I can't wait for these last two weeks to be over!! 14 more days of intense studying ahead but then I finally get 3 weeks off! And after that I'll be working the rest of the summer, work feels like a piece of cake after this! I mean yes, work can be stressful but at least you always have the nights off, no matter what!
This summer I'll be working at the school where I do the grading, I won't be teaching English though but SFI (Swedish for Immigrants). They don't have any classes in July and August so it'll mostly be tutoring and also grading online. I won't only be grading English during the summer, I think they said it'll be history, religion and tourism courses as well! History is my second subject so that should be fun! I haven't studied religion at uni but it's sort of related to history and I do find it interesting so that should be ok as well. I've also done a tourism course in the past and worked in hotels for many years so that should be good too! Looking forward to it!
Ok...time for more uni work!
Showing posts with label Teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teaching. Show all posts
Monday, May 27, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Formative Assessment
I'm doing this project about formative asssessment at uni. The idea is to create a sort of information booklet for the teachers at my teacher training school, the booklet will contain information and ideas of how to work with formative assessment.
So, my job is to create this booklet. I am also observing my tutor's seventh grade history classes every week, he's teaching the lessons but I get to try some formative assessment techniques and exercises so it's really good! While I'm doing this, I'm meant to be writing an article about the project for uni. I'm pretty excited about this project, it's so interesting! I'm going to start writing the booklet and the article during the weekend and I'm actually looking forward to it in some weird way?!
The lessons I'm observing are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 to 11 or 12. Now, this is pretty much all I have scheduled for the next month or so (plus a few random seminars at uni). I have loads of writing to do though as I have an additional course that should start soon too. This all means that I have to be really diciplined!
So, my job is to create this booklet. I am also observing my tutor's seventh grade history classes every week, he's teaching the lessons but I get to try some formative assessment techniques and exercises so it's really good! While I'm doing this, I'm meant to be writing an article about the project for uni. I'm pretty excited about this project, it's so interesting! I'm going to start writing the booklet and the article during the weekend and I'm actually looking forward to it in some weird way?!
The lessons I'm observing are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 to 11 or 12. Now, this is pretty much all I have scheduled for the next month or so (plus a few random seminars at uni). I have loads of writing to do though as I have an additional course that should start soon too. This all means that I have to be really diciplined!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Teaching in England
I had a look at some teaching jobs online yesterday evening and found a few that seemed really interesting! I need to start applying soon as the deadline for most of them is in March!
It's a bit hard to look for jobs in a new country when you don''t know how anything works. But I'll just have to learn. I was just on a online chat with the Department of Education to ask about my possibilities as a NQT (newly qualified teacher) from Sweden. There are good news and bad news. The good news are that English teachers are in demand and that it seems as though I don't need to do an induction period in the uk. The bad news is that I need to get QTS (qualified teacher status) before applying for jobs. I won't graduate until June, and then I'll have to wait for my actual degree for a while, THEN I can apply for QTS. I'm not sure how important it is to do things in that order, maybe the schools will trust me that I actually have a degree before I get my QTS...?
It's a bit hard to look for jobs in a new country when you don''t know how anything works. But I'll just have to learn. I was just on a online chat with the Department of Education to ask about my possibilities as a NQT (newly qualified teacher) from Sweden. There are good news and bad news. The good news are that English teachers are in demand and that it seems as though I don't need to do an induction period in the uk. The bad news is that I need to get QTS (qualified teacher status) before applying for jobs. I won't graduate until June, and then I'll have to wait for my actual degree for a while, THEN I can apply for QTS. I'm not sure how important it is to do things in that order, maybe the schools will trust me that I actually have a degree before I get my QTS...?
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Grading
I've been thinking several times today that I should write a blog post. Then I realize that I have absolutely nothing to write about at the moment. My life is dull! I don't mind it though, I'm happy being boring Ana for a while!
Today I finished my paper and met the deadline with two hours to spare! Yayyyy! After that I went to the gym and then did some actual work-work. This new job I've got, grading papers and other student work online, is actually really fun! But it is challenging too. The syllabuses (or syllabi, I just googled to make sure but both are accepted, lol yes I'm a grammar nerd) are so hard to interpret! Here's an example of the requirements of each grade:
E- the wrtten text should be relatively varied, clear and relatively structured.
C- the written text should be varied, clear, and structured.
A- the written text should be varied, nuanced, clear and structured.
This is just a part of the syllabus for English 6, I won't bore you with the whole thing. Can you see my point though? The difference between an E and a C is the that the word relatively dissapears, the difference between a C and an A is that the word nuanced is added. Then there are also the grades D and B in the middle. To get a D the student has to meet the requirements of an E and most of the requirements of a C. To get a B the student has to meet the requirements of a C and most of the requirements of an A.
So, for a new teacher, this is hard! There is so much room for interpretation in the syllabus, I guess that's why all teachers grade differently. I do feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it though, the more papers/student work I grade the easier it will get! Can't wait to be awesome at this!
Today I finished my paper and met the deadline with two hours to spare! Yayyyy! After that I went to the gym and then did some actual work-work. This new job I've got, grading papers and other student work online, is actually really fun! But it is challenging too. The syllabuses (or syllabi, I just googled to make sure but both are accepted, lol yes I'm a grammar nerd) are so hard to interpret! Here's an example of the requirements of each grade:
E- the wrtten text should be relatively varied, clear and relatively structured.
C- the written text should be varied, clear, and structured.
A- the written text should be varied, nuanced, clear and structured.
This is just a part of the syllabus for English 6, I won't bore you with the whole thing. Can you see my point though? The difference between an E and a C is the that the word relatively dissapears, the difference between a C and an A is that the word nuanced is added. Then there are also the grades D and B in the middle. To get a D the student has to meet the requirements of an E and most of the requirements of a C. To get a B the student has to meet the requirements of a C and most of the requirements of an A.
So, for a new teacher, this is hard! There is so much room for interpretation in the syllabus, I guess that's why all teachers grade differently. I do feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it though, the more papers/student work I grade the easier it will get! Can't wait to be awesome at this!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Back to normal life
Last time I blogged I was freaking out over things. had just got back to Stockholm and everything felt weird!
Now, everything's alright! In fact, things are better than alright! Uni's going well, teacher training is going well, I've started working out and even the living situation with Mikaela is working so much better than I thought!
I'm doing my first course of the term at uni and it involves some teacher training. So, last week I held a couple of lessons and I've got a couple more this week. The teacher was ill last Thursday so I actually got to cover for him, and get paid! Sometimes teaching in front of him freaks me out, it is such a stressful situation to have someone observe and evaluate you as you teach. But now that I got to do it on my own I was fine! I was more than fine, I loved it! So I'm no longer freaking out about teaching that much.
The extra courses I'm doing this term haven't started yet. I've got one exam in March, an essay due in June and another essay that I haven't received guidelines for yet. Me graduating in the summer depends on me being able to finish all these extra courses before that. Hopefully it can be done! I'm pretty sure it can.
I had chosen not to work this semester but I just got a part time job offer that was too amazing to turn down. It's correcting English assignments online one day a week. The best thing about it is that it can be done from anywhere! They might also need someone to teach lessons sometimes so it's a really good way to make extra money, and also a good way to get some teaching experience!
Also, the school where I'm doing my teacher training asked me if I could work as a substitute teacher when they need people. They called me this morning but I'm in England now so couldn't do it.
And then there's the living situation. I'm used to having my own space and I thought it would be a challenge to live with a friend in such a small apartment but it's been fine! Mikaela works every day and sometimes doesn't come home until late. And I will be traveling to England so she'll get her alone time too. If anything it's actually been really good having her there! It's nice to have that little time every night when you get to vent and talk to someone about your day! I think it'll be great living with her :)
When I got back from England I bought a gym card and started working out again. I've been running and doing other stuff at the gym three days a week and I just love it! It's the first time I've ever felt that I can't wait to get to the gym! Another good thing about living with Mikaela is that she's very healthy, which makes me eat healthier too.
I feel like everything I'm doing right now (trying to get my degree, working to make extra money, saving money by living with Mikaela etc) is preparation for the move to England and I think that's why I'm happy with things. Even being away from Andy isn't that bad cos I know I'll get to live there soon. So, all in all, I'm very happy with my live right now!
Now, everything's alright! In fact, things are better than alright! Uni's going well, teacher training is going well, I've started working out and even the living situation with Mikaela is working so much better than I thought!
I'm doing my first course of the term at uni and it involves some teacher training. So, last week I held a couple of lessons and I've got a couple more this week. The teacher was ill last Thursday so I actually got to cover for him, and get paid! Sometimes teaching in front of him freaks me out, it is such a stressful situation to have someone observe and evaluate you as you teach. But now that I got to do it on my own I was fine! I was more than fine, I loved it! So I'm no longer freaking out about teaching that much.
The extra courses I'm doing this term haven't started yet. I've got one exam in March, an essay due in June and another essay that I haven't received guidelines for yet. Me graduating in the summer depends on me being able to finish all these extra courses before that. Hopefully it can be done! I'm pretty sure it can.
I had chosen not to work this semester but I just got a part time job offer that was too amazing to turn down. It's correcting English assignments online one day a week. The best thing about it is that it can be done from anywhere! They might also need someone to teach lessons sometimes so it's a really good way to make extra money, and also a good way to get some teaching experience!
Also, the school where I'm doing my teacher training asked me if I could work as a substitute teacher when they need people. They called me this morning but I'm in England now so couldn't do it.
And then there's the living situation. I'm used to having my own space and I thought it would be a challenge to live with a friend in such a small apartment but it's been fine! Mikaela works every day and sometimes doesn't come home until late. And I will be traveling to England so she'll get her alone time too. If anything it's actually been really good having her there! It's nice to have that little time every night when you get to vent and talk to someone about your day! I think it'll be great living with her :)
When I got back from England I bought a gym card and started working out again. I've been running and doing other stuff at the gym three days a week and I just love it! It's the first time I've ever felt that I can't wait to get to the gym! Another good thing about living with Mikaela is that she's very healthy, which makes me eat healthier too.
I feel like everything I'm doing right now (trying to get my degree, working to make extra money, saving money by living with Mikaela etc) is preparation for the move to England and I think that's why I'm happy with things. Even being away from Andy isn't that bad cos I know I'll get to live there soon. So, all in all, I'm very happy with my live right now!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Back at uni
First day back at Stockholm uni today! I just arrived back home yesterday evening so haven't had loads of time to settle in yet.
Honestly I'm not feeling very good about it at the moment. I think it's a combination of knowing I won't get to be with Andy for a while and realizing (and freaking out) over the fact that I'm almost done with uni.
This guy at uni asked me if I've started applying for jobs yet. Umm what?! Job? Am I supposed to start doing that already? And in the UK? Freaking out here! Being a teacher freaks me out. And being a teacher in England freaks me out even more! I'm hoping this last term of loads of practical training will calm me down and give me more confidence.
- Posted from my iPhone
Honestly I'm not feeling very good about it at the moment. I think it's a combination of knowing I won't get to be with Andy for a while and realizing (and freaking out) over the fact that I'm almost done with uni.
This guy at uni asked me if I've started applying for jobs yet. Umm what?! Job? Am I supposed to start doing that already? And in the UK? Freaking out here! Being a teacher freaks me out. And being a teacher in England freaks me out even more! I'm hoping this last term of loads of practical training will calm me down and give me more confidence.
- Posted from my iPhone
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