Teaching Beloved

This week marked the first time I would be teaching in a Celebration classroom. It is very strange to have only met the students a few days ago and already be teaching them. Tuesday my classes began the unit on Toni Morrison's novel Beloved. It is the brutal and horrifying work of fiction, loosely based on the life of Margaret Gardner, a slave from Kentucky who escaped to Ohio. The introductory lesson was a PowerPoint, and after observing for four periods, I was given the opportunity to co-teach in periods four and five. The co-teaching went very well and even the "trouble" class was very receptive and finished their worksheets entirely.

Today (Wednesday) was the day that I taught my first full class period. The lesson was discussing what happened in the first chapter, which is also one of the most confusing if you have never read the novel before. We made a full character web for the students and had them copy the chart, and then we discussed each character as a class. I taught both periods three and five, allowing me both fourth and lunch to evaluate one lesson from the next. Below is the web:

During period three I unfortunately ended and came to find that there was eleven minutes left in the class. I attempted to have them read their homework, but the lesson did not end as I had intended. With this in mind, I diligently paid attention to my mentor during the class in between. I wanted to evaluate what she had discussed that was not talked about during the prior class, and that I could carry on to the next class. Teaching period five went much more smoothly. I had a clear focus, as well as better transitions between each individual character. Although there was a few minutes left to spare at the end (six to be exact), the students were specifically instructed not to pack until the ring of the bell. By the end, the majority of the students had started, or had nearly finished, one of their weekend homework assignments.

Overall, it was an experience. Teaching a unit on a novel is not something that I have done before. It will be a challenge to work alongside my mentor and make sure the students are heading in the right direction, but I am willing to take that challenge. With Friday being an in service day, the AU interns headed to one of the Disney resort beaches to watch fireworks over the castle. It was an excellent way to wind down after a long first week, and a long first day of teaching. There are many more experiences to come, and I am very excited for them all.

The First Day

Today marked the first day of school for the Ashland Interns. It was certainly interesting to say the least. We began the morning bright and early, only to be greeted by someone who had no idea interns were coming. Needless to say the morning brought with it lessons of patience and flexibility, but in the everything worked out.

The other Ashland intern and I were given the choice between two teachers. It was a difficult decision, because both had such different teaching styles and both had different classes. After we met with them both, we headed to a local lunch with our University supervisors and the other interns. It was an absolutely beautiful day and we ate underneath the awning of a downtown restaurant. It was here the decision was made about which mentor teachers we would select and returned to the school to let them know which mentor had who.

I am pleased to say that I will be teaching six full periods of eleventh grade honors English. What is even more thrilling is that the texts we are reading include Beloved, The Sun Also Rises, and The Great Gatsby. Thanks to the education I have received over the years, I have read all three texts, but I am going to have to work vigorously to re-read them before the students. Aside from my classroom, what pleases me most is the layout of the school. All of the hallways are outside. The seven buildings that comprise the high school are in an oblong shape, and in the middle portion is "the beach," or the concrete patio portion in which students walk to classes and hang out before school.

Overall, I have a positive outlook on the remainder of my experience. What is most nerve racking is that we begin to take over one period by Thursday, and three periods by next Wednesday. I am hopeful that I can make this happen, but it is still very little time to prepare so many lesson plans.

Let the Celebration Begin!

It is difficult for me to believe that my Senior year is coming to a close. What is even more difficult is wondering and hoping about my life after graduation. Yesterday I arrived in Celebration, Florida to begin my student internship. How do I even begin to describe what I have already seen and what has already happened? The answer need only be that this is going to be one of the most incredible things in my life.

Celebration, Florida is a community unlike any other. The entire community looks as if it belongs in a story book.  The houses are absolutely stunning. While I am down in the area, I will be living with a host family and another Ashland intern. The family took us on a bike ride around the town, to help us get a better feel of the community. Although it may be difficult to explain, it is both the feel of a large city and a small town. While the city itself may be large in number, walking and riding around down town feels like a small town community. Everyone is sitting and dining outside, others are fishing off the pier, while others still are just sitting and admiring the view. 

Other pathways of the trails took us through "forests" of palm trees and other native plants. It was a surreal experience. It is hard for me to believe that it has only been a little over 24 hours here, and I already feel a sense of home. Hannah is the other intern here with me, and we have both begun to develop a liking for this town. On Monday we enter the high school. I hope that it is a wonderful experience, because as of now, I can picture a future here. 

There will be more to come, as the adventure itself has only just begun.