I called in sick today. I have such a hard time doing that. I always feel like everyone thinks I am faking it or is just extremely disapointed in me. Deep down I know that I have to take care of myself. While I don't always feel my stress levels on the surface, they are there. I don't want to be incapacitated for days on end, so one rest day is good.
I have (while home sick) still be productive. I have my first day of lessons and activities completely done, prepared and written up. Just need copies of my pre-assessment and I am ready to go!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Hard day
Yesterday as I sat with all of my material and stared, I just started to cry. I felt so uninspired, so uncreative. I sat and wondered how does anyone do this? How do they get creative, or organized for that matter. It was the simple problem of not having a starting point.
After some time of staring at the material, I googled "unit plan help" and got a list of questions that I began to answer so that I may begin mapping out my plan. I don't consider myself a big planner. I think that is the hardest part of becoming a teacher, planning. I think it will be a huge hurtle to get over. But hopefully I do get over it.
I met today with a math teacher, and after he looked over what I had, I started to realize that I do have some good ideas. My neighbor brought me her worksamples and I have an electronic one from my teacher so that I can look at them and begin to have a base as to where to start.
I am sick today, and tired, and all of this has lead to me feeling overly critical of myself and overly stressed about where I think I should be with all of this. I hope that as I string all the pieces together, I can make something that I am proud of.
After some time of staring at the material, I googled "unit plan help" and got a list of questions that I began to answer so that I may begin mapping out my plan. I don't consider myself a big planner. I think that is the hardest part of becoming a teacher, planning. I think it will be a huge hurtle to get over. But hopefully I do get over it.
I met today with a math teacher, and after he looked over what I had, I started to realize that I do have some good ideas. My neighbor brought me her worksamples and I have an electronic one from my teacher so that I can look at them and begin to have a base as to where to start.
I am sick today, and tired, and all of this has lead to me feeling overly critical of myself and overly stressed about where I think I should be with all of this. I hope that as I string all the pieces together, I can make something that I am proud of.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Get into a routine
I wish I could find some way to remember to write every day. I want to remember all the little details that I go through on a daily basis and yet with running from class to class it feels impossible. I need a light weigh laptop that I can take everywhere! What does a girl do. I have a new class to sign up for and then I question, can I afford it?
I have so many ideas in my head for my worksample yet when I sit down to do it, I just go around and around. I feel lost and I don't know how to organize myself and start. I want to write the schedule and then maybe I can go backwards from there. My teacher keeps telling me to think of the basic ideas, what I know about them, and what I want my students to know. While this seems so simple when put this way, I really struggle with it. I know what to teach, and now I have to get down and dirty and describe the point. I wish it were that simple. I wish I could walk through the classroom with the ease of my CT. My hope is only that someday I will.
I have so many ideas in my head for my worksample yet when I sit down to do it, I just go around and around. I feel lost and I don't know how to organize myself and start. I want to write the schedule and then maybe I can go backwards from there. My teacher keeps telling me to think of the basic ideas, what I know about them, and what I want my students to know. While this seems so simple when put this way, I really struggle with it. I know what to teach, and now I have to get down and dirty and describe the point. I wish it were that simple. I wish I could walk through the classroom with the ease of my CT. My hope is only that someday I will.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
A little late but better than never.
I am in the third term of my Masters in Education, or GTEP - Graduate Teacher Education Program. It is Summer to Summer, five terms in all. Summer was fine. Fall I got to observe my Cooperating Teacher (CT) and also had the opportunity to practice teaching. Most often I would watch her teach 1st period, and then i would copy her and teach the same thing 4th period. Now that it is winter term I am in full time student teaching 1. Since we got back from Christmas break I have been teaching 4th period every day. I have just last week started teaching both 1st and 4th, both of which are 10th grade Geometry. But these are 5-8th grade gifted middle school students.
The best part of teaching 1st and then 4th is that I can modify what I think worked and didn't work. Also, 1st goes a bit slow and 4th is quite quick, so I have to come up with things to keep them engaged on the spot. I like this, it is good training.
Today I was supposed to meet with my cohort leader to go over my work sample. I was very frustrated that once I got there it was all about his agenda and not mine. I am going to send him an email to address this because I don't think my needs are being met. I really needed some review of what i had so far and some structured information on where to go from here. I feel like i have to figure it all out on my own and it is very frustrating for me. Is he just doing this so we know what it is like when we start teaching? Grrr.
On the brighter side, because of a geography bee today, I had to improvise in class. I really had a good time working with the students on some spur of the moment "law of sine" problems. They brought up several good questions and points that I want to address further tomorrow. I think they really like to negotiate and push my buttons, to see what they can get away with. All in all though I feel really confident around them, but still need some improvement. I know that if this was my own classroom it would be a bit different because I would have a deeper understanding of the classroom culture. While I have a pretty good understanding, my CT did point out that she does allow them to try to negotiate, sometimes she goes with what they want and others, she says "NOPE."
I want to take some time every day to really get into what I am feeling and going through in the class. What works and what doesn't and my emotional responses as well.
The best part of teaching 1st and then 4th is that I can modify what I think worked and didn't work. Also, 1st goes a bit slow and 4th is quite quick, so I have to come up with things to keep them engaged on the spot. I like this, it is good training.
Today I was supposed to meet with my cohort leader to go over my work sample. I was very frustrated that once I got there it was all about his agenda and not mine. I am going to send him an email to address this because I don't think my needs are being met. I really needed some review of what i had so far and some structured information on where to go from here. I feel like i have to figure it all out on my own and it is very frustrating for me. Is he just doing this so we know what it is like when we start teaching? Grrr.
On the brighter side, because of a geography bee today, I had to improvise in class. I really had a good time working with the students on some spur of the moment "law of sine" problems. They brought up several good questions and points that I want to address further tomorrow. I think they really like to negotiate and push my buttons, to see what they can get away with. All in all though I feel really confident around them, but still need some improvement. I know that if this was my own classroom it would be a bit different because I would have a deeper understanding of the classroom culture. While I have a pretty good understanding, my CT did point out that she does allow them to try to negotiate, sometimes she goes with what they want and others, she says "NOPE."
I want to take some time every day to really get into what I am feeling and going through in the class. What works and what doesn't and my emotional responses as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
