Inspired to Teach: 2/1/09

Friday, February 6, 2009

Day One

First day as a student teacher, first staff meeting, first unintentional (I hope) insult from a student... and so it begins!

From 1st impressions, including the Principal scaring the bejeebers out of me, I think this will be a good fit for me-- the school and especially my classroom is well run, well behaved, and focused on doing the best for and getting the best from the students. My Master Teacher is a crack-up, serious and caring at the same time, making sure her students have what they need to succeed and insuring they each take the personal responsibility to do so. She's given me several "homework" assignments for this weekend, lessons to do next week in Math and Language Arts plus a classroom clean-up project, so she's not wasting any time getting me involved (glad school's out Monday, gotta an extra day to work on everything)...

The Principal met me bright and early and impressed upon me the Two Rules to Succeed: never e-mail-- the more real, live conversations you can have with people the farther you'll go, and never, ever be alone with any student. I'm paraphrasing; he made both statements with much more intensity and emphasis than I can convey.

As for the student slam, when asked to welcome me and say how they'll help me or say something nice about me, one boy said my forehead sure was nice and shiny...

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

I got one!

Or, more accurately, one got me-- I have a school to go to for student teaching!

I was beginning to feel like the last (rejected) puppy at the pound, my classmates had assignments and I was just sitting by the phone, waiting, hoping, jumping to answer the second it rang (sorry I hung up on you, Ma) -- I had depressing flashbacks to those pitiful High School years when she said she would call, but never did...

But I did get the call. I feel like I've been drafted, way down low in one of the final rounds, but at least some team is willing to take a chance on me... now I need to work hard, learn from the veterans, practice my skills and make sure the coaches notice my talent and determination. Who knows, I might just make the team next fall...

So: 5th grade! Real live students! Lesson plans! A tie! Oh no, there's the first thing to ~~stress over~~ decide: what should I wear tomorrow?

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Praise Song for the Day

Elizabeth Alexander

Inauguration Poem 2009

Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other,
catching each other’s eyes or not,
about to speak or speaking.

All about us is noise. All about us is
noise and bramble, thorn and din,
each one of our ancestors
on our tongues.

Someone is stitching up a hem,
darning a hole in a uniform,
patching a tire, repairing
the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music
somewhere, with a pair of
wooden spoons on an oil drum,
with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son
wait for the bus.
A farmer considers
the changing sky.
A teacher says,
Take out your pencils. Begin.

We encounter each other in words,
words spiny or smooth,
whispered or declaimed,
words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads
and highways that mark the will
of some one and then others,
who said I need to see
what’s on the other side.

I know there’s something better down the road.
We need to find a place
where we are safe.
We walk into that
which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain: that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks,
raised the bridges,

picked the cotton and the lettuce,
built brick by brick
the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean
and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle,
praise song for the day.
Praise song for every
hand-lettered sign,
the figuring-it-out at kitchen tables.

Some live by love thy neighbor
as thyself, others by
irst do no harm or take no more
than you need.
What if the mightiest word is love?

Love beyond marital,
filial, national,
love that casts a widening
pool of light,
love with no need
to pre-empt grievance.

In today’s sharp sparkle,
this winter air,
any thing can be made,
any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim,
on the cusp,

praise song for walking forward
in that light.

I know it's probably copyright infringement, and I promise I'll teach my students to never, ever plagiarize, but these are awesome words-- probably just the weight and emotions of the day, but didn't you feel she was speaking directly to you?

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“The views expressed on this site do not reflect the views of the San Diego Unified (or any) School District. This site contains user-created content which is not endorsed by the District. The purpose of this site is”…(then specify the purpose).

The (multiple, related, connected) purpose(s) is to learn, share, discuss, collect, reflect, whine, practice, read, watch, organize, test, adapt, refine, laugh, listen, and yes, show off sometimes, anything and everything about my career and life as an Educator.