I've done some longer presentations for her before, some in state, some out of state, but these two are only about the one topic and will last two hours each. I really look forward to these opportunities because it reminds me that teachers are versatile and I don't HAVE to be in the classroom for the rest of my life if I don't want to be.
Today I'm speaking at a BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) school. It's always interesting going there because the cultural education those students receive is more intense than the one that the students at ADLR receive. Which in turn is completely different from the what I received in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. I always feel a little nervous addressing these teachers because I'm so young and so anglo and so blonde and we're coming in and "helping" (though more often forcing because the principal has made a certain decision) them change the way they do things.
I remember the first long presentation I gave was in Arizona and it for a school that was completely changing their tracking (yes, tracking in an elementary school) and report card systems. I was on my own that day too. (Usually, the owner of the company is with me, which is the case for today and tomorrow.) The teachers didn't want the change, but the principal made the decision and now they were being forced to stay after school and learn this new way of doing things after using the same old (bad) system for years. I was so very nervous. I began by talking about the states that I personally knew of that were making these sorts of changes; Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming. They looked at me skeptically, but when I said Vermont they perked right up and took me a little more seriously. That was such a nerve racking afternoon for me. But each one after has gotten a little easier.
Off to make some notes!
*Also, have discovered that I love going to the gym first thing in the morning.
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ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI found you through 20SB. Hope the presentations go well but be sure you go with your man if he decides to pop to the shops though!
Apologies for the comment above - gremlins!
I have to teach my first work class on Saturday...I'm a bit nervous for it, as I'm not used to teaching/speaking to adults, just kids!
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