First Day of School!!!

Front of the Classroom (West Wall)

South Wall of the Classroom

My site supervisor does not have any 6th Graders in his classes, so I was able to transition a bit more with the 6th Graders! Today I helped students open lockers, locate their classes, played tether-ball with a student, observed Art & Math 1 classes, and finished setting up the room.  There was an assembly at the end of the day, and they had the pledge of allegiance and star spangled banner. I haven't done the pledge of allegiance since I was in middle school!! It brought back a flood of memories... 

Tomorrow the 7th & 8th Graders will arrive.  I plan to observe my site supervisor's 1st period, 2nd period there is an assembly, observe another math class, and observe a Language Arts class.  I am not feeling that nervous, but maybe tomorrow I will have different feelings.  Here is a recording of me and my classmate friend after we both finished our first day of school with the incoming class at our respective sites...

Strolling Down Memory Lane...

Tomorrow is the First Day of School for the 6th Graders at Waldo Middle School. I started thinking about my first day of school in 6th grade. Sadly, my long-term memory doesn't remember that day... BUT I do remember my teacher (Ms. Strong), where my class was located (in "the bungalow"), and my classmates. I started 6th grade in 1998, thirteen years ago... WOW... that seems such a long time ago!!! 

I searched for some information about the middle school I went to, La Merced Intermediate (LMI) School.  LMI was a 5th-8th grade school when I attended.  My site for Student Teaching is at Waldo, which is a 6th-8th grade school. Here are some stats about the demographics of LMI...

In 1998, total population 1776 students.

In 1998, 67% free/reduced lunch.

In 1998, 1 teacher to about 31 students.

And at Waldo Middle School (2009-2010):

• Total Student Population: 756
• Free/Reduced Lunch: 57%
• Student/Teacher Ratio: 1 teacher to about 15 students

When I attended LMI in 1998 it was 87% Hispanic.  At Waldo it consists of 67% Hispanic.  I think it will be interesting to see how I adjust being in a school system around a majority of Hispanic students.  I have grown accustom to the White population of the Pacific Northwest... and since I have attended private colleges for my post secondary education, I have been surrounded by White people for the past 6 years.  I had close friends in middle school and high school who are Hispanic, but some of my most hurtful memories from grade school was when I was teased by Hispanic males and females... 

I don't want my negative experiences in the past to shape how I see specific students... and in this case Hispanic males and females... and maybe by addressing it I will be able to look beyond those negative experiences when I was in middle school. I know I want all students to be successful and learn, AND as a teacher... I don't want to think "I know it all" and I also want to be able to be knowledgeable enough to support my students...  I think I wanted to share a bit about my past in middle school... to look into how I experienced it... to keep in mind how these students that I see/ meet tomorrow may be feeling... and how the administrators, teachers, staff, student teachers, etc. may be feeling... and what experiences they have had that they bring with them in this school... Waldo Middle School.