Amy Duncan (missamy) wrote in phyrebards, @ 2007-11-06 10:13:00 |
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Current mood: | annoyed |
why i need to stop blogging immediately after practicum
I really don't want to subject everyone to this, so let's see if I can work some HTML skills and make my commenters have to work for it!
Right now, there is nothing that would make me happier than getting out of the classroom that I'm in. First of all, there was ANOTHER misunderstanding today about the difference between "planning" and "prep" periods. Apparently when I asked Mr. Metz if I could come discuss my lesson with him during his planning period, he interpreted that to mean the "prep" period before school. Hence, I show up at 8:10 like always, and he says "I thought you were coming by this morning," to which I'm completely confused. I went ahead and asked if I could observe second period so that I wouldn't have to waste gas driving back to Elon and back AGAIN for planning, and since I'm blogging at 10:15am, you can guess how that went. "You don't need to observe second period. You probably shouldn't, they're a lost cause." As if I won't have to deal with lost causes when I teach. Or, you know, next semester. He also GAVE ME ANOTHER DAY OFF, because tomorrow is the practice writing test and there won't be anything for me to do. I understand the motivation but I KNOW I'm not going to make my hours, and this isn't what I need. (ETA: I am going in, just to kinda sit around and "bulk up my hours," as he put it.)
Positive note: he did give me a task today! I walked around and helped students work on thesis statements for a sample writing prompt. Unfortunately, when he said "Miss Duncan and I will come around and check them," Alajha (one of the girls in the class) turned to Ana, next to her, and said: "Who's Miss Duncan?" (Not the first time I've heard this.) And honestly I'm not surprised--I spend a LOT of time sitting at the back of the classroom. I've tried being proactive, as suggested, and it fails. Either there's no place for me to get involved (like when he's going over worksheets) or he doesn't let me, which happened last week when he left the room and told me not to review anything or take charge, just "keep them on task." Either way, the thesis exercise was pointless because he then wrote a "sample" thesis statement on the board and had them copy it, then built it into an opening paragraph FOR them. This, to me, doesn't help them learn how to develop thesis statements; it teaches them to copy the ones he shows.
I'm going back over at 11:42 to discuss my lesson. At this point I'm not even looking forward to it.
I will get back to those other two posts--I have one to write from the week of the management seminar and one from Halloween week--but not right now. I'm going to eat some lunch and go BACK to the school. I do have a question for you guys, if you can answer it. I haven't really told Mr. Metz any of the problems I have with him, his teaching, or his treatment of me, because I don't want it to reflect badly on me and affect my evaluation. At this point in the semester I'm not even sure if it's worth it, but is there any way I can approach the subject that won't be offensive? Or should I bother?