It's hard to believe that tomorrow is the start to my last week teaching at Pomaria Primary school. I do not know where the time has gone. Time is such a funny thing. Why is it that sometimes days seem to drag, and then as you look back the week flew by...how can you be looking ahead at three months, which seems like forever at the time, and then look back and not believe that three months is now behind you?? I will never understand. But I want to take advantage of every day I have left...I can't believe that I am only here for a few more weeks. As I was talking to mom yesterday, we were talking about how I have done SO much while I have been here. I am so happy that I will be able to say that I did everything I wanted to do while I was here. I am so lucky!
Now for my week: I learned a LOT this week at school…I had my second observation by Dr. Jacobs. The lesson did not go as well as I wanted…BUT it was a great learning experience for me. I just love talking with Dr. J. He is so kind, but also has a lot to say about what I can do to become a true professional teacher. I am so lucky that I came this year while he is the director. I cannot imagine New Zealand without him here as our director. I will be so sad to say goodbye to him and his wife, Linda. But our study abroad reunions are going to be the BEST! I love that all 16 girls have become so close over the past 2 ½ months. It’s so great.
Monday: We had Jim and Linda over for dinner! It was such a fun night. Alice decided that we should make them her delicious fritters. We made two of the four that Alice has made for us, and they were just as good as I had remembered! After dinner, Alice taught Linda, Katie and I how to make paper stars…Alice I know they have a name…but I just cannot remember J But they are so fun! Alice puts them on some of her greeting cards. I am still just amazed at the talent Alice has. And she has done SO much in her life, and continues to do so much, on top of being such a wonderful grandmother to three gorgeous grandkids. It truly is inspiring. Anyway, needless to say, I was so exhausted Monday night! But it was a great day!
Tuesday: So since we have been here, Alice has been telling us about the Auckland City Walk up in the Waitakere Ranges. We still had not done it when we talked about it again on Monday, and Alice offered to take us sometime during the week. Of course we took her up on it J We seriously are so lucky. The main reason I can go home happy about everything I have done here in Auckland is because of Alice. She has been so wonderful, and has done so much for Katie and I, including driving us all around the city showing us everything there is to see in her city! But we decided that Tuesday night would probably be best to do the Auckland City Walk. I thought it would be fun to invite Kara and Allie (who are also teaching at Pomaria) to come along with us. Allie ending up coming with Katie and I, and it was a beautiful walk through the ranges.
Allie, Katie and I at the start of the Auckland City Walk!
How cool is this??
Wednesday: We had a reliever in our classroom because Mrs. S was in a meeting all day...and I was so completely exhausted after school that day. I'm sorry, but yelling just is not good for anyone. The kids may behave in the end, but there are SO many more effective ways to manage behavior in the classroom. There was so much yelling in my classroom...and tears from kids...and throwing of handwriting books by the reliever...at one point I had to turn around and just take a deep breath, because I couldn't handle it anymore! This teacher was making kids cry! And yelling at many of them for no reason...I was able to see the students, what they were doing, and why, and the reliever just needed to look at the situations from the students' perspective, and she would have understood exactly why that student was doing what they were doing. It was just very frustrating at times. I did get to be in front of the class teaching a lot though, which is always so fun. It was hard to not stop the reliever at times though, because now that I know pretty much everything about how Mrs. S runs her classroom, and I now know each of the students, I know what will work and what will not work. For instance:
So the bell rings at 8:55am, and the students come in and sit down with their book bags so I can check that they did their homework, and brought all their 'tools' for the day. Before I start taking role and all that, Mrs. Davies decides that she wants to talk with the students before I get started with them. So she sits down, and tells them right off the bat that if they are going to misbehave, she is going to make them go for a run. Now, let me tell you, every day the kids beg Mrs. S to LET them go for a run around the field. It is a privilege for them in Mrs. S's classroom. What primary age school child does not love to be outside running around?? As soon as she said that, I looked around at the kids, and Mikaere looked at me and whispered "Yesssss!" It was just too funny. Little did she know, these kids would LOVE to be told to 'go for a run'. So she then tries to make it sound like it's a punishment, telling them that she'll make them run until they run out of breath. Whatever lady. haha. So throughout the day, she sends kids out for a run...do you think that fixed their behavior?? No! It was just so funny. Anyway, I hate to bash on this reliever, because she has been teaching for years and knows way more than I do about teaching...it just goes to show you how important it is to get to know your students, and know what works as behavior management for your students and what doesn't. For our class, sending students to 'go for a run' is not the way to go :)
Thursday: My observation! I taught a Guided Reading lesson with my small group that I've been working with, and after the lesson we made homemade popcorn (it related to the book we read). I had previously popped enough microwavable popcorn for the whole class, and we added the homemade popcorn to the rest of the popcorn. Later in the afternoon, Mrs. S decided to let the kids do SSA (Silent Sustained Art) which is also a privilege. She had them all decorate their own popcorn holders! It was so fun. I am amazed at how much kids LOVE art. That is the one of the few times when the classroom is completely silent. They just love it. But it is something that they have to earn as a class. Anyway, so they all decorated these awesome popcorn holders! At the end of the day, I just had to get some pictures. So here are a few pictures of my wonderful class:
This is Vai. I have to say, he is my favorite. He is a Year 4 student (3rd grade), and is such a sweet kid. I know you aren't supposed to have favorites, but I just can't help it. haha. I love talking to all the kids in my class and just finding out more about them. It's so fun listening to them talk about what they did over the weekend, hearing about what their families are like...I just love it. I can't wait to have my own class one day and truly get to know my own students for a whole year!
All the kids with their popcorn holders :)
Also on Thursday: I made mom's toffee!!! And it worked! I was really nervous to make it, and was so worried that I was going to burn it, but it was perfect! Background: Along with a southern cookbook that I gave Alice when we first got here, mom also sent over a tin full of her amazing almond toffee. Alice had been wanting me to make some more toffee and give her the recipe, and Katie had been wanting to make her mom's 'Million-Dollar Fudge', so after school on Wednesday we went to Pak N Save and got all our ingredients. We decided that Thursday night would be the night where we made our toffee and fudge!
I really wanted Alice to be in the picture WITH me, but she said we would take a 'proper' picture later. Little did she know...haha. Thanks Katie :)
Friday: Definitely not the most exciting day. BUT we got so much done! All our assignments were really starting to stress me out...so we took the day and did a ton of homework. It was the first day that we have been at home pretty much all day. I'd say that's pretty good for as long as we've been here! We've filled every single day! But I woke up that morning, and did a workout on my field behind Waitakere College. I am so grateful for the bootcamp workouts I brought over here, and also for the Nike Training App on my iPhone. It's free, and it's so good! But I have to say, I cannot wait to get back to my running routes in Provo, running with Mekelle and Abby, and the classes at my gym!!! And the two weeks of bootcamp in Georgia while I am home...I'm so excited for that! It will definitely be nice to be back into my normal workout routine...and I will definitely be needing it. Anyway, so after a really good workout that I am still sore from, I did homework all day long. The original plan was to leave about 3 and go to the library to return a few books, walk through the mall, and then take a bus to watch Alice's grandsons at Kung Fu and then go back to Daena and Sid's house for a while. But apparently we were just not meant to get on a bus that day...when the first bus same, we told the driver we were going to Westgate Mall when it was really Westfield Mall, so she told us we were on the wrong bus...the second bus drove right past us...and then the third bus we tried just never came. We were pretty bummed, but it turned out to be good because we were able to continue working on homework until 6 or so. We then went up and got dinner at La Porchetta, a yummy Italian restaurant I had heard about from one of my students! haha. And it was delicious! After, we walked over to Nicole and Neeley's house, where we were having a big sleepover with everyone...which turned out to be just a few people spending the night and all of us hanging out together til late that night. It was so fun hearing about everyone else's teaching/mentor teacher experiences...many good, and many not so good. I was very grateful for my school and my teacher after leaving that night!
Saturday: Lunch at the Orbit Restaurant up in the Sky Tower! We all arrived at the Sky Tower a little before our reservation at 11, so we walked around the Observatory deck first before going up to the restaurant. It was such a gorgeous view of Auckland.
Katie, me, and Diana!
Everyone!
Our table- Left side: Nancy, Neeley, Christine
Right: Me, Hannah, Katie
My main dish- Seafood coconut Risotto! So yummy!
We got a few desserts to share- I finally got to try a good Pavlova! But I have to say, I am not really a fan. It's definitely not something I would choose to order again.
Katie and I got dropped off back home around 2, and then we both talked to our families before practicing our song for the Relief Society Birthday party at the church. Alice, Katie and I were asked to sing together! What a fun experience. Alice found a gorgeous song, "My Sister's Hands" that we sang. And it turned out so great! The activity was from 5-7, and it was so much fun. Line dancing, Zumba, dancing games, dinner...this is what RS activities should be like! haha.
At 7, we were picked up by Brother Neria from the church and headed to the Blues vs. Hurricanes rugby game at Eden Park! Man, I really really wish rugby was as popular in the states as it is here. Because it is so much fun to watch! Rugby players are amazing! Unfortunately there is no way to really choose your seats when you buy them online unless you buy them together, so all of us girls were in different areas. But we met up with everyone towards the end of the game, and even got a ride home from Natalie, which was wonderful not to have to worry about catching the train and then the bus back home. Anyway, the game was SO fun! I'm definitely a fan :) I still need to figure out the rules...it was fun trying to figure it out myself, but I needed some help. haha.
Go BLUES! (the Auckland team- the Hurricanes are from Wellington)
Sunday: We went to church early this morning at 9am so that we could make it to Nina's fundraising event at her restaurant, The Falls. What a gorgeous place. I am so happy we were able to go and help out this afternoon. Katie and I helped out by hanging the bunting, and were able to enjoy the event for the afternoon. And as always, it was so great to see Daena, Sid, the boys, and Kezia. And be with Noah of course! Part of the event included a bake-off between two Triathlon/Ironwoman athletes from New Zealand. One of the women had just won the NZ Ironwoman competition two weeks ago! But Alan, Nina's husband, knows them because he is also a Triathlete and part of the Triathlon Club in NZ. Both of these women are so inspiring. I can never even imagine competing in an Ironwoman competition...but a Triathalon is definitely something I hope to do one day soon!
Katie and I with Kezia, Daena's gorgeous little girl!
Noah and Kezia with Alice...Noah loves his cousins.
Sam Warriner and Teresa Adam
the back of The Falls
The front of The Falls.
This was my last weekend here in Auckland. I can't believe I am actually saying that...I really can't. Four days left at Pomaria...then on Friday we are headed to the Hamilton Temple! That will be so great. I love the Land of the Long White Cloud!
