The second trimester is winding down and the kids are, as tends to be the pattern, getting antsy. I don't blame them really, but I find myself having very little patience for their excuses and attitudes.
I'm quite new to the teaching profession. It was not much more than a year ago that I decided teaching was my niche and I wanted to pursue it fully as my livelihood, instead of just teaching a class here or there. A career has never felt more right to me than teaching does, but lately I'm not enjoying it. I feel like my gas tank is on empty and the next gas station is MILES away. It's sheer willpower that's fueling me on right now, and even that is running low. I'm not naive enough to think I'm one of the only teachers to experience this. I do, however, wonder what it will take to get me to the next gas station. I'm too stubborn not to get there, but it's starting to look like I may be walking a mile or two with the ol' gas can.
This profession is SO demanding and sometimes I just get overwhelmed. I'd really like to know what I can do to minimize the stress and maximize the learning. I've tried talking to some of my fellow teachers, but I think it's something I'm just going to have to figure out on my own. So, that walk to the gas station? Well, it may not have been what I had planned, but it'll work. I'm just getting some exercise with the gas I need.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Barrel of Monkeys or Bucket o' Pigs??
Anyone for bacon? How about dead piglets? Anyone? Well, believe it or not, I know quite a few people, teenagers actually, who are excited about the young swine-but not because they get to eat them. Trust me, NO ONE wants to eat these mini bacons. They're preserved in a solution similar to firmaldahyde that doesn't smell quite as bad, but definitely isn't going to be on the market as an air-freshener anytime soon. Still, my science kids are pretty geared up to get the chance to cut into them and do some exploring. I'm a bit anxious too, in an odd sort of way. I don't like the idea of something dying for science, but I'm not about to let their death's be in vain.
This whole mini bacon exploration is going to be at least a little exciting. There's nothing that helps cement your memories and data together like some good old exploring. I still remember the dissection I did in college, which was on a cat. I had issues with that because cats have been a part of my family for as long as I can remember. Yet, once I shoved the idea of the specimen in front of me being someone's beloved Fufu out of my mind, I was able to proceed with the mind of a scientist. Not surprisingly, I learned a lot about anatomy. I have the same hopes for my students.
Ya know, it's funny now looking back to the beginning of the trimester when I had my reservations about teaching anatomy and physiology. I wasn't sure how I could captivate the kids' interests and I needed a bit of refreshing on the content. Now, I'm proud to say, I can look back at this trimester and smile. I truly have had a good time teaching my students about body systems and functions and I think they've had fun too. I wish this class was an entire year instead of only a trimester. There's just so much to learn about and so many ways to tackle that learning. I'm thinking about having the kids play a little with Animoto once I've photographed their work. Then they'll have a solid product to put into their portfolios on this class-a product that they can really show to others to explain their exploration.
Teaching science has been quite the experience for me. I would have laughed at you if you'd told me I'd be educating our youth about A&P a few years ago. Now, I think about how just this afternoon I was carrying 2 large buckets full of preserved specimens out of my car and into one of our buildings. The image makes me chuckle, because I never would have thought I'd grow from playing "Barrel of Monkeys" to hosting a game of bucket o' pigs.
This whole mini bacon exploration is going to be at least a little exciting. There's nothing that helps cement your memories and data together like some good old exploring. I still remember the dissection I did in college, which was on a cat. I had issues with that because cats have been a part of my family for as long as I can remember. Yet, once I shoved the idea of the specimen in front of me being someone's beloved Fufu out of my mind, I was able to proceed with the mind of a scientist. Not surprisingly, I learned a lot about anatomy. I have the same hopes for my students.
Ya know, it's funny now looking back to the beginning of the trimester when I had my reservations about teaching anatomy and physiology. I wasn't sure how I could captivate the kids' interests and I needed a bit of refreshing on the content. Now, I'm proud to say, I can look back at this trimester and smile. I truly have had a good time teaching my students about body systems and functions and I think they've had fun too. I wish this class was an entire year instead of only a trimester. There's just so much to learn about and so many ways to tackle that learning. I'm thinking about having the kids play a little with Animoto once I've photographed their work. Then they'll have a solid product to put into their portfolios on this class-a product that they can really show to others to explain their exploration.
Teaching science has been quite the experience for me. I would have laughed at you if you'd told me I'd be educating our youth about A&P a few years ago. Now, I think about how just this afternoon I was carrying 2 large buckets full of preserved specimens out of my car and into one of our buildings. The image makes me chuckle, because I never would have thought I'd grow from playing "Barrel of Monkeys" to hosting a game of bucket o' pigs.
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