oh me oh my.

"You cannot teach a man anything; you can help him to find it within himself. "

==Galileo==

Substitute teaching has got to be the most brutal job ever [for a teacher that is]. You have no credibility with the students and only 67 minutes to make an impression [which will not matter because you will never see them again]. I've only had one sub job so far but it has left enough of an impression where I am not looking forward to my next. Having already taught, planned, developed a rapport with my students, this is just KILLING me! I am just supposed to sit there class after class and hand out a ridiculous worksheet or play an inane video and expect the students to like me?! Yeah right! I know this is not permanent but ay caramba! Subbing in the elementary and early childhood would be fun because all younger children love you no matter who you are but high schoolers and pre-teens....no way. They immediately fist pump and high five their friends once they see their teacher is absent and change seats. Honestly?? I know the drill little ones so don't try and pull one over on me. I don't care if you think I'm a huge biotch. You will do the assignment and I will never see you again. Fingers crossed for a full-time job otherwise look out Vermont [next year of course]!

summer.

let the sand stick to ya feet and the ocean breeze blow.

take charge?

is it better to

[[make]] things happen

or

++let++

things happen?

Ain't No Song and Dance.

So I've been student teaching for about 8 weeks now and have finally started my time in the high school [after being in the middle school for 7 weeks]. All I can say is that it is certainly not like the high school I remember or High School Musical. Oh no no no...no way! Lets just say tattoos and lip rings are the norm regardless of the stereotype of jock, emo, etc. and the warmth factor isn't nearly as high as the middle school [hugs and compliments on the daily]. I think once I have my own classroom and have some more time with the students it'll be better [7 weeks just isn't enough]. Only a couple more weeks [6 to be exact] until the end is here. Hooray! Then onto the bigger game of landing a secure teaching job. Eeeeeeek!

you said it mister.

children.

I begin student teaching Tuesday. EEEEEK! I haven't been this nervous since the 800m dash in high school track. It's the most bizarre thing to go from being a student my whole life to being the teacher.

As I prepare for next week, I realize that I can't just make lessons centered around what I feel is important. I must work backwards and 'teach to the test'. Teachers look at the state tests and see what material is covered. Then look at the grade span expectations, GSE's, for their particular grade and then create their lesson plans. It's nuts! So trying to incorporate fun, exciting, motivating activities is difficult because you have to constantly keep moving forward to meet all the standards.

I'm excited to start, hoping I can bring some new energy and insight. I know it's going to be hard to 'go against the grain' and not do PowerPoint after PowerPoint but that'y my goal. I want students to feel challenged but for those challenges to feel possible. Schools need to be reintroduced with the mentality that learning should be challenging and exciting. That's where the motivation comes from for students and that's why student's have lost the will to do better and succeed.