Chapter 1

Structural issues have come up for me the past two years because both years I have been new to the teaching position. I have rules and plans I think will work but then sometimes I realize they do not work very well or they work mostly well but could be improved. So then I have to have a class meeting and tell them from this date on we will be doing x differently. This can throw them off temporarily but I tell them the reasoning and, whether they like the change or not, they understand why I felt it was necessary.

I can relate to the text saying new teachers are too concerned with creating interesting lessons and meeting demands to notice individual student needs. There are students I wish I could give more time and attention to but I get busy trying my best/not to fail. 

I have had a major issue in the political perspective- I just lost my job due to a failed levy and lower enrollment (not in my classes, but in the county)! I fought for the levy as a parent. I did not think my job was in jeopardy. Now I don't know what to say to students interested in taking 'my' classes next year. Also, I don't know how much of my personal resources, time and money, I should invest in making my classes the best they can be, i.e. paying for & participating in extra training & grading after hours, for the remainder of the year when I should be exploring my options. (This constant RIF'ing of teachers and school personnel and what it does them and the upheaval it causes in schools year in and year out should be considered by legislators- or somebody!)
My dad always told me stories or narratives (or analogies) to help me understand an idea. The one that stands out most to me is about homelessness. He said it very lightheartedly (he thinks he is an amateur comedian:) so to this day I do not know the extent of truth to it. It may just be primarily a story he created from his experiences.
He and my mom sometimes worked to serve meals to the homeless. He used to say how if he would mention to the people who came for the meals about how fed up he was with he job he was they would say, "You have a job?!" or if he complained about our leaky roof they would say, "You have a roof?!" and so on.
My fourth grade teacher used to read to us after lunch. The book I remember her reading to us most was "James and the Giant Peach". I read that out loud to my three young children every night as well as 5 other Roald Dahl books when they were approx. 8, 6 & 2.
I would be very apprehensive about teaching science although I teach computer science- go figure!