Reality 101: CEC's blog for new teachers

Charmelle: Learning to Collaborate

As my summer vacation comes to a close, I anticipate returning to my classroom and my students for the upcoming school year. I have not just spent this time resting and relaxing, but reflecting. During my vacation, I examined some of the successes and challenges I faced through my first year as a special education teacher.

In my current position, I work as a resource teacher and support students with IEPs in the general education classrooms through co-teaching. The biggest challenge was collaboration with my colleagues in the general education classrooms. Of course, we could communicate with each other, but working together at times was difficult. It was hard for them to fully understand the benefit and purpose of my presence in the classroom, and I was often faced with the feeling that I was invading their territory or being viewed as an assistant, floating around the room to help out. Not, only was I the new teacher on the block, but now I wanted to be in their space and I was expected to teach with them.

Kaylie: New Year, New Faces, New Toys, New Ideas...

In less than two weeks, summer will be over and a new school year will be firing up. Everywhere I go it seems like people are asking me, “Are you ready to go back?” I’ve been answering them pretty adamantly with an “Absolutely!”

Don’t get me wrong, I love my summer break and try to live it up to the fullest during my time off. These past two months have been jam-packed: a trip to Arkansas to meet my boyfriend’s family, where I did some amazing hiking; early morning runs (followed by naps sometimes lasting until noon); a trip to church camp; pool time; an epic adventure to Idaho, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons; an attempt to increase my domesticity by cooking a new recipe every week; the Batman movie marathon, which ended in me becoming an avid fan; a building project for my parents; Vacation Bible School at church (which involved me dressed as a panda); and, of course, the occasional days of in-service and professional development.

I need to go back to school to recuperate! My students are not the only ones who thrive on routine and I am definitely ready to settle back into mine.

Allisence: The End of the Beginning

And just like that, summer is full swing. It’s amazing to think about how far each of my students have come, but even more so how much they have taught me. I could not have asked for a better group of kids. Not only were they hard working and, for the most part, in love with school, they rose to every challenge put in front of them.

So reflecting back, here are five things I learned over and over again. I certainly plan on taking them with me as I continue down this ever-surprising special education path because as Winston Churchill once said, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

Theresa: Reading Wrap Up

Unlike my fellow Reality 101 bloggers, who have been on summer vacation for a couple weeks now, I am just starting my first week. The last couple of weeks for school seemed to get longer and longer. I have never felt so burnt out from teaching before. I think that the stress and climate of the year seemed to have really caught up with me. Even being tired and ready for the year to be over, I still managed to get in a couple really cool projects and activities at the end of the year.

Richard: Reflections of My First Year Teaching

This year was my first year teaching and the last year of my masters program. I still remember the first week of school when I had to excuse myself from the room and find a quiet place to reflect on if teaching is really what I wanted to do. I had just restrained a student, my other students were putting me through a vetting process, and I didn't feel as though I was doing well. I am so very happy I was able to come back to the classroom, get control, and pass their test.

I have learned a lot this year about teaching, which no teacher education program can prepare you for. I have learned how to cope with the stresses of the educational bureaucracy while teaching students with EBD. I have learned to maintain excellent grades in school and have some resemblance of a personal life. I have learned how to advocate for children in a manner in which no party feels defensive and I am able to mediate nearly any situation with students, parents, teachers, or any combination.

Jessica: Hot Fun in the Summertime

I have two schools. First, there’s my working school. As the name suggests, it is the school where I work. It gives me paychecks and fun lunchtime conversations. I get a nice summer break from this working school.

Then, there’s my other school, the one I attend. I just finished the last of my credential courses and am now working on my master’s. This schooling sometimes feels like it will never end, which means that on good days I fancy myself the perpetual student, and on other days I call myself a glutton for punishment.

I’m entering my second summer in a row when I haven’t been truly “off” from school, due to textbook-reading and paper-writing assignments. This summer, I have the added pressure pleasure of these lovely, looming words: literature review.

Allisence: Designing My Dream Classroom

There’s a story that during the Vietnam War, a certain prisoner survived the torture of being in a cell all alone for years by planning, in incredible detail, a dream house that he would build once he returned home. In his head, he knew exactly how many nails, how many 2x4s, and how many tiles he would need. When he got home, he built that house and, in terms of the materials he had estimated in his head, was only off by one plank of wood.

This summer, I’ve been pretending to have a smidgen of the ability that prisoner of war had and designed my dream classroom. I’ve planned out, in incredible detail, all the cute little students, where each table and desk will be, and the collaborative general educators I’m going to be working with next year.

Megan: A Final Goodbye

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
 ~ From the movie Annie

It’s summer in Chicago! The weather’s warm and everyone’s outside. After months of cold and snow, Chicago comes alive in summertime.

Everyone always says that time flies, but this year it seems especially true. It feels like only weeks ago that I was applying to become a blogger for Reality 101. Just setting up my classroom, excited for the year to begin. Nervous as I started my master’s program. And here I am, a year later, and I feel like I’ve experienced so much in the past 12 months!

I’m very sad to say goodbye to this blog. I was so excited to become a part of something I felt was so worthwhile for new teachers. Thank you to everyone who read or commented on my blogs. Your thoughts have meant more than you know!

Melissa: Happy Summer!

Well, it’s that time of year again: School’s out for the summer! All of my teacher friends breathe a sigh of relief, and all of my non-teacher friends think I’m off to sip iced tea on the beach for the next three months. Ah, if only. . . .

The school year came to a great end. I think my boys are as ready as they can be for the move to ninth grade and a new school. I still need to finish moving all my gear to my new classroom. And since both of my wonderful paraeducators are themselves returning to school this fall, I will be looking for new help in my room. I will also be adding some more students to my caseload, including some girls (finally!).

This is a very busy summer for me. I am teaching summer school to elementary students with disabilities, but none of them have autism. It is a whole different world from what I am used to, but I am having a blast! I’m team-teaching with a truly awesome special educator and the time is really flying by. The time I spend teaching counts as hours toward my internship for the special education strategist master’s degree I will finish in December.

Brad: Songs of Summer

Shortly after the last day of school, I spent some time in the Midwest and managed to visit friends and family, get married, then drive north and relax for a few days — all before returning to Alaska to begin teaching summer school.

Teaching summer school is enjoyable because it’s an opportunity to work with a new set of co-workers while instructing students who are often at a very different educational level. Much of it is teaching the very important skills of basic communication, social interaction, and participation. So much of what we do in life depends on our skills in these areas and committing to improve any areas of weakness.

One tool I use to develop vital communication and participation skills is music. At its most basic level, music is a medium that allows us to choose the way we’d like to respond. Some of us hum along, some dance in their chairs, and others even sing (some in tune, some out of tune). Wherever there’s a crowd of people gathered, somebody inevitably chooses to communicate through song. Individual reactions vary, usually depending on who or where you are and what type of music you appreciate. At any rate, many of my students with severe intellectual disabilities connect to and respond well to music.

Each morning our students gather for circle time, where we review the day of the week, the weather, and the daily plan. I happen to play guitar and harmonica, so we also take a few minutes to sing songs and react to the music. I notice that when I talk and play guitar, most students are much more engaged and connected to the topic of conversation — and they’re also more likely to communicate with others when prompted.