Trouble in paradise or Providence...which ever

Its hard to wrap up a semesters worth up teaching in a few posts so in order to catch everyone up to present time I am going to sum up my Providence experience in this one moving story (true story). Buckle Up, here we go on a wild ride...

On one of my last visits to the school in Providence I was working with individual students on their math skills in order to prepare them for the NECAP testing that was taking place later in the year. When all of a sudden I heard yelling, now there was usually a decent amoung of "loud talking" down by the teacher in the class. But on this day, this moment it was different, it was full blown yelling, inside voices were definetly now being used (teacher humor). One of the studens Frank (name changed) would not do his work, once again the norm for the class, he always did everything he could to avoid doing his school work. And it always ended bad for him, but today it was different.

The teacher handed him over to me, like coming to work with me was suppose to be a punishment. I felt it was the opposite, being with the teacher was punishment and coming to work with me was well, not. Today he was having trouble reading, he struggles in many subjects but reading was the hardest for him. He was trying to read "Frog and Toad" (http://www.briarpatch.com/images/products/312_Frog_and_Toad_100_pc__Puzzle_-_Windy_Day.jpg) One of my favorite childhood books I might add. The first thing I did was to make a personal connection with him. Talk to him, find out why HE WAS CRYING. I found out that he didn't like to read and didnt want to. I went on the explain to him the importance of learing to read, and eventually I made a deal with him that he would read one page and I the other, until we finished the book.

So it went on like that through the book, periodically I would stop and ask him questions to make sure he was understanding what was going on, he pretty much did. After a while reading he was starting to cheer up and this was a big moment, after finishing his page he continued on reading my page!!! This was huge, he was reading all on his own and enjoying it, he even smiled and laughed! When we finished the book, he took a quiz on the computer and passed with ease. Frank was full of joy the rest of the class, all until lunch, when I told the class that this was my last visit to their class. They all said their goodbyes and went on to lunch, but Frank stopped and looked at me, didnt say anything and then went on his way. He didn't have to say anything I knew what he was going to say, thank you.

I have no idea how the rest of the year went for that class and especially Frank, I can only hope that they all succeeded and continued on in school, but who knows after you leave. Does the work I did with Frank or work I do with any students have such an impact to change lives, one can only hope.

First Placement- Providence

So now its time to take that first step. The big leap, start teaching. Only a few months after my decision to study education I stated my placement in a elementary school in Providence. From the get go I was nervous, it was strange usually dont get that butterfly feeling before I do something new. I am most always confident that a task that I am starting is something that I truely have my hear in. On this day it was different.
I entered the school alone. The building was old, worndown, and covered in graffiti. The neighborhood was not the nicest but still seem relativly safe. I still felt wierd there, like I didn't belong. The significant of this was that I did, even with all thos thoughts of being unsure of wanting to teach, as soon as I stepped foot in the school I was reasured.
My first experience in the school was the office. Man that place was crazy, made casos. There were people everywhere constanly moving, talking, yelling. I had to push my way through a crowd of people to get the office staffs attention. Once that happened I told them who I was, I got this look once again that I didnt belong there. Well that was half true, they had no recolection of who I was even thought i called and talked to them the day before. I was then told that my teacher would be there in 10 minutes so I just continued to sit, wait, and observe.
My first interaction with my placement teacher went just the same, wasnt really expecting my, didnt really want to explain anything to me and was completely rude. Ok my teacher is not to thrilled for me to be there, great but surely the kids will be glad to see me. YES! I was right the moment the students walked into the classroom and saw me standing there their face light up. They were so happy to have someone else in the room, instantly I go the feeling that I was not longer the only one in the room that did not enjoy the teacher. Immediately the students started to rebel. But just as fast as the rebellion started it was over.
Man, that teacher had a voice, talk about nonexistent inside voices the teacher was screaming at the kids. “sit down, stop talking, read that book". I started to feel real bad for the kids.
It was now my time to teach, I was given a stack of paper and directed to sit in the corner and work with students one at time on practice test for the state testing coming up. WOW! Some of these kids were really far behind. Some could barely read! In the third grade! I have my work cut out for me. Where do I start?

What next

So now that I have decided to become a teacher what was the next step. I had no idea what to expect, what was invovled with becoming a teacher? Was this something I actually wanted to do or was I just doing it to have a major?
That last question I still ponder to this day and most likely will for the rest of my life. How can a 20 year old "kid" decide what they want to spend the rest of thier life doing? I sure as hell dont know.
I went on to tell myself that the idea of teaching didnt sound so bad. That was kind of a typical response many college students say when they choose a major. SO I went on with the process of enrolling in education classes, doing research about what types of things I was going to study and what grade levels I wanted to teach.
That was the next big question, to teach big kids or little kids?
Deciding that was hard, I had little info at the time about anything invovling teach so I did what every intro class at URI (my college) told me, GO TALK TO AN ADVISOR. SO I did. All I really have to say about that was, Mrs A (Name changed) scared the living day lights out of me. I sweated more in that ten minute meating than and hour on a rowing machine, and thats alot. The only useful info I got out of that meeting was two things, A) do research on the internet first, and B) find a new advisor ( I did, quite a bit younger one too I might add).
After all of that drama I went of the school website and found thier link to the School of Education. It was very helpful. Answered all my questions and with ease sitting at my desk and alot less sweating. There was a whole long, boring application process involving an interview and porfolio, but I'll leave you with this I MADE IT INTO THE MAJOR!!!!

Where it began

Everything has to start somewhere and the same goes for my carreer in teaching. Relax, let me take you back to a time not so long ago. It was the end of my freshman year in college. I had just failed my first class ever, and yes I am not afraid to admit that. SO what, who gives a hell if i failed a class. Well anyways my half hearted dreams of being a science major was blown out the window with my failing grade in bio 101, so now I need another plan, the problem was I didnt have one.
So over the course of the next few months I thought about what I like doing, what academiclly I really enjoyed and I turned up a blank. So I guess the big question is how I became an education major, well the truth is I truly dont recall. All I remember is once being "im gonna teach people"and with that I am now an education major.
The next task at hand was to inform everyone about my decsion. I was not to thrilled with this, as you should know not many take my adamics that seriously, I think people believe that i'm not that sharp or "book smart" well screw them.
I am going to put how this went as simply as I can, my parents said what ever I want to study and makes me happy they were ok with. My friends LAUGHED!

Time to start

Advisory: All post on this blog are TRUE. ALL names and school are changed for to keep the identities a secret. Here is my story... time to start teaching