Placement+1+Wk+1+Experience

Week of Jan. 18th, 2010

Monday Jan. 18th- Martin Luther King Day- No School


 * (*All real names are substituted for made-up names for teachers' and students' safety.)**

Tuesday Jan. 19th

I wish that there was school yesterday since we only go Mondays and Tuesdays. It feels strange going on a Tuesday. Especially because today is Timber Creek's first day of semester exams which they're having the whole week so today was not a regular day in a way.

Timber Creek High School is located in East Orange County in the Avalon Park Neighborhood. I was assigned to a wrong placement originally and did not get replaced until the Friday before I started. If I did not call the Office of Clinical Experiences to double check on my placement, I would have not known that I had the wrong placement. Needless to say, the morning I showed up at TCHS, I didn't know who my supervising teacher was or the grade level. But I was hopeful since the principal emailed me back late that Friday afternoon.

The Inclusion Coach, Ms. Kay Turley asked me to show up by 7am on Tuesday morning to have a sort of like orientation meeting with her and another one of their intern (Reggie Cox). She told us all about their exceptional ed unit and how it works. She also told us her role as an inclusion coach in their department and about the history of the school. Then she asked us questions that felt like we were in an interview! Questions like how did we decide to major in exceptional ed and what our volunteer experience has been like. That was good practice for me! Before taking me for a tour of the school, she asked if I have any questions or concerns. I made sure I asked plenty of questions.

After the school tour (they have a nice campus complete with their own credit union!), she took me to the Media Center and showed their wonderful collection of resources. She believes they have one of the best collections in the county! There, we met another lady, Dr. Vickie Seavers who is the Media Specialist but is also in charge of placing their interns. I had an intern ID badge made at the media center which I was really excited about! She then made a call to one of the ESE teachers, hoping one will be willing to take me. I heard a lady on the phone say, "sure, I'd love to have her!" or something like that. And that's how I ended up in Ms. Fennell's classroom.

Ms. Pennell is in room 633. She teaches Math and English ESE 9-12. She's been an ESE teacher for 20 years. She's also the ESE Dept Chair at TCHS and a Junior Varsity Coach at the school. Busy lady! I was elated that she was willing to take me as an intern. She seems like an upbeat teacher. She smiles and laughs a lot. I hope she's up for all the schoolwork I need done.

I haven't been exposed to too much in high school ESE classroom although it was a high school Profound Disabilities class (Magnolia School) that convinced me to be an ESE teacher. Timber Creek has over 3,000 students! That's a very big student population. Traffic in the morning is crazy backed up but thankfully, they advised me to get there before 7am to avoid it although I still caught some of it! As I was walking around the campus before the bell rang, I had flashbacks of when I was in high school. Diverse student population, small circle of cliques spread out in the courtyard, students dressed up to the nines buzzing with last nights happenings. I was nervous since most of them were bigger and taller than me and wondered if they will accept me or if I can really make a difference. Some of the stares are enough to make someone feel so small!

It was 2nd period Math by the time I got to Ms. Pennell's class after my orientation and tour. The students had finished their test and was just waiting to get released. They looked at me as I walked in wondering who I was. I didn't get introduced to the students, probably because it was the end of the period. When 3rd period students started coming in, I was a little more relieved. I could tell the students had exceptionalities. It was a small group and Ms. Pennell were telling me their names as they walked in. Here are their names: Andy: Asian boy in a wheelchair, Talon, a boy who barely spoke and uses hearing aids, Jala, Jan, Bradon. We read a Reader's Theatre script from one of the magazines they like. That was fun. We read about 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.' Talon loved the story because he likes scary stories! He said to the teacher in his mumbled way that he loved the story.

After lunch, some students came in the room frantic because there had been a big fight. They said that there's already been 3 fights this school year. They wondered and speculated that perhaps because so many kids are tensed because of all the testing they have to do. The teacher nodded.

At the end of the first day, I felt I've learned a lot already. Ms. Pennell gave me copy of an actual IEP (erased the name of course) and a copy of a Transition Plan for one of the students. She showed me the program she uses to make an IEP (File Maker Pro) and the Transition Plan (Transition Planning Inventory). She told me about the program the use to keep track of grades. She told me that she has an IEP meeting on Tuesday and that I'm welcome to sit in. (score!) She showed me bunch of things that they are covering currently such as the chapters in their Math and English books and other materials she uses like the parent log and reading assessment log.

What a productive first day!