The IRC's Day of Reading (DOR) Conference!

This was the 37th Day of Reading Conference!

This past weekend, I attended my very FIRST Day of Reading Conference held by the Illinois Reading Council! Yes, it was extremely tough placing my trust (yet again) in another substitute teacher and leaving my kids for all of Friday, but both my students and I have really gained SO MUCH from my attendance at this conference. Click here to view information about it.

I spent two amazing day filled with information sessions presented by professionals, authors, teachers, librarians, and simple community people alike! From the second I arrived, I was welcomed by fellow lovers of reading - I found a place where I belonged. Joining the Illinois Reading Council (IRC) was the best gift I could have given myself as a first-year-of-teaching gift. As a part of both the Northern Illinois Reading Council and the Secondary Reading League, I feel that I have access to all the reasources I'll ever need in order to be a dedicated and successful educator.

After spending a bit more money than I had any right to, LOOK WHAT I WENT HOME WITH (not to mention endless packets, brochures, resources, etc.):

BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!

Yes, ahh, books! Tons and tons of books. Of course, I received these books with only my students' needs in mind... (NOT!)! I will absolutely share, but I also get to read a ton of new novels with my students! One of the presenters at the conference had TONS of her previous and current students' comments on all sorts of things to share. So I got this idea: Each time a students borrows one of my books to read, they have to fill out a "comment card" about their reaction to the book. I know what you're thinking - more work for the kids to do. And I would agree. Too often, students dislike reading simply because they view it as work! Whenever they are assigned to read something, they feel that their stinkin' teachers are going to require some sort of work from this. Unfortunately, this is true. Part of my teaching beliefs deal with getting students to read for pleasure, enjoyment, FUN! But rather than viewing my "comment cards" as work, it is my goal that by filling out a comment card (a 1-2 sentence reaction to the book), my current students will be sharing the gift of reading with future students. When I go to a book store, I really love reading testimony about books. I love seeing Staff Picks or "If you liked this, then try this..." recommendations. I could have no clue what a book may be about, but if I see that someone else has taken a second to share his or her reaction and testimony with me, I will almost ALWAYS pick up that book that I know has reached someone else. Anyway... "comment cards" are my next big movement in my world of reading. :)

Professional Development Reflection - September

Professional Development - Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching

September 17, 2013

As a member of the New Teacher Mentor Program with District 205, I am required to attend five professional development meetings. As a part of the program, I am asked to reflect on each of the meetings I attend, and with good reason. Reflection, to me anyway, is one of the most beneficial, meaningful, and healthy exercises that I can do to continuously check in with myself on how I am doing professionally and emotionally. In District 205, every teacher is evaluated at least once a year in accordance with the Charlotte Danielson model. There are four domains in which a teacher is evaluated on: Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities. This first professional development meeting went into further detail explaining each of these four domains more specifically.

The leader of the mentor program asked us to reflect on the following question: What insights have I gained from this meeting, and how will those insights impact my classroom?

I am glad to have learned more about the Danielson model. I learned what exactly is expected of me during my observations. (Since I am a new teacher and non-tenured, I will be observed THREE times with a summative evaluation at the end of the school year.) I want to tailor my teaching to align with the Danielson model not only for the purpose of my evaluation grade, but more importantly so that I know that I am a good and effective teacher.

__________________________

Updating this blog on October 30, 2013:

At this point, I have already been observed twice by an administrator, and on both observations, I received a Proficient mark (3 out of 4 points on the Danielson scale). My mentor and I are in the process of creating a goal for this year, and a part of that goal will entail striving to receive an Excellent mark (4 out of 4 points on the Danielson scale) on my third and final observation. Since I attended this first PD meeting, I've really been reading through and reflecting on the Danielson model. In preparation for creating this new goal, I am really thinking about Domain 3 in particular, which deals with Instruction. Administration will be looking to see whether or not I am a good teacher, but more than that, they will be looking to see how students respond to my lessons during classtime. Are students taking ownership for their learning? Are students motivated and involved with the lesson? What are students doing to ensure their successes? Domain 3 has five components:

3a Communicating With Students
3b Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
3c Engaging Students in Learning
3d Using Assessment in Instruction
3e Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness

As I continue moving through this year, I will be working very hard toward increasing the meaning of my classroom instruction.

A QUARTER of the way there!

Well, it's official.

I've made it through my very first quarter of teaching!

Yes, it's true. This morning, I finished entering my grades for first quarter! I clicked the 'save' button, said goodbye to last quarter, and shouted hello to the future! In my first 10 weeks of teaching, there have been many ups and downs. Some nights I came home glowing, and others I stumbled through the door in tears. But through it all, I've discovered one extremely important thing: I am a teacher. I am a good teacher. And I am doing exactly what I was put on this Earth to do.

Gosh, I just can't explain the surreal-ness of going to a JOB that I am absolutely smitten with!

As I look back over first quarter, I am pretty happy with all that I've done during my first ten weeks as an educator. What I'm most proud of are the relationships I've formed with both my students and my colleagues. I am a part of a great team at East High School, and I couldn't have asked for better students!

Much more to come. Now that I've finally found my nich, I seem to have more free time, especially on the weekends, and I promise to blog as much as I can!

This was our first ESL social. We had just under 100 students
come out to the park for a picnic in last September. It was wonderful!

GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) Training (Professional Development Reflection)

This is my favorite quote! It is posted on a window in the
library and Creekside Middle School. I'm so glad to see that
others are promoting reading with these special words.

The Guided Language Acquisition Design, so cutely acronym-ed GLAD, jam-packed my brain with classroom strategies for two entire days (October 1st and 2nd). I really took so much away from this training. These two days stood as an overview of the model, but I will be returning to Creekside Middle School (Woodstock, IL) next month for four additional days where I will be given the opportunity to see these strategies play out in the classroom.

As a new teacher, I feel like a little sea sponge. I just want to soak up as much knowledge as I can. I am continually reflecting and evaluating my performance as a new teacher, so the more strategies that are made available to me, the more prepared I feel. After the first half of Quarter 1 comes to an end, and after much reflection on my beginning units, I feel ready now to jump in even more forcefully than ever. My Strategic Literacy class could have been much better planned, and I'm sort of kicking myself in the behind for not being better prepared; but I'm all-the-more motivated and encouraged to plan an out-of-this-world unit on the disastrous happenings of the Titanic.

The bilingual department of District 205 sent me to the GLAD training, so initially I thought it was geared strictly for my ESL classes, but after learning about the many different strategies, I can (and will!) absolutely use what I've learned in my Literacy classes as well.

The walls of the training room were plastered with TONS of example posters. I took ovre 75 photographs. I've included some of my favorites.

 This is an Inquiry Chart. It's similar to the KWL chart, except that there is no 'L' (which I enjoy, because how often to do really go back and fill in the 'L' column of the chart after we've finished the assignment?). In the left hand column, students are asked to write about what they already know about a topic. In the right hand column, students are asked to write about what they want to know about a topic. You can see the different colored markers. What's nice about this chart is that it will go up on the wall and stay there through the entirety of the unit. You will notice the orange marker. After students have learned more about the topic, the teacher can go in later with a different colored marker and add additional or new ideas (the 'L' comes into play here).

This pictorial input chart is also really neat. Do you see how well-drawn this is?! One of the trainers began with a blank poster and made this! This chart is used as a great visual, especially for ESL students. Rather than simply lecturing at students, you can involve them with the learning by asking them to contribute to the picture, repeat what you write after you say it out loud, and add realistic pictures right on top of what you've drawn.

 

I will have MUCH more to report after I begin implementing many of these strategies into my lessons this week. 

Two weeks in...

II'm here, I'm here! Happy sigh. I've been swamped with work, but it's been wonderful - preparing meaningful (I hope) lessons for students, sharing stories with each other, and starting a Harry Potter book club. Yes - you heard correctly - A HARRY POTTER BOOK CLUB!!!! I've never read the books entirely (by this, I mean I've only read the first two books), and I really think it would be cool to experience the magical world of Harry Potter with other eager readers/students.

There's no way we're going to get through all seven books during this school year, so in an ideal world, I'd like to get them done in two years. Our first meeting is tentatively planned for Wednesday, October 2nd. I have SO MANY fun ideas! I already began reading The Sorcerer's Stone so I can pull out main/big ideas to share with students. I'd also like to be well-into the story by Halloween because I'm planning to hold a Harry Potter-themed Halloween party! I'm also thinking we could watch the film-versions of the books as we move along. If you have any ideas or suggestions for me, please leave them in a comment. I'd really appreciate any and all ideas! Also, this will be my first book club, so if you have any tips of book clubs in general, I'd love some of those as well.

Wow! My first two weeks at East have been AMAZING! I am just so happy with where life has taken me in this past month alone. My students are so great, especially my ESL students. While I was registering for classes at Trinity Christian College, my advisor suggested that I obtain my ESL endorsement because it's a very marketable and much needed degree. I knew nothing about ESL, but I took the suggestion anyway. Wow - four years later, I am SO thrilled that I followed through with it. I am literally working at my dream job. Not only am I teaching English (reading, writing, literature, etc.), but I am teaching ESL English. The students are so eager to learn! They are also polite, respectful, and always wear smiles to class. I am so impressed by how strong these students are and how much they have accomplished in their short time spent in America. To the left is a note I wrote to one of my students. I was given a box of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. I decided to give a copy of this book to one student in particular. She has an orthopedic disability, but let me tell you - she is the most independent, organized, and successful student I have ever met. She is so eager to learn how to prepare for life after high school (she is a senior) and was so happy to receive this book from me (but I was more happy to give it!).




I was SO EXCITED to receive my
Erin Condren Teacher Planner!

Right now, minimize this screen and visit www.ErinCondren.com. Ms. Condren makes personalize items, and I just received my very first Teacher Planner in the mail (thanks to my very good friend, Linda E.). Let me explain. A planner is cool, a lesson planner is REAL cool, but a Life Planner/Teacher Planner with TONS of personalized thingies is outrageously sweet!! 

Miss Noonan
East High School
<33 LOVE!!

Linda ordered my planner on August 17th. It shipped out on September 2nd and I received it September 7th. It was a long wait, but well worth it! I would much rather wait for something to be personalized just for me than to buy some generic planner that I'm not in love with (because, yes, I am IN LOVE with this Teacher Planner!).

Yep, I'd say my plans are done for this week!

 

Mr. Johnson, my ESL partner-in-crime, and myself thought it would be better for our ESL students if we moved the textbooks down one level. So after two weeks of teaching from the books that we were given at the start of the year, this week we are redistributing textbooks so that our students will have less of a struggle working through the other ones. Get a load outta this picture below!

 

Ms. Noonan is SO SORRY!
(Here, have some candy.)

 

So my amazing students have already completed a number of activities in anticipation of reading certain stories from the textbooks. My amazing students have also completed these long and grueling Pre-Assessments. On Monday morning, I'm going to enter my classroom(s) (I teach in five different classrooms throughout the day) looking just like this. I'm going to apologize to my amazing students about having to collect their texts, redistribute new texts, and have them complete ANOTHER Pre-Assessment which correlates to the new textbooks.   :SIGH:   I will then hang my head and offer them candy. I say again - I have amazing students. One of the reasons they are amazing is because they will be totally fine with this whole process.

Gosh, I love my job :)

Class is MOST DEFINITELY in session!

I'm well into my very first week of teaching, and words cannot describe my new experiences. To say the least, I've felt an extremely diverse range of emotions: ecstatic, ambitious, scared, anxious, worried, stressed, happy, comfortable, relaxed, etc. During my first couple of days of training last week, I worried myself sick over a number of things. First, I hadn't even been to the high school until Thursday of last week, leaving me with little time to acclimate myself to the environment and prepare for students. Second, my class rosters weren't posted online until Friday. Third, I was told not only would I not have my own classroom, but that I would be teaching in five different classrooms throughout the day. After three nights of little sleep, I finally said to myself, "There's nothing I can do about the obstacles that come my way. I need to relax and enjoy every moment of this. Things will work out because they have to." Since Friday, I've been un-Vanessa-ing-ly CALM. I even managed to steal myself a wood and metal, paint-splattered cart to call home while I'll be traveling from class to class. All of that being said, I LOVE MY NEW CAREER!

The new Ms. Noonan!
Look at that adorable, cheesy smile :)

 

*                    *                    *

I read this today while looking for some solid ways to establish my classroom environment. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

That Noble Title

Teacher

- Trish Marcuzzo

 



As we begin each new school year, let us remember the fine nuances and the distinguishing essence of that proud word Teacher.

Let us be reminded of the tools you have at your command, because of your talents, your traits, and your training...and because you chose to become a Teacher.

Teacher - you are a poet, as you weave with your colorful magic language a passion for your subject. You create a vast and grand mosaic of curiosities to imagine, secrets to unfold, connections only to begin the cycle of learning.

Teacher - you are a physicist, as you bring magic, logic, reason, and wonder to the properties, changes, and interactions of our universe.

Teacher - you are a maestro, a master of composing, as you conduct and orchestrate individuals' thoughts and actions from discordant cacophony into harmonic resonance.

Teacher - you are an architect, as you provide each student a solid foundation, but always with a vision of the magnificent structure that is about to emerge.

Teacher - you are a gymnast, as you encourage the contortions and gyrations of thoughts and the flexing and strengthening of ideas.

Teacher - you are a diplomat and the ambassador of tact and sensitivity, as you facilitate productive, positive interactions among the multiplicity of personalities and cultures, beliefs, and ideals.

Teacher - you are a philosopher, as your actions and ethics convey meaning and hope to young people who look to you for guidance and example.

As you prepare for your first day and each day, when your students enter and you encounter their attitudes, ranging from eager, enthusiastic anticipation to uncomfortable, uncertain apathy, recall the powers you have within...from poet to philosopher...and present yourself to those students as a person worthy of the noble title... Teacher.

*                    *                    *

 

I can't even describe how much my kids ROCK. Sure, there will always be the few students who hate reading (which makes me extremely sad), think I'm so un-cool, refuse to pay attention, and simply cannot keep their mouths shut during my class periods. But out of my almost 100 students, I couldn't have been more lucky.

Here's what my day looks like:

Period 1 - Strategic Literacy
Period 2 - ESL English 3
Period 3 - ESL English 4
Period 4 - Plan Period
Period 5 - ESL English 5
Period 6 - Lunch
Period 7 - Plan Period
Period 8 - Strategic Literacy

I have four preps, which may seem like a lot, and it is, but I really enjoy teaching mostly different things throughout the day rather that teaching the same content period-in, period-out.

Tuesday was also interesting because of the high heat index. The district let us out two hours early (1:45) so that students could try and get home before it was too hot to deal with. I'm torn on this. On the one hand, most of the school does not have AC, so it does get extremely hot in the classrooms; but on the other hand, I never got any time off due to heat. We went to school in rain, snow, tornados, and especially heat when I was younger. But hey, two periods off was a nice surprise (even though it was day 2!).

More to come this weekend. I apologize if I haven't really existed to anyone these past two weeks. As a brand new teacher, I don't have any resources to pull out from last year. I'm starting fresh, which means I am working both at East HS and at home to stay on top of my planning. No complaints here - I love it!!

As soon as I received all of my employee information,
I went straight to B&N to sign-up for my Educator card!!

Tomorrow, my new career BEGINS!

Tomorrow, my new career BEGINS! It's officially a work night for me; a week from tonight, I'll be able to say it's a school night - gosh, I haven't had one of those in a long time!!

I've set out my clothes and packed my bag for tomorrow. Now, I wait for sleep to come, though I must admit, I'm not sure when that will be! I'm so excited - ecstatic, beside myself, pumped!

I still cannot believe that tomorrow, a real district is going to train me to be a part of their team. I'm going to spend the next three days meeting new people and hopefully making some life-long friends. I'm so grateful that District 205 has new teacher training, not only to let us know how to work in their community, but also to work well with others who are experiencing some of the same things I am.

Miss Noonan will be reporting all week here! Wish me luck!

New Hire Meeting with HR!

It's official! I'm now an employee of District 205!

Today I went into the Administrative Building to have my New Hire meeting with HR. Even though they scheduled this appointment with me only yesterday, I was so excited to attend. It's now official. I signed all of the paperwork. I gave them my fingerprints. I took my teacher ID photo (and I must say, it turned out pretty darn cute!). The woman who worked with me was named Vernessa. How ironic! When she introduced herself, I commented on how awesome her name was (being so close to mine, that is). Where should I begin?

My initial interview back in April was at the Administrative Building, which lives on the upper levels of a bank. I wasn't exactly sure how to get back to its location, but during my drive, things began looking familiar. I'm proud to say that come Monday when I need to report to New Teacher Training, I'll know exactly how to get to the District 205 building without even using my temperamental GPS. Woo hoo! During my drive to and from Rockford, I did a lot of sightseeing because in just a few short days, these will become my new stomping grounds. It's odd - I'm about to go from being one of the poorest women in existence to a woman with money! So driving, I said things like Ooh, I'll have to hit that Target, and I can see myself picking up my morning coffee there, and I'm going to take Jay to that movie theater for his birthday. Just thinking about all of the new memories I'm about to make lifts my spirits so tremendously. I'm so excited to discover what the future holds for me!


Here's my first financial goal of my life: I will pay off all of my debt by December 31, 2013 (excluding Sallie Mae, of course, because she practically owns me). Friends and family, I'm relying on you to hold me accountable for reaching this goal by the new year. I can do it! "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can."

Let me just add that every single person I've come across who's employed by District 205 is nothing short of amazing. At this point, I could not have been placed within a better district. I suppose all of my griping about not getting hired with other schools was for nothing, huh? The right job has finally come along!

During my meeting with Vernessa, we discussed my pay (yippie!), benefits, pension, beneficiaries (oh, geez), etc. - you know, all that grown-up stuff! By the end of the meeting, my head was whirling (in a good way). I went and took my drug test on my way home today, but I still need to get a physical and a TB test done within the next two weeks. One of the HR workers told me that as soon as Principal Enright receives the results to both my background check and drug test, I can go to East HS to pick up my ID badge and laptop. Eeeeeek, I'm just so giddy with what's to come.

Next stop: New Teacher Training (Monday-Wednesday)!

I am SO ready for this!

THE CALL

ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2013, I RECEIVED THE PHONE CALL THAT WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER!

I was recently offered a full-time position with the Rockford Public School District 205 as both a Gen. Ed. and an ESL Strategic Literacy Specialist. Cool, but what the heck is that, you ask? Well, to be honest, I'm not 100% sure myself either, but let me try to explain.

On the General Education side (or the mainstream classroom), I will be working with tenth grade struggling readers. To strengthen their reading comprehension abilities, I will help these students decide which reading strategies will help aid in their comprehension of a text (maybe by completing a KWL chart, for example). And on the ESL side, I will be working with third, fourth, and fifth level ELLs as they continue progressing and internalizing their academics in the English language (all while continuing to strengthen their language skills). And let me conclude this paragraph with a big 'I think.' More to come on this after I complete New Teacher Training on August 19-21! Me - a new teacher?! THIS IS BLISS!

*          *          *

But let me back up for a moment and explain the absurdity of all of this awesomeness!

So after six and a half grueling years of college education (two private schools and one public school transfers later), I finally graduated on December 15, 2012 - what was then thought to be the happiest day of my life. I had anticipated this date more so than my future wedding to Mr. Right, the birth of my angelic children, even the day when my retirement pension kicks in. But not a week after crossing the stage at a college where I was more than ready to leave, the dark face of reality kicked in: I needed to find a job!

After eight months of tirelessly filling out hours-long online applications and receiving either bad news or no news, I was about to give up. I was really beginning to think that I had made a mistake to go into teaching when there has been such a shortage of available jobs. My insurance would be running out in five months (I can only stay on my mother's until I turn twenty-six), so I needed to find something, anything, and fast. What also surprised me was the fact that I went on a rocking interview with an ESL representative from Rockford's district back in April. The interview ran over an hour long, and after most of the questions I answered, the interviewer responded with words of praise or encouragement. At the end of the interview, she told me that she would pass my information on, along with her recommendation, to a principal and I would be hearing from him within a couple of weeks. I then asked, "Will the principal still contact me even if he decides he's chosen another teacher?" To which she replied with a smile, "Yes, but I don't think you'll have anything to worry about."

So why the heck did early August show up and I had still heard nothing from District 205?

But while this year had been taking its toll on me, I did have a pretty fantastic summer, albeit one devoid of any sort of finances or means. I stood up as the Maid of Honor in a friend's wedding, tanned on the beach, camped in the Porcupine Mountains, read a whole TON of books, traveled to Buffalo, N.Y. to surprise the boyfriend's uncle for his seventieth birthday, and concluded with a trip to the Upper Peninsula, Michigan to visit my step mom. These last two trips took place back-to-back, and I remember being with both of our families discussing the great importance of me finding a job. So on my final 400 mile drive home from Hancock, MI on Monday morning, I was locked, loaded, and ready with a plan to find a job and secure myself some benefits, even if that meant stocking hay bales outside The Tractor Supply.

And then it happened.

While sitting stopped in bumper-to-bumper traffic along I-43 West in Milwaukee, my cell phone rang. It was the very wonderful woman who had interviewed me back in April. She was calling to ask me - ME - if I had already "secured a position" within her district. She was asking me - Vanessa Noonan, twenty-five-year-old-little-girl-with-only-dreams-of-becoming-a-REAL-teacher - if her district had already given me a position! And then get this: She was shocked when they hadn't! She then called HR to ask why I hadn't been placed, and they told her it must have been some sort of computer glitch or something, but that I was already supposed to have a job with the district. When I hung up, she was already in the process of having one of her principals call me. On Wednesday he called. On Thursday, he interviewed me; and by noon that same day, I had "secured a position."