Miss Art of Teaching

This week, I have avoided taking work home. This is probably the 'procrastinate' period. I tend to always do this before going on full auto-pilot mode (except I do focus on the material at hand)  Above: How I imagine myself when I go on auto-pilot mode. Over here in Australia, it is Week 3 of Term 2. Here is my to-do list in order of importance: 1) Art Teacher role: Get Year 11 'Portraits' resources printed as textbooks for senior students. 2) Art Teacher role: Finish marking three late Year 7 Case Study assignments and one late Year 10 Case Study assignment.  3) Art Teacher role: Finish marking three class set of Year 7 Self-Portraits.  4) Art Teacher role: Start three class set of Year 7 Visual Arts reports, one class set of Year 7 Technology Mandatory reports and one class set of Year 9/10 Visual Arts reports. 5) Year 7 Adviser role: Prepare Week 5 Tuesday PowerPoint and resources on 'Study Skills' and '7 Habits of Highly Ef...

Still trying to enjoy the last few days of my school holiday break over in Australia. I have either been marking my life away or connecting with nature. Not sure if I am ready for another 10 weeks of school. However, having a routine is probably better for me than waking up and sitting in my room like a sloth (on days that I stay home to mark). The main things I will miss is the beautiful sceneries and the freedom to stay in bed.   This morning I went to La Perouse. It is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney. It is a great place to explore cliffs and learn about the historic area named after French navigator La Perouse. The Bare Island Fort (pictured below) was built in 1885 to protect Sydney from a perceived Russian threat. Guided tours are available in three time slots every Sunday. Above: The Bare Island Fort Above: Beautiful weather. The little black specks in the water are people learning how to scuba dive. Above: Spot me! We had a simple picnic at La Pe...

Easter break is a good way to catch up with high school friends. I always tell students that the friendships you build at school can become lifelong ones. We need to make an effort to keep them and communicate our thoughts well. Throughout my friendship journeys, I have drifted apart with some people and with others I have come back together even stronger than before. We have all walked through different hardships and also shared many great memories together. Every day I chat with six other girls via a mobile app called 'Line'. We enjoy talking about work, relationships and anything in general. The girls help keep my spirit up high and I try to do the same for them. The weather today was super. I keep forgetting how blessed I am to be born and raised in Australia. The scenery is breathtaking especially if you drive further up away from the suburban and city life. We decided to go to Burrawang to check out the Easter markets. I ended up splurging a bit on things I didn't ...

I love blogging and it has been quite addictive. It is a great way to sit back and reflect on what is working and what needs improvement. Since making this blog (early this year), I have been interested in DIY projects and creating resources that help tackle/prevent issues from arising in my classroom. I have improved with my classroom management skills and resource making skills. Students respect the classroom space as there are structures and routines in place. They can see that I take pride in my classroom space and thus, they also respect the space more. My passion for teaching is getting stronger. It is my fifth year teaching and I feel like there is so much to learn and do! Today, I plan to share a list of Facebook groups that I follow and some of the places where I contribute ideas and resources. Sometimes I link my blog to the post, sometimes I am just happy to show a picture. I love how all the Facebook groups connect teachers around the world. I am based in Australia b...

Over in Australia, we only have one more day until the school holidays. We have a two-week break and I NEED IT! I have a few things that I would love to do including the Easter Show carnival, a road trip with my high school friends and just spending more time with my family. Teaching is meant to get easier as the years go by but I feel like I am only truly learning the trade now. There is a never ending pile of work to do and it is the passion that keeps me sane. Looking back at my school photos, I can see how my face has warped. I have stopped exercising as a whole and I can feel how tired my body becomes after a full day of work. After work hours, I am home again making more resources and/or marking.  Above: The far left photo is the latest version of myself. I have been teaching for five years. Above: I have been eating quite unhealthy and have not been looking after my well being as much as I would like. My workload for this holiday seems a bit frightening...