First Teaching Day

So I finally started my unit today. I think it came together nicely but I forgot some things and weren't as well prepared for others. I need practice and more work but it's all part of the learning experience. So is realizing how tiring this actually is. I couldn't believe how exhausted I was after it was all over. And now I'm sitting at BSU waiting for a meeting with all the English Secondary Ed student teachers. I tired but happy. Hopefully the rest of the semester just gets better.

About Student Teaching

So, the observation period of Student Teaching ends tomorrow! Yes, tomorrow I officially take over my wonderful level 2 juniors. I will be administrating their American Gothic unit test and the following class, I will be starting them on The Catcher in the Rye. Am I excited? Yes. Am I nervous? You bet! Can I do this?! Without a doubt I can. I already gave them a mini lesson last week. We did name poems together, we had laughs, we had jokes, we had serious poems, we had superficial ones, we had fun ones; more than all that, we all go to to know each other. It was pretty simple. My teacher at the school said I did great. She asked how I felt. I told her I was nervous, I stuttered, I'm not sure I executed it properly. She said stuttering will happen in the beginning, not to worry about it, that I executed it fine, and I had a good rapport going with the students. Now I need to get my unit done, which as soon as I get the cover information done, I will be posting it for all of you.
What's been the hardest part of my experience? Several things. Remembering I'm Ms. Kahan to the students, not Leah, remembering names, and a certain medical issue (which is currently being addressed but is a big issue for a teacher). I'll go into that last part at a later date after I have a nice talk to my doctor who had brushed this off a few months ago. On that note however, I have some parts I need to finish tonight. I will keep in touch. I'll end you here with  my name poem.

 Ms. Kahan
It means fun, creative and thoughtful
It is the number six
It is like water
It is going ice skating with my son, his dad and my boyfriend
It is the memory of Great Grandma lee
Who taught me creativity
When she taught me to draw a house when I was five
My name is Ms. Kahan
It means to have a dream and achieve it.

First day at Student teaching

So, the fun begins. I was excited to be back at D-Y High, was happy to see my glass gift out front (I didn't even know what it was till yesterday). I was even surprised those that remembered me as well as my sister. We weren't very popular or very involved, but I guess some of our teachers still liked us enough to remember us. Hell, I never got in trouble but one of the assistant principals and the principal remembered me, the principal welcomed me back. Today was a little over whelming and very long, but it was a good start. I hope this is as rewarding experience as I'm told it is. My cooperating teacher is great, we get along very well, I'm just quiet and she seemed to expect me to say more. That will come in time, I need to adapt first. Anyway, it's been a long day and I need to help William get his homework done. More to come as the semester moves along. Remember, no matter what your goal is, keep it in mind, as the over said line is: Keep your eye on the prize. You can do anything.

Another one bites the dust

Yay!!! Just finished my last assignment and my semester is officially over. Also got an important phone call yesterday: I'm student teaching at my old high school! I was like wow, I get to actually go back to high school. This is going to be so weird. I haven't been back there in sooo long and my ten year reunion (if we're having one) is next year. So, I'll go there and I'll say I'm still at DY, haha. Well, I won't be still by then, chances are I won't be teaching there when I finally get a job, but who knows? Life is funny like that. Anyway, I got a room to clean and some other things to catch up on now. Remember, grab what is best for you, don't let it slip away. Do the hard work necessary and you can have anything and everything that you want.

another one is over... well, almost

The fall semester is officially over but not for me. I had struggled this past semester, and I struggled  bad. But I was honest and upfront with my teachers and got lucky enough to get some pretty nice extensions. The final assignment I have is due January 6th. What that means however is I get an incomplete for a grade so I can have time to finish the work. Needless to say, I hope to have it done and done right before then. It's a revision to my unit plan since it wasn't that great. So, off I go, I take an easy day today and tomorrow I'm still in the books. I know I say over and over how important school is. But it does start to drag after awhile and it does seem never ending at times. The important part is no matter how burned out you feel you are from it, just keep pushing, you'll get through it. Before you know it, you'll be on break and then you get to rest. And rest you must. It is very extremely important you don't lose yourself. Take time for yourself; to rest, to heal, to just have fun. It helps so much in the short run and the long run. Happy New Year everyone and good luck!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Just a quick little note to remind to wish you all a wonderful, joyous Turkey Day!! Be thankful for all you achieved, for all the wonderful things in your life, for your supporters and also your non-supporters, proving them wrong is motivation as well. Take motivation from all sources, work your way to your goals, no matter what they might be.
Today I am thankful for my loving family and my amazing friends and my baby bear, William and my wonderful boyfriend, Steve. Without all of you, I probably wouldn't be where I am now. Happy Thanksgiving!

Also, if you're not already a fan, come like me on my Facebook page! I post links to articles that are of interest to education as well as motivation and inspirational quotes everyday!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/From-Statistic-to-Anomaly/139657529470172

Some statistics for you

So, to really bring home the facts, some food for thought for you:

• There are 14 million single parents in the US today
• 83.1% of those are mothers, the last 16.9% are fathers

Of those:

• 79.5% of the mothers are employed
• 27% of the mothers live in poverty
• 22% receive medcaid
• 23.5% receive food stamps
• 12% receive some form of housing assitance
• 5% receive TANF

To put it more in perspective, two parent house holds held only 6.7% of the population in poverty.

I'm still looking for more statistics on this, so is just a small portion. I did focus on the mothers more because I am one. But don't think I'll just disregard the fathers. Being a single parent, mom or dad, it's hard. It's you and your kid(s) against the world, with no one by your side to assist. But we do what we have to so we can survive and raise our kids rights. My therapist told me today that I should be commended: I work, I go to school, I raise William and I have a boyfriend. She said I could take the easy route and quit school, she said this is always an option but it's great that I'm not allowing myself that option. To me, that is never an option. In William's karate class his teacher tells them, "Winners NEVER quit, and quitters NEVER win." These are wise words to live by.

Sources:

Dorning, J. (2010, April). PROFESSIONAL WOMEN: VITAL STATISTICS. In pay-equity.org. Retrieved November 16, 2011, from http://www.pay-equity.org/PDFs/ProfWomen.pdf

Single Parent Statistics- What do they tell us? (2011, August 3). In Single Parent Center. Retrieved November 16, 2011, from http://www.singleparentcenter.net/single-parent-statistics.html

Wolf, J. (n.d.). Single Parent Statistics. In About.com Single Parents. Retrieved November 16, 2011, from http://singleparents.about.com/od/legalissues/p/portrait.htm