Back To Basic!

Back in school today. Rumour had it that I might even take a lesson, which fortunately for me didn't transpire. I don't think I'm quite ready for that, as of yet, although I have no qualms about going around the pupils and seeing if I can lend assistance. I have no problems whatseoever with what most of them are doing, but I did get a bit of a surprise when I saw one lad's VB code, and on first appearances it looked fairly alien. On closer inspection however, I quickly got a grasp of what the program was trying to do. More to the point, after a few attempts I managed to locate the source of his difficulties.

I think I'll probably want to give myself a bit of a VB refresher. It is difficult though approaching a bunch of code without even having seen what the program is intending to achieve. I don't really have any problem with the coding concepts, at least not those I'll be dealing with day-to-day. VB is a great piece of software on which to learn basic programming, hence the "basic" in the name I suppose. I'm hearing that Java is being mooted as a possible classroom replacement for VB, but I suspect that there would be major difficulties selling Java to Standard Grade level pupils.

Even though most programming languages have a bunch of similarities, what makes VB such a useful tool for learning programming, is the visual element. Each item has code attached to it, and this compartmentalisation makes it so much simpler to learn. Well, that's my theory and I'm sticking to it!

A Point Of View!

I'm spending the whole of this week doing what they call classroom observation. Basically, I go into the school, or more specifically, in with a computing teacher, and observe all of their lessons, noting everything from behaviour management to the types of question they ask! I'm making lots of notes and asking lots of questions. But, I do have a list of specfic things I need to focus on.

What I'm realising is just how big a job being a teacher is, and it's not only in terms of subject knowledge that a teacher stands or falls. There are 101 other things that they have to deal with daily. There's the constant threat of a visit form the HMI (Her Majesty's Inspectors), tracking assessment scores and coursework, using feedback from pupils and assessment scores to evaluate own teaching performance and pinpoint areas for improvement. Take into consideration the fluidity of computing as a subject, (is there any faster moving subject in the curriculum?) and you can easily see the enormity of what I'm getting myself into here!

I cannot however fault the teacher I'm in with, he's outstanding, and I don't think I could have been placed with anyone more helpful had I hand-picked them myself. He offers advice freely when asked for, and is completely transparent about every aspect of his work. Not only that, but he slung me copies of many of the course textbooks and said I could keep them, along with a pile of other teaching materials. I was going to buy those. He said, "Never buy anything in this profession!" An attitude with which I intend to do my utmost to comply. Words like laudable and commendable spring to mind. The school also has some amazingly cheap sources for computer components and peripherals, which I may well be tempted to call upon given the opportunity!

Orbiting the Dance Floor!

I was at a a wedding dance last night. The wedding actually took place a while back, but for certain reasons, which I know nothing about, the dance was held off until yesterday. Anyway, on this occasion the kids were staying with their granny, allowing us free reign to consume copious amounts of alcohol, which we (I at least :-}) proceeded to partake of! In fact I probably drank more last night than I have anytime for several years.

So was I ill? Not at all! Was I drunk? Well, oddly I felt more drunk when I got up this morning than I did last night! So, all in all, it was a good night. I probably chose the wrong day to do this, but today I've been trying to set-up a digi-box I got from someone, because our old one had started playing up, freezing and getting stuck on certain channels. It was becoming a pain! So, I've got the new box in, but it looks as though I have to move the dish, because the card that came with it is for a different sattelite. My dish is conveniently located about 12 feet up the side of the house, so I'll need a ladder for that! I did buy a special little tuning gadget several weeks ago, having forseen this occasion well in advance. It was £3 from Lidl. I don't like Lidl, but sometimes they have some interesting things on sale.

To be honest with you, I am starting to get a small hangover, but nothing a spot of lunch won't remedy. I might have to call a man with a ladder in this afternoon to assist in repositiong my sattelite dish, but hey, that's what daddies are for right? Of course he'll want it reciprocating in some way that will mean he gets more out of it than I do, because that's how he operates. No doubt, there's some small painting job at the parents house, with my name on it!

Who Started This?

This week's theme seems to have been "Nostalgia". I apologise for that. I wasn't necessarily feeling very nostalgic, just that I was very conscious that me prattling on about Uni all the time would ve annoying. However, after spending a whole day at Uni, the only thing I can actually think about is Uni, so be grateful for my seeming nostalgia, such as it is!

I've decided to move on to a much more serious and sobering subject today. I read in the paper how some British General was appaled about the way British soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, are being treated. Basically, the public are not supportive of them. I don't think this would come as a surprise to anyone really. His actual words were more along the line of, "The public are not supporting our troops, in a war that they instigated". Hmmm, I don't recall instigating any war. I didn't thinkt it was a good idea at the time, since or ever will.

The suggestion that British troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan, because the British public want them there, is frankly ludicrous. I don't know anyone who wants then there, or believes they should be there. In fact, like me, many are wondering, "Why the hell are our troops there in the first place?" The fact is that our government wanted this war, despite massive public opposition. They wanted us signed up to an EU treaty, despite massive public opposition, and they will no doubt bring in ID cards, despite massive public opposition. The threat of terror is the stick with which they keep goading us. I would suggest to you, that the only reason there is any credible terrorist threat, is because British troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan. That threat is largely from homegrown terrorists, who deeply despise our military actions.

Having said all of that, British troops should not be treated harshly by the British public, they're only doing their jobs, and following orders. I'm sure most of them don't want to be there, and probably wonder just like us, what the long-term objectives are. This is clearly demonstrated by the number of soldiers quitting the forces. They're leaving in droves. This only exacerbates the situation, as our forces on the ground are becoming increasingly stretched. There's also that age old problem of knowing friend from foe. The peace-keeping role isn't what soldiers want to do, they want to see the enemy and engage them in combat. That's what keeps soldiers happy!

Sugar-coated 70's Sweet Nostalgia!

Maybe I'm getting old, but when I discuss the sweets of yesteryear with the lads at Uni, they look at me like some kind of nostalgic fool. They have never sampled the delights of:

• Spangles (Square Boiled Fruit Sweets)
• Pacers (Square Mint Flavoured Chews - White with green stripes around them)
• Texan Bar - See Above, lovely chocolate

Just as the food in the 70's was rubbish, the sweets were brilliant. At least that's the way I remember it. I do consider the possibility though, that they were only brilliant because the occasions on which I had any were so few and far between. Was I deprived? Nah! Money was tight right enough, but it was the same for everyone. When you got a sweet, you savoured it. It's true what they say, "You can have too much of a good thing!"

Our sweets are all Americanised now, and while some of them (such as M&M's, the peanut kind) are OK, in general I would say that sweets were better back then, it was the golden age of the Britiish sweet. Plus, they put way too much sugar into sweets nowadays, it wipes out the flavour. It's a disgusting practice which I condemn with all my vigour!

A Long Forgotten Ancestral Punch-up!

I sat down last night to watch some telly, and I said to the wife "Remind me to watch "Who Do You Think You Are?" tomorrow night, because I missed it last week". Just as I said this I turned over the channel and started reading a book, when I heard the unmistakable voice of Griff Rhys Jones coming for the box in the corner. I realised straight away that "Who Do You Think You Are?" was already on and a day earlier than expected.

Even though I'd missed the first 20 minutes it made riveting viewing. Griff had been brought up to believe that his Gt Grandfather had been a engine driver killed in a rail crash. The reality was very different. He had been killed in a drunken punch-up outside a pub, which he may well have been the instigator of. I think it's really important that people have a sense of where they've come from and what's gone into making them who they are today. Every family has secrets and it's so much better to have them out in the open.

Of course, my peers will recall Griff from "The Not the Nine o'clock News" and "Smith and Jones" shows, which to my mind were incomparable in their day, apart from Monty Python perhaps. Griff and Mel had and still have I believe a great friendship, which made their act work all the better. I've had some of their stuff on this blog before, check this video for instance. That's just a small glimpse of their material.

I'd Rather Eat Now Than In the 70's!

I had Macaroni cheese for supper! So simple to make and yet surprisingly delicious. I realise that I have a bit of a penchant for food of Italian origin, but not the sort that Keir eats. Silvio isn't putting any of his man fluids in my grub thank you! Taking Tikka Masala out of the equation, my next favorite foods are lasagna, canneloni, macaroni, pizza and so on ad infinitum. I'm procrastinating yet again in making my point clear, so I'll get to the point shall I?

If you are of a similar age to myself (36... cough), then your childhood memories certainly won't involve any of the meals listed above. My abiding supper-time memories are of:

• Mince & Tatties
• Fish Fingers, Frozen Peas and Smash
• Cullen Skink
• Tatty Soup
• Beef Stew

Gladly, the variety and tastiness of meals has increased dramatically since the 70's. I feel like Oliver Twist when I think back upon what we had to eat then. In all probablility the vastly improved nature of the British diet is to contribute for the fact that most kids are way taller now than what they used to be in days of yore. Most kids are over-taking their parents height wise nowadays, and before they get to High School in some cases.

I don't think that the ready availability of delicious grub at present is the only cause of obesity in this country. The reason there weren't so many obese people back then was because nobody could really afford snack-foods, and ordinary grub was simply crap, however you dressed it up. People were willing to starve rather than face Fish Fingers again. They were a rubbish convenience food that mothers up and down the land embraced simply because it was quick and easy to cook!

It Comes But Once A Year (Or Twice)!

It comes but once a year (6 monthly if you're that way inclined) and like Christmas, it leaves me well out of pocket. Yes, I'm talking about the dreaded Road Tax. I had to bow to the inevitable and fork over £180 at the Post Office this morning. Don't give me that "If you're not happy about it, use public transport instead" malarkey. Have you ever been here? It's like the edge of the World. The nearest train station is 9 miles away. the train runs every 2 hours through the day. The buses running to and from the railway station run on some sort of random timetable. Sometimes it comes, sometimes it's already there, sometimes nothing. The ordinary bus service runs every hour, but goes round every little village along the way. It's dreadful, just dreadful!

I also had to follow up on the kilt restrictions at graduation thing from Saturday. No restrictions, I can wear what I like, which is good news, but I suspect that the wife was eyeing some expensive looking clobber, to hire, so maybe the other side of the coin is "heads" as well!

I also spent sometime this morning, going through my little filing cabinet under the stairs, where I keep all the household bumph, such as bills, letters, invoices, whatever! I was looking for my M.O.T. Certificate and Car Insurance, so I could go and get the Road Tax sorted. Looks like the other half had already been in there, everything was jumbled up and in the wrong places. I have a simple system, which doesn't amount to stuffing everything that comes in wherever! I tried to convey that message, but I don't think it was getting through to be honest! I guess that'll be another job for me this afternnoon, sorting everything out... AGAIN!

Talking To Strangers Again!

I got chatting with a woman on the train this morning (no, not like that!), who was from Zimbabwe. She was over here doing care work, because the currency there is worthless, and in order to survive they need to get a hold of foreign currency. I knew things were bad out there, but the stories she told me only reinforced that opinion... 10 hours queueing for petrol in stifling heat, can't get hardly anything from the shops. She actually compared it to Darfur! What I found really surprising though was just how passionate she was about her country. She said she would never leave, and was highly optimistic that change would come.

We found out today where we're going for our school experience placements. I won't tell you where because that wouldn't be appropriate, but let's just say within a 10 mile radius, for me. I'm happy enough with the 2 schools I'll be going to. I already know one of the teachers and he's a really nice guy, so I'm sure that's going to be a great benefit. I know it's going to be hard, but I plan on steeling myself for it. I know what I need to do to get where I want to be, and there's no way around it, so I'll just have to get stuck in. I hope that if I treat every experience as positive in some way, then I can only improve.

I've also realised that not only am I the only Computing student in this area, but it also look as though I'm the only Trainee Secondary School Teacher from this area. I have a list which shows where everyone has been placed and no-one is going to the same schools as me. That' really surprising. We have some fairly large schools round here and I would have expected others to find places here, but I guess that I must be the only Trainee living in the area. Good or bad? I'm uncertain at this stage. It might have been handy to have some other trainees to exchange opinions and ideas with while on placement, but it's not going to be possible now.

Another Legend Lost!

I was saddened to hear this morning that the Scottish Rally Driver and former WRC Champion, Colin McRae, had been killed in a helicopter accident. For as small a country as we are, we don't half seem to do well at producing top class sportsmen, and anyone living in Scotland will tell you that we're at an immediate disadvantage because of the lack of facilities and funding available.

I actually have something in common with Colin McRae, believe it or not. My own father was a rally driver back in the late 70's and through the 80's, just like Colin's father Jimmy McRae. I'm sure my father competed in several races in which Jimmy was also competing, although my father was more semi-pro while Jimmy was at the top of the tree so to speak, at that time.

Unfotrunately, rallying is a very expensive sport, as my father discovered, and even with sponsorship, which he had to go out and get himself, the costs of keeping a car racing were phenomenal, and eventually he had to pack it in. He did win a lot of races though, and also placed highly in many pro-events. His Co-driver/Navigator was actually a Primary School Headmaster, would you believe? I certainly don't have the same "Need For Speed" that my father had, but having had a few trips in his rally-car as a kid, I can telly you, that you do get a real adrenaline rush. The nearest thing I can acquaint it to is taking off in an aeroplane with a short runway, when they hold the brakes on until the engines are screaming. When they let the brakes off the acceleration is amazing. I'm talking about Aberedeen airport here in particular, but I'm sure it would apply to other small airports. Perhaps it's the actual need for the adrenaline rush which is addictive. I think I could understand that!