HI Everyone!
This is my first time posting hear. I took Education in the City last year, and am now pursuing my MA in English education at NYU. I grew up in Westchester County New York. I currently student teach seventh grade at Castle Middle School in Chinatown (which is located in south eastern Manhattan). The class is 31 students, all basically mine, my cooperating teacher hardly ever intervenes. I teach my lesson plans (which I probably should be working on right now). I am also in classes at NYU. I am taking an introductory linguistics course, a course that corresponds with my student teaching, and a course on how to teach reading. You may think that because I am going to receive a degree teaching students 7-12, that I would not need a course in teaching kids how to read. But, sadly that is not the case. One of the seventh graders in my class has woefully poor reading comprehension skills, and can hardly sound out letters on the page.
I will be finished with my MA in June because my program is only a year long. Being back in a secondary classroom this year, for the first time as an authority figure, has been a really interesting experience . I have almost adjusted to the name Ms. Lifson. Something that struck me on the first day of school is how truly boring school can be. I had forgotten the endless monotony of the school day, especially for the kids at my school who are deprived of both art and gym. With my hour and fifteen minutes I try and cut through the boredom by doing interesting, engaging, and fun lessons. Sometimes this yields positive results, other times the boredom is simply replaced with hyperactive chatter. Teaching is harder than I thought it would be, and I’m still getting the hang of being in front of the classroom.
Well, I am off to do some homework, write up lesson plans, and plan out some extra credit work for my failing students.
Until Next Time,
Ms. Lifson
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5 comments:
Could you tell us about the demographics of your classroom, at least in terms of race?
I assume, perhap wrongly, that because you are in Chinatown you have a large number of Chinese or Asian students. Is this true? And what do you attribute their poor reading skills too? Perhaps a lack of english in the home?
Hi Lianna--
Thanks for posting. I know how absolutely crushing your workload is and how incredibly intense the experience of student teaching is. It's great to hear from you and I know that we'll be appreciative to hear from you when you can write. One possibility is to post some of the reflections that you write for you own classes at NYU...
Anyway...we and I are grateful....
best, sam
I can understand how it is strange to be referred to by your last name. I am student teaching at the campus school and still adjusting to that. It was really strange once when there were parent volunteers and they were introduced by their first name but I am still refered to by my last name.
It saddened me that even by HS there are students who cannot read proficiently.
I hope your year is continuing well. I am in awe of the workload you are willing to take on, and I admire your passion. Good luck!
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