Hello again! After a really long absence, I'm busting open the blog once again! I haven't been posting because I've been on summer break, getting through my first semester of my senior year, etc etc. But as I was filling out my application to student teach, I realized that I'm going to have more teacher education stuff to post about soon! So I thought I'd start with a little overview of what my next semester of student teaching (like, the real deal student teaching; not just a field experience!).
As you may or may not know, I go to school in a small town in Ohio, and always assumed that I'd be doing my student teaching in one of the schools around here. But then I got a phone call from the man in charge of student teaching placements, asking me to please consider a different student teaching program they offer here at the university. And long story short, after a lot of debate, I will be student teaching in (drumroll please)...
Florida! I'll be teaching in the town that Disney built, and I couldn't be more excited! I'm still doing paperwork and figuring out logistics so nothing is set in stone (other than the fact that I'm going!), but I'm in the process of making it happen!
I'll update with information as I have it, although as of now all I know is the town name and whose couch I'm crashing on as school before I leave for Florida. But hey, it's a start!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
I can't believe it's over!
Yesterday marked my last day in my junior field experience, and it was definitely bittersweet. All 3 periods had a party/chill day; they were allowed to bring in food and we watched the last two episodes of an online Spanish-speaking drama/educational video (Mi Vida Loca. Look it, up it's fantastic!). My co-op was using it as a party for me, and I have to say, I loved having a party thrown for me! Even second period, the ones who seemed to like me the least as a class, got into it and brought in food.
First period really started the day off right, though. When I arrived, my co-op and a few students were blowing up balloons. I was then promptly kicked out of the room because one of the boys (Alejandro, you may remember him as the lotion boy from On a lighter note...) wanted it to be a surprise. So I wandered off to the copy room/faculty room with strict orders not to come back until the bell. After about 10 minutes of studying for an exam, the warning bell rang. I figured that I should head back, but I didn't immediately walk in because I knew it was really important to them that I didn't walk in early. So while I waited for the second bell one of my other boys, Nicolás, walked to the classroom.
First thing out of his mouth was a laugh and, "so did they kick you out of the room?"
I nodded as he walked in, before adding "find out if I can come in yet!"
After a few seconds he came back out and confirmed that I wasn't supposed to come in yet. I could hear Alejandro directing people before I saw the door be pulled shut and the lights turned out. He then opened the door, walked out, and said "Oh hello Señorita, are you here to teach us something today?"
I chuckled and played along, saying that yes I was there to teach them. And when I walked in the whole class yelled sorpresa!, and two other boys jumped out from either side of the door (which really did startle me). The had hung balloons on the chalkboard, there were streamers, and the whole back table had food. It was great!
I was really sad to see my time there come to the end. I got lots of hugs and students making me promise to come visit, and my co-op got me a really great little bucket with Vitamin Water (to get me through finals), colored permanent markers (which I love), and a thank you card.
I'm so grateful that I got the opportunity to spend my semester at this high school with these people; as crazy as the students made me I'll really miss seeing them every day and my co-op was a huge asset. I know that because of them I'll go far!
First period really started the day off right, though. When I arrived, my co-op and a few students were blowing up balloons. I was then promptly kicked out of the room because one of the boys (Alejandro, you may remember him as the lotion boy from On a lighter note...) wanted it to be a surprise. So I wandered off to the copy room/faculty room with strict orders not to come back until the bell. After about 10 minutes of studying for an exam, the warning bell rang. I figured that I should head back, but I didn't immediately walk in because I knew it was really important to them that I didn't walk in early. So while I waited for the second bell one of my other boys, Nicolás, walked to the classroom.
First thing out of his mouth was a laugh and, "so did they kick you out of the room?"
I nodded as he walked in, before adding "find out if I can come in yet!"
After a few seconds he came back out and confirmed that I wasn't supposed to come in yet. I could hear Alejandro directing people before I saw the door be pulled shut and the lights turned out. He then opened the door, walked out, and said "Oh hello Señorita, are you here to teach us something today?"
I chuckled and played along, saying that yes I was there to teach them. And when I walked in the whole class yelled sorpresa!, and two other boys jumped out from either side of the door (which really did startle me). The had hung balloons on the chalkboard, there were streamers, and the whole back table had food. It was great!
I was really sad to see my time there come to the end. I got lots of hugs and students making me promise to come visit, and my co-op got me a really great little bucket with Vitamin Water (to get me through finals), colored permanent markers (which I love), and a thank you card.
I'm so grateful that I got the opportunity to spend my semester at this high school with these people; as crazy as the students made me I'll really miss seeing them every day and my co-op was a huge asset. I know that because of them I'll go far!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Want a nugget?
Today, I learned a new activity students do to make each other crazy; it seems as though "pantsing" and knocking a kid's books on the floor have been left behind for good.
Before first period one of my students was talking about "nuggeting." I must have looked confused because he asked me if I knew what it meant (that was a big negative, all my classmates used to do was tell people that their socks were untied...). Of course then they started talking amongst themselves about how maybe they should give me a little introduction to nuggeting.
Once they got distracted, my co-op explained to me that nuggeting is when a student takes everything out of another student's backpack, turns it inside out, and then puts everything back in. Obviously when the bell rings the student then comes back to grab their things only to find this "nugget" of a bookbag. Since they can't just pick it up now that the straps are inside, they're stuck hulking this big clunky sack around school until they get a chance to turn it right side out.
Now I have to admit, I did chuckle a little; the mental picture was just too funny. But I guess students got really fast at it and it became a huge problem at the school. It was bad enough where a student could walk across the room, come back 30 seconds later and they'd have a nugget.
Like every high school fad, this one eventually died down. But I can't help but wonder what the students will come up with by the time I have a classroom!
Before first period one of my students was talking about "nuggeting." I must have looked confused because he asked me if I knew what it meant (that was a big negative, all my classmates used to do was tell people that their socks were untied...). Of course then they started talking amongst themselves about how maybe they should give me a little introduction to nuggeting.
Once they got distracted, my co-op explained to me that nuggeting is when a student takes everything out of another student's backpack, turns it inside out, and then puts everything back in. Obviously when the bell rings the student then comes back to grab their things only to find this "nugget" of a bookbag. Since they can't just pick it up now that the straps are inside, they're stuck hulking this big clunky sack around school until they get a chance to turn it right side out.
Now I have to admit, I did chuckle a little; the mental picture was just too funny. But I guess students got really fast at it and it became a huge problem at the school. It was bad enough where a student could walk across the room, come back 30 seconds later and they'd have a nugget.
Like every high school fad, this one eventually died down. But I can't help but wonder what the students will come up with by the time I have a classroom!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Down to the wire!
Since I'm getting to the end of the semester insanity, this one is going to be short and sweet! I can't believe I only have a week left with my students...my co-op said today that it was bittersweet, but I have to say I'm seeing it as a little more bitter. The students make me nuts and I whined a lot about making up lessons while doing other class work, but it really has been a blast!
That being said, I got to see "imitation is the highest form of flattery" acted out today in class. Last week, my friend and I attempted a manicure where you paint your nails one color and then use straws to paint different colored circles on them (it's harder than it sounds...or maybe it's just as hard as it sounds, depending on your level of craftiness. I'm at level -12 so it was tough for me). But they ended up looking really cool, so I left them for school. So today when I went to class, I noticed one of the girls who asked me about them had tried it!
Now, I know this is something very small, but I got really excited that she tried it after seeing me do it! Hers looked about a million times better, but it was still awesome!
That being said, I got to see "imitation is the highest form of flattery" acted out today in class. Last week, my friend and I attempted a manicure where you paint your nails one color and then use straws to paint different colored circles on them (it's harder than it sounds...or maybe it's just as hard as it sounds, depending on your level of craftiness. I'm at level -12 so it was tough for me). But they ended up looking really cool, so I left them for school. So today when I went to class, I noticed one of the girls who asked me about them had tried it!
Now, I know this is something very small, but I got really excited that she tried it after seeing me do it! Hers looked about a million times better, but it was still awesome!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Oh hello there, spring break!
This week, I get one of those extra perks of being an education student: my students' spring break. I already had my university's spring break a couple weeks ago, and now the high school I'm teaching at has theirs. Now, while this doesn't mean I have the whole week off (I still have those pesky college courses), it does mean that I get a whole week of being able to sleep until it's actually light outside! For example, today I got to sleep until 9 am, which is a whole 4 extra hours of shut eye!
So all this being said, any posts for the next few days will be a little different, i.e. probably having nothing to do with teaching at all. However, I did make this blog with the intention of having a college student's point of view, so it still works!
So all this being said, any posts for the next few days will be a little different, i.e. probably having nothing to do with teaching at all. However, I did make this blog with the intention of having a college student's point of view, so it still works!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
What do you mean there's no water?!
Since between classes and teaching this semester is absolute madness, it's the simple things that really make a difference: getting a chance to paint my nails, a movie night with friends, my favorite food in the dining hall to name a few. But there's one that should have been at the top of the list: a hot shower. You see, a hot shower is one of those things that I always enjoyed, but never realized how much I loved them until they were unceremoniously stolen from me.
It all started Sunday, when my roommate left to shower, only to come back 30 seconds later and inform me that I might want to reevaluate whether or not I needed a shower since there was no hot water. I was going to hear a band at a restaurant later, so I decided that I could suck it up and take a cold shower for a day. After the coldest (and fastest) shower ever, I hoped it would never happen again and put the incident out of my mind.
The next day, I got in the shower to discover that the water was taking a ridiculously long time to warm up. After 5 minutes of standing there and waiting for the water to go past barely tepid to some semblance of warm, I realized that that was as hot as my water was planning to get. After another short shower (and a whole lot of angry cursing) I discovered that almost lukewarm showers are significantly worse than ice cold ones, which is not something you'd expect. But trust me, they are.
On to yesterday morning, which was Tuesday. I got up for teaching as usual at 5:15 to go shower, crossing my fingers and praying that I'd be able to take a hot shower. But alas, still ice cold. It seems even lukewarm was too much of a trial for the water heater at this point. I then stomped back to my room, announced to my roommate that there was no point in showering (she and I get up to teach at the same time, I swear I'm not a bad roommate who wakes up the other at 5 in the morning) and that she might as well not get up. This just showed my frustration, since I'm one of those people who hates going to breakfast on the weekend without showering, let alone teaching.
Finally last night I'd had enough. For the 3rd time I bugged my RA with no luck (she had about as much information as I did, which was practically nothing). But later, around 10:30, she knocked on the door and asked if I had planned to shower that night, to which I said "no, usually the morning."
"Okay good, because there's no water in the showers and I don't know when we're getting it back."
My annoyance peaked at that moment. I very politely asked her if she had any clue if it was something that'd be fixed by morning, or if I should go find somewhere else to shower because so help me God I was not going another day without a shower. As you probably guessed, I ended up calling friends in another dorm and asking to stash my things in their room while I showered in their building.
And to end this ridiculously long and tedious story, I tell you that it is now 12:43 pm on Wednesday, and there's still no hot water.
We do, however, at least have actual water now which I guess is a step in the right direction...
EDIT: It is now 4:25 pm on Wednesday and I've been informed that the water is back to working the way it should. Step 1: Fix water - check. Step 2: Make sure it stays working - fingers crossed.
It all started Sunday, when my roommate left to shower, only to come back 30 seconds later and inform me that I might want to reevaluate whether or not I needed a shower since there was no hot water. I was going to hear a band at a restaurant later, so I decided that I could suck it up and take a cold shower for a day. After the coldest (and fastest) shower ever, I hoped it would never happen again and put the incident out of my mind.
The next day, I got in the shower to discover that the water was taking a ridiculously long time to warm up. After 5 minutes of standing there and waiting for the water to go past barely tepid to some semblance of warm, I realized that that was as hot as my water was planning to get. After another short shower (and a whole lot of angry cursing) I discovered that almost lukewarm showers are significantly worse than ice cold ones, which is not something you'd expect. But trust me, they are.
On to yesterday morning, which was Tuesday. I got up for teaching as usual at 5:15 to go shower, crossing my fingers and praying that I'd be able to take a hot shower. But alas, still ice cold. It seems even lukewarm was too much of a trial for the water heater at this point. I then stomped back to my room, announced to my roommate that there was no point in showering (she and I get up to teach at the same time, I swear I'm not a bad roommate who wakes up the other at 5 in the morning) and that she might as well not get up. This just showed my frustration, since I'm one of those people who hates going to breakfast on the weekend without showering, let alone teaching.
Finally last night I'd had enough. For the 3rd time I bugged my RA with no luck (she had about as much information as I did, which was practically nothing). But later, around 10:30, she knocked on the door and asked if I had planned to shower that night, to which I said "no, usually the morning."
"Okay good, because there's no water in the showers and I don't know when we're getting it back."
My annoyance peaked at that moment. I very politely asked her if she had any clue if it was something that'd be fixed by morning, or if I should go find somewhere else to shower because so help me God I was not going another day without a shower. As you probably guessed, I ended up calling friends in another dorm and asking to stash my things in their room while I showered in their building.
And to end this ridiculously long and tedious story, I tell you that it is now 12:43 pm on Wednesday, and there's still no hot water.
We do, however, at least have actual water now which I guess is a step in the right direction...
EDIT: It is now 4:25 pm on Wednesday and I've been informed that the water is back to working the way it should. Step 1: Fix water - check. Step 2: Make sure it stays working - fingers crossed.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Music to my ears!
I started my unit yesterday, which means that for the next two weeks of school (thank goodness I get their spring break as a breather in between) I'm teaching the first three periods of the day, every day, with lessons and a unit I planned. I love it, but it is a little stressful since I feel like I'm not putting as much into the planning and execution as I should be (thank you whoever decided a full class load and this field experience was a good idea). I'm always wondering if I timed things correctly, if I planned enough, and second guessing my activities.
But today, while they were playing Memory with new vocab, I got to hear one of a teacher's favorite phrases out of a student: "I'm learning so much!"
Now I have to say, that my pessimistic side reared it's ugly head when I first heard it (since he'd said it rather loudly when I was on the other side of the room, which generally indicates sarcasm. Especially out of this boy). So I walked over and joked, "Oh, I hope you weren't being sarcastic!" to which he responded, "No I mean it!" He then went on to explain to me that every time he didn't know a word he had to look it up on his list, and that made him remember it.
"See, I didn't know festejar, so I looked it up, and now I know it means to celebrate!"
Of course he forgot the meaning of the word 15 minutes later when he read it in the textbook, but I'll still take it! Baby steps people, baby steps....
But today, while they were playing Memory with new vocab, I got to hear one of a teacher's favorite phrases out of a student: "I'm learning so much!"
Now I have to say, that my pessimistic side reared it's ugly head when I first heard it (since he'd said it rather loudly when I was on the other side of the room, which generally indicates sarcasm. Especially out of this boy). So I walked over and joked, "Oh, I hope you weren't being sarcastic!" to which he responded, "No I mean it!" He then went on to explain to me that every time he didn't know a word he had to look it up on his list, and that made him remember it.
"See, I didn't know festejar, so I looked it up, and now I know it means to celebrate!"
Of course he forgot the meaning of the word 15 minutes later when he read it in the textbook, but I'll still take it! Baby steps people, baby steps....
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