I am "teaching" a class every day that is suppose to be an ISAT\AGP class. The reason the word teach is in quotation marks is because I am really jsut babysitting these wonderful students most of the time. Okay maybe babysitting is not the correct word more like supervising and advicing when they need it. I do enjoy my small gorup of kids though and we are forming a bond that is allowing me to get a even better sense of how to connect in different ways.
When I was first approached about this position it was to be approximately 10-12 seniors that have not passed the ISATs and needed to take this computer based course as part of an alternative graduation plan (AGP). This group of students were to include special edcuation students as well as general education students. I was apprehensive at first and as I attended the computer training courrses (if anyone knows me they know that I am not a technology person) and the meetings with administrators and others. Class was getting ready to start and I was not feeling prepared but as the first couple of week have gone by I am feeling more comfortable.
What amazes me though and worries me is that the number of students that are in this class is now 1/3 of what I was originally told. Yes, you did the math right I now have 4 students and 1 has not been here all week. What does this mean - well more meetings for me and some confusion. Studnets have been transferred to others or something; which I will admit confuses me for this is the only time it is available and I am one of the few in the district to have this training or so I thought . However, I am still enjoying it. I am still practicing my classroom mangement skills and making sure I follow through. I have conferences with the students at least once a week to talk about progress. Iam also getting practice of having consultations and collaborating with others.
DO I feel it is really preparing me for having a real classroom of myown inthe future - maybe. If luna has his way I have a sense of how hard it is for students to learn from a course on the computer. He keeps forgetting the human factor of teaching but I do not want to openthat canof worms so for now I will sign off for I have written past the time we are to but then again I usually do.
Where did you take this training? Is it a class you actually teach or do they take it over the internet? Sounds fishy, not that you were asking my opinion. :)
ReplyDeleteSo, do all the students end up graduating, if they have taken this class?
I'm surprised Bonner has this option. I haven't heard of this before, although I'm in the elementary side of things.
Thanks for sharing!
The training was from someone that also oversees studnets while they do the computer programs. I am not really teaching but overseeing the studnets. It is part of the alternative graduation program our district has in place for students that did not pass a portion of the ISATs as required for graduation. PLATO has specifically designed courese that cover the state standards covered on the ISAT. There are tutorials, applications and then mastery tests the studsnets take.
ReplyDeleteI apologize for any confusion. I guess in my mind I am pretending ot be the teacher and use the expereinces I am gaining from supervising these studnets as practice for the real thing int he future. I am suprevised and report to the counselors, school adminstrator, the special ed directr and the curriulum adminstrator. I have conferences iwht the students about their progress and take the reports of progress that the are generated by the program to these people along with any concerns I might have. It rally is not fishy and every district has their own alternative programs in place for students like this. There are also other criteria they have to meet and this is just one aspect of it.
I will admit though I am enjoying it as time goes on.
The other students that I was suppose to work with are now in classrooms with other teachers that are supervising them and I am having contact with all of these teachers to comparing progress so this giving me some experience with consulting and interacting with these professionals. I am learning about working owht other professionals too which is helpful.