First Visit

This afternoon, I went over to my school to meet the principal and to see my classroom. I had a nice visit with the principal and received a tour of the school. I have subbed there before. My classroom is up on the third floor. Only fifth and sixth grade is on the third floor. The art room and the LRC is up there, as well. My room is smaller than last year's room. The back wall has computers, of which they do need to be check to see if they work. One will become mine, since I will be doing attendance and such on the computer every day, and need access to it at all times. I have lots of bulletin boards. I had very little wall space last year, so this year I have more to play with. There are 32 student desks in my room, but no teacher desk. Don't know yet, how many students I will have. There are no shelves and very little storage space. Will have to figure that out later.

Once I meet my team members will know if I will be self-contained or departmentalized. One of my co-workers, who teaches third grade, was my fourth grade teacher. That is so cool!!!! I plan to work in my room before I go on vacation and after I get back. I would like to have my room ready to go before August 30. That is the day teachers report back. I have asked my mom to help me work in my room, and she said that she will.

Good News

I got the mail this afternoon, and there was an envelope from the school district I am employed at. There were two sheets of paper in the envelope. I read them out of order. I am not getting laid off!!!!!!!!!! I have been placed at one of the elementary schools to teach 6th grade. I do not know if I will be self-contained or departmentalized. I will not know until I can talk and meet with the principal. One of my new co-workers was my 4th grade teacher. That is so cool. I have subbed before for her. I am excited for the new school year.

Celebrating my Birthday

Tomorrow is my 39th birthday. Tomorrow my sis and my niece are coming over to help me celebrate my birthday. I will see my brother Monday morning and get birthday hugs from him. Its been a few weeks since I've seen him. I got books from the library to read to him.

Last night, I was hoping to go to the Indians game, glad we didn't. Way too hot! and rain delays, but they ended up winning! Instead, sis, niece, and friends from church met me at Pizza Hut for supper, and then just down the road went bowling afterwards. We had some fun. I bowled a 98 in the first game, and a 66 in the second game. I had way too many gutter balls in the second game. In my lane, were 3 guys, and none of them bowled a turkey (3 strikes in a row). My sis had good frames, when my niece wasn't paying attention to her mom bowling. 16 people bowled in 4 lanes. We all bowled 2 games.

Here are a few pics.

Master's Project Proposal

I finished my proposal this afternoon! So good to have it done. I also created my power point for tomorrow's presentation. There is a couple parts of the methodology that is no complete and won't be until I find out which school(s) I will be doing my case study at. The teachers involved are basically on a volunteer basis.

A week ago yesterday, I was so overwhelmed with this whole thing. Looking for references frustrated me.

I still have to fill out the application to the school district, I teach in, to get permission to do this research study.

My action research study is on thematic units. Teacher views and perceptions on thematic units. How are thematic units designed and implemented in the classroom. I want to interview and observe two teachers who will be using thematic units this fall. I am hoping my two teachers will be a primary and an intermediate teacher.

Today's Interview

I will not know till next month, whether I will be laid off, or if I have a job. I got a letter last week, about an opening at one of the schools in my district, so I called saying I was qualified and was interested in interviewing for it. I got the call Tuesday afternoon for when and where the interview would be. The interview was at 8:45 am this morning. I had class at 10 am. I got to the Board of Ed building, went to where I was told to go and I waited and waited. They moved the place of the interview and nobody told me, until somebody came downstairs and told me so.

I interviewed for a 7th grade math/science position. I had to teach a lesson and also answered some some questions. I chose to teach my lesson on the water cycle. I found out that the shoes to be filled are very big. Basically, the new teacher would be writing the science curriculum and working very closely with the science department person and the 8th science teacher. God's will to be done. It went okay.

I have taught this grade, but still it would be out of my comfort zone. My mom complained at times of my hours this past school year. If I got the job, my hours would be worse. Will see what happens.