Mid-Term Eval and Crit. and a pig's head!

Since my previous blog I received my mid-term evaluation and was observed by my professor, whom I live with.  My mid-term from my teacher was very good.  There were areas for me to grow, but she also addressed a lot of strengths.  I feel as though I'm learning more and more about these girls and things about them.  I'm analyzing and observing characteristics of their work and assessing it to address their needs.

My professor observed me on Friday for the girls writing lesson on a letter to America.  Unfortunately I did not save my work properly on my flash stick, and when I went to print my work in the morning it wouldn't print.  We decided that it would be an informal assessment since she wasn't able to see my lesson plan.

She came on Tuesday though for a math lesson on a whole-group lesson on two lines of symmetry and small groups on halving.  I activated their prior knowledge by asking them about what they remembered about the line of symmetry.  I then used the Ipad for the first time and showed them a rectangle.  I asked a girl to draw me the line of symmetry on the rectangle on the Ipad.

After talking to the professor about my lessons, she provided me with areas of constructive criticisms to work on.  When first hearing the areas of improvement, i was slightly surprised.  I didn't realize that i had lost touch with the value of knowing children and providing differentiated instruction.

Being here has, in some ways, lured me away from implementing differentiated instruction, developmentally appropriate practices, and recognizing their zone of proximal development.  I've started teaching to a routine that has not provided the girls with explicit differentiated instruction.  I see the challenges girls have and I accommodate to adhere to the girl's needs, but is my instruction differentiated? Further, every lesson I make I must think: is it concrete? (because at this age they think in concrete reasoning) and does it build on something familiar?  Finally my lessons should address children's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).  I shouldn't exceed their ZPD. Instead, address what they can do on their own, and create activities that can be done independently, but with some support. My problem is either: 1) the work is too easy or 2) the work is too hard to do without any support.

This is why I'm here, though: to learn and grow as an educator.  Over the next 3 weeks I will be working towards these areas of improvement.

OH! BUT on another random note... guess what?!  I braaied (like an American BBQ) a pig's head!  And I even ate some.  I ate a cheek (which was pretty fatty) and part of the neck (which just tasted like pork, once you picked through the fat).  Overall i thought it was pretty fatty and not worth the wait.  I'll take my bacon over pig's cheek any day.

Lots of love,
Eryn

Grahamstown Germs

well it finally happened: i got sick. After hearing the girls say "i'm all snotty" and "my tonsils are sore," I finally got both.  Going to the chemist was an experience: you tell the person your symptoms and they hand you medicine.  The medicine i got was so yummy; it was like taking candy.  The pills were orange sugar-coated and they looked like skittles... I'm not so sure they're very effective, but after over a dozen small oranges, similar to the Cuties in America, i'm feeling better.  And I got Chicken Noodle soup...glad to know when you're sick it's universal.  I'm hoping to be at my best tomorrow.

I also have been meaning to tell you all of the phrases i've been learning:
"shame" (like "that sounds awful")
"it's a pleasure" after saying thank you
"you must" (like "you should")
"keen" means "are you in?"

the costumer service is also not what it is in America.  "TIA" - This Is Africa

I also have figured out the times here:

"now now" 10+ minutes
"now" 15 minutes
"just now" 4-40 minutes
"soon" hour +

they also say "half past" instead of :30

and the number 1,100 is said "one thousand eleven hundred" instead of in America where it's said "eleven hundred."

Chips are french fries, and samosa's are fried triangular deliciousness. you get them at petrol stations (gas stations) and they're baked fresh daily with the pies.

Smarties are candy coated chocolate pieces, like M&M's but the shell is harder.

 Cheers for now from the future :)

Week 5 Update

Sorry I've been so negligent of my blogging.  We had a holiday last Friday through Tuesday, so Stef and I went to Cape Town.  Cape Town has so many different things to see, and we barely scratched the surface of the trip!!! We went to: Kirstenbosch botanical gardens (my favourite), a bird sanctuary, wine tasting in Stellenbosch, the aquarium and walking around the waterfront, and visiting a township.  A township is like a poorer area of Africa where there are houses made from tin and no sewage system.  The electricity is powered through, though.  Here's a picture of the tin houses:















I will also post a blog about my adventure to a pineapple farm soon soon!  Be in touch, miss you all!