January 7, 2011

This morning Nancy and I tried to catch a bus to class, but the bus never came so our host mom was kind enough to drive us. Class was long, but good. It is hard to sit in the same place from 8-3:30 and stay focused, but I can do anything for 17 days. I only have to take classes for 17 days including finals. It is so fantastic. I had literature and assessment classes today. The literature class was basically a review from what we learned last semester and then I was also taught about the New Zealand approaches to literacy, which I like more because there is more of a balance between whole language and phonics. Our professor also taught us that our brain is always looking for patterns and connections to make, which makes so much sense. I do it all the time, but usually don’t think about it that way. She also taught us that text is never neutral, which is so true all text is written by someone so no matter how they try to make it neutral, it will always have perspective in it. I really like the way Dr. Jacobs is teaching our assessments class. He really makes you think and is trying to help us grasp the bigger picture of teaching. We discussed the meanings of education, assessment, and motivation during class. I really enjoyed the homework assignment we were given to read about faith and fear. I did not know it then, but this assignment was exactly what I needed to read. I need to live more by faith than fear than I have been lately and it was a really good article. This article was exactly what I needed to make my experience in New Zealand more worthwhile than it already is. After class Nancy and I went to the mall and got our first ice cream in New Zealand. It was really good and way creamy. I still think the ice cream in London is better though.

We walked home from the mall using a short cut through the park which took just over half an hour. It has been so hard since I got here to live without internet and we will not get it until the earliest Tuesday. I hate not having a way to talk to people, especially my family.