#urban teaching

[teacherresident]

To Start

Hey all, I’m Grace, and this year I start a residency program designed to prepare me to teach in urban, high-need schools in my city. Actually, I start tomorrow (6/11), and I’m super excited. Also, nervous. We had to take a pre-test to determine our knowledge base before we take the certification exam later this year, and I didn’t do as well as I’d hoped. I’ve never taken any formal education courses, so I know that’s part of it. But, I am used to succeeding, and so it feels odd to do so poorly. Hopefully, with the help of my instructors, I’ll do better on the next one.

Feel free to ask me any questions, and hopefully I’ll keep up with this blog.

[sageclaire]

Planning & Commitment

I started planning some things out. Starting  a vision opens my eyes to possibility. I know it’s there. I know that I can move towards it in a big way, if not reach it all together this semester. I’m going to give myself in a way I never have before.

[mobio]

What’s the first thing I think of...

when I wake up this morning??  

When am I going to get to grading those labs I brought home?

[mobio]

27% to 65% in just 2 weeks

I have a student you is not a native English speaker. His name is Eric and he is from Nigeria. English is his 4th language and two of the languages he knows and speaks have no written component (Igala and Ogugu). He has been a right, royal pain in my ass since Day 1. That is, until about two weeks ago. He came to me after school (like REALLY late after school... 2 hours after dismissal) and asked if he could possibly pass the marking period. I pulled out the lab they had started the day before and helped him through it. He has been coming in every other day since to complete labs and class work that had lain fallow since September. 

Today, he completed his last piece of back work and is officially passing Earth Science. I feel like I’ve won a medal

[mobio]

Shots Fired.

Ten shots fired in and around my school today. Windows open for the first day in the 60s this year. Yelling at the students to get on the floor. Them looking at me either in confusion or resentment ("I'm already going. Why you buggin?") or ("Mr. M? What's going on ?") This has knocked the Maslow's first tier right out from under them. How can I get them to a place of internalization when they don't feel safe......

[la-la-la-laurennnn]

Sidenote...

... When your mentor says "I'm surprised you're even here today", you know the day before was a really, really bad day. On the plus side, while admin may be useless as fuck, at least I know I have the support of the teachers with whom I work.

[gracelesslyteachingthatway]

Week 6: Snow Days Recharge Me, But Also Make Me Unproductive

So, it's been a while since I posted, and we're supposed to be in week 6, where I should be Full Time Solo teaching the 5 preps. I'm solo teaching 3/5. We tried to launch 4/5, but it's a challenge as we have a collab teacher and standardized test scores were in. Class 5/5 is undergoing changes-- we requested to move 6 students to other sections so that we can... Ethically change the management style and finally make me the lead teacher. I'm finally making the classroom my own, posters, stickers, and teaching my own content. Last week was the first week I taught content I made all by myself and it was AWESOME. My University Supervisor also observed. He had almost nothing critical to say. Ok. He had absolutely nothing critical to say. He said that he could already see me at the front of my own classroom and that everything-- the lesson, the way I interact with students, the materials-- was so well done, I had him fooled. I felt insanely good about it. (: Now, to really hunker down and get materials and work done tomorrow while my partner sleeps off the night shift. Yknow, since I spent most of yesterday and today running errands, applying. I jobs, and catching up on TV.

[gracelesslyteachingthatway]

My To-Do List is Too Long

Just posted this to facebook:

Things I have completed: √ Ad Chart; √ Models for Persuasive Writing; √ Revisions for Persuasive Prompt; √ Model for the Prompt Packet; √ Script Template; √ Photo/Video Waiver for FI 2/2; √ LP FI 2/2; √ FI Unit 2 Folder; √ Day-to-day content timeline; and √ Laundry. Still to complete: __ Rubric for Persuasive Writing; __ Rubric for Summative Script Project; __ Model for Summative Scene Project; __ Rubric for Radioactive Remix; __ Resume Revisions; __ LPs for Persuasive Prompt Days; __ Materials for Pers. Prompt Days; and __ Statement of Purpose of the MA. // I feel like I'm forgetting something, again. lol.

I worked for 6 hours today, roughly, to complete the above checked list. I took very minimal breaks to do other work and house work. My brain is absolutely fried. I can't imagine how people do this for 3 preps. Granted, technically I have four preps: honors, standard, collab, and my college comp. course. A variety of those materials are to provide more scaffolding for the lower levels, and display expectations. There are a handful of things on there that aren't directly related to student teaching, but I need a job or next step after this one, don't I? Those options aren't going to wait for the experience to be over. 

I wrote that I felt accomplished, yet overwhelmed. When I started this morning, I didn't even know where to begin. I feel like there is still more to do-- and there is, there will always be more to do. I will probably spend the rest of my night making rubrics. Then we will see where my brain is.  Thankfully it is the Superbowl and my partner is out at someone else's house viewing. This means I have silence, the cat, and plenty of time to work. (: Let's get to it, I suppose.