Final Days at M.E.S.S.

Overall, school this week went VERY smoothly. I did not write a single pink ticket, because I believe that I have the behavior of the classroom under control. I did however keep a few students in at lunch to finish work that they did not finish when they should've. I also did a random desk check this week and gave those students who kept their area nice and tidy a "Good Work" ticket. As a result of this random desk check, I also chose to keep a few more students in at noon to clean their DESKS! One student's desk was jammed so full of papers we were unable to slide the tray out from underneath it. Once we got it out, we found not only a million half finished drawings and assignments, but a piece of cheese, a cut up apple, a fruit cup and madarin peeligs too! GROSS! I used this as a learning opportunity and gave him a speech about how letting this go this far could've been dangerous to his health and those around him! He promised me he wouldn't let it get that bad again.

Swimming lessons have been quite entertaining. Unfortunately, the students have become TOO familiar with some of their teachers and have begun to push their limits. At the same time, so many of them have become REMARKABLY better than they were the first day!

This experience has only strengthened my desire to become a teacher. I have come to terms with the fact that not EVERY student is going to understand everything I teach them the very first time. But, it gives me GREAT pleasure to see that when I review it, they sometimes get it the second time around. This past week I have done a lot of review, and have been amazed (and extremely proud) of the information I have taught the students and their retention of it!

Tuesday was the night of the Minnesota BBQ that Kelly and I had organized for the MSU students & their host families, the QUT staff, and our cooperating teachers. Turnout for the event was REMARKABLE! Of the people I invited, ONE person did not make it (with the exclusion of 3 MSU students/families too)! Over 35 people showed up! The Minnesota students did all of the cooking, so the meal consisted of Tater-Tot hotdish, a chicken and stuffing hotdish, a rice/broccoli/ground beef combination, snicker-apple salad, meat/cheese/salsa dip with chips, caeser salad, and rice krispy bars.

Unfortunately I had to leave the BBQ for a short while though. But - it was for a GREAT reason. It was the last night of Girl Guides that I would be able to be present for, as well as their last one before school holidays! Although I only stopped in for a short while, the girls had signed a beautiful certificate of appreciation for me and gave me a Girl Guides chip clip/note clip with a picture of a koala on it. I LOVE IT! :) I'm so happy I was able to be a part of such a wonderful organization while I was visiting.

Today was the last day of our prac at school. It was a bit sad, but I never once teared up! :) My students and I spent all morning working on a maths assessment. Poor kids :( I even enjoy math, but I could tell they were miserable. After that they went to swimming then to PE, then it was lunch! After lunch, I was able to spend my last little bit of time with them. :) I gave them each the personal note I wrote for them and a picture of the class. They simply LOVED the notes. They were running around the classroom showing eachother what I had written to them. I also had made them rice krispy bars, and handed those out as they were headed to Drama. I thought that one of the students was crying because I was leaving, and I was touched. I later found out that that wasn't the case, but that he had received a pink ticket during lunch and was upset about that. Ha! Kyryn and the class were ever so kind and gave me a box of chocolates, a package of carmel Tim-Tams, and the book Possum Magic. What a wonderful way to end my time at M.E.S.S.!

Tomorrow is my final day in the Burpengary, Morayfield, Caboolture area. The plan is that all 8 of the students are to give their final presentations to much of the QUT staff, the principal of M.E.S.S. and Carol Werhan and Ginger (I don't know her last name) from MSU. These presentations, essentially reflections of the cultural and educational differences between the 2 places, are a huge part of our grade for our Australia experience. :) Wish me LUCK! :) Mine is particularly creative, but for that reason - I'm slightly nervous to present it!

Hope all is well at home! 12 days until I get to see for myself. :)

written by  cowane1 on September 16, 2010 from Morayfield, Australia
from the travel blog: Australian Adventures!
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