Is she serious?!
OK, hold on tight...this is going to be a long one!
Earth Hour was yesterday. San Francisco was one of the cities to officially participate in the event. Just one more reason why I'm proud to say I'm from SF.
I officially started student-teaching last week, but this week will be my first full week since I still had classes last week. I'm so glad my master teacher is so flexible and easy-going. I think because we had me jump in so early during my fieldwork with becoming involved with classroom routine, I am actually relatively comfortable transitioning into actual student-teaching. Regardless, it's still a bit overwhelming especially with official observations and evaluations.
Speaking of which, I had my first visit on Friday for a PE lesson I did on hand dribbling. I did the whole direct instruction bit with modeling good dribbling technique, drills, self-eval., more practice, the culminating activity (dribbling relay), and a reflection closure. I think because it was something I was really comfortable with, I wasn't too nervous. But then throughout the day, my master teacher and our class's push-in teacher kept asking me if I was ready and kept telling me how they'd help pull out the regular trouble-makers, I got more nervous as the day went on. In the minutes right before we went out for PE, I couldn't stand still. My master teacher even asked me "You're pumped up, aren't you?" and all I could do was nod. In the end, it went really well and I got a super review. That's good and bad...good for obvious reasons but bad b/c it sets the expectations high for the next observations.
Teaching is frustrating. It almost seems like the board is more concerned that we TEACH all this content than students actually LEARN the material. There is so much we are required to teacher but in the given time, it's not possible to teach for understanding. At best, students are gaining procedural knowledge, but the emphasis should be conceptual knowledge. I know that the response to my concern is "spiral education" but it just doesn't make sense to me why we would reteach and reteach the same thing over and over again. I agree that content should build upon prior knowledge from previous years, but it should be expanded over the years not just simply repeated. I don't know...I just know that it's insanely frustrating when I see students who clearly do not have a grasp on a concept but I cannot stop and do anything about it because I need to cover X, Y, and Z too before the hour's over. Luckily in our class right now, there are three teachers so we are able to provide that extra support to those who need it but that's not the case most of the time. Just have to make the best of the situation I guess.
On a more saddening note, our push-in teacher told me that the other day while she was working with one of the small groups, she found out that the students didn't think that she nor I deserved respect because we were not "real teachers." That was so surprising. I was mad later, but at first, I was just so shocked that they would say or even think that. The push-in teacher tried to defend us by telling them that we were "real teachers" and when the students asked her where we taught, she made up same names of schools. I wish I had been there that day; I didn't particularly like the way she handled the situation especially with brining me into the lie as well but I guess under pressure and in shock, that was what came into her mind. I probably would've gone into a whole respect mini-lesson..about how everyone deserves respect regardless of titles...something Y-campy. But yea, interesting situation.
Moving on, like I said in my last entry, last weekend was amazing. On Thursday, I went to pick up my sisters from SNA. I heard them laughing even before I spotted them coming down the escalator. We ate at Chipotle's with Paige, and then headed back to my place. They gave me my bday presents, and then we tried really hard to go to sleep because we wanted to get up early for Disney the next day. On Friday, we went to Disneyland early early. We were there the entire day but we still weren't able to go on or see everything. In the afternoon, right after Splash Mountain (one of the best rides), I got a call from Jonathan who told me that he was about 20 minutes away from Fullerton. That was exciting but a little awkward because of the timing with my sisters visiting as well. We ended up leaving Disneyland past closing and getting home some time past 1am. Melis past out immediately and Steph and I did as well a little later after showers. The next morning, we went to the mall where Steph and I bought some fun day dresses. Melis was being grumpy. Afterwards we went grocery shopping, and Jonathan and I made burgers for dinner. While my sisters and I were still assembling our burgers, Jonathan asked me to taste the lettuce because he thought it tasted funny....it turned out to be cabbage! The funny thing was that before while I was preparing the "lettuce," I had said to him "Wow, these leaves are really big," and he said "Yea, of course...I picked a good head of lettuce." But aside from being funny, that incident was worth mentioning because I think it kinda broke the ice between him and my sisters. Yep, then the next day, we all went to the arboretum and then they all left me. *tear tear* No, but it was a nice change of faces in the SoCal scene.
I decided this year that I'm skipping my birthday. I will remain 21 for another round :)
I did get a Happy Sunday turtle balloon today when Lydia and her Michael came down to visit and go to Disney California. It was a pretty laid back trip to the park. Today I learned that Lydia cannot touch her toes and that Michael is a walking encyclopedia. Yep yep. Surprisingly, I did not feel like a third wheel as much as I thought I would, but that's probably because I was too busy missing someone to really notice. J/K...j/k...no but really, it was probably just cuz they're both two pretty cool people.
This is something Cindy wrote in an e-mail. I thought it was really cute so here it is:
"And I think two people can like each other even if there isn't anything official per se. I mean, it's like two people who might be flirting with each other and working towards something official. Of course liking each other is an essential prerequisite!"
Okay...last, but not least...PHOTOS!
1) year of a million dreams giveaway: dream fast passes 2) castle
1) year of million dreams giveaway: special edition mickey ears!! 2) ariel
1) Finding Nemo 2) Always...the feet pic
1) Steph's Wazowski eyeballs 2) Pluto
1) Melis trying to recreate Larry's fish photo 2) Peter Pan ride
1) My future home 2) Castle at night
1) The traditional David's butt pic 2) Melis torturing the turtle...which eventually escaped back into the lake
1) St. Patrick's cards from Dom and Sky
1&2) long overdue Bubba Gump's pics just for Meg :)
....That's all folks!
Earth Hour was yesterday. San Francisco was one of the cities to officially participate in the event. Just one more reason why I'm proud to say I'm from SF.
I officially started student-teaching last week, but this week will be my first full week since I still had classes last week. I'm so glad my master teacher is so flexible and easy-going. I think because we had me jump in so early during my fieldwork with becoming involved with classroom routine, I am actually relatively comfortable transitioning into actual student-teaching. Regardless, it's still a bit overwhelming especially with official observations and evaluations.
Speaking of which, I had my first visit on Friday for a PE lesson I did on hand dribbling. I did the whole direct instruction bit with modeling good dribbling technique, drills, self-eval., more practice, the culminating activity (dribbling relay), and a reflection closure. I think because it was something I was really comfortable with, I wasn't too nervous. But then throughout the day, my master teacher and our class's push-in teacher kept asking me if I was ready and kept telling me how they'd help pull out the regular trouble-makers, I got more nervous as the day went on. In the minutes right before we went out for PE, I couldn't stand still. My master teacher even asked me "You're pumped up, aren't you?" and all I could do was nod. In the end, it went really well and I got a super review. That's good and bad...good for obvious reasons but bad b/c it sets the expectations high for the next observations.
Teaching is frustrating. It almost seems like the board is more concerned that we TEACH all this content than students actually LEARN the material. There is so much we are required to teacher but in the given time, it's not possible to teach for understanding. At best, students are gaining procedural knowledge, but the emphasis should be conceptual knowledge. I know that the response to my concern is "spiral education" but it just doesn't make sense to me why we would reteach and reteach the same thing over and over again. I agree that content should build upon prior knowledge from previous years, but it should be expanded over the years not just simply repeated. I don't know...I just know that it's insanely frustrating when I see students who clearly do not have a grasp on a concept but I cannot stop and do anything about it because I need to cover X, Y, and Z too before the hour's over. Luckily in our class right now, there are three teachers so we are able to provide that extra support to those who need it but that's not the case most of the time. Just have to make the best of the situation I guess.
On a more saddening note, our push-in teacher told me that the other day while she was working with one of the small groups, she found out that the students didn't think that she nor I deserved respect because we were not "real teachers." That was so surprising. I was mad later, but at first, I was just so shocked that they would say or even think that. The push-in teacher tried to defend us by telling them that we were "real teachers" and when the students asked her where we taught, she made up same names of schools. I wish I had been there that day; I didn't particularly like the way she handled the situation especially with brining me into the lie as well but I guess under pressure and in shock, that was what came into her mind. I probably would've gone into a whole respect mini-lesson..about how everyone deserves respect regardless of titles...something Y-campy. But yea, interesting situation.
Moving on, like I said in my last entry, last weekend was amazing. On Thursday, I went to pick up my sisters from SNA. I heard them laughing even before I spotted them coming down the escalator. We ate at Chipotle's with Paige, and then headed back to my place. They gave me my bday presents, and then we tried really hard to go to sleep because we wanted to get up early for Disney the next day. On Friday, we went to Disneyland early early. We were there the entire day but we still weren't able to go on or see everything. In the afternoon, right after Splash Mountain (one of the best rides), I got a call from Jonathan who told me that he was about 20 minutes away from Fullerton. That was exciting but a little awkward because of the timing with my sisters visiting as well. We ended up leaving Disneyland past closing and getting home some time past 1am. Melis past out immediately and Steph and I did as well a little later after showers. The next morning, we went to the mall where Steph and I bought some fun day dresses. Melis was being grumpy. Afterwards we went grocery shopping, and Jonathan and I made burgers for dinner. While my sisters and I were still assembling our burgers, Jonathan asked me to taste the lettuce because he thought it tasted funny....it turned out to be cabbage! The funny thing was that before while I was preparing the "lettuce," I had said to him "Wow, these leaves are really big," and he said "Yea, of course...I picked a good head of lettuce." But aside from being funny, that incident was worth mentioning because I think it kinda broke the ice between him and my sisters. Yep, then the next day, we all went to the arboretum and then they all left me. *tear tear* No, but it was a nice change of faces in the SoCal scene.
I decided this year that I'm skipping my birthday. I will remain 21 for another round :)
I did get a Happy Sunday turtle balloon today when Lydia and her Michael came down to visit and go to Disney California. It was a pretty laid back trip to the park. Today I learned that Lydia cannot touch her toes and that Michael is a walking encyclopedia. Yep yep. Surprisingly, I did not feel like a third wheel as much as I thought I would, but that's probably because I was too busy missing someone to really notice. J/K...j/k...no but really, it was probably just cuz they're both two pretty cool people.
This is something Cindy wrote in an e-mail. I thought it was really cute so here it is:
"And I think two people can like each other even if there isn't anything official per se. I mean, it's like two people who might be flirting with each other and working towards something official. Of course liking each other is an essential prerequisite!"
Okay...last, but not least...PHOTOS!
1) year of a million dreams giveaway: dream fast passes 2) castle
1) year of million dreams giveaway: special edition mickey ears!! 2) ariel
1) Finding Nemo 2) Always...the feet pic
1) Steph's Wazowski eyeballs 2) Pluto
1) Melis trying to recreate Larry's fish photo 2) Peter Pan ride
1) My future home 2) Castle at night
1) The traditional David's butt pic 2) Melis torturing the turtle...which eventually escaped back into the lake
1) St. Patrick's cards from Dom and Sky
1&2) long overdue Bubba Gump's pics just for Meg :)
....That's all folks!