Observation and Week 4

Well hello there!

Last Friday was the day I was observed by my Marian University Supervisor!  I did not get very much sleep the night before, I kept tossing and turning thinking of all the things that could happen while she was here.  The next morning I was ready to leave very early so I ran to Starbucks and got some coffee.  (Probably not the best idea when you are already anxious!)  As soon as I actually got to school and was able to start getting everything prepared I felt a whole lot better. 

The lesson actually went very well!  The thing I am really learning about this age level is that they like to test your limits.  I do not, nor will I ever, enjoy being strict...but I have learned that with this age in particular you have to start out fairly firm and then you can ease up, after they know your expectations and that you mean business!  While my professor was here there was a little attitude from a few students, but she said I handled it beautifully.  She also said she did not think I enjoy being strict, but she knows I can do it!  (Imagine that!)  She gave me a few "mathematical" suggestions that I should try to work on.  Such as highlighting important language, and thoroughly explaining all of my steps because this is the first time most students have ever seen this kind of math!  Basically once it was over it was a huge sigh of relief!  Now I only have to go through that two more times and I will be DONE!

Teaching has been going wonderfully!  I will begin teaching all of the classes during the day starting tomorrow!  I am really looking forward to it!  It is kind of hard to just step back and watch because I feel like I am so ready to do it all on my own!  This block that I have been teaching is the advanced class so I am going to be changing things up quite a bit when I pick up the other two classes!  I am currently administering my very first test (that I created!) which is very exciting, but also kind of boring because I am just sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting to get them back to correct!

Want to know something exciting that happened?!!  One of my students sewed a pillow for me!!!  During my first week here it was her birthday and I was asking what she got for the big day and her parents got her a sewing machine!  I was telling her about my sister and my mom and how they are a lot better at sewing than me and that it is an awesome skill to have and then on Monday she brought in a pillow that she made for me!  It is now adorning the seat at my desk :)!

By the way that is my desk!  It started off as only this little table thing but I think my CT felt bad because I had so much stuff on my little desk so she gave me a file cabinet to use as extra space as well :P  Then I reused my cut outs that my aunt had made for me as well as a few extra ones from school to put together this masterpiece ;).

Week Numero 2.5

I had quite the strange start to my placement seeing that Easter fell right in the middle of the first two weeks...so I am just starting my first full week here.  Although I have only been here a short number of days I am starting to feel comfortable and am ready to get going with my own teaching!  I am beginning teaching one of our three classes starting tomorrow! 

I am finally starting to feel the flow of the middle school world.  I have to be honest, those first few weeks were a little rough.  I missed my second graders and I just felt out of sorts coming into this classroom with only nine weeks left of school.  Luckily I have a wonderful cooperating teacher who is letting me jump right in, and the staff at this particular school is extremely kind and welcoming.   I am finally starting to get a feel for this age level and am realizing how wonderful 6th graders are!  I can see why some people love the middle school setting (although those 8th graders still seem a little scary!)

I should mention my experience during my first week!  I made it through my entire first placement in the elementary school without getting seriously sick once...well on the third day in the middle school I had to go home because I got the flu!  It was so terrible, I felt awful leaving on my third day there!  Thank goodness my teacher was very understanding and I was able to come back the next day.

• How are my days set up now that I am in the middle school you might ask?
• My alarm goes off at 6:04 and I enthusiastically jump drag myself out of bed right away after hitting snooze three times. ;)
• I arrive at school every morning at about 7:30.  
• The students are allowed in a little before eight and I stand in the hallway to greet them as they come in.
• Our first block runs from 8-9:30, this is the block I am taking over tomorrow!
• From 9:30-11:00 we have prep time which is crazy to me because in the elementary school there was nowhere near this much time!  Typically we have meetings with other teachers int he building during this time.
• Lunch is at 11.
• At 11:30 we have an enrichment time with a group of students for a half hour.
• From 12-1:30 we have block C.
• From 1:30 until 3 we have Block D.
• Then the day is over!  (Well for the students at least, teachers have to stay until 3:30; although most are there a lot later!)

Well I think that is all I know for now.  I'll try to keep up with my first experience teaching this week.  I also get observed by my professor on Friday, which will probably make me a little very nervous!