Substituting, Exams, and Enjoying Summer

Feel like I should add a few posts once and a while before I'm gone to China: it's two months away!

Been substituting off and on for the past month and a half at my practicum school. It's funny how all of my substitution jobs have been in middle years school. It's definitely helped my practice my classroom management skills. I doubt I'll need to worry too much about it this upcoming school year.

I just found out I'll be teaching Grade 11/12 Physics, Grade 11/12 Applied Math, and Grade 10 Precalculus. The math courses have me on my toes a little bit, but I'm excited and up for a challenge. I'm primarily a Phyiscs/Computer Science teacher, which I guess makes people assume that I'd also love to teach math... not usually the case.

I'm not a fan of "pure math" any more than the next person. To me, I use the least amount of math needed to solve problems: either physical problems, or virtual ones. So to that degree, it will be interesting revisiting high school mathematics from a different perspective. I think I'm a bit scared that I'll love it and turn into that "Math" teacher stigma. I guess I think, vainly, that Physics and Computer Science is too cool for math.

Another friend and fellow B.Ed. graduate will be joining us to China, I just found out. All very exciting as well. It's nice knowing I'm joining three others that I know relatively well (to varying degrees). I'm not too concerned about meeting great people overseas though - that's part of the beauty of traveling if you ask me!

Oh, and I just completed/finished my CTESL (Certificate of Teaching English as a Second Language), which is a huge accomplishment for me. I literally 'stumbled' upon the whole EAL/ESL teaching profession by accident and I love it... almost if not more than teaching science in the K-12 system. The beauty of teaching EAL to adults is how appreciative and life changing it is for them. You really feel like your making a positive change in peoples lives.

So... not much really holding me back before China. A few more days of the 2008-2009 school year left to substitute, and then I'm off on a road trip to Toronto/Montreal/Quebec for two weeks starting (aptly enough) on Canada Day. Really lucky and excited to do it with two great friends. Lots to do and think about before China, that's all for now.

Being a Substitute

Yesterday was my first substituting position. It was nice to get paid! Though, what I got paid to do was in fact supervise students on a beautiful day outside as they cleaned up the business district streets with brooms and picked up trash. All the while waving at every car in the hopes of getting a wave or a *honk*.

The simple victories of a middle years student -- good on ya!

I am a Teacher

What a better way to start off my new travel/education blog than a post after our education graduation 2009 dinner "009: Quantum of Knowledge". It's been a very busy and exciting time since my last post for my old computer science related blog The Chalk Dust.

In less than three months from now I'll be leaving Canada to teach mathematics and science abroad for a year in southern China. For now, I start actually getting paid to teach as a substitute teacher. It's all very exciting.

That's all for now.

Last week of school, practicum, elections, oh my!

Schools out for... 2008! Last day of school is this Friday until we get back in January for the last leg of my B.Ed. degree. To that end, it's very busy right now. Some how, and I'm not sure exactly how I've done it -- things are manageable. No all-nighters or terrible sleeping/eating habits. Guess I'm starting to learn a thing or two: don't leave the library until everything is finished for the day. K.I.S.S.

This will be my last post before I start my 3rd practicum block as a part of my teacher certification education at the University of Manitoba. I'm quite excited about it now that I have a feeling that I know what I'm doing and have some confidence knowing I did a good job last year. On the flip, I'm teaching middle years -- something that is completely new to me. Yesterday I had my first visit since September to meet with my collaborating teacher and determine my teaching obligations for this block. I'll be teaching two sections of grade 8 math, and one section of grade 8 science. It will be a unique and rewarding challenge I hope, and at first glance I'll definately be using some forms of behavior management that I haven't had to worry about teaching senior years students.

In other news, the U.S. presidential election is going on as we speak. I only have one thing to say about that: ROCK ON OBAMA!