An Update.
Well, today marked one month in GA. What a month it's been. Four days after I got here, I had to report in to start work as a teacher. Specifically to the new teacher training. A week and a half from that day, school officially started in Newton County. So as of August 1st, I've been a 7th grade teacher at Cousins Middle School.
I LOVE IT.
Yeah, I complain a lot about some of the students, and I get frustrated by their lack of progress, by what may be my inability to communicate mathematical concepts to them, but....I love it. I wake up every morning and genuinely look forward to work. I don't dread anything. And thanks to the rescue of an ESOL parapro, (that I worry that I abuse at times...I probably should talk to her about that....find out what I can and cannot ask her to do. I feel like I'm taking advantage of her when I ask her to grade or run copies for me in an emergency.) I'm actually caught up on my regular grading, so I'm focusing on make-ups and late work. Since I AM caught up, I can also now focus on the problems, discipline or otherwise. This is the third week of a nine week grading period. Which means that there are several students already in danger of failing.
I just hope I'm up to the task of working with them all. By count, I have close to 105 students, which makes it difficult to juggle taking care of their needs. To be fair, I probably had about as many in my internship and didn't let any fall through the cracks. I think I got it covered, especially now that I found my groove. I need to remember to email my CCT from my Internship a very big thank you letter. Some of the stuff she did I find myself using now. It seems to be working. So far anyway, especially now that I'm finding my groove. I gotta remember that the kids don't always want to be exposed to the concepts. They want to know HOW to do it, and be done with it. Which makes them very good workers, but very poor thinkers.
The best thing right now is I get to go to FL this weekend and bring Ainyan up here where she belongs. With me. Which rocks. I've missed her so much....I won't go into it here, because it's mushy. :P
But even though I have to drive through Fay to get there....Friday.
Later :)
I LOVE IT.
Yeah, I complain a lot about some of the students, and I get frustrated by their lack of progress, by what may be my inability to communicate mathematical concepts to them, but....I love it. I wake up every morning and genuinely look forward to work. I don't dread anything. And thanks to the rescue of an ESOL parapro, (that I worry that I abuse at times...I probably should talk to her about that....find out what I can and cannot ask her to do. I feel like I'm taking advantage of her when I ask her to grade or run copies for me in an emergency.) I'm actually caught up on my regular grading, so I'm focusing on make-ups and late work. Since I AM caught up, I can also now focus on the problems, discipline or otherwise. This is the third week of a nine week grading period. Which means that there are several students already in danger of failing.
I just hope I'm up to the task of working with them all. By count, I have close to 105 students, which makes it difficult to juggle taking care of their needs. To be fair, I probably had about as many in my internship and didn't let any fall through the cracks. I think I got it covered, especially now that I found my groove. I need to remember to email my CCT from my Internship a very big thank you letter. Some of the stuff she did I find myself using now. It seems to be working. So far anyway, especially now that I'm finding my groove. I gotta remember that the kids don't always want to be exposed to the concepts. They want to know HOW to do it, and be done with it. Which makes them very good workers, but very poor thinkers.
The best thing right now is I get to go to FL this weekend and bring Ainyan up here where she belongs. With me. Which rocks. I've missed her so much....I won't go into it here, because it's mushy. :P
But even though I have to drive through Fay to get there....Friday.
Later :)