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Tuesday 20 September 2011

Exams, reports and essays...oh my...

I am not dead.

Sorry for the lack of entries and the lack of comments. It's not you, it's me. And, sadly enough, I am being completely serious. I don't really have time to be doing an entry now but it is now or never for a while.

It's getting down to crunch time with exams, credits and lack of essays flying around. I feel as if I were Dorothy stuck in the midst of the tornado and rather than the Wicked Witch it's a clock flying around, constantly ticking its reminder. Plus, a looming deadline for reports.

Add to that trying to think of ways to get the students involved in their own learning and you have a rather rundown and slightly more snarky Jay. Good thing about that is my wit is so dry that most of the time the students don't even realise what I am saying. (Small win for me because they don't need to deal with my snark...well...)

Throw into the mix the stupid World Cup, which means a lot of my students aren't here or, if they are, they are so distracted that they couldn't care less about how diegetic sound can enhance a movie.

I don't know if you've ever tried to explain the importance of camera angles to a bunch of 13-14 year olds. I would compare it to throwing pasta at a wall. Some of it sticks but not enough to make sense of anything.*

I promise I will try to do a more detailed post tomorrow or possibly Friday.

Until then I am retiring to my little corner of school to stare blankly at exams while I try not to cry.

*I apologise for that analogy...it is terrible. What's worse is that I'm giggling at how terrible it is. Oy Vey.

12 comments:

  1. That's where I used computer games to get them to at least acknowledge and identify camera angles. Bonus points for playing said games in class on condition that they could identify camera angles/sfx/sounds while playing.

    This is the worst part of teaching/lecturing, you'll be just fine. Birdies have told me glowing things about your style of teaching.

    Be honest in the reports (diplomacy is an art) - I hated writing them and the corresponding parent/teacher interviews too. But you've done a great job with these kids. You can do this! You are awesome. I'd have you as a teacher.

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  2. Aw thanks. :)

    I'm blushing a little now. I swear, I've had to kamar so many times I feel as if I am a nuisance. lol
    Today's lesson went surprisingly well. Which made me very wary! lol

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  3. Hang in there, kid. The students are woth it.

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  4. Thanks. I am truly starting to believe that...when they're not making me want to head desk...:)

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  5. everyone who hasn't been receiving any comments should know that she wrote a paragraph using 5 rare words for me! (sorry, i just felt like deviling you for some reason. also, yeah i wasn't sure about your use of "a fortiori" just fyi.)

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  6. Heh heh. Well some things are more important...:)

    Yeah I wasn't sure about it. I read it and then re-read it, shrugged my shoulders and sent it.

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  7. You're a busy girl 4 sure! Hugs!

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  8. Trying to explain the importance of anything to teenagers is a pretty tough job, let alone camera angles.
    I have report writing coming up, which means I have lots of assessments to mark too.

    I hope the work load eases up soon!

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  9. Same for you. I didn't realise how taxing it was to make sure you give constructive yet not critical criticism...:)

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  10. It sounds like once exams are done, a happy hour session is in order. Nothing to reward learning like killing brain cells.

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