I really struggled hearing Esme's internal dialogue during the conversation with Mr. Turner. While I laughed at some parts others really caused me to cringe. She's in a situation here where she should be reacting in a happy, relieved, thankful (pick one) way and yet she's just obstinate, vulgar, and sarcastic...I HOPE that all we read here didn't actually come out of her mouth. I realize she's had her fill of this man (rightly so). However, at this point I get a real sense that she's also now lost her focus on the kids. It's really troubling to know that the stress and strain her daily grind could get her to this point.
I really enjoyed reading the segment where the curriculum alignment specialist visited. The exchange between Esme and this person was right on the money. Only YOU know what your students are capable of regarding how fast you go and what concepts you present and when. To have someone else determine this for you is ludicrous and actually demeaning to the role of a teacher. I'm glad she challenged the assumptions here!
Now it's your turn...
Reactions:
What is one area in this section to which you found yourself reacting emotionally? What emotions were evoked and why do you feel this section caused you to feel this way?
Connections:
Is there anything from this section you can connect back to any of your Junior year EDEC courses? If so, which ones and why?
Extensions:
I love the way Esme uses her music for therapy, motivation, stress relief, damage control, and more.
Here is a link to a YouTube playlist I created that contains most (if not all) of the songs Esme has referred to in this section (and others).
I wonder...what are your current therapeutic music choices?
What do you listen to when you need...
Motivation-
Stress Relief-
to Love people more-
to feel less afraid-
to deal with frustration-
What's your current favorite....anytime...feel good song?
Here are mine...
Motivation-Sweet Home Alabama
Stress Relief-Breakaway
to Love people more-Bubbly
to feel less afraid-House at Pooh Corner
to deal with frustration-Free and Easy Down the Road I Go
What's your current favorite....anytime...feel good song?
Dog Days
Rolling in the Deep
or The Edge of Glory
For next time read April 15th up to but not including May 22nd.
Can't wait to get some new songs to add to my playlist!
See you all soon!
Love ya!
Mean it!
Dr. VW
(Katie Allen)
ReplyDeleteReaction:
I also reacted so strongly to Esme's internal reactions during her conversation with Mr. Turner. There is no doubt that he has been terrible to her this school year and she has every right to be frustrated. But, don't lead him to believe that you're staying if you have no intention to. It's disrespectful to so many other people besides Mr. Turner. Those teachers that may could fired from that school could keep their job if she'd tell the truth. Also, Mr. Turner needs time to find a great new teacher for this kids and not a last minute one because she bailed. I kind of lost some respect for her on this one.
Connections:
Esme's plan for the game show lesson reminded me of creative expressions and part of literacy. She came up with a really creative way to cover this curriculum with the students and it was evident that she was excited for it. I did feel sorry for her when she was unable to complete it because the lack of student preparation. I know that was so frustrating!
Extensions:
Motivation- Long Live (Taylor Swift)
Stress Relief- Knee Deep (Zac Brown Band)
to Love people more- The Show Goes On (Lupe Fiasco)
to feel less afraid- The Heart of Life (John Mayer)
to deal with frustration- Forever Reign (Kristian Stanfill)
What's your current favorite: Barefoot Blue Jean Night
Reaction: I forget sometimes, when I get stressed out by cohort stuff and life stuff, why I want to teach and why it brings me joy. When Esme talked about teaching being about SHARING, and being good at sharing, I was reminded of one of the key reasons I want to be teacher. I want to teach because I have this strange desire to share what I love, what I am passionate about, with others. If I love a movie, a story, a song...whatever, I want to tell everyone so they can love it too. This is one of the key reasons I want to do this.
ReplyDeleteConnection: Esme's struggle with curriculum reminds me of all of our classes, where we dealt with standards. I see the need for standards, though I sometimes find them hugely arbitrary and often inhibiting. I often find myself scratching my head wondering why certain standards are in a certain grade and why others are not.
Extension:
Motivation-Life is Beautiful (Vega4) and Landslide (The Backbeats)
Stress Relief- Under Pressure (Keane)
to love people more- We're going to be friends (Jack Johnson)
to feel less afraid- Holy Holy Holy (Phil Wickham)
to deal with frustration- Starlight (Muse)
Current Favs: Pumped Up Kicks, When My time Comes, Sure Can Start
Katie...first off...I LOVE that you are almost always the FIRST to respond to my posts! :-) I share in your loss of respect for Esme a bit here. I LOVE so much of what she does and the trust and faith she builds up and puts in these children. Her creativity and teaching is unmatched but she has some real issues when it comes to her attitude.
ReplyDeleteMegan...Once again...you bring me back to a very profound need most teachers do have and one of the messages Dr. Lounsbury gives to any group to which he speaks. Truly regardless of curriculum and standards the ONLY thing you can really teach to your students is who YOU are-inside and out.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteReaction: I thought it was interesting when the curriculum guy came to the school. It is so frustrating that they try to tell you what is and is not important for the children to learn. Example: When working at Quiz Bowl, the students did not know who sewed the first American Flag. Betsy Ross! Their excuse for not knowing it was "it's not in the standards, so I don't need to know it." It is ridiculous that we are teaching students that the only valuable information they need to know is from a list of standards. We are teaching these kids how to take tests, not be real people and use their thinking and creativity.
ReplyDeleteConnection: I liked her idea of using a game show for a lesson plan. It is developmentally appropriate and also creative.
Extension:
Motivation- Never Let You Go by Third Eye Blind and Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough by MJ
Stress Relief- Free Fallin' by John Mayer and Dancing Shoes by Gavin DeGraw
to love people more- Amazing by Josh Kelley
to feel less afraid- How Great Thou Art by Carrie Underwood/Vince Gill and Lead Me To the Cross by Hillsong
to deal with frustration- Forget You by Cee Lo Green
Current Favs:Give a Litte by Hanson and Stuck like Glue by Sugarland
Elise you've got a few of my faves in here as well...Love Forget You and Stuck Like Glue! I also applaud you for seeing the REAL need to break away from a list of standards...believe it or not...it's okay to know MORE than you'll actually be tested on at the end of the year! What a novel concept! :-)
ReplyDeleteWilcox, I know that we didnt have a posting last week because of fourth of July. But shouldnt this weeks posting be for the reading from February 21st up to April 1st? or are you counting that as last weeks reading and we just didnt have to respond to it? Let me know just needed to clear my confusion. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteReaction: When Esme won the Outstanding Teacher Award for reading, I was excited for her. It's been really clear that she spends a lot of her time working on her creating a love of reading in her students. She had already pointed out that she had seen a difference, but to be recognized with the award, let the other teacher know that she has been successful. It is one less thing she'll have to defend herself about now to the other teachers and hopefully, Mr. Turner.
ReplyDeleteConnections: When the man came to the staff meeting and talked about curriculum with the teachers, I was reminded of the way that we constantly make connections and defend our reasoning. In all of our classes, we make lessons plans that connect to standards and state curriculum.We are given some freedom as to how we approach the material and present it to the kids though, as long as we can justify why we are doing this. It was interesting to me that the teacher who was supposedly not teaching correctly never made an effort to justify why she was doing it her way.
Extension:
Motivation: Keep Your Head Up- Andy Grammer
Stress Relief:Pas de Deux:Itrada(Tchaikovsky) really, anything from the Nutcracker though:)
To love people more: Fix You- Coldplay
To feel less afraid:I want to Hold Your Hand- The Beatles
To deal with frustration:Take My Hand- Shawn Mcdonald
I don't really have a current favorite. It changes depending on my mood. :)
Jessica...you're right...I totally skipped a whole week! AHHHH!!! I guess I was too excited to skip ahead to the play list section! Sorry! I'll put that up for this week!
ReplyDeleteJust keep moving ladies! I love the connections you're all making!
Reaction: There were a few things i reacted to in this section of the reading, however one sticks out to me. The part where Esme is talking about reading "The Pudding Like The Night On The Sea" and how she is using different voices while she reads aloud. She says that the kids love it and can't stop laughing. She is having so much fun with the kids but they are learning at the same time. This is something that I want to strive for. The kids should want to look forward to coming to school and doing simple things like reading aloud and getting the kids to laugh with you can help you connect with the students on a more meaningful level. And the next thought captures the whole moment perfectly and its touching: "This is what it's all been for, this moment of having my own classroom, laughing together." Its things like these that show you its all worth it!
ReplyDeleteConnection: In literacy, we learned about different ways to get students into the books they are reading. One of the ways is to break the students into groups, give each group a book, then give each student a job. Each job would encompass a certain aspect of the book or an important part that helps the students with the comprehension of the story. Esme uses this exact literacy tool to get her students involved on page 118. From what I can tell from the reading this not only furthers the students comprehension but it also helps with them work on their responsibility because they have to plan out their readings on their own to have it done by a certain time.
Extension:
Oh this would be so much easier if i had my itunes in front of me! hahaha
Motivation- "Stronger" by Sara Evans
Stress Relief- Any and all Rascal Flatts songs!!
To love people more- Disney Songs :)
To feel less afraid- "Fight Like A Girl" by Bombshell
To deal with frustration- Really anything upbeat i can run to!
My current favorite is a tie between "Remind me" by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum
Reaction: When the curriculum guy came to the school and started correcting teachers it really made me feel sorry for them because, like the one teacher that Esme described, they probably were good teachers. In today's society, so much emphasis is put on standards. It is very different than it was years ago. I agree with what Esme said about every teacher teaching differently. I don't think the standards should be so strict that they restrict different creative ways that teachers teach.
ReplyDeleteConnection: I connected the curriculum guy to our scope and sequence project that we did in our Creative Expression class. For that project we had to plan each lesson and connect it to the standards as well as list the objectives and what we expected our students to learn.
Extension:
Motivation: Jump then Fall by Taylor Swift
Stress Relief: Something Like That by Tim McGraw
To Love People More: Little Moments by Brad Paisley
To Feel Less Afraid: I Won't Let Go by Rascal Flatts
To Deal with Frustration: depends on what I am frustrated at
My Current Favorite: this is hard...probably Honeybee by Blake Shelton or Barefoot Blue Jean Night by Jake Owen
Reaction: During this segment of reading I was very pleased and happy to see that Esme had received Dr. Peggy Williams Award. While it wasnt much it definitely did a great job of highlighting Esmes strengths as well as letting Esme know that not all is lost when it comes to people recognizing her efforts as an outstanding teacher.This little confidence booster was just what she needed after having to deal with Mr. Turners crap and everything else.
ReplyDeleteConnection: I found it hard to make connections during this section of reading except for when the specialist came in for Mr. Turners workshop. While I think that Esme raises some good points when it comes to actually following the curriculum and doing what u want, I know that in the end my job is ruled unfortunately by many who have never taught. We learn a lot about standards in curriculum in these classes and It was good to get a view of how it might actually play out in real life.
Extension: Its hard for me to pick certain songs to go with each section but ill give genres
Motivation- Usually rap or rock. Good for running ha
Stress Relief- Christian music, classical music, john mayer etc.
to Love people more- Christian music
to feel less afraid- Christian music, country music
to deal with frustration- anything with a slow calming vibe
Reaction: The curriculum aligner segment with Esme's response made me laugh because what she said is so true. How is someone else supposed to know what's right for my children to learn when that person has never even met them? And how can someone tell me what to teach if what my children are learning is meaningful, deep, advantageous to their current places in life, and though provoking? If what I'm teaching meets the standards given to me and my children are benefiting and learning, then back off.
ReplyDeleteConnection: The game show lesson she had planned reminded me of creative expressions. While we never found out how the game went or what it covered, the title of it sounded like an inventive way to teach a lesson that drifts from the usual.
Extension:
Motivation: On What Teachers Make by Taylor Mali
Stress Relief: Breathe by Sia (album version)
Love people more: Jezebel by Iron and Wine
Feel less afraid: Weekend Wars by MGMT
Deal with frustration: Turning Tables by Adele
Current favorite feel good song: The "Darkness" series by Mumford and Sons. Including Kripa