Well part of the joys of small town life are small town inconveniences. Over spring break the middle of March I lost my internet connection. It has been a very long two months without it, but I am back and ready to tell you all what I've been up to over the past two months.
1. I've read 5 books. You can do this when you don't have Facebook to distract you.
2. I have spent several weekends in Portales trying not to go crazy.
3. I started exercise with my roommate. Yoga everyday.
4. I finished a knitting project and started on a new one. Both baby blankets.
5. Took up sketching again.
6. Spent way too many hours at school, thinking about school, and in general obsessing over school.
7. Started being more creative in my cooking.
8. Actually paid to go see a couple of movies at the theater.
9. Hmmm I'm running out of things to say.....
10. Missed all my friends like crazy!
I'm sure I will be updating several times in the near future with all the ideas for blogs I've had in the past two months, but this will have to do for now. I do still have to teach tomorrow even if the students don't want to learn.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Catch up
Sorry for the hiatus on the updates people! Two weekends ago I had the crud and could barely move. I am nearly well now, but it's been a long two weeks.
Last weekend I had the privilege along with several other teachers to take 17 kids to NMMI in Roswell to participate in the Regional Science Olympiad Competition. The kids had a great time where they finished 5th which put them in a place to compete in the State competition. So in another two weeks I will be traveling to Socorro, NM for the kids to strut their knowledge of all things science!
The weather has turned colder the last few days and I want the warm weather back. I rather liked 60 degree weather in January. Thankfully the house is very well insulated and we (my roommate and I) are on the mend from the crud that has been floating through the schools.
Challenges still abound in taking over a class in the middle of the year, but this week I have started to see some progress and growth in student assignments. We have moved on from genetics thank goodness (I'm pretty sure they were about to mutiny) and started on changes over time better known as evolution. Why textbook editors would think that putting a picture of a blue footed booby (picture below) wouldn't cause uproar is beyond me. Seriously people they are not mature enough! After a good laugh in class we were able to get back on topic.
I hope all are well out there in the world and you are finding daily adventures and exploring the world around you! Peace and Love
Last weekend I had the privilege along with several other teachers to take 17 kids to NMMI in Roswell to participate in the Regional Science Olympiad Competition. The kids had a great time where they finished 5th which put them in a place to compete in the State competition. So in another two weeks I will be traveling to Socorro, NM for the kids to strut their knowledge of all things science!
The weather has turned colder the last few days and I want the warm weather back. I rather liked 60 degree weather in January. Thankfully the house is very well insulated and we (my roommate and I) are on the mend from the crud that has been floating through the schools.
Challenges still abound in taking over a class in the middle of the year, but this week I have started to see some progress and growth in student assignments. We have moved on from genetics thank goodness (I'm pretty sure they were about to mutiny) and started on changes over time better known as evolution. Why textbook editors would think that putting a picture of a blue footed booby (picture below) wouldn't cause uproar is beyond me. Seriously people they are not mature enough! After a good laugh in class we were able to get back on topic.
I hope all are well out there in the world and you are finding daily adventures and exploring the world around you! Peace and Love
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Remediation/Enrichment
I hope everyone had a wonderful MLK day. I spent mine sitting in a staff meeting hearing about how my school got a grade of "D" on the new grading scale for NM. We were the lowest school in the district and thus there is a great deal of pressure to raise the grade. The grading scale is very complicated, but the major points that we need to work on as a school are raising test scores. The solution is to change the schedule and insert a remediation/enrichment class for all students. I like the idea, but I feel like it might be a little too late to get started. We will have roughly 30 school days of the new schedule before state testing begins the middle of March. It wasn't the most encouraging day, but I was impressed at how the rest of the staff handled the coming changes and really worked as a team.
The real stress came after the staff meeting when the other 7th grade science teacher and I sat down to look at the information we need to cover before testing begins. I'll just say it's and INSANE amount to try and cover in less than 9 weeks. It can be done we figured out after a great deal of staring at the calendar, but it won't be pretty. I feel bad for having to do this to the students because it is not in any way a good method for learning information. I would rather they have at least be introduced to the information before the test than come to me after the test and say we have never heard of most of the information on the test.
There is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel though! I can teach anything that is left in the book after state testing! The other science teacher is going to do an environmental unit dealing with earth worms and other types of critters. I'm not a huge fan of worms or well versed on environmental science. I think in my class we might do a human body unit. This is life science after all!
Small town life is comforting although I am still in complete culture shock. I'd kill for a latte right now, but due to the lack of decent restaurants I am exploring my culinary skills and even managed to bake a delicious butternut squash earlier this week. The search is on for a new church. I never knew you could make a country version of a Lincoln Brewster song, but these guys managed to do it. Toto we're not in Kansas anymore has become my new mantra!
As a reward to myself this weekend I am leaving town to go see some great friends and celebrate! Oh and I got my first pay check on Friday!!! Peace and Love
The real stress came after the staff meeting when the other 7th grade science teacher and I sat down to look at the information we need to cover before testing begins. I'll just say it's and INSANE amount to try and cover in less than 9 weeks. It can be done we figured out after a great deal of staring at the calendar, but it won't be pretty. I feel bad for having to do this to the students because it is not in any way a good method for learning information. I would rather they have at least be introduced to the information before the test than come to me after the test and say we have never heard of most of the information on the test.
There is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel though! I can teach anything that is left in the book after state testing! The other science teacher is going to do an environmental unit dealing with earth worms and other types of critters. I'm not a huge fan of worms or well versed on environmental science. I think in my class we might do a human body unit. This is life science after all!
Small town life is comforting although I am still in complete culture shock. I'd kill for a latte right now, but due to the lack of decent restaurants I am exploring my culinary skills and even managed to bake a delicious butternut squash earlier this week. The search is on for a new church. I never knew you could make a country version of a Lincoln Brewster song, but these guys managed to do it. Toto we're not in Kansas anymore has become my new mantra!
As a reward to myself this weekend I am leaving town to go see some great friends and celebrate! Oh and I got my first pay check on Friday!!! Peace and Love
Sunday, January 15, 2012
First Week
By publishing this post I did actually make it through the first week of school as a teacher!
My first day of school was very memorable. The first three periods went very well, I was excited for lunch and the afternoon classes. Suddenly the principal comes on the intercom and announces because it is snowing school had been canceled. All students were to call their parents and go home. Now I don't have windows in my classroom, so I couldn't see how much snow was on the ground. The students had told me it was snowing, but really we're in South Eastern New Mexico people it doesn't snow that much. So I go out in the hallway and look into the atrium. Yes it was snowing. Yes it was coming down fairly fast. Yes it was piling up on the trees. No it was not sticking to the pavement at all. I stood laughing the entire time the students were headed out the door and as they pushed the teachers out the door. As soon as I got home it quit snowing and everything melted. It did snow throughout the afternoon, but nothing stuck. Needless to say I won't be forgetting my first official day as a teacher.
This week I learned that 7th graders never stop talking. They are sweet, they are fun, they are mostly hard working, but they never ever stop talking. Coming in the middle of the year I feel like I am in an up hill battle trying to get the students to do things my way. Their last teacher had given up at the end of the semester and the students had mostly taken free reign of the classroom. Well there is a new ruler in town and she isn't going to put up with being talked over. They will do it my way if it kills us both.
The second thing I learned about 7th graders this week is that they are virtually incapable of following directions. I don't know what goes through their little brains while they look at me as I explain what I want them to do, but it sure as heck is not listening to what I am saying. I thought at first I was just giving too many directions, but as the week progressed and I would give them one thing to do they seemed to always do the opposite of what I asked. Perhaps I should tell them to do the opposite of what I want and they will do what I want instead.
The other teachers and staff at my school have been incredibly helpful and welcoming as I learn the intricacies of the school. I'm the youngest teacher at the school by at least 5 years probably more, but they have been very good about not treating me like a baby, but as a colleague. I am excited for next week as we cover bacteria and protists. I have got to go grade more papers now! More next week.
My first day of school was very memorable. The first three periods went very well, I was excited for lunch and the afternoon classes. Suddenly the principal comes on the intercom and announces because it is snowing school had been canceled. All students were to call their parents and go home. Now I don't have windows in my classroom, so I couldn't see how much snow was on the ground. The students had told me it was snowing, but really we're in South Eastern New Mexico people it doesn't snow that much. So I go out in the hallway and look into the atrium. Yes it was snowing. Yes it was coming down fairly fast. Yes it was piling up on the trees. No it was not sticking to the pavement at all. I stood laughing the entire time the students were headed out the door and as they pushed the teachers out the door. As soon as I got home it quit snowing and everything melted. It did snow throughout the afternoon, but nothing stuck. Needless to say I won't be forgetting my first official day as a teacher.
This week I learned that 7th graders never stop talking. They are sweet, they are fun, they are mostly hard working, but they never ever stop talking. Coming in the middle of the year I feel like I am in an up hill battle trying to get the students to do things my way. Their last teacher had given up at the end of the semester and the students had mostly taken free reign of the classroom. Well there is a new ruler in town and she isn't going to put up with being talked over. They will do it my way if it kills us both.
The second thing I learned about 7th graders this week is that they are virtually incapable of following directions. I don't know what goes through their little brains while they look at me as I explain what I want them to do, but it sure as heck is not listening to what I am saying. I thought at first I was just giving too many directions, but as the week progressed and I would give them one thing to do they seemed to always do the opposite of what I asked. Perhaps I should tell them to do the opposite of what I want and they will do what I want instead.
The other teachers and staff at my school have been incredibly helpful and welcoming as I learn the intricacies of the school. I'm the youngest teacher at the school by at least 5 years probably more, but they have been very good about not treating me like a baby, but as a colleague. I am excited for next week as we cover bacteria and protists. I have got to go grade more papers now! More next week.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Moving in
It's been one week since I moved across the state to start my first year of teaching. So far so good my newly acquired roommate and I are getting along great. This is such a blessing because moving in with a person you've met in person once and had oh I'd say about two phone conversations with is a little risky. Turns out we are extremely similar in our habits and personalities. She has been a God send and found us an amazing place to live. We are in a duplex that is only a few years old. The kitchen is huge and we each have our own bedroom and bathroom. She brought along her two cats a male calico and a female black and white. So far the calico and I are good friends. Spooky the girl was a little spooked by the move and has been a little shy. Almost everyone we have met in this little town has been extremely kind and welcoming.
I am anxious to start teaching on Monday. I have been working in the classroom this week getting the first week of lesson plans done and then completely revised. I figured out how I want my classroom arranged as well as getting bulletin boards changed. The teacher before me was rather fond of animal print backgrounds. It was a little loud and distracting to me. Note to self: I am not a bulletin board artist. Perhaps they should teach that to secondary teachers as well as elementary teachers. At any rate I am excited to meet the students and get into the routine of teaching. More adventure news next week.
I am anxious to start teaching on Monday. I have been working in the classroom this week getting the first week of lesson plans done and then completely revised. I figured out how I want my classroom arranged as well as getting bulletin boards changed. The teacher before me was rather fond of animal print backgrounds. It was a little loud and distracting to me. Note to self: I am not a bulletin board artist. Perhaps they should teach that to secondary teachers as well as elementary teachers. At any rate I am excited to meet the students and get into the routine of teaching. More adventure news next week.
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