Can I just have one more moondance?

I can think of nothing more lovelier than to dance with you to Michael Buble singing Moondance. Unless I was singing it softly to you while we danced.

Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'neath the color of October skies

I was glad I asked, in a roundabout manner, for a dance from you last night. Next time, we'll try for a waltz for you, and a quickstep for me?

And you call this a vacation?

By any other means or designs, I am meant to sleep in, and not do any work these two weeks. I have earned myself a well deserved break, have I not? Nevertheless, partly due to my own doings and partly due to circumstances beyond my control, I no longer have a two week "break". I have to write a Professional Development Plan, compile a Teaching Portfolio, finish my marking and reporting, all in the next two weeks. On top of that, I am starting work on Summer School 2004.

I am to go away middle of next week to the Grampians. I am now hesistant in going because of the work I have to finish. I am tired. Because I am tired, I am a little depressed. And because I am a little depressed, I am going to go home and start yelling at the boys. Poor boys.

The Castle

"How's the serenity?"

I think I'm in the middle of that serenity.

Internship is done. I carted home five (or was it six?) boxes of "stuff" on Friday. It's amazing how one can accumulate so much paper and resources in ten weeks. At the drinks the school put on for us, one of the APs, the one who hired us, gave each of the interns a boxed pen and a spoon, and he joked, "We don't get this until we have been teaching thirty years! But, really. This is in appreciation for the all hard work you have done. And for no pay too! Thank you."

I'm going to miss my desk and joking to Trish on my left, "Trish, you're encroaching on my space!" and teasing her about her messy desk. I'm going to miss rolling my eyes with Trish about some of the students and I'm going to miss her advice and support to us interns. I'm going to miss speaking to Jeff on Trish's left about dancesport. I'm going to miss ribbing Peter about his addiction to chocolate and how he is a hard marker and never gave me an A when I was one of his Chemistry students back in 1996. I'm going to miss the 7.30am starts and 6.00pm ends. I'm going to miss my pigeonhole and the sun by the large windows in the staff lunchroom. I'm going to miss the all the photocopying privileges!! David and his flirting with some of the female interns. Chocolate stashes at Sarah's desk. The chicken and salad roll from the canteen. Jeremy's little weekly walk around the staffroom. I am going to miss teaching Forensic Science. That class made it all worthwhile.

But NOT going to miss all the corrections and marking I had to do.

"We" went on strike today. Though I chose not to strike (it was my last full day with my Year 10s), it was nice to hear that there were people who supported the move.

I have one more class to teach. I have too much to finish up to begin reflecting on the past ten weeks. Maybe I'll have time to do that next week.

The school's putting on afternoon drinks for us. Isn't that nice of them?

Sarah and I were philosophicating (is that even a word?!) in the dark, about this and that before we stumbled onto religion and the Church. Both of us are Catholics, but I am a Catholic who chooses not to go to Mass for various reasons.

She later said about that night in the Grampians, "It was like I knocked on the door and you opened it and we stood in the doorway talking. But as soon as I mentioned religion, you slammed the door in my face and ran away."

She paused. "You know, some people would have just closed the door gently. You closed it very firmly. In my face, even."

Sometimes you don't realise the reasoning behind your actions until someone tries to tell you their intepretation of your actions. Reflection comes from without, huh, rather than within. I need think time.

Five more days left to my internship. 9 more classes to teach. P and I are looking forward to spending at least one full day with each other, instead of snatches of time here and there, as it had been the case these past ten weeks.

I am counting down the days till September 19. 17 classes. 48 periods. 8 days.

Al announced today, "Next Friday, after school, we're going to the pub to celebrate. I'm buying the first round! And Allie, you're drinking that day."

"Noooo. I can't drink," said Allie. "I'm driving!"

"So? You're off your Ps!" said Al.

"Come on," said I. "It's our last day as interns. We must celebrate. You have to have a drink. Really, you must!"

"Yeah!"

"Give us liberty or give us death!"

"Huh?!!"

"Never mind."

8 more days.

scottraymondnet. Essence.

All hail sugar

Tasks I have completed today ...

• finished marking a set of SAC tests
  
• marked 3 long prac reports
  
• detailed notes for P1 tomorrow
  
• 2 week unit plan (on Legal Studies): about 4 detailed lesson plans, the other 4 are a tad sketchy
  
• criteria sheet for a prac report, and its accompanying SAC test

Tasks I have yet to complete, and must complete, somehow before tomorrow ...

• the rest of the prac reports, 18 in all
  
• typing up notes and lesson plans and criteria sheet and SAC test
  
• a set of Forensic Science tests to mark
  
• two units of Forensic Science to plan in detail (soil, casts and impressions)
  
• research project to think in detail, a survey to write up
  
• compiling a list of ... "stuff" for assessment by my supervisors (I have 3!!)
  

I am brain dead.

There are two weeks left of the term. Now I know exactly how the teachers feel, at this time of the term. Very little energy and patience left. I'm just hanging out for the break.

Our Denning's 21 today.