Miss Art of Teaching

Every year I try to make it to 'The Finders Keepers' market. The vibe is great and there is always a range of unique handmade goodies. The market features over 200 independent art and design stalls. The market sells a range of handmade pieces by amazing makers from Sydney. This year the 10th anniversary event was set at The Cutaway, Barangaroo Reserve.  Being an Art teacher, I love seeing what unique products independent labels are producing. At the same time, the products might be an inspiration for a new unit of work in ceramics, painting, jewellery design etc. I love walking around Barangaroo. Everything looks great! Except, I did not check the weather forecast and my shoes were flooded from the million little puddles. I also had to run to the nearest shop just to buy an umbrella!  I probably spent an hour walking around. My heart was set on buying 'earrings'. After cutting off my long hair, I realise that I was lacking some funky earrings. I ...

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...

This morning I woke up at 6am, thanks to my trusty alarm setting on my phone. Both my partner and myself had forgotten to turn off the alarm. Over here in Australia we are trying to enjoy the start of Term 1 break. Thankfully, I wasn't too fussed about getting up early, as I wanted to do some marking before taking my dog to the vet. My dog is due for her dental cleaning. Marking in the morning seems easier. I only have 3 more essays to mark in my Year 9/10 bundle of Case Study. I still have my 3 x Year 7 classes and my Year 11 class bundles to tackle through so I guess there is no lazing around. After dropping off my dog at the vet (she gets picked up in the afternoon), I decided it was time to reward myself with a purposeful purchase. My ethical fashion purchase today has a lot of potential in a Textiles classroom or in any 'design' related classroom as the teacher can use this example to talk about 'The Design Process' and the steps involved. Besides be...

Since last night, I have been working, working and working. There is so much I want to do but physically I can only do so much in one go. I got up early this morning to finish off what I wanted to do. I think I must have a love and hate relationship with working in my own spare time. I find what I do interesting but at the same time, I whine to myself. I spent almost two hours last night uploading new prizes onto the Vivo online school shop, making facebook posts and sending emails in regards to the school's Vivo rewards program. Vivos is a rewards program we used to reward students using virtual points. Students can exchange the virtual points for a prize of their own liking.  I have been actively seeking for more donations from the school and local community. Parramatta Riverbank has kindly offered a double pass to see Dracula. Here is my post on the school's facebook: Above: DRACULA double passes. I started making a PowerPoint for the 'Meet the Teachers...