So, yesterday I got to meet with my principal to discuss my upcoming year!
In our meeting I got to have a few questions answered (I get to start in my classroom on December 10th officially), got to meet a good portion of the staff I'll be working with, and got a tour of the campus.
Let me just say, when I walked into what will now be MY CLASSROOM, It is HUGE!
I seriously cannot wait to get in there and start making it my own.
My classroom currently has a Long Term Substitute that has been proving my students with their special education services.
That being said, a substitute isn't likely to create anchor charts and decorate the room when it's not a place she will be staying in permanently. So the wall are BARE. This can be condusive to learning for some students in special education, but I'm really hoping my students are down for some decor...because bare, white, brick walls just isn't doing it for me!
Now they are super excited for me to be coming in so the students have more stability with their teacher! I met the sub and she seems fabulous, but she and I have a ton to catch up on in the next few weeks (she already knows these students and I have a ton to catch up on)!
In the coming weeks, hopefully prior to Winter Break, I'll have an opportunity to decorate and upload some pictures of the fabulousness.
Remember, this is Mrs. D's Diamond...I'm finding my diamonds in the rough...so that will be my overall theme and it's going to ROCK!!! :)
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Student Teaching...iTeachAZ
So over the past year, I have been part of an AMAZING program through Arizona State University. Sure there have been trials and tribulations, as there are with anything good in life, but I have grown!
Without this amazing new iTeachAZ program, I would not be the teacher I am today. While I am still feeling my way through this learning experience, each day, I am learning so many valuable lessons that many first year teachers cannot even dream of.
I am happy to say I have had many teaching opportunities presented to me!
Had you asked me at the beginning of this semester where I thought I would be in December, I would have said a 3-5th grade general education classroom. Since I'm Dual Certified in Elementary and Special Education, I have my choice of the two, and general ed was where I believed I was destined. Having spent my time this semester in the most amazing of placements, my passion now lies elsewhere.
I have ACCEPTED a position in my home district to be a Special Education Resource teacher for 4th and 5th graders. Seriously this is my dream job! It's close to home, it's a Rodel eligible school (which means I will continue to receive benefits of being a Rodel Promising Student teacher...and with student growth have the opportunity, in the future, to be a Rodel Exemplary Teacher), and it's a special education position which is where I have found my calling. No i'm not looking forward to paperwork, but who really likes that anyways? It's part of the job! I'm just excited to be living my dream in a few short weeks and changing students lives!
Without this amazing new iTeachAZ program, I would not be the teacher I am today. While I am still feeling my way through this learning experience, each day, I am learning so many valuable lessons that many first year teachers cannot even dream of.
I am happy to say I have had many teaching opportunities presented to me!
Had you asked me at the beginning of this semester where I thought I would be in December, I would have said a 3-5th grade general education classroom. Since I'm Dual Certified in Elementary and Special Education, I have my choice of the two, and general ed was where I believed I was destined. Having spent my time this semester in the most amazing of placements, my passion now lies elsewhere.
I have ACCEPTED a position in my home district to be a Special Education Resource teacher for 4th and 5th graders. Seriously this is my dream job! It's close to home, it's a Rodel eligible school (which means I will continue to receive benefits of being a Rodel Promising Student teacher...and with student growth have the opportunity, in the future, to be a Rodel Exemplary Teacher), and it's a special education position which is where I have found my calling. No i'm not looking forward to paperwork, but who really likes that anyways? It's part of the job! I'm just excited to be living my dream in a few short weeks and changing students lives!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
First Classroom Visit...
So, last week I got to visit my new classroom for the semester.
This term I will be in a 3-6th grade resource room. Although the age group is a very comfortable area for me and where I hope to teach in the future, moving from General Ed to SPED is a major change.
Everything in a special education room is different and it's all about differentiating your instruction for each student to help them be successful. Where that is surely the primary goal in Every classroom, its much more individualized in a small special ed setting.
I learned that the class size will range from 4-12 students and we will be teaching writing, reading and math.
Something really cool about my amazing mentor is the fact that she is letting me and the other teacher candidate pretty much decorate and organize the entire classroom. We will also be pretty much starting from scratch with each of the students we work with, fully creating their specific curriculum to help them reach their IEP goals for the year.
My entire educational career has been building to this point. I went into education with the goal of being a special education teacher...now i'm kind of getting my first glimpse into that teaching life. It's exciting but nerve wracking at the same time, but i'm super excited to get started.
Tomorrow I will spend another day in the classroom helping to set up and create centers...thanks to pinterest for ideas and the daily 5 for our goal.
We will be in the classroom full time on Monday the 6th with a week of prep and trainings with our mentor. It's an exciting adventure that I'm so excited to share!
This term I will be in a 3-6th grade resource room. Although the age group is a very comfortable area for me and where I hope to teach in the future, moving from General Ed to SPED is a major change.
Everything in a special education room is different and it's all about differentiating your instruction for each student to help them be successful. Where that is surely the primary goal in Every classroom, its much more individualized in a small special ed setting.
I learned that the class size will range from 4-12 students and we will be teaching writing, reading and math.
Something really cool about my amazing mentor is the fact that she is letting me and the other teacher candidate pretty much decorate and organize the entire classroom. We will also be pretty much starting from scratch with each of the students we work with, fully creating their specific curriculum to help them reach their IEP goals for the year.
My entire educational career has been building to this point. I went into education with the goal of being a special education teacher...now i'm kind of getting my first glimpse into that teaching life. It's exciting but nerve wracking at the same time, but i'm super excited to get started.
Tomorrow I will spend another day in the classroom helping to set up and create centers...thanks to pinterest for ideas and the daily 5 for our goal.
We will be in the classroom full time on Monday the 6th with a week of prep and trainings with our mentor. It's an exciting adventure that I'm so excited to share!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Starting Yet Another New Thing
I'm not sure how many different blogs I actually have. I've used blogger as well as wordpress and I just feel this is better suited for my current technical abilities.
I find it difficult to post about my life student teaching, my personal life with family or my ever changing crafting ideas. But this may become a mixture of all those things and hopefully move into an adventure all its own.
My career in education is just beginning. The new school year is beginning for most students and teachers this August and I am no exception. The only difference for me is that I'm a student teacher for yet another semester and will be entering a work force (hopefully) mid school year (January).
I'm so thankful to my husband and my children for their continued support in finding myself both spiritually and educationally. The past few years have surely been a journey, but I'm excited for what the future has in store for me!
This fall I will be student teaching under another Rodel Exemplary Teacher, someone who is my age and from TN of all places. She also is the cheerleading coach. Do you see any similarities here? Needless to say I'm EXCITED for this semester, but even more excited for what 2013 has in store for me. The big question is, will there be a place for me in a school district? Will I get a job at the end of this year. Well I'm hoping this new blogging adventure can follow me on that journey.
I've called this blog Mrs. D's Diamonds because I feel wholeheartedly that children are gems and my students hold a special place in my heart that will never be replaceable. It fits and it's blingy and it makes me excited!
So that's it for now. This is me and my journey and I'm excited to share my rollarcoaster with you all!
I find it difficult to post about my life student teaching, my personal life with family or my ever changing crafting ideas. But this may become a mixture of all those things and hopefully move into an adventure all its own.
My career in education is just beginning. The new school year is beginning for most students and teachers this August and I am no exception. The only difference for me is that I'm a student teacher for yet another semester and will be entering a work force (hopefully) mid school year (January).
I'm so thankful to my husband and my children for their continued support in finding myself both spiritually and educationally. The past few years have surely been a journey, but I'm excited for what the future has in store for me!
This fall I will be student teaching under another Rodel Exemplary Teacher, someone who is my age and from TN of all places. She also is the cheerleading coach. Do you see any similarities here? Needless to say I'm EXCITED for this semester, but even more excited for what 2013 has in store for me. The big question is, will there be a place for me in a school district? Will I get a job at the end of this year. Well I'm hoping this new blogging adventure can follow me on that journey.
I've called this blog Mrs. D's Diamonds because I feel wholeheartedly that children are gems and my students hold a special place in my heart that will never be replaceable. It fits and it's blingy and it makes me excited!
So that's it for now. This is me and my journey and I'm excited to share my rollarcoaster with you all!
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