Hi Fellow Sages
Beginning the New Year on a non technical note
Sagittarius - November 23 - December 22 Faith in the future is your greatest asset and you need it to move you forward. Uranus, planet of revolution, finds you restless as old ambitions are satisfied.
A new career challenge arrives whether or not you stay in the same field. Dust off your neglected talents and show the world another side.
Sagittarius - November 23 - December 22 The Sagittarius full Moon is a message that it is time to end one chapter and start anew. You have a rare chance to renew your life: what are you happy with and what do you think has outlived it's purpose? Be clear about what you do and don't want.
You're starting a wonderful new cycle so leave your baggage behind.
What better way to start the new decade but with anti-technology. Every now and then I find a prediction which seems to be written exactly for me.
I start this new decade with faith in the future, a determination to use the talents I have, along with the awareness that renewal may mean that some baggage needs to be left behind.
Happy new decade
Clara
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Support Teachers Don't Target Them
Get it right Julia - Either "Shine a light on some schools that need a helping hand" Versus the SMH article "Tell off deficient teachers"
What needs to be done is give support to your teachers to do the difficult task they do. The job is complex and multi-layered.
The following horrifies me as an ex teacher.
"Teachers identified as underperformers by the Government's new school rating system should expect to be roused at by disgruntled parents, the Education Minister, Julia Gillard says today."
Do you expect to attract and keep teachers under this regime? Are you are wondering why they hear the 'Alarm Bells Ringing'?
The policy, I believe, requires modification. Teachers are an essential in our society - what is needed is not to target those who are having difficulty in handling the complex society we live in. What is needed is to ask "How can we understand and support teachers and children through the difficult waters?"
I left teaching a decade ago - the class I had at the time was difficult - as the blend included a diverse group of "integrated Students lovely kids but a very stressful situation. One child was moved to the "other" class when her parents were unhappy with the climate of the mix(and threatened to take it further). She was replaced in the class with a new arrival from Russia who didn't speak English, and a student from a Behaviour Management School who had behavioural/bowel problems but needed 'Integration' into the normal classroom.
They had been chosen to be in my class because I was good at dealing with difficult situations but if you had taken the results of the Basic Skills Test with this group, perhaps I would be targeted today as a deficient teacher.
This was the total opposite of the situation and on a personal level, after more than a decade of being away from teaching, I still have recurring nightmares re getting it together (or not) in the classroom. In other words, the job is so stressful already. Think about how you can support your teachers!!
Passionately Clara
What needs to be done is give support to your teachers to do the difficult task they do. The job is complex and multi-layered.
The following horrifies me as an ex teacher.
"Teachers identified as underperformers by the Government's new school rating system should expect to be roused at by disgruntled parents, the Education Minister, Julia Gillard says today."
Do you expect to attract and keep teachers under this regime? Are you are wondering why they hear the 'Alarm Bells Ringing'?
The policy, I believe, requires modification. Teachers are an essential in our society - what is needed is not to target those who are having difficulty in handling the complex society we live in. What is needed is to ask "How can we understand and support teachers and children through the difficult waters?"
I left teaching a decade ago - the class I had at the time was difficult - as the blend included a diverse group of "integrated Students lovely kids but a very stressful situation. One child was moved to the "other" class when her parents were unhappy with the climate of the mix(and threatened to take it further). She was replaced in the class with a new arrival from Russia who didn't speak English, and a student from a Behaviour Management School who had behavioural/bowel problems but needed 'Integration' into the normal classroom.
They had been chosen to be in my class because I was good at dealing with difficult situations but if you had taken the results of the Basic Skills Test with this group, perhaps I would be targeted today as a deficient teacher.
This was the total opposite of the situation and on a personal level, after more than a decade of being away from teaching, I still have recurring nightmares re getting it together (or not) in the classroom. In other words, the job is so stressful already. Think about how you can support your teachers!!
Passionately Clara
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Technology had to be the winner this trip
Hi Babyboomers
I hope you had a great festive season and holiday.
We are back from holidays spent motoring down south - Victoria and Sth Australia.
We live in a huge dry continent; driving for days on end with a few towns and small cities breaking up the endless 360 degree horizon. The open road has it's own charm and rhythm if only for it's vastness;...... and then the spectacular contrast of our coastlines.
Technology, though has to be the winner for me this trip.
I was behind the door when a sense of direction was given out, and am a super careful driver who admits to avoiding some traffic conditions. The last time I drove my son to Central Station was "Mother's Last Drive", after he stated that I shouldn't be on the road. I agreed with him - on that occasion - where I ended up in the wrong lane so many times it was embarrassing and dangerous.
However - do you know that even if your inner GPS never did work, that there is hope!
I got to know 'Gypsy', the GPS I gave to my husband for his birthday. He has such a natural sense of direction that one of my pet names for him is 'Tracker', but even he has embraced this technology. Gypsy tells you (after you have given her your destination) "Prepare for a roundabout in 100 metres - take the first exit", or "You are over the speed limit!" - or as often happened on this trip since this was familiar territory to 'Tracker',........ "Destination Recalculation" - where she becomes quite agitated, suggesting "Turn right then turn back where possible - Turn back - Turn back!" - then when he doesn't, she settles down and accepts the new route. Gypsy has the honour of being the only woman he obeys!
Cheers Clara
I hope you had a great festive season and holiday.
We are back from holidays spent motoring down south - Victoria and Sth Australia.
We live in a huge dry continent; driving for days on end with a few towns and small cities breaking up the endless 360 degree horizon. The open road has it's own charm and rhythm if only for it's vastness;...... and then the spectacular contrast of our coastlines.
Technology, though has to be the winner for me this trip.
I was behind the door when a sense of direction was given out, and am a super careful driver who admits to avoiding some traffic conditions. The last time I drove my son to Central Station was "Mother's Last Drive", after he stated that I shouldn't be on the road. I agreed with him - on that occasion - where I ended up in the wrong lane so many times it was embarrassing and dangerous.
However - do you know that even if your inner GPS never did work, that there is hope!
I got to know 'Gypsy', the GPS I gave to my husband for his birthday. He has such a natural sense of direction that one of my pet names for him is 'Tracker', but even he has embraced this technology. Gypsy tells you (after you have given her your destination) "Prepare for a roundabout in 100 metres - take the first exit", or "You are over the speed limit!" - or as often happened on this trip since this was familiar territory to 'Tracker',........ "Destination Recalculation" - where she becomes quite agitated, suggesting "Turn right then turn back where possible - Turn back - Turn back!" - then when he doesn't, she settles down and accepts the new route. Gypsy has the honour of being the only woman he obeys!
Cheers Clara
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