Australia 2007 Week 8

Student Teaching in Australia-Spring 2007 Week 8: June 9 - June 15 Dr. McDonald and a group of CMU student teachers are currently in the Perth, Australia area. Dr. McDonald is sharing his diary and pictures of the students as they experience student teaching 'down under'. View other pages of diary < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 River Trip Service Learning >
June 9: This afternoon I played golf with Daniel McCullen, our Australia coordinator and 1998 student teacher in Australia from CMU, and Ben Duff, Lauren’s teacher at Guildford Grammar and husband of Tammy Duff, 2002 student teacher from CMU in 2002. We played nine holes and it is the first time that I have played in 2 years. That’s right, since I was in Australia the last time. It was a perfect day to play and the end result is that none of us will be turning pro any time soon.
June 10: I went over to Robyn and David’s house to finish my didgeridoo. I had a lot of detail work to finish on the design I had laid out during a prior visit. I was glad to have Stephan along to talk to as well as well David and Robyn’s brother Baden. After about 5 hours I was able to call it a didge! Robyn and David were kind enough to invite me to dinner after the artistic side of me was worn out.
Jenny, Jared, Sarah, Aaron, and Stephan with their finished didges	Stephan practicing on his finished didge
June 11: Amanda taught a lesson this morning to her preprimary students using the book Wombat Stew. Students have been learning about Australian animals and Amanda used the book to introduce wombats. Students listened to the story and then worked in centers adding critters to a stew picture, building boxes, and making fruit kabobs.
Amanda doing the morning meeting with her preprimary students at Guildford Primary	Amanda reading Wombat Stew to her class.
Amanda finishing up the story of trying to place a wombat in a stew made by his friends.	Students working on their critter stew pictures after the story was read to them
Students working at centers in Amanda's class.	What the finished critter stew pictures look like
Stephan taught a comprehension lesson to his Year 7 students at Hillcrest Primary. Students read a complex passage and then had a brief discussion about it.	Stephan conducting a reading lesson with his Year 7 class at Hillcrest Primary School.
In the afternoon I went to check on Lindi at St. Helena Primary School and talk to the principal, Terry Palmer.
June 12: Melissa taught a lesson this morning in her art class about linoleum prints. Her Year 10 students were carving designs out of linoleum tiles in order to use printer’s ink to make a print on a sheet of white paper. Melissa demonstrated how to print the picture after the first student had finished.
Melissa working with her Year 10 art class at Govo.	Melissa holding one of the finished linoleum prints done by her Year 10 students
Alison’s Year 3 students were presenting their posters on marsupials at Mt. Lawley Primary School. Presentations were made about the wombat, Tasmanian devil, bushtail possum, kangaroo, and koala. Alison’s students are in the middle of a service-learning project to raise money for a marsupial animal shelter and are making pouches to donate to the center.
The kangaroo presentation in a Year 3 class at Mt. Lawley Primary School.	Laura giving her wombat presentation in Alison's class.
The Tasmanian Devil presentation in Alison's Year 3 class	The koala presentation done by a student in Alison's class
Students giving their presentation on the brushtail possum
June 13: This morning I observed Michelle teach a maths lesson on measuring to her preprimary class. Students were measuring parts of the body. Everyone became involved including the students, Jenny Reid, Michelle’s cooperating teacher, as well as Michelle. There was a lot of active learning as students measured a partner.
Michelle ready to begin a measuring lesson with her preprimary students at Bassendean Primary School.	Michelle demonstrating how to measure a part of the body
It turned out that Michelle was demonstrating on her cooperating teacher Jenny.
Will taught a cooking lesson to his independent living class at Govo. Students had made pasta the day before and today they were creating a red sauce to place on the pasta. One of the students was very interested in NBA basketball and was looking at the scores from the finals every chance he got while his pasta was cooking.
Will beginning his cooking lesson during an independent living class at Govo.	Will helping his students with their red pasta sauce
The end result of Will's cooking lesson with Year 11 students.
This afternoon we all gathered at Robyn’s house for the chance to create our own dot painting. Students had thought about their story ahead of time and had a piece of canvas to create a story about what they had learned in Australia.
Students receive a dot painting lesson at Robyn Hardy's house.	Students worked hard to first paint the backgrounds on their canvas and then painted a picture of something that they learned in Australia.
Alison with her finished painting.
June 14: This morning I was a guest interviewer at the annual Maths Portfolio Day at Curtin University. Year 4 university students who are studying to be primary teachers create and present a portfolio based upon their maths methods course. I interviewed four students during the course of the morning who presented their ideas on assessment, a two week program for a primary grade in maths, and their philosophy of maths teaching. I was very impressed.
This afternoon Natasha taught a science lesson on mystery bags to her Year 1 class at Anzac Terrace Primary. Students were learning describing words and had to guess what was in the bag and describe it to their partner.
Natasha with her Year 1 class and cooperating teacher Sue Crosswell	Natasha starting her lesson on mystery bags with her Year 1 students at Anzac Terrace Primary School.
June 15: This morning Shannon did a team building exercise with her Year 6 students for a health lesson. Students were in groups of 4-5 and were given an object that they needed to act out in order for the rest of the class to guess what it was. The activity fostered communication and cooperation and how we depend on others to succeed.
Shannon during her team building lesson with her class.	Shannon's group getting their skit ready for the rest of the class.
Shannon beginning her health lesson with her Year 6 students at Guildford Grammar Preparatory School	Shannon's cooperating teacher Tim
Students acting out their bicycle presentation for the rest of the class.
Lisa taught a Letter land lesson on the letter U to her preprimary students at Guildford Primary. Students shared their news (show and tell), danced to dinosaur songs, and learned how to write and understand words beginning with U.
Lisa dancing with her preprimary and kindy students to a dinosaur song.	Lisa helping her students write the letter U
Kristin taught a short story lesson to her Year 9.4 students at Govo this afternoon. Students were writing a broadcast script based on the short story and working in groups to conduct interviews, play music, and write advertisements.
Kristin teaching her Year 9.4 English class at Governor Stirling Senior High School.
View other pages of diary < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 River Trip Service Learning >