I've introduced a couple of Reader's Theatres into my class today, which should stave off some lethargy (amongst the kids as well as me!) for the next few days. They're pretty funny and the kids are enjoying using some over the top voices and accents to bring the characters to life. I'm staying vaguely motivated as well, which is never a bad thing!
I've had the second last full version of the Polish Nation Intellectual Forum on Friday night and the last full incarnation of the famous Book Club on Saturday night. These final sessions are all due, of course, to the fact that my great mate Gurecki is soon to fly off to Nagasaki to live, work and play. No doubt Wal and I will continue the "Nation's" discussions in some form next year, and the Book Club will go on, but neither of these social essentials will ever be quite the same again. It's such a bummer that the international teacher's balloon is pricked at regular intervals by these departures....it's happened all too often to both of us over the years!
Cass and I enjoyed the stellar weekend weather by washing every thing we could get our hands on....weird and pathetic, right? Cass was actually totally in charge of both planning and executing this job...I just took massive liberties with the "royal we". The thing is, that due to the last two months being filled with dank and horrid weekends dripping with humidity and a cloud curtain drawn across the sun, there has been little option than to "put off" those washing tasks that need a breezy, sun filled dry day. We got it on Saturday and Sunday and Cass had the double strung line rigged up on our back verandah groaning under quilts and underlays and all nature of bedding and towelling.
We did sneak out to see Cassy's much anticipated film of the month, "The Great Gatsby" before dining at The Spice Shop on the way back home. I was less of a fan than Cass, but did appreciate just how pretty the houses (and Leonardo!) were as well as the opulent sets and grand casts. We had fun playing "spot the Aussie" amongst the ensemble and were able to pick out most, if not all of the bit-parters along with the two in major roles. The Indian food was as great as ever, but I do still have a hankering for both of our favourite Newcastle Indian restaurants, Raj's Corner and the incomparable Surtaj. Soon!
Report time is upon us and I'm procrastinating by tapping out this blog entry. I'll flee the school building shortly while Cass remains ensconced, meeting with the power players in the middle school as their boss gives them the "low-down" on the new tests they have to do this week.
Photos: bit thin this week but a shot of the identical curled kitties along with a couple of shots of the "tongue lashing temple" resplendent with bleating, saffron-robed monks.Following that, some boys find a pillow to aid their reading, nestled in between some bare boned shelves. Finally, a class shot of one of the 5th grade classes I teach.