Mission: Accomplished

Thoughts of Reflections...
Well I would like to proudly announce that I survived student teaching. In Detroit. Take that ego. As I look back over it now (being absent from the classroom 3 weeks already) it amazes me of what I actually remember. I can honestly say that I don't remember the year (as a whole) as being so terrible. Maybe because I've had some time to remember what summer actually is. When people ask me now "How was student teaching?" or "So how terrible was teaching in Detroit?" To the first question I generally answer "Well it was an experience." And quite honestly it was just that. I learned all about my students as 9 year olds, city-kids, Detroit-kids, urban-kids and just silly-kids. My answer to the second questions is usually sprinkled with a bit of attitude. Don't judge Detroit and don't label my kids as just "kids from Detroit". They are kids, first and foremore, and then they are kids who are growing up in an environment where learning isn't their top priority - and I don't blame them for that. It's my job to push education to become a priority. Along with that second question - teaching anywhere is hard work. Every environment in every location will have it's challenges, sometimes it's the kids don't eat dinner other times it's a kid who is torn apart when they don't receive a 100% on every single assignment. There are challenges everywhere, so teaching in Detroit naturally had some too.

I do clearly remember many days and nights of no-sleep, anxiety, colds, pimples, snot, worries, frets, apprehensions, anxiety (yes more) and self-doubt...but even remember those feelings I did actualy complete the year in one piece. And I managed to keep my boyfriend, friends and family relavity happy with me. I did discover that excerise it a must. A must for my mental stablility and general health. I also discovered the joys of Yoga, which let me just say has also been a life saver and hopefully will continue to act in such a way throughout my career. I discovered:
-teaching is very hard
-I will not have all the answers (or even some of the answers most days)
-I have a hard time with doing a job where I am still very much learning
-I need to understand that even when a lesson bombs, there is still positive learning that comes out of it (sometimes by the students and sometimes by myself as the teacher)
-the good-morning greeting is essential to everyone
-sometimes smiling (even when you are down right mad) can bring your mood into a more positive light
-I will never be caught up or on top of my game (but that is very OK)
-whatever I do in the classroom as an individual my students will pay attention to and possibly mimic (weird, i know)
-a strong support system is essential
-flexibility, flexibility, flexibility
-having small goals (like only using positive comments) is just as important as big goals
-passion is helpful and contagious in learning
-students should be observed and interacted with in a non-classroom environment early in the school year in order to learn about them as people and not just students (because they are two very different personalities)
-I can make a daily difference in someone else's life
-preparation, preparation, preparation

I know these thoughts are kind of rambled but that goes to show what the year was really like...more to come I'm sure

Internship Year Thus Far

Sucesses:

• Learning 60 kids names
• Getting to know my 30 on a better level
• The transformation of DA
• 2 math lessons (good practice)
• 5 spelling lessons (as well as learning the vowel sounds myself)
• creating and implementing my own classroom managment plan
• creating a weekly newsletter that is also posted on a blog
• having the kids on my own two days in a row

Trials/Bumps

• DA on my own
• familiaring myself with the curriculum (all 4 subjects)
• writing and planning a typical lesson plan
• trying to figure out how to keep 30 kids engaged
• trying to figure out how to teach 30 kids at a time

Internship Placement

Three days prior to graduation I have finally received my internship placement. Davison Elementary in Detroit. Let the butterflies begin.

Submission Successful

My only assignment for finals week this year was to write a Notebook entry for TE 402 describing how to teach Language Arts effectively. After 2 1/2 pages I was pretty satisfied with my paper, so I started the process of turning it in. We were to upload the file into a drop box on Angel. I saved and closed the document. I logged onto Angel, found the drop box, browsed for the file, uploaded it and clicked Finished. The message I received was Angel was "Submission Successful". The exact moment I read that message my stomach dropped to the floor, I instantly felt nauseous and my hands began to sweat - I had just completed my final requirement for my Undergraduate degree. I was absolutely blown away by this concept. Yes I knew graduation was coming up. Yes I knew that I would be student teaching next year. Yes I knew that I would be moving out of my current house. But No - I did not think a simple click of the mouse would cause me such intense and sudden feelings. And that my friends was my final moment of undergrad classes.

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Possible Technology Integration Plan

In order to prepare for my upcoming internship year my Technology and Teaching course assigned a project where we were to design and write up a proposal detailing one particular way to integrate technology in the classroom. I have not been placed yet for my internship so I wrote my proposal for an upper elementary classroom and I will be adapting it to whatever grade level I am placed in. I have created a Social Studies/Geography unit where students study their community through digital photography and Map Mashups. Students in 3/4th grades study communities and I thought it would be a good idea to actually go and take pictures of places in the community, tag and locate the places on a map. Then each student would write and upload a short report on their assigned place to our Map Mashup. The final product would be an online map with pictures and information about the community.
To find out more about this proposal go to by Website and click on the link that says Technology Integration Plan!

The Sky's the Limit?

The final assignment for CEP 416 is to create a Technology Integration Plan that you plan on actually using in your upcoming internship year. The assignment's boundaries and specifications are easy...they don't exist. At first this sounds like a great opportunity to use your knowledge and your imagination for create your ideal plan. A plan that will allow your students to be engaged and excited. A plan that has no limits of funding, state benchmarks, parental involvement or district allowance. My mind was in constant brainstorming mode for several days. I wanted to make sure that I had spent enough time creating every possible technology integration idea before I settled on my project of choice.

When I felt that I had given enough time to the brainstorming stage I decided to actually sit down and start writing the details, steps and concepts that would be a part of my brilliant plan. And this my friends, is when I realized that this was no easy task. I realized that I have hardly ever been given the opportunity to create and development my own ideas for my classroom. My classes have always included projects and papers with these requirements and those specifications. I couldn't get over the fact that here I was with no boundaries and I sat craving the restrictions that I have grown so used to. I spoke with one of my fellow CEP416 classmates about my dilemma and her eyes light up as I explained my frustration with the need for restrictions. Her response made the project seem easy, "Anything is possible, if it doesn't exist - create it." I explained my worries of funding and permissions that would hold up my plan and all she could do was talk about how there are no limits to what I could do and that I should create and work towards establishing my dream project. I left the conversation still feeling frustrated, partially because of my need to know the real life restrictions that I would have to work around next year and also because of my envy for her excitement and imagination.

I wondered why I couldn't take this opportunity to be the typical excited-motivated-free-spirit-college graduate that I would soon be. I began to realize that I lack that stereotypical "I'm going to change the world" attitude. The thought saddens me and I wonder where my excitement for my future profession went. I try my best not to point fingers but I can't help but feel that my lack of excitement comes from my classes and my lack of real-elementary classroom experience. Yes, I've had several placements and TE courses but none that provided me with a positive and excited attitude. These experiences have left me jaded and unmotivated. I have not been filled with the notion that I can make a difference and change the world one student at a time. I have come accustomed to thinking about the rules, regulations, limitations and challenges that come with teaching. When I think about the road ahead of me I imagine a difficult, bumpy and long road where the moments that make teaching worth it are far and between. And here less than a month away from completing my undergraduate degree and less than six months away from being in a classroom five days a week - I sit and wonder where did this cynic come from and when will she go away?