After a bumpy few first weeks as a student teacher, I am starting to finally feel like a REAL teacher! I have been grateful to have a few small victories in the last few weeks.
It all started last Monday with a great evaluation from Dr. W, my university supervisor. It was the first evaluation she's given me that I haven't felt completly inadequate after! The lesson was for Read Across America Day (AKA: Dr. Seuss's birthday) I read my students Green Eggs and Ham and taught a lesson on demonstrative, comparative, and superlative adjectives.
Thursday was a great day. It may have started with the chocolate cake one of my wonderful students brought me that I ate during my first planning period, but for whatever reason, Thursday was relatively drama free. I had a wonderful review session with all my classes. I made a Power Point using their vocabulary words for their test. It had cartoons and some cute examples I thought they could relate to. After that, we worked on spelling by having students go to the board to spell the words. It turned into a contest between the classes to see which class could spell more words without having to have another student go up and correct them. Block B turned out to be the best class of the day! They were so cooperative and engaged, and I think they may have actually had some fun. Mrs. R passed me the sweetest note after the lesson and while the students were working on their review. The note said something like, "Great lesson! You have a great rapport with the students! Dr. W should have seen THIS one!" It was so encouraging! In the end, Block B ended up winning our spelling contest and so today we brought them juice and snacks.
Today, I was so proud of my block A students! I, for once, arrived early to school this morning. Mrs. R, however, was running late, but I was planning on teaching, so I already knew what we were going to be doing that day. I got in the classroom about 30 minutes early, ate my breakfast, wrote my agenda on the board, etc. and otherwise prepared for the day. My students started filing at about 7:50 and they were all wondering where Mrs. R was (Usually, they take her absence as a sign that we won't be doing anything that day, although that is never true!). I told the students that she was running late and to sit down and begin working on their advisory activity. Amazingly, within just a few minutes of the students arriving (we don't have bells, so there's not really an official "start time") they were all in their chairs with their pencils. I went over the advisory activity and they were quietly working when Mrs. R came in! (That made Ms. H look REALLY GOOD!)
Anyway, the rest of the day went without a hitch. I taught all day long, and though my lesson wasn't my favorite, the students were all well behaved and seemed to catch on somewhat. Dr. W came during Block A to observe me and didn't have anything really bad to say.
Tonight, I just feel relieved. I am so relieved that I am finally feeling adequate at this. I don't want to say good, because I know I have a lot to learn, but it's so good to feel like I am ready to be a first year teacher and survive it!
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Okay, now for some non-work related news! I went home this weekend and Mom and I bought a lot of silk flowers, vases, marble fillers, etc, for the centerpieces. We had the best time playing around with arrangements! We really feel like we can do this! To us, it's proof that you don't need to hire a planner to have a beautiful wedding! YAY! I will post pictures soon.
Per my last post: my Civic is still not fixed. It's been a week since she went dead in the parking lot, and she would have been revived by now had the Honda dealer had the starter she needs! It has taken five days to get the starter from Tennessee and as of today, the starter has STILL not arrived to the dealer and is on a Fed Ex truck somewhere in Tuscaloosa. So I'm still rollin' in the scratched up rental car, which, by the way, smells like cigarettes and peach air freshener (ew!) and will not open from the inside on the rear passenger seat (as my mom discovered Sunday!). I am going to definitely make good on that promise to kiss the Civic on the hood when I see it.
This weekend brings a trip to Atlanta with Randi & Daryl to see Elton John and Billy Joel! I've seen Elton once on my birthday a few years ago (THANKS ANDY!) and I am so excited to be going back! Rob may get to come, but he is unsure if he can get off of work. If he can't come, I think my dear friend Laine will probably be coming as my date instead!
Okay, it's late! If I am going to be superteacher and get there early again tomorrow, I should go to bed! ;-) I will leave you with a great lyric from U2's new album, No Line on the Horizon. The song is "Magnificent" and I think it lives up to its name!
I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise…
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
It all started last Monday with a great evaluation from Dr. W, my university supervisor. It was the first evaluation she's given me that I haven't felt completly inadequate after! The lesson was for Read Across America Day (AKA: Dr. Seuss's birthday) I read my students Green Eggs and Ham and taught a lesson on demonstrative, comparative, and superlative adjectives.
Thursday was a great day. It may have started with the chocolate cake one of my wonderful students brought me that I ate during my first planning period, but for whatever reason, Thursday was relatively drama free. I had a wonderful review session with all my classes. I made a Power Point using their vocabulary words for their test. It had cartoons and some cute examples I thought they could relate to. After that, we worked on spelling by having students go to the board to spell the words. It turned into a contest between the classes to see which class could spell more words without having to have another student go up and correct them. Block B turned out to be the best class of the day! They were so cooperative and engaged, and I think they may have actually had some fun. Mrs. R passed me the sweetest note after the lesson and while the students were working on their review. The note said something like, "Great lesson! You have a great rapport with the students! Dr. W should have seen THIS one!" It was so encouraging! In the end, Block B ended up winning our spelling contest and so today we brought them juice and snacks.
Today, I was so proud of my block A students! I, for once, arrived early to school this morning. Mrs. R, however, was running late, but I was planning on teaching, so I already knew what we were going to be doing that day. I got in the classroom about 30 minutes early, ate my breakfast, wrote my agenda on the board, etc. and otherwise prepared for the day. My students started filing at about 7:50 and they were all wondering where Mrs. R was (Usually, they take her absence as a sign that we won't be doing anything that day, although that is never true!). I told the students that she was running late and to sit down and begin working on their advisory activity. Amazingly, within just a few minutes of the students arriving (we don't have bells, so there's not really an official "start time") they were all in their chairs with their pencils. I went over the advisory activity and they were quietly working when Mrs. R came in! (That made Ms. H look REALLY GOOD!)
Anyway, the rest of the day went without a hitch. I taught all day long, and though my lesson wasn't my favorite, the students were all well behaved and seemed to catch on somewhat. Dr. W came during Block A to observe me and didn't have anything really bad to say.
Tonight, I just feel relieved. I am so relieved that I am finally feeling adequate at this. I don't want to say good, because I know I have a lot to learn, but it's so good to feel like I am ready to be a first year teacher and survive it!
----
Okay, now for some non-work related news! I went home this weekend and Mom and I bought a lot of silk flowers, vases, marble fillers, etc, for the centerpieces. We had the best time playing around with arrangements! We really feel like we can do this! To us, it's proof that you don't need to hire a planner to have a beautiful wedding! YAY! I will post pictures soon.
Per my last post: my Civic is still not fixed. It's been a week since she went dead in the parking lot, and she would have been revived by now had the Honda dealer had the starter she needs! It has taken five days to get the starter from Tennessee and as of today, the starter has STILL not arrived to the dealer and is on a Fed Ex truck somewhere in Tuscaloosa. So I'm still rollin' in the scratched up rental car, which, by the way, smells like cigarettes and peach air freshener (ew!) and will not open from the inside on the rear passenger seat (as my mom discovered Sunday!). I am going to definitely make good on that promise to kiss the Civic on the hood when I see it.
This weekend brings a trip to Atlanta with Randi & Daryl to see Elton John and Billy Joel! I've seen Elton once on my birthday a few years ago (THANKS ANDY!) and I am so excited to be going back! Rob may get to come, but he is unsure if he can get off of work. If he can't come, I think my dear friend Laine will probably be coming as my date instead!
Okay, it's late! If I am going to be superteacher and get there early again tomorrow, I should go to bed! ;-) I will leave you with a great lyric from U2's new album, No Line on the Horizon. The song is "Magnificent" and I think it lives up to its name!
I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise…
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
I am so proud of you! Can't wait to see you in a couple of weeks! Love you