Jerome's Corner: July 2013, Good news and sunburnt

Here's the good news:

I finally have a classroom of my own to teach in!

Yup, I accepted a job offer in an elementary school that allows me to teach in a classroom while I work on getting my teaching license. I will teach the three R's- reading, (w) 'riting, and 'rithmatic.

Additionally, with my acceptance at Utah State University's (USU) Alternative Teacher Placement licensure program this Fall, come December 2014 or 1.5 years, I will finally have my teaching license. It has taken me two years to get here but it's a step forward. I am very excited to see my goal closer to being accomplished. I won't lie-- it's been frustrating but I recognize where I've been and know where I am going.

Although, I'm not sure about how I feel being the only male teacher in the school though (not including the custodian). At least as of my interview, I was still the only male teacher in the entire elementary school.

The not so good news:

My classroom budget is only $175 for the entire school year.

This includes ink for my classroom printer, paper and other things I use in my classroom. And other items I use in my class such as those I give away to reinforce the desired behavior from my students.

There's a separate budget for the entire school but I don't know how much of that will I be a part of.

I actually had this vision that each of my students would have access to their own technology (for example an iPad) in my classroom but because I am not working at a Title 1 school, I will not get any additional funding that comes from Title 1 grants.

Maybe for $175, I could just draw an iPad on cardstock instead. But even then, I'm not even sure that'll be enough for each of my students for the entire year!

But this gives me opportunity to also figure things out and think of other options. Maybe I can find a corner to sit on and stay there with a mug on one hand on the weekends...hmmm.

Besides, many hundreds of teachers have come before me and have made things work. Hopefully those after me won't have to figure things as much as I, and others before me. I'll just have to do my best to learn from others on how they made it work for them.

Still, I am honestly just excited to have my own classroom!

I'll also have a para-professional working part time helping me and a brand new teacher who will be splitting her time working part-time in two different schools.

Additionally, I will have a strong support network. I have new teacher coordinator who will visit me weekly, a reading coach and a math coach who will visit me at least monthly, and coaches from USU who will also visit me monthly. That's a total of 4 coaches whose entire purpose is to help me succeed in the classroom--at least that's what they tell me:) I've met each of them and they are amazing teachers!

And should I find myself crawled up in a ball in the corner of my classroom one day, they reassured me all four of them will be there quickly. I'll call them my own team of Fantastic 4.

Since I am no longer working at a Title I school, I'll have to consider a different way to pay off my student loans.

It appears I will be the only male teacher (not including the custodian) in our elementary school. Good thing my second trip to Zambia prepped me properly! My group included 15 women. There were only two adult males and two boys.

Here's what else happened in July:

Flaming Gorge, where I discovered brown boys can and do actually get burned.

In case you didn't realize, that brown boy is me.

A week in Bear Lake continued to the contribution of my peeling skin. My nose is so red it reminds me of that famous reindeer of all!

Ouch.

Got to spend a week with many of our scouts.

This is one of the many awesome young men I got to meet and work with (kid wearing red).

He was very reticent about camping but here he is walking to spend the night in the wilderness learning how to build his own shelter. I was even more impressed that this young man who was not excited to go was now spending time encouraging one of the other young men that was at the back of the pack.

This is where I stayed for one night.

I had a tarp and an emergency blanket. Easy to pack. It was as comfy and cozy as it looked.

Thank goodness there were trees to soften the weather.

Another adult and I took our campsite a few hundred feet ahead of where the group of 50 scouts slept. The camp staff took their camp on the other end.

Later than night, way after curfew, I woke up to 7 flashlights hiking up towards my campsite. I jump out of the bushes and ask where they were going, they freak out. Apparently they weren't expecting anyone to come out of the bushes that late in the evening.

They tell me they were looking for the RV I had mentioned the adults were staying in.

I laughed and reminded them I was just joking.

There really was no RV nor was there a comfy bed where the adults were sleeping. We were also sleeping on the ground. I tell them to go back to their camp site.

Then the scouts tell me they could not sleep because some were throwing rocks. So they ask if I can stop it. I told them: "Figure it out. This is supposed to be your wilderness survival experience."

Maybe it was the whine on their voices or that I was just really, really tired but I relented. So I wake up the other leader, and we go back to their campsite.

I turn on my teacher voice and said:

"Time to turn off your flashlights and go to bed. I still see lights turned on... I still hear voices. Voices need to be turned off now. Whoever is throwing rocks, you better stop that now. I will find out who you are even if I have to interview each of you individually. Yes I know there's 50 of you.

And should you think I won't do anything about this, please know if you are still throwing rocks when I leave, be assured I will find out who you are. I will tell your leaders and your week here could be cut very short. So don't ruin it for everybody.

Those of you who are enjoying this overnight camp and not throwing rocks, thank you for your example."

After a few minutes (actually more like 20), they eventually went to sleep, at least from what I could see in the dark, in the middle of the woods.

The boys were working on their merit badges so I knew I had to leave them on their own. I hurried out of their campsite to allow them that opportunity.

The water front. The place where I sizzled under the sun. Sizzled like bacon that is.

The night where 14 boys became one unit. We were so proud of these group of amazing young men! They were truly respected by the staff and other scout troops. They took care of each other and well deserved their recognition.

I feel so lucky to know these amazing kids!

This is the following morning.

They decided to sleep under the stars on the last night of our week long camp.

It was great to see these group of boys, 12-17 years of age, finally become one. They really have come a long way. We kept emphasizing that the responsibility of making decisions and planning were the patrol leaders responsibility. This was their camp not ours so they had to learn how to make decisions, get others to work and support one another.

We set high expectations, taught them how to fulfill their responsibilities, and I was really impressed that each of these young men rose up to surpass those expectations! In addition to watching out for each other, they also took care of things such as cooking and cleaning the camp site.

This is my second trip attending scout camp and I must admit, a well ran scouting program where the boys are allowed to make mistakes and to make their own choices, provide so many opportunities for them to grow!

Also, the camp staff were mostly their age as well and I was thoroughly impressed at their abilities.