My dad’s best advice before the commencement of student teaching was to take care of myself – something middle schoolers don’t always do. “Take vitamins…lots of vitamins,” he advised. I have never been one to submit to the realities of other people’s hygiene, and I figured my body would always be able to fight back at any moment of vulnerability. However, I have learned in my 21 years of life that my Dad is almost always right. And usually the only time he’s not is when he says he’s wrong. Mrs. Parsons fills the room with hand sanitizers and tissues to counter the inevitable germs, but the reality is that vitamins won’t hurt. Our bodies are amazing machines, but we have to nurture them as they ask for it.
As I was thinking about the small pleasure I have in my daily vitamin intake, I decided to ponder the other aspects of my life which are seemingly petty treasures but consequently measure up to be great gifts.
- The nap I look forward to after school if time permits. My naps have significantly decreased since my days of college classes, but my early rise each day asks for a few extra hours of sleep when all my work is done. Even one hour before dinner proves to be helpful and I am grateful for any day that allows me to do so.
- Intramural Basketball. This includes playing and having a night or two at my favorite place of college employment. My club soccer team has managed to create a team of our own for this season and it usually ends in a night of laughs. I have been employed with intramurals since my freshman year – officiating and supervising – and it has been one of the best decisions I made while here at Drake (talk about a great way to finally appreciate the job of a referee). I enjoy the staff immensely and appreciate every shift I have. I wouldn’t be there if I was in it for the money, and I will be truly sad when it is my time to leave.
- Fridays. Student teaching has given me a whole new appreciation for the weekend. I like to say it is a blessing in disguise, as I think those who are privileged have a difficult time giving value to the things which are meant to be valued. When I was registered for college classes, I had no more than 3 or 4 days of class a week. The weekends became longer and I don’t think I gave the appropriate worth to my free time because I had a lot of it. “Working” 40 hours a week has shown me the gift of an energized Thursday as it soon leads to Friday night.
- Donuts in the teacher’s lounge. You’d be surprised at what an impromptu box of donuts can do for you.
- College-aged friends. Spending your entire day with 12 year olds can certainly take its toll. Most of the staff at school is a riot, and their true personalities come through behind closed doors, but that typically starts and ends during the half hour of lunch break. Being grounded by funny roommates at the end of the day is wonderful.
- I Love Lucy re-runs in the morning. There are only two circumstances under which I do not run outside: Above 100 degrees and Ice. Lately, the latter has prescribed my running to the treadmill only. I am fortunate enough to have a cardio room in the basement of my apartment as well as a TV to accompany it. My selective days which find me up earlier than I’d like to mention are complimented by the simple pleasure of being alone in the room and being able to flip the channel to this old favorite show of mine. Typically the only time I am able to laugh when running is when a family member or friend is there to provide comic relief. I would say I Love Lucy does the trick just as well.
I’m starting to realize the small things are slowly becoming the big things. A call from Mom, a letter from my big sister, and the things in life that put a smile on my face can change the course of a day. My time in my running shoes and the time in the classroom are two of my favorite things, but all of the other delights make everything extraordinary.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
"Miss Bosco, do you like Choco Tacos?"
Day one of student teaching was extraordinary. Today was the name game, and from this day forward, the students of Mrs. Parsons's Language Arts classes will continually have to interchange "Mrs" and "Miss" - which I have realized only comes out as one ambiguous slurring of the two in order to address both Mrs. Parsons and myself. The unfortunate part of the humble beggining of student teaching is having to learn the names of roughly 90 different students. I believe that the most prominent sign of initial respect is to dignify someone by calling them by the right name. The classes had a good time taking advantage of my ignorance on day one. Tom became Carl and Lisa was Lyndsay. Thank God for seating charts. As a future educator, I would like to say my name memory is above average, but that is about to be put to the test.
My activity for each class was to have them tell me their name and a fun fact about themselves. I debated several other options when considering my extreme loathing of this repititve activity in my college classes. I came to realize that middle schoolers actually love to talk about themselves, and given the opportunity, this bunch is extremely original. "I love tornadoes." "I am training to be an MMA fighter." "I can put my legs over my head." That last one had a fresh example. I assured the class I would have their names down as quickly as possible but will infinitely remember all their quirks.
The next step was protocall in allowing the class to ask me anything they wanted (censored, of course). I was surprised at each class's ability to keep it PG-rated, but they inevitably had me laughing each period. My likability with one student was measured by my taste in professional soccer teams, many wanted to know what college was like, and another was eager to gauge my taste for Choco Tacos.
The day went smoothly, but my body will take some adapting to my routine time change. I am required to arrive at 730am and stay until 330pm. To respect my body's thirst for a run each morning, my day begins far before the sun breaks. This morning, I awoke to a blistery, idyllic snowfall. The disguised resistance training through the snow halted my run a bit short (imagine runing through deep, dry sand). However, the run woke me up enough to make it to lunch (I now long to publish a novel on the politics of the teacher's lounge).
I drive home exhausted, but thrilled with the wonderful experience I am fortunate enough to embrace. I reflect after my long day with a call to Mom and a Drake Diner dinner with one of my favorite people in the world. It doesn't take me long to realize that the fostering of our own health and most important relationships in our lives is the best gift we can give ourselves. Paul Zak, a neuroeconomics pioneer would say "8 hugs a day. You'll be happier, and the world will be a better place."
Watch here: http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_zak_trust_morality_and_oxytocin.html
Happy Trails.
My activity for each class was to have them tell me their name and a fun fact about themselves. I debated several other options when considering my extreme loathing of this repititve activity in my college classes. I came to realize that middle schoolers actually love to talk about themselves, and given the opportunity, this bunch is extremely original. "I love tornadoes." "I am training to be an MMA fighter." "I can put my legs over my head." That last one had a fresh example. I assured the class I would have their names down as quickly as possible but will infinitely remember all their quirks.
The next step was protocall in allowing the class to ask me anything they wanted (censored, of course). I was surprised at each class's ability to keep it PG-rated, but they inevitably had me laughing each period. My likability with one student was measured by my taste in professional soccer teams, many wanted to know what college was like, and another was eager to gauge my taste for Choco Tacos.
The day went smoothly, but my body will take some adapting to my routine time change. I am required to arrive at 730am and stay until 330pm. To respect my body's thirst for a run each morning, my day begins far before the sun breaks. This morning, I awoke to a blistery, idyllic snowfall. The disguised resistance training through the snow halted my run a bit short (imagine runing through deep, dry sand). However, the run woke me up enough to make it to lunch (I now long to publish a novel on the politics of the teacher's lounge).
I drive home exhausted, but thrilled with the wonderful experience I am fortunate enough to embrace. I reflect after my long day with a call to Mom and a Drake Diner dinner with one of my favorite people in the world. It doesn't take me long to realize that the fostering of our own health and most important relationships in our lives is the best gift we can give ourselves. Paul Zak, a neuroeconomics pioneer would say "8 hugs a day. You'll be happier, and the world will be a better place."
Watch here: http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_zak_trust_morality_and_oxytocin.html
Happy Trails.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Teaching to Learn
My first post of the semester regrettably comes as the first post in roughly one year as well. I am notorious for placing ambitious goals for myself and following through with a pitiful consistency rate. One of my goals in the past year was to foster a blog containing the experiences leading up to my final year at Drake, and I was apparently over my head in my own motivation levels.
In a new year and new chapter of my life, I look forward to experiences that would be underappreciated if not written about and shared. My next few months will be spent as a student teacher at Woodside Middle School in Saydel, Iowa - about 15 minutes Northeast of Des Moines. I will be in a 7th grade classroom teaching Language Arts with a wonderful mentor teacher guiding me along the way. Tomorrow marks my first day of meeting my students and the first day of physically embracing the importance of English and the language arts.
Along with the obivious daily transitions I will begin making in my routines, I will continue to prioritize the importance that running has in my life. The sport grounds me, enlightens me and continues to impress me with its rewards. It has given me a constant in my life, a platform for adventure and a reason to let go for a short period of the day - qualities no other aspect of life has yet to combine for me. Running helps me sharpen my perspectives on life and has me constantly bartering with the limitiations of the human body - and consequently the mind. I have learned through running that no matter where you live, what your shape or who you are, the roads are always open. Often times, very unforgiving as well. However, one will learn through the sport that you always feel better after running than you did before - 100 percent of the time.
My abstract juxtaposition of teaching English and Running intrigues me, and I haven't the slightest clue of what's ahead - life's specialty.
Happy Trails
In a new year and new chapter of my life, I look forward to experiences that would be underappreciated if not written about and shared. My next few months will be spent as a student teacher at Woodside Middle School in Saydel, Iowa - about 15 minutes Northeast of Des Moines. I will be in a 7th grade classroom teaching Language Arts with a wonderful mentor teacher guiding me along the way. Tomorrow marks my first day of meeting my students and the first day of physically embracing the importance of English and the language arts.
Along with the obivious daily transitions I will begin making in my routines, I will continue to prioritize the importance that running has in my life. The sport grounds me, enlightens me and continues to impress me with its rewards. It has given me a constant in my life, a platform for adventure and a reason to let go for a short period of the day - qualities no other aspect of life has yet to combine for me. Running helps me sharpen my perspectives on life and has me constantly bartering with the limitiations of the human body - and consequently the mind. I have learned through running that no matter where you live, what your shape or who you are, the roads are always open. Often times, very unforgiving as well. However, one will learn through the sport that you always feel better after running than you did before - 100 percent of the time.
My abstract juxtaposition of teaching English and Running intrigues me, and I haven't the slightest clue of what's ahead - life's specialty.
Happy Trails
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