Day 2...still alive

I've made it to Day 2.

I was so tired last night. After working until 10pm at my second job, I was even more tired and couldn't believe it when my alarm went off this morning. I felt so heavy and like the bags under my eyes were almost big enough to carry my lunch in...but I made it. And in direct contrast to my expectations, things got progressively better as the day went on.

The create group were fantastic this morning and I am making positive connections with the "problem" kids which was my intentions going in to this program. The irony is I saw HG today and he is doing Year 11 legal studies...I told him he could be a case study for the class. He said he just wants to do it coz they visit a jail... :) He makes me laugh. It is great to see him doing well and I think he will reach his goal of going through to Year 12. I haven't heard whether R is coming back, although apparently HC might be coming home from Sydney which will be a real test for HG to see how he copes with that influence back in his life. It is nice to have such a close connection with students and I can see how this is one of the best parts of being at a school for more than 1 year. I reckon I'll be very sad when they leave at the end of Year12. If for no other reason than I am 6 years older and still at the same school!!

The Learning Centres are starting to work really well at the moment. My year 8 class is going well too, although where once they were my sole focus, now they are a side line to the all encompassing Yr 9 program. I have never really liked the Geography/mapping unit, so a six week first term ties in beautifully to get it over and done with even quicker than usual.

I saw Darce is starting some sort of alternative program too...interesting! Clearly this is now a national agenda...I will laugh if in 10 years time society reels back and says "That generation who went through the alternative program education system in the early 2000's are the worst group society has...dysfunctional, disorganised, selfish...blah blah blah". I hope that doesn't happen. I was going to type "I don't think that will happen ", but I really don't know at this stage...have to wait and see.

Last thing before I go home and crash, I must make a point (our group too) to make sure any activities we plan will not unintentionally single out or embarrass the students. Some of the getting to know you games, ice breakers, team work skills are designed to get them up and out of their seats but often leave kids in the middle of the room or isolated or with all the attention on them and our students aren't all ready for this yet...just a thought to keep in mind. As soon as we humiliate them, we lose them and LS was a perfect example of that yesterday.

Bye for now...must come up with a new ending for 2006.
M x