Panama City, Panama
3/10/15
Panama City in two words: hot, noisy.
When you first read those words, it may sound like I am complaining, however, this is not the case. I am simply stating the facts. I have not yet been in this city long enough to form a full opinion, but I have been in the city long enough to make some observations, so here they are:
-It's hot. I don't just mean that it is 80 degrees and sunny, I mean that it is 85- 90 degrees with a humidity you have never experienced before. I mean that it is the sweating all of the time kind of hot. The stand outside for 15 minutes and already have tan lines type of hot. If this gives you any indication of the weather here, I will be using SPF 70-90 and reapplying ever two hours.
-It's noisy. As a person who has never truly lived in a city before, this may take a little bit of getting used to. My everyday soundtrack has become the endless sound of birds chipping and cars blasting their horns.
-Driving/riding on the roads here is terrifying. I know that it is common in Evansville to gripe about the terrible drivers and the awful traffic on the Lloyd. Drivers here make the people in Evansville look like they are the most cautious people in the world. There is no rhyme nor reason nor order to driving in Panama. Street lanes are an after thought (literally they were just painted about a week ago), stop signs more of a suggestion, and turn signals might as well be non-existent.
-There are many different reasons to honk your horn. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because somebody is in your way. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because nobody is in front of you. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because you see a friend. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because you see somebody you are not a fan of. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn just because it is there and you can.
- The stark contrast between the high class and low class is oh so evident and absolutely astounding. On our drive to the International School of Panama the view changes from elegantly built high rises to tin roofed shacks in a matter of seconds. From swimming pools and palm trees to graffiti and cement block houses all along the same road.
-There are A LOT of stray animals.
-It is a place full of amazing people, food, history, and culture! Panama is very much a "melting pot" of it's own, with all types of foods and drinks from countries around the world. We had Mediterranean food last night and it may have been the most delicious meal that I have eaten in my entire life, (besides my mom's meatloaf of course). Panama is not only a "melting pot" because of the food, it is a city that encompasses the most magnificent racial and religious diversity that I have seen. Not only is the diversity apparent, but it is gratefully accepted. American's, myself included, like to think that we are accepting of others and supportive of others' beliefs, but I have never seen a community more understanding and appreciative of diversity.
- It is absolutely gorgeous. I have absolutely no problem waking up to the view below every morning!
When you first read those words, it may sound like I am complaining, however, this is not the case. I am simply stating the facts. I have not yet been in this city long enough to form a full opinion, but I have been in the city long enough to make some observations, so here they are:
-It's hot. I don't just mean that it is 80 degrees and sunny, I mean that it is 85- 90 degrees with a humidity you have never experienced before. I mean that it is the sweating all of the time kind of hot. The stand outside for 15 minutes and already have tan lines type of hot. If this gives you any indication of the weather here, I will be using SPF 70-90 and reapplying ever two hours.
-It's noisy. As a person who has never truly lived in a city before, this may take a little bit of getting used to. My everyday soundtrack has become the endless sound of birds chipping and cars blasting their horns.
-Driving/riding on the roads here is terrifying. I know that it is common in Evansville to gripe about the terrible drivers and the awful traffic on the Lloyd. Drivers here make the people in Evansville look like they are the most cautious people in the world. There is no rhyme nor reason nor order to driving in Panama. Street lanes are an after thought (literally they were just painted about a week ago), stop signs more of a suggestion, and turn signals might as well be non-existent.
-There are many different reasons to honk your horn. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because somebody is in your way. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because nobody is in front of you. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because you see a friend. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn because you see somebody you are not a fan of. You may be in Panama if you honk your horn just because it is there and you can.
- The stark contrast between the high class and low class is oh so evident and absolutely astounding. On our drive to the International School of Panama the view changes from elegantly built high rises to tin roofed shacks in a matter of seconds. From swimming pools and palm trees to graffiti and cement block houses all along the same road.
-There are A LOT of stray animals.
-It is a place full of amazing people, food, history, and culture! Panama is very much a "melting pot" of it's own, with all types of foods and drinks from countries around the world. We had Mediterranean food last night and it may have been the most delicious meal that I have eaten in my entire life, (besides my mom's meatloaf of course). Panama is not only a "melting pot" because of the food, it is a city that encompasses the most magnificent racial and religious diversity that I have seen. Not only is the diversity apparent, but it is gratefully accepted. American's, myself included, like to think that we are accepting of others and supportive of others' beliefs, but I have never seen a community more understanding and appreciative of diversity.
- It is absolutely gorgeous. I have absolutely no problem waking up to the view below every morning!
The Panama Canal
3/10/15
Short but sweet. We visited the Panama Canal yesterday. It was so cool to be surrounded by so much history and to see the advancement and progress being made in this area. We were also lucky enough to see a ship as it was traveling through the locks. How neat is that?
Cultural Incompetence
3/15/15
Cultural incompetence = knowing that you are not incompetent, but feeling completely helpless.
As a predominately good student and a person who picks up on most things relatively quickly, I am not used to struggling for understanding. Coming to Panama with very little exposure to Spanish, (two years in middle school), was not my brightest idea. If I could prepare for this trip again, I would definitely have spent time trying to brush up on my Spanish. Some people here do speak English, however, the majority only communicate through Spanish. This can be a bit problematic at times. It is easy for me to forget where I am while student teaching at a school that is taught in English. It is when I venture out into the surrounding community that my inability to communicate becomes evident.
For example, ordering food here is not as simple as saying, "Can I please have....". Due to my unfortunate lack of Spanish, I either have to rely on others to speak for me, (something I am definitely not used to), or I enter into a game of charades and guessing. The other day I went to the grocery store and while checking out the man bagging my groceries kept asking me a question. I had NO idea what he was saying, (not only do I not know a lot of Spanish, but Panamanians also mumble and speak very quickly), and since I have very few phrases in Spanish memorized, I could only respond in English which he did not understand. Eventually somebody stepped in and interpreted for us, but there have been very few times in my life where I have felt that vulnerable and incompetent.
It is a very frustrating feeling to be unable to communicate, however, I also realize how much I am going to learn in my 8 weeks here. I have only been in this country for a week and I have already begun to pick up on a few words here and there and a couple of phrases. I am very proud to say that two nights ago I ordered my own ice cream in Spanish :) I have come to realize that these small victories are more rewarding than I could have imagined. It is a small step towards not only becoming more confident, but also bettering myself as both an intelligent being and a global citizen.
As a predominately good student and a person who picks up on most things relatively quickly, I am not used to struggling for understanding. Coming to Panama with very little exposure to Spanish, (two years in middle school), was not my brightest idea. If I could prepare for this trip again, I would definitely have spent time trying to brush up on my Spanish. Some people here do speak English, however, the majority only communicate through Spanish. This can be a bit problematic at times. It is easy for me to forget where I am while student teaching at a school that is taught in English. It is when I venture out into the surrounding community that my inability to communicate becomes evident.
For example, ordering food here is not as simple as saying, "Can I please have....". Due to my unfortunate lack of Spanish, I either have to rely on others to speak for me, (something I am definitely not used to), or I enter into a game of charades and guessing. The other day I went to the grocery store and while checking out the man bagging my groceries kept asking me a question. I had NO idea what he was saying, (not only do I not know a lot of Spanish, but Panamanians also mumble and speak very quickly), and since I have very few phrases in Spanish memorized, I could only respond in English which he did not understand. Eventually somebody stepped in and interpreted for us, but there have been very few times in my life where I have felt that vulnerable and incompetent.
It is a very frustrating feeling to be unable to communicate, however, I also realize how much I am going to learn in my 8 weeks here. I have only been in this country for a week and I have already begun to pick up on a few words here and there and a couple of phrases. I am very proud to say that two nights ago I ordered my own ice cream in Spanish :) I have come to realize that these small victories are more rewarding than I could have imagined. It is a small step towards not only becoming more confident, but also bettering myself as both an intelligent being and a global citizen.
Seven Sweaty, Sweltering Days
3/24/15
They say that the average human can only survive 3 days without water. I managed 7 days... Of course, I am just being over dramatic, but we didn't have water in our apartment for the past week. One thing that I have learned about the Panamanian way of living is that the Panamanian people work on their own time. It took an entire week to fix a small burst pipe. I have heard from other ex-pats that customer service is not a thing in this country, but this was my first real experience witnessing this. I am very lucky in the fact that ISP has multiple sets of showers, so I was still able to come to school with a professional appearance.
On an entirely different and more exciting note... we have had our first rain! This may be an indicator that the dry season is ending and the rainy season is about to begin. From what I have been told, the gorgeous green hillsides and palm trees that I have seen for the last 16 days, are nothing compared to the luscious green natural sights that will appear after even just a week of rainy season! I am very excited to see the coming changes!
P.S. SPRING BREAK begins next week :)
On an entirely different and more exciting note... we have had our first rain! This may be an indicator that the dry season is ending and the rainy season is about to begin. From what I have been told, the gorgeous green hillsides and palm trees that I have seen for the last 16 days, are nothing compared to the luscious green natural sights that will appear after even just a week of rainy season! I am very excited to see the coming changes!
P.S. SPRING BREAK begins next week :)
Welcome to 1.3
3/26/15
I am SO excited to give you a visual snapshot into the International School of Panama and room 1.3, (my first grade classroom)! I am in love with the way that ISP is set up. Although, I have spent most of my time in the Elementary pod of the school, the entire school is absolutely beautiful.
First, lets talk about the classrooms. All of the classroom have so much space and room for activities and desks. They also have high ceilings which I truly believe gives the entire room an easy going feel. The classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards, which are even more incredible than Promethean Boards, (they act as touch screens!!!). The classrooms are also chalked full of resources. I'm talking anything you could ever need or imagine, and if they don't have it, it is apparently as easy as asking and the school will buy it for you. The school does not have any curriculum books or anything but the school is aligned to the Common Core Standards!
Next let's talk about the staff! The staff at this school is a group of the coolest and most welcoming people that you could ever meet. The majority of the teachers here are what some people may call "non-traditional" in the sense of appearance in the education field. For example, EVSC has a very strict dress/appearance code. It is inferred that no one should have any visible piercings or tattoos and a "professional" appearance should be maintained at all times. At ISP, you will notice that the presence of tattoos or piercings does not deter the staff from hiring great teachers. Many of the teachers and professionals here have many tattoos or even facial piercings. I believe that this in no way hinders student learning but rather it allows the students to feel more comfortable around the teachers. When the teachers do not have to change their appearance in order to become a "professional" the students realize that the teachers are being themselves and this allows for easier relationship building. The staff at ISP are also some of the smartest and most culturally aware folks that I have met. Many of these staff members have lived numerous places around the world and spent much time enveloped in other cultures. There is a lot that can be learned from working with this incredible staff.
Finally, lets discuss the students. With the tuition of ISP being quite pricey, it is a pretty safe assumption that most of the students here come from privileged backgrounds. Many of these students have already traveled around the world and are very well educated. It is incredible to listen to their stories and marvel at the places the have been already at the age of six or seven. One noticeable difference about working with these students, is that they are very well behaved most of the time. Instead of spending the entire teaching day correcting behavior, I have really been able to focus on the content that I want the students to learn!
P.S. Next week is Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Panama so Elizabeth and I will be taking a vacation to the beautiful island town of Bocas del Torro and the mountain town of Boquette! We are both very excited. That being said, I will not be taking my computer so it will probably be about 10 days or so until I blog again. However, by this time I should have some fabulous pictures to post!!!!
The following are some pictures of ISP and my classroom!
First, lets talk about the classrooms. All of the classroom have so much space and room for activities and desks. They also have high ceilings which I truly believe gives the entire room an easy going feel. The classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards, which are even more incredible than Promethean Boards, (they act as touch screens!!!). The classrooms are also chalked full of resources. I'm talking anything you could ever need or imagine, and if they don't have it, it is apparently as easy as asking and the school will buy it for you. The school does not have any curriculum books or anything but the school is aligned to the Common Core Standards!
Next let's talk about the staff! The staff at this school is a group of the coolest and most welcoming people that you could ever meet. The majority of the teachers here are what some people may call "non-traditional" in the sense of appearance in the education field. For example, EVSC has a very strict dress/appearance code. It is inferred that no one should have any visible piercings or tattoos and a "professional" appearance should be maintained at all times. At ISP, you will notice that the presence of tattoos or piercings does not deter the staff from hiring great teachers. Many of the teachers and professionals here have many tattoos or even facial piercings. I believe that this in no way hinders student learning but rather it allows the students to feel more comfortable around the teachers. When the teachers do not have to change their appearance in order to become a "professional" the students realize that the teachers are being themselves and this allows for easier relationship building. The staff at ISP are also some of the smartest and most culturally aware folks that I have met. Many of these staff members have lived numerous places around the world and spent much time enveloped in other cultures. There is a lot that can be learned from working with this incredible staff.
Finally, lets discuss the students. With the tuition of ISP being quite pricey, it is a pretty safe assumption that most of the students here come from privileged backgrounds. Many of these students have already traveled around the world and are very well educated. It is incredible to listen to their stories and marvel at the places the have been already at the age of six or seven. One noticeable difference about working with these students, is that they are very well behaved most of the time. Instead of spending the entire teaching day correcting behavior, I have really been able to focus on the content that I want the students to learn!
P.S. Next week is Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Panama so Elizabeth and I will be taking a vacation to the beautiful island town of Bocas del Torro and the mountain town of Boquette! We are both very excited. That being said, I will not be taking my computer so it will probably be about 10 days or so until I blog again. However, by this time I should have some fabulous pictures to post!!!!
The following are some pictures of ISP and my classroom!
Semana Santa
4/6/15
Hello all!
I know that it has been a while since I last blogged and I apologize! Things have been pretty busy here. Last week was Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Panama so the students, and Elizabeth and I, had the week off. We decided to use this break as an opportunity to travel around and become more immersed in the culture of the country. For our vacation we decided to visit the islands of Bocas del Toro, as well as the mountain town of Boquette. Below I will describe a few of my favorite/ most rewarding moments. If you would like to read about our first leg of the journey, (getting from Panama City to Bocas del Toro), please read Elizabeth's post that is titled Our Adventure Part 1.
Bocas Del Toro
Bocas del Toro was absolutely gorgeous. I constantly had to remind myself that I my surroundings were real and that I wasn't just dreaming. We used our time in Bocas to relax. We chose to use one of our days to go on a boat tour of the area. During this tour we were taken to a place called Dolphin Bay were we came incredibly close to wild dolphins. It was amazing to not only see them in the wild, but to also be able to hear them as they were breathing through their blow holes. We also had the opportunity to see sloths that were living in the mangroves. Our tour also took us to one of the Zapatillas Islands, the only virgin islands in the area. This beach was absolutely GORGEOUS with its white sands and green water. I could have stayed there all day, but my skin would've burned to a crisp.
We also went for a very long fun bike ride around the island! Elizabeth fell off of her bike, (imagine that). It was a fun way to experience the island!
Bocas was not necessarily as touristy as I was expecting, but I am so happy that we had a chance to visit this beautiful area.
I know that it has been a while since I last blogged and I apologize! Things have been pretty busy here. Last week was Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Panama so the students, and Elizabeth and I, had the week off. We decided to use this break as an opportunity to travel around and become more immersed in the culture of the country. For our vacation we decided to visit the islands of Bocas del Toro, as well as the mountain town of Boquette. Below I will describe a few of my favorite/ most rewarding moments. If you would like to read about our first leg of the journey, (getting from Panama City to Bocas del Toro), please read Elizabeth's post that is titled Our Adventure Part 1.
Bocas Del Toro
Bocas del Toro was absolutely gorgeous. I constantly had to remind myself that I my surroundings were real and that I wasn't just dreaming. We used our time in Bocas to relax. We chose to use one of our days to go on a boat tour of the area. During this tour we were taken to a place called Dolphin Bay were we came incredibly close to wild dolphins. It was amazing to not only see them in the wild, but to also be able to hear them as they were breathing through their blow holes. We also had the opportunity to see sloths that were living in the mangroves. Our tour also took us to one of the Zapatillas Islands, the only virgin islands in the area. This beach was absolutely GORGEOUS with its white sands and green water. I could have stayed there all day, but my skin would've burned to a crisp.
We also went for a very long fun bike ride around the island! Elizabeth fell off of her bike, (imagine that). It was a fun way to experience the island!
Bocas was not necessarily as touristy as I was expecting, but I am so happy that we had a chance to visit this beautiful area.
Boquette
Boquette is a small mountain town filled with kind people. On many different occasions we were acknowledged with a Hola, or given advice or directions, or offered assistance even when we hadn't asked for it. The people were very friendly and the town itself was gorgeous! When we stepped off of the shuttle we could immediately tell a difference in the environment. The air was cool and fresh and the views were incredible. Besides eating, (which we continuously did), we unfortunately were only able to complete one activity while visiting here. However, this activity was the "mother of all activities".
Almost immediately upon our arrival at the hostel, we were told about the night hike to the top of Volcano Baru. The objective of the hike was to make it to the top of the volcano so that you can watch the sunrise. This hike immediately appealed to me, as I am definitely a mountain person. After some consideration Elizabeth and I decided that we would complete the hike the following night. We are both fairly athletic people so event though it would be tough, there was no doubt in our minds that we could complete the task. No doubt that is, until we arrived at the volcano.
We began our ascent at approximately midnight. We had backpacks full of clothing, food, and water and headlamps to guide our way. This hike was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my ENTIRE life. It was 13.5 km (8.4 mi), one way, straight up the side of the mountain. Almost the entire hike was climbing up incredibly steep hills covered in sand and rocks. Not only was this physically demanding but it was also mentally demanding. The whole time you had to stay focused on not only putting one foot in front of the other, but also finding the safest, most reliable, path. Later while talking, Elizabeth and I realized that we each had a song that we kept repeating in our heads over and over again to stay motivated, (hers was the song "1, 2 Step" by Ciara and mine was the song "One Foot in Front of the Other" from the movie Santa Claus in Coming to Town). While trudging up this massive volcano, we gained approximately 2200 meters (7217 feet) of altitude. Needless to say, when we got to the top of the volcano we were worn out. Once at the top we put all of our extra layers of clothing on and huddled together for warm.We had to wait for a little while in the dark, but slowly and surely the sun began to rise. As the sun rose we began to see that we were well above the clouds. In fact, we sat and watched the clouds roll down over the mountains. It was one of the most incredible things that I have seen. The sunrise was absolutely beautiful and amazing to witness. After many moments where I was close to tears and close to calling it quits, it felt like such an amazing award to witness this magical moment.
When the sun was finally up, it hit me. I still had to climb down the volcano. This task turned out to be just as challenging as climbing up the volcano. For starters, it was much easier to slip while traveling down the steep hills. Another problematic situation was that the hiking boots that I had rented were almost two sizes too small. On the way up I hadn't noticed it so much, but coming down was a different story. I dreaded each step that I took, knowing that it would be painful. By the time we reached our hostel my feet were in pretty bad shape, and we were exhausted and very cranky. We both just wanted to shower and sleep.
As I stated before this was the most difficult task that I have accomplished and I am so proud of myself for successfully completing it.
Our ride back to Panama City was pretty uneventful and nice and relaxing.
Anyways it's back to the grindstone... at least for next three days.
Boquette is a small mountain town filled with kind people. On many different occasions we were acknowledged with a Hola, or given advice or directions, or offered assistance even when we hadn't asked for it. The people were very friendly and the town itself was gorgeous! When we stepped off of the shuttle we could immediately tell a difference in the environment. The air was cool and fresh and the views were incredible. Besides eating, (which we continuously did), we unfortunately were only able to complete one activity while visiting here. However, this activity was the "mother of all activities".
Almost immediately upon our arrival at the hostel, we were told about the night hike to the top of Volcano Baru. The objective of the hike was to make it to the top of the volcano so that you can watch the sunrise. This hike immediately appealed to me, as I am definitely a mountain person. After some consideration Elizabeth and I decided that we would complete the hike the following night. We are both fairly athletic people so event though it would be tough, there was no doubt in our minds that we could complete the task. No doubt that is, until we arrived at the volcano.
We began our ascent at approximately midnight. We had backpacks full of clothing, food, and water and headlamps to guide our way. This hike was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my ENTIRE life. It was 13.5 km (8.4 mi), one way, straight up the side of the mountain. Almost the entire hike was climbing up incredibly steep hills covered in sand and rocks. Not only was this physically demanding but it was also mentally demanding. The whole time you had to stay focused on not only putting one foot in front of the other, but also finding the safest, most reliable, path. Later while talking, Elizabeth and I realized that we each had a song that we kept repeating in our heads over and over again to stay motivated, (hers was the song "1, 2 Step" by Ciara and mine was the song "One Foot in Front of the Other" from the movie Santa Claus in Coming to Town). While trudging up this massive volcano, we gained approximately 2200 meters (7217 feet) of altitude. Needless to say, when we got to the top of the volcano we were worn out. Once at the top we put all of our extra layers of clothing on and huddled together for warm.We had to wait for a little while in the dark, but slowly and surely the sun began to rise. As the sun rose we began to see that we were well above the clouds. In fact, we sat and watched the clouds roll down over the mountains. It was one of the most incredible things that I have seen. The sunrise was absolutely beautiful and amazing to witness. After many moments where I was close to tears and close to calling it quits, it felt like such an amazing award to witness this magical moment.
When the sun was finally up, it hit me. I still had to climb down the volcano. This task turned out to be just as challenging as climbing up the volcano. For starters, it was much easier to slip while traveling down the steep hills. Another problematic situation was that the hiking boots that I had rented were almost two sizes too small. On the way up I hadn't noticed it so much, but coming down was a different story. I dreaded each step that I took, knowing that it would be painful. By the time we reached our hostel my feet were in pretty bad shape, and we were exhausted and very cranky. We both just wanted to shower and sleep.
As I stated before this was the most difficult task that I have accomplished and I am so proud of myself for successfully completing it.
Our ride back to Panama City was pretty uneventful and nice and relaxing.
Anyways it's back to the grindstone... at least for next three days.
Summit of the Americas
4/13/15
Because of the Summit of the Americas that was took place here in Panama City, we did not have to attend school last Thursday or Friday. We decided to take advantage of this opportunity and travel more! On Thursday morning we drove to El Valle, a town in the mountains about an hour away. While in El Valle we went to the local zoo, (the only zoo in Panama) (there were a lot of birds), we visited a delicious bakery, we saw some petroglyphs (and got scammed), and we went zip-lining. The town was beautiful and cool and it was easy to see why so many people talked about it.
On Saturday, We left El Valle and traveled to Playa Blanca a nearby beach. It was absolutely fabulous. It was amazingly gorgeous and we had so many good laughs. It was so nice to simply lay next to a pool/beach and relax for a while.
Below are some pictures from our adventures!
On Saturday, We left El Valle and traveled to Playa Blanca a nearby beach. It was absolutely fabulous. It was amazingly gorgeous and we had so many good laughs. It was so nice to simply lay next to a pool/beach and relax for a while.
Below are some pictures from our adventures!
MAP Testing
4/14/15
Yesterday my first graders began taking the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test. The students took the first part of this test in October. They began the second part of it this week. The MAP test is designed to measure students' academic progress throughout the course of the year. Rather than receiving a grade based off of a single score, the students' grades are determined by the amount of progress that they have had.
I do not, however, believe that this test is 100% reliable. While watching my students take this test, I quickly noticed that there were many questions were well above a first grade level. Many of them were not even first grade standards, so naturally the students struggled with these questions. One thing that I did like about this test was that although it was taken completely on the computer, the students were provided with manipulatives on the computer that they could use to work through the problems. I also appreciated the fact that the test was not just testing their computational skills but that it was also asking them questions that required the students to think logically and to have knowledge about how to use appropriate tools.
We begin conferences this afternoon, so I am sure that I will have more to write about later this week.
Chao!
I do not, however, believe that this test is 100% reliable. While watching my students take this test, I quickly noticed that there were many questions were well above a first grade level. Many of them were not even first grade standards, so naturally the students struggled with these questions. One thing that I did like about this test was that although it was taken completely on the computer, the students were provided with manipulatives on the computer that they could use to work through the problems. I also appreciated the fact that the test was not just testing their computational skills but that it was also asking them questions that required the students to think logically and to have knowledge about how to use appropriate tools.
We begin conferences this afternoon, so I am sure that I will have more to write about later this week.
Chao!
Student-led Conferences
4/17/15
We had conferences this week. It was a stressful but very cool experience for me. I was very nervous about meeting all of the parents, but I had nothing to worry about. The parents were very welcoming and kind. They asked me how I was enjoying my time and many of them told me how much their children enjoyed having me in the class. The main difference with these conferences that I had to get used to was the "Pana-kiss", (they pull you in and do the fake kiss on the cheek).
The conferences at ISP are student-led which is something new for me. I absolutely loved this method and I plan on using it when I become a teacher. It took a lot of prep time with the students to get them ready for these conferences, but the conferences ran very smoothly and through this method the students gained a sense of responsibility and were able to demonstrate to their parents all that they had accomplished.
Here is how our student led conferences worked:
-The students began by telling their parents their favorite part of Daily Five, (our ELA block).
-Next the students explained Daily 3 to their parents, (our mathematics block).
-After that the students were able to show their parents around the classroom and point out their favorite activities.
-Following this, the students told their parents three things that they were good at and three things that they would like to work on. The students also shared with their parents a self-reflection worksheet that they had previously filled out.
-After all of this, the students were given a "secret note" that their parents had written them prior to the conference. This was absolutely my favorite part of the conference. It was so adorable to watch the students read a note from their parents with words of encouragement and praise.
All of this took no more than 30 minutes.
It has been a very good week. I have taken over responsibility and planning for everything except writing, (which I begin next week). It struck me today how much I love my students and how hard it is going to be to leave in less than two weeks. My students are so intelligent and kind and I know that they are going to be very successful members of society when they grow up!
The conferences at ISP are student-led which is something new for me. I absolutely loved this method and I plan on using it when I become a teacher. It took a lot of prep time with the students to get them ready for these conferences, but the conferences ran very smoothly and through this method the students gained a sense of responsibility and were able to demonstrate to their parents all that they had accomplished.
Here is how our student led conferences worked:
-The students began by telling their parents their favorite part of Daily Five, (our ELA block).
-Next the students explained Daily 3 to their parents, (our mathematics block).
-After that the students were able to show their parents around the classroom and point out their favorite activities.
-Following this, the students told their parents three things that they were good at and three things that they would like to work on. The students also shared with their parents a self-reflection worksheet that they had previously filled out.
-After all of this, the students were given a "secret note" that their parents had written them prior to the conference. This was absolutely my favorite part of the conference. It was so adorable to watch the students read a note from their parents with words of encouragement and praise.
All of this took no more than 30 minutes.
It has been a very good week. I have taken over responsibility and planning for everything except writing, (which I begin next week). It struck me today how much I love my students and how hard it is going to be to leave in less than two weeks. My students are so intelligent and kind and I know that they are going to be very successful members of society when they grow up!
San Blas
4/20/15
Hello all!
I had the most incredible cultural experience this weekend. This weekend we traveled to San Blas and the island of Coco Blanco. Our adventure began at approximately 5 a.m. on Saturday morning. After some shuffling, we began our three hour drive to the San Blas Islands. Part of the drive was so incredibly curvy and hilly that there was some throw up involved, (not mine). The drive ended at a port with many small boats. It was one of these boats that carried us the thirty minutes to our small island destination of Coco Blanco. When I say small island, I mean small. A walk around the entire island took approximately 3 minutes and there was just enough room on the island for about 5 huts. The island was owned by members of the Kuna Yala tribe, (the natives of Panama) and the huts were built by hand out of bamboo, wood, and palm trees. These huts were very primitive but very comfortable at the same time. Although there was not electricity on the island, there were a few lights that were run off of solar power. There was a toilet and a very simple shower system, but the water was turned off almost the whole time that we were there. A Kuna Yala family actually lived on the island that we stayed at. It was a whole extended family that lived on the island and they completed all of the work that needed to be done. The fish that was served to us at meal times had been caught by the natives earlier that morning. The Kuna Yala used dug out canoes that they had hand made for fishing and even the small children helped with the day to day tasks that needed to be completed.
While in San Blas we had the opportunity to snorkel in a starfish pool and around a sunken ship. It was so beautiful and cool. We were also able to lay out and to play a little bit of sand volleyball which was great :)
While on the island, I occasionally became a little bit anxious. It was an uncomfortable feeling to know that you are surrounded by so much water and so little land. I really felt quite insignificant and helpless against the vastness of the ocean, even if it was beautiful.
This was a very humbling experience to see how simple some people live. Everyone was very friendly and seemed happy and it really makes you wonder whether having more is better.
I had the most incredible cultural experience this weekend. This weekend we traveled to San Blas and the island of Coco Blanco. Our adventure began at approximately 5 a.m. on Saturday morning. After some shuffling, we began our three hour drive to the San Blas Islands. Part of the drive was so incredibly curvy and hilly that there was some throw up involved, (not mine). The drive ended at a port with many small boats. It was one of these boats that carried us the thirty minutes to our small island destination of Coco Blanco. When I say small island, I mean small. A walk around the entire island took approximately 3 minutes and there was just enough room on the island for about 5 huts. The island was owned by members of the Kuna Yala tribe, (the natives of Panama) and the huts were built by hand out of bamboo, wood, and palm trees. These huts were very primitive but very comfortable at the same time. Although there was not electricity on the island, there were a few lights that were run off of solar power. There was a toilet and a very simple shower system, but the water was turned off almost the whole time that we were there. A Kuna Yala family actually lived on the island that we stayed at. It was a whole extended family that lived on the island and they completed all of the work that needed to be done. The fish that was served to us at meal times had been caught by the natives earlier that morning. The Kuna Yala used dug out canoes that they had hand made for fishing and even the small children helped with the day to day tasks that needed to be completed.
While in San Blas we had the opportunity to snorkel in a starfish pool and around a sunken ship. It was so beautiful and cool. We were also able to lay out and to play a little bit of sand volleyball which was great :)
While on the island, I occasionally became a little bit anxious. It was an uncomfortable feeling to know that you are surrounded by so much water and so little land. I really felt quite insignificant and helpless against the vastness of the ocean, even if it was beautiful.
This was a very humbling experience to see how simple some people live. Everyone was very friendly and seemed happy and it really makes you wonder whether having more is better.
My Cooperating Teacher
4/27/15
For those of you who are not part of the education world, my cooperating teacher is the lead teacher of the classroom that I have been student teaching in. This is the person who is brave enough to step aside and allow a complete newbie to take over and teach his/her classroom.
I am so thankful to say that I have had the privilege to work with possibly the world's best teacher. For the purpose of not embarrassing her and keeping her identity safe, I will simply called her Jane Doe in this blog. I have been in many different classrooms throughout my college career and I have had the opportunity to observe many different teachers in action. Even with all of my classroom time, I have never been as impressed with a teacher as I am with Jane. She is everything I could hope to be in a teacher.
Jane is caring, patient, expressive, organized, fun, and inspiring. Having been in a fourth grade classroom before coming down here, I was kind of nervous to work in a first grade classroom. I wasn't sure how to approach the children and classroom management with students this age was very intimidating to me. However, Jane immediately welcomed me into the classroom. She introduced me to the students on the first day as their teacher and she truly got them excited about the fact that there would now be three teachers in the classroom.
The way that Jane had allowed me to transition into the classroom was fabulous. I began my transition by first simply observing the students. I had a week or so to watch the students and get to know them as well as the daily schedule. Following this observation, I began to take over small groups in both reading and mathematics. I began doing guided reading sessions with my students and reviewing mathematical concepts in groups of four or five. After I adjusted to teaching the small groups, I was given the whole group lessons to teach. Along with the whole group lessons I began preforming read-alouds and number talks with my students. When I first began teaching the whole group lessons, Jane supported my teaching by co-teaching with me. The lessons were taught by both of us and we seamless bounced ideas off of one another while teaching. For the past couple of weeks however, Jane withdrew from the groups and allowed me to solo teach. Being entirely in charge of a classroom can be very stressful and overwhelming, however building up to it the way that we did allowed us both to feel comfortable when it came time for her to release the children to me.
Jane was very supportive the entire time that I was here. She was always checking with me to see if I had any questions and she was very willing to offer me advice. Not only did she give me suggestions, but she also made me think critically about my teaching methods and the way that I managed the classroom. Jane was not afraid to ask hard questions that truly made me think and analyze. These are the types of questions that I need to consider in order to become a better teacher. She was more than willing to help me with whatever I needed, whether it be planning, getting materials ready, correcting behavior, or observing. I am so thankful to have Jane as a role model teacher.
I am so thankful to say that I have had the privilege to work with possibly the world's best teacher. For the purpose of not embarrassing her and keeping her identity safe, I will simply called her Jane Doe in this blog. I have been in many different classrooms throughout my college career and I have had the opportunity to observe many different teachers in action. Even with all of my classroom time, I have never been as impressed with a teacher as I am with Jane. She is everything I could hope to be in a teacher.
Jane is caring, patient, expressive, organized, fun, and inspiring. Having been in a fourth grade classroom before coming down here, I was kind of nervous to work in a first grade classroom. I wasn't sure how to approach the children and classroom management with students this age was very intimidating to me. However, Jane immediately welcomed me into the classroom. She introduced me to the students on the first day as their teacher and she truly got them excited about the fact that there would now be three teachers in the classroom.
The way that Jane had allowed me to transition into the classroom was fabulous. I began my transition by first simply observing the students. I had a week or so to watch the students and get to know them as well as the daily schedule. Following this observation, I began to take over small groups in both reading and mathematics. I began doing guided reading sessions with my students and reviewing mathematical concepts in groups of four or five. After I adjusted to teaching the small groups, I was given the whole group lessons to teach. Along with the whole group lessons I began preforming read-alouds and number talks with my students. When I first began teaching the whole group lessons, Jane supported my teaching by co-teaching with me. The lessons were taught by both of us and we seamless bounced ideas off of one another while teaching. For the past couple of weeks however, Jane withdrew from the groups and allowed me to solo teach. Being entirely in charge of a classroom can be very stressful and overwhelming, however building up to it the way that we did allowed us both to feel comfortable when it came time for her to release the children to me.
Jane was very supportive the entire time that I was here. She was always checking with me to see if I had any questions and she was very willing to offer me advice. Not only did she give me suggestions, but she also made me think critically about my teaching methods and the way that I managed the classroom. Jane was not afraid to ask hard questions that truly made me think and analyze. These are the types of questions that I need to consider in order to become a better teacher. She was more than willing to help me with whatever I needed, whether it be planning, getting materials ready, correcting behavior, or observing. I am so thankful to have Jane as a role model teacher.
My last day...
4/29/15
Today was a heartbreaking day! Don't get me wrong, by all accounts it was a fabulous day, however, today was the day that I had to say goodbye to my students in 1.3! :( I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to work with these students. They have truly touched my life.
I have been in many classrooms before 1.3, but I have never connected so quickly with any of my other students. Although our lives are comparably different, we also have some similarities between us that I believe allowed us to bond. As part of their upbringing, many of my students have moved around the world. Several of them, although only 6 or 7, have lived in many different countries. These students are used to saying goodbye to their friends, meeting new friends, and adapting to new cultures.
Growing up, my father was a member of the United States Navy. For part of my elementary career, I attended a Department of Defense school. Many of my classmates had lived different places around the world so I had the opportunity to learn in a diverse environment. As I got older, my family moved several times to different parts of the United States. Like my students, I learned to adapt quickly. I believe that this is one reason why we connected so well. Because we were all accustomed to change, it was easy to accept one another and quickly develop a relationship. I was very lucky to have had this opportunity and I am so thankful to have been placed in such an awesome class with both amazing students and an amazing teacher.
At the beginning of the school day today, I asked my students, "If I could only remember one thing about 1.3, what do you hope that I remember?" My students responses varied from "how smart we are" to "how much fun we are" and even "brainbreaks". As I stood there listening to their responses, one thing quickly became clear to me; I will never be able to forget my fabulous, fantastic, and funny students, or my adventures in Panama!
I have been in many classrooms before 1.3, but I have never connected so quickly with any of my other students. Although our lives are comparably different, we also have some similarities between us that I believe allowed us to bond. As part of their upbringing, many of my students have moved around the world. Several of them, although only 6 or 7, have lived in many different countries. These students are used to saying goodbye to their friends, meeting new friends, and adapting to new cultures.
Growing up, my father was a member of the United States Navy. For part of my elementary career, I attended a Department of Defense school. Many of my classmates had lived different places around the world so I had the opportunity to learn in a diverse environment. As I got older, my family moved several times to different parts of the United States. Like my students, I learned to adapt quickly. I believe that this is one reason why we connected so well. Because we were all accustomed to change, it was easy to accept one another and quickly develop a relationship. I was very lucky to have had this opportunity and I am so thankful to have been placed in such an awesome class with both amazing students and an amazing teacher.
At the beginning of the school day today, I asked my students, "If I could only remember one thing about 1.3, what do you hope that I remember?" My students responses varied from "how smart we are" to "how much fun we are" and even "brainbreaks". As I stood there listening to their responses, one thing quickly became clear to me; I will never be able to forget my fabulous, fantastic, and funny students, or my adventures in Panama!