This week has been a little challenging since my students had a substitute three days last week. You know, I have been checking for assignments I had left with the sub, grading papers, looking for papers, and looking for parts of the room… the usual stuff. Okay I was just kidding I really didn’t have to look for any papers.
Seriously I have had a lot of something taxing my small brain this week. Last week I was at a Leadership Conference for two days and then the TIEGA Conference two more days.
I was told to be at this particular conference on a Monday morning and I said okee-dokee. When I arrived, there sat the Principal, the Vocational Director, a Guidance Counselor, an English teacher and yours truly. Now don’t get me wrong I was flattered to be there and want to learn all I can.
So we sat at our own little table in our own little group; we listened to the speakers, talked a little, looked around a lot. There were graphs, pie charts, flow charts, statistics, handouts, and of course the brainstorming. So I started really feeling out of my element, if you know what I mean. In other words “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore Toto”. So I would comment once in a while, mostly smile and nod (probably with a glazed over look in my eyes). Anyway after two days of that I was quiet and smiling on the outside and on the inside I was screaming “JUST SHOOT ME”. But then I realized I was probably the only one in the room that did not have a four to six year education degree.
So after the TIEGA conference I was really feeling quite uneducated and thinking is this really for me, then I read Joyce’s blog and thought wow I can really relate to that! And then I started thinking, well I do know my content and I feel like I relate to and understand young people pretty good, hopefully enough to make a difference in someone’s life. So the “system” will have to accept me as I am for now and maybe keep me long enough until I have had a chance to catch on. I know if it were not for NTI and the way it is presented I probably would have gone back to my other career with less stress and more money. Thanks NTI for cutting it up into small bites so that I can chew it a little, instead of the “system” trying to feed me the whole steak at one time. Wow now I do feel better!
This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rules For Posting To This Blog and Weekly Blog Question
1. Only use your first name (no last names, addresses, IM screen names, etc.)
2. Show respect and consideration of others when posting and commenting. This includes individuals, students, organizations, political parties, colleagues, etc.
3. Check all posts for spelling and grammar errors before posting.
4. Protect the privacy of others. Gain permission from other people before you write about them. Avoid sharing someone else's last name. Use job titles or pseudonyms when writing about experiences with your co-workers or students.
5. Watch your language. Use politically correct and non-offensive language.
6. Make sure you write about things that are factual.
7. Keep your postings education-oriented. Avoid discussing plans for the weekend, etc.
2. Show respect and consideration of others when posting and commenting. This includes individuals, students, organizations, political parties, colleagues, etc.
3. Check all posts for spelling and grammar errors before posting.
4. Protect the privacy of others. Gain permission from other people before you write about them. Avoid sharing someone else's last name. Use job titles or pseudonyms when writing about experiences with your co-workers or students.
5. Watch your language. Use politically correct and non-offensive language.
6. Make sure you write about things that are factual.
7. Keep your postings education-oriented. Avoid discussing plans for the weekend, etc.
FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!
Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"
Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?
Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.
Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"
Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"
Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"
Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?
5 comments:
Remember that just because some folks use a lot of jargon or acronyms to talk about education does not mean that they are (or would be) more competent than you in the classroom. That's where it all really counts. It's no use talkin' the talk if you can't walk the walk, so to speak.
Hey Tony,
I agree with you! I am so thankful for NTI. I don't see how new teachers could start fresh from industry and go into teaching without the valuable info we get at NTI!
I agree with you about some of this stuff being over my head, but what I see is more frustrating is that the administrators give you all of this information and expect you to do something with it and give no direction.
Take for instance, the ACTE conference. While we were there, we were asked to share with fellow teachers and guidance counselors the changes that they are trying to bring about like bringing academic and technical classes together so that relevant material is covered in both classes. Well, I'm all for that but how are you suppose to go about doing it? AND, who has time to do it?
I'm trying to get my own program squared away before I try to get involved with anything else.
I also agree with your comment about "NTI". After each session, I feel more confident that I can do my job and enjoy it.
Glad to see you didn't let all of the "talk" overwhelm you, because you are doing a great job in the classroom. It's hard to juggle it all some days (and unfortunately I had just as many time mangement problems in my 25th year as I did in my first year), but hang in there and keep making a difference for the students!
I can relate totally having no degree it is very distressful at times but I know that they can't do what I can when it comes to construction technology or just plain old construction work. These same pleople who make you sometimes feel inferior with their talk are the same ones who call you because they can't change a ligth bulb, a flat tire,read a mercury termometer,or many of the other things which we in ctae do on a daily basis. and that along with NTI my friends makes up for alot.
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