Things in my placement are starting to become better. There
are a few stressful problems I have concerning my CT, but all in all I feel
good about the way I am interacting with the students. A little follow up on
the goals I have achieved is that I am getting to know all of my students quite
well. I have gotten to know some more than others, but I’m working on that. I
have also been getting to know the surrounding teachers much more. I want to go
observe this teacher’s classroom because from what I know about her so far, I can
confidently say that I believe that she has crazy, fantastic classroom
management.
A little bit about my issues:
I was in a bit of a pickle this last week because I was sick
and I didn’t attend my placement. My CT didn’t get the message, and she flipped
out on me, so now there is a bit of tension in that class. I have no idea how
to please her, and the worst part is that I am experiencing a completely
different atmosphere in my other classroom. So, I’m not exactly sure how things
will work out, but all I can say is that I was not unprofessional and I did
call the school to deliver the news of my absence.
A little bit about my successes:
There are two boys in my classroom that are super, mega,
huge trouble makers. They never get their work done and they never really
listen to my CT or me or the para. After being asked, ever so sweetly, by my CT
to take them out of the classroom and work with them on this assignment, I
became a bit stresses. As I walked with them to the cafeteria, one of them
said, “man! you is so short, Ms. Denisse.” As I heard him say this I thought to
myself, “he doesn’t mean to be rude, he’s only making a statement, but he’s
making fun of me, so what should I do?” I decided to do the only thing I knew
to do, which was to make fun of him back, so I said, “hmm…well, I am cuter than
you..hahah” and after that he has been so well behaved. Now, I’m not suggesting
that one make fun of the student’s in one’s classroom, but using humor and
letting the students know that you aren’t this stuck up, bratty, college
student, definitely works. I call him Long Legs Shaquan, now and he loves it.
Oh, and the assignment we worked on was a breeze. They both
listened and read and worked. I talked to them and really understood that they
have a problem with authority, especially when they aren’t given a choice. I
said “who wants to read first?” instead of “Shaquan, you read” and they did
very well. So, giving them choices makes a huge difference.
