Up to my ears...

Currently listening to.....Mike Shonoda...I think, it's one of the Linkin Park guys from a CD my buddy Brad made me. It's amazing. He has a song about Manzanaar, the Japanese internment Camp in the US during WWII. Apparently his grandparents and his father were there....great song. It would be good to play during a WWII unit....

I'm up to my ears in planning, papers and grading. I'm attempting to create a unit based around the idea of "Community" for my 3rd graders and it is very difficult. I have to plan roughly 20 days of lessons and they can't be simple little time fillers. I'm finding that I have to really plan this out right and incorporate a variety of activities to keep the students interested and to make it a good unit. Pile all this on top of applying to a couple of other schools and the job fair up at UNI at the end of this week and I'm a busy boy.

Speaking of job fair, I've emailed two more schools about their vacancies. I'm hoping to hear from a school in Egypt and Myanmar soon. I may have applied to a third, but to be honest I can't really recall. I've looked at so many schools and I've applied to so many that it's mind-boggling. I almost applied to the same school again today, without realizing it. I don't even remember if I've applied to this school, but maybe I have. I know I've checked out their website. Oh well, I'll talk to them up there.

I'll try to keep everyone posted....eventually.
God Bless,
Bill

The Waiting game....

...that is what I am playing. I've contacted four schools about teaching overseas next year. I've heard one thanks but no thanks (blasted Cyprus) and two "we'll talk to you in Waterloo" (thank you China and Virgin Islands!!). I'm still waiting to hear from Korea. I did receive emails from a school in Taiwan and Colombia that are begging people to interview, the question is, do I really want to live there?? I considered the Taiwan school, but I can't remember why I didn't email them. It could have been the money (or lack there of) but I don't recall.

Speaking of money, it reminds me of a great line I heard in a song today. "....it's not about the salary, it's all about reality and makin' some noise." For some reason this simple phrase and line has stuck in my head all day. Maybe I'm being told to not worry about the pay and just go....somewhere. Who knows.

I'm in full swing at Prairie View. I started grading papers and handwriting today (yes, I'm grading cursive and script handwriting, scary huh?). I also get to plan a unit on Community and a poetry unit (awesome!!). I'm pretty excited about the units. If any of you have any ideas, let me know, although keep in mind, I work with 3rd graders.

Well, I have units to plan and sleep to catch up on.
--Change the World
Bill

The Big Problem

So I've submitted all my information for a job fair up at UNI and I can finally start communicating with schools that are going to be there. The only problem is that almost every school requires or prefers someone that has at least 2 years experience teaching in a classroom setting. My question is this: If all schools want someone with experience, how can anyone really get experience?? Do I have to apply to some dinky school in Iowa and then leave them in two years to do what I really want to do? Is teaching in Hills, IA really going to prepare me for teaching at an international school in Shanghi, China?

It took me almost an hour to figure out how to do this.....just this.... 

In the beginning.....

How does one really begin an online journal about their experiences? I'm confused as to where to start. I began student teaching yesterday and found that I'm lost in the whole thing. I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing in class. Am I supposed to be actually teaching? Am I supposed to sit in a corner and just observe? I've decided to do what I think is right and I'm up and assisting the students as much as possible.
As I've started student teaching, I've also found out about an Overseas job fair that is in two weeks. After much stress and a ton of help from some great people (thanks Susie, Alice and Holly!) I've managed to get all the materials completed and sent in a day before they are do. It should be processed tomorrow and tomorrow night I should be able to start contacting schools that will be there. I'm looking to interview with schools in Europe and the Far East (Asia). For some reason, I really have a desire to go there and teach, I don't know why, but it's just there in my mind.
Other than all this fun stuff, I'm still living the single life, still looking for someone to sublease my apartment and still waiting to hear on Australia....seriously, I don't know ANYTHING yet. Hopefully soon.

--God Bless,
Bill