The purpose of this course wiki is to serve as a practice exercise in EDM 510 Microcomputing Systems in Education. This wiki is intended only for participants in Group B of this course.
I would like to use my blog to discuss and share your feelings, successes, and struggles associated with the beginning of school the school year. If you are not currently teaching then share about the beginning of this school year for you as a student. To all of you doing both then feel free to share about both!
The beginning of my 2012-2013 school year has been a crazy start. Just as soon as we were semi-settled into routine Hurricane Isaac occured and gave us a nice rainy break, but sent us a bit off schedule. I have had to miss a total of a week out of my classroom due to eCIP professional development meetings and two personal days I had to take. This has delayed the routine of school from developing some as well. My students have been getting adjusted to this very different type of school, and I can see them progressing in technology, following scientific procedures, and growing into independent learners already. Next week they will begin their third of ten rotations required for them to complete the eighth grade by December. I am excited for them as they progress through the course. Some of them are starting to struggle due to absences and poor prerequiste skills, but next week we begin to offer tutoring so this should help with some of these issues. In regards to beginning the school year as a student, it has been a great experience so far and I have genuinely enjoyed each of the assignments. The only downfall has been juggling work, personal commitments to my family, and the assignments, but thankfully I love a challenge!
That hurricane also created havoc with my schedule. Beings I am an itinerant art teacher, I am working at three different schools up until Christmas. This semester I am teaching five different grade levels and it's nice when I can keep all my schools on the same page every week. Not this semester! Every school seems to be on a different page and some of the grade levels are only seen every two to three weeks. It makes keeping up with lesson plans a little bit of a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteNot having all your classes on the same schedule can be awful although sometimes it is nice that you're never tired of doing the same thing all day!
DeleteI haven't had any teaching experience, so I can't really relate to these scheduling conflicts. The break created by Isaac was nice for me, so I can't really complain about that! In regards to my personal experiences in school, I always noticed students procrastinating with assigned readings during the beginning of the year. As the semester progresses, they realize their grades are becomming affected by their efforts and they slowly begin to play catch up. I recommend a reminder for your students, like a bulletin board of project dates, tutoring times, assessment requirements, etcetera.
ReplyDeleteThis school year has been very challenging for me. It is my first back to school after finishing law school, almost 10 years ago! I am very excited, but sometimes I get a little overwhelmed for having to juggle between my two beautiful daughters (one is is first grade and the little one in PK3), husband, house.. all that without any help since our family is all in Brazil.. But I cannot complain! I am happy for finally be able to do something for myself and to be able to go back to what I have done before and loved it, which is teaching. Hurricane Isaac would have been a nice break if my little one hadn't caught croup. We were in the Urgent care facility on the day of the hurricane! Glad we did not have any damage from the storm! It is all part of being a mother! And I love every bit of it!
ReplyDeleteI am not currently in the classroom, so I am taking this one class and working. I would have taken more classes had I known that I would not have a job this semester, but things work out in ways we don't understand. So far this semester has not been bad and I have really enjoyed this class. Coming into it I thought I was not going to like it at all, because technology is not my strong point. But, it has been a great experience for me and I have loved doing the projects and making all these wonderful things. I will definitely take a lot out of this class and bring it into my class when I get one.
ReplyDeleteI have been juggling two grad classes, lesson plans, family commitments, and raising a one year old and a three year old! Most evenings I have just enough energy to say goodnight to my husband! Yes, I forgot to mention my duties as a wife. My husband and I meet in our dreams! Other than that, my students have been awesome and we are off to a great start.
ReplyDeleteI'm not currently employed in a classroom, but I still do some teaching work - in addition to taking three classes and doing assistantship work. I was a little concerned about the assistantship because it was my first semester doing it, but it hasn't been too bad. I do most work from home, so that's a plus. And fortunately (and unfortunately) my teaching job hours got cut a good bit. So I have more time to focus and school and assistantship, but I have less money - and less time with a job I love.
ReplyDeleteJlreed I completely understand what you are going through. Telling my husband goodnight at 830 is awful, but if I don't I won't be able to function the next day. It doesn't help that he's a night owl and half of the week he is on night shift. I am so lucky to have him just wish we had more time together when we weren't both exhausted!
ReplyDeleteI am a sub and I found it a little hectic with all the hurricane issues. I find in Baldwin Country teachers make it very easy for subs. The first week however, not many teachers call subs because they have not started taking relaxation days. I think though as long as any teacher is prepared and you know how to enforce rules of the classroom then the first week is new but can be less than hectic.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the school year was very stressful for me this year. This is the first time that I have started at the beginning and not in the middle of the school year. I found that there were a lot of "little" things that needed to be handled. I am still trying to get the flow and swing of things.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I did not get hired as a teacher this year, but I am doing an interim in a 5th grade classroom. It was fortunate that I wasn’t there for the hustle of the first days of school. On the other hand, the students have to learn my set of rules and consequences. I am a no nonsense teacher and 5th graders are all about the nonsense. I am taking two grad classes on-line; I have a six year old and a two-in-a-half year old, lesson plans, and class material. My hands are full!
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