Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Flying By The Seat Of My Pants

Like at all times. And (surprisingly) it's going really, REALLY well. Today was a perfect example. I realized last night that I was super underprepared for my lessons today. I had mapped out what I planned on doing this week (last Thursday- eek!), but I also failed to bring home any of my manuals to refresh my memory. So after 5 days, I stepped back into the classroom (okay, trudged. I'm still so, SO tired). I put on some untired eyes, a peppy smile and made it through an abnormal morning filled with unscheduled practices and teacher flexibility. And I was okay with that.

Until my professor showed up unannounced (SURPRISE!) to observe my math lesson. Sweeeeeeet. At the time, I was sitting in the computer lab, overseeing my kid's free time and prepping a social studies test (you bet I'm writing it!). And suddenly, I see my professor walk by, double take and come back. And I'm thinking... Oh crap. Please don't ask for a formal lesson plan, please don't ask for a formal lesson plan, please don't ask for any form of lesson plan!! After returning from the computer lab, I began my lesson on fact families. Literally all I had prepared was a sticky note with an intro (conveniently located in the teacher's manual) and my handy objective written on the board from last Thursday. Boom. Let's do it.

Here are the "went well" comments
"1) enthusiastic 2) lesson pace very good 3) gives specific directions & expectations 4) guides practice 5) knows content & uses academic language 6) children understand fact families! Awesome job"

Heck yeah!! I'm sorry for bragging, but I'm just really excited that this whole future career/student teaching thing is going super well.

In other news, here are some questions from the back of the class...

  • What the heck is going on with the government? Why are we closed? Since my roommate Kat graduated and left me for the west coast again (seriously, can someone please just squish the map up between here and there?!) I am so lost. Politics are not my thing. Neither is government. I'm lost. 
  • How am I still functioning on so little sleep? I feel like this shouldn't be a thing. Maybe it's a side effect from living with Grace this summer. (Grace I hope you read this and know why.)
  • Who invented high heels and why did it feel like a good idea to wear mine all of Saturday night? OUCH. 
  • How awesome is spring semester gonna be when all I'm doing is running track and finishing up regular college classes? (HINT: it's gonna be GLORIOUS.)
  • When will I actually start studying for the Praxis II? Why do we even have to take that stupid thing? Who cares about pedagogy? WHYYYY??
That's all for now folks,
Peace, love, and Adam Levine, 
Jayna

Ps- I'm watching The Voice... Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Best Show Ever.