I found I was being way too unproductive by reading statuses of “friends” and updates of groups that I really didn’t care all that much about.  I think it’ll be good for me in the long term, but will be hard to not ‘login’ again – because that’s all you have to do in order to reactivate your account – login to facebook as normal.  They should make it more difficult.

We checked out Summer Invasion on Friday and had a good time watching Mariana’s Trench, Down with Webster and Stereos.  This was my first time and didn’t realize that it was an all-ages event.  I guess I have to get used to running into students everywhere I go now.  There I was, covering up my beer can with one hand and waving to students with the other.  I guess it’s not a bad thing that they know I drink alcohol (OMG!) but it just feels awkward, you know?

Yesterday was spent checking out Motif in Moose Jaw.  This was an awesome event – it’s similar to FolkFest in Saskatoon or Mosaic in Regina but on a much smaller scale.  They had food/drink booths from various nations and a performance stage with dance groups and other entertainers – like that dude from the Caribbean pavilion who eats fire.  Strangely, he also holds the fire for a long time on various parts of his body….and it doesn’t seem to bother him at all.  Not sure.

My cousin let me borrow “To Kill a Mockingbird” since I didn’t read it in high school and now want to.  I think it may be an option for my Grade 11 English class….and I’ve heard nothing but good things.  I think I’m the only person in Canada who hasn’t read it yet.  What are some other good novels for any of my English classes?  The list of classes I’m teaching is in my last post…

Cheers to No More Facebook!  I already feel liberated.  Or it may still be psychological at this point.

song for this post: “You and I Both” Jason Mraz.  A feelin’-good summertime song.

Since we’ve last chatted, many things have happened in my life.  I’ve successfully completed my Bachelor of Education degree, worked as a substitute for almost six months following my internship at Winston Knoll Collegiate, accepted and completed a five-week contract teaching full-time in a Grade 8 classroom, AND accepted a full-time continuing contract teaching in a high school beginning in the fall.  Very exciting news.  This is what I hope to aspire to be:

Here is what I’m teaching next year:

• Arts Ed 7, 8, 9
• English 7
• English 9
• English 10A
• English 20, 21, 28, 20A
• Outdoor Ed 7
• Information Processing 20/30

I’ll update more about this new adventure as it becomes more of a reality.  Right now it’s just on paper but I hope to get into planning and so on in the near future.

Also, I hope to soon learn more about Yoga and the Buddhism lifestyle.  It’s a goal of mine to become happier and healthier and this is an interesting way to go about it.  I’ve taken one yoga class in the past and it was great….the only downfall was that it was at 6 in the morning….I hope to find something a bit later this time.  Note: this picture is not of me, but very similar to the real thing.

What else?  I still have a deep appreciation for soothing piano music, animals (the cats Wendel and Winston and the dog, Maddie), for entertaining shows on television and good books.  Also, for dance, Ukrainian dance in particular.  I’ve committed to joining a new group here in the city named Razom and if all goes well, I may have the opportunity to teach this great group in the future.  This would be such a great opportunity and would be something that I’ve always wanted to do.

Next summer my goal is to attend a dance camp or a language course (or BOTH!) in Ukraine for an extended period of time.  I’ve taken two beginner/intermediate Ukrainian language courses when I was a student at the University of Saskatchewan but that is far from enough.  Although I can read and write the language, I can understand only a small portion.  I hope for that to change.  I’ve been around the Ukrainian culture all of my life and would like for that to continue and enhance.

I guess this is a post full of a plethora of my goals and aspirations.  I do suppose that it’s easier to write them in a blog than to actually say them aloud – for whom would I say them to? And, I would imagine that seeing them on this page when I look back on it in the future will allow me to reflect on my goals and determine if they are being worked towards or not….wish me luck.

I’m not sure if anyone will read this blog, but I do hope someone will.  If not, I suppose it’ll be a good place for me to express my thoughts anyway.  Let me know you’re out there by leaving a comment or two, if you feel so obliged.

*my song for this post: “the city” by joe purdy*

]]> http://lancepollard.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/im-baaaaccckkkkkkk/feed/ 1 Lance teacher_of_the_year yogaimage http://lancepollard.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/mr-pollard-and-cfr/ http://lancepollard.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/mr-pollard-and-cfr/#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:07:57 +0000 Lance http://lancepollard.wordpress.com/?p=195 ]]> Hey everyone, and thanks for continuing to read my blog, learning about my internship experiences.

Four weeks have passed since the start of internship (or there abouts) and things are going really, really well.  It is proving to be a completely rewarding and positive experience, I have zero complaints.  The following sentence goes without saying:  Teaching is BUSY.  There is virtually no downtime and when there is I make sure that I take full advantage of it, at home on the couch just merely relaxing.  And life is good.

The teaching part of this experience has been very eventful.  I’m feeling as though I’m getting the hang of how routines roll and just how the high-school life operates, since it has been so long since I’ve been in a high-school in any capacity (since 2000, actually, other than the small pre-internship stint which I’m sure you’ve all read about here on my lovely blog).  And, wouldn’t you know it, I’m getting used to it and loving every minute.

I’m teaching an IP10 class right now on my own and it’s going super well.  I’ve finished the Computer Technology and Keyboarding by Touch units – the students have their unit test tomorrow, actually.  I’m starting Word Processing with them next week.  As I mentioned before, I created a wiki for the class and we use it regularly.  Each student has created a blog of their own and make regular entries (please read and comment, if possible ) which was an exciting experience because none of them had ever remotely heard of a blog before so it was rewarding in the respect that I KNEW that I taught them something.  Satisfaction kicked in, and it felt good.

I’ve also been teaching lessons in Career and Work Exploration 20 in period five, and things are going well there too.  They’re a more challenging group in terms of classroom management but they’re pretty good kids for the most part.  Definitely a learning experience that I’m happy to have since my IP10 class has no issues whatsoever; I felt as though I would have experienced some sort of ‘disservice’ if I has no classroom management issues occurred.  I needed the challenge because these types of things will be inevitable in the future; we all know that.

I’m picking up a second IP10 class next week (starting the Word Processing unit with both classes at once makes me happy) and will also pick up Entrepreneurship 30 in period 1 and Accounting 30 in period 5 at the start of October.  Things will evidently pick up in pace at that time, and I’m excited for it like nothing else.  Keep reading for more updates in the future.

In other news, I completely and entirely appreciate and love my workout joint, CrossFit Regina.  I started going regularly (3x per week) in July and have been improving in health and physical ability ever since.  So far, I’ve lost around 15 pounds and have toned muscles I didn’t even know I had.  For the month of September CFR is challenging its members to eat a Paleo Diet.  We can eat lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits and nuts.  No grains, dairy, legumes, processed foods.  It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, I think.  I feel great, have more energy and am losing the weight that I never wanted in the first place.  Will I continue on this diet after this month’s challenge is over?  Absolutely.  Although, I will have to have a plate of pasta from time to time (it’s my favorite food in the entire world) and perhaps some ice cream for dessert on occasion, too.  But, no more processed foods, deep fried junk, unnecessary garbage.  My body wasn’t made for that crap so why would I force it to fight with it?  Doesn’t sound very fair to me…

Anyhow, I encourage you to check out the CFR website (link is above), and you could always come to do your first workout for free just to see if its for you or not.  I highly recommend it, workouts are short and sweet although they’re ALWAYS a challenge.  No more “3 rounds of 10″.  Now it’s “five rounds of 50 pushups, 50 situps, 50 wallball, 50 box jumps, and a 1 km run” okay, perhaps that’s a bit of a hyperbole, but check the site – they’re intense workouts!  Oh, and Kelly Clarkson does CrossFit. 

Internship started a few weeks ago, and by now we’re well into the full swing of things in terms of units, assignments, routines, etc.  I’m teaching an Information Processing 10 class right now, and will be pick up class number two (another IP10 class) starting next week.  So far things are going really well – the students are all great and I have no real behavioural issues in class other than the occasional Facebook visit online.

I’ve been placed at Winston Knoll Collegiate on Rochdale Blvd. here in Regina and it’s a great school, I’m very lucky.  My co-op is awesome, too, so I’m lucky in that regard, too.  I plan on updating this blog more often, but in the mean time, check out our class wiki here.  Enjoy.

I’ve given myself a timeline in which I want to become ‘fit’.  At the start of internship, August 24, I want to be about 15lbs lighter than I am right now.  How am I going to do it?  I haven’t a clue.  When I lived in Saskatoon after high school (2000-2007), I danced with Yevshan Ukrainian Folk Ballet Ensemble.  We rehearsed Monday, Wednesday & Friday evenings from 6:30-9:00.  I did that for seven years.  I didn’t have to worry about trying to become fit or lose weight.  With a workout routine as rigorous as that was, I had no choice but to remain in shape.  Now that I don’t dance anymore I’m really lost when it comes to exercise.  I took for granted the physicality that Ukrainian dancers endure and now have no idea how to get back into shape.  I could go to the gym, but I have no idea what to do once I get there.  I could join a sports team/running club/other dance group but I’m frightened that I’d be unable to commit my time.  What should I do?  Give me some ideas.

Here is a picture of me in action, dancing with Yevshan:

Why is it so small?  Meh.

Here’s another, perhaps it’ll be a larger one.

I really should have polished up my boots before this show….oh well.    They’re well used.

Yevshan is heading to Ukraine at the end of this month for a couple of weeks.  They are touring the country and putting on some concerts along the way.  I went to Ukraine in 2002 with Yevshan and fell more in love with the Ukrainian culture at that time.  I’ve since been back, in 2007.  I hope my friends in Yevshan have a great trip this time, and know that I totally wish I was coming with them.  They’d better take some good pictures.

On Tuesday this week, I met with my cooperating teacher at Knoll.  She supplied me with a number of resources that I can use to get ready for teaching IP 10, and took me for a tour of the school.  It got me even more excited to get in there and get started.  I told her I was nervous, and I wasn’t joking, but I’m also ready for it to start.  I have a lot of preparation to do before the students get there but I have a lot of time to do it.   What should I do for extracurricular activities?  I mentioned these to her: The musical (Knoll puts on a production each November), the SRC, GSA, there is a Tech Club which isn’t elaborated much on the website but perhaps I could put some of my new skills from ECMP 355 into action.  We’ll have to see what that’s all about.  There’s also SADD and other clubs that I can get involved in.  I have a lot to look forward to.

Anyhow, perhaps I should go and have a bit more of a lay-down before having to get ready for work.  Have a great day, everyone.

After all of this talk about technology I’ve become more excited about thinking about what my future classroom is going to look like.  Since I’m a business education major, a lot of our course content involves the use of computers and other forms of technology.  I imagine I will spend a lot of my teaching time in a computer lab with my lessons being deliverd via some sort of projector or smart board.

In a perfect world I imagine all students having the ability to have a personal laptop at school; this would enable global learning in all aspects and allow the students to engage with each other and students from other parts of the world.  It doesn’t matter what subject is being taught, technology can be used.  There is a way!  It’s up to the teacher to make it happen.

I hope to use basic tools like blogs or wikis in classes I teach.  I hope to have the students create blogs of their own and share their thoughts with the world.  I have some plans for this for during my internship.  Since I’m going to be teaching Information Processing 10 I think there are a lot of ways in which these tools can be used.  I hope I can engage the students with them.  It’s going to be great, just watch and see.

This is a nice computer classroom.  Compliments of this flickr member.

I need more colour though, more art on the walls and some live plants.  I like the natural light from the windows, though.  And these chairs look mighty comfy.

I think it’s awesome to be able to be connected with so many people from throughout the world.  Whether it be our mentors or other educators from throughout the world or our classmates, I think it’s awesome to be able to help out or to ask for help when you need it.  As I’ve mentioned before, the teaching profession is one of a high level of collegiality.  We are all in this for the students, not for ourselves, and since we’re all working towards the same goal then I think it’s very easy to see why we should help each other out.  We want our students to have the best experiences ever, so why shouldn’t we work together and make this happen?  Social learning is a powerful  method.  Let’s not let it end.

I’ve really enjoyed the ECMP 355 class and wish I wasn’t working as much so I could spend more time perfecting my technological literacy.  I have learned a lot, though, and hope to continue growing technologically while enabling my teaching methods and strategies to be full of fun technology, too.  This is what our students are about, it’s what interests them.  It’s what they need to know for the future.  Let’s do it.

I hope to continue blogging as often as possible and I definitely will write about my internship experiences that will be starting August 24.  I can’t wait for that chapter to begin.

Side note:  did I tell you that I’m going to be an uncle around the same time that I start interning?  Apparently it’s a little niece in there, but I’m just going by my sister’s and her husband’s word.  I have no proof.  Ha.  It’s an exciting time.

I thought it was neat to be paired with a teacher from Hafford.  Hafford is potentially the most Ukrainian town in Saskatchewan.  I remember going to Ukrainian dance competitions there as a kid and seeing the Ukrainian alphabet hanging on the classroom walls.  Oh, and the street signs are in both English and Ukrainian!  It was awesome!  Unfortunately I haven’t been to Hafford in a number of years.

I’m thankful for the opportunity that these mentors have provided me, and I feel bad that I wasn’t able to participate more.  I look forward to checking out some more blogs in the future though.

At each of the placemarks, Marsha and I wanted to create a photoshow or something similar to display artifacts that can bring the journey these people took into real life. This took some time, but with the use of Flickr we were able to come up with awesome pictures that helped us tell the story.

We have finally completed the map; check it out below! At each of the placemarks, be sure to click on the link to the photoshow/voicethread, etc. Enjoy.

We, at EdChange, are commited to helping create more equitable and just schools and communities. We act to shape schools, organizations, and communities in which the full diversity of people have opportunities to live, learn, and thrive free from oppression.

What a great mission this Paul Gorski guy is on.  Can you imagine an oppression-free world?  One where people can be who they are without the fear of ridicule from the majority of society?

One thing that really stuck with me in our discussions about racism was the issue of “colour-blindedness” when interacting with people of colour.  Some people say that they don’t see their colour; they treat everyone the same because that’s fair.  My multicultural education prof. and I would argue that the colour-blindedness mentality is not ideal — coloured people are different from non-coloured people.  They come from different cultures, have different belief systems, ways of life, backgrounds, etc.  These differences need to be embraced and celebrated.  They can’t be treated “the same” because that isn’t fair to them.  They are different, and that’s an awesome thing.  See the colours!  See them! 

Anyhow, check out the site and read about what’s happening in social justice news from around the world.  It’s very interesting stuff.

While I’m at it, I might as well give you the link to this other awesome news site:  The Good News Network.  Most of the news that we read or hear about these days is nothing but depressing and anger-developing.  The Good News Network is the complete opposite.  Here, you can read about good news stories from throughout the world.  You have to register on the site and can get a newsletter delivered to your email inbox, too.  It makes me smile.   Although, if you want to be a member for more than 30 days, you have to pay a bit of hard earned money.

Have a great day everyone.  I’m off to see my internship coop and meet the principal this afternoon.  Good times.