30 Dec 2010

On my way to writing an assignment!

After yesterday's difficulties, I decided today to just get lots down on paper (well, in Word anyway) and worry about the quotes after. That way, at least I have the bones of an assignment and I can find relevant references to go with whatever I write.

I've done well, I think. I have a lot of words written (probably too many after I add in quotes) but I have something to work with.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I want it done by then so that the next few days can be used for other school things I need to do.

29 Dec 2010

Not going to get any interim feedback

If I wanted to send what I've done so far to my Uni Tutor for interim feedback, I need to have done it by today. I barely have anything done. I've spent so long looking at quotes to use that I actually have very little written down in terms of content.

I'm finding this process so difficult. I haven't EVER had to write anything like this. Even on my degree it was smaller assignments - and that was nearly twenty years ago.

The whole researching, quoting and referencing is new to me - and I have to admit, I'm struggling.

23 Dec 2010

Not going to plan so far.....

Well it's the day before Christmas Eve and I have done nothing towards my assignment so far. And I know I won't be able to do anything for the next five days because I need to visit so many people as well as child's birthday party tomorrow.

The trouble is, my Uni Tutor said that if we want interim feedback (to check we are on the right lines) it has to be in by Wed 29th Dec 2010. Which actually gives me JUST the Wednesday to get the whole thing done.

Never gonna happen.

17 Dec 2010

Planning work for the Christmas Holidays

We broke up from school today and this is what I plan for the holidays:

Work solidly on my assignment for the first four or five days .
Clean and tidy house for child's birthday (on Christmas Eve!)
Have child's birthday party.
Christmas and all of the visiting that goes with it for about five days.
Work on other important school tasks (like schemes of work).
Have New Year
Plan for my return to school.

I'm not sure how much I will actually stick to this plan. It's snowing quite heavily at the moment and I know when it's like this I don't want to do anything! On the plus side, at least I'll be house-bound and able to focus on my work.

16 Dec 2010

Presentation feedback

I got my feedback from my Uni Tutor on my presentation yesterday. No matter how many times I read it, I'm still not quite sure what it says!

Here's the text:
I found your presentation a very engaging and personal story in which you were honest about your experiences of working with mathematicians and how that made you feel. You presented a vivid image of different views of mathematics and how you fitted within these. You have a lot to write about which fits closely with the module’s themes. I look forward to reading your assignment!!

I first read it and thought "Well it seems OK".

Engaging is a very specific word in education, to imply holding someone's interest. We are always told our lessons should be engaging.

Vivid seems a good word too.

But I keep focusing on "You have a lot to write about......."

This could mean one of two things. It could mean 'You said all of the right things and hit the relevant criteria, now go and write it up', or it could mean 'You didn't talk about the right thing, so you need to catch up on the criteria via the written part of your assignment'.

I asked some people what they thought - and again mixed messages. Some said it sounds very positive and I should be pleased with the feedback, but some said it sounded very non-commital and didn't say much at all! Rather like when we write reports for children at the end of the year but say very little in huge paragraphs!

I'm in the non-commital camp at the moment.

I've asked my colleague what her feedback was like, and she forwarded it to me. I wasn't really sure what hers was saying either, but it was at least twice as long as mine!

I must stop thinking about the presentation now, and get on to actually writing the assignment!

Screenshot of the feedback