Sarah Hewin\’s Blog

This a new movie I’ve made for my new first years to get them thinking.

what-is-geography_0003.wmv

Yet again the BBC have come back with a powerful series on our planet and our effects upon it. I am following this programme closely to see how I can build it into my work.

The official website has links to regular downloads of clips from the series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/savingplanetearth/

I am now into my third and final placement which looks like it will be brilliant fun. I have been given the challenge of teaching organic farming to S1 for healthy eating week (week beginning 28th May).

This will be a great opportunity to make the topic of farming more lively and interesting. Thanks to a colleague I have been directed towards this fab video by freerangestudios.com follow the link below, especially if you like Star Wars.

http://www.storewars.org/flash/index.html

As well as writting university assignments I am also spending my easter holiday climbing Munros to get my 20 mountain days for my ML. This is myself on top of Ben Lawers. So if anyone has any tips on where to go please let me know.

With two thirds of the course done and just one more placement left to go. I am busy writting my professional project and climbing hills for ym ML logbook.

Your nice blue mug comes adorned with a map of the world, but adds your hot drink and suddenly ice caps melt, water levels rise and land mass and coastlines disappear in front of your eyes. Watch as most of the UK is engulfed by the sea, Florida vanishes altogether and several worryingly gargantuan gaps appear in South America.

£6.95

Comes out 23/04/07

http://www.gizoo.co.uk/Products/ToysGames/Amusing/globalWarming.htm

Today I had the lovely experience of a crit lesson. The lesson itself went well, the pupils were slightly chatty but worked well on their individual and group work. Each group was issued a pack in the pack was instruction sheet and information sheet on the particular land use the group is to present on. Their tasks of making a oral presentation on a land use conflict in Keswick should go well on Friday.

I had the wait afterwards to find out my fate, I passed so very happy. I have felt myself progressing during my time at Ross and the teachers have said the same.

Ollie has given me brilliant feedback of the lesson and my strengths and weaknesses so I have things to work on, which I will most definately do. Always looking for how I can improve myself, I love teaching so I want to be as good at it as I possibly can be.

Thanks Ollie

Today we bravely ventured into Edinburgh with 60 s1 pupils. I had been asked by the history department if I would like to help out with the staffing.

My job involved looking after a group of 10 pupils who had to get into pairs and then work their way (with myself) from the top of Edinburgh castle right to the entrance gates looking for clues at various points to allow them to answer the treasure hunt questions.

We started right at the top of the castle working our way through the grand hall, the Honours of Scotland, the war memorial and the prisons. This was fascinating to me as it as been many many years since I was at the castle. Unfortunately due to restricted time and the pupils’ enthusiasm to complete the treasure hunts castle section I was unable to have a good look around. However the pupil’s enthusiasm and the fabulous weather giving us an amazing view at the top made up for it. Just means I have to go back!

We then took the pupils right down to the Tron Kirk for the next part of the treasure hunt and the questions would lead us from there back up to the castle. We had to look around the closes, St Giles Cathedral and the Heart of Midlothian amongst other things. A street performer proved to be a great distraction and it was a challenge keeping the group together especially at road crossings.

I had a great day and my discipline ability is coming on leaps and bonds and this trip has greatly aided this. It was stressful being responsible for a group of pupils in a busy place like Edinburgh but most definitely a challenge I will take on again.

I am now into my fourth week on my second placement. I am enjoying been back in a school again after the return to university. I have this week had my first proper parents evening where I was able to sit in with the class teacher of the 2nd year class I am currently teaching and very kindly was allowed to give feedback on homework to parents.

Also had my first firealarm this week which came as a bit of a surprise, thankfully I wasn’t teaching at the time.

So now with just over two weeks left I am nervously waiting to find out when I am to be critted in my final week.

I was told about windows movie maker by a fellow geographer, this is my first try at it. Just a little end of lesson recap style movie.

migration_0001.wmv