Juggling Life

I have had the greatest field practicum experience ever this past semester. FP is sort of a part-time student teaching. The program I'm in provides for 2 FP experiences before the student teaching semester.

This semester I had hoped for a placement in the Juvenile Court school, but the person in charge of that program left so I got my second choice, a Title I school that's about 99.9 % English Learner. I was placed in fifth-grade with a fantastic male teacher. I learned so much from him, and I fell in love with the students right away. Even though my official time at the school is over, I'm continuing to go once a week--I wanted to do Open House and be with them at Promotion as well as teach more art.

I am very lucky that my master teacher appreciated my art background and was more than happy to have me bring art into his classroom. I firmly believe that the lack of art in our schools is a counter-productive tragedy. I know there are many students who drop out of school that might make it through if they had something in school at which they could excel. Not everyone is wired for that to be math or language arts. It might be music or art or construction or mechanics; yet we've taken all these opportunities away.

 

I did this mosaic project with the kids recently. This piece was done by one of those students that is probably not going to make it (at least according to my  somewhat WASPY definition of making it). He's been expelled from one elementary school already. He's smart, he's obviously artistic, but the deck is just stacked against him. He's way too easily led and due to his socioeconomic status he's got too much unsupervised time on his hands.

This  project is probably the last time he's going to have a chance to tap into his artistic side, at least at school. Somehow I just have the feeling if there's going to be something to save this kid, it might be art and a connection with a great art teacher. Except I don't think he's going to get that. It's just not part of the back-to-basics, literacy heavy curriculum that his middle school runs--especially for a student with EL status.

Thinking about his probable future really just breaks my heart.

Thinking About Literary Stuff

Usually on Thursdays I spend some time pontificating and sharing my opinion about something newsworthy and culturally relevant. Today, not so much. This is what I'm thinking about. It's okay if you're not interested. Neither am I. I can't wait to get down to fleshing out my thesis statement to a satisfying 7 pages (in MLA format).

Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice, and Emily Tallis, in Atonement, share a similar quality of ineffectuality. This ineffectuality is not as benign or stagnant a characteristic as it sounds. In their respective novels, you can clearly see how each mother has influenced the family dynamic and thereby shaped the action of the story. Were these mothers stronger or smarter or more present, neither novel would have unfolded the way it did.

This will be way more fun than blogging!

The College Classroom of Today . . .

Yeah, it totally happens like that!

This week was my 3rd week in the classroom, and the second time I was there for the full day. This is how I feel tonight.

I taught my first direct-instruction reading group today, and I think it went really well.

Overheard in the Classroom:

Me: Beatriz, how do you think I did with the reading group?

Beatriz: Mrs. Teacher, you were perfect!

 

Armando: Mr. F, the other teacher really helped me a lot.

Mr. F: Well tell her "thank you."

Armando: Thank you, teacher.

Me: Thank you for letting me help you (melting inside).

 

Me: I really enjoyed doing the reading groups today.

Mr. F: I thought you would, you're a natural.

I am happy!