SBA

I leave for SBA Maryland, going to the Benedictine School in Ridgely MD to work with children with special needs, at 6:00 AM tomorrow morning. That is all, see you in a week

He said, She said, but She said, and He said, She said, that He said ....

On duty tonight. Ran into a situation which quickly became incredibly confusing.

Me, Chris, and Brandon (the RAs on duty) walked through the Uppers and came upon a pretty large crowd of people. As we walked deeper inside the mob of people we realized that a fight/conflict was going on. So we tried to figure out what happened. I saw one of my friends and asked her what happened:

Patty's Story: We were all in my apartment and some kid threw a beer bottle at Daniella's head. So she went up to the kid and hit him in the face. Then everybody came outside and a crowd formed.

Ryan's (the alleged beer bottle thrower) Story: I was at that party and a girl came up to me and just hit me in the face, I left because I'm not gonna hit a girl. So i've been standing here and the girl just keeps coming at me for some reason.

Carla's (Patty's roommate) Story: Yeah that kid (Ryan) was in our room and he dumped a beer over Daniella's head, so Daniella dumped a beer over his head. Then he pushed her, so we all pushed him out of the apartment. Then he just started yelling and calling her the C word.

Daniella's Story: This kid just dumps his beer over my head, so I dump the rest of my beer over his head. Then he started calling me the C word and everyone kicked him out. Now he won't leave and he just keeps yelling at us.

Bobby's (Ryan's friend) Story: We were at that party, and this girl (Daniella) walks past Ryan in the hallway and bumps into him. She yells at him saying something like don't push me. Then she dumps her beer on his head, so he dumps his beer over her head. Then we left and some other girl charged us and sucker punched him in the mouth.

Kyle's (Neighbor) Story: I heard a kid (Ryan) was trying to steal Lauren's (Carla's next door neighbor) TV and then everyone started fighting him to get it back.

And I think there were maybe 2 other differing stories. Just a weird night on duty, still no idea what happened. But it worked itself out and everybody left.

* All names were changed (suckers)

DJ Hero

Today's theme was Bad Remixes. Apparently all the songs were taken from DJ Hero (like Guitar Hero) but they were all horrible.

Anywho, my classes went well. I had the kids write an essay on the movie we just watched to explain whose side they were on in the conflict. Then we had a discussion/debate in class and it went really well. I got everyone involved, and i was very happy with the result.

Otherwise things are good.

short update.

Turn and walk away

Today dragged on for so long. We continued with the movie and listened to presentations again. But again, today was awkward in the teacher's room at lunch again. But not awkward to me....

LSD teacher from yesterday, "So me and Matt were on Caf duty today, and this kid walked past me with his shirt completely un-tucked. So I said, 'you should tuck in your shirt before you go to class,' he looked back at me, and i said, 'tuck in your shirt.' and then he just turned and walked away from me. So i caught up to him and started yelling at him, I don't know what got into me but I was like, 'what the hell do you think you're doing ... blah blah blah.' then Kerry ran over when she saw me start to yell at the kid. she ran up to me and was like, 'stop it, he's deaf."

So awkward for him, hilarious for me.

Creepy!

So yesterday was pretty bland. We continued to watch movies and do presentations in four of the classes. But what was weird was in the teacher's room.

"So, Tim, know how on the last performance of a play some actors might screw up lines on purpose to make their co-stars ad-lib? What do you think we are going to do to you on your last day?"

"Yeah! like have you ever taught while on LSD!?"

Umm, excuse you? what? get away from me?

And then lunch was over so I left the room

very awkward lunch

Two in a row

So no school yesterday because of Presidents Day. And no school today because we have a SNOW DAY! (complete with no snow)

No Idea

So here were some of today's songs. I couldn't hear the last two of the day but here are the others:

Journey "Don't Stop Believing"

Boston "More Than A Feeling"

J Geils Band "Love Stinks"

Liz Phair "Why Can't I Breathe"

The Beatles "Twist And Shout"

Michael Tolcher "Sooner Or Later"

The Beatles "Hey Jude"

Three Dog Night "Joy To The World"

I have NO IDEA what the theme of the day was. If you can figure it out leave a comment.

Beyond that, today was good. We had a half day and me and my cooperating teacher pretty much did zero teaching. First and fourth periods, the kids did presentations, second and third period the kids went to the library and did research, and fifth period the kids watched a movie. Pretty good day, periods were only 35 minutes each.

So that's three weeks of student teaching done, only nine weeks left. But i'm seriously not counting. monday off for presidents day and then the next week is february vacation.

Teachery

Today was the first time I felt like a real teacher, and I have no idea why. Nothing was out of the ordinary or special, everything just seemed to fit. Weird. (I'm old. there sam you don't have to say it)

I gave my classes a quiz today and they all pretty much did really well, which made me feel good. Now I have proof that I actually taught them and that they understood.

I started planning the next unit that i'm going to be planning. After I went over everything, I made out a schedule and realized the unit is going to be like 3 and a half weeks long. pretty impressive huh? it will be complete with a movie, a guest speaker, maps, and a presentation. it's gonna be awesome.

In my "Methods of Teaching Social Studies" class we were talking about discipline today, my professor:

"At [high school] we don't have internal suspensions anymore. We used to, and it was a duty given to the teachers to monitor the library. It was horrible and poorly organized. They let the kids have headphones and listen to music. If it was me i would much rather sit and listen to music than be in class. It was a bad decision on their part. Now we have kids serve suspensions on saturday mornings, it's more of a deterrence now. But back then, we had a student that would always push the limits. So when they were allowed to bring headphones, he pushed it further and brought a miniature TV. When that happened the teachers refused to monitor internal suspension, because it was so ridiculous and the school needed to do something. And you know who this kid is, I know you do. His name is Adam Sandler." Cool huh?

Early release tomorrow, can't wait to hear what music they play between classes.

A Dusting

Today the kids had to bring in their political cartoons. And honestly I was wicked impressed. A lot of them had really interesting and unique messages, and some other ones were drawn wicked well. Overall, very very impressed by the work they did.

For the rest of the class periods (I taught the same lesson in two sections today) I had them all make up questions for a review-type trivia game thing. It went really well, they all got into it. At times they were a bit rowdy, but my cooperating teacher said he was really impressed and said that it was clear that the class likes me and recognizes me as their teacher, and not just some substitute.

Beyond that school was fine. the snow was a let-down since we didn't get any. They said we were supposed to get like 4-6, ha nope. We MAYBE got a dusting, if that.

Long weekend coming up, I love schools that recognize national holidays (unlike my college), and then february vacation the week after. February is looking good.

Cartoons

Today I taught a lesson on the Captains of Industry and Trusts. We talked about and analyzed a few anti-trust political cartoons. I thought it was a pretty cool lesson. For homework, the students have to create their own political cartoons. Some of the ideas they came up with were actually really god. One kid is doing a dollar bill, with the portrait of Rockefeller, and "In Rockefeller we Trust" on the bottom. I was pretty impressed. Another kid is doing the trusts like a pac-man game. Eating up money signs with the US Gov. (the ghosts) chasing after them.

When I wasn't in class today I started working on my own cartoons for my College Newspaper because i'm the official cartoonist. A few of the seniors were watching me draw over my shoulder, they were pretty sneaky I didn't know they were there. They were really impressed with my drawing, I didn't think it was that good, but I enjoyed the compliment.

Tomorrow the juniors' political cartoons are due, I think i'm actually going to be very impressed. We'll see though

It's Complicated

So today was for the most part uneventful. I was going to do a lesson on the growth of cities, trusts & big business, and political cartoons for the lunch period. I was still finishing up my lesson plan during second period. I had to print off a few cartoons for the class for the group project I had designed, but today all the printers were down (awesome). I didn't think I was going to be able to do my lesson, and I didn't have a back-up plan (I need to start having one). But luckily, during the next period, the printers came back online and I was able to print off and make copies of all the cartoons for the students.

I did my lesson and the students were really receptive. For homework, which they started in class, they had to create their own political cartoon. A few of the students had really great ideas and everyone got into the project. I was excited about that.

During lunch, I went down to the teacher's room and sat at the same table as "Coach" (or at least, that's what we'll call him in this blog). Coach is a full-time substitute teacher. And before I met him, some of the teachers tried to help me brace myself by telling me stories about him. The best one was:

Coach (will opening up a brown paper bag for lunch): "Chinese food! Seriously! My wife knows I hate Chinese food. Why in God's name would she give me Chinese food for lunch!"

Other teacher in the room: "Coach, umm. That's my lunch, not yours"

But when I sat as his table he had just started explaining the entire plot of "It's Complicated" in great detail to another teacher. "You know that movie? It's really funny. It's with Meryl Street and the guy everyone loves to hate...." (I don't think anyone hates Alec Baldwin or Steve Martin, so I have no idea who he was talking about)

But yeah, it was funny I guess. Fingers crossed I get a desk tomorrrow

MDCV!

So today started with the loud french teacher yelling in the hallway, "MDCV, MDCV!" No idea what that meant, but I eventually figured out that it was the french equivalent to TGIF. Funny, sorta.

Today's changing of classes music theme (remember last week was disney) was "Guilt Pleasures", some of the songs were:

Party in the USA - Miley Cyrus

I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith

Wannabe - Spice Girls

Toxic - Britney Spears

Dancing Queen - Abba

I'd Walk 1,000 Miles - Vanessa Carlton

Who Let the Dogs Out - Baha Men

Can't Escape My Love - Enrique Igelsias

Girl on TV - LFO

and one more I didn't know.

I taught two more lessons today about the gold rush and frontier life, they both went really well. I didn't talk fast, I used the blackboard and maps, I called on students a lot (all critiques I had before). I ended the lesson by having the students write a fake journal entry or letter home talking about what it was like living on the frontier. I told them to be creative and use their imagination. Some kids were farmers, others hunted buffalo and deer, others fished, many struck it rich with gold, a lot hated the frontier, and a few were attacked by native americans (one fought back).

They all got into the activity and enjoyed it which made me feel really good about my ideas. We ended the day with a pep rally for winter sports with a lot of fun. Apparently the high school is at a point right now where every one of their winter sports teams is ranked within the top 5 teams in the states, and each team has a real shot at winning the state championship. So that's indoor track (girls and guys) hockey (girls and guys) skiing (girls and guys) basketball (girls and guy) swimming (girls and guys), cheerleading (girls, and they did a performance at the pep rally, they were amazing) and wrestling (guys). So that's pretty impressive for a high school athletics program.

Two Lessons In One

Today went well. I taught another lesson to a different US History class. It went even better than yesterday because I got to work all the kinks out of my lesson. My college supervisor came in today to observe me too. She said she was very impressed, she thought I had great content knowledge, classroom management, i connected well with the students, and i used humor appropriately and respectfully.

Her only critique was that I talked to fast (which I know I do). She was like, "you went through all the information very fast and as you were talking you were just getting faster and faster. the amount of information you presented today is the same amount a [normal] teacher could fill 2 lessons with." Well, at least I know i'm not skimping on information.

But things are going well, the days are now flying by because I'm used to the schedule and flow now. Oh, and I got my own desk today to, pretty awesome. OK, more later

Trial By Fire (Part Deux)

Today was kind of a scattered day. First period was fine, went by smoothly. Then right when first period was going to end, the school had a Medical Lockdown. Apparently a cafeteria worker had fainted or something, so the school went on Lockdown in order to keep the students out of the hallways so the emergency personnel could do their work.

Period two was interrupted with a Mass for Catholic Schools Week. The priest, as one student put it, "looked like what I think Jesus would look like." His nickname is Father Jesus, he had a beard, long brown hair, wears sandals, and well preaches too. He also looked like he could be a former NFL running back, he was one of those guys with no neck and just broad shoulders. Most intimidating looking priest ever.

Periods 3 and 4 went by fine. The came period 5; my first lesson. Overall, I was happy with the lesson. The teacher first off loved my lesson plan and was excited to see it put into action. I was loud, not quiet per usual, I knew people's names, I was comfortable in front of the class, students were asking questions the whole time, but as I was going I began talking faster and faster.

At the end of the lesson, my teacher asked me how I think I did. I did a self-critique and he was like "wow, thats pretty much exactly what I had to say." So he was happy that I knew what I had to do to improve. And the screaming french teacher from across the hall came in and talked to me after class. He was completely serious, asking me how it went and boosted my confidence. But my teacher turned to me and asked "do you get hives when you're nervous? because there were a couple on the back of your neck and by your ear as you were going through the lesson." Awesome. Good thing I was using a projector today, so all the lights were off and the students weren't looking at me.

But overall I was really happy with it. My supervising professor is coming to observe me tomorrow, so I'm teaching the same lesson as today just to a different class of students. It should go really well since I already got critiqued by myself and my cooperating teacher.

Google

So again, the teacher's room is hilarious. Today the teachers spent a good 20 minutes talking about the wine at church, and then it turned into how great it would be if they served scotch instead of wine. "Attendance would improve," someone said. Then it turned into "to each his own" and someone saying how great it would be if you walked up to the alter and the priest asked "what are you having?" Weird, but funny.

In the 20th Century history class we talking about the Patriot Act and how the government was trying to get all the information from google about who searches for what on the internet. We talked about how the government, if they want, can check out what we look at on the internet. The teacher goes, "David, that means the US government knows about all the porn you watch on the computer" (obviously joking) just as a tour walks by the open door of our classroom.

In the US History class the teacher announced that I would be taking over the next unit as the teacher. He said, "make sure you all site in your assigned seats, he's already memorized all of your names." The kids didn't believe it and started to test me with their names. I got all of them right, then a kid asked me what his last name was and I got it right too. "HOLY CRAP, HE KNOWS MY NAME!" Then another kid asks, "what is my mother's middle name? .... haha, you don't have to answer that, I don't even know"

So we'll see how tomorrow goes.

Trial By Fire!

Today FLEW by. No idea why, but the day went by so fast, everyone else felt the same way. I spent me free period talking about the lesson I'm going to be teaching on Native American History with my cooperating teacher. He was wicked happy with my lesson plan and even said he wax excited for it. So that's happening on Wednesday now.

He was impressed because I'm using group work, music, a video, a picture slideshow, a lecture, and a quiz to end it all. "It's good you address different styles of learning, but wow, I didn't think you were gonna hit them all in one lesson." I felt proud of myself.

When we got back to the class, our classroom neighbor, an extremely loud and over the top french teacher, kept asking. "When are you going to throw him to the wolves?" Then he left the room yelling "Trial by Fire! Trial by Fire!" (it was actually hilarious) the students walking by had no idea what was going on.

I think that's all that really happened today.