justagurl24's thoughts

So I'm done. Let's recap the last day of school..

So the day before it was my co-op's last day because he was going to Phoenix for the holidays. So Thursday was my last day with him. It felt weird that he wouldn't be there on the last day of school.. oh well.. We said our thank you's and goodbyes.. He asked if I had any regrets.. I told him no.. I couldn't think of any.. I still can't think of any.. maybe some little things like how there wasn't an opportunity for me to teach in my second teaching area.. but that's about all I can think of.. anyways.. we also talked about how 4 months ago I wanted to quit and that I was actually looking up on the education website of how to quit.. (I was really serious).. He was surprised.. and so was I.. I can't believe that 4 months later I would be able to say that I loved internship.. I can be that person on the education website that advertises on how they enjoyed their internship experience. It's surreal that I'm done that I won't be going back to the school anymore.. no more kids.. no more getting up early.. and no more packed lunches.. lol.. My co-op also said that he would me ask for me if I sub in the city.. which is good.. I also asked to him to write a character reference for me.. I doubt he'll remember though.. we'll see..

Speaking of my co-op, I wanted to write in this entry how much he has supported me in this experience. He offered much advice and always was willing to listen. I appreciated that he gave me the space I needed to feel comfortable within the classroom. He says he regrets not giving me enough written feedback.. but I told him that it wasn't really a big deal cause we talked after almost every lesson i taught in the beginning months and then I would go home and reflect on what he observed and what we talked about.. So I do have written feedback.. But I guess it depends on the teacher candidate.. I mean next year, his intern might not be as reflective as I am.. anyways.. he almost never stepped in unless I asked him to.. He gave me the freedom to deal with situations myself rather then him coming in to "save" me. He also never criticized my teaching/classroom management methods. He would rather ask me to reflect on whether it was a good or bad lesson. I greatly appreciated on how he would "critique" me. He didn't directly tell me "That lesson was not the way I would teach! tomorrow you have to fix this.." He let me have the professional reigns of his classroom. I also appreciate the fact that he trusted me right from the beginning. He trusted me to start a class by myself and to hand it back to him in 4 months with no issues. Wow.. he was spot on.. No issues.. I gave back the class to him, with him complimenting me on how well my class is compared to his. That really made me feel good... The fact that I totally sucked in the beginning with my class and now they're ready to get down to work.. I feel very accomplished.. I've done a good job.. Okay.. i'm getting off track.. I was talking about my co-op.. So.. continuing.. he never made me do anything I didn't want to do.. He offered suggestions.. but I was never forced to comply.. He says that having an intern was the best professional development that any teacher can get. He re-examined more of what he taught.. he redid exams.. just because I would question some things.. I helped him.. he helped me.. I feel very lucky to have had him as a co-op.. Not that I know what the other co-ops were like.. but I don't think I would have had such a successful internship without him.. I guess that's alot of praise.. like I said to him I give him a 10/10.. where he replied by saying that he would give me a 11/10.. aww..

**EDIT: so I've thought of some regrets.. I wasn't able to successfully implement my "concept list".. some kids started to do it in the beginning.. but then later.. they totally forgot about it.. I didn't really like using it to be honest.. I just posted their grades with their student number instead.. Also note to self.. update assignment lists for kids.. it was very helpful.. So another regret.. I didn't call enough parents.. I felt like I should have stepped up and let some parents know that their kid isn't doing so great.. it's not like i didn't call at all.. i just didn't call often.. me and phone calls don't agree.. lol.. ***EDIT

Okay.. so I must continue what the last day was like.. so Thursday.. So this was my final day with my grade 10 math.. so we finished watching ELF, and then they gave me thank you card with everyone's signatures on it.. with a message on every name.. Holy crap.. how nice was that.. Some of the messages are just way to nice.. telling me that I was the best intern they've ever had.. that I should get a job there.. that I made math fun for them.. like wow.. I've actually managed to affect each one of these kids.. and in turn they've changed me.. This card was really the best gift I've gotten from this experience.. well.. i guess plus the hugs.. lol I also created a fake teacher account on facebook.. so I could add the kids that keep bugging me to add them.. I also hung up the rest of the math posters.. almost fell over a couple of times.. but survived.. another thing done off the checklist

I took most of my stuff home.. and I photocopied everything I needed.. I was ready to leave.. it felt really empty...

So Friday (shorten day), I had a sub of course.. cause he was in Phoenix.. I brought my labtop, my clipboard, my folder, and my pencil case.. that was it.. oh yeah my lunch.. lol.. so the first period.. i had a prep... I was trying to fix my labtop.. it kept crashing from a memory crash.. so yeah.. i was doing a chkdisk for like 2hours.. so I talked to the sub for the period..

P3- Accounting.. - we watched simpsons christmas episodes.. i burned.. gave them candy canes.. two of them gave me a card, another student gave me a dairy milk chocolate.. some of them even gave me hugs.. I was surprised.. one kid even said that I was better then my co-op.. that made my day.. Most of them said bye to me.. it was sad for me.. one class done.. (NOTE: I'm a germ freak, so hugging people is definitely not a thing I often do.. lol.. )

P4- Math10 - these kids were hyper or something.. four of the girls in the class who I adore.. gave me a gift with a card.. it was so nice of them to do that.. I got some pictures with them as well.. so that was a good keepsake.. Then one of the boys brought pizza for the class.. cause he was told to like 3 days before.. some of the kids were actually shocked that he followed through.. It was so nice of him to do that.. So the kids got pizza and watched simpsons christmas as well.. so the end of the period.. I got so many hugs.. it was so nice of them to say that they would miss me.. Even the sub noticed that most of these kids really will miss me.. I'm really going to miss this class.. crazy girls..

P6 - CCA9 - grade nines were hyper as well.. one of the kids gave me a gift as well.., and another student gave me an "asian" gift..lol.. I gave em candy canes.. and watched simpsons again.. I left early for the pep rally..

P7 - Math10/Pep rally - I was suppose to take attendance.. but I didn't know since I didn't check my email all day.. lol.. whatever.. Pep rally was a wrap up of the year.. thanking the interns (I got a mug with a lanyard, pin, magnet, and stickon tattoo, with a card from the SRC.. I hate standing infront of big crowds.. anyways.. the pep rally also included an .. eggnog chug.. shaving of heads for charity... sexy legs contest..

I went back to my classroom.. said bye to the sub.. and headed over to the cafeteria for the staff meeting.. the principal and one of two vice principals were gone already for holidays.. so the other vice principal ran the meeting.. (prior to the days before the last day, I had been chasing interns around for them to sign a thank you card for the staff that I bought from the mall on Tuesday with another fellow intern).. we watched a pretaped message from the principal saying have a good christmas and stuff,, another video that was pretty funny.. not too sure why we watched it.. but it was a gooder.. Had some food.. and asked another intern to give the card.. cause I can't talk infront big crowds of people.. Then.. that was the end of the meeting.. I wasn't able to get a picture of all of the interns though.. so that sucked.. oh well.. anyways.. headed back to my class.. packed my stuff up.. I really wanted to go home.. but I had to stay to help another intern with applying for school divisions.. but she was taking a while.. so I had to wait.. Then I showed her the procedure.. This was about 3:00.. At about 3:30 some teachers were getting together for their "monthly gathering" at Original Joes.. I really didn't want to go.. but my intern friend that I was helping.. wanted me to go.. since it would be good for when hiring jobs.. how?? the principal is not there.. so what's the point.. social gatherings aren't really my thing.. anyways.. most of the teachers that do go.. are the "popular" ones.. I mean phys-ed teachers.. no offence.. but some of them are snooty and could care less if I went. I know that there would be interns there.. but still, what's the point.. I just wanted to go home and sleep.. so I didn't go.. lol.. haha.. lucked out.. so I went to the university to get my term 2 bus pass.. apparently it's not available until school starts.. which is stupid since I drove there.. oh well.. i went home and slept.. and that was Friday.. I was suppose to go to some "Done internship shindig" at a bar downtown.. I should have went to this one.. but again.. i just wanted to sleep.. I actually wanted to go to this one.. but I didn't want to drive my vehicle there..

so.. i went off track again.. let's back up a bit.. before i left the school, I returned the classroom key.. then grabbed my stuff.. and looked at the room one more time.. yes I actually did this.. because I'm lame and sentimental..

*** OKAY! I REALLY HATE MOVABLETYPE.. I WROTE A WHOLE TWO PARAGRAPHS.. AND IT DOESN'T SAVE.. ARRGHHH.. SO ANNOYING.. IT NEEDS AN AUTOMATIC SAVER.. *****

So reflection time.. overall experience of internship.. it was awesome.. it started rough in the beginning.. but I knew that I would be able to plow through.. I'll truly miss the kids the most.. I mean they're the ones I designed my lessons for, they're the ones I wanted to impress, they're the ones I wanted to succeed, they're the ones I help, they're the ones that I care about, they're the ones I wanted to get to know, they're the ones that I photocopy papers and papers for, they're the ones that made me laugh and smile, they're the ones that made my day, they're the ones that I'll miss. I designed my lessons for my students. CCA9 was the point where I felt like that my lessons were different,fresh, and fun. I was able to have creative freedom with this. I mean in my math class, my lessons were mostly based on my co-op's notes.. so it didn't feel like mine.. I mean grade nines are capable to do a lot of things if you let them.. Lessons need to change to adapt to these kids. I think the grade nines appreciated that I was able to trust them to do more then textbook questions.. They dabbled with web design, sound editing, photoshop, and prezis.. They've used some stuff that some grade tens have no idea on how to use.. Technology is changing so much.. so are kids are changing with it.. they're learning as the new technology comes out.. so we as Teachers need to catch up quick.. Something Dan Meyer posted once.. 'kids have no use for worksheets'.. ten years from now..former students will not thank you for the worksheets you photocopied for them ten years ago.. they'll thank you for the skills that you as a teacher have taught them.. I guess that's my rant about ancient teachers..lol.. no offence.. but seriously people.. catch up..

anyways... i'm getting off track again.. so.. the overall school environment was good.. not amazing.. but good.. some of the staff were nice.. some not so nice.. There were some teachers that I really liked.. not alot though.. maybe cause the staff is like huge.. the principal was awesome!.. he remembered me from day 1... he would say hi to me in the hallway.. when the two vice principals didn't even know my name.. I really appreciated that the principal recognized and acknowledged me.. I didn't really care so much about the vice principals.. i mean they did their job to worry about students.. but still.. they should at least know my name.. whatevs..

I just can't believe I'm done.. It's been a long ride.. but I survived the trip. Whoever reads this blog.. through all the ups and downs of my internship.. there won't be as many updated entries anymore.. but we'll see.. if I remember to update..
I just kept the blog for my reflections.. because I remember I needed to vent at times and this blog was my container..
So i'm going to bake, clean, fill out applications, get a haircut, play sims3, work, make an e-portfolio.. and relax.. well deserved i think.. Here I come world..

Mood: sad but happy..

Posted by rom559 at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So it's the last week.. it's bittersweet.. I'm sad to go but happy to be done. I'm definitely going to miss these kids. I wanted pictures of all of them, so I have a group shot of every class. For my math10 class, I was handing some last minute stuff back.. and was kind of giving a mini speech.. about how I really enjoyed this internship.. I was starting to choke up.. so I stopped talking.. lol.. It's bizarre to think that 3 months ago I would make it to the finish line.. But I have.. I survived and endured.. Surely not without any struggles.. This is surely one of the best experiences in my life thus far. I just can't believe I was considering quitting in the beginning. I think it's a phase that everyone goes through when they're thrown into a different and new environment.

Now I have to find a job. over the break, I hope to fill out as much of my applications.. we'll see.. I really have to clean the house.. I got a little homemade looseleaf card.. lol.. from three of the girls in my math10 class.. the first note really sticks with me.. Note these are teenagers that are writing this. "You are a grand intern teacher, it's kind of hilarious that I make fun of asians. I deff didn't like you at the first, kids never like interns at the first.".. I thought to myself wow.. they are totally right.. I was not so great in the beginning, kind of gave them the impression that this semester would suck because they got stuck with an intern. I don't blame them for not liking me in the beginning.. :)..

Anyways.. it's going to be weird going back to university in January.. it's also going to be weird to not be beside my intern friend.. (cause we're across the halls from each other).. I'll still see her on campus.. but it won't be the same.. I still can't believe I'm done.. I can finally just sleep.. That's all I really want for christmas.. sleep.. 1 more day..

Reminder: return classroom key..

Posted by rom559 at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, so I haven't updated the week before because well I'm done my FINAL EVALUATION!!!.. Hecks yeah.. I did sort of have a meltdown last week though.. over something really stupid.. I think it was the stress of full time teaching or something.. I could point out some things that happened last week, that I can remember.. Let's see..

I started to do a random fact thing with "my" grade 10's.. which was fun.. co-op wasn't in the room, so the kids were more open to saying something about themselves.. Then on Friday I finally did my "favorite teacher activity".. which was fun.. They were all wondering why I was doing it.. I told them "because it's a a random act of kindness"

Oh yeah.. I handed in my final assessment this last Wednesday.. a fellow intern from another school came to observe at my school.. then today I went to his school to get a different environment.

I also went to an international/cultural/powwow thing that the school was doing yesterday.. That was cool.. ate some food, heard some cool music, watched some metis jigs.. it was fun.. Just too damn cold outside..

What else... umm.. Musical finished up last Saturday as well.. I was asked to help tape the last one.. so I did.. I even got a nice little complimentary gift from the cast.. when I really didn't do anything.. aww.. On a sidenote.. it's freakin freezing in my classroom..

I gave back two classes to my co-op this week as well.. CCA9 and Math10-P4.. I feels weird to not teach grade nines.. I miss them already.. They seem kind of sad too.. they have to do textbook work.. which kind of sucks.. and they also have to be really quiet.. compared to my class when they like to talk more.. I feel kind of bad cause they seem more scared or something..

I'm still marking the damn math posters.. I got 5 partially done.. I just have like 11 left to do.. ugh.. That is my goal this weekend.. I promised them by Tuesday.. I also just want to have to do nothing in my last week.. But that won't happen.. lol.. I'm thinking of giving out a printup of the marks for my math10 class so they have an idea of what to work on or rewrite after christmas.. before the final..

I feel bad that I won't be there to prepare them for their final as well.. I might try to make arrangements with my co-op.. we'll see..

I can't believe it's coming to an end.. It's been quite a ride these last 4 months.. ups and downs.. I'm really sad just thinking about it..

Now I have to find a job.. and leave these kids that I've grown to care about to continue highschool without me there to guide them.. I guess that's what my first job is all about..

Posted by rom559 at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)