Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Last Week

Dear Woodrow Wilson High School

My name is Haliaka Kauwe. I am 22 years old. I am not a student. Thanks

Just Last week...

1. A student asked how old I was. I gave her my typical "i'm older than you and younger than your parents" response. She followed that with "well, I just thought you had to be in college to do your student teaching"

2. I went to observe a teacher during my free period to get some tips and learn the ropes a little better. I sat down at a desk in the back and the kid next to me says "Hi i'm chris. are you a new student to the class?" No, chris darling I"M A TEACHER!!!! ;(

3. A security guard stepped in front of me as I was leaving school. apparently students are allowed to exit that particular way...

4. I was subbing for a teacher who had to leave. The kids were working on an assignment and I sat down at a desk to do some grading. Mr. Giddens came in the room, looked around, and then said to the class "Do you guys not have a teacher?" YO GIDDENS I"M PRESENT AND NOT A STUDENT!!

5. Devin walked into class and says "hmm, Ms. Kauwe's gone today" "Hi Devin" I say loudly because I am of course, not gone. "Oh dang. Hi Ms. Kauwe. I though you were a student hahahahaha"

yea yea yea Devin, you're not the only one lol

D.C. is D.efinately C.ool

Things that make me happy

*Cousin Parties!!!!
*the new habit Ant P is getting into of telling me I "look nice today" everyday:)
*the marriage of Chase and Cameron (This is a House reference)
*harry potter references in House
*how the apple truly never does fall far from the tree (I had parent teacher conferences yesterday)
*That Mr. Greiner (my mentor teacher) brought me hot cocoa so I could also make use of the coffee machine in the room... and also that he brought me a mug after I kept forgetting my own every day for weeks
*Waking up to little Lillie bounding in my room:)
*Chillen with my homegirl chris-to-the-tin-to-the-a
*When my students cheer for each other
*the musky/smoking smell of the hall way that leads to my apartment
*running down the hall way that leads to my apartment as fast as I can
*getting the fist seat on the metro
*seeing the sun shine on the Potomac in the morning
*starting a new book
*seeing my kids engaged in a lesson
*watching small children chase the gigantic goose that lives in the fountain in the middle of my apartment complex... so random
*Dinner with the Sakais
*listening to my kids rap the presidents- they are skilled. like for real.
*when I hear a kid drop the f bomb I tell them with a hurt expression that I don't like that word... every kid always apologizes and never says it again
*How today I asked Devin who general Weyler was during group study 4 times in a row and then when we played who wants to be a millionaire thats the question he got.
*getting mail
*hearing Hi Ms. K in a southern accent

Things that don't make me so happy
*they allow dogs in my apartment complex...meh:/
*that cameron left Chase- dosn't being MARRIED mean anything anymore??? lets work though our issues people

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Here a little there a little

I'd like to make a quick plug for improvement. Today I taught a lesson 2nd period. The kids were fine, but I felt skattered and off. There lacked "flow". This made me quite nervouse then to teach my 4th period. 2nd period can handle a day when i'm off, but 4th period. hah oh 4th period. nother story. A story that needs flawless flow and a display of masterful teaching that I fear greatly exceeds me. They are a rough class and a treasure all the same. So after a volcanoe of stress and overwhelmingness erupted out of my stomach and trough my eyes I ate a sandwhich. It's incredible what eating lunch will do to calm a person down. Then I went back to the lesson plan. I tweaked and added according to my mentors input and put on my "bring it" face. and 4th went great!!! Ok so they talked while I was sometimes, little joe had to go out in the hall, angel refused to give up her phone and thus got written up, but... I think they learned something. I think they learned more than second period. I think my lesson and myslef as a teacher...improved. Am I a master teacher? Heck to the no. Am I even a decent teacher. idk. It's probably an arguable point, but am I a better teacher now than when I woke up this morning. I venture to say that I am. I'm learning to find satifaction in improvement. Sometimes that has to be enough.

p.s. Student teaching is hard. Like way hard, but the kids are GOLD. pure gold :)