Miss Art of Teaching

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...

I did a bit of marking this morning- Year 11 Senior Visual Arts exam papers. I only marked question 1 and started question 2. Glad to see that my students are doing well minus a few who need to read the question carefully and use the keywords in their response. It will also help if they do more than list what they can see in the plates (unknown artworks) and think of how the artists are challenging the audience or how they address social issues. I have stapled the marking criteria and an example of a teacher response (my attempt) for each question. This way students can compare their responses to the marking criteria and look at how I answered the same questions. I also provide them with an individual feedback. When Term 2 starts, I will need to spend at least half a lesson to go through what was working well and what needs improvement. There will be more revision throughout the year using old test papers to get them ready for Year 12 HSC. Above: Far left is the teacher's ...

A simple picture to sum up what teaching means to me. Quote found online and letters arranged by myself on my 'Typo' board. The cactus plants in the glasshouse are for my classroom garden (still planning it out).