Would you not like to be, on top of the world with your legs hanging free ...
Blah blah sick again. I really need to start taking vitamins ...
The Thanksgiving weekend was a fantastic break from everything. No class that week, only three days of student teaching (and Wednesday I just showed a Simpsons episode ...), two Thanksgiving meals, one decorated tree, some cool photos, and time with Joey. It was lovely.
Now it's back to things as usual. This is my last week of student teaching at Independence. I'm actually kind of sad. For a few reasons. First, I really like the school. I see a lot of the students/gangstas I worked with last year as a sub, and the fact that they smile and say hi when they see me makes me happy. They really are good kids, once you get past their desire to be ghetto.
Second, I like the students I'm working with now. They don't understand why I like working at their "ghetto" school, but I really do. They're honest, challenging, and fun. They're not constantly bugging me about their grades like the honors kids do. They're always looking to make funny comments, which can be distracting, but they're just funny. They have lived in a world of failure their whole lives, so getting them interested in anything is quite rewarding. And they are interested in what we're doing! My fellow student teacher has done a great job of getting them interested in the stories we've read, and I like to think I've done an OK job of getting them writing their own short stories. They're not amazing, but to get them writing is quite a task. I know I could have done a better job (I have a knack for finding good lesson plans a day or two after they should have happened), but I think I did OK. Most of them have never written their own story before, so that in itself is exciting to me.
And the third and final reason I don't want to leave Independence - Joey! Yeah yeah, it's nice having him there because he makes me happy, but he's also a HUGE, HUGE help! Moreso than my mentor teacher ... I don't go to my mentor teacher for anything. He's a great teacher, but not a great mentor. Joey, however, is just really supportive and helpful. He makes copies for me, cuts poster paper, loans me highlighters, etc. Pretty much anything I need he has and lets me use. He's such a wonderfully kind person.
As much as I don't want to leave good ole Indy, I know it'll be good for me to be out on my own. At a school where I don't know anybody. Starting from scratch. It'll be a challenge, and it'll be terrifying, but it'll be good.
I emailed the editor at the Milpitas Post to let him know I'd be in the city again and willing to take photos for the paper if needed. His response, after the initial "It'll be great to see you!" was "You can never really leave Milpitas once it's wrapped its tentacles around you." It made me laugh. It's funny because it's true.
I can't wait for the end of the semester. I'm so tired of my classes. HUGE wastes of time. As you've heard me say all semester.
The Bike Build is a week from Friday - yikes! I really haven't done my share of TurningWheels stuff lately. I just haven't had time. They understand, but I feel like a bad board member. It's something that's been bothering me a lot lately. I just don't know what to do.
I have also been feeling rather guilty about not seeing any of my lovely SJSU friends in a while. I miss you guys! I saw Alison today for about five minutes at the TPR office, but had to run to catch my train home. RJ called today and I slept through the quacking (Yes, my phone quacks). I've been a rather absent friend lately - sorry, all! Hopefully we can have a Rock Bottom gathering in a couple weeks? Tom's birthday was quite fun, so I think a reprise is in order. :)
OK, time for Nyquil and bed.
And just because I feel like sharing:
The Thanksgiving weekend was a fantastic break from everything. No class that week, only three days of student teaching (and Wednesday I just showed a Simpsons episode ...), two Thanksgiving meals, one decorated tree, some cool photos, and time with Joey. It was lovely.
Now it's back to things as usual. This is my last week of student teaching at Independence. I'm actually kind of sad. For a few reasons. First, I really like the school. I see a lot of the students/gangstas I worked with last year as a sub, and the fact that they smile and say hi when they see me makes me happy. They really are good kids, once you get past their desire to be ghetto.
Second, I like the students I'm working with now. They don't understand why I like working at their "ghetto" school, but I really do. They're honest, challenging, and fun. They're not constantly bugging me about their grades like the honors kids do. They're always looking to make funny comments, which can be distracting, but they're just funny. They have lived in a world of failure their whole lives, so getting them interested in anything is quite rewarding. And they are interested in what we're doing! My fellow student teacher has done a great job of getting them interested in the stories we've read, and I like to think I've done an OK job of getting them writing their own short stories. They're not amazing, but to get them writing is quite a task. I know I could have done a better job (I have a knack for finding good lesson plans a day or two after they should have happened), but I think I did OK. Most of them have never written their own story before, so that in itself is exciting to me.
And the third and final reason I don't want to leave Independence - Joey! Yeah yeah, it's nice having him there because he makes me happy, but he's also a HUGE, HUGE help! Moreso than my mentor teacher ... I don't go to my mentor teacher for anything. He's a great teacher, but not a great mentor. Joey, however, is just really supportive and helpful. He makes copies for me, cuts poster paper, loans me highlighters, etc. Pretty much anything I need he has and lets me use. He's such a wonderfully kind person.
As much as I don't want to leave good ole Indy, I know it'll be good for me to be out on my own. At a school where I don't know anybody. Starting from scratch. It'll be a challenge, and it'll be terrifying, but it'll be good.
I emailed the editor at the Milpitas Post to let him know I'd be in the city again and willing to take photos for the paper if needed. His response, after the initial "It'll be great to see you!" was "You can never really leave Milpitas once it's wrapped its tentacles around you." It made me laugh. It's funny because it's true.
I can't wait for the end of the semester. I'm so tired of my classes. HUGE wastes of time. As you've heard me say all semester.
The Bike Build is a week from Friday - yikes! I really haven't done my share of TurningWheels stuff lately. I just haven't had time. They understand, but I feel like a bad board member. It's something that's been bothering me a lot lately. I just don't know what to do.
I have also been feeling rather guilty about not seeing any of my lovely SJSU friends in a while. I miss you guys! I saw Alison today for about five minutes at the TPR office, but had to run to catch my train home. RJ called today and I slept through the quacking (Yes, my phone quacks). I've been a rather absent friend lately - sorry, all! Hopefully we can have a Rock Bottom gathering in a couple weeks? Tom's birthday was quite fun, so I think a reprise is in order. :)
OK, time for Nyquil and bed.
And just because I feel like sharing: