It's been a while since I've posted a journal . . . I must have been busy.

Well, around midterm everything started clicking for me. I got a handle on my classroom management and started getting positive results from my students. I had three or four classes with which I developed a positive rapport, and SRP became wonderfully busy and quiet.  My problematic class turned around and I was down to only one especially problematic class at the end. Amazenly, my worst class had an awesome last day. Some real teaching and learning happened.

Overall, I would describe my student teaching experience as FULL. My host teacher had a lot of illness in the family so she was gone a lot, though we never lost communication. This was good for me because it forced me to become more independent and responsible for my classroom. I discovered that I can handle this. I think teaching might work out afterall.

Last tuesday, I graduated from Indiana University Kokomo with my bachelors in secondary English education. I also wore my cords for Pi Lambda Theta as well as my distinction cords for my high GPA. It was then that I realized that my education was comlpeted. I had survived student teaching, the e-portfolio review, and the e-poster project. My time as a student has ended.

So now it is time to look to the future. I need to find employment, a new home, and seriously attempt my novel.

So anyway, I was curious to see how many of my new years resolutions I have thus far completed.

1. Successfully complete student teaching - CHECK
2. Earn my teaching liscense 
3. Pass formative e-portfolio -CHECK
4. Graduate May 09' -CHECK
5. Find a teaching job
6. Research novel
7. Start planning my novel
8. Write more
9. Improve writing skills
10. Read more for fun
11. Rent a home of my own
12. Revise and publish OP
13. Raise money for my local animal shelters
14. Volunteer more
15. Save money

I am so glad I have a three day weekend. This week was sooo long and stressful. This was the first week I had all of the classes and I had so many things go crazy this week including a kid throwing up, the laptops being dead during a project, and a million behavioral problems. On top of that I agreed to judge a speech meet for the school's team. Usually, I coach for another school so it felt dirty. Though, I was able to stay loyal to both during the meet.

Thankfully, this week will be a short one due to the holiday and my having class. I will have a sub on friday. I know this sounds alwful, but I hate long weeks. I am too tired to be useful on friday and my patience wears off by then. I felt like I was impatient last week so this week I am working on my patience. Though it is always hard to be patient with whining. lol

Well, I wish I could say I got some work done on my novel but I am too tired to even think about the novel right now. I wish I could work on it more. Though my interest wanes back and forth from the two ideas I have. I should just stick with the one I've begun to research but the other keeps grabbing for my attention. I don't think it is good to work on two at once and one should have the focus, but I find it hard to focus all the same.

Maybe tonight, I will do some research on my novel since I have some extra time. I've already mapped out my lessons for this week and am just waiting to hear back from my host teacher for approval.

Well, that's all
-later

I survived my first lesson and even enjoyed it! My first lesson went really well. The students were really receptive, a bit talkative, but they got into it. I ended up getting through the lesson very quickly even though I slowed down. I had 20 extra minutes of time that I was not sure how to fill. I ended up talking to the students to get to know them but I would have preffered less time to do that, although I did get to know them pretty good today and I think they will do okay.

They seem to like having me there, which I hadn't expected and the American Lit kids are really looking forward to having me teach their class.

SRP also went well. I spoke with the student before class and told him/her (to protect the innocent) and he/she did very well today. SRP feels easier now that I have two classes to teach. I am glad my host teacher is weening me on rather than dmping the load on me.

Tonight, after school, I am going to eat out with Sarah and then I am going to go home and work on my novel! I am going to research some more. So happy.

So yeah, today was a successful day.  Hopefully, I will get some writing done.

-Later

I thought it would be helpful for me to journal each day so I could see if I make any progress during student teaching and so I can look back at my failures and successes. So far, it has been helpful though I have failed to write every day.

Well, today SRP did not go as well as it did the other day, though it did not go unwell. I was lucky to only lose four kids and gain no new ones, but I was left with a very chatty social student. He is not unkind nor is he trying to be outright disrespectful, but he is trying to see how much talking he can do. Today, I am sorry to say, I let him get away with too much. I did not want to write him up because I just wrote up another student, but I pretty much warned him five times for varous disruptoins. I don't consider myself a SRP nazi or anything, but during work time I expect them to be quiet, in their seats, doing something . . . even coloring. I think I am pretty relax. I am not asking them to do anything they cannot do. But his disruptions disrupt the quiet of the whole class and make others respond. I'd say he won today. My victories were only momentarily. On tuesday, I am going to bite it in the bud. I am going to give him two warnings and then send him out. I can't let them talk during worktime because I asked that they not.

At least I am getting practice at classroom managment.

Honestly, I am not looking forward to tuesdays first class. The students seem so uninterested in having a host teacher or being in class . . . or being awake for that matter. My college bound kids seem excited about having me there and going to class. I hope I can get my morning classes motivated. I think after a few weeks, I will start liking that class more as we move into more interesting material. The first day I have to open the unit so I am hoping they stay awake. I am thinking of adding visuals to help them with the material. The next lesson I planned a very fun activity that I think they will enjoy as the college bound students did last semester.

Well, that is all for now. 

Oh yeah, progress on the book . . . 0.

-later

Today was a really successful day for me. My SRP class went really well. I was able to establish my authority in the classroom when I wrote a girl up for disrespectful behavior. Once I stepped back in the door the energy in the room changed. The other students, even the chatty ones, were working quietly. It was awesome. And during free time, they bonded with me. We popped bubble wrap. My host teacher explained to me that when I am challenged, the students expect and want me to win. So if I do, I earn their respect, but if I don't I let them down. So, I guess I did it right. My host teacher was really proud of me and praised me. It was a very good day.

(though I would rather not have to write kids up) I am glad I could rise to the challenge.

This week, I have really come a long way in my confidence and preparation. I feel more ready than I did the week before and some of the anxiety has worn off. Though, I've kind of accepted that this is going to be a stressful sememster.

Though, I will have good and bad days, today was a good day.

Progress on the novel . . . zero.

later

This week has been really beneficial for me. I've started to adjust to my new schedule some and am less overwhelmed about student teaching, though I know it is going to be difficult and stressful. I also anticipate that it will be enjoyable as well. I have some really awesome students in my classes. I get to teach American Lit and English 11.

This week, I got to take charge of SRP. The first day was a challenge as a few of the students decided to test me. But today, it went smoothly as I seem to have won those challenges. I am working on my classroom managment and already know a few tricks thanks to my host teacher.

I have started planning my units and have a good idea of what I will be covering for the semester, though I am never satisfied with my lessons. Need to stop being such a perfectionist.

I havn't gotten any work done on my novel. Sigh. I have made a goal to work on it at least one night a week. That dosn't seem unreasonable.

Well, things seem to be looking up so I am going to stick with this optimism for a while.

later

1. Successfully complete student teaching
2. Earn my teaching liscense
3. Pass formative e-portfolio
4. Graduate May 09'
5. Find a teaching job
6. Research novel
7. Start planning my novel
8. Write more
9. Improve writing skills
10. Read more for fun
11. Rent a home of my own
12. Revise and publish OP
13. Raise money for my local animal shelters
14. Volunteer more
15. Save money
    
    Well, let's see how many of these I complete. This is going to be a rough year so I need to stay focued.
    
    -later
    
     

Today I made a lot of progress on my research. I divided everything I need to know into manageable categories and subcategories. I think it's a smart system because I won't be able to retain the information without well-organized and comprehensible notes.

I spent today researching the capital of Edo because that is where the story is going to take place. I created a map with the help of a virtual tour website and made a list of the towns that I want to spend more time on.

I found this virtual Edo website that was very helpful. It was informative without being overwhelming and user friendly without being too simplified. It gave me a good start, though I have academic sources that will provide me with the meat of my research.

During my research I also found new ideas and concepts to explore. I am not throwing mine out persay, but I may end up changing my direction depending on what I information I find and where it leads me.

It helps me to walk in with a concept in mind, but a friend of mine warned me not to get stuck on it or that would stunt my writing. She's right though. I can always refine my theme as I get to know the material better. After all, part of the point of research is to explore the possibilities.

Well, I gotta get some more research done,
-later

Today, I did not get a lot of research done on the novel. So far, progress is slow. I am still a long ways from writing the novel. I can't wait to start writing, but I want this novel to be well-researched and accurate.

Well, since I did not get much done I don't have a lot to report.

later