The First Days of First Grade

I've been student teaching for a week and a half now, and what a week and a half it's been! The time has gone by very quickly, because each day is so busy and non-stop, but I also feel very comfortable in my role as a teacher - as if I have been doing this for a lot longer than 8 days! The student teaching experience so far has had its ups and downs, but overall, I have really been enjoying being back in first grade!

First grade is a very exciting year, and especially for my first graders in Mansfield because this is the first time that they have been in school for a full day. Each afternoon there are a couple students who complain that they are tired, don't want to do their work, and just really want to take a nap. We tell them that they will be fine, we just have a little bit longer to go, but little do they know that I often feel the same way by the time I get home after school! We've already done a lot of work, but I think they will be in for a shock when they get homework for the first time tomorrow!

Over the past week and a half, we have done some small writing projects, and lots of illustrating. The kids have written about their favorite part of the summer, and about something they have in common with a classmate. We have learned about the letters A-H, and written and illustrated a page for each of these letters in their ABC books. We have learned and sung songs about colors and teddy bears (we are known as the teddy bear classroom because my cooperating teacher loves teddy bears and used them throughout her room). Each day I come home with these songs stuck in my head and sing them to my roommate! We have even started to learn about bigger and smaller numbers and coins in math. We have learned the Monster Squeeze and Penny Dice games and play them to practice these math skills. Since we are the teddy bear classroom, the students were actually allowed to bring their teddy bears to school on Friday, and we began a small writing/illustrating project about their teddy bears! All of the students are still learning how to read and write of course, although some are already further along than others, but first grade will be a monumental year for learning how to read and write. Right now, the students are expected to sound out the words and do they best they can with their spelling by writing the letters for the sounds that they hear.

One of my favorite parts of the set-up of our classroom are these risers - it makes sitting on the rug so much easier! Here you can see the students' teddy bears scattered around the rug area.

My role in the classroom so far has been a lot of observing and assisting. I assist the students when they have questions, and also help my cooperating teacher with planning and preparation. My teacher has even let me take on some of her teacher responsibilities! I taught a short lesson on listening and the school listening look, and I have already written a lesson that I will teach next week on nonverbal signals. I have done a lot of copying, laminating, cutting, gluing, posting, correcting morning work, passing out papers, etc. This week I also led the morning meeting a couple times, but beginning on Monday, we will be putting the students in charge of running morning meeting! My teacher likes to give the students a lot of responsibility and encourages them to be independent early on. (An important skill to learn in first grade!) Soon I will gradually begin taking on more and more responsibility up until I have my full three week take over at the end of the semester when I will be in charge of everything in the classroom! I am very anxious to be taking on more, but I am also very nervous! I am exhausted and so busy already, and I haven't even begun half of what I will be responsible for this semester! This is a scary and intimidating thought! I need to be prepared for it to just get busier! Some of what makes it busy is also the work I have to do for my seminar at Stonehill, the requirements that we need to fulfill in terms of the lessons that we plan, and also the Pre-servive Performance Assessment that is required by the state of Massachusetts. But I am enjoying it, so it makes it all worth it.

The morning meeting bulletin board, which includes our daily schedule, the calendar, school day tally, money date with coins, and the weather chart and lost tooth graph - both of which I helped prepare.

I am also really enjoying working with my cooperating practitioner, Lisa DiSangro. Lisa has been teaching in Mansfield for over fifteen years, and in addition to her experience in first grade she used to teach in a multi-age classroom - where first and second graders would stay in the same room for two years. Although she doesn't do this looping anymore, she still coordinates projects and assignments with the second grade teacher next door. They are old pros at teaching, they have their plans from previous years, and they know exactly how to do things - thanks to their years of seeing what does and doesn't work. Mary-Ann Centrella (the second grade teacher next door) and Lisa are like two peas in a pod! I think they can probably even read each other's minds, that's how fluidly and smoothly their interactions and coordinated lesson plans run.

Lisa is a great teacher, and I have already learned a lot of about her pedagogy and her style of teaching. I have seen things that I would like to adapt for my own classroom, but also some things I may do differently. Lisa has a ton of energy, and she has to in order to manage a classroom full of first graders and her own three sons! The best way I can describe her is to say that she is a whirlwind! She gets things done and lessons pulled together so efficiently and effectively. She's had so much experience and knows the ropes so well that she could probably teach in her sleep! Hopefully one day my teaching experience will make as great a teacher!

*Note: Due to privacy concerns, some of the classroom photos have been removed

Reel Big Fish on a Real Big Weekend

This week was the first week of classes, for almost everyone except me! I am student teaching in a district that doesn't start school until after Labor Day, so my full schedule doesn't start until this week. I go to school for a full day on Tuesday for teacher meetings, and then Wednesday is the first day of school. Nonetheless, I stayed very busy this past week!

We had our first student teaching seminar on Tuesday. We just went over all the requirements for student teaching, but it still made us all a little intimidated and stressed and nervous about student teaching. There are so many state requirements that we need to meet and assignments for our seminar that we need to complete in addition to gradually taking on more and more responsibility in our classrooms, until we have a three-week take-over at the end of the semester (when we will be fully in charge of our classrooms)!

On Thursday I went to the open house at my school. I met my teacher for the first time, and I like her a lot! She is full of energy, super organized (like me), and I can already tell her students really like her! I also met all but one of my students and their families. It was great to get to meet them, and for them to meet me and my teacher, Mrs. DiSangro, before the first day of school. I think we will all feel more comfortable on the first day of school now!

Since I am not too busy yet, I was also able to help a lot with my extra-curricular activities that I am involved in on campus and love. Friday and Saturday mornings I gave tours (here's a shout-out to all the prospective students I met this weekend!). This year I also decided to get involved in Student Government Association's Programming Committee. Programming is in charge of the large events and theme weeks that take place on campus. So I assisted with this weekend's Welcome Back Week events.

Friday afternoon we had an activities fair on the quad where everyone could sign-up for as many of the clubs and organizations that interest them as they want. Friday night we had a concert in the Sports Complex. I helped with set-up, working the door, and take-down, and of course I got to watch the concert too!

Martin Earley, a Stonehill student and a really great musician, was our opening act.

Reel Big Fish has a really cool sound. They're pretty chill, and even have trumpets! I don't know much of their music, but they did cover Brown Eyed Girl and Take On Me. Since I worked at the concert, I also got to meet them during our meet and greet - I don't have those pictures yet, but maybe I will soon!

My roommate, Carrie, and I at the concert.

On Saturday afternoon, we had Hillapalooza, an event that features performances by Stonehill musicians and sometimes other small bands, and takes place a couple times a year. Since it is still early on, we were able to have Hillapalooza out on the quad. We had two Stonehill students perform, and three other bands. Here is Power Lines, one of those bands:

In addition to the Woodstock theme afternoon of music, we also had a free BBQ and an arts fest - and lots of lounging around on the quad. There were booths selling items, such as fruit and organic soaps, the art club made a chalk mural, there was a booth to make free spin-art sunglasses, and we also sold jewelry for the Bead for Life charity, which were a huge hit! Women with AIDS in Uganda make these bracelets, necklaces, and even some earrings out of recycled paper in order to make money for the care they require:

Finally, on Saturday night, we had a showing of the movie, The Proposal on the quad. It was a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. The rest of the long weekend I spent relaxing and also getting started on looking into post-grad options and getting myself organized and started on student teaching assignments. I'll let you know how school goes after my first week!

Back to School...for the Last Time at Stonehill :(

I'm a senior. It's a statement that's easy to say, but very difficult to wrap my mind around. Being a senior means that 3/4 of my time at Stonehill has already come and gone int he blink of an eye and that in less than a year I will be entering the real world. Scary stuff. But on another level, being a senior means that I am in the prime of the college years, and I have so many things, such as 100 and 50 days, Mr. Stonehill, and Cape Week - just to name a couple Stonehill traditions - to look forward to. The best way to put it is that the beginning of my senior year is bittersweet. I am feeling optimistic about the fun times and memories I will have and share with my friends this year. But I am also feeling overwhelmed by the daunting task of preparing for a life after Stonehill, which includes, but is not limited to, taking the GREs, applying to grad schools, and applying for jobs. I don't feel old enough for this yet!

But to start this year's series of blogs, let me describe my first week back at school, my new room and roommate, and of course fall orientation!

I moved in early (a week before all other upperclassmen) for fall orientation training. I was excited to move-in early because this means I could avoid the business of move-in day, and get settled and comfortable in my room before classes start. I am living in Du Lac, which is generally known as the "quiet dorm," which will be perfect for me this semester since I am student teaching. Here are some pictures of me moving in:

And also my room fully set-up after my roommate also moved in:

My roommate, Carrie, is from Queensbury, New York, and, like me, she is an Elementary Education major. In fact, also like me, Carrie is also teaching first grade at the Robinson Elementary School in Mansfield! We are very excited that we will be sharing the same experience this fall and are fully prepared to support each other since we will be going through the exact same thing. Carrie's second major is fine arts, and she is specializing in graphic design. She has worked with her dad making brochures for all the Lake George attractions near her home. As you may remember from my summer posts, Carrie is outdoorsy and adventurous, and she is also a lover of country music like me! We are living in a suite with Carrie's group of really sweet friends. It's perfect for senior year! I also have lots of friends all over campus in the other upperclassmen housing, so I am sure I will be spending a lot of time in those residence areas too!
My first week at Stonehill was full of training and preparation for fall orientation. During the week we heard from offices such as the Counseling and Testing Center, Academic Services, and Campus Ministry for planning the Into the Streets volunteer afternoon. We spent time discussing and planning the Transitions course, which is a way to help students transition to college and deal with issues such as time management, making friends, getting along with roommates, and finding resources on campus. We also trained for the sexual assault awareness program that all incoming students are required to attend. But my favorite parts of the week's training were when we got together with the other groups of student leaders on campus. The Peer Mentors, Crossings Student Ministers, and ALANA Brothers and Sisters helped the RAs with training. We assisted with being the participants in party scenarios that RAs may encounter during the school year. For the first time, all four groups of student leaders met for the Student Leader Experience in the atrium of the new science building. We got to meet new people and learn about the roles of each of the other groups and also discovered how much we have in common. Here are a couple pictures of the event in the atrium of the science building:

Fall Orientation began on Saturday when the first-year students moved on campus. We held Building Socials in the Residence Halls, which included pizza, ice cream, pictures, and some pretty awesome dance parties. We heard from Student Government Association, discussed diversity, and learned about the academic integrity policy on campus. The highlights, however, are always the trip into Boston and our afternoon of service when the entire freshman class, the Peer Mentors, and faculty went "Into the Streets" to make a difference in our surrounding communities. Here are a couple pictures highlighting Fall Orientation:

Orientation came to a close and the academic year began with Academic Convocation. The senior and freshman classes were honored and welcomed, and Professor Mary-Joan Leith was honored with the Louise F. Hegarty Award for Excellence in teaching. Here is a picture of me with my roommate and some of my suitemates, plus our friend Kait who I am sure will be visiting a lot this year, outside the Sports Complex after convocation.