Ever tried making homemade macaroni-and-cheese?
My sister decided she wanted some. But there was no more nicely-packaged boxes manufactured by Kraft, so she cooked macaroni, and then proceeded to make the cheese sauce: a mysterious mixture of milk, Becel margarine, and Black Diamond processed cheese heated by microwave.
About half of the macaroni went down the drain when she was draining the water. Very intelligent.
The sauce was a bit too liquidy.
I had to add lots of ketchup. That made it more palatable, but still needed a good can of pop to wash it down.
In other news, I contemplated taking a 300-level zoology course (animal developmental biology) and an additional 300-level educational policy studies course (society and education). But I figured, why take courses harder than you have to? :P Fall 2004 is going to be a breeze. Have a nice day.
23.4.04
Today was the last day at school, and I just sat around for a whole day (this was the intended purpose). I burned a CD with all the quizzes, assignments, etc. that my teacher made after school. Then I talked to the teacher for almost two hours about miscellaneous questions I had about being a teacher. I got my final evaluation as well. It wasn't bad, but I didn't have the feeling that it was particularly strong either.
The last day I taught was Thursday, and I felt quite confident giving my final lecture. I didn't plan anything exciting (i.e. a lab) because my goal was to lecture the students to death. I did buy Timbits for one of my classes today, and one of the students called me a blockhead when I returned his lab (because he thought voltage and charge was the same thing, and I took marks off). But that's all for exciting stuff. I like the students (in general), and promised to come back and volunteer my time whenever they're doing something fun and scientific.
The gift I got from the school was a Riverbend cup, a Riverbend pen, and a slice of carrot cake that contained raisins.
My fellow student teacher has taken some of my stuff and permanently kept them. But still, it was obvious that my mentor teacher liked him better because they have more in common: married, pregnant wives, and other adult stuff I haven't experienced. Oh, and basketball. Still, he's a kleptomaniac.
The last day I taught was Thursday, and I felt quite confident giving my final lecture. I didn't plan anything exciting (i.e. a lab) because my goal was to lecture the students to death. I did buy Timbits for one of my classes today, and one of the students called me a blockhead when I returned his lab (because he thought voltage and charge was the same thing, and I took marks off). But that's all for exciting stuff. I like the students (in general), and promised to come back and volunteer my time whenever they're doing something fun and scientific.
The gift I got from the school was a Riverbend cup, a Riverbend pen, and a slice of carrot cake that contained raisins.
My fellow student teacher has taken some of my stuff and permanently kept them. But still, it was obvious that my mentor teacher liked him better because they have more in common: married, pregnant wives, and other adult stuff I haven't experienced. Oh, and basketball. Still, he's a kleptomaniac.
19.4.04
You know something is wrong when you get a B after earning 78.5% in the course. The course average isn't high, either. Probably in the mid-70s.
The course was boring. The textbook was wordy. The professor is the among the three worst lecturers I have ever had in my five years, joining "Dr. C." (that's what he called himself) and Dr. Adames.
We missed a few lectures because she felt sick. We watched a lot of useless videos (for viewing pleasure only). And in the staff room at lunch, I heard one of the student teachers tell a teacher about how wonderful she was. That explains why she was late for a lecture one day, I remember following her from the education building, and she stopped to talk to a certain someone. That someone was the student teacher.
Well, what a coincidence, my grade for this very course shows up when I checked at the university after school. (The course ended in March, and it took exactly one month for her to post the grades.)
The course was boring. The textbook was wordy. The professor is the among the three worst lecturers I have ever had in my five years, joining "Dr. C." (that's what he called himself) and Dr. Adames.
We missed a few lectures because she felt sick. We watched a lot of useless videos (for viewing pleasure only). And in the staff room at lunch, I heard one of the student teachers tell a teacher about how wonderful she was. That explains why she was late for a lecture one day, I remember following her from the education building, and she stopped to talk to a certain someone. That someone was the student teacher.
Well, what a coincidence, my grade for this very course shows up when I checked at the university after school. (The course ended in March, and it took exactly one month for her to post the grades.)
18.4.04
I went out to complete a few errands. Among them was to visit the education library to sign out a few resource materials.
And the bus ride home was so much fun! Not only was I lugging a 1000 page teacher's resource binder, but I was listening to music on my CD player as well. I boarded the #8 bus (known for having loud teenagers, drug dealers, alcoholics, cell phone gamers and people who don't know what volume control is on their music players) to complete my trip. When the bus reached Millgate "transit centre", there were many empty seats, but oddly enough there was a woman who deliberately sat beside me, on the front seats. I think she was illiterate, because she asked me where we were. Why she didn't ask the bus driver is beyond me. So I whispered to her "Millgate". She nodded, probably not having a clue where she exactly was .
Then she asked me what I was listening to. I said "classical music". She asked if she could listen. I was worried about having hygenically clean headphones, so I shook my head. Maybe she was trying to distract me and then try to take my wallet. As the bus headed towards Mill Woods, she yelled at the driver "when are we going to get to downtown?" Wrong direction, miss. The driver suggested that she get off at Millbourne Mall and then transfer, but she said she'd rather just stay on (hmm...adds 30 minutes to the trip). Suddenly the #8 to downtown came, and she wanted to get off, but the bus driver had already pulled away from said stop. Just before she got off, she asked me if I'd give her $2 for another bus ride to get home. I told her I didn't have any change, and disembarked before anything else happened.
And the bus ride home was so much fun! Not only was I lugging a 1000 page teacher's resource binder, but I was listening to music on my CD player as well. I boarded the #8 bus (known for having loud teenagers, drug dealers, alcoholics, cell phone gamers and people who don't know what volume control is on their music players) to complete my trip. When the bus reached Millgate "transit centre", there were many empty seats, but oddly enough there was a woman who deliberately sat beside me, on the front seats. I think she was illiterate, because she asked me where we were. Why she didn't ask the bus driver is beyond me. So I whispered to her "Millgate". She nodded, probably not having a clue where she exactly was .
Then she asked me what I was listening to. I said "classical music". She asked if she could listen. I was worried about having hygenically clean headphones, so I shook my head. Maybe she was trying to distract me and then try to take my wallet. As the bus headed towards Mill Woods, she yelled at the driver "when are we going to get to downtown?" Wrong direction, miss. The driver suggested that she get off at Millbourne Mall and then transfer, but she said she'd rather just stay on (hmm...adds 30 minutes to the trip). Suddenly the #8 to downtown came, and she wanted to get off, but the bus driver had already pulled away from said stop. Just before she got off, she asked me if I'd give her $2 for another bus ride to get home. I told her I didn't have any change, and disembarked before anything else happened.
17.4.04
marking planning lecturing demonstrating walking questioning reading helping drawing
Those are some of the things that you do as a classroom teacher. One more week of this stuff, and then I can finally watch TV and sleep whenever I want. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...
Why can't I take courses like this for credit?
Those are some of the things that you do as a classroom teacher. One more week of this stuff, and then I can finally watch TV and sleep whenever I want. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...
Why can't I take courses like this for credit?
12.4.04
How much fun can you have in South Edmonton?
On Saturday evening, my friend K. and I felt like wasting four hours. So we did.
At 8 p.m., we went to the Mohawk gas station on 23rd Ave. to visit my friend J., who seems to have a knack for getting jobs that involve gas stations.
We went to Best Buy (South Edmonton Common) at about 8:40 because they closed at 9. We looked at random digital cameras, USB keys and DVDs. They don't force you out at 9, nor do they announce that they close. It's a customer relationship thing.
Afterwards, K. and I went to !ndigo, to look at books. K. is going travelling (again) this summer, so he was looking at travel books. I went to look for Haddon's novel, which I found, bought and read in one sitting the following day. We each had a cool drink in the café that cost $4 each, but made us thirstier still. !ndigo closes at 10 pm.
Second Cup on 34th Ave. was next. They close at 11. I saw lots of college and university students who were cramming for their final exams. Suckers. We each had a coffee.
We returned to Mohawk to give J. a double shot of espresso that we bought for him at Second Cup. This is an unexplainable drink. 50 mL of concentrated, bitter, black coffee for $2. I don't see how anyone can drink it, but it made J. smile. We chatted outside for about an hour in the cold. By then it was midnight, and K. gave me a ride home.
On Saturday evening, my friend K. and I felt like wasting four hours. So we did.
At 8 p.m., we went to the Mohawk gas station on 23rd Ave. to visit my friend J., who seems to have a knack for getting jobs that involve gas stations.
We went to Best Buy (South Edmonton Common) at about 8:40 because they closed at 9. We looked at random digital cameras, USB keys and DVDs. They don't force you out at 9, nor do they announce that they close. It's a customer relationship thing.
Afterwards, K. and I went to !ndigo, to look at books. K. is going travelling (again) this summer, so he was looking at travel books. I went to look for Haddon's novel, which I found, bought and read in one sitting the following day. We each had a cool drink in the café that cost $4 each, but made us thirstier still. !ndigo closes at 10 pm.
Second Cup on 34th Ave. was next. They close at 11. I saw lots of college and university students who were cramming for their final exams. Suckers. We each had a coffee.
We returned to Mohawk to give J. a double shot of espresso that we bought for him at Second Cup. This is an unexplainable drink. 50 mL of concentrated, bitter, black coffee for $2. I don't see how anyone can drink it, but it made J. smile. We chatted outside for about an hour in the cold. By then it was midnight, and K. gave me a ride home.
9.4.04
Here's the situation.
You've actually taught a whole topic! The quiz is scheduled well in advance, so that the students have time to review and study. You made the quiz from scratch, without the use of a databank or any software. It's going to be a challenging quiz, but you know the students are quite bright and should be prepared.
Quiz day arrives. Students rush into the classroom, hoping to get that few extra minutes of study time. ONE MINUTE before the bell is set to ring, the fire alarm goes off. In disbelief, you usher the students outside, all joyous and expecting the quiz to be postponed (until Tuesday, because there's a four-day weekend).
The fire alarm was a real one, not a drill. (Somethin' happening in the boiler room, which was fixed.) Firetrucks came. But it took at least 20 minutes before everyone was able to return to class.
Everyone is jumpy. You administer the quiz, telling them to try their best in the time given, and take off a couple of the *really* difficult questions. One is changed to a bonus question.
After about 25 minutes, the dismissal bell rings. Some students are visibly upset because they ran out of time, and cannot stay after school to finish up, nor would you allow them to finish up on Tuesday. (What would that do the reliability of the assessment?) A couple of the hard-working students want to finish up, and you allow them to do so. You mark the quizzes leniently, hoping to keep the class average high.
That was my Thursday.
You've actually taught a whole topic! The quiz is scheduled well in advance, so that the students have time to review and study. You made the quiz from scratch, without the use of a databank or any software. It's going to be a challenging quiz, but you know the students are quite bright and should be prepared.
Quiz day arrives. Students rush into the classroom, hoping to get that few extra minutes of study time. ONE MINUTE before the bell is set to ring, the fire alarm goes off. In disbelief, you usher the students outside, all joyous and expecting the quiz to be postponed (until Tuesday, because there's a four-day weekend).
The fire alarm was a real one, not a drill. (Somethin' happening in the boiler room, which was fixed.) Firetrucks came. But it took at least 20 minutes before everyone was able to return to class.
Everyone is jumpy. You administer the quiz, telling them to try their best in the time given, and take off a couple of the *really* difficult questions. One is changed to a bonus question.
After about 25 minutes, the dismissal bell rings. Some students are visibly upset because they ran out of time, and cannot stay after school to finish up, nor would you allow them to finish up on Tuesday. (What would that do the reliability of the assessment?) A couple of the hard-working students want to finish up, and you allow them to do so. You mark the quizzes leniently, hoping to keep the class average high.
That was my Thursday.
6.4.04
The spring break must have been some elixir! My fellow student teacher is much more sociable now. We are working collaboratively in developing a lab for the grade nine classes.
I feel sick because I don't think I have the energy to control the grade eight students. I rushed them through so that we could finish the topic, and have all of tomorrow's class for review.
I think they were lost after about 20 minutes. I wonder how my mentor teacher thinks about this disaster.
On a happier note, the Canadian women's hockey team won the world championship in Halifax! They defeated the U.S. by a score of 2-0. Canada has won every gold medal since the tournament began in 1990; the U.S. has won every silver medal since then.
I feel sick because I don't think I have the energy to control the grade eight students. I rushed them through so that we could finish the topic, and have all of tomorrow's class for review.
I think they were lost after about 20 minutes. I wonder how my mentor teacher thinks about this disaster.
On a happier note, the Canadian women's hockey team won the world championship in Halifax! They defeated the U.S. by a score of 2-0. Canada has won every gold medal since the tournament began in 1990; the U.S. has won every silver medal since then.
2.4.04
I love April!
The time for final exams ... NOT!
IPT is good because I've already had all of my finals in mid-March, and can just breeze through the rest of term making lesson plans.
Today I learned how a DC motor works, which I first learned in Grade 12 (Physics 30) but somehow it's now in the grade 9 science curriculum. I made a nifty pressure worksheet for my grade 8 science students, since I love making worksheets.
The Juno awards are being held in Edmonton, only the third time it's taking place outside of Ontario. All the stars are here, and so is the Prime Minister.
The time for final exams ... NOT!
IPT is good because I've already had all of my finals in mid-March, and can just breeze through the rest of term making lesson plans.
Today I learned how a DC motor works, which I first learned in Grade 12 (Physics 30) but somehow it's now in the grade 9 science curriculum. I made a nifty pressure worksheet for my grade 8 science students, since I love making worksheets.
The Juno awards are being held in Edmonton, only the third time it's taking place outside of Ontario. All the stars are here, and so is the Prime Minister.
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