So I have this student. His name is Wakinyan (wah-kee-ya). He is wonderful, pretty much as wonderful as they come in fifth grade. He is petite with this mop of unruly black hair and huge eyes that fill up his half saucer of a face and make him look a little like a big sad puppy. Obviously with looks like these he isn't the ladies man he may want to be or the sports star or even the funny guy. Nope Wakinyan is the brain and everybody knows it. He is the answer guy, the "let's make him do that job because we know he will" guy. Basically me in elementary school (minus the guy part). I'll share some funny stories about him and then I'll tell you why I think he is crucial to understanding American society.
Story #1
Wakinyan: everybody get in line
Everybody: shut up Wakinyan
Me: apologize, we don't say shut up guys
evebody: sorrreeeee (snickering, "not", etc.)
Me: Wakinyan you may be line leadeer today since you are the only one who seems to know what a line is
Wakinyan: They didn't mean it Ms. Scali, please don't put them in the choky!
Me (in my head): IM THE TRUNCH BULL! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!
Story #2
ME: now everyone remember, put your great ideas in your magic bag,mix them up and pull a few out. This will help our stories be less like memories and more creative, which is what we are working on today.
5 minutes later
Me: Wakinyan why are you shaking your head like that? (he violently slams his head back and forth)
Wakinyan: You told us to mix up our ideas, I'm trying to be EXTRA creative! But my ideas just keep getting dizzy!
Me: brain damage isn't creativity...
Obviously a special little guy.
So, why Wakinyan? I have many other funny students. Why share him with the blogoshpere? I think Wakinyan, and his role in my classroom is a perfect microcosm for the problem we seem to be facing in today's political arena. Every congressperson, president, judge and official were once fifth graders. How many do you think were the brains? I'm guessing very few. Most were probably the sports stars, the class clowns, the ones teachers smile and shake their head at. The ones who beat up the Wakinyan's after school and made them do their homework. There is always a Wakinyan, even in today;s government, a grunt who does the work because he is "weaker" then the rest. You learn it the minute you go to school on day one. 'I don't have to do this work, someone will do it for me!" The government is full of people who have learned in the school system that there will always be someone else to answer the questions. Someone "smart" will feel bad for the teacher while she stands up there waiting and that student will be the only one practicing one of the most important skills one leaves school with: problem solving.
American parents and teachers PLEASE-don't let the next batch of governors beat up the next batch of aides behind the school. Everyone has the ability to problem solve, leave the social politicking for later in life and answer some questions before it's too late.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Monday, August 17, 2009
hey everyone, I am now back to regularly posting I promise. Moving and In-service sucked away my life for a while but I have a few moments to spare in the mornings so expect a post at least three times a week in the AM.
So to catch you up: I am IN SOUTH DAKOTA WHOOPEE. This is the most beautiful place I have ever been. My backyard stretches for miles. I can watch thunderstorms blow over and I go to sleep to the sounds of Pow Wow in the distance, chanting and dancing ringing around my hills. It's basically the life :) Minus the crazy stress levels and working like a dog all day. Teaching is so hard it hurts my face. I found out my students names and will meet them on Wednesday so I have been lesson planning and poster making and letter cutting and curtain buying and reading corner creating like a felon to get my mint chocolate chip room ready for them. The theme is our town. I want to encourage cooperation and teamwork so I set the classroom up like a town. THye vote on the town info and all the jobs have "real job" titles like "accountant" they are also paid in do good dollars for coming to school and participating. Mom I stole your favorite line: "It's your job to be students, that comes before anything else" :) I'm passing on the wisdom.
Besides teaching I've done a little site seeing, I have no tennis shoes so I cannot hike yet but I am getting there. I get my first big kid paycheck on Thursday WOOT WOOT so I will be spending (and saving) that on the essentials like FURNITURE. I am so sick of eating on the floor.My roomie and I are getting along swimmingly. She is quiet and much more reserved then I am but we are working it out slowly but surely. She is very smart and pleasant to be around. We will be studying for the GRE together which is going to be fun! She went to Georgetown and is super smart.
Other then getting my room set up nothing really is happening so far. My prinicpal likes me and my room looks awesome so hey hey maybe I can do this teacher thing. I've got bread baking for my students so I've gotta go for now. Will write again after the first day of school on wednesday. TTFN loved ones!
So to catch you up: I am IN SOUTH DAKOTA WHOOPEE. This is the most beautiful place I have ever been. My backyard stretches for miles. I can watch thunderstorms blow over and I go to sleep to the sounds of Pow Wow in the distance, chanting and dancing ringing around my hills. It's basically the life :) Minus the crazy stress levels and working like a dog all day. Teaching is so hard it hurts my face. I found out my students names and will meet them on Wednesday so I have been lesson planning and poster making and letter cutting and curtain buying and reading corner creating like a felon to get my mint chocolate chip room ready for them. The theme is our town. I want to encourage cooperation and teamwork so I set the classroom up like a town. THye vote on the town info and all the jobs have "real job" titles like "accountant" they are also paid in do good dollars for coming to school and participating. Mom I stole your favorite line: "It's your job to be students, that comes before anything else" :) I'm passing on the wisdom.
Besides teaching I've done a little site seeing, I have no tennis shoes so I cannot hike yet but I am getting there. I get my first big kid paycheck on Thursday WOOT WOOT so I will be spending (and saving) that on the essentials like FURNITURE. I am so sick of eating on the floor.My roomie and I are getting along swimmingly. She is quiet and much more reserved then I am but we are working it out slowly but surely. She is very smart and pleasant to be around. We will be studying for the GRE together which is going to be fun! She went to Georgetown and is super smart.
Other then getting my room set up nothing really is happening so far. My prinicpal likes me and my room looks awesome so hey hey maybe I can do this teacher thing. I've got bread baking for my students so I've gotta go for now. Will write again after the first day of school on wednesday. TTFN loved ones!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Time to catch up on the weekend :)
Hello everyone! So sorry it's been a few days. I've been making it my goal to get to sleep by ten every night and that doesnt leave me a lot of time to do anything but get my work done. Let me recap the last few days for you.
The end of week one was good. My lesson planning is going well and I've learned so much already. I have practiced my "teacher face", met a few students, talked to my faculty advisor and set up a classroom management plan. We have a do good dollar system that we hope will inspire the kids to behave. Hopefully it will. I'll let you know how it goes :)I start teaching monday, writing first. next weekis reading, week after is math then computer simulation then DONE! WOOHOO
My writing lesson plans I think are pretty strong, I made like 17 posters, lists, notes and charts to help them understand how to read research. At the end of four week they have to write research paper and give a presentation. Kind of a lot of work, but I think they can do it!
The weekend was wonderful. Friday I stayed in and got a lot of work done. I'm trying to keep a week ahead so if over july fourth I go out for festivities I won't end up sunday trying desperately to get ready for the next week. Saturday was probably the best day off I have ever had. I went to the beach with friends, took a cat nap in the sun and swam around, played frisbee, it was perfect. We grabbed lunch here on campus then headed out to epereince Taste of Chicago, which was definately as cool as promised. I loved seeing the beautiful fountain and all the different kinds of food. As a foodie I was in HEAVEN. Yes, I tried some great Chicago pizaa and holy moly it was good. No offense dad but that slice was the closest thing Ive ever tasted to how good your pizza is. I hung out with friends and then came back to sleep because all sunday belongs to prepping for monday. I am about halfwy done. I need to make copies, write out my agenda, recheck my lesson plan and do laundry :) oh the college life.
Well speaking of agendas I shoudl egt back to mine. Just wanted to drop a line in for anyone reading, I love you all
The end of week one was good. My lesson planning is going well and I've learned so much already. I have practiced my "teacher face", met a few students, talked to my faculty advisor and set up a classroom management plan. We have a do good dollar system that we hope will inspire the kids to behave. Hopefully it will. I'll let you know how it goes :)I start teaching monday, writing first. next weekis reading, week after is math then computer simulation then DONE! WOOHOO
My writing lesson plans I think are pretty strong, I made like 17 posters, lists, notes and charts to help them understand how to read research. At the end of four week they have to write research paper and give a presentation. Kind of a lot of work, but I think they can do it!
The weekend was wonderful. Friday I stayed in and got a lot of work done. I'm trying to keep a week ahead so if over july fourth I go out for festivities I won't end up sunday trying desperately to get ready for the next week. Saturday was probably the best day off I have ever had. I went to the beach with friends, took a cat nap in the sun and swam around, played frisbee, it was perfect. We grabbed lunch here on campus then headed out to epereince Taste of Chicago, which was definately as cool as promised. I loved seeing the beautiful fountain and all the different kinds of food. As a foodie I was in HEAVEN. Yes, I tried some great Chicago pizaa and holy moly it was good. No offense dad but that slice was the closest thing Ive ever tasted to how good your pizza is. I hung out with friends and then came back to sleep because all sunday belongs to prepping for monday. I am about halfwy done. I need to make copies, write out my agenda, recheck my lesson plan and do laundry :) oh the college life.
Well speaking of agendas I shoudl egt back to mine. Just wanted to drop a line in for anyone reading, I love you all
Monday, June 22, 2009
Day One of Training...what am I in for!
Ok folks so I just had first day activities and I am wiped out! Day started at 5:30 AM, on the bus by 7then in instructional session and group work until 4:30. After that I had a big city adventure finding my bank and depositing my check. Finally made it to opening ceremonies around 7 pm and got done at 9. My life is crazy but so far exciting, I am really pumped up after the welcome here. I feel so humbled by the awesome goals they have set for us here in Chicago, these school need teachers and we need to be successful at learning how to be the teachers they need. I feel a lot of pressure but the staff is doing a great job supporting us and not letting us sink into despair. It's hard not to when you look at the huge challenges. HJowever, I remain upbeat. I CAN DO THIS (i think)
For institute I am teaching at Graham Elem. fifth grade writing reading math and computers. By Thursday, I have to have my classroom management philosophy ironed out and ready to go. Now there's a challenege, I do not know how to manage fifth graders and I feel like if I set up my policies poorly, the other TFA teachers working with me will not be able to teach as well. Note: the way institute works we teach in rotating shifts of four, so I teach four lesson plans a week, one per day (switiching between the four subjects metnioned above) Because I start the rotation as the writing teacher I have the first day lesson dedicated to classroom management. I think I might use a time system, a stop watch and a class time goal to keep them focused, divide each lesson into timed sections, have rotating stations and a timed morning policy, that sort of thing. Maybe a beat the clock type thing? race through summer school and get ready for sixth grade? I don't know. Apparently tomorrow they help us with all that stuff but it seems like a lot to learn in a few hours.
What we worked on today focused mostly on how to set big goals for our students that are measurable, feasible, ambitious and meaningful to students and teachers. We studied the Teaching As Learning rubric which will measure where we come in at as teachers (I'm a novice...yikes!) and will help us decide how to challenge ourselves and become better teachers. We also worked on how to plan backwards and how to close the acjievement gap ( a theme we will be harping on over and over I bet). Wetalked about effective lesson plans and met our staff memebers and group members. Over all a lot of info today.
Well, I think with that I am hitting the hay, I'm tired and I need a rest most definatelyb/c tomorrow starts at 5:30 again! Gnight all you friends and family whereever you are, I miss you and am sending my love
For institute I am teaching at Graham Elem. fifth grade writing reading math and computers. By Thursday, I have to have my classroom management philosophy ironed out and ready to go. Now there's a challenege, I do not know how to manage fifth graders and I feel like if I set up my policies poorly, the other TFA teachers working with me will not be able to teach as well. Note: the way institute works we teach in rotating shifts of four, so I teach four lesson plans a week, one per day (switiching between the four subjects metnioned above) Because I start the rotation as the writing teacher I have the first day lesson dedicated to classroom management. I think I might use a time system, a stop watch and a class time goal to keep them focused, divide each lesson into timed sections, have rotating stations and a timed morning policy, that sort of thing. Maybe a beat the clock type thing? race through summer school and get ready for sixth grade? I don't know. Apparently tomorrow they help us with all that stuff but it seems like a lot to learn in a few hours.
What we worked on today focused mostly on how to set big goals for our students that are measurable, feasible, ambitious and meaningful to students and teachers. We studied the Teaching As Learning rubric which will measure where we come in at as teachers (I'm a novice...yikes!) and will help us decide how to challenge ourselves and become better teachers. We also worked on how to plan backwards and how to close the acjievement gap ( a theme we will be harping on over and over I bet). Wetalked about effective lesson plans and met our staff memebers and group members. Over all a lot of info today.
Well, I think with that I am hitting the hay, I'm tired and I need a rest most definatelyb/c tomorrow starts at 5:30 again! Gnight all you friends and family whereever you are, I miss you and am sending my love
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Days one through ...well..lets just say its been awhile
Hi there everyone! If you are reading this, you probably got an email, facebook message or telephone call from me letting you know a few things. For those who didn't know and are randomly reading this blog or for anyone needing a refresher course here's the skinny:
One: I have MOVED TO SODAK (South Dakota)
Two: I have graduated college and am teaching on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at Little Wound elementary school. I will be the fifth grade teacher and will be working on math, English and social studies.
Three: I am living in teacher housing across the street from my school with a roommate, Mary, who is a fellow teacher and a nice (clean and quiet!) Georgetown grad.
Four: Currently I am writing from Chicago while I undergo training
Five: I am writing this blog to help everyone stay in touch with my life and all the wonderful experiences I am having
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post comments on photos or posts and let me know how you all in the wide world are doing:)
Ok so for starters I just finished induction, a weeklong stay in SoDak to get to know the area and meet the people, interview for jobs, etc. Driving in was long and tiring but also beautiful. In the past week I've been through 7 states I never saw before! Neat huh? Passing into SoDak was amazing, everything flattens out and all the world narrows itself down to the essentials: grass and sky, sky everywhere! Big beautiful blue skies with towering clouds that seem so close it's all I can do not to reach out and try to fit them in my pocket. When the rain sweeps in, you can see the wall of water moving toward you and when it hits, there should be a sonic boom or something, it's a real trip. I am in the middle of ranch world so cattle and horses graze in endless waving green fields. I almost stepped on a snake in the parking lot so there are other animals here too, I'll have to be careful! Maybe my cats will hunt them for me....? The colors here and fantastic, everything is 17 different shades, never solid like Ohio summers tend to be. They call SoDak the land of infinite variety, and I can see it. Really, a lovely place to live, I’m very excited.
The people are completely unique and very welcoming. We have been invited to a powwow which was amazing, lots of dancing and really good food! We also took a tour of the memorials and important sites to see around the reservations which was helpful and informative. Wounded Knee especially caught my attention; I did a report on the massacre there in like sixth grade and seeing the place where it all really happened was a powerful experience. One of the elders is holding a sweat (sweat lodge ceremony) to purify us before we begin teaching. That will take place later in August and I will definitely post about all of that.
That’s all I have time for now. I promise to update as often as I can. The institute experience (training) is supposed to be incredibly grueling and exhausting so I may not post every day until I start teaching but I will try very hard. Tomorrow we have opening ceremonies and we have a cheer we perform. For those of you who know the “I’m on a boat” YouTube phenomenon you would love our cheer. We rewrote the song and made it “I’m on a res” It really gets us pumped up, anybody that wants to hear can give a call or I will try to get video and put it on the blog. Ok well tat a for now fam and friends I love you all
One: I have MOVED TO SODAK (South Dakota)
Two: I have graduated college and am teaching on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at Little Wound elementary school. I will be the fifth grade teacher and will be working on math, English and social studies.
Three: I am living in teacher housing across the street from my school with a roommate, Mary, who is a fellow teacher and a nice (clean and quiet!) Georgetown grad.
Four: Currently I am writing from Chicago while I undergo training
Five: I am writing this blog to help everyone stay in touch with my life and all the wonderful experiences I am having
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post comments on photos or posts and let me know how you all in the wide world are doing:)
Ok so for starters I just finished induction, a weeklong stay in SoDak to get to know the area and meet the people, interview for jobs, etc. Driving in was long and tiring but also beautiful. In the past week I've been through 7 states I never saw before! Neat huh? Passing into SoDak was amazing, everything flattens out and all the world narrows itself down to the essentials: grass and sky, sky everywhere! Big beautiful blue skies with towering clouds that seem so close it's all I can do not to reach out and try to fit them in my pocket. When the rain sweeps in, you can see the wall of water moving toward you and when it hits, there should be a sonic boom or something, it's a real trip. I am in the middle of ranch world so cattle and horses graze in endless waving green fields. I almost stepped on a snake in the parking lot so there are other animals here too, I'll have to be careful! Maybe my cats will hunt them for me....? The colors here and fantastic, everything is 17 different shades, never solid like Ohio summers tend to be. They call SoDak the land of infinite variety, and I can see it. Really, a lovely place to live, I’m very excited.
The people are completely unique and very welcoming. We have been invited to a powwow which was amazing, lots of dancing and really good food! We also took a tour of the memorials and important sites to see around the reservations which was helpful and informative. Wounded Knee especially caught my attention; I did a report on the massacre there in like sixth grade and seeing the place where it all really happened was a powerful experience. One of the elders is holding a sweat (sweat lodge ceremony) to purify us before we begin teaching. That will take place later in August and I will definitely post about all of that.
That’s all I have time for now. I promise to update as often as I can. The institute experience (training) is supposed to be incredibly grueling and exhausting so I may not post every day until I start teaching but I will try very hard. Tomorrow we have opening ceremonies and we have a cheer we perform. For those of you who know the “I’m on a boat” YouTube phenomenon you would love our cheer. We rewrote the song and made it “I’m on a res” It really gets us pumped up, anybody that wants to hear can give a call or I will try to get video and put it on the blog. Ok well tat a for now fam and friends I love you all
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