Chapter XIV: Conference and English Languae Learners (ELL)

Conference week. A week that parents meet with their child's teachers and talk about their accomplishment, goals, and goals to accomplish. I met with my host teacher, Mrs. Dearly, for this eventful day. She invited me to one of the conferences which involved: a translator, a student, and the student's mother. Mrs. Dearly's student is an ELL (English Language Learner) and is quite a bright young girl.

(I walked in a little late thanks to a very minor incident at home: my boy is still in a cast so he needed potty-help which put me back by a few minutes.)

It was a very short and sweet conference. What I found most intriguing was the translation between the parties. This is ELL at work. The student, "Yasmin", was busily having some snack while her mom and Mrs. Dearly had their conference. I have found out a lot of interesting things with an ELL child. It may be typical and it may be true. In one of my classes, it has been founded that ELL children's reading/writing scores are lower than those who are not an ELL student. BUT....their scores in other areas are high. Yasmin's reading/writing scores were a little low; her math is impressively high.

In my spring classes, I remembered that we talked about "gifted" children. During my time 70's-80's -- gifted meant someone who had a high IQ. Now, the term "gifted" is being used loosely. In fact, a gifted child may now belong to a sub-group. My 10 year old daughter would probably fit in many areas: art, writing, reading, (and just recently) math (but we're watching that closely -- math's her weakness).

Having said that, Yasmin could be considered to be gifted in the math area. She's really good and her math scores are very high. Due to her minimum English speaking skills, her reading/writing scores are unsurprisingly low. It's sad but true that this very fact affect many of our kids in Title I schools, hence, the low reading/writing scores.

Due to high immigration everywhere, our nation has been affected with reading and writing. BUT...and I say this with a big BUT...if you were to score children from MY generation -- that's right, ME -- we were very, very, very low in all academic areas. In my Social Order class, we watched a film on "American Public Education" and an interviewer asked a high school kid (from the mid 80's) who was the first man who landed on the moon. This kid answered with a ??? look on his face that said "Someone landed on the moon?" Another kid was asked if she can name at least one president that was assassinated. She didn't get it right. Funny? More like embarassing. I grew up in that era -- that generation. I can attest to so many things that today many professionals say about our failing schools, most especially during that time. It has been founded that we are actually doing a lot better than ever before, but our nation's leaders say it is not enough.

We are going through another cyclical increase in immigration (the first was pre WWII) which means overcrowded classrooms. This results in discipline problems, low classroom parental involvement (for many reasons: two jobs, dual working parents, language barriers, etc.), and inexperienced teachers, just to name a few. Although this has been a controversial issue, over the last two decades or so, immigrants still come to America to gain a better life and/or a better education for their children. Of course, this eats up our economy and we feel that we, Americans, are being taken advantage of, but teachers of today still have to face these realities, accept them and conform to the changes.

As I sat there observing Mrs. Dearly having a conference with Yasmin's mother (via translator), Yasmin's face lit up whenever Mrs. Dearly spoke of how well she does which is way beyond expectations in comparison to her peers. Yasmin, is mathematically "talented". I can see this child succeeding in perhaps, engineering. Forget her reading/writing level. She'll "get it" in time. Like most parents who immigrated from another country, Yasmin's parents are helping to preserve their culture through language. As I have seen with many, many ELL children from my previous job, their parents DO try to speak our nation's language -- American English. Because of the minimal and limited skills they have in English, their children will certainly pick up grammatical and spelling errors. It is inside our classrooms where we -- the teachers -- provide the necessary lessons to help these children succeed in areas such as reading and writing.

I believe -- with time -- Yasmin will soon catch up to her American peers. After I left Mrs. Dearly's classroom, I felt a sense of optimism because Yasmin is very fortunate to have so many people help her succeed academically. She has the resources and most of all, she has a lot of caring people who will give her the chance to become successful on American soil.

Chapter XVIII: End of Spring Qtr. 2010

WHEW!!! I am at the last week of this quarter. It's been quite a ride, and a positive ride that is. Last week, I officially taught a small group of second graders at Roosevelt Elementary. My host teacher has been such a splendid model for me that when I took over for only 20minutes, the children were engrossed in what we were talking about. Yes, that's me in the picture and the back of their heads. I've marked this day my first official day of formal instruction. We were reading about fossils and a little bit about parts of a book (content, index, etc.). My initial intention was to spell out the word FOSSIL, in a vertical fashion, on that white board you see on my left. The students were to come up with different words that relate to the book starting with each of those letters.

The lesson DID NOT turn out as planned. The children did like the pictures and some of the words they've never heard of before (paleontologist, museum, etc.), but they were more interested in the parts of the book. One of the children actually stood up, took one of the books from behind the shelf (behind me) and started to dissect the parts of the book for me. I was really impressed! This is the first time the group has read the book, so I thought that we were going to talk about the book a little more. To go further into the parts of the book lesson, they started looking at the page numbers in the Contents-area and in the Index as well. They had fun doing that as an activity. We were so engrossed in what we were doing, that I lost track of time -- my host teacher kept glancing at the clock, so I knew that it was time. I went 10 minutes over! Wow.

It was quite a pivotal moment for me. Last chapter, which briefly talked about my practice lesson in front of my adult classmates, was totally and completely different. Nothing like the real thing that beats anything like that. Because it was a mock lesson, it was difficult to emulate a real classroom. When I taught the second graders, they were really engaged and full of questions (and answers). In our class-mock-presentations, it wasn't engaging at all. I felt like I was trying to make a speech rather than teach. But not to say that it wasn't worth it! It was well-worth it to practice. I think the next time I practice, I will assume that the real presenation-time (in front of children) will be doubled. It was one thing I was very worried about when I presented in front of the second graders.

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Last week was my last week of IT (technology) and Social Order classes. I think I'm gonna have a hard time detaching myself from my Social Order class. In reading my past postings here, it seems that that has been my favorite class. There is one comment that one of my classmates made -- to which I agreed to -- that it doesn't seem like we needed it. I think for some, they may not, but for others they do. It has just made us more aware of the realities of what goes on inside a classroom and in our public school system -- social-wise. It has come to my attention that there are so many things in our nation that needs to be fixed.

The other night after dinner with my family, we stopped by Borders. I was browsing through the magazines when something huge caught my eye. It was by Time's magazine and on it was a big fat red letter "F". Guess anyone smart would know what that is. That's right, our public education -- more like an F for teachers. It was an embarassment. I wanted to hide under Border's stairwell. An F for teachers?! Can't say that's not true. Because, it is.

It has come to my attention, a former high school classmate of mine is experiencing this type of letter-grade for her son's teacher. The teacher so happens to be one of those ignorant so-called professionals that her sole intention is to teach only those who are "smart" and leave the others behind deliberately to other "specialists". Yes, I know, I know. There are specialists out there, but they can have only a certain amount of kids under their care; the schools are limited with these specialists. So what happened? Her son took an ADHD child under his wing. The child with learning disabilities all of a sudden thrived inside his own classroom without being pulled out.

One more thing about the school this child is in -- teachers there do not stay past 2:45pm! Isn't that what our taxpayer monies go to? I know that we don't earn as much as doctors or lawyers, but the commitment to be in this profession is huge. My professors reminded us time and time again -- "You didn't become a teacher to be out when the children are out. You're becoming one to BE a teacher, not an elementary student." That little statement encompasses everything that's included in this "teacher-package". I found it to be true at Roosevelt -- my host teacher along with the entire school, do not leave the school grounds until an hour after the students leave; they're also there at least an hour before school starts. Added up, it's like a regular 40 hour week. So, imagine my shock when my friend told me that her child's teacher and the teachers in that school are in when the bell rings and out by the time the students are out.

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I'm so glad to be in this program. I've never been as exposed to our public education as ever before. It's no wonder Time's magazine rated our teachers with an "F". It's no wonder my cohort and I are going through an intensive program. It's no wonder why Western Washington's education program is very picky about their future teachers. We need to turn this nation into an "A". We are the ones to do it.

Chapter XVII: Almost there

Things have settled around here at home, at least for the time being. My son is pretty much back to normal, but with a cast on his arm. He is adjusting quite nicely and he likes that he's not as immobile as he was before. No pain. Just itching inside the cast. That's a good sign. It means that his arm is healing.

In the past couple weeks, my classes and practicum are becoming more and more hands on and surreal to being a teacher. For my Essentials of Teaching class, we delved more into lesson planning and prepared for our 10 minutes presentations. For my Teaching and the Social Order class, I'm becoming more and more aware of classroom cultural diversity (and of my skin color; I'll explain later). Lastly, for my IT class (Instructional Technical skill), we are learning to make charts and forms that you normally would find inside classrooms (such as attendance sheets, data base, etc.).


My practicum is becoming very routine and I'm fully prepared to present formal lessons in front of second graders. Thanks to tonight's presentation in my (adult) EOT class, I feel ready to stand in front of a classroom full of real second graders.


Prior to my pres., I practiced it on my three children. It helped -- a little bit. When I first practiced on them, they laughed and acted like very naughty little children. Then after making a few observations on classroom behavioral management at my practicum site, I tried those techniques on my own kids while practicing my presentation on them. It worked. As long as I kept putting my foot down on their smart-aleck remarks, they kept quiet, listened, and participated. It was all in good fun; so, in a way, it was seriously-fun.


The subject I taught was on "brainstorming". When it was time to present to my EOT class, I was semi-prepared. I thought I brought my dry-erase marker with me, so I ended up using the school's. The darn thing barely worked, so I made do with what I got. Then at the end of my presentation, I realized I forgot to do a couple of things with the class. I was complimented by many of my classmates, but I felt that it wasn't good enough and I know that I could've done better.


My Social Order class in the last couple weeks was very interesting. It deals with multi cultural controversial issues facing American schools today. It is hard to fathom the idea that it still exist...and it still does. I'm not talking about African Americans. The controversy exist among children of immigrants, American-minorities, gender-differences, and those with sexual "preferences". I have looked at myself and others in a whole new different way than ever before. I always grew up never thinking, or being conscious, about my ethnicity. Things that were brought up in class are now beginning to surface that I've never noticed before. I told my professor that I never have experienced any kind of prejudice. Now that I think about it, I did, but it was done in a subtle way that no one has ever noticed it in class.


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I had this one math teacher in high school. She was of a different Asiatic group, which I will not mention to prevent stereotypes. What I DID NOT notice was that I was the only Filipino in my math class...everyone else was this other Asian-group. I failed that class. It was the only math class I failed in high school. I've always wondered why she looked at me like she was going to eat me alive. I seriously thought that it was her fluctuating hormones. I tried everything to impress her: studied hard, raised my hand in class to volunteer answers (she has never called me; she'll call me when I didn't know the answer), and even hung out with those who she favored in class.

This is the grand-salami that made me now realize that she was prejudice: there was this one kid -- class clown -- in my class who said something in a Filipino accent (i.e. he was making fun of Filipino accents), when he did that, my teacher laughed. Next thing I knew, the entire class started making jokes about Filipinos and my teacher stopped her lesson mid-way to join them. Dummy me thought it was funny, too, as it was the norm in Hawaii to joke around about other Asian ethnic groups. What really bothers me, though, in this present time, is that she's someone who preferred a quiet class that stayed on task. This was the first time she stopped in the middle of the lesson to listen to and be involved in jokes. When this same boy joked around about other things, she immediately stopped him. She did not stop him when he made fun of Filipinos.

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Looking back, I now know why I got that bad grade and why she gave me dirty looks (she always smiled at her "other " Asian-counterparts). She graded me according to the color of my skin. Although I had a lot of answers right -- and HOW can you get math problems wrong if you have a 50-50 chance -- my papers would always come back with comments such as "can't understand your handwriting", "write clearly", (for Algebra theories) "this doesn't make sense", "your 1's look like 7's" (wtf? I wrote my 7s like a backwards "F" to indicate CLEARLY that it was a seven), etc. The right answers rarely counted. She merely wrote her comments in bright red ink and whenever she returned my paper to me, she would give me this look. Seriously, a look like she was -- oh, I don't know -- it seemed like she was threatened by me.

So what happened? I got sent home a note to my parents about my bad grades. Because I saw how unfair her grading was, I was really pissed off, and ended up forging my father's name on the note. Yes, I got caught -- she called my father to see if he received it. She never told him WHY I got that (final) grade, "D". She was just checking to see if I gave him that note. My father had the reputation of coming down hard on his kids when it pertains to education; my teacher knew this and she used it against me. I know it is some serious accusation, but when a teacher stops midway in her lesson to make fun of Filipinos, then it was a strong indicator that she was (and probably still is) a bigot. Again, she's not white. She is Asian.

By the way, I was the only full-blooded Filipino in that high-math class level. I guess she never thought, in her years of teaching, that someone like me would end up "there".


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That was my story share-time here on this blog. In my classes we always share stories and we learn from them. Our ideas on what is really out there, what we must face is a reality. It would help our society -- a multi culturual society to start seeing that although we are different, we are all Americans.

Teachers of Cohort 32...we are almost ready.

Chapter XVI: Elephant Thigh

It is rare that I will talk about my children on here not pertaining to education; but this one is a special issue. First, I want to thank my teachers and my classmates for their understanding and their support. I know with papers and presentations due, there will be a slight delay in my academic studies for now. I will catch up, and I promise you (my group), I will definitely keep contributing through emails/phone calls. :)

My son got into a serious arm injury on the 13th, day before Valentine's Day. He fell off a chair, at his cousins, not more than 1.5 feet high, and fractured his right (dominant) arm. It has been a long week and the pain is much worse at night when he's sleeping next to me. I feel like I've been walking through a nightmare with him going from one doctor after another.

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His dad took him to the emergency and I met them there. We all know how that is -- it takes FOREVER to see someone. X-ray was taken; dad saw it, I didn't. TJ was on my lap. So all I had was a verbal explanation. To me, it didn't sound too bad. But when they cut off his long sleeve shirt and I looked at his arm it was almost as thick as an elephant's thigh! His dad, Ray, made sure that I didn't react in front him (I shoulda known better as I used to work with preschoolers). They put a splint on TJ and doubled it, called (let me see if I can get this right) "sugar tone" to lessen mobilization while he waits to see an orthopedic.

The dr. at the ER recommended that we take TJ to the orthopedic as soon as we can get him in, which is in our neighborhood at one of the clinics that we usually go to whenever any of us have a fracture (we all had fractures at one time or another). Good, I thought, maybe they can actually do something about it. The bad thing was we had to wait until Tuesday. I mean, okay, I understand that the swelling needed to go down, but to wait that long? TJ was prescribed oxycodone for the pain. It's small, about 5 mg, but I hate giving drugs to children that young.

So, the next couple nights seemed like forever. Poor TJ whimpered with pain everytime he moved his arm. It hurt me more than it hurt him, so I gave him the (stupid) drug. He was fine after that -- just more talkative than usual. I also gave him acetominophen when the pain is less severe. At night when he's asleep, I'm being mother bear. Everytime he moved, I made sure he doesn't move in a way that he might hurt himself. This is an active 7 year old, even when he's asleep, which means that I'm up pretty much most of the night preventing himself from more harm.

On the 16th, we finally get to see an orthopedic, but a PA, not a doctor. They looked at the xray that was taken at the emergency and suggested he goes to see a pediatric ortho at Children's Hospital. They called and wrote down that he's to be seen by the pediatric orthopedic surgeon on the 17th. Just great. I thought he was going to have surgery TODAY, but on the other hand, a pediatric surgeon is better. The PA suggested that TJ not eat or drink after midnight as he is more than likely going to receive surgery right there.

Another night of tossing and turning and whimpering because of the pain; another night of oxycodone.

We get to Children's on the 17th. Right when we checked in at the reception, they noticed that there was a discrepancy -- TJ's appointment was YESTERDAY! He was marked as a "no show". His dad and I were absolutely, undoubtedly LIVID! The ortho PA wrote down the wrong date! I was about to be in tears at this point. My son suffered for four days! I'm pretty sure readers at this point are saying to themselves, "Now, why can't he take it like a little man?" Put ANY 7 year old kid -- whether it's a boy or a girl -- and given the extent* of his injury, it would hurt like a huge boulder's been smashing his over and over again. (I had not idea how bad his injury was until later...read on...)

Because of our reaction -- and it was very loud and clear (we made the other orthopedics -- NOT Children's -- look very, very bad) -- the receptionist was able to squeeze TJ in later on in the afternoon to see the pediatric ortho surgeon. When asked if he can have lunch, the receptionist thought that because the previous ortho suggested he doesn't eat, TJ was allowed to eat a handful amount of food....just in case he needs to go into surgery. We hung around Children's for four hours.

We FINALLY got to see Dr. Song. And I finally saw the x-ray. My heart just about dropped. There was a 7mm size bone that chipped off his humerus bone (right elbow). I know the feeling because I fractured my elbow a couple years back while roller skating; although it was only a hairline fracture, it was gawd-awful painful! I could only imagine what TJ was going through. No wonder he was absolutely frightened and adamant about even touching his elbow. The darn thing hurt! And because of the extent of his injury, he was in pain!! My poor baby was in pain for four days.


The other orthopedc put a splint on him, but it was obviously tight -- his fingers were swelling and had a deep red color to it. Even after returning to the clinic to get it re-done, his fingers were still swollen. He elevated his arm up for four days before seeing Dr. Song, but it did not help to no avail. His pain was added on due to the splint's constriction. He had a splint on and it was too tight for four days. :(

Anyway...back to Dr. Song. He wasn't too happy that this went on for a long time. He seemed very sympathetic and was super gentle with TJ -- something that the OTHER ortho and xray technicians at the emergency didn't consider. I couldn't stop staring at the x-ray. Underneath the splint and bandage is my little boy's arm that's probably thicker than an elephant's thigh by now. His fingers were very swollen.

There was even more bad news that Dr. Song gave us -- he couldn't see TJ that day, the 17th. Because we were at Children's Hospital, they prioritize their patients. There's a little girl that he has to do spinal surgery on. Completely understandable; at this point, I felt very fortunate for TJ's injury.

I saw the little girl, and boy, was she a trooper. I'm very sensitive to children and practically get teary-eyed when something moves me whether it's heartbreaking or if it makes me feel angry. She's paraplegic and bi-lingual. Her parents can't speak a word of English, but this little girl can. She was in the next room and I heard a bit of their conversation. At this age -- she seemed to be about 11 years old --it's really hard to fathom the idea that she has to translate her own prognosis to her parents. I can only imagine what the parents are going through. This little girl, though, talks like she's talking with a smile. As if to say and comfort her parents, "It's okay, I'll be alright."

He really wants to take TJ in asap -- and sounded rather sincere about it --, but he will more than likely be in surgery for nine hours on the little girl.

Let's see.....he broke his arm on the 13th, saw an ortho on the 16th, visited Children's on the 17th, and will be seen on the 18th. Five days of painful suffering.

We got a call the next morning (the 18th) and it was actually good-bad news. There's a possibility that TJ can be seen earlier, but there's also a possibility that he may be the last to be seen or not at all until the next day. So, we starved him yet again. We were able to take anything at this point. He needs to have surgery. Last night was very painful for him.

So we went in, and his dad and I practically did cartwheels....the receptionist said that he'll be taken in at 3:30pm.

The surgery went well, and was put in a half-cast to allow for swelling for a couple days. It was painful, but to us, it was good pain. Dr. Song moved the bone back in place and had pins put into his chipped bone to prevent further damage. Because of his age, bones will naturally and quickly weld together as it heals.

I will stop writing about this chapter, because it is now, realistically March 1 and I have tons of catching up to do with homework and my practicum.

TJ is doing really well and is now in a full cast. The cast will be removed on the 17th and his bones will have healed by then. :)

Chapter XV: Rush

It's been a hard week. Let's see if I can sum up each day without writing a novel in one chapter:

February 8, 2010, Monday
Monday: Volunteer @ Oaks Elementary (my son's school)

I tutored two children who enjoy playing reading learning games with me. That was fun and I can't be more proud of these kids. They're coming along.

Did the final touches for two papers due tonight. Although my papers are relatively easy to do, organizing my ideas and putting them into thoughts that I want to convey to my readers is another story. I got that done...finally!

Prepared for my practicum supervisor's visit by putting together a notebook. It's only a few pages, but I think I have it down pat.

Monday night: Essentials of Teaching Class
My EOT class seems to be getting progressively difficult. I love this class because of the group discussions we get into. It is definitely more in-depth and more about the technicalities of teaching, hence the difficulty. I do find it most enjoyable and satisfying learning more and more about what goes on inside a (insert any word: fabulous, great, winning)teacher's head. This is what we're being trained for. It has a lot to do with making sure our children do not fall behind.

Tuesday, February 9 2010: Practicum @ Roosevelt and Practicum Supervisor Visit
Went in to Roosevelt feeling nervous about my meeting with my program supervisor. Mrs. Dearly's anxious about this week herself. On top of meeting with me and my prac. sup., the thought of Winter Break starting this Friday can be quite overwhelming. I admire how she's able to stay on top of things considering a hectic week. The vibe inside the classroom is quite eventful. The activity level seems to be a bit higher than previous visits. No, the children were not out of control. It's just that everything seems to be rushed because we need to get things done. Even for myself.

My prac. sup.'s visit was a positive one. Boy, she couldn't have come at a better time -- I'm being sarcastic here. Due to the energy level in the classroom (and in the building, too!), imagine my stress when the children lined up during transition-time AND my prac. sup. was standing in the hallway next to me. Mrs. Dearly was still inside the classroom while I was up at the front of the line. The students typically wait for her until she comes to the front. Somehow, one of the kids thought that it would be funny that he start the line by moving himself by a few inches. Next thing I knew, the line started to move WITHOUT their teacher. The boy up front saw my expression and gave me this big smile. Yeah, I wasn't too happy. I wasn't going to yell at him -- it's not in my nature to yell. I simply walked up to him, looked at him quite sternly, and told him in a low voice to stop and wait for Mrs. Dearly in a very serious tone.

Mrs. Dearly was right: nip it right in the bud or things will start to fall apart. Even though my prac. sup. is not familiar with the routine -- whether the lined-up children were allowed to move with or without their teacher -- I knew that she knew I did the right thing when she squeezed and patted my shoulder and gave me an encouraging smile. It felt good to be positively acknowledged. My meeting with my sup. went really well. She did remind me a few times that she will be up for a visit when I do an actual lesson in front Mrs. Dearly's class.

February 10, 2010 IT Class
Ew. I love this class but it's very -- what should I say -- detail-oriented. One little mistake on an assignment and you have to re-do the entire thing. There were two re-dos that I had to fix up, which puts me behind the rest of the class. We are allowed to resubmit our assignments during class. Because this is done electronically, things can go wrong. And LUCKY ME, I so happen to be one of those where things got messed up -- totally not my fault. I was pulling my hair off trying to figure out why my submissions kept saying "resubmit" after doing do-overs. It was finally solved and thank goodness, it's not my fault. My teacher gave me the okay to go ahead and continue with what I've got.

February 11, 2010 Volunteer at Oaks; Practicum at Roosevelt

My practicum supervisor wanted me to observe real closely the differences between being a parent volunteer in one school and a practicum teacher at another. Today was a perfect day. Most schools are celeberating Valentine's Day and teachers are preparing for mid-winter break. Today's the last day of school before the kids are out on a short vacation. They'll be back on the 17th.

My first stop was at Oakes. I helped the children pass out their cards and treats. They had ice cream. The children were to bring their own toppings and share it with their classmates. These are first-graders mind you, so all sorts of fun stuff were brought into the class: gummy worms, different kinds of cookies, m&ms, and much more. I couldn't stop laughing to myself because the kids will say to me, "Check out my ice cream sundae!" Yeah, more like "topping" sundae -- the ice cream was completely buried underneath all that topping (yay for mom; thanks, Mrs. Windell).

Like I said about Tuesday (2/9), the energy level was pretty high at Roosevelt. It was much higher today. Probably because the children are re-arranging their desks and cleaning them out. The classroom was a total disaster! I really have to admire Mrs. Dearly for not making a point to help them out. The mess is their responsibility. She has made the decision that the children, when they're done cleaning up, can have their Valentine treats. It was a superb deal because the children rushed to get things done. When they were -- and the room was (almost) completely spotless -- they happily had their treats while *I* read them a book (my supposed FIRST real lesson to the class!). It was a simple Valentine's Day book. It was soooo nice to have 21 children sit in front of me while I read. It was only one time that I had to call out on a kid who wasn't paying attention; and it was only once that I gave him a reminder. It felt great! For 20 minutes I read and asked the class questions. I do officially mark this day, MY FIRST LESSON TO AN ACTUAL CLASS. :D :D :D

Friday/Saturday February 12-13

We have tons of paper due in the upcoming weeks for my classes. We don't have class on 2/17 which gives us more time to work on papers, but for some reason I was stuck on one of them. I've been pounding my head against the wall trying to figure it out. With the help of my classmate -- this is a group project -- I'm starting to get it. Alas, however, I finally figured it out and I think it turned out alright. For this same class, my preliminary lesson plan is due (next week), a video response for my Social Order class, and a power point presentation for my IT class. I've never had this much homework since being at WWU. But...as someone woould've put it, "you've got what you paid for".

I have found out that many good teachers come from this school. Like Harvard is for lawyers, Western Washington University is th-e one for teachers. (Okay....I'm biased) I also have found out that WWU is more academically inclined than sports and frats (I read their opinion/review forum). It is a great feeling to know that my money isn't being wasted on anything not pertaining to my education. WWU have their own sub-college for teachers called "Woodring College" which I want to visit one day. It is a beautiful campus. I think it'll be great if my cohort could get together for a field trip to the college as a way to say "thanks" for everything they've done for us, most particularly, the teachers who must travel between Bellingham and Everett to teach us.

It IS a good idea.... ;)

Chapter XIV: Practicum and Volunteer work + EOT

On Monday, after my EOT class, I fell very ill. I had to skip practicum on Tuesday to rest, and made it up on Thursday. Wednesday, I went to my son's school to volunteer and tutor his classmates. Thursday, after practicum, I rushed with an assignment that was due. Friday was my mental-health day to which I rested and took a breather. Right now, I decided to keep up with my blog and continue with projects, homework, and homelife -- not necessarily in that order -- after I'm done here.

I am eager to share my week because it has been quite an interesting one. I do not mean that in a negative way. This is quite the opposite, in fact. Monday's class -- although I was already feeling the effects of my illness coming on -- I was excited to learn how to present a lesson in a step-by-step process to keep students interested in the subject they're learning. It doesn't have to be done in that specific way all the time, but observing what we saw on the video, I believe it works. Mrs. Dearly uses that technique the majority of the time! Mrs. Windell, uses it, too, but I sometimes wonder if she realizes that she is using it. I barely notice the "steps" because they're very subtle. This type of "model" is very effective when used appropriately.

The difference is that they each have their own unique way of presenting material -- old and new. For example, there is this one teacher in the video who uses body-motions to vote: right elbow on left knee, thumbsup, pat your head/belly, etc. It was done in a humorous way and the children loved it. Another teacher presented her material with an overhead projector and kept the class moving with their curiousities and answers by the tone of her voice and body language. She was very enthusiastic about the subject she was teaching. But, man, she talked alot! Imagine a teacher who talked alot but did not involve some kind of class interaction -- BORING!

Mrs. Dearly does what those teachers in the video do, too. She explains really well what the students need to learn, but done in an enthusiastic way. I have modeled after her when she assigned me to a couple of her small groups -- as well as in Mrs. Windell's class -- and lo and behold....it worked!! No scripts, no preparation. These "steps" felt so natural and convenient. On top of that, the children were eager to learn more!

I spend, on an average, about 20 minutes with individual or small groups of children, at a time. 20 minutes does not feel like enough time to teach them the entire material. Now I know exactly how Mrs. Dearly feels like. She's always on the move. Every 20 minutes, her lessons are changing. I can definitely feel the frustration -- as a teacher -- that Mrs. Dearly is feeling when she feels like she hasn't "caught up". I walk out of Mrs. Dearly's and Mrs. Windell's classes feeling like I haven't taught those kids enough. I feel like they need to learn more.

When I saw that video in my EOT class, those children were eager to learn because of the process that the teachers were using. Although they did not go through an entire class in the video, I'm pretty sure that those teachers walked out of their classrooms feeling like they need to teach more to those kids. That explains their motivation to teach. That explains why these teachers are GREAT teachers. Just like Mrs. Windell and Mrs. Dearly.

Chapter XIII: Philosophy, Scripts, and Parental Influence

I am just about doing cartwheels -- in my head that is. After doing a class activity on educational philosophy, I was thrilled to learn that we can make up our own!! This is a whole different world for me. All my teaching-life as a preschool teacher I worked for most every theorist in early childhood: Montessori, Waldorf, Regio Emilia (R/E). Then there was those franchise childcare centers where there is no direction at all and are only in it for the money and it was never about the children and their employees.

As en elementary school teacher you have your own ideas set by your own standards on WHAT and HOW a teacher think education should be. I have gazillion ideas, but I don't know where to begin or how to combine them. Combining the above experiences might help inside a public school classroom.

I mentioned how I used a little bit of my Montessori and R/E experiences with a couple of children in Oaks and Roosevelt Elementary. The methods worked. These two philosophies are in total opposite ends of the spectrum: one is 80% teacher-directed, the other is completely student-directed. They both are child-centered, but as an experienced Montessorian, curriculum is already set up throughout the classroom by teachers -- hence, my assumption on the high teacher-directed percentage. In layman's terms, teachers lead the children. The other philosophy, R/E, the children lead the teachers on what goes inside the curriculum.

No matter what those philosophies are, I was restricted to abide by the way they do things. I felt constricted and struggled ALOT with their "language". At the previous childcare center where I worked, the language was very difficult; and I still struggled with it until the very end. For example, here is an example of the type of language that is used on a typical 27 month old (A) who is attacking his peer (B):

Teacher to B: "B, Say 'stop!'" (Teacher sticks her palm outward to signal the sign "stop" toward child A)
Teacher to A: "That is hurting B." (exagerrated facial expression -- to show empathy)
Teacher "pets" B and says: "Are you okay?"
She turns to A while petting B and says: "Be gentle."

This is the very language I used everyday inside a toddler classroom. Although it almost felt scripted and very un-natural, this is a very typical problem-solving approach inside the center. This is part of their philosophy. As the child gets older inside the childcare center, the language becomes a little more sophisticated. If a teacher "grows" or graduates with the children to the next higher-level classroom (this is the R/E philosophy), then it becomes difficult -- if not trained -- to advance to the next "language-level", if you will. Because I was still using language from the previous year, and I was put in the classroom where the children are a bit older, I had a difficult meeting their developing language and cognitive skills.

I did say in the beginning of my employment, and told my co-workers, that my expertise was with the 3-6 year olds, not toddler. However, toward the end of the younger-toddler year (end of Spring 2009), I felt super confident working with the 12-27 month olds. The center, where I worked at, rotated teachers whenever they feel the need to do it every year. I "grew" with these children into the next classroom in the Fall, 2009. I was excited to be with the same group of children (now "older" toddlers), but disheartened at the same time because of the vast experience I gained in the younger toddler group. Thus, begins a NEW CYCLE of learning something that felt completely new and foreign to me.

On top of that, I was team-teaching with someone who was highly experienced in this age group. What I did not understand was why didn't they make her the lead teacher in this classroom and leave me in the other one? They were well aware that I was completely inexperienced in the new age-group of children; and they KNEW that I was very experienced in the younger age group. Ah, well...it eventually led to my forced resignation. Like I said in one of my chapters, it must be budget problems. Or is it, now? C'est la vie.

Anyway, if you want to see more problem-solving "language", look up Eleanor Reynolds Approach. It is interesting and it does work, but be forewarned, it does take tons of time learning this kind of "language" and it can be uncomfortable at the start. And as much as it does take time to learn this language, it takes just as much time for the child to get used to this approach as well. If a teacher likes scripts, this would be the way to go.

Soooo................

Imagine my excitement in my Social Order class when I learned that WE CAN MAKE UP OUR OWN PHILOSOPHY!!!!! Can you tell that I'm excited? It truly felt like I have broken free of the chains. I can be in my own world of teaching rather than follow in the shadow of some theorist who thinks highly of him/herself and set in their own socialistic ways. I'm an idealist. I can no longer fit in a system where things feel un-natural in the way I teach a child. My practicum will be the heart and soul to help me reach within myself a teacher that's ready to bloom.

I truly believe that each child has their own personality, their own characteristic, their own up bringing. How and what I, as a teacher, bring into the classroom may make a difference in their lives AS THEY DEVELOP INTO AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON. This is what I truly believe in in my heart for a very long time. Children are not built to be robots. They learn in their own different ways. They speak and understand language in their own unique individualistic way. It is up to me to meet their academic, social, and physical needs inside a classroom where there is respect for each other as human beings. I also highly believe and respect families in the way they raise their children (as long as it's not against the law!). But I also highly believe that parents/guardians are their children's first and foremost TEACHERS. Not only teachers in an academic sense, but most importantly, ROLE MODELS. Do you know that saying, "Children learn what they see?" It's true. I have three of them. As you have read in previous chapters, they are all academic and socially successful.

Then there's this one child I know who followed in the destructive path of her parent. This is my children's half-sister (father's side) who we haven't been in contact with for well over a year. I heard very sad news most recently, which nearly made me cry: she ended up in juvenile detention (15 years old) for assault and battery on her own mother who has MS (multiple sclerosis).

She felt confused because her mother allowed her to be her "best friend" growing up. For example, her mother taught her the different types of glasses used for different alcoholic beverages: martini glasses are for martinis, shot glasses are for vodka, etc. -- at the young tender age of 7 or 8. She followed her mother's promiscuous life which led this 15 year old to date many, many boys, including an 18 year old man. She has body piercings all over because her mother does it. Her mother's "I'm your best friend" approach confused a young girl when her mother finally told her that she's a parent and she's just a child. 15 years too late.

Although he's been trying for years to fight for custody for her, her father is trying to un-do the damage to this poor child by being intensely much more involved in her life no matter how much her mother is fighting back. I can only do so much as stand on the side lines and watch. :(

I may sound like I'm lecturing parents to do the right thing for their children, but this proves that parents/guardians are important in their children's lives. Not teachers, not the community, not some higher being....parents. Children are like precious jewels that easily break. Until they become adults and become exposed to the real world, they are continuously learning from everyone who influence them, most particularly, their parents.

I'm going to take a deep breath now and contemplate more on my philosophy on teaching. There's so much to think about, so much to learn for our children of the future.

Chapter XII: Practicum/Writer's Workshop and Boys

I had an early start today. I was invited to attend Mrs. Dearly's staff meeting in regards to Writing. Basically, they voiced out concerns and questions regarding the State's new standards in Writing. The WASL, which "died" last year, is now being replaced by another test called the Measurement of Student Progress for grades 3-8. Rather than assessing the student's knowledge and academic skill, this test assess the student's PROGRESS in reading, writing, math, and science. It seems -- to me -- that every teacher is going to make re-adjustments to their curricula; this is what the meeting was about.

I felt honored to be part of Mrs. Dearly's meeting. I got to see the inside scoop of how each teacher think at different levels of teaching. K-5 Roosevelt Elementary school teachers were accounted for at this meeting, including Mrs. Fin the school principal. The ideas and expressions presented in this particular meeting were quite interesting. They used terms that I've never heard of (as of yet) like "web" (no...not www. or a spider's web), "Writing Maps", "Prewrites", and other writing-lingo.

What I found interesting about this meeting was when Mrs. Dearly talked about a book that she read by Ralph Fletcher, called "Boy Writers". There has been studies done in the past 20 years that boys' writing skills are declining due to a number of reasons. There are a few interesting conclusions that the book made about this research; but there was one that Mrs. Dearly touched base on: because of the high percentage of women-teachers in classrooms, curricula is female-based.

It seems that teachers aren't conscious enough to consider both genders when teaching. For example, when I was in high school, I read a lot of Robert Frost poems, did a haiku, and studied Shakespeare (sounds familiar? lol...my daughter loves Shakespeare, see one of my previous chapters). If I can remember correctly, most of the boys in my class groaned or shook their legs with impatience everytime we studied those readings. Boys, naturally, aren't interested in that crap!

When I volunteered at my son's school yesterday, the first thing I saw written on the board was (a writing exercise sample): "My soft cat likes to jump over a rainbow." Too girly? That was written by Mrs. Windell -- female teacher. The class were to write their own sentences about an imaginary pet, describe him/her, and what it likes to do. I would have to attest to the fact that the boys did struggle to find something to write about. If I had known what I learned today at Mrs. Dearly's meeting, I would have had devised a different direction with the boys in Mrs. Windell's class, but using the same lesson (I would never, ever, over step my boundaries over another teacher's lesson!)

There was one boy (Windell's class) who drew cars and trees and a "motion" that went with the car. I asked what his imaginary pet was (that was the topic). He told me that he's invisible and that he likes to run with the car. BUT he used the word "soft". He couldn't think of another descriptive word. It's tough to think of the "right" word when teacher used the word "soft" in her sample and didn't help any when the girls in his group were saying words such as "cuddly", "cottony", or "tickly".

Mrs. Dearly emphasized how we -- as teachers should be more aware about what we're teaching and be more considerate when we model for both genders.

Chapter XI: Practicum -- Behavioral Management

I am going to get down to serious business here. By far the tone on my previous blogs were a lot more of my thoughts and opinions as I went through my first days as a practicum student. A new light has shed on me after reading a chapter for my Social Order class. It has repeated over and over again to keep a portfolio and to include my experiences through journals. I am already doing that formally for my Essential of Teaching class on a weekly basis. Since I started doing some of it through my recent blogs, I will more of it here starting now, but with a much more informal tone. So....here goes....

Week 3:

Mrs. Dearly and I met inside her classroom and prepared for the morning. As usual, we went outside to meet the children to bring in. Because my house was warm when I left this morning, I didn't bother to bring my jacket. I totally regret that now. I have to remember that the Pacific Northwest is generally cold when the sun is NOT out -- it doesn't even matter what season it is.

I felt that the routine by now was very smooth and I automatically knew what came next. One thing I really like is that the children are so independent that they got down to routine right away. What I observed that when the children are on a transition from outside of the classroom to being back inside, Mrs. Dearly sets out worksheets/assignments on their desks before they came back. By the time they came back into the classroom, they're ready to write/learn. This is wonderful classroom management on her part.

She has told me that when these kids start wandering, it's because they have nothing else to do. She keeps them on their toes. She also goes from one activity to another almost every 15 minutes. This is to prevent boredom and constant repetition, which also causes boredom. Boredom = Chaos.

Because I knew what was coming next, the transitions for myself were very smooth. I hardly asked her any direction as to what is next on her schedule. As soon as the children are sitting at their desks, they're ready to learn.

During Ability Group time, Mrs. Dearly had a total of five children in her class. Ability Group is when the second and 2nd/3rd* graders go to their respective classes to have intense reading with other 2nd and 2nd/3rd grade teachers. (* This is one class with BOTH 2nd and 3rd graders in it). The children in all these classes are divided according to their levels in reading. Mrs. Dearly has the lowest reading group. Although she only has five, there is one boy in the group, "Michael", who is having a difficult time learning. Now remember, Mrs. Dearly goes from one thing to another in a spontaneous motion. If she stops, then learning is disrupted.

Michael and another boy, "Keoni", were assigned to finish a task that they started the other day. Michael stepped out of the class momentarily. Mrs. Dearly explained to Keoni exactly how he should finish his job and told him to give the same instructions to Michael. After he came back, Mrs. Dearly went on to teach the other half of the group.

As Keoni attempted to explain to Michael exactly what needed to be done, he reached out for the activity in front of him and started fiddling around with it. This made Keoni frustrated and really very hard to explain to Michael exactly what they're supposed to be doing. Michael refused to listen and started doing things his own way. I decided to step in to let Michael know that Keoni is trying very hard to explain the task, but he kept going off tangent and started calling Keoni names.

Mrs. Dearly heard the commotion and decided to allow Keoni back in with the group while Michael dealt with the task himself. After Michael finished, he told me that he was right and began calling Keoni names again. Before Mrs. Dearly stopped the lesson, Michael looked frustrated and realized that he did not do the task right! That really blew his top off, and ended up blaming Keoni.

Mrs. Dearly looked exasperated by now and warned Michael about how his behavior is not appropriate and should not be taking it out on Keoni who tried to give him specific instructions. Mrs. Dearly told Michael to forget the task and invited him to the group on the condition that he does not disrupt the lesson or he'll be asked to leave the group. Instead of sitting down, like the rest of his classmates, he walks to the front of the white (magnetic) board and started touching the magnetic letters without her permission. Then, again, without any instigation from Keoni who has completely ignored Michael all this time, Michael started calling him names again! Mrs. Dearly sent him to sit in the back of the classroom.

This is not time out as some may think. Michael simply sat at a different desk away from the group. He is still learning the lesson while Mrs. Dearly gave the lesson. He just wasn't allowed to answer any questions no matter where he's at in the classroom.

Two more disruptive children, including Keoni, joined Michael "outside" of the group. It seemed that Michael set the tone for the class to which Mrs. Dearly wasted precious and important teaching moments because she had to manage behavioral problems in her classroom. Now there are only two children at the front doing some intense learning while the other three are learning away from the group.

Mrs. Dearly asked a question, and even though they knew that they're no longer part of the discussion, the three "outside" children raised their hands to answer. She reminded them that they're not allowed to answer, but they may listen. Michael cussed under his breath and said something inappropriate to the effect of "...teacher sucks...". I was pretty sure he said something worse than that, but Mrs. Dearly dealt with it right there and sent him to the counselor who deals with issues like this -- a behavioral management counselor, is what she's called here.

He grew upset and asked "What for?" She explained to him really quickly that he was refusing to follow class instructions and most of all he was being disrespectful by saying "teacher sucks". He denied saying anything like that, but when he looked my way and I shot him a look of "I heard what you said," he took the pink slip from Mrs. Dearly's hand and stomped down to the office.

When he came back looking sullen a couple hours later, he showed a sheet to Mrs. Dearly. I glanced over and it was a Behavioral Management Plan which his parents must sign and bring back. He also apologized to her. They talked about it and she reiterated what occured (identified the problem), and asked him why he was sent to the behaviorist/specialist (consequence), then told him that his behavior should never happen again in class and may face serious consequences (behavior prevention) (stated in parent handbook -- there are steps to be taken; she has taken the first step)

This was the first time Mrs. Dearly has ever had to send this particular child to a specialist. As this is very rare in her classroom, this occurs once or twice every other school year since she's been here (10 years).

Chapter X: Diversity

As I have been sidetracked these past few days, it has been awhile since I updated my blog. I am physically exhausted and I'm up to my ears in backed up assignments due to lack of sleep. So.....this will be a very, very, short chapter.

I have this tremendous idea for a lesson to teach in my EOT-class. We are to ponder on what it is that we want to teach our respective assigned class-grade, in which in my case it's second grade. The whole idea of a lesson is to TEACH something that revolves around Washington State's GLE (Grade Level Expectation), albeit reading, writing, or math. That's the easy part. I chose writing skills. I also chose a subject to base their writings on. Here's a huge hint on what my idea is: look at the title. Yup. Diversity. It sounds simple, but the subject itself is way too general.

I have noticed that the children at Roosevelt and Oakes write on these dotted-lined-papers, which looks like this (please excuse the un-eveness as it is a blog-thing):

___________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------
___________________________________

You remember that, right? I sure as heck do! I struggled with writing when I was in the first grade (blech!). I remembered being forced to correctly spell words -- at first grade! These days? Totally different. The children spell phonetically. This is a controversial thing, but I won't go into details.

Anway, I have decided to involve a writing project for the children to write about their diverse backgrounds. Choosing which one -- celebrations (holidays, traditions, etc. ), family vacations, or even family -- is a tough one. The reason why I chose this particular subject is to get an idea on what their family-home-life is like. No....not to be nosy. Their personal lives will serve as a future reference for me to help me avoid sensitive subjects that may cause a negative impact on their social well-being.

As a teacher, I feel that it is my duty to be aware of each child's homelife so I can adjust my lessons accordingly. At the same time I am making sure that their educational/academic needs are met. To do so indirectly through their writings would be a good and safe approach rather than verbally questioning each child which may bring on the possibility of embarassment, or heaven forbid -- social outcasting.

Here a couple of examples on what are insensitive subjects. If the assignment was to write about similarities and differences on their parent's favorite food, then that would be an insensitive subject to those who live in one-parent households. Or...here's an easier one: a subject on what the children do on Christmas day. That would be too specific, and down right insensitive to those who do not celebrate Christmas. I know, I know...there are those who shake their heads in disbelief as they say, "But WE all celebrated Christmas when we went to school!" Sorry, guys and gals, but that's not how it works in today's society. Acceptance is key to a positive learning environment.

Off I go now as I keep on searching for the right subject AND get off my keister to play catch up. Wish me luck.

Chapter IX: Luvin' It!!

What a busy week! I have been reading all weekend and writing papers for school. I wanted to get all my reading and writing done before the week started and concentrate on my practicum and volunteer work. Tuesday (yesterday), my practicum at Roosevelt Elementary was another success. I am diving more and more into becoming involved inside the classroom rather than being an observer. Last week, I wrote tons of notes on Mrs. Dearly's classroom management and routine. Yesterday, I walked around the classroom and helped those who needed it. It was exhilirating! It almost felt like being behind the wheel for the very first time, but with someone training me.

Mrs. Dearly and Mrs. Windell both know that I volunteer in both their classrooms at their respective schools. I am so glad that they support me. My professor, most especially, is very happy that I'm doing this. She shared with me how observing different schools will enhance my career as a teacher. What's so interesting is that I'm picking up techniques, in addition to my preschool teaching background, and I'm ending up making my own philosophy by using them in both schools.

I am very overwhelmed by the huge support that I'm getting from everyone who sees what I'm doing. I don't feel restricted. I feel free. BOTH teachers really like what I'm doing. For example, I have used my Montessori background in Mrs. Windell's class with one of her students who really needed help. It totally worked! The positive-reinforcing-social-problem-solving language that was used in my previous job was something that I also used, but with older children, and I used a little bit of that in Mrs. Dearly's class. What I picked up in Mrs. Dearly's class -- e.g. Direct Instruction (my cohort knows what this means) -- I utilized while tutoring Mrs. Windell's students.

The type of language I'm using with the children is what's my favorite. It is sooo much more different than with preschoolers, but in my case -- toddlers. I wasn't struggling to find the "right" words as most childcare centers with their own philosophy have their own "language". With elementary school aged children, it felt normal. I spoke normal, and I wasn't struggling. They understood me. I was able to give explanations in ways that they understood; and it was absolutely glorious when they said, "Oooooh, now I get it!" And I get tickled pink when they said, "Thank you, Mrs. Olson".

Mrs. Olson.

Call me old fashioned, but I really like that! It shows respect to authority. All my years as a preschool teacher, I was called by my first name. My first name is a tongue twister, most especially to the little ones, so they called me by my nickname, Miss L____. Not that it does not show respect -- it has absolutely nothing to do with that -- traditionally, this was something that preschool environments have been doing for years. I felt uncomfortable having children call me by my first name. It felt as if I was obliged to be their friends; however, I believed it was to be at "their level".


I can go on and on with the differences between being a preschool teacher and working at an elementary school. But if you ever decide to be either one, you really have to think about where your comfort zone is, or you might end up in a miserable job -- a dead-end job, if you will.;

Financial Aid update

Okay...I'm gonna go off topic here. Remember how I said that I was looking into a private loan? I have decided to go with FAFSA. Apparently, the laws on private loans have changed (thanks alot, Obama administration). I was totally confused with what the financial aid office told me. I initially thought that I can only apply after January 2010 for the spring quarter; yes, I can still do that. What I did not know that FAFSA is an ongoing thing.

You see, a couple years ago, I was enrolled at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division to study Graphic Design. I decided to quit that because the job market in that area was looking very bleak. Dummy me, completely clueless about this stuff, thought that financial aid stops sending money to the school as soon as I stopped attending. As I had found out -- they were still sending money to AIO! Yikes!! The good news is -- there's still a lot of money left from that financial aid and the most simplest thing I did (which I found out by myself), was renew my app and transfer that aid to Western. The lady at WWU financial aid, whose been helping me since I started at WWU, was extremely happy that I fixed the discrepancy. Going back to school may be a pain in the butt to get in and having to deal with all the technicalities is chaotic, but like I said in the beginning, it's well worth the ride once your foot's in the door. (Rumor has it that it's very difficult to get into the Elementary Ed. program at WWU, despite your economic class. They're very picky about their candidates, hence, the small classes (there's about 25 students in each cohort and that's small).

Chapter VIII: Parents, help!

Parents need to be teachers. It has become my motto when I visited my son's school today.

My son, TJ, is in Mrs. Windell's first grade class at Oaks Elementary (all fictional names). In our state (of Washington), the ratio for this age group is 1:20. Mrs. Windell has gone over by four. It is a full class but she is able to handle it very well. She has given me children to privately tutor while she teaches the rest of the class. It seems to me that that these children have some difficulties catching up with the class.

I do have to give Mrs. Windell credit for allowing everyone become successful learners. 24 children is alot. I think the children that I tutored seem to have study habit-problems. These children that I tutored caught on really quick with the assignment when I helped them, which was reading and writing.

I could only assume one thing: they're not getting any or enough study time at home. Both parents probably have full time jobs and/or come from separate households. Or, perhaps, the parents completely depend on their child's teacher to do all the teaching. When these children come to school, they're left behind the rest of the class. Which, sadly, is hard on Mrs. Windell as she's unable to give one on one at any given time. I can't say it enough: she has 24 children! And PLUS -- she's working on a curriculum which is organized by the state to which she needs to apply to every child by the end of the year. Every child is expected to meet those guidelines before proceeding to the next grade level. This is the No Child Left Behind Act, folks. Unless they're inside the classrooms, many people don't understand the pressure that is put inside our classroom thanks to the Act.

Some of us, like myself, have worked around these difficult educational pressures which is surrounding my children. My children are on a set routine -- a routine that they carry and set in me by my parents during my schooling years -- I have never experienced children that aren't given enough study time. So, seeing this first hand is a completely new and learning experience for me.

Our home routine is like this: when my children come home from school, they have a little snack; once they're done, they can do their homework and get it out of the way and watch t.v., OR they can watch t.v. now and do homework later after supper. They always pick the latter, which is fine by me.


The children are in school and using their brains for 6.5 hours. You're talking about ACTIVE brain activity. When they come home, they're exhausted and so are their brains. It's kind of like: when you come home from work, do you want to continue working or would you rather rest? You're home in your comfort zone.

My children are allowed some free time for a couple of hours before hitting the books again. I think, in my totally and honest opinion, explains why they're successful in school (they're all getting high marks). Marin is a different story. She's in the Running Start program and has online courses. She goes to her high school for an hour everyday for math; the rest of her courses are online at the college. Because of her unusual routine, she makes adjustments. She takes advantage of an empty and quiet house -- when the little ones are in school -- and completes her studying then. She, too, is doing academically well in her studies.


I'm not saying that this is the only way to help children succeed in school. I highly doubt that there is only one way to do it. I'm pretty sure that parents, whose children are doing great in school both academically and socially, have their own way or influence of contributing to their children's successes. But there are children, like the ones in Mrs. Windell's class that probably need more parental involvement. If parents become more involved with their children's academic learning and aid their social development, then teachers, like Mrs. Windell and Mrs. Dearly, will not have to feel like they have to do all the work. We are in the No Child Left Behind age. Our teachers are trying very hard to meet today's nation's and state's academic standards. (Pre-certification) Teachers, like myself, will have to carry on this responsibility so EVERY child in our classroom can succeed. Parents, on the other hand, can not depend on teachers alone to do this job.

There has to be some way to help these children. If they fail, so will our nation. What good is that to our children's future when they feel like they've failed? Take some time -- even if it's in some small way -- to help a child learn. This will give him/her the confidence to become independent and successful learners.

While I was tutoring the children inside my son's classroom, I heard Mrs. Windell call my son's name over my shoulder. It was his turn to read his written story to the class by using a light projector. I glanced up and my heart practically swelled. He wrote a full page story within minutes describing his story in detail, with pictures and minimal spelling errors. This has come as a complete surprise to me, because TJ dreads writing at home. I am not being biased here, but at a teacher's point of view (mine), this was the best work compared to his classmates'. And I got to see it first hand.

Chapter VII: Insights

Whew. I just survived the first week of school. One week down, eight more to go. Here's an idea of what classes I'm taking in the evenings: Mondays/Essentials of Teaching II, Wednesdays/Basic Instructional Technology Skills (aka beginning technology), and Thursdays/Teacher and the Social Order. Every Tuesday is when I do my practicum, but my host teacher said I can come in anytime. She's flexible. :) This quarter I go in in the morning; next quarter, late morning-afternoon practicum.

So far, I enjoy all of my classes. It seems that my instructors are getting down to the nitty-gritty of things. My dream of becoming a teacher is getting close. Although the extent of my experience is with preschoolers, the reality of an elementary teacher is something that I've yet to explore, and I just started. My instructors are preparing us for that reality. By adding practicum studies this quarter is very helpful. Very hands on. It seems to me that everything I'm learning in class coincides with what I've seen inside a classroom.

Essential of Teaching II (EOT II) is advance knowledge of the technicalities of teaching (last quarter, it was obviously the "basics", EOT I). The class talks about classroom management, the legits of Washington state schools, lesson planning, etc. In essence, EVERYTHING we must know ABOUT Washington State public schools. Basic Instructional Technology Skills is just that -- basic knowledge of technology. Teacher and the Social Order is a very interesting class. This is the class in which we were required to purchase Gregory Michie's book, "Holler, If You Hear Me..." If you haven't read my blog, "Chapter III: Holler", now is a good time to do it. It is a spoiler, so be wary if you want to read the book.

Last night, my instructor for Teacher and the Social Order (TSO), Mr. "Edwin", showed the class a video of inner city children in their schools and their teachers. It was very touching. I'm thinking that next time we watch a video, I'm bringing in a box of tissue for the class. The (real life) video closely resembles to what Dr. Michie experienced as a teacher. As one of my classmates puts it, these teachers were "...filled with uncertainties..." for the children when they "graduate" to the next level of their grade. It seems to be the common theme with these teachers that I've read or watched about. Another commonality is the influence that the teachers have made upon each child in their class. It's amazing that when a teacher does ONE thing to encourage children to make a change in their lives, it changes their entire lives.

For example, a male counselor/teacher heard from another child that his best friend's fingers were slammed by a door by his mother. I'm not sure which state this was filmed in, but it seems like he's a "mandated reporter", like in the State of Washington. In our state, by law, educators are mandated reporters for child abuse. This also means that if we as so much see a mother slapping her kid at a public parking lot for "disciplining" him, we are required, by law to report her. The counselor did just that -- reported child abuse to some sort of social agency (like Child Protected Services). What was disheartening was the close up of the counselor's reaction as he was filling up the report. You can tell that he was close to tears. By reporting this type of abuse, he risk the child being taken away from his parents. And get this....within minutes, after turning in that report, child protective services whisked the child away. The counselor had no idea what happened to him. That was the last he was seen. Almost broke my heart.

So far you have read a lot of negatives in the real life world of a teacher, but there was another part in the film where it was encouraging. An ESL (English as a Second Language) high school teacher had quite an influence on her class. The school was feeling the pinch of budget cuts, so the school board decided to merge -- or mainstream -- certain classes. The ESL class was one of them. Know what that means to children and teachers? Low teacher:student ratio. Crowded classroom. Discipline/control problems. But what it really meant to these children in ESL was feeling like they don't belong. These are children who immigrated from different parts of the world: Mexico, Puerto Rico, China, Vietnam, etc. They were much more concerned about how their lack in speaking the English language might hinder them academically. They felt that they won't be able to catch up with their (English-speaking) peers if they were combined in the same classroom.

It was as if a lightbulb went off in the teacher's head (and it was caught on film!). She decided, right then and there, that the children attend the public school board meeting and bring up their concerns. Sure enough, the children did. The board heard every one of the ESL children's voices. It was touching to see that a couple of the board members seem to sympathize with them. At the end, the children received their wish: the board did not merge/mainstream the ESL class.

The film I watched last night w/ my classmates was very heart-felt. It was to the point that sometimes I wonder what is really going on inside my own children's classrooms. With overcrowded classroom and budget cuts, it almost seems like the children's futures are bleak. As adults and/or teachers, it's up to us to turn that around. And I'm trying. Thanks to the inspirational film, I walked into my children's school office and signed up as a parent volunteer this morning.

Hopefully, my volunteer work and practicum studies at both these schools will enhance my career as an elementary school teacher. Only time will tell...

Chapter VI: It's a Beautiful Morning

Indeed it was. After I dropped my kids off at their school, I went straight to my practicum site (I think I will use fictional names for protection-sake), Roosevelt Elementary School. The day was absolutley gorgeous: sunny all around and not a cloud in the sky. At forty-seven degree this early in the morning, it was actually very nice. I breathed in the fresh air and walked up the steps to the school. The staff was very friendly and I (finally) introduced myself at their less busiest time. I just wish there was time to talk to their principal, Mrs. Fin. I met her briefly for a quick hand shake as we were introduced after my interview in December. My first impression of her was that she was really down-to-earth. Her school-aged daughter was there, so I got to see her first hand as a mother, which was in a way, quite intriguing to observe.

Growing up, my principals were all these uptight middle-aged looking males. I always imagined them having no children because I never saw them with their children. Even so today, but I do have somewhat of a different view of them now. The principals at my kids' schools are still very principal-looking. Though they still posess that I-mean-business demeanor, the principals of today are much more relaxed and will stop a child in the hall to have a casual conversation.

Although my oldest daughter, "Marin", has a femal principal at her high school, I never met her up close. Mrs. Fin was the first female principal I met. She made quite an impression on me by being a mother first, then being professional. The first day I met her, she was with her daughter in the front of the office. It was a Friday, so it was casual day. Mrs. Fin was in the school's alma mater sweatshirt and jeans. Her daughter had on a reindeer headband. I practically kicked myself (mentally) in the butt for thinking that the lady standing next to her was the principal because SHE was in a suit. I was glad though that I did not stick my hand out to shake the other lady's hand. I casually waited for a sign, for someone to address Mrs. Fin. Sure enough, within seconds, someone called the principal by name. And that was when I stretched my hand out and introduced myself to the school principal.

Well, that was a few weeks ago before school was out for winter break. Today, I was hoping to catch her in her office. This time she was super busy talking to students and parents. I'm thinking of pushing it off until next week. I wanted to see her and thank her for inviting me to her school. That's all.

After I signed in and put on my visitor's badge on, I walked up the hallway steps to Mrs. Dearly's classroom. She wasn't there, but her kindergarten daughter was. I thought, this environment is definitely family oriented. She was helping her mom put papers away in the children's (mail) boxes. She knew who I was so she told me right away where her mother was. As I waited, another child, who I will call "Koen", came in and gave me a smile and asked, "Are you here again to learn to teach?" I told him yes. "Oh, good."

While the two children continued to get to know me I noticed the view outside the window. It was perfectly gorgeous! The suburb's rooftops down below are peeking between different hues and shades of evergreen trees. Beyond that, the tiny snake-like freeway was bustling with cars that look like tiny bugs. But what really struck me was the snow tipped Cascades which accented the clear blue sky's scenery. It was absolutely picturesque. Sceneries, like this one, makes me feel fortunate to live in the beautiful state of Washington.

As I was admiring the scenery outside, Mrs. Dearly walked in. Just to get an idea what she looks like: she is a brunette who seems to be a lot younger than me (I'm 40, proud to say) and a couple inches taller. She dresses professionally and her positive energy emanates throughout the classroom right when she walks in. After she and I greeted each other I lent her a helping hand with things around the classroom. She was doing things around the class as if she could do them with a blindfold on.

As Mrs. Dearly assigned me to put together pamphlets for her phonics group (of five), I noticed countless books in packets and bins. I asked her about spending budget. I think I fell into a shock because in my previous days as a childcare worker, I was given reimbursements to up to $100 per month. Here, as a public school teacher, Mrs. Dearly is allowed $100 to spend on materials the entire school year!! As for reimbursements? No, never. Looking at her walls and floor chock full of learning materials, I now regret giving away books that my children used to read and learning materials that benefitted them during their younger elementary years. I've heard of people generalizing teachers as people who "hoard" things...now I know why. It is actually true. I have to stop cleaning out my closet. More like...I have to stop throwing anything out. My mom has trained me and my brothers to get rid of things that we didn't need. Well..I'll have to break away from that habit.

The morning bell was about to ring --more like buzz. Gone are the loud red ringing bells. Every school that I've been in so far (from Texas to Arizona and now Washington) in the past ten or so years have audible -- not irritatingly loud -- buzzers.

A male teacher, who I will call "Mr. Brad", walked in and introduced himself. He's very new to the school. He's new to elementary education as a matter of fact. He was previously a middle school, but got laid off (damn budget cuts). Roosevelt needed a split teacher for 2nd/3rd grade, so they hired him in October, 2009. Yep. No elementary ed experience. After putting on our coats, the three of us, along with Mrs. Dearly's daughter and Koen, walked down the hallway. On the way, Mrs. Dearly and I walked her daughter outside to line up with her kindergarten classmates. We then walked a bit around the building to meet up with the upper grades and waited a couple more minutes for more children to arrive.

I know I was extremely nervous yesterday for most of the day during observations. I think Mrs. Dearly was, too. Today, though, felt much more different and it seemed that she was much more relaxed as I was, too. I am aware that I represent the university and anything I write down I may have to share with my cohort at the University. When I share my knowledge with my college-cohorts, I'm representing Roosevelt Elementary. When I walk into Roosevelt Elementary, I represent Western Washington University. So...I have to make myself and both schools look good. Being an intern does take a lot responsibility.

Observing the class for part of the morning was once again an inspirational one. Ever since yesterday, the children were not distracted by me -- a guest. Today was a bit different, but in a good way. A few children looked to me for help. I was truly honored (and tickled pink at the same time!). They knew that I'm a teacher "learning to teach", so they trusted me to help them. It felt really nice to TEACH them, to help them with their work. As I was helping, it felt as though it came naturally.

This is it. This is where I belong.

Chapter V: The Beginning

I was very thrilled this morning...the direction of the winds have changed. So...yesterday, I was so bummed out that I didn't check any of my emails. Last night was also the first day of class for this winter quarter which left me in a positive mood because I absolutely LOVE my classes.(note: I have been going to school since fall, 2009. I aced it!)

I checked my email this morning and lo, and behold, I got the okay from the school district to have my practicum with the teacher that I interviewed with before the winter break. I called her and shared my excitement with her. She said she thought she and I were a good match. I was in cloud 9. Finally...a step into my desired career. Th-e one that I've been waiting for all my life. I get to be inside an actual classroom learning to teach older children!

I went in this morning. It was an hour later from the time the bell rung because I had to get ready, dressed to the nines. The class was unbelievably overwhelming. Not just the class, but I got to see firsthand how a class is conducted by a professional. I did volunteer in the past as a parent-volunteer in my children's classrooms, but this is sooooo much more different. The dynamics are truly classroom-oriented.

My main objective today was to simply observe the teacher and get to know her routine. I have a notebook and I think I wrote in every little detail that she did: techniques in her classroom management (my main concern), her differing models of teaching, her class routine...I mean EVERYTHING! I bought a new notebook and my notes took up more than half the notebook. One of the children thought she's never seen someone wrote that much before (they do have interns/observers/guests come through on a daily basis).

I do have to say that my experience in my ex-job did pay off. There was a lot of writing involved, most particularly about every single child in the classroom. This was done on a daily basis. So with that attained experience, I am used to writing a lot. Like now. ;)

It was quite thrilling to see the children really involved and engaged in their work because their energetic teacher was a no-holds-barred kind of a person. She was often on the move. It's amazing to see that she's able to keep the entire class under control. I do have news, though...she said that this is the first time that this group of children were in control. "Must be your presence," she whispered across the room to me. She later explained to me that the children were never in control. They were "...not the most behaved" kids she's ever had in her 10 years of teaching at this school.

One time they did a little activity where they made little parachutes and let them go from the second floor. She expected the children to be fighting for space, or pushing or shoving each other on the balcony (although that has never happened before) because they seem to be those kind of kids; instead, they were making fun of how each or the other person's parachute sailed. She was taken aback by their behavior.

The rest of the day went really well. I spent only half day there as it was the minimal requirement for my practicum studies. Because I showed up an hour later, I will come back tomorrow to observe her early part of the morning.