I chose the title because I feel kind of weird watching myself teach. My image of self has always been internalized, so it is weird seeing me from the outside. The first thing I noticed about my teaching habits (if they can be called habits this early in my career) was that I have a couple of security blankets. The first being my clipboard, I always have it in my hand it doesn't matter whether I actually need it or not. If for some rare reason I set it down, I end up looking around like a child who just lost their parent in a crowded park. “Um, ok, um, aaaaaaa, does anyone know where Mr. Deitz left his clipboard?”
“Oh here it is” sigh of relief.
The second security blanket is the white board marker, I love the white board, especially drawing on it and always need to have a marker. What was kind of funny about this was that I didn't seem to have any particular attachment to one specific color. So when I lost the first one or the cap I would just pick up another, so eventually I noticed that there were markers everywhere. This is a slight exaggeration, but I do feel as though a tornado has blown through the classroom after every lesson. I usually have paper, pens and notes in the way of whoever is teaching next. Usually I end up wondering how it all ended up so strewn about.
I am not sure if my clipboard waving is distracting to student or entertaining so I will have to try to not wave and see how they respond. I'm not going to do anything about the markers. I have tried to quit drinking coffee, but realized you must just embrace some attachments, just as the coffee doesn't really hurt, neither do the markers.
Now for some positive self talk, what I did good. (EVERYTHING) ok not really, In my dreams right?
There were a couple things that seemed to work very well during my lesson. The students seemed a little sleepy for the first ten minutes or so of class and it was a struggle to get them to participate. But when I got them up to do an activity they became much livelier, and when we got to the post activity discussion, they were much more willing to contribute to the group note taking. I really like to have them come up to the board and they seem to enjoy it as well. So those were some good points.
I'm still learning and it will be interesting to see how I teach next summer, or even by the end of this summer!
Red dirt roads, muddy water and catfish, I've run the red dirt roads, swam in the muddy water and eaten catfish (as well as crawfish) and its a great day to be alive. We have a great group of new teachers down here and I am enjoying every minute. This is not to say that I don't miss the life I've left but I am truly enjoying my new experience and the new people I am meeting. Today is truly the BEST DAY EVER, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and I have good people around me (and great family and friends behind me) I write this as a reminder to myself for those days when the sun isn't shining. Joyfulness is a choice, it is our destination that defines us not our surroundings. I have been truly blessed and to live my life in any other way would be a waste of the life that I have been given. There are some mountains looming in my horizon, and I am going to have to work hard to get over them. A scary thought but for the knowledge that I am not alone, Jesus is going the distance with me. I know that he is going to be there running right off my shoulder, breathing down my back, never letting the pace slacken. So it is in anticipation that I look towards these next two years. The same way a runner looks at a race coming up; feeling both anxiety and excitement at the challenge to come.
on a lighter note..........
A story of my time thus far
I was shown a trail to run, by a couple our wonderful second years. It was a lot of single track and I was enjoying the soft trails not really thinking about where I was going. Thinking about what these notorious chiggers that I kept hearing about looked like. I ended up coming out in a different place than I went in. I kind of knew the general direction that I should head, but there are no mountains to get your bearings so I didn't really know where to go. I had biked earlier in the day and then played volleyball for a couple of hours. So I had no intention to go more than 45 minutes. But was nearing an hour I was hungry, thirsty and nearing a serious wall. So when I came to a Y in the road I flagged a car down and asked “which way to Ole Miss?” the man pointed me in the right direction and I headed off. I must have looked pretty bad because he pulled up alongside me and offered me a ride, he said I had a “ways” to go. Sure enough it was six or seven more miles to campus; making my potential loop 15 or so. Definitely more than I bargained on. So thanks to some southern hospitality I made it home before dark. After multiple thanks to him he said that I should think nothing of it, just pass on the goodness.
So I leave you with those words, pass on the goodness!
Godspeed
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