4th July, 2011
Wow! Time flies when you're having fun :) My first day at LJCS is already over!!
I got to school very early, barely anyone had arrived. Mr Brouwer (the principal), greeted me and I was introduced to a number of very friendly teachers. At 8:45 the teachers met in the staff room
and had devotions. I joined in with this. It was not long after that Mel arrived, and we were given our timetable and taken to our classrooms. I was with the year 1/2 class.. The students are soo sweet, and not at all shy :) . They began with a bible lesson, then went on with math. I went around marking their work as they went along. After this we made our way outside where they practiced their skipping in preparation for Friday (Jump Rope for Heart thingy).. We had a lot of fun doing this.
After recess I went to the Prep/Kindy class (though only the Prep class was there today) and joined them for Math. The children are friendly and so cute.. We finished the lesson by making snow flakes, this was a lot of fun :) ..After lunch Mel and I attended a choir lesson with the grades 3-6's.. they are very enthusiastic singers, especially when they got to a song where they we allowed to stomp and yell :) . When choir was over I went to the 5/6 class and helped them with the mapping of Antarctica. This was very fun and interesting..Overall, today was very enjoyable. Both teachers and students were very friendly and welcoming. I look forward to going back there tomorrow..
Laura..
5th July, 2011
Today I started with grade 5/6 class. I was given a nice revision lesson on church history, and then we got stuck into math. This was interesting, as I was allowed to 'help' the year 6's with anything problems they came across.. this was fun and kept me occupied for the remainder of the lesson.After that was recess, which I skipped because I went straight to the year 9/10 science class. Nice science they have: Making lego robot cars!! :) I joined them with this, and we had a lot of fun. Following science, the 9/10's (which only consists of 5 students) had S&E. I decided to join them in this and so ended up watching and evaluating various presentations given by students on Australian indidviduals who made a difference... This was very interestingAfter this was the primary school lunchtime. I went out and joined the children with thier skipping.. They are so cute and friendly, :) we had lots of fun. Lunch being over, I attended the year 3/4 class. They started off with quiet reading, all of them very eager to read to me.. Time flew and it was time for their science lesson on the solar system. This lesson was a lot more educational than the previous one, but both were very entertaining. It's amazing how much you can learn from a 9 year old ;) .. After this Mel and I attended the year 7/8 Art class, and also their S&E class.. A double dose of science and S&E!! WOW Fortunately the latter S&E lesson wasn't so full on as the previous one was, and instead I was kept occupied by a roudy, but friendly bunch of grade 7/8 students .. :)
Laura..
6th July, 2011
Day 3: Already! A very cold start today, but the temperature gradually rose, resulting in another great day..
I started in the year 3/4 class today. After Bible we did some running in preparation for the Fun Run on Friday. I’m looking forward to that, though I almost died this morning on the practice one around the school yard!! We went back into the class to defrost and do some ‘stressful’ mental math..
After recess Mel and I helped Mrs Postmus out with some laminating. This was interesting, and was an opportunity to experience the behind the scenes life of a teacher. Around 15 minutes before lunch we joined the year 5/6 class and helped them with their SRA comprehension activities..
After lunch I spent another enjoyable hour and a half in the 3/4 classroom. This time they had science (the study of the universe). In this lesson they were creating 3D planets using paper- mache. This was a lot of fun, making a mess, but having a ball of a time ;)
Anyways, it’s getting late and time for bed.. being a teacher is proving to be quite exhausting! :)
Laura..
7th July 2011
Despite my plans of starting the day with the 3/4 class, I found myself in the front office, making laminated wrist bands in preparation for tomorrows Fun Run. I didn’t mind this much as it gave me a chance to ‘defrost’ from the freezing outdoors. It was just after recess when I joined the Kindy/Prep class for their sport lesson. This took us away from school to where the Fun Run is going to be held tomorrow.. It was so cute to see them explore the track, calling it an ‘exciting adventure’ :) which it was. The track proved to be quite wet and muddy, and it looks like we’re in for a real entertaining, muddy run tomorrow. This being finished, we both went over to the 3/4 class and attended their French lesson. It sounds like fun, judging by the activities they were involved in :) . I understood hardly anything in that lesson, but it was very interesting to see how the teacher could communicate with the children so well, speaking very little English and mostly French.
We got back to school around lunchtime, which was spent in the front office with Mel, finishing off those wrist bands.. Again, we got a ‘behind-the-scenes’ picture of the life/role of a teacher, especially when they are involved in an organisation of a certain activity such as a Sports Day.
At around 1:40 the 3/4 class hopped on the bus, and Mr Coutt (the Sports teacher) took them to where the Fun Run is going to be held. This time we jogged, and didn’t walk like we had done with the Kindy/Prep class. I almost slipped a couple of times, but managed to get out alive and really looking forward to tomorrow..
Laura..
8th July 2011
Day 4: Already!!
What a wonderful way to end our week here: with a sports day.. We had the best weather for it too.
It was around 10am when we finally found ourselves at where the Fun Run was going to be held. It was cold and the students were very eager to begin. We started in prayer, them Mr Coutt sent the Kindy/Prep class on their way. Five minutes later the Year 1/2 class was off as well. Taking the easier option, Mel and I went along with them. Half way through I swapped with Miss Terpstra and took the rear. I had three girls to look after and encourage to keep running. This was pretty hard work, but I made it fun by inventing a couple of games where the first one to touch me would receive some sort of prize.. this kept them going through pretty much all of it. Compared to Mel, I had it pretty easy. She managed to fall in the mud.. Pity I didn’t get to see it :P Anyway we arrived, fairly clean, to see the Year 9/10 class leave on their two lap run (I had a hard enough time doing one lap) :) While waiting for them to return, we practiced our skipping in preparation for this afternoon..
We got back to school and enjoyed a hot lunch with sandwiches that really hit the spot. After practicing their skipping routines and joining in with a couple of skipping warm-ups, the students were given an opportunity to show the rest of the school a skipping routine that their group had come up with. I joined one of the groups as two of its members were absent. Our routine was not that great, but we had a fun time performing. The other group performances were well done, and very creative. When these routines had finally been performed, it was the end of the day. Giving and receiving lots of hugs and well wishes, we said our (almost emotional) farewell..
And that was my last day at Launceston John Calvin School. I had a wonderful time and it was an amazing experience. And so I would like to thank the Careers in Education Committee for organising this trip and encourage every student that is looking into teaching to apply for this ‘competition’ as it has been a real ‘eye-opener’ for me, and I’m sure it will be for anyone else who happens to apply.
Laura..