High Distinction

I am proud to announce that I received a HIGH DISTINCTION grade for my USQ Semester 3 course 'Foundations of Numeracy'.

This was a lot of work, the assignment work was to create a wiki on 3 segments of mathematics studies - Operations, Whole Numbers and Fractions.  And for this I got 46 out of 50.

In my whole Graduate Diploma this was the only subject I had to sit an exam for, and got 80%.  I found it a bit ironic that for the whole of this course I have been able to submit everything online from China, and the one time I needed to show my face I happened to be in Southern Queensland, admittedly not exactly where the USQ campus is, but Southern Queensland nonetheless.

I was on holidays in Australia while completing most of this subject, and on the Gold Coast for the exam.  The week the wiki was due my sister and Grandmother had come to visit me and the kids as well, so most of it was done in the late hours of the evening.  So with many other distractions this result is particularly pleasing!!   Hooray for me!!!

Last prac....

Started my last prac, or internship this week, back in the same class as for my prac in August 2010.  Truly in the downhill run now, with just the one course to complete for my Grad Dip!  

Monday was mainly observation and just getting to know the kids again, with a little bit of small group teaching in numeracy. 

Tuesday we went on an excursion to the 'Children's Technology Workshop' where the kids built bridges reinforcing what they'd done in Science recently on forces.  So nice gentle introduction back into school life. 

From Wednesday I taught numeracy, and will be teaching this every day, and Science, which although only twice a week I am responsible for the new topic 'Seeing Things'. In their Topic (History / Geography) slot at the moment the class is working on their presentation for their assembly.  Each class is responsible for one assembly a year and ours in on my last day of prac.  Being Year 6, they are expected to work quite independently on this, and ask for specific assistance with props, costumes or scripting. 

It's been nice being back in the class, and I am amazed that the kids have grown so much since the beginning of the school year back in August.

Algebraic Equations

This video is part of the resources for Foundations of Numeracy, and I think it helps make algebra clear for anyone!!

I'll definitely remember the technique for if and when I need to teach algebra and solving for X!!

National Curriculum

Tonight we were discussing Australian International Schools and wondering what 'Leaving Certificate' they would offer, besides the IB. We agreed that 'when' the national curriculum is implemented it would make it easier for International Schools.

An article in today's The Age newspaper, shows that there is yet another set back for the national curriculum, requiring further development.

These include further work on nationally consistent achievement standards, adjustments to the curriculum content and greater consideration of how the curriculum can meet the needs of students with special needs.

And as it is, the national curriculum will only be introduced in 4 subjects by 2013, and only applies for Years 1 - 10.  So the 'Leaving Certificate' debate for international Australian students is still unanswered!

If you're interested, the article can be found here.

Maths or Numeracy

I am currently studying the Foundations of Numeracy as a Sem 3 subject.  It's an interesting one... but wow... things have changed since I was at school... we don't use the words 'plus', 'minus' or 'times'.  They also have changed the method of subtraction from borrowing and paying back to converting the tens into ones.  The first four weeks have been broken down into Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division.  Then we have to concentrate on Fractions and Whole Numbers over the rest of the semester.

It's quite exciting though, for the assignment have to design a Wiki, using Web 2.0 technology.  With pages, links and everything!  Because it is online, the assessors basically just remove edit access from students until they've marked it!  My first submission is due the day I arrive in Melbourne for Christmas... so going to be organised to get it done early!

Semester 3 - is it summer or winter?

I live in China, and am studying online through a uni in Queensland, Australia... this year a 'summer' subject has been offered in my course - Foundations of Numeracy - except it's winter here... what better time to buckle down and knock over what is hopefully one of my last 2 subjects. (I'm still waiting on results from last semester, and fingers crossed got through both of them.)

BUT - we're going home for Christmas in one month, and staying for 7 weeks, so I'll be doing the majority of this subject in summer and on holiday after all!  All a bit confusing.  And to top it off, we are having a week on the Gold Coast... and in that week, this subject has an exam - so I'll be presenting for that in the state of the course, despite doing the rest of it from the middle kingdom!

Another semester bites the dust

Last night, I submitted my last assignment for Semester 2... a monster assessment on assessment.  I designed a unit on Forces for Year 6 Science, and created a task sheet, rubric, quiz and wrote a 1200 word essay on fair and flexible assessment.

Last Friday, I submitted a literacy assignment on auto/biography, also for Yr6, where I had to design a 4 week unit, showing the timetabling and detailed planning for the unit.  As well as sourcing a decent collection of references which is to go hand in hand with the unit.

Today, I woke up thinking all was clear and fresh and anticipating 2 study free weeks... and I logged on to StudyDesk to check if my assignments had been passed on to be marked yet (they have), and found my Semester 3 study desk open!  Technically it doesn't start until 15th November... but there it all is... the first 4 weeks of Foundations of Numeracy... I really should get cracking!  And I found out, I will likely have to do an exam the week we are on the Gold Coast in January.