Now that I have graduated, the only job prospects I seem to have is to Sub. This is not a bad idea by any means but it makes me a little nervous as to what will happen before the end of the year. It has been discussed that Grad school is an option. Do I dare even think of Grad school?
One friend said it would be crazy to go to Grad School for the same field, a smarter move is to look into another field. But which?
So this week in addition to all the other things I need to do, I need to look at Grad School.
Some part of me really wants to go. Another part of me really wants a teaching job. I love making a difference, I enjoy teaching. I miss the students I have met and believe I have made a small difference in their lives. I have been inspired to be more than what I was and I want to inspire others to follow their dreams and teach them the tools they will need to get there.
Well, the washer is done so I must go for now.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Vacation - noted by blackberry
Galveston is very nice right now, nid to high 80's. There is little traffic on the island, due to the rain. No tar balls in sight, thank goodness. We are visiting with family right now. And even though they are downstairs in the pool and I am upstairs with the little ones in the hotel room, I can't help but feel relaxed. Sure I would love to swim right now, but I sat down to watch the waves. It is 10 here, no rain in sight, and these massive waves are rolling in. The only way you can tell is by the size and number of whitecaps that roll onto the beach. I have my I-pod playing classical music and I enjoy the silence. We had a great dinner at Mario's check it out if u visit the island. Be sure u get the right one. I hope everyone enjoys their summer!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Video Reflections
I kept these reflections on a word document so I could post them together. That way they would be easy to find.
Pre- reflection –
This lesson is about fractured fairy tales. The teacher will read aloud to the class a fractured fairy tale The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. Once the reading is done, the class will participate in a story arc which will retell the story and important elements from the story. Finally the students will create their own book or journal to free write their own story or fractured fairy tale. I am excited about the lesson, it should be a lot of fun, and the students should enjoy the story and creating the book/journal.
Post-reflection –
The lesson went fairly well. The students enjoyed the book and they were engaged and participated with questions and comments regarding story. The story arc was more challenging than I had anticipated. It was the first time I had done a story arc, and I was a little nervous. I think I need more practice with this element of the lesson. Finally, the students took much longer to make the book/journal than anticipated. It is a free write journal/book so they can write at home. I think overall this is a good lesson, and I would repeat it in the future.
Post editing –
This video gives a brief overview of my lesson and illustrated how reading aloud helps students with fluency and vocabulary, how the story arc draws on the student’s knowledge from the story to recall key elements from the story and the journal/book is for the students to free write. My site based teacher came back from a workshop and explained to me that even though the kids practice writing, the workshop explained that a good activity to promote writing for younger students is a free write. Free writes are not for a grade and instills confidence in the student to get over their fear or hesitation of writing.
Pre- reflection –
This lesson is about fractured fairy tales. The teacher will read aloud to the class a fractured fairy tale The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. Once the reading is done, the class will participate in a story arc which will retell the story and important elements from the story. Finally the students will create their own book or journal to free write their own story or fractured fairy tale. I am excited about the lesson, it should be a lot of fun, and the students should enjoy the story and creating the book/journal.
Post-reflection –
The lesson went fairly well. The students enjoyed the book and they were engaged and participated with questions and comments regarding story. The story arc was more challenging than I had anticipated. It was the first time I had done a story arc, and I was a little nervous. I think I need more practice with this element of the lesson. Finally, the students took much longer to make the book/journal than anticipated. It is a free write journal/book so they can write at home. I think overall this is a good lesson, and I would repeat it in the future.
Post editing –
This video gives a brief overview of my lesson and illustrated how reading aloud helps students with fluency and vocabulary, how the story arc draws on the student’s knowledge from the story to recall key elements from the story and the journal/book is for the students to free write. My site based teacher came back from a workshop and explained to me that even though the kids practice writing, the workshop explained that a good activity to promote writing for younger students is a free write. Free writes are not for a grade and instills confidence in the student to get over their fear or hesitation of writing.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Final Reflection
This will be the final reflection for my teaching experiences for this semester. Even though my time was cut short by the birth of my little girl, I learned a great deal from my second rotation site based teacher and the students in her class.
I had always believed I wanted to teach the early elementary students. I had been apprehensive about teaching the upper elementary students because I knew their curriculum was so heavily influenced by the TAKS tests and I did not think it would be as fun to teach. How wrong I was, for my second rotation I was assigned to fourth grade. I found these students to be independent, creative, funny, and easy to motivate. Since four grade was course specific this year, the entire fourth grade would rotate to the various classrooms for the different curriculum instruction. Teaching lessons to these students gave me the opportunity to broaden the scope of my lesson plans to include more creative tasks as well as the opportunity to critique and perfect my lessons.
Over all my experiences teaching this semester has been very rewarding. When working in small groups, I have seen students who want to understand and just need a little extra clarification from the teacher. I have also experienced students who have bad days and take their frustrations out in the classroom. The teacher’s ability to help and handle these outbursts appropriately can help the students readjust focus to the classroom activities, as well as maintaining the focus of the classroom. Finally, working with the independent students, who work on their studies and finish early need extra lessons or activities so they do not become board.
My second rotation site based teacher was very easy to talk to and gave me the confidence to put at ease my hesitation for teaching the older students. Through our discussions I learned about the TAKS testing and review, and feel more confident about my ability to reflect on my lessons, my methods of instructions and ability to work with the grade level teachers to create lessons. I look forward to my QUEST 3 experience and teaching second grade.
I had always believed I wanted to teach the early elementary students. I had been apprehensive about teaching the upper elementary students because I knew their curriculum was so heavily influenced by the TAKS tests and I did not think it would be as fun to teach. How wrong I was, for my second rotation I was assigned to fourth grade. I found these students to be independent, creative, funny, and easy to motivate. Since four grade was course specific this year, the entire fourth grade would rotate to the various classrooms for the different curriculum instruction. Teaching lessons to these students gave me the opportunity to broaden the scope of my lesson plans to include more creative tasks as well as the opportunity to critique and perfect my lessons.
Over all my experiences teaching this semester has been very rewarding. When working in small groups, I have seen students who want to understand and just need a little extra clarification from the teacher. I have also experienced students who have bad days and take their frustrations out in the classroom. The teacher’s ability to help and handle these outbursts appropriately can help the students readjust focus to the classroom activities, as well as maintaining the focus of the classroom. Finally, working with the independent students, who work on their studies and finish early need extra lessons or activities so they do not become board.
My second rotation site based teacher was very easy to talk to and gave me the confidence to put at ease my hesitation for teaching the older students. Through our discussions I learned about the TAKS testing and review, and feel more confident about my ability to reflect on my lessons, my methods of instructions and ability to work with the grade level teachers to create lessons. I look forward to my QUEST 3 experience and teaching second grade.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Midterm Reflection
As the first rotation ends, I find myself a little sad. I learned so much this rotation and had a great SBT and class! The professional attribute I had the most trouble with was the health and wellness. I was overcome the colds from the students and I have to admit it was overwhelming at times.
I think I did much better reflecting on my lessons, and I was able to adapt so the students could enjoy them and learn more. I also found that being creative was not a natural feeling for me. I found that I had to really work and finding new and creative ideas for lessons, and then trimming them down into a workable time frame. I know I will get better with practice and time.
This rotation I have learned how to conduct benchmarks for the school. Testing is always serious business, and I was able to see how it affected the students and the teachers. I was thankful for the opportunity to assist the teachers with this task.
My learning goals for the rest of the semester will be centered around my new SBT and the new grade level I will be teaching. It is an upper elementary grade level and I feel a little out of sorts. I am not sure how these students will conduct their daily routines and I don't want to create a lesson that is too easy for them.
To conclude this reflection, I must say that being in the schools for this length of time has been more of an eye opener into the teaching profession, than any other experience I have had to date. I have enjoyed all of my time teaching and working in the schools and cannot wait for what lies ahead.
I think I did much better reflecting on my lessons, and I was able to adapt so the students could enjoy them and learn more. I also found that being creative was not a natural feeling for me. I found that I had to really work and finding new and creative ideas for lessons, and then trimming them down into a workable time frame. I know I will get better with practice and time.
This rotation I have learned how to conduct benchmarks for the school. Testing is always serious business, and I was able to see how it affected the students and the teachers. I was thankful for the opportunity to assist the teachers with this task.
My learning goals for the rest of the semester will be centered around my new SBT and the new grade level I will be teaching. It is an upper elementary grade level and I feel a little out of sorts. I am not sure how these students will conduct their daily routines and I don't want to create a lesson that is too easy for them.
To conclude this reflection, I must say that being in the schools for this length of time has been more of an eye opener into the teaching profession, than any other experience I have had to date. I have enjoyed all of my time teaching and working in the schools and cannot wait for what lies ahead.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Reflection #1
After our first week in Quest 2, I now know why the Professors have stresed the importance of mastering our professional attributes. I have seen teachers and university students who are great examples of these professional attributes. I think teachers should master these traits, and I do realize that the mastery of these traits takes time.
There are a couple that I find challenging. They are Health and Ableness and Reflectivity attributes. Even though I have children and try to be careful about getting sick, germs from school are resilent little buggers and sometimes they cannot be avoided. Taking vitamins ,getting enough rest, and washing your hands are important items to do but they maynot save us from every cold. Finally I believe that I can always improve on the reflectivity attribute. I know that the longer one teaches, the better able they should be to step back and evaluate wether or not a lesson was successful, the tests were designed perfectly, etc.
To close this reflection, I would like to say I think that we have a great group of students this year, and the cluster of Quest Two teachers-to-be are a wonderful bunch of ladies. I know we will have a very productive and fun year!
There are a couple that I find challenging. They are Health and Ableness and Reflectivity attributes. Even though I have children and try to be careful about getting sick, germs from school are resilent little buggers and sometimes they cannot be avoided. Taking vitamins ,getting enough rest, and washing your hands are important items to do but they maynot save us from every cold. Finally I believe that I can always improve on the reflectivity attribute. I know that the longer one teaches, the better able they should be to step back and evaluate wether or not a lesson was successful, the tests were designed perfectly, etc.
To close this reflection, I would like to say I think that we have a great group of students this year, and the cluster of Quest Two teachers-to-be are a wonderful bunch of ladies. I know we will have a very productive and fun year!
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