The Start Of A Life Long Journey!

Someone once told me that, "The best part about being a teacher is knowing that the students will move on after a year. The worst part about being a teacher is knowing that the students will move on after a year." The Early Childhood Education program here at the University of Georgia aims to prepare us as future teachers for every aspect of the job as a K-5 teacher. There is no way to prepare for leaving a group of individuals that you have become attached to over the course of the a semester or a year.

This however, is a necessary evil for the career field that we have decided to enter. It is our immense responsibility as educators to prepare our students for life at the next level, whether that is the next grade level, the next school level, or for "life in the real world". We must equip our young people with the tools necessary for "success" in every definition of the word. This task can not be measured by a test taken at the end of a quarter or at the end of the year, but instead could only be measured with the total growth of each student, academically and socially, from the begining of the year until the end.

As I reflect on not only this last semester, but the last two years in the Early Childhood Education program, I find it imperative that I have an equal impact on the students in my actual classroom that they will have on me. We all remember those teachers who have the greatest impact on our lives, no matter what age we were or what grade we were in. My goal as a teacher is to have an even bigger impact on the lives of the children I teach in my classroom as the students have had on me these past few semesters.

It is great to walk through any school and to genuially be loved by the students. To know that the students want to be in your classroom when they reach your grade level is an amazing feeling. This shows that a teacher is having an effect on not only their students, but on the school as a whole. As I enter into the work force and start my life long journey. I take with me these three quotes:

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." William Arthur Ward.

“None of us alone can save the nation or the world. But each of us can make a positive difference if we commit ourselves to do so." Cornel West

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school." Albert Einstein

Almost Done!

This week has been a great one. I have slowly began to do less and less teaching in the classroom. I must admit that I miss it already. The students are all amazing in their own ways and I will miss them all individually for different reasons. This is a bitter-sweet part of being a teacher. Each year we have numerous students that we become close to and grow to love throughout the course of the year. It seems as though the time flies by and before we know it, they are moving on and we are only left with memories and the satisfaction that we had an unimaginable impact on their lives.

We received a new student at the end of last week in my absence. This week has been a journey in realizing how the students react around the student. This student in particular has a big personality and completely skipped pass the quiet, shy stage. This has caused an interrupting of the balance in the classroom. The classroom is like a community. Whether this is a civilized community of people or a community of animals in the wild, that is up for us as their teachers to decide.

Some may find it weird that I refer to the class as a community of animals in the wild, but are we not all mamals/animals. When you look at any classroom, you will see that they all have to figure how to coexist. This balance can be thrown off when a new student enters the classroom. Once the student is accepted by all of the studnets and not just some or most, the classroom has obtained it's new balance and the students will all grown and learn as a new community of young people. This is a lot to take in at the end of my time student teaching, but with two days left, it feels great to be almost done.

I'm So Excitired!

Tuesday was another great day in the classroom. The students are starting to notice that my time here is winding down. The last few days have been very tiring and the cold weather is definitely not helping. I have to remember to never live on the Third Floor when working in the future. Having to walk down those stairs to warm up my car and then walk back up those stairs just to go right back down in five minutes is not fun at all.

Today's posting is a short one. I am very excited to leave this afternoon in pursuit of San Antonion, Texas. I've always wanted to vistit the state of Texas and it only seems fitting that my brother, the little man that I grew up with from a little boy, is the reason I'm going. I feel blessed to be close to my brother and I am extremely proud of him. This weekend he graduates basic training and starts his career as an Airman in the United States Airforce. I'm ecited and tired both at the same time. I guess it's safe to say that I'm very Excitired!

You Gon' Learn Today!

This past weekend was an incredible weekend for me. I was one of the thousands who took the trip down to Jacksonville, FL for the 2011 Georgia vs. Florida football game. This was my third time making the trip and I must admit that this was the best time I have ever had on the trip. There is just something about spending time with people you love that makes great moments even better! The cherry on top of this wonderful weekend Sunday was the end score this year being 24-20 in favor of the Bulldogs!

I thought the chants would never end and I would lose my voice for weeks, but somewhere between Jacksonville and Athens I found my voice and I could not wait to tell all of the students about my trip. When starting my story, it was clear that all of the students already knew that Georgia won the game this past weekend. It felt great to have the students excited with me about the Dawgs pulling out a much needed win over our rival.

At the end of the weekend, I was able to see a comedy show came out in theatres three months ago. (I felt like the last person seeing the show.) I was about to start a lesson when the funniest part of the show came to my mind. I proceeded to get the classes attention focused on the front of the room. As I started the lesson, I simply said, "Alright, alright, allllriiiigghhhttt", and immediately a student responded by saying, "You gon' learn today." I burst into laughter and it then took another five minutes to start the lesson. 

Sometimes it makes a student feel good to know that a teacher likes the same things that they like. It also makes a teacher feel great knowing that the students can relate to something that they enjoy. This week I think I will go to school knowing that at the beginning of every lesson, the class will know that, "You gon' learn today!"

Tough Times Are Close!

This week has been a suprisingly hard week for many different reasons. The students have been a little rampant over the last few days. I was told that this time of year tends to become tough for many different reasons, and to be completely honest, noone really knows what these reasons are.

I had the unfortunate circumstance of seeing a first year teacher in tears on Wednesday. It was a very surprising sight for me. One reason was that this particular individual is a very energetic person with a great personality. Another reason was that I could potentially be placed in very similar situations in the first few years of teaching on my own.

Sometimes in our lives, things don't go the way we plan them. We simply have to swallow our pride, take a deep breathe, and bare the frustrations that it may throw at us. With this said, I know that I will have challenges and adversities to overcome when entering into my own classroom. I guess it's safe to say that tough times are close!

CCSD Walkthroughs!

On Monday October 24, 2011, the county completed school-wide walkthroughs. There were many very important people in the school including the Superintendent. I think it is great that the students are able to see the people in higher positions than their actual principal. Sometimes they need to know that even the principal of their school has a boss.

The students responded very well to the walkthroughs earlier in the week. My mentor teacher chose a great lesson to use during his observation that allowed for him to be successful and also allowed for the students to be successful. The county was pleased with the walkthroughs as a whole, but my mentor teacher was not told specifically what needed to be improved or what he did well.

Know that I would not mind working here in Clarke County, it was a great experience to work with my mentor teacher during the lesson. I hope that the individuals observing were pleased with what they observed. If so, I hope to have my own classroom during the next round of CCSD Walkthroughs!

It Always Ends In A Tie!

Yesterday I was visited by my University Professor during math. The visit went really well and the lesson was a fun review of fraction addition and subtraction word problems. The students were really attentive and at the end of the lesson all of the students in the classroom understood the lesson and were able to complete the examples posted on the SMARTBoard. I have to follow up with a few students to be sure that they understand some of the concepts needed to fully understand the lesson as a whole, but even these students were able to complete the examples given.

During recess Tuesday, I was able to take a small group with me to the blacktop for a game of basketball. I had a discussion the day before with a student asking if he thought it was a coiencidence that every football or basketball played either ended in a tie or in a very close game? I then explained that I was very careful to pick the teams myself each day and I always want each kid to have as much fun as possible.

I wanted this young man to know that it is not always about winning or losing. There will be enough of that if he chose to play middle and high school sports, but for now, we are all having fun and enjoying the opportunity to play these sports at recess. On Wednesday after recess, the same student walks up to me and simply says, "So you made it end in a tie again?" The smile on his face showed that he had fun that day at recess and it also helped me gauge that he understood why, for our recess, it always ends in a tie!

Last Three Weeks!

This week has definitely flown by. The students have really enjoyed being able to go home each day at 12:20 and I have enjoyed watching all of the different parent-teacher conferences. I really feel as though I have learned a lot this week about how to conduct a meeting. I also was very observant in how my Mentor Teacher chose to word specific things in a way not to make the parent, student, or himself look bad. He definitely has the trust and respect of the parents for the students in his classroom.

I was also able to reschedule the Principal Observation for yesterday during math. The lesson was a great lesson on modeling the Multiplication and the Division of fractions. The students really enjoyed the lesson and the principal gave great feedback along with the compliment that she enjoyed the lesson. This was great practice since there is a slightly different feel when being observed by a principal as opposed to my university professor. It simply felt great to be observed one last time for the semester.

I now have a few tasks left for the semester. My university professor wants to come by one more time for an unofficial observation, I have to continue with my notebook and reflections, and lastly I have to complete my portfolio. I was able to pick up my tickets for graduation on yesterday and it just feels like the time is approaching quickly. I'm very excited and I look forward to these last three weeks.

I'm Graduating Soon!

Yesterday was the first day of parent-teacher conferences and we were able to meet with five of our students parents. All of the conferences went extremely well and I hope to be able to say the same thing for the remaining thirteen. Although I was warned about the hostility levels that these conferences can reach, there were no problems so far for the conferences.

I was able to see something different for the last conference of the day. My mentor teacher is Italian and Puerto Rican and he is able to speak Spanish with ease. Because of this, he has never used a translator and this definitely makes communication meaningful. Although I could not understand the majority of the conversation, I did pick up on different inflections in both voices and the parents seemed comfortable with the teacher during the entire conversation.

I hope that the rest of the week, including conferences, goes as well as the beginning of the week. I must admit that I have become tired over the past few weeks and with no resting opportunity in sight, I simply must push forward! I want to be sure to do everything that I can to get as much as I can out of these last 3 weeks but I also have to admit that I'm fueled for these weeks because I know that, I'M GRADUATING SOON!!!!

Everyone Here Wants To Learn!

Yesterday I had another great discussion with my Mentor Teacher. We began to talk about the misconceptions teachers sometimes place on our students before we even give them a chance. I expressed the frustration I feel every time that we are in a meeting and as a teacher gives ideas for lessons, other teachers say, "My kids can't do that." There is a very thin line between challenging our students and knowing what can be too difficult for them, but I feel as though we shouldn't assume anything with the students. I've seen second graders and third graders on a 5th grade level or higher, so who is to say that we can't get our 5th graders on a second grade level caught up? Always assuming that something is too much or too hard for our students will only allow them to fall further and further behind.

How do we catch our students up? I think one of the most important factors is the way children view our classroom. I pointed out to my Mentor Teacher that I've never seen a child not want to come to his class each morning. More importantly, once they are there, they want to be there and they rarely want to leave. What does this tell us? It suggests that when we create a great community in our classroom, we are inviting learning to take place. The rest then becomes easy. The final thought I would like to express on this post is a statement that my mentor teacher told me when I thought the students in the class weren't paying attention. Each and every teacher in the world should hear this quote at one point or another in their career. He simply stated that, "Everyone here wants to learn." We must remember that even in our frustrations, our students want to learn, and who are we NOT to give them that opportunity!?

You Really Never Get One!

After another long weekend of working hard and preparing for the week, I realized that there was really no rest in that mix at all. I was hoping to finally have a few days to relax and enjoy real rest. I was also hoping to enjoy these next two months since "the real world" will be starting for me very soon. Of course this rest would have to be obtained without slacking on the real task at hand. Senioritis is not an option for an education major graduating in December who really is trying to find a job in the Spring.

I've worked hard this semester but for me the real work begins now. It can be very easy to become complacent in the classroom now that my observations are over. (All except for the rescheduled observation be the Principal that will be done during Math on Thursday.) Although I would love to "take it easy" over the next few weeks, I would love even more to gain as much out of this entire experience as possible.

With all of this said, a real break would be nice. There are three early-release days this week, but we have to stay until our normal times for those days as well. We even have to stay until 8:00 P.M. on Thursday. Next Friday is Fall Break and my Birthday but I'll be driving down to Florida for the game on that day. I guess the realization is that although as a teacher there are many staff days and holidays, when it comes to actual "breaks", you never really get one!

The Fall Festival Was A Success!

Friday threw me an unexpected twist since the principal did not come to observe me. I was surprised at first but I can understand why. The assistant principal was not there on Friday and with it being the principal's birthday, I figured that she would have a very busy day preparing for the Fall Festival.

The conclusion of my last week of lead teaching was great. The students had a wonderful time at their Annual Fall Festival. My fraternity brothers also had a great time helping out at the festival. We were able to step twice for the students and parents in attendance and both times, the reception was great. I hope to always share this gift with my students. I would love the opportunity to start a step team at the school I teach at. It excites me to say that although this was a long and strenuous week, the Fall Festival was a success!

Fall Festival!

Another week is over and I must say that I am happy to be done with my Lead Teaching for now. My University Professor said it best, I am in a place where I am eager to now get out in the "real world" and get started. I think with that said it's safe to say how thrilled I am that I passed my second and final Official Observation and I am well on my way to Graduation.

I am also ecited for the opportunity to have the Principal of the school come and observe me today. We have planned this since the beginning of the semester and although she has popped in for an observation already, it will be great to show her a different subject which is a part of my unit plan.

Finally, Today is October 14, making it exactly 2 weeks before my 23rd Birthday. It also means that today is the Oglethorpe Avenue's Fall Festival and the boys are ready. That's right...Mr. Marcquez and the Zeta Nu Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated will be stepping twice at the yard show. I guess this is why when I woke up this morning, my first thought was FALL FESTIVAL!

One More Time!

These last eight and a half weeks have really went by quickly. I have grown to love each and every one of the students in my classroom and I can only hope to have classes like this when I start teaching on my own. The eight and a half mark also means I am preparing physically and mentally for my second and last observation. This is of course if everything goes according to schedule.

I really feel comfortable about this second observation. I've learned so much over these last two months and I am more excited than anything to show this off to my University Professor. My writing unit on Informational Writing, with a focus on Biographies has been fun for both myself and the class and I hope to continue that enthusiasm as the unit comes to a close. There is no need for another paragraph in this blog post. I am simply excited and ready to be observed, one more time!

How Late Is Too Late?

Last night my Fraternity had a forum entitled, Call To Action: How Late is Too Late? One of my favorite professors was the moderator. (Is it really possible to have a favorite professor and you have never taken one of their classes?) Well she is definitely one of my favorites. We have had her at a few of our programs since I became a member of my organization and if I was not on track to graduate in a few weeks, I would take one of her classes just for the fun of it.

I was able to stand in front of the 100+ people at the program last night and offer my idea of a solution for some of the issues we discussed. As an education major, I feel that it is vitally important to impact our youth in a positive way. It is never too late for our youth and their futures. More young black men than ever are being placed in RTI programs leading some to believe that they are being placed in these programs too soon. Does this somehow link to the extremely large population of young black men being placed in prison? Is this a part of the reason that there are more black men in jail than in college?

Regardless of our feelings towards this issue, the fact remains that our students are struggling in many cases. Without looking at our Black students or White students or Hispanic or Asian students specifically, we must understand that we have a job to do as educators. That job is not to look at studies of a small group of children and allow those studies to make us feel sorry for students or develop false ideas about the children in our communities. We have to let each and every child know that it is never too late to take responsibility for their own  education, and by doing so, take responsibilities for their futures.

Testing Is Over!

This week has been full of testing. It has been a long week for both the students and the children. I can say that there are two vital lessons that I've particularly learned over the past week:

Lesson number one is that you have to cover your own tracks. Over the course of the week we realized that there was an important part of the benchmark test that had not been covered. There are many situations that could have created this situation but the most prevalent was the change in the pacing guide from last year to this year. We as teachers get into a habbit of making things as easy for us as possible. This is not a bad idea seeing that we have many things to do and cover over the course of 180 days. Collaborative planning is a great idea and no fingers should ever be pointed for someone not planning the correct material. This can easily be avoided if we as individuals always cover our tracks and cater to the needs of our students in particular.

Lesson number two is that attempting to start a unit during benchmark testing is tough. I thought I would be able to start my unit plan on informational writing right in the thick of benchmark testing. I have to say that this has not been my best idea so far this semester. I really feel as though I will get through the unit and the children will learn exactly what is intended. I'm also excited that they are still excited about having so much input on the unit. Day number three of the unit is starting and we are done with testing so now it's time to get cooking. The most important part of that last sentence is that benchmark testing is over!

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.

The saying that "Life is short" proved to be true once again yesterday with the passing of Steve Jobs. We as human beings sometimes take for granted the short amount of time we have here on this earth. Whether your belief is in Heaven or Hell or you believe that it all ends once we die, or something in between, taking the opportunity to live your life to the fullest should not be an option but instead a necessity.

These principles should be prevalent in our teaching as well. We as teachers only have a short time with our students. It is our responsibility to make sure that we take advantage of each and every opportunity in our classrooms. We can turn almost any moment into a teachable moment throughout the course of the year. Failure to doing this can lead to several children not being able to fully take advantage of the many life lessons as well as lessons from the curriculum.

In closing, Steve Jobs once said that, "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." It is my hope that I will one day be able to effectively lead my classroom and to be a great leader in my community. Regardless of where my career takes me or what my role in education may become, I hope to always be an innovator in the field of education.

Narrative Writing Test!

On Tuesday, the students started the day by taking their first writing test of the year. They were given a writing prompt and were asked to create a narrative piece. The students were given 3 hours to complete this writing. The class was able to finish the writings, but as expected, the entire 5th grade struggled with this task. The level of writing this year is said to be lower than expected through the first few weeks of the school year.

This presents me with a great challenge going into the next few weeks. I start my unit plan on informational writing Wednesday. I am extremely excited and I really believe the students are just as excited as I am. I hope that over the next two weeks, I can begin to prepare the students for their second writing test and just as importantly, for the 5th Grade Writing Test in February.

 Although testing is not the only way to find out what the children know, and writing is very subjective making it hard to really distinguish their "abilities", we as their teachers have to do our best to give our students the necessary tools needed to pass these types of test with flying colors. The first step of this process has been accomplished with the simple completion of the narrative writing test.

Empathy and Compassion

Another day with a substitute teacher in the room and we all know what that means right!? Let's push the sub to see just how much we can get away with. I feel very fortunate to be able to work with the children everyday. Since the students know how I operate in the classroom, they were a little hesitant to try and push too far. The day went really well and now I can look forward to the end of another long week.

One of the toughest parts of our job is developing an effective diciplinary or positive reinforcement plan. My mentor teacher doesn't have the list or the visual way for diciplining a child. I can see that one of my weeknesses is treding the line between empathy and compassion. The Difference Between article says,

"Compassion is a type of feeling where you tend to feel for the person concerned. You strongly feel sorry for the state of a person without attempting to know what is there in his or her mind. Without even understanding the intensity of his or her problem or predicament you simply feel sorry for a person."

"Empathy on the other hand is a higher plane of emotive behavior. It involves some sort of imagination of the person’s predicament or problem coupled with strong feeling for him or her. Imagination of similar situations is the hallmark of empathy. Such an imagination lays the foundation for gaining empathy for someone."

It takes time in order to develope a true understanding of these terms and which should be used in a specific situation. In the end, a good blend of empathy and compassion can help a teacher better understand the children in their classroom.

Read more: http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-empathy-and-compassion/#ixzz1ZRCSbuKU

The Halfway Point

The past 6 1/2 weeks have been an amazing journey. There have been many great days and there have also been days that I went home exhausted, beaten, battered, and bruised. (And they say that teaching is not a hard job). These are the days that either test our patients and our poise or give us great satisfaction at the thought of a child being successful in the classroom. The students come first and although they may not fully understand our methods for certain things, if you set it up correctly, they'll always respect the fact that you are trying to help them become more knowledgeable individuals.

I've been told that teachers get three added "sick" days for each pay period or every two weeks. I could sure use one of those right about now. My body has been battling allergies everyday for the past three weeks and a good days rest would feel incredible. Although these are the thoughts going through my head in the morning, I still manage to find the will-power to get out of bed and to get my day started. Every time I do, I'm very glad that I didn't give up the several teaching and learning opportunities I get everyday at my school.
(My school....I like the sound of that!)

When I really think about it, time is flying by. I only have a few more uncompleted tasks that will more than likely be completed within the next couple of weeks. At that point I will seemingly be counting down the days until graduation. Learning what I can in the process of planning for my future. It is a sad thought that I will have to leave my third set of students. It's like I'm just finally really getting to know them and before I know it, I will have moved on and they will be middle schoolers. These are just the thoughts running through my head here at the halfway point.

Expect The Unexpected

The second day of lead teaching all day was a little easier than the first. I was able to get over some of the nerves and I felt extremely comfortable in front of the class. The students are responding really well to all of my lesson plans and my mentor teacher is chiming in less and less as the days go by. (I'm very fortunate to have a great co-teaching environment).

I was very surprised on Tuesday when the principal of the school walked into the classroom for an observation during my Laguage Arts lesson. I was terrified when this happened. All that I could do in this unexpected situation was teach using all of the tools I had gained during the first 6 weeks of the semester. Although the lesson was not perfect, I felt as though I delivered it very effectively and most importantly, the students were able to understand the lesson being taught.

The "theme" of this blog, since I was teaching a lesson on theme when this happened, is to always expect the unexpected. We as teachers never know when a curveball will be thrown our way. Great teachers are teachers that can take the extra time to slow up their swing and make contact with the situation. That is the only way to attack a curveball. Although the visit by the principal went really well, I'm glad I was able to see another reason why it is important to expect the unexpected.

Exciting Times

My first day of Lead Teaching for the entire day went tremendously well. The teacher allowed me the opportunity to really have control over the whole day. I loved every moment of it. This was one of the days that again, I knew that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to do for my career.

The students are responding well to my instruction and although I still seem to struggle with my timing, at the end of each lesson, I truly feel as though all of the students get what I am trying to teach them. After a long weekend, it was good to have an effective first day of lead teaching. Over the next few weeks, I look forward to learning as much as I possibly can.

I also found out on this day that my brother is about a month away from graduating from Air Force Basic Training! We are both moving quickly to our desired goals and I am very excited to say that these truly are exciting times!

You Have To Set It Up Correctly

Another week comes to an end and now comes the "hardest part" of my student teaching experience. Starting next week, I will have 3 consecutive weeks of lead teaching for all subjects. I'm very excited about the challenge that is ahead. After talking with my mentor teacher, he has assured me that I will have a sense of comfort knowing that he is not there looking over my shoulder every time I step up to teach. This also means I can no longer rely on him when I'm unsure of what to do next in a lesson.

I've also began to talk with certain students who could try to cause minor problems with the normal teacher out of the room. I've reached out to these students in minor ways to allow them to see that I genuinely care about their success in the classroom during my time as lead teacher. I also wanted them to know that I require and give the same amount of respect that their normal teacher requires and gives. I hope it worked. I've never been a "mean" teacher and I don't intend to start over these next few weeks.

When it comes down to it for anything a teacher does, you have to take the proper prerequisites and precautions to make sure that you are successful. The teacher must know the class that is in front of them and they must be able to communicate effectively with the many different personalities of the class and the circumstances that cause these personalities. This can be done, but for every lesson and situation, you have to set it up correctly.

That Was Not How I Planned It

As the weeks go by I have learned many new ideas. As the many "aha moments" come, there are also those "I shouldn't have done that" moments. The students are settling into the classroom and I remain excited about student teaching. Through all of the meetings and adjustements being made I still try to find time to set up my future.

After Monday went really well in my endevor to Marcquezinize Athens-Clarke County Elementary Schools, I had run into a brick wall on Wednesday. Nothing was going the way that I intended for it to go on Wednesday afternoon. One of the most frustrating and amazing things about this job is that there are no two students who are the same. Which also means that there are no two classes that are the same, and that there are no two situations that are the same.

This can be very frustating for me as it was on Wednesday. I thought to myself as my endevors came to an end, "That was not how I planned it." Although things are picking up for me, I must always remember that there are times that we can really just be unlucky. It is at these moments that I thank God that I am always Blessed!

Welcome To Teaching

It has been a long week already and I've only blogged twice. I spend much of my time working on the weekend and it always seems as though I have something to do that keeps me from napping throughout the week. My father told me that overtime my body would start to become tired this semester. This is nothing new to me since it tends to happen every semester. It's interesting to see the teachers start the year bright and happy each day and as the year continues to go by, they slowly but surely start to become tired.

A good teacher pushes through these moments. It is impossible to "never" show the students that you are becoming worn down, but a really good teacher can manipulate the scene of their classroom enough to never show this as a weakness. It is important for us to show the students in our class the true meaning of perseverance.

As this blog comes to an end, I simply must remember that although my body may become tired, I have to push through for the children. Although this is very simple and it is not some extravagant revolution, I can simply sum this up with the phrase stated by my mentor teacher, "Welcome to teaching".

The Time Is Almost Here.

At the beginning of another week in the school, I'm starting to realize that I'm one subject away from lead teaching for three consecutive weeks. This can make any student teacher nervous if they are not mentally and physically prepared. I do not feel as though this will be the case for me as I am constantly unveiling new parts to the complex puzzle that is teaching.

I can remember starting out in the program almost 2 years ago. I've heard that time flies when you are having fun. I am having the time of my life with these children each semester and as I look back I can honestly say that time is flying by. I also look back at the beginning at the school year and I see that I will be practically halfway done with my student teaching in a week.

I am also vigorously working hard during this time towards the job hunt for next semester/next year. I have started contacting multiple administrators and I am really excited about starting my career. I remember starting the process of updating my resume and completing my cover letter and principal letter. It's hard to believe that although I feel as though I just started this journey, when it comes to completing it, the time is almost here.

Field Trip!

We had an amazing day on Thursday! The students were able to go on a Field Trip to the Sandy Creek Nature Center here in Athens. The 5th grade students take this trip each year and from what I understand from my mentor teacher, they always seem to have a great time. This was the case on Thursday as well. The children had a great time and they really enjoyed walking on the trail at the nature center.

The students also were able to learn about micro-organisms which the students spent time learning about a couple of weeks ago in science. They were able to review plant cells and animal cells and they were also able to view many of these things with microscopes. The children were able to really see how the concepts that they had learned in the classroom, were relevant to them in their daily lives.

I also feel as rejuvenated about the upcoming job search in the future. I don't want to look too far ahead, but I do want to be prepared for the "real world" once I graduate in December. I've been working diligently since the Summer to be sure that I have the opportunity to step into a position should one become available in January. Having my mentor teacher show that he really cares about me being placed in a great position and not just settle for anything is a great feeling. It shows me that he cares about my success as a person and not just a UGA student in his classroom for 3 months.

This is what education is all about. We have to show our students and the people who look up to us for advise that we care not just about a test, but about the success of our children. When we do this, they will feel like I did yesterday, motivated and determined to do well. It will spark a fire in them that grows and grows until they are blazing with success. This is what it means to be a true educator. We must remember that “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”

I want to be that "Great Teacher" when I step into my own classroom!

Oh, and did I mention....we went on a Field Trip!

Sometimes You Have To Tweak It!

Over these past few weeks I've been able to teach many lessons and I've been able to see many lessons taught by various teachers. I often wonder how do the teachers who have taught for many years continue to come up with engaging lessons from year to year. With each student being different and each class having it's own identity, teachers have to be sure to cater to the needs of their current classes and students. However, some things can be recycled and reused if the lesson is successful. That is one of the benefits of spending year after year in the classroom.

Being able to see many different teachers has given me a wide variety of skills and points of emphasis to use during the lesson. I've also realized that the lessons don't always go as we plan them. We have to be prepared for the students who will finish their work early and we also have to be prepared for the student who may struggle with the lesson.

All of this can be fixed and controlled if the teacher is a facilitator and not a dictator. The teacher has to be open to change in their classroom. This also means being open to changes in each individual lesson as different situations arise. We must be sure that the students are constantly learning something valuable to them. To accomplish this task for our classrooms and students we have to realize that when it comes to lesson plans, sometimes you have to tweak it!

I Was Born For This!

After Monday's jam packed day, I went home and began to think of how much I loved what I am doing everyday. It was once said to me that if you love your job, you'll never truly be "working". This was made even clearer to me on Monday. All Summer long I've worked to prepare myself for my future career as an educator and I feel as though these past few weeks have only strengthened this push towards success for me in the future.


I've also realized that along with the good times come the difficult task of working with multiple colleagues. This is always a challenge seeing that I am in a career that is filled with the opposite gender. This has also been difficult for me in the past because of my race. This challenge does bring on tests that help to prepare me beyond what any college or class can prepare me for and for that, I am constantly faced with many new learning experiences.


When the day ends and I go home each day, I am thankful for my current opportunity for success. I am blessed to have such a supportive mentor teacher, supportive parents and family, and a very supportive fiance. I often times wish that I was already in my own classroom with my students, but the experiences that I am constantly gaining are vital to my success in the future.


I take these opportunities to constantly remind myself that education is about everything that surrounds us and that "Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything that he learned in school." I hope to continue to grow and gain these experiences over the next few weeks of student teaching. It is times like these that I fully understand and realize that I was born for this!

Observations

Over the past few semesters, I've had formal and informal observations that I've had to give to others, and observations that have been given to me. I believe observations have a great purpose when done correctly. I also understand that observations are something that will not go away. Teachers are observed by the Principal and after the meetings I've attended, I really see the importance of always being prepared to be observed.

I have had the chance over the past few weeks to give multiple observations and I've also been able to have people observe me. These have been great opportunities for me to learn many new techniques and to figure out what I needed to work on. I look forward to giving my last observation to my colleague and I've decided to have the principal of the school observe me during my full time lead teaching.

On Monday, I will have my first formal observation given to me by the university supervisor. I have to admit that I am slightly nervous but I feel as though I will do well. I'm excited for the opportunity to go ahead and show the university supervisor what I've learned over the past few weeks and over the past couple of years. Regardless of what position I hold in the field of education, I know and I'm comfortable with the fact that I will always have observations.

I Own It

Coming back from a 4 day weekend is an interesting experience. Some might think that the students would be well rested and relaxed from the extra days off but that was not the case for most of the day. It was however, really nice to get back into the classroom after a day of meetings.

Of course after my blog post Meetings, Meetings, and More Meetings, the day would not be complete without a couple of other meetings that included a goal setting meeting and an after school faculty and staff meeting. During the goal setting meeting, we learned about the new observation policy for the year.

The thing that stood out to me during this meeting the most was the quote from the principal, "You own it". This was said multiple times in relation to the teachers owning the responsibility of following all of the new rules set be the observation and goal setting forms. I like the idea that the teachers are not being judged by their student's CRCT scores.

The time is flying by. We are almost done with the fourth week of student teaching. This means the students have been in the classroom for five weeks. After all of the meetings of the week, I can say that the thing I've taken away most from the week is the fact that these observations that I am preparing for will never end as long as I am a teacher. I can only prepare myself in the best way that I know how and realize that at the end of the day, I own it!

I'd Much Rather Be Teaching

I love the idea of sleeping an extra hour each day. Being able to get to the schools by 8 instead of 7 was very refreshing on Tuesday. We had multiple seminars and planning meetings, which I knew would be the case since it was a teacher planning day. It was a great experience since this was the first time I've attended this type of meeting.

The first seminar on Excel lasted 3 hours. We had a break in the middle of the seminar and the teachers were able to get up if they needed to throughout the duration of the session. The seminar was very helpful and was not just something to do on a day that the students weren't there. It is however, true that teachers are the worst students.

I was able to have a working lunch during the data team meeting with my mentor teacher and the rest of the data team. This was interesting, but I felt priviledged to have the opportunity to work closely with the principal and assistant principal during this time.

After the data team meeting, we started our planning for next week. This is when a statement that my mentor teacher told me a few weeks ago popped back into my head. He told me that during teacher work days, I would get to the point where I wished I was simply teaching and not having seminars and meetings. I started to miss our class and the students and I eventually came to the simple conclusion that although I enjoyed the break that I got from the students, I'd much rather be teaching.

Meetings, Meetings, And More Meetings

If there is one thing I've noticed over the first three weeks of school, it is that we as educator meet a lot. There are meetings all of the time. There are data team meetings, 5th grade team meetings, university supervisor meetings/seminars, and faculty and staff meetings. We have meeting on every level to research the students, to prepare to teach the students, and then to talk about what we taught the students. We leave the classroom for hours, sometimes an entire day, to learn how we should instruct our students. Every time we turn around there is another meeting!

I'm not saying that meeting is bad. Education is always changing and evolving and therefore must be treated in that manner. I've heard that teachers are the worst students and therefore these seminars and meetings usually get tiresome after a while. We began to think of what we could do better or how we would present the session to our peers or even our students.

I've always seen myself as a business minded kind of guy. I feel as though productive meetings are vital to the evolution of our classrooms over the course of the year. We have to continuously find out how to best fit the needs of our class in the most challenging way. I guess a great way to do this, if done right, is attending meetings, meetings, and more meetings.

When The Honeymoon Is Over, The Real Work Begins

Do you remember the feeling when you first fall in love? Everything is great for you are your counterpart. Nothing seems to bother you and even though you have your problems, they all seem minuscule. We all feel as though this feeling will last forever although we are told that it's just the honeymoon stage. And although we hope to always love that significant other, we soon realize that this stage does come to an end.

Week 3 for me is almost over which means the kids have almost been in school for 1 complete month. My teacher pointed out that he recognized more students being disciplined over the past couple of days. He then goes on to make the statement "The honeymoon is over."

30 minutes later (during the first staff meeting of the school year) the principal starts to address the same issue. She also understands that the dynamic of the school is beginning to change a little. Students are becoming comfortable and therefore they are stretching the limits to see how far they will go. The also stated "The honeymoon is over."

So what does this all mean to me as an educator? There is a saying in Greek life from older times that says, "When the pledging ends, the real hazing begins." This simply means that once you have complete the part that seems to be the hardest, the real work for your organization begins. The long meetings, the late nights of planning for programs, the life time commitment to service that you make, etc., make you realize that the process was not as bad as you thought.

As educators, the honeymoon stage seems to be tough. This is the period when the teachers set the rules and become adjusted to their students. But once this period ends, it is our responsibility to work harder for the students in our classroom. My mentor teacher has a great resolution for this topic. He has informed me that a great approach is simply not to panic in the beginning. He likes to give the students 4-6 weeks to fully settle into the quick pace of the classroom.

With this plan, the students have more time to slow but fully settle into their classroom atmosphere, and before they know it, they are working extremely hard towards their goals for the end of the year. Simply put, when the honeymoon is over, the real work begins.

"I shouldn't have done that."

Today I was able to witness the disciplinary acts of my teacher during extended learning time (ELT). I always make it a habit to observe these types of situations in order to see the various techniques that are used to handle the many situations that will arise when I have my own classroom. This situation was like many that I've seen before and I thought the teacher handled these circumstances very well.

The child was not on task throughout the ELT session and my mentor teacher asked him to return to his homeroom. My mentor teacher also told the young man that he could come during recess to finish the lesson. When my mentor teacher concluded by asking the young man to come the next day with a new attitude, the young man responded "I'm not coming tomorrow." My mentor teacher had the young man stop and come to the front of the room as he addressed the situation. After a two minute showdown the situation was finally setteled and my mentor teacher had made his point.

After the class started their work, I supervised as my mentor teacher walked across the hall to speak with the young man's homeroom teacher. When he returned, we had a brief conversation about the events that had just transpired. My mentor teacher stated "I shouldn't have done that," in regards to calling the child out during class. But why not? By the child's actions, I could tell that he was not seeking attention. I also felt as though my mentor teacher had made his point not only to the young man, but to the entire class. This is always a touchy topic. I've been told that my first year will be filled with mistakes. But if I make an effort to always learn from all of the situations I face and I remember to always make positive progress, I won't mind occasionally saying, "I shouldn't have done that."

This Is Just The Begining

After spending 2 full weeks in the classroom, I finally felt as though I was gaining a grasp on this whole student teaching thing. My sleep habits finally are now better, and I have figured out how to effectively use my time for blogging, lesson planning, and the other meetings I have to attend weekly. Things were great and I thought I would have smooth sailing for a couple of weeks. But as usual, I made a miscalculation along the way.

We had a our first seminar with our University Supervisor on Monday 08-29-11 at Whitehead Elementary School. The meeting was very informational and effective in developing ideas and concepts for starting our 2 week unit plans. We were able to gain some guidelines from the Foxfire Approaches. I felt very confident on the core practice that I had to present and I felt as though I also gained a lot of knowledge in regards to the other core practices that were presented.

So what is this title of this blog all about? It all boils down to a nine letter word, "portfolio". I am still slightly uneasy about having to do this large and tedious task. Above all of the nerves that I have, I know that the assignment will be complete by the time it is due. I have no doubt in my mind that I will do very well on ,my portfolio. It is just a matter of me pacing myself and not waiting until the last minute to start.

I feel as though I have so much to do in a short spand of time. It also feels like the more I feel as though I've grasped this whole student teaching thing, something else comes my way. This however, is the "Nature of the Beast". As educators we must never become comfortable with our jobs. Children, parents, administrators, and co-workers throw things our way daily. I've come to terms with this realization and although I've already completed 2 of my 13 weeks, I know that this is just the beginning.

What all people want.

Yesterday was the conclusion of my second in the field. These weeks are already flying by and we've just began our journey. I've been able to complete my first week of instruction and I'm looking forward to adding this next section of my list. I still have many questions for my mentor teacher and I feel very privileged to have a person who is very open to dialog. I feel as though there is not a question that I can not ask my mentor teacher in relation to the education profession. This is going to be a driving factor as I continue in the classroom.

Friday was "Wow Friday" for Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School. The children were able to wear jeans and the teachers were able to wear jeans as well. The actual "Wow Assembly" went very well. The 5th graders were able to sit in chairs and the assistant principal did an excellent job of going over assembly etiquette as soon as the assembly started.

Throughout the assembly, most of the children from each grade level were able to get a Wow certificate. This made me think about how excited all of the children must have been when they heard their names called. Looking at the 5th graders, they all seemed to put on a, "I'm too cool to stand up," facade for their peers. Even with this front, you could still see the excitement in their eyes as they stood and heard their names, and the names of their friends, called.

So what do all people want? People want to be loved and appreciated above anything else in the world. They want to know that someone, somewhere cares about them and about their well being. It has even been said that an infant who is not held by it's parents could die, even if they are fed, clothed, and washed properly. This is because a child needs love above anything else in the world. They need to be shown that they mean something to someone. This simple little thing, is what all people want.

I think I can. I think I can. I know I can!

WOW! Where do I even begin with this one!? I guess it all started when I found out that my mentor teacher would be at the board office all day today. Of course I had a substitute teacher in the room with me today, but we can all recall a time when our classmates wanted to push as far as they could with the substitute teacher. I figured this would not be the case since the students were used to me being in the classroom.

Fortunately for me I was right! The children responded very well today. They knew the rules and they understood that I the structure of the class would not be changed during this day without their "normal" teacher. I really enjoyed Language Arts today. This is the subject that I worried the most about since it has many components and it is the longest time period of the day. I was able to get through this time period with no problems at all.

There were no real behavioral problems today and I really feel as though the positive reinforcement I chose was a great idea. The students now have a feel for how things will become as I take over more and more in the coming weeks. I no longer feel nervous about taking over the class in it's entirety. I feel as though I can handle all 19 children for an entire day. Before today, I was unsure if I would be able to handle this immense responsibility. Now, I think I can. I think I can. I know I can!

Never Judge A Book By It's Skin Color

Today I was able to run the "morning meeting" portion of the day. I really feel as though it went really well. This was the first time I was able to have control of the class without the mentor teacher being in the room. I still feel as though I'm learning my style when it comes to how I would "control" the classroom on my own. I've always wanted to be more of a facilitator of learning more than a dictator that controls without much input from the students. This was a very difficult task for this portion of the day, but I do feel as though I was able to keep the level of impulsiveness for each student low.

I would like to dedicate this next portion of this blog to a specific young man in my class. For the sake of this blog we will call him "Andre". Andre is a very bright Hispanic you man. I often will keep an eye on him during instruction. He usually doesn't seem to be paying attention but he does know the answers when asked a question. He also is a kid who rarely gets into trouble when in class. He is very interested in learning about me as a teacher. I've realized certain things today that I honestly should have remembered from my own childhood.

They say that you should never judge a book by it's cover. We as teachers are asked to do this with so much against the situation. We look at test scores are supposed to plan our early units primarily on what children may have exceeded in or fallen short with in their previous years in the classroom. My mentor teacher told me something today that was very enlightening. He stated that many teachers attempt to "know" their class and how it will go within the first few weeks of school. He suggested that I take longer (4 or 5 weeks) to complete this task. This makes perfect sense. We can't judge these young people by their immediate "covers", especially since some children will have their guards up for the first few weeks of school.

I look forward to learning much more about "Andre" during the rest of my time student teaching. Judging how I felt this child would act in the classroom was not what I should have done in the classroom and I'm glad I was completely wrong about the trouble I thought I might have from him. It is a long 13 weeks, but I have a feel that he, along with the rest of my students, will do great during this time.

You better read this blog post.

Mondays are always tough right? To make it even tougher, I was informed that there was a full moon tonight. With nature against me, I think I came out pretty well today. I was able to teach my first lesson. This was a grammar lesson on imperative sentences. The children were able to make connections to their personal lives and they were able to answer the essential question. I felt as though there were times that I did not have 100% of every child's attention. That seems to bother me when I'm in front of the class.

I really had to fight the urge to constantly tell children to look up, pay attention, and stop talking to their neighbors. Overall, I was able to get through the lesson, and each child was able to answer essential question and they all understood that an imperative sentence was a command. I really felt comfortable in front of the class. Teaching the 5th grade was completely different from last semester when I taught 2nd and 3rd grade, but I am enjoying this opportunity to gain as much experience as possible.

After school today I was able to meet with my University Supervisor along with the other student teacher in the school and both of our mentor teachers. We were able to discuss all of the requirements that need to be completed before my time comes to an end in November. Although it seems to be overwhelming, I know that by the end of this semester, I will be prepared and ready to become a full-time teacher. I feel that it is imperative that I end this blog with an imperative and so until next time: "Continue to read my blogs."

The First Of Many To Come

As of day two, things had been going great. It was only a matter of time before this all changed. I arrived on time as usual and the day started with the same routines. Around 9:30 this morning that changed drastically. I first spilled a half of a cup of coffee all over my private area which made it look as though Mr. Marcquez urinated all over himself. I decided not to give the class the satisfaction of holding this over my head for days, maybe even weeks to come. Luckily at 10:00 the class has specials. This gave me 45 extra minutes to regain my composure. After the pants finally became dry and I decided to take a restroom break while the class was in music, something else hit me. The main button on my pants fell off making it impossible to completely fasten my pants. I covered this with the belt buckle and my pants became completely dry. This had to be all that could possible happen right!?

Of course there is more to this story. The class became very talkative after specials. This made for a long afternoon. We were able to have media center orientation and the class continued to be very talkative as the day came to an end. I observed how my teacher handled the situation and I feel more prepared now for when this situation happens again. 

After school today there was a student/parent curriculum night. Although I'm not obligated to attend these extra events, I wanted to show up in hopes of fully preparing myself for the times I will have to attend these events for my own class/school. The event went very well and many parents showed up with their students. I wonder if this participation will last throughout the course of the semester and the year? 

Although today threw many curve balls my way, I did what any great batter would do. I "slowed down my swing" in order to take a more cautious approach as opposed to swinging for the fences. That is all you can do on these types of days. I had to first remember that I was not there for me, but instead for the children in my classroom. Regardless of my feelings towards this tedious today, I have a feeling that this was just the first of many to come. 

Day 2

Today was another great day. I'm learning new faces and seeing a lot of great teachers at my school. I was able to see a conversation today between my mentor teacher and the principal of the school that was not really business related. I love seeing schools with principals who care about their faculty and their staff. I was also able to see more great instruction given by my mentor teacher.

I decided to wear a short sleeve polo-styled shirt today to get all of the hype of my arm out of the way. So far I've had no problems with having a brand but it felt great to have a conversation about this with my mentor teacher a few weeks ago. He told that I should not be ashamed of it and that I should professionally and educationally explain it to the children. One of the student's finally noticed it around 9:00 and asked me what it was. I showed the children that were in the class and when the whole class was present, I took a few minutes to explain what it was, what it meant, and the historical significance of it. My mentor teacher gave a quick lesson about what fraternities and sororities were and told the children that it was a personal decision of mine and that they too would have chances to go to college and join these organizations if they chose to do so.

Lunch was also fun today. The teacher allowed the children to come back to the class and watch an old Batman movie. We all laughed and enjoyed the "bad acting" of Adam West during the movie. The students were rewarded for their hard work which being posted around the classroom. My mentor teacher feels as though it is the student's classroom also, and as such, their work should be displayed more than posters and other fun but unnecessary items. I completely agree with this idea and by the end of the week, the student's will have multiple assignments from all subjects all over the room.

The students remain very talkative but enthused about what they are learning. So far we've had no major behavior issues but we both have to regain control of our students at times. I still wonder how the behavior may change once it becomes just me in the room with them. I think I'll handle it well and I look forward to the challenge.

After school we discussed the set up of my first lesson plan since I will be teaching Grammar all next week. I'm thoroughly excited do dive right into teaching. My mentor teacher is also helping to prepare me this by having me lead the read aloud today. His voices are much better and have much more expression than mine, but he continues to tell me that I'll get better and become more comfortable with time. I sure hope he's right.

The First Day

All weekend I worried about how I would make it through my student teaching. I felt nauseous and overwhelmed. These feelings were not calmed during the initial meeting with my University Supervisor on Monday morning. As Monday comes to a conclusion, it's finally time to wake up for the "First" day of my "Last" semester in college. I get up, get a cup of coffee, get dressed, and head off to school. As I pulled into the parking lot, I felt so many different feelings. I was sleepy, nervous, anxious, and simply terrified entered into the school.

I walked into the classroom confident but still a little worried about the tasks ahead. I talked to my mentor teacher briefly before the first students arrived. Immediately I was asked, "Are you Mr. Marcquez?" Excitedly I stated that I was and I began to take notice of the morning routines such as hanging their bookbags and completing the morning math problems. I really liked the types of questions asked since they were early practice for showing the class the types of questions that will be asked on CRCT.

After morning meeting, I watched as my mentor teacher taught math. He surprisingly asked me if I was ready and I replied yes. It feels great to know that my mentor teacher wants me to take note on how he starts a lesson as well as other things throughout instruction. I took special note on the start of his lesson. I also payed close attention to how he moved around the room constantly throughout the lesson, allowed students to come to the board, and how he checked the clock to keep the schedule he set for the lesson.

One thing that stuck with me the entire day was the way my mentor teacher gave instruction. It seemed as though he broke up hour lessons into many lessons. This was amazing because it seemed to always keep the children engaged in what was going on. I also noticed that he did not stop every time the children would talk or interrupt instruction. This allowed him to maintain his schedule also.

Overall, today was incredible. The nerves are gone, although I still wonder about lesson planning and my two-week unit plan. I also am concerned about the talkativeness of my class. My mentor teacher does not set strict rules in the belief that children are naturally impulsive; some more than others. I wonder how I will set my atmosphere. But I guess I can worry about all that later. For now, I'll just enjoy having a great first day of student teaching!

LLED Last Post

Believing in yourself will allow you to believe in your writing
Longing to place more of your thoughts on your blog
On and on scibbles your hands with words of wisdom
Giving my thoughts to the electronic world out there
Grasping the true meaning of writings
Enters the laughter of children and great joys of being a future teacher
Repeat until the Words From Super Sigma 5 come alive

It's not about me!!!!!

This is a blog post that's not about me. Well it kinda is but you'll understand what I mean the more you read in this post. I (the person who this is not about) was able to interview the pricipal of Cleveland Road Elementary School today. I explained to her in the interview that when I saw that she became teary-eyed and overwhelmed with emotion after one of her teachers was attacked phisically outside of her school duties, I said to myself that I had to interview this lady to see how she has gained such a love for her job, but more importantly for her staff and the children in the school. General questions were asked such as, "How many years did you spend in the classroom, if any, before becoming a principle?" and "How did you build such a sence of community with your staff here at Cleveland Road Elementary?" were asked and answered with great enthusiasm and I could generally tell that she loves what she does everyday. Someone once told me that if you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life. I can definitely see that with this wonderful principal.

The priciple at CRES told me that there are times when it gets difficult with the staff. She also made a great statement. Sometimes as teachers we forget that it's not about us. It's about the children that we have in our class everyday. They deserve the very best and it's our job show them that the impossible is nothing if they believe that they are special and can do absolutely anything that they set their minds to. She told me that the main difference between becoming a principal vs. remaining a teacher is that, instead of one group of 20-30 children "your" classroom, the principal has to worry about all of the classrooms, all of the teachers and staff, and most importantly all of the children in the school.

This statement stuck with me during the day and I felt as thought I had a great understanding of what I wanted to do and what I wanted to accomplish in my career. After lunch and recess the students had an in-school field trip. This was one of those trips that the county sends someone out with different types of animals and a snake, and animal skin, and a snake, and the children learn about nature (by the way...did I mention they brought a SNAKE!!!!!!!!) I absolutely hate snakes and my first instinct was to walk to the back of the group and watch from a distance.

Eventually the children were able to pet the snake and I was in a tough situation. I could run and hide and show the children that it's ok to be afraid, but they weren't afraid. It was at this moment that the comment the principal made earlier in the day came rushing back into my head. I was able to do something as small as stepping outside of my box to show the entire 2nd grade that they can overcome their fears by facing them head on. The students knew that Mr. Haley was afraid of snakes, but to them I was a hero. I was able to do the one thing that I feared most in that moment. I pet the snake and the children were more excited for me than I was even for myself.

So the moral of this blog is that as educators, we impact the lives of our students in everything that we do. One simple action can change a child's life. It could give that child the courage to say, "I can pass the CRCT." or "I can learn to read independently." These are this things that make our job the best careers in the world. I touched a snake today...but this blog is not about me.....it's about the 54 kids lives I changed when I touched that snake.

Three Classroom Post!

This was an amazing blog post. I remember going on field trips myself. It seemed as though when I reached middle school, they began to really die down. It makes me feel good that some places are still allowing students to learn outside of the classroom. Education is not just what someone places in a textbook. It is everything that a person does in his or her life in an attempt to learn and be successful. I'm glad I was able to read this amazing piece of writing and as a future educator myself, I encourage you to continue to thrive in this area!!! 


This was an amazing video. I am a future educator from the state of Georgia and it really excites me to see that people still take time to step outside of the classroom to learn. Dr. Cornell West once said that education is not just what someone places in a textbook, but it is everything that a person does in his or her life in an attempt to learn and be successful. I wonder what you all were writing on your clipboards? It looked as if you all were having a wonderful time. Lastly, you all must be very brave because I don’t know if I could have been that close to the snakes (even if they were in their cages). Great blog!!!


Wow! You are an amazing writer. Congratulations on the ribbons. I’m glad to see that you are progressing in your placements for your events. It sounds as though you had a great day placing in all of your events! Continue to do well in all that you place your energy in and you’ll always have something to write about (including Justin Bieber)! Great Blog!

The Best Medicine

After a long and hard week of being sick, I dreaded waking up on Thursday morning to get ready to go into the schools. I asked myself if it would really hurt to miss one day. I could always make this day up right? After dragging my aching body out of the bed and taking medicine through the immense pain caused by my throat when swallowing, I managed to get dressed and to get to my car. I made it to school on time and walked into the classroom. Through the chaos of the children preparing for the day and the teacher doing the same, I was able to sneak in a few comments about my current state of health. The teacher did not do what I was hoping for which would have been a, "I'm sorry you don't feel well. Why don't you go home for the rest of the day." Instead I received a, "You'd better get used to it." followed by a "Yes you can get your coffee." I was slightly upset but knew that I needed to get to work in order to make the day go by a little smoother. Once the children returned to the classroom, I began to feel something weird. The children in the classroom were laughing and enjoying life. I immediately forgot about how bad I was feeling and realized that I was there for them. They needed to be taught and it was my job (along with the MT) to do so. That's what we are there for. We may not get paid the most money, or have fancy titles, but our jobs are some of the most important jobs in the world. Knowing this I was instantly cured. I guess it's true what they say....laughter really is the best medicine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

LLED Ray Ch. 12

During my week in the schools, I was able to discuss the topic of creating a routine for the different areas of the classroom. One of the areas we talked about was the Reading and Writing Workshop areas. My mentor teacher advised me to be sure to "practice" the way things are done for the first couple of weeks. I was even instructed to practice these things over and over again. This allows for younger children to forget the habits obtained the year before and to create the habits you want them to have for the year ahead.

This can also be shown in more detail in the writing workshop by taking the time in those first couple of weeks to work very closely with each group of the writing workshop until each student knows exactly what to do at each station. This helps with issues that might arrive while students are in their workshops throughout the year. The teacher should also always be sure to give some directions each day to remind the students of the various activities going on at that time in the year.

I agree that creating a plan in which you as the teacher know exactly how long you intend to spend on each topic. As with any unit, a teacher plan for activities as a backup in the event that the class finishes the unit a few days early or if the class needs extra time to complete the unit. This is tough as a new teacher to plan for. For my first writing lesson during my unit plan, I simply had too much information for the children to cover in the time planned. It is always important to plan our units according to the students we have in the class at the current time. This is another reason why the first few weeks of schools are very vital.

LLED Ray Ch. 7, 8, 19

In chapter 7 of the reading, I noticed that it says to do what I see my teacher doing a lot of the time. She walks around the room throughout the students writing time letting the children know that she is intrigued by their works. She also invited them one by one up to her desk to conference with them on their writings. During this time she usually shows them ways that the students have already learned to improve their works. She also shows that her presence in the classroom is not just sitting behind her desk. Her responsibility is to walk around and help every student and she demonstrates this very well during writing time.

Chapter 8 speaks about trying to control the chaos of writing. Once again my teacher is great at understanding the different amounts of time it takes her students to complete their writings. She does give time frames for students to complete their writing assignments and to publish them, but she allows freedom to work at their own rates while in the midst of the writing process. There are constant conferences and the students usually work together which seems to cause more chaos. Somehow it all comes together in the end.

Chapter 19 is a great way to finish out the book. It speaks about publishing. Deadlines are very important and need to be established well in advance before the due dates. Finishing a piece can also be difficult since sometimes as writers we have so much to say and only a few weeks to put it in a text. Take for example a narrative, how can a person place so much about a topic in a short text. We could also take the other side and say how can we add to a text when there is nothing left to say. Only the writer knows when a piece is finished and it is important to understand this concept in writing and publishing.

LLED Ray Ch. 14, 15, 17

After the readings this week I began to think of the conferences I've seen my mentor teachers give. The readings are absolutely right! Most of the conferences I've seen have been well structured and planned out. This is dues in large part to the relationships my teachers tend to have with the parents of their students. Knowing what areas a student needs the most help in and the progress of this process for correcting these issues, it is easier to relay these messages to the parents without being offensive or relaying to them that you don't fully understand the issue. As the teacher the parent of the students expects you to teach their children at all cost. Regularly conferring with them allows for this process to be smooth and more of a team effort which is important for the student.

The question "Why Do We Need Talk?" is a great question. Another great question is "Should we force students to sit in a classroom all day without talking?" With lunch time becoming more and more of a structured setting, and the reduced recess times for many schools, students should be able to have some time to talk and communicate.  The Early Childhood Education Program at the University of Georgia really pushes for less of a traditional classroom and more of a democratic classroom. Allowing students to talk and communicate their ideas back and forth gives them a voice in the class and makes for a fun environment in the classroom.

Asking students questions that are looking for one answer can be both good and bad for the students. We should want to know that they understand the material. Teaching to the test is not the way understand if a student gets the message you are trying to relay or not. It is up to us to be thorough in our attempt to give assessments. The other writing class for this semester talks primarily about assessments and I look forward to building on the knowledge I've received so far.

Once again I'm keeping it real and live....just some more Words From Super Sigma 5

LLED Ray Ch. 9,10,13

This weeks readings were very insightful. The idea of having structure and routines in their writing workshops is vital to the success of the workshop. I've seen how routines can make things that look crazy and chaotic but they are really organized and structured. When I asked my teacher how does it work and how does she get her students to understand what to do about getting water after recess she replied it's "organized chaos". I can imagine it taking the first week of school to get the system engraved into the student's minds. She also showed that she constantly changes the routine if something doesn't work to better fit the condition of the class at that time. These traits and qualities also occur in the classroom during instruction.

The five outlined ways to do things in the readings are also shown in the classroom during instruction. Since writing instruction was not observed in detail this week (due to an assembly and media center time) for the two days I was present, I really have not seen how the writing process and the curriculum taught by my MT really works. I'm interested to see this in action this week after reading this chapter. I will note that my teacher allows her students to grade book reports in front of the class while they all tell why the project and paper should get the grade that they do. She does allow them to select from a wide list of projects but I haven't decided if that's a good thing or not yet.

Pulling students together for whole group discussion on a project or writing or poem (as in chapter 13) would be a great solution for the "problem" above. This allows the students to see how the project should be done without letting them critique each others work in front of the entire class. This can avoid any embarrassing moments that the children may experience. The idea of the projects slightly fit along the same lines of the show and tell section in the readings also. Children learn when they can make connections to things and allowing them to learn from each other through whole class discussion will allow them to make those personal connections that will hopefully allow the material to stick in their minds.

EDEC Week 2

Week 2 at Cleveland Road Elementary was even more amazing than the first week. I'm learning more and more about the children in my classroom and they seem to be learning more about me. I'm enjoying learning more about the actual life of a teacher. I'm able to make copies and do other simple task such as grade papers.

My students are amazing. They are able to make me laugh and they genuinely love life. A child's laughter is a wonderful thing and it makes me happy to be one of the people who get's to make them laugh. The students are begining to understand my role in the classroom as an athoritative figure and they simply respect and respond to my requests. The students love to play freeze dance and this is a great tool to use when the students have been sitting for a little while.

Lastly, my MT is awesome. She does the many small details that seperates the great teachers from simply being a good teacher. She told me that as a teacher you have to pick your battles. The thing that amazed me was watching as she carefully and specifically picked her battles. She allowed the her students to understand that they are human beings as well and that they will be respected in the classroom by simply letting children be children, but not letting them "take over the classroom". My teacher has been teaching for 12 years and I hope to one day be as good with my students as she is now.

LLED Ray Ch. 1-5

Many people believe that the classroom is supposed to be a place where teachers lecture children as they sit quietly and take notes. This could not be further from the truth! A classroom should be where children go to express themselves freely. Some may want to get away from issues at home or simply feel that being at school encourages them to be whatever they set their minds to. This was the case for me atleast. I loved being at school. No arguing with mom about chores or fighting with my little brother about who plays the games first. I could go and be Quez and enjoy my time learning and being challenged by my teachers. I want my students to have the same experinces.

I have had the pleasure of seeing the writing process in action both last semester and already in my 2 days of field work this semester. The process is fundamental but if taught correctly can drastically change a child's writing technique into something amazing. Reflecting back on the writing process I really feel as though it helped with the structure of writing when I took the 5th grade, 8th grade, and high school writing tests! Children should learn how to place their thoughts on paper. It gives them a sence of ownership. Noone else can steal their thoughts and a child thinking is a powerful thing!

After these readings I see the importance of having a writing workshop in the classroom. I never thought to have this before. We only discussed reading workshops in our past classes (well atleast in detail). I hope to continue to learn more about the importance of writing. Whether we feel our writing is good or bad, it's ours and we should never shy away from saying what is on our minds. Even if that means writing it down on a sheet of paper!

EDEC Week 1

Hello blog followers! I'm excited to tell about my first two days in my new school. Cleveland Road Elementary school is AMAZING!!!! I know that as teachers we should never say that one school or class (or student) is better than any other one but this school is very unique. The students respond so well to their teachers. I'm sure that as the semester moves along their will be behavioral problems and such but for now I am thoroughly enjoying my new group of students.

My class is "different" to say the least. I have 2 students that are in the Special Education program and I have 2 more students who are in their "hard of hearing" program. We have multiple Signers coming in throughout the day to help with the instruction given by my teacher.

Did I mention that my MT is the coolest MT EVER! This is not to say that I didn't enjoy my time in my classroom last semester or enjoy my time learning from my MT last semester. I feel that Mrs. Allen will teach me much more and this will add to my artillery of educational weapons that can then explode through the minds and hearts of the class! I can't wait to do more!

Intro Blog

So.....I've just created a blog. I hope to not only use this blog for class but to continuously speak my mind about the various and continuously changing topics in Education! I love children and education is my passion. Fasten your seat belts, open your minds, and get ready for Words From Super Sigma 5!