Student Teaching - Week #5

by Victoria Johnston - Mitchell Elementary


Garrett's Chicago Mix



This week marked one month in Chicago. It is boggling how fast the time has gone and how much has happened. I feel as though I am a blooming expert at public transportation, but I still have run for my fair share of buses. I had the opportunity on Tuesday to explore downtown a little more on my own because we had the day off since it was Lincoln’s birthday and of course the Land of Lincoln must celebrate. I went to a gourmet popcorn shop called Garrett Popcorn that has their own “Chicago mix” consisting of cheese popcorn and caramel popcorn in the same bag. While I was apprehensive to try it, I am glad I did and would recommend it to any visitor.

There was no arts event this week, but throughout the past five weeks I have tried my fair share of coffee shops and restaurants. Besides the stereotypical Starbucks, I have enjoyed Argo Tea, Intelligentsia Coffee, Caribou Coffee, and The Corner Bakery. Every place has distinctive drinks making comparison difficult. This weekend my friends and I tried a Mongolian grill called Flat Top in Old Town. We all had the chance to be the chef and create our dishes with a plethora of vegetables, meats, and sauces. And while it is not unique to Chicago, dining at Taco Bell in Wrigleyville has become a weekly tradition.

Each week brings new challenges and joys in the classroom. Thursday was Valentine’s Day and Mitchell held a dance in the afternoon for 5^th grade to 8^th grade students. I worked the last hour of the dance selling flowers to students and it was wonderful to see my class in a different element. Students that are normally quiet showed off their dance moves and those who caught it enjoyed seeing Miss Johnston briefly dance to Gangnam style.

 I am adding subjects weekly and this week began teaching writing to students and conferencing on their reading. I also had my first observation by my adviser and while it was nerve-racking, I learned so much receiving specific feedback on my teaching. I am enjoying the continuation of relationship building with students, but it is difficult watching students who are bright yet have no desire to learn. That was my biggest struggle this week. My goal is to motivate every student to learn, but I cannot force that desire.

 

Ukranian Village

Finally, for a seminar project I had the opportunity to learn more about the Ukrainian Village neighborhood where Mitchell is located. A prevalent term I learned was gentrification, which is the restoring of run-down neighborhoods by the middle class. While this definition is worded positively, this process pushes local, low-income residents out because property taxes and rent increase. It also displaces the need for organizations that assist the low-income residents forcing them to move elsewhere. In ten years this neighborhood has the potential to be completely middle class moving the low-income families farther to the suburbs and transferring my students to other schools. It is a term I heard repeatedly in my interviews this week and it could change the face of many Chicago neighborhoods.