Educational Point of View: Single Sex Classes in Co-educational schools

Ok because I can't talk about this in my uni assignment which is a debate on Single Sex Schools versus Co-ed Schools I decided I would blog about it! By the way I'm on the affirmative for the debate, meaning Single Sex Schools create better learning environments. Anyways as my debate team were discussing and preparing I came up with another of my points of view on education and this would most likely be my second option for my children when deciding on how I would give them their education (first was home schooling see earlier post about this). I believe that having single sex CLASSES in a co-educational school, this means that all the students in a class would be of one gender but can mix with the opposite sex during breaks and other across the broad gatherings. This provides the students with a learning environment that caters specifically to how their gender learns and without the feeling of having to impress or be embarrassed in front of the opposite sex. And then when they aren't in class they have the opportunity to learn how to socialise and interact with the opposite sex.
Actually the more that I think about this I think I like this more than home schooling cause it means that I would be able to have paid work and have the knowledge my children are receiving an education catered to their individual needs...well most of them anyway.

Learner Drivers are safe drivers!

Today I did lots of driving and being a learner I realised once again how other more experienced drivers see us learners...slow. :( I was driving up to Noosa and along the way an impatient driver in a green jeep overtook me and then as he drove ahead gave me the finger. This frustrated me because:
1. They were once drivers too...so they should know that when learning you shouldn't be going super fast
2. I'm almost finished my hours so therefore I'm not incompetent in driving and know what I'm doing. Why do drivers always stereotype learners to be always slow...what if it was a learner who was about to go for their licence the next day or even that day?
3. I was not going extremely slow...I was only 10 km/h under the speed limit which leads me to point 4.
4. Going under the speed limit is safe...if he wants to die go ahead and over take me and drive heaps fast...at least I know I'm not taking a risk with my life and those who are in the car I'm driving and I'm not the one who is going to get the speeding ticket!
I understand that people sometimes are impatient and want to be somewhere in a hurry but you won't get there if you break the road rules and an accident happen...which really isn't an accident if you could prevent it by obeying those rules! And I know some of my friends would probably hate to meet me on the road but once again I believe that safety is key!
So take that Mr. Green-Jeep-Driver!

Camping Spots

Today I went with my family on a mini road trip to visit a camping ground to see if it would be worthy of us going there sometime to (what do you think?)...camp! It's a huge camping place and the way my family carried on it was almost like we were selecting a new place to live! I love camping and all but I think my family over did it today by going to the camping grounds before the actual time that we would go camping...I mean we don't even know if we will go camping there!
But really I did enjoy going...I just can't believe the extent my family, namely my parents, will go to to find the perfect camping spot. It made me wonder whether it was just my family who did things like this or were there other people that did it too?
I think the only problem I have with camping is that the bathrooms are always so far away from where I am actually camping. The ideal spot that we concluded today for our family was about half a kilometre away from the closest showers and about a hundred metres away from the closest toilets. In fact the camping ground managers suggested on the map that the people who camped in that area (the area we liked) to DRIVE  to the showers on the other side of the camping grounds instead of the other showers that were closer for the sake of equality amongst the campers staying there! Sure it probably would be quicker to drive there but really? all the way across the other side to shower...no way! Besides I believe that the use of the car other than to drive to and from the camping grounds is a waste of fuel! Anyways I love camping and in answer to my parents question of which camping grounds I would like to go to in the Christmas holidays I say, " I don't mind as long as I'm camping!"

Weeding...ugh

I love gardens and enjoying God's beauty in nature around me but mention weeding to me and you won't see me jumping for joy over the possible prospect of having the opportunity to pull out meaningless little plants. (giggles to self at the over-use of big words...that's what you get for giving me Pride and Prejudice, Nathan!)
Today I was asked...no more commanded... by my parents to help them in the vegetable garden to do a spot of weeding. Now I went and did it because I'm an obedient daughter but I did not thoroughly enjoy it, however I did enjoy the time I had to think to myself (a dangerous task I know). So while I sat weeding out the beetroot and rocket bed (why did dad plant something as disgusting as rocket with my delicious beetroot????) I thought to myself about many wondrous things...and I realised I have not been myself for awhile and I discovered that this was because I have not had the time to think...really think... about what I am doing in life and what everything means (oh great thought!). And I came to the conclusion that this blog of mine (yes spellcheck blog is a word and so is spellcheck!) has wandered off the path of the original blog topic (my thoughts). For instance I realised that when I'm writing about things it's never really my thoughts written down it's more of a diary of all the things I have done. So I proclaim from this day that I will redirect future posts to be mainly on my thoughts on things.

Creating a better mood

So I woke up today feeling just as unwell as I felt yesterday. Diagnosis is that my asthma is playing up. But because I hardly slept last night I woke up out of sorts and a little grumpy. So I decided that my day had started off badly...so badly I cried and went straight back to bed after I was wished well by several people on facebook. Now four hours later since I first woke up today I am feeling better mood wise...still sick though. And I thought I would write down for future reference the things that made me feel just a little better:
1. Talk to God
2. talk to my boyfriend and my friends
3. more sleep
4. reading Pride and Prejudice (especially the part where Jane is unwell at Netherfield)
5. Listening to 'old' style music eg. Glen Miller or Michael Buble
6. Have a hot chocolate extra strong
7. Eat an apple in some way...this morning I peeled, cut and ate it with my cereal
8. Tidying my room...this always makes me feel better...suppose it's cause it gives me a sense of control when I don't have any over my immune system.
9. take some medication of some sort!
10. Have a cry just because you feel like it.

I'm sure there are more but these are the ones that have helped me today.

Stay away from Jazz and Liquor...

...and the men who...play for fun...

oh sorry that's right I'm meant to be writing a post...got carried away there with the song.(Both Reached for the Gun - Chicago)

Anyways the reason that I'm thinking of that song is because I want to give you all a bit of advice from yours truly! Which is to stay away from Bicardi. 

Reasons for this are:

1. it is alcohol

2. it causes undesirable effects (eg. sore throat and a cough)

3. it tastes horrible like chemicals!

I really have no idea why someone would make, sell and drink the stuff!

I would much rather drink a nice Midori Splice or a white wine. And another word of caution from me is that it would be advisable to only drink maximum of two drinks. Anymore than that can become too much. Of course don't listen to any of this if you are not me! Because we all know we have different tastes. 

"Hey look a duck!" and Naked Mole-rats

So I went camping these past few days and I decided I would share my experiences with all you fine people who actually read my blog!
My family and I and another family all tripped up for a whole hour to a little town called Imbil. The camping grounds were beside a water body (unknown as to what this water body would be called) where we discovered platypus played and turtles twirled (? lol needed to chuck in an alliteration there). It was a wonderful place to relax and to be smoked out by your campfire. I very much liked the trip up where it was my sister and I travelling up by ourselves. And while we drove we played a spotting game that involved spotting five different things and when one was spotted, depending on the thing spotted you had to call out it's relative word. The five things were:
Yellow cars - Spotto
Hitchhikers - Herring
Outsiders to QLD - Kadanga
Campers - Trippy
Dogs - Zipdog

Unfortunately and quizzically my sister won...how I don't know because I reckon she should have been paying more attention to driving and instead of playing the game.
When we arrived at the camping grounds there was the usual practice of setting up camping including the usual silly family arguments about how to put a tent (this mainly was me and my brother getting annoyed).
Then there was the fun opportunity to create the kitchen/dining area to appear to have some sort of order and homeliness to it. I liked that part...it involved eating at the same time!
My sister created the fireplace in which she dug a hole in which she would stand in it and the ground level was at her knees. It was a grand fireplace for most of the weekend too except the smoke would always blow in my direction... or at least in someone's. My dad said that it was because the wind blows in the direction of the beautiful...my reaction to this was that yes maybe but if it's all the same I would rather be the ugly person so that I wouldn't have to deal with the smoke!
So I suppose before I finish this post that I had mention why the title to this post is that.
The first part: 'Hey look a duck!' is in reference to my family continually saying that...but I never saw this duck until late in the afternoon. And from then on I and everyone would always say 'hey look a duck' when we saw this one duck that lived on the water.
by the way there was only one duck...
anyways the second part is in reference to a game we played around the campfire. We each had to come up with an animal starting with each letter of the alphabet in turn. And when we got to N someone said Naked Mole rat and we all laughed cause if Kim Possible taught us anything it was that there is such an animal as a naked mole rat!
lol anyways that was some highlights to my camping weekend. I could keep going but admit to yourself that you would really like me to just shut up right about now. :P

Failing to become a Teacher...oh dear

I read a blog/article today about how if students are failing school then why on earth are the teachers and the education system allowing these students to continue without consequence. I suppose this is my second post on why I'm becoming a teacher and one relating to education. But I don't see this a problem do you? Considering that my whole career is going to be founded on education I do believe that there will be plenty of posts in the future about such things. Anyways moving on...I do believe that if students are not achieving the standards then they should be either brought back to learn it or allowed to leave school (But hopefully the teachers will be more successful at teaching their students so this will not happen). I think it is strange to see university students who say they are terrible at spelling or maths. I'll admit I'm not a complete expert but at least I can do both of those without failing miserably! And why on earth would a person who failed at a certain subject want to become a teacher in that specific area? I'm not having a go at anyone in particular jsut in general asking the question. I know quite a few people; and some of them are my closest friends (including my boyfriend), who are becoming teachers. This includes me of course! And as far as I know we all passed our subjects in school. So why in the world are there people who are failing their university courses? Anyways that's all from me! Hope you have a great week and if you are on holidays have a fantastic break from study and work!

Family Do's and Cake!

So today my Mum's side of the family celebrated my Mummu's (this is my Finnish grandma) 80th Birthday! Once again we all headed for a picnic place and set up camp for half of the day. Seriously we went to Chamber's Island (a small island in the middle of the Marrochy River) and we took up most of the open area. But that's my family...a very large family that I love and I feel loved in and I fit in...it's sorta my niche. So anyways I just thought I would say a few words about the family do's we have and the cake. There always seems to be alot of planning involved when it comes to these events. Since there are so many families (grandparents had 8 children...not all come though) and all those families have at least two children...largest has 7. Anyways I love my family and these events cause it makes me feel blessed to have so many relatives and the fact that I know we are so close compared to other families. My childhood is filled with parties and get togethers. And each time we get together there is always CAKE! and not any old cake! It's a special cake...a cake that only my family make. And if you want to taste it or see one you will just have to come along to one of our families do's! :P

STRESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK so let me know if you have ever had something similar to this:
Had to submit an assignment online. You think you submit it on time (perhaps even early!) and then a week later you have to do the same process for another assignment for another course. Then you realise that on the page to submit the assignment there is no button to actually attach the file only the browse button. Then you start freaking out cause you remember that it was the same for the previous assignment. And you start thinking that your last assignment did not even send and now it is a week late!
Ever had that? well I know I haven't...NO NOT AT ALL!
NB sarcasm was used in the last sentence!