Posts (page 2)

Watching myself teach was definitely a treat... for Rob.  I think I would've put most normal people to sleep.  I couldn't even watch myself for the full 50 minutes.  Why is this?  It seems to be fun and learning seems to be happening while I'm teaching. 
I only needed to go so far as to look at my observations and evaluations.  Common comments were, "do more worksheets and activities," "don't stand at the board the whole time," "plan ahead a little bit more," and so on.  I knew what they were saying and I though I was incorporating more fun into my lessons.  Boy was I wrong.  Even though I knew these things and saw them on the tape, I still had a relatively boring lesson on Friday.  Why can't I get away from these terrible habits?  The easy way out would be to say that this is just my teaching style and there's nothing I can do to change that.  We all know that I would just be lying to myself.  I have shown that I can be more fun and have a positive learning environment in the classroom.  I just forget that these kids need that interaction to learn more than I did.
Through these negatives, there was a bright spot or two.  Most of the kids seemed to grasp the concept, eventually.  And none of them fell asleep.  I know that it will be tougher to engage more kids in the fall.  If I don't get better at it now with only 8 students, I'll be in big trouble come this fall.  I can only hope the next video tape is much more exciting and engaging.  Now I'm off to plan my next "fiesta" of a lesson.

So, like one of my fellow roommates, I decided to do something at the last minute.  I read the entire Reluctant Disciplinarian book the day this blog about it was due.  I am actually very surprised at this feat.  This is only the second time in many years I can actually remember myself finishing any book.  This includes something as small as a magazine to the fictional novel David Copperfield.  Although many people will scoff at this, I believe it is a step in the right direction for me.  But this is a topic for a completely different blog session.
Now, on to more important matters.  While reading this book I became surprisingly relieved at many of the subjects Rubinstein discussed.  I may seem cocky or just plain dumb to say that this book did not make me at all scared of the school year ahead.  Instead I was thoroughly encouraged.  Throughout most of the book I found myself thinking that my teaching program if preparing me far better than what he is describing.  Most of the times we meet we go over many of the things that Rubinstein mentions.  Our classes aren't useless like the organizing bulletin board class he makes fun of.  Not only do we get to observe good teachers in our second years, but some failed lessons taught by my fellow first years(I'm not saying they're bad teachers, just that it is good to watch some of the same mistakes that I make or would make if I didn't learn better).  Even though we haven't been through it yet, the role playing we will be doing seems as though it will be more helpful than anything yet.  Bringing in actual students who will react to situations as if it were a real classroom should be a priceless exercise.  I love the fact that the experienced teachers have to reflect on their failures and successes in a public forum.  This allows all of us to learn what to do and maybe more importantly, what not to do.
In his chapter about what "real" teachers do he describes all things that have been told to and/or demonstrated to us since we have been here.  It's great to read phrases in the book that are exactly what I've heard in class.  Things like "develop a 'teacher look'" or "don't smile until Christmas."  Fortunately for me I developed a "teacher look" a long time ago.  First my mom is a teacher, so I have experience with it first hand.  Secondly, my dad uses a very similar look we like to call the "evil eye."  Both have worked very effectively.
Just to be clear, I am not saying that I am perfectly prepared for teaching and that my first year will be a breeze.  I just think that of all first year teachers in the country, ours seem to have the best preparation of any.  It's going to be a challenge and many of us will see our first year as a failure(Not all of us can win teacher of the year in our first year like some people with initials JR).  I just know that even if things go wrong and stuff seems out of control, many successful teachers were in my shoes in the beginning of their careers.  I also know that I have people there for me who will have advice to give or can just be there for me.  Well, this is the end of this.  I just want to say thank you for making us read this book.  I think it is very helpful in my development as a first year teacher.

Today during my summer school lesson I used the cold calling technique.  I thought it would be a great idea to help the kids be quiet and wait to be called on.  I didn't really liked the way that it turned out though.  It was tough to manage and keep up with.
During the first half of the lesson, I kept pretty consistent with the method.  But having only four kids in my class really hindered the strategy from working.  Sometimes I would come up with the same kid's name three times in a row, which didn't give the other students a chance to work themselves in.  I think this aspect would be better utilized in a larger class.
I also thought that it stunted the lesson from advancing in a timely manner.  I every time I asked a question I would have to go to choose another name.  It got kind of annoying to me and it seemed to bore the kids a little bit too.  I ask so many questions that I would have to pull a name every 10 seconds.  Sometimes I would drop them slips of paper too.  It doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it gets pretty old, pretty quickly.
It also seemed to disappoint the studious kids who wanted to raise their hands and answer the questions.  Somehow it seemed like their name just got pulled less.
On a good note there were less kids trying to blurt out answers when they saw me reach for the names.  Because of this reason alone, I might actually try this again once I get a larger class just to see how it works out.  I probably wouldn't try it again with such a small group.

How to describe the first couple days of the MTC...
I think that my title takes care of a lot of that for me.  Most may not be able to tell, but I was probably the most nervous person in the room of first years on that first day.  Not because we were about to dive into the depths of poverty and try to change the educational system in this state, but because of all the new faces.  I have never been one to adapt that well to change.  Meeting new people and especially new friends has always been a struggle for me.   As most of my high school classmates can tell you, I am actually a typical introvert(that's what the personality test yesterday told me as well).  As time goes on, I believe people will realize I'm not the loud-mouth they have come to know in these first couple of days.  It has mostly been all of that nervous energy taking its time leaving my body.  The first day I was awake earlier than I had been in months.  I just couldn't get to sleep with that feeling inside me.
Some of these nervous tensions are starting to subside with all of the friendly people that have surrounded me lately.  i was very pleased to meet some very down to earth people.  No one thinks of themselves as being better than anyone because they went to a school such as Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Cornell, or Notre Dame.  And it seems that most everyone is not too important to enjoy a nice game of frisbee, no matter what their athletic skill. 
I also can't wait to get in front of kids and start teaching.  I have always love kids and I seem to along with them pretty well.  Teaching is always something people told me that I at least need to try.  They say I would be great because I know math well, but mainly because I like to be in control.  I can only hope the man inside me that takes over, not the nervous chatterbox, comes out in front of my classes.  Good luck to everyone and thank you so much for accepting me so quickly.

-May God be with you all on your journey.

    "Lalee's Kin" was an interesting and informative documentary of a poverty stricken family in the Mississippi Delta.  Some people are saddened and others encouraged by the story.  Honestly, I was more or less angered when watching this.  Not because it showed me that the "vicious poverty cycle" is true, but that the people involved in it are doing little to nothing to overcome it. 
    When I heard that LaLee had twenty something siblings and then had 11 kids of her own, I was astounded.  Of those 11 kids, 8 are still alive and have a combined 38 children.  That's an average of almost five kids per parent.  It's hard to imagine how a family stricken with poverty can improve their lifestyle having a litter of children.  Most middle class families struggle to stay that way with less than 3 or 4 kids.  If you want a better life for your children then you have to give them a fighting chance.  It also seemed that most of these kids didn't have a father.  If you can't survive with a two parent income, what makes you think one parent can support five children?  Make sure the man will stick around before you have your kids.  The dads that were around appeared to either have a drug problem, jail time to serve, or both.  If you can't be a responsible father, don't become one in the first place.
    Hopefully this next bit won't offend anyone.  I am a faithful God-fearing Christian and thank God for everything he's blesses me with.  I just believe that some people put too much into God's hands.  Lalee said that to fix some of their problems, they just needed to go to church and pray and give their lives to God.  While I believe those are great things to do and will better your life, it's not enough.  You also have to be willing to give your time to your family and work hard to improve your life.  God doesn't just send you all the answers and will power you need to get everything done that needs to be.  As Philippians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Not God will do things for me if I have faith.  People need to take responsibility for their actions and turn things around for themselves.
    Lastly, when the parent or guardian is uneducated, they really can't help their children prepare for their lives.  They always showed Lalee getting her "grands" and "great grands" to do a lot of household chores and not making sure they did their school work.  It is the parent/guardian's job to at least give some structure to the home life.  Teachers have their time and the parents have theirs.  This shows how hard it is on educators to correct problems caused early on in the child's life at home.
    I'm not saying that I won't try as hard as I can to impact my students in a positive way, I just know it'll be a challenge.  I know that my teachers and other educators had a great impact on me during my childhood.  Hopefully, together, educators and parents can work to improve all of our kids' lives sometime in the near future.  I wish all of Lalee's kin and the rest of West Talahatchie and the Delta the best of luck in the future.  May God be with you.