So I took a walk around the neighborhood today to take a break from unit planning, and I noticed that they're building quite a few large structures over on 116th and the FDR. After some investigation, I found out they're building (drum roll, please ... ) a TARGET! Whahoo!
Best day of my life!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
I went to Coney Island and all I got was ...
To celebrate my last Saturday before school starts for the year, I dragged Stephanie to Coney Island quite against her will. At the very southernmost tip of Brooklyn sits Coney Island, the beach and small amusement park that has seriously declined in cleanliness and popularity since it's pique early in the 20th century.
After an hour and a half ride on just two subway lines, we arrived, and went straight to the original Nathan's Famous Hotdogs, which was founded in about 1916, or so says Wikipedia. Here is Stephanie in front of Nathan's:
After hotdogs, lemonade and cheesy fries galore, we felt ready to hit the amusement park. But first, we stopped for a little balloon racEing ... notice that extra E in there. God bless Coney Island!
Here's a view of the amusement park from the beach/boardwalk:
Unfortunately, we did not ride the pirate ship, because Coney Island rides are absurdly overpriced. However, we did end up riding the Cyclone, the roller coaster that I think was built in the 1960s. It was very scary. Not in the scary roller coaster way, but more in the way that you think constantly "I just saw the wood creak, omg the coaster is going to break and we are all going to die" sort of way. Quite the adrenaline rush. I guess I forgot to take a photo of it. Here's a pretty picture of Stephanie and the beach instead:
After sticking our feet in the Atlantic Ocean, we decided that we'd had enough heat, humidity and hot dogs for one day, so we headed back to good Ol' Manhattan.
On the way home, in a random subway station in Brooklyn, the most remarkable thing happened. Bogart was resurrected!! An advertisement on the wall somewhere near the Manhattan-bound Q train contained a picture of, I kid you not, an exact replica of my precious, prized and now very sadly broken ceramic coyote. Here is a picture of my dear Bogart from the Subway station:
Anyway ... While I was uploading these pictures, I realized I never posted pictures from when Mom was visiting. Here are a couple of those:
That's really all I've got going for now. School starts on Tuesday, and I'm temporarily at the awesome PS 73 in the Bronx. I just don't know how long that will last. My future plans include reading some Wheel of Time, eating a cupcake and maybe, just maybe, seeing the sing-a-long version of Mama Mia! that is playing in Chelsea ...
After an hour and a half ride on just two subway lines, we arrived, and went straight to the original Nathan's Famous Hotdogs, which was founded in about 1916, or so says Wikipedia. Here is Stephanie in front of Nathan's:
After hotdogs, lemonade and cheesy fries galore, we felt ready to hit the amusement park. But first, we stopped for a little balloon racEing ... notice that extra E in there. God bless Coney Island!
Here's a view of the amusement park from the beach/boardwalk:
I took this photo for Robby:
Unfortunately, we did not ride the pirate ship, because Coney Island rides are absurdly overpriced. However, we did end up riding the Cyclone, the roller coaster that I think was built in the 1960s. It was very scary. Not in the scary roller coaster way, but more in the way that you think constantly "I just saw the wood creak, omg the coaster is going to break and we are all going to die" sort of way. Quite the adrenaline rush. I guess I forgot to take a photo of it. Here's a pretty picture of Stephanie and the beach instead:
After sticking our feet in the Atlantic Ocean, we decided that we'd had enough heat, humidity and hot dogs for one day, so we headed back to good Ol' Manhattan. On the way home, in a random subway station in Brooklyn, the most remarkable thing happened. Bogart was resurrected!! An advertisement on the wall somewhere near the Manhattan-bound Q train contained a picture of, I kid you not, an exact replica of my precious, prized and now very sadly broken ceramic coyote. Here is a picture of my dear Bogart from the Subway station:
Anyway ... While I was uploading these pictures, I realized I never posted pictures from when Mom was visiting. Here are a couple of those:
That's really all I've got going for now. School starts on Tuesday, and I'm temporarily at the awesome PS 73 in the Bronx. I just don't know how long that will last. My future plans include reading some Wheel of Time, eating a cupcake and maybe, just maybe, seeing the sing-a-long version of Mama Mia! that is playing in Chelsea ...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
A Week of (non)Vacation
I've officially been free from Institute for eight days now, and while I haven't been waking up at 4:30 a.m. anymore, I wouldn't say that the last week has really been a relaxing vacation, either.
Mom flew out on Saturday morning to help me move from the dorm at St. John's into my new apartment, which was quite the process. We rented a small SUV, piled it full of mine and Becca's (my roommate) stuff from St. John's ... for having such small living quarters at the University, you'd be really surprised how much junk we actually had. We filled the car to the brim. One of several times we would do that over the next two days.
After several trips to Ikea, Costco, Canal Street (everyone should check out the free stuff on Craigslist, btw... it's awesome), Lowes and Home Depot, some in a car, some on the subway, we finally furnished the apartment. Whoo hoo! But then we had to build everything. Thanks, Ikea furniture in a box.
Mom left on Wednesday, after working 10 hours a day, with only one tourist day thrown in there on Tuesday when we took a boat ride around the Statue of Liberty and ate dinner in Little Italy.
I finally finished unpacking and building furniture on Friday. Good times. Here are some pictures:
View from the living room window:
Though this week has been a lot of work, it's been fun too. It was nice having mom here for a while, and it was definitely fun doing the touristy stuff we did (Little Italy, tour of downtown, walk through central park). I've also eaten a lot of cupcakes, and yesterday I went to a music event at the museum PS1 in Long Island City with Stephanie, who was one of my roommates in Rome.
This week brings TFA orientation at New York University downtown, where we'll start writing our investment, management and unit plans for school, which starts in about three weeks!
Mom flew out on Saturday morning to help me move from the dorm at St. John's into my new apartment, which was quite the process. We rented a small SUV, piled it full of mine and Becca's (my roommate) stuff from St. John's ... for having such small living quarters at the University, you'd be really surprised how much junk we actually had. We filled the car to the brim. One of several times we would do that over the next two days.
After several trips to Ikea, Costco, Canal Street (everyone should check out the free stuff on Craigslist, btw... it's awesome), Lowes and Home Depot, some in a car, some on the subway, we finally furnished the apartment. Whoo hoo! But then we had to build everything. Thanks, Ikea furniture in a box.
Mom left on Wednesday, after working 10 hours a day, with only one tourist day thrown in there on Tuesday when we took a boat ride around the Statue of Liberty and ate dinner in Little Italy.
I finally finished unpacking and building furniture on Friday. Good times. Here are some pictures:
My Room:
View from the living room window:
Though this week has been a lot of work, it's been fun too. It was nice having mom here for a while, and it was definitely fun doing the touristy stuff we did (Little Italy, tour of downtown, walk through central park). I've also eaten a lot of cupcakes, and yesterday I went to a music event at the museum PS1 in Long Island City with Stephanie, who was one of my roommates in Rome.
This week brings TFA orientation at New York University downtown, where we'll start writing our investment, management and unit plans for school, which starts in about three weeks!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thoughts on the eve of my last real day of teaching summer school
As the title of this entry suggests, tomorrow is the last real day of teaching I have left of training this summer.
Wednesday we are going on a field trip to the Prospect Park Zoo, which I am more excited about than my kids are. Then Thursday all we are doing is administering our end-of-summer assessments for math and reading, and, of course, having a pizza party. (Our rad class won the perfect-attendance pepperoni party! yeah what!)
In between debriefing with my adviser, making posters for tomorrow's math lesson, trying to sort out last-minute apartment details (who needs electricity, anyway?) and trying to stay un-sick, I've done a bit of reflecting of what I've learned the past several weeks.
I think my biggest take-away is, still, something a speaker said on the first day of training: You have to forgive yourself every night and recommit every morning.
After days like today, it's harder than it seems to forgive yourself. But after a month like the past one, I think it's even harder not to recommit.
Wednesday we are going on a field trip to the Prospect Park Zoo, which I am more excited about than my kids are. Then Thursday all we are doing is administering our end-of-summer assessments for math and reading, and, of course, having a pizza party. (Our rad class won the perfect-attendance pepperoni party! yeah what!)
In between debriefing with my adviser, making posters for tomorrow's math lesson, trying to sort out last-minute apartment details (who needs electricity, anyway?) and trying to stay un-sick, I've done a bit of reflecting of what I've learned the past several weeks.
I think my biggest take-away is, still, something a speaker said on the first day of training: You have to forgive yourself every night and recommit every morning.
After days like today, it's harder than it seems to forgive yourself. But after a month like the past one, I think it's even harder not to recommit.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A New NYC First!
I saw my first rat in the subway yesterday, waiting for the E train on 51st and Lex.
I can't wait to tell Rinaldy.
I can't wait to tell Rinaldy.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The sweaty, sleep-deprived, partially terrifying adventures of Miss Brite
I am very sorry that I promised I would post at least once a week, yet it has been two weeks since I have posted anything at all. But, as it turns out, TFA training is quite time-consuming. Who'd have thought?
My last two weeks have been spent waking up every morning between 4:30 and 5, taking a heat-stroke-inducing school bus from Queens on a very slow and agonizing drive along the BQE to southern Brooklyn to P.S. 001. That's when the day really starts.
The next 9.5-10 hours are the best of my day. That's when I get to eat breakfast and spend time in the classroom with Abel, Abiel, Gabriela, Anthony, Jonathan and Rinaldy, my six ESL 3rd and 4th graders. They are so far behind in math and reading, but they are also extremely astute and perceptive ... Like when I talked to Jonathan on the first week about how we have huge goals to accomplish by the end of the summer and he asks me for a detailed plan about how we're going to do all of these things at once. It's awesome, because they get it. They know they're behind and they know they have a lot of work to do to catch up. But that doesn't get them down. That only makes them want to work harder. Which makes me want to work harder.
So that's basically why I haven't posted like I promised. I've been up at 5, in bed at midnight, with no rest in between (except for the afternoon nap I attempt every day on the bumpy, sweat-soaked bus ride back to queens) just so I have a slight chance of not messing up those six incredible little people too badly the next day.
My last two weeks have been spent waking up every morning between 4:30 and 5, taking a heat-stroke-inducing school bus from Queens on a very slow and agonizing drive along the BQE to southern Brooklyn to P.S. 001. That's when the day really starts.
The next 9.5-10 hours are the best of my day. That's when I get to eat breakfast and spend time in the classroom with Abel, Abiel, Gabriela, Anthony, Jonathan and Rinaldy, my six ESL 3rd and 4th graders. They are so far behind in math and reading, but they are also extremely astute and perceptive ... Like when I talked to Jonathan on the first week about how we have huge goals to accomplish by the end of the summer and he asks me for a detailed plan about how we're going to do all of these things at once. It's awesome, because they get it. They know they're behind and they know they have a lot of work to do to catch up. But that doesn't get them down. That only makes them want to work harder. Which makes me want to work harder.
So that's basically why I haven't posted like I promised. I've been up at 5, in bed at midnight, with no rest in between (except for the afternoon nap I attempt every day on the bumpy, sweat-soaked bus ride back to queens) just so I have a slight chance of not messing up those six incredible little people too badly the next day.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Work hard. Get smart.
I'm almost finished with my first week of TFA Institute. These past four days of waking up at 4 a.m. and going to bed between 12 and 1 have been insane. I've never worked so hard in my life. But at the same time, I don't know if I've ever had more fun.
Here are this week's highlights. Unfortunately, I don't have any picture yet.
Monday: My first 6 a.m. bus ride to the school in south Brooklyn where I'm teaching summer school 3rd and 4th grade ESL. My first impression? This place is incredible. From my classroom I have a clear view of the Statue of Liberty. With a little leaning, I can see the Manhattan skyline. I wish they were hiring for the school year.
Tuesday: The work is really starting to get tough. I took a seminar on administering reading assessments. It's not just theoretical knowledge. I have to administer them to my new students tomorrow. I took another seminar on backwards planning. Not theoretical either. I have to create a plan of all the summer's objectives now, so I can start lesson planning later this week. Thank god for my collaboration group, the three other new TFA teachers who I am working with this summer. I really lucked out getting them (Allison, Patrick and Chana) as teammates. I think we'll work really well together.
Wednesday: We learned how to write lesson plans today. I have to write two tonight for next Monday and Tuesday's writing lessons. I have no idea what I'm doing, but at least I don't have to teach math ... yet.
Thursday: Even though this week has seemed like two months, the work I am doing feels so rewarding already. I was in the resource lab in my dorm at St. John's, where TFA has provided thousands of books that we can check out and utilize in our classroom, and I came across so many of the books that I loved when I was in the third and fourth grades. A Wrinkle in Time. Matilda. Shiloh. Then I realized that there's no way, based on my students' reading diagnostics, that they would be able to get through even a chapter of one of those books. The most advanced of them (some of whom are entering the fifth grade in the fall) are reading at best on a third grade reading level. But most of them are barely on a first or second grade level.
We have so much work to do.
Here are this week's highlights. Unfortunately, I don't have any picture yet.
Monday: My first 6 a.m. bus ride to the school in south Brooklyn where I'm teaching summer school 3rd and 4th grade ESL. My first impression? This place is incredible. From my classroom I have a clear view of the Statue of Liberty. With a little leaning, I can see the Manhattan skyline. I wish they were hiring for the school year.
Tuesday: The work is really starting to get tough. I took a seminar on administering reading assessments. It's not just theoretical knowledge. I have to administer them to my new students tomorrow. I took another seminar on backwards planning. Not theoretical either. I have to create a plan of all the summer's objectives now, so I can start lesson planning later this week. Thank god for my collaboration group, the three other new TFA teachers who I am working with this summer. I really lucked out getting them (Allison, Patrick and Chana) as teammates. I think we'll work really well together.
Wednesday: We learned how to write lesson plans today. I have to write two tonight for next Monday and Tuesday's writing lessons. I have no idea what I'm doing, but at least I don't have to teach math ... yet.
Thursday: Even though this week has seemed like two months, the work I am doing feels so rewarding already. I was in the resource lab in my dorm at St. John's, where TFA has provided thousands of books that we can check out and utilize in our classroom, and I came across so many of the books that I loved when I was in the third and fourth grades. A Wrinkle in Time. Matilda. Shiloh. Then I realized that there's no way, based on my students' reading diagnostics, that they would be able to get through even a chapter of one of those books. The most advanced of them (some of whom are entering the fifth grade in the fall) are reading at best on a third grade reading level. But most of them are barely on a first or second grade level.
We have so much work to do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)