Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Reflections (part 2)

This past week, students in grade 2 were asked to, again, honestly reflect on their own growth/learning/ability within each of the 10 'Learner Profiles' (see previous post: December: Reflections). Like in December, these self-reflective scores will be used on the upcoming end-of-year report cards.

As it was then, it's my pleasure to now share them with you, hoping you'll find them as enjoyable as I always do. So, listed below are reflections that caught my eye, made me smile, or just reminded me how much I enjoy the language of 8-year olds...

Risk-Taker
"I'm not much of a risk taker because I don't really try things that smell bad because I just can't stand it..."
"I think I'm a 2 because whenever I'm on a project I make a mistake and I whan to do it again but know I noticed that nothing's perfect."

Communicator
"I talk a looooooot at home. I don't know why I talk nonstop. I talk in the car, shower (sing), and even in bed! Sometimes I talk too much to my parents that they tell me to stop talking."
"Sometimes when I want to communicate I do. When I don't want to communicate, I don't. It also depends on the topic of what people are talking about."
"I picked score 3 because I don't speak a lot in conversation and sharing time. I have many thinking in my mind but it is in Japanese and I don't know how to descrive the words into English. I would like to be a communicator/"

Open-Minded
"I'm kind of, but mostly I only listen to myself. Only sometimes I listen to others"

Thinker
"When I'm [usually] at school when I herd a word before. And at class Miss F said do you know what this word means and what word she says it just popps right up into my mind."

Balanced
"On sunny mornings I have a good breakfast, I brush my teeth and my hair, and when I get to school, I run around the playground."

Principled
"I think I give 3 because sometimes I mess around when nobody is watching and sometimes I bother my brother when my mom is not watching. Also, in [another student's] sleepover when we were sopousted to sleep we played video games."

Caring
"I picked score 3 because at school I am caring but when I go home I fight with my brother. I think it is not my fault because my brother starts the fight."

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Lastly is my favorite (possibly of all time?), which was good enough to not only make this positing, but in it's original form:

Reflective

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Mein neue Haus

It's been decided, and it's official, that after all of this time, I've finally chosen a place to live in my new hometown.

For those of you who are in the loop, you'll know that making this decision has been difficult, as for the last month, I have had two choices of amazing places. The first, a small apartment just on the outer edge of the main city boasts cheap-as-chips rent, amazing skylights, a lot of vintage character, and a five-flight stair climb up and down each day (maybe only I'm the only one who would find value in that athletic benefit, actually!?). The second would be right in the heart of town, boasting two roommates from my new school, close proximity to anything and everything I could possibly want to see/do, and reasonable rent as well.

Would you laugh to know that I actually had been secretly hoping that one would fall through if only so I could not have to decide between the two!?

Although neither fell through, I am glad (and relieved) to say that after a month of going back and forth and back, I finally made the choice on the solo place on the edge of town for reasons too numerous to list. A few, though: my new apartment has a good feel to it, comes with a charitable current tenant who is undoubtedly the most helpful person I've met so far in Munich, and promises to have real fix-up potential (huge grin).

I tell all of you this, though, most importantly so you understand one of the larger reason I chose it - my living room comes with a beautiful and generous three-seated couch that folds out into a sofa bed, perfect for all visitors who come through.

In that respect, please sign your name up for a spot on it sometime in the next two years. That is, if you don't mind stairs...