Well another week of study has begun in the Stalker household and right on cue darling Master E has fallen ill. :(
Monday is my day to spend printing out readings for the week and writing a list of what is required for each subject, lectures, readings and discussion posts. If time permits I will get a lecture out of the way and start on the subject that looks to have the least amount of content for the week. I have achieved that so far so am happy with my progress considering.
As mentioned Master E is sick. Started with a high temp and generally miserable with a yucky cough. The temp has gone and I have been left with a child that has a constant tickle in his throat which has resulted in sleepless nights for both him and I. After so many remedies (none of which worked) Mr Stalker came to the rescue today by coming home with Ventolin (which is available without a prescription and only $5). Thank God! Maybe we will get somewhere now. He is currently dozing on the couch next to me, a regular thing the last couple of days. Master J on the other hand has commandeered my iPhone and is watching Peppa Pig on YouTube. Peaceful child one side, noisy on the other!
So with Master E sick, Master J will be heading to care all alone tomorrow. Study will still be my priority but tending to my little man will no doubt provide enough of a distraction. I fell behind with study last week got the lectures out of the way and had the best of intentions to return to the readings but didn't make it. A 6 hour working day on Saturday from 10am to 4pm was perfectly timed so that nothing really productive could be done before or after. Six day working weeks have also left me drained and uninterested when I get home after 9.30pm of a night. Bless my darling husband for giving me a sleep in on Sunday, because as he put it "you've been working heaps lately" don't let that sweet comment fool you, the next morning I told him how sweet it was for him to think of me and consider how tired I was. His reply then was "You have been working heaps lately, I have too I just don't whinge about it" Ding! Ding! Ding! There it is folks a thoughtful comment cut down by a cheap shot, ha ha ha he will keep ;) Only working 5 days this week but with two of them being 10.30pm finishes I am already dreading it.
The bonus to come this week is I have the weekend off and we will be dropping the kids to my parents for the night on Saturday to go out and celebrate our First Wedding Anniversary. One year already. I still remember the rainy miserable (weather wise) day we got married. It was bad weather the whole time we were on Daydream Island, but a memorable time away with our family and friends. Many memories and friendships made. I would love to relive that day over again, we had a blast! So we are heading to dinner at Rockwall Bar and Grill and I have been waiting to try the food at this place for ages. Extremely excited for a night out with my hubby and without the children and a sleep in for us both. Let's just hope that Master E is better before then, he is excited to be staying at Nanny and Poppy's and is already planning what is going to pack. Told me he is having pancakes for breakfast and nuggets for tea (just for something different).
Work awaits me and study tomorrow. Must stay abreast of it all so that I can enjoy a break over Easter for Uni's mid semester break!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Procrastination
Discovering late last week that I had my first assignment due today, I looked over the task description and thought to myself "Ha, write 1600 words about myself, piece of cake". Hmmm not so much. If I'd been given an assignment to write about something I had to research the task may have been much easier. In reality who likes to toot their own horn and write about the qualities they possess that will make for a great teacher.
I started by writing a few dot points thinking they would be easy to elaborate on. The dot points were as far as I had made it. I found small tasks to distract me. Anyone that knows me knows that I don't enjoy housework and will usually find any excuse to avoid such tasks. To avoid the assignment that was going nowhere, I got my washing upto date, vacuumed, washed floors, changed beds and even considered cleaning out my wardrobe (not even the queen of procrastination could go that far). But no matter what I did that blank piece of paper that was waiting for a cracking assignment to be written was waiting for me.
Wednesday I had grand plans to getting something concrete down in the morning. Sitting at the computer I got my first migraine, which scared the crap out of me. Vision less than average and two kids that weren't aware that Mummy was scaring herself into thinking she was having a stroke (yes, do not google symptoms of any illness or ailment EVER).
I started getting somewhere on Thursday afternoon getting more than three words written down and starting to get in the flow of writing something that made sense. Then it was time to go to work! Getting home that night at 10pm sitting in front of a computer after I'd been doing just that for 5 hours at work wasn't so appealing. I thought I'd tackle it again in the morning.
Friday morning came and I thought I would get the grocery shopping out of the way early, by the time I got out the door it was after 10am and didn't make it back until just before lunch. Then followed more procrastination, cleaning out the fridge, getting the boys lunch and being distracted by my many games that I have going on my phone of 'draw something' (a beautiful distraction really). I got back into the study and started trawling through the discussion board posts other students were posting asking questions about the assignment and getting other peoples input on how to structure the assignment and what was required for each section. This was a mistake this was yet another distraction, but this distraction created more confusion about the task at hand. After reading the many, many posts I had to head to work again. A four hour shift which was a pleasant change to the usual five hours. Upon arriving home at 9pm I again planned to get some study done. It was more appealing to eat a late dinner, catch on the shows I had recorded on MyStar and get an early night.
Saturday saw a brief sleep in and snuggles with my boys :) then a couple of hours study before heading to work for the afternoon and then a party that night.
Sunday was planned to spend a lovely day with my family that went pear shaped and saw me taking the kids down to Hungry Jacks for lunch or Number Jacks as they call it. Being alone with two children who decided at the same time they needed to go to the toilet, proved to be a frustrating task. As I returned to our table I walked past the young girl who worked there with our lunch covered in rubbish. She'd cleared our table and we'd only been gone for a minute and a half tops! I told her that we were not finished. She stared at me blankly gave me a half arsed apology and continued on her merry way. Customer service at it's best. NOT! We left there and went to my parents place for a couple of hours, yes I was still avoiding the assignment was going nowhere fast. Just before leaving to come home my darling Master J was complaining of a sore belly and had a raging temperature. I bundled the kids in the car and made for home, Less than 5 minutes after pulling out of Mum and Dad's driveway Master J was covering my backseat in a rainbow of icy pole and lolly scented vomit. The vomiting continued when we got home between brief cat naps and delirium. My hubby took over mopping his brow and sitting him up when another round of nausea hit. I locked myself in the study and completed my assignment to a certain extent anyway.
I took care of the finishing touches this morning referencing and doing final word counts. Reading over it one last time I bit the bullet and hit submit. I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted. :) Until next week when assignment number 2 is due and the whole merry go round of assignment writing and procrastination will begin again. Back to my old work place tonight where I have picked up some hours for the next 5 weeks and I am excited. My week is starting off well, let's see where it ends up! And as for the assignment, the proof will be in the pudding.
I started by writing a few dot points thinking they would be easy to elaborate on. The dot points were as far as I had made it. I found small tasks to distract me. Anyone that knows me knows that I don't enjoy housework and will usually find any excuse to avoid such tasks. To avoid the assignment that was going nowhere, I got my washing upto date, vacuumed, washed floors, changed beds and even considered cleaning out my wardrobe (not even the queen of procrastination could go that far). But no matter what I did that blank piece of paper that was waiting for a cracking assignment to be written was waiting for me.
Wednesday I had grand plans to getting something concrete down in the morning. Sitting at the computer I got my first migraine, which scared the crap out of me. Vision less than average and two kids that weren't aware that Mummy was scaring herself into thinking she was having a stroke (yes, do not google symptoms of any illness or ailment EVER).
I started getting somewhere on Thursday afternoon getting more than three words written down and starting to get in the flow of writing something that made sense. Then it was time to go to work! Getting home that night at 10pm sitting in front of a computer after I'd been doing just that for 5 hours at work wasn't so appealing. I thought I'd tackle it again in the morning.
Friday morning came and I thought I would get the grocery shopping out of the way early, by the time I got out the door it was after 10am and didn't make it back until just before lunch. Then followed more procrastination, cleaning out the fridge, getting the boys lunch and being distracted by my many games that I have going on my phone of 'draw something' (a beautiful distraction really). I got back into the study and started trawling through the discussion board posts other students were posting asking questions about the assignment and getting other peoples input on how to structure the assignment and what was required for each section. This was a mistake this was yet another distraction, but this distraction created more confusion about the task at hand. After reading the many, many posts I had to head to work again. A four hour shift which was a pleasant change to the usual five hours. Upon arriving home at 9pm I again planned to get some study done. It was more appealing to eat a late dinner, catch on the shows I had recorded on MyStar and get an early night.
Saturday saw a brief sleep in and snuggles with my boys :) then a couple of hours study before heading to work for the afternoon and then a party that night.
Sunday was planned to spend a lovely day with my family that went pear shaped and saw me taking the kids down to Hungry Jacks for lunch or Number Jacks as they call it. Being alone with two children who decided at the same time they needed to go to the toilet, proved to be a frustrating task. As I returned to our table I walked past the young girl who worked there with our lunch covered in rubbish. She'd cleared our table and we'd only been gone for a minute and a half tops! I told her that we were not finished. She stared at me blankly gave me a half arsed apology and continued on her merry way. Customer service at it's best. NOT! We left there and went to my parents place for a couple of hours, yes I was still avoiding the assignment was going nowhere fast. Just before leaving to come home my darling Master J was complaining of a sore belly and had a raging temperature. I bundled the kids in the car and made for home, Less than 5 minutes after pulling out of Mum and Dad's driveway Master J was covering my backseat in a rainbow of icy pole and lolly scented vomit. The vomiting continued when we got home between brief cat naps and delirium. My hubby took over mopping his brow and sitting him up when another round of nausea hit. I locked myself in the study and completed my assignment to a certain extent anyway.
I took care of the finishing touches this morning referencing and doing final word counts. Reading over it one last time I bit the bullet and hit submit. I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted. :) Until next week when assignment number 2 is due and the whole merry go round of assignment writing and procrastination will begin again. Back to my old work place tonight where I have picked up some hours for the next 5 weeks and I am excited. My week is starting off well, let's see where it ends up! And as for the assignment, the proof will be in the pudding.
Monday, March 5, 2012
LIGHT AT THE END OF A VERY LONG TUNNEL
Week two has started and I am proud to say that I have almost completed this weeks workload! Yay me! Aside from some reading and a web conference tomorrow night at 7pm I am almost there.
The subjects I have taken on this semester are Foundations of Teaching - which as a requirement means I have to undertake a 4 week placement in a birth to two years class environment. This means juggling work, childcare and my placement which will no doubt be difficult. I work from 4.30pm-8.30pm weeknights and 1pm-5pm on weekends. If I happen to get a placement (which I will not find out until two weeks prior) that requires me to be there past 4pm I will only be able to work weekends which will result in little money and me being a very tired soul. Four weeks placement full time for the days and working weekends will also mean I will not have much time left for my (supportive) husband and (mummy loving) children. The childcare side of it works out well as placement starts soon after my Mum retires, which means she has volunteered to look after the boys and my husband will be taking a week of holidays to give her some relief. Although he is home by lunchtime most days so if Mum decides she has had enough of her darling grandsons she can bring them home for hubby to take over. If I happen to fail this subject though placement will not happen and I will be taking a massive step backwards. Failure is NOT an option!
The second subject I have taken on is Personal and Professional Numeracy. People that know me will know that Mathematics was never a strong point for me. This subject sees me re-exploring the mathematical world and all the joyful aspects of it. I seem to have a grasp on what has been put infront of me so far but I can only assume the subject matter will get harder. I am hoping to complete and pass this unit as it was one that I dropped last year during first semester. The reason I dropped it was because I had just started on my path towards my degree and I was overwhelmed with the work load whilst trying to plan our wedding and knowing that we were going to be away for a couple of weeks, didn't want to get too far behind in my studies.
And lastly the third subject for semester one is Early Childhood Theories of Teaching and Learning. This is an elective but a requirement for my degree. It explores the theories of educators and theorists throughout history and how it is still relevant today. Whilst completing this weeks lectures and readings I was amused and amazed to see what rules were put in place for teachers in the 1800's and even 1915. Here is what was required of Female Victorian Teachers in 1915:
* Must be single.
* Are not to keep company with males.
* Must be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am unless attending a school function.
* Are not permitted to loiter downtown or in icecream parlours (What the?)
* May not travel beyond city limits without permission from the education board.
* May not travel in the car with a male unless it is her father or brother.
* May not smoke cigarettes.
* May not dress in bright colours.
* Under no circumstances to dye their hair.
* Must wear two petticoats and dresses to be no shorter than two inches above the ankle.
Thankgod I don't live during these times. My career would be over before it began! How strange to have such restrictions, most of which are applied outside school hours.
So the ball is rolling and it's only going to get more full on from here. I am still of the mind set that my 5 year plan is in action and once qualified a world of opportunities will await me! I will get my weekends back, I will have a steady income and we will be in a position to do the things in life we want to do. There is light at the end of the tunnel, at the moment it seems like a firefly in the distance but regardless it is ahead and waiting for me to reach it! :)
The subjects I have taken on this semester are Foundations of Teaching - which as a requirement means I have to undertake a 4 week placement in a birth to two years class environment. This means juggling work, childcare and my placement which will no doubt be difficult. I work from 4.30pm-8.30pm weeknights and 1pm-5pm on weekends. If I happen to get a placement (which I will not find out until two weeks prior) that requires me to be there past 4pm I will only be able to work weekends which will result in little money and me being a very tired soul. Four weeks placement full time for the days and working weekends will also mean I will not have much time left for my (supportive) husband and (mummy loving) children. The childcare side of it works out well as placement starts soon after my Mum retires, which means she has volunteered to look after the boys and my husband will be taking a week of holidays to give her some relief. Although he is home by lunchtime most days so if Mum decides she has had enough of her darling grandsons she can bring them home for hubby to take over. If I happen to fail this subject though placement will not happen and I will be taking a massive step backwards. Failure is NOT an option!
The second subject I have taken on is Personal and Professional Numeracy. People that know me will know that Mathematics was never a strong point for me. This subject sees me re-exploring the mathematical world and all the joyful aspects of it. I seem to have a grasp on what has been put infront of me so far but I can only assume the subject matter will get harder. I am hoping to complete and pass this unit as it was one that I dropped last year during first semester. The reason I dropped it was because I had just started on my path towards my degree and I was overwhelmed with the work load whilst trying to plan our wedding and knowing that we were going to be away for a couple of weeks, didn't want to get too far behind in my studies.
And lastly the third subject for semester one is Early Childhood Theories of Teaching and Learning. This is an elective but a requirement for my degree. It explores the theories of educators and theorists throughout history and how it is still relevant today. Whilst completing this weeks lectures and readings I was amused and amazed to see what rules were put in place for teachers in the 1800's and even 1915. Here is what was required of Female Victorian Teachers in 1915:
* Must be single.
* Are not to keep company with males.
* Must be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am unless attending a school function.
* Are not permitted to loiter downtown or in icecream parlours (What the?)
* May not travel beyond city limits without permission from the education board.
* May not travel in the car with a male unless it is her father or brother.
* May not smoke cigarettes.
* May not dress in bright colours.
* Under no circumstances to dye their hair.
* Must wear two petticoats and dresses to be no shorter than two inches above the ankle.
Thankgod I don't live during these times. My career would be over before it began! How strange to have such restrictions, most of which are applied outside school hours.
So the ball is rolling and it's only going to get more full on from here. I am still of the mind set that my 5 year plan is in action and once qualified a world of opportunities will await me! I will get my weekends back, I will have a steady income and we will be in a position to do the things in life we want to do. There is light at the end of the tunnel, at the moment it seems like a firefly in the distance but regardless it is ahead and waiting for me to reach it! :)
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