Week 11…the beginning of Term 2…
Monday arrived, but it was my lucky day. My school had chosen to observe Columbus Day, so I had the day off.
Oh, who am I kidding. I still worked, but at least I could do what I wanted, when I wanted.
I spent the morning at the bookstore, pre-ordering a book I had read about in a review. I treated myself to a new knitting magazine and a little something-something…
And hey, before you go judging, I felt justified in my purchase. I can’t even remember how long it’s been since I indulged myself in new knitting patterns. Plus, I found, inside, a fabo pattern for a hat, using one skein of Malabrigo worsted, which I just happen to have in my stash. Let’s just say that I cannot wait for my Christmas break when I’ll have some time to cast on.
But, back to the original topic of this post…school…
Tuesday, I hit the ground running, excited for the new term. It felt like a fresh new start, and I felt so much more confident going into the classroom than I had at the beginning of the first term.
Of course, by the looks of my desks, you would have thought it was the beginning of the school year again…
Tuesday wound up being one of those weird days. In fact, the entire week was weird. But on Tuesday, I had to teach an extra class…the 8th graders. The regular teacher, who is my dentist’s wife (hence, my connection to how I got this job), only teaches two English classes. While she was enjoying loads of fun at Disney, I was covering one of her classes. I actually didn’t mind. She did not throw upon me the dreaded seventh grade class, which my friend, Jane, has mentioned a few times. It is a rambunctious group. Instead, I had the 8th graders…a small, smart group which I thoroughly enjoyed.
So, I didn’t get my planning period, and I was a little bit sad.
But, God had a surprise in store for me.
The students walk over to the mosque at 1:30 every day for prayers, so I get an extra 30-minute planning period (I am not expected to go, of course). They return 30 minutes later for the last period of the day, which happens, for me, to be my 10th graders.
As I sat and waited, I noticed something.
Nobody came to class.
I only have two students in this class, and I sat, all alone, for ten minutes, wondering where they were. They are usually on time, so it was very strange.
Finally, I saw the principal, who informed me that my female student had left school early that day, and the male student wasn’t in at all. We don’t have an electronic attendance system because the school is tiny, but somehow, I had missed the memo.
So, I had the unexpected gift of an end-of-the-day planning period! Woo Hoo! I accomplished a lot during that hour.
Wednesday ushered in, and it was going to be another strange day.
It was PSAT day. Students around the country were taking this test, and mine were no exception. My 9th-11th grade students took the test from 8-11, and then they were sent home.
Thus, I only had two classes to teach.
My seniors came in at their customary time…8:00…and then I had a two-and-a-half-hour break.
Woo hoo!
I ran to the bookstore, located on the beach, and picked up the book I had ordered a couple of days before…
Let’s not talk about what was in the bag. We’ll just say “it” was yummy. heehee
After teaching my 6th graders, I was free for the rest of the day.
Well, actually not free, but I was able to work on lesson plans, and boy, did I ever! I got soooo much done! I’ve decided that teaching two classes a day is WAY easier than teaching five!!! I sure wish I could do this every day!! heehee
Thursday arrived, and finally, it was a normal day! I was psyched!
My 11th and 12th graders resumed their reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum.”
Oh my gosh, but what an excellent short story!!!!! I had never read it before, and let me just tell you that it is so good!! I spent Thursday and Friday reading it aloud, and this was definitely the way to go. This story is so much better read that way, for there is a cadence to it, and the suspense is spell-binding. I had students who normally could care less about literature sitting on the edges of their seats. One student, in particular, grew quite antsy at all the stops I was making (in my efforts to ask questions and ensure reading comprehension). I had to chuckle at her response.
This piece is rich in advanced vocabulary, and Poe’s use of unique literary devices really makes for a piece you can dig your teeth into.
My other three classes are starting their units on nonfiction. I did not originally intend for them to be following the same path, but things just worked out that way as I was making my lesson plans. Kudos to me, for this helps me tremendously as keeping track of five grades is very challenging…especially for a first-year teacher.
I am introducing the concept of vocabulary tests to my 6th graders, only giving them seven words to learn…words pulled from the piece we read this week (“Tracking Trash”).
My 9th graders have had a very hard time with the vocabulary I’ve thrown their way, so I’m trying something new and pulling their words from their reading selection. The words are still difficult, but I believe if they see the words used in context, they will actually remember their meanings. I have also assigned them the task of making their own Vocabulary Bingo cards. I gave them templates and asked them to write a word in each square, leaving room for a picture they will draw inside…something to help them visualize the words’ definitions. Many people are visual learners. We’ll see how this goes.
My 10th graders have been a surprise to me. Both students are preparing for the College Placement Test (CPT), the test required by the local community college in order to take dual-enrolled classes in the spring. “L” came to me with the SAT preparation book she’s studying and asked me for help with grammar.
Folks, I have never seen a student so eager to comprehend something as this student.
She begged for instruction in grammar.
My heart went out to her. I don’t think this class has received much in the way of grammar.
I decided to spend a bit of class time in this area. These students are wonderful writers, as evidenced by the short stories they wrote for the final exams. They need help with punctuation, subject-verb agreement, and other such mechanics.
On Friday, we started at the beginning. What is a noun? How do you make it plural? How do you make it possessive? What is a collective noun?
Oh my gosh, but I saw light bulbs go on! You should have seen the eagerness in their eyes. Even “M,” who did not think he needed this instruction, realized that yes, in fact he did, as he had been making easy mistakes.
At the end of class, “L” asked me if I had worksheets for her to practice on.
Seriously!
She also wants me to test her on what I’m teaching.
Seriously!
I’ve decided to devote a couple of weeks to grammar. I believe we can fly through it because this is a smart class, and the students catch on quickly. I will cover a little bit of everything and give quizzes along the way to ensure understanding.
I’m even, gasp, going to teach them how to diagram sentences! These kids are very logical thinkers, and I believe diagramming will help them “see” how the parts of sentences fit together.
I’m totally psyched!
You want to know what else got me excited this week?
Nusi, one of my blogging students, had an essay published in the local newspaper! It was an essay she had written for my class. The assignment had been to select two ideals put forth in the Declaration of Independence and write about whether or not the United States has upheld those ideals. This was a topic we devoted a lot of time to. We had studied the Declaration in great detail, discussing the literary values, which, of course, led to some philosophical discussions.
Can I just say that this is what teaching is all about?
I realize that SHE is the person who did the work…the heavy thinking. But, she did so because I got the wheels turning.
Teaching is more than imparting facts to others.
It is about sparking the desire to think. Teaching is about equipping people with the skills they need to express themselves coherently.
As teachers, we pull and prod (not unkindly, mind you) and encourage…to the point where kids dig deeper, beyond superficial ponderings, to discover the reasons why they believe such-and-such. Helping people make logical sense of the world around them…well, that is just part of what educators do.
Week 11 is in the history books. Onward to week 12!
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