Van who?

Stardate15 December
I was more than a little tardy with this week’s reflections. My main thoughts this week refer back to a discussion with my group regarding the assessment. We were trying to word the curriculum proposal and I came up against something new to me, new and unexpected. Teachers playing dumb. Back at school this was common, but this I didn’t expect in a teacher training course. I’ll explain a little more the two areas that caused me grief firstly we were talking about in one of the tasks about changing the look and feel of a given space, I wanted to use the word aesthetics as it is the word for what we were talking about. I was told no one will understand that Dan you’re trying to use clever words again, bangs head on table. Then we couldn’t use the obscure and niche artist Van Gogh as the learners and the validating panel wouldn’t have heard of him and Dan is being to arts fartsy. Is it me deep sigh. I never had an education, I went to Art College, this whole experience just emphasised the need for continual professional development, if the teachers are going to attempt to maintain this giggle I don’t know attitude to knowledge and learning how are we going to broaden our learner’s knowledge?

Let it snow let it snow let it snow...

Stardate 5 December 08
Few logistical dilemmas reared their heads this week which I may as well talk about as they tie into my favourite of all educational serendipities SNOWDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Yes it snowed and plunged the country into chaos, let me explain. Tuesday I was to attend an end of tem department meeting and later a tutorial. We only have one car due to financial and parking space reasons but we tend to manage fine with this to attend this meeting id arranged to have the car and take my partner to work 20miles in the opposite direction so I’d have the car back for late afternoon. I opened the windows to a winter wonder land ugh I thought ‘Bull Hill’ I don’t know if your familiar with Bolton but this high and exposed part of the a666 carries a running total death toll and last year in similar conditions I passed 9 crashed cars on the same journey. I checked if the journey was essential “is it essential? Well ill get sacked if I don’t go...” So like Scott of the arctic out I ventured, I may be some time. I should explain this journey is on a clear day thirty minutes today it took three and a half hours. I arrived home to find the meeting I needed the car for had been cancelled. Why am I telling you this? Because my tutorial was also cancelled, no because it’s thrown the assignment schedule into chaos no. Because in my opinion the u.k educational system needs to agree that some days like in America you need to announce it as a snow day. The phrase only travel if the journey is essential is meaningless. Everyone fighting to get to an event that was cancelled needlessly clogs the road for essential journeys. If the road is white outside at 8 am it’s a snow day stay home. Maybe the council would feel obliged to grit the roads, who knows? The following day my classes were both half full again due to weather conditions and it’s always the older learners who risk it. I thought well if I cancel it I don’t get paid I have to contact all the learners to they don’t come, then I have to do the session at the end, which delays the next course a week. So selfishly I braved the weather and did the session and ‘tough’ to anyone that missed it.

I could be stacking shelves at Asda

Stardate 29 November 08
I was discussing the assignment with a member of the group but not my group. Their view on it was interesting and well reflects mine. I like I’m sure many others was sceptical about the point of working as a group to produce the curriculum, but as it progressed I have a few times reached the point of thinking it looks done, but the continual input feedback and discussion provided by the others in the team have refined and improved it continually. So from that front I’m pleasantly suppressed the down side is a member of my team is contemplating quitting the course due to her fears of writing the assignment up. Speaking to her in our discussions she shouldn’t have a problem answering the questions as she does understand it, just I think she questions her own literacy. This is also my fear, as I sat to begin writing the assignment my mind went blank. I had to follow through my notes so carefully to begin to put all I learned together in a contingent manner. It’s strange talking to my course tutor it all makes sense and I can answer the questions, sat at home I can’t think of the questions, I should record the tutorial as an aid to memory being there isn’t enough I need to take something useful from it.

Alll quiet on the teaching front

Stardate 21 November
All quiet on the teaching front.
The teaching sessions were both indicative of a midterm session. All the learners were engaged with producing projects and on the whole seemed motivated, I spent the session monitoring learning and assisting in trouble shooting, where required. I always question if I should break up such a session with a demonstration or let the learners progress their work. I decided to let them get on. It’s interesting to watch how the newest learners progress the subject of natural ability is fascinating. Some learners take to the skills so naturally and some really have to apply themselves to progress. But it’s notable that some of the less naturally talented learners appear to derive more pleasure from basic achievements than the naturals. The more talented learners see more problems in their own work ironically and question every detail and flaw. The level of course I feel is suitable to both kinds and this diversity and differentiation I feel benefits everyone. I still question how to best record and reconcile this type of learning in my paperwork, especially in the production of the scheme of work and lesson plans. From discussions with a peer they inform me they produce 2 different schemes of work beginners and advanced which is a solution but my learners are more ramped than a or b, and I do like to feel I encourage them to maximise their potential and regardless of the level the course is set at I don’t want to hold anyone back, and frankly the skill level of some of my students is astonishing and whilst other learners skill level is low, the sense of achievement and satisfaction from their work is no less great. I partly feel a detailed individual tracking sheet combined with the workshop lesson plans would be a better snapshot of the session than a scheme of work and a lesson plan.

Form follows dysfunctional

Stardate 17th November
I had one of those bad lessons administratively speaking. Let me explain, firstly we have to withdraw a learner after four weeks, so this is what I did this learner I felt it in my water they weren’t going to return. But at my evenings lesson up they pop “sorry iv been away we had an ofsted inspection””on and their friends baby died” what am I suppose to say so i need to find out if I’m able to reinstate them. The other problem was worse, a learner who has been attending since the beginning of the course, I just noticed isn’t on the register, they enrolled but just aren’t on the printed register, I know cock-up huh. At the beginning of the term she had some difficulty enrolling. They did manage it eventually but she must have missed the printout. I didn’t notice till now, I have written to my boss to ask for advice on what to do as I can’t really amend the register to add her retrospectively. I do the register casually; I read down the list and add a mark as I’ve seen them, perhaps at least for the first few weeks I should do it like in school “Jenkins- yes sir”. I will have to wait for her to write back to see what will happen....

Destiny destiny no escaping death for meeee

Stardate 7th November
Today I started to write my assignment, and I became aware just how unprepared I am to write a piece of this length. Unfocused and distractible for one and apparently void of all the information we are supposed to have been taught. I think if I can work out how to do it I’ll start to make audio recordings of the sessions. During the session the assignment all makes sense, just when I sit back down here my mind goes blank for example, I was trying to talk a little about the learning styles. I remember the session remember us all discussing the individual styles as little groups then presenting back the group. But as I sat here I could recall none of it including my own ,I remember the discussions ,how to explain it, but I can’t imagine how the discussion can be used to write the assignment in any cohesive way. I’m writing this in an attempt to unlock my mind enough to continue with the project. My second problem this week is the attitude of oh well we will have plenty of time to complete the tasks within the sessions speech has been replaced with the other groups are all having all night study sessions and we should already have it finished “who has started?” I hadn’t because I was working to this now evidently mythological schedule that now seems to have vanished one of the other learners chose to undertake the assignment alone, I wish I had done that, I would feel more in control of my own destiny....

Incoming transmission from the great giant head..

Stardate October 29
Last week before half term or reading week depending how motivated were feeling. This week we had the training day. This kicked off with a inspirational speech from the head inspiring us with fear and making us sweat about the things well I personally can’t control. I may have written about this before but the college is building a new campus and the existing main site is being demolished and sold off. Whilst the existing build is old and not especially pretty, it’s functional and large. The new build I fear is an operation of style over content, whist its corridors and lobby areas are light and filled with those trees they seem to populate all architectural models with, there appears to be considerably less space than we currently have. Secondly they don’t appear to be providing adequate car parking space. I know dear reader that in these ecologically troubled times where the ecosystem is on the verge of collapse I shouldn’t be wanting a car park, but be honest how did you get to work. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, if you build it and there’s nowhere to park they won’t come. After the meeting we all went off to our separate training sessions. I had decided to attend a session on the VLE Moodle. I was relieved to find it at a higher level than previous sessions; actually I was relieved to find it at all. The session was held in a room with in a room the outer room required a combination lock to be accessed and the inner room to be discovered, a notice on the outer door would have been helpful .The session getting back to the point was useful as it suggested practical uses for the VLE and then provided us with the instruction to implement them. As learning tool it’s really developing nicely and the statistical usage data it produces think will prove invaluable. If I only had an interactive white board in my room I could really use and exploit its possibilities. The idea or a forum relating to my sessions would be a great way to gain actual heat of the moment feedback on my sessions and the possibility to do session evaluations and end of term evaluations electronically would be marvellous. Removing a huge pile of paper , correlating the data and providing me information that would aid in the development and improvement of my teaching abilities.

There is no I in Team but there is a Meat..

Stardate 16th October 2008
Group work
In the training course we’ve been set a group work project. This has pros and cons attached to it. If I lay out my concerns I can explain it better. I know I work best with people to sound ideas off. Ideas can be developed and rounded and many of myself doubts can be eased. However it also goes the other way if I’m doing all the creative work and the others are just riding on my let’s call it brilliance then it’s less worthwhile. A member of my group will be away again for a number of weeks leaving us to take up the slack. If I had known they weren’t to be available for this time would I have been as keen to have them in my group? The other group member is very good and we have progressed the project well. They have researched and provided useful source material that has for me provided a springboard to my ideas, helping me think back to my art college days when many of the types of topics were covering in this curriculum were dealt with. I’m slightly concerned how the curriculum will be finally fixed in the way were proceeding. Any written piece needs an overall coherence and each dealing with session weeks separately could cause it to be fragmented. I submitted my sessions early to the others with the hope they would do the same and with all the parts together we could further discuss and refine it as a whole. Until I get the rest I can’t see if we’re all on the same page in the progression. I need plenty of time to panic and refine my work, as I have mentioned earlier academic projects don’t come naturally to me so I have to work hard to get through them. People taking holidays midterm is an annoyance as a teacher it makes planning the session difficult as a learner in a group project it places the burden of responsibility unfairly on the others. But as it stands we have to make the best of it. A learner in the group chose to do the project alone, and as such is close to completing it. It may have been a simpler solution. There is a presenting the project to a validation panel element to the task, I’m nervous about speaking on subjects I’m not confident in, but I’m also able to argue strongly on something I know , I’m concerned a member of my group speaks before they think and this in itself could compromise us. We will have to see.....

Gold stars for all

Stardate 8 October
Well a normal feeling week. The lessons were both good work-shopping ones. I’m trying to think how I could have improved them without reducing the productivity; I think I gave a good amount of attention to all the learners; I am concerned in the evening class that a couple of the new learners haven’t returned but I was thinking about this. I’m sure some people enrol on courses for unexplained reasons that are there are some benefit advantage to it. If I was to guess or speculate id say one of the missing learners was there for such a reason. But I don’t actually know they could be stuck down a well for all I know. The new learners all learn at different rates. One of them is hugely unconfident and I think concerned that other learners are progressing faster than she. I have spent time explaining that it’s not a race and her time is better spent getting her feel for the tools and building her skills at her own rate and has her own understanding of what she’s learned. I don’t want to chase her off or intimidate her from the course as in my experience; they do all get the hang of it. By the end of the lesson she had cut out her project fairly well and you could see the proud look of achievement on her face. I am taking care now to praise the learners more and to draw other learner’s attention to successes, as it helps promote a stronger social feeling, which has a twofold benefit firstly they feel better about themselves and secondly they stick with the course and I get to keep my job.

before and after sweat tears and laughter

Stardate 1 October
Inspection day
For the lesson we have been asked to try something new with the learners. I thought about it then decided to attempt a glass painting demonstration. This is actual stained glass not something not we have done before. I bought a kiln over summer with the intention of beginning to learn this craft and have been attempting test pieces with varying levels of success. If it can go wrong it has gone wrong but I think this is all part of the learning process. I eventually was able to find a book teaching these skills but there is really no substitute for experience and my experiences of this are minimal. As a craft it seems to have more in common with pottery painting. The demonstration I plan to do blue peter style, as a series of steps as to paint 1 piece from start to finish would be impractical due to the drying times required. I will talk about the stages and the reasons for the steps required, paint a little to demonstrate, I think on the demonstration parts I have already prepared, then if time permits fire one, although I doubt ill have time to take it from the kiln. I’m curious to see how it goes myself. I have the same session to do again in the evening so ill be pleased to hear any suggestions the inspector has.
Well I was successful after a fashion; there are changes to be made to my paperwork some obvious well cock-up’s relating to scheme of works compared to lesson plans but other things need making more relevant and well apparently self explanatory, I’ll have a look at it as I do this project which is curriculum design and will aid both things. The demonstration went ok but I need to ask more questions to check learning and understanding its strange it’s easier in the evening class as there are more new learners there the difference is, some of the learners in the morning session have been on the course longer than myself And well look at me weird when I do the teacher Dan bit. In the evening class they roll over and let me scratch their ears, but I resolve to do the whole addressing the group and being in charge, one of the suggestions of saying the time when the demo will start worked well and in the evening class I checked learner knowledge before I started. Next week ill make this more cogninent, seems unfocused and sprawling.

Is this a dagger I see before me?

Stardate 26 September
Is this a dagger I see before me?
Health and safety came to the fore this week. Firstly we had a near miss. The story as it was related to me was as follows. Glass that was being stored upon a cupboard began to slide off during the opening of a cupboard. This I agree sounds awful and reckless on my part however further examination of the revealed that someone appears to have been attempting to `jimmy` the door with a crowbar or some such it was during this violent forced entry attempt the large board didn’t fall off despite their best efforts to make it do otherwise. It raises a few questions in my mind, to which I didn’t receive a satisfactory answer 1 if you’re opening a locked cupboard use a key. 2 If you lose the key, get the spare key you keep in the car, so u don’t look silly in front of your learners, should the lock fail , contact a locksmith, or secondly ensuring you are wearing the correct safety equipment use a pair of bolt cutters on the padlock. I can’t imagine how they reasoned bending the metal door would help them access this locked cupboard. I think if I was looking a fool in front of my class in such a way I would also attempt to divert attention away from my own incompetence by fingering a` scape goat`. I photographed the room extensively specifically documenting other classes objects also stored on top of cupboards. Ikea cupboard all are sold with wall brackets to prevent them being toppled over if we are to ensure a cupboard remains safe whilst being forcibly shaken we could look into this option. I am not storing work there anymore and now have to question the health and safety risk present in the end of term exhibition as work on a table top could become a hazard if someone decides to go at it with a crowbar.

Back in the saddle again..

Stardate 17 september 08

Back in the saddle again

First day back so I was a little apprehensive have I got everything what have I forgotten?

Weirdly I seemed to have most things. The problem on the morning course was learners. On the register were two new names, but only one turned up is this my fault? No its not, everyone wants to do my course they tell me so all the time, oh they go Stained glass that’s interesting? Why don’t people enrol? The marketing is handled in my opinion entirely inappropriately, and seems to be aimed at people already in the educational system. I work there and saw nothing in the way of advertising outside of the facilities. I got nothing through the door saw no Billboards, the exhibition of learner work was much the same. Why isn’t it done in the town centre? A nice marquee with learner work and enrolments taking place right there would be more effective. I think it’s unusual to expect to get local people into the facilities cold, scares the bejesus out of me and I work there. The website is appalling there are moves afoot to improve it but it looks like it was designed by a 3 year old from a college that offers web design courses it’s embarrassing. Why is it so badly laid out why aren’t details of the courses laid out with photos contact details ,why can’t we enrol their directly, this argument that not everyone has a computer is wearing ridiculously thin. As it stands it’s a miracle anyone manages to find my course let alone enrol on it. The evening course faired a little better. I think largely due to changes I suggested the later starting time helps people enormously the powers that be in the college assume people will come directly from work to a night class eat in college then do the session. In my opinion people like to nip home see their family then go out we need to fit to a more realistic social model.

The lessons went well especially the evening one new blood enthusiastic and fun, makes it enjoyable for me also. I decided to bum the initial assessment forms till next week because I didn’t want to make the first session an academic experience and would rather put the learners at ease, then hopefully we can retain them, but I explained it would be something we would do next session. That said I covered the health and safety aspects of the course and checked enrolments. If we survive the numbers thing which is out of my control I expect a good term. I’m being inspected in a couple of weeks and it has been suggested we attempt something different, so I’m thinking ill demonstrate glass painting which is something I’m new to myself but with a little planning I’m sure I can introduce the topic weather we get to actually let the learners attempt anything is as yet undecided..

from 4 till late

Stardate 15^th may

Well today I learned the value of organisation i got all my gear together for the learners week exhibition, id decided on the demonstration cut out the project, borrowed learners work for a small exhibition prepared a slideshow on my laptop even created a large poster using a prog called Rasterbator so organised , I even had a pack lunch everything other than the right day blushes. Fortunately I checked the handouts or I would have appeared silly. On the Brightside all my prep other than the sandwiches will be fine for next week. The lessons the ups and downs are all related to individual projects its weird am I the only one who wakes up at 3am realising a project has a problem thinking of a fix then going back to sleep running into the next session and discussing it with the learner, I suppose everyone does it if only we got paid for it.

Little by little

Stardate 7^th may

We seem to have been unleashed to complete the rest of year one alone, well there’s help if we need it but I hope to work through and complete what’s required alone. I have been working through my previous lesson plans and seeing how they appear to have improved through the term. I feel I’m more confident in how to approach them , I also feel there easier to do this way the individual lesson plans seem much more relevant to how my classes actually work , the old way seemed to be largely a work of fiction and more a book keeping exercise . So surprisingly I seem to have learned something, who would have thought it. Reading back through my earliest entries my confidence in my own abilities has risen, I was always second guessing my own teaching style unsure if I was doing it right. I was working correctly just not reflecting it in my paper work. Once I started to break down and express what I actually do each day and recorded it appropriately it seemed more worth while. As I said the new lesson plans actually work as a tool for me to graphically and practically track learner’s progress and achievements, which can only be a good thing. I was so intimidated by the process of writing an assignment but so far touch wood they have been successful, I find them hard work but I can complete them with care and patience, and I find I’m relying less on others for assistance, I have always worked best with someone to bounce ideas of, is this ok how should I approach this, but this support structure hasn’t been as available recently and it has forced me to develop the skills to make myself do it, which I begrudgingly accept is a good thing, my office skills are much improved and I can now find my way around word fairly competently so I’ approaching happy. Next term we have a group project to manage, this concerns me, I don’t want to be lumbered with a group ill have to carry; equally I don’t want to hold another group back so I will be curious to see how we are divided up. Woo that sounds selfish and insecure and paranoid. I’m defensive about my personal time like to keep work and home time separate, I do compromise when I must, but I dislike meetings for meetings sake. This perhaps explains some of my apprehension about the field of cpd, If I’m learning something useful which I feel is valuable to me then great if it’s a wasted day listening to something largely irrelevant set to fill up the hours, then I feel like life is to short. I cured my pc today also it developed a fault, would shut down randomly, i eventually traced the problem to a bad networking driver, I diagnosed and cured this using the net as a research tool, this is profesional development, it took nearly a day to solve, but solve it I did. IT skills are important, they continue to improve

When push comes to shove...

Stardate may 1

Well I got inspected again well twice I suppose the first time I didn’t have the appropriate coversheets for ma lesson plans detailing what I do what they do etc the second time I had all this stuff together, both the lessons seemed to go well . There is a lot of humour in both groups, it doesn’t prevent work being done so I’m happy to keep it that way, if it went to far I would have to do something, I contemplated how these are adults language does slip out not from me I’m to careful not to fucking swear by mistake and so far I haven’t, its unusual I’m not a natural swearer, I only really do it whilst driving or going to work not when I’m actually there. From my own stand point I don’t mind it unless it’s racial which I have no time for and don’t tolerate, or also directed at someone. If it’s a 2 fingered salute playfully made over a football result I’m inclined to let it go. Absences are problem when it comes to completing the workbooks I plan a session in witch everyone will add to them and then a number of learners are away then I have to do it again the following week, learners are also reluctant to do them within a session as they would rather develop their projects which I understand but I need to push them to complete this part of the course.

self peer tutor

Stardate 23 april

I was assessed this morning or inspected or looked at poked and probed lol, the assessment went fairly well. I need to ad a extra part to ma lesson plans so someone can cover for me in the event of my untimely death. I use to have a part in my lesson plans which had the how is the group assessed bit, and what is the teacher doing and the learners doing, the way it was described it sounds like this is due for a resurrection all hail self peer tutor, ill expand it, also it was suggested adding questions to my handouts would allow me to record progress in a easily assessable way I’m sure the learners will grumble and not see the point but hey when has education ever been about them.

Its my party and...

19^th april

Its my birthdayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy XD I know all growed up and stuff. I assume you’re present is in the post. Speaking of birthdays one of ma learner’s turns 40 this month so were going out for lunch to celebrate. I wouldn’t normally do this but he has downs syndrome and has been on the course for years. So in the interest of peace n good will ill abandon my hermit lifestyle for the afternoon and go shan’t be drinking as I have the earning lesson to contend with. The evening lesson got disrupted by my boss attempting to tidy the workshop around me; things needed throwing out seemed my lesson was the time to do it. Disrupted the start but we discussed how to improve the room which is now being shared with a greater number of people.

virtualy educated

Star date 14 April

I’m writing my assignment 4, I chose to write it about second life as it interests me, I have been exploring the educational aspect of the world .As part of the thing I want to make a video to better explain it, so I attended a series of lectures in world to find out how to do this .The lectures presented by Jim Gustafson a German programmer were presented in English using the voice capability of second life and also typed to accommodate those with out the facility, and also provided a log to act as lesson notes, was interesting stuff felt like a good real lesson. I need to figure out how to make an exhibition in sl, will probably be on my own land now as I had a small argument with the person I was going to borrow some space off. The artist inside me thought the place didn’t need another empty castle and felt she could use her own skills to make something more creative. Note to self not everyone wants to be taught. That said she taught me how to render a sculptie and hey we all know how useful that is.

metaverse or not to be

Star date Wednesday 2 April 08

Back into it again after half term I finished ma assignment number 3 I hope its ok. If it’s wrong ill make it right. I was just having a look at my pdp file seeing what needs addressing. I understand why it’s vague and open id probably complain if It was focused and closed. Lessons resumed again I quite enjoyed both. The learners are pleasingly motivated and enthusiastic; my great fear is of them reaching the end of something and asking me what they should do next. Today a few learners reached this point and all had plans for what they wanted to progress onto it’s a good sign and one that tells me there into it. That said Derek will soon complete his planter project I asked him if he has any ideas for the next and to be thinking of something but as aback up plan I asked him to bring his glass with him so if necessary we can choose something to suit what he has. Assignment four is upon me I know what I want to write about but I’m hoping that we just have to debate an idea and not actually does the thing will assist me in it being accepted.

The Safety Glasses are half worn

Star date 5 march 08

A really ordinary week seems in both classes everyone is busy with their own projects and they just don’t need me anymore. Seriously we seem to reach a point in the term where the majority of the learners are engaged in what we in the trade call “learning” getting on with it. I walk from learner to learner questioning them on their progress. I used this quiet time to formally asses the learner’s practical usage of the health and safety procedure. At the start of the course we talk about the risks and what can be done to minimise and prevent injury but assignment 3 calls for a formal assessment to be performed and this seemed to be as good a topic to cover as any. I walked around observing and scoring each learner out of five according to the task they were involved with I also videoed the assessment to assist when I come to feed back to them I have spent some time editing this recording and flagging things for discussion. Reflectively where are the weak points in the H&S? How can we improve things? With a review and discussion we can as a group improve

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Quaking with sucsess

Stardate 27 feb

Inspection time, oddly I ended up sort of relaxed come the day I think my brave survival of the night times earthquake had re affirmed my mortality and the utter futile nature of existence. So I thought what could possibly go wrong. Other than printed out versions of all my paperwork replacing the messy usual scrawl I didn’t nothing different. As I mentioned earlier if I fake a big lesson just to be successful then what am I learning. The first must be an honest reflection of what I do, if I’m shit I can be branded as such for working in my own way and then I can reflect if my future is in teaching. I got there in plenty of time set up my little demonstration space, nothing big the week before would have been a better observed demo, but they aren’t always needed. I decided to do the crisp start to the lesson thing; everyone had already arrived and were busy with things. “Good morning I would like to start the lesson by recapping some health and safety, In the event of an earthquake place hands on heads and climb under the tables “ 0.o barley a titter , I think I was the only one it woke up is the reflection the solution is don’t try to be funny. Most of the lesson passed of dealing with individual assistance and the demonstration which may have been slightly mistimed. But as the two learners it applied to won’t be both in on the same day for two weeks it was as good a time as any. The lesson was successful I have a signed review that proves it. Some points were raised which I found interesting. A specific demonstration table would be good a materials table would be nice also as would materials. Also a MORE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO DEALINGWITH THE LEARNERS, that sounds like a great idea but amidst the chaos there is one. I try to give attention to who needs it on a the jobs stopped basis then see everyone to record their progress, the level of assistance required is tricky to judge

Some learners actively don’t want ma help preferring to reach their own solutions others would happily let me make a project from start to finish. Balance lies somewhere in between. The evening session was very similar I need to enquire about the final exhibition, as it doesn’t coincide with the Excel show in September. How can I make learners get materials? Some wont get off their asses to the damn shop or order online. What do I say to make them do it?

u cant tell what it is

Stardate 20 feb 08

So much work to do, am somewhat panicked by it all doubting my abilities. The teaching goes fine the academia well its scares me, I don’t know if I’m up to it and the only way to find out is to try. Perhaps even try and fail .Seems I have been filling in the wrong workshop plan form the one without a session review, I thought this was where I reviewed the session and reflected on problems and tried to reason solutions to improve my work, but it seems not. The lessons that I was most worried about was the learners designing their projects, my fear was I would end up doing it all for them. They assume I have some magical design powers as the teacher. I don’t but I have learned to be honest and critical, if its shit I will look at it and think its shit, why is it shit? Haha that’s reflective. It’s important to be honest in viewing you own work. Look at the window u have designed, does it look all squashed up does the elegant pre-Raphaelite woman look like Batman, and friends won’t tell you any of this. They go aww that looks lovely you’re so talented and watch you sink into failure for fear of insulting you’re sensitive artistic nature. As a teacher I have to be able to guide the learners and give an opinion push them forward suggest improvements, but ultimately remember its their project, if the window is going to look like a penis from 3 meters away should I tell them or not? (I didn’t btw bottled it).But getting back to the point the learners I was concerned about, would they draw anything would they learn anything XD they all arrived with near complete designs, which we spent the lesion making some final adjustments to.

Where to draw the line

Stardate wed 6 Feb 08

I should have struck whilst the iron was hot but I left it a while now I have to think back to what I did nearly 2 weeks ago. The lessons went well the classes are getting into the swing of things, with routine a kind of pattern builds. After 3 hard weeks of term they will be glad of the break and all out of the habit again. I have a small problem in that I am due to be inspected the problem is that I’m not entirely sure of the inspection date. I had it in my mind it was to be this coming Wednesday but I have the following week as the date on my phone. Still I don’t suppose it matters I have lesson plans for both and I will work on them but its nice to make a great one for an inspection yes I do that I also drive slow when I see the police so they think I’m a good law abiding citizen. Back to the point, I was pleased with my new learners in the fact they have some ideas and ambitions of what they would like to achieve. Sometimes I wonder why people bother to come having no interest or enthusiasm in the subject, but these 2 have. I liked the opportunity to talk about a good design the learner had made and relate to what we learned the previous week about the characteristics of the glass and discuss the difficulties that would emerge looking at his design. It more valuable to discuss a real project and say what can and can’t be done than to waste time on a fictitious example, I think the other learners benefited from this. The learner seemed to be open to the fact his design would need to be changed or I could have been in trouble. It is important to be flexible with a design and have though through it from a range of different criteria before beginning it as it saves a lot of time later. The evening session proved difficult for all the same reasons learners are prepared to let me do all the work for them as far as drawing a window design .I suppose the learners have mixed expectations of what to expect from a level 2 course and the play of against complexity of design compounding the complexity of construction. There is a lot to get across as far as what they can expect to make. I don’t want to hold ambition back, but I don’t want them to bite of more than they can handle. It’s a difficult balance. A window could take a learner 30 hours to make and me only 5, where to draw the line…..

Gehstalt ,bless u

Star date 30 January 08

The morning class went well, we had new recruits. This is usually good fresh blood. One of them expressed an interest in joining the evening session which is welcome but unlikely as it is more expensive and a few too many weeks in, it’s a real shame. If there was parity he would be in the session that suits him better. I think I’m improving at starting new learners. I have more to say about each part of the initial stages and I feel I explain it better. The pacing of the lessons seems to work more cohesively and I’m able better to mix the different skill levels that attend the sessions. I’m still using the work shop lesson plans these have had an unexpected benefit. Firstly the power of the clip board is not to be underestimated people flinch and cower beneath its enormous sense of authority. Secondly it helps the learners focus their minds on what they actually hope to achieve with the session. I may be over thinking things but the act of walking around with a clipboard means the learners have actually thought what they are going to do before I get around to them. A third thing is it ensures I do get around to everyone so it gives me some focus and mission. I haven’t been assessed yet by the assessors but listening to Kevin talk about the assessment process has at least given me some confidence that the work shop nature of the class won’t count against me in an assessment. I was concerned that the way the sessions work that of me wandering around trouble shooting and helping individually would reflect badly on me that each lesson I should stand and give a long power point presentation about each subtle nuance and aspect of the subject if it’s there or not (prefers to wait for that Gestalt moment of inspiration)

I shall meditate upon the problem -.-

Stardate 23 Jan 2008

The morning class went fairly well a section of it was filled with end of term paperwork. In the past, well and in the present if I’m honest. Learners have complained about the regular chore of filling in end of term assessment forms and progress reviews. With the extra training I have been able to more convincingly argue the relevance what on the face of it appears a meaningless task. Explaining how it allows me to sculpt the class to their needs. Also we completed most of the reenrolments for the new term. Unlike the evening ncfe level 2 there is no exam fee to be paid so numbers are fairly good again that said I’m fairly concerned that a few learners haven’t re enrolled but this appears to do with illness either theirs or their families or travel plans rather than anything I’m doing wrong .

The evening class numbers are still concerning me if everyone who has told me they are definitely coming comes we will have 11. Two of these learners 4 weeks into the course haven’t yet attended. But have contacted me regularly to pledge that they will. Regardless I have to withdraw them this week and re instate them next Wednesday, reflecting on the pgde lesson I’m somewhat at a loss how to run a course with such a shifting sand of attendees. I’m honestly not concerned that they will all achieve just how it will appear to an inspector. These are adults with real life commitments; they come because they enjoy it not because of the qualification. We will always lose out to a sick relative of a foreign holiday and if we chastise them they will not come and the course will close. This isn’t a course populated with 14-19 year olds these are adults they receive reward from the process and completion of a project not the certificate.

Back to the lesson

I demonstrated the leading up process that I had intended to do the week before. The demonstration ran long for a couple of reasons. Firstly the cartoon was overly complicated for the time allowed the explanation to why I didn’t do a simpler demonstration is two fold. Firstly it was loosely based around one of the learners own intended projects so I felt it valuable to tackle some of the challenges she would face and allow her to see some of the technical solutions. Secondly a number of the learners have already done traditional leaded lights and they could use the demonstration to compare my method to those they use. Talking through my demonstration I was able to discuss the ncfe workbooks further and as a group we argued the answers to the questions contained within. This was useful and I tried in the extra time allowed by the demonstration to relate it to what each of them was doing. And also I think convincingly argued the benefit of keeping all the source material for inclusion with the workbooks. I say convincingly because in the past, myself included, I haven’t always seen the relevance of assembling the research process as you would the working out for a maths problem. But as I progress in my teaching (I want to be an educator if the students are being called learners) I find the visual gathering of source material be it torn from library books or looted from churches, inspirational to the surrounding learners and the walk through step by step development process allows us to question what would happen if u went this route or that. The learner is the able to argue their choices consciously and say “I decided this I did this for that reason and chose not to do this because”

Woo isn’t that reflective learning (which I shall for the purposes of my own journal refer to as “Meditative Learning” for no real reason other than 1 it sounds cooler and 2 I can nod my head to questions and say “I shall need some time to meditate on the problem”. Perhaps at some point I can get a druidical robe but my mind has wandered so ill end

weak 2 our flexable friend

Woo a little success assignment one was returned and it passed, this is a relief. I haven’t done this type of academic course before and I’m finding it challenging. The new teacher is more flexible in his approach to the sessions relying less on media presentations and more on acquired knowledge to teach us. This term I’m more aware of how each topic relates to the assignments and will focus my efforts to them. I need to pass the course wasting effort outside of this goal for the time being is useless.

The lessons again the acl course went well I am using the workshop lesson plan concept to describe the learner goals, and I’m trying to push some of the learners to explore new skills they haven’t covered to keep the group motivated

The evening glass I had planned to demonstrate leading up but we had an influx of returning learners which I hope will save the class but they all had questions relating to their projects so I decided the time would be better spent getting everyone started. I also feel the demonstration next week will allow a little more time for a few more students to return. Again I’m using the individual session learning plans and its working well the simple fact I’m writing down what their up2 helps focus their minds on their aims and objectives.

Back to it

Well a new term a new “teacher teacher” out with the old in with the new. The variety of people we have had leading us has at least provided us with arrange of different approaches. Interestingly they all appear to pass on the same information just in a range of different ways. It was useful to be apprised of our place in the syllabus and what was left to do.

The lessons on Wednesday the morning class went well the learners are busy with individual tasks and I am attending them as necessary. The evening class a grand total of three learners attended the numbers are a problem. I ran around all the expected learners to find a headcount of who will actually be returning .I decided it’s best to have a reply for my boss when she comes knocking on my door. In the lesson I used the session to describe the methods to use when designing a window. I was keen to develop my presentation skills. I feel I made a good session despite the numbers and again was surprised how much I had to say about design once it was broken into its individual parts. I used questioning throughout my talk and demonstration and I was pleased with the outcomes.

May the earth open up and swallow me

Stardate last lesson before Christmas
May the earth open up and swallow me
Bad does describe how my first mentor inspected session went. I don’t entirely blame myself for the disasters it was just one of those things I think. Starting at the beginning I arrived in plenty of time for the session collected the projector id booked in advance for the session, I’m good with pc’s a regular nerd iv had my laptop plugged into displays of all varieties and never had any trouble. But I plug this projector into my laptop and it all goes haywire, effectively killing it dead. I still fully don’t understand what happened to it but it wouldn’t even boot in safe mode it somehow destroyed the master boot section of the laptop, forcing me to have to undertake a lengthy repair session. This put me in a good mood for the session. I have mentioned previously that the week before Xmas isn’t perhaps the best time to commence a new course. But this was only the least of it we had been informed that classes with less those 13 learners would be closed. Learners not enrolled on the system should be asked to leave. Week one and the college enrolment system is offline. Learners had been arriving attempting to enrol and were being turned away; really slick. What was I to do if I follow the instructions given? My course would close, I would not have enough hours for the pgde and these people hade made the effort to come it wasn’t our faults so I proceeded with the lesson. My nicely crafted power point had gone out the window forcing me to adlib .But as I was just getting into the wring of thing a learner came into the class announcing that “I’m not paying thirty quid for a fucking exam I don’t want to do, I could buy a grinder for that I’m going home” well believe it or not this threw me but I decided against the traditional policy of arguing the point and let him leave and got on with the session. Weirdly this little outburst brought about a strange bonding session with the group and everyone relaxed into the session well and the tasks were completed. Part way through the session the woman from the office came in and asked I we were running the following week I told her we were. She informed me that we would be the only people in the building and would need to remain open especially for us. I asked the group who would be attending. From the 10 walking wounded remaining three would be coming due Christmas commitments, so we resolved to bump the lesson till after the holidays and she informed me she would make the necessary arrangements. This weirdly helps me as many of the explained absences should have returned by the 9th and will ultimately help the retention figures. Once we knew their was going to be this unexpected break in the session the returning learners were able to continue existing project and the new learner I assisted in completing a festive sun catcher project that she admirably completed within the session and should be festively decorating her Xmas tree as we speak.