This past weekend was a lot of fun! We went to a football game Friday afternoon. After the game, we went out for Kristen's birthday. We have met some locals who are really fun and want to show us everything they possibly can while we are here.

By the way, football here is nothing like football in the states.

Walking in for the football game

The football field- it was huge.

Those four poles are how they score points. If they kick it through the middle it is six points, and if they kick it through the outer two sections it is three points.

And dinner time :)

Christina and I in front of the ferris wheel.

The Music Box in downtown Perth.. everything was outside.

Saturday night after watching Valentine's Day

Walking into the Rugby game Sunday

Kristen and I at the rugby game

and a group shot...

We had to take a picture with our chocolate roses Peter gave us for Valentine's Day. :)

February 11, 2010

Wednesdays at Belmont City College are short and relaxed. I only have one class. The math and science department has morning tea every Wednesday, which is where we take turns bringing lunch for everyone. There are two people for each week- one savory and one sweet. We have had amazing food the past two weeks, and I think it is a great way to show support, get to know, and socialize with others in your department. Well, next Wednesday it is my turn. I am trying to think of the MOST SOUTHERN dish I can. I have had some requests for hot wings. I was thinking maybe cheeseburger pie. If anyone reading this has any ideas, please let me know, thanks. (leave a comment or something) :)


Teaching this week has definitely been a learning experience. Like I told you all in the previous post, my teacher has given me both the Year 8 and the Year 10 classes as my own. I have been trying to pinpoint what is different about planning for classes here and planning for classes in the states.

WOW! What a week/weekend this past one was! I have not written a post in a while, and I promise I won't let that happen again (if there are any readers out there :))

First, I am going to talk about my week in the school- since that is the reason I am here, right? I met all the students, and they all love (or say they do) my accent. One boy in the Year 8 class said, "Have you ever seen Forrest Gump?" How precious, right? For the most part, they all seem like great kids with a lot of potential, and I look forward to getting to know them.

I taught my first lesson Friday to the Year 10 class. My teacher told me on Tuesday that I could take that class as my own and begin teaching those students on Friday. So, I began (right then.. maybe a little too anxious, one might say) planning for the upcoming lessons. I planned.. and planned.. and planned, I think I had like three drafts of the three lessons I was preparing; I did not want to mess anything up. I was going from one of the(I thought the only )textbooks they use. It gives no explanation to any new topic and throws in random topics here and there. So, because this book differs a lot from what I am used to, I was racking my brain to think of how I could get the lessons across to the students in an effective way. Then, I realized that the class has access to another textbook. See, the students receive a textbook at the beginning of the period everyday, and they return them at the end. I looked in the new-to-me-textbook, and ohhh, what lovely details and oh, how thick this book is (full of useful stuff). I was taught in my OCntent Area Reading class that the textbook should have a "co-starring" role in the classroom; however, as a new teacher, I need some kind of structure. They have a syllabus, but I just feel that everything is different. I feel that I need to know what these students have and haven't already learned, and yes, I think I should be able to rely on a textbook to show me that.

Anyway, my lesson went really well. As much as I did not want to admit it, I was a little nervous.

The weekend came quickly (and so did my bad luck or absent-mindedness, whatever you want to call it.) The other girls and I planned to spend the evening at the Supreme Court Gardens in downtown Perth, because the city was having a festival, a free one :). We planned to meet there around 6:45. Well, I don't trust myself with mixing directions and crowds, so I planned to meet two of the other girls at a train station around 6:00. I was going to get on the train at the train station that is about a 15 minute walk from my house, then ride the train to meet them. I was instructed to call them when I was getting on the train. I walk all the way to the train station and go to call them. It was then that I realized I had forgotten my phone. I could just picture it sitting on the coffee table, because as I was getting ready, I thought to myself, maybe I should go ahead and put it in my purse. So, I had to walk back home to get it, then back to the train station. After being mad at myself, I started to find the situation a bit humorous as I remembered how tight my jeans were when I put them on. Good news- an hour later and with time to spare, I made it to the festival. :)

The festival was awesome.

This is what welcomed us to the festival.



These guys led the elders of the tribes.


Then, they set the tree on fire.






















And then the fireworks began and I became a little obsessed with taking pictures (I ended up with about 20 pictures of these guys hanging in the sky with fireworks going off behind them.. These are just some of my favorites. :))




Check out her outfit!!


After the festival, Christina and I went to have a drink with one of the teachers at her school. We drank some wine and talked. Then, we walked to another bar that had karaoke (no, I did not participate.) While we were waiting on our drinks, a wine glass fell on my head, and they gave us free drinks. I'm telling you, I was having a weird and humorous night.



Saturday we went to Hillary's and just walked around, shopped, and ate lunch and ice cream.


Lunch Time!!



Today, Izzy and I went shopping for FIVE hours!

Today was my first official day of student teaching as it was the students’ first day of classes. I used most of the time of this boring day to get organized and to wrap my head around what exactly was going on. The curriculum here is different from ours in the states, and what they title their courses is also a change for me. My teacher is doing a great job in filling me in when I have questions. She seems like she is going to be a great math teacher to learn from.

Anyways, about my classes- we have a Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, and Year 11. These classes correlate to grades 7^th- 10^th in the states as their first grade is our kindergarten. There are varying learning abilities in these classes, and I found that the Year 9 class is going to be a bit challenging. It is a lower ability group of students. I helped one girl today, and it reminded me once more why I want to be a teacher. I feel the more challenging the class, the more rewarding it can be. I appreciate the diversity I am on track to experience this semester.

Last night, Brad and Izzy took me to their favorite Chinese restaurant down the road from their house. It was really good, and I tried fried squid. J Oh, and we had fried bananas for dessert.

Today I went with the other girls to Fremantle. We went into the shops and around the market. They had a bunch of cool stuff, and I bought my sister's birthday present. :) Now, I just need to figure out how to get it to her in the states.

Fremantle


They had fish shaped waffles, and you picked what filling you wanted... We chose caramel.