I feel tempted to sneeze purposefully on a couple children in my class and follow the uncovered sneeze with: "How do you like it when I sneeze on you? Feels gross and icky hey?"
There are some times when I can use that methodology with students--"How would you feel if someone laughed at you?" ...and while I may not sneeze on anyone tomorrow, I may ask: "How would you feel if I sneezed all over you?" because there are WAY too many germs flying around my classroom...and as my management improves and their eyes and bodies are all turned towards me, it means those germs are headed straight towards me too...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
1. Went to Palo Alto today for dinner. Wow. It was like being at home...downtown Evanston/Lake Forest-ish. Didn't realize how much I missed that...
2. ...Or how much I missed my friends. I'm being a baby about this, but I don't want to make new friends, because A. I already have good friends, and B. The only people I see are other TFA people, and well that's more likely than not a friendship of convenience.
3. Had such a wonderful dinner today--two hours of genuine happiness. That needs to happen more often...real happiness... :)
2. ...Or how much I missed my friends. I'm being a baby about this, but I don't want to make new friends, because A. I already have good friends, and B. The only people I see are other TFA people, and well that's more likely than not a friendship of convenience.
3. Had such a wonderful dinner today--two hours of genuine happiness. That needs to happen more often...real happiness... :)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Grad school...
Got my first assignment back today.
As we were about to leave, our professors told us that they tried to comment a lot throughout our assignments, and I saw people reading post-its placed throughout their papers.
One of my professor hands me my assignment.
No post-its.
This was all it said under comments:
Alex, this journal is filled with reflection. You have made many strides in building rapport with your students and their families. I hope this process continues to be a positive one for you. I can tell that you have made every effort to understand the research involved and to apply it to your classroom. Best of luck!
...and I have no idea which professor wrote it.
Fun story from this morning:
student: "Ms. Magiera! I couldn't bring my new folder back today."
me: "Why not? I gave you a new one yesterday, and you were so excited. Remember if you bring it back everyday you can keep it!"
student: "My grandma threw it in the garbage, and then there was stuff all over it."
...So I'm guessing her parent didn't see my note asking when a good time to call home is...and I will instead be calling unannounced tomorrow...since this student has to stay in for the first five minutes of recess everyday to do her homework from the previous day.
P.S. Just had to open a diet coke at 9:30 P.M. Stupid migraine. Here's hoping I'm still asleep by 10. :)
As we were about to leave, our professors told us that they tried to comment a lot throughout our assignments, and I saw people reading post-its placed throughout their papers.
One of my professor hands me my assignment.
No post-its.
This was all it said under comments:
Alex, this journal is filled with reflection. You have made many strides in building rapport with your students and their families. I hope this process continues to be a positive one for you. I can tell that you have made every effort to understand the research involved and to apply it to your classroom. Best of luck!
...and I have no idea which professor wrote it.
Fun story from this morning:
student: "Ms. Magiera! I couldn't bring my new folder back today."
me: "Why not? I gave you a new one yesterday, and you were so excited. Remember if you bring it back everyday you can keep it!"
student: "My grandma threw it in the garbage, and then there was stuff all over it."
...So I'm guessing her parent didn't see my note asking when a good time to call home is...and I will instead be calling unannounced tomorrow...since this student has to stay in for the first five minutes of recess everyday to do her homework from the previous day.
P.S. Just had to open a diet coke at 9:30 P.M. Stupid migraine. Here's hoping I'm still asleep by 10. :)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Realization of the day
Teaching is hard, but it's not the hardest part of Teach For America. If teaching were all I had to focus on, my life would be dandy, but the reality is there's SO much more to do than just teach.
There are all the phone calls home, completely re-doing and cleaning out a classroom someone has taught in for 5 years, being in grad school, talking with TONS of advisors, etc. etc.
I think I could and can be a really great teacher, but it stinks that right now my lesson plans are actually not the first thing on my to-do list since there are more important things like making sure my classroom is functional and clean and not ant-infested...and that sucks.
In other news, my kids walked in this morning to our class and said: "It's so pretty! I love our classroom!" Needless to say staying till 8:30 on Friday was well worth it.
There are all the phone calls home, completely re-doing and cleaning out a classroom someone has taught in for 5 years, being in grad school, talking with TONS of advisors, etc. etc.
I think I could and can be a really great teacher, but it stinks that right now my lesson plans are actually not the first thing on my to-do list since there are more important things like making sure my classroom is functional and clean and not ant-infested...and that sucks.
In other news, my kids walked in this morning to our class and said: "It's so pretty! I love our classroom!" Needless to say staying till 8:30 on Friday was well worth it.
