So tomorrow I have my certification test which I must pass to be an official Michigan spanish teacher. Yuck, I hate tests, but I have to pass it. I've been continuing to read John Greshem's "The testament" in Spanish, going over my 200 level grammar book (a little), and hoping for the best. I also need to remember Algebra for the basic skills test, oh gee, that's been a long time.
On another note, one of my students said something funny today. I had the students write down words in English and hold them up to win points after I said the Spanish word, and I said the word for chair, "silla" pronounced see-yah, and one student wrote "bye" on his board.
10.10.10
Funny stories, and encouraging news.
First of all, I forgot to write this story last week, so I thought I'd write it now. From time to time we all say funny things and make hilarious mistakes (see previous post!). One of my students wrote on his/her resume (this is for my careers class) that he/she was going to be a "valid victorian" upon graduation. Gave me quite the giggle.
Secondly, I have been so encouraged by my coworkers, principal, and even a former student's mom, that I am in the right field for my particular skill-set. I am quite the moron when it comes to calculating math problems or remembering my keys, but I am thankful for the gifts of communication and compassion that I have been given, and for the ways I have seen those gifts help others. A parent of a student I had while teaching in Indiana sent me this email:
What a blessing to receive that note. Looks like it's going to be another great week with the minds of not just the future but TODAY!H
Secondly, I have been so encouraged by my coworkers, principal, and even a former student's mom, that I am in the right field for my particular skill-set. I am quite the moron when it comes to calculating math problems or remembering my keys, but I am thankful for the gifts of communication and compassion that I have been given, and for the ways I have seen those gifts help others. A parent of a student I had while teaching in Indiana sent me this email:
Hello, I hope you remember J, you were her teacher in 9th grade @ BHC. Well she is taking Spanish as a Sophomore and she absolutely loves it and is doing Great with it. It comes so easy for her and she said that it was because of you! She really enjoyed you as a teacher. She has 100% in there right now. I am very happy for her and thank you for that too.
26.9.10
Going on Week FOUR!
This week was very busy with open-house Monday, my first allergy shots Wednesday, and the first dance at LMS on Friday.
Open-house: First of all, it was so nice to meet a lot of the parents of the students I work with. The students were able to show their parents around the class and I was able to give parents a little brochure of exactly who I was and what we are up to in Spanish and Careers class. The funny moment of the night was when one parent asked me about on-line resources and I explained that students can access online dictionaries by googling "Spanish dic. . . . . . .tionary.com." Whoops! The father I was talking to explained that it would be a good idea to finish out the word. He laughed, I laughed, and turned very red.
the Dance: All I can say, or as a dear friend would say, "alls I know is," Justin Beiber can elicit outrageous responses from middle school girls (and boys); and that too many bodies with high temps means a smelly situation. It seemed like all the students had a great time.
Open-house: First of all, it was so nice to meet a lot of the parents of the students I work with. The students were able to show their parents around the class and I was able to give parents a little brochure of exactly who I was and what we are up to in Spanish and Careers class. The funny moment of the night was when one parent asked me about on-line resources and I explained that students can access online dictionaries by googling "Spanish dic. . . . . . .tionary.com." Whoops! The father I was talking to explained that it would be a good idea to finish out the word. He laughed, I laughed, and turned very red.
the Dance: All I can say, or as a dear friend would say, "alls I know is," Justin Beiber can elicit outrageous responses from middle school girls (and boys); and that too many bodies with high temps means a smelly situation. It seemed like all the students had a great time.
16.9.10
Eager to Learn
Apart from my personal blog, I also have a classroom blog for my Spanish class, and I've been really excited to see the students checking out what we are doing in class by clicking on links I've posted, and writing what they've learned and how the class is going for them as blog comments. I am so thankful for this new means of communication which can really help those students who want to dig deeper, get better, and express themselves.
This week has been very busy, we continued to grow in our language knowledge, grow closer as a class, and I continue to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing with things like attendance, technology, and general procedures.
I'm still a little at loss for what to do in my Careers class. This week we are making business cards, talking about globalization, creating budgets, and much more. I am hoping that better ideas follow and come more easily. Next week we talk about Career clusters, I'm trying to figure out an innovative way to organize such vast information. I'm sure next trimester I'll be able to work out a few more ideas and continue to grow as I teach this very practical subject.
Here's my class website in case you want to check it out: click here
This week has been very busy, we continued to grow in our language knowledge, grow closer as a class, and I continue to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing with things like attendance, technology, and general procedures.
I'm still a little at loss for what to do in my Careers class. This week we are making business cards, talking about globalization, creating budgets, and much more. I am hoping that better ideas follow and come more easily. Next week we talk about Career clusters, I'm trying to figure out an innovative way to organize such vast information. I'm sure next trimester I'll be able to work out a few more ideas and continue to grow as I teach this very practical subject.
Here's my class website in case you want to check it out: click here
10.9.10
The end of my FIRST week
I am so thankful for my new school. There are quite a few things I really love about it. First of all, the principal is so kind and very supportive, organized, and very funny. It is wonderful to work under someone who clearly loves their job and is such a servant-minded person. I can also say that the staff have a similar attitude. They ACTUALLY LIKE TEACHING! I know this is crazy, but it's amazing how many teachers just seem to have lost their first love, the students!
As for me, well I do not enjoy waking up at 5:20, uhhhh! So early. But I am finding that being good about getting to bed around 9:30 makes it a lot better.
My classroom is HUGE. It was a science class and has lots of cabinets, drawers, and floor-space making it easier to do all those hands-on activities that make Spanish easier for my kinestetic-learning children. I have some items up, but I wish I had more random decor from Mexico, Spain, or other Latin American countries. I guess it will come with time (and more trips abroad! )
Sixth grade is becoming my new favorite, though I really like my 7th and 8th grade classes as well. There is something so beautiful and innocent about the way they boldly shout new words. They still love school, they are happy to be there, and they laugh at my jokes. I wonder what we've done as educators, parents, or people to make older students so nervous about making mistakes or so opposed to school. Is it the nature of the age? Or is it that school becomes more about cramming for standardized tests and less about true, unadulterated learning. Learning that involves teacher the student as well as the subject.
And there end my deep thoughts for the day, off to enjoy some Friday night PIZZA!
8.9.10
First Day of School
I cannot believe that the first day of this new "middle school" experience is over! It flew by! A few things are very different:
1. The class length, going from 70 minutes to 48 or so minutes is a big difference. I need to get used to this new pacing.
2. The student size! Wow! I feel like I'm towering over a few of these students and I'm used to looking up to a majority of my students.
3. The innocence. The students are so sweet and young. I'm sure this opinion will change, but for now, I'm used to feeling a little more motherly and I don't mind that.
More to come!
1. The class length, going from 70 minutes to 48 or so minutes is a big difference. I need to get used to this new pacing.
2. The student size! Wow! I feel like I'm towering over a few of these students and I'm used to looking up to a majority of my students.
3. The innocence. The students are so sweet and young. I'm sure this opinion will change, but for now, I'm used to feeling a little more motherly and I don't mind that.
More to come!
9.2.10
Introduction
Thank you for visiting my online portfolio. I just finished up my first year of teaching Spanish I and II at Blackford High School in Hartford City, Indiana after my husband excepted a job in East Lansing, Michigan and am starting at Lakewood Middle School this fall. I am a graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Spanish Education in both high school and middle school levels. While attending Taylor University I spent a summer in Cuenca, Ecuador, and a semester in Seville, Spain, and recieved the Outstanding Future Educator award.
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