Teaching

So I went to a school this week and after I was done I was presented with a toque, lanyard, pocket calculator and a bottle of wine. When the teacher handed me the bottle of wine she said "If you go into teaching you're going to need more of this".

During this co-op job I have seen some very different classroom dynamics. Some classes are so into it - I have had students take note during my presentation. I have also had students lay their heads down onto the desk and pretty much ignore my existence. When I come home though, I always love working with students and love what I am learning from them. Every student and every class is different. Some classed need hard rules and deadlines during the hands on activity to get what they need to done. Some classes I just tell them when testing is going to happen and they have everything ready to go.

Side note: The hands on activity is building a space station with the maximum possible total area of solar panels that still fits into a cargo bay (cardboard - brought in a built by me). Students use paper, pipe cleaners, scissors, tape, rulers and toilet paper tubes to make their space station.

I also found somewhere where I can have Chemistry and Earth and Environmental Science as my teachables (http://www.edsw.usyd.edu.au/future_students/postgraduate/mteach/secondary_prerequisites.shtml). This is really exciting for me. All I have to do is find a term to fit in a biology course. Hopefully I will get in there - could be a really cool adventure.

Love and Peace.