Well, I have been utterly useless at blogging; it has been nearly 18 months since I last posted on here. Sorry!
I think that I may re-appropriate the blog, to include a hobby that has moved from being a tiny part of my life, to being pretty time consuming! I love to knit.
I have knitted for years, but in the last couple of years I have really got into it. Last year was a challenging year, completing my NQT year, and living the other end of the country to my fiance. I managed, and actually enjoyed it, but it was hard. The weekend train journeys home allowed me to do lots of knitting, and I really love it. It gives me something productive to do, no matter where I am and what else I should be doing.
I have made lots of things for my nieces and for my nephew, and am now the aunty that knits.... As such, I have decided to undertake possibly the stupidest, most challenging knitting project of MY LIFE! I am planning to knit my wedding veil.
Yes, you saw that right. My veil.
I don't like any of the ones that I found in the shop, and don't want to pay £150 for one, so I am going to knit a cobweb lace shawl, which I will gather in the centre and pin up, then in the evening I will be able to wear it as a shawl.
I am about to order some cobweb lace yarn from an amazing little company in Wales, called Fyberspates It will be ivory, and very very fine....
Wish me luck!
Monday 18 January 2010
Monday 11 August 2008
The MEd begins proper...
As some of you will know, I have decided to start an MEd, distance learning, part time whilst doing my NQT year. It involves the first year (PGCE), the second year of modules, assessed through a portfolio of essays (including learner interviews, observations of pupils, literature reviews, learning theory review, a poster and a longer research study). The final year is made up of a dissertation, on a subject of our choice.
The idea behind the course is that we can get 4/6 parts done for the second year this summer, leaving less strain during the term time, when we are likely to be manically busy. SO, at the moment, in addition to trying to tidy the hosue (and make up for the lack of tidying I did last year) and sort stuff to take to school with me, I am trying to figure out how / what to write for the following task:
Write a literature review of two or three current theories of learning, and their implications for teaching.
Choose two or three theories of learning, describe their essential principles and compare and contrast them with each other. A 'theory of learning' can be as broad as social constructivist theory or as narrow as the theory of scaffolding. Consider how these theories of learning relate to your current professional experience and whether, on reflection, there are implications for your professional practice.
Exciting, huh?!
The idea behind the course is that we can get 4/6 parts done for the second year this summer, leaving less strain during the term time, when we are likely to be manically busy. SO, at the moment, in addition to trying to tidy the hosue (and make up for the lack of tidying I did last year) and sort stuff to take to school with me, I am trying to figure out how / what to write for the following task:
Write a literature review of two or three current theories of learning, and their implications for teaching.
Choose two or three theories of learning, describe their essential principles and compare and contrast them with each other. A 'theory of learning' can be as broad as social constructivist theory or as narrow as the theory of scaffolding. Consider how these theories of learning relate to your current professional experience and whether, on reflection, there are implications for your professional practice.
Exciting, huh?!
Tuesday 1 July 2008
The Magic has gone...
We recently had a seminar day at university, and this video is written and performed by my friend Elizabeth... Her brief was to teach French colours using non-ICT based props / visual aids and amazingly this is what she created... Enjoy the magic.
Sadly, due to the fact that Elizabeth has now started at a new school, we have decided that it is prudent to remove the video... bye bye and good luck!
Sadly, due to the fact that Elizabeth has now started at a new school, we have decided that it is prudent to remove the video... bye bye and good luck!
Wednesday 11 June 2008
Sorry! It's been too long...
Sorry that it has been so long since I last posted... I have been manic; after filling in all those applications, I have visited one school informally (in Middlesex, wanted a teacher of Italian post) and had two interviews (for Teacher of French posts).
At the weekend, my fiance and I went to a wedding in Wrexham, which was great fun (no photos, sorry) and I even managed to get him up and dancing for about 30 seconds.. progress! Then on Sunday afternoon, I drove to Middlesex to visit the school. That evening I drove to Southampton to stay with my sister before an interview on Tuesday. I had to get up at 0600 to be at the school by 0815... but it was all worth it in the end; I GOT THE JOB! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
You might have noticed that I am really quite excited; I will have my own classroom, and I will teach French to Key Stage 3. It is a lovely school, in the middle of no-where near Southampton. The staff seem so friendly and the head mistress even made us a cup of tea! I can't wait... Oh, and I am going to be a year 7 tutor, so I will grow as they do!
Tonight I am lesson planning for tomorrow... and at the weekend, my Mum and I are going to the Good Food show in Birmingham to meet up with some fellow foodies from Violet's Pantry. I can't wait! Now I can really relax, and focus on my last few weeks as a student teacher!
For all other PGCE Students out there; keep going with the silly applications; I had almost given up hope but got there in the end!
At the weekend, my fiance and I went to a wedding in Wrexham, which was great fun (no photos, sorry) and I even managed to get him up and dancing for about 30 seconds.. progress! Then on Sunday afternoon, I drove to Middlesex to visit the school. That evening I drove to Southampton to stay with my sister before an interview on Tuesday. I had to get up at 0600 to be at the school by 0815... but it was all worth it in the end; I GOT THE JOB! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
You might have noticed that I am really quite excited; I will have my own classroom, and I will teach French to Key Stage 3. It is a lovely school, in the middle of no-where near Southampton. The staff seem so friendly and the head mistress even made us a cup of tea! I can't wait... Oh, and I am going to be a year 7 tutor, so I will grow as they do!
Tonight I am lesson planning for tomorrow... and at the weekend, my Mum and I are going to the Good Food show in Birmingham to meet up with some fellow foodies from Violet's Pantry. I can't wait! Now I can really relax, and focus on my last few weeks as a student teacher!
For all other PGCE Students out there; keep going with the silly applications; I had almost given up hope but got there in the end!
Monday 2 June 2008
Teaching applications
No-one ever said that life as a PGCE student was meant to be easy, in fact they always said it would be hard, but when they mentioned it, they tell you about the hours of planning, they tell you about the endless paperwork and they tell you about the lack of social life (life, what's that?)
What they don't tell you about is the endless application forms that you fill in for jobs... Thus far, I have filled in 19 applications, I have had 3 interviews and I am fed up of it! I keep being told that the right job is out there for me, but it is gutting when I fill in form after form, turn up at interview and they give the job to a girl who works in the school already and has never had another interview....grrrrr
Over the past week, I have filled in 4 application forms (each taking 2+ hours) and tonight I have done another 3....Fingers crossed...
Sunday 1 June 2008
More on the challenge
Well, so far we have bust our budget... we went to Tesco last night to get the bits that we needed, and they had free range chicken breasts reduced. As they never ever have free range stuff reduced, we decided to stock up... and spent £18 on chicken alone... but it has all gone into the freezer and we will have it over the coming months. We did save £12 in reductions though!
Also, isn't it always the way that when you are trying to save money, you run out of everything expensive; we were out of tea (an absolute essential but costs £5 per box!) and also olive oil (another essential, but £4 odd per litre.)
So, if we really take just what will be used this week only, we are still within our budget having got the following:
(£7 left of the £10)
Bread flour - 42p
Yeast - 60p (we are going to try Tesco's own brand... it'll be interesting to see if that works as well as Hovis)
Pate (for packed lunches) - £1 (*on special so we got a nice one)
Sausages - £5 but most of these will go in the freezer - again on special 20 sausages for £5, we will use 4 this week, we will have spent £1.
Total spend for this week: £3.02!
I know that it sounds odd to say 'well we've not spent that, and we've not spent that' but in the long run, by budgeting that to another week, and including what we have in the freezer for this week, we will have saved ourselves money...
Also, isn't it always the way that when you are trying to save money, you run out of everything expensive; we were out of tea (an absolute essential but costs £5 per box!) and also olive oil (another essential, but £4 odd per litre.)
So, if we really take just what will be used this week only, we are still within our budget having got the following:
(£7 left of the £10)
Bread flour - 42p
Yeast - 60p (we are going to try Tesco's own brand... it'll be interesting to see if that works as well as Hovis)
Pate (for packed lunches) - £1 (*on special so we got a nice one)
Sausages - £5 but most of these will go in the freezer - again on special 20 sausages for £5, we will use 4 this week, we will have spent £1.
Total spend for this week: £3.02!
I know that it sounds odd to say 'well we've not spent that, and we've not spent that' but in the long run, by budgeting that to another week, and including what we have in the freezer for this week, we will have saved ourselves money...
Friday 30 May 2008
£10 challenge - supper tonight
Supper tonight was leftovers from last night; we had cottage pie last night, and there was still some bolognaise, so we had it with spaghetti. Don't tell my aunt though (she's married to an Italian and would have a fit if she saw my version....)
Bolognaise
400g Minced beef - bargain corner, £2.12
2 Onions - about 30p?
2 cloves garlic, crushed - 10p
Squirt tomato puree - 5p?
Pudding spoon of marmite (LOVE IT!) - 5p?
Can value baked beans (yes, horrid I know) - 20p
Can value chopped tomatoes - 21p
Box passatta - 29p
Dried mixed herbs - 5p?
Finely chop the onions, when they are soft, add in the crushed garlic. Fry this all off for a minute, being careful that the onions don't catch.
Add the mince, stir well, and fry until it starts to colour. Add the tomato puree and the herbs and stir. Add the marmite and the other ingredients. Use a little boiling water to rinse the marmite spoon and the tins (I rinse the marmite spoon into the bean tin, and then swill it and pour it into the passatta etc. This means that you get all of the flavour and your tins are clean enough to recycle.)
Stir well, then cook on a low heat (so it is simmering - gently bubbling) for 1 hour at least (I often bung it in the oven on a low heat all day.)
This made 7 portions of slosh, so:
Total cost for entire dish: £3.32
Total cost per portion: £0.47!
We served this with mash (for cottage pie - baked in the oven till crispy on top) or with spaghetti...
After supper, I realised that we were running out of bread, so I decided to make a loaf! I used Jamie's Kitchen's recipe for Basic White Bread... It rose and rose so much that my tin over-flowed and this mutant dough took over the oven!
I'll write up the recipe and try to add some photos tomorrow....
I also did a little bit of food shopping today:
4 pints skimmed milk - 2 bottles = £2 (this was on special, but I have frozen one for next week)
Haggis - 73p in reduced box... Sunday dinner here we come!
Carrots - 300g = 22p
If you have read this far, well done. You deserve a medal! Even my OH won't!!!
Sorry this was so long, but I thought that if I am going to try and do the £10 challenge properly then I need to note everything down as I go...
Bolognaise
400g Minced beef - bargain corner, £2.12
2 Onions - about 30p?
2 cloves garlic, crushed - 10p
Squirt tomato puree - 5p?
Pudding spoon of marmite (LOVE IT!) - 5p?
Can value baked beans (yes, horrid I know) - 20p
Can value chopped tomatoes - 21p
Box passatta - 29p
Dried mixed herbs - 5p?
Finely chop the onions, when they are soft, add in the crushed garlic. Fry this all off for a minute, being careful that the onions don't catch.
Add the mince, stir well, and fry until it starts to colour. Add the tomato puree and the herbs and stir. Add the marmite and the other ingredients. Use a little boiling water to rinse the marmite spoon and the tins (I rinse the marmite spoon into the bean tin, and then swill it and pour it into the passatta etc. This means that you get all of the flavour and your tins are clean enough to recycle.)
Stir well, then cook on a low heat (so it is simmering - gently bubbling) for 1 hour at least (I often bung it in the oven on a low heat all day.)
This made 7 portions of slosh, so:
Total cost for entire dish: £3.32
Total cost per portion: £0.47!
We served this with mash (for cottage pie - baked in the oven till crispy on top) or with spaghetti...
After supper, I realised that we were running out of bread, so I decided to make a loaf! I used Jamie's Kitchen's recipe for Basic White Bread... It rose and rose so much that my tin over-flowed and this mutant dough took over the oven!
I'll write up the recipe and try to add some photos tomorrow....
I also did a little bit of food shopping today:
4 pints skimmed milk - 2 bottles = £2 (this was on special, but I have frozen one for next week)
Haggis - 73p in reduced box... Sunday dinner here we come!
Carrots - 300g = 22p
If you have read this far, well done. You deserve a medal! Even my OH won't!!!
Sorry this was so long, but I thought that if I am going to try and do the £10 challenge properly then I need to note everything down as I go...
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