Farewell 2010 and thanks for the memories

Well, there are but a few hours to see out 2010. At this time of year, aided by careful reflection and contemplation at Christmas time, I think about and give thanks for all the blessings that have been bestowed on me, my family and friends. I also think about the struggles and challenges and give thanks for the strength and courage of conviction, for wise friends and family and for faith.

I am not one to make resolutions for a new year and nor am I one to put such pressure on what a year can offer. By virtue of the fact that we are all human, all imperfect, it means that no year can ever be perfect. I think people put far too much pressure on themselves and on what a new year can entail. I do believe that hope and faith are the two aspects of life that I hold dear, day to day and year to year. If there is hope and faith, then the rest just works. It may not be perfect.

If I was to make resolutions I suppose the one resolution or mantra, it would be to never lose hope and to hold strong to my faith.

I hope that whatever resolutions you make, whatever hopes, dreams and aspirations you have for 2011 are fulfilled. I wish you well. I wish you joy and I wish you prosperity.

If 2010 brought you challenges, pain and suffering, then I hope 2011 is filled with hope and joy.

Holidays

Well we've (my wonderful colleagues and students) made it! Holidays have come and now it's time to revel in the lack of routine. No alarms or bells to indicate lessons or meal times. No phone calls or emails about grids and tables. Time to do what I want, when I want. Time to put other things first. Reading for pleasure. Blogging. Lots more exercise. Time - more time with family and friends. I love the Christmas holidays because it does bring people together. The summer days are bright and warm, which encourages and imbues a sense of happiness and warmth in others.

I must say that this Advent has been particularly good in the sense that the one thing I decided on doing better this time round, was reflecting. I have really spent a lot more time reflecting on the year, reading scripture and praying. It has made for a calmer and more focused lead up to Christmas Day. Each year I tell myself I need to pray more, to take time to reflect more... and this year, I have done that! It is a great way to meditate and relax. To learn a lot and to deepen ones' understanding of the gospel messages.

Today I was pleased to be able to spend a lot of time with my mum, sister and niece. We had a shopping day and had lunch together at our favourite cafe T2. Afterwards I caught up with my husband and close friends and their son for coffee. We decided to have dinner together at Micks Grill and Bar at Sylvania, followed by Ten Pin Bowling at Southgate. We had so much fun and it was a great way to relax and unwind!

I am also thrilled with my new relationship with the green grocer. This is excellent because I now have found a great green grocer and a great butcher. I look forward to making a list of recipes I would like to try and then go ahead and cook this week!

Many healthy salads are on the menu. I promise to photograph and blog my culinary adventures!

Now off to do some reading. Have a lovely weekend!

Quite a while between blog posts

Well, it has become a somewhat familiar catch cry for the opening of each blog post of late... how busy has this year become???

I think work has become increasingly demanding and busy this year. I can't really put my finger on it, but I know that things are busier... in a different way to last year. I know that our department has run more efficiently, but I think that we have also been asked to do a lot more and in a lot less time. My mind turns to the final examinations for year 12 - the HSC. Schools receive results on Wednesday and I am nervous. I get nervous each year at this time. There is a great deal of pressure on schools to do well. We are analysed to the absolute degree.... I receive at least about 10 grids, mapping out perceived expected results of students and whether we met those expectations, exceeded or failed to meet those expectations. It measures value.

These results are compared to other schools and it really makes for an, at times, unpleasant experience. Don't get me wrong. My school's results are consistently well above the state average. We perform to expectations, but there is always room for improvement.

The one thing that bothers me about all this data analysis, is the fact that they don't take into consideration many variables. For one thing, some students under perform and under achieve. Sometimes puberty hits and they are now more interested in pursuing a social life rather than applying themselves to their studies.

Other students become incredibly anxious about the final examinations and place so much pressure on themselves to achieve unrealistic results that they under perform. Last year, I had a student who was rushed to hospital the night before as a chicken bone had lodged into her throat. Her dad, on the way to see her at the hospital was involved in a car accident. She had been suffering with depression during the year and under performed in each assessment task. She was really hoping that the final examination would boost her overall result. Such is life, that it was not the case.

Her overall mark did not reflect her ability. It simply reflected her lack of motivation and how unwell she was on the day. 14 years of compulsory schooling summed up into a grid. I really think that we need to rethink how we measure and report on student performance.

Something that a colleague does well is an 'Anchor Task,' In short, the student is allowed to pick a topic and present it in any form. I was so thoroughly impressed with it last year that I asked for it to go into the program for this year and now for next year.

I believe that assessment tasks where students can work on it in class and at home, where they have more than two weeks to work on it, will really help to develop and give value to the kinds of skills and practices we want our students to take away from the classroom.

I value lifelong learning. I want students to see the value in learning for life.

Some food for thought.