This is your time!

Vacation will definitely get you side tracked...hence why I haven't posted in quite some time. Very sorry about that. What I'm not sorry about is taking a great text/film like The Hunger Games and connecting it to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The week before vacation was a little crazy due to the snow day and large amount of students absent. I made the best of it though. I told the students at the beginning of the week that I knew they were anxious about vacation but we still needed to press on with our unit. Oddly enough they didn't fight me about it. I truly think I have the best seniors at Central High School. At the beginning of the week we began working on claims/thesis statements. The students were asked to generate their own thesis statement based on their homework/outside of class reading. They have been assigned multiple chapters from Walter Dean Myers, Autobiography of my Dead Brother. The connection to gangs and chivalry are the rope that tie Myers and Sir Gawain together. I wanted to give the students a baseline assignment for my SLO- write and support a claim. We used comic strips to generate a general claim (thesis statement) and the evidence (textual support) we would need to support that claim. The students did AMAZING! They were able to come up with the general theme of the comics (thesis statement)and used the actions in the pictures as their support for that theme (textual evidence). One of the first comics we looked at had a very happy theme. They were able to identify that theme immediately. I then asked them WHY they knew the pictures had a happy theme. They began shouting out their reasons while I wrote them on the board. We discussed why each of the actions in the picture support our theme (thesis statement). I then gave them another set of comic strips and told them we would do it together. Once they received the copy of the comic strip they were on fire. I was definitely not needed the second time around. We then put the practice to work with an actual text. I gave them a reading and asked for them to come up with a thesis statement based on the social group from Myers book. We worked on this for the rest of the week developing a thesis and finding the support one needs for their thesis. I gave them Thursday and part of Friday to develop essays around the Myers reading. I just asked that they do their best with the amount of instruction they had received. I would then look them over during vacation and give them feedback. My next step is allowing them to edit and revise based on my feedback. Although it was a shortened week and I was all about business, I still wanted to give the students a little fun. Friday we looked at The Hunger Games. I told them I wanted them to think about Sir Gawain and the connection her has to Katniss Everdeen. They are quite similar in a very unique way. They also have their differences. I gave the students an organizer to fill out while watching the fill. I remember high school films and how it really meant nap time. I couldn't believe the amount of focus and participation they gave me during our oral recall of the film. They were hooked. Unfortunately we weren't able to finish the film. They haven't stopped asking me about finishing it either. I only have 12 more days at Central High School and it is making me extremely sad. My students have been with me since the beginning of the second semester and every day they beg me to stay. I've received quite a few money offers this week. It is a bittersweet request because I don't want to leave them but I'm also not their teacher. I fear that they've become too attached and I hope they continue to do well even after I leave. Alas, right now and the next 12 days is what I consider MY TIME! I'm staying extremely humble and trying not to cry when they say things like, "Ms. Burns you can't leave us. You just wanted to tease us by being here." I love my students and I hope they know I'm always here for them. They are preparing for college and I like to think I have been helping them with that. They may not go to college and they may just go into the work field, however, I know they are going to be successful. As individuals, not as student, as individuals I could not be more proud than I am of them today.

My only promise is I'll never ruin the young.

"My teacher's so cool and she writes so professionally. Really looking forward to having her as a teacher." This was the response from one of my students after day one of the new semester. Week 3 was absolutely AMAZING! I'm hoping that week one is a sign for positive weeks to come! Monday was spent building community in the classroom. A great way to break the ice with a new semester in the middle of the school year is with "10 Things About Me". The students clearly know each other because it is no February, however, I don't know them. My goal was to pick a fun activity to get them talking to each other and keep the day mellow. We presented our 10 facts and had a great deal of laughs. I made sure to include both professional and personal facts. I want the students to know I'm still human. The next activity was closer related to the text, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The objective for the students was to make a connection between our name and reputation to the code of chivalry. The students were engaged and excited about the activity. Overall, day one was fabulous. Wednesday was a very important day for me as a teacher candidate. My first observation with my CT and supervisor happened on the third day of my unit. Period one still had sleep in their eyes but I was ready! We started with a bit of active learning. Performing a Lupe Fiasco Emotional Journey really highlighted just how crazy I am as a teacher. I'd like to mention that I now feel at home with my new students so there is no holding back. After my mini song and dance (students were shocked) we dove into characterization. The lesson went well for the most part. Students were reading the remainder of part one for Sir Gawain. The objective of their reading was to find specific lines involving characterization. We will be using those lines later in the unit. Once I finished teaching, it was time for me to do some learning. As I sat with my CT and supervisor, I saw where the mortar to my lesson was lacking. It was clear that my bricks (ideas) were solid and mapped out extremely well. My transitions were lacking, however, it is common at this time for that to happen. I learned that I just need to trust my planning and my ideas. The mortar (transition) is extremely important at this point in time because I am shaping my teacher self. Many experienced teachers are able to rack their teacher brains and just know what they are going to do with their class. I, however, need to work on building my teacher brain. The reflection really helped me understand my strengths as a teacher and where I need to set my goals. The week was short lived due to Blizzard Nemo. I am excited to dive back into the text this week. Tuesday we return to Sir Gawain. This week I'm hoping to bring in more media. I'm looking to bring in more film clips, maybe some different school performances of Sir Gawain.

Have an open mind

Week 2...hm. Where do I start? Week 2 started on a good note. My students seemed to enjoy the help I was giving them but I didn't really see it. I like to think it was because of the end of the semester crash. If the students weren't stressing about their final grade then they weren't stressing about anything. Majority of the week was based on missing assignments, preparing them for the exams, and final revisions on research seminar papers. It was a very stressful week for my CT and the rest of the faculty. I found that the students were very sassy in both the classrooms and the hallways. I tried to remember one of Don Miguel's four agreements, "Don't take it personally". Trying and doing are two completely different things. Wednesday was the day for the British Literature exam. I found it extremely hard to pull back from helping the students. When I see a student in need I want to help. I tried to focus my attention on preparing my unit for the upcoming semester but also being aware of the surroundings in the classroom. I wanted to make sure eyes were designated to their own papers. There were a few times I needed to clarify a specific word for the students. During the exam my CT told me she would be out on Thursday. She said she would leave a lesson plan for me and it was up to me whether I wanted to follow it or try something new. I decided to try something new. Biggest mistake... Note to self: when an exam has happened, the students do not want to learn anymore. Whoever decided to have a semester end on a Wednesday was not made aware of this. I went into school on Thursday with my head held high and a bright smile. I wanted to really get the students thinking about who they are. Not even five minutes into the period and I wanted to lock myself in the bathroom. The students had completely shut down and refused to listen to the teacher candidate. I felt the failure coming up from my stomach. With one more period before my prep/lunch period I didn't know what to do with myself. When my prep period finally came I took a moment to sit in silence. I then realized how lonely that silence was. I tried doing some preparations for my unit that would begin on Monday but I couldn't see past the comments and remarks from the British Literature students. The next action I took was probably the best and worst. I grabbed my phone in search of wisdom: I sent my mom a text. Unfortunately, her response generated a flow of emotion causing me to shed some tears in the classroom. I quickly pulled myself together and walked to the mirror by the window. I dried my eyes and said out loud, "You is kind, you is smart, you is beautiful" (The Help). The remainder of my Thursday was less than positive, however, I left my defeat at that mirror. When I woke up Friday morning I reminded myself that I cannot take anything personal. Friday was a better day because the school was filled with parties and no exams. A few of the students really wanted to hear my thoughts on college and the real world. I gave them the best advice I possibly could. I hoped that they would take everything I had to say and learn from it. Week 2 really wasn't the best week. Maybe it was the stress of the exams or the end of the semester. Whatever the case may be I am extremely glad that the week is behind me. The beginning of my unit it where my concentration shall be. Getting to know my students is where my heart will be. Incorporating technology and modern ideas for my new students it where my head will be. Dwelling on the week 2 that sent me into a defeated world is NOT where I will be.