This next to last section we begin to see the hard work, energy, and enthusiasm Esme started with payoff for her and find its way back into her day to day interactions.
I can certainly relate to having to teach sex ed to a group of 5th and 6th graders in mixed company. It's likely one of the most uncomfortable spots I've ever been in as a teacher especially the year our beloved president Clinton put oral sex on the news for all to hear. Boy, I had some interesting questions that year. I still need to send that man a thank you note! :-)
The interactions she had with B.B., Melanie, and Ozzie are just a few examples of truly knowing her students and providing what is needed specifically for each at the time. This is one of my pet peeves with zero tolerance behavior or management plans...it removes the teacher from making logical choices and decisions that may be more appropriate for the specific student at that moment in time.
I LOVED the laundry list of amazing things she did with her class to achieve the gains on the standardized test. That is something she can truly hold her head high about and celebrate!
Again we return to the Madame issue...I have to echo...why does it matter? why does he care? why is she turning this into such a battle?
Now it's your turn...
Reaction:
What's one section to which you find yourself reacting in an emotional way? What emotions are evoked and why do you feel this particular section made you feel this way?
Connection:
What is something from this section that you can connect back to one of your Jr. EDEC courses? Which class does it remind you of and why?
Extensions:
Page 178
"When you have a classroom of your own, you just can't do every idea you think of." I feel I came pretty close. I am fried as an egg. My personal relationships have suffered. I see now why so many of the older teachers are divorced. I am tired and lonely, but the children have enjoyed a measure of success. It can go on their permanent records. For what it's worth.
This quote makes me think of all the things you all complained about during your Junior year. I feel like it will be even more prevalent in your senior year and to hear a first year teacher reiterate the vacuum teachers operate within has got to be somewhat intimidating, scary, worrisome, terrifying (you pick your own adjective). How are you feeling about beginning this last leg of your journey and what specifically will you take with you from this quirky lady's journey as you begin yours?
Our LAST entry will be next week. We'll read June 28th through the end of the book. Our first seminar we'll make some connections and review the book and will also do some things with the children's book you chose to read.
Can't wait to see you all!
Let me know if you need anything as you begin returning and meeting your teachers.
Love ya!
Mean it!
Dr. VW
Reaction:I liked the list of activities the class had done that she was proud of and the students enjoyed. It was nice to see that it wasn't a list of improved test scores.
ReplyDeleteConnections: The list of activities she provided seemed like a well rounded list with approaches to the material that touched on all kinds of learning styles. Each student was given the chance to learn in their own style, but also practiced using other skills at some point in the year.
Extension: I'm definitely going into this year with some apprehensions about the work load and responsibilities, but I'm also excited because I know that I'm capable of getting through it. Eventually I'll be done and I'll be able to look back and see all that I've done, and hopefully be proud. Esme has reminded me to be patient not only with students, but also with myself.
Reaction: On her June 4 entry, I appreciated her brief but deep descriptions of some of her students. These small insights are indications of an awareness of the individuality of students. Without this awareness, how is a teacher supposed to meet a students needs?
ReplyDeleteConnections: I too liked the activities she listed, partly because I remember doing the light up quiz game in 6th grade and partly because its refreshing to see a teaching approach which reminds me creative expressions.
Extension: I am very hesitant to jump into the coming year if I am honest. I feel like a lot of people have told us "well...you'll be alive at then end," which makes it hard to maintain an optimistic outlook. However, I think about junior year, and am actually encouraged. It was difficult, and there were days when I would have a good day at placement, have wonderful interactions with kids, but then come home and be absolutely burnt out and days when I would want to cover my ears as 3 giant project outlines were explained in excruciating detail. However, not only was I "alive at the end," but I was proud to have weathered the year through the highs and lows. I learned to gain perspective in the tougher moments and to savor good moments in placement and in my college life. I learned to fight to have fun. This is our senior year, and I want to be excited about it! All I know, is that graduating high school was nice, but when our cohort graduates at the end of this year, I will be SOOOO proud.
Yes Jessica...Proud is a great word. I know you will all make outstanding teachers and am incredibly honored to be playing even the tiniest role in that!
ReplyDeleteElise...I know you are apprehensive and am confident in your abilities to not only perform but to shine at whatever you attempt. I hope you'll add confident to your self descriptors by the end of the year as well!
(Katie Allen)
ReplyDeleteReaction:
I continue to be impressed with Esme's ability to know her students so well and individually. She's really done exceptional things for these kids, and I think its great. However, her attitude is really starting to irritate me. When describing all three of the students she was somehow disrespectful to her co-workers. Multiple times, she was even pinning her students problems on other teachers. Personally, I think I would hate to work with Esme!
Connections:
When Esme listed her favorite lessons/activities she reminded me of scope and sequence from creative expressions. She is definitely considering learning styles in her teaching.
Extensions:
I'm so nervous about coming back next week. I'm expecting a lot from myself and I know my professors and host teacher are as well. I don't want to disappoint anyone, but I still want to live my senior year. I truly love this cohort, but I don't want it to be my entire life! And there is the uncertainty of graduating in a matter of months and not knowing where to go from there. Okay, I'm done being negative/stressful. Senior year is going to be AWSOME!!... right?
Reaction: As teachings we are expected to be a lot of things to our students; one of them is being a counselor- someone they can confide in and help them get through their problems. I think Esme did a wonderful job trying to get B.B. to talk to her about why he has been acting up. Of course kids are not going to want to talk about something like this right away, you are going to have to chip away at the wall they have put up until they are ready to confess to the actualities of their life. Esme was right when she said, “It’s just that I wanted him to say it, name it, so he can see it, taste it, know the enemy of his sorrow, and learn that he can be bigger than it, not let it rule him.” It breaks my heart to know that there are kids out there who really do go through things like this, and that’s why as teachers we have to be mindful of their behaviors and step in at the right time.
ReplyDeleteConnections: Everything Esme mentions on page 177 about the different activities they did throughout the year to help the student’s with the Iowa Standardized Test reminds me of just about every class we have taken. We learned all year to do more than pencil-paper activities. Kids learn through play-through doing, so the best way to teach a child new information is through something they love to do.
Extensions: Actually, even after reading this book, and specifically this quote, I’m ready to get started. Yes, I am very nervous and intimidated, but I know that through this last leg of my journey I have all the education teachers (especially you Dr. Wilcox), my wonderful cohort and my host teacher to turn to for support. I’m not going to be alone in this. And to top it off this is my year of learning, to find out exactly what works and what doesn’t, to ask questions in my teaching environment and to take risks. Even through it all, I have hope that this year will give me the confidence I need to be comfortable once I get into my own classroom.
Reaction: While we've been reading about B.B.'s situation throughout the whole book, it hit me especially hard at this point. I was astonished by how lightly the counselor handled the situation with B.B. its as if she didnt even care and was just trying to make a deal in order to take the easy way out. The last thing he needs is another person who doesn't care. I would have been just like Esme and its frustrating that she is stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to addressing B.B.'s abusive situation. Its times like these that I ask why?
ReplyDeleteConnection:I really made a connection to class when Esme talked about the bubble festival. It reminded me of when we did a bunch of bubble experiments in class and how fun it was. That was just on a small scale and to me a festival sounds much bigger, so I am sure that the kids had an absolute blast with it.
Extension:I am excited and nervous to start my final year. I cant wait for everything that I am going to learn and the experiences I am going to have. I hope that from this book I will be able to take the strength that Esme had and not let little things get to me, as I know that this is something I struggle with. I also hope that I will be able to roll with the punches like Esme did and have the ability to recognize that everything isnt going to go as planned. Most of all though, I hope that I can create relationships as deep as she did with her students, because to me that is what plays the biggest role in education as a whole.
Jessica you already have the right frame of mind when it comes to connecting with your students. I know you'll make the connections you mention and more.
ReplyDeleteReaction: I felt just as frustrated as Esme when Mr. Turner brought up the whole "madame" situation. It has been almost a year and he is still harping on the same issue. I feel there are many more issues that are more prevalent that he needed to be dealing with.
ReplyDeleteConnection: When Esme was listing the interesting things her class did during the year, it reminded me of how we should teach many different ways to reach all of the students. She chose such creative ways to teach things such as electricity and shadows. I'm sure the kids enjoyed it and therefore learned more than if she had just lectured them. The way Esme knew each of her students individually also reminded me of how we have learned that each student is different. We have learned that each child must be dealt with differently to best meet their needs. It was neat seeing this in action.
Extension: I am very nervous about starting senior year, but I also am very excited! I know there is going to be a lot of responsibilty put on us, some of which we have never experienced before. I do believe that I am going to learn so much and be prepared to be a full time teacher at the end of the year. The uncertainity that comes after graduation is always on my mind and it is scary, but I know we will all get through it.
It is frustrating to keep hearing this issue surface isn't it Caylin. Each time however, I find my frustration directed toward a different person. Some of the time I feel like Esme is the catalyst and needs to back off on her attitude a bit. Some of the time I feel like Mr. Turner is simply trying to play a power/intimidation card and I'm thrilled Esme is brave enough to see through that and take a stance. This time I'm just floored...really? What led to this coming back up as an issue in his mind this time?
ReplyDeleteReaction: I enjoyed the way she re-taught sex ed to her class after the video. So many children are being given the wrong information about sex and safe sex, or no information at all, and that's how the world ends up with pregnant 12 year olds. I'm sure that it was uncomfortable and she wasn't supposed to answer their questions other than what the board and the video told her to do, but I'm proud she took time out of the day to make sure her students were informed on a topic that changes everything.
ReplyDeleteConnection: The list of activities she had the children do to learn reminds me of most of our junior year classes. She went outside the norm to teach in a way that was fun, engaging, involved, and still made the children learn even when they didn't realize it. It was literacy, creative expressions, math, etc. all balled up into one journal entry.
Extension: I'm so excited to begin senior year. I know it will be hard, challenging, frustrating, mind blowing, and joyous all at the same time. What I think I'll take most from this book is the fact that the "cohort way of teaching" can be done. It's hard and leaves you lonely and sad sometimes, but an out of the box style of teaching can be accomplished and the children will benefit from it perhaps even more than the "regular" style of teaching.