Week Two? Check!

So, week two back at work and starting my Master's degree....check! It has been a long and tiring week, nonetheless. Right now I have my EDUC 702 class and my ENG 628 class. I still have a lot of homework to complete this weekend for both, as I am so busy with teaching throughout the week that time doesn't lend itself to working on it as much as I would like. I did work on reading a book this week a few days so that I could get through it. This semester in my ENG 628 class I have 11 books to read and 3 movies to watch, as well as other readings that seem to "pop up" every week. We also have to post several discussions on Web CT. I can do it...I can do it...

My classes I teach went fairly well this week. My first 3 periods better than the last 2, but none of them are extremely bad or anything. I am beginning to get them and myself in the "school routine" so hopefully it will be a good semester. In my Senior classes this week, one thing we worked on was prefixes, root words, and suffixes. We started with some common ones, and I found a great lesson plan from ReadWriteThink. So, although the lesson wasn't direclty technology related in that the students used computers or software, I used technology to find the lesson. The last thing we did was the game. Students had to first make cards with the prefixes, root words, and suffixes on them. Then, much like a card game, students got in groups to play the game, and form words with the prefixes, root words, and suffixes. They seemed to really enjoy the hands-on approach once they understood the game. Like many new lessons, there were a few "glitches" but overall it went well.

My Junior class is less than enthused about starting to work on preparing for the GHSWT (Georgia High School Graduation Writing Test). But, in the end they'll thank me, or at least deep down inside know that I helped them prepare to pass it. Sometimes we don't exactly have a thankful job in the education world, but I know that whether they verbally admit it or not, they are thankful that I help them with what they need. Motivating the students I have to enjoy reading or writing is not the easiest thing to do, but I give it 100% in hopes that I will have some success.

Well....off to do more homework now. Until next time, "just keep swimming...just keep swimming" (Finding Nemo) =)

~Nicole