Simple Speech.

Dx Factor (Get it?)

2012-02-06T22:19:00.001-05:00

My first diagnostic evaluation is tomorrow eeeeeeeeek! Thank goodness for all the love from the fellow speechies in my program. My partner and I are the first pair scheduled, foraging the frontier for our fellow phonteticists!!

All silliness aside, this assignment is the first assignment in the program's clinic with a real life client. Thinking about diagnosis gets serious when there's a real human being right in front of us. I'm excited to meet the client and even more excited to hear feedback about how we did. I've been prepping some of the test materials for the past couple of hours.

I somehow have found time to make it to the gym on all of my regular days and I even studied for an aphasia final a little bit here and there. Oh, and I did an observation at a local aphasia program last week! As far as my decision to become a SLP? Let's just say it was one of the best ideas I ever had.

Okay, I need to get back to my date with the CASL (Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language).

Winter Break to-dos!

2011-12-12T11:31:00.002-05:00

As the academic semester reaches its final stretch, I am looking forward to accomplishing some non-class related tasks over Winter Recess. Here are some of the things I might think about accomplishing:

1. Make a mix CD. This is a dying art. All the same, people love mix tapes. I want to make a good one to distribute to everyone accordingly.

2. Host dinner. I want to plan out a dinner menu and invite some people over for dinner, so I can have the joy of cooking for a group of people.

3. Knit and crochet. I want to do as much knitting and crocheting as possible. I also want to try my hand at needlepoint, to make things like this:

4. Clean and organize my room, apartment, and storage space. Not much explanation needed there.

5. Plan trip to San Diego. I want to visit Maureen in San Diego, so I need to plan when I can go and buy a ticket.

6. Spend time with friends and family.

7. Do some pleasure reading. I want to finish The Help and then read Cherry by Mary Karr.

8. Exercise. I need to use my gym membership. I haven't gone in over a month.

Cover Letters and Resumes

2011-12-02T09:44:00.001-05:00

While reading through some cover letters and resumes for my boss, I am making some interesting observations. Here's some of my [slightly un-]professional opinions:

Write a cover letter. If you don't want the job enough to write the cover letter, then don't write a cover letter. Your resume will be put in the "no" pile.
Don't overgeneralize in your cover letter, and don't use abbreviations. Use full title positions and institution names. And give specific examples. Don't mention the weather in your cover letter either (true story).
Don't give a paragraph of description for every bullet of experience, and don't give me every single fast food job you worked 10 years ago.
Formatting is more important that you think. Employers like to see attention to detail, and the resume is the first impression of this.

Sidebar: I have a friend who went in for a job interview and the person interviewing him said that she combed his resume for grammatical errors and typos and was impressed that he didn't have any, which showed that he is highly attentive to detail. (Granted, the job is at an accounting firm, but it's relevant.)

Don't write that you have good interpersonal skills. Any schmo can write that on their resume.
DO include:

social networking proficiency.
All computer programming and software skills.
Languages, if you speak more than one.

Okay, now that I have a better perspective on what a good resume looks like, I'm going to go edit my own.

2011-10-12T14:18:00.001-04:00

I'm still trying to figure out what area of speech-language pathology interests me the most. I am also engaged in the ongoing decision regarding the type of setting in which to work.

Here are some findings, so far (subject to change, of course):

1. I like working with kids. I know this. But I haven't worked with other SLI populations enough to know if this is the only group I could be happy working with.

2. Multicultural aspects of speech and language are of special interest to me.

That's all.

In other news, my GA-ship is great. I love the people I work with, and I love being able to dress business casual every day. It's gearing me up for clinical practicum next fall. Speaking of clinicals, I talked to my program adviser and decided that I won't be able to continue my GA-ship for a second year. Hey, I'm thankful to have this opportunity for even a year! And I am excited about being able to live somewhere where I can have a pet.

August, so far.

2011-08-17T00:56:00.003-04:00

I am so very grateful to have been offered a graduate assistant position this year. It is not in my academic department, but rather with the department of housing. I'm qualified because I worked for housing for three years as an undergraduate. (Yes, I was an RA.)

Because this is a position with Housing, an apartment on campus is part of the package. But this means I don't get to have visits from my dog (but my ex is kind enough to let me come visit her when I please).

I am anxious about classes starting. I have 4 grad-level classes, and one infamously demanding undergrad course, and I'll be working 20 hours a week in addition to that. I also need to take a basic-level math class at the local community college. It's going to be a challenging semester. Bring it on!

Hiatus: over.

2011-07-04T23:10:00.004-04:00

I have definitely been slacking on this blog. What has happened since March, you ask? Here's a quick summary:

-I 4.0-ed my first semester of graduate school. Go me!

-I became single again, which was/is very hard but it needed to happen.

-I long-term subbed in a kindergarten classroom for six weeks and loved almost every minute of it.

-Got hired as a nanny.

-Ruined my 4.0 with my spring class grade. No worries!

-Grown closer to some new, fantasically awesome new female friends.

-Partook in the 2nd Annual Girls' Camping Weekend. (Best time ever).

And today is Independence Day! Sparklers galore.

MSHA Conference

2011-03-20T10:34:00.002-04:00

I'm excited to say that I am registered to attend the Michigan Speech-Language and Hearing Association's annual conference as a student. The conference is a 20-minute drive away, so I don't have to fork up the money to pay for a hotel.

The only other person I know going is my graduate advisor, so I will definitely be out of my comfort zone. But I couldn't resist the opportunity to be around professionals in my desired field and gaining exposure to what the association is all about.

In other news, classes are going great. I have two big group projects coming up and a test pretty much every week. It feels like a never-ending to-do list, but I'm staying afloat. It'll all be worth it in a couple of years.

I've always been a sucker for a good story.

2011-02-17T23:24:00.002-05:00

And when that story is a television series available on Netflix, I watch it for hours on end, as I did with Lost today. Wednesday was such a long, tired day, and I used it to rationalize taking the day off from subbing, sleeping in, and then allowing myself to get sucked into the Lost world.

I got the tutoring job, but I'm not sure if I'm going to stick with it. It's really far away (about a 25-minute drive), which would be okay if I had more availability. Currently, my schedule has me driving out three times a week for an hour each. Needless to say, I am looking for work elsewhere.

Classes are still going excellent. I have a much better work ethic compared to my undergraduate self. I make flashcards for tests and everything! I've recently applied for a Graduate Assistantship in the university's Housing Department, which would be a blast and a great help professionally and financially.

I've picked up "running" again. I use quotations because the term is misleading to my current level of ability. Jogging is a better term, with an intent to slowly increase time and speed. My friend and running partner, Katie, suggested we do this event called the "Warrior Dash" in the summer. It's something like a 5K combined with an obstacle course. Crazy.

2011-02-03T10:17:00.002-05:00

School is back in session, my friends. I have been back in school for a month now, and I feel great about it. I'm doing well in my classes so far; both of my two tests were A's. My favorite class is Applied Phonetics, mostly because I like playing with the International Phonetic Alphabet.

I am still working as a substitute two days a week, and I'm interviewing for a tutoring position on Monday for some extra cash. I've also applied for graduate assistant positions for the coming school year.

There are some necessary changes happening in my personal life as well, which I'm anxious about. But I have faith that things will work out the way they are supposed to, and I will come out a stronger person no matter what happens.

Short little blip. More to come.

Christmas, All Over Again

2010-12-26T13:54:00.002-05:00

Not that I'm not already biased towards Tom Petty, but I always really liked his one Christmas hit:

I'm proud of myself. I actually managed to make three different kinds of cookies to give away this year, and I managed to put together some simple gifts for many of my loves.

Darin and I started our Christmas tour with a cousins' breakfast on Christmast Eve Morn'. It was a great success, and evidence that we all turned out as okay adults. We then drove over to Chris and Kelly's, where we had dropped off Daisy earlier. She and their dog, Rufus, get along swimmingly, no thanks to Daisy. Luckily, Rufus is probably one of the most well-socialized dogs I've met, and doesn't respond to Daisy's provocations. What a good ol' boy. Kelly whipped up some HEARTY potato soup and we channel surfed while Darin napped on their couch.

We went to the Christmas Eve service at my parents church, where I got to briefly see some second cousins and a ton of adorably dressed children. We went back to my 'rents and ate some of Mom's lasagna -- the best in the world. Per tradition, I wrapped all of the gifts from Dad for Mom, refusing to wrap the Wii that my mom bought for herself. We decided to take it out of the box and play it instead.

The next morning, we exchanged gifts and watched Darin and Ry battle over high scores on the basketball shoot-out game on Wii. Then we hit up Grandpa's, where we managed to pile ourselves into his tiny apartment, despite his plan to have us "stop by at different times". Darin and I won a combined $23.00 in lottery tickets gifted to us by Grandpa and Marylou. Score.

We traveled onward to suburban Michigan to celebrate with Darin's dad's family, which is always a blast because there are a lot of them, and they love to jest. And play poker. We stayed for a couple of hours and drove home to watch a Netflix movie. It was a good holiday for all, expect for Fred, my parents' poor cat, who spent the whole time in the basement hiding from Daisy.

Blog Changes

2010-12-18T12:38:00.002-05:00

There are a couple of small changes on my blog (the title and some of the info on the side), with more to come. But I have revamped my Google Reader and subscribed to a dozen Speech Language Pathology blogs. I will report back about which ones I like best.

Classes start in two and a half weeks! I need to get my workspace organized and functional, with a place to put everything and some visual inspiration a la ma copine Jen. Pictures to follow.

Monkey Bread Mishap

2010-12-12T16:40:00.002-05:00

I invited a couple of my friends over the other night for some much-needed catching up and girl time. A perfect excuse to bake, I thought, as I pulled out my mom's delicious Monkey Bread recipe. Angela and Stacey sat on the couch and we talked while I coated bits of biscuit with cinnamin and sugar. However, the recipe calls for a sugary glaze overtop, which has to be boiled.

Apparently, sugar burns pretty quickly. Before I knew what was happening, there was smoke rising rapidly from the saucepan on the stove, and the bubbles of liquid inside had turned black. Eventually, the entire apartment was filled with smoke, and my guests had to run into the hallway to seek fresh air. Daisy was panting because she couldn't breathe!

It was awefully embarassing, but entirely hilarious. We grabbed Daisy and our coats and went for a walk down the street while I aired the apartment out with a fan and an open window. I'm glad my friends can see the humor in that kind of situation. The Monkey Bread turned out pretty mushy, but they loved it anyway.

Next time, I will 1.) Bake ahead of time, before my friends come over. 2.) Not leave sugar + a heat source unattended. Stay tuned for my next adventure in cooking!

Nutshell News

2010-12-08T18:09:00.003-05:00

In cooking news: I tried another recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook, a Christmas gift from Darin last year that keeps on giving. Mollie Katzen's "Feta Walnut Dip" is savory and addicting. I also stole some recipes from Mom that I loved as a kid, the two gems being "Sunshine Cookies" (orange-flavored sugar cookies with icing), and "Monkey Bread".

In educational news: The ball is rolling on my admissions status. I just have to sit and wait, basically. I am getting more and more excited for January. I can't wait to start learning about articulation and communication disorders. Nerdy.

In work news: I'm going to be so sad to leave Mrs. V's class. Next week is my last week. After that, they'll have hired the permanent parapro. I worry about how the transition will be for my student, especially because there is no official behavioral plan set in place for him (which would provide something consistant). Hopefully I can help with the transition.

In homestead news: We're getting rid of our cable, in an effort to downsize financially. It's nice to have when you just want to sit down for reruns of "The Office", but I know myself enough to know that it will be a major procrastination tool when school starts. Hopefully, I'll use the time more productively and creatively. The only huge bummer is not having access to the Red Wings games.

Registration Frustration

2010-11-28T14:03:00.004-05:00

I have spoken with my advisor who gave me a list of classes to register for for Winter semester. But I still do not have student status with the univerisity. I just want to register, accept as much financial aid as I can, and mentally prep myself for re-entering the world of academia. It's very frustrating.

Thanksgiving was splendid. I have many things to be thankful for, especially the generosity of others during a time that is a little more financially troublesome than usual for us. My friend Angie took me out for dinner. Darin's aunt and uncle made a scrumptious Thanksgiving feast for the family. A couple that we are close with had us over for dinner last night. And Darin's brother will be cooking tonight.

Even though things are a little stressful, I'm going to try my best to enjoy the little things. Especially since the world could very well be overrun by zombies someday.

Lightbulb!!!

2010-11-18T16:50:00.002-05:00

I want desperately to develop a program between the local college (my alma matar) and the local school district. The kindergarten rooms have a hard time getting extra bodies into their classrooms. There isn't the same culture of parental volunteerism that I've seen in other schools. BUT! We have this awesome campus with a great education program not even a mile away. It seems rediculous that there isn't some sort of service program set up between the university and at least the local elementary schools.

I am really interested in persuing this idea. I think the first thing I should do is ask around, both teachers and students. I should also look into financing (materials, rewards ceremonies, etc). I have access to a service fraternity that would be a great place to start. I need to start brainstorming and making to-do lists.

Lesson in Humility

2010-11-11T14:44:00.002-05:00

I got an email from the head of the SLP graduate admissions committee yesterday. Apparently, a few applicants turned down their admissions offer, and I am in! I was so, so happy to receive that email. I knew that this was a possibility, but I didn't get my hopes up about it, which was a good approach because I started figuring out my next plan of action right away. Luckily, Plan A ended up happening.

Being initially denied was a lesson in humility, which is something I always need. I needed to be reminded that life doesn't always work out exactly as planned, and that I need to make the most out of any situation.

My advisor is super awesome already. She has responded to all of my emails promptly with answers and a list of the classes I need to register for. I wish I had an advisor like that in my undergrad! All five of the classes I'm taking only have one section offered, so I will be in class Mondays, Tuesday mornings, and Wednesdays.

Sadly, this means that if the elementary school I've been working at offers me the parapro position, I will have to turn it down. I'm scared to break the news to my teacher, because I've built a relationship with the student I work with, and it will be a hard transition getting him used to a new parapro. I know all of his quips and behavioral tendencies. But on the other hand, it might be developmentally good for him to get used to working with different people.

I feel bad about leaving this student, but in the end, I have to do what's right for me. The sooner I graduate, the closer I'll be to having the career of my dreams. I am so, so thankful for the opportunity given to me.

Disappointment

2010-11-06T10:29:00.002-04:00

I got the news this week: I did not get accepted into Eastern's SLP grad program in Winter. I called during school, and had to leave the class because I was crying. I knew that this was a possibility, but it's still really disappointing to hear no. The head of the admissions selection committee broke the news to me, and she urged me to apply again for Fall. I plan to apply again, in addition to two other programs.

Maybe this isn't the field I belong in. I wanted it so bad, and now I'm second-guessing myself. I know that I'm expecting everything to just fall into place magically, but it's not. Darin keeps reminding me that this recession is taking a toll on a lot of people, and that there's just going to be more college graduates emerging to compete for the little bit of jobs available. I know that things will get better. But it's been really hard for me to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Getting rejected by my program has been a huge blow to the ego. "I'm not good enough, I'm a failure", were the thoughts that went through my head. But I'm trying to view this as a small hurdle on the way to where I'm going. I'm going to retake the GRE, apply to a couple other schools and other programs, maybe even re-examine my career path. And I'm going to keep my head up, and remind myself that I am worthwhile. I am talented.

I also need to remember to live just for today. I need to do what I can today before I can worry about tomorrow.

2010-10-12T16:41:00.002-04:00

So I've happened upon another long-term sub job as a parapro. I'm working with kindergarteners (again) in a school district that has a distinctively lower general income level than the kind I got used to working in last year. My role is that of a one-on-one, with a young man who has yet to be classified and is awaiting an IEP.

It's hard work, but I'm so glad that I am out of the routine of last year and experiencing a school with challenges that I can really learn from. The staff conversations are completely different. And the students offer an entirely different dynamic to work with.

I am so thankful for six weeks of work. I can come home and relax for a bit knowing that I've worked hard, and the student I'm working with is making baby steps every day. It's nice to feel like my effort is worth something.

End of October?

2010-09-16T10:36:00.004-04:00

I called to find out about the status of my graduate school application and received rather unwelcomed news: I won't find out until the end of October. I guess that gives me two months to register for classes and get everything together. But man, I am growing so anxious about my future! Darin is knee-deep in classes, which he is so committed to. And I'm so jealous!

So, I did some thinking about what I could do with my time until I find out. And I've made some of the following goals for the end of October:

1. Lose 1 lb a week. Which means, by the end of October, a total of 5 lbs. It's a small goal, but it's also attainable. Toreach this goal, I have daily goals and weekly goals to meet.

-Daily goals: Eat no more than 1200 calories per day.

Eat 60 grams of protein a day.

-Weekly goals: Do at least 30 minutes of exercise 4-5 days a week.

2. Spiritual growth. I have some personal small, attainable goals for this. It's personal stuff, but just know that I need to work on prayer, mindfulness, and peace of mind.

3. Finish decorating the apartment. The apartment has been a work in process since we moved in. We have the right couch, the right bed, and, as of yesterday, the right entertainment center. We like this place and want to remain here while we finish out school.

4. Work as much as possible. I want to try to sub every day, if possible, and possibly pick up some babysitting gigs on the side.

I have so many good things in my life right now. A month ago, I was complaining about how bored I was, but now I have so many things to be excited for. I think I can attribute this to my recent spiritual work. Being open to new perspectives has already started paying off in my life. Here are the things that make life great lately:

-Monthly double dates with Kelly and Chris.
-Book club!
-Making plans to see my cousins.
-Darin's nephews, who are all seriously brilliant and even more entertaining.
-Monday night dinners with Angie
-Halloween!
-Fall traditions, like cider mills and hay rides.

I have so much more to add. Gratitude is my specialty today.

Up North Trip-o-rama!!

2010-09-08T17:49:00.002-04:00

Have you ever felt like you needed a vacation when you get home from vacation? I am taking a day off tomorrow to get some stuff done around the apartment (Darin has a full day of class to keep him busy).

Our trip was jam-packed full of activities. On Saturday, we drove to the cabin we rented on Spider Lake. The cabin was cozy, comfortable, and about 90+ cement steps away from the actual lake front. Spider Lake is awesome. It's very remote and quiet, surrounded by woods. Saturday night, we drove to Odewa Casino in Petosky, where I lost thirty dollars, mostly on video poker.

Sunday, we spent most of the day exploring downtown Traverse City. The strip on Front Street is pretty standard tourist commerce, but not over the top. We ate delicious middle eastern food for lunch. The afternoon consisted of a drive up the Old Mission peninsula, visiting the lighthouse and stopping at Grand Chateaux Traverse for some wine tasting. We finished the day with pizza (and Oberon, for me) at a local joint right by our cabin.

Labor Day was devoted to Mackinac Island. I loved it! Such a great little vacation spot. I want so badly to stay for a whole weekend and go biking and horsebackriding around the island. We bought a crapton of fudge and did the whole carriage tour deal. They were selling bikes for way cheap! I wish I would have brought extra cash. After we left the island, we found a local family restaurant called Darrow's that had nothing vegetarian, but the homemade bread and coleslaw made it worth it.

Darin and I did our own thing Tuesday morning, stopping at local markets and food stands to acquire all the local fare: dried Traverse City cherries, real maple syrup, honeycrisp apples, North Peak summer ale, homemade all-natural dog treats, etc. We cooked in at the cabin that night and played some friendly family poker (I've come a long way since first learning, but I still lost).

It was most definitely a great trip, making me fall in love with Northern Michigan for the fourth or fifth time now.

Labor Day!

2010-09-03T14:48:00.002-04:00

I love Labor Day, almost as much as I love Memorial Day. Darin, his parents, his brother, his brother's girlfriend, his nephew, and I are all traversing to the Traverse City area to celebrate. We're staying on a cabin on Spider Lake (wherever that is) and taking time to explore the area. We're even heading up to Mackinac Island for the day. It'll be my first trip to the island; I'm excited.

The last few weeks, I'm been babysitting one of the kids from day camp. It's been great because she is a fun-loving, creative kid who can pretty much make friends wherever she goes. It's surreal to get paid to have fun with a five-year-old all day. But she had her moments just like any other kid. I like to think of it as "mom practice," should I need that.

I'm excited to start subbing again in the fall. I'm hoping to see some of the same kids from last year. We'll see.

Everyone has been asking me...

2010-08-23T14:56:00.002-04:00

...did you get a job for the fall?

No. And honestly, I haven't been looking. Because I want so desperately to be a speech-language pathologist. Should I be looking for jobs just in case? Probably.

I am talented. I am able. I am valuable. These are things I have to remind myself when I get to that place in my head that says, You aren't doing anything. You haven't started a career yet. But here's the thing: I'm happy. I'm excited that I found my true calling. I have great friends and family, many of whom have great things happening to them right now, too. What else can I really ask for?

August

2010-08-17T08:36:00.003-04:00

The day camp is over. We had a great run. I'll miss the campers and being able to swim in a nice pool every day. But I'm ready for the school year to start, and to get back to work as a sub.

I was asked to babysit one of the campers for the next three weeks. It's a good gig; four days a week hanging out with a fun, intelligent 5-year-old. She has been at camp all summer, so I've gotten to know her pretty well. Also, mom and grandma said we could take trips to the waterpark and what not, so that should be fun.

This weekend was the deadline for graduate applications for Eastern Michigan's Speech-Language Pathology program. I had all of my paperwork in by last Tuesday. Go me! I'm hoping that the admissions committee in the department can see my potential and give me a shot. I desperately want this.

I've also been doing some spiritual work on myself. I've been seeking ways that I can improve my outlook on life and my relationships to people. It never hurts to put an effort towards self-improvement, and I have been in kind of a rut this last year. I'm ready to get myself back out there again, into the community, doing productive and creative things with my time.

2010-07-17T13:31:00.003-04:00

We just finished our fourth week of day camp, which means that this job is halfway done for me. It's been nice to have a full time job for the summer, and the managers at Bob Evans have been kind enough to let me work every other Sunday, to avoid burnout, and letting me pick up extra shifts here and there.

The work setting of the day camp job is interesting. My boss, the camp director, is also a future teacher. He is doing his student teaching in the fall, so it's been great experience for him because he's learning how to manage elementary-aged kids. He was having doubts about the job in the beginning, which was actually a challenge for me because I have a tendency to want to control every situation that I'm a part of. But I decided to step back and just give him only the suggestions that I knew could greatly benefit his experience, while I just do the best job that I can as a counselor.

I'm glad I chose to work at the camp this summer. I'm staying in touch with young people, and I get to enjoy learning about kids in a non-school setting. Plus, it's 40 hours a week, with weekends off, and I get a free lunch and snack!

Happiness

2010-06-10T10:20:00.002-04:00

Things that have made me happy lately:

-Daisy, of course. How have I gone so long without a dog?

-"So You Think You Can Dance" - This show is very American Idol-like, but the amount of passion that these dancers have inspires me to want to feel that way about something.

-long emails from old friends

-good books. I just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy (heavy, but outstanding). Now I'm onto a lighter memoir called Tender at the Bone.

-watching Darin work. He is steadfast and diligent towards achieving his goals. I look up to him.

-anticipation of promising events to come.

2010-06-08T18:06:00.003-04:00

It's the end of the school year, and I have to admit that I've been very blessed this year. I have been able to be an active part of 9 students' school year. It wasn't every day, but it was regular enough that they know me and trust me. Not every substitute can say they were able to watch students grow this past year. I am thankful for that.

Darin is working diligently to get his accounting degree finished. He is getting outstanding grades and keeping his priorities straight, studying every night and staying on task with all of the reading assignments and homework. I really look up to him. He is so driven to achieve this goal.

There has been lots to do, and the summer camp job is starting in two weeks! It's going to be a nice break to go from managing classwork to just making sure the kids are having plain old fun. I get to wear shorts and a t-shirt, and play with kids at a country club all day. (The country club setting is new for me, but, hey, they have tennis!)

The graduate school applications are underway as well. I've secured one letter of recommendation, but I'm shy about asking professors from two years ago to write my one. I'll get up the guts by the end of this week, I hope. Other than that, my GRE scores and my GPA are above the average of those admitted to the program. So I think I have a pretty good shot. We'll see if it grad school is in the plan for me. Wish me luck!

Contemplations on Sleep and Industry

2010-05-06T08:23:00.003-04:00

I took a sick day from my long-term job because I feel it best not to spread whatever germs I may be harboring beneath this sore throat, conjestion, and cough. I'm not completely incapacitated, so I have been reading news and blogs and whatever I come across on Google Reader.

One article that got my gears going was a news article about a recent sleep study. The study concurred that people who generally sleep six hours were more likely to die prematurely (whatever that means). Yes, once again, a study confirms that we need 7-8 hours of sleep at night. One bit that I felt worth sharing:

"Modern society has seen a gradual reduction in the average amount of sleep people take, and this pattern is more common amongst full-time workers, suggesting that it may be due to societal pressures for longer working hours and more shift-work."

How many times have I gone to bed at a reasonable hour, feeling guilty for using those two hours to sleep instead of do something productive? I've seen so many full-time teachers staying in their classroom until 10pm and arriving the next day at 6am. It's almost as if, to get ahead in our work/career/etc, we must sacrifice our own health. And the workforce is very competitive these days, because there are fewer and fewer jobs.

What is a solution to this? Sometimes I wish we could just all go back to being small homesteaders, growing our own food and livestock. That way, we'd all have work that directly effected our livelihood. The information age is scary, even for us 20-somethings who have never known anything different.

Great End to a Good Week

2010-05-01T10:24:00.002-04:00

Saturday! My one day off of work. I've been feeling tired this week, and I think it's because I'm honestly not used to working this much. Darin laughed at me when I said that, and rightly so. Lots of people work six days a week. But luckily, I get Saturdays off.

The week flew by, and yesterday was beautiful for recess. The kindergarten playground smelled of flowers, and B. learned to pump on the swings to keep himself up. He just kept yelling "I'm doing it, Ms. O!" from the swing. It was awesome.

Last night, Darin and I had a study date, then we took Daisy for a walk. Afterwards, we watched Capitalism: A Love Story by Michael Moore and then called it a night. It was a good Friday.

Long-term Job Update.

2010-04-24T17:22:00.004-04:00

My long-term sub job has been great so far. It's nice not to think about where I'll be going in the morning. I like being able to walk in to a building that is familiar, with staff and students who know my name. Earlier this week, one of the kindergarteners handed me a folded-up piece of colorful artwork that was made just for me.

One of the permanent parapros could be doing a better job at being friendly towards me and a choice few others. It's an awkward and unnecessary element, but it's essentially her issue that seemingly stems from her hating her job. She is qualified and good at what she does. I wish she knew how lucky she is.

This particular district favors a behaviorist approach to discipline. I've enjoyed learning more about this approach. It's very rewarding when a behavior plan starts working. I want to learn more about this, and about autism spectrum disorders. Working with the same students for the next four weeks will benefit my own educational experience, which is why I'm grateful for this job!

2010-04-14T22:53:00.002-04:00

Eastern Michigan's teacher job fair is tomorrow. I'm a little nervous about how it's going to play out. My shirt has been ironed and my portfolio assembled. I couldn't help but have a low-self esteem moment about my resume and what I feel it's lacking. But Darin assured me that I will soon have more to put in there. And I'm certain that most entry-level teachers can relate to this feeling. Teaching is a learn-by-doing job; I hope I show excellent of potential to the representatives tomorrow.

I'm trying to keep a Zen mindset tonight, and towards my whole job search in general. I'm going to trust that what will be will be and have faith that the right job will come around when it's time. Until then, I need to put my energies into the elements of my life that I can control. I can distribute my resume, gain daily experience, read pedagogy, enjoy my fleeting free time to persue my other interests, and etc. And of course, take time to practice gratitude for what I do have.

April Updates

2010-04-11T15:35:00.003-04:00

I got offered a job at a local private summer day camp. I will be working with one other person, the director, who will also be my boss. It's not the best choice financially, but I know that I'm going to love it. I'll be outside for most of the day, and I'll be designing and implementing activities, which should be great experience.

The guy that I'm working with is also going into education, and he seems to have great character. I'm excited to actually like my coworker. It'll beat working at the restaurant, for sure. I've thought about putting applications in at restaurants. The money is tempting. But in the end, I need to stay focused on what the best choice would be for my career.

Speaking of my career, I'll be attending at least one teacher job fair next week. I'm in the process of putting together my portfolio and resumes. I've already picked out what I'm going to wear, too. I'm looking forward to it, for sure. At the very least, it will be great practice in presentation and interviewing. Who knows what could happen?

Mean Girls.

2010-03-30T13:45:00.004-04:00

I'm reading Margaret Atwood's Cat's Eye right now. The story is one of Western womanhood in the latter half of the 20th century, and the narrator just took me through her ordinary childhood where she was constantly ridiculed and evaluated by her three "best friends". Atwood captures this element of girlhood so perfectly that I felt pain reading it, remember my own tormentors from my youth. What makes it so real is that none of the teasing is bad enough to warrent adult attention.

Today, I subbed in a third grade room where I can watch these very same games being played out, where a girl may be "in" at the beginning of the day and then suddenly gets called names. And there's usually a ringleader, who twists and manipulates, and eventually rules by fear. It's not quite bullying, but it's not good either. Who teaches our young women to act this way to one another? Do we, as adults, unknowingly reward the popular one?

2010-03-27T18:55:00.002-04:00

This past Thursday, I was asked to sub for a teacher whom I had met previously when subbing for a teacher consultant in his room. He emailed me the lesson plans early (an overview and discussion of Machievelli's The Prince) and pretty much left me responsible for the actual content, knowing that I'm certified in History.

Perhaps it was just this particular instance, or that it was just a really good group of students, but the day went very well. I even received a little posistive feedback, my favorite being, "You're different. Most subs come in all scared." Not sure what these other subs could possibly be scared of. In any case, whether or not the students cared for me, I lef the day feeling like I had contributed, presenting the classes with new material, generating discussion, and provoking thought. I miss that feeling, and I made sure to thank the teacher for letting me sub for him. (I always do, but sometimes I mean it more.) I also made sure to meet the ELA teacher across the hall. I always try to distribute my contact info to at least one person every time I work in a secondary setting.

2010-03-09T23:01:00.002-05:00

A couple of updates and career-related items on my mind:

-I got asked to stand in as a permanent sub for one of the parapros at an elementary school that I frequent. I said yes, because, at the very least, it's experience. I'm curious as to what veteran teachers and hiring teams would recommend in terms of prioritizing experience with my age group (6-12), because this sub job is with kindergarten. Anyway, I'm excited to have a month or so of steady work, five days a week.

-I'm looking at day camp positions for summer work. It would be a ton of fun! Of course I'm shooting for a summer teaching job, but it doesn't hurt to keep other options open. I do not want to work at the restaurant full time this summer. No way.

-The local teacher job fair is happening in a month. I'm debating on what kind of things I can do to stand out. Any suggestions?

-I need to get crack-a-lackin' on studying for the GRE. It's coming, and I want to do awesome on it. I miss being a student. I'm in love with school/learning, as are most teachers.

Wait-time.

2010-03-01T17:35:00.002-05:00

I've been trying my best to keep myself busy during the wait-time that this economy (and the state of Michigan) has bestowed upon us newly-ceritified teachers. I get warnings from the regulars at Bob Evans to "not do what Ronda* did" (Ronda being a long-time server at the restaurant who got a teaching degree and never used it).

Ways I've been entertaining myself:
-watching earlier seasons of Lost on Netflix.
-keeping my living quarters cleaner than I ever have.
-reading blogs. LOTS of blogs. Teaching blogs, gardening blogs, vegetarian blogs, urban homesteading blogs. I can't get enough.
-playing guitar, my most beloved pasttime.
-reading whatever.
-thrifting.
-cooking dinner. I'm getting better!

I've also been spending a lot of time with my puppy, Daisy. I couldn't have picked a better time to get a dog. How I went this long without one is beyond me, because she is my sunshine. She brightens my mood the minute I walk through the door.

*name changed.

Do you talk good?

2010-02-10T12:57:00.004-05:00

Grammar. Grammar, grammar, grammar.

I engaged in a passionate (on my end, mostly) debate with a close friend of mine yesterday about using "improper" grammar. I'm a descriptivist; I believe that language should be studied objectively without establishing any rules. I think dialects should be valued equally. I also like to know the socially established "rules" of Standard American English (SAE), but choose not to judge anyone who breaks those "rules".

Specifically, the debate I had with my friend was about whether or not it is polite to correct someone's English, whether or not you believe in the idea of there being "correct grammar". What do you, my humble handful of readers, think? I think it's rude, even if one thinks they are just trying to help. I think the only time that it is appropriate is when someone either asks you directly to edit their speech or writing.

This is important for me to think about as a teacher of English. I don't speak perfect SAE, and I don't know many who do so. There are parts of verbal communication that I pay more attention to, but I choose never describe someone as being lazy, wrong, less intelligent, or ignorant from their language alone. Do I think it's important to learn and know the "rules" of SAE? Sure. The reality is that it pays off to speak the standard. That's exactly how I plan to approach grammar studies to my students. In the end, it's up to each individual as to how the English Language can work for them.

[steps down from her soapbox]

On Subbing...again.

2010-01-06T09:10:00.004-05:00

I subbed for half day yesterday at a local middle school. The last period was a class of 16 boys. Instant headache. I'm sure they are all very smart, talented, and respectful young men. They just didn't show me that part of themselves.

Two different students on two separate occasions came up to me and literally thanked me for "being a sub." It was funny, but I held back my laughter.

I want to buy this book:

...by David Roche, microcosmpublishing.com. I browsed through it at a craft store in Columbus, and it looked humorous.

It's been hard to find subbing jobs because there are so many people in the system. When a job is posted, it's picked up in seconds. It's dog-eat-dog for subs around here! I can't wait to move.

In other news, Daisy is getting bigger everyday. She is still chewing and eating everything she finds, resulting in the cleanest our apartment has ever looked. I can't even put my purse on the floor. I'm very happy to have her, though. She's a stress-reliever; there's nothing like curling up on the couch and Daisy climbing on top of me.

I'll be turning 25 in ten days. 25, and I still don't know what I want to do with my life. I'm trusting that the powers-that-be have something good in store for me. Maybe it's something that has nothing to do with education. Who knows? All I know is that I need something more. I want to feel a connection to my work and the people with whom I work. Right now, I don't feel that.

I shouldn't complain. Many teachers in the area will be handed pink slips at the end of the year. Ones who have families and house/car payments. I don't envy them, and I thank God that I'm not worried about if I'll have a job at the end of the year or not.

Which brings me to my New Years resolution (inspired by Brie): gratitude. I need to practice gratitude every day. I need to write the word in a place where I can see it every morning. Because as much as I get down about not being where I saw myself at 25, there are still so many beautiful things and people in my life.

I should be studying for the GRE.

2009-12-22T19:48:00.002-05:00

I just got back from a poetry reading at my favorite local cafe, Beezy's. It reminded me of the good ol' poetry nights at the Collingwood Art Center, during the summers I stayed in Toledo. It also reminded me of how alive I feel when I listen to the spoken word, completely in the moment with the language. And the vulnerability of the speaker is never less than inspiring.

I need to play with language, like I used to. I want to be passionate about artistic writing again. It's the reason I became a student of Language Arts in the first place. Words, sounds, images -- they connect us.

On a lighter note, I'm having a really good hair day.

Winter Musings

2009-12-17T09:31:00.004-05:00

As much as I complain about not having a full-time teaching job, I must stop to reflect on how good my life is right now. Darin and I got a new puppy a couple weeks ago. We named her Daisy Mae. She is the apple of our eye right now, even if she still has accidents in the house and is constantly appearing with socks, shoes, and other chewable things in her mouth. Here's a photo:

I registered to take the GRE in January, and I will be applying to a couple different graduate schools' Speech Pathology programs. Ideally, I want to get into Eastern because they have a strong educational track in the program. I'm going back to school because it's a good place to be investing money during a recession, and I realized the past few months that I am capable of working in the special ed realm. It's an important and time-consuming field, but it's worth it. I love language, particularly phonetics and phonology (the study of the sounds of speech). I think this will be a perfect fit for me; a perfect compromise of my desire to teach and my desire to persue linguistical studies.

I hope to start my first vegetable garden this spring. My landlord will not be consulted about it; here's hoping he doesn't mind. I've always had a passion for growing things. I read any book, magazine, or article that I can get my hands on that has anything to do with gardening/urban farming/sustainable living.

Winter Break is upon us, which means no substitute teaching jobs for two weeks. I am going to use the time for the following:
-study for the GRE
-apply to grad schools
-work on getting financial aid or, even better, a grad assistant position
-applying to teaching jobs (as always)
-perfecting my porfolio
-training the puppy to not chew my shoes!

2009-12-10T09:58:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I "floated", which is always fun because during the times where there weren't IEPs scheduled, it was a tug-o-war between who gets the sub. I feel like I'm being the most useful in Mrs. K's resource room, where having another teacher around is always helpful. In a perfect world, she would have an aide for every student. But there just isn't the money right now.

It's so discouraging hearing about all of the budget cut meetings and the speculations by staff about how they will cut corners. This chatter and local NPR will not stop reminding me that it's just going to get worse on the job search front. Can't a girl just do some teachin'?

To distract myself from my worries, I've been focusing on my new puppy, the GREs, tracking my diet and exercise, and celebrating the holidays. And don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy substitute teaching. I love being in a school, getting students to think, watching the social interactions of young people, and learning how to be a better teacher. I make a point to keep an open mind when I go into every job, knowing that I can and WILL learn something today.

2009-11-27T10:14:00.002-05:00

It's interesting and, actually, very exciting to see all of the educators who keep blogs. I'm not surprised, though. Education is an industry of sharing. Blogging is a great way to keep in touch with new trends and ideas in your subject matter. It's cool to see how many educators are technologically hip, too. I just added a few more teaching blogs to my reader. Woot!

I want to be a renegade tenant and plant a garden in the back yard of my apartment house. It's fenced in and has lots of shade, so I might do two boxes, in different spots. I need to start planning now, so I know what I need to start seeding in my apartment. I know for sure that I want to plant basil, dill, green beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers (the easy stuff). But I also want to try kale or asparagus, or something equally adventurous. We'll see.

Haven't subbed at all this week, and the restaurant job has been slow, too. I've taken the opportunity to relax, sleep in, and do some reading. I never seem to be reading only one book at a time. Maybe college has trained me to be able to take in multiple texts at a time. Hmm...sounds like a future blog topic.

I wish serenity and wellness to the small number of people that read this.

My name is.

2009-11-10T11:15:00.002-05:00

Adventures in subbing have brought me to another realization: learning someone's name speaks volumes. I was subbing for IEPs at an elementary school that I frequent. I was in the last class for the day, supervising some independent work, learning and using names as I go. When the class was all packed up and sitting on the carpet, I was passing the time asking them about their hobbies and extracurricular activities. One girl raised her hand to share, and I blanked on her name for a moment. I finally remembered and said it, and her face lit up into a huge, genuine smile. What a gem.

I've received compliments on my ability to learn the names of students quickly. But I often wonder how other subs or aides get by without being able to do so. As soon as you learn a student's name, you have his/her attention. (they always ask, in amazement, "How do you know my name?" Well, it's written on your desk.) You create a connection between you and the individual because you've shown that they matter enough for you to learn something that is special about them. It's a recognition of their existance within a sea of faces (or, in this case, a class of 30 students).

Wife Swap? Who Knew?!

2009-11-03T15:01:00.003-05:00

Okay, I'll start this out by admitting something: I'm fond of reality television. I'm finally making this statement, in a public place.

Am I ashamed? Sometimes. But it was almost as if the episode of "Wife Swap" that I watched today was meant especially for educators. The show's title is pretty self-explanatory: two families with different values and living habits trade moms for two weeks. On this particular episode, the parents in the first family home-schooled their boys and preached of the evils of conforming to what society expects. The other parents were extremely focused on success and structure, believing that a formal education was essential for their two girls.

The debate over formal vs. alternative education was the main topic of the show. The structured mother discovered that the boys in the first home could not write or do math at the expected grade levels for their age. On the other hand, as a viewer, I could not ignore the inspiring curiosity and creativity of the home-schooled boys. The amount of pressure and stress that the teen girls of the other house were experiencing also made me wonder about the education "machine".

I think it's every teacher's dream to have each student learning in a curious, creative way that is unique to their interests and learning styles. However, establishing curriculum is essential if we want to educate our youth to become citizens of our communities and the values that accompany them. Curriculum is essential, but learning should never be limited to it. The key here is Balance. We have a responsibility, as teachers, to encourage our youth to think "outside of the box," but we have to teach them what the box IS before they can do that. Does that make sense?

Progress Reminders.

2009-10-20T09:04:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I was reminded that, even though I don't have an actual teaching job yet, that I have made progress. I was a floating sub, and the last room I was in was being taught by a student teacher, one month in, who was doing an excellent job. The class was still a little rowdy, though, and it took me back to last year around this time, when I was receiving a crash course in classroom management in my student teaching assignment.

I want to go back and have a redo. Where's Doc with the time machine?

Rejection 101

2009-10-15T13:30:00.002-04:00

I was declined a parapro position at a local school district. I interviewed for it and everything. It's a bummer, but my boyfriend and some of the teachers I talk to a lot have made me feel better about it. With their help, I was able to formulate a pretty effective affirmation to help me handle rejection:

[to self] "So you didn't get the job you applied for. Here's the thing: maybe you were not meant to have it. There is something else out there that is waiting for you, and you'll know when you get there. Make the most of your experience and reflect on what you could have done better, during the interview and otherwise. Don't take it personal."

I'm so anxious to start teaching or working in a school setting. I'm anxious to find out what my life will lead to. But if I knew everything that was going to happen, it would be a pretty boring life. So I'm doing my best to view my situation positively and keep on learning as much as possible. There are a million books to be read and units to plan. If I keep myself busy, things will happen on their own.

Wow. I've been away too long.

2009-10-14T20:45:00.002-04:00

I definitely need to be better about keeping up this blog. In a nutshell, here's what I've been doing the last few months:

1. subbing.
2. serving.

I actually had to cut back hours at the restaurant so I can have more time to accomplish other things, such as filling out job applications and maybe allowing myself to start a new creative project.

I've been doing a lot of subbing at one particular elementary school in Ann Arbor. I worked for the first two weeks as a "starter parapro" of sorts, working in the special ed resource room. Most of the students in that room are Autism Spectrum Impaired. Their teacher is amazingly dedicated, and I've enjoyed the work more than I thought I would. I've been subbing at the school often because other teachers have asked me to sub for them as well, mostly because I'm familiar with the students now. They even used me as a "roaming sub" today, so I was able to meet some of the older students.

I've learned a lot in the past month, even though I'm not certified in elementary ed. I figure it doesn't hurt to expose myself to different age groups. It helps me understand where my students are coming from when they get to me.

I'm still unsure about my next step. Washtenaw County is an excellent area to learn how to become an educator. But I don't feel willing to committ to a life here. I've also got my boyfriend to consider. And grad school/post-bach stuff. Hopefully, I'll figure it out soon.

Speech! Speech!

2009-08-05T10:00:00.003-04:00

During my years of learning how to teach, I've definitely underestimated the importance of having speech-giving skills. One of the best ways to get students interested in the information you're trying to deliver is by captivating their attention. Now, I've already decided that I don't want to be the kind of teacher who just stands in the front of the class and talks; that would be the most boring ELA class ever, if you think about it. But once in a while, every teacher has to give a run-down of important information that is best and most efficiently done with a lecture.

On one of my last library trips, I picked up a book called How to Write and Give a Speech, by Joan Detz. Perhaps I'll learn a thing or two.

2009-07-31T12:00:00.001-04:00

Degree? Check.
Certification? Check.
Resume and references? Check.

Next steps: Register for job fairs, network, assemble portfolio, send out resume.

Summer

2009-07-21T11:29:00.004-04:00

I've been working at Bob Evans all summer, finding my little niche in the culture of the "day-shift" women, a crowd of mothers and wives who take their tip money very seriously. I am so grateful for this job, but I'm counting down the days that I can get back into the schools.

In my last entry, I talked about the restlessness I felt working as a substitute teacher. But you don't know what you have until it's gone, of course. I can't wait to be back in classrooms, talking to young people, watching tenured/expert teachers, putting my face out there for all to see, and getting compliments on my willingness to work. I can't wait to hear all the district happenings and hear the teachers complain about their jobs (they have no idea how jealous I am!).

I'm going to be so much more adamant about finding subbing jobs and being prepared to be called in every day. I also got some advice from a substitute that I worked with often during student teaching: he said to give your resume and a cover letter to each school and district that I want to work with about taking any permanent sub positions available. This is going to be my goal for August.

All Mixed Up

2009-04-29T10:21:00.002-04:00

I'm a 24-year-old college graduate in an economic recession, so I need to be one thing above all: patient. I've been subbing in the area, but I'm having trouble seeing it as valuable teaching experience.

I applied for a job as a teaching assistant in a Pre-K classroom. The interview went well, but I'm still not sure it's the right step for me. I need to work on getting certified in the Ohio and other surrounding states. I've looked at the Ohio Department of Education website and had a hard time finding out what test I need to take.

So, let's step back and take a look at the big picture: My ultimate goal is to get position in the secondary setting as a teacher of Language Arts. My current status?

-waiting on the results of my minor certification test
-not even close to making progress on my portfolio
-working as a substitute teacher and a server
-watching all of my friends move away from Ypsilanti

I'm in limbo. It doesn't help that I have a new boyfriend and would rather not move away from him just yet. Oh man. Life.

Disappointment.

2009-03-02T09:54:00.002-05:00

I didn't get accepted to Teach for America. I got the email about a week ago. They couldn't give feedback about my application, which was frustrating.

I just wish I knew where I was headed in August. I'm trying to prepare for teacher job fairs in the spring. I need to:

buy a suit.
have a fully loaded portfolio of awesomeness.
pass the History MTTC (which is going to require massive amounts of studying)
save money.

2009-02-16T09:55:00.002-05:00

I finished and submitted my application for Teach for America. It's an organization that places college graduates in low-income areas and districts and teaches them how to become advocates for social change through teaching. It's one of the many Americorps branches and Obama even mentioned it at one of the inaugural balls.

We were asked to make preferences on where to be placed, and I chose New York City, Chicago, and Phoenix. All three sound like places that I'd like to live. I'm not really picky about where I go, though. We sign a two-year service commitment if we're chosen.

I felt a calling to this because I feel like it would be a place of fostered growth. There is a lot of cooperative work involved--at least it seems--and I work best in a team setting. I feel like it would be a great way to get away from Southeast Michigan/Northwest Ohio for a while, and be doing something in my desired field at the same time.

My resume could still use some fine-tuning, but it's looking pretty good. I want to see someone at Eastern's Career Services office who can give me a professional opinion of it. My next project is my portfolio...

Brief Updates

2009-01-26T10:19:00.002-05:00

1. I'm working on the requirements to start substitute teaching. The orientation meeting was packed, naturally.

2. No, I haven't finished my resume, or my portfolio. I'm giving myself a week from today to do so.

3. I've had trouble finding the motivation to do anything in the last three weeks. I've been perfectly content waiting tables and doing not much else in my spare time. I'm going to set some small goals (which I will post here) to start poking away at the bigger picture, which is: finding a teaching job!!!

It's starting to sink in.

2008-12-19T14:26:00.001-05:00

Teachers aren't appreciated in this country.

woot!

2008-12-12T15:55:00.000-05:00

I'm all done. I made the 10th graders cookies, I got my letters of recommendation, I gave my student teacher a gift and a thank you card, and I got my unit back. All I have to do is pay my leftover fees and I graduate--cum laude!

Now I have to put together my portfolio. I'm giving myself until Jan 31 to have it completed, including having it reviewed and critiqued by EMU's Career Services and colleagues. Anyone have any tips for portfolios/getting hired/etc?

2008-12-08T17:28:00.001-05:00

Journal #4

Erika Oehlers

Fall 08

Student Teaching

Richard Hawley wrote a famous article called “Teaching as Failing” and opens it with this statement:

Whenever a teacher enters the classroom to engage students in the process of increasing their understanding of some subject, some process, some created thing, some event—that is, whenever a teacher enters the classroom to teach—he or she risks great failure and, regardless of his or her gifts, experiences that failure to a significant extent. (597)

This might sound dismal, but this concept is something that I reminded myself of almost every day during my student teaching experience. Every teacher, new or old, faces failure, whether it’s a student not passing, an unmotivated day for a class, or a lesson gone wrong. What I need to then do with this reality is to humbly accept my daily failures and use them as a place from which to grow.

The first week of student teaching was chaotic but exciting. I loved meeting the other teachers and students, and I was elated by how natural being a part of a high school felt. It very quickly occurred to me, however, how much growth I must undergo. I realized right away that classroom management was going to be difficult. I should have thought about the fact that the students were going to, without a doubt, push my limits. If I had sat down on one of the days before school started to examine some procedures and expectations for the class, I probably would have been able to transition into the role as classroom manager easier.

My cooperating teacher gave me the first mini-unit to teach. She gave me lessons two days in advance. The next unit, I was given the outlines and materials for the unit and planned out day-to-day activities myself. This was not quite the model for student teaching responsibility that the handbook lays out, but I’m glad to have jumped right into being the main instructor of the class, especially since I was only teaching one period at that time. I soon started teaching my unit, and by the end of teaching Julius Caesar, I had taken over teaching the three sections of AP English 12, leading daily discussions on Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. I did this for a little over two weeks.

Over the semester, I could notice my professional maturity. The area that I immediately struggled with was classroom management. This was one area that I felt I had little to know preparation for. I learned very soon that well-planned lessons and quick transitions were the backbone behind good classroom management, but even after I started putting more effort into filling up the whole period, I still could not keep the class on task. My cooperating teacher let me know that the class was a particularly difficult group, but I still felt like a failure. I was afraid to be stern, and I let too many inappropriate behaviors continue until structure was lost. I made strides by the end of the semester and was able to take a more authoritative position in the class, but I still wish I could go back and do that first couple of weeks all over again. I would have established and practiced daily procedures. I also would have set classroom expectations and held students accountable to them immediately.

After all of the lessons learned in terms of classroom management, time management, lesson planning, and everything else, I realized how much I rely on feedback in the work setting. But it is important for me, as a teacher, to be able to assess myself and measure the work I’ve done in terms of student learning, and make the necessary changes I need to make from those findings. In other words, I need to learn to trust myself. I need to recognize a failure and find possible ways to prevent it from happening again. For instance, if I noticed that I got distracted by a conversation with a student, I need to make sure that I stay on task and let the students know what kind of conversations are appropriate during instruction. In addition to just stating these expectations, I need to model them as well.

My time management has always been typical of a college student: staying up all night the night before a major assignment, getting distracted by heated political discussions, and getting absolutely nothing done all weekend until Sunday night. My name is Erika, and I’m a Procrastinator. But! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I still have a lot of work to do here, but I’ve learned to set deadlines for myself, and to plan out rewards when I reach a benchmark in a project or lesson that I’m working on. It’s a skill that is taking me a long time to learn, but teaching is not a profession that allows for planning at the last minute. Planning for whole chunks of time benefits the teacher, the student, and the school.

What else do I wish I had done differently? I wish I would have asked more questions and found out exactly how much jurisdiction I had over the 10^th-grade class. I wish I would have thought about and decided upon some class procedures to begin from the first day. For instance, I tried using daily journals (which I coined “Daybooks) to begin each class and use for notes and bellwork, but I did not make any decisions on how I would assess the work they did in them. I wish I would have done more to build classroom community, such as introductory activities and getting-to-know-you games. I wish I wouldn’t have let the students take advantage of my being new to teaching. I wish I had had more confidence and authority. I wish I had created a better dialogue with my CT about where I could go with the class. I wish I would have planned my unit earlier. I wish I would have asked for more feedback about it.

There are so many things that I have learned the hard way. And I know there will be so many more failures to come. It will take years to get to the point where I want to be, but I’m looking forward to the failures, the successes, and the chances to try a different strategy. After all, failure, when accompanied by patience and optimism—i.e. the ability to keep getting back on that horse and continuing on the journey—is only another opportunity for success.

Bad Day

2008-11-24T20:11:00.002-05:00

My students hated me today. I feel bad for having to leave such an unruly class for Mrs. D to have to round up and tame. But at least I know that they're scared of her. Today was really bad. I didn't have a backup plan in case the movie didn't work. Mrs. D had to lecture the class.

I'm just trying to get through tomorrow. Then I'll be working ALL of Thanksgiving break on this stuff.

4th and last observation

2008-11-20T20:51:00.003-05:00

My last observation was today. I was so anxious last night that I barely slept. The lesson was a good one. My supervisor comments on my well-planned lessons every time, which is a good boost.
She's said that I've improved a lot since the first observation. I hope she can see how hard I'm trying.

But she did mention that, when I do get my own classroom, that if I don't establish structure and procedure, that I would go home with a headache every day. The class should know what is expected of them as soon as they walk into the classroom. She said that it was too late to try to establish that structure because there was already an established culture of the classroom.

I do feel like a failure in this regard. I feel like I did start to establish a routine with the daybooks. Every day, the students were to come in and get their daybooks and write down the class agenda and memos. It was something resembling a procedure, and the students got used to it quickly, but I hadn't thought about everything I was going to do with them, such as how often I would collect them and grade them, what I wanted the entries to look like, how many points I would assign to them, etc.

I never seem to give enough thought to anything, especially the procedure. I always seem to work at the last minute this semester, and even when I seclude myself in my room for a weekend, I still can't seem to get everything done that I want to get done. I'm aware I'm beating myself up over this, but I NEED to chide myself for this, otherwise it will become a pattern and I will be a miserable, ineffective teacher.

And as much as I appreciate it, it doesn't do me any good when people tell me that I'll be fine, and that they know I'll be a great teacher. I need to work towards that; it doesn't just happen by itself. Why can't I work as fast as everyone else?

I'm assigning the culminating activity for the Julius Caesar unit tomorrow. My time as a student teacher is almost done. I wish I could feel content and proud of my experience, but there is just so much that I wish I could go back and fix! Can I please have a redo? I want to have sat down and planned out exactly how I wanted the class to be from the very first day onward. I want to have started planning my unit earlier. The list goes on and on. I hope my cooperating teacher isn't disappointed with the classroom culture that I've left her with in 6th hour. I hope she doesn't feel like she has to fix it when I'm gone.

I have a lot to research and reflect upon between now and the first day of my first job.

Getting there.

2008-11-20T06:24:00.001-05:00

I'm teaching four out of the five periods today. I'm also having my final evaluation. I want to leave a lasting impression. I could barely sleep last night because I was so anxious.

Let's hope this works!

2008-11-15T14:42:00.002-05:00

Friday was a good day. Mrs. D was out and there was a substitute, but the day went smoothly. It's amazing how threatening to give extra homework can whip a class into shape. The three English AP classes watched a movie, and I presented a Powerpoint in Health class. Then we read the rest of Act III, Scene 1 in English 10. The class started out strong and got silly as time went on. But the writing prompt at the beginning got the class talking about revenge and punishment, eventually tying it back to the character Antony in Julius Caesar.

Another student teacher and I have volunteered to coach the dance team, which is going to be really fun, but it's also going to take up time I could be working on lessons and what not. I'm going to try not to take up too much time with it, at least until I'm done with my unit.

I passed my certification test! So now all I have to do is finish out this unit and then I can start working to find a job! Maybe Teach for America?

Still not caught up.

2008-11-10T21:19:00.002-05:00

I worked all weekend and I'm still not caught up. I locked myself away in my room and only left to go to a two-hour dance show to see my roommate. I'm late on rent, my room's a mess, and I've been chugging caffeine and energy drinks.

The most important lesson I'm learning is about planning. Planning is essential. Everything needs to be thoroughly examined and thought of ahead of time.

I miss my school days. I miss the days where I could just soak up the information willingly. I love history classes and literature classes. I can't wait until I have time to study these more on my own time. I can't wait until I'm a wiser, more effective teacher!

At least I know that there's no way to go but up.

Time to get my butt in gear.

2008-11-07T18:29:00.001-05:00

That's what my supervisor so kindly implied to me today. And she's right. I need to stop procrastinating and start setting little goals for myself. I'm so unproductive after sitting in a classroom all day. But if I really work hard the next four weeks, I'll end my student teaching stronger than I started.

A metaphor that my supervisor said to me today: How do you eat an elephant? Bite by bite. I have to see my big projects as series' of little tasks. It will be easier for me to attain my goals that way. Tonight's bites off the elephant:
-intro questions for study guide
-act III of study guide
-brainstorm stuff for unit analysis and rationale longhand
-organize unit analysis ideas
-type it out and send it to supervisor
-all of monday, tuesday planned.

Steadily Climbing

2008-10-27T18:54:00.002-04:00

My habits are getting better and better. I'm looking forward to some of the lesson ideas that I have planned for this unit. However, the in-class reading of the play (Julius Caesar) hasn't been going well. The class talks the whole time. Today, I had to have them sit in silence for the rest of the class and assigned the rest of Act I and the first scene in Act II for homework. And they are getting quizzed on all of it tomorrow. And it's going to be a HARD quiz.

In an ideal class, I would have started the year out better. Now I know how it feels to be Mrs. Vollmer, my choir teacher. All we did was talk. We never listened to her, and it didn't mean anything when she got angry. We were good for maybe the rest of the class period, but it never lasted long. I always thought that she started out too nice and ambitious at the beginning of the year. I can't wait to start over; to try at it again. But I'm not shrugging off this year. My student teaching supervisor told me that teaching is like parenting: it's one day at a time. Every day is a new day. Hopefully, tomorrow is a good day.

My goal: To have next week planned in it's entirety by Friday at 7pm.
What that entails: all handouts typed and copied, all lesson plans written out, all grading caught up (hopefully by Wednesday night for Parent-Teacher Conferences). Speaking of those, I'm so excited! I want to meet parents. I'm also excited for the parents to get the passwords for their students' Gradebook online. That might motivate a couple students to start participating more in class.

I'm thinking about designing the culminating activity for this unit in a condensed, adapted version of the "leveled instruction" procedure that I learned about on Friday, where the lower-level cognition activities will be worth less points, and the higher level will be worth more. I'm curious to try it with this class and see how it goes.

Student Teaching Workshop

2008-10-24T20:05:00.003-04:00

All of the Secondary student teachers met today in the student center to attend different workshops about beginning teacher topics. I didn't know whether it would be boring or not, but it ended up being very inspiring.

The third session I went to was called "Leveled Instruction," and it was an introduction to a unit design that involved student choice, where students earned "points" towards a number goal, and all of the activities that they can do are presented in a "menu". The students are held accountable for their own work, and their own learning. The classroom becomes a workspace instead of a lecture hall, and there are 3-5 workstations or groups in action at a time. It sounds so interesting! I really want to learn more about it.

Substitute again today.

2008-10-13T19:33:00.003-04:00

Mrs. D has had three subs the last three days due to conferences, homecoming, and such. It's been good practice for running a whole day's worth of classes. The school day goes by quicker when you're a teacher than when you're a student. 6th hour always comes around faster than I expect it to.

Today, the class and collaborated to set the Rules for Discussion. I just need to type them out now to be able to hand them back to the class. We're going to discuss drama tomorrow, so I needed to get the class thinking about discussion and how they are going to react to each other. It took the whole period to come up with the rules and the consequence for breaking those rules. I was actually surprised how many students supported taking away points for breaking the rules.

One of the students had some disruptive behavior in class today, so I finally chose to send her to the hallway after waiting patiently for her to quiet down. The entire class was telling her to be quiet, but she still continued to mumble a long, ongoing rant. I got a little firm with her, and called her mother. Here's the clincher: her mother called me out and asked me all these questions about my disciplinary style. Parents have every right to do this (especially because I'm a student teacher); I just didn't expect it. Overall, the conversation was very productive.

I'm starting to become more confident. I'm growing. I'm learning. The proper reactions/responses are coming more naturally to me now. I am going to be a "hard" teacher one day--I know that. But hopefully I'll challenge students to better themselves and to grow intellectually. The good days make the bad days worth it.

And, I still need to work on:
-Planning further ahead.
-record keeping
-having optional work for the students with special learning needs
-having available late work ready to give to students who are absent.

Half-Day

2008-10-08T10:26:00.002-04:00

I want to start off by thanking everyone who has read at least a part of this blog. I'm so glad I have friends like Ms. Smith and Ms. Price to give me feedback about being a new teacher.

We're currently in the midst of Homecoming Spirit Week at the high school. Today was Wacky-Tacky Day, so everyone wore the most ridiculous mis-matched outfits they could find. It was hilarious. Not quite as hilarious as Monday, Switch Day, in which girls dressed as boys and vice versa. Today was a half-day, something that occurs often in the district for professional development purposes. My CT got out of it, however, which is why I'm sitting comfortably at my favorite coffee shop, The Ugly Mug, reflecting about my experience so far.

One student in the class I'm teaching has been making a habit out of coming to the classroom after school to work on homework instead of going to football study tables or practice. He's nice company, so I don't mind. I just hope his coach isn't mad.

News in Brief.

2008-10-06T16:11:00.001-04:00

I payed the steep emergency fee to take the MTTC test in two weeks. Cross your fingers for me.

The second student teaching seminar was today. It stressed me out and inspired me all at the same time.

I'm one of those people that needs a constant change of scenery in order to get things done. I need to start setting mini-goals and not letting myself do anything else until that goal is completed.

All the students are asking for grades and, in doing so, asking for the work they haven't done to make up and raise their grade. It's annoying, but I guess it's better than them not caring at all.

I think I'm going to do an indirect lesson as a way to review what the students should know about drama.

I feel insecure about my skills as a teacher. But I LOVE the students, so there has to be something that makes me a likely teacher candidate. Right?

End of Personal Narrative Unit

2008-10-02T16:17:00.002-04:00

Half of the class has handed in their personal narrative, which makes me sad because it's worth a large chunk of their grade, so if they don't do it, they don't pass. The reason for this is that it's part of the 10th grade curriculum for the district.

I've been slowly reading this book called Making the Journey by Leila Christenbury, and she writes a section about failure being a consistent reality for teachers. Teachers are unsuccessful over and over again, and you need to know it going in to the profession. I'm learning it firsthand right now; I feel like I didn't inspire them to want to write their essays. I feel like I don't plan activities and units that are engaging. But my sensitivities are slowly reaching reality. There's always another chance to teach. Teaching isn't all or nothing. It's doing the best that you can.

And I'm not worried as much because I know I want to improve. I want to do better. And I want to help these kids make it into the world.

SO Stressed!!!

2008-09-30T08:46:00.001-04:00

I'm really stressed. I use all of the spare time I can (so, any time aside from eating, transportation, doing laundry, and sleeping 4-6 hours a night) to work on planning and grading. I made the mistake of relaxing Friday night instead of working, which seems reasonable enough, but I just can't seem to work fast enough to spare even a Friday night.

WHY can't I be more efficient? I'm just overwhelmed with everything I have to do. And to top it all off, there are three students suspended that I need to somehow gather work for. I'm so lost. I definitely need to consult my cooperating teacher today about all of this and let her know that I'm not ahead. I need to come clean and have some humility to be able to say where my weaknesses are.

I haven't even had time to so an assignment that was due yesterday. AHH, I hope my time management problems won't affect my certification.

What am I going to to?

Computer Lab BUST!

2008-09-24T08:40:00.003-04:00

Taking the students to the Media Center to use the computers was a bust. Trying to get their passwords figured out took up half of the period, and then most of the class didn't work on their papers but goofed off instead. Unfortunately, we had to take away the computer lab privilege. I would have liked to be able to use it this year, but it would be doing a disservice to the Media Center to bring in a rowdy group again anytime soon.

I told the class that, if they were all diligently working on their Personal Narratives, that the date may be extended if necessary. But since, as a whole, the class isn't taking this assignment seriously, their due date is tomorrow. I'm giving them the whole class period to write today, and Friday, I'm going to have them bring in "final copies". Over the weekend, I'm going to grade them, and then return them on Monday with a week's worth of lesson plans to address the different things that I'm finding are hard for students to grasp, whether it be technically, organizationally, or whatever.

It's hard not to get discouraged with this section of English that I'm teaching. I'm trying as hard as I can to self-evaluate and try to figure out what different things I can do to engage the students. But at the same time, I don't want to keep beating myself up. I am trying, and I'm going to continue to put forth the effort. I need to keep reminding myself that there are students that are working and trying, too.

I DO need to do the following:
Spend more time trying to come up with more creative elements to include in the lessons.
Anticipate for problems and always be sure to over-plan.
Create backup assignments for people who are absent the day of the lesson.
Plan farther in advance than I have been, in case something comes up and I can't make copies, use a resource, etc.

I also want to buy a laptop case so that I can start putting everything in my backpack and walking to school on days that I can.

This is going to be one long year.

2008-09-19T15:36:00.001-04:00

It's only been two weeks, but I feel like it's been a lifetime. I must say, student teaching is taking a lot out of me. Thankfully, I'm able to recoup well, even after the rowdy class that I teach.

I tried really hard today. I try really hard everyday. I know that I can't always get what I want, but I DO want to teach this class something--anything. I guess I just want to feel like my hard work that I do outside of class is paying off.

First Observation

2008-09-18T17:36:00.003-04:00

I was observed by my student teaching supervisor today for the first time. The class was hell; nothing out of the ordinary.

My supervisor told me that I really need to figure out some more procedures to use to keep the class focused and working. I feel a little embarrassed, and I wish I could go back and think things through for the first couple days of school. The more I think about it, the more I realize the kind of person it takes to be a teacher.

1. You need to be slightly delusional in your steadfastness and patience.
2. You never stop growing as a teacher, and so if you don't have humility towards your potential for growth, you'll never be happy.
3. You need to like teenagers.
4. You need to be okay with the presence of conflict and drama, because it never ends.
5. You need to be able to try and try and try and try again.

The way my supervisor was talking to me was as if the only thing I really needed to do to get her approval was to keep trying and not get discouraged. It's hard, and there are so many coulda-woulda-shouldas just in the first two weeks alone. Hopefully, I can get control of the class and bring things back around to where they need to be. I know I can do this, because I want to succeed and I want to grow.

Monday will be the beginning of a new English 10 General 6th hour.

Good Day

2008-09-17T15:42:00.001-04:00

Mrs. D advised me to start the class out with an activity that they will start as soon as they get into class, so that the down time wouldn't allow the class to get riled up like it has been. I had them do some freewriting to get them working right away. Tomorrow, I'm going to have them do some grammar exercises; I'll bring in candy for the people who get it right.

I'm beginning to really fall in love with the students. They make me laugh, and they're starting to work harder, which is awesome. Thankfully, the class won't get any bigger. I don't think I can ever teach at a school with a really homogeneous population; I like the diversity at the high school I am at. It makes things more interesting. It's a catch-22 with the parent involvement, though. The parents at this high school are relatively uninvolved, but at the schools in the highly academic (i.e. high income) areas, the parents can be overbearing.

First Full Week.

2008-09-14T19:13:00.001-04:00

Things I need to work on:

patience.
overplanning and anticipating possible problems
planning more engaging activities
consistency
efficiency.

The Units are Coming!

2008-09-11T11:02:00.001-04:00

We're doing a Personal Narrative unit starting on Monday, so I need to get all that situated REAL quick. I'm still learning how to do the day-to-day planning, so the long-term planning keeps being put on the back burner. But I'm going to stay here, in the building, today until I get at least half of the schedule figured out. I'm going to try and have lesson plans for every lesson.

I'm very excited to start the Julius Caesar unit. It'll be fun to get the students out of their seats. Plus, there are a large number of males in that class, so they might enjoy the violence and such within the play.

My cooperating teacher still continues to amaze me. She's always supportive about my strengths and weaknesses, and she trusts in the process. I'm trying really hard to give this my all. I wonder how my CT and other professionals think about me so far.

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

2008-09-09T18:38:00.002-04:00

I must have not completed a REM cycle or something because I just could not get excited to be in school today. I'm going to be blunt when I say that the English 10 class was just annoying today.

I feel a little lost when it comes to procedure; I haven't really picked up on the routines that my CT has put into place. I might just have to come up with my own. So far, I have vocabulary quiz on Fridays, and a possibility of grammar questions at the beginning of the day.

I'm grumpy and frustrated with the fact that I seem to be spending all of the time outside the building trying to come up with ideas. You know how some parents teach their children how to swim by just throwing them in the water? Yeah, it's kind of like that. I know that it'll be the best for me in the end, but man. It's overwhelming right now.

I'm going to pledge to stay at least an hour in the classroom everyday after class, unless I have an important appointment. Then, I need to get there earlier in the morning. Lord knows how distracted I get when I'm home.

Anyway, the personal narrative unit starts on Monday. I still don't know exactly what I want to do with it. I know I want to have at least three days of in-class workshopping, including writing prompts, drafting, and proofreading. We also need days scheduled for the media center, so that the students have an opportunity to word process. On top of that, I need to plan my original unit on Julius Caesar. I hope things start falling into place, and I hope that I can start feeling more productive.

One of the tasks I want to work on is helping Mrs. D organize her room a little bit. There are all these old books and projects everywhere that need purged, and I'm going to go ahead and assume that she doesn't mind that I get started on it.

Keep me in your thoughts while I try to level myself. :o)

Students' First Day

2008-09-04T19:56:00.001-04:00

Today was the first day of school for students. Each class period of Mrs. D's had a personality of its own, but all in all, I enjoyed the student body. I can't wait for the class to become more comfortable with myself, Mrs. D, and each other. I was a little jittery when I first spoke to the class, but I think now that the intro is through, I'll feel more relaxed.

I'm feeling a tiny bit lost and unprepared, I must say. I just haven't had much experience in classroom management, and I'm afraid that the students will take advantage of my easy-going manner.

I also feel like a fool because I forgot the materials to prepare for the lesson today. Luckily, the class I'm taking over is the last period of the day, so I'll take advantage of my lunch and planning period to think of some ideas.

Wish me luck!

Clusterfudge

2008-09-03T20:07:00.002-04:00

A euphemism, at the very least. The high school had late-running renovations, and the school is left in shambles. Most of the teachers think that the first day of school should have been postponed until Monday because none of them have had time to get their classrooms ready.

There are already so many similarities that I'm finding between a staff of high school teachers and the building staffs I was a part of when I worked for housing as an RA, minus the energy level and the flirting.

Tomorrow, the students are coming. I'm not nervous yet; I don't think I'm going to get that nervous, actually. It'll be nice to have the students in the building. I just hope we have something for them to do, since there hasn't been enough time for my cooperating teacher to plan detailed lessons yet.

I should also mention that Ms. D is pretty much the best cooperating teacher I could have asked for. Everyone has told me (in front of her) that I'm going to have a great experience working with her. And throughout all of this chaos, she has remained one of the more optimistic, light-hearted staff members, which is relaxing. She just seems to "get it," if you will.

Day 1 - Student Teaching

2008-09-02T16:04:00.001-04:00

I'm going to count today as the first official day of student teaching, even though I won't see any students until Thursday. I went in for a professional development day today.

Ms. D (gotta be private) is awesome. We started with a tour of the school and stopping to introduce me to whomever we met along the way. Then we went to a whole-staff meeting, where the head principal gave a very motivating speech. By the sound of things at the staff meeting, the teachers are personable with each other. At the meeting, I discovered that a girl who was a frequent classmate of mine (we'll call her Ms. P) is doing her student teaching at the same high school. I was stoked, because she's an awesome person and will be a lot of fun to have around. She brings a relaxed vibe wherever she goes, and she is motivated and dependable, too.

The rest of the day was spent getting to know Ms. D and running around helping her acquire books and catch up with other teachers. Needless to say, I felt welcomed and relatively comfortable there already. Today was just more affirmation that teaching may just be my niche.

I can't wait to meet the students!!!

Very Unsure

2008-08-21T11:04:00.001-04:00

I'm still not one-hundred percent sure of what to expect for my first week of student teaching. What if I can't hold the attention of the class? I've been told my voice is commanding, but I still have to be interesting for students to want to listen to me.

I'm nervous that I'm not prepared enough. I'm afraid that I won't meet my cooperating teacher's standards. Ahhhh!

First Face-to-Face with my Cooperating Teacher!

2008-07-14T15:14:00.001-04:00

I met my cooperating teacher today! She seemed very approachable and laid-back. I'm impressed that she's the acting principal for Ypsilanti Public School's summer school program.

This year, she'll be teaching three sections of AP English (score!), section of general 10th grade English, and a health class. She said that I'll be taking over the 10th grade class, and my unit will probably be Julius Caesar. THANK GOD, because I practically specialize in Shakespeare, and I love the history involved. in teaching it. I need to read the play as soon as possible, and jot down ideas for activities while I read.

AHHH! I'm going to be a teacher. I can't believe it.

2008-05-07T10:34:00.003-04:00

I'm patiently awaiting to hear back about my student teaching placement. I'm so excited to find out where, but I'm nervous that no one will want to take a student teacher.

I pledge right now to remember how it feels to be an undergrad who just wants to teach. After my first two or three years of teaching is up, I will make sure to frequently take student teachers.

Getting Students to Participate in Class Discussion

2008-04-14T09:49:00.003-04:00

I once had a college professor, in the first week of class, ask us to write down anonymously on a piece of paper whether or not we speak up in class and why. Then, she read the responses out loud. I was shocked to hear that the amount of people that didn't like to speak in class was nearly half of the room. Many of the reasons for this were that they didn't think that they had anything important to say or that they didn't want to speak up and be wrong.

After she was done reading these out loud, our professor gave a very heartfelt speech about how important it is to get our voices heard and that no one's opinions or thoughts are worth less than anyone else's in that class. I was so inspired by this small activity and am thinking about doing something like it when I have a classroom of my own.

I think it would be fun to do a week's worth of teambuilding activities at the beginning of the year because it gets the students closer to one another and can lead to a development of trust and community within classes. And that makes for better learning.

The Alchemist.

2008-03-28T21:09:00.002-04:00

We're reading The Alchemist for the Literature circle that I'm leading in my pre-student teaching classroom. I'm excited to read this book because I've heard that it's phenomenal. Hopefully, I will have time to do all of the reading--the end of the semester is looking pretty busy. I'll have different groups this time, which I'm also excited about. I like getting to know students; young people are pretty interesting.

Today, a number of the girls were fighting and crying about some conflict and it reminded me of the good ol' days. You couldn't pay me to go back to middle school, but I'm glad that I have a pretty vivid memory so that I can at least relate a little bit. I remember the identity struggles that went on when I was that age and they were not fun.

Planning

2008-03-22T13:28:00.002-04:00

Teaching requires quite a dedication to planning. I'm not so sure that planning ahead is my strongest asset. It's so much fun to think about lesson plans and creating innovative assessments and all of that, but I tend to be a procrastinator. I think I need to set up some kind of schedule for myself in which I spend a certain amount of time each week to working on units and lesson plans.

What I really need to do is decide on some short-term goals for myself in regards to preparing for student teaching in the fall. More to come.

Wow, I actually like middle schoolers.

2008-03-17T10:28:00.003-04:00

I've been in the classroom this semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays at a charter K-8th school. It's interesting to be a part of a different kind of learning environment. Everything is more integrated, and the student population is smaller. I'm learning the students names and becoming more and more a part of the class, but it's happening very slowly because there are three--I repeat: THREE--other pre-student teachers in that class. The students don't seem to have the desire to get to know us all, but I am the youngest and probably the most in touch with that age level.

I've also been helping out with an after-school program at a public middle school. It's mostly just hanging out with the students and helping them with their homework, sometimes. But I feel like this after-school time is very valuable because I'm becoming used to being around young people and being required to lead them and keep them on task. I really enjoy talking to the students and hearing what they have to say, which is a HUGE relief because some select teachers never have that.

Goals for 2008

2007-12-03T17:35:00.000-05:00

My goal for this year is to complete a well thought out resume, to fine tune the existing unit that I have, and to create two new units for language arts to add to my portfolio. The portfolio building will be done along the way.

I'm already planning one of the units to be on either Lord of the Flies or Animal Farm. I want the other to possibly be a poetry writing unit. I'm pretty excited about that last one. I'll give updates on how they are developing.

Student-planned curriculum

2007-10-15T13:56:00.001-04:00

I've heard stories from classmates about teachers they had in high school that asked the students, in the first week or so of school, to essentially plan out the year. The teacher would ask the students what topics to cover, what books they wanted to read, and what kind of assignments they thought would show that they understood the assignment. They would work with the teacher cooperatively to plan units and everything.

I really like this idea because it places responsibility on the students. Giving students agency over their education can make the classroom a much more enjoyable place, and it shows the student that I, as the teacher, care about their interests and desires.

When College Proffessors Need Lessons in Teaching

2007-10-10T11:29:00.000-04:00

I feel bad for the professors in the College of Arts and Sciences at Eastern. I really do. Many, if not most, of we students who occupy their classes are going to be teachers and can safely say we know a thing or two about how to successfully teach. So, when our professors are not up to par, we criticize the heck out of them.

I know this is an unfair advantage on the their end, but it irks me when professors don't follow some of the fundamental concepts of education. I wish I could send them to a workshop on assessment or classroom management. However, the professor who inspired me to write this post needs neither. She needs a lesson in etiquette.

She interrupts the students repeatedly, and makes it very obvious if she thinks someone is wasting her time with their opinion. I asked two questions today, and both of them received rude responses. But, instead of letting myself use this as an excuse to not do the work or hate going to class, I will take mental notes on what NOT to do when I'm finally in front of thirty or so students. Here's a list of things I have so far on my "to-remember" list on teacher etiquette:

-Really listen to a student when they speak, instead of waiting for them to either say what I want them to say. Do not interrupt unless necessary. (however, that is up for debate)
-Don't make a joke at one student's expense. You never know what people or subjects may be particularly touchy.
-Don't be upset when a student points out something you didn't notice or think of. Congratulate them.
-Don't get condescending about students not speaking up in class. Be understanding, because their reasons may actually be valid and/or fixable.

New Blog Beginnings

2007-10-01T23:25:00.000-04:00

I started this blog last year for a class and proceeded to forget about it. Now that I am in my last year of school before I student teach, I thought I should get some ideas down. I want to use this blog to record my excitement and fear about becoming a teacher, and I want to plan for the kind of classroom I want to one day have. Bear with me; I still don't have it all figured out yet.