krista, science teacher extraordinaire

Today was the first day of new classes. Tues/Thurs are 2 3-hr long classes. MUCH better than the 3 3-hr long classes I've been teaching previously. Life was grand tonight when I got to walk out after only teaching for 6 hours.

grand, I tell you!!

my first class was a Basic 5. Sounds like what it means...they speak basic English.

I can ____
I like ____
He likes ____

Normally I do just swell in classes like this. These kids are young, excited...i can get them to sing. Yet today I learned that all young kids are not alike.

I have a class...for 3 hours...12 grade 5 kids.

who don't talk.

oh no, wait...that's a lie. there is ONE student...ONE. who was up, out of his seat, off the wall ADHD. The rest are lumps. Preparing for Middle School already apparently. greeeeaaatttt.

ok ok...it possibly won't be that bad. It's quite likely that they were just nervous and quiet. However, I've been a teacher for quite some time now. I can tell when kids are just being quiet, but will change...and when they're quiet and won't. I get a big vibe of the latter with this bunch.

Super.

Bring on the Krista show.

anyways, we'll see...


I went to school early today to get all my books and junk. Got the basic books...glanced at them. A stupid story about getting a ball and how Kim likes soccer...blah. grammar about the "be" verb. I'm all over that stuff.
I then went on a search for my next classes books. A class I'd never taught before.

and stared at the book in front of me when I found it....Science 5. Our Living World.

I'm a science teacher now???
I kinda panicked...I have a crim degree. I don't DO science. The last time I learned about any of the stuff I was frantically scanning over was in Bio 12 - 7 years ago. The class during which I sat in the back and copied Ange's notes because I couldn't see the board (this is also the class in which i realized I needed glasses). Great.

but, actually...it wasn't bad.

I only have 4 kids in the class. They're all obviously of a pretty high English level. We chat, we discuss stuff, we learn about science to-get-her.
Before we even cracked the science book I was straight up with them.

"guys, I have a criminal justice degree. ...ya...look it up. yes, police. ya...i know. ok, anyways, so I don't really study science. I do however, understand the general idea so I can answer your questions. If anything guys, I'll be more interested cuz I'm learning too."

They got it, and we started in on our communal adventure into the world of cells and their structures.

So, today I taught about cells, what's in a cell (many things - big words), and how scientists discovered cells.

AND I didn't do too bad at all. Yay for Bio 12. Apparently a lot of it sunk in and hid away in some corner of my brain. It could also be that I've been a teacher for so long that I've mastered the ability to bullshit anything to look like I already knew it.

I vote for the bullshit theory. Theory...another word I explained today.

I kinda feel like an actual teacher now!!
Hurrah!! 2 years in!!