Success!!!

This first semester has not been easy. Teaching is a difficult job! I have SO much more appreciation and love for all the teachers I have had in the past thanks to this experience. Teachers are angels.
I did survive the first semester, though!!! And I am having a rewarding moment right now, so I decided to put it in my blog before the moment trails off into my past. :) I had some kids who did not perform well on their finals, but I had a lot who did!!!!! I also did a teaching unit on J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye with one of my sections of seniors. Their final was a big scrapbook that included illustrations, pictures, and lots of extra effort as well as a character analysis, symbol analysis, research paper on J.D. Salinger, direct quotations, MLA format (hard concept to teach these kids), and one other writing on anything from the novel that they wanted to write about. I was so worried that the kids wouldn't step up to the plate. I didn't really know what I would get as I watched them procrastinate and listen to J-Boog's "No Other Love" song instead of read and write about Holden Caulfield and Pency Prep!!! I was pleasantly surprised, though! Their scrapbooks were BEAUTIFUL!!!! They were well-written, creative, and fun to grade! :) I feel like if you expect a lot, you will get a lot. If you say, "Ugh, these kids have terrible English skills and never behave; they are all going to fail!!!" Then guess what? That is what you will get. So expect a lot. What's the worst that could happen? Of course not all of them gave me their best effort, but I got at least some (the majority!) of them caring about education, learning, and enjoying ENGLISH!!! That is success. And for this one moment I am just going to sit back and be proud and content. :)

Here are some of my students' final Catcher in the Rye scrapbook projects. I feel like a proud parent!!!!! :)

I like this cover a lot. "If a body meet a body comin through the rye..." If you have read the novel, you will understand!

On this day of class I had my shirt on backwards for the entire day, in front of about 90 students. OI! I don't think it was super noticeable, but there were definitely tag stitches in the front, not the back...

I also want to share one of my freshman's journal entries. I have been grading so many essays, exams, and journal entries the past few weeks that I almost sped through this entry, but I am so glad that I didn't. It made me feel really great. It is the small things that matter. <3 He was definitely giving more credit than I deserve, but it was very thoughtful of him. He is the same kid who once compared me to an ugly, mangy, hairless, homeless, injured, white stray dog that resides at Young Mart in Utulei. We were discussing the stray dog problem on island as I was trying to teach them how to write an argument essay. I asked them if they had seen this sad dog at the Young Mart, and this kid said, "YES! Teacher!!! He looks like you!! He has no hair and is all WHITE!!!!!!!!" lol.... :)

Journal #27 topic:     What are you really “passionate” about?

           

            "I am very passionate about a loving, humble and a fun teacher, “Jessica Ploen.” It’s because even though we are rowdy in the class, she always has a nice way of calming us down! When we ask her for help, she is always there to fill in the hole. This is the best teacher I ever had! She also plans educational activities yet fun for us to easily learn. She is also there to pick up those who are slacking and get him/her back on the track with everyone else! I just wish we could take her as a teacher for all periods! We are also not afraid of asking her because she always have that loving smile that shows how lovely she is. This must be the best of the best world teacher anyone could get! I know that she tries to put up with us because of our attitude and I don’t like it when we give her a hard time. I know that we think that she has all of the finest qualities a teacher should have but it doesn’t mean we should take advantage of it. Also, I had never seen her so mad for which most of my teachers are at most times! In all of the billions of teachers of the world, the number one of all is Jessica Ploen from Iowa without a doubt!!!" 

Christmas Assembly!!!

Beautiful!!!

Who says Christmas trees have to be pine trees? My neighbors decorated this palm tree, and it is pretty sweet! The picture doesn't do it justice. My good camera broke. :( I dropped it in the ocean... so I just have my not-so- good camera left... which is better than nothing!!!