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Back to school? Not quite.
I’ve been reading (with some envy it must be said) blogs over east who describe lovingly how their children have enjoyed their first day back at school (or not) and how empty the house feels. My house...
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Petrichorically speaking…
It’s hot in Perth today. Sticky, muggy, please will you just rain and get it over with, kind of hot. And we don’t have air-conditioning except for the bedroom and my computer where I have been working...
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Making friends
It’s not easy making friends at a new school, even if you know some of the girls already. My daughter has recently moved from a small school with just five girls to a big girls’ school with 56 girls in...
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Kerching! Hugamuga hits pay dirt
Talking about tertiary education with 13-year-old Hugamuga this evening, Groover was asking what areas of interest Hugamuga was considering at this early stage. In previous years it’s been botany...
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The Grumpy Sherpa
Do you have a Grumpy Sherpa living with you? We do. The phrase was coined by Groover watching Dippity stomp off to school one day. She was carrying her backpack, a sportsbag and a third bag carrying...
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Are laptops for school children a good idea?
I’m sitting here with my daughter’s school laptop in bed (feeling crapola with a cold) as I write this so I’m aware that I’m being a bit hypocritical… Here’s the thing. My daughter has gone to a new...
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Clothes maketh the school
Monday night and I’m at the Opus Concert, a concert put on by the Department of Education to celebrate musical excellence in our public schools. Hugamuga was in the Chorale and it was a fine concert....
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Is fan fiction a bad thing?
My girl reads a lot of fiction but not books. She reads fan fiction. Fiction written by fans of an author using the author’s world, and the author’s characters. In Dippity’s case it’s Harry Potter and...
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Using Web 2.0 as a tool for teaching English
I’m really impressed with my son’s English teacher. This term the kids are discussing Anne Frank Diary of a Young Girl and Animal Farm by George Orwell. To connect to her 13-14 year old students she...
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Privacy at school
I drove past the new buildings at Christchurch Grammar School the other day and took this photo – quickly because of course the lights turned green as I was getting my camera out. I hadn’t really...
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And the smallest planet is?
Out of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune? Yes like me you knew it was Neptune. You probably also knew it was Tasman who discovered a number of Pacific islands in the 1600s – unlike me. In the end it...
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Can you live with bad spelling?
Me… not so much. Sure I’m not perfect. Definitely has always been a tricky one for me and just the other day bolognese had me a bit flummoxed but if I notice a mistake – I can’t go to sleep knowing...
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How can you be angry with a boy like mine?
I received an email from Hugamuga’s maths teacher today: Hugamuga did not do very well on his algebra test on Monday, partly due to being away. I told him that some work from him was necessary and I...
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Personal Excellence
My daughter was awarded a prize for “Personal Excellence” at this year’s “Celebration of Learning”. She has had a great year and it seems that the move to the new school has really worked out for her....
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The sound of silence
What I love about the school curriculum these days – no matter it be private or public – is the onus on public service. I don’t remember it being part of my education. There are heaps of fundraisers...
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GFP – a story of bacterial magic
Expression of GFP in E. coli. The bacteria on the right side of the figure have the GFP expression plasmid. Cells were photographed during irradiation with a hand-held long-wave UV source (Photo...
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A perfect Sunday lunch
How good is this diet I’m on? In the last two weeks I’ve lost about four kilos, I’ve not given up wine and I get to have lunches like this. Smoked salmon and cream cheese wheels – easy and delicious –...
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Not good at English?
Not impressed with my poetry selection This week I received this text from my errant son: I have not completed my english speech, please do not be alarmed to recieve a phone call from my friendly yet...
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Education fail
No, not the school, me. My son has lost 4% on a recent maths test because of me. The question read something like this: Sam went to a restaurant, he had the choice of two entrees, three main courses...
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Kickstart the holiday
What’s the best way to say – mate. I’m on holidays. For me, it’s taking off immediately for Dunsborough. Even if it is only for a couple of nights. Inside We are lucky in that Mum and Dad have built...
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