Day 18 & 19

Day 18 – Wednesday, 7 November 2007

Today double lesson in the morning with the Year 11 IT. It was alright. All of the students except one student who was not on task. That student who did not do much in the double lesson got a D+ for his assignment 3 last lesson, despite my several attempts to upgrade his marks to 50% or more. He did not want to put in the effort, so I had no choice but to give him a D+ (it was 47% and I asked him several times to finish it; at least it will bring his marks up to a C). He did not do that. This lesson when I told students what they got for their previous assignments, he asked him what was his. He seemed pretty upset when I told him he got D+. I said I told him last lesson about his marks but he denied me telling him. I gave him several chances but he didn’t want to take it. This lesson he denies me telling him about his marks.

This student did his first section of Assignment 4. He finished it in a lesson and left a lesson. He did not want to do the 2nd part of the assignment in that lesson ~ I asked him not to waste time in class. He said he will do it at home and hand it up tomorrow’s lesson. I was obviously not impressed given his work ethics in class.

There are not many students in the class but their behaviour are not that bad. All students who come to class are quite independent; the students who don’t come to class are the ones who do not hand in assignments on time or not even handing in assignments.

There are a few students (IT students) whom I chase after to get their work handed up, as I do not want to fail anyone. My mentor said I shouldn’t chase them too often, as it is up to them to get their work handed up and not wait for me to keep chasing them up for it. It is their grades after all; not mine. I only have the hard job of giving them a fail.

The Year 8 after lunchtime, are quite talkative. They would not remain silent for silent reading. I introduced a new scheme in class that from now on, any names that goes on the board will be going towards a detention. So 3 ticks will earn themselves a lunchtime detention. Their names on the board will only mean they were given a warning. They can earn their names off the board as well, by being productive and working well in class. I managed to put a name down on the board. For the rest of the lesson, he was very productive and I can see he tries not to be a part of the other boys’ unproductive/distractive behaviour. So halfway through the lesson, I took his name off the board and I asked him before I took the name “If I take your name off the board, will you be good?” LOL. I couldn’t think of other words to say than “will you be good?” . He nodded and I could see his innocent face trying to work very hard to keep his name off the board. I could have said “will be behave in class and not chat so much?” hahaha.

My Year 9 – last lesson for the day. Only 5 completed their poster. I am not happy about it. There are 23 students in the class. Some of them promised me that it will be in by Thursday. Some have extensions on it because they were away for quite a bit. A student in particular was not interested in the assignment and did not do much. Although he didn’t do much, he wasn’t the rebel in class or disruptive boy in the class. When I told him to do his work and that he can do it, I can tell that he doesn’t look at me or talk back at me, because maybe that is his character or he doesn’t want to get in trouble with the teachers (as if they talk back and argues with the teacher, they will get in trouble).

Day 19 – Thursday, 8 November 2007

I’ve only got 2 more posters today in homegroup. I have the same class for my Year 9 S&E and homegroup. The rest promised me tomorrow I will get the other posters.

They will watch a movie next lesson for their next topic. So they will not have time to do their assignment. They have had 2 weeks of lessons to do this assignment.