The humidity has FINALLY resided and it is now 80 degrees and VERY enjoyable, Finally! It is so nice to wake up in the morning to the temperature being in the 50's and getting to wear a coat or a sweatshirt. Life continues to trek on. We just finished our first 9 weeks, so 1/4 of the way through the school year. Time is flying by! I still have my 4th graders who I am growing to really enjoy. It is amazing how attached a teacher can become, they're in my dreams and nightmares while I sleep which is scary! The first thought I wake up with in the morning is usually something about one of my children, yikes!
I am somewhat terrified of the idea that they have to pass the writing state assessment with a 90% this year when last year's 4th graders scored a 40%. This is a climb! In some ways I feel really prepared and in other ways I do not. I don't feel like I am know how to teach writing perfectly, not even close. I am having a hard time teaching my students to find voice in their writing. Also, how to pull things out of their heads and put them on paper, motivating the reluctant writer is so hard!
Coaching swimming has been my highlight down here. I love it. I have a lot more experience than the head coach of my team (and he is a year younger and still a college student) but it doesn't seem to be a problem. He trusts me and allows me to do a lot. Including writing workouts. The guys had their first swimmeet yesterday and swam a ton faster than their times at the same meet a year ago. This Saturday we have an all day invitational. It is wonderful being around swimming and even nicer to be around older students that I can converse with about college, goals, life, news, etc. They're really a bunch of fun.
One of my close fraternity brothers from Whitman is training in Houston this week for his new job in Alaska. It has been wonderful getting to be around a Whittie and someone who I have a relationship with.
I hope all is well at home, looking forward to hearing from you guys!
Robert
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Fall Visit to the NW
I am on an airplane coming back from paradise. I just spent 5 days in Walla Walla frolicking in the Walla Walla leaves of many colors and breathing fresh air while drinking delicious water. It was a wonderful trip yet so hard to leave. It was great to see friends and places enjoyed while I was student, but hard as I am headed back to Texas.
I am still having a difficult time enjoying Texas. The city of Houston is just so large and ugly and lacks the crisp air and beauty that the NW spoils its residents with. There are positives; I really enjoy the two nights a week that I get to swim with the Master's team. I enjoy coaching swimming at St. Thomas High School (a privileged all boys Catholic school). I also enjoy working with my scholars despite how it exhausting it can be.
I am temporarily teaching 4th grade Reading and Writing in a bilingual classroom. I am not qualified to teach bilingual education, as clearly I am not bilingual. My principal decided to break the two bilingual classes in half based on their English proficiency level. So, I have the advanced English speakers and for the most part they can understand me and it works. However, there is a lot of work to be done to prepare them for the writing state assessment that they have to take in English in February. My students have not been taught in English before. Because of this, my students' writing is really poor in English. A big task as they HAVE to pass the test for my school's accountability rating and my job!
Last week I took my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade gifted and talented students to Rice University. I took 20 kids and 8 parents. It was great exposure for them. Most of them had never been to Rice before or the West side of town. I think the college visit inspired my students and helped begin the process of them realizing that they can go to college. One of my little 3rd graders told our tour guide that he would see him in 10 years as a student at Rice. Another girl argued with him saying she was going to Stanford. The best part was a few of them arguing that they are going to go where Mr. Street went and go to Whitman!
I worry about my job sometimes as it could be eliminated. I am being funded by special education dollars and still do not have special education students. I am illegally teaching 4th grade and the gifted and talented job role is not enough to keep me employed. So, if HISD found out that I still did not have kids and was still being funded, they potentially could dissolve my position. I would be switched to another school if that were the case and be hired for a potentially very different special education position... I am not sure that I realistically could handle that.
I love hearing from all of you guys. Happy fall!
Robert
I am still having a difficult time enjoying Texas. The city of Houston is just so large and ugly and lacks the crisp air and beauty that the NW spoils its residents with. There are positives; I really enjoy the two nights a week that I get to swim with the Master's team. I enjoy coaching swimming at St. Thomas High School (a privileged all boys Catholic school). I also enjoy working with my scholars despite how it exhausting it can be.
I am temporarily teaching 4th grade Reading and Writing in a bilingual classroom. I am not qualified to teach bilingual education, as clearly I am not bilingual. My principal decided to break the two bilingual classes in half based on their English proficiency level. So, I have the advanced English speakers and for the most part they can understand me and it works. However, there is a lot of work to be done to prepare them for the writing state assessment that they have to take in English in February. My students have not been taught in English before. Because of this, my students' writing is really poor in English. A big task as they HAVE to pass the test for my school's accountability rating and my job!
Last week I took my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade gifted and talented students to Rice University. I took 20 kids and 8 parents. It was great exposure for them. Most of them had never been to Rice before or the West side of town. I think the college visit inspired my students and helped begin the process of them realizing that they can go to college. One of my little 3rd graders told our tour guide that he would see him in 10 years as a student at Rice. Another girl argued with him saying she was going to Stanford. The best part was a few of them arguing that they are going to go where Mr. Street went and go to Whitman!
I worry about my job sometimes as it could be eliminated. I am being funded by special education dollars and still do not have special education students. I am illegally teaching 4th grade and the gifted and talented job role is not enough to keep me employed. So, if HISD found out that I still did not have kids and was still being funded, they potentially could dissolve my position. I would be switched to another school if that were the case and be hired for a potentially very different special education position... I am not sure that I realistically could handle that.
I love hearing from all of you guys. Happy fall!
Robert
Monday, October 1, 2007
Yes, I am in Texas
I was at spinning class tonight and was reminded that, yes, I am in Texas. For those of you unfamiliar with "spinning" it is a cycling class that lasts about an hour and is in sync with music to get your legs going as one traverses imaginary hills, roads, and high mountains. The first song played tonight was a Christian praise song, cool, I can exercise to this one song. As the songs kept on going, I realized they were all praise songs and yes, I was indeed in the "devotion in motion" hour with my preacher spin instructor. He praised through the whole ride telling us to just let it go and to peddle it out. It all made sense when I remembered I was at the YMCA and that there was a reason for the bilbe that graced the fornt entrance of the doors to the gym. As I spun, the precher/instructor sing alot, liftingt his hands up in the air, I could not believe where I was! Yes, I was reminded that I am in Texas, and in Texas, nothing makes sense!
Today was an interesting day, I taught 4th grade all day. I struggled with a boy who was struggling with the ADHD demon inside him that was uncontrolled due to his running out of medicine at home. I have not ever dealt with a child so crazed and so hard to work with. He could not even write his name on his paper. He understood his behavior and I believe was frustrated. I sincerely believe he could not help what he was doing. It made class VERY hard and caused a good majority of the class to be off task and unable to work.
I gave a presentation to my colleagues today on the Gifted and Talented program at Gallegos, I received great feedback but was nervous as hell giving it. There are some who think I am too inexperienced to be doing what I am doing and others upset that I don't technically have my own classroom... time, time will show I am capable and have the heart and passion to do everything I can so that our kids with amazing minds can see the reality of a college education. I am attaching photos of my classroom.
Much love!
Robert
I was at spinning class tonight and reminded that, yes, I am in Texas. For those of you unfamilar with "spinning" it is cycling class that last about an hour and is insync with music to get your legs going as one traverses imaginary hills, roads, and high mountains. The first song played tonight was a Christian praise song, cool, I can excercise to this one song. As the songs kept on going, I realized they were all praise songs and yes, I was indeed in the "devotion in motion" hour with my preacher spin instructor. He praised through the whole ride telling us to just let it go and to peddle it out. Yes, I was reminded that I am in Texas and in Texas, nothing makes sense.
Today was an interesting day, I taught 4th grade all day. I struggled with a boy who was stuggling with the ADHD demon inside him that was uncontrolled due to running out of medicine. I have not ever dealt with a child so crazed and so hard to work with. He could not even write his name on his paper. He understood his behavior and I believe was frustrated, and for a lot of it, I sincerely believe he could not help what he was doing. It made class VERY hard and caused a good majority of the class to be off task and unable to work.
I gave a presentation to my colleagues today on the Gifted and Talented program at Gallegos, I received great feedback but was nervous as hell giving it. There are some who think I am too inexperienced to be doing what I am doing and others upset that I don't technically have my own classroom... time, time will show I am capable and have the heart and passion to do everything I can so that our kids with amazing minds can see the reality of a college education. I am attaching photos of my classroom.
Much love!
Robert
Today was an interesting day, I taught 4th grade all day. I struggled with a boy who was stuggling with the ADHD demon inside him that was uncontrolled due to running out of medicine. I have not ever dealt with a child so crazed and so hard to work with. He could not even write his name on his paper. He understood his behavior and I believe was frustrated, and for a lot of it, I sincerely believe he could not help what he was doing. It made class VERY hard and caused a good majority of the class to be off task and unable to work.
I gave a presentation to my colleagues today on the Gifted and Talented program at Gallegos, I received great feedback but was nervous as hell giving it. There are some who think I am too inexperienced to be doing what I am doing and others upset that I don't technically have my own classroom... time, time will show I am capable and have the heart and passion to do everything I can so that our kids with amazing minds can see the reality of a college education. I am attaching photos of my classroom.
Much love!
Robert
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