One week down!!

I have just finished my first week back at school! What a week it was! Classes, the work load and just the experience in general have been stressful and very overwhelming. I have a lot of work ahead of me this year.

Trying to get everything ready for student teaching (documentation etc), going to my ED courses, making up a culinary lab, and setting up early field experiences, has me exhausted this week. I say there are not enough hours in the day, but honestly, if there were more hours I do not think I would have enough energy to keep going anyways.

I am making up a culinary lab this segment (Storeroom). I am in it with all first time freshmen. It has been frustrating at times (at most times actually). Patsy tells me it is good practice for having patience and being compassionate for teaching. However, college students are and should be held to a higher expectation than them. If a high school student does not know what a clove of garlic looks like, while I would be surprised, I would understand. However, if an individual decides to go to culinary school to be a chef and DOES NOT KNOW WHAT GARLIC IS.... I am appalled. What in their mind said culinary school is a good idea when they do not even know what garlic looks like?!??!?!

So anyways… THIS is the type of things that come with freshman labs that is DRIVING ME BONKERS!

There is a student in the class who is mentally disabled. His actions and lack of knowledge and social skills are not his fault. However, most people in the class are not tolerant of that and unwilling to help him or show compassion. This has me even more frustrated……

I have been helping him a long. Chef put him in my group on purpose so I could help. He is MAANY questions about everything and I do my best to help him understand situations and the content. However, there are certain actions that I cannot seem to get him to understand.

First being that his constant singing is driving people crazy and when they ask him to stop they mean it. Also, he touches people when it is unwelcomed. Even after people ask him to stop touching them; he does not seem to get it. I am not sure how to handle this as to an extent he cannot help it… but at the same time it is also not ok that people are being touched unwelcomed.

These are the types of things I have been thinking about and doing this week. I start at my student teaching placement on Wednesday. I am very excited for that (and scared and nervous and happy and anxious…)

Until next time…

Peace, Love & Apple Pie-
Ryan