futures in serious detriment, it should be a place where they feel safe, encouraged and supported.

Without caring about our students, without getting to know our students (obviously not all will open up, but you'd be surprised how many do with little prompting) we can't address these issues, issues that are more important than school. Many of the students I listened to were unable to concentrate in class due to home life and felt that teachers never took the time to consider the difficulties they were experiencing. We have deadlines, curriculums to follow and progress to make but first and foremost is the wellbeing of our students. You don't know whose role-model you might be, but a positive word, a helpful hand, a kind gesture can go  a long way not only in being the sunshine in a person's life, but it can help pave the way to resilience and helping cope when the stakes are high.

Resilience is about support, feeling part of something. Encourage a student to join a sport team or cultural activity, commend them on any positive behaviours, get to know them for who they are as a person and not based on their classroom behaviour or grades. We may not be super heroes, but  we certainly can be kind and caring in a bitter and angry world.

Fall asleep Friday - History 100 #28Days Day 5

My grade 10 History class were so tired by the time the last 100 minute lesson of the day arrived. One actually fell asleep within about two minutes of being in the classroom (and waking him was not easy), another one kept wanting to play a game called 'Sleeping Lions' or something where everyone has to lie still and they all have to try do it for the longest (I might try this game with my 4 year old when I need a nap) he also stretched his arms out over his desk every time he finished writing an answer down while the rest of the class all finished. It reminded me that these students have a full week of attending classes, processing and engaging with content, ideas, processes and so forth, that by Friday afternoon they are ready for the weekend. We all need time away from schoolwork and the daily grind, even our students who although we want the best for them, need to know that they need to recharge before they can begin again.

What I would love also are any history games or energises that I could do with them on that Friday afternoon slump. If anyone has any great ideas or resources I would LOVE them as I don't suppose coffee would be a good option;) I am wondering how to make World War II interesting and have considered our very own NERF gun war :)

On that note I am pretty wrecked myself and look forward to some rest and recuperation with my family on the weekend in between some school work, house work and maybe catch up on some TV shows. Have a great weekend.

When God speaks #28days day5

This is going to be a short one because I am absolutely exhausted and still have some prep to do for tomorrow:

After the whole TV debacle (still coming - processing, pondering), I was clearing off the fridge yesterday and came across the following verses stuck on there: 'Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you,' (Psalm 55:22), this was followed by the verse 'Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you' (2 Peter 5:7). A few minutes after looking at this verse and feeling comforted, the daily verse on my Bible app came though to my phone, it was from Philippians 4:6-7 and the message was as follows, 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus'. 

I have sometimes said that I wish God would send an email or text, and yesterday I feel He sent me a text message via my phone. We make mistakes, we have regrets and we experience heart ache but we have a God who offers us peace to calm our anxiety, a Creator who shows us love and speaks to us in countless ways and reminds us that His love is eternal, everlasting, unconditional and constant no matter the circumstances. So I put my anxiety before Him and have felt peace and thankful for the bigger picture. 

Thank you for  reading, Jacqui

Grey Wednesday #28Days Day 4

I teach part-time which means that I get two days off a week with my little one. I love our days together and next year when she starts prep (she is in kindy now) I imagine I will miss these precious times.

I had a bit of an unpleasant media experience this week (I am still trying to process it and wade through some insensitivities of others before I write about it - I think I may rant at this point LOL, so I will spare you all.) but then I have days with my little girl and I find perspective in the the silliness.

Today we went to Mainly Music where we got our 'crazies' on, danced, sang and had fun. I caught up with some of my mum friends there who made me feel loved and cared for despite having a grey day. Miss 4 and I had a picnic by the swings after Mainly Music - this has become a ritual for us, we enjoyed singing (if you could call it that LOL) along to the Frozen CD in the car on the way their and home again, hid under the doona (duvet cover) from a pretend dinosaur for ages, my daughter got into 'her' make up (we bought it for her dance concert last year) only to wipe it off again, she coloured in love hearts, 'counted' the money in her piggy bank (then we built coin towers to knock over), she made soup in a bucket with beach sand, pebbles and some grass she picked. It was nothing out of the ordinary, it was simply extraordinary that in the simplicity of it all, everything and everyone that matters in my life are radiate beauty and kindness and for them, for my life, my family, my friends I am truly grateful. I had a blessed day, a day that allowed me time to process but also just marvel in the beauty of the people I know and thank God for them, it gave me time to find laughter and delight in the love I have for my awesome little girl and cherish even more the moments we get to spend together.

So on that note, I leave you :) Be blessed. There is a lot of bitterness in the world, but this makes the beauty stand out even more. Blessings, Jacqui

Values continuum - exploring values and opinions in grade 10 English relating to 'Tomorrow when the War began'

As mentioned in yesterdays post, today I did the value continuum. My class seem are happy to sit and stare at me. They have opportunities to share but are either not interested to do so, or don't feel confident enough. I feel that despite our discussions and opportunities to talk about the characters from 'Tomorrow when the War Began', the are not engaged with it - despite the fact that like them these are Australian teenagers. Anyway, I thought that a change of pace would be in order hence the little excursion outdoors.

I  didn't need the rope after all, the lines on the basketball court offered the 'U' shape I was after. After answering some questions on the chapters they had read we ventured outside. I heard many groans as they were ushered out. The classroom is much cooler with the aircon on in contrast to the choking Queensland humidity outside. Anyway, once we they had dragged themselves a few metres from the classroom, I explained to the class that I would make a series of comments and they would have to choose to stand at one of three spots on the continuum. At one end of the  U was the word agree, the other end disagree, whilst in the middle of the U I had a sign that said unsure (these were written on laminated A4 sheets). Once the statement was made, they were then encouraged to go to one of the words to show either agreement, disagreement or uncertainty.

Some of the questions I posed included: It is okay to kill another person if your life depended on it; looting is acceptable if it is for survival; if a mate gets hurt while you are being chased (by a perceived enemy), it is okay to leave them in order to save yourself and so forth.

Several questions resulted in students at more than one station. Some students agreed that it was okay to leave a mate if it meant your life was in jeopardy, whilst others felt they wouldn't leave a mate no matter the circumstances (I hope the class took note of those people should they ever be in this kind of situation). The whole class was on 'Agreed' when I said 'War changes people.' They were torn over, 'war can have good results' as they wrestled with the fact that it can save a country, but also that there are so many casualties. What it did was force them to think. They engaged with the topic without even knowing that they were putting themselves in somebody elses shoes. Although most agreed with killing another person is okay if it is to save yourself, knowing that if you don't you will die; but they raised the issue that they would probably feel guilty. We spoke about how being in an actual situation versus trying to imagine it might have very different outcomes. They wondered if they were in these situations, if this is how they would respond. After people made comments they could to another station if they had changed their minds.

I started off with the comment that 'All people are equal and deserve to be treated fairly'. Most of the class were in agreement, but about three students were not. Two were on unsure and one was on Disagree. The young man on disagree said that he disagrees that criminals have the right to be treated fairly. The young men on unsure offered that they felt that this is true in most cases, that people should not be judged unfairly, but if they are a menace to society, criminals or causing harm to others, that they should not be treated equally but lose their 'luxuries'. This was the one question that once these students had voiced their opinions, others moved to those stations to join them. They changed their minds. Again, we acknowledged this and how by discussing ideas, that we come to understand ourselves better, have the right to change our minds and that we can become better informed by listening to other's perspectives. We also noted that despite our different opinions, we can have respectful conversations and still get along with one another.

This change of pace did not open them up completely but it certainly got them thinking, all participating and more than usual contributing. More than this I can't ask for. Baby steps. I really hope that they take something from it and are able to see not only how this relates to the novel, but relate it to the real world. I would love for them to know that we are afterall  human, we are vulnerable and powerful. I would love for them to realise that their opinions are worthwhile, that it is safe to discuss them, change them, stick to them or think about them. The world throws much our way and I want them to be independent thinkers, lifelong learners and really grapple with how real life is woven into books.

First days being back in the saddle - #28 days

I am suffering from a slight case of writers block, not because I don't have anything to say, but rather because I am bombarded with so many thoughts and am at a loss as to where I should begin.

It's Monday, a work day(since I work as a teacher part-time; my work as a mom, wife and student is fulltime;)) and was a bit of a rush getting to school after kindy drop off. Kindy opened its doors late which kind of set the tone for my whole day, feeling rushed and a little frazzled. On the bright side though, I felt that I made some progress with my grade 11's. They just stare at me (though this was only our second lesson together). I am determined to have them laughing at my jokes (which I find hilarious) and sharing my enthusiasm for English, in particular 'The Crucible'. Right at this moment they don't seem to care that this atrocity occurred, no one even offered up an argument when one young man said that he agreed that witches should be put to death. At least he is willing to have an opinion and voice it. My mission: to have them all feel comfortable to share and all desperate to learn. Yes!
This same young man was the first one to offer to read as one of the characters for the play today - he chose to be a woman - I think he will be the first to appreciate my sense of humour. I can see he is going to be a real asset in helping me get the class enthusiastic about learning. Getting 2 people to offer to read was easy, the rest of the class were not so keen but eventually I had some volunteers and to their surprise the readers and rest of the class members enjoyed listening to their peers and seemed more invested in the play and what was going on.

I discovered two interesting facts today - one boy offered to read, he was in the first group of 4 to offer to read. When I met him for the first time last week, he gave me the impression that he was quiet and not into reading aloud (we did an activity last week and although he had a lot written down was not confident to share). This reminded me to not judge books by their covers. I just pegged as being a certain type and I don't pick on people who give me this impression until I know they trust me and feel more confident so I did feel kind of proud. Another young man in the class seemed a bit cautious to volunteer and his role was a few pages in, he even put on an accent which helped me feel that I am succeeding in creating a safe place.

My main goal though, is getting them excited and enthusiastic and hungry to learn.

My grade 10 English class are reading 'Tomorrow when the War began'. It is a fairly big class and I am not learning their names as fast as I would like to. They also seem on the cautious side with a few 'chatters'. Overall though they are a good bunch and work well. I am hoping to do an outside activity with them tomorrow. It works well in Peer Skills and so I have decided to adapt it to an actual lesson. I have acquired a piece of rope that I will shape in a 'U'. At one end of the U I will have the word 'agree', at the other 'disagree' and in the middle 'unsure'. I will then pose a series of questions relevant to the book and see where they choose to stand and why. I think a bit of activity and getting out of seats makes learning more fun and interesting, plus this will help make the events in the novel seem more relatable (well that is what I am hoping). If time permits I would like to see if by reading the text that if in a few weeks they will still have the same opinions.

This particular section is titled 'Heroes and Villains' so we have discussed several issues relating to superheroes, every day heroes and the same qualities can make you either a hero or a villain. As Peter Parker's uncle says 'with great power comes great responsibility!. Indeed and so we learn that power can be used for good or evil. Let us not forget every day heroes though and we have talked about this too with students mentioning parents, grandparents, soldiers and many more who are everyday heroes (And often not recognised for their deeds).

One thought  have had (apart from now dissecting and discussing the Spiderman quote above LOL) is to have the class decide on a cause to support. Not because I think it is an heroic act, but to also give them real life ideas and examples. It may not relate directly to the text but it certainly does help create lifelong learners and encourage a culture of paying it forward, of being kind and of looking outwards more than inwards. Giving is a gift to be cherished and encouraged.

On that note, my 28 minutes is up so hopefully I have more to share tomorrow about the Values continuum and a little about my history class as I see them tomorrow.

Be sure also to read @jdtrivers blog :) He is a bit more structured than me :)

Back in the saddle

I am participating in a 28 Day challenge to blog for 28minutes every day...

After having a baby and taking the year off in 2011 to be a stay - home mum, I have pursued several avenues to help contribute financially to our family unit. In 2012 I worked in Distance Education but my role was unfortunately made redundant, this was followed in 2013 by a year of exploring teacher aiding and relief teaching and in 2014 I tried another avenue which partnered well with my studies, being a high school chaplain. All of these roles involved me being in the classroom, but with a little one I only wanted to work part-time and unfortunately not much part-time work in the area I was hoping for, was on offer.

This year I have been blessed to be back in the classroom for three days a week teaching English grade 10 and 11 (OP) and grade 10 history (and my little person has started kindy...time flies!) Towards the end of last year I was offered this position and I fell in love immediately. My heart wanted to be back in the classroom more than I knew. I felt that even though the chaplaincy was a wonderful experience and opportunity that confirmed my long term goal (to be a school counsellor/guidance officer) that right now, being in the classroom, learning alongside students and challenging myself as an educator is where I want to be. 

I have to admit that I have been inspired by the teacher I share a house with, my legendary husband Jacques (known as @jdtriver in the Twittersphere). His passion for his students, his love of teaching and his dedication and desire to learn more, know more and share this with others 'wows' me. He is totally invested in teaching, in his students, in education and thus offering his best to his students and fellow staff. He is hungry to learn and has also introduced me to Twitter where there is a wealth of knowledge and sharing. It is a platform like no other and it has become a valuable tool in my teaching kit, though as the year progresses and I get into the swing of teaching once again, I hope to use it more frequently to get ideas, share ideas and participate regularly in Professional Development that is free, informative and valuable. 

I am so excited about being back in the classroom. The new school year for students only started on Tuesday (after Australia Day - though teachers were back the week before) so I am slowly trying to get to know my students, build a relationship with them and hopefully embark on an epic journey where I provide tools to enable them. I hope to inspire them to push their limits and not feel that they are constricted by the curriculum that the journey for them is fun, worthwhile and one where they learn more than just a subject, but about life, about expressing themselves and about thinking for themselves. I hope to encourage ponderers, students who challenge what is put before them, students who feel that the classroom is their place to share ideas, bounce opinions and thoughts around and in so doing also learn about life. I am so excited about this journey and hope you will join me on it, as I document how I am learning and loving the life of teaching.