Been a wee while but that's because of the mid-term break.
This week has been a bit mixed:
On Monday we looked at PowerPoint in study skills, which was useful & easy.
Later in Spanish we did a wee bit of unreal conditionals which requires the use of the subjunctivo imperfecto (or something!). Anyway I seemed to remember it without too much hassle.
The Literature assessment I’d done before the holiday was fine and we’re going on to look at short stories. That should be good!
And Scott was pleased with my Communication assessment so that’s out the way. We watched a fascinating programme about the Calvinist influence on the Scottish psyche in preparation for a listening assessment. I’m looking forward to that too.
I finally finished my Chartism essay on Thursday, but today Evan told us more of what we should have included…seems a bit unfair. I handed my work in anyway, and we’ll see what he makes of it.
I also tried the Spanish listening homework on the Stevenson virtual campus thing…a challenging listening but there were really badly organised and worded exercises. I got most of the answers in the end, but left feeling hacked off!
Friday 30 October 2009
Tuesday 13 October 2009
Tues 13th Oct
Just a quick note as I had to charge into town to pick up tickets for Nick Cave's reading tonight and so I'm not at the library!
We had the first assesment in Literature today. Although I believe my analysis of the poem was good, I found it very difficult to write about how the work had effected me on a more personal level. On first reading the poem, I felt that it did move & touch me but, following my disection of the poem I found it difficult to recall those feelings. It was as though the act of considering the individual elements reduced the power of the complete work.
Perhaps next time I should start by noting down my the emotions the poem stirs within!
We had the first assesment in Literature today. Although I believe my analysis of the poem was good, I found it very difficult to write about how the work had effected me on a more personal level. On first reading the poem, I felt that it did move & touch me but, following my disection of the poem I found it difficult to recall those feelings. It was as though the act of considering the individual elements reduced the power of the complete work.
Perhaps next time I should start by noting down my the emotions the poem stirs within!
Monday 12 October 2009
Monday 12th October
OK, here are the notes I took on Friday night in the pub on last week's antics:
Study Skills: it's well meaning & theoretically but I would prefer more practical work. I spoke to Dieca today about PowerPoint, and she said we will look at it after the mid-term break. So, I guess that was a good active thing to do!
Spanish: Jordi praised my essay on "Los Problemas de los Jovenes" but I feel I'm still making too many mistakes with SER & ESTAR...need to de revision! And carless mistakes with noun/adjective agreement...I think I need to print my work out and have a good look at it before I hand it in..... I came in early this morning and printed it, but now I need to find quiet time to read it!!
Literature: My work on "Valentine" received good marks which was pleasing as it had been written while suffering from flu, and I didn't feel it was really 'me'. I'm quite enjoying the experience of being guided through the murky world of poetry analysis. We're getting some kind of in-class assessment tomorrow, and that should be a very interesting experience!
French: No problems in class, and it's fascinating discovering the little bits of French that have been floating about my mind all these years! I still reckon French is somewhere between the 'purer' Latin languages (Italian, Spanish & Portuguese) and our 'bastard, mongrel' English! I need to do more revision....trouble is the classes aren't so difficult for me and I enjoy having to 'lower' my communicative levels!
Investigating Europe: Joe is a good guy and he approves of my project plans! Perhaps more importantly, he's given the official checks I require so I don't have to attend the class every week. That could provide a useful lunch break, as I'm teaching on a Wednesday evening. It was good fun going through the Barca games and reading up about key moments in the Spanish press & Sid Little's columns in The Guardian. I MUST FIND SOME SPANIARDS TO INTERVIEW & GET THE INTRO WRITTEN!!
Communication: We did a pre-assessment assessment but I won't get feedback till Thursday. I think I wrote too much of an essay, whereas Scott wanted something with more individual answers to the questions. Problem was I started writing the summary and found my style, so I wanted to continue in the same vein, and try to link the various points I should have taken notes to plan my specific answers I guess. I noticed that Chris was writing by hand, rather than using the computer like everyone else. He said that he gets distracted by spell checks, and loses his chain of thought...hhmmm.
Maths: I succesfully passed the geometry section, which I was pleased about as I'd had some problems with the vertical & horizontal aspects. I guessI'm not a spatial learner, well not in 2 dimensions anyway! Happily boogying through the algebraic stuff now. Should I complete Outcome 3 in the mid-term week? Will it speed things up? What exactly is the "Maths Investigation" all about then??
History: Well, we've been given our first writing assignment - 4 sides on The Chartists of all people! I think they were a bunch of middle-class people who organised demonstrations in favour of parliamentary reform...but Evan said they failed. He gave us a couple of articles to start us off, and it will be good to be able to write about a new subject without too much input from the teacher!
Study Skills: it's well meaning & theoretically but I would prefer more practical work. I spoke to Dieca today about PowerPoint, and she said we will look at it after the mid-term break. So, I guess that was a good active thing to do!
Spanish: Jordi praised my essay on "Los Problemas de los Jovenes" but I feel I'm still making too many mistakes with SER & ESTAR...need to de revision! And carless mistakes with noun/adjective agreement...I think I need to print my work out and have a good look at it before I hand it in..... I came in early this morning and printed it, but now I need to find quiet time to read it!!
Literature: My work on "Valentine" received good marks which was pleasing as it had been written while suffering from flu, and I didn't feel it was really 'me'. I'm quite enjoying the experience of being guided through the murky world of poetry analysis. We're getting some kind of in-class assessment tomorrow, and that should be a very interesting experience!
French: No problems in class, and it's fascinating discovering the little bits of French that have been floating about my mind all these years! I still reckon French is somewhere between the 'purer' Latin languages (Italian, Spanish & Portuguese) and our 'bastard, mongrel' English! I need to do more revision....trouble is the classes aren't so difficult for me and I enjoy having to 'lower' my communicative levels!
Investigating Europe: Joe is a good guy and he approves of my project plans! Perhaps more importantly, he's given the official checks I require so I don't have to attend the class every week. That could provide a useful lunch break, as I'm teaching on a Wednesday evening. It was good fun going through the Barca games and reading up about key moments in the Spanish press & Sid Little's columns in The Guardian. I MUST FIND SOME SPANIARDS TO INTERVIEW & GET THE INTRO WRITTEN!!
Communication: We did a pre-assessment assessment but I won't get feedback till Thursday. I think I wrote too much of an essay, whereas Scott wanted something with more individual answers to the questions. Problem was I started writing the summary and found my style, so I wanted to continue in the same vein, and try to link the various points I should have taken notes to plan my specific answers I guess. I noticed that Chris was writing by hand, rather than using the computer like everyone else. He said that he gets distracted by spell checks, and loses his chain of thought...hhmmm.
Maths: I succesfully passed the geometry section, which I was pleased about as I'd had some problems with the vertical & horizontal aspects. I guessI'm not a spatial learner, well not in 2 dimensions anyway! Happily boogying through the algebraic stuff now. Should I complete Outcome 3 in the mid-term week? Will it speed things up? What exactly is the "Maths Investigation" all about then??
History: Well, we've been given our first writing assignment - 4 sides on The Chartists of all people! I think they were a bunch of middle-class people who organised demonstrations in favour of parliamentary reform...but Evan said they failed. He gave us a couple of articles to start us off, and it will be good to be able to write about a new subject without too much input from the teacher!
Tuesday 6 October 2009
Tuesday 6th
I'd like to write a wee piece, but I'm not going to try and wade through all those various sections we were given by Dieca...sorry, I feel it's more important to try and access my learning thoughts and all those different areas to consider just put me off a bit!
French – I’m happy with my progress, and some long lost memories of those 80s classes are slowly filtering back. I reckon Monsieur Boyer buggered up my chances of getting anywhere with the language back in 3rd year…but that was then! I feel I’m OK with the numbers and expressing likes & dislikes was fun.
Spanish – No problem with speaking in class, and I think a lot of the other students come in from school! No wonder they look so young! I’m fine with the imperative Habla (tú) Hable (Usted) Hablad (vosotros) y Hablen (Ustedes) but I’m still a bit confused about the impersonal se…do we just use it when talking in general and writing general instructions?? What is the difference between se habla y hablase??
Big Cheer to Bill for showing me how to change keyboard settings so I can get Spanish letters!
History – generally interesting and Evan is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher. His descriptions of the Renaissance & Reformation were most illuminating. I do find it a little frustrating when we just have to sit and listen; memories of Mr Small. I guess that is something I’ll have to get used to in lectures though!
Literature – Madeleine seemed to like my essay on “Valentine”, which is good as it was produced under flu like conditions! And, hooray, we’re going to get an in-class assessment next week!!! I think a lot of people are getting a bit fed up with all the theory stuff, and want the chance to demonstrate their abilities and get some real feedback. Surf or die, baby!!!
French – I’m happy with my progress, and some long lost memories of those 80s classes are slowly filtering back. I reckon Monsieur Boyer buggered up my chances of getting anywhere with the language back in 3rd year…but that was then! I feel I’m OK with the numbers and expressing likes & dislikes was fun.
Spanish – No problem with speaking in class, and I think a lot of the other students come in from school! No wonder they look so young! I’m fine with the imperative Habla (tú) Hable (Usted) Hablad (vosotros) y Hablen (Ustedes) but I’m still a bit confused about the impersonal se…do we just use it when talking in general and writing general instructions?? What is the difference between se habla y hablase??
Big Cheer to Bill for showing me how to change keyboard settings so I can get Spanish letters!
History – generally interesting and Evan is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher. His descriptions of the Renaissance & Reformation were most illuminating. I do find it a little frustrating when we just have to sit and listen; memories of Mr Small. I guess that is something I’ll have to get used to in lectures though!
Literature – Madeleine seemed to like my essay on “Valentine”, which is good as it was produced under flu like conditions! And, hooray, we’re going to get an in-class assessment next week!!! I think a lot of people are getting a bit fed up with all the theory stuff, and want the chance to demonstrate their abilities and get some real feedback. Surf or die, baby!!!
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