I tried forever to find a picture of the school but couldn't. It's pretty ugly... so it sort of makes sense there aren't a lot of pictures out there of the outside! Mendenall River Elementary is where I am at this whole year doing my school counseling internship. When I was little while we lived in Juneau, I used to have soccer practice there on the field. I remember I got smacked in the face so hard I thought it was going to fall off. I had to have been in 3rd or 4th grade. Anyways, it's neat after all these years to be back there!
Almost all the teachers are young so it's neat to see all the different teaching styles. My supervisor is awesome and we get along great. She went thought the program at UAF as well six years ago so it's working out wonderful. She is a great person to learn from. She is SUPERB at her job. I've already put in about 40 hours there, and I need 300 this semester. I think it will be pretty easy to get the hours. I go in twice a week for full days with meetings and other events on the side. There will be one week where I go every day. The transition has been pretty smooth and last week I taught my first two classes to 3rd and 1st graders. Eventually I will take over all the classes on Thursdays and will be making up my own lessons. As of now, I am teaching Tristan's lessons. I also do a girls lunch on Thursday where we talk about friendship and I meet one on one with a student in the afternoon. I also spend times in classrooms with specific kids helping and whatever. I've already attended a few teacher/parent meetings and I helped out with Parent night last week and met some parents. On Monday I go to the district school counseling meeting which I'm REALLY excited about!
Like I said, it has been a good slow transition which is perfect right now. It's a little intimidating when I know I'm being critiqued by someone. I was nervous last week but I think with time it will wear off. I'm learning a lot about students and just being in a school. The dynamics are incredible. Some of it is sad, but overall an elementary school is a great place to be. I'd prefer my first job to be elementary, but I am getting certified k-12. Next year my internship will be at a high school. VERY different! Next year I will also do my project... then I GRADUATE!
Kids are starting to warm up to me now more and more and I feel like I'm fitting in more every week. Certain kids are drawn to me, just like with anyone who works at a school. Mendenhall river has about 400 kids and Tristan knows all of them by name. It's amazing! They all love her.
When people say that kids say the darndest things, it's so true. I've heard and seen some funny stuff. When asked how a 3rd grader was feeling he said "Ninjaee" I asked, "how does a ninja feel?" I implied sneaky, quiet or brave. I came back around to check his art and he put "awesome". This one has bee my favorite so far; when another boy in that class was asked how he was feeling, he said like Darth Vader. He then he put his hood over his head and eyes and breathed like him. I should have asked if he felt like destroying planets! The next day in the lunch room I said that, and he got the biggest smile on his face and said "yes!" When I asked his class the next week if anyone remembered by name, he was the one of two that did.
So far so good! I will be sure to share more stories!
You can check out the school's website here!
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