Andrea

Andrea's reflections on her students. Diagnostic results, what next profile, POL adjustments and resources sent to develop skills.... Feedback and reflection of successes and barriers Other teacher's comments and reflections on the processes...

Now that I've landed on this planet Wiki I'll get to know the layout and meet its inhabitants. -yes I did see Avatar.

This year I want to become more in charge of what goes out to my students. I've written my version of the SEP goal sheets and I tried to sort out the TAH05 booklets for Alex's benefit and mine. I enjoyed making tasks as a food tech teacher and ESOL teacher but since I've been here I've lost the creative spark and defaulted to work which has been produced by those with a lot more experience at distance learning. I need to now to empower myself and build my confidence to create. I don't want to necessarily share stuff but to just use it with my kids. I'm building up a pack of readings from newspapers etc that I can use for critical thinking. With ESOL students I did this on a regular basis and it helped Ss to think about issues and led into more academic essay writing. Poor Alex will be my guinea pig and as a year 10 I want him to begin writing discursive essays. I hope he's willing!

This is what keeps my mind going at 2.00am when I can't sleep. My class is full of kids who have major issues going on in their lives and then I ring them up to ask what their goals are! How puerile! Student C-Yesterday Mum answered and immediately talked about the fact she has had her Winz benefit cut off, hasn't been able to get residency, has only 300 dollars left and will possibly end up living in her car. She was crying and asking me what she could do? I felt helpless and could only commiserate. And what are your goals C? Certainly of no importance at this moment. Student H- I can't talk to him because he's got anger management issues. Recently he went out with cussies and mates to a nightclub-got drunk, stoned etc and on the way back home the car flipped, the driver ended up dead on top of him-he's not in a good space at present. Student J-She watched her father beat up her mother several weeks ago. Dad went to gaol for 5 weeks and J went AWOL. She doesn't respect women but her aunty has removed her to Grandmother's place at the beach so that her mates can't entice her out. Aunty will be the one who makes a positive difference to this girl-there are a lot of Aunties out there who are saints. Student J-under CYFS care and has anger issues-Cyfs want him to be in a safe secure place so school work takes a back seat. Student S- She brashly proclaims to have " oppositional defiance disorder" which apparently is a recognised disorder. What happened to "so what get over it and start working?"Sent a letter-too chicken to face the reality of a phone conversation. 3 have been bullied, ones in Indonesia and two are relatively "normal". Won't go on about the AE kids who pepper their work with weed, stoned and penis drawings! I feel we're out of touch completely with the worlds these kids live in. School used to be the one safe place for students to come to each day. Many of ours don't have that and instead are stuck in the very environments that are causing the damage every day. Blowed if I know how I can make a difference from a long way off.