Friday, September 24, 2010

A Day in the Life of an Intern (Teacher)........

7:10 am: arrived at school. Had lots of stuff to take in for a "fiesta party" today.
7:10-7:50am: reviewed lessons for the day, organized materials that would be used today, etc
7:50-8:04am: took attendance, student lunch selection - emailed cafeteria, pledge to American Flag, class pledge, answered a "bazillion" questions about what time the party started, etc etc etc, tried to get students settled and started on morning work,
8:05-9:00am: observed reading group today. Am thinking that I need to become a reading specialist....small groups limited to 6, nice-quaint room with all the amenities, quiet, no "unusual smells"....yep, I need to check into that!
9:00-10:00am: Math centers with 40+ students. Took away place value dice from one group that insisted on throwing them at each other, assisted another group with 2 digit/3 number addition strategies, broke up argument between group who couldn't decide who would go first, sharpened 48 pencils, negotiated 40+ student maze - trying not to step on hands and other body parts
10:00-10:15am: bathroom break - monitored bathrooms sending in 2 at a time in an effort to prevent yesterday incident of writing on the bathroom wall with "unknown" substance.
10:20-11:09am: delivered students to resouce: PE today. Made phone calls home as requested by notes received that morning, organized LA worksheets for the year-separating by theme/story so they could be filed. Cleaned up math center materials, pencils, papers, etc, straightened desks, put books away, made sandwich for lunch, took a tylenol cold tablet for scracty throat and cough.
11:10am: picked up students from gym...spoke to PE teacher about students who misbehaved in class today....gave mini-lesson on how to conduct self in gym and how to walk in a line to the cafeteria....one student forgot lunch box, so sent back to room to get it(oops, forgot their lunch number cards today, so I'll need to avoid the cafeteria cashier who will not be happy).
11:20am: student spilled HOT mashed potatoes on bare legs at lunch table. Rushed student to sink for cold water, applied ice pack, dried tears, and replaced spilled potato order.
11:30am: ate lunch...while watching 24 students chew with open mouths, screaming across the table to be heard over the roar of the other classes at lunch.
11:40am: served iced cream (student birthday today) to 24 students - one bowl at a time.
11:45am: left cafeteria - back to classroom for Lang Arts (and math test unable to give at 9 am due to lack of time). Sent student to nurse to check for 2nd degree burns - filled out incident report.
11:45am: math test
12:15pm: spelling test - 25 words - repeated 2 times and used in sentences. One student mis-numbered paper, so had to repeat list for 3rd time to check mistake.
12:40pm: collected spelling tests - stretch
12:42pm: language arts test on story of the week.
1:18pm: collected LA test. Lined up students for recess - sent outside with partner teacher
1:20pm: set up fiesta party food, decorations, arranged artifact table.
1:40pm: students in from recess - tried to play game using questions from social studies as a review before test. Game ended prematurely due to fight between 2 students.
2:05pm: Social Studies test on Mexico.
2:25pm: lined up students to go to partner teacher room for fiesta party
2:35pm: began trying to serve food...cake, chips and salsa, juice to 48 students who thought they were at "BK" and could have it their way!
2:45pm: served last student
2:55pm: collected trash, packed up, distributed report cards, answered another "bazillion" questions...tried to get students to settle down to wait for dismissal bell.
3:00pm: dismissal by pods....walked my class and next door class students to bus (32+students). At bus parking lot, heard screaming from behind. Student cut finger on vegetable can (was in book bag for art-not turned in). instructed student to apply pressure to wound (with napkin in pocket from fiesta party). Took student to nurse - again (ps...missed bus), called home to come pick student up, cleaned up fiesta party, met with parent of injured student, disinfected 48 student desks and chairs, filed year's worth of LA worksheet papers organized earlier, changed date and resource for Monday, planned with other teachers for next week's lessons, sharpened pencils, erased white board, organized social studies test thrown on desk in haste to get to party, organized spelling test, LA test, math test - to take home and grade, filled away books on Mexico and replaced with books on China - country for next week, checked back door, checked turtles, turned off light.
6:00 pm.....HOME - survived week 4! 4 more to go! (but who's counting)
(6:50pm....99 degree fever - croup-like cough!!!)

Friday, September 3, 2010

Week 1 reflection

I survived week 1 of the new school year! I came home today with a sore throat and the sniffles! Just my luck! I'm sure some little person has shared their germs! I am exhausted! I spent all week teaching...staying up until 12 or 1 am writing lesson plans...getting to school at 7 to make copies (ahead of the other teachers)...staying at school until after 5 pm! Welcome to the life of a teacher (especially a 1st year teacher who has no lessons from last year to pull from) Unfortunately, my partnership teacher doesn't have any either as this is her first year teaching 3rd grade! So...we are learning the curriculum together...

But I had a great time! I'm exactly where I want to be and I have a nice long 3 day weekend to plan for next week's activities! 7 more weeks......

I've posted a picture of my first writing assignment and display I made in the hallway!