Tomorrow is IT!
I have my boxes packed, emptied out my files and have very little to do aside from saying so long to the World of the Secretary. I'm SO excited and scared at the same time.
It's been a long arduous process in which the background has been ORHS. From the month I began working at the high school, I have been a full-time college student. So, the transition comes with very strong ties to my job. That is the place that changed my opinion of teenagers. From complete annoyance to drive to help them succeed. Granted, I haven't always been a ray of sunshine in that office. Rather, more like a box of mad frogs. But it's that anxiety to do more that has kept me anxious to move on.
Tomorrow it may hit me with a little more strength. Today, though, it comes second to the peace within that I have found through determination and focus.
I don't want to leave with anything but the same type of energy used in folding your old, worn, comfortable college sweatshirt away for The Next Chapter. Closure comes with the acknowledgement that this is exactly where I should be, moving forward.
Thank GOD I made it to see the eve of that day.
It's unfortunate, in some ways, that I have created that distance between myself and the students. Where before I was willing to go that extra mile to make sure that the students knew that they had a confidant in the office, not anymore. It was so hard to see the last 3 years worth of graduates move forward. I was most connected with the class of 2008. They were my freshmen when I began working there so I saw them grow up from 9th to the cap and gown.
But at this time, this year, I am at peace with it all.
Tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Written Monday, December 14, 2009
I received four pieces of advice today from one of the counselors for when
I become a teacher:
1. Inform parents if their student’s grades are slipping- whether it
is via email or phone, make sure you call them.
2. Use technology to provide parents access to their children’s
grades, and to you.
3. Make teaching lessons relevant to real life experiences.
4. Get my BCLAD
I have heard all of the above in my classes but all of which I feel are
important to create a type of accessibility to parents so they can feel
empowered. Why not? You are teaching their child, right? I don’t think
grades are something that they get slapped with every 6 weeks or so like
“what have YOU been doing about this?!” While I haven’t been there yet
and it can all *Seem* like it is as simple as that, I’m sure that it
requires more than a tiny bit of effort.
I’m used to so many things in my routine: typing, writing, talking on the
phone, etc. Now, they will be what is integrated into the other half of
the whole “teaching” thing. In many ways, I feel more organized than many
others. I feel like there is an advantage to having been someone else’s
helper all this time. Now, I’ll be my own helper. I’ve streamlined so
many things and work towards creating the smallest amount of repetitive
work as possible. If I can make something into an Excel spreadsheet that
I reuse over and over, year after year, why not use those same types of
methods for my paperwork stuff. I know lessons won’t be that easily
repeated.
I also know that there are many things beneficial to getting that BCLAD.
As difficult as it is to think of teaching a group of English learners
who virtually spend every class hour with one another, I think it would
also be to my advantage (actually, I KNOW it will be to my advantage) to
incorporate the certificate required to teach a population that is in
demand of educators. Supply and demand. Simple concept.
This is the Monday of my final week before I go on a 3-week vacation.
Thank you, Jesus!
I become a teacher:
1. Inform parents if their student’s grades are slipping- whether it
is via email or phone, make sure you call them.
2. Use technology to provide parents access to their children’s
grades, and to you.
3. Make teaching lessons relevant to real life experiences.
4. Get my BCLAD
I have heard all of the above in my classes but all of which I feel are
important to create a type of accessibility to parents so they can feel
empowered. Why not? You are teaching their child, right? I don’t think
grades are something that they get slapped with every 6 weeks or so like
“what have YOU been doing about this?!” While I haven’t been there yet
and it can all *Seem* like it is as simple as that, I’m sure that it
requires more than a tiny bit of effort.
I’m used to so many things in my routine: typing, writing, talking on the
phone, etc. Now, they will be what is integrated into the other half of
the whole “teaching” thing. In many ways, I feel more organized than many
others. I feel like there is an advantage to having been someone else’s
helper all this time. Now, I’ll be my own helper. I’ve streamlined so
many things and work towards creating the smallest amount of repetitive
work as possible. If I can make something into an Excel spreadsheet that
I reuse over and over, year after year, why not use those same types of
methods for my paperwork stuff. I know lessons won’t be that easily
repeated.
I also know that there are many things beneficial to getting that BCLAD.
As difficult as it is to think of teaching a group of English learners
who virtually spend every class hour with one another, I think it would
also be to my advantage (actually, I KNOW it will be to my advantage) to
incorporate the certificate required to teach a population that is in
demand of educators. Supply and demand. Simple concept.
This is the Monday of my final week before I go on a 3-week vacation.
Thank you, Jesus!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Class...on a SATURDAY??
Today is the first Saturday course that I have had to take in all of the time I have been enrolled at National University (October, 2008). Pretty sweet deal, I would say. The live courses I have taken to this point have been very lax in terms of that final "Saturday Class" to complete the necessary hours to qualify for a credit. The online classes, well, they have included a Saturday course if you count sitting on the couch in my pj's typing away at a final paper.
Right now, though, I just finished a webinar on live.classroom20.com It was pretty interesting. The topic was "Cell Phones in Education" with Liz Kolb. Being that I only see the issues such as taking cell photos of exams and such, it brought a lot of insight as to the usefulness and resources available to do so many different things with cell phones and students in class. The unfortunate part of this is that I don't think that 100% of our students own cell phones, so that limits the resourcefulness of the phones where equality is concerned.
So it's off to PowerPoint world. *whistle*
Right now, though, I just finished a webinar on live.classroom20.com It was pretty interesting. The topic was "Cell Phones in Education" with Liz Kolb. Being that I only see the issues such as taking cell photos of exams and such, it brought a lot of insight as to the usefulness and resources available to do so many different things with cell phones and students in class. The unfortunate part of this is that I don't think that 100% of our students own cell phones, so that limits the resourcefulness of the phones where equality is concerned.
So it's off to PowerPoint world. *whistle*
Friday, December 11, 2009
The story begins
I came upon this idea, the chronicles of a student teacher in California kind of on a whim. It makes for good self-reflection, but also provides a little insight. Perhaps its true purpose will unfold in time, and maybe it's simply futile.
Today is Friday, December 11, 2009. I am one week away from the end of one chapter-the life of Ana "the secretary". This brings reflection in so many ways. For the past five years, I have worked in an office at a high school in Chula Vista, California. During this time, I have also been a full-time student working on my BA (Sociology/SDSU) and then continuing into a CA Teaching Credential in English. My goal has been to be on the other side of those office walls, where the real work is done. Throughout my time as the office secretary, I have come across many different students who sought guidance, opinion, and even just the camaraderie of a fellow sports fan (go Bolts) to rehash the previous night's game. Today, two of these former students just happened to stop by to say hi and it brought me to this moment in time, where change will be made-at least one can hope, right?
Sean came in today. Two years into his college career on a football scholarship to Florida A&M, he made it a point to return to his Alma Mater and not leave campus until I came back from my lunch. I know because he made sure to make that a point of our conversation. He updated me on his family and his own life where college majors were decided and future plans began to be mapped out. He's getting all A's and B's. Good. He deserves it. He's one of the most disciplined and respectful young men that have walked the school grounds. He deserves all the success that comes to him. The other alumni was Chris. Both students were class of 2008. He comes up to me and says HI, do you remember me? The face? Yes. The name? not so much. Chris, he says. Remember that one time I was in here in trouble?... and so goes the story. I always made it a point to let them know they could stay at the table next to my desk if they were in trouble on the condition that it would be the only time they would sit there for that purpose. Usually it works. Usually. Chris is now at SDSU working on a Social Science teaching credential. Good stuff. Someone here made a difference..
Today's visits made me go through my mental Rolodex of the students who I have seen graduate and go away to college, some with my very persistent coaching. Fear manifests from the unknown. This I have experienced first-hand as I have faced my own fears of transitioning from an administrative assistant to an educator. Many days, I wanted to quit, to just let it all go and say forget it, just do what you know. But, the voice within always made me take another step on the proverbial ladder of career growth and move forward. If this is what you contemplate as you debate your major, career change or even to tap into that curiosity to see how exactly it is that someone works-for a whole semester-FOR FREE, then this is for you. Follow me as I go through this phase and experience. If it simply to be a voyeur into the mind of someone with zero teaching experience and 100% passion to make a change, even if it is only my own life that changes, follow me.
Who knows? This could just be the stories of the insanities of life with teens, 35 at a time in two-hour blocks. What could be more entertaining than that? I can't wait.
Today is Friday, December 11, 2009. I am one week away from the end of one chapter-the life of Ana "the secretary". This brings reflection in so many ways. For the past five years, I have worked in an office at a high school in Chula Vista, California. During this time, I have also been a full-time student working on my BA (Sociology/SDSU) and then continuing into a CA Teaching Credential in English. My goal has been to be on the other side of those office walls, where the real work is done. Throughout my time as the office secretary, I have come across many different students who sought guidance, opinion, and even just the camaraderie of a fellow sports fan (go Bolts) to rehash the previous night's game. Today, two of these former students just happened to stop by to say hi and it brought me to this moment in time, where change will be made-at least one can hope, right?
Sean came in today. Two years into his college career on a football scholarship to Florida A&M, he made it a point to return to his Alma Mater and not leave campus until I came back from my lunch. I know because he made sure to make that a point of our conversation. He updated me on his family and his own life where college majors were decided and future plans began to be mapped out. He's getting all A's and B's. Good. He deserves it. He's one of the most disciplined and respectful young men that have walked the school grounds. He deserves all the success that comes to him. The other alumni was Chris. Both students were class of 2008. He comes up to me and says HI, do you remember me? The face? Yes. The name? not so much. Chris, he says. Remember that one time I was in here in trouble?... and so goes the story. I always made it a point to let them know they could stay at the table next to my desk if they were in trouble on the condition that it would be the only time they would sit there for that purpose. Usually it works. Usually. Chris is now at SDSU working on a Social Science teaching credential. Good stuff. Someone here made a difference..
Today's visits made me go through my mental Rolodex of the students who I have seen graduate and go away to college, some with my very persistent coaching. Fear manifests from the unknown. This I have experienced first-hand as I have faced my own fears of transitioning from an administrative assistant to an educator. Many days, I wanted to quit, to just let it all go and say forget it, just do what you know. But, the voice within always made me take another step on the proverbial ladder of career growth and move forward. If this is what you contemplate as you debate your major, career change or even to tap into that curiosity to see how exactly it is that someone works-for a whole semester-FOR FREE, then this is for you. Follow me as I go through this phase and experience. If it simply to be a voyeur into the mind of someone with zero teaching experience and 100% passion to make a change, even if it is only my own life that changes, follow me.
Who knows? This could just be the stories of the insanities of life with teens, 35 at a time in two-hour blocks. What could be more entertaining than that? I can't wait.
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