So Far, So Good

I did it! I made it through week one of my second year of teaching. Already in this second year of my commitment with Teach For America, things seem to be going much better. As I reflect on my first days teaching from last year I am surprised at the comfort and ease I was able to begin this year with.




(These are some pictures of my classroom I took on my phone a few minutes before school started last Monday. Notice my THREE laptops I have in the classroom this year. They are going to be great to have for the students. I will try to get more pictures of my room, or a video, once we get some student work up on the walls.)

Some of the ease of my second year could be chalked up to experience and the fact that I actually have an idea of what is going on this year. I have a better knowledge of my students, the community I am working in, my school, and my colleagues. The bureaucracy that is education doesn't seem to bother me as much any more either. Although, the way schools are run (very poorly I might add) still frustrates me a lot (and as I begin to think about it stresses me out) I have begun to realize what I have control over at this stage in my life. I have, for the most part, control over what goes on inside my classroom, and at this time I am going to take that and run with it. I am going to continue to work relentlessly to make sure the students that am able to work with everyday are given a fair shot at life and the abilities to have the choices that come with a good education. I hope to build off of the success I was able to have in the classroom last year and have an even better 2010-2011.


Some of the ease of my second year might as be from my new students. My classes are a little bigger than last year (21 and 22 - which is still small compared to the rest of HISD), but their behavior seems to be much better. It might be that I am better at behavior management or than they genuinely are just better behaved students, but either way, I am enjoying the change.


My biggest struggle so far this school year has been trying to get my students who are new to the district to return their paperwork. I especially hope to come to school tomorrow and have three students turn in their completed blue, free and reduced lunch forms. Since these students are new to the district they are not "in the system" for the food service and I have been eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and milk all week. I don't think PB & J is bad (I actually bring BP & J for lunch about three days a week), I just know that these students are embarrassed to be singled out as students who can't afford lunch because they are eating something different. (In HISD no student can be turned away from lunch so they are given two pieces of bread, peanut butter, jelly, and a milk if they do not have lunch money or are not enrolled in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program). Currently, I believe over 97% of my school receives free and reduced lunch.

Since school started I have also gotten a membership at the YMCA and started working out with my friend, and co-worker David. We are going to try and go to the gym three days a week, if possible. I have been really sore this week. I guess that is what happens when you return to working out after a long time off. haha

On Saturday I went with some friends to Surf Side to relax by the ocean. I still have only been to the ocean a few times in my life (even though I live 45 min away from it now) so that was a fun experience for me. I think I will try make it there more often. It was nice to just hang out and relax.

My sister's son, Colton Thomas Richards, baptism was on Saturday as well. I am his Godfather and it was hard for me to not be able to be there for his baptism. One of the hardest things about living so far away from you family is not being able to be there for special events. I am fortunate I am able to make it home as often as I do, but I still wish I was able to be home for all of the holidays, birthdays, and special events that I have to miss.

Anticipation Builds...

School starts TOMORROW!

It is hard to believe that my new students will already be in the classroom tomorrow (Monday, August 23rd). It seems like just a week ago I was finishing up summer school and driving back to Minnesota. The shortened summer really flew by.

I feel like I am much more prepared going into my second year of teaching. I have somewhat of an idea of where my students will be at academically and I am much more familiar with the community they are coming from. Events and life situations the students are, and will, go through will not be as surprising or shocking this year; as I have had one year of teaching at Berry to be desensitized.

My schedule is a little bit more crazy this year, as we added art into our students' curriculum and will no longer be releasing early on Wednesdays.

On Monday I will be teaching from 8:00am to 2:55pm with only a 30 minute break for lunch. I will not have any type of "prep" time on Monday. This will lead to some definite challenges when it comes to bladder control. On Tuesday I have a 105 minute block in the morning for prep time, which I am assuming is to make up for there being no prep on Monday. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I will have a 45 minute block of "prep."

Overall the big changes for my students involve the inclusion of an art program and we will be going to the computer lab once a week. Both of these were not available last year so I am pretty excited for the students to be able to have these.

I know it is kinda small (I had trouble uploading), but below is my schedule.

In other exciting news... I will have two new class pets as we start the 2010-2011 school year. I have purchased an Anole (and found one outside my classroom) and have them in a terrarium in my classroom. They eat crickets and meal worms. The pictures are kinda blurry, but you can see them below. I think the students will really like them.

(They had just been fed - notice the meal worm in their mouths)

Well, off to more lesson planning and hopefully finishing up in time to watch a little bit of the Vikings preseason football game tonight. Have a good day!

- Joe

Back in Houston

After driving for about 19 hours, I finally arrived back in Houston on Saturday, August 7th.

I left for Minnesota the last day of summer school and have spend the last month spending time with friends and family back there. It was very relaxing and refreshing to be back home. I think being away for awhile helped me to appreciate how lucky I am to have such a great family. We are by no means the "perfect" family, but I really appreciate all they do for me and the support they have given me throughout all of my life. It was great to spend time with them again.

Since arrive back in Houston on Saturday I have been busy preparing for another school year. I had trainings or "teachers' workshops" starting on Monday morning at 8:00am. Students will not be in the classroom until August 23rd, but there is a lot to do to get ready before they get there.

I am excited about the possibilities of being in the same classroom, teaching the same subjects, for the entire school year this year (last year I was switched from PK-5 science lab to 5th grade math and science about 5 weeks into the school year). I have experience teaching 5th grade math and science and feel that I will be a much better teacher this year because of it. I have already completed a lot of planning for this school year and really think my students will benefit because of it.

I have brought all of my school supplies back to school. They were all being stored at my apartment due to safety concerns. Other teachers at the school told me, "if you plan on seeing any of your stuff again, you shouldn't leave it at the school over the summer." After some of the instances from last school year with robberies, I decided to take their advice. I am planning on finishing the bulletin boards and other "decorating" on Monday so my room will be ready for the school year. *I will try post some pictures or a video so you can see :)

I was at trainings all this week. I had a two-day math training on Tuesday and Wednesday that was off-campus, but other than that I was mostly just sitting through curriculum review, school policy meetings, and other "enlightening" workshops that I do not get paid to be at. I don't "officially start" until next week so I don't know how working this week was required, but such is the life of a teacher I guess...

Below are some pictures from my crazy Friday night:

I spent several hours on Friday night watching stand-up comedy and cutting out various classroom items from sheets of laminating. As an elementary school teacher I have gotten pretty good at this, since I get so much practice, but I don't think it will ever be fun. I am sure I will have a couple more nights worth of cutting this school year... good times.

I am going to try to write AT LEAST weekly this school year so be prepared!

(I SHOULD have a little more free time now that I am a fully certified teacher and do not have to participate in the Alternative Certification Program (ACP) or take University of St. Thomas (UST) classes!) ---- I am very excited about this.

I hope everyone is doing well.

- Joe