Here I come, World.

Talk about building a strong foundation.
Talk about building from the ground up.
Talk about new beginnings.
Talk about big things.
Talk about development.
Talk about constructivism (...lol.).

My new school:

Shaking Off the Interview Jitters

Today,

I will exude pride in myself and in my work,

I will act passionately in hopes that others share in mine

I will welcome new friendships and alliances

I will speak with humility

I will critique of my own practice and embrace collegial input

I will model in my interview the way that I teach: relaxed; confident and with a sense of both authority and humor; quick to assess, adapt, and respond.

= = =

Most importantly, I want for them to know that I want to teach with them. "You are different." I am moderately confident that I will be able to land a job somewhere, anywhere, but I don't want a job somewhere, anywhere. I want this job, here, with y'all. You respect students; I respect students. Your teachers focus their teaching around common themes of equity and social justice; this is the reason that I entered the profession of teaching. You follow the small school model; I need close relationships with fewer students and admin who also know my students and their families to do my job.

I need you -- and I'm pretty sure that you need me, too.

Please, please, please like me.

= = =

Vent.

S: "Miss April... are you mad?"

I nodded. I probably shouldn't have nodded, even though I was feeling pretty frustrated. Semi-frustrated at kids in the class, I guess, but mostly frustrated at myself. Which is why I probably shouldn't have nodded -- it wasn't their fault. Not completely, anyway.

Ugh. Teach another day.

Love Meets Praise

Some days, a student will say or do something that serves as a reminder to me that they are just kids -- antsy, energetic, social-minded, kids. Other days, a student will say something so profound, wise, and thought-provoking that I can't help but feel a spike of defensiveness when a non-educator friend makes such a heedless remark as "how does it feel to work with a bunch of hormonal kids who think they know everything?"

Today was only my second day on the job, technically, but I also like to think that I've spent a lifetime preparing for this. Teaching, that is.

The subject was chemistry for high school students. I was only in for tutoring, not even teaching, but I was still anxious. I thought of something one of my 9th grade students said to me yesterday:

Teacher Job Interviews: My Thoughts

Given that it is interview season for teachers, I find it necessary for my own improvement to reflect upon my most recent interview experience in order to ensure that I continue to have educational, if not positive, interview experiences in the near future.

1. Be in touch with your teaching philosophy.

Prior to your interview, reflect on why you are entering the teaching profession. Show your interviewer that you have an end goal in mind for your students and that you are constantly critiquing and refining your end goal. Knowing why you want to go into teaching takes care of so many different questions that they might throw at you: why do you want to teach for us? what are your strengths? tell us about your classroom culture (code word for classroom management tactics!).

This is a Love Note

Running in Oakland under the blue-black sky

Pounding pavement, running harder than ever

Venting into the wind about those which affect us most:

Teaching and issues of injustice

Talking politics while huffing and puffing

I pause only to look up into the rain, to feel it on my face

I vaguely consider removing more layers altogether to welcome the falling droplets

But I'm distracted by our intense conversation

And, of course, by the running.

After 30 minutes, you suggest that we call it a night, but I beg,

"Please... just 3 more miles?" And you say yes.

Thanks, Ms. Kwon, for tonight, for being my life coach, for feeding me, for teaching me how to cook, and, finally, for the fact that the day after I shared my blog URL with you, my numbers jumped to 30 hits in a day.

Photo Credit: oopsilon via Panoramio.

Tough Stuff

You know when i write a blog post like this that it was a tough day..

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ways i've improved/changed

-I haven't cried after class in.. well, at least a month.

-I'm LESS afraid of meetings with parents and RSPs

-"there is no 'should be', only what 'is'"

-I (try to) focus on the help that others are giving me rather than the help that I think I am not getting