November 2012 Reflection
My reflection will have to be a little venting. I know we want to stay on track when we write our reflections. I am not sure if I will be able to share some of the things that have affected my life this month. I usually write a little as I go, but this month I am writing towards the end and in one sitting. This will probably help it not be so choppy and difficult to read. This is my month that life happens.
My good friend, who is also a teacher said it would be fun and interesting to write about the other life of a teacher - the one who has the students who smell so bad everyday that we have to open the windows, and ask them to shower, the one who has the student wet his pants everyday, the one who has the IEP meeting and the mom wants to make sure the student takes no responsibility for his learning or behavior, the one who answers her phone at 9pm and it is this same mother and she wants to talk about the 3 hour meeting they just had. Oh wait, I am talking about myself. Pity party over.
My good friends are celebrating a wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. Everyone had a wonderful time. My husband and I sat with the grooms mother along with a few other close friends. Her husband was killed in an accident three years ago. Such a happy time and sad too. We are all thankful for each other. At the wedding our daughter calls to say someone has broken into her house and stole their TV, ipad, and a few other things. The scary part is she was only gone for two hours and she had noticed a car parked on her block the last few days. Her boyfriend is in Texas, so she is home alone. So much for her two dogs (one is a pit-bull). lol Anyway, I worry about her being home by herself. I am also mad at the boyfriend.
I think I will spew it all out at once and be finished. My good friend has cancer and has been in and out of the hospital. She is actually my sister-in-laws - sister-in-law if that makes sense. But we are all good friends. She died and her funeral is this Saturday. I have struggled with this so much. I knew it was coming and of course the funeral is not up to me. I will go to the visitation on Friday and miss the funeral. Lord, why do things have to be so difficult. So besides that, things have been peachy.
Now I will jump into my reflection over my reading and class. I loved Duckworth’s chapter about the children learning more slowly, thus building a stronger foundation. This makes so much sense. Each day I have eight 5th grade students for reading. I have noticed that everything is a race. No one cares if they complete the lesson correctly. They want to be the first ones finished and the 5th grade teacher and I have discussed this daily - she just left my room. How do we make the students slow down. I think I will have to tap into some of our elementary teachers this weekend.
I am finishing up with my data collection. Over the last few weeks I have read several papers. This is helping me put my mind around my own paper. Of course, my class did not turn out the way I thought it would. I really thought the class would be engaged the entire semester. We have had good moments, but I feel we have come up short. I am not sure if it is me, the information I presented, or the simple lack of motivation. Things to think about.
I would also like to write about our last meeting. I was so intrigued by our guest speaker. I don’t believe I have ever heard an administrator talk with such passion about special education. It was so refreshing. I actually went back and talked to our administrators. My superintendent feels the same but does not practice the philosophy.
I am sorry if this is not the best reflection, but it does help to write what I am thinking. Now I can get back to work. Thanks for listening.
My good friend, who is also a teacher said it would be fun and interesting to write about the other life of a teacher - the one who has the students who smell so bad everyday that we have to open the windows, and ask them to shower, the one who has the student wet his pants everyday, the one who has the IEP meeting and the mom wants to make sure the student takes no responsibility for his learning or behavior, the one who answers her phone at 9pm and it is this same mother and she wants to talk about the 3 hour meeting they just had. Oh wait, I am talking about myself. Pity party over.
My good friends are celebrating a wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. Everyone had a wonderful time. My husband and I sat with the grooms mother along with a few other close friends. Her husband was killed in an accident three years ago. Such a happy time and sad too. We are all thankful for each other. At the wedding our daughter calls to say someone has broken into her house and stole their TV, ipad, and a few other things. The scary part is she was only gone for two hours and she had noticed a car parked on her block the last few days. Her boyfriend is in Texas, so she is home alone. So much for her two dogs (one is a pit-bull). lol Anyway, I worry about her being home by herself. I am also mad at the boyfriend.
I think I will spew it all out at once and be finished. My good friend has cancer and has been in and out of the hospital. She is actually my sister-in-laws - sister-in-law if that makes sense. But we are all good friends. She died and her funeral is this Saturday. I have struggled with this so much. I knew it was coming and of course the funeral is not up to me. I will go to the visitation on Friday and miss the funeral. Lord, why do things have to be so difficult. So besides that, things have been peachy.
Now I will jump into my reflection over my reading and class. I loved Duckworth’s chapter about the children learning more slowly, thus building a stronger foundation. This makes so much sense. Each day I have eight 5th grade students for reading. I have noticed that everything is a race. No one cares if they complete the lesson correctly. They want to be the first ones finished and the 5th grade teacher and I have discussed this daily - she just left my room. How do we make the students slow down. I think I will have to tap into some of our elementary teachers this weekend.
I am finishing up with my data collection. Over the last few weeks I have read several papers. This is helping me put my mind around my own paper. Of course, my class did not turn out the way I thought it would. I really thought the class would be engaged the entire semester. We have had good moments, but I feel we have come up short. I am not sure if it is me, the information I presented, or the simple lack of motivation. Things to think about.
I would also like to write about our last meeting. I was so intrigued by our guest speaker. I don’t believe I have ever heard an administrator talk with such passion about special education. It was so refreshing. I actually went back and talked to our administrators. My superintendent feels the same but does not practice the philosophy.
I am sorry if this is not the best reflection, but it does help to write what I am thinking. Now I can get back to work. Thanks for listening.