Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Student Teaching and stuff

I just realized this is my first post of the new year.
I'm a lil bit late.
so HAPPY NEW YEAR.

2011 has been off to a great start. I've begun my student teaching at ETHS, and I'm really loving it.
There's so much I can talk about my student teaching so far, even though it's only the 3rd week (7 to go). One thing I love it that I'm finally doing what I've been wanting to do for so long: TEACH. Like last week, after talking with my mentor teacher about how I did in the morning. I just felt really happy. This was possibly the happiest I've been in awhile. All because I'm doing what I wanna do with my life, and not taking STUPID classes. Unfortunately I'll be back to 'college life' come spring quarter, but I'm deciding not to think about that or I'll get all depressed and stuff.

Otherwise I'm really enjoying it. The kids are great and hilarious. For instance, I've seen a girl pull a pass outta of  her bra, and a  kid chew on a wad of paper. There should be more hilarious things to come. Stay tuned. The students are really cool. I'm teaching a Geom H class, all freshman, mostly white, and 3 Algebra 2 Regular class, culturally mixed . and it's been interesting seeing the differences. Honors kids are a lot more self-motivated. Like you give them a problem and they immediately start working on it. Whereas in the other classes you definitely have to nudge them along, sometimes ya gotta do a little more than nudge. But it's an experience nevertheless. I'm enjoy the challenge. I think this is one of the main differences between regular and honors. I don't think it has anything to do with intellect but more so motivation, like who cares more about learning it seems. Not to say that regular students don't care it just seems from my experience they just don't want to anything, and this could stem from plenty of things I'm sure, especially in relations to mathematics. But anyhoo it'll be interestin seeing the difference between the classes, over the quarter.

I haven't taken over any classes yet. That comes in about 2 weeks, after the students are done with finals, ya see ETHS is on the weird system, but it works out okay for me I suppose. It's gonna be really interesting teaching though 5 classes alone because I'm currently co-teaching 4 of them, which is really great, because I can interact with the students get to know them, and instruct them as well. But it'll be interesting having that full load of classes, and having to do so much preparation, like I already know Ima be dead tired. Literally, there's like so much left to this quarter it redunkulous. But I'll get through it and be fine.

Also my mentor teachers are really great. Peter's awesome, even though he's a little reluctant about letting his class into my hands because I'm probably gonna mess them up and confuse them. But there's nothing I can really do but my best, and it's not gonna be perfect and I'm okay with that for now. Maryjoy though is also awesome, she reminds me alot of myself and we get along pretty well. She just had a baby in October so she's really more focused on him (his name is Theo, I'll get to see him Wednesday next we hopefully!) than on school when she's not at school. Which to me, is totally understandable, it just might make some things kinda of difficult to do. But as usual I'll be okay, I'm a big boy. Ummmm yeah I love my mentors, they have been so awesome.

so basically, Monday through Friday
I wake up a 6am outta the door by 640,645 because i take my shower the night before. take the cta purple line from noyes to davis.this involves me waiting usually like 5 mins which sometimes might look like this.


 i then take 93 bus from davis to the school (it literally drops me off right in front of the school) then I'm at the school until about 430, 5. so it's pretty long days. Basically I'm working, without getting paid. Actually I'm paying someone else to work. It's really great. But the experience I'm  is priceless gaining in my mind.

But as I've said like a million times by now I really love my student teaching experience so far. Mainly cuz I'm doing my thug thiz.

Okay so I honestly don't know how much I will updates bout student teaching or general life problems or randomocity, prolly not much, but you'll be alright. I know.
Yes this is it.

PEACE & CHICKEN GREASE