This semester has been very challenging. We had our PACT (Performance Assessment for California Teachers) due today. This consisted of writing and delivering 3 math lessons, video tape the lessons, writing approximately 40 pages of commentaries, and uploading several PDFs to support our work. It has been a grueling 2 months. Everything was put on hold, and put on the back burner. Since we are the first TEI cohort to have to complete this, there was a huge learning curve. The final cut video that we had to upload had to be no greater than 100MB, we didn't discover that until we were well into the project. We had to learn to create PDFs (yes, I'm one of those who didn't know how to do that). We had to write pages of reflections on what went well, and what didn't without being too self-deprecating. In the end, I got it done. The TEI program coordinator, Kathy, was a huge support, and so were my many classmates. Now onto the rest of what is due this semester. Right now, I am on spring break with a week off. Then I solo teach for two weeks! Yikes!
Image from: PACT

Spring Semester Is Here!

Well, it's well into the Spring Semester. The schedule is tougher than fall. We have 4 full days of internship and 3 classes in the evenings. The PACT is due at the end of March, and I have yet to get started on it! I am a little overwhelmed. But I have faith that I will come through. The class I am interning in is a 3rd grade class, with a very talented master teacher. Will write more...

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Fall Semester is over!!

I can't believe it but the Fall semester of TEI is over! It was grueling, but I'm glad it's over and now I have 5 weeks of vacation. The first week was a bummer, because I caught a viscious cold. I have been holed up at home, playing computer chess all of these days. Soon, I will find out my Spring placement. Hopefully it will be a good one. Fingers crossed.

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Halloween 2009

Well, it's halloween night, and I am writing this blog as I pass out candy to the little trick-or-treaters that are slowly coming by. The first batch of kids looked way past their prime, but I humored them anyway and gave them handfuls of yummy chocolates. I remember when my brother and I used to go trick-or-treating when we were kids, and we always ended up going in tatters trying to be a haggered old couple. In terms of school, this past week was the last week before the 5th graders in A track went off track for a month. This means starting Monday, I will be going back to 6th grade. I am happy that time is passing quickly, but this also means that finals are around the corner. Some of the assignments I have found to be difficult, but I am sure I will get through. On my reading test I shocked myself and scored a 96% !! I was sure I was going to be in the low Cs. A couple of weeks ago, I had an incident with a parent. I was subbing for a half day on a Thursday, and full day on the Friday. The child's parent called me at school Friday morning, and chewed me out! The reason: I had her child turn a card for not reading, and didn't let her go to the bathroom when she wanted. Pheweee! I met with the principal, and I prepared a written statement about the events. There was some closure. The parent has had a history of problems with my master teacher and the principal and vice-principal. She finally realized that she needs to let her daughter deal with her problems on her own. It was a learning experience. I learned that dealing with parents is probably the most difficult part of all! Well, happy halloween to all of you out there! Image from: Stock Xchange

Hello! Well it's well into September and I am still going to a classroom in Elk Grove, where I help a 5th grade teacher. The more I do, the more I feel like being a teacher is really demanding. It's really intimidating. Hopefully I will be ready by the time the year is over. Everyday, I tackle atleast one subject. My master teacher always has some written and verbal feedback for me. I feel that she cares and is really in tune with my teaching goals. Classwork and homework is the same. There are a lot of assignments, and reading. I usually have to prepare one lesson a week. Which may sound like little, compared to what a teacher has to do. However, I find it extremely challenging because it's in reading. This week we are learning about teaching multisyllabic word reading. I need to get a move on writing the assignment! Yikes! All else is the same... Until next time!
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