Teaching

Sorry, haven't blogged lately. I've been doing work experience at a primary school, and I'm really loving it. I'm working with the art teacher, (a gorgeous woman named Candy) so I get to work with all the year groups.

I always thought I'd want to teach older primary school kids (Year 5 and up) but now I can't decide. They're all wonderful in their own unique ways. I mean, sure, you can do more with the older kids, but the littlies have more enthusiasm, and they are always eager to show you what they can do.

As for university courses, I'm not entirely sure about that, either. I went to an interview for the art course at a nearby uni, and the interviewer said she really liked my folio and said I would do quite well in the course. The uni also offers dip-eds, in which you can get both art AND education degrees in four years, but as much as I like art, I'm not sure whether I would have any use for a Fine Arts degree. I know I could get into either Art or Education easily, so that's not an issue, but if I went for the straight Education degree I would get more practical teaching experience.

At the moment I'm thinking doing straight education, but maybe with a few Art electives here and there. I'll also keep going with my drama training, since the higher levels of the course have an emphasis on teaching drama. But I'm still not sure if it's the right decision.

Any ideas?

Jasper the Wonderdog says no to drugs!

Jasper and I were just at the park. An old homeless man walked past and sat down on the grass nearby. Jasper ran over to him, barking and growling furiously, but keeping a safe distance. I was a bit embarrassed, since Jasper's usually so friendly to everyone, so I tried to call him away.

The man started yelling at him and waving his arms. It was then that I noticed the little packet of white powder in his hand. But Jasper refused to leave him alone until I started walking quickly in the opposite direction.

He's never been a sniffer dog or anything like that, but somehow he must have sensed that there was something wrong about that little packet of white stuff. Or maybe he just didn't trust the old homeless man. Either way it's nice to know that Jasper is able to recognise danger and "protect" me for me.

Good boy, Jasper!

Rawr!

My first softie in about six months!

My cousin Ross and his wife had a baby girl named Edwina a few months ago. They live down in Pinjarra, so I haven't had the chance to visit her yet (although Mum assures me she's gorgeous!) We'll be going down to see them at Christmas, so I decided to make a present for her. I figure she's probably already going to be showered with teddies and dolls by other people, so I'm going to give her a stegosaurus. As you do.

I have a few safety eyes lying around, but I decided to play it safe and go with felt eyes. Edwina's brother Alexander (age 1.5) is an adventurous little terror who likes seeing how things work and taking them apart!

So that's one Chrissie present sorted. I'm not sure what to do for little Alexander, since Mum says he's outgrown soft toys and has taken to messing with the controls on poor cousin Guy's wheelchair! (Remember, this kid is only 18 months old!)

Any ideas?

Freedom!

I just had my last TEE exam yesterday.

I'm officially done with highschool... it's a strange feeling...

Not entirely sure what to do with myself. I've got a vague plan mapped out...go to university, train to become a primary school teacher, get a job, do some work experience, take some driving lessons... so much is going to happen in the next year.

And it's also strange to think that all the stuff I've been desperately trying to cram my head with for the past few months is now utterly useless to me. I'll never have to know what a mitochondrion or a palinode is ever again.

My friend Chloe said she was going to burn all her old notes, but she burned one sheet and then felt guilty about the carbon emissions... so she's just going to recycle the rest. (Bless her little environmentally-conscious heart!)

Oh, and I have to share this little gem I found when I was studying the old examiner's reports:

"Unfortunately, too many candidates drew inspiration from Jurassic Park and not their understanding of biology. Eg 'The dinosaurs weren't nice and because they were scary predators, they had no one to snuggle up to to keep warm. Death by loneliness.' "

Poor dinosaurs.

Superpops!

This is my entry for Cam's Superpops challenge. (I've finished my mocks and I NEED a break from study! It seems like ages since I did any non-school-related art.)
She's drawn in marker and coloured using Microsoft Paint. I think she turned out quite well, but I need to practise drawing hands. I was trying to figure out how to give her a "crafty" look, which is how I came up with the giant quick-unpick. Hope Cam likes her!

The Biltong Bandit

A recent study found that dogs do not, in fact, feel guilt. It claims that dogs are only responding to the way we treat them, and they will look upset if we tell them off, but they won't actually feel any sense of remorse for their actions.

That study is a load of codswallop.

I have conclusive photographic evidence that dogs can feel guilty.

That black thing on the floor is a piece of biltong, raided from Dad's briefcase. Jasper knows he's not supposed to have it. He knows he's in disgrace. He dropped it as soon as he saw me, before I told him off.

That is a guilty dog.

Meantime, there is the dilemma of what to do with the biltong. It doesn't seem fair to let Jasper have it, since that would be rewarding bad behaviour, but we can't really let it go to waste since biltong is expensive. Dad suggested washing it and giving it to Mr Sunshine, he'd be none the wiser.

I'm quite horrified that Dad would even consider feeding his son something that had been in the dog's mouth and is obviously not fit for human consumption. But then again, my brother seems to have exiled himself from the human race anyway, so...

Hey, Sunshine! You hungry?

(You know I'm only kidding...mostly...)

More incriminating photos...

...of me pretending to be a crazy-gladiator-fish-lady when I should be studying.