Do you want fries with that?
I hit a rut again, but I’m happy to report that I found my way out in time to right this blog. So instead of a depressing, heavy email about how I don’t know if I want to teach next year/do with my life and how I’m not affecting kids how I want to, you get a better perspective. I guess I need those rough times to grow and develop??? Well, I hope they are good for something anyway.
Although with teaching there are always a million things I feel like I could do better, I am trying to train myself to climb one mountain at a time. Like, I finally started teaching science legitimately (instead of pretending like I only teach math and only planning for that) and the guilt about that is dissipating. But, man if I could only be a super teacher. I know my kids are learning, but passing the test really is important for their progress and scholastic future (whether they will stay in school to graduate high school, etc). So in that sense, I really have to teach to the test a lot of the time. The state tests are so frickin’ tricky, too! With my two weeks of upcoming break, I plan to revamp my class so that I really feel good about their LEAP preparation.
Highlight of the last week was definitely our McDonald’s tutoring session. Ronnie Jones is orphaned, raises himself (in his older sister’s house- but she’s often out of town with her rapper boyfriend) and will turn 17 in January. In other words, we have a crisis situation. He could legally sign himself out of school on his 17th birthday, and Nicole and I have made it our personal mission to ensure that does not happen. So, since he can’t get a ride to after school tutoring on Wednesdays, McDonald’s Mondays are going to have to happen. We thought he was going to stand us up this past week. We already had our fast food snack, and boredom drove us to play boggle with Nicole’s phonics tiles intended for Ronnie’s use. He caught us in the act- tallying up who had the most words. It was really funny. He was such a rock star with the one-on-one attention! A math machine, and really progressing with reading. God, how I love this child.
Last weekend we hosted one sweet 80's party. I was particularly impressed with my four Constance Street friends and their wacky hair/dress combos. It was a magical night...people are still talking about it. I had fun making the play list, and I was definitely in my element through the whole extravaganza, that's no surprise to anyone who knows me. We did have some scars...in our floor, heel divits that seem pretty severe/hard to repair. I guess our house floors are not in fact made for dancing..alas, you live and learn, and don't get your security deposit back.
I hope everyone is well in this holiday season. Much love, Sarah
Below, are some of Nicole's homeroom. Left to right: Jarvea, Lorenzo, Jeremiah, Darryl, Ronnie (McD's tutoring), Chelsea. I tutored Jeremiah and Jarvea after school yesterday and it rocked my world. They both have behavior problems, but maybe I can win them over with some individual time. They both have amazing moms who I have good relationships with.
Although with teaching there are always a million things I feel like I could do better, I am trying to train myself to climb one mountain at a time. Like, I finally started teaching science legitimately (instead of pretending like I only teach math and only planning for that) and the guilt about that is dissipating. But, man if I could only be a super teacher. I know my kids are learning, but passing the test really is important for their progress and scholastic future (whether they will stay in school to graduate high school, etc). So in that sense, I really have to teach to the test a lot of the time. The state tests are so frickin’ tricky, too! With my two weeks of upcoming break, I plan to revamp my class so that I really feel good about their LEAP preparation.
Highlight of the last week was definitely our McDonald’s tutoring session. Ronnie Jones is orphaned, raises himself (in his older sister’s house- but she’s often out of town with her rapper boyfriend) and will turn 17 in January. In other words, we have a crisis situation. He could legally sign himself out of school on his 17th birthday, and Nicole and I have made it our personal mission to ensure that does not happen. So, since he can’t get a ride to after school tutoring on Wednesdays, McDonald’s Mondays are going to have to happen. We thought he was going to stand us up this past week. We already had our fast food snack, and boredom drove us to play boggle with Nicole’s phonics tiles intended for Ronnie’s use. He caught us in the act- tallying up who had the most words. It was really funny. He was such a rock star with the one-on-one attention! A math machine, and really progressing with reading. God, how I love this child.
Last weekend we hosted one sweet 80's party. I was particularly impressed with my four Constance Street friends and their wacky hair/dress combos. It was a magical night...people are still talking about it. I had fun making the play list, and I was definitely in my element through the whole extravaganza, that's no surprise to anyone who knows me. We did have some scars...in our floor, heel divits that seem pretty severe/hard to repair. I guess our house floors are not in fact made for dancing..alas, you live and learn, and don't get your security deposit back.
I hope everyone is well in this holiday season. Much love, Sarah
Below, are some of Nicole's homeroom. Left to right: Jarvea, Lorenzo, Jeremiah, Darryl, Ronnie (McD's tutoring), Chelsea. I tutored Jeremiah and Jarvea after school yesterday and it rocked my world. They both have behavior problems, but maybe I can win them over with some individual time. They both have amazing moms who I have good relationships with.
posted by MissBliss at 1:51 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home