Video Coding

We started work on the coding of the lessons for feedback and a fruitful discussion on refining our coding scheme.

Japan Trip 2016: Day 4 Part 1 5 Dec 2016 Mon - Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

We were supposed to go to Mt Fuji today but dropped the plan when it was indicated as rain. Turned out it was sunny today! :( Oh well, we will leave Mt Fuji for our next visit then. :)
We took a trip to the South Observation Deck of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Tocho) since it is only 5 minutes walk away from our hotel. We could make out Mt Fuji in the distance but the weather was not very clear. Photos didn't turn out too nice because the sun was too reflective on the glass. 

Mt Fuji in the distance

Zoomed in view of Mt Fuji

To our delight, there was a fair at the South Observation Deck selling local products from different regions of Japan. We bought some local snacks from the fair. Since we were near our hotel, we decided to eat at one of the restaurants at the basement area of the hotel and we could also deposit our goodies back in our room before going out in the afternoon.
It is a small restaurant, selling mainly noodle dishes. We put in our money into the machine and chose what we wanted to have. The machine gave out out two dockets which we showed to the cook. Our numbers were called when our food were ready. Simple food but it was delicious.

Juliane's curry udon with tonkatsu

My buckwheat soba with tempura

Although it is a small restaurant (22 seater), it was packed. We only realised much later that it was all male office workers who frequent it. We were the only 2 females and foreigners haha.

Yearbook Observation

Marieann was in the school library yesterday and found some SCGS yearbooks. She happened to locate a 1995 yearbook and found me in it. She told me: "You are so skinny!". 
Well, what do you expect? That's almost 20 years ago. At least, I only put on 6 kg since then, from 46kg to 52kg (after two births)! An achievement I thought lol. :P 

Classroom Observations

It has been a long time since I have been to a classroom observation. I used to do classroom observations when I was an educational psychologist (EP) with MOE. I would sometimes observe students who were referred by the schools in their classes, in different lessons, in their interactions with peers and teachers. The observations would aid in my diagnosis of the students' problems or difficulties. A part of my former job as an EP was to observe the Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs). I always enjoyed observing the LSCs in action. They are a bunch of creative teachers.

This whole week, starting today, I would be going out to a school to do classroom observations. It was really nice being in a classroom again, being with the students, lol. I am looking forward to the next classroom observation tomorrow. :)