Wow I cannot believe a year has gone by since the first time I signed in and posted a blog. I originally planned on posting as much as possible to keep track of what was going on, but life just kept going.
Well I am in my Block 1 of special education, I finally made it. I spend 2 days a week in a class room from 9:30am until 4:45pm continuing my education. I love my professors. Each one brings something special to the block and I am grateful for each one of them. Now the workload that they bring with them... that is a different story. In the past four weeks I have written more papers than I did in my first 3 years in college. I am still working parttime in the elementary school tutoring in reading and math. My hours got cut back this year, but Im not complaining too much, I do not think I could handle any more hours. On Fridays I spend the day in what is known as my Practicum - its official observing - I get an actual grade on what I do and the reports I submit about what I have learned. I was assigned to my alma-mater's rival school, during football season no less. Now you may think that this is no big deal, but down here in Mobile - its all about where you went to HS.
Anyway I observe in 4 seperate settings - here in Mobile the HS public schools are broke down into 4 classes, they call them blocks. Block 1 I spend in a self-contained earth science classroom. The coach is a really great teacher - and by that I mean he actually teaches LOL. Seriously he has a great relationship with his students, they respect him and he respects them, even if they aren't perfect. Block 2 I am in a self-contained reading class - unfortunately due to circumstances I have only had 1 chance to observe in this class (I cannot be left alone in the room with the students and I dont like substitutes). Block 3 is a MR classroom, with students who have an IQ of 55 and below. These students I absolutely love. I teach the basic skills of life they need and they teach me how do to the lastest dances - I think its a pretty good trade. In a couple of weeks I am going on a field trip with them to the International Festival. I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the world not only sees them but reacts to them, it shall be interesting. My last block is with the head of the special education department - I love this woman. She stands up for the kids and is willing to go the extra mile for them. Mostly she doesnt candy coat anything for me. She is brutally truthful with me and I love that. I do not want to be blind sided when I get into my own classroom in a little over a year.
Well that catches everyone up with what is going on. I am going to do my best to keep updating the next year of my block series.
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