It's blogging time

Oh my lord, what a busy few days. I offered to teach volleyball, and it has yet to even start, and it has already taken up a very important hour of my day. Also, why do teachers like to talk so much? I ask one question about CPT (Communications and Productions Technology) and she talks for 30 minutes! Oh man. Volleyball is going to be like every day for the next two months. I'm stressing a bit now about teaching all these classes, but I feel confident that other people are confident in me. Some of the material teaches itself while I am there more as a guide and an answer to more difficult questions.

My cat Sami is doing great. She's a big cuddler, but sometimes wakes me up with her incessant biting then licking biting then licking. I built her a scratching post which she absolutely loves. Sometimes, I have to lock her out of my room if I want to get some real work done, but then she whinewhinewhines and I let her back in.

I'm all planned for my first few days. My cat keeps eating stupid pieces of fuzz. My mind is a whirlwind and I really just want to get teaching so that I can have something that makes sense again like a lesson plan and then some prep time. Like shit... now I have to study volleyball to make sure I am half decent at it. GAH. Atleast I am not as stressed as atleast one other intern :P

Danny

First Day at School

So, there I am, sitting in our first staff meeting wearing a tie. Me and one other guy, the rest are mostly in jeans and slack-wear. Even my co-op said he would wear one so I didn't feel so out of the loop. Oh well. At least I got to make the joke "Randy said I had to wear a tie because I could pass for a grade 12" and it was probably the joke that made the staff room laugh the most, so I was a big hit I'm sure :D

This internship is going to be much more interesting than previously thought. I can't state the reason here, but if you want to know you can surely email me!

Today, I had a great day at school, but it was also great because I could save a poor kitten from an inhumane household. To start off, both the mother and daughter wore dirty soiled 70's clothes. I mean like neon, waist high sweats kinda thing. That is inhumane enough!! However, there were also 8 cats in the house, with one litterbox. Hmm, and you wonder why they pee in your shoes... Well, I adopted her and I am now the proud owner of Sami!

Tomorrow, I'm designing my year plan and first lesson plans for my CCH class (if you've been following along, that means keyboarding). It's pretty much a whole day of prep. I'm going to sleep because it's almost 10pm and I want to get extra sleep to bank it all for later. Later.

Dan

PS. OH YES! At the end of every day, I'm going to take a picture of my outfit and have people vote on what outfit they think looks the best. I might even get my students involved one week as a joke. See how that goes.

Awesome!

So, the seminar is now over. Possibly 2nd to the item of building a relationship and open communication lines with our Co-op was the hot topic of the overuse of superlatives... like Awesome! (ie. you sign the credit slip and the cashier says "Awesome". is it really Awesome??) Webster's defines awesome as: Inspiring awe, where awe is defined as: an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like. Therefore, I would have to agree that signing a receipt is not particularly "Awesome".

In any case, today I found out that I have a new pet peeve! Perhaps I can add it to my old pet peeve of bad drivers, however this is a new category. People that are not expedient in the Drive-Thru Banking lane. Oh... my... Lord... For the love of Jaysus, lady, either learn to add quickly in your head, or carry a calculator. And, I don't care how much your kid is screaming, discipline him in a minute's time. Do you know why? Because, my plaid car is behind you and as far as I am concerned, you have 5 seconds to move your car from the time it spits out your card. After that, I am pulling ahead whether you are gone or not. Thanks! Awesome!

Does anyone have any advice for me? I just can not seem to stay awake for an entire day! Lately, it seems, that I always need an afternoon nap. Even more lately, it seems that these naps always turn into 8 hour sleeps, and then I'm up at all hours for no reason. Like... that's not gonna fly come school time, though a short nap after school might help me stay up much later with less sleep overall. Someone once said that an hour of nap time is worth like double what you would need at your actual night's sleep. So if I nap an hour, I only need to sleep 6 to get the 8 required. I do not know for sure.

Today, I bought $35 worth of stuff for my new kitten that I have yet to buy. I guess I have now made a commitment though. My mom asks me why I am buying a kitten when I am going to be moving to Australia. Well... MOM... I have friends and relatives that can help me out in a pinch; even if I have to pay someone, my kitty will not go un-loved!

I start in the classroom on Monday, but we don't have students until Tuesday, September 5th, after Labour Day. Still a long way to go in the grand scheme of things, because in a week, I could plan an entire course of unit outlines and bare-bones lesson plans if i needed to!

But I don't. And I won't. But, I will plan for the first few weeks of what I know I am teaching. So now, time to get to it.

Mr. Benesh

Seminar at Lunch

Well, it's day two of the Seminar (really the first day of doing anything), and I can tell that Randy (my co-op) and I will get along quite well. Here's a funny point: Isn't it amazing how that after you say "co-op" a million times like the seminar leaders have, it somehow becomes shortened to a one syllable word "quap"? I am sure if you are in internship you have noticed that.

HEY IF YOU ARE READING THIS, LEAVE A COMMENT I am interested to know who is stumbling across my page.

I really wish I could keep this blog page open 24/7, because there are so many times I get such interesting ideas and funny one-liners that I always end up forgetting mere minutes after.

So, here is my schedule as it looks now. I will start off by teaching keyboarding to some grade 9s. I will then add InfoPro 20/30 to my repertoire again and begin teaching a split class, which will always be fun. Then I will add Accounting 20/30 split in there, which I am a little shaky with, and lastly I will do a Chemistry unit of some sort for 3 weeks, and then start dropping classes one by one.

I get to do parent-teacher interviews!!!! w00t! ... Kinda scared.

Almost done "Teacher Man", the 2nd to last book I will read this year. The last being "The First Days of Teaching" - by Harry Wong. Apparently, quite the popular book. I'm hungry.

I'm sorry if this is boring right now. Please don't let this discourage you from reading it once I am an actual teacher when there will be all sorts of problems and such once I begin.

Oh yes. I found out today that I am like an onion. I have many different layers, all ending with my inner sanctum. I'm sure my students will agree. Except they will say it's because I stink and I make them cry.

Danny

Seminar Tomorrow

Well, here goes my attempt to remedy a ridiculous sleeping pattern in one day! Next week should be entertaining. Heck, tomorrow should be entertaining considering the sheet that told me where and when everything is happening tomorrow obviously spontaneously combusted. I mean, how else would I not have it anymore?

NOTE: After keying that in, I realized I knew where it was. I usually open my letter-mail in my car, and it was in a box in my car. But it's confusing still. I'm tired. what a pointless post. I will try to keep these to a minimum.

Danny

2 weeks till students!

Although it feels like so much less, there are only two weeks to go until I am facing my group of grade 9's. The closer it gets, I find myself getting less stressed and more excited.

Today, I jotted down a whack of notes to ask Randy when he gets back regarding discipline, policies, course outline, and his views on some things. NOTE: I have actually done nothing today! This previous line is supposed to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, and because we ALL know that everything you read on the internet is true, now I have to go and make this statement true.

Yesterday, I saw my friend Breanna for the last time before she moves to Alberta. She'll be back all the time, so I don't know why I cared so much. Probably just an emotional time for an intern right now. Any time spent not-preparing right now feels like wasted time, though most of my friends don't realize that I am not going to be very *ahem* accessible during my internship. The one exception (I hope!) will be floor hockey. I also have to thank Raye for really pushing me to get TiVo. My life would not be the same without it!

I am also going to the Rider game tonight. Woo. Go Green. Again, feels like wasted time, but it will certainly be my last of the year. Can't a guy enjoy himself before he gets too tied down to do anything fun? Ya know, like a bachelor party. OHHH SNAP! Sorry girls, I'm joking.

I'm off to fulfill that prophecy before I have to leave to begin pre-game celebrations.

Danny

What I Did Today

In non-regards to internship, I faxed and delivered student loan documents to their respective recipients, faxed some credit dispute documents, paid a $50 parking ticket, bought and installed more renovation stuff, went for a quick and scalding soak in a hottub, and vacuumed and Febreezed my carpet. I feel like a lot of loose ends are getting tied up before internship begins. I also asked my best friend to play a game of cribbage with me. He declined. Ouch.

However, I managed to find time to read the entire "Learn to Teach -- A Shared Responsibility" Internship Manual. Here are the two best quotes from the book:
1) Page 8, talking about protection from liability states, "The Ace refers to 'persons' engaged by the school board for purposes of supervision of school board approved activities. The term 'persons' includes interns." NO WAY! I am a person!
2) Page 16, while discussing about how an intern should be introduced to the classroom, "Encourage interns to feel part of the class."Well that is all well and good, but I think the other part might get jealous of all the attention...

I read the entire manual front to back, before realizing that much of it was meant to be read at the actual seminar. No matter, at least now I really feel like I got the ball rolling. I'mma gonna rock that seminar. Tomorrow, I plan to purchase and read Harry Wong's book ... The Something Something Teaching. I forget, but I am sure they will know what I am talking about at Chapters!

I also just realized how expensive my internship is going to be. Notwithstanding the $2400 for tuition and fees, I will also have to buy my own lunches every day, and travel to-and-fro in the winter. I'm bound to total off my car one morning, too. Such a positive attitude :D Maybe I'll try to get my dad to pitch in more. Ooh ooh, I have two poker tournaments left this year. If I win this one on Sunday, it will be for about $30,000. If I win the one on September 4th, it will be for about $100,000. Don't worry, I will still intern this semester and finish my degree, even if I win both!

I'm lonely.

Vision

I just had a vision while lying in bed. It was me in a cap and gown, hugging my mom, with tears welling up in my eyes, saying, "I did it. I finally fucking did it." Convocated that is, with a flipping Bachelor of Education degree. I am but 8 months away.

Danny

Bleh.

My eyes are burning from my now bright monitor. It's 4:40am, and I've been tossing and turning for 40 minutes with no sign of sleep. Classical music is quietly playing and thoughts are racing through my head. Mostly my personal life. Friend is leaving to Alberta while another is coming home from there. I wrote them each a poem today and made them smile. It was a good day. Money situation, however, is gonna be rough here come January, and I will need poker to come through in fine fashion. Renovations went well, only shocked myself twice while moving the outlet for my dryer. I now have more personal space, which I am sure I will need come internship.

Speaking of internship, I have thought about it a lot in the last few days. By that, I mean thought about it while I was on the golf course, while I was watching television, while I am doing renovations, while I am up at 4:45am, while I am chatting on MSN, and most importantly, while I am doing nothing at all. I know I am a procrastinator, but this is serious. However, I was told last semester that procrastination is a sign of intelligence. Think about it: can a dumb person really procrastinate and still succeed? It's nearly impossible. Still, what have I been doing while I've been thinking about internship without lifting a pencil or paper? Well...

1) My first and foremost concern is establishing a good rapport and mutual respect with the students in my first class, CCH (Computers, Careers, and Health). I am only teaching them keyboarding, but apparently touch-keyboarding is an issue with grade 9's, and most are indignant to the fact that it is so much more than just a requirement made my teachers for no reason, it will help them SO much in the rest of their years at school and in life. It's all about efficiency. I like to think I have an advantage here because I am a model of what I am trying them to teach. I can key at around 80wpm, maxing at 110wpm or so. I know that is what inspired me to key so fast is watching my receptionist-mother key so fast it made my head spin. Now, second is respect. I am young, but so are they. They will know that I am an intern, and that I am new, but hopefully the closeness in age will garner a respect because they know that I am "hip" to their concerns and what is going on in their lives. My humour will be more at their level, as well as my life experiences will be the same. For anyone reading this from EBUS, might I throw out "cohort group"? ;)

2) I've thought about my extracurriculars at Martin. I want to coach hockey, but what else? I am sure there is lots that I can get involved in. I know that the Skills Canada is not until February, but perhaps I can fast track some of my IP class to be involved in that. I think I would be an excellent guide, given the time. I am finding more and more that I start to do volunteer things less and less because I think they will look good in a portfolio, and more and more because I really feel they would be rewarding for me somehow in life. Kinda like giving back for all I've taken as a selfish kid. Coaching, for instance. Anyways, change of thought pattern here --

3) I have pondered (and am scared to HELL over) discipline in my classes. One of my friends said "I can see you as a teacher; I bet you'd be really strict". And I thought about it. Would I? Am I going to yell when students are talking when I am? Am I going to do my patented 'go dead silent until they all shut up' move. I know that works well for me, but it all depends on the class. Hopefully, it will just come naturally, but it's still best to think about these things beforehand. I think that my professor Lyle Benko said that. I should talk to him before internship. *notes to self* Along the lines of discipline is school rules (i just keyed 'rools'. God it's late), class rules, and class outlines. I am going to have to give the class an outline that reads, "Mr. Benesh's Rules and Expectations". EEEP! I have also heard it is best to let the class help make the rules, as then they are more likely to follow them. Then my mind wanders to things like drink, food, candy, etc... I know how IIIIII feel about it, but there are school rules that supercede my own, sooo I have to wait to talk to Randy. So much of my planning hinges on him, and he is in Mexico right now. I know he will help me even more when he gets back because of this, so I am not worried. But for anyone wondering why it seems I am putting off planning, it is related to that. It is also that I have to wait to see what's going on with my Digital Internship Team. There seems to be a lack of cohesion, and I'm expecting something very soon. In case any of you who know me are wondering, no, I am not playing poker either! I was forced to play one night when a friend of mine passed out at his computer desk from excessive alcohol consumption, and I had to log in from my computer and play the tournament for him. Of course, I won. But hey, who's counting?

Those are the three biggest thoughts on my mind. There are now 5 complete days until the start of my internship seminar. I am giving up a beeeeeeeeeautifully fun trip to Edmonton/Calgary/Sylvan Lake because I do plan on planning something concrete over the next few days, at least to say, "Hey. This is what I feel about my classroom rules. This is what I believe. This is what I want. If this differs from your school's policies, so be it." I also want to be able to say "This is what I understand about your Accounting simulations. This is what I do not. Teach me, grade me, help me!". Lastly, I want to say (and feel), "I am ready for this" and not be scared at the same time.

Writing this post makes me want to grab those sheets right now and start reviewing them. But something tells me that as soon as I grab them, I will begin to get tired. As such, I'd rather grab my latest book "Teacher Man" (thanks Nicole) and begin reading. I'd be much happier falling asleep to Frank McCourt's life than to Posting Transactions in a Financial Ledger, and Bank Reconcili- *snore*

Till another day.

Danny

Internship at Martin Collegiate

So. This is it. It's about two weeks away from the beginning of my internship at Martin, and what have I done?

I gathered some information regarding accounting, because right about now it scares the shit out of me. I know Randy (my co-op) will be there to help constantly, but how can I be confident to teach something that I have never really studied myself? Hopefully I can get a grasp on it before I have to teach it. Or else I will "stay a few pages ahead of the kids, and you'll do fine" - Frank McCourt, 'Tis (great book). I will have a better idea of where I am once I review those pages that I got about 2 months ago and haven't touched since... :o

I also recently gathered some information on the CCH class that I am going to be teaching. However, I will only be teaching the 'C' portion of it (computers) which is comprised of keyboarding... keyboarding... and oh, um... keyboarding! I am excited that I will be able to start off with something that I can teach with my eyes closed like that because then I might be able to focus on building some relationships with other teachers, and getting my extracurricular portion done earlier.

The most exciting thought in my mind at the moment is that I am going to be able to coach the hockey team, most likely. I haven't been on skates in a few years really, but I used to love hockey like nothing else, and I consider myself a pretty good player. Hopefully, I will still be able to play floor hockey at the UofR while I'm in my internship. Though for the first time in 4 years, I will not be the captain.

I am doing this first blog entry on my new laptop that I got from the UofR for which to aid in my volunteer effort group called the "Digital Internship Project". The aim is to use computers, technology, and online resources to better teach our students. Currently, I do not know exaclty how I am going to fit it in to some areas, but I have some decent ideas in other areas. Like keyboarding is easy, you go to some webpage and there's tests and games and stuff... that's cool. But for Accounting, it's all project based with Randy. That's cool, I think. I am sure I can find some cool demonstrations and/or activities online for Chemistry. That's probably what I'd be most excited about finding and doing, however with the time frame of it falling during my 3-week block, it will be the most stressful time of all.

There are a few comforting thoughts whenever I get scared of internship. 1) 99% of people that get to this point pass their internship and go on to become successful teachers (well... teachers, anyway). 2) If things go wrong with my lessons, I'm more likely to be forgiven because I'm participating in this Digital project, and it's more exploratory and less conventional and more likely to go wrong due to technology and its limitations and problems. 3) Randy has been doing this forever, and he will not let me fail, whether he has to spoon feed me Accounting until I get it in to my thick head! I still can not understand how they teach accounting so much differently than in University, and then expect me to be able to teach it so easily!! Argh!

Well, that is all for the first, and likely biggest post. I should be writing daily about my thoughts and feelings about internship once it gets going. It will be fun to look back on it later and see how angry I was at this, or how disappointed I was in that, or how this or that could have been done differently, or how I had that "magic moment" as they say. Yes... all the joys and such. Two weeks left. Two. Weeks. Maybe I'll throw a poem or two in here as I go? haha. That is all.

Danny