Week 1

 This week was my first week in New Mexico! Before we go any further, you need to know that  I was very nervous for this new adventure. On Christmas break, I often found myself asking why I even decided to go away for student teaching in the first place. I found myself feeling that it would be easier to go back to Trinity, back to the familiar. As the date approached, the more nervous I became. The day before I left, I prayed. I prayed that God would go ahead of me and prepare a place. I prayed for peace and confidence. When I arrived on Saturday, I found myself in a new, beautiful home. The scenery here is absolutely God breathed and displays His beauty each day. 

This week, as I reflect on the people I met, the experiences I have had, the hikes I have went on, the students I have worked with, and the lessons I have taught I realized that God went ahead of me and prepared a place more perfect than I could ever imagine for me. I was reminded of this on a hike when I found my name actually engraved in the rock; serving as a reminder that God has chosen me and made a place for me here. I was meant to come to Rehoboth Christian School and serve. I cannot wait to see how else I am used and streched as I continue to student teach the next few weeks. 

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Since this is my new home, I thought I should show you my new house! Caitlin and I are living in the upstairs of the Mission House with another girl named Sam. Sam was a student teacher from Calvin ​​College last semester, but is not working full time at one of the nearby Gallup public schools.

  We are blessed with our own rooms, bathrooms, and kitchen. Although, we have not had to use our kitchen very much since we have been here because the people are so friendly and are constantly inviting us to dinner at their houses and taking us out to eat to try new foods. Until this week, I never knew what "red or green?" meant...so much I am learning about the culture here! Mr. Ipple invited us to a dinner in the fellowship hall on Tuesday evening where we learned about the Navajo culture. We tried some Navajo tacos and blue corn mush. They were both actually quite delicious. We also got to ask questions, watch a dance, and hear old stories that have been passed down. It was a great learning experience and I believe will help me as I continue to go into the classroom and teach. Being able to know and understand more about some of the different cultures that are a part of Rehoboth Christian School and this area will help me prepare and teach in a more appropriate way. 

Okay, okay...what about my classroom??? What about student teaching??? My classroom is amazing and so is my cooperating teacher. I am in the 6th grade with Nick Donkersloot. The first day, I was welcomed into the classroom, introduced, and immersed in Rehoboth, and given a tour. I have never felt so welcomed and a part of a classroom before on a first day. My cooperating teacher is hilarious. He is goofy in the classroom and you can tell that the students absolutely love him and respect him has a teacher. It is fun to watch him interact with the kids. I find myself laughing at all of his jokes along with the students. My cooperating teacher teaches Bible, math, social studies to both classes of 6th graders. He also teaches reading to the 6th grade girls, and the other 6th grade teacher teaches reading to the 6th grade boys. This week, on the second day, I already began teaching reading. I am doing a reading unit on the book Holes by Louis Sachar. He gave me some materials, but really this is my own unit that I get design and it is going to be my "baby" for the next seven weeks. Each week, our plan is to add another subject to my teaching load. Next week will be Bible. I am so excited! As far as classroom management, the students manage themselves. What I mean by this is the day I arrived, Nick and I started a new management plan. The students sit in groups. Each group works together and tries to earn points. The way they earn points is being the first group sitting and ready to go for the lesson, they brought all their materials to class, they brought their assignment books to class, their assignment books are signed by a parent each day, and so on. The group with the most points at the end of the week get to pick a food day for the following week, (Nick and I both agree that food is the bets motivator). The kids love it! They run into the classroom, they call each other at home to remind each other what to do and bring to school, they hold each other accountable. It is fun to see!

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Weirdly enough, this week Rehoboth Christian School had two snow days and a two hour delay. On Wednesday we had a two hour delay, so I had to adjust my lesson plan for reading and on Thursday and Friday, we had snow days. I was quite bummed about this because one, I never expected the weather to be this bad and two, I have been having such a fun time in school that I want to be there and I want to be teaching. Hopefully next week the weather clears up and I can be in the classroom more. I begin taking over Bible class on Monday already. I am so excited!

What have I learned thus far? 

I have learned that teaching 6th graders is actually fun. I thought I was not going to enjoy it and it was going to be hard. It may be too early to speak, but I think 6th grade has been my favorite already even after just (barely) one week. I learned that it is very important to let students have independence, especially at this age. I learned it is important to find what motivates students, in our classes case it is food and the ability to participate on sports teams. I have also learned that some of my students eat lamb heads and I will probably be forced to eat something that involves lamb before I leave... All in all, I have learned that being a teacher you must be flexible because you never know how many snow days you will have, it is important to get involved in your community, and you must always remember that God has hand picked everyone in your classroom, including you.

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Classroom Confidential - Schmidt

1. In Classroom Confidential Schmidt refers to multiples intelligence's. What intelligence's do you hope to use in your teaching and why?

In the classroom, I would hope that I would try and use all of the multiple intelligence's. Some specifically that I hope to use in my teaching is "self-smart-interapersonal intelligence" and "people-smart-interpersonal intelligence". I hope to use both of these because in the 6th grade I find that these would be very valuable for all. I want my students to be self motivated and understand their own feelings and values. I think that this is important at this stage of life. They are beginning to understand who they are in the world and in the classroom. Other the other hand, I want them to be able to develop their social skills. I think it is vauable for students to be able to understand their peers and what motivates them. I want my students to be self and peer motivators. I can do all I can to try and push and help these students, but if they do not want to do it themselves, nothing will get done. Teaching them to value their educaiton and find what motivates them to do better will strengthen the classes. I beleive they can do this through understanding themselves better and their peers.

2. Schmidt asserts that “activity without cognition is just a way to keep kids from smacking each other…Idle hands may be the devil’s workshop, but clueless hands aren’t much better… before you switch on the hands, you must ease the brain into gear and keep it running” (p. 15). Are there ways you will use Schmidt’s “full brain learning”? Explain.

There are many ways that I will use Schmidt's "full brain learning" approach. I think it is easier in the 6th grade to tap into their minds and find what it meaningful to them about the world. I also have seen it modeled for me on how to give studenst many different ways to go about a project or task. I have seen promotion of social and communication skills by talking about ideas and have already begun using this in my own lessons. I think that it will be easier in the 6th grade to use the "full brain learning". I am very excited to see how my students use these tasks and learn throughout the time I am here.