Today I taught English 9-A for the first time, as I said I would be doing. At the beginning of class, I asked students to take out their sheet of Classroom Procedures (from my cooperating teacher) because I wanted to remind them of what was expected of them in class. I then added to the list, "Respect each other, yourselves, and me" and I asked them what that meant. Someone said it included listening to each other, and I agreed.
Listening to each other is a problem in this class. So as we did various activities, I had to repeatedly remind students of how we defined respect and asked them to listen to each other. Finally I told them that I was going to start writing down names to give after school detentions for people who were talking, even though I thought that was very junior high and they were in high school. By the end of the period, I had 4 names written down. I asked to speak with them after class. One boy, a junior, told me he was no longer going to participate in class and that he wouldn't sign the referral tomorrow. The two sophomore boys were fine. The freshman girl held back tears and said she was telling someone else to be quiet. I explained to them that if they didn't want to learn, that was there choice, but they couldn't be a distraction to others and they had to be responsible for themselves.
Holy stressful. I do not like giving out detentions. I am not looking forward to going to that class tomorrow. Hopefully no one will key my car or trip me in the hallway. But the students were quiet for the rest of the period, and the students who seem to be there to learn participated. Now my goal is to make reading the Odyssey fun!
Linda (my cooperating teacher) gave me really good advice when she said, "Just don't let them know that they get to you." I have heard this a million times before, but today it really sank in. Linda also helps me a ton by just laughing with me. She is such an encouragment.
I know this is getting to be a long post, but I am just not sure if I want to be a high school teacher. Every night I read my Bible and pray for motivation to love and teach these students. Last night I turned to Isaiah 61 and found a lot of hope. This is not about me. It's about bringing light to dark places and bringing hope to those without any hope. So many of these students come from broken homes and broken lives. Some don't even have a place to live, as in one student who is staying in a shelter.
But I will press on and for sure finish my student teaching. Then I will go from there.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
No More Creativity
I feel like I am losing the motivation to be creative. Isn't that sad? And tomorrow I start teaching a English 9-A, and I really need to be creative to keep this class focused. This class has 28 students who are supposed to be freshman, but I have 10 sophomores (who failed last year), and one junior and one senior. In my observing, I have also noticed that the several of the freshman girls have major attitude. Which means I have to be TOUGH! Super Julie!
Sometimes I just want to walk into class in my most comfy and cute non-teacher outfit (which may or may not include flip-flops) and teach. I know we have to have this distance between students and teachers, and part of that includes the way we dress, but I just don't feel like I can totally be myself when I'm dressed professionally everyday and I can't wear my nose stud. I'm sure I'll get over it - like the day when I'm a principal and I make all students dress professionally and let teachers wear whatever they want! HAHAHAHaHaHahahaha (another evil, fading laugh). Don't worry, Dad, I wouldn't really do this if I were a principal.
Sometimes I just want to walk into class in my most comfy and cute non-teacher outfit (which may or may not include flip-flops) and teach. I know we have to have this distance between students and teachers, and part of that includes the way we dress, but I just don't feel like I can totally be myself when I'm dressed professionally everyday and I can't wear my nose stud. I'm sure I'll get over it - like the day when I'm a principal and I make all students dress professionally and let teachers wear whatever they want! HAHAHAHaHaHahahaha (another evil, fading laugh). Don't worry, Dad, I wouldn't really do this if I were a principal.
Monday, August 29, 2005
I'm being observed
by a bologna sandwich. Just kidding! Tomorrow I'm being observed by Dr. Armstrong, my student teaching supervisor from Taylor. She will be watching me teach my lovely Creative Writing students about the ins and outs of the sonnet. And then she will observe me giving them work time and a long list of things to do with the threat that I will beat them if they don't obey me! HAHAHAHaHahahahaha (evil laugh that fades at the end). Not really. But they will be working, one way or another.I
got my picture taken today, for free. Groovy, eh? I will soon be sending you all pictures of me from Blackford High School.
got my picture taken today, for free. Groovy, eh? I will soon be sending you all pictures of me from Blackford High School.
I am going to become a Master
I was thinking today about the idea of becoming a "Master." Wow, what an intimidating term. To think one can become a master of something. At the end of two years I will have my Masters of Environmental Science. So, I suppose I will not be a master, but I will just have a masters. Two very different things I imagine.
Anyways, here is my first semester schedule:
Hydrogeology M,W,F 8am Thurs Lab 8-10am
Systems Ecology W 7-9pm Thurs Lab 1-3pm
Environmental Health and Safety Tues 6-9pm
Graduate Seminar W 4-5:30pm
Experimental Design Thurs 6-9pm
So basically, this means I will never see Julie for a while. At least Sambo will see both of us at one time or the other.
Anyways, here is my first semester schedule:
Hydrogeology M,W,F 8am Thurs Lab 8-10am
Systems Ecology W 7-9pm Thurs Lab 1-3pm
Environmental Health and Safety Tues 6-9pm
Graduate Seminar W 4-5:30pm
Experimental Design Thurs 6-9pm
So basically, this means I will never see Julie for a while. At least Sambo will see both of us at one time or the other.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
The Long Walk
Today I took my creative writing class on a nature walk. I talked about observation and using your senses (as in, 5 senses) and gave them an example of a nature poem and then took them out into the great outdoors behind Blackford High School. Earlier in the day I had found a path through the woods, and we walked that and then sat for awhile in a meadowy area and wrote down our observations.
As we started out on the nature walk, one of my students said, "We had go outside and sit quietly in the cold and then journal about it for Mrs. _____' s class, and it was gay." So I asked him what "gay" meant, and we had a little class discussion on the way out to the woods about the way the word "gay" had changed since the Flinstones. I'm not even kidding! I think one of the Indiana standards has to do with tracing the way words change over time; I didn't even expect to get that standard in today!
Anyway, the students ended up enjoying the nature walk, although they couldn't believe I made them walk over a mile. Is that cruel and unusual? At least there were smiles on (most of) their faces by the end of the day. And there's a smile on my face right now because tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!
As we started out on the nature walk, one of my students said, "We had go outside and sit quietly in the cold and then journal about it for Mrs. _____' s class, and it was gay." So I asked him what "gay" meant, and we had a little class discussion on the way out to the woods about the way the word "gay" had changed since the Flinstones. I'm not even kidding! I think one of the Indiana standards has to do with tracing the way words change over time; I didn't even expect to get that standard in today!
Anyway, the students ended up enjoying the nature walk, although they couldn't believe I made them walk over a mile. Is that cruel and unusual? At least there were smiles on (most of) their faces by the end of the day. And there's a smile on my face right now because tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
A Good Day
Student teaching went well today! I don't even have a headache. I do, however, have my students' first batch of poems. Very interesting. One student said to me today, "I hope you like my poem." I said, "I'll have to read it and see" or something like that. Guess what the poem is about. Kissing. Great. What am I supposed to say? You were supposed to use specific images in this poem not generalities. Do I really want to see specific images of kissing from his life? Hmmm.
Preparing for Labor Day Sale
Well, Dan the pack rat is at it again. Actually, the pack rat idea runs in the family. Check out which has my brother talking a little about his pack rat tendencies, entry dated Aug 20.
The Upland city wide sale is happening labor day weekend and since we have a house with a small shed I have been gathering glorious items. All for free and mostly from chance sightings(I went to the school of random free deals) One man's trash is anothers way to riches.
Currently on my gathered list:
1. mountain bike (repaired for 6 dollars, selling for 25)
2. End table (going to sell, but now is Julie's scrapbooking table)
3. Garden Hose Winder (broken hose attachment, replaced for 2 dollars, selling for 10
4. Nice wooden folding chair (alignment and hinge missing, handy dan drills new bolt hole and it is like new, selling . . wait for guest so they can eat with us.
5. Vaccum (Kenmore 1975 classic, cleaned out filter works like a charm, we needed one
6. Bunk bed (it has been transformed into two bookcases that will soon be on display)
7. A set of old fashioned screen (someday they will be used)
u
Well must be off to lunch and remember. Always be ready to scram and scrabble for free stuff. Even if you have to dig through trash.
The Upland city wide sale is happening labor day weekend and since we have a house with a small shed I have been gathering glorious items. All for free and mostly from chance sightings(I went to the school of random free deals) One man's trash is anothers way to riches.
Currently on my gathered list:
1. mountain bike (repaired for 6 dollars, selling for 25)
2. End table (going to sell, but now is Julie's scrapbooking table)
3. Garden Hose Winder (broken hose attachment, replaced for 2 dollars, selling for 10
4. Nice wooden folding chair (alignment and hinge missing, handy dan drills new bolt hole and it is like new, selling . . wait for guest so they can eat with us.
5. Vaccum (Kenmore 1975 classic, cleaned out filter works like a charm, we needed one
6. Bunk bed (it has been transformed into two bookcases that will soon be on display)
7. A set of old fashioned screen (someday they will be used)
u
Well must be off to lunch and remember. Always be ready to scram and scrabble for free stuff. Even if you have to dig through trash.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
One more thing
Thanks to my family yesterday for listening to me and encouraging me to wait before deciding that I didn't want to be a teacher anymore. You guys know I can be a little over-dramatic sometimes. Haha. And can I just say I have the sweetest hubsand in the world? Dan gets up with me every morning and makes breakfast, (although the time he put sprouts in the oatmeal didn't really go over so well. I don't care if it's healthy. I cannot do sprouts at 7 am. Especially in oatmeal.) and he is this wonderful rational yet hilarious voice when I feel like quitting and moving to India.
The Longest 70 Minutes of My Life
That was yesterday during Creative Writing. Oh yeah, and I was the teacher. Let me just say that's it's kind of difficult to understand really how long activities take. In fact, activities on paper may take up a lot more time than they do in real life. That was the lesson I learned. Fortunately, I don't think the students picked up on my panic. I made some things up right on the spot, said some ridiculous things (I'm laughing as I remember), and prayed for the class period to be over.
Today was much better. My activities took up the whole class period and they even fit together. Today we talked about imagery, and the students attempted to write list poems. I had no idea how much positive energy it takes to overcome the negative energy put off by high school students who - from my observing for the past week - seem like they might only be happy when sleeping or making out with someone (and maybe not even then). So, by the grace of God, I will be persistently encouraging and not take things personally, all the while trying to teach and convince students from rural Indiana that poetry is worth their time and energy.
Today was much better. My activities took up the whole class period and they even fit together. Today we talked about imagery, and the students attempted to write list poems. I had no idea how much positive energy it takes to overcome the negative energy put off by high school students who - from my observing for the past week - seem like they might only be happy when sleeping or making out with someone (and maybe not even then). So, by the grace of God, I will be persistently encouraging and not take things personally, all the while trying to teach and convince students from rural Indiana that poetry is worth their time and energy.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Rainstorms and Rum
Today my cooperating teacher and I decided that I will start teaching Creative Writing on Monday. Yippie! I'm kind of nervous but very excited to be doing something other than observing and making photocopies. I had a major headache today, and I barely ever get headaches. I think it was a tension headache. That's why when I came home from student teaching today and it started thundering and I knew I couldn't get a run in before the rain (running helps reduce tension for me), I decided that Dan and I had to have some rum and cokes on the front porch and watch the rainstorm. Ah. Life doesn't get much better than that.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Our katz name
Well, it is final. Rambo was voted out but we got a compromise. Sambo, a combo of Sam and rambo or we just call him Sam. He is adjusting well and met the neighbor cats which weight 9 lbs and Sambo weights 1.9 lbs. He just backed away after a stare down and came running to us. It was nice to feel needed by little Sambo.
Today I am building some bookcases and cubby shelves for our cloths. I will take some pic of the bookcases since I am going for a asian look. We will see if it works out or not. The wood I am using was all free and I am just piecing it together. It is so much fun. Well, must be off to usher in our new washer that is coming today.
Dan P
Today I am building some bookcases and cubby shelves for our cloths. I will take some pic of the bookcases since I am going for a asian look. We will see if it works out or not. The wood I am using was all free and I am just piecing it together. It is so much fun. Well, must be off to usher in our new washer that is coming today.
Dan P
Monday, August 15, 2005
My first day alone
Well folks, Julie had her first day of student teaching and I was all by myself. I guess I had Sambo too. I filled my day with the following things . . .
7am cleaned up breakfast, did dishes
8am Went to my office-emailed, looked for internship opps, set up the printer,talked to some fellow grad students for awhile, learned about great blue herons
11am Finally got on the road to look at washers (ours broke its seals and will cost 200 dollars to fix) in neighboring Marion.
11:10 Realized I needed a new wiper and stopped at K-mart to pick one up. Spent the next hour and twenty going b/t Kmart and Auto zone trying to figure out the right combo of wipers I needed. I wanted to just get replacable blades so I could save money in the long run but also waste less resources on per part thrown away. Wow, what an ordeal. Whomever put the last wipers on mixed up narrow and wide wipers, plus I learned I have 21 in and 19 in wiper combo. In the end I ended up spending just 10 dollars instead of 30 and I have extra replacements for next time.
12:30 Arrive at first appliance place on the southside of Marion. Boy, was it ever the "south side." I almost didn't feel safe in a way. Discount Appliances is this big warehouse with Grandma boss running the place and selling appliances. It was a surreal experience. Realized I could get some good deals there but am toying with the idea of investing in a front load washer about 600-800 dollars or buying a used top loader for 110. I visited two more appliance places so I know all the lingo now and am seriously considering becoming a appliance salesman. The choice of this washer is a moral dilemma for me. Front loaders use 60 percent less water, 40 percent less energy and last a fair bit longer. So in terms of resource stewarship they make the most sense. It is also hard balancing current financal shorts as well. Given that both JUlie and I aren't working and don't want to cut into our farm savings. Well, if you have any advice let me know. I hope to decide fairly soon.
3-4pm Got groceries, oil change (I couldn't get the oil pan bolt loose, not even big muscle friends could do it, so I had to get a shop to do it)
4:15 arrive home and welcom Julie home.
Ya. Got to go have home made calzones.
Dan P
7am cleaned up breakfast, did dishes
8am Went to my office-emailed, looked for internship opps, set up the printer,talked to some fellow grad students for awhile, learned about great blue herons
11am Finally got on the road to look at washers (ours broke its seals and will cost 200 dollars to fix) in neighboring Marion.
11:10 Realized I needed a new wiper and stopped at K-mart to pick one up. Spent the next hour and twenty going b/t Kmart and Auto zone trying to figure out the right combo of wipers I needed. I wanted to just get replacable blades so I could save money in the long run but also waste less resources on per part thrown away. Wow, what an ordeal. Whomever put the last wipers on mixed up narrow and wide wipers, plus I learned I have 21 in and 19 in wiper combo. In the end I ended up spending just 10 dollars instead of 30 and I have extra replacements for next time.
12:30 Arrive at first appliance place on the southside of Marion. Boy, was it ever the "south side." I almost didn't feel safe in a way. Discount Appliances is this big warehouse with Grandma boss running the place and selling appliances. It was a surreal experience. Realized I could get some good deals there but am toying with the idea of investing in a front load washer about 600-800 dollars or buying a used top loader for 110. I visited two more appliance places so I know all the lingo now and am seriously considering becoming a appliance salesman. The choice of this washer is a moral dilemma for me. Front loaders use 60 percent less water, 40 percent less energy and last a fair bit longer. So in terms of resource stewarship they make the most sense. It is also hard balancing current financal shorts as well. Given that both JUlie and I aren't working and don't want to cut into our farm savings. Well, if you have any advice let me know. I hope to decide fairly soon.
3-4pm Got groceries, oil change (I couldn't get the oil pan bolt loose, not even big muscle friends could do it, so I had to get a shop to do it)
4:15 arrive home and welcom Julie home.
Ya. Got to go have home made calzones.
Dan P
First Day
Since bullet blogging seems to be so popular now, I thought I'd give it a try with my first day of student teaching.
- Got up at 6:30 after hitting the snooze and wondering why again I wanted to do anything that required me to get up so early.
- Got ready and then ate breakfast (prepared for my wonderful husband Dan!) while trying to keep Sammie from clawing my leg and getting on the table.
- Drove (actually rode) to school.
- Met a bunch of teachers and the secretary, tried to figure out how to rearrange the room.
- Went to an five-school faculty meeting, ate another breakfast of "eggs," a biscuit, and tater tots while being entertained by the high school swing team.
- Watched "Tammy's Story" (remember that from Gen 300?) and got prepped for our staff development day on "Understanding Poverty" (that's tomorrow).
- Met more teachers. Went to the bathroom.
- Listened to the union people talk about how vouchers are a way to rob the public education system. A little different take on the subject than I'm used to . . .
- Went to a high school faculty meeting.
- Ate lunch with Linda Coe, my cooperating teacher, whom everybody loves, and I'm not even kidding! So many students and faculty stopped by and I could just tell they thought she's great. And she is great to work with so far!
- Made copies. Yes, let the photocopying begin. Put up a bulletin board. (I used orange paper cuz I heard orange is in this season! Sorry, that's dorky.)
- Went to an English department faculty meeting where I again appreciated the weirdness and eccentrities of English teachers. I was given the assignment of making another bulletin board, this one for the display case in the hall. I think these teachers really like having student teachers around . . .
- Made a bizillion more photocopies and didn't break anything went I reloaded it with paper!
- Came home and had tea with Dan and cuddled with little Sammie.
Exciting stuff, hey? I really didn't mind all the meetings and copying today, but I know that could get old really quickly, so I'm looking forward to the students arriving Wednesday!
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Student teaching
Tomorrow I have my first day of student teaching. I'm getting picked up b/t 7 and 7:15 am (which means I have to get up before 7 - yikes!) by my cooperating teacher, Linda Coe, high school English teacher at Blackford Community High School. I'm kind of nervous, but I'm also really excited to finally do my student teaching, and from what I can tell (and what I've heard) of Linda, she will be a fabulous mentor, so that makes me more excited! Although it will be hard to leave our little kitten (oh, and Dan!) for the day. :)
Friday, August 12, 2005
Our Kitten
We went to the vet yesterday and found out our kitten is actually A BOY! So we debated over changing her name. Laremy and Becca DeVries stayed at our place last night, and Laremy and Dan decided we should call him Rambo. I didn't really think it fit. Any suggestions for a name? Otherwise he will stay Sam, or maybe Klaus.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Moved In
We are officially moved in to our little house on South Main Street in Upland, IN! My family helped us move in on Saturday, and although we still have boxes upstairs to unpack, the downstairs is very livable and we even had Jeff and Megan (the people who own the house) over dinner last night. They're very fun. :)
And the best part is that we have a little kitten to help us with the moving! We don't really know if she's a boy or a girl because apparently the testicles don't drop until their 6 weeks old, but we call her Samantha b/c I think she's a girl. Good thing her name can easily change to Samuel (how do you like that, Sammy G?). We'll probably just call her Sam. Anyway, she is so cute! And she loves people! She follows us everywhere. :) Unfortunately, she has really bad gas. Two days ago she killed and ate a giant cicada. I don't think that helps the gas problem. She is very high energy and loves to chase her tail and basically anything that moves or appears like it could be moving. My favorite is when she jumps onto the coffee table and finds herself sliding on the slippery surface. Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
We'll post pictures soon cuz I know you can't wait to see pictures of our house and cute little kitten!
And the best part is that we have a little kitten to help us with the moving! We don't really know if she's a boy or a girl because apparently the testicles don't drop until their 6 weeks old, but we call her Samantha b/c I think she's a girl. Good thing her name can easily change to Samuel (how do you like that, Sammy G?). We'll probably just call her Sam. Anyway, she is so cute! And she loves people! She follows us everywhere. :) Unfortunately, she has really bad gas. Two days ago she killed and ate a giant cicada. I don't think that helps the gas problem. She is very high energy and loves to chase her tail and basically anything that moves or appears like it could be moving. My favorite is when she jumps onto the coffee table and finds herself sliding on the slippery surface. Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
We'll post pictures soon cuz I know you can't wait to see pictures of our house and cute little kitten!
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Sleepy Bear Dune National Park
Grampie and Julie and I on a 500 foot sand dune! Lake Mich in background
A Perkins Family Reunion
Well Julie and I just got back from the Perkins/Shaw family reunion that happens every 3 years. Julie has never meet any of these people and I have only met them briefly once before. After hearing that Andrew and Lynn had so much fun at the last one in Montana I decieded we best go since we were actually able to go. Plus, Grampie and Aunt Susan were there which was a great bonus. It was grand and a fun filled two days. There is something special about the family bond. Even if it is very distant. Here is some pictures and click on the lick (link I mean, but it is funny) below to check out more at my flickr account if you are so interested.
Saturday is our big move to Upland. Julie and I are excited and we have been blessed with numerous amounts of free furniture from family and friends. Quite the ecclectic assortment. Well, must be off to bed.
Dan P
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