Job Updates

Job 4 - Fifth Grade
Overall, this day was pretty easy. The kids were old enough to know what to do and how to do it. They were also very good at self- and peer-policing. If someone was doing something wrong, they were quick to tell me. One thing that bothered me was that the classroom was DIRTY. There was dust on every suface that wasn't used regularly - the tops of filing cabinets, the window sills, etc. Yuck. Also, for some odd reason, the teacher had various gourds and pumpkins in various states of mold, mildew and decay on his desk and some side tables. GROSS! I tried not to touch them or distub them in any way. How can that possibly be healthy?!

One big difference between fifth grade and middle school? The secret communication methods. Fifth graders pass notes. Middle schoolers text. Neither group is good at hiding it; both groups think that they are invisible while doing it.

As I was going down the hall, I was admiring some of the artwork hanging up. One piece that caught my eye was part of a display that featured scenes painted on construction paper and accented with small pieces of tissue paper. It had a heart with some brightly colored tissue paper. Pretty, noting remarkable. It's the text that accompanied the picture that I can't get out of my head: "Why did you break my heart?" I wonder what the story behind that is...


Job 5 - Kindergarten
Yikes! This turned out not to be so bad. I worked with a team teacher and an assistant. I fumbled at times because I don't know their usual routines and rules. I also forget how literal students can be. The team teacher was a little strict - there was so much more learning and doing than I expected. One thing that really suprised me was the amount of time that the kids were expected to be quiet. Coloring butterflies is fun, but coloring butterflies silently isn't so great, in my opinion. I suppose they need to get used to working silently, but still...

In the afternoon, the kids got to go to an assembly with dogs. The dogs did tricks and the trainers talked about training dogs and what to do if a strange dog approaches you. It was cute and fun. The kids loved it. By this time of the day, they also loved me. I had four kids holding my hands on the way back to the classroom. Sheesh! This probably explains how I got the AWFUL cold/sinus infection that I've been fighting for the last nine days.


Job 6 - Seventh and Eighth Grade English
I was at the middle school where I student taught! It was great to see all of the students and staff that I worked with in the fall. The teacher I subbed for was gone on a field trip, as were the majority of his students. I had his students, plus one or two other teachers' students for the first couple of classes. Cafeteria duty was interesting. Kids can be really bratty and mannerless. The afternoon classes were awful! One class was supposed to be reading silently. I practically had to shout to be heard over them. The next class was worse because it was another combined class, plus the field trip students returned mid-period, so I ended up with two classes worth of students in one room. Yuck. Neither teacher came up to rescue me/claim their students. Nice.

At any rate, it was nice to be back at the school.


Job 7 - Elementary LD
I didn't know what to expect going into this one. I'd never been to this school before. Turns out I was subbing for an LD math/reading specialist who had to go to a building inservice. This was my schedule (I started at 11):
- teacher lunch
- playground duty
- grade papers (the student I was supposed to work with was absent)
- reading - I ended up with 4 students because 1 was absent and 2 were in the office. I had them for less than an hour.
- prep/planning time
So, of the three hours and forty minutes that I was at the school, I had students for about 50 minutes and playground duty for about 20 minutes. I'm not complaining, but sheesh!
I also had a sub-EA. She came in late, played on the computer, which distracted the kids, walked around, and then took the kids back to their regular class. During the planning time, she talked on the phone. When she made the call, I overheard her ask if so-and-so was available - "She's a substitute aide there today." Really?!?! So she called someone else who was supposed to be working to complain about your job. ?!?!?

One thing that I noticed was that the teachers at this school yell A LOT. And right in kids' faces. I'm not a fan. Also, the attendance secretary seemed like a space cadet.

I got a job!

After a couple of long months of looking for jobs, applying for jobs, hoping for a job, being certain that I would never get a job, et cetera ad nauseum, I was called for an interview to be a sub for the District, and I was hired! It was AWESOME. My interview was on a Thursday. I had an "orientation" on the following Tuesday, and was called for my first sub job the next day. Two days after that, spring break started, so I didn't work for ten days after that first job. Figures...you're hired - have a vacation! Oh, well.

I've been stalking the online scheduler website, jumping on every job that pops up. I worked two half days last week. I have three full days and a half day lined up next week. I also have the "real" orientation for new hires next week, so that means I'll have work everyday next week. I also have three days lined up for the following week. Yay!

I am learning from every job, and it occurred to me that I should keep track of what I've learned.

Job 1 - 9 Literacy and 10 English
This was a great first experience. The job was at the high school that I graduated from, so I knew my way around. I knew some of the students from my clinical experiences last year. The only big issue was third hour. The plans suggested that I have students read alone or as a group. They didn't really want to do either, so I made a deal (what was I thinking?!) that they could read in pairs if they read alone for ten minutes. It was pretty noisy and few students got anything done. I was counting down the minutes until the class was over, I have to admit. I spent lunch reading and rereading the story so that I could be prepared for the other class that had to read it. This time, there was no option; I read the story aloud and we discussed it as we went along. I even gave them time to answer some of the questions. Some students slept through it, but they weren't being disruptive, so I let it go. I felt I had to choose my battles.

The teacher requested me for another job, so I must've done something right! :)

Job 2 - 6th grade social studies and math
No major problems here. The teacher warned the students that misbehavior would result in the loss of the end-of-the-year trip, so that provided me with, ahem, ammunition to keep the students on task. One boy finished every activity early and used the time to draw me pictures. Too cute. Only one student was disruptive...I warned her individually and publicly, stood near her, redirected her attention, and finally moved her to a refocus desk. Twice. (She moved because class ended - I had the same students for two class periods. I mentioned this in the note to the teacher. I ended the last class by having the kids tell me bad jokes. Overall, a nice two hours.

Job 3 - HS French
Nothing major or exciting. Two classes did worksheets/review packets. Those classes were very respectful and well behaved. Two classes watched a film/did a worksheet. I didn't know how long the film would be and I had to keep asking students to be quiet during the first class. When I discovered that the entire film was 23 minutes, I was able to come up with a better plan for the second class: if they could be quiet and pay attention during the film, they could talk quietly for the rest of class. Good deal, I think. The second class was better behaved and more respectful. I think this had more to do with the students than the plan, but I'll take it! After the film, the students talked and then a group of them started playing hackey sack. I had to laugh...kids played that when I was in high school. I closed the door and told them that they had to be quiet and not break anything. It was pretty entertaining to watch. In the back of my mind, I thought, "this is probably really wrong..." but I was okay with it. We had completed the work left by the teacher and the students were being quiet and non-disruptive. When I asked them to sit down for the last 5 minutes of class, they immediately sat down. Wow! I wonder if they'll tell their teacher that I let them play and if she'd be mad.

That's it in a nutshell. Some thoughts:
- With the exception of the class period that I read the story aloud, the material that was left for me was never enough to fill the class periods. I always had awkward time at the end of class.
- At the first job, I didn't get a sub folder with the little details in it, which wasn't a big deal, but would've been nice for my first job. For example, her plans didn't say that we had homeroom, where the homeroom was (in the theater with about 10 other classes, so I didn't even know where to go), or what to do with her TA. Just little things, really.
- Subbing is (unfortunately) a lot like babysitting. I dread high school jobs a little because I don't think my classroom management is strong enough with the older kids.
- I have a few elementary jobs lined up. I wonder what that will be like...I haven't been in an elementary school in many, many years.
- Still holding out for a full time position for next year. I hope that this position will open doors for me!

My Mom is Awesome

My mom totally rocks. I love to spend time with her. I'm so glad that we live so close and that we are such good friends. I hope that we never have to move away from here - family is so important to me.

My mom, sis, and I went to see Rain - The Beatles Experience (or whatever the formal title is) last weekend. It was excellent. My mom is a huge Beatles fan, so we grew up listening to them all of the time and became big fans as well. The show was reviewed as being the closest you could come to actually seeing the Beatles, and I would agree. Our seats were pretty good and we were lucky to have open seats on either side of us until partway through the second half. The three people who sat there looked really out of place. I don't like to stereotype, but they certainly didn't look like Beatles fans and they smelled and acted like they had done some pre-show partying. It's always a mystery to me when people pay good money to arrive at a concert totally late and drunk. Anyhow, we had a great time. My mom cried several times, and I had some tears myself at different points of the show. It's amazing how music can do that to you. I always wonder about people who don't listen to music - what a void.

I've been pretty down lately. I feel like my life is on hold. I still don't have a teaching job, so I'm majorly on edge. I've been applying to every opening that I can find within an hour from my house. I am only licensed to teach in this state, and I am avoiding trying to get licensed in the neighboring state because I have heard that it is difficult and can be costly. I will if I have to, but I'll wait a little longer. I know that there is no single answer to all problems, but if I had a job with insurance, I think my life would be so much easier. I could:
- go to an ENT to find out why I my ears have been plugged for almost 30 days
- start paying off bills
- start paying back my parents
- start paying off student loans
- start seriously thinking about grad school
- start planning a wedding
- start looking for a house
- etc.

It's not that my biological clock is ticking, but getting married and having kids has always been important to me. My mom's mom was young when she had my mom, but my mom didn't have me until her early 30s. That's certainly not old, but I don't think I want to wait that long. I want my parents to be young enough and healthy enough to spend quality time with my kids. I think my secret wish is for my mom to live long enough for my kids to become young adults. I would feel bad for my kids if they didn't get to know how awesome my mom is. I've already lost one set of grandparents and the "adoptive" grandparents that babysat for me when I was little. My mom's parents are both over 80...I guess it's my family clock that's driving my desire to have kids.

We can't afford a house right now, but we can't even really look until we know where I will be working (and where the boy will be working, if the union ever finds him work...) It just feels like everything is on hold until I get a job. I've jumped through all of the hoops. I've completed all of the requirements. And now I...wait. I'm in limbo. I have a part-time job that lets me make my own hours. I have no motivation to go to work. I just lay on the couch and watch tv or waste time on faceb00k. I don't sleep well, but can't wake up in the morning. Last night I had a nightmare that I got a position at the school where I did my second placement, but that my cooperating teacher barged in and took over everything, just like she would do when I was student teaching. Ahhh!

Today while I was laying on the couch feeling bad for myself, the phone rang. I have an interview next week. Fingers crossed.

Advice

When I was nearing the end of my first student teaching placement, I asked my students (seventh and eighth graders) for advice. One student suggested that I do something to get kicked out of my second placement so that I could go back to the first school.

I assure you, I did not follow this advice. But it made me laugh. And feel really great. He liked me well enough that he wanted me to stay - or get sent back. I miss them.

I am a college graduate. And...so what?

My diploma came in the mail this week.

As a lover of paper and a lover of words, I have to say, it is the most expensive piece of paper with the most amazing words that I've ever held in my hands.

It was so hard - SO hard - to get that piece of paper. And not just financially. Emotionally. Mentally. Physically. (Hello, 25 books that I carried around when I as writing my thesis!) (Why, oh why, did I think I needed to carry ALL of those books at one time?!)

And now it's over. I guess that some would argue that my life is just beginning. (How cliche.) Except I don't feel like it is. For so long, I was focused on finishing my thesis, finishing my portfolio, graduating, student teaching. And now it's done. Now what? I haven't found a teaching job. I'm scarily poor. I'm lonely. I have no classes to study for, no lessons to plan, no papers to grade, no parents to email. The boy and I were waiting to get married until after I finished school. And now I have. But - I don't feel any closer to getting married or having kids. What if I don't find a teaching job soon? Will I have to feel like this for months? It sucks. I worked so hard. I know I am a good teacher. I could get so much better, given the chance. I love learning. I LOVE teaching. And what am I doing? Nothing.

But I finally have a diploma in that fancy leather holder that I got a few months ago.

Supernanny

I've recently started watching reruns of Supernanny. I don't know if this show is still on regularly or just in reruns, but I am loving it. It's also a little scary - some of the parents are SO CLUELESS. And it's no wonder that some kids act the way they do in the classroom. Yikes. Kids need structure. Kids need boundaries. Kids need parents that are present and aware.

The mom on the episode that is on right now is more interested in cleaning that watching her four small children climbing on tables and sticking things in electrical sockets. Hello!?! And I'm pretty sure that her bumpit is showing in her crazy poofy hair. To top it off, her four year old is listening to gangsta rap on the mp3 player. What happens when she goes to kindergarten and asks where her hoes are at?

Well, here goes...

During my time student teaching, I frequently searched out and read teacher-written blogs to find inspiration (and avoid doing things I should have been doing at the time). I thought about starting my own blog, but never quite got around to it. Now I wish that I had. Even though I finished student teaching less than a month ago, the memories are fading. Things that seemed traumatic, inspiring, ridiculous, scary, important, etc. at the time are becoming a little fuzzy. So - as the cliche goes, there's no time like the present.

I have many goals for this blog:
- become a more reflective teacher
- de-stress by sharing thoughts and frustrations, as well as victories
- write more frequently and become a better writer
- create lists (I LOVE a good list) of things to try, books to read, books I've read, things to avoid, lists to make, etc.
- have fun :)

I plan to focus on my teaching experiences, but I get sidetracked easily, so I will not be surprised if I end up writing about a lot of other things.

All names, locations, and identifying details will be changed to protect privacy.