TEFL course diaries - Moya Daly

Well, that’s it for the moment- Observation Number Two is over, and I cannot tell you how relieved I am! Managed to drag myself out of bed an hour earlier than usual, traffic not too punishing, but was bordering on apoplectic when I arrived at work and had left department key in my other handbag. This could have meant being unable to print out the email with the MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT of an observed lesson-the lesson plan! As I was up ’til gone 2am working on it, and had no ink in my printer, I sent it as an attachment to my work email. No problem, you might think. Except that as nobody else is usually on my floor that early, fear robbed me of movement for a while. Thank goodness for Andy in IT-he has a key to my section, thus saving the day-or at least my sanity at that moment anyway.

With LP all printed out-copy for me, one for my tutor, all fifteen million worksheets/handouts (see previous  blog), assessment grid (please let this work in my favour- think I may have tempted fate here, but more of that later) class and individual student profiles at the ready, I began to feel calm……..ish……well ok that IS an exaggeration, but as I have likened Observations to a trip to the dentist ( you know, you dread it so much that by the time you’re actually in the surgery, the fear tends to subside) you will understand what I mean. I can’t pretend I was not nervous, but in my zombie-like state of total acceptance ( condemned man and all that ) I even toyed with the idea of nipping downstairs and out of the building for a shot of nicotine!! Quickly rejected that idea, as i certainly did NOT want to bump into my tutor outside looking totally unprofessional and smelling like an ash tray!

Consoled by the fact that my current class consists almost entirely of very conscientious students who are hardly ever late (famous last words) I wrote my aims on the board, placed my materials on my desk in order and waited. (Cue music-Mozart’s requiem for a dead woman, perhaps)

Oh I know this sounds overly dramatic, but I can honestly say that I feel less nervous about  job interviews, exams, presentations or even giving birth. Any budding psychologist who could explain this to me? I swear I am NOT by nature a person who is easily affected by nerves.

Anyway, after taking a call from one of my strongest students, I sensed my confidence ebbing away. Chanting the mantra ‘It’s only an hour out of your life’ and thinking of my daughter’s text: MUM, DON’T STRESS- YOU’RE JUST DOING WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY-AND YOU KNOW YOU ARE A GOOD TEACHER. YOU’LL BE FINE. Bless her, a lovely thought but am I really the only person who manages only adequate performance at best in observations?

Ok, well I got through it. One activity went so badly I felt the urge to shock everyone by picking up the fifteen million sheets and throwing them all up into the air. Needless to say I resisted. When that didn’t work I simply drew on one of those fifteen million alternative worksheets (who says it doesn’t pay to have too much material??) and produced what I thought was a very successful Mingle activity. Now I say successful, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating of course, and I shall let you all know in due course-next Tuesday 2pm-just how successful it really was. I managed to tick all but two boxes on my famous assessment grid, and the new students seemed to enjoy their first full session in the class- so at least THAT aim was met!! My observing tutor smiled a lot, which could mean several things: she couldn’t believe how rubbish I was, she enjoyed the lesson, she wondered what on earth I was doing in a classroom and secretly wondered why I wasn’t on a checkout till in Tescos, or maybe just maybe she thought I had worked hard to plan and prepare the lesson, she could recognise that I am passionate about my job, she witnessed how happy the students were, or she was simply remembering one of Johnny Vaughan’s comments from the Breakfast Show on the radio in the car!! We shall see!

Look in next Tuesday and you may detect a more amiably humoured tone to the blog. I’m off now to catch up on the sleep I lost last night. Oh Friday, you are so dear to me this week!

Aw, my students were so sweet. And guess what? During the next -UNOBSERVED- part of the lesson, we decided to turn the Q&A activities into a task based project next week, with students working in pairs or groups to discuss and write questions for interviews with other classes and/or the staff. I can’t wait!!

Hello everybody! Yes, I am back, but only just. It was a very long summer-I taught thoughout, apart from two days in July for my daughter’s graduation, and three in August. Remember the famous long weekend in a caravan I had eagerly awaited? Well, that didn’t materialise, I’m afraid.

I feel that I should mention here that I am seriously wondering whether to continue with the course. Circumstances at my place of work, an extremely upsetting family problem and total lack of self esteem are all conspiring to erode my determination  to see this through.

Steeling myself to return, and armed with  ‘holiday souvenirs’ (printed copies of a wonderful article on TBL) for my classmates, I breezed in to be greeted by my third-yes THIRD- assignment for re submission. This was not pleasant, to say the least, and I am ashamed to tell you all that I was reduced to tears, scarcely able to hide my mood. I did manage to compose myself quickly, and my (lovely) tutor did her very best to reassure me that this was not ‘failing’ and that it would not be a good idea to give up now. However, with my second observation looming (how stupid of me to postpone this last term) I am still having doubts.

I have 5 new students in my class this week, which is great, except that two of these haven’t yet stepped foot in the classroom yet, and the other three have yet to complete their diagnostic test. Not the most reassuring way to be attempting a successful observed lesson! Still, these things were sent to try us, as my mother always says, and at present I wonder whether there are any other recipients of ‘these things’ who are as fed up with ‘being tried’ as I am!!!

So to the Big O…………..(observation, that is). Yes, we have just started the Health module, and I had a wonderful lesson last week which generated some fantastic ideas and language, so was looking forward to continuing with the various resources. It was at this point, (you know - just when you thought it was safe to go back into the CELTA 2 classroom and all that………) I discovered that there would be disruption on a grand scale: a Job Fair meant that my students would be away from the classroom on the day that I was due to be observed, plus I received the great news that I was to have three new students. I did not crumble, folks….. I calmly negotiated with the Jobsearch team to change the day of the  Job Fair outing, put in lots of unpaid hours before and after class completing various admin tasks in anticipation of the new students, only to discover  three days before the BIG O that I would have not three but five new students. It was at THIS stage that I DID begin to crumble.

So here I am, everybody. Back, and crumbling, basically; once again asking myself the question, ‘Why am I putting myself through this?’  

Things are particularly precarious in the ESOL field  at the moment, due to the government’s latest directive towards numeracy and employability. Some of my colleagues and classmates have been affected by the cuts in teaching staff. So if any reader feels the need to post a short sharp reminder that I should stop whingeing and think myself lucky, please do so. Those of you who have followed my blog (are there any followers, truly?) will know that I can’t stand whingers, so no offence will be taken at all. As I write this, I am conscious of the fact that my lesson plan for tomorrow hasn’t been written yet. The ever -present P disease has not been cured and if you don’ know what this is, then it serves you right for not being one of my readers!

Update-it is twenty minutes past midnight, and I am just about to type out my lesson plan. It is written (well, scribbled) out, and all materials (yes, fifteen million handouts and worksheets-just to be sure) are copied and in the correct order. For how long, I cannot guarantee, since once I begin my lesson, I am positive (me? positive?) that they will be reduced to a muddled  array (should that be disarray?) as I struggle to forget I am being scrutinised-oops, sorry observed!! No matter. By coffee time tomorrow, there will only be four more of these tortuous experiences to endure! Did you detect that hint there? Am I actually reconsidering? Will I finish this course after all?

Once again I beseech you to ………Watch this Space! Wish me luck!

So excited I don’t know which to mention first, but in keeping with the title, I must disclose the claim to fame heading………..I have had a comment on my post from……….wait for it…………Dave Willis!!!! Yes, THE Dave Willis. How very kind it was to thank me for MY comments. I have raved about the books both on here and at college, and what’s more I passed the  methodology/reflective practice assignment (well almost-I forgot to write in the phonemes-couldn’t manage to find them on the computer!!) Good old Task Based Learning, I say.

Moving on, I cannot contain my relief at the thought of no college tomorrow. I feel terribly guilty saying this, as it in no way reflects my enjoyment of the content (well most of it anyway-does anyone truthfully get excited about  policies?) but I do have to say that Tuesdays have been very stressful, particularly when I have been up till four or five a.m. in order to meet deadlines for assignments!

The third was completed and duly handed in on the last day-this was the Learner support one, and it wasn’t quite as awful as I thought, but we will not have them back until September, so I shall simply put it out of my mind until then. Meanwhile, we have the Diagnostic Assessmnet assignment, which I am a little concerned about, as I have my own views on this which are not very complimentary.  Then the Discourse Analysis, which will involve mountains of work, but actually looks  quite interesting, as I mentioned before.

There is also a scheme of work to be planned and a rationale provided. This is difficult because it ties in with other portfolio requirements and as I work for a Training Provider, not a college, the intake is not on a yearly basis, but week to week, on a ‘Roll On, Roll Off’ system. Therefore students are arriving and leaving all the time, which makes the continuity of my portfolio difficult to maintain, to say the least.

For this week, though, I shall enjoy the freedom and the relief of having no balck cloud hanging over my head. (Just watch this space at the end of August-there will be one VERY stressed individual cursing for having left things until the last minute.

‘So what?’ I proclaim. ‘ Isn’t that what procrastinators do?’ I mean…….hay fever sufferers sneeze, smokers cough, drinkers slur their words, and procrastinators……well, you already know. Amnd if you don’t know, then you haven’t been paying enopugh attention to my diary blog, so I have no sympathy!!

I shall endeavour to astound everybody-including myself-by starting to think about these next mammoth tasks way in advance. Well, one can try, can’t one?

By the way, I found a resource I had thought was lost for eternity. I knew I had a dictaion activity related to money and numbers, which I need for a much later lesson I have to teach using numeracy. This was another great relief. I am now sharing my classroom again with a lovely lady from ‘Up North’ She and I are similar in many ways, and the last two weeks have been hectic, what with trying to make some space for her. After my last classroom sharer left, I simply spread out to fill the room with all my ’stuff’. Now I have had to move everything in a hurry, and I doubt I will ever remember not just where I put things but what resources I had that have now been stashed away somewhere never to be found.

Middle daughter graduates next Tuesday, oldest son moves house the following week, and as you all know (if you’ve been paying attention), youngest daughter takes her G7 piano exam on 18th July.

Hmmmmmm! Did I say I would be LESS stressed when the term ended?????? Must start to plan some of these assignments. Just not yet-I’m off to bed to enjoy that wonderful feeling you experience when youhave ……….no college for two months!!!!!!!

Hello

Just one more session left of this term…….hooray! Assignment 3 due in on that day………booooooooo! We now have two more assignments to be working on over the holiday-and I say that word lightly, you understand, because, in fact, poor me, I do not have a holiday. (Everybody say…….ahhhhhhhhhhh!) No seriously, please do not send words of sympathy, for I AM in fact having a teeny weeny holiday; I am going to Pagham with family for the August bank holiday, and have taken a couple of days off work beforehand, so I do in fact get a break. It should be relaxing, but I may have to take some ‘light reading’, (as in research for my discourse analysis assignment) and some notes on student assessment (yes, you guessed-that would be for my assessment assignment). But more of that later!

The conference was a little disappointing, as well as extremely exhausting. Arising at 5 am on a Saturday is not the most enjoyable of prospects to begin with. Furthermore, experiencing London Transport and its inefficiencies so early in the morning leads me to offer my greatest applause to all who are misfortune enough to have to use such an abysmal service an a daily basis! But I digress-the main attraction for me was the prospect of the task based learning workshop; sadly this was probably the most disappointing part of the day. My tutor had joked that I would probably find I already knew everything, and at the risk of sounding pompous, this turned out to be the case. The morning presentation, on the principles of Dogme,however, was very interesting. I recognised this term from something I had read, but wasn’t totally sure exactly what it was. The speaker was very good, and certainly held my attention throughout, unlike the afternoon presentation on Creative Writing, which I was looking forward to, but which failed to inspire me at all. A great shame, as this is also an area of interest to me. The afternoon workshop was successful, with lots of participation, ideas for class activities, and some points to think about. It was mainly concerned with dialogue, which will be extremely helpful for my Discourse Analysis assignment. Oh noooooooooooooooooooooo! I did it-I said the ‘A’ word! It is 2.19 am now, and I have yet to start putting my assignment together. I now have my ‘case study’ and pages of notes covering most of the bullet points, but it looks like once again I shall be sitting up till the wee small hours tomorrow in order to meet the deadline. (Why change the habit of a lifetime?)

Last week’s input sessions were very useful: continuation of Listening material, and the importance of its authenticity; then a very long but extremely informative session on Dyslexia, which I  found  both interesting and enlightening.

Anyway, I really ought to ge some sleep, because I doubt I’ll get more than two or three hours tomorrow night. Hopefully by the next blog entry, I will have completed and handed in my 3rd assignment. This will mark the very significant halfway stage of my CELTA 2, although I do still have an observed lesson to endure in the next month!! Hopefully this will keep you all interested, even though I have no idea what I am going to teach on that day. I’m sure that you all understand now about my affliction, and perhaps allow me just a little sympathy??? Enough for now-I’m very tired!!!

Hello everybody! After various problems on the site, I am back again! Now I have to get used to the new site and start my entries again. So, what do I have to reveal since my last entry? Well, apart from the class trip and the usual stresses and strains of family life (more of this later) I am very excited about the conference this weekend in Birmingham. One of my chosen workshops is on my newly found passion-Task Based Learning. I’m so surprised at the conversion; my enthusiasm was somewhat lukewarm when I first researched it for my assignment (which incidentally is currently awaiting ’second marking’) but I chose this teaching approach because it was so far removed from my usual method. Now, however, I am so enthralled by the progress I have made in incorporating it into my teaching, that I am eager to learn even more. I can’t say I’ve mastered the whole procedure-my time management is still a problem, and as my students are only E1/E2, the end stage is still in the early stages, if you will forgive the pun! Nevertheless, I have already used one of the ideas from my newly acquired literaure to help with planning my next scheme of work!! Are you all impressed? You should be! Negotiating course content sounds so professional, doesn’t it? Well, let’s face it, I am almost halfway though this course now, and I am beginning to realise that this qualification will indeed afford me the equivalent status of Qualified Teacher in FE!! Hmm, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here-there is the small matter of seven more assignments, five more nerve-racking observations, completion of portfolio, final professional research project, and two more terms of input. No worries!!!!!!!!!

OK, back to the TBL. After my class trip to a local Victorian House Museum, which was very enjoyable, we spent the next week planning and writing letters of thank you, and making a classroom display of  photos, headings and personal recollections of the day. This was an excellent opportunity for TBL, and I was so excited when I sat back and actually listened to the students during the task. I was genuinely surprised  at the amount of language generated by the collaborative planning. I sall endeavour to find out how to post photos on here, as the final result was a wall display produced exclusively by the students. There were ,of course, disagreements: type of display, siting of the display, which photos to select, arrangement etc. Nonetheless, even the disagreements enabled the learners to show what they knew, or at least try to! I was so proud of them!

The last few input sessions have been related to the next assignment-notice how I am able to write that word now without shuddering!! When I say next assignment, what I actually mean is the next next assignment, which will be number 4. The third, due in on the last day of term(that will definitely be a ‘good news, bad news’ day) is……..well, it’s …….er……… in my head, that’s where it is! At least, that’s where I am constantly writing it! This is the one about Learner Support, and it is NOT easy. Say no more. Number 4 assignment is at least interesting. The sessions have been quite enjoyable. Discourse analysis sounds so complex but honestly it’s an area of subject specialism which I find fascinating. That didn’t stop me from feeling pretty useless yesterday when I was unable to complete a task without asking everyone else. I wasn’t the only one who found it difficult,  thank goodness, but I managed to convince myself I was definitely the most incompetent in the room!

Never mind-there is always TBL. At this moment in time, I take comfort from the latest learning curve. The conference approaches…………………Birmingham, here we come!

I will try to sort out photos for future viewing. Watch this space!

Anyway,

How nice! One of the readers of this blog-you know who you are-has sent me a few words of encouragement. Thank you! I see that the number of readers has increased by one…..ooohh how exciting! Yesterday’s input session was on assessment: importance of, how to, terminology to describe and type of. Very interesting. There is so much to learn, and I genuinely enjoy most of the sessions. That is not to say that the workload doesn’t cause much stress and anxiety, of course. It’s just a good idea occasionally to remind myself that I CHOSE to do this course, and that I enrolled with my eyes wide open, so to speak. Everyone warns you how tough CELTA 2 is, so no sympathy is sought here.(Well, I say none sought, but please feel free to empathise as much as you wish!)
Oh, and we had a really helpful Q&A session with the tutor who will be marking this next assignment, which focuses on learner support. My anxieties were allayed somewhat after this, and I am determined to start this assignment a little earlier than I did the last two. Hmmmm! Well,I guess that won’t be too difficult, after being up until 4am completing the last two! It’s not that I don’t work on, research, think about, live breathe and die ASSIGNMENT. It’s just ……well, you all know about my affiction, so I won’t bore you with the gory details. I do so despise having to make decisions. Which policy to discuss? Which teaching approach to use and evaluate? And now which disability or barrier to learning? Oh, and which student? This is extremely difficult for someone who is barely able to choose the filling for her sandwich! Anyway, I digress. More news to share with you all….. I may be attending a Teaching and Learning conference in Birmingham which includes a workshop on……..yes, you guessed it: Task Based Learning!! I am awaiting confirmation from my team leader that Head Office has agreed to funding. Fingers crossed. It’s not ’til June 16th, which is a shame, because it will be too late to be of use for my next Observed Lesson on the 8th June.(Shivers with terror!!!) I’m already in ‘Eat, sleep, breathe Observation’ mode. This means that I’m constantly thinking of ideas, checking my resources, running a lesson plan through in my head, then swiftly changing my mind to the next ‘brilliant idea’. One would think that, at my age,a teacher would be rather more grounded and mature about these things. I have no idea why I crumble at the thought of being observed. I’m almost as anxious when I have my regular observations at work! Pathetic, isn’t it? Mustn’t complain. It’s a necessary part of the job and the course, and one must simply put up with it. Give me a good old-fashioned exam any day. Seriously!! Ok, that’s it for today. Next week is going to be very busy,with both course and work commitments. We have a trip to the Victorian Kitchen at Gunnersbury Museum next week, and a Writing Project to be finalised. Plus my middle daughter is due home from Uni-she graduates in July-so I must make room for her and her possessions. When she moved into Aberystwyth Uni three yaers ago we needed a Transit van for the journey. Now she has amassed even more!! This will mean SERIOUS de-cluttering in my house. As you may be aware, sufferers of procrastination and indecision find this type of task very distressing. Hasta la proxima!

Hello! Good news…..finished and handed in my second assignment!! Phew! Bad news…..my first assignment came back for re-submission.Now, I truly wasn’t surprised to get it back-honestly-but I WAS surprised at how useless I felt. The problem is mine, of course. I am beginning to realise that I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. It’s still not exactly pleasant (I’ve never had to re submit anything before)Anyway, there were only a couple of adjustments to be made, which I shall endeavour to make asap. This was not the most enjoyable assignment I’ve ever had to do, and I must bear in mind that I AM learning all the time-that’s why I’m doing the course.Meanwhile I am preparing myself for a repetition with the next assignment. This one-Theoretical Frameworks-was far more enjoyable (Did I really say that??)even though i don’t feel confident of passing first time. No matter, I must share with you (all 24 of you) my views on Task Based Learning. Yes, I actually picked an approach and stuck with it! Teaching the lesson was a bit scary, but reassuring;I say this because I had to borrow one of the books-Willis-and make notes. This proved problematic because I then had to refer to notes after I’d handed it back. Ultimately the lesson was successful, even though I encountered several problems, the biggest of which was the order and structure.
Interestingly, since I taught the lesson and completed my evaluation, I have been reading much more on the subject, and I believe I am being converted!! I took delivery of two more books-yes, typical….. they arrive AFTER I’ve handed in the assignment! The newest one, ‘Doing Task Based Learning’(Jane and Dave Willis) is so good I have been reading non stop. The second is also useful as it includes evidence based views on specific types of task. Can’t remember the exact title but I’ll try to remember and post it on here soon.It is SOOOO reassuring looking at some of the recommended tasks and realising that I have actually taught lessons not too far removed from these. So, that’s the good news after the bad news after the good news.
Oh, more good news……I had my tutorial last week, and I’m ‘to standard for this stage of the course’That was a relief. I think all of us find it really hard to cope with the workload, but we were all fully aware that this is a tough course so it’s not a shock.I think this factor tends to help the group ‘gel’ We’re all getting to know each other better now. Just as well really, since I’ve spotted another mini task on the schedule some time soon, so it could mean another presentation! (groan!!!!!!!!!)
My second observed lesson is due some time within the next week or two. I’m determined to plan it decisively and in advance this time………who am I trying to kid? I would love to have the nerve to try a task based lesson, but I don’t think I’ve quite got the confidence yet. Still, you never know……after all I ought to make the most of all the reading bearing in mind the money I have forked out for books recently!!!
I shall be feeling very envious of all college tutors next week what with half term looming. It’s been stressful in my house lately… Oldest daughter just started a Midwifery degree course, middle daughter had her last Uni exam Wednesday-she graduates in July, so it’s all up to Aberystwyth for the occasion. Youngest had her Year 9 SATS to contend with, but now that they’re over she can concentrate on her next piano exam. She is due to take Grade 7 in July, so I will be very grateful for the summer break from college at least. You may remember that, as I work for a training provider,we close only one week a year, so no long summer holidays from teaching for me!!!!!! Anyway, I have some presents to wrap-my son and grandson share their birthday on Monday, and the party is tomorrow, so i must go and search for the sellotape.

Just a quickie to share my excitement at a successful E3 lesson today.Wanted to focus on pronunciation after the input session this week. This was a successful lesson, enjoyed by the students, some of whom were already aware of the importance of the schwa from previous lessons with me. Having learned about the difference between stress-timed and syllable timed languages, I managed to design a worksheet for grouping words with the same stress pattern. Not all students were able to differentiate between the groups at first, and I reminded them that they needed to speak the words aloud in order to identify the stress pattern. All but one of the 7 managed to add at least one more word to each of the columns.
They also worked hard to pronounce the schwa in words and sentences, and I had persuaded two non teaching members of staff to record a short dialogue as a listening exercise. Unfortunately this was not very successful, as not all the conversation had recorded properly, and the quality of sound was abysmal, so I ended up abandoning it, and read it aloud myself, which is never as good. No matter, I felt quite pleased with myself and the students, and this has worked wonders for my confidence. I am going to try to adapt it for a shorter activity with my regular class of E1 learners.
The next week or two will be quite hectic, as I still have my Task Based Learning lesson to prepare.(Yes, I’m sure now that this is the approach I’ve chosen……..I think…..!!!!) In addition to this I must try to squeeze in some past tense practice for my student, as we are going on a trip to Gunnersbury Museum’s Victorian Kitchen at the end of the month. It’s been a while since I took a class here, but I can’t recommend it highly enough. The tour guides are brilliant, and incorporate ESOL related ‘tasks’into the session.
Two of my new books arrived today, one (Short texts and How to Use Them) is a resource book by Alan Maley, (whose book for using poetry in the classroom is brilliant)and a rather dated book which was on my original CELTA recommended reading list (At the Chalkface). Sadly, the Methodology book hasn’t arrived yet, nor the new Jeremy Harmer text book ‘Just Right’.I get carried away sometimes on amazon-there are so many ELT books, and I could spend a fortune if I still had a credit card!!! By the way, for those who are not on the OUP mailing list, do sign up-they send so many great offers; I have received free copies of several student books, an ESOL dictionary, and recently a copy of English for Life Elementary. I really like the format of this book, and intend to buy the teacher’s book soon……well, maybe when I get paid next month……perhaps!!! Found some great info on Task Based Learning today. You really can’t go wrong with the British Council website.
Looking forward to the long weekend. I have my first tutorial next week,and no doubt I will learn when my next observed lesson will be, so I shall try - no promises - to decide on a lesson and STICK to it!!! (Yeah, like that’s going to happen!)Still, stranger things have happened.Watch this space!

Ok here goes: We have now started the second of four terms. Last week we all returned to college armed with our completed assignments-some far more professional than others (and I don’t include my own in that category) As per usual my affliction badly affected the quality of the assignment on Policies and Issues. ‘What is this affliction?’ you may ask. Well I have suffered from this ailment for as long as I can remember-I believe it is genetic, but I can’t be sure. It begins with P-have you guessed yet? PROCRASTINATION!!!!! In all areas of life, mind-not just as a learner! Coupled with my other, slightly less serious, disease (indecision) I am usually struck down quite badly when it comes to assignments and observed lessons. That reminds me, I must be due for my second observation soon.(But more of that later)
Anyway, having checked thoroughly the bullet points on the assignment brief, I feel confident that I have fully covered the required elements, and described efficiently how the policy is implemented in my workplace. I changed my mind at the last minute and decided to choose Lifelong Learning as my policy focus, as it was more relevant to the type of institution where I teach. Then you get to class, and glance nonchalantly at the perfectly presented masterpieces of the other students, with title front pages, colour coded referencing and your plain old two page offering seems….well, pathetic to say the least.(I was up till 4am the night before, so you can imagine how tired I was!) No matter, I was so excited because the first session was on syntax, and it was a really enjoyable session, both subject matter AND style of activity. Once again, I was struck by how much I DONT know; however this didn’t bother me, because I love learning more, especially when it’s grammar or phonology. The second session was quite heavy: correct terminology to describe different disabilities. Eye opening, difficult to take in, but reassuring that such a lovely young lady is in charge of this area. Looking forward to learning more about dyslexia in the next few weeks, as my younger son, now almost 19, is dyslexic, so I have a little to offer in the way of experience. It was sooooooooooo lovely going off to class today without the dark cloud of an assignment or presentation or observation looming overhead! Pure input-just what I love! First session was phonology-I had forgotten so much, I’m ashamed to say, but it was very interesting analysing students speaking on tape and identifying strengths and weaknesses. Picked up a few ideas for ways to improve pronunciation, and was happy to learn that some of the methods I already use in class were recommended. Yea!!!!!! I’m doing something right! I have my first tutorial next Tuesday and the next assignment is due in two weeks. I have to choose a teaching style I don’t normally use and teach a lesson, then evaluate it. As per usual, I have changed my mind at least three times. Silent Way???? Lexical Approach? Communicative? Latest choice is Task Based Learning, as it is the farthest removed from my usual method, however, watch this space, because………yes, you guessed it. I MAY change my mind! On a positive note, I have now logged 83 hours of lessons. Oh and I have also had another family crisis-this year has not been good to me. My daughter-in-law is in hospital with a clot on her lung; not ideal with three children, one of whom is only 12 weeks old. (you who have been faithfully reading my diary will know this, of course)My son is quite capable, but it’s not easy-as we mothers know-and I have had the odd phone call, such as the one yesterday asking me if I could remember where he put his car keys the night before, as he needed to leave for the hospital, and Kye was screaming the place down. Daughter-in-law is recovering slowly. I’m off now to track my Amazon account. I ordered three books which I need for my next assignment, and I’ve exhausted Petty for the moment!!!

Ok here goes: We have now started the second of four terms. Last week we all returned to college armed with our completed assignments-some far more professional than others (and I don’t include my own in that category) As per usual my affliction badly affected the quality of the assignment on Policies and Issues. ‘What is this affliction?’ you may ask. Well I have suffered from this ailment for as long as I can remember-I believe it is genetic, but I can’t be sure. It begins with P-have you guessed yet? PROCRASTINATION!!!!! In all areas of life, mind-not just as a learner! Coupled with my other, slightly less serious, disease (indecision) I am usually struck down quite badly when it comes to assignments and observed lessons. That reminds me, I must be due for my second observation soon.(But more of that later)
Anyway, having checked thoroughly the bullet points on the assignment brief, I feel confident that I have fully covered the required elements, and described efficiently how the policy is implemented in my workplace. I changed my mind at the last minute and decided to choose Lifelong Learning as my policy focus, as it was more relevant to the type of institution where I teach. Then you get to class, and glance nonchalantly at the perfectly presented masterpieces of the other students, with title front pages, colour coded referencing and your plain old two page offering seems….well, pathetic to say the least.(I was up till 4am the night before, so you can imagine how tired I was!) No matter, I was so excited because the first session was on syntax, and it was a really enjoyable session, both subject matter AND style of activity. Once again, I was struck by how much I DONT know; however this didn’t bother me, because I love learning more, especially when it’s grammar or phonology. The second session was quite heavy: correct terminology to describe different disabilities. Eye opening, difficult to take in, but reassuring that such a lovely young lady is in charge of this area. Looking forward to learning more about dyslexia in the next few weeks, as my younger son, now almost 19, is dyslexic, so I have a little to offer in the way of experience. It was sooooooooooo lovely going off to class today without the dark cloud of an assignment or presentation or observation looming overhead! Pure input-just what I love! First session was phonology-I had forgotten so much, I’m ashamed to say, but it was very interesting analysing students speaking on tape and identifying strengths and weaknesses. Picked up a few ideas for ways to improve pronunciation, and was happy to learn that some of the methods I already use in class were recommended. Yea!!!!!! I’m doing something right! I have my first tutorial next Tuesday and the next assignment is due in two weeks. I have to choose a teaching style I don’t normally use and teach a lesson, then evaluate it. As per usual, I have changed my mind at least three times. Silent Way???? Lexical Approach? Communicative? Latest choice is Task Based Learning, as it is the farthest removed from my usual method, however, watch this space, because………yes, you guessed it. I MAY change my mind! On a positive note, I have now logged 83 hours of lessons. Oh and I have also had another family crisis-this year has not been good to me. My daughter-in-law is in hospital with a clot on her lung; not ideal with three children, one of whom is only 12 weeks old. (you who have been faithfully reading my diary will know this, of course)My son is quite capable, but it’s not easy-as we mothers know-and I have had the odd phone call, such as the one yesterday asking me if I could remember where he put his car keys the night before, as he needed to leave for the hospital, and Kye was screaming the place down. Daughter-in-law is recovering slowly. I’m off now to track my Amazon account. I ordered three books which I need for my next assignment, and I’ve exhausted Petty for the moment!!!