Tests and Assignments

Phew! What a week. Art Portfolio done. Te Reo test done. Music Assignment done. Child Development exam results back. A+! Wahoo! Maybe I can acheive this massive task I have set myself. I have been paying attention to what works for me when I am learning. Here are some points.

• Vary the methods used while studying. For Te Reo I used flash cards, web sites and my very old fashioned method of writing out all the sentence structure I needed to learn. Over and over and over again. I need to do all this because rote learning is not my thing, and I get bored very easily.
• Before tackling an assignment, READ THE RUBRIC. Highlight the key words and concepts. Know what is required of you before you start. I have spent hours completing an assignment, then read the Rubric, only to find I have missed a key aspect. I have discovered that adding things in later takes way too much time. (It is interesting that in Professional studies we have been talking about the impotance of sharing learning intentions and success criteria this week. )
• I never study after 10 pm. My brain needs to wind down so I can sleep. I tried late nights a couple of times, but found I was very tired the next day, and the work I did late at night was not good quality and I had to do it all again any way.

Right, back to work.

Reflections about Teachers College

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He Tangata, he tangata, he tangata!
What is the most important thing? It is people, it is people, it is people!

The people that I have met during this course have been inspiring, fun and have kept me sane!
These are some of the things I have learned from them:

• First, make a start.
• Then, keep going.
• Keep going some more.
• If you are feeling down, chances are, someone else is too. Get online and have a chat.
• Laugh, LOTS
• Never sit on the couch in the middle of the day. You will go to sleep. (I found that one out myself).
• Oh, and keep going!

A break from adventures

"Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takatini"

This Whakatauki can be translated as, "My strength is not that of a single warrior but that of many" It means that the combined efforts of many are needed to complete a project.

This sums up how I feel about my little blog. To get to this point I have drawn on the strength of my lecturers, other course members, and my family. I look forward to playing with this new tool, one of many I will use on my way to becoming a teacher