Just avoiding working on my assignment by blogging for a while.

I'm still 500 words or so over the limit, which is a problem. If anything, I feel like I need to write more, not less. I'm starting to wonder if I've answered the question as fully as I should have, met all the marking criteria, demonstrated wide reading and use of professional tools. I have the feeling that I could just keep going and going with this assignment, and never feel really satisfied and "done".

Love this picture. I'm a big fan of beautiful scenes, nature pics and colour. Maybe some would say what I like is "cheesy" or even vomit-inducing, but I like them.

Don't drink and blog.

Had a lovely night at my sister's place. First, champagne. (Or I should say Australian sparkling wine.) Next, fondue. Yes, fondue!!! Me, my sis, my hubby and my brother-in-law, along with 5 children 10 and under, all sharing cheese fondue and chicken stock fondue. Quite an experience! We put 'Herbie Fully Loaded' on for the kids, and my sister and I went for a drive for some Shiraz (we felt like Shiraz). Then back again for dessert: chocolate fondue! Strawberries, banana, apple, marshmallows and pound cake dipped in melted dark chocolate and cream...yummmm!!!

Now I'm home and thinking a bit about my uni assignment. I must edit fiercely and cull 500-700 words from it before I can submit it. I also must tidy up the whole referencing thing...surely the bane of any uni student's life. I think, in terms of the spirit of the question, I have answered it admirably. In fact, I think any teacher would be thrilled to have me as the TL advising them on the resourcing of a unit of work. I have entered into it with enthusiasm and genuine interest, I have thought carefully about the actual school context and what is already in the library collection, and I a truly excited about the new resources I have found. I really hope I have written well enough and fulfilled the marking criteria to get a good mark for it.

In all honesty, I can look at it a couple of ways. I can just be happy to pass, tick that off and move on to the next thing. After all, I'm here to pass the course and get my qualification so I can work. Or I can look at it from the point of view of wanting to really excel and get the best possible marks I am capable of and really stand out in the crowd and possibly impress the lecturers so much that I go on to an academic career. Mad, isn't it! But somehow in the back of my mind it's a bit of a dream for me. We'll see...I guess I'm using this first assignment as a bit of a litmus test.

The demolition is continuing apace here at home. Tomorrow I'm actually going to take an hour or so off study to go to a kitchen showroom or two to pick out laminate for my benchtops and a finish for my cupboard doors. Yes sadly I have now reached the stage in life when a kitchen renovation is about the most exciting thing I've got going on!

Every time I read through the Assessment 1 forum on the CSU website I freak out a little more. I'm plodding away, but a lot of other people seem to be well ahead of me when it comes to the assignment. What I'm most worried about:

• Referring to enough professional resources so that what I write has authority, rather than just being all out of my head.
• Referencing in the correct APA style (time-consuming and tricky).
• Adhering to the word count while still answering the questions.
• Demonstrating critical analysis and other higher order thinking skills.

As the days slip by I realise the due date is getting closer and closer...I know I will submit it in time, there is no question of that. I just want to make sure that what I submit is work that I am proud of.

Ok, so I've actually started writing my first assignment - hooray for me! My daughter competed in a ballet eisteddfod today and got third place for her classical solo - hooray for her! School fete was on today, managed to make an appearance during the lunch break of the eisteddfod. Will be back there (at the eisteddfod) tomorrow, then off to the doctor on Monday...things have not been conducive to study lately.

A lot of people seem to be asking a lot of very detailed questions about the assignment on the forum. It makes me feel like I'm not worrying about it enough. But I have to follow my own instincts and answer the questions in the way that I think is best. I can't be swayed by what other people are stressing about. I have a sneaking suspicion that no matter what, I'll have a mad rush at the end. There's nothing like a deadline!

Interestingly enough, while working through the assignment, which deals with the resourcing requirements of a unit of work, my mind is constantly turning to the teaching of the unit. I keep getting great ideas for activities and start feeling enthusiastic about it. But I'm not even a classroom teacher at the moment, and don't have any desire to be one! I guess I'm really putting the T into the TL. I hope that because my mind is firmly on the actual teaching and learning of the unit, I will be able to be very insightful about the resources that will and won't be suitable. Already I've found heaps of great books; more than I can include in my assignment. My biggest worry at the moment is all the books and other resources that I haven't looked at yet.

Up, up and away.

I'm starting to feel like I can do this. All the reading I'm doing, all the thinking, all the internet surfing etc is starting to crystallise in my mind. I do have great ideas for teaching and learning that use many different resources. I'm open to innovation and enthusiastic about collaboration. I like to learn and try new things and enjoy finding out about new ideas in the world of education. I actually buy into the hype about new ways of doing things!

Now maybe I'm a little too idealistic! But in the world of academia, a little idealism can take you a long way. I think I can get more excited about my essay writing than the average cynic.

I have been reading a bit about critical thinking and other higher order thinking skills, and, I've got to be honest, I think I'm pretty good at them! A lot of the processes come naturally to me; I don't even have to think about them. It's normal for me to take what I learn and make connections with other things I already know. I ask a lot of penetrating questions - I'm a great "devil's advocate". I'm good at organising information and restating it for others. I can cut through the bull and get to the essentials.

I just thought I was clever! Now I know I have good higher order thinking skills the question is: how did I learn them? how can I model them? and how can I teach them?