Both my continuing poor health and problems with technology have scuppered me today. I did not sleep well (too much computer use in the evening?), and only just got to work in time to teach at 10.15. Then in the hiatus after my first class started getting some music downloads ready to play the children. I have new speakers, and with Nathan's help have downloaded another media player, which works with MP 4, so in theory was all ready to go. My initial plan was just to show the kids the video that goes with the Balloon Song, (the video that refused to play out on Thursday as I got it to work after class) but over lunch I found out that as well as celebrating women's day with a special event we will celebrate veteran's day too and that this day is the earlier one. So I figured I better introduce the children to two songs instead - one for each day. But while one would play the other one would not, I kept trying to figure it out and then the computer froze. It has been frozen for the last 6 hours. Until a text from Nathan told me how to switch the thing off and clear the problem. So I had to go to class without the Balloon Video yet again and without the new song either. On Friday I see the children in small groups and made the mistake of taking what should have been 4 children, except that 10 piled in instead, into the room with the puppets I had used in the earlier session. My voice has no energy yet, just speaking takes it out of me, so I had to abandon that group of children to their running around the with the puppets and take another group into another empty classroom to go over colours, the song and the very simple step pull change dance step to go with it. It is amazing to me how many children struggled with that, so it is good we have started this process early. I eventually rescued the puppets and went through the material with all the kids, but felt that the whole lesson had been a debacle. I have been ill now for over 2 weeks, and though better than before just do not have the energy needed to teach properly when the children are understandably being more challenging. Got home, slept and then discovered that dinner was a plate of chips. Thank goodness for my store of dried apricots.
On a more positive note I have heard from the guests who were here last week and they have sent me some examples of Russian versions of English nursery rhymes.Humpty Dumpty is Shaltay Boltay. from:Samuil Marshak English Nursery Rhymes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuil_Marshak
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