Yesterday I worked with two students I hadn't worked with before. I did DRA with them, which is like a kind of reading test to see what level students are reading aloud and how well they are understanding what they read. It was great getting to see how different students can be. The first girl I did DRA with read really quietly, making it really difficult to grade her oral proficiency, but I managed by having her read it over again. She loved answering the questions though and didn't need much prompting to give a lot of information.
The boy who I worked with next was an excellent reader. He had a few troubles with some of the more difficult words, but overall did a really good job, but it was like pulling teeth to get him to answer questions. At one point, when asking him to predict what would happen in the story he gave one idea, and I asked if he thought anything else would happen and he promptly answered, "Nope."
Today I found out my registration time for next semester courses so I spent the next hour or so coming up with the different courses I would be registering for. If all goes as plan (which it never does when it comes to registering, especially since second years are the last to pick their courses third this semester--the first years are given first priority and then it goes athletes, fifth years, fourth years, etc.) then I will be taking three French courses (French Language Training III, Introduction to Linguistics, and French Romanticism), an English course (Canadian Literature), and a Women Studies course (Women, Race, and Social Justice) as well as my Education practicum for the month of May. In addition to my courses I will be helping a professor through the Outstanding Scholars program, and I hope to become a TA for Foundations of Academic Writing I, an online course I got an A in last year. It's going to be the busiests semester I've had yet, and I'm a little apprehensive about taking three French courses...but I think as long as I spend the time necessary studying, I should be able to manage it.
In fact, I'm kind of excited at the challenge.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Education is Never Ending
Today was my first day back at the school volunteering and I feel like I was more involved in the teaching aspect and more confident in my authority with the students than during my two week placement. I worked especially with the girl that has been mentioned in all my other posts (I say "all my other" but there has only been two...haha). I can't keep calling her "the girl" so will instead name her Julia, after one of the less strangely named characters from Mansfield Park, which I am currently reading.
Julia worked well today for the most part though there were a few times where I had to give her much more prodding than most students would need. More than once she wanted to do things her way, but luckily I had a general plan in mind of what order I wanted her to do things and so when she complained I was able to stay firm in my plan. There are so many things she needs to learn, she is no where near the level she should be at. She can do simple addition and subtraction, but stumbles over reading, and her writing an original sentence... She just does not have the ability to put thoughts to paper and it makes me so sad.
By the end of my three hours spent at the school with her I was completely exhausted. She spent the last half hour or so trying to form the mirror image of a pattern using blocks and just could not understand the concept no matter how many different ways I tried to explain it to her. It was so frustrating that she just could not catch on.
In other news, I recently received an e-mail through the University asking for teacher candidate volunteers for a three day camp. Having been a Girl Guide for several years I developed a great love of camping and have always wanted to be a camp counselor or something of that kind. I really hope I'll be able to participate and have already sent my request to have more information to which the organizer replied that he needed my phone number so that I could be contacted. Now I just have to wait for the phone call. I'm a little nervous because I'm not sure if it will be some kind of phone interview that I should be preparing for...
In any case, I'm excited and feeling a little more like a teacher today than I did yesterday.
Julia worked well today for the most part though there were a few times where I had to give her much more prodding than most students would need. More than once she wanted to do things her way, but luckily I had a general plan in mind of what order I wanted her to do things and so when she complained I was able to stay firm in my plan. There are so many things she needs to learn, she is no where near the level she should be at. She can do simple addition and subtraction, but stumbles over reading, and her writing an original sentence... She just does not have the ability to put thoughts to paper and it makes me so sad.
By the end of my three hours spent at the school with her I was completely exhausted. She spent the last half hour or so trying to form the mirror image of a pattern using blocks and just could not understand the concept no matter how many different ways I tried to explain it to her. It was so frustrating that she just could not catch on.
In other news, I recently received an e-mail through the University asking for teacher candidate volunteers for a three day camp. Having been a Girl Guide for several years I developed a great love of camping and have always wanted to be a camp counselor or something of that kind. I really hope I'll be able to participate and have already sent my request to have more information to which the organizer replied that he needed my phone number so that I could be contacted. Now I just have to wait for the phone call. I'm a little nervous because I'm not sure if it will be some kind of phone interview that I should be preparing for...
In any case, I'm excited and feeling a little more like a teacher today than I did yesterday.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Over already?
My first placement was a whirlwind. The days themselves seemed to pass really slowly, but by the time I would get home the last thing I wanted to do was type up my day, especially since I was already doing that with the observation notes and self-reflections that I had to do for homework. I feel like I failed in my chronicling duty, but I guess now I can give an overview of my entire experience without being repetitive.
During my two weeks of observation the school had track and field day, a fog day, a jersey day, and a 'be active' week. I got to see students at their very best and at their very worst. I was surprised to see students I had labeled as "sweet" be down right cruel the next day without batting an eyelash. Some kids changed faces so quickly I almost go whiplash. One thing is for sure, as a teacher you have to be constantly on your toes.
Overall, the students were great. They were friendly. They were (usually) very sweet. I had a great time at the school and have been invited back as a morning volunteer for the rest of the year, which I, of course, accepted.
I spent quite a bit of one on one time with the grade 4 student with the grade 1 ability in math and English that I mentioned in my first (and only...) post. She is a sweet girl and her story just breaks my heart. Yesterday she said something that left me completely speechless. She had picked out the book "Flight 29 Down" to read with her grandma at home because she watched the television show the book is based off of. Having also watched the show, I asked her about it and asked who her favourite character was. She told me it was the little boy, and when prodded to continue her answer she said it was because he was the smartest of them and that she wanted to be like that.
I expect that years from now after I've begun teaching for real, I'll still remember that little girl. She seems like one of those unforgettable students.
During my two weeks of observation the school had track and field day, a fog day, a jersey day, and a 'be active' week. I got to see students at their very best and at their very worst. I was surprised to see students I had labeled as "sweet" be down right cruel the next day without batting an eyelash. Some kids changed faces so quickly I almost go whiplash. One thing is for sure, as a teacher you have to be constantly on your toes.
Overall, the students were great. They were friendly. They were (usually) very sweet. I had a great time at the school and have been invited back as a morning volunteer for the rest of the year, which I, of course, accepted.
I spent quite a bit of one on one time with the grade 4 student with the grade 1 ability in math and English that I mentioned in my first (and only...) post. She is a sweet girl and her story just breaks my heart. Yesterday she said something that left me completely speechless. She had picked out the book "Flight 29 Down" to read with her grandma at home because she watched the television show the book is based off of. Having also watched the show, I asked her about it and asked who her favourite character was. She told me it was the little boy, and when prodded to continue her answer she said it was because he was the smartest of them and that she wanted to be like that.
I expect that years from now after I've begun teaching for real, I'll still remember that little girl. She seems like one of those unforgettable students.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Welcome and Day 1 of Placement
Sometimes it is very easy to begin a new blog. This is not one of those times. I guess I will start with the basics, hopefully it will not bore too many people.
My name is Meghan and I just completed my first year at the University of Windsor as a French concurrent Education student. This blog will hopefully chronicle years 2-5 of my University experience on the way to becoming a French teacher. My first year of University I was part of the University of Windsor first year student blog and had such a wonderful experience with it I decided I wanted to continue. At some point I will (probably) put up the posts from my first year so that I can keep track of them.
For the next two weeks I will be doing my student teacher placement in a 3/4 classroom.
Today was my first day in the classroom. I will only be observing, but may have the option to teach if my mentor teacher allows it. The school was very welcoming. The principal talked to the four student teachers who started that day directly after announcements, gave us the teacher handbook for that school and answered any questions we had. He was very nice and according to one of the other student teachers who I know through the Concurrent Club I was a part of in my first year he was the most welcoming principal and this is the most welcoming school she has been placed at. I feel very fortunate to have such a good placement in my first year.
My mentor teacher is very kind. Some of the students have been with her for three years now so they are well behaved and know what she expects from her. There are a few students in the classroom that have special needs including one girl who is in grade four but is at a grade one level in both math and English. She is not only having problems at school but at home as her mother is dying without her knowledge and she is supposed to be seeing a counselor but my mentor teacher suspects that this may not be true. According to my mentor teacher, students with issues such as this are common.
I also got to spend the last few periods of the day with the French teacher because my mentor teacher had to attend a meeting. She has been teaching for, I believe, 18 years and knows a lot about the job. Her outlook on teaching is very balanced as she spoke of not only the joys of teaching, but the problems as well. It was very interesting to hear about both sides.
My first day was very exhausting, especially since I went out with my friends after to play soccer and twisted my knee, but before I go to bed I want to mention the significance of the title of my blog (even though I named it before I heard this comment today): my mentor teacher, when speaking of the difficulties that face teachers specifically concerning the overwhelming amount of students with their own individual needs, gave what I think will be the best advice I will receive as a teacher, "You need to just take it one day at a time." And so I will.
Day one is complete.
My name is Meghan and I just completed my first year at the University of Windsor as a French concurrent Education student. This blog will hopefully chronicle years 2-5 of my University experience on the way to becoming a French teacher. My first year of University I was part of the University of Windsor first year student blog and had such a wonderful experience with it I decided I wanted to continue. At some point I will (probably) put up the posts from my first year so that I can keep track of them.
For the next two weeks I will be doing my student teacher placement in a 3/4 classroom.
Today was my first day in the classroom. I will only be observing, but may have the option to teach if my mentor teacher allows it. The school was very welcoming. The principal talked to the four student teachers who started that day directly after announcements, gave us the teacher handbook for that school and answered any questions we had. He was very nice and according to one of the other student teachers who I know through the Concurrent Club I was a part of in my first year he was the most welcoming principal and this is the most welcoming school she has been placed at. I feel very fortunate to have such a good placement in my first year.
My mentor teacher is very kind. Some of the students have been with her for three years now so they are well behaved and know what she expects from her. There are a few students in the classroom that have special needs including one girl who is in grade four but is at a grade one level in both math and English. She is not only having problems at school but at home as her mother is dying without her knowledge and she is supposed to be seeing a counselor but my mentor teacher suspects that this may not be true. According to my mentor teacher, students with issues such as this are common.
I also got to spend the last few periods of the day with the French teacher because my mentor teacher had to attend a meeting. She has been teaching for, I believe, 18 years and knows a lot about the job. Her outlook on teaching is very balanced as she spoke of not only the joys of teaching, but the problems as well. It was very interesting to hear about both sides.
My first day was very exhausting, especially since I went out with my friends after to play soccer and twisted my knee, but before I go to bed I want to mention the significance of the title of my blog (even though I named it before I heard this comment today): my mentor teacher, when speaking of the difficulties that face teachers specifically concerning the overwhelming amount of students with their own individual needs, gave what I think will be the best advice I will receive as a teacher, "You need to just take it one day at a time." And so I will.
Day one is complete.
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