So today was my 2nd observation. The day started out with me getting to school and having two men in our room crawling around the floor near the sink. Our water has been screwed up where no cold water comes out when you turn that faucet on. So there they were, doing whatever they were doing, and then started to leave at one point. Linda said, "Oh, are you guys done?" "No", the one replied, "We have to get a part to replace this one and we'll be back." We both looked at the clock. It was 8:15. School starts at 8:45.
The kids arrived and were told that there was going to be a fire drill. Linda and I didn't think it would happen since it was drizzling outside. Nope. At 9:05 the alarm sounded. Out of the building we went into the wet and chilly weather.
And then? Oh yeah, the MEAP test (the state tests). The kids had to take the MEAP test when they got back inside.
They got a little break after that when they went to library, but that was it. Then I had to teach my lesson.
The lesson that was going to observed.
The kids were up for grabs, so to speak. And I don't blame them. Fire drills, quiet for tests and library, and the barometric pressure all was a recipe for disaster. I managed my way through it, the kids actually understood most of the material, and my advisor had nothing but good things to say. I survived.
I have to say, it is getting a little easier. I'm getting used to the kids and I think they're getting used to me.
I just hope the conditions are right on Friday - Linda will be out that day...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Declining the Flu Shot
I have my 2nd observation with my advisor tomorrow, so I'll keep this entry short so I can get prepared...
I went to the doctor for a check-up today and part of the usual "anything the doctor should know since last year" type questions, was the question, "do you want a flu shot?"
I thought briefly about getting the flu shot when I first started student teaching, but have heard a lot of horror stories since then (thanks Dean and Beth!) and changed my mind. I also sometimes wonder about the whole "choosing a strain that's going to be 'popular' this season". I mean, how do they really know which strain is going to rear its ugly head?
So when the nurse asked the question, I instantly said no. And then she said, "Well, I'll give you the form to sign that says that you declined the shot." I said okay, and then when she left the room, I thought, wait, what? Sure enough, she came back shortly after with a green colored form that had the words "decline" and "accept", both with lines next to them for a signature. I signed where she put an x next to decline and returned it to the receptionist when I left.
Okay, maybe someone out there knows the reason why they do this. Is it because in our "sue everybody" society someone is going to sue U of M Medical Center because he/she got the flu and "was never offered the shot"? I don't know. Strange.
I went to the doctor for a check-up today and part of the usual "anything the doctor should know since last year" type questions, was the question, "do you want a flu shot?"
I thought briefly about getting the flu shot when I first started student teaching, but have heard a lot of horror stories since then (thanks Dean and Beth!) and changed my mind. I also sometimes wonder about the whole "choosing a strain that's going to be 'popular' this season". I mean, how do they really know which strain is going to rear its ugly head?
So when the nurse asked the question, I instantly said no. And then she said, "Well, I'll give you the form to sign that says that you declined the shot." I said okay, and then when she left the room, I thought, wait, what? Sure enough, she came back shortly after with a green colored form that had the words "decline" and "accept", both with lines next to them for a signature. I signed where she put an x next to decline and returned it to the receptionist when I left.
Okay, maybe someone out there knows the reason why they do this. Is it because in our "sue everybody" society someone is going to sue U of M Medical Center because he/she got the flu and "was never offered the shot"? I don't know. Strange.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Talking Shop
Today I attended a workshop with all of the other elementary student teachers at EMU. I don't know the quantity of people, but enough to fill a ballroom. It was good to have the day off from school (even though I had to get up even earlier!), and it was good to see familiar faces that I haven't seen in a long time.
In the opening session, the woman who is charge of the student teacher program started her talk by saying that there's a change in all of us from where we were in March. March was when we had our first meeting together as a group. We were students then, she said, and now we are professionals. While this was true for about 75% of the people there, it was not altogether true for about 25% of us, including myself. I was still a student attending classes in March, yes, but this also isn't my first professional experience, or first rodeo, so to speak.
She went on to say that now we even talk differently. We're now talking about teaching things, using teacher lingo. How true that is. As I talked to my friends Jen and John before the session began, I found myself talking and asking questions about teaching stuff, using all the appropriate words. "Are you using a balanced literacy approach? What kind of math curriculum are you using? Do you do guided reading? Are you using a basal?" All of this talk would've been like Greek to me only two years ago. Yet now, it's the talk I use all day, every day. In fact, sometimes when I'm talking to Stein, I slip in some jargon and he gives me a quizzical look. Oh yeah, I think, that's not the vernacular of the people. It's the vernacular of teachers.
It got me thinking, then, about the "shop talk" that I've known at different times in my working life. When I worked at the SCUBA diving manufacturer, I knew all about BC's (buoyancy compensators), regs (regulators), fins (NEVER flippers), masks (NEVER goggles), tanks, SKUs, and DEMA (Dive Equipment Manufacturer's Association). Working for the dental product manufacturer, I was introduced to all kinds of products that I saw in the dentist's office but never knew their names: alginate (that paste to make impressions), resin acrylic (for temp crowns), and trays (for the impression goop). One of my favorite jobs was working for Best's Kosher hot dogs and learning the difference between pastrami and corned beef and all their different "cuts", Kosher dogs, salami and bologna vs. regular dogs, salami and bologna, and a whole host of interesting Yiddish words and phrases. At Einstein's I learned about people who were DMs, GMs, SMs, and RVPs, I performed QSCs on all the restaurants in my territory, and was called an OC (no, not the TV show, but an Operations Consultant).
As I started at each place, I was intimidated by all the lingo when attending a meeting where the lingo was flying. But eventually I was the one rattling off the lingo like an expert. Two years ago, when a teacher talked about balanced literacy, guided reading, and other teacher terms, I was also intimidated. And now, I wouldn't say that I'm an expert rattling off the lingo, but I'm an apprentice rattling off the lingo. I know I'm on my way.
In the opening session, the woman who is charge of the student teacher program started her talk by saying that there's a change in all of us from where we were in March. March was when we had our first meeting together as a group. We were students then, she said, and now we are professionals. While this was true for about 75% of the people there, it was not altogether true for about 25% of us, including myself. I was still a student attending classes in March, yes, but this also isn't my first professional experience, or first rodeo, so to speak.
She went on to say that now we even talk differently. We're now talking about teaching things, using teacher lingo. How true that is. As I talked to my friends Jen and John before the session began, I found myself talking and asking questions about teaching stuff, using all the appropriate words. "Are you using a balanced literacy approach? What kind of math curriculum are you using? Do you do guided reading? Are you using a basal?" All of this talk would've been like Greek to me only two years ago. Yet now, it's the talk I use all day, every day. In fact, sometimes when I'm talking to Stein, I slip in some jargon and he gives me a quizzical look. Oh yeah, I think, that's not the vernacular of the people. It's the vernacular of teachers.
It got me thinking, then, about the "shop talk" that I've known at different times in my working life. When I worked at the SCUBA diving manufacturer, I knew all about BC's (buoyancy compensators), regs (regulators), fins (NEVER flippers), masks (NEVER goggles), tanks, SKUs, and DEMA (Dive Equipment Manufacturer's Association). Working for the dental product manufacturer, I was introduced to all kinds of products that I saw in the dentist's office but never knew their names: alginate (that paste to make impressions), resin acrylic (for temp crowns), and trays (for the impression goop). One of my favorite jobs was working for Best's Kosher hot dogs and learning the difference between pastrami and corned beef and all their different "cuts", Kosher dogs, salami and bologna vs. regular dogs, salami and bologna, and a whole host of interesting Yiddish words and phrases. At Einstein's I learned about people who were DMs, GMs, SMs, and RVPs, I performed QSCs on all the restaurants in my territory, and was called an OC (no, not the TV show, but an Operations Consultant).
As I started at each place, I was intimidated by all the lingo when attending a meeting where the lingo was flying. But eventually I was the one rattling off the lingo like an expert. Two years ago, when a teacher talked about balanced literacy, guided reading, and other teacher terms, I was also intimidated. And now, I wouldn't say that I'm an expert rattling off the lingo, but I'm an apprentice rattling off the lingo. I know I'm on my way.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Disadvantages
Linda has been writing a couple grant proposals this week to try to get money for a 4th grade class field trip. You would think by the mention of the word "grant" that the field trip is something extravagant. A trip to Europe? A trip to Washington, D.C.? Going to follow the Lewis and Clark trail? Nope. Nope. And nope.
She wants the kids to go to camp for 2 nights.
There's a camp about 2 hours from Ann Arbor where they want to go. The kids would get the chance to explore nature, participate in team-building activities, and just get out of Ann Arbor. (Some kids have never been outside of the Ann Arbor area in their eight or nine years of life). The experience would be priceless in all aspects, with academics being a small part of it.
Linda has been using the fact that life experiences play a major role in learning success as her "selling point". This is so true. Think about it - growing up, when you read a story about an animal you saw at the zoo, you were more likely to have a picture of that animal in your head and know some of its characteristics. But if you've never been to the zoo, you obviously didn't have those pictures in your head. If you've been to Washington, D.C., you have a picture of the massive statue of Abraham Lincoln and probably realized the great impact he had on our nation's history. If you've never been there, you can't comprehend the size of the statue in a picture in a history book. Well, like I said, some of these kids have never been outside Ann Arbor. So, no zoo. No D.C. Limited life experiences.
It's kind of hard to fathom all of this, because Ann Arbor is certainly not a town with a large population living in poverty. In fact, less than 10 minutes from the school I'm at is the school in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Ann Arbor. When over 50% of our school's population qualifies for free or reduced lunches, you really have to wonder.
Processing all this information initially made me sad. Yet, at the same time it has made me really thankful. A large part of the reason why I have been so successful in school and in my career(s) has been the life experiences I've had.
I grew up in Chicago, so I witnessed city life and all of its wonderful and not-so-wonderful qualities on a daily basis. A short el trip from our house would land my mom and me downtown to listen to a band, watch a ballet troupe, or eat our lunch next to a fountain. I went to Broadway plays (more about this obsession in a later post), off-Broadway plays, and off-off-off Broadway plays. We took trips. Short trips in the car, LONG trips in the car, trips on planes, stays in hotels. And the zoo? Well, my dad worked at the zoo for some time. So I got to see penguins close up, polar bears paws close up, and seals trying to get a glimpse of my dad close up. Again, I am so thankful. I am so lucky.
I am going to suggest that Linda send in a proposal to donorschoose.org. (Thanks to my friend Amy who let me know about this site.) Donors Choose lets teachers submit proposals for supplies or experiences that they want, and then donors can choose to give to their cause. If it does get accepted, I'll let you know. I would love it if these kids could have a little of what I know most of us have had.
She wants the kids to go to camp for 2 nights.
There's a camp about 2 hours from Ann Arbor where they want to go. The kids would get the chance to explore nature, participate in team-building activities, and just get out of Ann Arbor. (Some kids have never been outside of the Ann Arbor area in their eight or nine years of life). The experience would be priceless in all aspects, with academics being a small part of it.
Linda has been using the fact that life experiences play a major role in learning success as her "selling point". This is so true. Think about it - growing up, when you read a story about an animal you saw at the zoo, you were more likely to have a picture of that animal in your head and know some of its characteristics. But if you've never been to the zoo, you obviously didn't have those pictures in your head. If you've been to Washington, D.C., you have a picture of the massive statue of Abraham Lincoln and probably realized the great impact he had on our nation's history. If you've never been there, you can't comprehend the size of the statue in a picture in a history book. Well, like I said, some of these kids have never been outside Ann Arbor. So, no zoo. No D.C. Limited life experiences.
It's kind of hard to fathom all of this, because Ann Arbor is certainly not a town with a large population living in poverty. In fact, less than 10 minutes from the school I'm at is the school in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Ann Arbor. When over 50% of our school's population qualifies for free or reduced lunches, you really have to wonder.
Processing all this information initially made me sad. Yet, at the same time it has made me really thankful. A large part of the reason why I have been so successful in school and in my career(s) has been the life experiences I've had.
I grew up in Chicago, so I witnessed city life and all of its wonderful and not-so-wonderful qualities on a daily basis. A short el trip from our house would land my mom and me downtown to listen to a band, watch a ballet troupe, or eat our lunch next to a fountain. I went to Broadway plays (more about this obsession in a later post), off-Broadway plays, and off-off-off Broadway plays. We took trips. Short trips in the car, LONG trips in the car, trips on planes, stays in hotels. And the zoo? Well, my dad worked at the zoo for some time. So I got to see penguins close up, polar bears paws close up, and seals trying to get a glimpse of my dad close up. Again, I am so thankful. I am so lucky.
I am going to suggest that Linda send in a proposal to donorschoose.org. (Thanks to my friend Amy who let me know about this site.) Donors Choose lets teachers submit proposals for supplies or experiences that they want, and then donors can choose to give to their cause. If it does get accepted, I'll let you know. I would love it if these kids could have a little of what I know most of us have had.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Fall and Food Up North
So while the colors weren't what we hoped for, and the weather was unseasonably warm, we still had a great time up north. And the food? Well, it was yummy. I mean, can I ever talk about a weekend away without mentioning the food?!
Saturday we started the day with a drive to Charlevoix to go to Juilleret's for breakfast. They bake their own bread there, so the french toast is a thick slice of cinnamon (or cinnamon raisin) bread. It tastes just like a cinnamon roll melting in your mouth. This weekend they had pumpkin bread, so you could have pumpkin french toast. Incredible! The waitress told us we didn't need syrup on it and she was right. We split the pumpkin french toast and each had our own breakfast. We all felt like we needed a nap after all that food!
After we walked a bit of our breakfasts off by exploring Charlevoix, we headed back toward Petoskey and up to Harbor Springs. We had a drink at a restaurant there, and then made our way up to Center Village. The route up to Center Village, M-119, is a Scenic Heritage Route. It's called the "Tunnel of Trees" and is a beautiful ride. The road winds back and forth, through trees that make a canopy. The water can be seen through the trees and down the hill on the left. Unfortunately, the colors weren't at peak yet, actually not even halfway there. But the drive was still really pretty.
The destination for most people, including a large contingency of bikers (motorcycles and bicycles) is Legs Inn. It's hard to imagine, but in the middle of some farmland overlooking the water is a huge Polish restaurant. The name "Legs Inn" is derived from the stove legs that can be seen around the perimeter of the roof (click on the link 2 sentences ago to see a picture). The only thing with the place being good, is that it's extremely popular. There was an hour wait when we got there, so we had a few drinks while we waited. By the time our name was called, we really didn't want to eat! We decided to head back to Petoskey and go to dinner there.
We grabbed a quick dinner at Mitchell's Pub. After that we went to Papa Lou's to watch football (and the Cubs lose - ugh). We ended up feeding about $30 into the jukebox there. Dean is a good DJ whether he's spinning tunes on his iTunes or working the jukebox. We heard everything from Journey to Counting Crows to Vanilla Ice. Yep, I can't tell you the last time I heard "Ice Ice Baby".
Sunday morning, Stein and I went for a walk along the bay. That's the great thing about staying at Phil and Kirstin's place (Stein's brother and sister-n-law). You can just get up and walk to town or walk to the water. As we made our way toward the lighthouse, we saw a lot of people fishing near the river. The salmon were swimming upstream and they were flying! We saw a handful of people running down the banks of the river in an effort to keep the salmon on the line and prevent the line from snapping. We also saw a handful of people with snapped lines. At one point near a waterfall on the river, the salmon kept jumping and jumping into the falls. When people caught them, the fish were at least 2 feet long. I've never seen anything like it. It was really exciting!
Later that morning, we set out toward home via Bay Harbor. Stein and Dean go golfing there every year on their annual golf trip, so they wanted to take us to lunch where the views are great. And the views didn't disappoint! (When I get the pictures downloaded, I'll post them). We sat looking onto the golf course from the second floor of the clubhouse. Views of the bay were right there. Just beautiful. And the food was really good. Stein and I both had the whitefish po' boy, which had a really tasty tartar sauce. When in Rome... When you're up north, you eat whitefish. So we did.
We took a different route home, which was a nice change. We went through Charlevoix, then took a ferry toward Boyne. The ferry, which held 4 cars total, took all of about 5 minutes to get from one side to the other. I just wonder why they don't just build a bridge, but it was a fun thing to do. As we drove through Boyne and on toward Gaylord, the colors were a lot more advanced. It was good to see that one of our goals - to see fall colors, was accomplished. We got home last night and were in bed relatively early. All that driving in a two-day span can be exhausting. And I wasn't even the one behind the wheel!
Saturday we started the day with a drive to Charlevoix to go to Juilleret's for breakfast. They bake their own bread there, so the french toast is a thick slice of cinnamon (or cinnamon raisin) bread. It tastes just like a cinnamon roll melting in your mouth. This weekend they had pumpkin bread, so you could have pumpkin french toast. Incredible! The waitress told us we didn't need syrup on it and she was right. We split the pumpkin french toast and each had our own breakfast. We all felt like we needed a nap after all that food!
After we walked a bit of our breakfasts off by exploring Charlevoix, we headed back toward Petoskey and up to Harbor Springs. We had a drink at a restaurant there, and then made our way up to Center Village. The route up to Center Village, M-119, is a Scenic Heritage Route. It's called the "Tunnel of Trees" and is a beautiful ride. The road winds back and forth, through trees that make a canopy. The water can be seen through the trees and down the hill on the left. Unfortunately, the colors weren't at peak yet, actually not even halfway there. But the drive was still really pretty.
The destination for most people, including a large contingency of bikers (motorcycles and bicycles) is Legs Inn. It's hard to imagine, but in the middle of some farmland overlooking the water is a huge Polish restaurant. The name "Legs Inn" is derived from the stove legs that can be seen around the perimeter of the roof (click on the link 2 sentences ago to see a picture). The only thing with the place being good, is that it's extremely popular. There was an hour wait when we got there, so we had a few drinks while we waited. By the time our name was called, we really didn't want to eat! We decided to head back to Petoskey and go to dinner there.
We grabbed a quick dinner at Mitchell's Pub. After that we went to Papa Lou's to watch football (and the Cubs lose - ugh). We ended up feeding about $30 into the jukebox there. Dean is a good DJ whether he's spinning tunes on his iTunes or working the jukebox. We heard everything from Journey to Counting Crows to Vanilla Ice. Yep, I can't tell you the last time I heard "Ice Ice Baby".
Sunday morning, Stein and I went for a walk along the bay. That's the great thing about staying at Phil and Kirstin's place (Stein's brother and sister-n-law). You can just get up and walk to town or walk to the water. As we made our way toward the lighthouse, we saw a lot of people fishing near the river. The salmon were swimming upstream and they were flying! We saw a handful of people running down the banks of the river in an effort to keep the salmon on the line and prevent the line from snapping. We also saw a handful of people with snapped lines. At one point near a waterfall on the river, the salmon kept jumping and jumping into the falls. When people caught them, the fish were at least 2 feet long. I've never seen anything like it. It was really exciting!
Later that morning, we set out toward home via Bay Harbor. Stein and Dean go golfing there every year on their annual golf trip, so they wanted to take us to lunch where the views are great. And the views didn't disappoint! (When I get the pictures downloaded, I'll post them). We sat looking onto the golf course from the second floor of the clubhouse. Views of the bay were right there. Just beautiful. And the food was really good. Stein and I both had the whitefish po' boy, which had a really tasty tartar sauce. When in Rome... When you're up north, you eat whitefish. So we did.
We took a different route home, which was a nice change. We went through Charlevoix, then took a ferry toward Boyne. The ferry, which held 4 cars total, took all of about 5 minutes to get from one side to the other. I just wonder why they don't just build a bridge, but it was a fun thing to do. As we drove through Boyne and on toward Gaylord, the colors were a lot more advanced. It was good to see that one of our goals - to see fall colors, was accomplished. We got home last night and were in bed relatively early. All that driving in a two-day span can be exhausting. And I wasn't even the one behind the wheel!
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Up North
We're up north right now in Petoskey with our friends Dean and Beth. We just got up here late last night and we'll only be here until tomorrow. We're hoping to see some great fall colors today.
Stein is already out for a run, and I'm catching up on email and blogs before Dean and Beth wake up.
We have the camera, so I'll post pictures when we get back. Have a great weekend!
Stein is already out for a run, and I'm catching up on email and blogs before Dean and Beth wake up.
We have the camera, so I'll post pictures when we get back. Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Three's a Charm?
Well, I had my third day of "solo" teaching today. There was a sub in the room, but really, I was teaching the whole day. It went okay. I went into the day with a little lower expectations than last week, just knowing that "while the cat's away the mice will play." And they did play, a little. I tried to keep them in check, and succeeded for the most part. I also had a little more confidence in myself, knowing that I had 2 "solo" days behind me.
I have realized thus far that if I had my druthers, I don't think I want to teach 4th grade. I don't know if it's just this class, or 4th grade in general, but the kids are really catty at this age. Girls, boys, it doesn't matter. Last week it was one kid talking about another person. Today it was 3 girls talking about another girl because "she was drinking strawberry milk and it has a lot of fat and she is fat." Huh? The only thing I told her was that they were going to see just what all this means when I teach my personal wellness unit. That's all I had for her. I think my lack of being "girly" and being a tomboy growing up is why I don't have any tolerance for this stuff. Seriously. The attitudes, the self-centered thinking, and the general lack of politeness is enough to make me want to teach K-3 exclusively.
The breakthroughs keep happening, though. These are the things that keep me going, keep me sane. There was one little cherub who said that I shouldn't be a teacher because, "it's going to keep getting harder and harder." Or the other cherub who asked me how long I was going to be in the class. When I told her December, she said, "Great! We still have a lot of time." And the girl who was standing next to her said, "Yeah, it's a long time, but not long enough for us." Or the kids that totally shock me with their responses to things taught in a lesson. Just when I'm at my wit's end and don't think I'm reaching them, I hear a small voice say EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. Just yesterday, I said, "It was just like I planted you in the class." I had to then explain what I meant by "planting someone in the class."
All in all, the experience has been great. School has been in session for one month so far. It's hard to believe that in another month, I will be saying that I only have one month to go. Where does the time go?
I have realized thus far that if I had my druthers, I don't think I want to teach 4th grade. I don't know if it's just this class, or 4th grade in general, but the kids are really catty at this age. Girls, boys, it doesn't matter. Last week it was one kid talking about another person. Today it was 3 girls talking about another girl because "she was drinking strawberry milk and it has a lot of fat and she is fat." Huh? The only thing I told her was that they were going to see just what all this means when I teach my personal wellness unit. That's all I had for her. I think my lack of being "girly" and being a tomboy growing up is why I don't have any tolerance for this stuff. Seriously. The attitudes, the self-centered thinking, and the general lack of politeness is enough to make me want to teach K-3 exclusively.
The breakthroughs keep happening, though. These are the things that keep me going, keep me sane. There was one little cherub who said that I shouldn't be a teacher because, "it's going to keep getting harder and harder." Or the other cherub who asked me how long I was going to be in the class. When I told her December, she said, "Great! We still have a lot of time." And the girl who was standing next to her said, "Yeah, it's a long time, but not long enough for us." Or the kids that totally shock me with their responses to things taught in a lesson. Just when I'm at my wit's end and don't think I'm reaching them, I hear a small voice say EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. Just yesterday, I said, "It was just like I planted you in the class." I had to then explain what I meant by "planting someone in the class."
All in all, the experience has been great. School has been in session for one month so far. It's hard to believe that in another month, I will be saying that I only have one month to go. Where does the time go?
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