Welcome back from break ACHS students! Our break was filled with much needed rest and relaxation but with this break came the challenge of getting our brains back on school sleep schedule time! With the anticipated vibe of fatigue, I planned to start the new quarter off with a lesson on choosing positivity to help steer the direction rest of the semester.
To start, I had each class come up with a team name for our classes and vote on them. Here are our results:
Period 2 - Team Gucci
Period 3 - Team A$AP
Period 5 - Team YUWOP (Stands for YESS, Unity, non-material Wealth, Opportunity, Power)
Period 6 - Team Chicken Nuggets
Creativity at it's finest, am I right?
In each class we contributed to a "Team ___ Today We Choose..." poster where the kids were able to write a word, phrase, or quote for them to look at throughout the rest of the year when they are lacking motivation or having a bummer day. We all get in ruts where we find going the extra mile to be challenging and creeping negative inner monologue, so I wanted them to be able to help themselves stay focused when their goals fall to their peripherals because life happens! Being able to find motivation within yourself is so important in this life. We then watched a motivational video by our favorite Slam Poet, Prince Ea. Found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja-n5qUNRi8
In the video, he talks about the important of being present and passionate. He talks about using this one shot at life or "One Song" to chase down and achieve our dreams. He mentions how self doubt and negative self talk will steal these dreams from you like a thief in the night. "Struggle and criticism are prerequisites for greatness," he says affirming that negativity and life hurdles are unavoidable but it is how we handle these situations that defines who we are. This related back to the quote we talked about in the beginning of class, "You can't control the wind but you can adjust your sails."
This lesson was wonderful timing as we pressed the reset button and shifted our apathy to motivation to put in the work to get where we want to be. We choose to be positive and lean on each other for support when times get hard, this vital especially going into our lessons on Race where we needed to establish a level of comfortability and respect among everyone.
Race day 1 brought about many different and interesting discussions. We broke down Implicit Bias, learned other race related key terms, dove into our own unconscious assumptions, and recognized how these assumptions shape how we view ourselves and the world.
We then watched a video of an interview with our favorite rapper, Logic, where he describes his experience with being Bi-Racial in the media. (Caution: profanity used at 1:23, 3:11 - Video approved by Assistant Principal Mr. Duran)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X76EH5LY7pU
It was interesting to learn about how people feel the need to label others in order to make themselves feel comfortable. "It comes down to you knowing who you are," he says.
We also watched a short video that broke down the difference between race, ethnicity, and nationality and did a jelly bean demonstration & journal exercise to make sure we understood the difference and express any anxieties or confusion with our discussion that day.
On Friday, when I see all my classes, we started Fam Fridays in which my Mentor Leaders will begin their paid internships as our class leader. They are expected to help with positive class culture/relationship building, tutoring, and lesson feedback suggestions/concerns. Their first day went great as students used the chrome books to check in with each other on grades and missing assignments.
Overall, last week was the refreshing start we needed to hit the ground running with the last bit of the Community Unit. I'm looking forward to continuing our discussion and break down of Race this week!
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
Monday, October 30, 2017
Monday, October 23, 2017
Fall Break & Senior Night
Last week was full of productivity and much needed rest as Fall Break quickly approached Adams 14!
In the beginning of the week lesson planning for the next few months came into play for me as a teacher of the YESS program, this was vital as I have been working 6 days a week usually using my Sunday's to plan for the upcoming week. I now have the opportunity to actually have Sunday's to myself in the upcoming weeks! I am feeling prepared and relieved of stress, I am so thankful to have had this time to prepare and organize my office.
Although I had Wednesday through Friday off, I used part of my Friday to witness my senior YESS boys compete at their last home football game of their high school career. Carlos B, #2, made one of the only touch downs of the whole game! He is reportedly the fastest student in the school and he definitely lived up to this rumor! Kevin, #73, is a force I would NEVER want to see on the opposite team in front of me, he is nicknamed "the train" as he plows anything in his path. It was amazing to see them in action and experiencing their truest passion. I loved surprising them at the end of the game and getting to meet their families and express what a light in my life these two are. They make it a point to reach out to students who sit by themselves and come to my office after school just to talk about YESS lessons, life, and Netflix shows. These young men truly care about the people around them and getting the most out of life in more than just an academic sense. The year isn't even half-way over and I'm already starting to get emotional about them leaving my everyday life but I know they will go on to do amazing things. Remember these faces and these numbers because they will be scoring points on your TV one day! Below me in the photo is a Eagle Football fan and Mentor Leader of mine, Jen C, who is also killing it! We watched the game together and she surprised me by telling me that she just found out that she got a FULL RIDE to a handful of IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS!!!!!! Her dream of going to Notre Dame is now within reach. What a life milestone and accomplishment! She is a first generation college attendee and she reached this goal all by herself through consistently telling herself daily that the sky is the limit, she reached for something and grabbed it with passionate intention. I am so so so proud of all three of these intelligent, compassionate, determined, charming, unique, genuine young people, I am incomprehensibly lucky to be their teacher.
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
In the beginning of the week lesson planning for the next few months came into play for me as a teacher of the YESS program, this was vital as I have been working 6 days a week usually using my Sunday's to plan for the upcoming week. I now have the opportunity to actually have Sunday's to myself in the upcoming weeks! I am feeling prepared and relieved of stress, I am so thankful to have had this time to prepare and organize my office.
Although I had Wednesday through Friday off, I used part of my Friday to witness my senior YESS boys compete at their last home football game of their high school career. Carlos B, #2, made one of the only touch downs of the whole game! He is reportedly the fastest student in the school and he definitely lived up to this rumor! Kevin, #73, is a force I would NEVER want to see on the opposite team in front of me, he is nicknamed "the train" as he plows anything in his path. It was amazing to see them in action and experiencing their truest passion. I loved surprising them at the end of the game and getting to meet their families and express what a light in my life these two are. They make it a point to reach out to students who sit by themselves and come to my office after school just to talk about YESS lessons, life, and Netflix shows. These young men truly care about the people around them and getting the most out of life in more than just an academic sense. The year isn't even half-way over and I'm already starting to get emotional about them leaving my everyday life but I know they will go on to do amazing things. Remember these faces and these numbers because they will be scoring points on your TV one day! Below me in the photo is a Eagle Football fan and Mentor Leader of mine, Jen C, who is also killing it! We watched the game together and she surprised me by telling me that she just found out that she got a FULL RIDE to a handful of IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS!!!!!! Her dream of going to Notre Dame is now within reach. What a life milestone and accomplishment! She is a first generation college attendee and she reached this goal all by herself through consistently telling herself daily that the sky is the limit, she reached for something and grabbed it with passionate intention. I am so so so proud of all three of these intelligent, compassionate, determined, charming, unique, genuine young people, I am incomprehensibly lucky to be their teacher.
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
Monday, October 16, 2017
Half Week of Midterm Madness
Last week in the ACHS room consisted of a tutoring marathon! My mentor leaders have been selected and hired and last week they were not only announced but thrown into their new roles. We only had a half week because of Fall Break and that meant ... dun dun dun... MIDTERMS! My kids were highly stressed so I decided to give them that time to study for midterms and get tutoring from their shoulder partners. We did, however, start the tutoring off with a discussion about what being a scholar means to them, as getting in this mindset is crucial to understanding the importance of succeeding on their midterms. With our discussion defining what it means to be a scholar came the full circle of incorporating what we discussed the week before with values and goals. We considered academic goals and values and the things we needed to do, choices we needed to make, the expectations we hold for ourselves in order to achieve those goals. On the half day before break let out I told the students to get out a piece of paper and a pencil for my midterm. They all looked confused and bummed out because I told them the week before that we would not have a midterm, looks like I changed my mind! When they were ready to test I told them... JUST KIDDING! We are watching GooseBumps! The kids laughed and were so relieved, they needed a break from the stress that had built up from testing. The week we get back, our mentor leaders join in for our first Mentor Leader Luncheon where we will be discussing the upcoming lessons and any improvements they see fit to make to classroom culture. I'm so looking forward to the feedback and seeing my little leaders in their new roles as well as diving head first into Unit 2!
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
Monday, October 9, 2017
Values, Goals, & Freaky Friday
This week in Ms. Castro's YESS class we made time capsules and identified out goals and values! This was a perfect time do dive into this lesson as next week is midterms and the beginning of our fall break here at Adams City.
Our time capsules included all of our interests at the moment as well as our hopes and dreams for the future. I am excited to hand these back to them at the end of the year so they can see how they have changed and hopefully improved!
The second part of the week was dedicated to both the Values lesson and the Goals lesson. The students were able to see how their values relate to their goals and how they can start to implement actions to achieve these goals. We talked about the difference between short term and long term goals and came up with a big list of values that students identify with in their personal lives. They used this list to reference when coming up with how they can improve both educationally, emotionally, and socially. We also reflected upon how the choices we make can either positively or negatively influence our goals. I gave them examples of choices I have made in my own life that have affected my goals in both ways to give them a better idea of what I was looking for as well as a look into where my success has stemmed from- it comes from making many mistakes along the way! Each table was encouraged to share theirs as well. We all learned more about each other as scholars, mentors/mentees, and as friends this week.
Since it is October the students and I decided that every Friday in October will be a Freaky Friday themed! This is where we take some time to share ghost stories. Last Friday was a blast as we played scary music and used our cell phones as flash lights to hold to our faces while we told personal accounts of paranormal activity. I haven't seen the kids so excited in a long while! It was a nice break from all the intense midterm prep they were doing. The vibe around the room was seasonal as heck, all we needed were some scary pumpkins and some candles to make the room complete! Maybe I will make that classroom culture adjustment next Freaky Friday :-)
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
Monday, October 2, 2017
Ms. Castro's Classroom Culture
HAPPY OCTOBER EVERYONE! It is my favorite time of the year, the weather is getting chilly and wonderful! On the other hand, the temperature drop means students are battling getting out of their cozy beds to make it to my class- And they're succeeding! Attendance has been better than ever and I am so proud of them for making good choices.
The YESS program at Adams City has been thriving due to the connections made during our activities. Last week was great because we had real conversations concerning all the components of Social-Emotional Learning. The students worked together with their mentor/mentee to identify real life examples of Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making and how they can apply it to their lives in school and outside of school. They got creative making sketches for each domain and broke down all the components belonging to each one. We discussed how the current event they are passionate about at the moment can be drawn back to at least one of these domains, as well as the struggles and positive experiences in life.
The second half of the week we submerged ourselves into the meaning of Culture and the different examples of it in our every day environment. The students were surprised to learn that Culture can be defined outside of different traditions and customs belonging to different places in the world- Culture can be cultivated and found right there in our room! Every student brings a special aspect to the class which makes our classroom culture so diverse while also creating a vibe of unity. Miss Diane was a visitor in the room and she discussed her own culture she grew up in and the students were shocked to hear about the difference between how they grew up and how she did. They were also shocked to learn about my upbringing and how the place in which I grew up was very similar to Adams City. As a person of color in a teaching position, I feel that it is important to be vulnerable with them in explaining where I come from, the obsticals I've overcome, and how my differences have made me who I am; they have made me strong.
Last week was also monumental because the Mentor Leaders for each class were interviewed and chosen!!! To share a private moment with my mentors and hear their passion behind wanting to be a leader and the events that have contributed to their success was extremely inspiring and moving, it made my week. A success that I will never forget is hearing one of my mentors answer an interview question asking, "who has been a mentor for you?" and her answer made me cry. She said that I was a mentor that changed her life (I had this student last year when I worked with students on drop-out prevention) and that she believes she would not have stayed in school if it wasn't for our weekly meetings. She told me that her career goals have been shifted into dreams of becoming a teacher because she said that she wants to be just like me, someone who creates a safe space free of judgement who loves each person individually. She said that YESS was her favorite class and that she loves coming every day and is ecstatic at the opportunity of being a Mentor Leader. Last week was extremely busy for me as a teacher and as a person so for me to stop and listen to her say these words really reset my battery and reminded me of why I chose this profession. It just goes to further prove that with genuine care for the well-being of students that YESS promotes brings students realizing their own potential - She will do great things one day, I'm so proud to have her as a student and have the opportunity to watch her blossom into a wonderful young woman.
I love my job so much! And I am exploding with gratitude for these young people in my life and for the opportunity to bring meaningful curriculum into their lives while fostering an environment that thrives from connection. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings for us.
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
The YESS program at Adams City has been thriving due to the connections made during our activities. Last week was great because we had real conversations concerning all the components of Social-Emotional Learning. The students worked together with their mentor/mentee to identify real life examples of Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making and how they can apply it to their lives in school and outside of school. They got creative making sketches for each domain and broke down all the components belonging to each one. We discussed how the current event they are passionate about at the moment can be drawn back to at least one of these domains, as well as the struggles and positive experiences in life.
The second half of the week we submerged ourselves into the meaning of Culture and the different examples of it in our every day environment. The students were surprised to learn that Culture can be defined outside of different traditions and customs belonging to different places in the world- Culture can be cultivated and found right there in our room! Every student brings a special aspect to the class which makes our classroom culture so diverse while also creating a vibe of unity. Miss Diane was a visitor in the room and she discussed her own culture she grew up in and the students were shocked to hear about the difference between how they grew up and how she did. They were also shocked to learn about my upbringing and how the place in which I grew up was very similar to Adams City. As a person of color in a teaching position, I feel that it is important to be vulnerable with them in explaining where I come from, the obsticals I've overcome, and how my differences have made me who I am; they have made me strong.
Last week was also monumental because the Mentor Leaders for each class were interviewed and chosen!!! To share a private moment with my mentors and hear their passion behind wanting to be a leader and the events that have contributed to their success was extremely inspiring and moving, it made my week. A success that I will never forget is hearing one of my mentors answer an interview question asking, "who has been a mentor for you?" and her answer made me cry. She said that I was a mentor that changed her life (I had this student last year when I worked with students on drop-out prevention) and that she believes she would not have stayed in school if it wasn't for our weekly meetings. She told me that her career goals have been shifted into dreams of becoming a teacher because she said that she wants to be just like me, someone who creates a safe space free of judgement who loves each person individually. She said that YESS was her favorite class and that she loves coming every day and is ecstatic at the opportunity of being a Mentor Leader. Last week was extremely busy for me as a teacher and as a person so for me to stop and listen to her say these words really reset my battery and reminded me of why I chose this profession. It just goes to further prove that with genuine care for the well-being of students that YESS promotes brings students realizing their own potential - She will do great things one day, I'm so proud to have her as a student and have the opportunity to watch her blossom into a wonderful young woman.
I love my job so much! And I am exploding with gratitude for these young people in my life and for the opportunity to bring meaningful curriculum into their lives while fostering an environment that thrives from connection. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings for us.
Until next week,
Ms. Castro
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