Jan-Mar 2012 Update- Time flies fast!

I write this now on the early morning of 15 March 2012.

I must say it has been a whirlwind of an experience and a growing time at that. Here's a very brief synopsis of what I've experienced and just some of my highlights.

January:

I started my new responsibilities at a charter school the very beginning of January and boy talk about a shock! I started teaching two reading and two math classes. It could have been worst, much worse, but the support I received was incredible! The teacher I shadowed for a week was a retired Air Force officer and when I demo taught, his students were very supportive. They were perfect students! I could not have asked for anything better.

I was so nervous teaching that my mentor had to calm me down a bit and the students were so cool! They raised their hands to remind me of what I needed to do next.

The school uses the Direct Instruction format of teaching which is very structured and also one of the reasons why I wanted to work for this school. It is a skill I want to learn and develop.

I was later told that my mentor highly recommended me.

Just some highlights from my first week of teaching classes by myself 1/16/12:

• I received two handwritten letters of apology (written in cursive) from two of my students with their parents signatures.
• Made one kid cry (same kid that had to write me an apology letter for being disruptive in class).
• 4 students failed in the math test.
• Had several thank you's for being their teacher.
• Had a few student comment: "Mr. Roque, you are hot".
• One kid, said: "Relax Mr. Roque."
• I thought a kid asked if I love Vietnamese food so I said yes. Apparently, they were asking if I was Vietnamese.
• Quite surprised to find only 1-2 white kids in each of my classes. Most are from the Middle East, Asia, or South America. 

 Best advice I gave one of my students today 1/20/12:

• "If you want to fart, you can fart as much as you want during independent study (set aside homework time during class). But doing it when I teach distracts all of your classmates from learning since they are all laughing and not listening to the lesson. Your classmates want to learn and your farting during my teaching time doesn't help any of them at all. So do not fart when I am teaching, okay?"
• The response:"I'm sorry. Okay, Mr. Roque". We'll see how it goes next week. 

February:

After a month of feedback and constant coaching, I thought I finally got my classes to where I needed them but on the very first week of February I was notified I'd be transferred to another campus.

I now work as a classroom instructor in a school with many students that come from low income and who are considered to be refugees. I am loving it!

It is a Teacher-In-Training position which means I get to work with a full time licensed teacher. It places me in a better position to teach 6th grade in the Fall of 2012. We'll see how my ARL application works.

The teacher I am working with right now is a former colleague. He used to be a trainer for the State of Utah and we had lunch together often. The funny thing was, just two days prior to starting my new assignment, we met and he was helping me understand the grading process.  So when I arrived I thought he had something to do with me being assigned as his instructor. Turns out he had as much knowledge as I did!  He told me about the school I work for now and I told him about the master's program he is finishing this year. He is finishing the master's program I finished.

It really is a small world indeed.

Highlights 2/22/12:

• Student: "Mr. Roque, do you like me?"
• Me: "Of course I do! Why wouldn't I?"
• Student: "So why did you give me so many missing work?!"
• I had to ask the student to repeat the question to make sure I understood it.
• Turns out I heard him right the first time. Thinking this was a good teaching moment, I asked: "Who's responsibility is it to do homework?"
• Student:"Me."
• Me: "Good! Who's job is it to track and keep grades?"
• Student: "You." It was neat to see the light bulb start turning on this young student's mind.
• Me: "So do you still want me to answer your question as to why I gave you so many missing work?" My student left with a big smile on his face.

March:

I sent my application for Utah's Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) program. The school wrote a very good letter of recommendation of my skills and potential as a teacher so I am just waiting to hear back from the State Office of Education. As many of you may know, any large and especially government organization has a lot of red tape. I'm waiting to hear back any day now on my status.

If I get accepted, I can be hired as a 6th grade teacher this Fall. If my application is denied,  I'll have to review my options.

Highlights 3/9/12:

Two of my 6th grade girls came up to me during recess:

• "Mr. Roque (child's name) fell in the mud!"
• Me: "Well, now do you guys understand why we keep telling you not to play in that area?"
• Students: "Mr. Roque, please don't laugh! That's mean!"
• Both girls were caked in mud and I could not help but laugh out loud at the incident.