Maybe I'm just a poor future teacher who doesn't truly understand what goes on in a classroom from day to day. Maybe I'm really clueless and idealistic. It just seems to me that once a person reaches the point in their teaching career where they don't honestly care about the success and well being of their students then that person should find a new career.
Kids these days have literally hundreds of negative influences and people telling them that they aren't good enough. Shouldn't the classroom be as safe and removed from that as possible?
Again, maybe I'm a crazy liberal with backwards ideas about real life, but shouldn't a teacher be someone a student can trust to be honest and accepting no matter what the situation? Isn't that the point of all of these classes I am taking? I'm learning how to provide instruction that includes and accepts students from every possible situation. If teaching is really just glorified babysitting and putting up with various problems as they arise then I should just be able to renew my CPR and first aid certifications and have at it, right? I mean, I have 12 years experience with babysitting. Why bother with all of these papers and readings about being culturally responsive and accepting if that has nothing to do with being a "real" teacher?
I have had the opportunity lately to meet some teachers who have made my blood boil. They tell children to their face and in notes home to parents that the child is a burden and the teacher does not have time to deal with them each day. They tell the parents to medicate the children because the child is a distraction and a menace in the classroom... never mind what might be best for the actual child in question. If there are legitimate issues, then work with the family to help them figure out the issues in a way that sets the child up for success.
My parents dealt with this to some extent with my younger brother and I know it made them angry. Now that I am seeing it from a teacher's perspective I am even more angry about it. These are KIDS for goodness sake. If a kindergartner makes jokes using toilet humor and it offends you, the problem is not the 5 year-old... the problem is YOU! Hate to break it to you, but kids are gross and they find all things related to bathrooms and underwear to be hilarious. If this offends your delicate sensibilities then please find another profession.
A child should not have to go through life thinking he or she is a dirty, shameful child just because his or her teacher didn't pay attention in child development class back in college.
Please note that these comments are about a few different teachers I have met recently outside of my courses at GSU and are in no way connected to my field placements within that program.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
first block grades are in
child development - A
cultural foundations - A+
language and literacy - A
classroom management - A+
GEOMETRY - A+
Straight As.
And no, your eyes are not playing tricks on you... that is definitely an A+ in geometry up there. I have one thing to say about that: in your FACE Mr. Kinney!
Mr. Kinney was my 9th grade geometry teacher in high school. He treated my friend and me like crap and I felt like he was never willing to help us out because we had skipped a grade in math. I made a D in his class that year and the idea that I was bad at math was born. It may have taken me 10 years, but I finally proved to myself that I AM smart and I AM intelligent enough to succeed at subjects that do not come natural to me.
I would also just like to say that I am incredibly proud of myself. I made the President's list last semester and chalked it up to only having three classes. I was proud, but didn't think it would be repeated. However, I still made it my goal to get back on that list this semester carrying a full course load. The fact that I achieved this goal means the world to me. It is such an affirmation that I am exactly where I need to be.
Now I can truly relax and enjoy my break before summer classes start.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
you may have noticed a change...
Back when I created this blog I chose the name "A lot of love, A lot of hope" because I felt that was all I had. Steve and I had love and hope on our side and absolutely no clue how to get where we wanted to be. We persevered through some really trying times in Savannah, confusing times during and after our move to Atlanta, and have finally come to a place where the path toward our dreams has become clear.
In light of this new found focus, I felt that this blog should change to reflect our lives as they are now.
The tag line has stayed the same since the overall goal is still the same: to live the life we have imagined. However, the title "The Thoreau Experiment" is, in my opinion, more indicative of our attempts to "go confidently in the direction of our dreams" as Mr. Thoreau encourages us to do.
There has also been some cleaning up around the edges. I found that many of the things I had placed around the edges of the blog were simply to take up space and were no longer necessary or relevant. It was time to simplify.
I feel that the blog as it is now can easily grow with me as things change in my life... beyond the completion of my degree and on into the other adventures awaiting me. Life truly is a great big experiment and I hope to become better at documenting the process.
block 1 = complete
It is official, as of approximately 8:55am this morning I am finished with block 1. All I have to do now is wait for tomorrow when my final grades will be published, then I have three weeks of relaxing to do before summer classes begin.
Oh, and what a glorious few weeks they will be! I will be volunteering with my favorite kindergarten class for field day one day next week, then Steve and I go on our Disney trip, and then it's Steve's big 30th birthday celebration. I am pretty sure May is going to be epic.
With any luck, I will decompress and get rid of all the spring semester stress so that I am fresh and ready for summer classes. I think I mentioned this on here before, but I am taking Statistics and Algebra this summer. It has sarcastically lovingly been dubbed "the summer of incredible fun" since, well, I can think of many things I would prefer than spending six weeks doing nothing but math. However, it is a necessary evil.
Also, I don't want to jinx anything by speaking too soon, but I am pretty sure I got at least a B+ in Geometry this semester. I might just be able to rock these classes and then move on to more happy fun times classes like science methods in early childhood. Now THAT sounds like a good time.
If you couldn't tell, I am incredibly relieved to be finished with the semester. I will be back tomorrow to post the official grades from the semester. :)
Friday, April 27, 2012
not a graduation, but a convocation
Very early on in the semester I found out that Georgia State was doing away with Fall commencement ceremonies in favor of one big ceremony in the spring. As someone admitted to a program that will not be complete until December of 2013, and as someone who will have waited 8 years for my college degree, this news was most unwelcome. I sure as hell was not willing to wait another six months to have my moment walking across that stage.
After pouting and complaining for a while, I found out that the College of Education would continue to hold convocation for all graduates in the semester which they complete their coursework. Since I had never attended a convocation, this news did little to make me feel better.
I felt very angry at Georgia State for making - what I perceived to be - such a rash and insensitive decision.
Fast forward to the present.... I finally saw pictures and video of the most recent fall convocation for the Georgia State College of Education. Not only was it a beautiful ceremony, but it was much smaller, much more intimate, and allowed for the event to truly reflect the specific triumphs of those graduating in the field of education. The keynote speaker, the Dean of the college, and everyone else is focused on the 30-40 new teachers receiving their certification and degrees.
Even better? I don't have to wear a cap and gown! As iconic as those articles of clothing are for graduation, I am happy to forego them in order to feel comfortable... not to mention maintaining my individuality throughout the event. It is difficult to tell one person from another when they are all wearing the same thing.
The more I think about having a convocation instead of a traditional graduation ceremony, the less angry and upset I get. I had the typical cap and gown, pomp and circumstance, boring commencement ceremony when I graduated from high school. It matched the typical high school experience that I had. I really love the idea of having a different, more personal experience when I (finally) finish college in just about 18 months. It compliments the distinctly unique experience I have had in pursuit of this degree.
By the way.... I get to apply to graduate at the end of the coming fall semester. Hold on to your hats, folks. The end is near!
After pouting and complaining for a while, I found out that the College of Education would continue to hold convocation for all graduates in the semester which they complete their coursework. Since I had never attended a convocation, this news did little to make me feel better.
I felt very angry at Georgia State for making - what I perceived to be - such a rash and insensitive decision.
Fast forward to the present.... I finally saw pictures and video of the most recent fall convocation for the Georgia State College of Education. Not only was it a beautiful ceremony, but it was much smaller, much more intimate, and allowed for the event to truly reflect the specific triumphs of those graduating in the field of education. The keynote speaker, the Dean of the college, and everyone else is focused on the 30-40 new teachers receiving their certification and degrees.
Even better? I don't have to wear a cap and gown! As iconic as those articles of clothing are for graduation, I am happy to forego them in order to feel comfortable... not to mention maintaining my individuality throughout the event. It is difficult to tell one person from another when they are all wearing the same thing.
The more I think about having a convocation instead of a traditional graduation ceremony, the less angry and upset I get. I had the typical cap and gown, pomp and circumstance, boring commencement ceremony when I graduated from high school. It matched the typical high school experience that I had. I really love the idea of having a different, more personal experience when I (finally) finish college in just about 18 months. It compliments the distinctly unique experience I have had in pursuit of this degree.
By the way.... I get to apply to graduate at the end of the coming fall semester. Hold on to your hats, folks. The end is near!
Friday, April 6, 2012
nothing pretty about the end of the semester
This is the last month of classes and I am more stressed than I can remember ever being because of school.
We have a major project due every week until the end of the semester in addition to several less important projects due at the same time. Then I have my math class which is another headache entirely.
I feel like a huge whiner, but I really am super stressed. I've never taken 15 hours before. I certainly have never taken so many high stakes classes at one time. Getting a C could mean being dropped from the program.... which would be a nightmare.
I had a huge IBS flare up on Monday the likes of which I haven't seen since my days at the library in Savannah. It lasted three days. I've been chugging water just trying to maintain an acceptable level of hydration. Monday all I could keep in my system was ginger tea with a small bit of honey.
Of course, it wasn't strictly due to stress. I made some poor food choices last weekend and had an allergic reaction to peanut oil and dairy that really made the flare up ugly.
All of those things being said, that does not mean there are nto positives around here. In the midst of my issues this week I made my way to kroger and found an excellent brand of soy yogurt and soy cheese which are both lactose and casein free! They are also cheap and I can buy them at the regular grocery store. They also do not use genetically modified soybeans.
I believe that is pretty much the definition of a BFD in my book.
Yay soy products!
Another happy thing? I get to see Steve today (he's been gone for two weeks) and tomorrow we will be at the beach!
Yay beach time!
We have a major project due every week until the end of the semester in addition to several less important projects due at the same time. Then I have my math class which is another headache entirely.
I feel like a huge whiner, but I really am super stressed. I've never taken 15 hours before. I certainly have never taken so many high stakes classes at one time. Getting a C could mean being dropped from the program.... which would be a nightmare.
I had a huge IBS flare up on Monday the likes of which I haven't seen since my days at the library in Savannah. It lasted three days. I've been chugging water just trying to maintain an acceptable level of hydration. Monday all I could keep in my system was ginger tea with a small bit of honey.
Of course, it wasn't strictly due to stress. I made some poor food choices last weekend and had an allergic reaction to peanut oil and dairy that really made the flare up ugly.
All of those things being said, that does not mean there are nto positives around here. In the midst of my issues this week I made my way to kroger and found an excellent brand of soy yogurt and soy cheese which are both lactose and casein free! They are also cheap and I can buy them at the regular grocery store. They also do not use genetically modified soybeans.
I believe that is pretty much the definition of a BFD in my book.
Yay soy products!
Another happy thing? I get to see Steve today (he's been gone for two weeks) and tomorrow we will be at the beach!
Yay beach time!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Great literature FTW
In case you were not aware, I have been reading the Harry Potter series this semester during what I call down time. Which usually means on the train to and from class or during the kiddos' karate lessons.
I had read the first four books when they initially came out. My grandma bought them for me as a birthday gift from her book club or something and I loved them. Then I got to high school and had enough reading to do with my AP and honors classes. Books 5 through 7 never made it into my reading que. It wasn't until after I had seen all of the movies that I really felt the urge to dive into the books again.
That urge to read them, coupled with the need for something interesting to take my mind off of those tedious moments on the train and a shiny new library card, brought me to where I am now.
Halfway through the last book crying over Dobby's death harder than I did in the theatre.
In all seriousness, I am loving this series all over again and finding some connections to my own life in the pages just like I did when I was eleven. It is times like this that I get excited about the day when I have my own children and they are old enough to read these books just like I read the Chronicles of Narnia with my mom.
With all of the craziness from school it is nice to daydream sometimes about Felix Felicis or some charm to cheer yourself up. These things make for great metaphors.
I had read the first four books when they initially came out. My grandma bought them for me as a birthday gift from her book club or something and I loved them. Then I got to high school and had enough reading to do with my AP and honors classes. Books 5 through 7 never made it into my reading que. It wasn't until after I had seen all of the movies that I really felt the urge to dive into the books again.
That urge to read them, coupled with the need for something interesting to take my mind off of those tedious moments on the train and a shiny new library card, brought me to where I am now.
Halfway through the last book crying over Dobby's death harder than I did in the theatre.
In all seriousness, I am loving this series all over again and finding some connections to my own life in the pages just like I did when I was eleven. It is times like this that I get excited about the day when I have my own children and they are old enough to read these books just like I read the Chronicles of Narnia with my mom.
With all of the craziness from school it is nice to daydream sometimes about Felix Felicis or some charm to cheer yourself up. These things make for great metaphors.
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