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!
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6 comments:
Hey Sean, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your group's presentation in 504 this past Friday! Wow, are you a funny kid on film =o) I laughed a whole bunch and appreciated your willingness to take an eraser to the face for your cause. Props for dedication and bravo to your whole group for a job well done! Do you plan to use cell phones in your own class?
I like this advice. I hear it from a lot of people, but it's nice to hear it from people that have actually gotten through the program.
I'm starting to get my energy back and it's nice to hear some positive words! Now, I just need to translate that thought into actual work. Baby steps!
I also second other Stephanie's comments. Great job!
shoot, now our group presentation has to be extra good and funny to fill the hole you left!
I know what you mean about visiting other schools. I visited a middle school in W Bloomfield on Monday and in some ways, it was totally different from my placement. But other things were similar: a constant battle to keep kids on task & paying attention.
The teacher I visited said she really liked teaching middle school (7th grade) even though sometimes the kids are really immature. "Yesterday I had to tell a kid to get out of the trash can," she told me, "That's not something they tell you to expect in the MAC program."
Hi Sean,
First of all: a correction -
"My comrades and I had to find..." :) English major --> what do you want from me?!
Okay on to on topic comments. I am glad to hear that Rena's class was smooth and structured and informative. Sometimes her comments give me the impression that wild boar are meandering around, also! I really don't like having these preconceived notions about urban school systems. I shouldn't either since I work in one!
About the elementary classroom you visited - I know exactly what you're talking about when you say the kids have a "too cool for school" attitude. I bet it was refreshing to observe attentive kids excited about being in the classroom. I am very concered with keeping my students engaged and interested, even excited about learning. They often ask why we are doing this or learning that. I understand that learning is not always fun - it is work. But I want to produce creative lesson plans and implement fun exerciese in which the students construct meanings of concepts themselves. My methods class is really helping me with this goal, and my teacher maintains that good teachers recognize effective exercises and lesson plans that are condusive to the individual teacher and particular classroom. So borrow on, friend! (And share with me!)
Lastly, these elementary kids made me think about all the literature I have read arguing for certain skills being taught in early education, such as second language acquisition. Your statements made me believe in the theory that younger students are more receptive in these content areas.
Second grade would be so much fun! Why on earth am I going to teach physics? Ha - just joking. Gotta love physics. But seriously, I would love to teach so many things to so many age groups! Can't I just get a degree in EVERYTHING?
I agree with you...attitude is everything! Thank you for helping me stay positive!
-Sarah
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