Much Ado About Nothing - A letter

Dear Vaughn,

                I hope this finds you well and you are about to embark on your student teaching this spring. All the work you have done will finally amount to something so do not lose faith. I can prove to you I know what I’m talking about because I’m the only one that knows about those hidden love poems in your journal. Trust me, take this letter seriously. You might have had a rough start but you are being thrown into a family that will keep you close and keep in your best interest. The one thing that I wish I would have done differently is to get all your medical things done at the beginning of the semester or during Christmas break so that you miss as little as possible. You will get sick a few times but you should power through it and miss as little as possible! Practice like you would for your own classroom.  Your program will help you a lot with time management and literary practices. Use them for your students’ benefit.  Just breathe and realize three preps as a student teacher is actually a lot and you will only have two preps next fall.  Make sure you make time for you college work but also realize students need you and they rely on you whether you realize it or not. The articles will help you apply new strategies to your own teaching so take notes and prepare. Plan. Plan. Plan. The biggest thing I can give you is the advice to be organized and prepared. Those who prepare for everything really don’t have to deal with much of anything.  Go to your friends for help but be self-reliant. You can finish this semester strong. Smile and breathe. You will be done before you know it; time really does fly when you are busy having fun. So have fun, enjoy your extra free time.

Best and to thine own self be true,

;)

                Vaughn Ninacska

Two Poems

I wrote two poems while inspired by a lead the class discussion in my Student Teaching Methods class. I thought I'd share them.

We Both Are.

You talk, I curse
you know, I learn.
A walk in life
Different places, anew.
I heard, you listened,
a hope, rekindled
to judge I cant
change places, renew.
Please hear, ignored.
You inspire, adorned.
Red and blue, grey and gold.
Red and gold, grey and blue.
Not in place, so few.
Hold your hand high,
call your name loud.
Be proud of the answer
even if it's wrong.
Happy place, on cue.
Verbs, syntax, imagery
Figurative language, religiously.
You earn, not give.
don't take, but leave.
Your place, so you
So know I'm here
and so are they
Never give up
futures never fray.

My Real Fraternity

So I joined a group, a clique

without knowing it.

We read, we write, love and hate characters

Our dreams similar, our goals the same.

We're like a frat of English majors

On books we binge, the words we drink

drunk on plot, devices, and critique.

We gossip, it hurts. We lift each other up.

We share, and grow. Our lives meet

then separate

Singularity, connected, a tie for us all

Some hired, some hurt, some moving instead

Common lives, Common Core, and not so common classes

Our students, best or worst,

our babies forevermore.

I care for them, for us, for our little classroom

in our college hall. Soon to be alums

Students ourselves, ideas and stories unique

But shared in safety, we understood what it means

ELL, 6 trait, PBR, 504,

So I joined a group, a clique

without knowing it.

Advice and Technology with Writing

This last month has been a good type of challenge. I’ve been working on finishing my KPTP and brainstorming with another teacher who works really well under pressure. She’s given me a lot of insight on life and teaching so I decided to make a list for teachers to remember when they are finishing up their last 9 weeks in the school system and things I’ve heard in the building and classroom that student teachers and first few years teaching.

1.       We are all winding down with the last few weeks of school but don’t let that trick you. There’s no more “time” to put off the little things so get them done early so they don’t catch up with you later

2.       Be resourceful. Use the Wiki we made in class and resources others give you with pride and confidence. Don’t be too proud to accept help from others

3.       Be positive. Do not get into the rut of thinking the kids can’t learn today or there’s no  hope for them.

4.       Never give up. Not only should you not give up on your students but also yourself. Remember to keep sane and don’t stretch yourself too thin. Give yourself time to grade those last essays and finals at the end of the year.

5.       Be smart about your decisions. Be careful what you say and who you say it too or you might hear about it later from people you least expected.

6.       Be professional. Be professional even when you are friends with the teachers. This will help you out positively in the long run.

7.       Learn when to say yes and no. This includes in stretching yourself too thin. Don’t do it if you cant fit it in with your regular duties.

8.       Rework your KPTP even when you think you are finished. This will insure that you are finished and are confident with your answers. Keep academic honesty and professionalism throughout your experience.

One thing I’ve also been working with is the fact I got hired at the place I am currently student teaching at. I am incredibly excited but also incredibly nervous. I’m unsure how I could approach the new year. I am working on getting my new classroom ready from afar but also about to garage sale dive for books and resources for my room. I learned (sort of ) where I’ll be and what classes I have but that all could change, too.  I’ve been working on grading tests after my KPTP and finishing up with my other hours that I will be co teaching after the 1^st of April. We are doing a unit of writing so I’m currently looking for resources for writing. I’ve had to apply what I’ve learned in classes such as Writing for Secondary Students and our scaffolding pieces in our current textbooks as well. Our writing 680 comp class really will be the biggest help for our writing unit.  Technology was the biggest factor in the comp class so students are using technology to help their writing instead of hindering it. Students are doing their prewriting using some help from teacherspayteachers.com for topic ideas for Fahrenheit 451.  Then they will do their rough draft and final on the laptops in class. This will ensure they are getting the best of worlds, writing and typing.

Lesson Plans and Double the Units, Double the Fun! Online Reflection #2

The best way to explain what I’ve been learning is how to improve rigor without over doing it in my lesson plans and time efficiency. I’m much better at composing detailed lesson plans but right now I feel I try to over-plan more than efficiently plan. I want to take up all the time of the class but I don’t want to over pack the classroom with information. I found a website about efficient lesson plans and it goes over a lot we’ve read in our texts in the past years.

http://www.educationoasis.com/instruction/bt/five_common_mistakes.htm

Teaching for the objective and the requisite is one of the most important aspects to remember. One question I have is: "What do most people start with when writing lessons; activities, objectives, essential questions, or something else?"

I’m teaching two units right now, one on Fahrenheit 451 and one on Hamlet to seniors. Hamlet was the most challenging simply because seniors don’t see how it’s related to anything in their life and that’s my challenge this semester. We bought the audio to the CD instead of having them read parts. It includes music, inflection in voice, and more. I know exactly how long each act will last and I can time that into my lesson plans as well. We have about to finish Act III and today was the best day I’ve had in a week or two! They were engaged, 100%, participating in discussion, and were beginning to connect how Hamlet could be related to their lives. It was definitely a breakthrough I needed after this long week and a way to remember why I love teaching English.

One thing I’ve been reflecting on is how to improve confidence in the classroom while keeping the learning atmosphere professional and at ease. I’m really good at connecting with the students and getting to know them and their personal learning style. I’m working on tying that in with their education so they feel safe in my classroom and learning at the same time. I was really blessed to work with my CT who has been an emotional and educational support through these busy times without holding my hand through the process.

I’ve also been implementing the Common Core Standards in all my lesson plans even though they haven’t finalized the transition. This will give me a leg up on knowing how to apply them in my regular teaching career. http://www.corestandards.org/ela-literacy

I have been accommodating to standards more in Literacy, Reading, and Language than anything else in my unit.  My objectives fit closely with finding figurative elements of a novel as well as comprehension and character development. I think this will help them out in the long run of reading and writing.

I’m starting interactive journals this week that incorporate different subjects and themes in their writing and reading. Here’s a Pinterest blog of different ideas you can click on and view: http://www.pinterest.com/mrsest/interactive-notebooks/

So far it’s going great and I plan on adding it in to their bellwork daily. Thanks for reading!
                                                                  Works Cited
Kizlik, Dr. Bob. "Five Common Mistakes in Writing Lesson Plans." Educaiton Oasis. Education Oasis, 2011. Web.
"English Language Arts Standards." Common Core State Standards Initiative. 2012. Web

The Good Type of Overwhelmed

The Good Type of Overwhelmed

Remember you will never be whelmed,

Even if it is or isn’t a word

During your student teaching.

You will be tired and can’t get out of bed some days

And others you’ll be eager to teach out this beautiful planned lesson

That the kids don’t respond to what-so-ever.

Your life will be a beautiful mess,

or so your dad will tell you

And your college loans will only go so far.

You’ll realize quickly the students who need too much attention

And the ones who actually need it.

Are always the exact opposite in personalities.

You’ll miss your fiancé, you’ll need surgery,

And your mom will forget your birthday

Even though it’s on the same day as hers.

Some things are tiny

Some things are small

But some things just need more attention than the daily reflection.

Keep your head strong

But your heart stronger

And remember, God loves you and so does your CT

On the good days.

And remember, if you’re overwhelmed, you’re doing it right.

Fast, no . . . Rough times at Ridgemont high

This week has been one of those weird weeks that always starts out strange because of an non-teaching inservice day. I always liked to think Martin Luther King Jr. would rather us be in school to observe his holiday but I leave my mouth shut to save myself from the prosecutors. I love teaching. I always have and I wanted to play teacher when I grew up and grade papers. Then I realized it wasn't all about grading papers and giving out A's and B's, and sometimes a dreaded C. Not in the real world. My desk has about 20x more things on it than I expected, I can't criticize the most drained student or teacher in the room, because it's probably me, and I can't always see the people sliding their phones out and texting behind their desk. I catch a few, here and there, but I can never seem to get the sneaky ones my CT finds behind me.
Chocolate and soda is beginning to infiltrate my desk space. I promised myself I'd eat better and get into shape then they found a tumor in my left ovary and removed half of my femininity. Not really, but that's how I feel. I can't work out because of my surgical openings and my CT spoils me with chocolate. I'm doomed I say, doomed! That's okay, I don't mind being doomed by chocolate.
Well it's time to write the classroom expectations on the board, close the laptop, and prepare for next hour. See you on the flip side, Ridgemont High!