Right now, I am halfway through spring break. Which isn't really much of a spring break at all. It has been nice though! It has been a chance for everyone to catch up on some work and get a lot of projects done.
I ended up being sick with an asthma flare at the beginning of my break. That meant a few days of prednisone a lots of xoponex nebulizers! It was a bad time but a good time too, because I could stay home in bed and read for a few days. That was last Thursday until about Tuesday...
I've also had lots of projects to do. Two technology group work projects and a big presentation.
Then there is the work that we would normally have during a average school week..that doesn't go away! Just the classes!!!
So MAT students do not get a break.
We get a break from each other...but I realized today that I really miss everyone! I did some work today with Katie, one of the people in my cohort, and I realized I hadn't seen her in a week...which is a lot when you usually see someone every day. I think we are a good support system for each other.
Tomorrow we are finishing our group project, so I will get to work with some more people I miss.
Soon break will be over though, and we can all get back to seeing each other all the time and working non-stop again, supporting each other all the way. This little teasing thing called "spring break" will be a thing of a past.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Freedom Writers' Diaries
I finished reading the Freedom Writers' today. It was an amazing book.
The book took awhile to read, not because it was boring, but because it was so intense. Some days I could not read more than a few diary entries. I finished the last three "chapters" (end of their junior years and entire senior years) today in a few big chunks. I cried in a whole bunch of different places. When my mom got home from work, I told her how much she means to me. I tell her often that I love her, but I told her how lucky I was to have parents like my mom and dad. They never beat me, stole from me, and were always able to provide more than enough for me. I always new that my parents cared a lot about me and was always incredibly appreciative of what they gave me, but I think after reading the Freedom Diaries and doing my observations, I am realizing that I should not just be appreciative....
The stories of the 150 students of Erin Gruwell really opened a lot up to me. Especially when I watch one of my mentor's classes in particular. I know they are coming from welfare homes, abusive situations, and half of them don't even come because they have been arrested.
After reading the diaries, I am supposed to come up with a presentation about how arts integration could have helped these students. I have a good start that explains how arts integration is good for students that are hard to reach by other methods, and content-specific, how a arts-approach raises low scores significantly in history. I also know that Erin Gruwell has been criticized for having an unrealistic approach to her teaching, and I think arts integration (which she did do a few times with success) is another positive approach.
Anyway, I just can't get these stories..these voices...out of my head. I keep hearing them echoing and remembering every last detail of some of the stories.
If you have only seen the movie, go read the book. It is simply amazing.
The book took awhile to read, not because it was boring, but because it was so intense. Some days I could not read more than a few diary entries. I finished the last three "chapters" (end of their junior years and entire senior years) today in a few big chunks. I cried in a whole bunch of different places. When my mom got home from work, I told her how much she means to me. I tell her often that I love her, but I told her how lucky I was to have parents like my mom and dad. They never beat me, stole from me, and were always able to provide more than enough for me. I always new that my parents cared a lot about me and was always incredibly appreciative of what they gave me, but I think after reading the Freedom Diaries and doing my observations, I am realizing that I should not just be appreciative....
The stories of the 150 students of Erin Gruwell really opened a lot up to me. Especially when I watch one of my mentor's classes in particular. I know they are coming from welfare homes, abusive situations, and half of them don't even come because they have been arrested.
After reading the diaries, I am supposed to come up with a presentation about how arts integration could have helped these students. I have a good start that explains how arts integration is good for students that are hard to reach by other methods, and content-specific, how a arts-approach raises low scores significantly in history. I also know that Erin Gruwell has been criticized for having an unrealistic approach to her teaching, and I think arts integration (which she did do a few times with success) is another positive approach.
Anyway, I just can't get these stories..these voices...out of my head. I keep hearing them echoing and remembering every last detail of some of the stories.
If you have only seen the movie, go read the book. It is simply amazing.
Unwrapping the Gift
This blog is my story about teaching. I am in the beginning of a Master of Art in Teaching program at Salisbury University. I went to undergrad at Franklin and Marshall College and earned a degree in history and classics, although I am originally from the Eastern Shore. In some ways, it is nice to be back home. In some ways, I am eager to get away again!
I decided to start this blog, separate from my other one (swimchica623.livejournal.com) to chronicle the beginning of my teaching career. I can tell from the very beginning that it is going to be tough, but something I know with 100% certainty that I will love to do.
Unwrapping the Gift. I chose this for my blog name for a few reasons. This may form into my teaching philosophy...at this point in the game it seems to be. I think that each student comes into school with their own package. Each package is different, a different shape, different wrapping paper on it, and the kids are busting out of it at all different rates. We need to give everyone their own chance to unwrap their own gifts, and through the use of multiple intelligences in the curriculum, group work, and a spiral curriculum, each "gift" will be welcome, and opened at their own pace.
I also chose this name because, during the next year and a half (and over the course of the last 3 months) I have been unwrapping my own "gift." I hope it doesn't sound too cocky to call it a gift. In our classes, we have discussed if we think teachers are born or made, and decided that it is a combination of the two. So I think I have a gift inside of me...this is what I am meant to do in the world. There are other things that I could be doing with some of my talents, but I think this is what is right for me because it makes the best use of all of them.
So this blog is also the story of me, learning how to unwrap my own gift. Enjoy!
I decided to start this blog, separate from my other one (swimchica623.livejournal.com) to chronicle the beginning of my teaching career. I can tell from the very beginning that it is going to be tough, but something I know with 100% certainty that I will love to do.
Unwrapping the Gift. I chose this for my blog name for a few reasons. This may form into my teaching philosophy...at this point in the game it seems to be. I think that each student comes into school with their own package. Each package is different, a different shape, different wrapping paper on it, and the kids are busting out of it at all different rates. We need to give everyone their own chance to unwrap their own gifts, and through the use of multiple intelligences in the curriculum, group work, and a spiral curriculum, each "gift" will be welcome, and opened at their own pace.
I also chose this name because, during the next year and a half (and over the course of the last 3 months) I have been unwrapping my own "gift." I hope it doesn't sound too cocky to call it a gift. In our classes, we have discussed if we think teachers are born or made, and decided that it is a combination of the two. So I think I have a gift inside of me...this is what I am meant to do in the world. There are other things that I could be doing with some of my talents, but I think this is what is right for me because it makes the best use of all of them.
So this blog is also the story of me, learning how to unwrap my own gift. Enjoy!
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