The honeymoon just might be over.
We are wrapping up The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn and the students must begin working on Junior Ex-a project that involves researching a career, writing a detailed outline, interviewing two sources, and presenting your findings to a panel of three people. The students are stressed as teachers are constantly reminding them that they cannot pass Junior Year if they do not pass Junior Ex.
It all starts on Tuesday and the anxiety mixed with the dryness of the materials is a bit scary to me. My uni supervisor will observe me on Thursday when I must dedicate the entire period to outlining. I really do believe that you can make every lesson fun...but I am at a loss here.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Myspace Lesson
For block day, I had students create myspace pages...sort of.
I started off the lesson by asking students if they have a facebook or myspace. I asked students to volunteer what you can learn about someone from their page. Some of the ideas were basic info, friends, relationships, dialect/style of speaking, etc. We discussed how people will not necessarily represent themselves accurately. I then told my students that I would break them up into groups and that they would make a poster of a Myspace for Huck Finn at a certain point in the novel.
I actually heard students say they were excited and that it would be fun as I gave out instructions. The work they put out was AWESOME. Some students focused too much on trying to make their poster look like a real myspace (the fact that they could recall these trivial details from memory...a bit scary), but overall they were artistic, factual, and fun. They presented their posters and I graded their graphic organizers (with notes they were assigned to write and a rubric already on it) so when the lesson was over, I had no grading to do!
Overall, I had fun and they had fun. Note to myself 20 years from now: don't forget where teenagers are and try to meet them halfway. They will love you for it!
I will try to upload a picture later.
I started off the lesson by asking students if they have a facebook or myspace. I asked students to volunteer what you can learn about someone from their page. Some of the ideas were basic info, friends, relationships, dialect/style of speaking, etc. We discussed how people will not necessarily represent themselves accurately. I then told my students that I would break them up into groups and that they would make a poster of a Myspace for Huck Finn at a certain point in the novel.
I actually heard students say they were excited and that it would be fun as I gave out instructions. The work they put out was AWESOME. Some students focused too much on trying to make their poster look like a real myspace (the fact that they could recall these trivial details from memory...a bit scary), but overall they were artistic, factual, and fun. They presented their posters and I graded their graphic organizers (with notes they were assigned to write and a rubric already on it) so when the lesson was over, I had no grading to do!
Overall, I had fun and they had fun. Note to myself 20 years from now: don't forget where teenagers are and try to meet them halfway. They will love you for it!
I will try to upload a picture later.
My First IEP Meeting
I was invited to an I.E.P meeting for a very troubled student today. I was invited about 2 minutes before it was beginning and I didn't know what to expect.
Kevin* came into my class about three weeks ago. This is his first experience out of special ed and he has struggled the whole way. He doesn't stay in his seat, he makes inappropriate comments, he doesn't do any homework, and the list goes on. I have often suspected that he was using. He has been one of my most difficult students but I have tried to praise him whenever possible. I don't know if it has been working but it seems like there is a lot of negativity in his life.
So before the meeting even really started or Kevin was greeted, the assistant principal asked for his hat. She shook her head disapprovingly and it took her several moments to acknowledge that the hat wasn't representing a sports team as she thought it would. Kevin slumped down in his chair and wouldn't look up. Then, the assistant principal listed off all of Kevin's past indiscretions-and it was a long list. The meeting continued like this, with Kevin under attack. I didn't know what to do and was unsure if I should say anything, especially since I am a mere student teacher and what I wanted to say would go against the grain. Finally, I blurted out that Kevin was doing well in my class, that he had been the hardest working student last Friday and that he had done his work on Monday. I agreed that he needed to improve, especially when it came to sitting in his seat but I looked him in the eye and congratulated him on his hard work. He looked back up at me.
I felt good as I left the meeting because I know I did the right thing. Kevin needed something positive; he needed some reassurance that he was capable of doing well and that it had been acknowledged.
Kevin wasn't necessarily a shining star in class today. He didn't offer a lot of great ideas or contribute too much work to his group as far as I could tell. But he stayed in his seat. He turned in his assignment. He didn't wander off. After I read in class and the bell rang, he went up to me and told me I was a good reader. I can't lie; it made me feel really good. I think these moments, though small and sometimes far between, are the stuff that making teaching so incredible.
*Name has been changed
Kevin* came into my class about three weeks ago. This is his first experience out of special ed and he has struggled the whole way. He doesn't stay in his seat, he makes inappropriate comments, he doesn't do any homework, and the list goes on. I have often suspected that he was using. He has been one of my most difficult students but I have tried to praise him whenever possible. I don't know if it has been working but it seems like there is a lot of negativity in his life.
So before the meeting even really started or Kevin was greeted, the assistant principal asked for his hat. She shook her head disapprovingly and it took her several moments to acknowledge that the hat wasn't representing a sports team as she thought it would. Kevin slumped down in his chair and wouldn't look up. Then, the assistant principal listed off all of Kevin's past indiscretions-and it was a long list. The meeting continued like this, with Kevin under attack. I didn't know what to do and was unsure if I should say anything, especially since I am a mere student teacher and what I wanted to say would go against the grain. Finally, I blurted out that Kevin was doing well in my class, that he had been the hardest working student last Friday and that he had done his work on Monday. I agreed that he needed to improve, especially when it came to sitting in his seat but I looked him in the eye and congratulated him on his hard work. He looked back up at me.
I felt good as I left the meeting because I know I did the right thing. Kevin needed something positive; he needed some reassurance that he was capable of doing well and that it had been acknowledged.
Kevin wasn't necessarily a shining star in class today. He didn't offer a lot of great ideas or contribute too much work to his group as far as I could tell. But he stayed in his seat. He turned in his assignment. He didn't wander off. After I read in class and the bell rang, he went up to me and told me I was a good reader. I can't lie; it made me feel really good. I think these moments, though small and sometimes far between, are the stuff that making teaching so incredible.
*Name has been changed
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sick Day?
Yesterday morning I woke up with the scratchy throat, runny nose, and all of that good stuff. I considered calling in sick until I remembered that I told Anne* she could write her in-class essay at lunch. I needed to collect parent signature forms. I wanted to meet with my university supervisor and get some feedback on a lesson she observed the previous week. It didn't take me long to realize that there was no way I would be calling in sick.
To make matters worse (or better), my cooperating teacher told me I was teaching all of her periods. In fact, she told me this as the 1st period students were sitting right before me, rubbing their eyes and waking up from the weekend. I took a deep breath and said good morning in a cracked and throaty way. The show must still go on, right?
Yesterday became an experiment of sorts; until yesterday I had always been energetic and happy while teaching and I know my students appreciate the positive attitude. However, I had 5 classes to teach, 2 meetings to attend, an informal get together with other student teachers, a brief meeting with a student, and a 2 and 1/2 hour class at night. I wasn't sure if I would keep my cool.
But keeping cool wasn't really a problem. Once again, I underestimated these kids. The same kids who constantly talk over me to make weekend plans, text when they should be reading, and get excited over stickers behaved like some pretty mature adults yesterday. I told them from the get-go that I didn't feel well and that I was losing my voice. I asked them to not make me yell and stay on task. Even though it was the day before a holiday, they held each other accountable and stayed focused during the lesson. My most troublesome twosome were suddenly policing the rest of the class!
If you give a little you can get a lot. I have tried to treat my students as adults while maintaining a childlike-meaning fun, creative, and sometimes a bit silly-environment. Yesterday it really paid off. I could have hugged every last one of them.
*Name has been changed
To make matters worse (or better), my cooperating teacher told me I was teaching all of her periods. In fact, she told me this as the 1st period students were sitting right before me, rubbing their eyes and waking up from the weekend. I took a deep breath and said good morning in a cracked and throaty way. The show must still go on, right?
Yesterday became an experiment of sorts; until yesterday I had always been energetic and happy while teaching and I know my students appreciate the positive attitude. However, I had 5 classes to teach, 2 meetings to attend, an informal get together with other student teachers, a brief meeting with a student, and a 2 and 1/2 hour class at night. I wasn't sure if I would keep my cool.
But keeping cool wasn't really a problem. Once again, I underestimated these kids. The same kids who constantly talk over me to make weekend plans, text when they should be reading, and get excited over stickers behaved like some pretty mature adults yesterday. I told them from the get-go that I didn't feel well and that I was losing my voice. I asked them to not make me yell and stay on task. Even though it was the day before a holiday, they held each other accountable and stayed focused during the lesson. My most troublesome twosome were suddenly policing the rest of the class!
If you give a little you can get a lot. I have tried to treat my students as adults while maintaining a childlike-meaning fun, creative, and sometimes a bit silly-environment. Yesterday it really paid off. I could have hugged every last one of them.
*Name has been changed
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The First Weeks
A lot has changed since I started my clinical practice (student teaching) three weeks ago. The first lesson I taught was not one I had written and I wasn't sure how the students would react or how I would feel. However, it took me no more than five minutes until I started to flow, my shoulders relaxed, and I felt at ease. I have learned so much these past few weeks. Of course I have collected graphic organizers and studied teaching methods but most importantly, I have learned that I love teaching.
Now that I am heading into my fourth week of clinical practice, I am dreading the inevitable goodbyes. I have grown so attached to these amazing young people. They have such different past stories and different roads ahead. This past Friday, a group of girls told me Mexican legends about witches. Daniellea*, a girl who I had never seen talk or even smile, was suddenly flaring her arms and cocking her head, telling such wild, important, and personal stories.
Another student, Tim*, is failing English. He puts his head down within five minutes of every class and offers no answers or work. I asked him last week why he wasn't writing his in-class essay. I took away every excuse by giving him paper, a pen, a copy of the book, and personally discussing the prompt with him. Tim got a B on that essay. He's a really smart kid who just needed some personal encouragement.
These stories are small and works in progress. A victory on Monday is forgotten by Friday when once again Daneilla is too shy to talk or Tim is too tired to care, but I am learning that teaching takes a lot more than the standards let on. I have known these students no more than a few months but I care that they are happy and always learning. I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead but am also curious if I can keep up this enthusiasm; a lot of teachers seem to lack it and I wonder if it is something you just have or if it breaks down with every new year, every new struggle. Time will tell but I just don't want to lose it.
*Names have been changed
Now that I am heading into my fourth week of clinical practice, I am dreading the inevitable goodbyes. I have grown so attached to these amazing young people. They have such different past stories and different roads ahead. This past Friday, a group of girls told me Mexican legends about witches. Daniellea*, a girl who I had never seen talk or even smile, was suddenly flaring her arms and cocking her head, telling such wild, important, and personal stories.
Another student, Tim*, is failing English. He puts his head down within five minutes of every class and offers no answers or work. I asked him last week why he wasn't writing his in-class essay. I took away every excuse by giving him paper, a pen, a copy of the book, and personally discussing the prompt with him. Tim got a B on that essay. He's a really smart kid who just needed some personal encouragement.
These stories are small and works in progress. A victory on Monday is forgotten by Friday when once again Daneilla is too shy to talk or Tim is too tired to care, but I am learning that teaching takes a lot more than the standards let on. I have known these students no more than a few months but I care that they are happy and always learning. I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead but am also curious if I can keep up this enthusiasm; a lot of teachers seem to lack it and I wonder if it is something you just have or if it breaks down with every new year, every new struggle. Time will tell but I just don't want to lose it.
*Names have been changed
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