The life of a teacher

[acid_burn]

If would like the opportunity to say goodbye to life as you know it, pursue a career as a teacher. Everyone always said to me that your first year of teacher is hell - it was never that I did not believe them, but I suppose I saw it different from what I am experiencing now. And I do not mean to complain (that isn't what I am trying to do here) but

Comments

[iloveyoudee]

I'm very proud of you Nicole!
I've always known you were going to make a wonderful teacher, as a result of many things; who you were as a student, who you are a person, through conversations we have had, through your intersts and hobbies - there were just a number of things that indicated you were going to do well. Your ability to teach was never questionable.
But through posts like this, and silly enough, through msn and facebook captions, I can tell you have truly devoted yourself and poured your heart into your work as a teacher, which I'm sure hasn't always been 100% by choice and rather by necessity and sheer hecticness but, regardless, what you are doing and accomplishing in this first year is truly commendable.
You are making a positive impact and please let that fact make all of your hardwork and insaneity worth it.
:) Dee

[trip_my_wire]

So - I am gearing up to plan my second semester of teaching, and I must ask...what books/plays/stories are you teaching that you're getting such wonderful responses from your students? Mine will do the reading and answer the questions I ask of them, but they seem pretty indifferent. It would be nice to find something they were really excited about.

[acid_burn]

What age level/grade? I have some resources, but since I'm a newbie, I still don't have a whole heck of a lot.

My grade 11s were really excited about The Great Gatsby, but I do believe it had a lot to do with the fact that it's my favourite piece of literature to teach in-school. They also really enjoyed E.B. White's memoir (short essay) Once More to the Lake. That was really fun to teach and discuss. I have some other short stories and poems - just let me know what you're looking for.

[trip_my_wire]

I've got 9th and 10th graders, and they need a little extra attention so sometimes analysis is difficult for them. I'm trying to find some shorter pieces - probably chapters from novels or short stories to begin with - that have fairly obviously symbolism. Once they hit on something, they do a good job, it's just hard for them to step outside the world of the literal and into that of interpretation.

[acid_burn]

Ah, my 10th graders have the same problem. My grade 11s really loved Gatsby, as I mentioned before - but the novel has really obvious symbolism. It is, however, an advanced level book in regards to its writing.

To be honest, I have more experience with upper level kids. Let me do some research for you and I'll send along any resources my colleagues suggest? Sorry I'm not being so helpful at this time, but I don't want to give you anything too difficult that wouldn't be useful.

Sidenote: There's a book by Neil Gaiman I love called Coraline. Check out the story/writing - you might be able to use it in some capacity?