Cute Grade 2 Thorny Devils

Professional Development 2022

So far this year I've attended a variety of online professional development sessions to increase my teaching and learning knowledge. These include music and drama activities for the classroom, new art supplies and resources, and a session to learn more about ADHD.

Keeping my creative projects going!

Three hour painting session with my adult children - lots of fun! At Brush by the Vines, Mill Park, Melbourne, Victoria.

Grade 1/2 Symmetrical Bugs

More professional visual arts development: Zentangles!

Grade 4 Potato Olympics

Drawing Chicks

Last week I taught students how to draw chicks by putting together simple shapes and letters - two ovals, a triangle, a circle, a sideways 'V' and an upside-down 'Y'! Lastly, students named their chick. Very cute!

The Letter X

I've been doing art with my pre-prep students around the Letter X. They made cotton bud 'bones' to look like an X-ray after their hand was outlined with white spray paint! They also made X paintings using masking tape, then adding paint, and lastly, removing the tape.

Early Childhood Teacher

I've enjoyed expanding my expertise in education this year by starting an adult education business in vegan lifestyle support, and at the other end of the spectrum, working in an early childhood setting. I'm teaching at Leap Ahead Learning in Montmorency in their Pre-Prep Program. It's fun to be working with littlies again! I plan to work in the early childhood or primary education sector next year!

Teaching Visual and Performing Arts

I am now teaching arts at a new school in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. I am developing the visual arts program for the whole school, 170 students, and loving it! This term we are focusing on drawing and construction. Below are a few samples of the wonderful work students are creating. I'm also teaching performing arts to grades 1 and 2, which is very enjoyable. The 1/2s amd I have been listening to the classic Peter and the Wolf composed by Sergei Prokofiev, which introduces orchestral instruments to children as a musical fairy tale.

More art work

Here is a sample of the quilling and mask work students in grades 3 - 6 completed while I taught in the art room for 5 weeks...Wonderful!

Five weeks teaching visual art

I have one week left teaching in the art room, and I'm loving it. The year 1 to 6 students are creating some fantastic work, see photos below! Art work includes quilling, paper mosaic initials, fluorescent watercolor paintings, colored matchstick towers, tonal acrylic paintings, painted habitat diaramas and wild animals made of Plasticine, and lastly: stitched, stuffed, feathered, and decorated felt doves of peace!

Another productive week in grade 5T

Even though it was the last week of term and students were ready for a break, 5T was productive with many students completing narratives and all blogging tasks as required. Students also created a voki, an online talking avatar, using the text-to-speech, on the topic of the school's 5C's values....caring, courtesy, cooperation, consideration and contribution. Fantastic results! All year 5 students also attended a musical theatre production at a nearby secondary college and participated in Footy Pie Day activities! On the subject of footy, after living in Melbourne for 9 years, I thought it was about time I chose an AFL team to support. I am now a Carlton supporter!

Other highlights included the 11s circle game, the Write Right homophone activity, the Name that Student Quiz, the Art of Conversation activity (TAOC), Mad Libs, and short, imaginative iMovie videos created on iPads teaching about fractions and Auslan. It was a pleasure teaching in 5T for two weeks. I learned a great deal and students also experienced new learning activities. I'm now looking forward to a break before term 4 when I will be teaching in the Art Room for 5 weeks, as well as doing other casual relief teaching at several nearby schools.

The Art of Conversation or TAOC is a valuable teaching and learning tool that builds children's skills in speaking and listening.