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Saturday, May 17, 2008

It Breaks My Heart!

Opps... two weeks! I'm getting back to old habits about writing on here. It's been a crazy and wonderful two weeks. In that time I was able to say bye to my first class, and get my new class. They have year round school in Vegas so when I first got here my class was on "track break" or "off track". I was in a different class for the weeks my class wasn't here. At first I was disappointed, but actually I have learned so much from my different classes and my different teachers. I am more like my first teacher than I am now, but both a great at what they do. The first is a "planner" (which is very nice for a student teacher when you are working together). The other is very relaxed. Her key phrase is "Do whatever you want; whatever works best for you". I love having the options, but which I knew what she wanted. It isn't easy to have two teachers in the classroom, but it is coming along great. The kids in my class are very well behaved. So here is my situation... I need some advice.
There is a girl in my class who is really struggling in math. I don't mean a little, I mean REALLY struggling. I tried for 30 minutes to help her change her fractions into decimals. She just doesn't get it. I was getting a little frustrated, not with her, but with the fact that I couldn't explain it so she would understand. Time ran out and I asked if she thought someone at home could help her with her math homework. She said, "Probably not, because my nanny only speaks Spanish, my mom doesn't usually get my math, and I don't know about my dad." My heart was breaking. This girl looks a little Hispanic, but not a lot, she's probably half. She has an accent and I am thinking she speaks Spanish at home. I told her to do her best and I would see what I could do. I talked to the teacher after class and she said she knew that she was having a hard time. She told me that she offered to tutor her, but wanted to be paid since it was her free time. She gave the parents the number to Sillivan Tutoring and other tutoring places, but they haven't done anything about it.
I am busy. I am writing lesson plans, and preparing them, and also hanging out with my friends. I have been wanting to get to the gym more since I have 47 days until I want to look my best! BUT... I want to help her. She is very polite, so good in class, and needs the help so much. I want to tutor her just for a little while after school or before. I don't know if she rides the bus, or how it will all work out. Tutoring is expensive, I know, I know people who have gone. I was asking for advice at the beginning, but now as I write it out, I think I have my answer. It's off to writing more lesson plans. I will keep you updated on the tutoring.

1 comments:

pamelasue said...

Wow! That is so hard. I worry about that very thing. I hope she gets the help she needs now since math builds on itself. Is she doing well in the other subjects? It is good to see your blogs again.