Yesterday was a fairly good day. The kids were a little wild but enjoyable. I taught handwriting in the morning, which was even more of a challenge than teaching money! This is because, Queensland (the state in which I am teaching) has its own form of manuscript. And, it's goofy. Google it and you'll see what I mean! My teacher had my try my hand at it and write half of what the kids would be copying off of the board. I was proud because only ONE student had to ask me what one word said because he couldn't read it. I was supposed to teach the students where they needed to pick up their pencil in the middle of certain words... I can't even hardly write it, and they're supposed to believe me?! I was very impressed with the perserverance in the class today, as several of them took their time, truly giving me quality not quantity! :)

Math was successful, but a little wild toward the end. The students pleasantly surprised me with their success in learning group equivalence as well as their ability to help their peers if they didn't understand. One of my FAVORITE things to see is when a student is truly HELPING another student and not just giving him/her the answer. Following that we broke into groups and had them cut out nets of shapes to create 3D shapes. One of the groups was a bit too chatty after I had prompted them several times, and so I stood my ground and made the 6 of them stay in an extra 5 minutes during recess and tell me one thing they plan on doing different to prevent this next time. I love teaching Elementary school because I could do that, and they were still my best friend at the end of the day. I was a super super mean teacher yesterday though because I even gave out two pink tickets (slips that say that students need to stay in during recess in a behavior room). I had warned them repeatedly, but they continued until I had enough and wrote them up!

At the end of the day, we started doing Father's day gifts. Father's day is September 5th here. For one of the gifts, I needed to take a picture of each of the students individually. It was fun to get to do this, because now I will have them all to remind myself of this wonderful class. While I had my camera out I also took a few pictures of the "late slips" in the late book. The reasonings are quite humorous... "traffic", "slept in", "mum slept in", "went to bank", and my personal favorite, "no idea". :)

Last night Tina, Trevor, Shannan, Sara (another Minnesota student) and I all went to "Animal Kingdom", an Australian movie. It was quite disturbing and depressing... but fascinating at the same time. It was a definite change watching a movie where the steering wheel was on the otherside of the car, and they had an Australian accent. I found them at times hard to understand even though I can almost always understand Australians in person!

Today was a particularly easy day at school. The 3rd years were pleased to watch an Aboriginal man share his artifacts, paintings, skills and stories with them. He explained to us all of the different tools the aboriginee people used, as well as the interpretations of a few paintings. He played the didgerdoo, and sang a wonderful song. But the part the kids thought was the total coolest was when he showed them how the aboriginals threw a spear as well as a returning boomerang. This guy was a pro, so don't expect me to be coming home capable of doing it! It's quite a science of wind, speed, and angle! It was fascinating and I think it made his day to have 80 3rd years clapping and cheering for him too! It was wonderful to have the students enjoy and be presented such an intregal part of their culture!

I ate my short lunch with some of the grade 4 and 5 teachers where they introduced me to the wonderful Australian book "Possum Magic"... a book I plan on buying! In this book it lists a variety of different Australian delicacy foods. To top off their introduction to the book, they fed us these delicacies! I absolutely LOVE pavlova! Look it up! I'm going to try to make it for everyone as an Australian treat at holidays. It's fantastic, but very sweet. I also am madly in love with Lamingtons (white cake, dipped in chocolate coated in coconut), and enjoy the white Tim-Tams better than the chocolate ones.

I finished my day by eating a place called Louise's...aka the KCP Cafe in Naragba. Tina and Trevor have boasted that they have the BEST burgers... and they were VERY delicious!

I have best be off, but want you to know that I will likely have some wonderful pictures to put up when I write next. The 8 Minnesota students and I are leaving tomorrow for Tangalooma on Moreton Island for the weekend! One of the teachers has arranged transportation for us to and from the launch, over and back from the island, as well as letting us stay at her apartment there for 2 nights for free! Boy we are spoiled! :) I need to get packing, as well as preparing for next weeks lessons because I won't be back from Tangalooma until late Sunday!

Hope you all have JUST as fun of a Labor weekend! I'll be thinking of you as I am sand tobagganing, snorkeling, and attempting to windsurf... maybe. :)

written by  cowane1 on September 2, 2010 from Morayfield, Australia
from the travel blog: Australian Adventures!
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And once again i'll say this "You SUCK !!!!"
have a great weekend...Maybe you'll see Mom and her new husband be cause this is killing me for you to be there me wanting too ...

written by  James Cowan on September 2, 2010

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^and me wanting too be there

written by  James Cowan on September 2, 2010

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