As an Education major, I have learned what I feel is everything possible regarding teaching students of various backgrounds. This includes a variety of teaching styles, various schools with different goals and ultimately I have built my own philosophy of teaching. It excites me that I will be student teaching next semester, to get to experience all that I have learned thus far, and put that into practice.
Let me tell you what has happened, I was originally assigned to student teach in a classroom I had done most of my observations in, Catalina Magnet High School. Located in central Tucson, this high school is anything but ordinary. There is so much diversity there it is unbelievable. It does not feel like you are in Tucson. With many Hispanic and Latino students there, it is also a school full of African refugees that have fled from their country during this time of war. Anyway, on my first day teaching there, as part of a class project, a fight broke out. Maybe this will give you an idea of how tough this school may be, definitely not anything like my high school back in Glendale. At first I was nervous to teach there, but as I kept returning, I grew to thrive off of that environment and love those students. I saw major improvement from the students towards the end of my year observing there and hope they can continue on their journey for education .
So I had originally planned to student teach there this fall semester, but I was saddened to find out that the teacher I was going to student teach for was "pink slipped", or in other words laid-off. The amount of schools that have closed and teachers that have been fired in Arizona and more especially in Tucson is horrifying. At this point I see that the State's budget isn't going to Education but else where. This is so sad to see this. The more I think about it, the more I am certain I am going to one day start my own school or resort to home schooling my children or place them in private schools. I feel like the Education in (some) schools is diminishing and know that for this reason people are so unaware and ignorant of the world around them besides just America (but that is another topic). Anyway, my purpose for this is not to make you see how bad the Educational system is getting, but to help improve it. Please vote for Proposition 100 this Tuesday. You can help save jobs and education in Arizona. Think about it, less teachers means over sized classrooms, and less individualized teaching. So please consider going to the polls and voting for something that can change lives!!
Grazie!
This ride was nuts! it just spun really fast while turning you in loops the whole time. (sorry for the dusty picture, it was really dusty out)
Do you see his ridiculous suit? 
