While most teachers dread observation, I actually… invited it. Since this is my first fulltime teaching position, I had some questions about my teaching style and classroom management. I thought the observations of a veteran educator would be the best way to have my questions answered, so I called my department head and requested. A couple weeks later, the date was set.
I'd be observed the following day at 2:50. YIKES! No "prep" time… Though my plans were already set, I felt seriously caught off guard. The night before the observation I was out late picking up my Mother from the airport, and I had bronchitis. My colleagues told me to cancel, but I worried canceling might look bad, so I took the "Show must go on" attitude and pressed on.
By the time 2:50 rolled around, I had very little voice left. The incoming class had 28 1st graders, 8 with special needs, and 2 support staff. I squeaked & wheezed through the lesson, roamed the room assisting students, and actually had one brief shining "teachable moment." I could have kissed the support staff for all their help, my lesson would have definitely flopped without them.
My department head frowned and wrote furiously as class went on—I thought I was sunk. As the students filed out, he smiled. "Not bad… surprised you pulled it off with that voice. Couple things to work on…" If I were a betting woman, I'd have made money guessing what those "couple things" were: Class management and time management.
He gave me a couple suggestions which I used the following day to great success. We all know it's important to have a signal for students to quiet down, but he said it's also important for THE TEACHER to respect that signal. I'd ding my little bell, the students would quiet down some, and I'd talk over them hoping they'd get what I said. His advise was to ding the bell & wait for them to be silent before speaking—to remind them, "What should you do when that bell rings?"—and not do any instruction until they are silent and looking at me. What a difference that made with my 2nd graders the following day!!!!!
The lesson in all this? Well, be not afraid of the observation new teachers! Welcome it! Their advice might make the little bit of difference you need to take it from a good class, to a terrific class!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
My First Teaching Job
I've devoted hours laboring over the postings on PAReap.net and NJHire.com. I've scanned the papers. I actively watch for long term subbing opportunities in the substitute registry… Nothing! I figure I might be out of luck this school year finding a job to fulfill my internship requirements, when WHAMMO! I get that magical call:
"Are you interested in a long term sub. assignment starting tomorrow?"
Am I interested??!! How's this, I can start today if you like! But just when I feel like my ship has come in, I realize the hitch: wrong subject, wrong age group, and wrong state to satisfy PA's internship requirements. I'm going for secondary English, this opportunity is in elementary art in NJ.
"Are you interested in a long term sub. assignment starting tomorrow?"
Am I interested??!! How's this, I can start today if you like! But just when I feel like my ship has come in, I realize the hitch: wrong subject, wrong age group, and wrong state to satisfy PA's internship requirements. I'm going for secondary English, this opportunity is in elementary art in NJ.
You know the old adage: Don't switch horses mid-stream—well, I'm riding two horses in two different streams! On one side of the Delaware River, I'm (intern) certified for Secondary ELA; certified K-12 Art and ELA on the other side. (Does this make me really certifiable? Probably so.)
A, long-term elem. art sub. job IS experience, and though it won't count in PA, I can't say no! Besides, I've got 3 years to fulfill that internship and the clock's only JUST started ticking.
Stay tuned and I'll share the exciting adventures of teaching elementary art in Governor Christie's state.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Light at the End of the Tunnel
The cohort experience is… well, intense! Though the courses are bachelor's level, the hours I put into my assignments harkened back to my grad. school days… When I was working toward my MFA, it was not unusual to go to the studio just before dawn and leave under cover of dark hours later. Back then it was exciting! All that creativity! All that adrenaline! …aaalllllll that coffeeeee.
Driving to school in an old beater, hoping the Philly cops didn't boot your ride while'st you were in the studio, chatting with that cute guy in Book Arts—ah, the good old days! It was gritty and real and really… young. Now I get my own kids off to school, then go to campus in my minivan. And the cute guys still turn to check me out!—They're squinting to see if I'm their Mom, and if so, did I remember to bring the clean laundry? Or maybe a pot roast?
I still get that same charge—that electric feeling of really learning and growing—but someone's got to do the laundry, someone's got to keep up the house, and tend to its various occupants, 2-legged & 4. Those all-nighter's are the same intense creative sessions, but who's that dumpy woman in the mirror in the morning?! Bags under her eyes and grey hair sprouting here & there.
I'm at the end of my program—soon I'll get my certification and, more importantly, a teaching job! Was it worth allllll the hours? Yes, I've learned volumes! Drive, you've got to come with. Subject matter expertise & interest, you must provide. DelVal will give you the tools of the teacher trade—strategies for keeping order in class, strategies for engaging young minds, and strategies for shaping instruction into an opportunity for learning & creating for students. I know what I have learned is only the tip of the teaching iceberg, but I have enough to get started and more importantly I have enough to put me in a productive direction to improve myself as a teacher. It is important to know what you know, but my friend, it is ESSENTIAL to know there is so much more to learn, and to embrace that sweet promise. Just do it!
For the Fabric of Man Knowledge is the measurable, accurate, sharp needle. Experience the long silken thread. But it's Creativity that threads the eye and gets the sewing done. |
Driving to school in an old beater, hoping the Philly cops didn't boot your ride while'st you were in the studio, chatting with that cute guy in Book Arts—ah, the good old days! It was gritty and real and really… young. Now I get my own kids off to school, then go to campus in my minivan. And the cute guys still turn to check me out!—They're squinting to see if I'm their Mom, and if so, did I remember to bring the clean laundry? Or maybe a pot roast?
I still get that same charge—that electric feeling of really learning and growing—but someone's got to do the laundry, someone's got to keep up the house, and tend to its various occupants, 2-legged & 4. Those all-nighter's are the same intense creative sessions, but who's that dumpy woman in the mirror in the morning?! Bags under her eyes and grey hair sprouting here & there.
I'm at the end of my program—soon I'll get my certification and, more importantly, a teaching job! Was it worth allllll the hours? Yes, I've learned volumes! Drive, you've got to come with. Subject matter expertise & interest, you must provide. DelVal will give you the tools of the teacher trade—strategies for keeping order in class, strategies for engaging young minds, and strategies for shaping instruction into an opportunity for learning & creating for students. I know what I have learned is only the tip of the teaching iceberg, but I have enough to get started and more importantly I have enough to put me in a productive direction to improve myself as a teacher. It is important to know what you know, but my friend, it is ESSENTIAL to know there is so much more to learn, and to embrace that sweet promise. Just do it!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Why the shift?
Why are there so many people going into teaching from other professions?
The old profile: high school students go to college, major in education and become teachers.
The new profile: mid-career or post-baccalaureate career switchers. This group includes more men (post-military), more minorities, and more older people. They call us "lateral entry" teachers—educated people leaving one white collar field to enter teaching. But this is a trend a decade in the making: According to C. Emily Feistritzer President, National Center for Education Information, "…3 out of 10 people who were prepared to teach in 1999 actually began their preparation to teach at the post-baccalaureate level." The notion that this trend has really grown is evidenced in the fact that 41 states and the District of Columbia have developed some type or types of alternative routes for certifying teachers.
You can read a great interview with her here. It also has her ideas for the best ways to prepare for teaching.
But WHY?!
There's a a german word zeitgeist, which literally means "the spirit of the times," and it refers to climate within a nation or even specific groups. Wikipedia it here. Though this trend did begin in 1999, I'm wondering if it grew legs so fast because of a decade of dangling chads, dot-com boom & bust, 9/11, war in Iraq, war in Afghanistan, etc. Don't know about you, but I've spent a lot of time reflecting on what's going on around me. Though there were no clear answers, our then-president galloped through full speed ahead, leaving us shaking our heads and wondering, "What the heck just happened?" Our national lives and personal lives will have hoof prints of his doing for decades to come. Is the result a national zeitgeist of reflection? Are we starved for nuance, thought, and self-reflection?
How does that relate to teaching? Please reflect on it and let me know.
| Feistritzer's Best Teacher Prep. Tips |
The new profile: mid-career or post-baccalaureate career switchers. This group includes more men (post-military), more minorities, and more older people. They call us "lateral entry" teachers—educated people leaving one white collar field to enter teaching. But this is a trend a decade in the making: According to C. Emily Feistritzer President, National Center for Education Information, "…3 out of 10 people who were prepared to teach in 1999 actually began their preparation to teach at the post-baccalaureate level." The notion that this trend has really grown is evidenced in the fact that 41 states and the District of Columbia have developed some type or types of alternative routes for certifying teachers.
You can read a great interview with her here. It also has her ideas for the best ways to prepare for teaching.
But WHY?!
There's a a german word zeitgeist, which literally means "the spirit of the times," and it refers to climate within a nation or even specific groups. Wikipedia it here. Though this trend did begin in 1999, I'm wondering if it grew legs so fast because of a decade of dangling chads, dot-com boom & bust, 9/11, war in Iraq, war in Afghanistan, etc. Don't know about you, but I've spent a lot of time reflecting on what's going on around me. Though there were no clear answers, our then-president galloped through full speed ahead, leaving us shaking our heads and wondering, "What the heck just happened?" Our national lives and personal lives will have hoof prints of his doing for decades to come. Is the result a national zeitgeist of reflection? Are we starved for nuance, thought, and self-reflection?
How does that relate to teaching? Please reflect on it and let me know.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Fears & Cheers
The great thing about this cohort program is that it's relatively short—CHEERS! The bad thing is that the brevity does not allow for student teaching. While I and my creditors would love for me to get a full-time teaching job tomorrow, I am apprehensive about being fully prepared—FEARS! I'd be grateful for the apprentice-type experience of student teaching.
Instructional Assistants Needed all over Bucks County
I think I may have just found an opportunity to gain a little more experience and earn a paycheck, without being the "teacher of record." You might want to check this out:
The good people over at the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 have many postings for Instructional Assistant positions on their website. Click here to search available positions.
Mind you, as an Instructional Assistant, you won't be developing lesson plans or instructing. My hope is that working with the teacher I can learn from their planning, instructing, and perhaps most importantly, class management techniques. And hey, it'll be a paycheck from the field I'm striving to enter.
To apply, you need to visit this page and fill out their PDF application for a Classified/Support Position. They ask for your resume, letter of interest, completed BCIU Classified Application, official transcripts of degree(s) held, 3 references, and these clearance forms: PA State Police, Child Abuse History & FBI Fingerprint Clearance.
I've submitted my application this morning and so stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of, "Will Jennie get the Job?"
Instructional Assistants Needed all over Bucks County
I think I may have just found an opportunity to gain a little more experience and earn a paycheck, without being the "teacher of record." You might want to check this out:
The good people over at the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 have many postings for Instructional Assistant positions on their website. Click here to search available positions.
Mind you, as an Instructional Assistant, you won't be developing lesson plans or instructing. My hope is that working with the teacher I can learn from their planning, instructing, and perhaps most importantly, class management techniques. And hey, it'll be a paycheck from the field I'm striving to enter.
To apply, you need to visit this page and fill out their PDF application for a Classified/Support Position. They ask for your resume, letter of interest, completed BCIU Classified Application, official transcripts of degree(s) held, 3 references, and these clearance forms: PA State Police, Child Abuse History & FBI Fingerprint Clearance.
I've submitted my application this morning and so stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of, "Will Jennie get the Job?"
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Substitute Teaching
The Process
You need $125, security & child abuse clearances, finger printing, a physicial-signed health form, and transcripts from your college to take the training offered by the Bucks Intermediary Unit.
After about 3 weeks after the training, the Bucks IU passes all of this along with your newly issued emergency cert. to each district in the county. (You specify which ones you want).
You then call the districts and confirm the fact that they got your info. Some districts want you to interview or go to their own little orientation. Then you are entered into Aesop and you can enjoy the 5:00 AM call for a sub like I do!
Competition:
Just to get a sense of the competition, there are normally 80 people in the one & only September training. There were so many that they had to schedule TWO training sessions, and the first one had 125 people! The next one will be in November.
What you get for the $125 & the two days out of your schedule:bucksiu/site/default.asp
BTW, subbing in Jersey requires you have a pulse, clearances, and proof of having take two college classes (degree is not necessary). It is a breeze to get in over there, they're just looking for warm bodies. Jersey also uses Aesop, so all your sub opportunities are in one convenient place.
Happy subbing!
| What is Aesop? Aesop is a computerized system used by schools and potential subs to schedule subbing opportunities. Schools & teachers log in to request a sub. If you're lucky the teacher also attaches their plans so you can see them before stepping into the class. Subs can search for long & short term jobs in multiple districts, accept jobs, and schedule future jobs. Wanna see it? I took a screen grab… |
- If you have an Intern Certificate (which you get after 2 classes in the cohort program) you are listed as "highly qualified" in the substitute finder system. When Aesop (that's the system) looks for a sub, they send out the long term sub assignments FIRST to the "highly qualified" people, THEN to the rest of the available subs. You're in the pool with the Level 1 teachers as far as Aesop's concerned.
Just to get a sense of the competition, there are normally 80 people in the one & only September training. There were so many that they had to schedule TWO training sessions, and the first one had 125 people! The next one will be in November.
What you get for the $125 & the two days out of your schedule:
- Training that covers some basic teaching tools (graphic organizers, read alouds, puzzles & games) and basic teaching techniques.
- An Emergency Certificate.
- A directory of every public AND private school in Bucks County, complete with the names of administrators & contact numbers.
- Tips on games, reward strategies, favorite books for kids, etc.
- A nice little book with more helpful tips on being a good sub.
- A pay scale sheet listing what each district pays their subs.
- An opportunity to shake hands with a good number of HR directors in the district
- A really nice breakfast & lunch
BTW, subbing in Jersey requires you have a pulse, clearances, and proof of having take two college classes (degree is not necessary). It is a breeze to get in over there, they're just looking for warm bodies. Jersey also uses Aesop, so all your sub opportunities are in one convenient place.
Happy subbing!
Covorting & Cohorting
What does my cohort look like? In a nutshell: ages 35-50, 50-50 male/female, married with children, college-educated, tech-savvy professionals. Some are older/younger, some are single, but the vast majority are as I described. On the first day of class I noticed we had one other commonality: unemployed due to lay-off or worried about becoming laid-off. As we went around the room, I tallied about 2/3's of us profoundly know what Clinton meant when he said, "It's the economy, stupid" all those years ago.
How do you pay the freight when you're in school… again? I myself continue to freelance in graphic design by night, and substitute teach by day… and of course, there's the Stafford load… and the home eq. loan… and the kindness of strangers (or family members anyway). Many of my cohortees are still working day jobs.
It is possible to do the day job, the night class, and the family (oh yeah, remember them?), but let's just say this will not be the most restful time in your life. Though each class has different demands, I spend about 20 hours a week either in class or doing homework.
In my next post, I will tell you about becoming a substitute teacher in Bucks County PA and in Mercer County, NJ.
How do you pay the freight when you're in school… again? I myself continue to freelance in graphic design by night, and substitute teach by day… and of course, there's the Stafford load… and the home eq. loan… and the kindness of strangers (or family members anyway). Many of my cohortees are still working day jobs.
It is possible to do the day job, the night class, and the family (oh yeah, remember them?), but let's just say this will not be the most restful time in your life. Though each class has different demands, I spend about 20 hours a week either in class or doing homework.
In my next post, I will tell you about becoming a substitute teacher in Bucks County PA and in Mercer County, NJ.
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