Moya Daly » assignment

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.

Good news….I found a website to appeal against the ****** parking ticket, and lodged my appeal online, informing them I have proof of payment. Bad news………..I lost the ticket proving payment!!!!! Good news…………found it again today!
More good news………..I have been reading Geoff Petty’s ‘Evidence Based Teaching’(it’s the in thing, you know)and ‘Teaching Today’, which has reassured me that I am actually doing quite a lot of the recommended ’stuff’ already. This boosted my confidence no end. Bad news………..first observation looms!!!!
First half of the input session was about reflective practice followed by best practice. We had to take in a lesson plan we had taught and scrutinise it for good and bad points…….hmmmmmm yes,well……. moving on……..
As the session went on, we discovered more and more ’stuff’ we are required to include in our observed lessons. Class profile,for example must contain notes for each student (!!!) on level,background, learning style,assessmnet to date, and any relevant detail which could affect the teaching or learning! So that’s fine, then-no problems!!!!!! I felt close to tears.
Thank goodness for the second half-feedback on the mini task from last session. Very interesting-and no,sadly I did NOT shine, as I thought I would;actually my effort was very mediocre. The final nail in the coffin was when I had to ask what ‘inflected’ meant when referring to verbs!!! I’m sure everyone knows that-I, unfortunately, did not and this did nothing to boost my already drooping confidence.
On a (slightly) lighter note, (I use that term rather a lot, don’t I?)I have at least managed to log sixteen and a half hours of lesson plans. Only ninety-seven and a half to go then!
The presentation looms-(shivers in fear)-it’s no laughing matter, really.I just need to find the Tomlinson report somewhere, summarise it, pick out the important parts, match all these pats to the corresponding column in the grid, and think of an entertaining way of presenting these rivettingly interesting facts and figures to the rest of my class.
How could I ever have thought that CELTA was easy???????
More bad news……I missed my daughter’s school parents evening two weeks ago, rather than miss a week of the course. Now I find out that the Year 9 Options Evening is also on a Tuesday-next Tuesday, in fact. Had a very nice letter from her head of year saying how sorry she was not to have seen me at Parents Evening, and hoping I could make it to the Options Evening. So I had to make myself look totally uncommitted to the course by asking my tutor if I could leave early next week. She said that of course I shouldn’t miss this event, that it was very important, but of course the paranoid side of me was convinced that the words were uttered through clenched teeth, and I swear I could hear what she was really thinking……..useless, uncommitted, drama queen. I just KNOW she was!!!!
I need to start planning all my observed lessons well in advance. I am sooooooooooo scared.
Meanwhile, I must sleep, perchance to dream and all that. Just hope that damned grid assignment doesn’t make an appearance!
Until next week, then-bye!