Busy busy busy!

I just realized that not only have I not posted for a while, but I also hadn't been checking anyone else's blogs much either. School is totally wiping me out!

...but I must confess, I'm having a great time. Oh, so many differenced between middle school and high school! And student teaching is supposed to be a truly terrible experience! I mean, I'm really busy, and overwhelmed, yadda yadda, but the students make it worth while. I'm surprised I've become this attached to them, after only three weeks. And they make me laugh so hard! Every class period, every day--laugh laugh laugh! There's a saying among teachers, "Don't smile until Christmas." You've got to show them who's boss, and get them used to it, before you can show real personality. I can try doing that, but these kids are so hilarious that I physically would not be able to stop myself from laughing at some of the things they say.

And I'm so impressed with how smart and inquisitive they are! We'll be discussing meiosis, and question after question--all valid, all important--is asked from all the students. "I'm sorry, but we can't talk about genetics, or eugenics, or vegetative propagation, or neurobiology right now." Every day! They're so curious! They will be little genius biologists soon.

That's not so say they're all so smart. Really. But at least they're curious, which is what really matters.

And even learning how to address learning disabilities, like autism, has been less of a struggle than I thought. We have one delightful, mildly autistic girl that most other teachers didn't think could do much--but Blacksmith (my mentor teacher) proved them all wrong by holding her to the same standards but letting her have a little more time than others, and she has an A in the class. And it's a HARD class. But she can do it.

Some highlights:
Two other of my Concordia cohorts teach at Milwaukie--on the same hall, too, so we have some good support.
I have learned more in the last three weeks than I ever did in any other Biology class I've ever taken. Part of this is because I'm helping teach a Bio 2 class, and I've *gulp* never taken a Bio 2 class in my life. Lots of studying and faking confidence.
It's fun to make the students uncomfortable. We're starting a genetics unit, so of course, we have to talk about sex. I try to nonchalantly remind them that their parents did it, and I delight in their squeamish responses.
My work sample, we've decided, will be the Evolution unit. I'm up for a challenge.
Ken Blacksmith, my cooperating teacher, has given me enough material to teach an entire Biology 1 class, September through June. Including notes, materials, worksheets, and a daily breakdown. Woot!