A tough day and only 2 classes !

Today should have been an easy day. With only 2 classes I should have cruised through the day.... except they were both Grade 6 classes and its at the point in the tangram project where everything is supposed to fit together and sadly some dont !! I had one boy today who had glued it together last week then cut it all apart with a saw this week. I think he might actually be classed as challenged though in the kindest form of the word. However that doesn't take away from the fact I should have seen that coming and taken action to prevent it, if there had been 2 of me I might have managed or even if our technician had been around that would have helped to as I wouldnt have had to keep traipsing to the office to get extra wood. Our technician Nelson is a lovely guy he has worked this year to allow him to finish off his degree in mechanical engineering and i know what its like to work and try to study at the same time its tough. Nelson has up to now rode a bike to work but has now bought a car. The only problem is to afford it he has had to take on a second job. he now acts as a valet parker in the morning parking cars then comes to work at the school. in some ways he is fortunate to be able to do this as we are not a very demanding team but today I could have easily murdered him when he was missing during both grade 6 classes meaning I had to try to monitor , teach and acts as an ongoing store.. I think Diana and I might need to chat a bit more about what he does and when, as the 28 pupil grade 6 classes really should have 2 people in no matter what to ensure safety.

Aside from that the day was ok...and if I could stop feeling so bloody tireed and drained I might actually enjoy things a bit more.

Tomorrow I have 4 grade 8 classes. During last week they had a hand in to do in their groups. I graded all the hand ins today, the hand ins are supposed to be presentation quality sadly that seems even after 6 months of me prattling on about form, and function to have had limited effect. I think of the 20 odd reports handed in (3 groups havent) I can say only 1 group had the right idea. the rest are well off the mark.. So I have graded what they are getting back and I am going to give them 1 week to improve their grade from the comments I have left them. I also think I might try doing a lesson tomorrow on presentation just to reinforce my feeling that improvement is required. The 3 groups who havent handed anything in have lost the opportunity for guidence and support. They will have to work on their own till next week. Initially they probably wont feel they have been disadvantaged by not handing the sheets in, but I think I will find their level of work will not improve since they wont appreciate where they have gone wrong.

It will be interesting to reflect on how tomorrow goes when I update the blog. Any other spare time is spent researching Jordan which seems to be an interesting area and what could easily be titled the cradle of civilisation from a historical archeological viewpoint I will have so much to see and read up on to appreciate the area I will be in come August.

Until tomorrow... time to powerpoint !!
chao