Blog Assignment #6: Carte Blanche

Why am I not able to say NO?

What a struggle it is sometimes, to be both a part time student and working almost fulltime as a temporary teacher at school. Not mentioning that I’ve got a family to take care of in the “spare time” that doesn’t exist.


An hour ago a colleague called asking me if I could work instead of her tomorrow. Before I had thought properly about it I can hear myself saying, of course I’ll do that for you. Stupid me! I don’t really have the time for it but I’ll do it anyway. I don’t have the strength to say NO, just a simple NO. Why is it impossible for me to squeeze out the NO word?


The “NO” word obviously doesn’t exist in my vocabulary. I always want to be the good girl and I don’t dare to say no when I am offered extra hours at school. I am totally aware of the extra hours I’ll do at work tomorrow steel some time from my English studies. At the end of the day I’ll probably steel those hours from my two children, the unborn I’m expecting and my husband. I’m always stressed of bad conscious no matter what I decide to do. An easy solution to this dilemma would be work less hours, sounds reasonable to me mentally but in real life it’s a NO NO.

Working fewer hours would absolutely help me out when I run out of time, unfortunately there are only 24 hours a day. When my vocabulary doesn’t contains a “NO” word when working as a temporary teacher, I think I have to live with this kind of struggling. Making a puzzle of the hours I’m awake almost tearing me apart. I’m totally aware of the show must go on like this if I want to change the status from temporary teacher to teacher if you know what I mean?

Hiding behind the desk being a good student won’t give me a job as a teacher. Being at school working these extra hours, getting experience will more likely give me a permanent job in the future when teachers born in the 40’s hitting the pension age. One of my dreams is to become an English teacher for young learners, therefore I’m not saying NO working as a temporary teacher. I want to become a propper teacher.

Blog Assignment #5: Big Brother Is Watching You

Big Brother is watching you and perhaps the purpose is to make you feel secure in daily life. I must admit that I have never thought about the cameras that are all around us nowadays.

The cameras in shopping centers and public places don’t bother me at all because I’ve got nothing to worry about. I have never intended to do something wrong and I haven’t planned any crimes in the future either. I see the cameras as a protection against criminals and that make me feel safe when walking around in public places or in shopping centers. I never felt that my integrity is spoiled due to that cameras are watching me like a “big brother”. I know that it isn’t me they are looking for.

One type of camera that could possibly make me feel a little bit insecure is the high-speed cameras. Even if I shouldn’t, I sometimes drive faster than it’s allowed and that makes me breaking the law doing a criminal action. Mostly I am aware of where the cameras are placed and I adapt my speed to not break the speeding limits, because I would not like to be caught by a flash and then getting a high-speed ticket in the mailbox. That would be too embarrassing!

Terrorism sometimes feels far away to me when living the daily life at home with family and work. But terrorism isn’t far away when entering an airport with lots of guards and security control you got reminded that terrorists could be closer than you suspect. That makes me feel a little bit frightened and insecure.

After writing down my thoughts about “big brother” watching me and all the others around me I don’t feel annoyed by it as long it doesn’t impact on my integrity too much. Probably I will not be aware of the impact until it’s too late, that’s how our society has become today.

Blog Assignment # 4: Grades

Swedish school children do not receive grades until 8th grade comparison to other countries in Europe it’s late. As Sweden is a part of the European Union it might be a good idea to assimilate the school systems and also the grading system. At the end of the day most of the children in school would like to start an education at University level and some students also chose to study in another European country. Therefore it is suitable to start with the grades at least in the sixth grade to give the students a better chance to improve their grades in time.

Grades in the sixth grade are a golden opportunity to slow starters. The children that don’t have easy to learn in school will get four bonus semesters if they receive their grades in the sixth grade. They get a better chance to keep up the good work trying to achieve their goals for their future and they are given a longer term to improve their studies. I think that giving the children longer time to consider their school situation is fairer to them.

Lack of time a risk to children that receive bad first grades in the 8th grade. Receiving bad grades for the first time at the age of fourteen could make the children losing their hope and self confidence to improve their grades in time. Having just three semesters to improve their grades won’t be enough for some children. They lose their hope and might give up and not fight for their future dreams. To be given the time you need that is fair and encouraging to a child and it will help the child to succeed.

Blog Assignment #3: Climate Change

With Mother Earth in our hands it's might be time for a wake up call, what do you think?

I have to admit that I'm not one who's going in the front trying to save our planet. Of course I'm aware of the climate change trying to do my best with my contribution to save our planet, but am I doing my very best? Probaly not if I'm critical to myself. But what are the easiest things I can try to change immidiatly?

The first thing I can think of to improve my contribution to prevent a "little bit" of the climate change is to leave the car at home and go by bike instead. During the winter time I feel that I really need the car beeing able to get the children to school and daycare and myself to work in time. The spring is arriving even if it has snown today so it might be the time for me to take out my bike from the garage and make a "spring check" to see if everthing is in order with my bike. My children would love going by bike in the mornings even if we have to jump out of bed a little bit earlier. A bikeride in the morning for them would be like an adventure (they are 7 and 3 years old) Probably for me as well......getting my children ready in time and being in biking mood in every kind of weather. Am I in a biking mood five days a week? Probably not but if I decide to leave the car at home a couple of days a week and go by bike all the others I've defenetly done something little to improve the environment.

An improvement of the enviroment is absolutly necessary to do to be able to prevent the "Death" of our Planet. When Media talks about the climate threat I think it's to abstact and big to people so they don't know how to get a grip of it. Therefore some people feel that they can't do anything, what does it matter if I do something when my neighbour don't? Do you recognise yourself? Sometimes I do sometimes not but a lot of things for me depends on money and time.

I have to admit that the car is a time saver most of the times. When I run out of time ofcourse I use the car. What can I do to improve? Maybe I have to plan and schedule myself better? The money issue comes to me when I'm in the supermarket buying food for my family. The ecological bananas, vegetables, the milk, the eggs, the bread, the tea, the serials and so on costs a lot more to buy than the other products. Sometimes I make my ecological choice but not always. I'm getting better of picking the ecological alternatives but absolutly not always because of the price. At least it's a good start for me and my family and probably for all the other people on the Earth that little me buy some ecological articles in the Supermarket instead of none. Leave the car at home a couple of days a week and go by bike to work the other days.

Small things that are put togheter will make a different and I defenatley belive it's time to wake up.

Assignment # 2: The Fascination of a TV Series

TV for me is relaxing after a day of hard work. I really enjoy watching TV after my two children seven and three years old have gone to bed and sleeps like angels.

Before it's my turn to relax my childrens evening routine starts with TV programs for children "Bolibompa" sometimes I watch TV togheter with them depending on whats on, or depending on how late I've been working and if we have finished having dinner or if I have to prepare it. I don't feel insecure when my children watching Bolibompa without an adult, I really trust that all programmes that are shown at that particular time is suitable for younger children.

The "Bolibompa hour" beetween 18.00 - 19.00 (6.00 pm - 7.00pm) it's an effective hour when I'm preparing dinner, loading the washing machine, loading the dishwasher, preparing for next day activities and so on. After the last programme it's time for dinner and a nice chat about what we have done during the day. After dinner time it's pyjama time and tooth brushing and a big hug and a kiss good night. And soon my "TV time" is just around the corner.


Before having my children I loved watching hospital series I never missed an episode of "ER" or "Chicago Hope". Nowadays I've become to sensitive and I feel really bad watching when other people getting sick and die. I also get a feeling of beeing a hypochondriac and get frightened to die away from my children. Maybe it's sounds stupid but that's the way I've felt since I've got my children before that I was inmortal.


A couple a weeks ago when watching DVD boxes with TV series I found Grey's Anathomy (Hospital series) and I thought to myself if I would buy a DVD box I would choose that one. Why on earth would I do that? It might sound silly but I've heard a lot of people talking about it in a positive manner and now I'm really curious about it. The wind might have changed, hopefully I will be able to watch hospital series again and to find it relaxing instead of horrible.


Before I dare to take the big step and enjoy Grey's Anathomy I prefer watching series about crimes like CSI NY so tomorrow night at 9.00 pm me and my husband will be seated in front of the TV for a new crime to solve and to follow the personal relations between the pregnant Lindsey, Danny, the smart and beautiful Stella, and the perfect boss Mac.


To be mentioned as my favourites as well is all types of British crimes like "Midsomer Murders", "Inspector Lynley", "Wire in the blood" and "Dead silence" Midsomer Murders is absolutly one of my favourites, showing nice exterior with buildings and flowers in the countryside, the nice chief inspector Barnaby shown as a good policeman and a family man. The crimes are not shown as extremly violent and bloddy. And I love figuring out who's the killer.


As I said in the beginning I enjoy watching TV and for me it's connected with a relaxing sparetime in the evenings when it's too late to go to "Friskis and Svettis" or go out for a walk.

Assignment # 1. Childhood memories

The children of today seems to be confused sometimes.
WHY?
Many children are brought up without clear rules, parents are tired and stressed and let their children do what they want to do, it's easier that way. The parents avoid to discuss with their children whats good or bad for them due to lack of energy. It's easier to let the children play computer games when ever they want to and for how long time they want to instead of making simple rules about computer games. It might be hard at the beginning making up rules but in the end it will be good both for the child and the parents.

I believe sometimes divorced parents are competing with each other who are the nicest parent and therefore spoil the child a lot when they have got the oppurtunity even if it's not necessary. At the end of the day this could be bad for the child even if the purpose from the beginning was good. This could be quite confusing for the child when the divorced parents are competing with each other trying to win the love from the child. What parents sometimes forget is that a child always want's to satisfy their parents depending on who is taking care of them that certain week.

Curling parents, sweeping the floor in front of the childrens feet, what signals are given to the children? How will the children manage when they grow up if they don't get the possibilty to take care of themselves and take some responsibilities.
What is so frightning with parenthood? The most difficult part of being a parent might be to give our children their rules. It's improtant to remember that children need adults as good models, how to behave and interact with other people. The children will not hate their parents for taking care of them and letting them know what's right or wrong and let the children try their own wings. Adults need to dare to be a parent....

Love love love is absolutly one of the most important ingredients for a happy childhood. Most of the children get a lot of love from their parents, I hope but some children don't. To be seen everyday as a child is very important, and to be encouraged to succeed. Therfore teachers have a lot of responsibilities trying to fulfill the pupils needs and to be aware of that the teacher might be the only adult that sees the child during the whole week.

Monday 9th of February 2009

Wow! I just created my first blogg I'm really impressed of myself. Earlier today I've been working and now it's time for me to be a good student and read some english. Bye for now