Sunday, August 21, 2011
Girl you know you got... you know you do it better.
I apologize for any followers that are upset with my lack in posting recently. This past Wednesday 8/17/2011 was my first official day of teaching. That being said, I've been incredibly busy with prepping, teaching, and sleeping. But, as my Atmau brother says, "That's to be expected!"
On my very first day my stomach was filled with butterflies of how the day would go... what the students would be like... if I was ready... The kids came in and we made it through the day.
By the end of the day, I went for a walk to the general store and was greeted by the very students I'd taught. They treat me as the town friend outside and their teacher inside the school. It's quite a paradox to be honest.
It's not really surprising that these students struggle with working with one another or have behavior problems, because constantly there are new teachers that cycle through the school. That makes for students having a lack of trust in school and each other. I hope that I'm not going to be one of those teachers that will let them down.
Thursday and Friday, I took the advice from some more experienced teachers. They gave ideas which I've been trying to mold together to help with classroom management. On the bright-side I feel like things are shaping up a bit more than before. Also the students seem to need REALLY structured interactions, rather than working in partners or groups. That is a goal of mine, that by the end of the year these students will be able to get along and work cooperatively.
Finally, I've got to say that I'm really lucky to be on the staff here. Everyone is positive and keeps each other motivated. I've been blessed with neighboring with my friend Miss Cindy. She's like a friend, mentor, and mom. For example, on my first day she came by the classroom to take a picture of me outside my room. :D Couldn't have asked for a nicer gesture. Besides having a mother here, I've come to feel as though I have a brother/friend too. Eli, the other brand new teacher, and I have been pretty much inseparable these past few days. It's been great to have someone who knows the nerves, stress, and unknown that comes with your first year of teaching. Planning, prepping, and eating have pretty much been how we spend our time. And yes there has been a bit of lamenting and complaining... ;)
On my very first day my stomach was filled with butterflies of how the day would go... what the students would be like... if I was ready... The kids came in and we made it through the day.
By the end of the day, I went for a walk to the general store and was greeted by the very students I'd taught. They treat me as the town friend outside and their teacher inside the school. It's quite a paradox to be honest.
It's not really surprising that these students struggle with working with one another or have behavior problems, because constantly there are new teachers that cycle through the school. That makes for students having a lack of trust in school and each other. I hope that I'm not going to be one of those teachers that will let them down.
Thursday and Friday, I took the advice from some more experienced teachers. They gave ideas which I've been trying to mold together to help with classroom management. On the bright-side I feel like things are shaping up a bit more than before. Also the students seem to need REALLY structured interactions, rather than working in partners or groups. That is a goal of mine, that by the end of the year these students will be able to get along and work cooperatively.
Finally, I've got to say that I'm really lucky to be on the staff here. Everyone is positive and keeps each other motivated. I've been blessed with neighboring with my friend Miss Cindy. She's like a friend, mentor, and mom. For example, on my first day she came by the classroom to take a picture of me outside my room. :D Couldn't have asked for a nicer gesture. Besides having a mother here, I've come to feel as though I have a brother/friend too. Eli, the other brand new teacher, and I have been pretty much inseparable these past few days. It's been great to have someone who knows the nerves, stress, and unknown that comes with your first year of teaching. Planning, prepping, and eating have pretty much been how we spend our time. And yes there has been a bit of lamenting and complaining... ;)
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Alaskan sunset... 11:30 at night.
I've been spending most of my time this past week either in training or working at the school. It has taken me over 3 days to finally get the set up of my classroom the way I want it to look. I decided to use the cooperative learning set up with desks in groups of 4-5. I also decided to set up the room based on learning centers. I have 3 Mac computers for my technology center, 2 tape players for my listening center, a very small library, and a writing station. I promise to post pictures soon. I want to finish with the decorating before I do show everyone how it looks.
Some days I forget that I am here in Alaska... and some days it's really apparent that I'm "not in Kansas anymore". I was brought to this realization today when I finally took the time to really think about all that has happened in the past month. It's unreal that I am beginning my first year of teaching this week. It's unreal that I'm living in my first apartment that sits on stilts. It's unreal that I live in a town of less than 300 people. My life in Indiana was quite the polar opposite. Back home I would just drive down the road to pick up my groceries from the local store... here I either fish, hunt, or the food online. At school, I was one of many... now I'm one of 100.
Our school year starts on Wednesday. Unbelievable if you ask me. It'll be my first year of school, where I'm not the one sitting in the desk looking up at the person at the whiteboard. I can hardly believe it sometimes when I think about it. I spent the better part of my life trying to get to this point. Now it's here, I find myself wondering if I can do it. But then I have moments where my undergraduate training comes into use and I feel like I'm right where I should be.
I had one of these great moment during the district wide inservice that almost felt like an out of body experience. During one of the sessions we were discussing the SIOP model, which is essentially "best practice" put into specific use. We began to do an interactive activity called 4 corners, which I am quite familiar with thanks to RA interviews and training. For those who don't know, during this exercise the moderator poses a general statement that you can either "Strongly Agree", "Agree", "Disagree", or "Strongly Disagree". These were mainly about the benefits and drawbacks of using cooperative learning in the classroom. At some point our district superintendent came into the room to observe. One of the questions left me standing in a corner all on my own, which meant I would have to voice my opinion in front of the whole room. The statement was about the noise level that is caused by cooperative learning. I gave my opinion, stating that the noise level increases, but with proper procedures set in place... the noise doesn't have to be a distraction, but rather constructive and useful. As I was making that statement I kept thinking that all of my answer has come from the training, the experiences, and my own inner understanding of a classroom. And I couldn't believe it was coming out of my mouth. When I was finished I looked up and noticed people's reaction and a nod from the superintendent. :D
Some days I forget that I am here in Alaska... and some days it's really apparent that I'm "not in Kansas anymore". I was brought to this realization today when I finally took the time to really think about all that has happened in the past month. It's unreal that I am beginning my first year of teaching this week. It's unreal that I'm living in my first apartment that sits on stilts. It's unreal that I live in a town of less than 300 people. My life in Indiana was quite the polar opposite. Back home I would just drive down the road to pick up my groceries from the local store... here I either fish, hunt, or the food online. At school, I was one of many... now I'm one of 100.
Our school year starts on Wednesday. Unbelievable if you ask me. It'll be my first year of school, where I'm not the one sitting in the desk looking up at the person at the whiteboard. I can hardly believe it sometimes when I think about it. I spent the better part of my life trying to get to this point. Now it's here, I find myself wondering if I can do it. But then I have moments where my undergraduate training comes into use and I feel like I'm right where I should be.
I had one of these great moment during the district wide inservice that almost felt like an out of body experience. During one of the sessions we were discussing the SIOP model, which is essentially "best practice" put into specific use. We began to do an interactive activity called 4 corners, which I am quite familiar with thanks to RA interviews and training. For those who don't know, during this exercise the moderator poses a general statement that you can either "Strongly Agree", "Agree", "Disagree", or "Strongly Disagree". These were mainly about the benefits and drawbacks of using cooperative learning in the classroom. At some point our district superintendent came into the room to observe. One of the questions left me standing in a corner all on my own, which meant I would have to voice my opinion in front of the whole room. The statement was about the noise level that is caused by cooperative learning. I gave my opinion, stating that the noise level increases, but with proper procedures set in place... the noise doesn't have to be a distraction, but rather constructive and useful. As I was making that statement I kept thinking that all of my answer has come from the training, the experiences, and my own inner understanding of a classroom. And I couldn't believe it was coming out of my mouth. When I was finished I looked up and noticed people's reaction and a nod from the superintendent. :D
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
I Miss the Internet
So... I apologize for the lack of posting. The internet in my village is evidently not as reliable as I thought it was. :) Oh well... Currently I'm sitting around all the other new teachers. It's kind of a great feeling being surrounded by other people going through the same experience. Plus we all seem to have similar personalities and dry sarcasm. Isn't it funny how quickly you can become close to people in situations like this? Some of us are already making plans for when we come up for Christmas.
What has happened in the past week? It's been quite the experience. I have gone to a throwing party, a Yupik/English Monrovian church service, a Fiddle Dance, and exploring the marshy lands around my village. I will try describing each ones as best as I can.
Throwing parties are a Yupik tradition that woman put on for various reasons. For example, when a child get's their first catch or kill they have a throwing party. The reason for this throwing party was a 1st birthday. At throwing parties the women crowd around houses, or in this case a junk car, and the people who are hosting this party begin throwing items to the crowd. Things like towels, laundry baskets, soap, even underwear were thrown. It was quite the interesting to see how the women would compete for each object. It was also terrifying to see huge objects being propelled through the air. I wasn't in the adventurous mood and just watched on the boardwalk. On a side note, if you're a male don't go to these. It's a very feminine practice, so boys and men are usually not present.
The church service was also a highlight of my week. One of the other new teachers and I made the trek to the Moravian church at 10:45AM. We heard the bell's ringing and rushed over thinking we might be late. We opened the doors and were surprised to see only 5 other people. Including the pastor. I'm guessing the more popular service is in the evening. All in all the service was pretty cool, because we heard scripture in Yupik and English and sang old hymns in Yupik.
Finally I attended my first Fiddle Dance. It reminded me of the kind of dances you went to as a kid in middle school. Only the entire town was attending. I actually enjoyed watching all of the people dance to the country rock band singing Johnny Cash songs. The kids seemed less reluctant to dance than the older people. But I loved watching the older couples dance as though they were teens again. It was also neat to see the entire town all congregate together for a fun event.
It's officially 12:05 AM and I have training at 7:00 AM.
What has happened in the past week? It's been quite the experience. I have gone to a throwing party, a Yupik/English Monrovian church service, a Fiddle Dance, and exploring the marshy lands around my village. I will try describing each ones as best as I can.
The church service was also a highlight of my week. One of the other new teachers and I made the trek to the Moravian church at 10:45AM. We heard the bell's ringing and rushed over thinking we might be late. We opened the doors and were surprised to see only 5 other people. Including the pastor. I'm guessing the more popular service is in the evening. All in all the service was pretty cool, because we heard scripture in Yupik and English and sang old hymns in Yupik.
Finally I attended my first Fiddle Dance. It reminded me of the kind of dances you went to as a kid in middle school. Only the entire town was attending. I actually enjoyed watching all of the people dance to the country rock band singing Johnny Cash songs. The kids seemed less reluctant to dance than the older people. But I loved watching the older couples dance as though they were teens again. It was also neat to see the entire town all congregate together for a fun event.
It's officially 12:05 AM and I have training at 7:00 AM.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
One of the Many New Teacher Blogs
These past few days have been spent meeting, learning, and eating. Mostly eating...
Day 1 of training... We did lots and lots and lots of introductions. With the amount of introductions and get to know you activities I felt like I was back at RA training all over again. It was neat though, to meet all the people that make my district tick. We also got a brief overview of instructional models and curriculum mapping. But my favorite part of the day was spending time with the other new teachers. It's neat to meet all of these people from different places and walks of life. I actually stayed up most of last night with a girl from Wisconsin. It's neat to see how, after only knowing a person for less than 24 hours, well the two of us clicked...
Day 2 of training... Today was spent learning about the culture of my future students. We learned all the different aspects of culture ranging from music, dance, storytelling, and food. There was sooooo much information that I feel like the Yuppik pronunciations, the gestures, and experiences we learned about are about to dribble out of my ears because there is just no more room anymore. We tried new food such as dried smelt, whale blubber, and seal oil. Let's just put it this way... waiting in line to try the new cuisine smelled like it does at a harbor. When we were dismissed for the day I was invited by the 3 musketeers or new male teachers to trek to a little store in town that I was told sold pets. This store actually reminded me of a mix between a cheap Uncle Bill's Pet Store, a Dollar Store, and a Radio Shack. After looking at possibly getting a hamster for the classroom we went into the local grocery store and picked out the necessities for our next week out in the village... which I only spent a grand total of $175. (If you've seen prices here you'd know that was pretty good shopping.) The day ended with a 45 minute boat ride down the river to a fish camp with stories. What made this SOO memorable was the fact that it was constantly raining and super windy during this boat ride. I'm pretty sure my face and body are still recovering from being that cold and wet.
So far I've loved this district... and the people... and the time I'm having.
Day 1 of training... We did lots and lots and lots of introductions. With the amount of introductions and get to know you activities I felt like I was back at RA training all over again. It was neat though, to meet all the people that make my district tick. We also got a brief overview of instructional models and curriculum mapping. But my favorite part of the day was spending time with the other new teachers. It's neat to meet all of these people from different places and walks of life. I actually stayed up most of last night with a girl from Wisconsin. It's neat to see how, after only knowing a person for less than 24 hours, well the two of us clicked...
Day 2 of training... Today was spent learning about the culture of my future students. We learned all the different aspects of culture ranging from music, dance, storytelling, and food. There was sooooo much information that I feel like the Yuppik pronunciations, the gestures, and experiences we learned about are about to dribble out of my ears because there is just no more room anymore. We tried new food such as dried smelt, whale blubber, and seal oil. Let's just put it this way... waiting in line to try the new cuisine smelled like it does at a harbor. When we were dismissed for the day I was invited by the 3 musketeers or new male teachers to trek to a little store in town that I was told sold pets. This store actually reminded me of a mix between a cheap Uncle Bill's Pet Store, a Dollar Store, and a Radio Shack. After looking at possibly getting a hamster for the classroom we went into the local grocery store and picked out the necessities for our next week out in the village... which I only spent a grand total of $175. (If you've seen prices here you'd know that was pretty good shopping.) The day ended with a 45 minute boat ride down the river to a fish camp with stories. What made this SOO memorable was the fact that it was constantly raining and super windy during this boat ride. I'm pretty sure my face and body are still recovering from being that cold and wet.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I Just Found Out There's No Such Thing as the Real World
It's been interesting how similar the experience has been to being in Mexico. Everything is foreign to me. Everything is a brand new experience. Everything is unknown. I guess I shouldn't be shocked with this... since it is what I signed up for. I'm happy though. This is EXACTLY what I said I wanted to do when I graduated. I wanted to get the heck out of Indiana. I wanted to meet new people. I wanted to start somewhere new. I did it! I actually did the unexpected and I'm loving it.
This morning was an example of how much of an adventure this job is. Flying in teeeny tiny airplanes to and from the village into Bethel is still something I'm getting adjusted to. Today was the first day for all the new teachers to fly out for our 3 days of training, because new teachers receive extra training for culture shock and district expectations. This morning we were to fly out at 12, but our flight was postponed until 1. So around 1pm the two of us made our way to the village airport, which if I haven't already described it is rocks and a windsock... The walk is about 15 minutes and it was drizzling rain. By the time we got to the airport we both were pretty much soaked from head to toe. We waited for about 20 minutes before receiving a call saying our flights were cancelled/delayed for the day. To this we both laughed and trudged back home. After stripping out of the sopping wet clothes, making lunch, and putting a movie on I heard a pounding on the door. It was one of the other teachers saying our plane had landed and was waiting for us at the airport. Needless to say, I was in my pants and boots in less than 2 minutes, grabbed my book bag of clothes and purse, and was ready to leave. We hopped on the school's 4 wheeler and hightailed it. Thankfully we made it with no problems, minus getting soaked again with mud and rainwater.
Again, I rode in a teeeny tiny airplane, this time the pilot was more cordial and spoke to me when I was boarding. After getting to Bethel we met several of the new teachers and were transported to one of the dorms for the local college. Girls on one side and boys on the other. It's funny. I lived in dorms for all of my undergraduate years. And now that I have a big girl job and a big girl apartment... I get put back into a dorm. Thankfully it's just for the inservice trainings. But in all reality it's not that big of a deal, just comical really. The ladies I room with are very sweet and seem to be just as unsure of things as me.
Today has been mainly been a chance to get paperwork in order, get the district issued computers (MACBOOK AIR :D ), and a chance for everyone to meet and get to know one another. I've met several Midwestern people, a few people from Cleveland (cough cough Ram Rearls), and several East Coast people. Everyone has their own story of how they made it out here. It's been great hearing the joking, laughing, and talking between everyone. I even found out that one of the new teachers was an RA when she was in college. We'll be the best of friends leading everyone in the icebreakers.
Tomorrow starts the actual training. Tomorrow we will actually listen to district expectations. Look for more updates soon.
This morning was an example of how much of an adventure this job is. Flying in teeeny tiny airplanes to and from the village into Bethel is still something I'm getting adjusted to. Today was the first day for all the new teachers to fly out for our 3 days of training, because new teachers receive extra training for culture shock and district expectations. This morning we were to fly out at 12, but our flight was postponed until 1. So around 1pm the two of us made our way to the village airport, which if I haven't already described it is rocks and a windsock... The walk is about 15 minutes and it was drizzling rain. By the time we got to the airport we both were pretty much soaked from head to toe. We waited for about 20 minutes before receiving a call saying our flights were cancelled/delayed for the day. To this we both laughed and trudged back home. After stripping out of the sopping wet clothes, making lunch, and putting a movie on I heard a pounding on the door. It was one of the other teachers saying our plane had landed and was waiting for us at the airport. Needless to say, I was in my pants and boots in less than 2 minutes, grabbed my book bag of clothes and purse, and was ready to leave. We hopped on the school's 4 wheeler and hightailed it. Thankfully we made it with no problems, minus getting soaked again with mud and rainwater.
Again, I rode in a teeeny tiny airplane, this time the pilot was more cordial and spoke to me when I was boarding. After getting to Bethel we met several of the new teachers and were transported to one of the dorms for the local college. Girls on one side and boys on the other. It's funny. I lived in dorms for all of my undergraduate years. And now that I have a big girl job and a big girl apartment... I get put back into a dorm. Thankfully it's just for the inservice trainings. But in all reality it's not that big of a deal, just comical really. The ladies I room with are very sweet and seem to be just as unsure of things as me.
Today has been mainly been a chance to get paperwork in order, get the district issued computers (MACBOOK AIR :D ), and a chance for everyone to meet and get to know one another. I've met several Midwestern people, a few people from Cleveland (cough cough Ram Rearls), and several East Coast people. Everyone has their own story of how they made it out here. It's been great hearing the joking, laughing, and talking between everyone. I even found out that one of the new teachers was an RA when she was in college. We'll be the best of friends leading everyone in the icebreakers.
Tomorrow starts the actual training. Tomorrow we will actually listen to district expectations. Look for more updates soon.
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