Obviously they didn't do much blogging, of course!
I finished my lesson plan for my solo day this week. I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole thing, but now that the lesson plan is done (off to my mentor teacher for review), I'm feeling much more confident. I have no doubt I can get through the day, a year of subbing has shown me that, but I want to be sure the students have fun and learn something as well.
I was feeling a bit lost as to where to begin, so I turned to the the trusty Google machine and did some exploring. Did you know there are TONS of great resources out there?! Of course you knew. The Internet is a wonderful place. I discovered WritingFix and Responsive Classroom and ReadWriteThink and so many other invaluable resources.
I decided to do a writing lesson on chronological narration and a reading lesson on using paraphrasing to better understand what you've read. I think both should be fun. I also found a few other activities for throughout the day, including Human Bingo (get to know your classmates!) and an experiment on left/right side dominance.
I have the lesson plan written and the necessary supporting materials created, and now I feel more eager than anxious. A little preparation goes a long way!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Friday, September 20, 2013
Tour the states
We watched a really cool video today to kick off a fun "tour the states" project. The whole classroom was abuzz!
Before the video the kids were given blank US maps and asked to fill in as many state names as possible. Then we discussed who knows people in various states. Then the fun part! Each week a student is going to write a letter to someone we know in another state. Either someone they know (aunt, uncle, family friend, etc.) or someone one of the teachers knows. We'll write the letter in a journal and send it. The recipient will write a little letter back, telling us about their state. We are also asking them to send a blank post card to help us decorate the bulletin board.
I love the idea of pen pals and have often thought that when I have a classroom of my own I'd love to do a pen pal project. These days maybe it would be less "pen" and more email and Skype. When my mentor teacher mentioned this project I was thrilled. I think it will be an exciting and different way to learn a little more about the United States.
The other thing I love about this is the spontaneity. This was not part of the long-term plan, or part of the Common Core Curriculum, just something my teacher thought of and decided to do. That kind of creative flexibility is so exciting to me and I can't wait to share a variety of fun ideas with my own classroom someday.
Before the video the kids were given blank US maps and asked to fill in as many state names as possible. Then we discussed who knows people in various states. Then the fun part! Each week a student is going to write a letter to someone we know in another state. Either someone they know (aunt, uncle, family friend, etc.) or someone one of the teachers knows. We'll write the letter in a journal and send it. The recipient will write a little letter back, telling us about their state. We are also asking them to send a blank post card to help us decorate the bulletin board.
I love the idea of pen pals and have often thought that when I have a classroom of my own I'd love to do a pen pal project. These days maybe it would be less "pen" and more email and Skype. When my mentor teacher mentioned this project I was thrilled. I think it will be an exciting and different way to learn a little more about the United States.
The other thing I love about this is the spontaneity. This was not part of the long-term plan, or part of the Common Core Curriculum, just something my teacher thought of and decided to do. That kind of creative flexibility is so exciting to me and I can't wait to share a variety of fun ideas with my own classroom someday.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Planning for a solo day
Next week will be my first solo day. I'm not only in charge of the class for the day (something I've done many times as a sub), but now I'm also in charge of actually educating them!
I've been working hard on lesson plans. Due to the nature of our class rotations I only have to plan a morning meeting time, one writing lesson (to be repeated with several different classes), a science experiment, and a reading group lesson. When I write it all out somehow my "only" from above seems less appropriate! That is four separate blocks of time to plan well to ensure a quality education for my students.
I found a cool site called Writing Fix with a wide variety of writing lesson ideas. They have fully developed lessons based around picture books, called "mentor texts." I love picture books. They make me feel at home. I think my writing lesson will involve Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. A cute story (that I happen to have in my own personal collection) and a good lesson on chronological story telling. The lesson on the website is long and involved and could easily span several days, so I'll be tailoring it to just one lesson period. We will read the book, discuss chronological storytelling and why an author might chose to write that way. Then maybe I'll use a graphic organizer to have them write a brief chronological narrative. I think the students will enjoy it.
I'm trying to find a balance of teaching fun, interesting, grade level (something I'm learning fast!) activities that will engage them and hopefully they might learn something along the way. My mentor teacher is really fun and the kids all like him, so I want to make sure my plan for the day isn't too dull. Fun, and interesting, and educational, of course.
I've been working hard on lesson plans. Due to the nature of our class rotations I only have to plan a morning meeting time, one writing lesson (to be repeated with several different classes), a science experiment, and a reading group lesson. When I write it all out somehow my "only" from above seems less appropriate! That is four separate blocks of time to plan well to ensure a quality education for my students.
I found a cool site called Writing Fix with a wide variety of writing lesson ideas. They have fully developed lessons based around picture books, called "mentor texts." I love picture books. They make me feel at home. I think my writing lesson will involve Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. A cute story (that I happen to have in my own personal collection) and a good lesson on chronological story telling. The lesson on the website is long and involved and could easily span several days, so I'll be tailoring it to just one lesson period. We will read the book, discuss chronological storytelling and why an author might chose to write that way. Then maybe I'll use a graphic organizer to have them write a brief chronological narrative. I think the students will enjoy it.
I'm trying to find a balance of teaching fun, interesting, grade level (something I'm learning fast!) activities that will engage them and hopefully they might learn something along the way. My mentor teacher is really fun and the kids all like him, so I want to make sure my plan for the day isn't too dull. Fun, and interesting, and educational, of course.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
On lesson planning
I've been thinking a lot about lesson planning lately. I planned my first lesson last week. I've taught several before, as a student teacher and as a substitute, but this is the first time I've planned a lesson. The lesson went well enough, but I don't feel like I planned it properly. I'm not sure if that's because I didn't (probably) or because I felt like it should have been something "more" or "more complex" than what it was.
My mentor sent me his lesson plan template, but it didn't work properly on my computer. He has a template that has all of the Common Core elements listed in a drop-down box and many essential questions to choose from. It looked easy-peasy on his computer, but didn't work on my Linux machine. So instead I turned to the UVEI lesson template, but that didn't make a lot of sense to me either.
I ended up using my mentor's outline, without linking Common Core and just taking a guess at other elements. My focus was on the step-by-step outline of the lesson because that is the part that made the most sense to me. That was what I could wrap my head around and felt confident moving forward.
I drafted two versions, each going in slightly different directions, and sent them to my mentor. He wrote back suggesting version A with a select few elements from version B as well. We discussed and I moved forward to a "final draft." I say that with quotes because I don't know if you ever have a truly final draft. Does it count as final if the lesson changes a bit in progress?
My lesson was on a maps and was to be taught to one of the reading groups. The lesson, as I had written it and as I had it in my head, was an introduction to maps and a discussion of the common elements found on a map. When I discussed it with my mentor one final time, on the morning of the lesson, he made a comment about how the EQ should be along the lines of "How do maps help you to better understand what you're reading?" That made sense, of course, since this is a reading group. However, the EQ I had settled on, after working through my step-by-step lesson plan, was "What are the four key elements on a map?" Not quite the same thing!
I taught the lesson, including the topics and activities I had planned, but modifying it on the fly to address how maps help you understand what you're reading, and then forgot the EQ at the end of the lesson anyway! Oops! My mentor jumped in at the end to wrap it up and bring it back to the essential question, "How to maps help you better understand what you're reading."
Overall I think the lesson was ok. My mentor did a brief check-in at the next day's lesson, tying a map into his plan and asking the students how it helped them understand the text. They seemed to get it.
However, a big lesson learned here is that it's important to start with that essential question! It's important to keep in mind who you are teaching to and what you are teaching. This was a reading lesson, after all, not a social studies lesson.
Despite the hard work I put into this lesson plan, I still very much feel like I stumbled through it. I'm looking forward to our upcoming UVEI session on lesson planning. I have a few solo teaching days coming up and I'll need to do the lesson planning for them. I hope to be a little more comfortable and confident in my planning abilities before then!
My mentor sent me his lesson plan template, but it didn't work properly on my computer. He has a template that has all of the Common Core elements listed in a drop-down box and many essential questions to choose from. It looked easy-peasy on his computer, but didn't work on my Linux machine. So instead I turned to the UVEI lesson template, but that didn't make a lot of sense to me either.
I ended up using my mentor's outline, without linking Common Core and just taking a guess at other elements. My focus was on the step-by-step outline of the lesson because that is the part that made the most sense to me. That was what I could wrap my head around and felt confident moving forward.
I drafted two versions, each going in slightly different directions, and sent them to my mentor. He wrote back suggesting version A with a select few elements from version B as well. We discussed and I moved forward to a "final draft." I say that with quotes because I don't know if you ever have a truly final draft. Does it count as final if the lesson changes a bit in progress?
My lesson was on a maps and was to be taught to one of the reading groups. The lesson, as I had written it and as I had it in my head, was an introduction to maps and a discussion of the common elements found on a map. When I discussed it with my mentor one final time, on the morning of the lesson, he made a comment about how the EQ should be along the lines of "How do maps help you to better understand what you're reading?" That made sense, of course, since this is a reading group. However, the EQ I had settled on, after working through my step-by-step lesson plan, was "What are the four key elements on a map?" Not quite the same thing!
I taught the lesson, including the topics and activities I had planned, but modifying it on the fly to address how maps help you understand what you're reading, and then forgot the EQ at the end of the lesson anyway! Oops! My mentor jumped in at the end to wrap it up and bring it back to the essential question, "How to maps help you better understand what you're reading."
Overall I think the lesson was ok. My mentor did a brief check-in at the next day's lesson, tying a map into his plan and asking the students how it helped them understand the text. They seemed to get it.
However, a big lesson learned here is that it's important to start with that essential question! It's important to keep in mind who you are teaching to and what you are teaching. This was a reading lesson, after all, not a social studies lesson.
Despite the hard work I put into this lesson plan, I still very much feel like I stumbled through it. I'm looking forward to our upcoming UVEI session on lesson planning. I have a few solo teaching days coming up and I'll need to do the lesson planning for them. I hope to be a little more comfortable and confident in my planning abilities before then!
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
Adjectives
The word of the day is adjectives! Or, I should say, the words of the day were adjectives. Adjectives everywhere! We did a great (not a 5th grade word!) activity today to help the students think of creative and clever adjectives to add more appeal to their writing.
Each table had a large sheet of paper in the middle and the students were asked to discuss with one another and write down as many adjectives as they could find. The only rule being no duplicates on the paper, and school appropriate, of course. They had energized discussions about what words were adjectives and every group filled their papers. One of the very last groups discovered a list of adjectives hanging on the wall in the classroom and thought they had scored big!
Once the papers were full, students were told to quietly (no discussion) circle their favorite adjective on the paper and put a star next to a word they questioned being an adjective. They then had the opportunity to quietly rotate around the room, reading the words on each sheet of paper, circling their favorite and staring questionable words.
It was fascinating to see what they came up with and what they questioned. It was a peek into their minds and an opportunity to gauge their current vocabulary level. I also thought it was a bit telling of their personalities, as many kids put "awesome," "great," etc. but several others put "fat," "slow," "dumb," etc. I know you can't read too much into it, but I think the words that come to mind first can be a reflection of words often in your head.
Once everyone returned to their seats we had a discussion about what were the favorite adjectives, did everyone agree that they were adjectives, and what were some of the questioned words. Many, many students put stars next to the color words. We discussed that some words, like "orange" and "lavender" can be adjectives or nouns, depending on the context. Some words, like "chocolately" caused great debate and the students defended their sides (adjective/not adjective) with gusto! We also came across words that were slang and had to consider where they fit into the writing lesson. Hint: they did not!
My favorite? "Swagalishious!" Said with enthusiasm and defended with passion. Not a real word, of course, adjective or otherwise, but maybe it should be!
Each table had a large sheet of paper in the middle and the students were asked to discuss with one another and write down as many adjectives as they could find. The only rule being no duplicates on the paper, and school appropriate, of course. They had energized discussions about what words were adjectives and every group filled their papers. One of the very last groups discovered a list of adjectives hanging on the wall in the classroom and thought they had scored big!
Once the papers were full, students were told to quietly (no discussion) circle their favorite adjective on the paper and put a star next to a word they questioned being an adjective. They then had the opportunity to quietly rotate around the room, reading the words on each sheet of paper, circling their favorite and staring questionable words.
 |
| An abundance of adjectives! |
It was fascinating to see what they came up with and what they questioned. It was a peek into their minds and an opportunity to gauge their current vocabulary level. I also thought it was a bit telling of their personalities, as many kids put "awesome," "great," etc. but several others put "fat," "slow," "dumb," etc. I know you can't read too much into it, but I think the words that come to mind first can be a reflection of words often in your head.
Once everyone returned to their seats we had a discussion about what were the favorite adjectives, did everyone agree that they were adjectives, and what were some of the questioned words. Many, many students put stars next to the color words. We discussed that some words, like "orange" and "lavender" can be adjectives or nouns, depending on the context. Some words, like "chocolately" caused great debate and the students defended their sides (adjective/not adjective) with gusto! We also came across words that were slang and had to consider where they fit into the writing lesson. Hint: they did not!
My favorite? "Swagalishious!" Said with enthusiasm and defended with passion. Not a real word, of course, adjective or otherwise, but maybe it should be!
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
What makes a good teacher?
One of my first projects for UVEI was to have a discussion with my class on "What makes a good teacher?" Fifth graders sure do have a lot to say on that!
I asked the students to think for a minute about what is their idea of a good teacher. What does a good teacher do? How does a good teacher behave? I suggested they think of their past four years in school and what they liked or didn’t like about their teachers, though reminded them we were not discussing specific teachers. Then I asked them to discuss with their table mates and jot down a few ideas. I had them think about what makes a good teacher and what makes a so-so teacher. They went right to work and filled the pages with ideas, even requesting a few extra minutes to brainstorm.
When everyone was ready I called their attention to the Smartboard in the front of the room for a group discussion and the ideas flowed. Some were quite specific, such as “Punish single people not the whole group,” others were more general, such as “no grouchiness,” and others were just downright silly, such as “let students use a British accent.” One girl in my class does an excellent British accent! My two favorite ideas that came up in the discussion were, “an honest teacher,” and “encourages you to try your hardest.”
I really liked the think/pair/share process. It gives students a few minutes to gather their thoughts, to discuss in small groups and build confidence, then bring their refined ideas to the larger group. I'll definitely be using that process often.
I asked the students to think for a minute about what is their idea of a good teacher. What does a good teacher do? How does a good teacher behave? I suggested they think of their past four years in school and what they liked or didn’t like about their teachers, though reminded them we were not discussing specific teachers. Then I asked them to discuss with their table mates and jot down a few ideas. I had them think about what makes a good teacher and what makes a so-so teacher. They went right to work and filled the pages with ideas, even requesting a few extra minutes to brainstorm.
When everyone was ready I called their attention to the Smartboard in the front of the room for a group discussion and the ideas flowed. Some were quite specific, such as “Punish single people not the whole group,” others were more general, such as “no grouchiness,” and others were just downright silly, such as “let students use a British accent.” One girl in my class does an excellent British accent! My two favorite ideas that came up in the discussion were, “an honest teacher,” and “encourages you to try your hardest.”
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| A good teacher probably has good Smartboard handwriting as well. Clearly I'll have to work on that! |
Monday, August 26, 2013
On teams
I started my first day as a student teacher today. It went very well. I enjoyed meeting the students and was happy to find I knew most of their names. Of course my studying (matching the class list to last year's yearbook) helped too!
We have a great class this year, with two new kids who fit right in immediately. The returning students were courteous and kind to the new students, to myself, and to their teacher. I left feeling tired, but happy and confident in the year. Day one, at least!
I'm fortunate to be working with a really great team of teachers. There are three 5th grades at my school and the teachers collaborate very closely on their lesson plans, activities, and expectations. This year they are having "homerooms" and the students will be rotating between the three classrooms for different subjects. The room I'm in is the writing room, the other two are math and social studies. This will be one step towards transitioning the fifth graders from elementary to middle school. I think the idea is a neat one. It allows the teachers to focus more on teaching their strengths (math, science, writing) and it allows them each more time to develop comprehensive lessons plans. The students get an introduction to schedules and different teachers per subject, all within the comfortable confines of their elementary school. I'm excited to see how it plays out through the year.
We have a great class this year, with two new kids who fit right in immediately. The returning students were courteous and kind to the new students, to myself, and to their teacher. I left feeling tired, but happy and confident in the year. Day one, at least!
I'm fortunate to be working with a really great team of teachers. There are three 5th grades at my school and the teachers collaborate very closely on their lesson plans, activities, and expectations. This year they are having "homerooms" and the students will be rotating between the three classrooms for different subjects. The room I'm in is the writing room, the other two are math and social studies. This will be one step towards transitioning the fifth graders from elementary to middle school. I think the idea is a neat one. It allows the teachers to focus more on teaching their strengths (math, science, writing) and it allows them each more time to develop comprehensive lessons plans. The students get an introduction to schedules and different teachers per subject, all within the comfortable confines of their elementary school. I'm excited to see how it plays out through the year.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Friday! Week one done.
Clearly daily postings are not going to happen around here. UVEI orientation ended yesterday, Thursday. It was a really great week of meeting new friends and learning new things.
We had a week long project to teach a 10 minute lesson with a partner. My partner and I decided to teach a poem called "Dreams" by Langston Hughes to the group. It's a nice little poem and she knew the ASL to accompany it. We taught the group the poem and had them practice the sign language. The lesson planning was interesting and challenging as they gave us loose guidelines but we hadn't had any real lesson planning lessons. We spent a lot of time discussing how best to co-teach, how to position ourselves to be most beneficial to the class, how to position the class, and, most importantly, what are we really trying to teach!? We had a chance to do a dry-run with another pair the day before our lesson, and we gained valuable feedback from that. On Thursday afternoon we taught our "class" the poem and the sign language. It was really fun and it was interesting to see how we adjusted our lesson plan on the fly to account for the previously unknown environment and students. It went very well.
We were in groups of ten people, five sets of partners, and everyone got to teach a lesson. In addition to our poem, we learned about how to construct a healthy compost pile, how to tie a strong knot (I forgot the name of it though!), more about healthy eating and exercise, and how to make a paper airplane. Which leads me to my next thought...
I spent today at school for the final in-service day. I asked a ton of questions, collated papers, stuffed folders, and attended a staff meeting and a district-wide employee recognition ice cream social! It was a busy day. The district IT was fighting a DOS (denial of service attack, which pretty much takes down their network) so the teachers were all stressed about last minute emails, printing, and presentations saved online. All was resolved by lunch time though.
At our staff meeting I sat quietly in the corner, feeling like an intruder. I made a quiet joke about it to my mentor and our awesome school counselor. I said I feel like a parent wearing teacher clothing and sneaking in to the meeting. They laughed. She patted my knee and said, "You're one of us now! You get to hear all the secrets." It felt good to be there. :)
The first activity we did at the staff meeting was a communications game. Half the room (my side) made paper airplanes. The teachers at my table were saying they don't know how to make airplanes, so I stepped right up and demonstrated the process I'd learned just yesterday at UVEI. They all followed along. Then we had to partner up with the other half of the room, stand back-to-back, and verbally instruct our partner on how to make the same airplane. My partner did an awesome job, but the partners of my tablemates did not. Apparently I did not teach my neighbors well enough, as they were unable to reteach the skill! They said the lesson learned is that cheating is bad. :) For those of us who created matching planes (original and replicate) we got to fly the replicates for a distance challenge. My partner's plane won! Yay for my first staff meeting and yay for my UVEI colleagues who taught an excellent paper airplane lesson!!
I am now very tired and still need to learn many names before Monday. I'd like to know most, if not all, of the students as they come in on Monday.
We had a week long project to teach a 10 minute lesson with a partner. My partner and I decided to teach a poem called "Dreams" by Langston Hughes to the group. It's a nice little poem and she knew the ASL to accompany it. We taught the group the poem and had them practice the sign language. The lesson planning was interesting and challenging as they gave us loose guidelines but we hadn't had any real lesson planning lessons. We spent a lot of time discussing how best to co-teach, how to position ourselves to be most beneficial to the class, how to position the class, and, most importantly, what are we really trying to teach!? We had a chance to do a dry-run with another pair the day before our lesson, and we gained valuable feedback from that. On Thursday afternoon we taught our "class" the poem and the sign language. It was really fun and it was interesting to see how we adjusted our lesson plan on the fly to account for the previously unknown environment and students. It went very well.
Dreams, by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams die
life is a broken-winged bird
that cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
for when dreams go
life is a barren field
frozen with snow.
We were in groups of ten people, five sets of partners, and everyone got to teach a lesson. In addition to our poem, we learned about how to construct a healthy compost pile, how to tie a strong knot (I forgot the name of it though!), more about healthy eating and exercise, and how to make a paper airplane. Which leads me to my next thought...
I spent today at school for the final in-service day. I asked a ton of questions, collated papers, stuffed folders, and attended a staff meeting and a district-wide employee recognition ice cream social! It was a busy day. The district IT was fighting a DOS (denial of service attack, which pretty much takes down their network) so the teachers were all stressed about last minute emails, printing, and presentations saved online. All was resolved by lunch time though.
At our staff meeting I sat quietly in the corner, feeling like an intruder. I made a quiet joke about it to my mentor and our awesome school counselor. I said I feel like a parent wearing teacher clothing and sneaking in to the meeting. They laughed. She patted my knee and said, "You're one of us now! You get to hear all the secrets." It felt good to be there. :)
The first activity we did at the staff meeting was a communications game. Half the room (my side) made paper airplanes. The teachers at my table were saying they don't know how to make airplanes, so I stepped right up and demonstrated the process I'd learned just yesterday at UVEI. They all followed along. Then we had to partner up with the other half of the room, stand back-to-back, and verbally instruct our partner on how to make the same airplane. My partner did an awesome job, but the partners of my tablemates did not. Apparently I did not teach my neighbors well enough, as they were unable to reteach the skill! They said the lesson learned is that cheating is bad. :) For those of us who created matching planes (original and replicate) we got to fly the replicates for a distance challenge. My partner's plane won! Yay for my first staff meeting and yay for my UVEI colleagues who taught an excellent paper airplane lesson!!
I am now very tired and still need to learn many names before Monday. I'd like to know most, if not all, of the students as they come in on Monday.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Day Two
Day two at UVEI. Another great one!
This morning we watched an awesome video on Changing Education Paradigms by Sir Ken Robinson.
I've seen this a few times and it's just amazing. The illustrations, the ideas, the execution. Just perfect. I love his point that you can't meet the future by doing what you did in the past. I think too many times we try to do just that. It worked before, why isn't it working now? When our current education system was created, during the Industrial Revolution, it meet the needs of the time just fine. Students needed to know basic reading and math skills. The Three R's. In today's environment though, students need to know so much more, but more importantly, students need to know how to process the complex information available to them (to us all!) and how to find accurate, reliable information.
This is a great video. I'd highly recommend you watch it, a few times.
Did you know the rate of ADHD increases as you head east? Why is that? One of my classmates said it's because it's colder on the East coast and people tend to stay indoors more. I disagree. I don't have an answer, but I don't like that one. If the map is correct it's primarily the south east. I wonder if it has to do with economics and education levels?
This morning we watched an awesome video on Changing Education Paradigms by Sir Ken Robinson.
I've seen this a few times and it's just amazing. The illustrations, the ideas, the execution. Just perfect. I love his point that you can't meet the future by doing what you did in the past. I think too many times we try to do just that. It worked before, why isn't it working now? When our current education system was created, during the Industrial Revolution, it meet the needs of the time just fine. Students needed to know basic reading and math skills. The Three R's. In today's environment though, students need to know so much more, but more importantly, students need to know how to process the complex information available to them (to us all!) and how to find accurate, reliable information.
This is a great video. I'd highly recommend you watch it, a few times.
Did you know the rate of ADHD increases as you head east? Why is that? One of my classmates said it's because it's colder on the East coast and people tend to stay indoors more. I disagree. I don't have an answer, but I don't like that one. If the map is correct it's primarily the south east. I wonder if it has to do with economics and education levels?
Monday, August 19, 2013
First day at UVEI
Today was the first day of UVEI orientation! It was great! I'm so jazzed to be surrounded by people, all with varied life histories, all pursuing the same path I am. It is so motivating!
We did a compass point activity to discuss personality types. It was interesting to see how many people were in the "Just do it!" crowd. I fell into the South "caring" crowd. I was torn between that and the West "details" group, but we had to chose just one so I went with South. We discussed strengths and weaknesses of our own personality type and how it might play into our interactions with others and our teaching styles. I can see how it takes all types of personalities to successfully run an organization. You need the go-getters, but you also need the big picture people, and the details people, and the "caring" group which we decided could also be called "moderators" or "peacekeepers." It takes all kinds.
I'm not going into a full play-by-play, because really, who needs that? I'm just going to say that I am so happy to feel so confident on this path. Towards the end of the afternoon I caught myself spacing out a bit (I tend to do that!) but for the first time in my educational career I caught myself and thought, "Wait, this is important! I need to know this information!" I want to know this information!
On the down side, this week over-laps with my school's in-service week, so I'm bummed to be missing all the classroom setup and staff meetings. I'll be in school on Friday though, for the final push and a few remaining meetings. I wish I could be there for everything! At school and at UVEI and home reading a ton of books... and, of course, paying attention to soon-to-be neglected my family. /)
We did a compass point activity to discuss personality types. It was interesting to see how many people were in the "Just do it!" crowd. I fell into the South "caring" crowd. I was torn between that and the West "details" group, but we had to chose just one so I went with South. We discussed strengths and weaknesses of our own personality type and how it might play into our interactions with others and our teaching styles. I can see how it takes all types of personalities to successfully run an organization. You need the go-getters, but you also need the big picture people, and the details people, and the "caring" group which we decided could also be called "moderators" or "peacekeepers." It takes all kinds.
I'm not going into a full play-by-play, because really, who needs that? I'm just going to say that I am so happy to feel so confident on this path. Towards the end of the afternoon I caught myself spacing out a bit (I tend to do that!) but for the first time in my educational career I caught myself and thought, "Wait, this is important! I need to know this information!" I want to know this information!
On the down side, this week over-laps with my school's in-service week, so I'm bummed to be missing all the classroom setup and staff meetings. I'll be in school on Friday though, for the final push and a few remaining meetings. I wish I could be there for everything! At school and at UVEI and home reading a ton of books... and, of course, paying attention to soon-to-be neglected my family. /)
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Time
I am eager to begin the UVEI program in two weeks. Eager to get started learning to teach. I have just one nagging hesitation. Time. Where will I find the time to do everything I do now, PLUS work full time and have homework!? UVEI estimates 2-3hrs of work each evening. As it is I'm exhausted at the end of each day. I think the obvious answer is that I won't find the time to do everything. Not even close. It will be a matter of delegating to a very kind husband and two helpful (hopefully!) children. It will be a matter of stepping back, letting go, ignoring what doesn't get done, and trying to focus on the important things. At times it sounds scary to me!
Then I read the welcome emails from others attending UVEI this fall. People with more kids than me, people with younger kids, people who are moving, people who are divorcing, people who are marrying (one week into the UVEI program!), people with their own lives and their own busy schedules. All coming together to face this challenge and step onto a new path in life. I read their emails and I feel motivated! If they can do it, I can do it, and likely we will all struggle with similar things.
Learning together...
... and keeping each other awake!
Then I read the welcome emails from others attending UVEI this fall. People with more kids than me, people with younger kids, people who are moving, people who are divorcing, people who are marrying (one week into the UVEI program!), people with their own lives and their own busy schedules. All coming together to face this challenge and step onto a new path in life. I read their emails and I feel motivated! If they can do it, I can do it, and likely we will all struggle with similar things.
Learning together...
... and keeping each other awake!
Something to keep in mind...
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."
- Plutarch
- Plutarch
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Back to school shopping
The kids and I did a little back to school shopping today. It made me sad to think that I won't be walking them into their classrooms this year on the first day. I've always enjoyed that part of school. Saying hi to their teachers and classmates, checking out the room, etc. I'll miss that this year.
However, as I was looking at the school supplies I couldn't help feeling excited about the idea of having my own classroom some day! Fresh school supplies, fresh faces, daily good mornings.
Changes are coming!
However, as I was looking at the school supplies I couldn't help feeling excited about the idea of having my own classroom some day! Fresh school supplies, fresh faces, daily good mornings.
Changes are coming!
Tuesday, August 06, 2013
Blog reboot!
I read an article today about student teacher as researcher ("Student Teacher as Researcher: Accepting Greater Responsibility for Learning About Teaching" by J. John Loughran, Australian Journal of Eduction, 2004) that talked about the use of anecdotes. He says the use of anecdotes helps you take ownership and understanding of a situation, and allows you to frame and reframe your practice. Sure. Anyway, that got me thinking about blogging, which reminded me of this old blog that's been kicking around. I'm a stream of conscienceness kinda gal!
I like to blog. It's a great way to capture my thoughts and review them later. It is tidier than scattered notebooks around the house. I think I'll dust this thing off, rename it (the nursing career never took off :/ ) and give it another go.
This time I begin my journey in education.
A quick update since my last post in 2006. Just a few years have gone by. I've had another baby. Had a few jobs. Have a new house. A new state.
My youngest started kindergarten last year. I'm always thinking ahead and had started considering the idea of teaching as a possible career choice. My wise mother suggested substitute teaching as a first step, so I considered that and discussed with friends and dillied and dallied. One day last fall the principal at school stopped me on the way out and said he'd heard I was interested in subbing. I said, "Wellll...." He said, "Please?!" That was about all it took. I filled out the paperwork, got myself fingerprinted and background checked, and before I knew it I was subbing. In PE. Day one. Welcome to school!
As the year went on I subbed in every grade, every special, many aide positions, and nearly every single classroom. I was also working a part-time office job at the time and trying to decide which I preferred. One chilly morning as I was sitting alone in the office I found myself really wishing I was at school. Really. I realized that the days fly by at school and the people make me happy. Even the challenging ones. Mostly. There were a few that made me less than happy, but that's bound to be the case in any career.
So I decided teaching would be my path. After much consideration and consensus (I like to ask around!) I decided to apply at the Upper Valley Educators Institute. They offer a one year program that results in a certificate and 24 continuing education credits that can be applied towards a Masters degree if I so decide to take that path in the future. Their program is fairly unique in that it's like an immersion program with most of your time spent in an actual classroom, not taking classes.
This fall I will be a teacher intern in 5th grade, four days a week there and one day a week at the UVEI for special sessions. During that time I'll have solo teaching days and one solo teaching week where I will be responsible for designing the lesson plans and running the show.
Next spring I'll be a teacher intern in kindergarten at a different school. Same schedule except this time I'll have more solo days and two weeks of solo teaching.
I'm feeling really confident about the whole thing so far. I really appreciate my mom's advice to substitute teach first because I feel like I got a lot of the classroom unknowns out of the way already. I understand how the days go. Where things are. What is expected of students at different grade levels and in different classrooms. I've stood up in front of a class and "taught" (ie: followed the plan left by the teacher). I've sent kids to the principal's office, I've dealt with fights, I've shared in the excitement over accomplishments, etc. This upcoming year I can really focus on learning to teach, instead of just being overwhelmed by the new environment. I will be great.
My one small point of anxiety is just the unknowns of our family routine. I'm lining up the logistics and hoping all goes well. I'm also hoping I won't have the 2-3 hours of homework that the UVEI mentions! That would be a challenge on top of working all day and parenting all night.
Here's to another mid-life (can't quite call it quarter-life like I did before) career shift. Hi-tech professional. At-home mom, with many little side jobs. Teacher. Bring it on!
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I like to blog. It's a great way to capture my thoughts and review them later. It is tidier than scattered notebooks around the house. I think I'll dust this thing off, rename it (the nursing career never took off :/ ) and give it another go.
This time I begin my journey in education.
A quick update since my last post in 2006. Just a few years have gone by. I've had another baby. Had a few jobs. Have a new house. A new state.
My youngest started kindergarten last year. I'm always thinking ahead and had started considering the idea of teaching as a possible career choice. My wise mother suggested substitute teaching as a first step, so I considered that and discussed with friends and dillied and dallied. One day last fall the principal at school stopped me on the way out and said he'd heard I was interested in subbing. I said, "Wellll...." He said, "Please?!" That was about all it took. I filled out the paperwork, got myself fingerprinted and background checked, and before I knew it I was subbing. In PE. Day one. Welcome to school!
As the year went on I subbed in every grade, every special, many aide positions, and nearly every single classroom. I was also working a part-time office job at the time and trying to decide which I preferred. One chilly morning as I was sitting alone in the office I found myself really wishing I was at school. Really. I realized that the days fly by at school and the people make me happy. Even the challenging ones. Mostly. There were a few that made me less than happy, but that's bound to be the case in any career.
So I decided teaching would be my path. After much consideration and consensus (I like to ask around!) I decided to apply at the Upper Valley Educators Institute. They offer a one year program that results in a certificate and 24 continuing education credits that can be applied towards a Masters degree if I so decide to take that path in the future. Their program is fairly unique in that it's like an immersion program with most of your time spent in an actual classroom, not taking classes.
This fall I will be a teacher intern in 5th grade, four days a week there and one day a week at the UVEI for special sessions. During that time I'll have solo teaching days and one solo teaching week where I will be responsible for designing the lesson plans and running the show.
Next spring I'll be a teacher intern in kindergarten at a different school. Same schedule except this time I'll have more solo days and two weeks of solo teaching.
I'm feeling really confident about the whole thing so far. I really appreciate my mom's advice to substitute teach first because I feel like I got a lot of the classroom unknowns out of the way already. I understand how the days go. Where things are. What is expected of students at different grade levels and in different classrooms. I've stood up in front of a class and "taught" (ie: followed the plan left by the teacher). I've sent kids to the principal's office, I've dealt with fights, I've shared in the excitement over accomplishments, etc. This upcoming year I can really focus on learning to teach, instead of just being overwhelmed by the new environment. I will be great.
My one small point of anxiety is just the unknowns of our family routine. I'm lining up the logistics and hoping all goes well. I'm also hoping I won't have the 2-3 hours of homework that the UVEI mentions! That would be a challenge on top of working all day and parenting all night.
Here's to another mid-life (can't quite call it quarter-life like I did before) career shift. Hi-tech professional. At-home mom, with many little side jobs. Teacher. Bring it on!
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Monday, May 22, 2006
Harder than necessary
These prereqs are kicking my butt! Not the classes, just the logistics. :/ It looks like I'm going to be taking four classes at four different colleges - and no financial aid for any of it :( I took the A&P I at a local community collge ($700 - easy A) and, as you know, I'm trying to test out of A&P II through an online college ($250). I signed up for Microbiology at a community college right next to where I work, and found out it's going to cost me $1450!!! Damn! So I tried to apply for federal aid. The nice lady at the FAFSA office told me that student aid should cover all of it (individual classes at different colleges). The nice lady at the financial aid office at my nearby college told me that I can't get anything. Apparently Pell Grants are only good for undergrads, and student loans are only good for 6+ credits per semester. My measly 4 are gonna cost me a boatload. I was hoping to take my final class, Chemistry, at this same nearby college, but they don't seem to offer it in the evenings. Grrr.... So now my options seem to be find another college, or switch to part time work this fall or next spring and take classes during the day. I *never* thought that the logistics of the prereqs would be so damn hard. I hope this isn't an omen of things to come.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Brain mush
It occured to me today that the reason (in part) I'm having so much trouble focusing on my studies and figuring out where and how to take classes, how to pay, scholarships, etc... is that for the first time in a long time I really truly need to think. I need to use my brain and really read stuff. Wow! I haven't done that in a long time. It sounds dumb, but really. This occured to me at work today when someone asked me a question and I said "I don't know" and they said "Ok" and left. My job is such that I really don't ever think about much. There are tons of problems that could be thought about, if I had the time and desire, but I don't. It's just too easy to ask someone else. Hmmmm.....
Monday, May 01, 2006
A whole new career
Sometimes it strikes me how weird it will be to have a whole new career. Things that I'm used to doing and consider myself good at (web design, development, etc.) will no longer matter in my new life. I also find myself looking forward to the day that Alan and I can work together again, then I have to remind myself that that will no longer be an option either. It's just weird to think about.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Studying hard
I'm not really a self-motivated person, but I've made the decision to take an Excellsior exam to receive my credits for Anatomy & Physiology II. The exam actually counts for part I and II, so I'll have duplicate credits for part I.
In order to do this though, I have started spending Thursday nights at Panera Bread. It's been working well so far. I pick up the boy from daycare, meet the hubby for dinner and baby swap, then stay at Panera for 3 hours until closing. I'm pretty proud of myself and I think I'll do ok on the exam. I was hoping to take it in June, but I'm not sure I'll be ready by then. I may have to increase my Panera Bread time to 2 nights a week, or else try to get some studying done at home as well. I have a lot of trouble with that though, as I'm always distracted by the boy, or the dishes, or the bed :)
Closing time now so I have to go. Send me "good studying" vibes so I can stay motivated and pass this exam (which I've already paid for!!)
In order to do this though, I have started spending Thursday nights at Panera Bread. It's been working well so far. I pick up the boy from daycare, meet the hubby for dinner and baby swap, then stay at Panera for 3 hours until closing. I'm pretty proud of myself and I think I'll do ok on the exam. I was hoping to take it in June, but I'm not sure I'll be ready by then. I may have to increase my Panera Bread time to 2 nights a week, or else try to get some studying done at home as well. I have a lot of trouble with that though, as I'm always distracted by the boy, or the dishes, or the bed :)
Closing time now so I have to go. Send me "good studying" vibes so I can stay motivated and pass this exam (which I've already paid for!!)
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Deferring
I decided to defer my nursing program until next May. Originally I was planning on taking the 2 year (4 semester) plan starting in Aug '06, but instead I'm going to take the 1 year (3 semester intensive) plan starting in May '07. Both plans graduate in May '08. I think this will be better because it gives me more time to get my prereqs done, gives Alan time to build up his hosting business, and gives both of us time to bring our overall financial situation a little closer to the black before I give up my hefty salary.
I got a package from Binghamton yesterday, which must have gone out before I alerted them to my change of plans. I'm glad I got it, but it was a bit overwhelming. The packet was full of information about what needs to be done before classes start in May. We have to order uniforms, name tags, medical supplies (stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, pharmacology kit(???), etc.) We also have to take the professional level CPR training, get vaccinations, get a specific type of insurance AND attend an orientation in April. All of this results in many hundreds of dollars before we even start registering for classes. As I read through the information all I kept thinking was "I'm soooo not ready for this just yet!" However, like I said, I'm glad I got the packet this year so I'll know what to expect for next year.
I got a package from Binghamton yesterday, which must have gone out before I alerted them to my change of plans. I'm glad I got it, but it was a bit overwhelming. The packet was full of information about what needs to be done before classes start in May. We have to order uniforms, name tags, medical supplies (stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, pharmacology kit(???), etc.) We also have to take the professional level CPR training, get vaccinations, get a specific type of insurance AND attend an orientation in April. All of this results in many hundreds of dollars before we even start registering for classes. As I read through the information all I kept thinking was "I'm soooo not ready for this just yet!" However, like I said, I'm glad I got the packet this year so I'll know what to expect for next year.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Sheep brains anyone?
I narrowly escaped a brain disection today! Half way through class my teacher says "Oh, I need to take the brains out of the fridge." We all say "brains???" She says, "Yeah, didn't I tell you we are disecting sheep brains tonight?" Geezz.... you gotta give a person fair warning before expecting them to disect brains on a Tuesday night. Luckily (for me, others in class weren't so happy) we ran out of time so we'll get to do that fun project next week. At least I can mentally prepare myself anyway - and remind myself that brain disection was my sister's favorite part of college :)
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