Don't ever do this to your dog.

06:52pm 30th March

"Just to let you know i'm too tired for games tonight...."

- Protected Identity

Very funny how you mean to say something, but the effect of what is being said is unintentional.

Hahaha, i froze after i read it and then burst out laughing for a moment!

On listening

Student: I feeling bad. My grandfather he die last week and i am....
Teacher: no, not 'die'- say 'died' because it's in the past.
Student:... he died last week....
Teacher: Excellent. Now, did anyone else's grandfather die last week?

Don't just hear what people say. L.I.S.T.E.N.

Easter reflections

My Hope is Jesus

Some hope in chariots, some hope in wealth
My hope is Jesus and nothing else
O such love, such love and grace
Leads me to seek my Saviour's face

Some hope in armies and strength of men
My hope is Jesus who calls me friend
He bears me up if i should fall
My everything, my all in all

What love is this
That knows no bounds to faithfulness?
What help will he not give?
The Son of God through whom i live

Some hope in fortune some hope in fame
My hope is Jesus, salvation's name
For there He hung and bore my sin
THat i might live and bear His name

What love is this?
The saviour's blood, my righteousness
His wounds to make me whole
His sacrifice to save my soul

What love is this?
That knows no pride or selfishness
Poured out upon my need
Love's work is done and i am free

My hope is Jesus

Author: Adrian Lewis, Hillsongs Publishing

Family=)

Found some pics of our recent family trip to Brisbane=) Just this little bit to remind me of home.

itching.

Did another gift finder feature on the visual DNA test (which i found on the Yew's blog) and it came up with this extensive gift list....

Anyway, i've got heaps of assignments and presentations all coagulating this week. (not sure if that was a correct expression). But yeah.... 3 sose lesson plans (with content), one microteaching on wednesday, and another presentation on thursday on resources =(.
Busy busy! but most are planned out already, i'm just itching to get this week over and done with!

I want to watch a dvd and curl up on my sofa tonight!! Because i've worked 4 hours and i finish in 20 mins! By the way, Daylight savings has ended and we get our hour back.... to all those who forgot to turn your clocks back, or your laptop, microwave clock, wrist watches... etc.

Rethinking Colour

... and what it means in our society today.

The Yews have a great post on how in 1968, a teacher in Iowa taught her 3rd graders about discrimination- i like a particular quote she used "Keep me from ever judging a man until i walk in his mocassins (shoes)".

The videos are impacting and raw- i highly recommend you to watch them here.
What really touched me was the lengths to which the teacher was willing to go, in order to instill in her 3rd graders the real meaning of discrimination and how others felt being treated as lesser based on their colour.

= )

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Limestone fingers!

Mari and i went for a spur-of-the-moment bouldering at Point Walter! It was really good weather- slightly cooler towards the later part of the afternoon by the seaside =) We've got some pictures and videos.... i couldn't video myself- so most of the videos have Marianne's face (exhausted face, i might add). haha. we were poooofed at the end of it. There was a tough overhang at the end bit.... we ran into a couple of climbers who dropped into the water at that particular section. I couldn't afford to drop (and for good reason) cos i was carrying the camera! =) enjoy the pictures, and we're definitely going again soon- who wants to come along? it's free, and a great workout as well! =)

Sculptures by the Sea

The week and it's end.

Week has been pretty hectic i must say... The course is kicking in at full force and Easter services are 3 weeks away! so everything is packed and back to back. =(

1) Had a visit to Taylors college on thursday-- We'll be doing some pre-practicum lessons with TESOL classes very soon....
2) Ja came back on Wednesday! she's been busy packing her stuff and selling things as well. (anyone want to buy a study table and a high back leather chair?)
3) I've started my Sose lesson plans due next week- Still doing research and struggling to plan out what i need to cover in 3 x 60 min lessons.
4) It's been really hot! like burning, i-can-hear-my-skin-sizzle kinda hot.
5) I've seen and i must say, there's no guy more attractive than a man who is after God's heart=) And i'm glad he's my man! *grins*
6) Ja's convo is coming up on tuesday=) All who know her are invited!
7) And lastly, who's interested in a trip up to Exmouth with Yingzi and I? - we leave Wednesday 11th April and head back to perth on Friday night 13th April. =)

Collective nouns

There once was a murdered crow,
who went to school with fishes,
who giggled and gaggled with geese
and developed great pride when feasting with lions.
The foxes skulked the prairie with him,
and he sat on parliament with the owls.
The Larks exulted him in their eulogy,
his body was cultured with bacteria.
As he lay on a bed of oysters beneath the sea,
they placed a bouquet of Frangipanis;
on the deck with farewell cards.
A faculty of Academics lauded his life's work,
and Angels repeated the Chorus of Amazing Grace.

Can you spot the collective nouns groups? (e.g a deck of cards)

Strength.

Lesson plans, assignments, practicum, Easter drama, Cell group, friends, family, You.

Strength.

Snapshots!

Convenience vs Conviction

Teaching on the topic of Simon Peter as one of Jesus' most prominent and historically most important disciples was something i found quite unique and relatable. haha, i also wanted to apply in cell group some teaching techniques i had picked up in my education classes- especially those related to intrinsic motivation, grasping new information and doing reflection after.

I did not know the full 12 names of Jesus' disciples til 2 days ago! And i thought that was a good ground to make a start!
For those who are interested: Simon Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Thomas, Philip, Nathanael, Thaddeus (a.k.a Jude), James (son of Alphaeus), Judas Iscariot, Simon the Zealot and Matthew.

We did brainstorming and a little facilitated discussion on who we thought Simon Peter was... his character, some major events he was involved with in the bible (e.g. impulsive and rash, Walking on water, cutting off the guards' ear, denying Jesus 3 times, being the 1st to recognise Jesus as the Messiah etc.) We read passages on those few key events.

Application: Even such a man as Peter struggled with living a life of conviction- when sometimes faced with circumstances in which you would rather take the convenient or easy way out.

Anyway, for me... it was a really refreshing time- thinking about what conviction really meant and how many times we take the convenient path rather than stick to those lighthouses and values that we had took so long to ground in our lives. See my previous post on Personality vs Principle-based Character.

Food for thought!!

Unforgettable

Drama

"Christian drama
helps us to emotionally empathize when it shows us a character's struggles and choices.
Like a fragrance, it subtly directs us to the source of our passions.
It draws us in and stirs our memories, reminding us of what we know to be true.
It challenges us to think and dares us to feel."

-Actor/ Writer Bob Hoose

"Slowly the Church is winning back the arts. We are becoming diverse in our artistic abilities to express ourselves. Music stirs the soul, stories make a point, laughter heals broken hearts, dancing motivates the spirit, movies illustrate.... from paintings to plays-- we are learning that God intended to be a part of every expression to 'draw all men' unto Himself."

- Comedian/Writer Chonda Pierce

This is what pushes me to want to be a better writer, a better actress, a better director. The essence of drama in the church- the body of Christ is not peripheral to the world. We are the head and not the tail. Remember that!

'Nuff said

Perth weather Today

Max 35 degrees celsius
Min 23 degrees celsius

Currently? 39 degs celcius!!!

Motto

Something i put up on my wall....

1. As educators, we are role models for students.
"Finally be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might." Eph 6:10
2. We have an immense responsibility to teach truth.
"Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength God supplied; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever." 1 Peter 4:11

3. Tensions in public education increase daily.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in your weakness... Therefore, i am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christs' sake, for when i am weak, then i am strong." 2 Cor 12:9-10

4. We often experience a sense of being alone.
"For momentory, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison." 2 Cor 4:17

5. As educators, we require a constant renewal of our calling.
"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." 2 Cor 4:16

6. We deal with students, staff and parents daily.
"Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in times of need." Heb 4:16

7. We need to be encouraged, equipped and empowered.
"May the God of peace... equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ... for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and discipline." Heb 13:20-21, 2Tim 1:7

Ha

Yawns

Hi again!

Had some more time... so i've put up one more video of Jean.

Been learning tonnes at classes- very soon will be conducting some classes of my own... all the planning and research for content, plus the creative and interesting ways to do classroom management.... I'm really enjoying this course.

So some of my loyal readers are asking what this course is all about. Basically it's the Graduate Diploma in Education- and we are trained with practicums and coursework as pre-service teachers. My majors are SOCE (society and environment- the study of History, geog, politics and economics) and the other major is TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other languages).

So far it's all been introductory- Code of ethics, the rationale and principles behind teaching... i'm still absorbing it and we have to do tonnes of reflective journals- just evaluating what we've learnt and just so we can digest the information.

ok gotta go will update more soon!