A Slice of Life

From Tyler to Mr. Jones

Earlier this (school) year, I became a teacher... officially. I use officially in a manner almost synonymous with the term technically. People like TA's, tutors and the like are not officially teachers in the sense of the word as I'm using it. But, they absolutely teach. Teaching may be their main source of income. But, when I say officially a teacher I'm referring to classroom teachers, in charge of a class, from content delivery to assessment. Here, I am not really qualifying teachers by their ability to teach/be professionals in general. Even though I was officially a teacher earlier this (school) year, I wouldn't say my first day was well marked by my ability to teach or professionalism. I started off the school year on a great foot by being late to my first class ever. The best part was arriving to my mentor and academic dean babysitting my kids. I was definitely shaken, though it didn't end up effecting my classroom management in that particular class at all. Yeah right.

Thankfully I'm at a school with an amazing department, and supportive administration. I got plenty of "it happens to everyone's" etc and even a letter from the head of school about not sweating it. Thankfully I've been able to bounce back and receive high marks on classroom culture and student rapport. Thankfully after all that I'm still a teacher officially.

Adolescent Literacy

My literacy experiences in middle and high school were largely positive and widely varied. I read on my own in the early portion of that time. This was due to a combination of factors. One being that my family did not own a TV and two being the existence of a strict bed time curfew lifted only by the presence of a book, and only then by 30 minutes. I read a wide bit of fiction on my own. I enjoyed the Cirque du Freak series and others by Daren Shan. Code Orange was a memorable read about an alternate reality in which small pox was entirely eradicated save for samples at the CDC that fell into the hands of terrorist and a high school boy (of course) was the only thing standing between them and seeing through their evil plot. I also remember inhaling a Series of Unfortunate Events as well as Harry Potter, several mystery series, things like that. I loved survival stories like those in Hatchet too. I read through a fair many abridged classics also, but that was mainly to game the AR system if I'm being honest. 

I do not think of any of these texts as being individually impactful, but I think maybe as a whole they contributed to my general sense of wonder and constant biting that there is more than lies on the surface in any given situation. I can certainly be over imaginative and find myself in my own world at times. I read what my teachers asked me to read generally, but I did not always enjoy it. Maybe it was about being told what to read. I always enjoyed reading because I could totally immerse myself in what I read and escape reality around me. Maybe subconsciously I was rebelling against my  teachers directing my adventures by displaying a general disinterest in the adventures they would have for me instead. I did enjoy theatre for six years, but that also had the immersive aspect to it.

I think what I take away from this is the impact of student choice. I was always much more motivated to read something that I choose to read, even if I was not able to select from an infinite range of texts. I would like to experiment with giving students a few options of what to read when possible. They can select which passage or article interests them the most, and by doing so will have done all the convincing that the article was interesting to begin with.

Rhythm: My "One Word" for 2019.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/why-do-some-people-have-rhythm-and-others-dont/

Rhythm: My "one word" for 2019.

As a first year teacher, first year coach, newlywed, graduate student, and 290 commuter, the idea of balance seems mythical. Many newlywed resources I have utilized, explained that balance is just that: a myth. There is not always time to excel in all of these areas every day. If I try to stretch myself between them, I'll end up pulling something. My time could be better utilized by dedicating my undivided attention to each of them once at a time. Monday and Wednesday's are for grad school.  Tuesdays, and Thursdays are for lesson planning. Etcetera. In other words, I need to find the rhythm.

Right now I do not yet know much literacy beyond a basic definition. Though, I imagine that improving overall literacy is similar to the season I find myself in. Reading, writing, posting: there are various parts to master which are all part of the whole. Finding a rhythm may be helpful for students as they aim to improve "literacy".