TWS update: 52 pages complete.
Rockstar Status... I do believe so.
So much for the weekly updates. Right now I am on "transition week," meaning no school for an entire week. Therefore, I have come back to the 'burbs for a little rest and relaxation (and of course some pampering from the rents) I have gotten complaints that my blog wasn't promptly updated on Thursday, which was my last day of teaching. For all of you that have been eagerly waiting... here you go.
Last week was my last week at my first placement. I was suppose to use that time to explore other classrooms in the school. I spent some time in third grade, second grade, and Title 1. For most of the week, I was kicked out of my classroom so the kids and my Cooperating Teacher could pull together their little plan. As the week started to unfold, I began to realize that Thursday was going to be full of surprises. One of the little girls in my class told me "Miss. Nebbia, you better not wear makeup tomorrow 'cause you're gonna cry." Although no official tears were dropped, I was misty eyed.
The kids had a party for me on Thursday. Everyone brought something! There was so much food! One little girl even bought a cake that was decorated with "We will miss you Miss Nebbia." The students also put together a scrapbook, with help from my cooperating teacher. There were hugs, songs, and tears. One of my students came in Thursday morning crying. She asked for my email address so we could stay in touch. Sure enough, all the fourth graders wanted my email address. Now, I have to allot a small amount of time each day to answering the emails from my former students. One boy emailed me at 3:30 last Thursday (school gets out at 3:05) His email read "It's me. I just wanted to say I already miss you."
All of these heart-warming moments made my first placement so memorable! It was sad to leave my 4th graders but I am excited to start a new placement in Title I reading.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Bittersweet Symphony
Each weekend I find myself in this monopoly coffee shop that serves drinks in a white cup and green label. Naturally, I am at Starbucks, sipping on lattes and typing away at my Teacher Work Sample. This week proves no different. So here I am, Saturday night 8pm, typing away and reflecting.
Exciting news came to me this week. The Center Coordinator from Cedar Falls contacted my Center Coordinator asking her if she had any student teachers with strong literacy backgrounds who would graduate in December. Apparently, there is an opening as long term substitute for a Title I reading position at a local school. My name was passed along! Nothing is ever a sure thing but it's nice to know my name is out there. This was a huge reality check. It seems that the real world is getting closer and closer... Behind me are the days of running on little to no sleep, eating junk food, and functioning properly only with an enormous amount of caffeine. Okay well, let's be honest, the caffeine addiction is still with me. I will probably never kick the habit. Other than that, I feel wonderful! Seriously, my body is so much healthier now that I have such a set schedule. It amazes me how much a good night's sleep can affect your health. With a bedtime of 10:30, strict meal times, and regular exercise, I have never felt better. I even feel like my emotions are more in check. Just one more example that teaching was really my calling!
At my seminar this week, someone decided to voice their opinion. We all know the saying about opinions. "Opinions are like __________, everyone has one." You can fill in the blank; I've got to keep it professional these days. So, the intelligent gentleman in the back decided to announce that "School is not the place for all of these high-fives, hugs, and fist-bumps. We don't have time for all that mushy gooshy stuff. It's time to learn."
Oh, my blood pressure was rising at a rapid pace! Obviously, I strongly disagree with the previous statement. I am a firm believer teaching the "whole child: heart, head, and hands." This same intelligent gentleman also shared his struggles with classroom management. Hot news flash sir, if you took time to build relationships with your students you probably wouldn't have half of the management issues that you do! In my mind, you don't have time to NOT to build relationships with your students. Research has shown that the most powerful statements for students are "I care about you and I believe in you." But, teachers can't just talk the talk, they need to walk the walk, too. A teacher's actions should show the students that they are there for academic and emotional support. Teachers need to take the time to show students they care. Whether that be words of encouragement, a high-five, or a heart felt hug, students need to know you are on their side and you want to see them succeed.
This week will be my last week at my first placement. It seems like three days ago I was assembling book boxes and attending open house. The time went by so quickly. I could not have asked for a better placement. My Cooperating Teacher has been my rock. The whole school community is refreshing. Everyone is friendly and passionate about education. Not all schools are like that. I hope that I can work in a place with this type of school environment. I don't want to leave these kids. I have taken the time to get to know each one of them. I hope they all enjoy the rest of the year and strive to be the best they can be. Hopefully, I can hold back my tears on Thursday. It's been wonderful! Although I don't want to leave, I am confident I will enjoy my next placement as well, working in Title I reading.
Teaching Tip from Week 7: "DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHOW TOUGH LOVE."
Exciting news came to me this week. The Center Coordinator from Cedar Falls contacted my Center Coordinator asking her if she had any student teachers with strong literacy backgrounds who would graduate in December. Apparently, there is an opening as long term substitute for a Title I reading position at a local school. My name was passed along! Nothing is ever a sure thing but it's nice to know my name is out there. This was a huge reality check. It seems that the real world is getting closer and closer... Behind me are the days of running on little to no sleep, eating junk food, and functioning properly only with an enormous amount of caffeine. Okay well, let's be honest, the caffeine addiction is still with me. I will probably never kick the habit. Other than that, I feel wonderful! Seriously, my body is so much healthier now that I have such a set schedule. It amazes me how much a good night's sleep can affect your health. With a bedtime of 10:30, strict meal times, and regular exercise, I have never felt better. I even feel like my emotions are more in check. Just one more example that teaching was really my calling!
At my seminar this week, someone decided to voice their opinion. We all know the saying about opinions. "Opinions are like __________, everyone has one." You can fill in the blank; I've got to keep it professional these days. So, the intelligent gentleman in the back decided to announce that "School is not the place for all of these high-fives, hugs, and fist-bumps. We don't have time for all that mushy gooshy stuff. It's time to learn."
Oh, my blood pressure was rising at a rapid pace! Obviously, I strongly disagree with the previous statement. I am a firm believer teaching the "whole child: heart, head, and hands." This same intelligent gentleman also shared his struggles with classroom management. Hot news flash sir, if you took time to build relationships with your students you probably wouldn't have half of the management issues that you do! In my mind, you don't have time to NOT to build relationships with your students. Research has shown that the most powerful statements for students are "I care about you and I believe in you." But, teachers can't just talk the talk, they need to walk the walk, too. A teacher's actions should show the students that they are there for academic and emotional support. Teachers need to take the time to show students they care. Whether that be words of encouragement, a high-five, or a heart felt hug, students need to know you are on their side and you want to see them succeed.
This week will be my last week at my first placement. It seems like three days ago I was assembling book boxes and attending open house. The time went by so quickly. I could not have asked for a better placement. My Cooperating Teacher has been my rock. The whole school community is refreshing. Everyone is friendly and passionate about education. Not all schools are like that. I hope that I can work in a place with this type of school environment. I don't want to leave these kids. I have taken the time to get to know each one of them. I hope they all enjoy the rest of the year and strive to be the best they can be. Hopefully, I can hold back my tears on Thursday. It's been wonderful! Although I don't want to leave, I am confident I will enjoy my next placement as well, working in Title I reading.
Teaching Tip from Week 7: "DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHOW TOUGH LOVE."
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Do You Believe in Miracles?
One of the most memorable events from this week was reading the daily journals my students write. Each day, I have a journal prompt on the board. They do not have to write from the prompt, but it is there for those students who may need an idea of something to write about. At night, I take home four journals and so does my Cooperating Teacher. We respond back to the students' journals and return them in the morning. On Thursday, I gave the students the following prompt: "If you could perform a miracle what would it be and how would it help others?"
That night I forgot to read their journals. Naturally, I would remember right as my head hit the pillow in efforts to fall asleep for the night. So, I drudged out of bed, grabbed the pile, and began reading. As you can imagine, I was not exactly enthusiastic about reading the journals on this particular night. I opened the first journal to find this entry: "If I could perform a miracle, I would make Miss Nebbia stay and teach me for the rest of my school years. It would help her keep her job." That journal entry melted my heart! That's what teaching is all about.
This week I taught the entire day. My Cooperating Teacher was M.I.A most of the time. She would peek her head in and out but never stayed around for too long. To be honest, I liked that time to really have the students to myself, as if they were my real class.
I love my kids but they are a very chatty group. Instead of fighting it, I try to find time twice a day for them to talk. One thing we do is called "Yeahs and Yucks." Quickly, we go around the room and the kids say either one good thing that happened to them today or one bad thing. Another way I encourage socialization without disrupting instruction is to set the timer and let them talk to their neighbors each morning for a few minutes. I am queen of the timer... I use it for everything. It is the only way to help me manage my time effectivelty.
The "Yeahs and Yucks" and "Talk Time" seem to help but they are not a total quick fix. I resorted to having a class meeting and creating some "Class Expectations." It amazes me how much these must be reviewed in order for them to be effective. We probably read the list at least three times a day for reinforcement. The expectations include everything from "using kind words" to "keeping personal belongings (silly bands and accessories) on our bodies."
The kids have been teasing me that I "smile too much." A few of them have said, we can't imagine you getting MAD. You don't yell and you are always in a good mood! I am not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. In my mind, you can never be too smiley. My favorite elementary teachers (you know who you are... *throat clear* Miss Koch and Miss Martin) were always happy and smiling. That's what I remember most about them. Oh and things like reading the Rainbow Fish and getting Lemon Drops and Lemon Heads! Or the time when Nicole and I wrote an anonymous note to our third grade teacher asking if we could sit next to each other when she made the next seating arrangement. Low and behold, the next day our desks were side by side! Obviously, I could continue with my elementary stories. My teachers had such an impact on my life, which is probably why I see them as role models and hope to make that sort of impact on my future students. ... I digress. Back to the point. Although these teachers were loving, friendly, and kind they still had respect and focused on academics. As a teacher, you can demand respect without using put downs or making the students feel inferior. That is the type of teacher I hope to be!
Teaching Lesson from Week 6: "YOUR WORK IS NEVER DONE. IT BECOMES HARDER AND HARDER TO SEPARATE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE. SCHOOL COMES HOME WITH YOU EVERY DAY. I FIND MYSELF THINKING ABOUT MY STUDENTS ALL OF THE TIME!"
That night I forgot to read their journals. Naturally, I would remember right as my head hit the pillow in efforts to fall asleep for the night. So, I drudged out of bed, grabbed the pile, and began reading. As you can imagine, I was not exactly enthusiastic about reading the journals on this particular night. I opened the first journal to find this entry: "If I could perform a miracle, I would make Miss Nebbia stay and teach me for the rest of my school years. It would help her keep her job." That journal entry melted my heart! That's what teaching is all about.
This week I taught the entire day. My Cooperating Teacher was M.I.A most of the time. She would peek her head in and out but never stayed around for too long. To be honest, I liked that time to really have the students to myself, as if they were my real class.
I love my kids but they are a very chatty group. Instead of fighting it, I try to find time twice a day for them to talk. One thing we do is called "Yeahs and Yucks." Quickly, we go around the room and the kids say either one good thing that happened to them today or one bad thing. Another way I encourage socialization without disrupting instruction is to set the timer and let them talk to their neighbors each morning for a few minutes. I am queen of the timer... I use it for everything. It is the only way to help me manage my time effectivelty.
The "Yeahs and Yucks" and "Talk Time" seem to help but they are not a total quick fix. I resorted to having a class meeting and creating some "Class Expectations." It amazes me how much these must be reviewed in order for them to be effective. We probably read the list at least three times a day for reinforcement. The expectations include everything from "using kind words" to "keeping personal belongings (silly bands and accessories) on our bodies."
The kids have been teasing me that I "smile too much." A few of them have said, we can't imagine you getting MAD. You don't yell and you are always in a good mood! I am not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. In my mind, you can never be too smiley. My favorite elementary teachers (you know who you are... *throat clear* Miss Koch and Miss Martin) were always happy and smiling. That's what I remember most about them. Oh and things like reading the Rainbow Fish and getting Lemon Drops and Lemon Heads! Or the time when Nicole and I wrote an anonymous note to our third grade teacher asking if we could sit next to each other when she made the next seating arrangement. Low and behold, the next day our desks were side by side! Obviously, I could continue with my elementary stories. My teachers had such an impact on my life, which is probably why I see them as role models and hope to make that sort of impact on my future students. ... I digress. Back to the point. Although these teachers were loving, friendly, and kind they still had respect and focused on academics. As a teacher, you can demand respect without using put downs or making the students feel inferior. That is the type of teacher I hope to be!
Teaching Lesson from Week 6: "YOUR WORK IS NEVER DONE. IT BECOMES HARDER AND HARDER TO SEPARATE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE. SCHOOL COMES HOME WITH YOU EVERY DAY. I FIND MYSELF THINKING ABOUT MY STUDENTS ALL OF THE TIME!"
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