The Perpetual Student Teacher

Moving!?!?

2009-08-26T22:38:00.002-04:00

Ok, well....scrap that.

Today I was told I will be moving to Kindergarten.

I am unbelieveably frustrated/sad.
Not that I don't love Kindergarten, because I do...and had even hoped to teach it at some point...But I have spent countless hours (and lots of money) working on my 3rd grade classroom and my 3rd grade plans. And now I have to start all over. Plus, I was just starting to get settled in and I was really forming a bond with my students.

But I will do what I must.

More to come...

It's Already Been a Week!

2009-08-25T16:49:00.003-04:00

Alright....so my last post was very hastily-written because everything happened so quickly. Here's the rundown:
-On Tuesday, July 28th I went to a job interview about 2 hours away from where I was living. After the interview, I was offered a job contract.
-On Friday of that week, I went to the school to sign my contract and to look at several apartments in the area, since the school was so far away. Luckily, I also found an apartment that day and put down the deposit.
-Later that day, I left to go on a vacation with my best friend's family (which had been scheduled since march or april)
-On Tuesday of the next week, I returned home and began packing.
-The next Friday, August 7th, I moved into my apartment, but went back home to celebrate my birthday, which was August 8th, with my family and friends.
-Then, on Monday, August 10th, I began my new job with a full week of in-services and classroom preparation.
-Finally, after countless hours preparing, school began on Tuesday, August 18th...and here I am, after one week into it, and I'm finally able to sit down and relax enough to write a post.

So, needless to say, I have been super busy trying to get everything ready for school and relocating to a big city I had only ever visited a handful of times before now.

As for school, I am loving it. I am teaching 3rd grade science, social studies, and reading and I have a very small homeroom class of 15 students. Things are going very well so far...the first day even went super smooth (as compared to my expectations!) and I have had no *major* issues with students yet.

I think that I am finding the hardest part of all this is planning and getting everything organized. It is so incredibly difficult to start from scratch and decide what you want/need to do in your classroom. I thought I was a pro at this because of college and student teaching, but for those I had a little bit more guidance. Now, it's just me. It's definitely going to take some getting used to and extra time on my part.

Speaking of extra time, I swear all I ever think about is school. It is consuming my life (in a very enjoyable way). I guess you have to expect for it to become a huge part of you when you start teaching. It is not at all like some other job where you come home and it is totally separate from your life at work. It's not. I spend most of my time at home thinking about or doing something for school every day.

And I have to say, this truly doesn't feel like "work" or a "job"...so I must be on the right track. :)

I'll post more soon with pictures of my classroom! Hooray!

Answered Prayers

2009-07-30T19:54:00.003-04:00

For the past few months I have been praying, wishing and hoping to be able to tell you this news: I GOT A JOB! a real one. with a contract. and medical insurance. Someone pinch me.

This school year, I will be teaching third grade. Specializing in science and social studies. Which is somewhat new for me since when I had my long-term sub position I taught math. But I am super excited.

I had always planned on teaching younger kids...so my Carson Dellosa animal-train alphabet is going to have to go back. And my collection of hundreds of books (which happen to be picture books) is not going to come in very handy with children who are starting to read chapter books. But, nonetheless, I am super excited.

I don't have much more time to write at the moment, so I'll update with a little more info later...but I just wanted to let you all know that I have finally found a job and that I am so grateful that this has happened.

:)

Keeping The Faith...

2009-07-26T01:28:00.004-04:00

Well, a few days have passed and I have applied for several more jobs. Still no word. I just wish someone would give me the chance. I am telling you, once I get a job, my life will become nothing but that job. I will arrive early and stay late, volunteer for any and everything extra, go out of my way to help the school/district however I can...heck, I'll even buy a school t-shirt and sport it proudly all the time.
Essentially, what I'm saying is that no one would be a more dedicated teacher than me. I love teaching; it is truly my passion. It's funny- when you're actually in the classroom the day-to-day routine can get stressful and make you want nothing more than a break. But when you're not in it- when you're not actually teaching- it feels as if your world is incomplete...like you don't know what to do with yourself because ALL you want to do is teach. That's how I feel now. All I want to do is teach. My world is incomplete. The job search consumes every waking moment of my day in one way or another.
Today, though, a glimmer of hope came out of nowhere. Granted, I am still very, very hopeful that I will get a job within the next month, but today, I learned some amazing news: the school where I student taught and did my long-term substitute position MAY have an opening this school year...which seemed nearly impossible at the end of last year. However, some people are shifting around with new administrative positions opening, leaving a possible spot open to teach 2nd grade. I feel like I definitely have my foot in the door with this school, too, since they called me to sub almost every day. In learning this news, my heart began to race, I got butterflies in my stomach, and I got uncontrollably excited. What happened next cannot be blamed on me...

I went to walmart and bought a bunch of school supplies.

I can't help it; Back-to-School sales always get me. ;)

Hello, Old Friend

2009-07-22T00:00:00.003-04:00

Well, as you may have noticed (assuming anyone is still out there) I have had a serious lack of blogging over the past few months. I've been SUPER busy and SUPER stressed. But it's time for an update.

Let's start from where we left off, shall we?
My long-term substitute position ended in mid-May. It went very well. It ended up being a very enjoyable experience overall and I have to say it really helped to prepare me for having a classroom in the future. I administered their state achievement tests, so that was great experience also. I had a very strong bond with the students. It was almost sad to leave.

In my most recent post, I said, "...I guess we will see where I am at come July..."

Well, here it is, July, and guess what?

No job.
At least not a real, full-time, have-my-own-classroom teaching job.
I am currently working as a summer preschool teacher in a very urban location. I enjoy my job, but some of the students have very, very severe behavior problems. Problems I've never seen before. I get kicked, punched, scratched, and cussed at on a daily basis. So, needless to say, my current job is very difficult, but I manage.

I am continuing the job search on a daily basis. I have applied to over 50 places and still, nothing. One of the jobs I applied for had over 536 applicants. And the districts always find someone internally.

I had an interview at a charter school, but it seemed our views did not really align. I personally do not believe a Kindergarten student should be doing 2 hours of homework each night. The school did. I am actually glad that it ended up working out that way; I would not have felt comfortable working in a place that required me to carry out things I do not agree with.

All I want is for someone to give me a chance. One chance, and I will prove to them that I can contribute significantly to their school, to their district, to their children. I am more than willing to go above and beyond 100% to be the best teacher I can be. I just need that one chance.

So, as you may have guessed, posting probably won't be as frequent as I would like it to be without a real job. Or any interviews. Or anything to report in regards to teaching really at all.

Last year, on my birthday, the boyfriend got me this book:

It hurts so much to look at it now because all I want to do is read it and have a reason to be reading it.
Some people (me being one of them) are a little worried that I haven't found a job by now. Many others, though, keep telling me that no school districts hire people until August anyway, so there is no need to worry.

I truly hope August comes with the promise of a job.

Pretty please.

Spring Break!

2009-04-09T00:58:00.002-04:00

Well, third grade is going pretty well so far. This week I am on Spring Break and really just not doing much except for being lazy and lounging around. It feels VERY good :) When we go back, I will be starting multiplication with my students and shifting into hardcore test-prep mode. They take their math test in a little over 2 weeks. I am nervous for them, so I cannot even imagine how they must feel. I do not remember such stress being put upon me while I was a third grader. Hmm...Gotta love those standardized tests!

Last Thursday I went to a Teacher Job Fair. I ended up having two different interviews that both seemed to go pretty well. It did make me slightly discouraged, though. I feel like I am never going to get a teaching job in Ohio. Especially not in Northeast Ohio, which is where I would like to stay for the time being. I just want my own classroom! Subbing is not terrible, but it would feel so much nicer to have my own classroom where I can do all of my own things. I guess I am going to just keep applying and see what happens. I am still considering moving to North Carolina, but I'm not sure if I want to just haul off and move to a place where I know NO ONE. Not a soul. It's a scary thing to think about...but at the same time I feel like it could be strangely adventurous and exciting. I guess we will see where I am at come July and then it will be time to take any job I can get that seems halfway decent.

I don't know. This job search process is incredibly frustrating. How come no one in college prepared us (us being myself and my fellow teacher friends) for the extensive post-college job search process? I mean, sure I have the college's career center, but I almost feel like I should have taken a whole class on this kind of thing. It is exhausting and overwhelming just to write about on here. It almost feels hopeless...like a lost cause...I wish I would just see a *poof* of smoke and a magical job contract with a decent salary and good benefits would just appear in front of me, with a pen floating next to it to sign with.

Hey, a girl can dream, can't she!?

I plan on using the remainder of this break to continue applying to school districts and getting my name out there. There has got to be SOMETHING I can do...
I'll keep you posted.

Third Grade, Here I Come!

2009-03-23T22:29:00.003-04:00

For at least the next five weeks, I will be substitute teaching in a third grade classroom. It will be nice to work with some children that I am actually licensed to be teaching (my license is Age 3-Grade 3)...however, as of right now I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I guess this is how every brand new teacher must feel when he or she gets a job two weeks before the new school year starts...that is, being thrown into a new job without any real warning. I am feeling this way because I was informed today that not only would I be subbing, but I would also be responsible for planning all of the lesson plans over the next month or so. Coming up with the plans is really no problem. I like being planned so that things go more smoothly...and if I get to create the plans, I will be more familiar with the material that I am teaching and therefore will probably be able to teach it better. I guess I just wasn't expecting a teacher to actually hand over the reigns so fully. Plus, today was Day 1, so I have to get used to the way the classroom runs. It is nice because this thrid grade is departmentalized, so I will only be teaching reading and math...and will also have 3 other third grade teachers to help me get into a groove.

Tomorrow night I also have to stay at the school for a concert in the evening, so I am hoping that during the 3 hours between the end of the school day and the time when students begin arriving for the concert that I will be able to get at LEAST next week's plans done and ready to go. I will be stuck at the school so I may as well try. I guess that makes me feel much less stressed because I will have some time where I am forced to get them done and none of the distractions of home.

I am actually pretty excited to be taking on such a large position...and it could end up being for ten weeks (until the end of the school year)...depending on when this teacher is able to return.

So I am diving into this head-first, a little weary, but ready...and I will do my best.

I Really Need To...

2009-03-21T13:51:00.003-04:00

-get on the ball with updating my blog more often. It just seems that since I have a job almost every day and I tutor most evenings that the last thing I want to do when I come home is sit in front of my computer. I apologize to those of you who actually read. I am going to try and be better! agh.

-get my job portfolios ready to hand out at the teacher career fair I will be attending in less than two weeks. I have already had my resume critiqued by the university's career center...but now I have to update it since I began substitute teaching. These portfolios will include a copy of my cover letter (for this purpose a general letter of interest), resume, reference list and letters of reccomendation, a copy of my teaching license, background checks, and a sample lesson plan...maybe a few photos of me actually teaching will be thrown in as well. To assemble them, one of my teacher-friends suggested that I use clear-front report covers (not the ones with the sliding side bar, though). Anyone have any other ideas? I want them to look as professional as possible.

-get my suit altered for the fair. I ordered a navy blue business suit for the job fair and interviews and the jacket needs to be taken in slightly. I really need to get this done so I look more polished. Oh! and I need some matching shoes.

-get a haircut. Again, with the polished thing.

-start getting my application out to schools that will not be attending the fair. The end of the current school year is really going to sneak up on me because on Monday I am beginning a long-term substitute position that is going to last for at least the next 5 weeks. But at least I will have spring break in there to get my applications out. and *maybe* (gasp) have a break!

Well, that is a pretty comprehensive list of the things I need to be doing. I know each time I post I say I need to do it more...but I really will try...and now I'll be pretty consistent with my posts because I'll be able to share funny tales from the third grade instead of bouncing around from room to room. :)

Oh! and no one responded last time about the charter schools...any opinions of them??

So Busy!

2009-03-01T20:45:00.002-05:00

I regret to say it has been awhile since my last post...BUT I have had a substitute job basically every day since the last post, and I have been tutoring a lot, so I have been crazy busy!

Subbing is going pretty well. I don't particularly enjoy working with the older kids (5th graders), but I am really warming up to them. I guess I just have more of a passion for the younger grades...and I am glad to have learned this while subbing. Like I mentioned, I have had a job almost every day, which is also really nice for my bank account.

I have also kept myself pretty busy with a new endeavor, selling mark. beauty products. I started using them a while back, and I absolutely love them...so I figured I may as well make an extra bit of cash by telling my friends about them, which I was doing anyway. If you are interested at all, check out my mark. website and enter code WELCOME for free shipping. (insert shameless self-plug here...lol)

On more education-related topics, in about a month I will be attending the Northeast Ohio Teacher job fair. I am pretty excited about it, but because of my licensure, its slim pickin's in comparison to other licensures. However, there are a ton of out-of-state districts that need teachers with my license. I guess I would prefer to stay around here somewhere...and there are also a few charter schools here that need teachers with my license.

So here's my question for you: How do you feel about charter schools? I really do not know much about them other than the basic concept of them and their funding. Would it be wise to apply to a few and teach there for a year to see how I like it? I know many teachers are totally opposed to charter schools, but I guess I have to at least consider them if I want to stay in this area. Is there job security in charter schools? I would like ANY information you could give me about them. (help!)

I always say this, but I am really going to try to update more!!

I Survived!

2009-02-08T22:15:00.002-05:00

This is the first chance I have had all week to actually sit down and write a post about how my first week as a substitute went! I have been so busy...boy has the past week flown by!

On Monday, I began my first substitute teaching experience in a 5th grade classroom. My licensure is PreK-Grade 3, so I knew from the start I would be a little out of my element. Monday was a little rough because I did not yet know the students' names. However, I started things off pretty well by remaining firm with my management and discipline tactics...and I learned quickly that 5th graders all seem to hate one another. Or at least they pretend to. They are just getting into that clique-y stage, and I was pretty annoyed by it. I am used to saying "We use kind words with our friends"...but if I had said that to one of these kids they would have said, "Well he's not my friend anyways!" So a little re-arranging of my strategies had to be done, but I think I was able to do pretty well.

By Tuesday, I had gained compliments from one of the other 5th grade teachers that the particular class I was working with never seemed to be as on task as they were with me there. Hrmm...maybe what I was doing was working (taking away mintues of recess time...oh no! and talking to students on an individual basis when a problem occured)...and I have to admit, it was. Throughout the rest of the week, I felt pretty confident and in control of the classroom. I was actually doing it...being a real teacher!

During the remainder of the week, I of course had little issues here and there...but always with the same students. I had two students who complained about literally every single thing that was asked of them. They did not get free computer time. I had two students who were verbally fighting. They had a good talking-to and were reminded that the principal's office would be next.

Because the teacher I was subbing for did not have any classroom rules posted or any form of disciplinary actions posted, these were the best things I could come up with on the spot for dealing with these issues. They seemed to resolve any problems but I am wondering if things could have ever been handled differently. I guess I just always like to reflect on what has happened and think how it could have gone other ways.

It was also incredibly difficult for me to remember names. The school I was at has a departmentalized fifth grade, so I had to teach 3 different classes. I had all of the students' names in my homeroom learned by day 2, but the classes I saw for smaller time periods...well, I had not even learned their names by the end of the week. Only a select few who needed their names to be said were able to stay in my mind. Any suggestions on this? Or does it just come with time?

The lessons the teacher left for me were pretty dry and straight out of the Ohio Achievement Test practice books, but I tried to spice them up a bit by using the globe, maps, making topics relevant to the students, and class discussion. Hopefully they learned something. I sure did!

By the end of the week, I had scooped up another 6-day long 5th grade substitute position for the end of this month, another full day with my kindergartners, a half day in 3rd grade and a 4-week long term in 3rd grade...all at this same school...so hooray for FINALLY getting paid!! It's been awhile.

I got a call this evening to sub for first grade tomorrow...so I will be back at it bright and early.

Here we go again!

Tomorrow's The Day

2009-02-01T12:52:00.002-05:00

Well, I am happy to report that I have a substitute teaching job every day this week. I am excited to finally be getting some sort of paycheck.

However, I am so nervous!!! I have absolutely no idea of what I should be expecting. I will be in a 5th grade class for the whole week. I hope that the teacher I am filling in for has some very clearly laid out plans. I guess my worries lie in classroom management mostly. I hope that the teacher has a very consistent system in place that the students already know how to follow. I am also afraid that the kids will try to be sneaky or something...I don't know.

I am sure that after the first day, my nerves will be completely eased, but for now I am just really unsure of how things should go.

If anyone out there reads this and has some advice for me on how to do a good job as a substitute teacher, I would be very appreciatve.

Buried Alive...

2009-01-30T01:47:00.002-05:00

In the snow, that is.

Here in lovely Ohio we have had close to a foot of snow...with more on the way. Roads are terrible, schools have been closed since Tuesday morning (leaving me with no subbing jobs...and I had two this week!), and the trees and power lines are coated in thick ice.

Yay, Winter.

Actually, if you could not already tell, I am not a very big fan of the snow and cold. Which is why I have been seriously considering moving south to teach. One of my good friends is in Charlotte and she loves the area. I have never really been there other than passing through, but from what I can tell it looks fabulous. And I have determined that I need to relocate to a city because living in a rural community is starting to get a little old. Not that I don't love the town where I grew up (and am currently living in), but I just hate that in order to have decent access to anything, I have to drive for at least half an hour. I suppose I am just in need of a change.

Unfortunately, like millions of other Americans right now, boyfriend got laid off from his job. It is so strange to me though, because he works in the technology industry, so I thought his job was more secure. Apparently these days anyone is at risk.

However, boyfriend is toying with the idea that we should move south as well. More job opportunities for both of us.

Ah, we'll see.

Also...I wanted to apologize for my blog being so morose lately. Things have been a little depressing around here...and that has been conveyed in my writing...but I promise that some fun, upbeat posts are just around the corner! *hopefully*

Have a Wonderful Friday!! :)

The Verdict Is In...

2009-01-26T20:55:00.005-05:00

Well, I suppose I should let you know what happened since my last post. I went to both job interviews...both went pretty well. On Friday afternoon, I got a call from the job at home (The one closer to where I am living now...the one I wanted more) and they wanted to offer me a job being the lead teacher of a 4-5 preschool classroom. I was so excited. The thought of having my own classroom already was like a dream come true...and then that dream came crashing down when the lady said, "We would be willing to pay you $7.80."

What? Seven dollars and eighty cents?

With a knot in my stomach, I accepted the position.

Three hours later I called back to ask if that $7.80 might include any benefits. Nope. None.

I apologized profusely for the change of heart and told her I could not take the job.

I mean, I just paid thousands and thousands of dollars to become a professional. An educated individual who does not have to work for minimum wage...or even for only fifty cents above it for that matter. I just thought having that diploma in my hand would, and should, qualify me for at least a little more. I mean, I would have to turn in lesson plans on a weekly basis. I would have to attend many after-hours trainings and conferences. While I still feel terrible for not taking the job (because I REALLY wanted it), I almost feel kind of proud for not selling myself so short...literally.

The other job also wanted me to come back for a second interview...but after thinking it over more, I just cannot pass up living for free right now. So, I called the director of that center back (who wanted to pay me $11.00 an hour) and told her I would not be relocating at this time.

So, unfortunately, I am back to square one. I have accepted multiple substitute teaching opportunities for the month of February...even though subbing is my last resort. For now, I will have to just suck it up and go through with it and see if it is really as terrifying as I am imagining.

Let's hope not.

What To Do...

2009-01-21T21:40:00.003-05:00

As of today I have two interviews this week...one scheduled for tomorrow and one on Friday. I am glad to have finally heard back from the places where I applied, but now I just feel so torn.

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of these prospects is located about 45 miles from where I am living now with my parents. It is located in a very urban area. If, after the interview, I am offered the position, I would have to move up there and start paying rent. Luckily, my BFF has an open room in her apartment. Rent would be $260 a month plus utilities...plus groceries...plus entertainment money because all of my friends live in the area and I would be spending a lot more time with them.

OR

The other interview will be for a position very close to my parents' house in a much more rural area...where I pay no rent and get free food...in exchange for seeing my friends on an occasional basis.

I suppose I should not feel so torn, because I have not actually been offered either of these jobs yet. I simply have interviews. I guess it is just worrying me to make this decision.

Apparently I need to make a good old-fashioned pro/con list.

I guess it doesn't really matter that much, though, since I plan on findng a job in a public school by the next school year.

I will let you know how the interviews go...and hopefully I'll have something more interesting to post about next time! :)

At Least There's No Bad News...

2009-01-20T15:38:00.005-05:00

The most exciting news first:
Today I got a call from the school where I student taught to sub in a few weeks for my kindergartners!!! I am beyond excited! I cannot wait to see their little faces again! I miss them! I will also be subbing in another Kindergarten class later that week as well. Employment, Hooray!

Also, sometime this week rockerbro (my 18-year old brother who is very into music) is going to pick up my diploma for me (since the University is about an hour away and he is there)...and then hunterbro (my 20-year old brother who is very into hunting) is going to bring it home this weekend. Yay!

And in more exciting news:
I was happy to see Barack Obama inaugurated as the 44th president today. I like him. He has brought such a sense of hope to our nation. I just hope that he lives up to all of his promises, and that things actually do start to get a little better. Especially in the world of education. I hope that he and Arne Duncan are ready to come up with something to really help children learn...especially those who are underprivileged. I am interested to see what comes of this and how it will effect my career.

I like this picture. For some reason it reminds me of something you would have seen on a Nickelodeon or MTV news special in the 90's. Especially the way they are all sitting. You know. Just the prez and his dudes rappin' with some kids in an inner-city school. (picture taken from a site called daylife.com through google images)

Some good news:
Have you ever been to The Apple? It is a site that I tend to visit on a daily basis. They have all kinds of stuff for teachers...news stories, job info, quizzes...all kinds of interesting stuff.

And in mediocre news:
I have not heard anything from the preschool position I sent my resume for. I am still hopeful, since I only applied less than a week ago. I guess I was just hoping to hear back right away. At least, for now, I have to substitute jobs lined up.

Ah, the life of the unemployed.

A Potential Preschool Teacher in an After-College Crisis

2009-01-15T22:38:00.004-05:00

In the midst of all this substitute-teaching anticipation, I have been constantly searching the Internet for job prospects. To my surprise, there are quite a few places in my area in need of people with degrees in ECE to teach preschool. So, since I have a desperate need to be in the classroom, I have applied for a few. One of which would require me to relocate to my best friend's apartment (where one room has conveniently just opened up) about 45 miles from where I live now. The only downside to that would be that I'd have to start paying rent...which I do not do now (thanks mom & dad!) However, I would be living with my BFF, so maybe I should just go for it.

Speaking of paying rent, for Christmas my grandmother (who is one of my favorite people ever) got me this book:

It's a guide to how to deal with life after college. I picked it up to begin reading it last night and I am still astonished by how right-on it is with my life right now. I am really going through my after-college crisis right now. It feels good to know that most people feel this way after college. Beore picking this book up, I seriously thought I was the only one! I am not too far into the book yet, but so far it seems very helpful. Who would have thought that something my grandma randomly (it was probably just on a display somewhere) picked up at Borders could actually be relevant and useful???

I'm On "The List"

2009-01-12T17:03:00.003-05:00

I ventured out into the snow and cold today to visit the ESC and get everything for substitute teaching lined up. I had planned to be there for awhile, filling out paperwork and whatnot. To my surprise, however, I was not even there for 5 minutes. I walked in, told the lady I had just graduated, handed her all my background checks and letter of completion...she had me fill out a very brief form, basically just to attain my name and phone number and for me to select which districts I would sub in...and then told me she would add me to "the list".

That's It?

That's it.

I thought that since my license won't actually be valid until July 1 that I would have to get a sub license until then or something...I don't know. It just seemed too easy.

I hope this is all right...and that I can start soon...
If you teach in Ohio and know anything about this...let me know!!

It's Official...

2009-01-12T03:24:00.002-05:00

I have finally recieved my letter of completion from the University...so now I can start subbing! I actually got a few calls last week from the school where I student taught, wanting me to sub but unfortunately since I don't have my license yet and at that time had no proof that I had actually graduated, I had to turn the offers down. But since that lovely little (I'm not kidding, it is incredibly brief) letter came this weekend, I am heading straight to the county's ESC tomorrow to get started on all the paperwork.

Yay.

NO Child Left Behind? Are You Sure?

2009-01-11T03:03:00.004-05:00

This may be a little controversial, but...

In a final policy speech by President George W. Bush, he addressed the nation's education policies and urged his "firm" belief in the NCLB act. When I heard about this, I found myself outraged that he could honestly stand in front of a crowd of people and say that this plan was working.
OK, OK...maybe some test scores have improved. Great. I am all for anything that will truly help improve education. Do those test scores really reflect our students' actual learning though? Or are they just able to retain the information needed to pass a test?

"Bush also defended the controversial testing standards included in the program, saying:

'The key to measuring is to test. And by the way, I've heard every excuse in the book why we should not test -- oh, there's too many tests; you teach the test; testing is intrusive; testing is not the role of government. How can you possibly determine whether a child can read at grade level if you don't test? And for those who claim we're teaching the test, uh-uh. We're teaching a child to read so he or she can pass the test.'"

...what?? I can't even comment on that.

"The president also hailed No Child Left Behind's school choice options:

'By the way, school choice was only open to rich people up until No Child Left Behind. It's hard for a lot of parents to be able to afford to go to any other kind of school but their neighborhood school. Now, under this system, if your public school is failing, you'll have the option of transferring to another public school or charter school. And it's -- I view that as liberation. I view that as empowerment.'"

I view that as ridiculous.
Aren't these schools failing because they do not have the funding to retain quality teachers or obtain effective resources...and they don't have that funding because they fail the tests?

In my mind, NCLB is a very vicious cycle that actually leaves many children behind.
How sad.

I am interested to see what is yet to come for our nation...

If you'd like to read more about this speech or view the video, check out ABC News (where I got the quotes and info)

Effective Use of Gift Cards

2008-12-29T00:45:00.002-05:00

As a Christmas/Graduation gift I recieved a few gift cards to local teacher-supply stores...so, me being the thrifty new teacher that I am (trying to be), I was wondering if any of you veteran teachers had some recommendations for items that I should buy to begin my first teaching job. What are some things that you could have really used when you first started out? What items are typically not supplied by schools that I should definitely have on hand? What can you not live without that would be able to help me??

Any suggestions or ideas would be very much appreciated!! :)

p.s.- I apologize terribly for my lack of blogging...I have been very busy! But there is still more to come!

No Longer A Student Teacher...

2008-12-15T00:25:00.002-05:00

Well, as of yesterday I am no longer a student teacher...but instead, a real teacher :) Now I just have to wait for my license to actually come...which I hear takes forever.

I also need to start applying for jobs...I am really considering relocating, but I'm not sure as to how far I am really willing to go. My family just means way too much to me to be too far away from.

I will be updating at some point this week with a bit more reflection of my final two weeks of student teaching, but for now I just wanted to let everyone know how excited I am to finally be able to call myself a teacher :)

See you soon.

Long Time, No See

2008-11-20T22:57:00.003-05:00

Because life has been busy and hectic, stressful even, I have not had much of a chance to update lately! I have been working on my senior honors project for what seems like every hour that I am home of every day. I cannot wait until that thing is finished and out of my life. I also took my reading endorsement praxis exam...I am really not sure how I did. I'll find out in about 3 weeks! eep!

Life in Kindergarten is going very well. My cooperating teacher and advisor evaluated me for my midterm, and they both thought I was doing very well...hooray! I am enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and schedule of Kindergarten...but I still think I enjoyed 2nd grade more. I'm really not sure as to exaclty why, but I will wait until I am completely finished to evaluate that, I suppose.

Speaking of finished, graduation is 3 weeks away!!

Anyway, in Kindergarten, I planned and have been implementing a unit on Pilgrims/Native Americans/Thanksgiving. The kids seem to really be enjoying it and I know they are retaining the concepts I have been teaching because they are able to tell me all about them every day. I also did a math unit on solids, and they all did so well! I did a whole week's worth of hands-on activites to help them understand cubes, cones, spheres, and cylinders...and they still remember it all for the most part!! The volunteer grandma in our room assessed them today...mostly all were able to identify each solid in the environment and in print...I was so proud!!:)

There is one little boy in particular who I have seen make HUGE learning gains. When I began, he could barely even write his name or identify letters. Now, he is able to write both his first and last name from memory with no assistance, he does so well with my handwriting lessons, can identify letters and letter sounds, and today he finished two activities we did...he was the first in the whole class to finish. Not to mention all of his work was completely correct!!! I really cannot believe it...but his gains have really made me feel as if I am doing something so worthwhile...and seeing his little smile when he does something right just makes my heart melt!

Ah, alright I am done with the giddy ranting. Time to get back to that senior project. I just have to keep reminding myself- I *can* do this.

Test (and other) Anxiety

2008-11-10T23:15:00.005-05:00

This week I am gearing up to take my final Praxis test, the one that will allow me to obtain a reading endorsement. At first, I thought that this one would be a piece of cake compared to my content and PLT tests, but now I am discovering that it might be much more difficult than I had anticipated. The test is completely multiple choice, so I either have the answer or I don't. No writing to explain my thought process. Looking at the test-at-a-glance on the Praxis website, I have also realized that I am a little rusty with my knowledge of teaching reading since I have not studied it in awhile. So hopefully this week I'll be able to brush up on my skills to pass the test on Saturday morning.

In Kindergarten, I am doing a Native American/Pilgrims/Thanksgiving unit over the next few weeks. I am loving being creative, but with so many resources, it is pretty overwhelming to choose things to use in my lessons. I just want to use it all, but of course I am limited on time...and that makes it difficult. I am enjoying Kindergarten, but I am not sure how I feel about this part. I guess over the next few weeks I'll figure it out for sure. My supervisor keeps telling me that she thinks Kindergarten is such a great fit for me...but I'm still not sure.

With the end of the semester only 4 weeks away, I am really starting to feel the pressure of getting everything finished up. I am not looking forward to the many late nights ahead...but honestly I did not make it this far in my college career by getting things done early...so why start now I suppose. Hopefully I can manage to get it all done...

Oh! And today I realized that I really enjoy assessments. Strange? Probably. But we'll save that for another post at a later date. :)

p.s.- I see that I am getting lots of visitors, but no comments!! don't be afraid to leave me a comment (please please please)!

A Sad Reality

2008-11-07T15:58:00.002-05:00

So, I ended up missing Wednesday evening's conferences because Tuesday night I came down with the flu...surprise!
On Thursday, I was feeling a little better, so I forced myself to go to school. I barely made it through the day, but finally the reason for my attendance came...the second round of conferences. Sadly, the parents of students who desperately needed conferences did not show up. Almost every single student who is terribly struggling and could really use more help at home had no one come...and there was not even a single call for cancellation. Just no-shows.

How sad. I mean, I understand that parents have to work and take care of their families, and have a hard time making room in their schedule but they CHOSE these times. They were not just randomly assigned. Parents were given total freedom in choosing any time they would like...and they all signed up. It is just incredibly frustrating to see these kids being left to struggle...while the parents of the students who are doing well show up. My cooperating teacher and I, along with 4 other pull-out teachers, are doing everything we can to help the strugglers...but there is only so much time we have with them.

I just wish there was some way to get these parents more involved. Unfortunately, I am coming to realize that this is something I am going to face for the rest of my career.

Praying For Change...

2008-11-03T20:39:00.002-05:00

Well, as we go into what will be, regardless of who wins, a history-making election tomorrow, I have to throw in my two cents.

As a future educator, and based on my personal beliefs, my hope lies in Barack Obama. I believe that he will really do some good things for the field I am in and I look forward to seeing what he will bring about if elected.

Plus, I just can't imagine what a country run by Sarah Palin would come to.

OBAMA/BIDEN '08

...just make sure you vote!!!!

Job Searching & Parent-Teacher Conferences! Yikes!

2008-11-02T23:02:00.003-05:00

This past week in Kindergarten has been a fairly stressful one. And surprisingly it's not actually student teaching that has been stressing me out. It's this getting a job junk. I have spent countless hours online trying to figure out how in the world to even get started on my job search. My college is actually very good about helping with this, seeing as they hold many events just for education students who are graduating, and I actually have a ton of resources at my fingertips...but there is still one thing nagging at me...finding a location.

In all of the handbooks and websites I have read, each of them tells me to focus on one or two geographic areas where I would be happy teaching. Sounds simple enough. The problem with that, though, is that I DON'T CARE. I literally would be so happy to get hired anywhere (especially in the state of Ohio) that I would graciously accept any offer. I don't have a preference at all. I just want a job. I have spent time in many different types of schools, from urban to rural, and I really just want to teach anywhere. So, it is incredibly hard to narrow this decision down when my focus is on getting a job, not where that job is located.

If anyone out there has any advice on this...I could really use some.

In other news, my supervisor came in to observe me this past week and she told me that she thinks Kindergarten may be a better fit for me...which is strange because I loved 2nd grade. However, I am going to consider her words because having someone look in from the outside may help me realize something I am not seeing.

Another big event is happening this week: Parent-Teacher Conferences.
In some aspects I am really looking forward to this new experience, and learning how to carry out these conferences successfully. This is most definitely something I did not learn in any class and will be thankful to have been through before my first year when I am thrown to the wolves. However, it seems that most teachers dread this week...so I am not really looking forward to finding out just why that is.

They're Making Me Sick!

2008-10-26T00:39:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, I still have the cold that I mentioned in my last post. It's been over a week and it has still not let up at all! I think the Kindergarteners are keeping me sick with all of their little germs! What do you do to stay healthy around all the little ones? I take a multivitamin everyday but apparently that is not enough. Hmm...

This past week I went to an administrator panel to listen to several area superintendents speak about how they select candidates for positions. Honestly, it was incredibly informational, but I left feeling slightly discouraged. I got nervous about simply asking a question and introducing myself...to the point where I was physically hot and my face got red...how am I ever going to make it through an interview??? I am so passionate about teaching...but I am terrified that I am never going to get a job. If at all possible, I'd like to stay in Ohio...but I do not want to be a sub for long...it's just not for me. Subbing will be ok for a few months, until the new school year starts, but I want to be employed for the 09-10 school year. But apparently the outlook for me, or anyone, in Ohio is bleak. I just hope that with all my experience and passion for teaching, I will be one of the lucky few who gets a job.

I guess I still have awhile to worry about this...

only 7 weeks left!

Another First Day

2008-10-19T22:25:00.002-04:00

After a long weekend (I would say NICE long weekend, but I was fighting off a cold during most of it), it is finally time to begin my Kindergarten student teaching experience! Though I am excited, I am also pretty stressed about it. I shouldn't be, because I have the most experience with younger children, but I have never had to maintain a roomful of 29 of them all day everyday!! I guess this will most definitely give me a clearer idea of what grade level I would like to teach, but for some reason, I feel like this will be much more challenging than 2nd grade...I guess we'll see.
Really, my goal is just to pass and graduate...and I am SURE I can do that!!

With graduation as the main goal, there are a ton of things going through my mind...maybe someone out there can give me some good advice....

First, I am completely unsure of where I should live & start substitute teaching. Currently, I live with my parents near the rural district I am student teaching in. There are about 7 districts around here that I can substitute teach in. However, from what I know, the job outlook in this area (and Ohio in general) is not very good. So option one would be to stay living here with my parents for free and sub in these districts with little possibility of finding a job. The other option here is to move back to the urban area where I attended college and substitute in the many school districts around there while possibly also maintaining an after-school job...but with this means paying rent every month (but I would be near my friends...which I'm not now). Are my chances of getting a job in this urban area any better? Really I have no idea what to do about this. What do you think???

Another issue I am facing is whether or not to make attempts at out-of-state jobs. I desperately want to have a job when the 09-10 school year begins...but am I willing to leave everything I have ever known for that? Ugh. If only my chances of finding a job in Ohio were better.

I'm also thinking about licensure, the upcoming praxis test for my reading endorsement, and getting my senior honors project done....

So much to do, so little time...

Last Day of 2nd Grade

2008-10-16T23:44:00.005-04:00

So, as the title of this post suggests, today was my last day student teaching in 2nd grade. Boy, I sure will miss those kids...and my cooperating teacher! We got along so well...it was really a great match!

This morning my supervisor came to do my final, which I passed- even did extremely well on! I was out of the room for a bit and then when I came back into the room, all of the kids stared at me and shouted, SURPRISE!! At first I just kind of looked around with a puzzled smile on my face...what were they doing?? Then a few of them started pointing to a table in the back of the room where I saw a large brown box tied up with a pretty yellow ribbon. I went over, and on top of the box was a book entitled, "The Best Teacher in 2nd Grade." My cooperating teacher told me to open the book, and inside was a note that said "Miss S., Remember us always." and each child in the class, along with my teacher, signed it. By the time I had read this, all 25 of the kids were gathered around me at the table. I could not even look up from the card because I had tears in my eyes!! Then they wanted me to open the box, and when I did I found it overflowing with teacher supplies- stickers, computer paper, paperclips, magnets, cut-out decorations, name tags, word strips, and tons more! I was so excited all I could do was repeat "thank you!" over and over.

(this picture does not do it justice because you cannot completely see all of the wonderful things in there, but there are about two layers under the top one.)

Then, I got a box out that I brought in that morning and gave the kids each a gift I had made for them- a little decorative nametags with a note I had written to each child(they will uses these as bookmarks!) fastened to a pencil and a lollipop with a ribbon. They were very excited for this simple gift! Then, I gave my cooperating teacher her gift...a pretty pen-bouquet I made for her(Pens that look like flowers...made them using artificial gerber daisies, pens, and floral tape...and they sit in a pretty glass vase with shiny blue stones to look like water) with a thank you card and $20 gift card to a local restaurant. After she read what I had written in the card, I got a big hug! I think we were both sad to see this day come!

What a wonderful (even though it was somewhat sad) day.

Needless to say, today I got a lot of hugs. :)

4 Days

2008-10-12T23:39:00.005-04:00

Well, with the beginning of this week I only have 4 days left in 2nd grade! It has gone by so quickly! I am hoping that my final evaluation goes well...and then its off to Kindergarten...which I am somewhat nervous about since I have gotten used to 6th graders...but really I have had a tone of experience with the younger children in the past...so I shouldn't be nervous...but we'll see.
As a gift for letting me student teach in her room, I got my cooperating teacher a giftcard to a nearby restaurant, a card, and am going to make her some flower pens that look like a pretty arrangement to put on her desk (I will post pictures later in the week)...do you have any other suggestions on good gifts for a cooperating teacher? Just curious for when I finish up Kindergarten and need to get that teacher a gift.

Speaking of my crafty-ness (which I do not have a ton of yet)...I created a quick and simple interactive bulletin board in the 2nd grade room. I used half of the marker board and just quickly put up some things to go along with what I was covering in Science. To go along with it, I held a contest to see who could come up with the most animals and classify them correctly...and the winners got animal bookmarks (I gave all of the participants stickers). This helped them study the characteristics of the different types of animals and was fun! The kids loved it! Now, I know that this "bulletin board" does not look that great, and I am almost embarassed to show a picture of how pathetic it was, but like I said it was done fairly quickly and without the option of having a background color. My teacher said she thought it may have been too colorful, but I like colorful...so I guess it was a matter of opinion. Either way, it was fun!

Tomorrow my cooperating teacher will not be at school...so a lucky sub will get paid to sit back and relax while I teach all day! :) I hope it goes alright!!

Accident or Abuse?...A Lesson.

2008-10-06T23:11:00.003-04:00

Today taught me something that I was most definitely glad to learn sooner rather than later. (aha! the point of student teaching!) Don't get me wrong...this has been a great learning experience thus far...but today I learned something I would have never learned had the situation not arose.

Since it is week 7 (only 8 days left of 2nd grade!), I have taken over mostly all of the teaching/management responsibilities. Each morning when the students come in, they turn their folders in to me and I check them for homework, parent notes, etc. Along with this comes a brief morning greeting and converstaion with each student. Today, one particular student came in and I noticed that he had scab on his nose. Now, in my mind, I really didn't even have a second thought about it. I figured that he had scratched it playing outside this weekend or something of the like. We began the day and as usual this little guy was moving around, having trouble focusing. My cooperating teacher must have quietly reminded him to pay attention when I noticed him getting up and going over to her. She must have asked him what happened to his nose because the next thing I knew she was telling me that she was going to talk to the school's family/guidance person...and that a friend of the child's mother had burnt him on the nose with a cigarette...and Mom just laughed about it. At this point, I had felt absolutely terrible for not asking what had happened before. I looked more closely at the scab during the day and it was now easy to tell that it had come from a cigarette, perfectly round and right in the center of his nose. My heart just felt sad for this boy all day...and I wondered what would happen next.

When I arrived home, I told my parents of the situation(without using names, of course)and asked what they thought. My mom felt more like I did...she was shocked and horrified that this could happen to a child. My dad, on the other hand, replied that maybe it had been an accident. Clearly, I did not witness the incident, so I do not know what happened. Either way, though, I still felt so sad that the child had been caused such pain.

So...going back to what I learned...from now on, if I see a mark on any child, no matter if I think it looks like a normal bump or bruise, I am going to ask that child what happened to them. In my child services training, they told us about the normal kid-injuries...which I assumed that today's was...but I am not ever going to take that risk again.

I am glad I learned this lesson now, early in the game...

Under Pressure

2008-10-01T16:22:00.002-04:00

So, my cooperating teacher had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. The school was required to hire a sub for that half of the day, but really, I just did everything...my first taste of taking over the entire day...and it was incredibly stressful. The process of making a million decisions and not having my teacher there when I needed help was almost scary.

But guess what?
I did it.
And all the kids went home alive...happy even.

I still feel stressed, though, like I forgot something...but I think that is just me second-guessing myself. I'm pretty sure they did everything they were supposed to do this afternoon.

One new (to me)thing that I did today was write a note home to a parent because their child was complaiging of chest pain and shortness of breath all afternoon and the nurse was not at the school today (shouldn't a nurse be there everyday?...hmmm). It took me wayyyyyy longer than it probably should have because I was trying to word it perfectly and make sure it looked and sounded professional...but even that turned out ok (for now).

The biggest problem that I had this afternoon was teaching social studies. We were discussing the concept of hemispheres, the different hemispheres, and doing a worksheet about how you could locate which hemisphere the continents were in. Previously, the students had learned about northern and southern hemispheres, then eastern and western, and now today the lesson combined all four. I did several examples using a large ball with tape on it to show the equator and prime meridian (the school has no globes) and then had them put a little figurine on the ball and they located the hemispheres it was in just fine. Then, when I had them do the exact same thing on the worksheet, even the brightest students were having some troubles. So again, I did another example of hemispheres using a student (having the class look at sides of her to show that when you could see one, you could not see the other) and told them about a million times how this page was like the ball laid out flat. We went through the sheet together, and at the end I had them do a fist of five for me...not surprisingly, most of them said "5", that they totally understood this material 100%...and only 2 or 3 admitted to being confused. I could tell that they really were not fully grasping this concept and this is the first time I've had this happen...where the whole class isn't seeming to get it. It was very stressful for me, but it had to have been just as stressful for them too! Hopefully with some more review they will start to get it more.

Needless to say, I am exhausted...but thoroughly enjoying the practice I am getting.
Tomorrow my supervisor from the college comes to observe me again. I did very well on my midterm, and I took all her suggestions to heart, so hopefully she will have some good things to say...and hopefully the kids behave.

Relax!

2008-09-28T13:21:00.003-04:00

I am very excited right now because I just bought a Carson Dellosa File Folder game book (in excellent condition) on ebay for $10...those things are normally about $30!!! I was actually at Holcomb's yesterday trying to find one and the cheapest one was $26. So I am truly pumped about my bargain hunting. My cooperating teacher told me it would be a good idea to get one now and just start making the games because they take forever to make and are a good resource to have handy for moments when you have extra time. I always get excited about a bargain.

I have recently found that one of the most relaxing things I can do is to cuddle up with a hot drink like tea or hot cocoa (NOT coffee) and read a book...how did I live without this before? With the weather slowly turning into fall, I've discovered that my favorite drink during this time of year is a hot caramel apple cider. I am going to attempt to make some at home but the best I've had so far comes from the Seattle's Best Coffee shop inside of Borders.

I think that we all need something like this to relax us on stressful days, or just to help us unwind a bit after a long day dealing with kiddos. What is your favorite relaxation technique? I would love to hear some more suggestions.

Uncertainty

2008-09-24T21:46:00.003-04:00

So far with student teaching, both my cooperating teacher and my supervisor from the University have told me that I am doing a great job. multiple times even.

...but for some reason, today I feel uncertain. I am trying to come across as naturally as possible in the classroom and trying so hard to get it all right. Granted, I am only a student teacher at this point, so I am not supposed to be some amazing teacher...that's what I'm still trying to learn how to do...and that's the whole point of student teaching. But for some reason, I am overly critical of myself and any tiny thing that I feel did not go well gets me down.

Today I even questioned myself. Is this REALLY what I should be doing with my life? What if I end up being a terrible teacher??

So, on the way home from school today, as I was practically on the verge of tears (even after my cooperating teacher reassured me that I am doing FINE) I called one of my best friends, who also happens to be a veteran teacher. We'll call her Vi. Anytime I want to "talk ed" with someone, Vi's the one I call...and vice versa. She's also like a big sister to me so I felt this was the perfect time to call her and ask...do you ever question your career as a teacher? I explained a little bit of my situation to her and she really made me feel better. She reminded me that this feeling happens to every teacher from time to time, especially during student teaching. She also said a few things that reminded me why I even want to teach to begin with...and my faith was restored. I suppose I was being a tad irrational in my worries, but I just want to make sure that I am going to be the best teacher I can be...and thinking about that is slighlty nervewracking from time to time.

Other than talking to a teacher-friend who totally gets your woes, are there any other de-stressing methods or pick-me-ups you use to get rid of your "teacher blues"??
I think that this is an insider tip I could really use.

Office, Books, and More

2008-09-22T22:38:00.005-04:00

Well, last week was a fairly strange one. Because of wind damage and power outages from the hurricane, I did not have school on Monday or Tuesday. During that free time, I actually got a few things done: worked on my resume (which was NOT very much fun), caught up on sleep, put name stickers on my children's books, organized my room a little bit, and even tried out a new pie recipe! Then, on Wednesday, I had my first teacher in-service. For some reason, I thought that it would be much more fun than what it really was, but I actually did learn a few things. In the morning session, I listened to a classroom management presentation and got quite a few good ideas to try in the future. In the afternoon, I went to a powerpoint workshop, which was basically useless to me since I am already very familiar with the program. However, it gave me some time to play around on the newest version of microsoft office, which I do not have on my own computer...and I decided that I really do need to buy it with my student discount before I graduate. What a difference just a few years can make!

Speaking of Children's books and office, this weekend the boyfriend helped me create an excel spreadsheet of all the books I own (he is very supportive of my passion for teaching...even buys me Holcomb's gift cards!). Ever since I took a few classes on children's literature, I have been obsessed. I have been buying books from retiring teachers' garage sales (and any garage sales), library clearance sales, scholastic, and basically anywhere else I am able to get books for cheap. So far, my beginning classroom library is at a whopping (ha) 139 books. I averaged all the money I've spent, and it seems that I have paid less than a dollar a book, so I am really proud of my collection...the picture really does not do it justice but I promise that the crate is extremely heavy and all 139 books are in there!! :) It is just one of the many things I have been trying to prepare so that I am ready for that first year.

One other thing I have been thinking about lately is teacher's unions. This is most definitely not a topic that was discussed in any of my college classes, and I am not very familiar with unions in general. All I know about them is that they are expensive to be a part of and they helped one of my friends when requirements for her job were going to change and be unfair for her. Other than that, I am totally in the dark. This week I have heard some of the teachers at school buzzing about who is joining, what kinds of things they will be doing, and who is coming to their first meeting. I guess if they will back you up as a teacher, they seem very beneficial...so I am unsure as to why there seems to be controversy surrounding them sometimes. Is this something I will learn more about in my first job?...or am I expected to be familiar with this? This might be a very dumb thing to wonder about...I probably seem so sheltered and naive...but I just want to make sure I am aware of these kinds of things before I get myself into anything.

This week at school I have my first midterm evaluation. I am a little nervous but both my cooperating teacher and supervisor have said I am doing a good job...so hopefully I can keep it up. It is hard to believe that I am already over halfway done with my first placement! In mid-October I will move from second grade to Kindergarten (at the same school).

Well...another exhausting day has gone by! Time for bed!!! One thing I know for sure is that teachers need a lot of sleep! :)

Taking Control

2008-09-14T22:13:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I was supposed to be taking over the entire morning at school.
Just my luck, the school closed for tomorrow because of the terrible weather we've been having here. I guess you could call it a "snow day" even though there is no snow. So I guess I will be taking control on Tuesday. I am excited. The part I am most nervous about is actually writing notes home in response to parent notes recieved in the morning. I know my mentor teacher will help me a ton, but surprisingly that is something that is making me nervous to think about.

I am also looking forward to the rest of this week as well because I will be attending my first in-service! I really have no clue what that entails...I'm sure it will probably be some kind of presenter or something...but I am really excited for it. It's like...one of those cool teacher things they don't teach you about in college.

Speaking of those kinds of things, I have been learning so much lately. I really feel like I am gaining a ton of confidence both with the students and as a professional. With that, I am also always either busy or exhausted, which is why my posts have been pretty nonexistant for the last week.

Today I was talking (well, I guess I should say "gushing" because we were both very excited and extremely happy with our experiences thus far) with a fellow student teacher and her fiance was just kind of listening to our conversation and laughing. He is a teacher in a charter school and has been there for 2 or 3 years. He thought it was funny that we were enjoying it so much and warned us that we will hate our lives during our first year of teaching. I mean, I suppose that I can see where he is coming from...loads of paperwork, new rules and policies, getting comfortable in a new position with new colleagues, and having to maintain an entire class and classroom. And it made me slightly nervous. I mean, I do have a lot of help now, but I thought that this experience was supposed to prepare me as much as possible so I wouldn't hate my life that first year. Am I wrong? I mean, my teacher is giving me a ton of great ideas on management strategies, instructional techniques, and even materials that I can start preparing now. So now I'm slightly worried that all of this is not enough.

I guess what I'm looking for is some advice. How can I better prepare myself for that dreaded first year?

Those Who Can...

2008-09-03T20:40:00.005-04:00

Today at lunch one of the teachers was talking about the unfortunate, yet common, mistreatment of elementary school teachers. She said a phrase (trying to make her point) that, in my mind, was extremely disheartening:

Those who CAN, DO...
Those who CAN'T, TEACH...
And Those who CAN'T TEACH, TEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

As I returned back to the classroom after my lunch, I couldn't seem to get that stupid little saying out of my head. I had heard the first part before, but never the elementary school part. Ever since I changed my major to early childhood education, I have taken crap for it. People instantly assuming that I am unintelligent because I want to teach that level...People assuming that all I do all day is "play"...People wishing that their homework and coursework could be "that easy"...People telling me "you're too smart to do that" or "you're never going to find a job"...and just about anything else you could imagine. And every time they've said those things to me, I've come right back with the fact that I am an Honors student, do NOT "play" all day by ANY means, spend more time on homework, projects, and field work in a semester than they ever will in their entire college career, and just about anything else I could say to prove them wrong. I have stayed confident and believed that I WILL be a good teacher and that I WILL find a job and that I WILL reach those kids. But now, I am at a loss for words. I just feel like that little saying is a complete and total disrespect for the people who work so hard to TEACH the future of this world. As I have learned from my first two weeks of student teaching, this job is endless and sadly, thankless...and yet we STILL spend hours upon hours trying to figure out how to help that one student. I mean, I have been thinking about hardly anything but school since I returned home at 4pm!!! With all this hard work, I would think that we at least deserve to be treated like the professionals that we are.

Hearing that from a very-veteran teacher made me realize that I am going to put up with this my whole life. I am going to be treated this way...and I know that...but I still want to teach. Yes, it is incredibly discouraging (and flat out makes me mad), but I am just too passionate. Today, I was working with a student and he had a total "A-HA!" moment. He got it. It all clicked. I actually helped him to learn something...and THAT is probably one of the most rewarding experiences I think that I could ever have not only as a teacher, but as a person. SO maybe that's why we put up with all the crap...because we know all the extremely hard work we put into it, and when we actually reach a student, it makes it all worth it.

Today's Lesson...

2008-09-02T22:38:00.003-04:00

Today I taught my first official lesson for student teaching. It went fairly well, and I think that the students really grasped the concepts I was trying to teach them (short e and short o sounds, consonant blend identification, friendship, sharing, etc.-all tied together for a reading/phonics lesson). Afterwards, my cooperating teacher made a few suggestions that I could try for next time (like specific materials I could use, etc. to involve the students a bit more) but she said she thought it went pretty well, which was most definitely reassuring. I am just trying to be confident in the classroom...but I think a more natural confidence will come when it is my own classroom I am teaching in.

Have I mentioned that I really love my cooperating teacher? She is just great. I feel like I have already learned a ton, and she is giving me very useful feedback. At times though, I can tell it is strange for her to just sit there and let me take over her classroom, but I am most definitely very gracious in her doing so.

To my surprise my classroom management skills are much sharper than I had realized. I have been actively and conciously practicing the use of proximity and eye contact, as well as speaking with children privately when they are acting out. It is working much better than I had anticipated! And the best part is I am actually recalling this stuff from my ed classes! Hooray...all that money on college tuition may not have been wasted!!

On a final note, I have always wanted to teach either Kindergarten or 1st grade, because I have spent a lot of time working with students of those age levels and have really enjoyed those experiences. My experiences with 3rd and 4th graders were alright, but just weren't my favorite. Now, though, I think I HAVE found my favorite...2nd grade! Maybe I am only saying this because I am working with second graders now, but I love their age level. In-between the two ends I mentioned before, I suppose. The kids I am teaching now are all on different ability levels, but somehow I feel like I can really reach them!
...and isn't that the point? :)

I Survived Week One!!!

2008-08-31T12:41:00.002-04:00

Well, to start off this post I must say that I truly commend each and every one of you who spends their entire day teaching and still finds time to update their blog on a daily basis. Teaching is an endless job!!

Needless to say, I have been very busy over the past week. I think I just need some more time to get used to the new schedule...and then maybe I'll find some time to breathe and actually think.

Other than being extremely busy, I am really enjoying my student teaching experience thus far. My cooperating teacher is awesome. Not only is she an amazing teacher to her students, but has also given me so many great ideas and "insider tips" that I KNOW I will be able to utilize in the future. She is really trying her best to make sure that I gain realistic and useful knowledge for my future career, and I really appreciate that. She also treats me as if I am on the same level as her, not as if I am some clueless newbie (which I am, and I think she treats me as more than that on purpose) and that makes me feel much more confident in the classroom. And not to mention, we just get along really well overall. So I feel very lucky to be working with her.

My supervisor from the college, however, seems much more rigid. I suppose that the two of them will balance each other out. I just want to learn as much as I can and do as much as I can to help those kids learn.

My colloquium class is also going to be immensely helpful for me. They are requiring us to turn in our resume for a critique, they are going to help us post applications on the state department of education website, walk us through applying for our licensures, and all kinds of other things to help us find JOBS...which is really the ultimate goal...so I am glad to have some help with that!

So all in all, week one was great. I am looking forward to 4-day week two.

I have a hard time believing that people actually get paid to do something so amazing...a career that they truly love! (even though in reality they SHOULD be paid much more...) Who would have thought you could get paid to do something you love so much?

First Day Jitters

2008-08-25T22:41:00.002-04:00

So...today was the big day...my first day of student teaching! I woke up around 6:15am, and was surprisingly very awake. I think I was so awake because I was very nervous. When I arrived at the school, I was greeted by all of the staff I encountered...many of them thought I was a substitute! I found my cooperating teacher and she showed me around a bit. The principal even came up to meet me!

Soon enough, the children were arriving. I can't even begin to describe the vast differences between the children at this school (very rural) and the ones I had done field work at previously (very urban). It is hard to believe that within 50 miles there can seem to be two totally different worlds.

For the entire morning, I sat in the back of the classroom and observed. Then, the children had library time. After that, I got to experience my first lunch duty. It was a little intimidating because children would ask me if they could do things, and I wasn't sure of the lunchtime rules, so I was afraid I would tell them the wrong thing. But I survived and so did they. After lunch, I felt a little more comfortable and helped out in the classroom a little bit, but mostly just observed still. The end of the day came fairly quickly after that.

My cooperating teacher does a lot of things I really like. First, when she is administering discipline, she does this thing where she whispers across the room to the student she is trying to communicate with. It seemed to work really well and none of the other children even seemed to notice it. I think it took a little of the embarassment off of being called out in front of the class. She also pulls students aside and speaks with them privately, which we have always been taught to do, but this was the first time I ever really saw it completely in action. She is also very patient with the students and treats them with a great deal of respect. I really think I am going to learn a lot from her!

I am really going to have to get my body used to this early morning stuff. By 5pm today, I was exhausted and took a 2-hour nap.

So, that is really the gist of my first day. Pretty good overall. Pretty long as well.

I am looking forward to tomorrow.

the final countdown...

2008-08-23T01:06:00.002-04:00

I officially have only a weekend separating me from student teaching...and I am excited, nervous, and terrified all in one.

I guess it's probably always like this when you start a brand new chapter of your life. Especially when it is going to play a huge part in something that you will do for the rest of your career.

Yesterday was the student teaching orientation meeting at the university. Although my heart was racing during the entire meeting, it felt a little better to talk with others in the same situation as me. I am not the only one who feels overwhelmed already!!!

I have already met my cooperating teachers...and both of them seem great, so that's definitely a plus.

And everyone keeps reassuring me that I am going to do wonderfully.

But I can't help the nerves, I guess.

So my question is this...does anyone have any advice for me as I begin student teaching on Monday??? Do you have any ideas that might make me less nervous?? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

and I still need to update the teacher wardrobe...:)

So Much To Do, So Little Time...

2008-08-18T00:54:00.003-04:00

As my student teaching experience comes nearer, it seems like I have more to do than ever. I actually don't start for another week (August 25)...but it seems like a week is still not enough time to do all that needs to be done before then.

First, I need to submit the proposal for my senior honors project (which essentially is like a thesis-type thing) to the honors college so that I can graduate ...I have chosen to do the project on using children's literature in the classroom, which I think I can get a lot from, but I am having a hard time getting the whole thing organized and begun with no help from my advisor since she is not on campus this summer. If I could just get that out of the way, I would feel much better...we'll see if that happens this week.

Next, I need to do some major teacher-clothes shopping. Over the past few semesters, I have acquired much more "professional" attire than most college students because of the enourmous load of field work I've been required to complete for my major. However, back then I did not have to spend the entire day, every day, dressed up. So I need to spend a day this week shopping for some nice clothes...luckily I have a date with one of my best friends, Maria, to help me since she is already a "pro" teacher :)

Another thing that needs to get done, unfortunately, is me moving back in with my parents. Since I am student teaching closer to my hometown than college, I am moving back in with them to save myself some money. But I am not looking forward to moving all my stuff the 50 miles back there. Packing up from my sorority house (where I have lived for almost 3 years) is going to be sad, too. And to add on to that, cleaning out my room at both places. boo. Hopefully that will get done on Friday!

Thursday is the official student teacher send-off meeting as well with the College of Ed. The meeting is scheduled to last 2.5 hours so that they can explain everything we need to be doing. I know it's cheesy, but I am actually excited for this!

This week will be my official last week of Jumpstart (where I have worked for 2 years)...and that is also somewhat sad.

And last, but certainly not least, is attempting to find some time to spend with all my friends in Akron before moving back home.

I am trying to brace myself for a complete and total life change...
here goes nothing!!!

Hours Upon Hours...

2008-08-13T02:03:00.002-04:00

Wow! Turning this blog into something that anyone will actually want to read has been quite the job over the past 24 hours! I have been thinking of what kind of layout I would like, if I can con the boyfriend into helping me spruce it up a bit, trying to read other blogs and find other good websites, and so on. This is quite the process!!

But it WILL feel good once it is setup to my liking!

Here We Go...

2008-08-12T02:33:00.001-04:00

Hello! My name is Miss Casey and I am beginning a blog to help myself stay sane and share my experiences (and hopefully learn from others) while student teaching!!! I also hope to keep writing once I finally get a job as a teacher. I will graduate in December and will be certified age 3-grade 3. I am excited to get started!!! :)