Hatrack River Forum: Got my teaching position!

This is topic Got my teaching position! in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :

Starting in late August I will be a 7th grade Social Studies teacher! I can't wait! The curriculum is the Eastern Hemisphere. Everything involving religion, geography, culture, and politics. From Judaism to Australia and everything in between.

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

Including the civil war in Sri Lanka? [Wink]

Congrats!

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Woohoo!

Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :

Congrats. That was a fun curriculum, I remember having to use these cards and do little reports on different countries using census like info. I'm sure that stuff is online now (and that's less than ten years ago).

Posted by BandoCommando (Member # 7746) on :

Grats!

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

Grats!

Remember, though, that these kids are really young and look up to you for guidance. You can make a positive difference.

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

Congrats! I hope I can post a thread just like this in two more years. [Smile]

Best of luck, and enjoy it.

Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Phanto:
Grats!

Remember, though, that these kids are really young and look up to you for guidance. You can make a positive difference.

I will definitely remember that. It is in an area where a good percentage of the students desperately need guidance and someone to make a difference.

Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Belle:
Congrats! I hope I can post a thread just like this in two more years.

I'm sure you will. I don't know your background, but hopefully you didn't have to wait as long as I did to figure out that teaching is the right job for you.

Posted by Salsa (Member # 10530) on :

Good job!

No offense, but I wasn't a fan of Social Studies when I was in middle school...and that was just a few years ago [Smile]

Posted by Qaz (Member # 10298) on :

[The Wave]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Congratulations! You're gonna be great. You have Hatrack to help with your homework. [Wink]

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

quote:
a 7th grade Social Studies teacher

I'm not sure whether to give congratulations or condolences! [Smile]

Having been an aide in a school for the 6th-7th grade age range, I know they can be VERY DIFFICULT to get motivated/excited about learning anything! It's a tough age. Best of luck to you in reaching them and helping them to see how the studies are relevant to their lives..

FG

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

Congratulations!

Try not to let China dominate the discussion, once they've got that seat, its hard to get them to yield it!

Don't forget to talk about Mongolia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Many people are not even aware they exist until high school! [Frown]

But they are as different as night and day and just as facinating as anywhere else.

Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :

[Hat]

Congratulations.

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

Congratulations.

Don't offer that the kid who keeps correcting you can teach the class herself-- she might do it. (I was horrid to my 7th grade History teacher!)

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

Congrats!
Remember to give lots of pop quizzes, and to choose a favorite student. Make sure he or she answers all your questions, and then denigrate the rest of the class for not being up to their level.

Trust me, it works. I read it in a book somewhere. [Wink]

Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :

quote:
Congrats!
Remember to give lots of pop quizzes, and to choose a favorite student. Make sure he or she answers all your questions, and then denigrate the rest of the class for not being up to their level.

Trust me, it works. I read it in a book somewhere. [Wink]

Congrats! I remember going through middle and high school my social studies teachers were some of my favorite teachers. Have fun [Smile]

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Javert:
Congrats!
Remember to give lots of pop quizzes, and to choose a favorite student. Make sure he or she answers all your questions, and then denigrate the rest of the class for not being up to their level.

Trust me, it works. I read it in a book somewhere.

Enders Game?

Posted by Liz B (Member # 8238) on :

Congratulations, Stephan!

You can look forward to many years of condolences from people when they learn you're a middle school teacher. [Roll Eyes]

I LOVE middle school kids. They are fun and funny and energetic and remarkably easy to get excited about learning. They are still at the age when many of them will want to learn or do well in order to please you, if they like you. The simplest way to get middle school students to like you is to like them and value them as people. A lot of adults don't. If you genuinely are interested in them and enjoy being around them, they'll be able to tell, and they'll like coming to your class. (Don't mistake this for "being their friend.") One of our most important jobs as teachers is to make sure that our students feel valued, whether or not they're any good at the game of school. (And, just to clarify--some kids are VERY hard to like. But you can still find likeable things about them, and convey in so many ways that you think they are important.)

So welcome and best of luck! Do you have a mentor yet?

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

quote:
I'm sure you will. I don't know your background, but hopefully you didn't have to wait as long as I did to figure out that teaching is the right job for you.

I've pretty much always wanted to teach, but I had to take fifteen years off to have and raise children before I could finish my degree. I'm at the point now where I've finished my core, and about half my English credits, now I'm knocking out my educational foundations courses. I hope to student teach Spring '09, and if all goes well, be working when school starts in Fall of 09.

Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :

What a Teacher Makes (mild language warning)

Congratulations!

Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Liz B:
Congratulations, Stephan!

You can look forward to many years of condolences from people when they learn you're a middle school teacher.

I LOVE middle school kids. They are fun and funny and energetic and remarkably easy to get excited about learning. They are still at the age when many of them will want to learn or do well in order to please you, if they like you. The simplest way to get middle school students to like you is to like them and value them as people. A lot of adults don't. If you genuinely are interested in them and enjoy being around them, they'll be able to tell, and they'll like coming to your class. (Don't mistake this for "being their friend.") One of our most important jobs as teachers is to make sure that our students feel valued, whether or not they're any good at the game of school. (And, just to clarify--some kids are VERY hard to like. But you can still find likeable things about them, and convey in so many ways that you think they are important.)

So welcome and best of luck! Do you have a mentor yet?

I have a summer mentor who is terrible, thankfully I will have a new one for the school year.

Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
Congratulations!

Try not to let China dominate the discussion, once they've got that seat, its hard to get them to yield it!

Don't forget to talk about Mongolia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Many people are not even aware they exist until high school! But they are as different as night and day and just as facinating as anywhere else.

The curriculum is very specific, to the point that it tells me what to teach on any given day. China will definitely not be dominating that part of Asia when I get to it.

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

Do you at least get to mention Sri Lanka? If you do, you can tell your students you know people there...

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Congratulations, Stephan. That's marvelous.

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

Taylor Mali rocks. My favorite piece of his is The the impotence of proofreading.

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Stephan:

quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
Congratulations!

Try not to let China dominate the discussion, once they've got that seat, its hard to get them to yield it!

Don't forget to talk about Mongolia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Many people are not even aware they exist until high school! But they are as different as night and day and just as facinating as anywhere else.
The curriculum is very specific, to the point that it tells me what to teach on any given day. China will definitely not be dominating that part of Asia when I get to it.

Glad to hear it!

If you ever need any ideas about what could be interesting to talk about in regards to Asia, specifically SE Asia, give me a holler [Big Grin]

Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:

If you ever need any ideas about what could be interesting to talk about in regards to Asia, specifically SE Asia, give me a holler

I will. One thing I want to do is try and get someone living in at least some of the countries, preferably another student, to answer questions from my kids via email.

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Stephan:

quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:

If you ever need any ideas about what could be interesting to talk about in regards to Asia, specifically SE Asia, give me a holler
I will. One thing I want to do is try and get someone living in at least some of the countries, preferably another student, to answer questions from my kids via email.

That is a very good idea. [Smile]

Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :

Excellent! My dh just got a job teaching 8th grade at a charter school so he gets to do all subjects. He is excited too. The world needs more strong teachers. Best of luck!