WEIRD!!!

After having two days off, I went back to school today still not fully recovered. I am glad I am not at home, or else I would be taking pictures of every single inch of the house like I did yesterday. Despite the illness, I was so motivated to start a new topic on THE BRAIN. But the funny thing was, after teaching this topic for god knows how many years, I was somehow blurred about it. I totally forgot all concepts related to this topic. What happened today? Not only that, two other weird things happened this morning. First, I was asking my daughters when they kissed me on the cheek (daily ritual actually before going out of the car): "You guys are doing this, because?"... I did not realised then but it strucked me while I was in my Form 5S class. I remembered one of my daughters responded with a giggle: "My dad an alien....". Something like that... Hmmm what's up with me today?

Another thing, I carried up my lap top bag to the staffroom, and only realised that the computer was not in it. No wonder the bag was unusually light. Help!!! What's up with me?

Because of these "happenings", I decided against teaching so I gave my students works to do instead. Sorry guys, I was not myself today. Wonder why? Felt like a zombie walking around the school with no worries in my mind. That's it! That's what I was asking Murabiyyah yesterday in respond to her post. I remembered saying this "How does it feel if we have no worries in our mind?...." or more or less. Something like that.... Oh god, got to stop from this babbling..........

ACER PROJECTOR XD1150

Got myself the following "baby" a few days ago. Tested it this morning in two lessons. I was so motivated and it really helps my teaching. This is actually my second. The first one (Epson) was out of order early this year and replacing the "bulb" was not a good alternative. Anyway, I have been using the first since 2004. I think it had done its deed already.

TEN THINGS I LIKE ABOUT TEACHING

1. Got to see many new faces every year (students and colleagues) - imagine working in the MOE offices seeing the same people day in and day out! (To work in MOE offices is not my idea of a promotion! - not even in my wish list!)

2. Got yo have your own leaves during school term holidays together with your children.

3. Got to learn new things everyday - teachers also learn just like students - learning never ends for a teacher - we keep on improvising things.

4. Got to observe how your students behave - try to understand them - from there we teachers can improve ourselves as parents to our own children.

5. Being a teacher makes you feel young all the time (at heart though) - especially when you are surrounded by your students who keep you up to date about happenings in the YOUNG's world which is always about musics, sports and technology.

6. Being able to deliver your lessons and being well accepted, appreciated and understood by your students are the best "gift" of the day.

7. Being entrusted with side jobs other than teaching, makes you as a teacher, more versatile - but not too much clerical jobs at any one time, thank you very much!!!

8. Being entrusted to produce future leaders is one of the best "gift" of teaching.

9. Your previous students still remember you as a good teacher - some highlight our positive sides as well as our negative sides as a teacher - THANKS A LOT - As for the negative sides, we learn from making mistakes - this is what I always remind my students: to learn from making mistakes rather than copying other people's work.

10. Got to go home early than those in MOE offices - But mind you, we still continue to do our works at home - some none teachers friends used to say: But you can always recycle your previous notes? No way, for most teachers notes are always improvised. How about using resources from other teachers? Double no no for me as it usually affects the flow of my teaching. Can't even use my wife's resources even though we are teaching the same subject - The good thing about improvising is you are actually preparing yourself in how best to deliver your lessons effectively.

TODAY'S LESSON ON ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION

OXYGEN DEFICIT AND OXYGEN DEBT

These terms refer to a lack of oxygen while training/racing and after such activity is over. To go into these areas of exercise are normal, but the goal is to not go too far into either category. Below is a brief description of each and a chart with will detail the process more clearly than we can explain with words alone.

Oxygen Deficit. While exercising intensely the body is sometimes unable to fulfill all of its energy needs. Specifically, it is unable to intake and absorb enough oxygen toadequately 'feed' the muscles the amounts of energy needed to adequately perform the tasks the athlete is requesting from the body. In order to make up the difference without sacrificing the output, the body must tap into its anaerobic metabolism. This where the body goes into a mix of aerobic and anaerobic energy production. While not hugely detrimental, oxygen deficits can grow to a level that the anaerobic energy system cannot cover. This can cause performance to deteriorate. Oxygen Debt. This term describes how the body pays back its debt incurred above after the exercise is over. You will notice that even after you are done racing you will continue to breath hard. At this point your body is still trying to repay the oxygen debt that was created when you were working hard. Technically, it is excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption. These are concepts in which many students found difficult to grasp. So I came up today with an analogy: "Oxygen debt is just like giving a slice of pizza to a class of hungry students where the slice of pizza is the limited amount of oxygen whereas the hungry students are the respiring cells". It works well..................

MY LCD PROJECTOR

I have been teaching using my LCD projector since 2004 for the purpose of delivering my lessons. Early this year, the bulb blew. I have asked the computer shop from where I purchased the projector for the price of the bulb and they told me that the price was B$600+. WOW........ I can actually afford it but I simply could not spend that much for a bulb. (Worst come to worst I will have to get it. May be during the BONUS pay day end of this month). But to any bloggers out there, HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHERE I CAN GET A CHEAPER ONE? (Wishful thinking!!!!!)

LESSON TIME

Today is the second day of the first term. Not much preparation to be done coz' all of my teaching aids/resources are stored in my pendrives. I have revised and edited some beforehand. My first lesson was during the third and foruth periods. I was so motivated today. When I finished assembling my computer and the projector, I was about ready to test it before my students came. To my disapponintment, the projector malfunctioned. Something wrong with the bulb. I expected this already since I have been using it in my teaching since 2004. BUT OF ALL TIME, WHY TODAY? Contingency plan: traditional teaching - chalk and talk (well! literally, more like marker pen and talk)

My form 4 P students (during the third and fourth periods) were very quiet. Expected. As today was the first time I was meeting them. So I teased them: I GIVE YOU ALL ONE WEEK, WE WILL BE EXPERIENCING A HURRICANE IN THIS CLASS. Overall they are all OK.

My form 5 O students (fifth and sixth lessons) on the otherhand, after a year teaching them they were still very passive expecting everything to be fed to them. So half way during the lesson...I forced them to participate in the class discussion. I told them that each one of them must contribute in the discussion otherwise the lesson will not be proceeded. After voicing every question, I would say "............I am going to wait for your answer patiently and passionately until you speak up.............." Somehow everyone particpated eventhough some were mumbling shyly, few words (Good start though, can't ask for more). Well! that's a progress (Last year they were always waiting for answers). On the whole, I enjoyed today's lesson with my form 5 O. (Hopefully they will be more motivated this year.......the big XM is in 10 months time)

Need to prepare for my saturday's lesson since I cannot use technology for the next 2 or 3 weeks (The technician in the computer service centre told me that the bulb will need to be ordered and it will take them 2 or 3 weeks to arrive)