Words, thoughts, goals and visions of the SuperKids 2014 Interns
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Mid-Week Reflection
Day 3 has come to an end. Take a moment to reflect on all that you have experienced. What was your best memory? Your not so best? What have you learned about yourself and how you relate to the campers?
I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to implement the various instructional methods and behavior management strategies I have learned through my coursework at Towson and through the SKC training. I already see that this camp will provide me with the necessary tools to be prepared (or as prepared as possible) to begin my teaching career next year! It also gives me practice for my full time internship this upcoming school year.
The only challenge I have been faced with, thus far, has been the behavior issues and personality clashes with some of the campers. There are a few that are quite aggressive and bossy which causes me to feel like I am battling for authority in the classroom. Today, things were much better, for the simple fact that the ones who give me the most problems were absent.
I am learning to choose my battles with the campers and to not let every small disruption bother me. This is camp and although students need structure, they also need to have fun. I have had no problems getting through the lessons, so I know my time management is really efficient. I have been able to have conversations with majority of the campers. One of the campers speaks Croatian and he shared some sentences in his language with me today! :)
That is amazing and shows tremendous growth and gains already! I am excited to see what you have learned by the end of camp. Be prepared to present everything in Croatian, lol
Camp has been challenging and not what I expected of Super Kids. I enjoy all the campers and will post tons of pictures for your guys. I never feel overwhelmed by the children because I work too darn hard to keep them from getting even a hint of what we as staff deals with regularly to serve them. My personal challenge is that I know I have to keep from letting the obstacles burden me when I leave the building for the day. So far I'm maintaining that.
The most proud moment I had is seeing how all the staff step up despite of everything in order to make the most of the summer for our SCT site campers. I haven't learned anything new about myself thus far.
I am very displeased with the site we are in and the conditions of the environment. It does not seem very enriching that the campers are exposed to certain circumstances. I've done my best making my room inviting, clean and safe but it does not meet my standards; I would not feel good about my boys being in similar conditions.
Through your post I think that you have learned a lot about yourself. What you are willing to accept as well what your standards are. I will say that the site can hamper you but it should not hamper the children's experience. For some, that school is their reality. If you are placed at a school like that it will be your reality as well. Understand your surroundings and find out how to make it work. Some don't have that choice.
This week has been both emotionally and physically draining, however, I have had an incredible time so far! With the exception of a few behavioral issues, my campers are wonderful and I am really enjoying getting to know them.
So far, my biggest struggle is finding a balance between the academic curriculum and making camp fun, like summer camp should be. My campers are never excited to complete writing prompts or spend long periods of time reading, so I am constantly trying to find ways to make these activities more fun, engaging, and rewarding for both the campers and myself - they aren't the only ones who want to have fun! There are a few students who are particularly difficult to accommodate for during the day - I have one student from China who barely speaks any English and another student who I just found out is on the autism spectrum. Both students present a unique communication barrier, and getting them to do the prepared activities is always a struggle.
My best moment from the week would have to be today, when I finally got one of my students (the one on the autism spectrum) to participate in class without having to ask him. I can tell he is already feeling more comfortable in the classroom and at meals.
I agree with Claudette. Think about you learned when you were their age. What made reading fun (hopefully, it did). Use your mentors and site coordinators as resources. If they are not helpful, let Savadra know and Jennifer can possibly work with you. Writing is never fun :( lol
So far, my experience at Super Kids Camp has been phenominal! I really enjoyed bonding with the kids in this first week. They are all so unique, and it has been great to get to know them. Some of my best moments were during the service learning activities. The children love The Lorax, and we had so much fun decorating our milk cartons and planting our lima beans. Today, I reviewed what we learned this week about recycling, planting trees, and saving the earth. The campers learned so much! I was glad that could teach them such valuable lessons, and that the retained the information. It made me feel proud.
Some of the most challenging moments involved behavior issues and commanding authority.While most of the campers weren't too unruly, there were times when I struggled to get everything under control. I learned that I need to be more firm in order to get my point across. This is something that I will have to work on personally, since I want my class to respect me.
Overall, this week has been awesome. I'm suprised at how much I love my class already, and I can't wait to see everyone again on Monday!
My best memory was when a camper was crying on the playground and told me she had a bald spot. I created a story about how I had a bald spot when I was young and that no one noticed it because my smile was too big. I told her to practice on the monkey bars and let me know when she could get all the way around. Twenty minutes later I heard her calling "Mr. Bens! I can do the monkey bars!". My worst memory has to be seeing the disappointment in a child's face when they are told they have to wait out because they have been acting out. I have learned that I am able to create a classroom environment that is both fun and educational for campers. I relate to campers by identifying with struggles in their lives and letting them know that no matter what happens, life will work out in the best way possible.
Great Job Mr. Bens lol. That's adorable. Keep in mind that creative resolutions can be honest as well. We should always do our best to relate in a time of crisis as you did. Keep up the great work.
This week has been exhausting, fun, and rewarding.The SCT facility is not the best but my site coordinator and coworkers are awesome! We pull together to provide a great summer experience for the campers. It has only been a week of camp but it feels more like three! My favorite memory thus far, is a note and illustration one of my students wrote that says, "thanks for being my teacher.Your the best teacher in the world" .I'm sure it's not true :) but it made my day! My worst memory is the amount of campers I had in my class with behavioral issues.I spent entirely to much time correcting bad behaviors. I've related to the campers by joining in their play works activities. l also let them share stories with me about their day or their dog Sparky. They love it! I've learned to be far more flexible than I have been in the past and I look foward to the weeks ahead.
I am glad to hear that Chantel! It is the little things, especially the pictures (I love them) that would brighten my day even when I felt like crying and quitting. make sure you are talking to your mentors and using Path to Pax :)
This had been a long first week but it was amazing. There were struggles along the way but I have a great team so we always manage to figure things out. I know it sounds crazy because it's only the first week but I'm starting to love teaching and considering changing my major, it is a hard decision so I am still thinking on it.
My best memory thus far was seeing the students in my class apply what we learn in class to everyday life. After making our box to recycle things in, one of the students asked instead of throwing the cut up paper in the trash if he could recycle it. I was amazed because we had just learned about it an hour before and they were already gaining so much knowledge. They were so excited to all put their paper in there and the box is quickly filling up. Yesterday at pick-up one of my students went over to a tree and started breathing on it. I asked him what he was doing and he said I'm getting oxygen lol I thought that was so cute and I was proud to be able to say he was in my class and that if he didn't learn anything all week long that he knew that trees provide oxygen.
I really can't think of a not so best memory right now. I love my class and all the campers ! They are all so smart and energetic. Sometimes I can't believe the things that come out their mouths because they're so young but they know a lot already. We are still working on behavioral issues and the attitudes of some of the older girls but I'm sure with my amazing team we will get it!
I'm learning that I have more patience than I ever knew. Instead of just sending a kid out of my room who is misbehaving I want to talk to them and understand why they're upset or what's really the issue. I am enjoying my time at SKU and I can't believe we are already through week 1!
My first week was long but exciting. It was fun meeting the kids and also getting to know the other interns and mentors. This was everyone's first time at our school site so we were all feeling nervous excited about how camp would play out in a new school building.
My best memory would be setting up the classroom and meeting the campers for the first time. They were excited for camp and getting to know who I was. All they wanted to do was share who they were what they like to do and ask me tons of questions haha! I wouldn't say the worst part but definitely a difficult aspect was having parents become angry because they didn't know where to pick their child up or their child forgot where to meet their parent. After the first couple days that wasn't an issue anymore.
Overall the first week has been a great one. Although we have many kids at our site we somehow manage to make sure everyone's needs are met and we do our best to create a great summer for everyone
The first week is always rough! thank you for being a trooper :) It does get better. It is definitely quieter here in the office. You will manage and create a phenomenal summer for all!
As I have in past experiences, I instantly connected with the kids this first week. I have personally loved seeing their growth, however small, during this first week. For example, I have a child in my class, Chuck* who has a very hard time behaving appropriately, following directions, etc. This first two days he was a major distraction to the entire group of kids; he did not want to participate in any activity that he did not choose himself and he has quite a sailor’s mouth. Yet by Thursday he was acting much better in the classroom and was producing quality work compared to earlier in the week. To see improvement in just a couple of days is the greatest joy for me, in working with children.
Unfortunately, our site has been very disorganized and we do not seem to mesh very well as a staff. I’m hoping open communication will decrease the distance between our staff members, but I’m not sure. Although we all have the best interest of the campers in mind, by us not being on the same page it is creating a confusing environment for the children.
I’m optimistic about the next five weeks, excited to see more growth from my students, and hope to diminish disputes between staff members.
I am sorry for the opening confusion. I am extremely optimistic about the following weeks. You have a lot of experience and knowledge at your site. When tapped appropriately will make for a wonderful experience.
I could not be more excited to be spending the entire summer with the group of kids that I have met this week! So far my experience with SuperKids has been awesome!
My most memorable moment in the classroom occurred with one of my most difficult students on Tuesday. She refused to participate in a writing activity on the first day of camp and I didn't realize until she returned the assignment. So, on the second day I asked her why she had refused and she simply replied that she didn't want to write about trash (like the activity asked), she wanted to write about a picture she had drawn on the back of the paper. So I asked her if she wanted to write a story about the trash, rather than just describing the picture of a trash pile. Finally after a little bit of pushing she agreed that she would do it. However, once she returned to her desk, she turned to her twin sister and asked her to do it with her, even though her sister was busy with her own work. So, I called her over to me again and asked her if she needed my help so that she wouldn't disturb her sister and she did. Finally, I got her to start writing after learning that she was hesitating because she didn't know how to spell once and she wanted to start her story with once upon a time. So after I helped her with that she wrote quietly at my desk for about 5 minutes and handed it back to me with a huge smile and she said, "Ms. Emily I filled up the whole page cause I needed it to finish the story! I hope that's okay". She even asked me if she could go home and still write a story about the picture she drew. So of course I said yes! It was really awesome to finally break through and see her so excited.
I have really enjoyed this first week and I can't wait to spend the next 5 weeks with my class! I already know that the goodbyes at the end of the summer are going to be extremely difficult.
This week has been full of ups and downs at our site. Despite the seemingly never-ending disputes and palpable tension within the staff group, we have an amazing group of students and I'm sure these initial setbacks will resolve themselves over time. I am particularly excited to work with one student, a rising third grader with ADHD and more personality than I've ever witnessed in one individual. Because of the leveling process, we did not have our permanent classes until Friday morning. However, this student has been in my class since day one. Within five minutes of being in class with him on Monday, I could tell this student would need extra attention. He constantly called out, struggled to focus on anything I was saying, often refused to do what was asked of him, and boasted to the class about how often he got in trouble at school. By the end of the day I was pretty drained, but also optimistic that this summer would be one of improvement and growth for this student. On Tuesday, when I pulled out my chart paper to make our trash word web, this student perked up and suggested that we make a class mural to match my ocean-themed classroom. I had never seen this student so excited about anything remotely related to classwork, and I could see that art would be a useful means to get this student to be enthusiastic about learning. I told him that if we finished our word web, we could take some time to work on this class mural. When the time came, he took the lead by drawing the outline of the waves and the sun and helped his fellow classmates come up with what they wanted to add to the mural. I was incredibly proud of how devoted he was to this project and how willing he was to do do other activities that I had planned both before and after we worked on our mural. Working with this student this week taught me how important it is to help students find an area of interest that connects with the work they're doing to do in class. I've also learned that the students who may seem like they'll be nothing but trouble at first might end up being those that you as a teacher find yourself connecting with the most. Even though it's only been a week, this student is one who I especially care about and want to succeed.
There is always that one student that we connect to. It is great that you found him on Day One. This will be the kid that you stay in contact with and he may even invite you to his high school graduation. Wonderful!
My experience at camp has already been incredible and I cannot wait to see what the next few weeks have in store. I just wrote an entire long blog post that was elaborate but unfortunately it got deleted so I am going to make this one a little bit shorter and to the point.
I have had many moment at camp that have made me love this job more and more. Two things happen so far that stand out the most to me. When the kids were all asked to write a friendly letter about some of the things we have learned so far one boy in particular gave me a really hard time and was fussing about how he didn't want to. As I got the rest of the kids started I walked over to him to see an alternative that would work out better for him. I kneeled down next to him and asked him why he didn't want to do this. He shrugged his shoulders so I asked him if there was something else he could do to show me what he had learned such as drawing. He said no. I asked if there were words or anything, anything at all that he could think of that he could write down for me. He then proceeded to tell me that he couldn't spell. I told him that whenever he needed spelling help he could ask me and that it was something that we could work on together. I also told him to work on sounding out things and as many other tricks that I could think of at the time. He began with the first word of his letter, Dear. He spelled it Deer like the animal and I took that as a teaching opportunity for the whole class to teach them about words that sound the same but are spelled differently and mean different things. He changed his spelling at the top of his page and I was assisting another student in the meantime. When I got back to him he had started writing his story. I was so proud of him and made sure to tell him. I also looked at his spelling and saw that he spelled really well! I learned that from just a little one on one talk or assistance confidence can be instilled that helps a kid to exceed even further than they thought they could. Another thing happened that really stood out to me and made me laugh and proud. While talking about recycling I made sure to bring in lots of examples from my own life and make it interesting. One of the things I brought in was a sock and I put it on my hand and explained how my mom dusts and cleans with a sock because she can wash it to clean it instead of throwing away a lot of paper towels. Later that day we were at a museum when the woman speaking asked all of the kids what people may have used socks for. Two of the boys from my classroom raised their hands and said cleaning. I was so proud of them I went up to them to given them high fives. Later on in the week I had a day where four students were crying at different times. All for silly reasons, but to a 7 year old a very big deal. One boy was crying because we stopped playing a math game right as it was about to be his turn again. I learned on this day how to look into their perspective and balance a lot of different emotions from the kids at once. I thought the day would never end but it actually ended with one of the girls writing me a really sweet letter. She cut out a heart and wrote "Dear Ms.Taylor you are not only my camp teacher but you are my best friend for everyday." Little things like this make the more difficult times all worth it. I have found a great love and passion for this job. I am able to relate to the kids and explain things to them in ways I never knew I could. I also find myself adjusting things to make them more fun for the kids and anything else I can to make sure they are getting the best experience possible. I come home everyday exhausted but raving about the kids and things they say and do. I also find myself proud of myself and how I think the kids are receptive (for the most part) to the environment in our room during the day. I am excited to see what the next five weeks bring.
I teared up reading your post. That is awesome! Please continue doing what you are doing as you are truly making a difference in these children's lives!
First week of superkids, fun but exhausting. My best memory and my not so best memory. None yet. It has been trial an error with so far with most things that has been going on in my classroom. I agree that it is very hard finding that balance between following the curriculum and making the camp still fun, I mean its camp! Now, there are some parents who are very challenging, but that's a discussion for a different time. I like the fact that this is my first time in a classroom alone, so I can see what I am doing wrong, and what I'm doing correctly. And surely, my class will let me know by their reactions. As each day goes on, it gets easier and easier being alone with 17 students. But something that I have noticed about myself is that I have to have everything I'm going to do every morning down to a T because if I don't i'll get overwhelmed. Myself and another intern at my site sit every morning and plan how our lessons are going to go. Though everything is all laid out for us, I feel like each class has a different vibe that needs to be captured. Sitting here reflecting on this, I have noticed some random things that I need to improve on myself, but I'm sure as the weeks go on I'll have more to write about.
Ok well maybe I do have a best memory. On my first day I was sitting at a desk outside greeting parents who needed to sign their children in. So I saw a very tall young man walking off one of the busses. When we called role on the first day and got to our classes he introduced himself to me. He is autistic and is the sweetest kid I’ve ever met. He wasn’t in my class after the first day but every time I see him he greets me and tells me he is having a great day. Though sometimes I don’t have the time to speak with him for long, I love the time that I do have to sit and talk to him about his day.
I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to implement the various instructional methods and behavior management strategies I have learned through my coursework at Towson and through the SKC training. I already see that this camp will provide me with the necessary tools to be prepared (or as prepared as possible) to begin my teaching career next year! It also gives me practice for my full time internship this upcoming school year.
ReplyDeleteThe only challenge I have been faced with, thus far, has been the behavior issues and personality clashes with some of the campers. There are a few that are quite aggressive and bossy which causes me to feel like I am battling for authority in the classroom. Today, things were much better, for the simple fact that the ones who give me the most problems were absent.
I am learning to choose my battles with the campers and to not let every small disruption bother me. This is camp and although students need structure, they also need to have fun. I have had no problems getting through the lessons, so I know my time management is really efficient. I have been able to have conversations with majority of the campers. One of the campers speaks Croatian and he shared some sentences in his language with me today! :)
That is amazing and shows tremendous growth and gains already! I am excited to see what you have learned by the end of camp. Be prepared to present everything in Croatian, lol
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ReplyDeleteCamp has been challenging and not what I expected of Super Kids. I enjoy all the campers and will post tons of pictures for your guys. I never feel overwhelmed by the children because I work too darn hard to keep them from getting even a hint of what we as staff deals with regularly to serve them. My personal challenge is that I know I have to keep from letting the obstacles burden me when I leave the building for the day. So far I'm maintaining that.
ReplyDeleteThe most proud moment I had is seeing how all the staff step up despite of everything in order to make the most of the summer for our SCT site campers. I haven't learned anything new about myself thus far.
I am very displeased with the site we are in and the conditions of the environment. It does not seem very enriching that the campers are exposed to certain circumstances. I've done my best making my room inviting, clean and safe but it does not meet my standards; I would not feel good about my boys being in similar conditions.
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DeleteI couldn't have said it better!
DeleteThrough your post I think that you have learned a lot about yourself. What you are willing to accept as well what your standards are. I will say that the site can hamper you but it should not hamper the children's experience. For some, that school is their reality. If you are placed at a school like that it will be your reality as well. Understand your surroundings and find out how to make it work. Some don't have that choice.
DeleteThis week has been both emotionally and physically draining, however, I have had an incredible time so far! With the exception of a few behavioral issues, my campers are wonderful and I am really enjoying getting to know them.
ReplyDeleteSo far, my biggest struggle is finding a balance between the academic curriculum and making camp fun, like summer camp should be. My campers are never excited to complete writing prompts or spend long periods of time reading, so I am constantly trying to find ways to make these activities more fun, engaging, and rewarding for both the campers and myself - they aren't the only ones who want to have fun! There are a few students who are particularly difficult to accommodate for during the day - I have one student from China who barely speaks any English and another student who I just found out is on the autism spectrum. Both students present a unique communication barrier, and getting them to do the prepared activities is always a struggle.
My best moment from the week would have to be today, when I finally got one of my students (the one on the autism spectrum) to participate in class without having to ask him. I can tell he is already feeling more comfortable in the classroom and at meals.
Stay positive Emma! Your willingness to work with children with shortcomings will be very rewarding in the end as you can see already.
DeleteI agree with Claudette. Think about you learned when you were their age. What made reading fun (hopefully, it did). Use your mentors and site coordinators as resources. If they are not helpful, let Savadra know and Jennifer can possibly work with you. Writing is never fun :( lol
DeleteSo far, my experience at Super Kids Camp has been phenominal! I really enjoyed bonding with the kids in this first week. They are all so unique, and it has been great to get to know them. Some of my best moments were during the service learning activities. The children love The Lorax, and we had so much fun decorating our milk cartons and planting our lima beans. Today, I reviewed what we learned this week about recycling, planting trees, and saving the earth. The campers learned so much! I was glad that could teach them such valuable lessons, and that the retained the information. It made me feel proud.
ReplyDeleteSome of the most challenging moments involved behavior issues and commanding authority.While most of the campers weren't too unruly, there were times when I struggled to get everything under control. I learned that I need to be more firm in order to get my point across. This is something that I will have to work on personally, since I want my class to respect me.
Overall, this week has been awesome. I'm suprised at how much I love my class already, and I can't wait to see everyone again on Monday!
That is great to hear! At the next dinner I would love for everyone to share out their best practices.
DeleteMy best memory was when a camper was crying on the playground and told me she had a bald spot. I created a story about how I had a bald spot when I was young and that no one noticed it because my smile was too big. I told her to practice on the monkey bars and let me know when she could get all the way around. Twenty minutes later I heard her calling "Mr. Bens! I can do the monkey bars!".
ReplyDeleteMy worst memory has to be seeing the disappointment in a child's face when they are told they have to wait out because they have been acting out.
I have learned that I am able to create a classroom environment that is both fun and educational for campers. I relate to campers by identifying with struggles in their lives and letting them know that no matter what happens, life will work out in the best way possible.
Great Job Mr. Bens lol. That's adorable. Keep in mind that creative resolutions can be honest as well. We should always do our best to relate in a time of crisis as you did. Keep up the great work.
DeleteThat story resonates with me to this day. You listened and made the camper feel wanted. Your classroom environment is amazing! Keep up the good work!
DeleteThis week has been exhausting, fun, and rewarding.The SCT facility is not the best but my site coordinator and coworkers are awesome! We pull together to provide a great summer experience for the campers. It has only been a week of camp but it feels more like three!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite memory thus far, is a note and illustration one of my students wrote that says, "thanks for being my teacher.Your the best teacher in the world" .I'm sure it's not true :) but it made my day!
My worst memory is the amount of campers I had in my class with behavioral issues.I spent entirely to much time correcting bad behaviors.
I've related to the campers by joining in their play works activities. l also let them share stories with me about their day or their dog Sparky. They love it! I've learned to be far more flexible than I have been in the past and I look foward to the weeks ahead.
I am glad to hear that Chantel! It is the little things, especially the pictures (I love them) that would brighten my day even when I felt like crying and quitting. make sure you are talking to your mentors and using Path to Pax :)
DeleteThis had been a long first week but it was amazing. There were struggles along the way but I have a great team so we always manage to figure things out. I know it sounds crazy because it's only the first week but I'm starting to love teaching and considering changing my major, it is a hard decision so I am still thinking on it.
ReplyDeleteMy best memory thus far was seeing the students in my class apply what we learn in class to everyday life. After making our box to recycle things in, one of the students asked instead of throwing the cut up paper in the trash if he could recycle it. I was amazed because we had just learned about it an hour before and they were already gaining so much knowledge. They were so excited to all put their paper in there and the box is quickly filling up. Yesterday at pick-up one of my students went over to a tree and started breathing on it. I asked him what he was doing and he said I'm getting oxygen lol I thought that was so cute and I was proud to be able to say he was in my class and that if he didn't learn anything all week long that he knew that trees provide oxygen.
I really can't think of a not so best memory right now. I love my class and all the campers ! They are all so smart and energetic. Sometimes I can't believe the things that come out their mouths because they're so young but they know a lot already. We are still working on behavioral issues and the attitudes of some of the older girls but I'm sure with my amazing team we will get it!
I'm learning that I have more patience than I ever knew. Instead of just sending a kid out of my room who is misbehaving I want to talk to them and understand why they're upset or what's really the issue. I am enjoying my time at SKU and I can't believe we are already through week 1!
Nice moments you shared! The children make you feel/say/do more then you know you had in you!
DeleteThey absolutely do! I'm learning from them just as they are learning from me.
DeleteAmazing! I love what you are learning about them and yourself! This is what this internship experience is about!
DeleteMy first week was long but exciting. It was fun meeting the kids and also getting to know the other interns and mentors. This was everyone's first time at our school site so we were all feeling nervous excited about how camp would play out in a new school building.
ReplyDeleteMy best memory would be setting up the classroom and meeting the campers for the first time. They were excited for camp and getting to know who I was. All they wanted to do was share who they were what they like to do and ask me tons of questions haha!
I wouldn't say the worst part but definitely a difficult aspect was having parents become angry because they didn't know where to pick their child up or their child forgot where to meet their parent. After the first couple days that wasn't an issue anymore.
Overall the first week has been a great one. Although we have many kids at our site we somehow manage to make sure everyone's needs are met and we do our best to create a great summer for everyone
The first week is always rough! thank you for being a trooper :) It does get better. It is definitely quieter here in the office. You will manage and create a phenomenal summer for all!
DeleteAs I have in past experiences, I instantly connected with the kids this first week. I have personally loved seeing their growth, however small, during this first week. For example, I have a child in my class, Chuck* who has a very hard time behaving appropriately, following directions, etc. This first two days he was a major distraction to the entire group of kids; he did not want to participate in any activity that he did not choose himself and he has quite a sailor’s mouth. Yet by Thursday he was acting much better in the classroom and was producing quality work compared to earlier in the week. To see improvement in just a couple of days is the greatest joy for me, in working with children.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, our site has been very disorganized and we do not seem to mesh very well as a staff. I’m hoping open communication will decrease the distance between our staff members, but I’m not sure. Although we all have the best interest of the campers in mind, by us not being on the same page it is creating a confusing environment for the children.
I’m optimistic about the next five weeks, excited to see more growth from my students, and hope to diminish disputes between staff members.
I am sorry for the opening confusion. I am extremely optimistic about the following weeks. You have a lot of experience and knowledge at your site. When tapped appropriately will make for a wonderful experience.
DeleteI could not be more excited to be spending the entire summer with the group of kids that I have met this week! So far my experience with SuperKids has been awesome!
ReplyDeleteMy most memorable moment in the classroom occurred with one of my most difficult students on Tuesday. She refused to participate in a writing activity on the first day of camp and I didn't realize until she returned the assignment. So, on the second day I asked her why she had refused and she simply replied that she didn't want to write about trash (like the activity asked), she wanted to write about a picture she had drawn on the back of the paper. So I asked her if she wanted to write a story about the trash, rather than just describing the picture of a trash pile. Finally after a little bit of pushing she agreed that she would do it. However, once she returned to her desk, she turned to her twin sister and asked her to do it with her, even though her sister was busy with her own work. So, I called her over to me again and asked her if she needed my help so that she wouldn't disturb her sister and she did. Finally, I got her to start writing after learning that she was hesitating because she didn't know how to spell once and she wanted to start her story with once upon a time. So after I helped her with that she wrote quietly at my desk for about 5 minutes and handed it back to me with a huge smile and she said, "Ms. Emily I filled up the whole page cause I needed it to finish the story! I hope that's okay". She even asked me if she could go home and still write a story about the picture she drew. So of course I said yes! It was really awesome to finally break through and see her so excited.
I have really enjoyed this first week and I can't wait to spend the next 5 weeks with my class! I already know that the goodbyes at the end of the summer are going to be extremely difficult.
Great! Thank you for sharing this story again. Get your Kleenex ready :)
DeleteThis week has been full of ups and downs at our site. Despite the seemingly never-ending disputes and palpable tension within the staff group, we have an amazing group of students and I'm sure these initial setbacks will resolve themselves over time. I am particularly excited to work with one student, a rising third grader with ADHD and more personality than I've ever witnessed in one individual. Because of the leveling process, we did not have our permanent classes until Friday morning. However, this student has been in my class since day one. Within five minutes of being in class with him on Monday, I could tell this student would need extra attention. He constantly called out, struggled to focus on anything I was saying, often refused to do what was asked of him, and boasted to the class about how often he got in trouble at school. By the end of the day I was pretty drained, but also optimistic that this summer would be one of improvement and growth for this student. On Tuesday, when I pulled out my chart paper to make our trash word web, this student perked up and suggested that we make a class mural to match my ocean-themed classroom. I had never seen this student so excited about anything remotely related to classwork, and I could see that art would be a useful means to get this student to be enthusiastic about learning. I told him that if we finished our word web, we could take some time to work on this class mural. When the time came, he took the lead by drawing the outline of the waves and the sun and helped his fellow classmates come up with what they wanted to add to the mural. I was incredibly proud of how devoted he was to this project and how willing he was to do do other activities that I had planned both before and after we worked on our mural. Working with this student this week taught me how important it is to help students find an area of interest that connects with the work they're doing to do in class. I've also learned that the students who may seem like they'll be nothing but trouble at first might end up being those that you as a teacher find yourself connecting with the most. Even though it's only been a week, this student is one who I especially care about and want to succeed.
ReplyDeleteThere is always that one student that we connect to. It is great that you found him on Day One. This will be the kid that you stay in contact with and he may even invite you to his high school graduation. Wonderful!
DeleteMy experience at camp has already been incredible and I cannot wait to see what the next few weeks have in store. I just wrote an entire long blog post that was elaborate but unfortunately it got deleted so I am going to make this one a little bit shorter and to the point.
ReplyDeleteI have had many moment at camp that have made me love this job more and more. Two things happen so far that stand out the most to me. When the kids were all asked to write a friendly letter about some of the things we have learned so far one boy in particular gave me a really hard time and was fussing about how he didn't want to. As I got the rest of the kids started I walked over to him to see an alternative that would work out better for him. I kneeled down next to him and asked him why he didn't want to do this. He shrugged his shoulders so I asked him if there was something else he could do to show me what he had learned such as drawing. He said no. I asked if there were words or anything, anything at all that he could think of that he could write down for me. He then proceeded to tell me that he couldn't spell. I told him that whenever he needed spelling help he could ask me and that it was something that we could work on together. I also told him to work on sounding out things and as many other tricks that I could think of at the time. He began with the first word of his letter, Dear. He spelled it Deer like the animal and I took that as a teaching opportunity for the whole class to teach them about words that sound the same but are spelled differently and mean different things. He changed his spelling at the top of his page and I was assisting another student in the meantime. When I got back to him he had started writing his story. I was so proud of him and made sure to tell him. I also looked at his spelling and saw that he spelled really well! I learned that from just a little one on one talk or assistance confidence can be instilled that helps a kid to exceed even further than they thought they could. Another thing happened that really stood out to me and made me laugh and proud. While talking about recycling I made sure to bring in lots of examples from my own life and make it interesting. One of the things I brought in was a sock and I put it on my hand and explained how my mom dusts and cleans with a sock because she can wash it to clean it instead of throwing away a lot of paper towels. Later that day we were at a museum when the woman speaking asked all of the kids what people may have used socks for. Two of the boys from my classroom raised their hands and said cleaning. I was so proud of them I went up to them to given them high fives.
Later on in the week I had a day where four students were crying at different times. All for silly reasons, but to a 7 year old a very big deal. One boy was crying because we stopped playing a math game right as it was about to be his turn again. I learned on this day how to look into their perspective and balance a lot of different emotions from the kids at once. I thought the day would never end but it actually ended with one of the girls writing me a really sweet letter. She cut out a heart and wrote "Dear Ms.Taylor you are not only my camp teacher but you are my best friend for everyday." Little things like this make the more difficult times all worth it.
I have found a great love and passion for this job. I am able to relate to the kids and explain things to them in ways I never knew I could. I also find myself adjusting things to make them more fun for the kids and anything else I can to make sure they are getting the best experience possible. I come home everyday exhausted but raving about the kids and things they say and do. I also find myself proud of myself and how I think the kids are receptive (for the most part) to the environment in our room during the day. I am excited to see what the next five weeks bring.
I teared up reading your post. That is awesome! Please continue doing what you are doing as you are truly making a difference in these children's lives!
DeleteFirst week of superkids, fun but exhausting. My best memory and my not so best memory. None yet. It has been trial an error with so far with most things that has been going on in my classroom. I agree that it is very hard finding that balance between following the curriculum and making the camp still fun, I mean its camp! Now, there are some parents who are very challenging, but that's a discussion for a different time. I like the fact that this is my first time in a classroom alone, so I can see what I am doing wrong, and what I'm doing correctly. And surely, my class will let me know by their reactions. As each day goes on, it gets easier and easier being alone with 17 students. But something that I have noticed about myself is that I have to have everything I'm going to do every morning down to a T because if I don't i'll get overwhelmed. Myself and another intern at my site sit every morning and plan how our lessons are going to go. Though everything is all laid out for us, I feel like each class has a different vibe that needs to be captured. Sitting here reflecting on this, I have noticed some random things that I need to improve on myself, but I'm sure as the weeks go on I'll have more to write about.
ReplyDeleteOk well maybe I do have a best memory. On my first day I was sitting at a desk outside greeting parents who needed to sign their children in. So I saw a very tall young man walking off one of the busses. When we called role on the first day and got to our classes he introduced himself to me. He is autistic and is the sweetest kid I’ve ever met. He wasn’t in my class after the first day but every time I see him he greets me and tells me he is having a great day. Though sometimes I don’t have the time to speak with him for long, I love the time that I do have to sit and talk to him about his day.
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