Because that's what the kids call me and it is the most crazy insane thing ever. I've been called Ms. Cummins before, but it's usually been by teachers in highschool when I was being scolded or picked on to answer a question. However know hearing "Ms. Cummins" coming from a child looking to me as an authority figure is quite exciting....and weird.
So my experience at Thomas Jefferson Middle School went well. I'm really thinking I will enjoy my time there as an intern. And since your all dying to know how things went (I'm sure) here's how things went down on Monday:
Woke up at 5:45 am. I believe waking up before the sun does is truly the most painful thing a college student can do. Then I slowly got ready because my eyes were still half closed with sleep but was pretty much awake by the time my ride rolled in at 6:30. So the 1 hr. drive to Decatur wasn't to bad, just too early and too long.
We got there a bit before 7:30 and I was pleasantly surprised that the school wasn't a piece of shit. It was not as nice as my middle school but was not falling apart or ugly by any means. The school is virtually 50/50 black/white but 72% of their kids are economically disadvantaged! That is pretty sad and part of the reason why the school is "failing" state standards. Fuck state standards. Fuck no child left behind. (But I won't get into that now....ok, I will a little. If that Act isn't changed shortly it will be complete bullshit. Not saying No Child Left Behind doesn't have some good parts to it, but there are so many shit parts. I'm sorry, but when 90% of teachers completely hate an Act such as this....that should be saying something! It needs some work! And I want it done before I start teaching!) Okay, done with that.
Anyway, when we got to the school we listened to a presentation and were given a tour of the school by our on-site supervisor Mrs. Butt (hehe...and can you imagine, she taught middle schoolers for 30+ years!). She stressed to us the importance of what we're doing, the importance of meeting their standards (they have this crazy daily objectives requirements), and even made me tear up a bit when she told us how much our presence means to these kids who have nothing and how hard it is when we leave them at the end of the semester, like everyone else in their life has done before us. Sad. But thats why I want to be a teacher full time. I won't have to leave the kids I make a connection with. And I can hopefully fill the position of roll-model or figure they need in life.
After an hour I was finally able to meet Mrs. Woodward. I was placed in her class with two other U of I students; Molly and Caleb (both very nice). And Mrs. Woodward? Well, she is a character. She has this Louuuud BOOOOOMING voice that carries I'm pretty sure down the hallway. I know when I public speak I can have a commanding voice, but nothing like hers. Dear Lord she has a powerful voice. But she is very nice, laid back, and seems like she will be fun. I got to sit in on three of her classes (8th grade, getting ready for the Constitution test baby!) which were all reasonably well behaved. Sort of scary that I have to come up with a lesson and teach by myself to one of these groups though in the next month. Scary indeed. Because we were only there for such a short time on Monday though Molly, Caleb, and I weren't able to find out exactly what Mrs. Woodward expects of us each week. So not till next Monday I suppose.
And that was my morning in a nutshell. I learned two kids names; Trey (blonde haired, surfer looking, know it all - in a good way), Dylan (red head, quiet), and that alone is pretty impressive for me. I can only handle so many names at a time. The ride home went quick, especially because me and my two carpooling buddies swapped stories the whole time.
So all in all it was a good day. I'm excited to go back and excited to get to know the kids. I just wish I could have my own class already! Like my own class. Student teaching reminds me of babysitting in a way and the uncomfortableness that can come along with it. For example, you want to punish the kids sometimes, discipline them, or use your own methods you think will be effective but you fully can't because you don't want to piss off parents or over step your boundaries. Same thing for student teaching. How much can you yell at the kids, how much can it feel like your students when their just not? But when they're your own kids, and your own classroom....well, then I know I'll be much more comfortable and much more effective.
The rest of my Monday sucked pretty hardcore. I was sooooo ridiculously tired and had no time to sit and rest until I finished work at 9 pm last night. Ouch. Mondays (and Wednesdays) are looooooong days for this girl. But I can't complain, Thomas Jefferson treated me very well yesterday. Yea to that!
So I'm off to work on this paper that I keep putting off and putting off. Honestly, I am the worst procrastinator in the world. Anyone having flashbacks to last spring where I put off the 30 page paper till like a few nights before it was due? Yeah, I don't know if I'll ever be able to shake this procrastination thing. Hey, I work better under pressure anyway. But I guess I wouldn't really know otherwise.
Alrighty! I'm off! Happy Tuesday Evening all!
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