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| The Long Eaton School |
Hello people who love us. We've had a hectic first week of school. Monday through Wednesday was a series of long (read: boring) introductions to the school environment, classrooms, timetables, and the school online system. Tuesday we had a pupil pursuit. Now this sounds quite creepy, but actaully it was just us following around a class to all their different subjects. Highlight for Natalie: Food Technology making cherry scones, and then getting to eat them. Cheers. Highlight for Katie: Watching Year 7 (6th grade) figure out how to use a protractor in Maths. (Yes, it is pluralized here.) It was a great experience for us to see what the students have to go through on a daily basis. We were both exhausted at the end of the day. How do they do it?
Yesterday and today we've been in the art classrooms observing and lending a hand when needed. There are three art teachers in the department, and one floating teacher that takes on a couple classes a week. We're excited to start teaching next week. We've decided on a clay project based on the Elephant parade which took place in London a couple years back http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/ , and a self-portrait project that is constructed entirely from the students' handwriting, inspired by Kentucky artist Leslie Nichols. http://studionichols.com/.
We've loved seeing the differences between American and English schools. One thing we noticed about art classes is their focus on keeping up a good sketchbook to study with. Each class starts with the students looking through their sketchbook, either at old drawings, or creating some new sketches before they start a final piece. We wish there was a stronger focus on sketchbooks in the states because it seems to really pay off for their final pieces. They end up being really thought out and their reasonings behind every decision are easily defended.
We've met with some older Years today and the students were very open and receptive to our thoughts and questions, (unlike some 11th graders I've met) which was a pleasant surprise.
This weekend we head to the coveted Peak District, a bit north of us, to see Natalie's current obsession (being in Pride and Prejudice) Chatsworth House. If you aren't a 22 year old girl, this will mean nothing to you, so for those that apply, this is one of those old girls-wearing-long-dresses-and-bonnets films, set in England, filmed at a beautiful estate home, a.k.a. Chatsworth house. http://www.chatsworth.org/ Notice there is a tea room. Pictures of this trip to follow.
Cheerio!
N&K
