On August 10th I started the new teacher orientation program for my first teaching job. I am an extra science teacher working for a successful charter school organization in the Philadelphia region. "Extra" means that they don't actually have any classes for me to teach yet and I'm in limbo until enrollment goes up and they add sections or until someone in a position I could fill chooses to leave their job.
The uncertainty is frustrating but the benefits are significant. While everyone is thinking about how they are going to decorate their rooms, all I have to focus on is lesson plans. And more significantly, these aren't lessons for classes I am actually going to be teaching because I don't actually have students TO teach. I'm digging into the lesson planning process mostly because it's new to me and I think it's something I'm going to need some practice at. Might as well take the time to practice while the pressure on me is low.
I'm finding it interesting how my approach at the content seems so different from that of my colleagues. I can't help but wonder if I should listen to their comments about what they've found hard to teach in the past or go with my instinct and approach which feels straight forward and crystal clear. I have 10 years experience in industry whereas, as far as I can tell, all of my colleagues have been teaching for a bit. It feels to me like they plan to teach our students more than they actually need to in order for our students to be able to demonstrate mastery of the content. It's very interesting to notice and I wonder if I'm just naive or if I've somehoe got a knack for laying out content in a way that will make sense for even the most struggling students. I imagine the truth is somewhere in the middle but either way, I know I'm going to need to experience the reality of the situation for myself before I'm willing to just take their word for it.
For now though, there is no actual teaching of lessons in my future because alas, I'm an extra. I'm hoping that this low pressure curricular planning time will prove helpful to me in the near future but for now, I'm just trying to enjoy the ride.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
An Observation
I spent yesterday and today observing at the school where I will start student teaching in just over a month. It was my first opportunity to see the students I'll be working with and also to see how my co-operating teacher structures a day's activities.
Of all the classes I've observed thusfar (at 4 different schools and with 11 different teachers), I would have to say that the classes I observed over these past 2 days were simultaneously the most dynamic and perhaps the most frustrating that I've seen. I was just an observer in the corner and did not engage with the students in any real way so I say frustrating as their soon to be student teaching.
What I found so frustrating was a general disrespect for the classroom. After class started (there are no bells), it took about 5 minutes for the class to really get engaged. Also, there were many times during the class when the off-topic side convsersations were too loud for the teacher to hear a student asking a question. I wrote previously that my biggest reasons for not wanting to go into teaching were the classroom management and discipline concerns that I will most certainly face. When I committed to going back to school last March, I knew that I would need to confront those fears and it seems like that day will be coming quite soon!
Throughout my life journey, I have come to trust is something (call it God, Higher Power, the Devine or whatever you like). I especially have come to believe that I will be given opportunities to grow and learn when I am ready for them. I think this student teaching placement is no different.
I was on my way home from observing yesterday and it struck me that dealing with these things as a student teacher is exactly what I need. I will face my "biggest" fears about teaching right out of the gate in a temporary, and well-supported environment. Who could ask for a better gift?
I also was relieved that I was not thinking "get me outta here" or "what have I gotten myself into" but rather I am looking forward to taking on this challenge and maybe even improving the learning environment a bit over my 12 week placement.
I am not so naive that I think that I somehow have the magic fix. In fact, there has been virtually no talk of classroom management at all in my courses so I expect I will be learning as much as I can mostly by trial and error and seeking out what I need as the needs present themselves.
Of all the classes I've observed thusfar (at 4 different schools and with 11 different teachers), I would have to say that the classes I observed over these past 2 days were simultaneously the most dynamic and perhaps the most frustrating that I've seen. I was just an observer in the corner and did not engage with the students in any real way so I say frustrating as their soon to be student teaching.
What I found so frustrating was a general disrespect for the classroom. After class started (there are no bells), it took about 5 minutes for the class to really get engaged. Also, there were many times during the class when the off-topic side convsersations were too loud for the teacher to hear a student asking a question. I wrote previously that my biggest reasons for not wanting to go into teaching were the classroom management and discipline concerns that I will most certainly face. When I committed to going back to school last March, I knew that I would need to confront those fears and it seems like that day will be coming quite soon!
Throughout my life journey, I have come to trust is something (call it God, Higher Power, the Devine or whatever you like). I especially have come to believe that I will be given opportunities to grow and learn when I am ready for them. I think this student teaching placement is no different.
I was on my way home from observing yesterday and it struck me that dealing with these things as a student teacher is exactly what I need. I will face my "biggest" fears about teaching right out of the gate in a temporary, and well-supported environment. Who could ask for a better gift?
I also was relieved that I was not thinking "get me outta here" or "what have I gotten myself into" but rather I am looking forward to taking on this challenge and maybe even improving the learning environment a bit over my 12 week placement.
I am not so naive that I think that I somehow have the magic fix. In fact, there has been virtually no talk of classroom management at all in my courses so I expect I will be learning as much as I can mostly by trial and error and seeking out what I need as the needs present themselves.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
On the eve of #educon
I've been inspired by tweets about #EduConText to post my reflections on this eve before my first EduCon.
I'm incredibly excited about the events of this upcoming weekend. I first heard of Educon when I was at NTCamp 2010 in Philly headed out to lunch with a few folks. They told me that if I was enjoying NTCamp, that I had to check out Educon. I signed up sometime in October I think and have been looking forward to it particularly since after EdCampNYC occurred on 12/4/10.
I'm a pre-service teacher scheduled to student teach at SLA this coming spring. I requested SLA for my placement because of what I've heard about their learning community. I have not, as of today, seen it for myself. Tomorrow, I will be meeting my future cooperating teacher and students and getting an initial feel for the school where I will spend 12 weeks of my life learning how to be a teacher by actually trying to be a teacher. On some level, I'm nervous in the way a soon to be bride might be nervous. Will I get there and have cold feet? Will I decide I've made a mistake? Are my expectations so high that I'm bound to be disappointed? These are all the things that are running through my mind this afternoon.
I'm in my 4th quarter of graduate classes and have learned a lot about myself as a student since I started in March 2010. The realizations that have impacted me the most have been regarding the fact that I did really well on exams throughout my schooling without being able to articulate the concepts. I've learned that they ways in which I was taught are not the most effective. I've decided that I want to be a different type of teacher than those who taught me. I see the inquiry driven, problem based learning environment of SLA as the perfect place to dive right in and hopefully break out of the paradigm in which I grew up. As I mentioned in a previous post though, I'm a bit scared. And frankly, I think on some level, I should be! This career change isn't a whimsical one for me. It's one that will help me to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a teacher. It has the potential to bring aspects of my self and the things I value most back into alignment. It's exciting and terrifying at the same time.
For me, #Educon is another step along this new path that I'm on. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and seeing some familiar faces. I look forward to participating in some lively conversations. I'm excited to see and experience first hand some aspects of SLA about which I've heard such wonderful things.
Safe travels everyone and see you there!
I'm incredibly excited about the events of this upcoming weekend. I first heard of Educon when I was at NTCamp 2010 in Philly headed out to lunch with a few folks. They told me that if I was enjoying NTCamp, that I had to check out Educon. I signed up sometime in October I think and have been looking forward to it particularly since after EdCampNYC occurred on 12/4/10.
I'm a pre-service teacher scheduled to student teach at SLA this coming spring. I requested SLA for my placement because of what I've heard about their learning community. I have not, as of today, seen it for myself. Tomorrow, I will be meeting my future cooperating teacher and students and getting an initial feel for the school where I will spend 12 weeks of my life learning how to be a teacher by actually trying to be a teacher. On some level, I'm nervous in the way a soon to be bride might be nervous. Will I get there and have cold feet? Will I decide I've made a mistake? Are my expectations so high that I'm bound to be disappointed? These are all the things that are running through my mind this afternoon.
I'm in my 4th quarter of graduate classes and have learned a lot about myself as a student since I started in March 2010. The realizations that have impacted me the most have been regarding the fact that I did really well on exams throughout my schooling without being able to articulate the concepts. I've learned that they ways in which I was taught are not the most effective. I've decided that I want to be a different type of teacher than those who taught me. I see the inquiry driven, problem based learning environment of SLA as the perfect place to dive right in and hopefully break out of the paradigm in which I grew up. As I mentioned in a previous post though, I'm a bit scared. And frankly, I think on some level, I should be! This career change isn't a whimsical one for me. It's one that will help me to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a teacher. It has the potential to bring aspects of my self and the things I value most back into alignment. It's exciting and terrifying at the same time.
For me, #Educon is another step along this new path that I'm on. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and seeing some familiar faces. I look forward to participating in some lively conversations. I'm excited to see and experience first hand some aspects of SLA about which I've heard such wonderful things.
Safe travels everyone and see you there!
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