Back to the grind

I spent Thursday night through Sunday evening in Minneapolis and had a wonderful time. I got to see all the great people I wanted to see, even got to see my friends' band play, go to the Taste of Minnesota and have cheese curds and a Grain Belt and see Elvis Costello perform before great fireworks. It was a much-needed, relaxing weekend and I was quite sad to leave. 

But now I'm back in Atlanta for just a few more days.. This week should be pretty laid back though- we have sessions all week and more meetings and workshops in the evening, but my teaching is pretty much done. I taught my last formal lesson plan today and was observed, because my students take their big test tomorrow. I gave a good lesson today and actually gave all of my students my cell phone number so that they can call me when they get the results of their tests. I know that they will all pass, but I want to hold them accountable for letting me know that they passed and hopefully they will call and me proud to say so. 

Tonight I took time out to go see a movie with some people and tomorrow is Katie's 22nd birthday so we may go out and get drinks since things are more laid back now. 

I am also mentally preparing to have a quick turn around at home on Saturday then going back up to Minnesota on Sunday to pack up then down to Denver with my dad on Monday to move in on Tuesday. One more week until I am officially living in Colorado. It is very exciting but I am also nervous about making the big move. I had such a fun weekend and had some doubts and thoughts while I was up there that maybe I should have stayed, things are so good up there, I love it so much and there are so many important people there.. But when I got back here today and saw the kids, I realized that though it will be tough, that this job is important for me to do and that I will do and I want to do it.  There are people counting on me and children's lives who I will hopefully make an impact on. There are going to be challenges ahead, but I am feeling more and more confident about my direction in this, it just takes some deep breathes, a few tears now and then, but then it's back out there and doing good work. 

That's all for now- excited that this is the last week, woo hoo! No more dorm food and little tiny bed. :) 

Peace- 

C

Quick update- good week!

I'm done teaching for the week, and overall I have been really happy about how things went. 

Monday was a bit strange because when we got to Parks in the morning, we found that it had been broken into over the weekend. All of the computer projectors had been stolen, there was graffitti and urine all over the school, and our candy jar was stolen from our classroom. :( This threw all of us off  a but, but I had the students watch the Thriller video and they were very excited about it and did well on their cause and effect assessment. Even though we couldn't watch it on the screen, we huddled around my computer, and they got a kick out of it. My advisor observed me that day and she only had good things to say the next day when we had our de-brief. Today I did a lesson where they had to apply for their dream job on a real job application. This brought up interesting questions about high school, the real world, jobs, etc. things that I think these kids needed and wanted to discuss. The only bad thing that came up today was one of my students used and called another student the "n word" and then proceeded to give him the middle finger. This led to me having a conversation with the class about the implications and disrespect that the n word carries and how I do not allow it in my class for those reasons.  I feel like having this conversation was more productive than actually chastising the student outrightly for using it, especially because it was used very casually but it was done right in front of me. 

Tomorrow evening I am flying up to Minneapolis for my semi-long weekend. I am so excited to see friends and get away from TFA for a bit. Vacation is so much more gratifying when you have lots of work that you can put off in the mean time!

Lots of love and happy 4th of July!

C

Weekend in HOTlanta

So things have definitely improved since last post... Wednesday I brought in a fabulous book of teenage poetry for my lit circle girls, and they loved it.. major attitude improvements and interest in the material. Then Thursday when I had to teach, I prepared a highly interactive lesson teaching text features and I wrote an essay on the history of hip hop which they ate up and had to identify the different text features in... I felt MUCH better, and even though no one was observing me during those classes, I know what I need to do now to cater to these students. Friday I wrote them all individual notes affirming them on their progress this week and encouraging them to stay engaged and ensuring that they will pass the test if they keep it up. I feel like I got through to them a bit better and I know where and how I can improve my teaching this summer.. 

Otherwise, last night a big group of us from the CO corps when to the Red Sox/Braves game at Turner Field. VERY hot but a lot of fun- there was a fireworks show afterwards, and we had a fun time dancing in the stands. Today I took a really great run/walk around the GA Tech campus, then I went to the Coca-Cola museum with some girls and to The Varsity- a famous diner here in Atlanta where the workers yell at you "What'll ya have?" and they serve wonderfully greasy and unhealthy burgers, onion rings, etc. 

Tonight there is free cover for TFA-ers at a club called Opera, so we are going because it is tribute to Michael Jackson night as well.. so I am going to release a bit and get my dance on. Tomorrow I will get prepared for Monday and the rest of the week so I can be free of lesson -planning during my mini-vacation to the Mini-apple for the 4th. :) 

Peace- (and thank goodness for air conditioning and MJ dance music) 

C

Rough day

I am pasting an e-mail I wrote Nora Bowers today for the sake of not having to type it all up again- so sorry if something doesn't make sense. 

Thank goodness it is TFA (totally free afternoon) day, for my own sanity!

Hi Nora,

Thanks for your letter and encouragement. When I get home tonight, I  
will definitely curl up and look at it all again as I re-evaluate what  
I am doing here because it has been one of those days. Today was the  
first really bad day- close to tears, why am I doing this? am I cut  
out to be a teacher day.

First of all, there were 7 student there today, the most we have had.  
The kids came in this morning and I had a fun review game planned,  
started out a bit rough but they got to enjoying it and showed me that  
they DID retain some things. So that moment of the day was the only  
positive that I can come away with.

Then the administration of like 5 teachers bursted into our room and  
asked to search all the students for their cell phones, so the  
students were taken off guard  and shaken up a bit.

Then we transitioned into Lit circles, and I have been sharing with  
the girls in the class, stories about the freedom fighters, asking  
them questions about the rights they have now versus the rights these  
women didn't have back in the day.  The girls were NOT interested in  
reading, talking, understanding anything. So I asked them to write to  
me what they want to read about and what they are interested in, and  
they didn't really have any feedback, they were just tired and resigned.

THEN we transitioned into the reading hour, and the whole class  
period, all but 2 of the students were resting their heads on their  
desks, tired, unresponsive. It was terrible because I had given them  
an intense writing assignment because their writing has been so poor-  
I have been pushing them to write more like high schoolers, in  
complete sentences with detailed ideas, and it took them each about 5  
minutes to get motivated to even start the writing. Then my advisor  
came in to observe me, of course in the last half hour of class when  
my students were actually sleeping and not even responding to my  
individual attempts to motivate them and get them redirected and back  
into the class. I had to speak to them at the end to tell them what I  
expect of them and how I come to class prepared (after scrambling this  
morning after copies I had outsourced were not in my mailbox, I WAS  
prepared for them) and how I expect them to get enough sleep at night  
so that THEY are prepared for class. That they made a choice to be  
here every day, they failed the test so that they need to take  
responsibility for their education that I am giving them so that they  
can go to high school.

After they left the class, I felt the tears about to come up, my  
advisor told me to breathe and told me what she would have done, but  
what I had done was done. Although today was extremely hard, I am not  
discouraged, I am just realizing the simple things that my students  
are not getting, and while I DO believe in them, it is easy to think  
that they don't care enough to get enough sleep at night.

The good news is, we are being released from institute early today- we  
get a half day off to go back and relax which is GREAT. I am going to  
read your note again and think about things. Evaluate my teaching and  
my approach to my students. This isn't easy but I am learning and  
hopefully the next good day outweighs this awful day.

Sorry to send a gloomy note, but I hope you are really well and thanks  
a lot for your encouragement. It means more to me than you'll ever know.

Peace,
C

Weekend in Denver

So I finished my first week of teaching and immediately took off for Denver- I flew in Friday night, took a state-mandatory special ed. test on Saturday morning, signed a lease for an apartment downtown Denver, and then flew back to Atlanta on Sunday. I think I'm now a bonafide jet-setter!

Friday's class was a bit of a struggle for me, I did not plan enough and so we had extra time and being a Friday, the kids were restless and definitely testing me. I was really happy to be on a place and relaxed after school got out on Friday, and was lucky enough to meet some other sped. friends at the airport that night who had to take the test, and my friend Jack's mom picked us up and we stayed with him all weekend. His boyfriend Rob had made their little apartment all cozy for us, made beds all over the floor, got us a ton of breakfast food, and even arranged rides for us back to the airport on Sunday- it was so amazingly relaxing! And very very needed after an intense week of teaching and institute. 

So I took the test at 8am on Saturday, think it went well, then we indulged in some Chipotle (originated in Colorado!) and then my friend Katie went with me to check out the apartment I had been thinking about. An 07 corps memeber, Martha, whose job I actually took at Rachel B. Noel, is now moving in with her boyfriend and so she had her apartment info on the TFA net. So I went to catch up with her about the new job, and also she was a theatre major in college and went to grad school for drama therapy AND she is from Morris, MN!! So she and I have a lot in common and the apartment just felt right. It is a studio, very small, but has a mountain view from the bedroom. It's two blocks from the capitol, very close to many places to eat and grocery shop, yoga, all the things I need. It is going to be great- I signed the lease and I'm moving in on July 14th!

Katie and I just explored the city the rest of the day- 16th street mall and cheeseman park neighborhood. We had dinner and drinks (above) in a cute area called Governor's Park, and had amazing burgers and happy hour specials. We got a nice early bed time that night and slept in- and flew back to ATL. Now I am just preparing for the week ahead. The good thing is this week I am only teaching Tuesday and Thursday, and I will now only teach two days a week since we have a long weekend on the 4th. It will be good, I just need to be a bit more over-planned for this week so my students are getting the full two hours to get ready for their test. 

That is all, it was a lovely weekend and I cannot wait to get back to Colorado. It will be such a great place to live, work and play. ;) 

Peace-  

C

First day of teaching!

Taking a brief moment to catch the blog back up to speed- 

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