Sunday, September 5, 2010

Teaching

Seems it has been a while since I wrote on here. Life is crazy. I’m student teaching now full time during the week, and then work all day on Saturday at McDonalds. I love the school. Some times it is still scary and I have a ways to go before it comes naturally, but I think I can do this.

The teacher was absent on Thursday so I got to be the Sub, and I’ll get paid for that.

It is a real challenge because they have what are called Grade Level Expectations, or GLEs. And that is what we have to teach. Nothing more, because there really isn’t time, and nothing less because that is what they will be tested on, or should be tested on in the big exams like the MAP exam. We just finished taking the Terra Nova exams. Hadn’t heard of them, but they are another big one that is used to measure student performance and school progress. And the teachers all work pretty hard to make sure the kids know the material too.

So for me, the greatest challenge is going to be taking the GLEs and breaking them down into small steps that can be taught in class. An d I am learning what materials she has and has used and such, and then fitting them into my lessons or building my lessons around them. And constantly referring back to the GLE to make sure I’m teaching what I’m supposed to be teaching.

I also have to write a journal, so I’m thinking about posting that on here. It has most of the things for school and then I wouldn’t have to write it again. All I would have to do is add things about the farm.

The turkeys are getting so big. And they are eating so much! Just got 200 pounds of feed or 4 bags. Each bag lasts about 3 days. So yeah, that is right at $20 a week. Hope these birds are all big! Lol. And it would seem that they are all toms. I may have to just keep the two hens I had last year, because I don’t have any other hens to keep!