Bremerton, Washington, USA
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Today was my last day as a student teacher in an urban 8th grade classroom. I learned a lot that will take me years to process through. I made all of the kids write me a letter of apology for whatever they felt bad about(they were pretty abusive) and what I got were a lot of really nice letters and a lot of honesty- which is hard to get out of an 8th grader.
If you know somebody in 8th grade, you really know them, because it's all hanging out. All the emotions and traits and anxieties that make up a person are completely exposed in an adolescent. It's been a real exercise in psychology, and restraint.
So I'm now back down to just working evenings part time, and looking for a job. If you know of a teaching job in the Pacific Northwest, let me know.
I can't wait to get back to music. I picked up a guitar the other day, and I'm so rusty that my hands hurt again... | |
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04/30/08
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mlbot
OMG Apology letter, that's great!
Also
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04/30/08
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hecanjog
Congrats dude, that sounds like quite a trip. Is that the age you'd like to teach in the future?
I gave a presentation for a group of 4th graders, and then a few days later to a group of 7th and 8th graders - and that little experience makes me sympathize. The 4th graders were really cute, but just starting to test boundaries and see what they could get away with. (Essential to the socialization process, I'm sure!) The 7th and 8th graders however had shit figured out, and I'm glad all I had to do was talk to them for an hour...
Can't wait to hear some music. 
04/30/08
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deltasleep
8th grade is a real challenge on even a good classroom manager. they're about all I can handle- especially in a really troubled environment that's so burdened with social problems. I am thinking I want to start out with 6th or 7th graders first... just that little jump down makes for a huge difference.
The worst part is that I was learning the math WITH them, because I have a learning disability in math that I've been trying to work around so I can get licensed. I'll be happy to go to social studies, or some sort of humanity.
8th grade should be completely revamped and made into an entirely project based year. They just want to work on something bigger than a worksheet. I had horrible problems until I started playing a stock market game/project and planning a vacation budget, then everything just went away!
04/30/08
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deltasleep
oh and the job market is so rotten in the NW- the county I interned in has 150 jobs. Thats more than I've seen for the entire states of oregon and WA combined so far!
04/30/08
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ignatius
i wish someone would have made me write an apology letter in 8th grade.
side note: my friend in florida is a teacher.. 4th grade i think. he's been teaching for for 10 years or so. they cut several hundred teachers in his city.. orlando. but no administrators! wtf. and every teacher who remains has to be certified for ESOL so he had to take a test. if you fail the test you lose your job. great!
florida is a fucking shit pile of bad decisions. they cut essential services too.. fire, police and first responders. that's what no state income tax + badgovernment will get ya.
good luck on your job hunt man.
04/30/08
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license
ignatius said: "i wish someone would have made me write an apology letter in 8th grade."
Me too. Damn, I wish I had you as an 8th grade teacher, delta!
8th grade sucked. For the teachers even moreso than the students.
04/30/08
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besenkopf
Deltasleep, I don't envy you. 8th grade is the toughest. (I teach all 9th)
I love apology letters. One day, the teacher across the hall from me was absent. Some of her students threw plastic barnyard animals at my door. When their teacher came back, they wrote apology letters for me and my students. It was great.
04/30/08
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ricemutt
welcome back delta!
sounds shitty. My mother in law is a middle school music teacher and I have looots of respect for her. She teaches in a poor area, too.
04/30/08
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clawback
i teach middle school regularly in los angeles and they can be a handful. don't come to CA to teach the pay is ISH.
04/30/08
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deltasleep
My favorite letter had a line like:
"I'm sorry I started the rumor that Joanna had scabies."
And Cali's pay is about 25% better than TN's. lol!
04/30/08
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PYVND
My wife's sister teaches children with autism in Baltimore county (Towson). She says they hit her and bite her sometimes. She's trying to get her license so she can get something better. Even with that though, teaching in Baltimore city is probably even worse. My wife and I live in Montgomery county which is better and I have always encouraged her sister to move down here to teach. Maybe she will once she gets her license.
Deltasleep, if you ever want to come to the DC suburbs (there are lots of people living here, new schools, tax base is good, teachers get paid ok) let me know and I'll hook you up with info. Since the real estate bubble burst prices have come down although they are still usually higher than the rest of the country. It's not hip like Portland but you can have fun if you know what the hell.
05/01/08
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tantan
congrats David, the apology letter is such an awesome idea... when're you guys moving???
05/01/08
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deltasleep
we are really scared about going broke this summer. We have no real source of income for the whole summer. So I don't know if the move is going to work out this year... We are really trying our hardest to get out there, but we're looking at $3K just to move- conservatively. We have enough money saved up to live here for the summer, but not in PDX or Seattle areas, for sure.
Oh and there are like NO jobs in the region! I am so disheartened and sad about it. I REALLY want to move to portland... if it's not this fall then it's next summer!
05/01/08
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opticecho
www (dot) edzapp (dot) com is where you should go to get a teaching job in the Pacific NW. Send me a private email if you have ?s ...
05/01/08
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tantan
sorry Dave 
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