WEEK TWO- Daily Log: Wednesday, February 28, 2007

• I started off my day typing up a few of Mme. Mercer's charts. I find that typing these charts out is really helping me remember french grammar. These charts consist of grammar for a wide range of grade levels, which is triggering my memory. After I type each chart, I proofread it and run over the concept that it is describing.
• Due to the fact that the Public Speaking Competition was being held in the afternoon, the two french classes I assissted Mme. Mercer with would be cancelled. As a result I went down to the gym with one of the grade six classes to watch the speeches. My job was to sit with the students and make sure that they were respectful towards the presenters. I also had to make sure that they didn't talk during the speeches.
• The speeches were really good, and I saw that many of the students were very interested in what was being said. A couple of students decided to talk and be silly, however I was there to tell them to be quiet.
• During the judges' deliberation time I made my way to the library where I managed to type up another chart, as well as proofread it. Just as I finished this, we were called to the gym once again to hear who had won. Here, I continued making sure that the kids were listening to the presentation.
• I worked three hours once again today- from 11:55-2:55.

WEEK TWO- Daily Log: Tuesday, February 27, 2007

• After a long, snowy walk from Holy Trinity, I entered the french room of St. Andrew, and immediately grabbed a few charts to type before I went to my afternoon classes. Even though I have many more charts to type, there are definitely a significant amount that I have completed.
• When I got to my first grade six class of the day, I handed back the class's marked work from yesterday. I am getting to know all of the student's names, however I see that I still have to use my seating plan to identify certain pupils.
• Today Mme. Mercer decided to give the class the french-english dictionary activity that I had made for them last week. Once again, Mme. picked five students to go with me to the library where I would get to know them more as well as help them more. I like working one on one with the students because I feel that I can help them more and mould my methods of explaining things to them according to their learning style. I found that some of the students take advantage of me, and laugh and do things they normally wouldn't do in the presence of a teacher. To discourage this I downplay their actions and act in a stern manner so that they know I am the equivalent of a teacher in terms of how they should behave.
• The kids are definitely taking to me and becoming more comfortable in my presence; as am I. During Mme's plannning time I was instructed to staple up some of the grade six's work on an empty bulletin board in the school. I also put up a sign describing what was being displayed on the bulletin board.
• For the remainder of the day I spent my time typing out the charts and made some major headway on them. Mme. Mercer and I also spent some time going over the lesson plans for the rest of the week.
• I worked from 11:55-2:55 today-three hours.

WEEK TWO- Daily Log: Monday, February 26, 2007

• Today was my favourite day yet because I actually had a chance to work one on one with the students. When I first arrived at my placement I began my typing routine and saw that I had made a significant dent in the pile from my extensive work on Friday. I then made my way to Mrs. Cioccio's grade six class with Mme. Mercer.
• Today Mme. Mercer assigned a french passage that was accompanied with a few comprehension questions. Mme. sent five students from each of our classes to come with me to the library where I would be able to work with them. The passage dealt with a new computer program that translates french into enlgish, which turns out to go haywire in the end. I read the passage with my group of five, and made sure that they understood the general content so they would be able to answer the corresponding questions. Some of the kids had an immense amount of difficulty in understanding the story. This meant that I had to pay an even closer amount of attention to them so that I could help them get on track.
• I then explained what the students had to do, and let them do their work. I constantly helped the students when they asked for my help, and this made me feel as if they were accepting me in their learning environment. I did this for both of my classes and found that each of my groups were extremely different-one being loud and disruptive, the other being quiet and focused. Even though I was doing the same activity with both groups, I noticed that because of the different children it seemed as if I was leading two different acitivities.
• For the rest of the day I spent my time typing and making some headyway on the charts. I worked from 11:53-2:53 today-three hours.

WEEK ONE- Weekly Journal

This week seemed to pass by really fast because of the new surroundings I have and all the new people I have met. I think the immense amount of work I have done has also made this week fly by! From being at my placement for only five short days, I already see that I am going to love it here! Mme. Mercer has made sure that I feel comfortable in this new environment and has introduced me to many of her colleagues. I can genuinely see myself as a teacher in the future and I think it would be a job I'd love waking up for, because each day I have been at St. Andrew's is quite different. I wouldn't want to work in an environment that is static and unchanging, but rather dynamic and exciting. This week has been a challenge for me because I had to be myself but in a professional fashion so that I was respected by other teachers and students. I believe that I made a very good first impression because I am willing to do any task and am also ready to challenge myself. I give a very confident vibe, and I think that when other people sense my self-assurance they feel confident in my abilities and that I can get jobs done. I am also very personable, and I have made sure to show that aspect of my personality to St. Andrew's to let them know that I can handle this unpredictable environment.
I feel welcome at my placement not only because I know some of the teachers that work here, but because I am being accepted by my students and other teachers. Mme. Mercer has been amazing because she makes me feel important and as if I can help her accomplish things. She has even given me a portfolio with all of her lesson plans for my exclusive reference. The students have also taken to me because I am young, nice and personable, but also stern and ready to take action when I see fit. I want to be someone that these kids can come to if they need help- whether it be with school or other issues.
I really liked interacting with the kids in my two classes because they're a breath of fresh air in my day and can really make me happy. It made me really happy when three girls from one of my classes came up to me and told me that the class really liked me. This made me feel as if I was doing something right, and also gave me the motivation to continue being confident and enthusiastic. I was really surprised when one of the boys began asking me personal questions such as "Do you drink?". I was taken offguard and one of the E.A.s stepped in to handle the situation. This boy has a disability I am unfamiliar with but I now know how to deal with his personality. This taught me that there is a fine line between being friendly and a friend to these students. I don't want them to be scared of me, however I don't want them to think they can undermine my authority and abuse my presence for their amusement.
Appropriate dress and grooming means conforming my apperance to the teachers around me. I must be modest, polished and professional looking to suit this learning environment. I don't want to give myself a tarnished reputation based on the way I dress. My job duties will be interacting and helping students, typing, photocopying, teaching a lesson later in the year, and creating activities and quizzes.

WEEK ONE- Daily Log: Friday, February 23, 2007

• Mme. Mercer was absent from school today, so it was up to me to assist the substitute teacher for our two classes. As preparation I read the site passage that I was going to be helping four children with in the library. As it turns out, the classes did not have a supply teacher, so french class was cancelled for the day.
• As a result, I opted to spend the afternoon typing up Mme. Mercer's charts because I wanted to get a large chunk of them out of the way. I typed out around 10 charts and had to take a break because my eyes were beginning to tire. I then spent some time looking at the lesson plans for the rest of the week, seeing what role I would be taking throughout the week. I saw that because today's frech was cancelled, the lessons will be drawn back one day. I am already seeing how difficult a teacher's job is. Not only do they teach the class lessons, they have to plan these lessons in advance. They also have to create projects, mark these projects and record and combine marks. There is so much more that I am looking forward to learning about this career!
• I am very happy to be at this school because the staff is very friendly and accepting of me which makes me feel very calm and at ease.
• I worked from 11:55-2:55--three hours today!

WEEK ONE- Daily Log: Thursday, February 22, 2007

• As usual I entered my placement with a lot of enthusiasm. I have discovered that I love this environment very much.
• The first thing I did was sit down with the Yearbook Committee, and I got to know the members and what tasks they were doing. I will be helping Yearbook with certain portions of their yearbook so I got a feel of the things that I will be doing with them.
• I then sat down with Mme. Mercer to go over one of her grade six morning class's projects. I once again gave my insight on the visual aspect of their projects and assissted Mme in grading them.
• We then went to Mrs. Cioccio's grade six class where the last of the students presented their projects. I then helped the students with a page of seatwork they had to do in their cahier. I went through the same tasks with Mrs. Luburic's class. I am really starting to get to know the kids and what their level of work ethic is.
• During recess and planning time I began to type up more of Mme. Mercer's plentiful charts that I have become very familiar with. Actually, I have discovered that typing these charts up is brushing up my french skills and also improving the speed in which I type things--giving me too valuable skills that I will surely use in the workforce!
• I worked from 11:55-2:55--three hours!

WEEK ONE- Daily Log: Wednesday, February 21, 2007

• Today I felt as if I had a bigger role within the classroom, and I also felt as if was getting to know the students even more. The first task I tackled today was to type up one of Mme. Mercer's charts.
• When class time came around I handed out scissors and assissted the students with their cutting and gluing tasks. After about ten or fifteen minutes their presentations began. These presentations told me a lot each student's character and personality. The students gave me their projects after the presentations and I brought them back to the french room. I took part in the same tasks for the next grade six class. I am already seeing that I love being in this environment because I feel very comfortable and relaxed so that I am actually able to get wotk done and make an impact.
• During recess Mme Mercer and I went over the lesson plans for the rest of the week and discussed what I would be doing on Friday seeing as Mme Mercer will not be present. During Mme Mercer's planning time we marked the grade six's work. I gave my opinion and insights based on the students' visual component of their french project. We then sorted out the projects into piles including people who had presented and those who had not yet completed their oral component.
• After marking the students' work I sat down to continue the tedious task of typing out Mme. Mercer's famous charts. I am beginning to get faster at it, however I see that I have to brush up on my french skills. All in all, my placement seems to be getting better with each day and I look forward to co-op each day!

WEEK ONE- Daily Log: Tuesday, February 20, 2007

• I found that today I got more familiar with my surroudings and the children in my two grade six classes. When I first arrived at my placement I went right to a computer and started one of my long term projects. I began to type up the charts that Mme. Mercer wants me to save on a floppy disk and later transfer to overhead paper. I probably typed around four charts and there looks to be a million more!
• After typing, I joined Mme. Mercer in one of her classes and we continued the activity that the class has been working on for the past week. I walked around the classroom and assissted students that needed help with their work. I also see that I'm beginning to learn all of the kids' names. Already I see that I am going to love this placement and looking into the future, I can truly see myself being a teacher. I love being around kids, and they seem to be accepting me in the learning environment, which makes me feel as if I am a larger part in their learning experience.
• During Mme's planning time I continued typing up her charts and saving them on my floppy disk. I worked from 11:55-2:55 once again today--three hours.

WEEK ONE-Daily Log: Monday, February 19, 2007

• Today was my first day as a co-op student at St. Andrew's Catholic Elementary School. My supervisor Mme. Mercer gave me a brief orientation and introduced me to some of her colleagues. I was very excited to start my co-op placement because I think that teaching is something that I would like to pursue as a career. Mme. Mercer also gave me a basket and little place in her office where I can work and concentrate on projects she gives me.
• I was a little bit nervous before entering my first class, but once I got in I saw that this semester is going to be a blast! After Mme. introduced me to her first grade six class, I did my first task. I went to retrieve bristol board for a class project and cut them in half. I then took the time to draw out the seating plan of all the students and wrote down all their names so that I will be able to learn their names faster. For the remainder of the period I walked around the class and assissted anyone who needed my help. The students were working on a french project where they had to make a drawing accompanied with writing describing their picture.
• I then went to the next class where I did the same activities with the class. During Mme. Mercer's planning time I made a test for the class based on the French/English Dictionaries they have. They will be writing this test later in the week. I also prepped for an oral numbers test I will be giving the kids later on in the week as well. Mme Mercer also introduced me to some long term projects that I will do throughout this semester such as typing up overheads and doing textbook inventory. Mme Mercer also went over some of the learning levels of some of the students.
• I had a lot of fun today and am looking foward to going to my placement tomorrow. I worked from 11:55-2:55 today--three hours in total.