An Introduction Post . . . ?

[melwil]

Because I'm putting off other work, I'm going to do the introduction meme.

Hi! I'm Melina. Otherwise known as Lina, MelWil or occasionally Mel. Mel freaks me out, because at highschool someone else was Mel and I was Lina. My dancing students know me as Miss Melina, or Miss 'alina. I've almost finished a graduate degree in Primary education and I'm desperate to get a job next year. I'd like to teach Year 4. I've also completed an Arts Degree, majoring in Ancient History and Ancient History/History.

I live in Brisbane. I've lived here my whole life, except for those years when my parents uprooted my 'city' self from our inner city suburb, and moved me to the middle of no where. I live in a flat with my boyfriend, Matt. I'm very messy, which drives Matt crazy.

I love Ben Folds. I listen to other music too, but the only musician I'd go out of my way to see is Ben. I love lots of authors, and I've been reading madly since my grade one teacher pressed a Famous Five book in my hands. I adore Spooks, Buffy, and the West Wing.

When I was little I wanted to be a ballerina. Then a lawyer, choreographer, historian and teacher. Now I want to get my Masters and PhD and learn how we can help gifted and talented students to acheive in schools. I'd also like to teach overseas for a while.

I have long hair, and a morbid fear of hair dressers. I wear glasses which I'd like to replace, except for the money issue. I also have a wardrobe of clothes which is beginning to need replacement. I'm avoiding sugar at the moment, on dentist's orders, and all sorts of foods on doctor's recommendations. The lack of chocolate is killing me.

I have a good family - parents who have given heaps so my sisters and I could do dancing and gymnastics and sport and karate. Two sisters who I get on with pretty well now that we live away from each other. And a large cast of rather strange relative, all of whom refuse to grow up. (My grandparents turned toys into business many times over). I'm really proud of my sisters, even if I don't tell them that.

And I've wasted a good amount of time writing this introduction! YAY!

Comments

[jennifergearing.livejournal.com]

learn how we can help gifted and talented students to acheive in schools.

I love you. Seriously. As a kid who grew up gifted and completely left to my own devices in a school system that didn't give a shit because I wasn't average or below-average? I love you.

But not in a way where Matt's going to have to hurt me. *grin*

[melwil.livejournal.com]

*g* That's the very reason I want to do it. Very few teachers ever challenged me - I can count them on one hand. There's a mis-belief that Gifted and Talented kids will turn out alright no matter what you do with them. It's the least recognised group of students and also the one that will continue to need the most defending.

[jennifergearing.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I mean, obviously, it's not something that should be done to the detriment of the students who have difficulties with learning, because they've got it tough as well, but gifted students are also more than likely the more socially marginalised kids, as well, whether it's by being trapped in households who don't care about book-learning, or by being taunted mercilessly for being the brainiac nerd. And countless other things.

[melwil.livejournal.com]

Boredom also has a tendency to lead to laziness or lack of effort. (In my experience anyway.) My little sister is a nice example. She didn't really care about high school and was probably an average student, but now she's at university and doing courses that challenge her, she's doing better work than I did first year out of school.

[melwil.livejournal.com]

(I did mention that I'm proud of the little siblings, didn't I *g*)

[wierdgurl30.livejournal.com]

lol - aww :)


I only ever failed one class in my entire high school life thank you very much ... It was Maths in yr 12 ... I think giving up half way through the year might have had something to do with it - since I got an A+ on a fun assignment ... heh :)

[melwil.livejournal.com]

I said you were probably an average student not a failing student, B's and C's mostly. If more teachers had challenged you, you probably would have been a better student than Kate and I

[(Anonymous)]

maybe ... but you didn't acknowledge my failure - I'm quite proud of that failure because I totally stopped working ... and still managed a D+

[wierdgurl30.livejournal.com]

"I have long hair, and a morbid fear of hair dressers."

That and youngests siblings holding a comb and pair of scissors :P

It's not like I haven't been well practiced in cutting hair - even if it was my hair everytime till I got my mits on your hair :P