Day Dreaming of a Beautiful ...... SMART Board???

Monday was a professional development day at school.  What does this mean?  It means no school for the kids and no teaching for me.  It means that teachers get together and learn together.  My morning was very educational.  The high school teachers spent the morning in the computer lab learning about various technology software at our disposal.  I took a lot of notes (written and mental) of websites to check out this weekend.  When it came time to play I decided to check out the wonder which is wiki.  What did I discover?  I learned that I am not a big fan of the wikispace.  Now, before you jump on this comment and tell me I didn't give it a chance or something along that line, hear me out.  I have had the opportunity to use other sites and software which I prefer.  For me, wiki just didn't live up to my standards.  I know it is free but I would prefer to spend a little bit of money and get exactly what I want.  That being said, this weekend will also be spent using a well trusted web service to build my own class website. Teacherweb, oh how I've missed you.  I also discovered on Monday how much I miss working with SMART Boards.  We had a brief learning session on the benefits of the SMART Board.  What was I thinking about during this session?  I was thinking about how much this wonderful technological tool would enhance my language arts lessons and engage my students (who, by the way, are not impressed with my overhead projector skills).  I have tons of SMART Board lessons, sitting idle on my USB key, just waiting to be used.  Oh SMART Board, when will you come to me? 

The Healing Power of Rock Band!

I spoke on the phone with my mom tonight and I told her, "I'm not going out tonight, I'm staying in and marking."  Who was I kidding!!?? Minutes after I hung up the phone a very enticing offer steared me away from my original plans.  The offer:  an evening of board games, good/fun conversation and ROCK BAND!  How could I refuse such an offer?  So, I quickly scarfed down my dinner and prettied myself up to head down the street.  The evening wasn't anything spectacular, just a group of friends and colleagues relaxing together.  I learned how to play Boggle, Yahtzee, and a game I can't remember the name of but it was very addicting.  We ended the night with a few rounds of Rock Band.  It's amazing how banging the drums for a few songs, or strumming a guitar, or singing one's heart out can be such a healing power.  I returned home feeling not so weighted down and more relaxed and calm.  One thing I've realized being so far away from home .... being in the right place, with the right people can make any challenge less daunting. 

I Welcome the Weekend with Open Arms!

Today is Friday.  It is the beginning of the weekend and two days of peace and relaxation are to follow.  My week was not good but it was not terrible either.  There were some moments where I wanted to pull my hair out and there were moments when I looked at my students with pride and wonderment.  I have to ask (although I'm pretty sure I know the answer), does it get any easier?  Will there ever be a day when everything falls magically into place?  The theme of perfect and easy is kinda on my mind right now.  I'm doing a novel study with my classes.  We're reading The Giver by Lois Lowry and we're discussing the positives and the negatives of the theme utopia.  When I read to my students every day I can't help to envision my utopia ... my perfect world ... or at least my perfect classroom.  I wonder, what if I could snap my fingers and the students would become perfect in every way ... would teaching become easier or would a new set of problems present themselves?  I have to admit, despite the challenges and the many, many rough days I wouldn't want things to be different.  Although the bad days might outnumber the good, I enjoy my students ... their humour, talent, and perseverance make the good days that much more special and make a new teacher beam with so much pride and admiration. 

One Good Day .... I'll Take It!

Today was a great day!  It's amazing .... I've been teaching only eight days so far and out of those eight days seven have been filled with stress and anxieity ... but today was perfect!  And today is all that matters.  Every class, (almost) every student worked hard today and participated today and learned something today.  I learned something to.  I learned that the smallest success matters.  Today my students raised their hands (most of them) to respond to questions instead of shouting out answers.  Today my quietest students spoke up and I heard them speak.  Today I was able to hear the music play instead of the rising sound of voices during work periods.  I left the school today with a smile instead of with a look of exasperation.  Yes, today was definitely a great day!  It was a day I will treasure and look back upon to inspire me through the rest of the days to come.   

Survival of the Fittest

I've had a lot of people ask me how my first week of teaching went.  I send my apologies to all of you who have asked me that .... I've needed time to decide how to respond or how best to describe the craziness I've experienced.  Teaching in Northern Saskatchewan is definitely different then teaching in small town Ontario.  Needless to say ... teacher's college did not prepare me for this.  In fact, I'm not even sure what I've been doing can even be classified as teaching ... at least not the kind of teaching that I can full heartedly be proud of.  How do you teach students who tell you off in another language while you are teaching?  How do you teach students who refuse to do anything that you ask of them?  How do you teach students who just don't care if they pass or fail?  I've changed my teaching strategies constantly throughout this week and I have not been able to find away to reach them.  I am the enemy.  I am the one who wants them to succeed.  I am the one who believes that they can succeed.  I am the one who knows how great they can be if they just try.  I was not naive of the situation when coming here but experiencing it has definitely been hard.  I have been tested.  I have cried many tears.  I have contemplated my future.  My goal:  I wish to be able to reach at least one student ... just one ... only one. 

Pictures of my trip to La Loche, my classroom, and Chloe