Week 18 | Revision, roller coasters and relaxation!

With deadline day fast approaching for assignments, this week was mainly spent finalising assignments and consisted of the continuation of revision. Without a doubt, I’ve been reminded that I need to work hard over the next few weeks despite the weather and knuckle down to get good grades. In addition, its also important to have a little break away from revision and so this week has been balancing and juggling revision but also giving myself some time to have fun with friends and enjoy this beautiful island while I can! With very few weeks left and only another 16 days of my head in the books, I’m looking forward to the relaxation and stress free days that will follow…and with my best friend arriving on the day of my last exam I know it’ll be worth it all!

Monday morning was occupied with one last and final class of our Teaching the Fundamentals through Mini Games module. However, this wasn’t just any lecture…instead it was our micro teaching assessment (something which I have never done before). As you can imagine, I was quite nervous in the days leading up to the assessment! As part of this micro teaching assessment each individual in the class was assigned a specific activity that they had to conduct on the day of the assessment. I was assigned the activity of team building and had to create a lesson plan prior to the lesson. The micro teaching assessment involved me working with pupils mixed in gender and culture in year 5 (aged 9-10) from Msida primary school. Each individual had to take approximately 10-15 students for a 10-minute lesson on their designated activity, whilst being marked and assessed by a lecturer. Prior to the lesson, I felt nervous and anxious and wasn’t sure how the lesson was going to go, despite the planning and preparation beforehand. Having never done anything like a micro teaching assessment before at Stranmillis, nerves began to kick in. However, my lecturer gave me praise and encouragement in my feedback afterwards and so I can only hope that I have done well! Nonetheless, the learning experience itself was an amazing opportunity to work with the children, plan and conduct a lesson and obtain positive feedback and criticism that I can take on board and improve upon.

Holly and I officiating at the swim gala!

Additionally, our penultimate experience of our 20 hours voluntary work with various sporting federations occupied Wednesday morning at a swimming gala. My last and final experience took me into St. Dorothy’s Convent school to help out at a swim gala. As a swimmer, I could not wait for this opportunity to help out! Despite being a competitive swimmer and a fully qualified swimming instructor in Northern Ireland, I was still hopeful and optimistic that assisting out at the swimming gala would provide me with great experience and knowledge. During the gala, I was given the position of turn-judge, which is a role I am familiar with and have participated in back home in Northern Ireland. However, I have always officiated at Swim Ulster and Swim Ireland meets and so this experience was very different as it was a school-based gala. Usually, the turn-judge is in charge of any disqualifications that may take place during the event due to a fault in the turn. For example, during the breaststroke and butterfly events swimmers must touch the wall with two hands and only one dolphin kick is allowed on the execution of the turn and push off phase. Similarly, swimmers are only allowed one stroke on their front during the backstroke tumble turn. It was interesting to note how the official turn judge rules are adapted for obvious reasons, however schools still implement specific rules that apply competitively. In my opinion, this is a great opportunity for the students to learn and become more aware of the rules within swimming, whilst still enjoying their experience as an amateur being given the benefit of the doubt on certain occasions.

In my element at St. Dorothy's Convent School swim pool!

Trophies and medals galore!!

Furthermore, my expertise was required and so I was taken out of my role as turn-judge to act as an official timekeeper for lane 2. This enabled me to have an active role with the students in wishing them luck, providing feedback on their races and giving them praise and encouragement after each race. One thing I took note of was the organisation and preparation that goes into such events, for example the recording of times and positions manually and technically and also the medal ceremony. Not to mention the equipment required i.e. stopwatches and the use of flags for the backstroke events. All in all, it was a great day that I thoroughly enjoyed and the students all seemed pleased with their events as they chanted, got pictures, smiled and wore their medals around the pool.

Submission of assignments...check ✓

Tuesday and Thursday consisted of non-stop revision days and so when Friday arrived I had never been so glad to see the weekend! With the submission of assignments finally here, one last practical exam and a trip to Sliema to celebrate…it was the day that had simply gotten me through the week! I woke up fresh as a daisy on Friday morning raring to go for my softball practical exam. During the practical exam, we took part in various tasks such as throwing, throwing and catching, batting, pitching and fieldwork. I was a little nervous considering softball is not a sport I am familiar with, however I done my best and I can only hope that I’ve done enough! Knowing that this was my last and final lecture here in Malta was rather bittersweet and so we had to end the lesson with one final class picture on our very own selfie-stick! After the practical exam, Holly, Gemma, Simon and I submitted our assignments and the relief to hand them in was incredible. Later that evening, Holly, Gemma, Simon and I ventured to Sliema to our favourite restaurant “Tex Mex” for dinner before going to a funfair. It was the perfect end to a somewhat stressful week and finished our week pleasantly before another week of revision and studying.

Softball practical exam with the 1st years... check ✓

Revision break at the funfair with the "Strannie Grannies"

Holly and I ready for "shivers"

Sunday was another relaxing day before going back to the books with a trip to church in the morning before going to Café Del Mar later that evening! A beautiful evening with incredible friends, watching the sunset, relaxing and enjoying one final night out before the exam period officially starts. With another week gone and my flight booked, it is beginning to sink in just how little time I have left here in Malta. With exams just around the corner and the end in sight, it also brings forth the day I say goodbye to this wonderful country, my new friends and family…something that I am not looking forward to. However, for now I can only take each day as it comes embracing each and every opportunity I encounter!

Speak soon,


Louise.

Cafe Del Mar with my best friends and my family!

Cafe Del Mar Sundays!

The perfect end to a stressful week!