The Comfort Zone

      I know it's been a few days since I last posted. I don't even know who's reading this or if anybody cares. Right now its finals week, so I just finished all my classes for the semester. Next year I'm actually learning how to teach content rather than re-learn material. I'm excited because next year I'm getting into the real heart of teaching. Truthfully, I'm getting into the heart of lots of things. I decided next year I should start an actual transition into adulthood. I'm cooking for myself and living in an on-campus apartment with three roommates. I'm also taking up an officer position in the teacher's club we have here at my school. I'm filling the secretary position, so I'll be responsible for attendance and recording our club activity.
      It's funny, I never would have pictured myself taking such a step away from my comfort zone. I've always been comfortable being a follower and letting those who want to lead do just that. The thought of being responsible for a group of people used to scare me, and I think it still does to a point. Now I know what you're thinking: teaching is the perfect career for me then *insert sarcastic remark here*. I knew when I switched into this program that I would be doing some things that would terrify me. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I was terrified of public speaking and interacting with children. I also knew that I would have to speak in front of peers or with children even if I wasn't a teacher. Still, I knew that teaching would force me outside of my comfort zone and make me into a more well-rounded person. Even though I'm not that far into the program yet, I think it's already helping me. The fact that I'm wanting to take on more leadership roles is evidence for me that I'm transitioning into a braver, happier person. Not saying I wasn't happy before, but I now have even more happiness.
      So what message can you take away from this train of thought? Comfort zones are just as the name implies: comfortable. If you get too comfortable, you could miss out on some really life-changing opportunities. It is a well-known fact that people who are willing to try new things are less stressed and better at adapting to new situations. That being said, who's up for Shawarma? *insert Avengers realization here*

Alligator Math *nom nom nom*

      So I just taught my first lesson to first graders! I was teaching with a partner, so we both took turns. We were teaching about 10 students with special needs about less than, greater than, or equal to signs, as well as the number line. In order to show them how to use these signs, I used something I found on YouTube  There's this video that treats the signs like an alligator's mouth, and that the alligator always eats the bigger number. The students found this to be extremely easy, however. It wasn't until my partner and I gave them some problems on the number line that they began to struggle. With two of the students I helped, I think it was reading the problem that caused them to struggle. The students were pretty eager to finish their work and leave, mostly because it was Friday and they wanted their Friday Treat. 
      After co-teaching my first lesson, what are my thoughts? First, I was railing on myself because I thought I sounded too monotone. I didn't speak as  much as I thought I would. Plus, I felt like I didn't enjoy the experience as much as I should have because I was so stressed about it just a few hours earlier. Naturally, I started to question whether this was the right career path for me and naturally, I started to dwell.
      After speaking with a student teacher, I realize I forgot something that I should always remember. I'm not going to be perfect. I'm not going to be comfortable standing up in front of a class right away. I'm going to need practice before I finally am comfortable. One thing I want to convey to my students is that even their teacher makes mistakes. I want them to know that it's okay to make mistakes because that's the only way they'll learn. I care so much that I want to be perfect and flawless, which I now see could end up being my downfall. 
      From this latest teaching experience, I have learned to relax and just go with the flow. If I can't learn to enjoy life as it comes, how am I going to be happy teaching?

Philosophy

      Today I think of another important lesson when it comes to education. Not my own major, but your education as an individual. I realize that we as humans all have needs. We want to gain knowledge, we want to be loved, we want to have fun, etc. Sometimes these needs are met, other times they are not. When you're in college, your prime focus has to be on yourself. This is your time to figure out who you are as a person and explore your own interests. It's important to try something new and have different experiences because it will benefit you in the long run. You can adapt more easily to new situations and feel less stress about change. At the same time, there may be something in your life that you really want that doesn't correlate with your education. Then what do you do?
      I have things that I want that don't have to do with teaching. I know someone who I would gladly give up  everything I know just to be next to. We're in two different places, and we both want different things out of life. Though we both care about each other, we have to put ourselves first. I'm so happy I found teaching because I know it's something that will make me happy. It gives me confidence and motivates me to want to help children succeed. This person I care about, well, I want what's best for him, even if it means I can't see him every day. My goal in life cannot revolve around anther person; it has to revolve around me. You are the center of your own universe, and it is up to you to make the most out of life.

Sour Lemonade

      This past week was like walking on eggshells. Waiting for something to happen, having to hold off something you're doing based upon what one person says or do. I've had to be very careful not to stress myself out or get upset about little things I have no control over. Remember how I said I was scrambling to find a ride? Well, I luckily found one. The downside was that I woke up the next day and I felt immensely sick. I didn't know it I had contracted a stomach bug or was just nervous. As irony will have it, it was in fact nerves. And with even more luck, I was able to observe in my classroom the next day, complete nausea - free.
      Working with my special education student as well as some of the other students in the class was a completely different experience for me. I got to talk to them and they were reading to me books they had selected for Reading Day. My student was very sweet and adorable, but he was misbehaving a little when we were playing a game with two other boys. The game is called "Sour Lemonade," where students pull a card out of a bag and read the word on the card. If they can read it, they keep it. The person with the most cards at the end of the game wins. My student kept wanting a turn when it wasn't his time to draw a card, and sometimes he would reach his hand into the bag and pull out a card anyway. The classroom aid told me that I shouldn't be afraid to let them know who was the boss, but I had never disciplined a child in my life. I didn't know where the boundary was between disciplining and just being mean.
      I myself am a very laid back person, and usually, if something isn't bothering me, I don't try to stop it otherwise. I don't know if my student took me seriously or not
      Despite my laid back approach to discipline, the day was an overall success. I managed to enjoy myself and I was reminded why I wanted to enter the teaching profession. I now know that I'll have to get used to disciplining my students when they misbehave, but I have to remember my reasons for doing so.
     

Success and Stress

      My dinosaur lesson plan was a success! It was weird, I didn't feel nervous or anxious at all. My professor said I did a good job, and my classmates asked me to clarify one or two things for them. My classmates were really interested in my dinosaur nest that I used for my anticipatory set. CVS sells these dinosaur eggs that you let sit in water, and they start to hatch within 12 - 24 hours. The dinosaurs inside absorb the water, which causes them to slowly break through their shell and get bigger. Who knew an impulse buy could turn into such a fun experiment for children and 20 year olds?
      Now that I've completed this poster session, it's time to prepare for my next one. I'm doing a case study on a special education student in a school that I observe in. I haven't had much time to really work with him in addition to my lack of transportation. Today was a hassle after my poster session because I was scrambling to find a ride. The students have their spring break next week, and my write up is due soon after. Basically, its now or never for the write up. I realize that as a future teacher, I will have to deal with sudden changes in my plan, whether it be switching things up in a lesson or dealing with last minute details. I'm slowly learning that life will throw you curve balls no matter how big or small; however, that doesn't mean they are insignificant. Yes, today I felt some stress, but I keep forgetting that I was successful today as well. I created a differentiated lesson plan by myself and it was well received. I felt proud of what I had created and I felt something that I often lack: confidence.
      In teaching, I will be thrown curve balls in the shape of my students, but I should never forget to enjoy the little things. Maybe I should act like a dinosaur: go with the flow and try not to get eaten by something bigger than me.

Homework: Effective or not?

      Today I learned something I never thought I would hear: homework has no effect on how well a student learns. What made it even more unexpected was that my professor told my class giving our future students homework would be a waste of time. Funny, I never thought I would be told by a teacher to not give homework as a future teacher. His argument was that there is no evidence that homework does help a student to learn in elementary school. In high school, there has been some sort of data recorded, but none at the elementary level.
      Before, I wanted to give my students work that would make them want to learn more about whichever subject they were learning. Now I think I'm being driven to becoming a sort of rebellious teacher. Teachers have given homework, or "busy work" for decades. I guess it does make sense. I never learned much from homework in elementary school except how to get it all done on the bus and watch TV until dinner. Thinking about my students though, will they still learn the material if they don't get any practice outside of school? I don't know. I'll just have to wait until I can actually give them homework to find out.

Dinosaur Introduction :)

      I'm not a blogger...I guess that's kind of ironic since I'm writing a blog. I'm not a writer of any kind, though I thought myself to be one at one point. I don't go openly expressing my feelings to random strangers (I usually do that frequently with my friends and/or my mother). I'm an average 20 year old going to college, studying to be a teacher. Geez, that's a phrase I never thought I'd say. I came into college wanting to major in Creative Writing and write a novel and be the next J.K. Rowling (as my dad put it). The next thing you know, life throws you a few unexpected (or impending) curve balls and you find that you need to rethink your future.
      The idea of teaching used to terrify me for a few reasons. One, I hate public speaking. Two, I'm scared children don't like me. Three...well, that's pretty much it. Looking at this, my reasons for not wanting to teach look so silly. I guess that's what drove me to want to see what teaching was all about. I've known that with whatever career path you go down, you will have to public speak at some point. You can avoid it in high school but not the real world. With children, I kept forgetting that they're people, not aliens from another planet.
      So, this brings me to now: several days away from presenting (not teaching) my first differentiated lesson plan to my class on Special Education practice. I decided to do mine on dinosaurs after deciding against the Solar System. I'm actually finding that it's going quite nicely. I feel pretty confidant that I've made a lesson that will benefit all my students if I ever actually go through with the lesson. I decided to make three stations: one with books to read, one with a short video, and one that requires the students to look for footprints and match them with the dinosaur who made them. In order to assess if they learned anything, I'll give them several homework options: draw or write about a dinosaur you created, find several facts about a dinosaur that interested you, or write a story about your dinosaur. Like I said before, I'm not actually teaching this lesson; I'm just explaining this lesson in a poster session. Who knows, maybe I could use it later on :)