The View From Up Here

Another semester has come to a close, and its time to return to my electronic blog. For the past few months my efforts have been focused on writing by hand, sort of the old forgotten way of placing one's thoughts on paper. Nonetheless, that requirement for English 394 has ended, and I want to pick up from where I had left off.
Having written personal reflections on two classroom experiences this semester, I want to single out two exceptional teachers for whom I had the opportunity to work with. Ann Marchant is an ESL Teacher at Stevens Point High School, and she allowed me to tutor a small handful of her students on a weekly basis over the course of almost three months. Ann is a wonderful person who incorporates current events and grammar into her daily lesson plans with students of the Hmong, Chinese, and Hispanic cultures.
The second person is Julie Vargas from Tri-County Middle School in Plainfield. Julie is a strong advocate for Hispanics in her community, and she provided me with 2-1/2 hours of weekly reading "fun" with her groups of 6th and 4th graders. Some of these students are second language learners, and this practicum solidified everything UW-SP has taught me in the way of working with young readers. THANK-YOU ANN & JULIE!
The semester ended on a strong note, and I am most grateful for the outstanding educators who graced my classroom schedule over the past four months. I stand in awe of the work they do, and little are they aware of how much they impact my life as an educator. Looking back on the teaching careers of people like Frank Douglas and Adeline Curl, I'm proud to be moving in the direction I'm headed. And as much uncertainty there is in this world, I stand confident with my present game plan. The realization that my life-long goal is now within sight is an awesome feeling, and the countdown to May 12, 2012 has now begun with eager anticipation. It's much like a mountain that has been climbed...viewing the scenery which is now unobstructed and clearly within sight. It truly is a wonderful view!