Summer!

After an unexpected but appreciated full year of work the summer has finally come. This has been a very rewarding year for me both professionally and personally. It’s funny how things workout. Although I started out this school year unsure it I would get the opportunity to even teach, I not only taught one grade level but two. This allowed me to gain experience and a better understanding of my expectations and preference in a classroom.

The experience and confidence gained from this year was unlike anything I had learned in a seminar/traditional classroom setting. Of course, all the learning theories and practices can be seen on a daily bases, but everything happens so fast that it is hard to acknowledge the different learning and teaching techniques happening. What you do notice is learning.

cool links

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,752008,00.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/96288/6-Keys-to-a-Teachers-Successful-Summer-Vacation

http://theapple.monster.com/benefits/articles/4012-20-summer-vacation-trips-for-teachers

TIMES ARE CHANGING

Knowing that it would be difficult to find a contracted position this year, I decided to begin the Master’s Program in Education. So Fall 2009 I was a student again as well as starting off the school year in a classroom, as the teacher. That was a tough quarter. Little did I know it was only going to get tougher.

Assuming I would not have a full time job for a while (since my assignment was up in Dec.), I opted to take 3 courses in the winter. Boy was I wrong. As you know I was assigned a 5 month long term position. Thus, I was still a full time student and teacher, something I do not recommend.

As I started a new quarter in multiple classroom environments the heat was on. I soon found myself very tired and moody, to say the least, a few weeks later I found out I was 2 months pregnant. I was extremely excited and a little overwhelmed.

It goes without saying, life does happen while you make other plans.

helpful links:

http://www.whattoexpect.com/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy/wl00035

http://www.onlineeducationblog.org/

New Places

After 3 months of long-term subbing I was on to a new endeavor. At first, I figured I would look for a part time job and substitute when something came up. Overall, I was not excited about my new position as a daily substitute. As a newly credentialed teacher, I wanted to have more of an impact than “babysitting” for a day. I know that substituting is a sure way to get myself known in the district and hopefully when positions come around my name will come up, so I kept hope alive.

To my surprise, during the last week as a long-term sub I received a phone call from the principle where I had done a quarter of student teaching. She had heard that I was subbing in the district and had a long-term position starting in the next week. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. I have first handedly felt the impact of developing relationships in the profession.

At the start o the new assignment I was able to present myself in a different light. I was no longer the “college tutor” I was considered the teacher. The mood of the school was different as well. The administrators were more relaxed and involved, always on the playground and walking into the classroom on a daily bases without any reason but to see how everything was going or to give feedback on the class’s performance. I think that this difference not only left the students more comfortable with administrators, but the teachers were also more personable and secure with their work.

sites that helped

www.edjoin.com
http://blog.reallygoodstuff.com/?p=2951
http://chronicle.com/blogPost/So-now-youre-a-teacher/22687/

People

Once you become a part of the work force, for any profession, people have the power to alter your experience. I was so excited to start teaching at the school that I was a college tutor at for three years prior. I had always known the school to be very on edge (to say the least), but I had a connection to the community and had just finished my student teaching at the site. So, this is just where I wanted to be. Thus, for all I knew all school sites were like this.

This first experience was very tense for me. Based on my history at this school, I felt that proving myself as a professional (more over a teacher) was something I had to do all day, everyday. And I was right! Of course for any job, especially a first job, this is a very natural feeling. The difference that people can make at this point is how your dedication is seen. Isn't it nice to have a little praise or structured criticism? Anything to show that you are being acknowledged.

I felt that as a rookie I needed a little bit of feedback. Any kind of feedback! Instead the administrators voiced no opinion and I later came to the conclusion that they didn't spend much time outside of their offices. I think this had a lot to do with the tone of the school and the staff's lack of enthusiasim. This realization only came after I had the opportunity to experience another school site, again as a long-term sub.

1. http://www.teachingheart.net/newteacher.html
2. http://theapple.monster.com/careers/articles/9565-the-challenges-of-being-a-first-year-teacher
3. http://www.readingrockets.org/firstyear/diaryentry.php?ID=8

work ethic

In June 2009 I was thrilled to recieve my multiple subject teaching credential. I was student teaching in Pomona Unified during the beginning of the anxiety of pink slips and uncertainties for the future. There I was excited about the future as so many were telling me, "What a bad time to get your credential, huh?" Then I started telling myself, "What a bad time to get your credential."

I spent most of that summer trying to figure out what to do and about mid July I decided to go ahead and put a portfolio together. I knew it was a long shot, but I went to my first school of choice with my portfolio printed on $20 paper and to my surprise I sat down and talked to the principal about a long term postion. I got to start out "my very own classroom", well not exactly, but I started out a classroom.

For three months I was "the teacher" I made out our behavior expectations, daily schedule, and did all the lesson plans. It was exhausting... Nevertheless, everyday I packed up my cart on wheels and set out to teach. It was my first experience in a classroom alone without anyone to tell me, "here's who you do it".

Sites I used for info and support

http://www.teachertube.com/

http://www.smbsd.org/page.cfm?p=35

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/