Reflections

Just in case I haven't put this up here before...

Here's my daily schedule:
1st period -- Web Design/ Announcements
2nd period -- Newspaper
3rd period -- Yearbook
4th period -- Advanced Composition
5th period -- Lunch and Prep :)
6th period -- Newspaper
7th period -- Yearbook

(We also have SRT on Tuesdays and Thursdays.)

Friday:
Overall, I hope I'm not being overconfident but I am so happy with my placement. I like the school and I really like Mr. C and the kids.

I started working on my demographic report and I learned a lot about the students. I thought it was very similar to East Noble but I realized it is actually quite a bit smaller. About 300 students or so.

I really feel like I have a good start in the classroom by the end of my first week.

My goals that I sent to Terry:
1. Finish all of my critiques for the students and have them be very effective and attainable. I want to flex my teaching muscles and hopefully see the students actually do what I ask them to.
2. Assign features to my announcement crew and have the students follow through and get a nice finished product. I've talked to them before about starting on these but they haven't been motivated. So I'm going to work on my motivation skills.
3. Keep learning names!!!!

Monday:
NO SCHOOL!!!

I think we all needed a bit of a break and everyone likes a long weekend!

Tuesday:
Still confident, still feeling good. I feel like that is a good sign.

I finished my demographic report today. I realized we had several students with special needs, which I didn't realize at all.

Here's what I have so far...

"1. Demographics of the school and its community: There were 900 students enrolled in 2008-2009.They were 96% White, 1% Black, 0% Native American, 1% Asian, 1% Hispanic and 1% Multiracial. Delta is set in a rural community. There were 74% of students in 2008-2009 that paid for lunch. There were 16% on free and 10% on reduced lunch.

2. Description of classes taught and general classroom environment: There are about 107 (67 girls and 40 boys) different students but there may be a small difference in number because of students that take a multiple journalism courses throughout the day. There are only about 2 students who are not White in the journalism classes. There are 8 students with special needs and we do not have volunteers or classroom assistants.
All Courses Taught (Traditional Schedule): 1st period – Web Design and Eagle Zone News with 6 web design students and 8 news students. 2nd period – Newspaper with 21 students (including 2 independent studies students.) 3rd period – Yearbook with 21 students. 4th period – Advanced Composition with 18 students. 6th period – Newspaper with 19 students. 7th period – Yearbook with 16 students. SRT (Tuesday/Thursday only) with 12 students."

Mr. C might not be in tomorrow and we prepared for it today after school. I'm excited and scared to be with just a sub. Hopefully he gets better by then, but if he doesn't I know I can handle it. He's not going to be at school on Feb. 4th and 5th for a tennis convention, and I'll definitely be prepared for that.

Also, Jincy (jincyatcarmel.blogspot.com) had a great idea about loading educational podcasts. She is sooooo smart and I am for sure going to learn how to do this. How resourceful!!