The Final Week

This is officially my final week of student teaching.  I have made it through 16 weeks, and now there is only one more standing between me and the end of my college career. While I am tempted to spend the bulk of this time writing and reflecting on the “end,” I feel as though I have already used up enough of my time and energy doing that in the past weeks.

So, let’s start and take a look at what last week looked like. 

This past week, I introduced my final unit with my students.  Throughout my time here, I have been able to choose a topic in science or social studies and create units for my students.  There really is no curriculum for these subjects, but being that these are middle school students, it is important to expose them to these subject areas.  I did units on Lewis and Clark, Exploration, South Africa, and Veterans.  Now, I am ending with a unit on the scientific method.  This is basically a way to find fun experiments to do with my students and find hands on ways to learn together. 

I have chosen three different parts of the scientific method to focus on and have placed a poster at the front of the room to show the sequence of these steps.  First, we have Hypothesis, then conduct the experiment, then make a conclusion.  Every other week, the paraprofessional in the room leads one experiment with the students.  I am hoping that through this unit, I can help the students understand the important parts of problem solving, and that this is something they can continue to be exposed to throughout the rest of the year (if I can convince the para to keep using the terminology I am introducing!).  We did an experiment with eggs floating in salt water and an experiment with baking soda and water.  While I make sure to tell the students the reasoning behind the results of the experiments, it is more realistic to hope they can just catch on to the way we approach problem solving rather than all the scientific concepts behind the experiment results. 

This unit, along with other units I have done, is very fun to prepare and implement in the classroom.  In reading, spelling, and other times where we work more specifically on IEP goals, the lessons seem to be different every day, or seem to follow the same monotonous pattern each day.  Students may not notice this so much, but wow, the teachers sure do!  By building a unit, I can find ways to connect prior learning into the unit, and come up with a lot more relevant, hands-on activities to accompany the unit.  Basically, creating a whole unit is just more fun than doing day to day stories out of the same workbook for a whole month.  I know I have talked of this in earlier posts, but as a teacher, this is very important to me.  Students with disabilities may be just fine with working day in and day out on IEP goals, and may not do much objecting.  Even if this is true, why not expose them to new concepts and experiences related to the world around them?  Time in the classroom is full of opportunities to help students not only meet the standard IEP goals set for them, but also opportunities to teach them about the culture of the area, lifeskills, and random knowledge that will improve their minds and quality of life.  Be passionate about what is being taught, the students can sense that and will respond somehow, even if the response is not visually or verbally confirmed. 

Though this post was full of rambling, I walk away from feeling happy that I have been able to reflect one more time on the importance of teaching passionately.  Teachers can be successful if they teach the content they are told to and follow the books and basic plans on how to work with students.  However, teachers can be motivational, moving, inspirational, and incredibly helpful to students when they rise above those cookie cutter qualities and strive for excellence in the classroom.  The mindset of the teacher is very telling of how involved and beneficial the child’s learning experience can be.  

The Future

             Lately, everyone seems to be asking.  My mind is filled with this and that, and stress seems to be skyrocketing as life keeps plugging along.  What are you going to be doing after graduation?  And now, for the answer we've all been waiting for… I don’t know.

                

              Opportunities are everywhere.  I have been given a fantastic education and I feel ready and prepared to take on the world.  The problem now comes with figuring out how to find the opportunities, how to get the interviews, and how to decide which path God is leading me down.  In reference to last week’s blog post, prayer is still the one constant that keeps me going, keeps me searching, and keeps me hopeful about the future.  I am opening up my gaze and heading out, wide eyed and ready, to search for job opportunities that God has prepared for me.

                

             This being said, I try to take all of my emotions and thoughts and use it in a way that can benefit my teaching.  How can I relate what I am feeling and going through to my students and their lives?  Now, this may seem like a stretch to those of you reading this, but this is what has been on my mind (teachers can find connections anywhere, right?)

                

             Routine: my students are stuck in a routine.  For most of them, this routine is very important to their learning and success.  When their day to day routine changes unexpectedly, their whole day can sometimes be a mess.  As a teacher, it can be frustrating to hear of a schedule change last minute from a speech therapist, OT, PT, gym teacher, or other school teacher knowing that it is going to cause trouble for my students whom I so badly want to teach and give them a chance at a good day.  Little changes in routine are a fact of life, and something I need to help my students cope with.  My day to day routine is going to change drastically in 2 weeks time.  For the past 18 years, I have lived in the same “school student” routine. While little changes in my day didn’t throw me, I’m starting to see that this big change has the ability to throw me off.  When a student encounters an “off” day, I give them time to move around, change environments, get some fresh air, do something short term, and see small times of focus as great successes. Similarly, I am choosing to do the same when my big routine change comes; change environments, get some fresh air, know that I don’t have to make a long term commitment the day I leave college, and find things to see as successes. 

               

            Transition: all educators know how much time and energy is put into creating transition plans for students with special needs.  Transitioning successfully is vital to these students’ futures. This is not something we can throw together last minute.  Rather, we spend years focusing on what skills the students may find useful in the future to help them achieve their goals.  On my end of things, it can sometimes feel like I’m being thrown out into the real world.  I need to step back and take a look at the past 4 years.  I’ve had my own transition team of sorts helping me prepare for this.  My professors, friends, family, and God have worked together to give me the tools I need to succeed in my goals and dreams.  This step of transition is difficult for every single person in their own unique way.  But whatever stresses or uncertainties it may bring, I have a team there for me, and I’m prepared!

              

           Reflection: teachers reflect.  I learned this from day one of my education classes, and at times have hated all the time and energy we were forced to put on reflecting.  Now I get it.  I even spend time with my students, asking questions and trying my best to get them to think and reflect on the things they learn.  What is the point of reflecting?  Why is it such a big deal?  Well, things never go perfectly according to plan.  Reflection allows for teachers and students to process through the positives and negatives of the learning experience, and how to make changes for the future.  I learn so much from my times of reflection; it keeps me growing as an educator, working to better myself.  Why not apply this to everyday life?  Nothing from here on out is going to go exactly according to plan (especially when there is no plan!).  I can choose to let the events of each day pass by with little thought, or I can reflect on what happens each day, choosing to learn from every possible opportunity.  This is what will give me an edge, give me the ability to tune into what God is showing me and where he is leading me. 

               

          Overall, this week has been a week of a lot of uncertainty about the future.  Again, this has the capability to overwhelm me when coupled with the mound of work that stands in front of me this next week.  But right in front of me sits a sign: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.”  Well, I guess I can’t spend too much time bogged down by stress and fear if I’m going to live this out.  One day at a time.  Here I come!

Give Thanks!

“Be joyful always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ.” (1 Thes. 5:16-18)

      

          In reflecting on this past week, I am truly overwhelmed by the kindness and compassion of God.  He gives me the opportunity to be joyful always.  He equips me with the gift of prayer so I can be in constant communication with him.  And he provides me with endless opportunities to turn to him with a thankful heart, despite the circumstance.   Choosing to act in joy, prayer, and thankfulness give life a greater sense of purpose and hope.  Praise the Lord!

        

        Sickness was a battle at the beginning of this week. I woke up early Monday morning not feeling well, but pushed to get to school anyway.  Then came Tuesday.  Students in the school had been throwing up at school, others were just not feeling well.  As a student teacher and a first year teacher, sickness is something that is going to happen.  All of the germs floating around school will eventually prove too much for the body to handle.  While being sick can zap your energy to the extreme, it is truly powerful how much energy the students infuse back into you when the situation calls for it.  Despite the sick feeling at the end of Tuesday, I was able to have a decent morning, going back and forth with the students and having many positive interactions and learning experiences with them.  Sickness is a drag, a pain, and an energy killer.  Again, praise the Lord that he is the giver of strength and healing! 

     

           In light of the holiday season, I have also been challenged lately with how to incorporate my Christian beliefs into my public school teaching without crossing the lines.  How can I share the love of Christ with my students?  How does my relationship with him impact my teaching and my passion for students?  First, I know that the way I live my life and the way I carry myself in front of my students is a constant witness.  From day one I have done my best to start and end each day with prayer, and conduct myself in such a way that I can be a successful tool God can use in the life of each of my students. This being said, I sometimes feel that this is inadequate; that my mind too often slips from focusing on God and jumps to my own selfish thoughts and the tasks at hand in the classroom.  This is bound to happen whether in a public or Christian school, but I feel it more quickly happening in this placement than in South Africa.  How can I keep putting my full trust and dependence on God in life and in teaching even when I am back in the comfortable and privileged areas of the United States?  At this point, my answer comes in prayer.  I feel so thankful for the gift of prayer, the ability to be in constant communication with my Savior.  While in South Africa, I reached a defined moment where I knew that on my own I am incapable of accomplishing anything worthwhile.  When I can humble myself at the feet of Jesus, I know that I am worthwhile.  God will fill me with what I need and can use me in ways I may never completely understand.  Humility, prayer, and an extra dose of forgiveness for all of my blunders and mistakes make for an exciting journey! 

             

        Specifically thinking of my students, I believe that prayer is also my biggest way of helping them as well.  Each day I interact with my students.  Together, we grow, learn, and build positive relationships.  My time with them is so important, and my attitude and actions paint a picture of who I truly am.  Yes, our interactions are priceless and their trust in me is vital for their learning, but I still think that my time of prayer for my students is the time when I am able to help them the most.  This is the time when I can bring them before the Lord and talk to their creator.  He is the only one who can truly care for their hearts and minds. The power of prayer brings me to the realization that I am better so blessed when God is in control, and that my time and energy are not for naught.  God loves these students so much more than I ever could! 

             

        Education is more than going to school and teaching content.  I am blessed to have had classes, professors, students, and mentors that have helped me grow and change into the teacher I am becoming.  This week I am thankful for the experiences and people I have had in my life thus far that have helped me realize the importance of keeping a Christ-centered outlook on teaching.  Happy Thanksgiving!

South Africa: Revisited!

                This week I started a new unit with my students.  What better topic than geography; South Africa!  My teacher was very supportive of me coming out with lessons and activities relating to South Africa, making me very excited to find ways to teach my students about what I have just experienced this semester. Previously, I had thought that teaching about South Africa would be too much information for my students and would not be something they would find interest in.  This week I have truly learned that when a teacher has passion, drive, and genuine excitement for a topic, the students will act accordingly and follow along.  This is the recipe for a truly wonderful learning environment in any classroom.

                To introduce the topic, we spent a day talking about the location of the country and its national flag.  I showed pictures from my trip so they could get an idea of what the land and the people look like, as well as what different types of cultures are present in South Africa.  This grabbed their attention and helped them see that this place is real and not just a weird shape drawn on the world map.  Then each student colored their own flag, and we talked about the significance of each of the colors.  Ending with the national anthem from the country, students were all able to remember the name “South Africa” by the end of the lesson! 

                Other lessons were done on the animals, the history, and the culture/food of South Africa.  On the front board, there is now a large scale map of South Africa that I created, and students flags and coloring pictures of animals are proudly hung in different areas.  The capital city is highlighted, as well as some of the crops and mountains in certain areas.  This map is fun for students to come up to and interact with during the lessons.

                My favorite lesson of the week dealt with the food in the country.  Students were able to test out some of the foods, take part in the Venda way of greeting people, and prepare themselves to eat in the cultural tradition of the area I had been in.  Students listened to directions incredibly well and took some interest in the topic at hand.  One of the students who rarely participated was able to taste the food and take part in each activity willingly, which made me truly feel like the lesson was a success!

                Now much of this blogpost seems to be serving as a summary of what I have been teaching rather than a deep reflection on teaching.  But this week, I believe that this type of blogpost will suffice.  I continue learning and connecting so much of what I am doing with what I have learned in class and could write for hours on end about such things.  This week, however, I end the week taking joy in the simple things, being proud of the small accomplishments.  I have done my best to combine my own personal background and experiences with those of each of my students through these lessons.  Seeing the success of such collaborative thought and effort is something I am proud of.  Thus the point of this post. Take time to enjoy the successes in education, and be thankful each day for the strength, motivation, and glimmers of hope God provides.  Anything is possible with God!

Parent/Teacher Conferences

This past week (November 5-9), I had the privilege of experiencing my first parent/teacher conferences from the “teacher” side of things.  Having attended some conferences with my parents when invited to join, I greatly underestimated the planning, presentation, and attitude the teachers put forward during these conferences.  The time I spent with the parents opened my eyes to their perspectives on education. 

                We had the day off from school on Monday in order to prepare for conferences.  The first conference of the day was to start at 1 pm.  I arrived at school at 12:45 only to find out that the first family had called and cancelled.  While this day was to be focused on parents and their students, the free time served as a great opportunity to collaborate with my teacher and paraprofessional on future lessons, too! When the parents did begin to come, I was able to learn so much about my students.  I have heard it said that once you meet someone’s parents, it becomes clear why they are the way they are.  I have seen this first hand when meeting the parents of my residents in the dorm, and now again in these parent/teacher conferences.

                One of my biggest “take-aways” from this time of conferences relates to the home-life of students.  As teachers, we often don’t see or know what a student’s life really is like outside of school.  So many of the little behaviors and management issues in the classroom can be directly related to the way the student is treated in the home.  Some students grow up with strict parents that expect them to work and do chores around the house.  Other students are given special treatment because they are “disabled” and little has ever been expected of them.  Different parenting styles play a large role in the attitudes of our students.  When meeting with the parents, the student’s positives and negatives are often validated and understood in context, which can be very helpful for understanding.

                How then, can I as a teacher work to understand where my student is coming from and form a united front with the parents to help this child succeed?  The collaboration between parents and teachers is vital, but can be so difficult when the views and personalities clash.   The most important thing seems to be letting the parents know that their child’s success and well-being is the teacher’s top priority.  If the parents see their child as a priority as well, then a successful collaborative relationship can be possible.  Give and take is necessary, but as a teacher I need to be an advocate for my student as to what will be best for them to assist them in a successful future. Being united with parents is rewarding, beneficial, and can even be fun!

                As an added bonus, my teacher said to always make sure to find some way to show the parents that they are appreciated.  This could come in the form of having cookies, punch, a letter for them, something made for them by their student, etc.  Any added bonus or show of appreciation will be well received!

IEP

IEP’s are the main focus here in the DLP this time of year.  Of the 7 students in my class, 5 of them have IEP meetings coming up within the next 4 weeks.  My teacher has been working all day on writing various goals for the students and fulfilling all the requirements in “Easy IEP.”  Outside of this, I have been continuing to teach the students about Lewis and Clark, have experimented with ways to teach them about the upcoming Veteran’s day, and have experienced Halloween learning and partying in a new way.  While this week was very busy for me, I was really hoping I would be able to find a way to slip out of the classroom with my teacher to experience an IEP meeting firsthand.

                So on Thursday I was given the opportunity to attend my first IEP meeting.  This was also an eligibility meeting, so I was able to see the whole process happen.  My teacher and I left as soon as the substitute arrived and headed to Spalding Elementary for the meeting.  The student’s father was attending along with the speech therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, principal, and special education coordinator for the district.  During this meeting I was able to spend much time listening and comparing what I was hearing about this student to what I have learned about him from my time teaching him.   In previous classes we have spent many hours talking about the IEP process.  While I have learned much of what I just experienced in the classroom as well, I feel like my participation in this meeting has gotten me thinking about everything again.  First I think about the parents.  Much of the talk from the psychologist at the beginning was almost over my head, yet the father just went on shaking his head as if he was too overwhelmed to object.  Then I jump and think about the psychologist.  After talking with my teacher after the meeting, she mentioned that he had only met with this student for 20 minutes of testing prior to this meeting.  Now during the meeting, I observed that much of the talk was about random testing scores and comparing these scores to the norm.  I understand the frustration coming from a teacher’s perspective.  Much of these child’s goals/eligibility are a result of these psychological test, and these tests are administered and read by someone who doesn’t understand anything about the child. Overall, the tone of the meeting was very positive and open, honest and encouraging.  The meeting was shorter than I had expected and altogether less of a “big deal” than I had anticipated. 

                The idea of the IEP is great.  It keeps teachers and schools accountable to working with the students and providing them with what they need to continue to grow and learn in the best way possible for them.  However, I am coming to understand the frustrations that can come with an IEP as well.  One of the big stumbling blocks that I have observed many times is that people end up teaching a child based solely on the goals in their IEP.  The time comes for me to choose a topic for a Social Studies unit, and there is nothing to go off of and no priority put in this subject matter because there is nothing in any IEP about social studies.  When it comes to writing, only two students have writing goals, so the other student don’t even get exposed to writing.  Because a student does not have something written in their IEP does not mean that they do not need to be exposed to such learning topics or life skills.  I worry that students are losing the idea of a “well rounded” education because they are seen as disabled, able and needing only to learn what is dictated in their annually reviewed IEP. 

                Overall, this week brought many positive experiences for me.  I am amazed that four weeks have already elapsed in this placement, and I truly feel that I am part of the classroom now. I was able to make a bulletin board with my students, start different units with them and try many different teaching styles with them as well.  This week, we cut open pumpkins of different sizes, experimented with them, and predicted and counted the amount of seeds inside.  We took a field trip to Spalding to have a Halloween dance with other members of the DLP, baked brownies together, did quite a bit of reading, and spent time doing many hands on activities. I feel very comfortable experimenting with different styles of lessons and am not afraid to fail here.  It is a wonderful place to learn and grow as a teacher, and I’m very thankful for that. 

Time

Time.  Time goes by quickly, even though some days may seem that is crawling by.  Here I am, finding myself at the end of the third week at this new school.  In 7 weeks I will be lining up with my fellow student teachers and preparing to enter the “real world.”  Looking back at this week, though, I am also happy with how much we were able to accomplish as a class, despite the days of frustration and moments where it seems we are simply moving backwards.  Time has been a blessing, a frustration, but ultimately a reality I am learning to accept as it chooses to come and go. 

This week was a long week for me.  Many things happened, many changes took place, and I now feel as though I have settled into the routine day to day activities with the students.  I am finding myself searching for ways to change the normal day routine almost selfishly as a way to entertain myself and my paraprofessional, while finding new activities to try and engage my students in.  I do not see this as a bad thing, however, but rather as an opportunity to explore what works and what doesn’t.  My cooperating teacher has given me a freedom to give just about anything a try. 

I began a unit on Lewis and Clark this week.  While much of the content is above the students heads, my teacher and I both agree that it is still important that the students be exposed to the information.  To learn this content, I have taken the students on an outdoor exploration to color picture of sights and sounds we encounter, have done some interactive map work, and have tried to teach them about a compass and directions.  From day to day I use informal assessments to find out if any of the knowledge is sticking.  One of the students seems to understand while the rest are not too certain.  I do find myself trying to fight the defeatist attitude that occasionally creeps up inside, but changing my focus has helped immensely.  If at first you don’t succeed, try try again, right? 

This week was also an up and down week for me emotionally.  I spent much time reflecting on how emotions, though often perceived as a bad and distracting part of the human life, really are what makes teaching worthwhile and enjoyable.  The ups and downs of emotion are what make us human, and rather than seeing this as a distraction, I have tried to find ways to view emotion as an asset to my teaching.  I have tried to use the feelings that I have about the day in such a way that it motivates and inspires my energy that I take into the classroom and into my lessons.  Granted, this doesn’t work the way I hope it will all of the time, but I still think its beneficial to give it a try.

So as this week has drawn to a close and a new one lurks right around the corner, I can honestly say I’m looking forward to the end.  While there is still much time left, I understand that time runs its course at a consistent pace, and nothing I can do will change this.  I am excited to get away from student teaching and find myself in my own classroom with my own students.  However, I continue to see this placement as an opportunity to try, explore, experiment, and experience as much as is possible.  Attitude is everything, and it is with a positive attitude and an optimistic outlook that I close this week.