Career Fair Swag

Now that I am no longer interning, and am back in University classes (snore) my wardrobe isn't blogable. But alas, there was career fair day where I tried to sell myself to potential employers.

Like any girl who loves clothes, I spent the morning trying on all kinds of outfits. Career fairs are awkward...it's not exactly job interview wardrobe, but casual is not acceptable either. I have been told to wear a suit to my first interview...more on that nonsense later.

So naturally I texted pictures of myself to my sister in my top outfit choices. First I tried this one

Blazer - Zara, thrifted similar. Blouse - the Bay, here is a list of a bagillion leopard blouses. Pants - Bryans. Turquoise bracelet and earrings - Silpada earrings found here, bracelet/necklace found here. Watch - Tommy Hilfiger similar.

I really love this outfit. The touch of animal print releases my inner lioness...errr leopardess? Anyway, I felt the blazer made me too formal for this such event. I need to work on my confidence because as I look at this pic I am loving it. I accessorized this outfit with turquoise (christmas present from Trav) and of course, a watch.

Here is the outfit I actually wore

Any Saskatoonians will recognize the artwork behind me, courtesy of Sailor Dan!

This banging necklace is courtesy of my sister, from Charlotte Russe found here this is the jade one, which I also have. Be careful ordering any accessories, this necklace was only $13 so naturally we ordered every colour. Problem, all of them were broken in some way. Good thing we are practically mechanics. The red shirt comes from Reitmans and it has adorable buttons all down the back, found here Bonus, it's on sale! I also bought this shirt in turquoise. Black cardigan is from Jacob quite a few years ago, I don't think anyone needs help finding a black cardigan... Same turquoise bracelet and same watch as previous outfit.

Here is me with Sherman after rocking the career fair! Hopefully my charm turns in to a job this fall, fingers crossed!

How cute is he?

Until next time, stay classy San Diego...errr Saskatchewan.

Joc

Politics?

Now, I really don't want to get in to a big argument about right vs left and other such political debates. I am a Conservative and I could really give a crap if you are or are not. I enjoy debating/discussing politics with people of opposing views, but only when the time is appropriate. Being in the college of Education I have had more than enough opportunities to express and challenge my political views. I've even had someone say to me "You're a teacher! How can you be a conservative?" This idea that all teachers have to be left wing hippies is quite aggravating, but that is not what I want to talk about today. 

Picture this - I have just come off a glorious Christmas break with very little interest in going back to class. So I walk in to my first class on my first day back (late I might add) and get settled as my Professor is making a little introduction of himself. The usual items are addressed; name, where he grew up, interests and/or hobbies. Yadda yadda... Then he drops a bomb. I may have been in a rage induced black out because I cannot really remember exactly what he said but here goes from my memory "I am a left wing supporter. If you share this political view we will get along. If you do not, I will challenge you on your beliefs and where you base your importance." 

I shouldn't have used quotation marks, because that was definitely not a word for word quote. But pretty darn close. This is my Educational Administration Prof who will be teaching us about the laws within education. I get that you have your views and you are entitled to your expression, but is this really an appropriate setting? He continued to make digs at my man Brad Wall and how the current government could learn a thing or two from previous leaders. Are you freakin kidding me? This province is finally prosperous!! 

Again, I am going to take a step back. My purpose here is not to stir up a political debate among teachers but to ask the necessity of his comments. As teachers we are told to stay neutral in the classroom and give our students every opportunity to forge their own ideologies. Hypocritical much, Mr Professor? There is a time and place for politics, and I feel he was way out of line. He is in a very powerful position as most young adults are still developing their personal political ideologies. 

If he wants to talk about politics, I will not be backing down this semester. His feble attempt to indoctrinate the future teachers is pathetic and extremely unethical - and this is who I will be learning the law from? 

What are your thoughts? Is this type of behaviour or conversation acceptable or not? 

Classroom Treaty

I am officially done my internship! Boom! I am so pumped about being done this chapter in my life, and gearing up for the job search! I still have a semester of classes left (fail) but I have already applied for positions in the greater Eastend area, also knows as Shaunavon.

Anyway, I wanted to share our classroom treaty simulation with all you lovely people. If you are a regular reader (it's not hard to be) then you know I have been teaching a treaty unit in the classroom. It has been the most challenging thing to teach, as there is a ton of information and it is not easy to teach it in such a way that the students actually understand. I find First Nations history very fascinating, but it can definitely be a dry subject when you are 10.

So we made a treaty simulation that brought tears and outbursts in the class. It was AWESOME! For one week, myself and my coop were the "crown", the students were First Nations people and the classroom was their reserve. The week before the simulation, the students sat in a large circle and negotiated the treaty rights amongst themselves. I tried to not intervene, unless they needed reminders to not be little a-holes to each other.

This is what they came up with

Each student copied down the agreement, signed their copy and then it was signed by both myself and my coop. Something that was suggested to me after was to have it pre-written in a different language, have students sign this copy and give them a candy for signing. The different language represents the language barrier most First Nations would have faced and the candy is the $5 that was given for signing the treaty.

As the crown, we broke the final term right off the bat. No extra equipment at recess was given HA!

Once the simulation started, we locked the classroom door. The students were not allowed in until they were invited to do so. This meant they sat in the hallway until they were completely quiet. 

If any student talked out of turn, got out of their desk without asking, was not doing their assigned work, essentially doing anything that was not perfect we made them hold this sign and sit in "jail" at the front of the classroom for 15 minutes. Harsh, but effective.

If they wanted to leave the classroom, they had to be issued a pass signed by an Indian Agent. Myself and my coop were the Indian Agents. These passes were to represent the actual reserve permits used by Indian Agents. 

The students were asked to write reflections about the treaty, and the pencils were flying. They had so much to say about how unfair it was and how frustrated they were about how we were treating them. I wasn't kidding about the tears! We also had one of the girls stay home for the rest of the week after she had a semi-meltdown. 

I know this sounds extreme, but it is an effective way to show the students a small glimpse of what life would have been like during the treaty. It generated meaningful discussions and motivated the students to research more information on their own. All in all, a successful week in teaching. 

Has anyone tried anything similar to this? I am open to suggestions for improvement! 

Not leaving a joke today. Still trying to find humor in the world after the Newtown tragedy. I hope people begin to focus on mental illness rather than gun control. I read a great article here that really made me think. Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy the holidays and what they mean to you.

Love,
Joc

A Staching Movember

Hello readers,

I am the worst blogger. Yep, its out there and I take full responsibility.

In other news, my class had a Staching Movember (see what I did there). We drew our own moustaches, coloured moustache templates, set up a display with faces and said moustaches and finally rocked felt moustaches to feel the real warmth of a lip duster. It was fabulous.

Big `ol box of Moustaches

I wish I could put pictures up of the students, it was hilarious. But there are creeps on the inter-web.

The display case consisted of 8.5 X 11 face shots of each student and a personally coloured moustache stapled under their nose. It was very cool. For the title we used something super unique - Movember. My awesome cooperating teacher found this M on google, and it made the display that much cooler.

These are some templates (again, stolen from internet) that we printed off and gave to the students to colour and draw inspiration from. 

So much awesome

Movember was great, and the school had a moustache and hat day in support of Prostate Cancer. Even though it's now December, cancer still sucks. I hope you supported in some way by either rocking a food strainer, or supporting those around you by putting up with the stache rash. 

Promise I won't take a whole month for another blog post. Love to my friends that harassed me (you know who you are).

Yep, about right

Thanks for reading lovelies! 

Joc

Hey Teacher

I absolutely love these memes (I think thats what they are called). They make me laugh and swoon all at the same time.
Here is a little pick-me-up to take you in to the long weekend. A few of my favorites

Oh, I will 

Swoon

Thanks Ryan

One for the male teachers

Who doesn't love a hot man or woman telling you the things you want to hear? Hope you all enjoy the long weekend!

Tipi Time

Today was a very cool day. I was fortunate enough to have MaryLee come in to my classroom to teach my students about Tipis. She is a Metis woman, born on a reserve and is an educator (an elder) of traditional First Nations knowledge. Simply put she was amazing.

All my students were so engaged in the lesson. MaryLee brought in a (mini) tipi and set it up right in the middle of the classroom. She explained the significance of each of the poles, and taught the students the ceremony. She even got one of the girls up to help. I learned that setting up and taking down the tipis is a woman's ceremony, so she never asks male students to assist her.

The tripod, and first few poles

Setting up the rest of the poles

Here are the meanings of the poles, there are 15 in total including the two that hold the control flaps:

OBEDIENCE

Obedience means accepting guidance and wisdom from outside of ourselves, using our ears before our mouth. We learn by listening to traditional stories, by listening to our parents or guardians, our fellow students and our teachers. We learn by their behaviors and reminders, so that we know what is right and what is wrong. 

RESPECT

Respect means giving honor to our Elders and fellow students, to the strangers that come to visit our community, and to all of life. We must honor the basic rights of all others.

HUMILITY

We are not above or below others in the circle of life. We feel humbled when we understand our relationship with Creation. We are so small compared to the majestic expanse of Creation, just a “strand in the web of life.” Understanding this helps us to respect and value life.

HAPPINESS

After the tripod is up, the fourth pole completes your doorway. This fourth pole teaches us happiness. We must show some enthusiasm to encourage others. Our good actions will make our ancestors happy in the next world. This is how we share happiness. 

LOVE

If we are to live in harmony we must accept one another as we are, and accept others who are not in our circle. Love means to be good and kind to one another and to our selves.

FAITH

We must learn to believe and trust others, to believe in a power greater than ourselves, whom we worship and who gives us strength to be a worthy member of the human race. To sustain our spirituality, we need to walk it every day. Not just sometimes, but every day. It’s not just once a week; it’s your life.

KINSHIP

Our family is important to us. This includes our parents, brothers and sisters, who love us and give us roots that tie us to the lifeblood of the earth. It also includes extended family: grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and their in-laws and children. They are also our brothers and sisters and give us a sense of belonging to a community.

CLEANLINESS

Today when we talk about cleanliness, most people think hygiene, and that’s very important. But years ago, when old people talked about cleanliness, they meant spiritual cleanliness. When I used to sit with the old Kookums in their tipis, spiritually, they were so powerfully clean. Clean thoughts come from a clean mind and this comes from our spirituality. With a clean mind and sense of peace within we learn not to inflict ills on others. Good health habits also reflect a clean mind.

THANKFULNESS

We learn to give thanks: to always be thankful for the Creator’s bounty, which we are privileged to share with others, and for all the kind things others do for us.

SHARING

We learn to be part of a family and community by helping with the provisions of food and other basic needs. Through the sharing of responsibilities we learn the value of working together and enjoying the fruits of our labor. 

STRENGTH

We are not talking about physical strength, but spiritual strength. That was instilled in us when we were young people through fasting. We must learn to be patient in times of trouble and not to complain but to endure and show understanding. We must accept difficulties and tragedies so that we may give others strength to accept their own difficulties and tragedies.

GOOD CHILD REARING

Children are gifts from the Creator. We are responsible for their wellbeing, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and intellectually, since they are blessed with the gift of representing the continuing circle of life, which we perceive to be the Creator’s will.

HOPE

We must look forward to moving toward good things. We need to have a sense that the seeds we are planting will bear fruit for our children, families and communities.

ULTIMATE PROTECTION

This is the ultimate responsibility to achieve the balance and well being of the body, mind, emotions and spirit for the individual, the family, the community and the nation.

CONTROL FLAPS
The control flaps on a tipi teach that we are all connected by relationship and that we depend on each other. Having respect for and understanding this connection creates and controls harmony and balance in the circle of life. When we don’t know how to use the flaps, it gets all smoky inside the tipi, and you can’t see, which is like life – because if we can’t live in balance, we can’t see clearly where we’re going.

The final product

Interesting fact - the flaps you see above and on either side of the opening are used in accordance to the wind. Similar to a damper on an old wood stove, it regulates air circulation and prevents smoke from billowing down in to the tipi. 

MaryLee then sat with the students and began telling them stories about her, her family, her beliefs and the importance of ceremonies. She was so interesting to listen to and had the soothing voice of a grandmother. 

Listening intently

The students then had a chance to sit inside. They were all so jacked up about this! Who knew just sitting in a tipi could be so exciting.

As a beginning teacher, I really struggle with properly teaching First Nations and Metis content. It is a HUGE portion of the Saskatchewan curriculum, but it is so convoluted and complicated that teaching it always proves to be a challenge. Solution? Call in an expert. MaryLee accomplished in one hour what I try to accomplish in an entire term. This is obviously not going to be possible for everyone, but it is always worth a shot. Or you can go to this website.

Well that was a long post! Hope you learnt something valuable :) 

Monday Style

Hello all.

I hope everyone had a good weekend! I went down to Eastend for the Senior boys home opener. The Jets beat Shaunavon in an awesome game (7-5) and it was mucho exciting. Now I am sans voice, making this whole teaching thing rather difficult.

Back to real life... This is one of my favorite outfits. It is really comfortable and a great fall outfit. 

Chambray shirt from Winners. Similar here and here. I wish I would have bought a longer one, but I can't resist a bargain and this bad boy was $11.

Extra long T-shirt from Smart-Set

Leggings from Garage. If you have zero butt like me, don't buy garage leggings. They are low rise and constantly falling down (because nothing is holding them up). So I bought a pair of super high, like above belly button, leggings from Rickis. They look real sexy hitched right up...kidding. Do not wear with crop tops!

Giraffe-ish print scarf from Smart-Set

Watch - Fossil 

Messy room - all mine

I also wore brown riding boots...but I forgot to take a picture with them on and I am currently blogging in my pajamas :)

And a little Monday humour for you all

How most teachers feel