CELTA: nearly half-way there
A poster I created to help get students in the mood for learning the second conditional: “If I won a million pounds I’d…” (the building featured houses about 5 classrooms that we teach in). Wah. Shatterficated. That’s what I be. We’re now almost half way through CELTA. The pace hasn’t let up at all, really […]
CELTA: 25% down, 75% to go
We made it. First week of CELTA complete. 25% down, 75% to go! The Wikiepdia description is turning out to be spot-on: The full-time four-week course is very intensive, and students taking it must be prepared to dedicate all their waking hours to it for the duration. Even the part-time version of the course can […]
Merhaba! Nasılsın?
In this morning’s first class we were treated to the most extraordinary experience. It was absolutely captivating, and made me forget all about the scary half-naked man at the bus stop 30 minutes earlier who had thrown bricks at a carpet-delivery van containing three men, one of whom had briefly emerged with a long iron […]
a brief hello
The way things are shaping up I think there will be very little in terms of blog activity from me this month. Or any other kind of activity, other than working towards gaining my CELTA certificate. It’s incredibly intense. from 9.30am to 6.30pm (7pm yesterday) the 16 of us are either in our classroom being […]
Graduation photos
Live from the Little Chef on the M6 heading south from Sheffield… some shots from today’s graduation ceremony. Well done all of us. Thanks Sheffield!
Results are out (again)
Here we go then, final results, officially published today on the university portal.
CILASS for Students website (private launch)
This mumble features a fair bit of bathing in my own glory (so no change there then). I’m delighted to say that the CILASS for Students website is complete. It won’t be officially launched until the next academic year, but I won’t be around then, so I thought I’d quietly launch it to my friends now […]
Degree result
Google Alert: Information Commons, Sheffield (tee hee) I worked out what I got for my degree the other day. Whilst grades aren’t officially published until the 14th July, with the results for all but one of modules (language) having been announced, it’s not hard to tot it up. I’ve guessed my mark for the language […]
Generosity, and packing for Japan
Been a funny old day today. Everything’s been out of context. Started with being woken by my mobile. I get an average of one phone call a week, so it startles me even if when I’m already awake. My friend had a puncture, meeting might be delayed. I can sleep in a bit. Tired after […]
LTEA Conference 2008: Long Live Inquiry-based Learning!
It’s now the day after the closing of the LTEA (Learning Through Enquiry Alliance) conference 2008, and my head is beginning to clear. I attempted to write about my experience of this event last night, but I was “all conferenced out” as fellow student ambassador Barbara put it – my mind was just a sea […]
Post-student life begins
So yes, the change from student to non-student is going well. Having got rid of much of my coursework last night (I would have kept it had I been staying in the UK), I then advertised my last few books on Amazon – they were sold within hours and are in the post to their […]
Into the recycle bin
Busy bee, spotted on the way back from the exam. 13 hours into freedom So, I spent much of the afternoon feeling somewhat lost, before deciding that what was called for was assertiveness. I need to move on. No point in lingering in some in-between state. It’s too easy to comfort oneself with the idea […]
The end is nigh (in a good way)
Well, this is it then folks. In 12 hours and 29 minutes I’ll have finished my final exam on this four year degree course. That will be a big relief. And probably a little surreal – the venue is Sheffield Wednesday Football Club (I hope the pitch isn’t too waterlogged, or the papers will get […]
Above the architecture section
Today, like yesterday, and no doubt tomorrow too, was a good day. I feel some important memories were made. It was also a very happy day, as last night my brother’s partner’s daughter gave birth to a very cute little boy – really great news – congratulations to all involved! Congratulations also to dear Michael […]
Mish-mash
Seems like the Internet doesn’t like wet weather. It;s been gradually dying as the mist has set in tonight. It happens in Wales too. After a heavy rain shower, one has to disconnect the router from the mains and put it in the tumble drier for a while. Skype has been fun. I’d call someone […]
We Did It! Graduation Ceremony (No.1)
Our teachers will not be able to come to our graduation ceremony at the end of July as they will be in Japan. Not wanting to miss out on such an important occasion, they decided that in our last ever lesson with them, they put on a special Japanese graduation ceremony for us. This act […]
SeeChange Residential Event: Day 1
It’s been a fascinating day today. Following that early morning jog, I slowly got my stuff together and headed over to the Computing Centre, where I was to met a couple of university ‘colleagues’ for the 50-minute drive down here, the Derbyshire Hotel, from where I’m now staying for a couple of nights (all expenses […]
Monday 5am
Signs of Spring Yesterday at 4am myself, and 34 others who live in my block at Broad Lane Court, were rudely awoken by the ringing of bells. Doorbells. It was a little alarming, as our doorbells are quite loud; we can hear the neighbours’ bells almost as clearly as our own. All of them were […]
Going for it
About to press the magic lever (Starring Susie, and featuring my arm) Here we are then: the moment when I reached out and pushed the magic leaver that saw the my dissertation bound. Job done! Looking back on these past few days of hardcore writing I’m inspired. I got so much done – now how […]
Dissertation Done and Dusted
Yay! I am Happy. Very happy (and very tired!). It’s been a 14 hour day in the library, but we got there. I’m pretty pleased with it as I’ve been able to keep my 3000 word history – well, at least for the version that I’ll have bound for myself. The department will get the […]
Dissertation: The benefits of procrastination
I was in the library just after 9am this morning; it’s now 1.45am, and I got home 15 minutes ago. A 16.5 hour day, not bad. It was punctuated by an hour spent with my classmates, first year and second students on our course, in a meeting about the Year Abroad. That was fun. It […]
Awards!
Yipppeeeee! I just won a university photo competition, my prize being a £200 digital camera! I’ve missed having a small point-and-shoot as I gave mine to mum and dad at New Year so they could play with digital photos with their new Macbook. Unfortunately though, the one I gave them was a Japanese language model. […]
The shouting lady
I spent much of today in the library, hammering my dissertation into shape. We’re getting there. All but the conclusion written. This week, the weather has been just beautiful. Real warm sunny days, no need for jumpers or jackets. This brings me such enormous pleasure. It’s been a very long winter, and I was getting […]
Beware the Jubjub bird
Seven pretty strong earthquakes 100 miles from Tokyo today. I tend to worry when that happens. makes me wonder if *twinkle* is OK, as her parents’ house is pretty old. If she’s OK, it’s likely my other friends are too (and she’s fine, texted me news updates as they struck!) (although of course if it […]
Spring, Surveillance and coaching course call one
It’s been a great day today. First off, it was the beginning of Warm Spring. You could feel it brewing over the weekend with the muggy rain. It’s been an astonishing 72 hours, with a complete transformation of the trees in the churchyard opposite my house – just like that! Like a switch being flicked! […]
IBL Staff-Student Symposium
Full day of work today, from 8.30am to 4.30pm. I say ‘work’, but it was more like hanging out with friends. CILASS friends. Today was the 2nd CILASS Inquiry Based Learning Staff-Student Symposium. Some people may remember me talking about giving a presentation via Skype from Tokyo at last year’s event – well, this time […]
Japanese stage debut
I’ve never been one for over-dramatisation… (an extract from a mini-drama staged in our Japanese speaking class today. Sorry about the poor camerawork. That’s the problem when one is on the wrong side of the camera – unless one has a psychic link with the camera and tripod it’s difficult to get it to zoom […]
Final assignment received
Things are happening. We were given our final assignment today. A translation piece. Thus, all I have to do now is that story (by the end of May), finish my dissertation (by mid-May), perform a drama (Thursday), take an exam (4th June). I feel pretty motivated and will work hard to get these done as […]
Up in smoke
Caw blimey gov it’s been one hell of a day. Just got back form the library (2am) where I’ve spent the last 7 hours trying to finish off this website for my employer. I’m always astonished by how long it takes. It was all working fine in Safari and Firefox, but then I made the […]
A Whizz Boing Pop day
I find it astonishing (and at times disturbing!) how much detail my camera lens can pick up. My hand doesn’t look so wrinkly to the naked eye, but an adjustment of the levels in the raw file shows the prints and lines in all their glory. I guess this is where photography is going now, […]
Spanners, deadlines, and night-time inspiration
Email from the parents: “No post for you from the embassy today either. They must be sorting out necessary changes in law for you to be made emperor” Having had a very long day, it was a great relief to get home last night. Managed to finalise the business plan and actually submit it 6 […]
Time for an all-nighter?
caw blimey gov it’s gonna be one of those loooooong nights. It’s ten to one, but I’ve still got a tonne of stuff to do for tomorrow. What’s best: late night, or up early? The danger with going to bed now is that I won’t have time tomorrow morning to prepare for the afternoon. Hmmm. […]
Heading North, one last time
So this is it. I’m on the train for my last trip back to Sheffield. In seven weeks, it’ll all be over (that is, apart from one exam and my graduation). Just seven weeks. It’ll fly by. That’s kind of comforting, because I know that no matter how many things I have on my to […]
Real World Awards
I finally submitted my video entry for the Real World Awards today. This annual competition sees students recognised for their extra-curricular activities: I’ve chosen to focus upon those things I’ve done that fall into the “Socially Responsible” category. It was very difficult to edit this video down to 3 minutes – the original was over […]
Euthanasia: The debate begins
In a couple of weeks we’ll be asked to create a drama for our Japanese speaking class. The theme is Euthanasia. I’ve not given euthanasia much thought before now. But over the past couple of weeks I’ve come across a few programs on Radio 4 that have touched on the subject, including this morning’s Saturday […]
The Family of East Asian Studies and the Opinion of Others
About a week ago, my case study “Making Students Matter: The Family of East Asian Studies” was published on a new section of the University web site. Case Studies Project overview The Case Studies project aims to create a library of examples of good practice in teaching, highlighting success stories in order that academic staff […]
Results Day
Just remembered, it’s results day! So, overall I got 67%. Add that to my previous results and I’m on 68%, so I think it’s fairly safe to say that I’m heading for a high 2:1, as in order to get a first (70%) I’d have to be get something in the mid-70s this semester, and […]
Another reason to study Japanese at the School of East Asian Studies
No, Sheffield University’s School of East Asian Studies isn’t paying my bandwidth bill, nor are my examiners reading the Daily Mumble (that wig and false nose suit you pretty well actually). However, the department has played a huge part in giving me the best possible uni experience ever – an experience which will shortly be […]