Saturday I had to take the Praxis II test which for me was just elementary general content- it wasn't too hard, but you can get a lot wrong and still pass, so I am just crossing my fingers that my two night cram sessions will be enough to get me to pass. So that was an early morning wake-up call on my Saturday, so I rested most of the day. Then the Colorado corps decided to have a little dorm party before going out to some fun bars in Atlanta's highlands. (there are also highlands in Denver, that are actually highlands...) it was a lot of fun and a great chance to meet more people and bond with the CO corps (the best corps!)
Sunday was a work day, very productive for me and my group to get ready for the first day today. I have the same students as three other teachers, one other reading teacher that I switch every other day teaching in the AM with, the two math teachers that rotate teaching in the afternoons. Zack (Mr. Greenamyre) is my collab. teacher, he is from the Atlanta corps, and so we switch even and odd days that we teach the reading lesson for the day. Then Sarah (Ms. Burns) from the NYC corps and Doug (Mr. Ely) from the St. Louis corps, they team teach in the afternoon. Kind of complicated, but a very fun and easy-going group to work with in terms of setting up class rules and procedures.
So today went well, I was the first teacher up to teach and I did a lesson on genre-identification. (Fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, etc.) The worst part about the day was that out of the 13 students on our roster, we only had 4 come to class. The 4 students were engaged and seem to follow along in my lesson very well. But it was a very frustrating reality to face - that on the very first day we had attendance issues with 9 of our students. . . I am realizing that coming to school in the summer in the first place is a giant step in the right direction for these 4 students and I am going to do my best to help them pass the CRCT and get into high school, but it is frustrating the amount of work I am putting into lesson planning for the weeks and days to come and that I only have 4 students to plan for for 3-9 hours a week.
Deep breaths, and breaks to talk with family and friends are good things to help me get through my frustrated moments. I am coming down with a cold too so I need to take care of myself so that I can be a good teacher and have the energy I need through the day. This is HARD WORK, but I am determined and very focused on the task ahead. People here are so supportive and make such good surrounding role models, it is a very great environment to be in when you are stressed or doubt your capability to be a teacher.
That's it really. I am going to Denver on Friday to take another test on Saturday morning- PLACE test for special ed in Colorado. I will be looking at the studio apartment in Capitol Hill that I am seriously thinking about renting from a previous corps member whose job I am actually taking over at Noel M.S. so that is an exciting progression I am making!
Lots of love and positive summer time thoughts to all-
Peace,
C
Keep it up, Carol!
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