Pre-Teaching Jitters

[queenbookwench]

Well, I'm about to do something, and I can't decide if it was a great idea or a not-so-great one. I volunteered to teach in the Saturday classes that our school holds to prepare students in the grade that takes the NCLB-mandated test that is supposed to cover standards. It's a way to earn extra money, which is honestly the main reason that I signed up--I'm dealing with the double whammy of having my rent go up $75 (for each of us) and at the same time trying to be responsible and save a little and put some money into my 401k and Health Savings Account. But I also kind of wanted to put a foothold back in the classroom, since it's been awhile. I'm a little nervous, but I know this stuff--I designed and taught my own SAT prep course for students with learning disabilities when I worked for a private alternative school. Whether I think standardized tests are worthwhile is another question (short answer: hell no), but they are part of society and our students will be judged by them--I might as well do my best to give them the tools they'll need to compete with rich kids from the suburbs in the future. I've been assigned the "Basic/Below Basic" group, which is actually good, because my class size is going to be half what everyone else's is. Also, I know alot of these kids from the library already, so it's not like I'll be going in cold with a group I've never met. I really should be in bed now, but I'm always nervous before any new venture like this, and the Vietnamese iced coffee I had with dinner didn't help matters. Wish me luck, y'all!

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Good luck, white chick! Those kids are fortunate to have you for a teacher.

Mike

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Mike! I appreciate the encouragement, though I don't know how true it is as my skills are a little rusty and I've noticed I tend to say um! a lot. :)

[hazelnut96.livejournal.com]

Good luck!

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[just-the-ash.livejournal.com]

Good luck! Not that you need it; you're more SMRT than you think, yanno.

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

That means a lot, coming from someone who I know is a wonderful teacher. If you have any ideas for livening up test prep, feel free to share! :)

[alpaca15.livejournal.com]

I know you'll do a great job, Erin. This sounds like something these kids really need to help them have a (slightly) more even ground to start life on. Your class will help them become more prepared to take the tests, and if you hadn't volunteered, they wouldn't have had this chance to prepare. Just keep that in mind :)

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ginger! I know that they do need it--the trick is helping them realize it without beating them over the head or demoralizing them. I just wish that it weren't so necessary, that people didn't use these tests to judge how well we're teaching them, or, worse yet, how much they're capable of learning. Sometimes they're not even well constructed in standardized test terms--I mean the first question on our practice test had the most misleading item. It starts out "In paragraph 1.." but you can't find the answer unless you read to the bottom of paragraph two. And there was another one that was so ambiguous that I picked the wrong answer initially...*sigh**steps off soapbox*

[kchoseng.livejournal.com]

Good luck!!! (Though I guess I'm a a little late for today.)

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Mike! Late is fine--I didn't get a chance to check LJ, so it was nice to return to everyone's good thoughts.