And just like that...it's over. Fall semester has come and gone and, though I'm happy to have survived it (assuming my Maps and Timelines final project receives a decent grade...fingers crossed!), I'm getting a little wistful thinking of the great memories we created over the past few months. Here are a couple highlights off the top of my head:
-We saw the election of a new president, much to the joy of many of us...and the dismay of a few. I enjoyed talking politics with everyone, and I especially enjoyed the video that Shannon B. sent out with those kids performing "vote however you like." That was one of the two best listserv emails of the year so far, yask me. The other being Dan's "touchy subject" email with the Ferris Bueller theme...totally slayed me.
-The fall semester saw the beginnings of what will no doubt be a lifelong chess rivalry betwixt myself and Benjamin Cherif-Goldberg. BCG currently leads the lifetime series 12-7, we also have had two draws.
-I've really enjoyed discussing the idea of somehow making it possible for humans to photosynthesize so that we don't have to eat anymore with some of the science majors. I mean, let's be honest here: The idea of having to go out, purchase food, prepare food, then take the time to actually sit down and eat food bite-by-bite is just too much for me on certain days, considering all the other stuff we have going on. It would be so nice if we could just photosynthesize and be full.
We went to the moon almost 30 years ago, we can clone human beings and do all this stem-cell stuff...there's gotta be a way to surgically implant chlorophyll and have it link up to our digestive systems....we just gotta put our heads together. I've talked to a few about this already (Brenda and I say it's possible, Sarah and Meghan have their doubts), and I would love to hear everyone else's opinions on whether or not this is possible.
-I thoroughly enjoyed my Wednesday carpools--up to North Campus with Laura S., then back to the SOE with Shannon B., Bobby, and Kristin F. Some good conversations on those car rides and THANKS AGAIN to Shannon and Laura. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't get those rides from you two...might have quit the program and became a drifter.
-Speaking of carpools, who could forget the good times we had in the John Glenn carpool? From issues with Bobby's punctuality, to my enjoyment of the "silence game," to Kate's bat-out-of-heck driving style, we sure had some good times. Personally, my favorite memory from the fall semester carpool has got to be when I "got" Sarah with that fake spider. When I purchased the fake spider, I never thought in a million years I would be able to get the authentic, horror-stricken scream that I was able to get as we pulled out of that halloween store on Ford Rd....for those who were there, you know what I'm talking about. For those who weren't, I don't think you'll ever be able to truly understand how perfect it was. I'm tearing up just thinking about it.
-Academically, my favorite assignment of the fall semester has to be the Webinars. I got teamed up with a heck of a partner in Shannon C., and it was the most fun I've ever had with an assignment. For those who missed it, do not worry. I don't think the world has seen the last of SeanShan!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Stuff That Has Happened Since The Last Time I Blogged
Alright, so it's been a while since I last got on here, so here goes a recap:
-There was a teacher strike in the Wayne-Westland School District, so me and my comrades had to find something else to do for a week. We had the pleasure of being guests at Western International High School on that Tuesday. Rena and her mentor were wonderful hosts and I was very impressed with their classroom, their students, and the way the class operated. For some reason, I kind of expected it to be a zoo in there, but the class ran very smoothly and there were some very sharp kids in there.
-That Thursday, as the Wayne-Westland strike continued, I was able to track down my friend Andrea and visit her second grade classroom in Farmington. Wow, this was a heck of an experience. Much different than high school, that's for sure. It seemed to me, because the kids were so innocent and young, they didn't have that "I'm too cool for this" attitude that plagues kids at the high school level. For the most part, these little tikes were attentive and engaged the whole time. Usually when a question was posed to the class, most kids raised their hands and were almost desperate to be called on. Oh yeah, and I also got to read "Charlotte's Web" to them....WITH voices! I did notice, however, that Andrea's job is not easy at all. She's got kids in there that really struggle with reading skills, and she's also got kids that are reading at advanced levels. So how to get the slower kids caught up while still challenging the gifted ones? Quite a balancing act.
-Let's see, what else, what else? Ben Goldberg has a strong hold on our chess rivalry at this point. He currently holds the championship belt as well as the lifetime series lead (I believe it currently stands at six games to three). I have also learned that I'm much more likely to make bonehead mistakes when we play chess at the bar. Gotta steer clear of that!
-I had a chance to sit down and "shoot the bull" with two former MACers on Friday (my brother and his buddy), and it was nice to get their perspective on things. Their advice: Stay positive, don't get bogged down by the BS, focus on aspects of the program that you enjoy, and above all else: Stay Positive!
-Mr. Galvin, OUT!
-There was a teacher strike in the Wayne-Westland School District, so me and my comrades had to find something else to do for a week. We had the pleasure of being guests at Western International High School on that Tuesday. Rena and her mentor were wonderful hosts and I was very impressed with their classroom, their students, and the way the class operated. For some reason, I kind of expected it to be a zoo in there, but the class ran very smoothly and there were some very sharp kids in there.
-That Thursday, as the Wayne-Westland strike continued, I was able to track down my friend Andrea and visit her second grade classroom in Farmington. Wow, this was a heck of an experience. Much different than high school, that's for sure. It seemed to me, because the kids were so innocent and young, they didn't have that "I'm too cool for this" attitude that plagues kids at the high school level. For the most part, these little tikes were attentive and engaged the whole time. Usually when a question was posed to the class, most kids raised their hands and were almost desperate to be called on. Oh yeah, and I also got to read "Charlotte's Web" to them....WITH voices! I did notice, however, that Andrea's job is not easy at all. She's got kids in there that really struggle with reading skills, and she's also got kids that are reading at advanced levels. So how to get the slower kids caught up while still challenging the gifted ones? Quite a balancing act.
-Let's see, what else, what else? Ben Goldberg has a strong hold on our chess rivalry at this point. He currently holds the championship belt as well as the lifetime series lead (I believe it currently stands at six games to three). I have also learned that I'm much more likely to make bonehead mistakes when we play chess at the bar. Gotta steer clear of that!
-I had a chance to sit down and "shoot the bull" with two former MACers on Friday (my brother and his buddy), and it was nice to get their perspective on things. Their advice: Stay positive, don't get bogged down by the BS, focus on aspects of the program that you enjoy, and above all else: Stay Positive!
-Mr. Galvin, OUT!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Random Thoughts in Early October
-Well, here we are, October 3rd. I'm sitting in the student lounge at the SOE waiting for Ed Tech, and I feel it's time to blog again.
-I've come to notice that there is not much going on in terms of technology in my classroom. Each day there is an assignment displayed on the projector, but that's about it. The rest is textbooks, discussions and lectures. I wanted to use a map of the world yesterday as I was lecturing, but all I could find in the room was US maps that never get used!
-Once I get to run my own show in January, I want to make a point to include visuals for my students as often as possible. Maps, powerpoints, outlines, all that kind of stuff. Nobody takes notes on lectures or anything, so I feel there is quite a bit my instruction that gets lost because students have a hard time paying attention to one person for too long. Visuals, man....visuals.
-There's a good chance the teachers at Wayne/Westland go on strike next week, so this may be a good opportunity to see some other schools and such...should be fun.
-To all who made it to Alli's debate party last night--Thank you. I needed that.
-I've come to notice that there is not much going on in terms of technology in my classroom. Each day there is an assignment displayed on the projector, but that's about it. The rest is textbooks, discussions and lectures. I wanted to use a map of the world yesterday as I was lecturing, but all I could find in the room was US maps that never get used!
-Once I get to run my own show in January, I want to make a point to include visuals for my students as often as possible. Maps, powerpoints, outlines, all that kind of stuff. Nobody takes notes on lectures or anything, so I feel there is quite a bit my instruction that gets lost because students have a hard time paying attention to one person for too long. Visuals, man....visuals.
-There's a good chance the teachers at Wayne/Westland go on strike next week, so this may be a good opportunity to see some other schools and such...should be fun.
-To all who made it to Alli's debate party last night--Thank you. I needed that.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Random thoughts about my last two days...
-I was off my game on Monday it's as simple as that. We were reviewing for the test we had today, and every time it was my turn to explain a particular term or concept, it seemed as if I took FOREVER to get to the point. I found myself being very redundant and dull to the point where, as I was talking in front of the class, a little voice came on in the back of my mind and was like, "what are you even saying right now?" Man, was I off. And the worst part about it is that I didn't even get much of a shot at redemption today because we were testing all day. So it appears that "How Mr. Galvin got his groove back" will have to wait until next week.
-There was this kid in one of my classes today that was obviously cheating and I didn't know what to do about it. I was helping with some of the slower readers by reading the test to them, and as I was reading one of the questions I could totally see him whispering with the girl next to him. My teacher "move" was to just walk over there and stand by him as I was talking, but it was pretty weak attempt. As soon as I walked away he was cheating again. I should have at least moved him to another seat in the room, but instead I looked to my mentor--who was busy typing something on the computer--like a frightened child. In the end, the kid got away with cheating because I didn't have the cojones to do anything about it. Now I worry that I'm getting a reputation as a pushover student teacher. The same type of pushover student teacher that I took advantage of all the time back in the day, how's that for some bad karma?
-Technologically speaking, I haven't had a chance to do much more than operate a few power point slides on a projector just yet. Although I guess I did have the pleasure of running scantron tests through the machine today--something I've always dreamed of doing and never thought I'd see the day that it happened. The thing looks like a 1970s sewing machine to me, and there's even this old-school looking tarp that goes over it when not in use--presumably because if any dust particles get caught inside the gears the thing would explode. Despite its primitive features, the scantron is a fine piece of machinery. It took a total of 8 minutes to grade like 200 tests, so props to that.
-It's pretty cool to experience passing time between classes as a teacher now. The kids are all running around pushing each other and just being teenagers, then I'll walk past another faculty member and we'll acknowledge each other even if we haven't met before. I guess that's what teachers do, give that little nod or smile to the other teacher as if to say, "yup, we're on the same team here." Of course, the kids are the exact opposite. I passed a group of kids today just as one of them cursed, and right away they all looked at me to see if I heard it....which I did. But again, being the pushover student teacher that doesn't want any trouble, I pretended like I didn't.
-Because it is simply not in my "reach" to pack a lunch for school, I have been eating the cafeteria food at John Glenn every time I'm there and I have no regrets. The food is surprisingly tolerable, the price is only $3, and I get to drink CHOCOLATE MILK every day. When's the last time you had a chocolate milk?!?
-I've had a few kids say "Hi Mr. Galvin" in the halls to me so far, and each time has made me feel sweet. I think I like getting that kind of respect and I wonder if I could get them to start calling me "sir" now and again, just to change it up a little bit.
-Seriously, chocolate milk is so sweet. And I love the little carton. It takes me back, man.
-There was this kid in one of my classes today that was obviously cheating and I didn't know what to do about it. I was helping with some of the slower readers by reading the test to them, and as I was reading one of the questions I could totally see him whispering with the girl next to him. My teacher "move" was to just walk over there and stand by him as I was talking, but it was pretty weak attempt. As soon as I walked away he was cheating again. I should have at least moved him to another seat in the room, but instead I looked to my mentor--who was busy typing something on the computer--like a frightened child. In the end, the kid got away with cheating because I didn't have the cojones to do anything about it. Now I worry that I'm getting a reputation as a pushover student teacher. The same type of pushover student teacher that I took advantage of all the time back in the day, how's that for some bad karma?
-Technologically speaking, I haven't had a chance to do much more than operate a few power point slides on a projector just yet. Although I guess I did have the pleasure of running scantron tests through the machine today--something I've always dreamed of doing and never thought I'd see the day that it happened. The thing looks like a 1970s sewing machine to me, and there's even this old-school looking tarp that goes over it when not in use--presumably because if any dust particles get caught inside the gears the thing would explode. Despite its primitive features, the scantron is a fine piece of machinery. It took a total of 8 minutes to grade like 200 tests, so props to that.
-It's pretty cool to experience passing time between classes as a teacher now. The kids are all running around pushing each other and just being teenagers, then I'll walk past another faculty member and we'll acknowledge each other even if we haven't met before. I guess that's what teachers do, give that little nod or smile to the other teacher as if to say, "yup, we're on the same team here." Of course, the kids are the exact opposite. I passed a group of kids today just as one of them cursed, and right away they all looked at me to see if I heard it....which I did. But again, being the pushover student teacher that doesn't want any trouble, I pretended like I didn't.
-Because it is simply not in my "reach" to pack a lunch for school, I have been eating the cafeteria food at John Glenn every time I'm there and I have no regrets. The food is surprisingly tolerable, the price is only $3, and I get to drink CHOCOLATE MILK every day. When's the last time you had a chocolate milk?!?
-I've had a few kids say "Hi Mr. Galvin" in the halls to me so far, and each time has made me feel sweet. I think I like getting that kind of respect and I wonder if I could get them to start calling me "sir" now and again, just to change it up a little bit.
-Seriously, chocolate milk is so sweet. And I love the little carton. It takes me back, man.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
At Last, The Classroom!!
So I don't know about everyone else in the cohort, but throughout the summer I was finding myself very eager/anxious to get in the classroom, get the kids in there, and try this whole teaching thing out once and for all.
Well, today I got my chance to do just that. We were discussing immigration to the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and I was given the task of explaining how and why people from Asia came here during that time. It's not like I teaching an entire lesson, but it was just me up there, running the show for a solid 15 minutes. If anyone has ever seen the movie "Old School" where Will Ferrel's character is debating with that bald dude from CNN and he blacks out for a few minutes while he's talking, that's pretty much what happened to me in first hour. But the cool thing about it was, I got to give the same "schpeel" five hours in a row, so by the end I really felt like I knew what I was doing. One class even had follow-up questions afterwards, I was amazed to wrap up what I was saying and see three or four hands in the air! To be honest, there were also a few heads down on the desks, but I wasn't letting that rain on my parade.
In short, I'm really excited to be in the classroom now. I'm really feeling positive vibes about this whole becoming a teacher thing, and while I realize the other shoe may not have dropped yet, I'm walking on air for now!
Well, today I got my chance to do just that. We were discussing immigration to the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and I was given the task of explaining how and why people from Asia came here during that time. It's not like I teaching an entire lesson, but it was just me up there, running the show for a solid 15 minutes. If anyone has ever seen the movie "Old School" where Will Ferrel's character is debating with that bald dude from CNN and he blacks out for a few minutes while he's talking, that's pretty much what happened to me in first hour. But the cool thing about it was, I got to give the same "schpeel" five hours in a row, so by the end I really felt like I knew what I was doing. One class even had follow-up questions afterwards, I was amazed to wrap up what I was saying and see three or four hands in the air! To be honest, there were also a few heads down on the desks, but I wasn't letting that rain on my parade.
In short, I'm really excited to be in the classroom now. I'm really feeling positive vibes about this whole becoming a teacher thing, and while I realize the other shoe may not have dropped yet, I'm walking on air for now!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Final Week of Summer Term
Wow, that was fast. One minute, you're trying to find the student services building to get your MCard, the next you're sitting in the grad library like you own the place, typing away at your final blog of the summer term. My, how time flies.
It's weird to look in "my documents" here on this MacBook, because there are so many documents and completed assignments in there, and it really doesn't seem like I've been in school that long!
If it were socially acceptable to tattoo the pharse "have some goshdarn foresight you a-hole" backwards on my forehead so I was forced to read it in the mirror every morning, that might be a good idea for fall semester and beyond. While my whole "do what's on the to-do list for today and don't worry about anything else" strategy has gotten me to this point, I've had my share of stressful moments that could have been avoided had I planned ahead a little bit.
At the risk of being labeled a "brown-noser," I've got to say I've really enjoyed this technology course so far. It's becoming apparent to me that I've kind of had a grumpy-old-man attitude towards technological advances and thought of the Internet as a vast wasteland of worthless, time-killing information and "adult" websites. But I'm starting to get an idea of just how great of an asset technology can be to education, given a little know-how and an open mind.
It's weird to look in "my documents" here on this MacBook, because there are so many documents and completed assignments in there, and it really doesn't seem like I've been in school that long!
If it were socially acceptable to tattoo the pharse "have some goshdarn foresight you a-hole" backwards on my forehead so I was forced to read it in the mirror every morning, that might be a good idea for fall semester and beyond. While my whole "do what's on the to-do list for today and don't worry about anything else" strategy has gotten me to this point, I've had my share of stressful moments that could have been avoided had I planned ahead a little bit.
At the risk of being labeled a "brown-noser," I've got to say I've really enjoyed this technology course so far. It's becoming apparent to me that I've kind of had a grumpy-old-man attitude towards technological advances and thought of the Internet as a vast wasteland of worthless, time-killing information and "adult" websites. But I'm starting to get an idea of just how great of an asset technology can be to education, given a little know-how and an open mind.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Changing My Mind About Tech
So, I'll be honest. I've never really been a big fan of technological advances. To me, new advances such as the cell phone and GPS systems, though they seem fantastic at first, have very ugly sides as well. Now if I get a text message from someone and don't respond in a somewhat prompt fashion, this person has a right to be upset with me and I find myself feeling guilty. Now, with the GPS deals, there will be an ongoing reduction in the percentage of human beings who know how to read a map or have any sense of direction whatsoever.
There's a big part of me that, in all truthfulness and honesty, wants to scrap all this BS and start a commune based on small agriculture and togetherness. It would be like Jonestown, only without the group suicide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown).
I also plan on founding the Automobile Abolitionist Society in the next few years. I'll be a modern-day John Rankin, William Lloyd Garrison, etc. First, I'll need to secure a teaching job in a small country town. Then, I'll find a place to live nearby. After that, I'll decide whether it's best to ride my bike to work, or better yet, purchase a mule. Once that's taken care of, I'll "ghost ride" my Dodge Caliber off a cliff somewhere and collect the insurance money. That would be enough to get the AAS off the ground and make t-shirts and coffee mugs and stuff.
But when it comes to technology in the classroom, I can really see a benefit. Those wikis we learned about in 504 on Friday seem real user-friendly and beneficial. My skeptical mind has been working overtime trying to figure out the down side to such tools, and honestly, I've come up empty. Long live the wikis, long live EDUC 504, and LONG LIVE THE SECONDARY MAC!!!! (drop the mic and walk off the stage)
There's a big part of me that, in all truthfulness and honesty, wants to scrap all this BS and start a commune based on small agriculture and togetherness. It would be like Jonestown, only without the group suicide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown).
I also plan on founding the Automobile Abolitionist Society in the next few years. I'll be a modern-day John Rankin, William Lloyd Garrison, etc. First, I'll need to secure a teaching job in a small country town. Then, I'll find a place to live nearby. After that, I'll decide whether it's best to ride my bike to work, or better yet, purchase a mule. Once that's taken care of, I'll "ghost ride" my Dodge Caliber off a cliff somewhere and collect the insurance money. That would be enough to get the AAS off the ground and make t-shirts and coffee mugs and stuff.
But when it comes to technology in the classroom, I can really see a benefit. Those wikis we learned about in 504 on Friday seem real user-friendly and beneficial. My skeptical mind has been working overtime trying to figure out the down side to such tools, and honestly, I've come up empty. Long live the wikis, long live EDUC 504, and LONG LIVE THE SECONDARY MAC!!!! (drop the mic and walk off the stage)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Up in the Stacks
So I found a pretty sweet study spot up in the stacks of the grad library. I'm sitting in this little private room with a window overlooking the diag and that big American Flag and that one tower. Not only is it a cool view, but it's nice and quiet as well.
It's cool to walk around town these days and watch everyone get set up for the big Art Fair. I've been coming to Ann Arbor for the Art Fair for as long as I can remember, and no, I've never purchased any art. My parents would always take me when I was little and we would see jugglers and slack-rope walkers and stuff like that. Nowadays, I like to just wander around and people-watch. There are always interesting characters and street-performers and such. If anyone's interested in checking out the Art Fair over the next couple days, let me know, cause I'm down!
It's cool to walk around town these days and watch everyone get set up for the big Art Fair. I've been coming to Ann Arbor for the Art Fair for as long as I can remember, and no, I've never purchased any art. My parents would always take me when I was little and we would see jugglers and slack-rope walkers and stuff like that. Nowadays, I like to just wander around and people-watch. There are always interesting characters and street-performers and such. If anyone's interested in checking out the Art Fair over the next couple days, let me know, cause I'm down!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
My first ever blog!
Well, here I go with my first attempt at blogging. I missed the first EDUC 504 class due to some chronic back pain that flared up the day before class. I got a cortisone shot in my back on Friday morning which is supposed to get all the inflammation and swelling down to a tolerable level. Today is Sunday, and I can already notice a difference. I've had this disc issue since 2005, and most of the time the cortisone shot does the trick. I'm thinking once I get some health insurance, it'll be time to consider back surgery.
But enough about bad backs. I'd like to shift my focus to how exciting it is to be blogging for the very first time! Now, any time I feel necessary, I can express my views and opinions throughout the universe! While I'd love to express my disdain for the high volume of back-up beepers on construction vehicles on the U of M campus, I'm not quite sure of the guidelines of this assignment and I don't want to overstep my boundaries. But, rest assured, once I get the green light to blog away on things that irritate me, back-up beepers and the stalls in the second floor men's bathroom of the SOE building better watch out!
But enough about bad backs. I'd like to shift my focus to how exciting it is to be blogging for the very first time! Now, any time I feel necessary, I can express my views and opinions throughout the universe! While I'd love to express my disdain for the high volume of back-up beepers on construction vehicles on the U of M campus, I'm not quite sure of the guidelines of this assignment and I don't want to overstep my boundaries. But, rest assured, once I get the green light to blog away on things that irritate me, back-up beepers and the stalls in the second floor men's bathroom of the SOE building better watch out!
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