Teaching Second Grade reminds me a bizarre amount of initiating New Members into the sorority. Sometimes I tune into the things I'm saying in front of the class and think... this is pledge.
Now before you call Child Protection Services on me for this confession, let me explain. This realization may surface a positive perspective on the pledge process...
Both in the classroom and on the college campus, strong modeling and positive reinforcement work best. Being kind and creating a safe atmosphere motivate learning. Bullying and intimidation shouldn't be attached to the pledge process just as they should never be allowed in the classroom. They have no place in a learning setting.
Both in New Member Education and in Second Grade, the Active Member and the teacher...
- look pissed if they're not smiling
- fluctuate their voice
- exaggerate emotions
- tell the students what to do
- ask for the reasons behind actions and responses
- emphasize respect
- teach the class as a whole, a unified group
- encourage students to work out their problems among themselves
- want to squish the students in a bear hug
- can't stay mad
- have favorites
- treat the students equally
- know there's a lesson in everything
- want them to do well
- make mistakes
- get carried away
- have a lot of responsibility
- stress effort and attitude
- know that respect goes both ways
- know that respect is earned
- know that trust can be broken
- have to care in order for the students to care
- have to stick to what they say
- want to be friends with the students
- have to establish distance
- burst bubbles
- feel like moms
- can't wait for the end
- miss it once it's over
Though pledge, new member education, initiation, or whatever you want to call it has a negative reputation, it's really just like elementary school all over again. Going through it, or being that student, you have little independence, you hang onto your teacher's every word, and you have to trust. You work with your classmates and learn to love even the weird ones. You learn your own weirdness. You work for your teacher's approval, you find your role in the class, and looking back, you realize that memorizing facts was never the point.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Parent-Teacher Conferences
The third quarter came to a close on the first Friday of April, followed by parent-student conferences the week after. Even the experienced teachers were dreading them. Don't worry, they said, we all hate them. Well, that's exactly why I'm worried, I said back.
Surprisingly, the conferences actually turned out well! It was exhausting but really nice to meet the parents. Seeing where my students come from brings me better understanding of their personalities.
I was dreading the conferences mostly because all except one of my students' families speak Spanish. Sure, I understand pretty fluently and can say everything I want to in Spanish, but the cordiality conventions are a different story-- especially when it comes to such a sensitive subject. How can I, a new teacher who barely knows the correct education vocabulary in English, voice my concerns about Johnny's inability to read without offending his parents? That's what was going through my head, but everything was fine. I came prepared with notes of strengths and weaknesses, student work, and a little story about each student complimented by a cute picture of him or her in class. Luckily, I only have 10 students, they're all great, and their parents are too.
The best part of the conferences was actually the thing I was worried about. The principal Naty (a parent of one of my students herself) sat at my table with me as a translator, which was a big help for the gentle phrasing of concerns and reassuring voice intonation, but it also gave me confidence. Her sitting there gave me more authority. My boss was backing me up and I saw myself as a real teacher because the parents did. They held onto every little word and it was pretty mind-blowing-- really opened my eyes to how much parents trust teachers to be responsible for their children's cognitive, emotional, and social growth. I can't get over what a great experience this job is!
Also, it showed me that my Spanish is more advanced than I sometimes think. Because I'm shy or nervous, I sometimes freeze up, but I understood perfectly everything Naty and the parents said. And every time they asked me a question I could answer directly. A long day, but it came and went and I'm better because of it.
Surprisingly, the conferences actually turned out well! It was exhausting but really nice to meet the parents. Seeing where my students come from brings me better understanding of their personalities.
I was dreading the conferences mostly because all except one of my students' families speak Spanish. Sure, I understand pretty fluently and can say everything I want to in Spanish, but the cordiality conventions are a different story-- especially when it comes to such a sensitive subject. How can I, a new teacher who barely knows the correct education vocabulary in English, voice my concerns about Johnny's inability to read without offending his parents? That's what was going through my head, but everything was fine. I came prepared with notes of strengths and weaknesses, student work, and a little story about each student complimented by a cute picture of him or her in class. Luckily, I only have 10 students, they're all great, and their parents are too.
We had fun together!
The best part of the conferences was actually the thing I was worried about. The principal Naty (a parent of one of my students herself) sat at my table with me as a translator, which was a big help for the gentle phrasing of concerns and reassuring voice intonation, but it also gave me confidence. Her sitting there gave me more authority. My boss was backing me up and I saw myself as a real teacher because the parents did. They held onto every little word and it was pretty mind-blowing-- really opened my eyes to how much parents trust teachers to be responsible for their children's cognitive, emotional, and social growth. I can't get over what a great experience this job is!
Also, it showed me that my Spanish is more advanced than I sometimes think. Because I'm shy or nervous, I sometimes freeze up, but I understood perfectly everything Naty and the parents said. And every time they asked me a question I could answer directly. A long day, but it came and went and I'm better because of it.
My first quarter: finished!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
"Love is all you need" sermon highlights
Today I felt home-church-sick. I got back to my house too late to make it to church this morning, so I opted to look up my home church's website (Christchurch Evangelical Covenant) where I listened to one of Pastor Mark Pearson's sermons. Here's some notes I quoted while listening...
"There's nothing wrong with being thirsty-- you just gotta know what you're thirsty for. And at your deepest, most basic, most human, most precious level, you are thirsty for me, Jesus says. The Author of the universe, your Creator, your Savior, your Lord...
An idol is any good thing set up as an ultimate thing...
Jesus' kind of love IS all you need and it makes any lesser kind of love a potential blessing."
Pastor Mark not only makes brilliant points in every sermon, but he teaches them in such a sincere, down-to-earth, and level-headed way. He often acknowledges that feelings are misleading and thus doesn't toy with the congregation's emotions. He doesn't rile us up like a manic street preacher; he doesn't guilt-trip, yell, cry, or shake. He simply discusses and teaches, treating the people in the congregation as intellectual equals. I really appreciate his preaching style because I think it's rare. It also reminds me of the way Jesus himself taught his disciples: a calm, faith-driven, prayer-centered understanding of God's person and ultimate will.
So often, Christians get caught up in the atmosphere of church-- the music, the brand of coffee, the devotionals, the closed eyes and raised hands. Sure, all of those special features can promote church fellowship by making members feel comfortable and invigorated... but what happens when the feelings fade? How about when you're having a bad day? Or maybe just a bad attitude? For me there's nothing lonelier than being surrounded by passionate Christians either shouting praise songs and jumping for joy or wailing prayers out loud, tears streaming down their faces when I'm not feeling it. But that's the thing my home church has stressed: feelings don't save. When we feel far from God, nothing has changed. He's still the same-- in control and bigger than mood swings. Lovelier and much more powerful than a well-sung worship song.
So that's one reason I miss the tiny church I grew up in, and this sermon specifically helped remind me to stay rooted. I've been craving lately. Sometimes I sit in front of the fridge and just stare at what's there. I know it's just a physical manifestation of cultural adjustment. I feel like I need more of everything, though I know I've got more than plenty. Living abroad is awesome but it can get pretty lonely. And when I'm feeling homesick, it would be a quick cure to go off in search of human contact, romantic love, human fulfillment. As a foreigner with blonde hair in South America, it would be very easy to find, seeing as Latin Lovers are the continent's most abundant resource. It could be as simple as agreeing to go out on a coffee date, messaging new acquaintances on Facebook messenger, lo que sea. But that kind of attention doesn't satisfy for long. In the end, the wasted energy of depending on others for my emotional fix just brings more frustration. Feelings fade; only God fills and I know patience will pay off...
"There's nothing wrong with being thirsty-- you just gotta know what you're thirsty for. And at your deepest, most basic, most human, most precious level, you are thirsty for me, Jesus says. The Author of the universe, your Creator, your Savior, your Lord...
An idol is any good thing set up as an ultimate thing...
Jesus' kind of love IS all you need and it makes any lesser kind of love a potential blessing."
Pastor Mark not only makes brilliant points in every sermon, but he teaches them in such a sincere, down-to-earth, and level-headed way. He often acknowledges that feelings are misleading and thus doesn't toy with the congregation's emotions. He doesn't rile us up like a manic street preacher; he doesn't guilt-trip, yell, cry, or shake. He simply discusses and teaches, treating the people in the congregation as intellectual equals. I really appreciate his preaching style because I think it's rare. It also reminds me of the way Jesus himself taught his disciples: a calm, faith-driven, prayer-centered understanding of God's person and ultimate will.
So often, Christians get caught up in the atmosphere of church-- the music, the brand of coffee, the devotionals, the closed eyes and raised hands. Sure, all of those special features can promote church fellowship by making members feel comfortable and invigorated... but what happens when the feelings fade? How about when you're having a bad day? Or maybe just a bad attitude? For me there's nothing lonelier than being surrounded by passionate Christians either shouting praise songs and jumping for joy or wailing prayers out loud, tears streaming down their faces when I'm not feeling it. But that's the thing my home church has stressed: feelings don't save. When we feel far from God, nothing has changed. He's still the same-- in control and bigger than mood swings. Lovelier and much more powerful than a well-sung worship song.
So that's one reason I miss the tiny church I grew up in, and this sermon specifically helped remind me to stay rooted. I've been craving lately. Sometimes I sit in front of the fridge and just stare at what's there. I know it's just a physical manifestation of cultural adjustment. I feel like I need more of everything, though I know I've got more than plenty. Living abroad is awesome but it can get pretty lonely. And when I'm feeling homesick, it would be a quick cure to go off in search of human contact, romantic love, human fulfillment. As a foreigner with blonde hair in South America, it would be very easy to find, seeing as Latin Lovers are the continent's most abundant resource. It could be as simple as agreeing to go out on a coffee date, messaging new acquaintances on Facebook messenger, lo que sea. But that kind of attention doesn't satisfy for long. In the end, the wasted energy of depending on others for my emotional fix just brings more frustration. Feelings fade; only God fills and I know patience will pay off...
Made it into Capital last night...
Night bus drive-by...
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