Stephanie's Reflections on Week 2

 This past week has been a wonderfully exciting week! In health class we're learning about the dangers of first hand and second hand smoking & how to respond to peer pressure; We made our own spring chicks in Art class after taking a virtual tour of the Creighton Brother's chicken farm and learning about chickens and their birth and life cycle;  We had the students give us feedback on what we're doing well, and what we can improve on which is really amazing to hear -- its super great having a classroom community where kids can provide feedback on the teacher & one another in a way that is respectful and constructive!; We had the therapy dog Merlin come in and we did an activity where the kids learned the difference between perspective and point-of-view, and they did a creative writing activity where they imagined the day in the life as a Gladiator Snail, but from Merlin's perspective; Natasha and I went with Shauna and the Leadership Club to We Day which was a humbling day that tugged at the heart strings and a learning experience I'll never ever forget! 

      It was super amazing to hear about all the fantastic things that kids everywhere are doing not only to better the local community, but the global community as well. The speakers were so inspiring, and I absolutely loved the messages being brought forth to inspire positive change. I also really liked the concept of not being able to buy a ticket to We Day, but to earn a ticket by volunteering. It was edupirational (educational and inspirational), and I couldn't help but be reminded of how helping the community is a circular cycle: it positively impacts those being helped, and those helping. I had the opportunity to talk more with some of the students in the leadership club, and it was awesome to see how happy they were to be there, and how motivated they were to keep going!

      Friday was also super fun! We went to the Sugar Bush and learned about Maple Syrup and a bit about some of the animals that live on the farm. I learned the secret to a long life is Maple Syrup! (:  

Hannah's Month 1 Reflections

It's only been about a month since I've been working in EPCOT class with the Gladiator Snails but it feels like it's been much longer. This is because the Gladiator Snails are always on the go and working on so many different exciting projects. Some things that I have found particularly interesting so far have been our field trip to the Museum of Nature, learning about sharks in Fiji through emails with Lauren, and getting to know Norman, Hedgwig, and Syd and their personalities within the classroom. 

Right from day 1, the students in EPCOT class have been so welcoming, helpful, and accepting, both to me and to all the other guests and volunteers who have entered the classroom. All of the Gladiator Snails have been so much fun to work with because of their curiosity and desire to learn. It's amazing to be in a school where creativity and individuality are a focus. I've also enjoyed being immersed in a classroom that uses technology to their advantage and it's amazing to see how the Gladiator Snails use tools like blogging, videos, and chrome books to expand the walls of their classroom.

I think Alternative Schools are great because students can focus on their strengths and work on projects that allow them to thrive. I think Shauna's quote, "People learn in different ways on different days" is amazing and it really shines through in her classroom. I think it's a philosophy that all educators should adopt and something I am looking forward to carrying through in my future.

I am SO excited to be able to work with the Gladiator Snails every day of the school week for the next little while. I am also looking forward to working alongside Natasha and Stephanie and getting to know them better. I am becoming much more comfortable in the classroom, and now that I have a grasp on the personality of the class, I can't wait to get to know the personality of everyone who makes up room 209! 

Stephanie's Week 1 Reflections

First blog post- hooray! This first week in EPCOT class has been funtastically awesome.  The Gladiator Snails, Shauna, and all the staff have been super welcoming, and very helpful in helping me to become familiar with the school, and the classroom routines. Day 1 we played  get-to-know-you UNO, where I learned a few things about each student (including their names!), and my fellow student teacher Natasha! The following day we started doing A Book of Awesome, so I was able to learn more awesome things about the gladiator snails! I even learned the clever and funny way they got their name.  Additionally, I learned that they're super great dancers as they performed so amazingly in gym class to Uptown Funk!  I also went on a few tours this past week, where I was given a tour of the school by two awesome tour guides (Thank you Katie & Raphie!); we took a virtual tour of a Chicken farm; and I was given a tour of the twitterverse! 

 It has been really great being able to see how the gladiator snails are such active and informed global citizens in how they help with Ryan's Well,  and how a little act of kindness can go a long way when we #wearyellowforseth. 

I'm super excited to continue my learning adventures in EPCOT class! (:

Natasha's Week 1 Reflections

I can't believe that we are starting our second week together already! The first week was so fun, the time has flown by! I have learned so much about all of you, Shauna, and the class routines. I was very impressed with the class meeting on Friday. All of you are so insightful and had great ideas and comments! I look forward to teaching more and more, and working with all of the Gladiator Snails! You guys rock!