Whirlwind of a week

  Just wanted to check back in and update you on what has been going on for the past week. So far everything is going about the same with the internship. Still getting comfortable with the material again and getting used to classroom management. The past two days in lab have been fun because we are doing a lab on Pond Water which the students seem to enjoy. One of the Biology teachers collected water from a local pond and we have the students prepare slides with the pond water to view the organisms that live in the pond under a microscope. They get really excited when they see things moving like a paramecium, hydra, water mites, and different types of worms as well as algae. When they see something move they get excited and call either myself or my mentor over to show us. They have to observe these organisms, draw them and identify what they are. A student today said "I love this lab, my favorite so far!" Which was nice to hear. It was nice to hear her enthusiasm. Other than that, no tests/quizzes this week. I did create a review sheet for the topic of Classification we have been working on and will be giving it as an in class worksheet grade, kind of like a quiz but they can use their notes. So hopefully it will go well and the students will find it helpful and do well. We started on the topic of Biochemistry, which is an area that I would not say is one of my most favorite, because I am definitely not the best chemistry person, so it is taking some extra review on my own and preparation, but in the end I think it will be fine.
 This week is getting busy; I had to write a lab for my Graduate Class using materials I could find around the house. I ended up finding a lab on the internet whichI tweaked, and made a lab handout with questions. The area I had to pick from was genetics so my lab was on Protein Synthesis. I have a hard time with activities like these because I am not a "think outside the box" type person and that is what this class helps us do, which will be good in the end, but something  I am struggling with at the moment. Hopefully I get better with time, because I think it is valuable and important, but certainly a weaker area for me.
   So excited for tomorrow evening, on a fun note. After student teaching, work study and night class, I am going to the Times Union Center to see Sugarland and Keith Urban (huge country fan)! I bought these tickets before I started classes and it is going to be a super long day, but I am sure well worth it. Everyone needs a break now and again right?
Speaking of breaks, another three-day weekend this weekend! Columbus Day is Monday, so I will have three days to get work done and regroup. I will actually be working at my old job, at an Environmental Lab on Saturday since I have the extra time and can certainly use a little extra spending money (I keep expanding my teacher wardrobe, oops:).


  Okay, time to get back to my work study job, thanks for reading and I will post again soon!

 **PS if you have any comments or questions about UGC or the MAT Program, please post a comment and I will be happy to respond!