Tomorrow I begin teaching my KPTP (which is the laaaaaaast thing on my mind) unit to Seniors. This unit is based around Mark Mathabane's autobiography, Kaffir Boy. This autobiography follow Mathabane's life while living under apartheid in South Africa. I read it in December; it was captivating, informative, and quite horrifying. I hope my students will gain a new understanding of the cruelties people can inflict upon one another and the ability to forgive and look past racial stereotypes.
I am pretty excited about this unit, but I am also pretty nervous. This unit is eating up all of my free time. When I am not teaching, working, or sleeping, I am working on this unit. I keep changing days. I try to work on a few days at a time so I do not over extend myself, but even working a few days out is stressful. I have the chapters I want to cover and an end goal, the more concrete lesson plans I work the week and weekend before. My CT suggested not to plan everything at once because there could be changes in class, snow days, and etc. I think this has proven to be good advice.
My CT has been such a wonderful mentor. I am able to bring lesson plans to her and she will give me advice and pose questions that I may not have thought about. She is truly helping me grow as a professional and I am very thankful for this experience.
I worry over time. I am so engulfed in lesson planning, classes, job hunting, and work, that I haven't even started tackling my KPTP. It will get done, it is simply another stress looming in the back of my mind.
One week down... only ... well, I am not going to count. Each day is a new surprise and a new opportunity to grow.
Push yourself beyond your own expectations,
Ms. Hays
Ms. Hays -
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear your head is still together after these first few weeks! As far as planning goes, I've come to the conclusion that I will plan the first two weeks of my unit, then roughly sketch the rest. After the first two weeks, I plan a week at a time. That way I'm not too wired over having a fire drill or something. Also, I'm not lost with where I'm going through my unit.
As far as the KPTP goes, I'm about where you are. So stressed! We will tackle it though. Just need a hard timeline made, and we will get trucking! Best of luck here forward.
Bests
Ms. I
Don't stress about the KPTP! It's not so bad, just time consuming. I completely agree with Alexis when she said to sketch your unit because things will change! However, it is helpful if you know when your unit will end so that you don't run out of time for your KPTP.
ReplyDeleteRemember to give time to yourself every so often. You don't want to get burned out! I try to do everything done at school (grading, planning) so that I don't take much home with me. This means that I get to school at about 7am every morning and don't usually leave until 4:30 or so. Plan periods, lunches, before and after school are your best friends!
It's nice that you are getting along so well with your students and that you were able to read the text so far prior to teaching it. The stress of everything can seem overwhelming especially with the KPTP always looming over or shoulders. We just have to remember this is just one of the many challenges presented to us over the course of our education program and with tackling all that has come before this we will accomplish too.
ReplyDeleteMy KPTP unit is over Romeo and Juliet and like you I keep changing my lesson plans. I have started keeping a notebook and pen by my bed as I tend to wake up with new ideas in the middle of the night; the downside is with every idea I find that I want to incorporate something else must be cut. I hope all your planning and KPTP goes well and good luck.