Hello!
Today my 6th graders took their final test of the summer... it is absolutely CRAZY that it has been 5 weeks already! I have grown so much as an individual, and also as a teacher.
It is also so exciting to think about having my own class in the fall. I am getting so invested in these kids and their academic growth, and I can't even imagine what it would feel like to really have a class of my own, where I am solely responsible for all of their learning. Big responsibility, but so fun! Awesome.
Tomorrow is the big end of the summer party, so I will let you know how it goes!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Half Way Through Summer School!
I apologize for the delay since my last post! I have been running around like a nutter over here, and literally have no extra time to myself. I average about 5 hours of sleep a night, and spend over 9 hours at school every day. I only teach for 45 minutes on my own, but planning for those intense minutes consumes my every evening!
My 6th grade class is awesome- the kids are so so funny!
-Yesterday I was asked if I was thirty, and the student was completely serious.
- The twins in my class, Mitch and Mitchell (yes! Mitch and Mitchell Thompson! No joke!) continue to be the cutest things in the world. I can't tell them apart, so I have them sit on opposite sides of the classroom. And I know that Mitchell wears white tennis shoes, and Mitch wears black ones. Honestly, they probably switch seats every single day and I never notice!
- I had to take away a girl's cell phone because it rang in class! It was my first big move as an authority figure in the classroom- yikes!
- A girl gave me my first "teacher sign" -- a fancy little decoration with "Ms. Gosewisch" written all over. I practically have it framed in my room! ha.
In case I didn't make the whole set-up clear earlier, let me explain. I teach on a team of 4. There are 2 math teachers (thankfully not me!) and 2 English teachers. We each teach for 45 minutes a day, and then the kids go home after lunch. It all sounds so simple, but so so so much planning is involved for those 45 minutes! Nutty, absolutely nutty.
We had some exciting news yesterday about the progress of our students. We found out that our English students have made 49% of their growth goals- that means that for being half way through the summer, they are on track to meet their goals! Considering that our school average is about 30%, the other English teacher, Caitlin, and myself were very proud and SO happy!
I will write more this weekend, but seeing as it is almost 1am, I need to get to bed! Up and at 'em around 5:15am!
More later, hugs from CA! xxoo
My 6th grade class is awesome- the kids are so so funny!
-Yesterday I was asked if I was thirty, and the student was completely serious.
- The twins in my class, Mitch and Mitchell (yes! Mitch and Mitchell Thompson! No joke!) continue to be the cutest things in the world. I can't tell them apart, so I have them sit on opposite sides of the classroom. And I know that Mitchell wears white tennis shoes, and Mitch wears black ones. Honestly, they probably switch seats every single day and I never notice!
- I had to take away a girl's cell phone because it rang in class! It was my first big move as an authority figure in the classroom- yikes!
- A girl gave me my first "teacher sign" -- a fancy little decoration with "Ms. Gosewisch" written all over. I practically have it framed in my room! ha.
In case I didn't make the whole set-up clear earlier, let me explain. I teach on a team of 4. There are 2 math teachers (thankfully not me!) and 2 English teachers. We each teach for 45 minutes a day, and then the kids go home after lunch. It all sounds so simple, but so so so much planning is involved for those 45 minutes! Nutty, absolutely nutty.
We had some exciting news yesterday about the progress of our students. We found out that our English students have made 49% of their growth goals- that means that for being half way through the summer, they are on track to meet their goals! Considering that our school average is about 30%, the other English teacher, Caitlin, and myself were very proud and SO happy!
I will write more this weekend, but seeing as it is almost 1am, I need to get to bed! Up and at 'em around 5:15am!
More later, hugs from CA! xxoo
Sunday, July 5, 2009
TOMORROW!
Hello! I hope that everyone had a wonderful 4th of July! I am sitting here in beautiful Kenwood, CA, where Patrick lives! We spent the 4th walking around the San Francisco Jazz Festival. It was a beautiful day, and we walked around sipping beers and looking at all the vendors. SO FUN!
I am about to hop on a plane back down to L.A., and tomorrow I begin my first day of teaching. I am teaching last in my teaching rotation of 4, which means I will be teaching right before lunch. Hopefully the kids won't be too squirrelly!
I will update you after my first day of teaching! Here goes nothing!
xxoo
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Let the fun begin!
Hello everybody!
Well, here goes nothing! I just wrapped up my week at Induction in Berkeley, California, and am about to embark on the real deal... Institute! Teach for America has been very well organized, and I have met a lot of new friends in the past week. The weather here is gorgeous, and it has been really great to have this whole experience made more "real" through the training and orientation sessions. It will be even more real when I know what subject and grade I will be teaching! I know that it will be between kindergarten and 8th grade, so I'm very excited to narrow that down.
I'm excited and also very nervous for the weeks to come. I have heard from other friends in TFA that Institute is very rigorous and intense, but I am hopeful that it will be fun, too. I will meet my roommate tonight when I move in; freshman year all over again! :)
That's about it. If you want to send me any mail over the next five weeks, the address is...
Laura Gosewisch/ Corps member
Loyola Marymount University
Conference Services c/o Teach For America
1 LMU Drive, MS 8150 -03
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Well, here goes nothing! I just wrapped up my week at Induction in Berkeley, California, and am about to embark on the real deal... Institute! Teach for America has been very well organized, and I have met a lot of new friends in the past week. The weather here is gorgeous, and it has been really great to have this whole experience made more "real" through the training and orientation sessions. It will be even more real when I know what subject and grade I will be teaching! I know that it will be between kindergarten and 8th grade, so I'm very excited to narrow that down.
I'm excited and also very nervous for the weeks to come. I have heard from other friends in TFA that Institute is very rigorous and intense, but I am hopeful that it will be fun, too. I will meet my roommate tonight when I move in; freshman year all over again! :)
That's about it. If you want to send me any mail over the next five weeks, the address is...
Laura Gosewisch/ Corps member
Loyola Marymount University
Conference Services c/o Teach For America
1 LMU Drive, MS 8150 -03
Los Angeles, CA 90045
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