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Exploration Task Option
Posted: 25 Apr 2005 09:51 AM |
Review the Itinerant Teaching Web Links post and the sites listed. Answer the following questions, have you ever working with an itinerant teacher? If yes, in what way? Have you considered working as an itinerant teacher? What kinds of resources would help most if you became an itinerant teacher your first year?
Resources - talking with other itinerant teachers, online resources, materials lists, other??????
Shelley |
Shelley Popson Ardis |
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 celohr
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| Joined: 13 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 13 |
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Re: Exploration Task Option
Posted: 25 Apr 2005 08:40 PM |
I did review the "About Itinerant Teaching" post and checked out all the sites listed. Although I never have worked with an itinerant teacher, I would consider working with one someday. I have mixed feelings about whether I would like to be one someday. It's always been my dream to have my own classroom. But I think it would be amazing experience and a good way to get my foot in the door. I think I would enjoy the freedom of traveling, and the idea of getting to know how different students learn in different schools with different teachers.
If I were to become an itinerant teacher, that first year, I believe talking to as many other itinerant teachers would be the most helpful. Also talking with the regular classroom teachers would help me throughout the school year. I would hope to have to knowledge and know-how to use different types of technologies like iVisit to be able to communicate with other teachers, parents, other staff, and/or administrators. To keep me organized, I know I would need a Palm Pilot with everyone's phone numbers, TTY's, meetings and so forth. And, just being able to be a part of these discussion boards online I think would be a very handy resource for me. Now that I know other itinerant teachers from these things, I wouldn't be afraid to get on here and ask questions during my first year.
Claire |
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cris2
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 4 |
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Re: Exploration Task Option
Posted: 26 Apr 2005 07:50 PM |
The website entitled The Itinerant Connection is a wonderful website. It is amazing how much information can be found there. Not only is the information clearly stated, but it is also easy to find. I was impressed that she not only listed the itinerant teachers role, but also helpful information for parents about IEP's and the effect deafness has on reading, and language production.
I have never worked with an itinerant teacher because I am still a student. I hope that I have the opportunity to observe an itinerant teacher before graduating. I haven’t considered becoming an itinerant teacher because I am an interpreting major with a concentration in deaf education. I do want to learn more about itinerant teachers because if I am working as an educational interpreter in a school it is possible that I will have to work with them. For a first year itinerant teacher, helpful resources could be websites similar to The Internet Connection, developing colleagues in the field, and books and such.
-Cristina
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swtlori
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 17 |
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Response to "Exploration Task Option"
Posted: 27 Apr 2005 10:28 PM |
I have never worked with an Itinerant Teacher at this time. However, I have been taught by an Itinerant Teacher in my past due to my own hearing loss. I remember being given assessment tests and being taken out of classes for these services. The Itinerant had his own classroom in one main elementary school and used spare rooms in other schools. He had worked alongside with my general education teacher and provided individual support in working on those assignments. I know that I have made it this far in my education partly due to the pride he took in his job. I have considered working as an Itinerant Teacher myself and in fact, I feel convinced that this would be my ideal placement. I would also love to use the Total Communication method and more of Signed English, instead of solely relying on ASL.
I have already been introduced to valuable resources about Itinerant Teaching just by our study group sesions now. I enjoyed both websites "Itinerant Connection" and "Itinerant Tools and Treasures," because they give you the basic foundation to become an Itinerant Teacher. It is exremely beneficial to also be talking to the Itinerant Teachers in this study group and I have a cyber mentor now that is also resourceful. I especially love the NetTrekker website because it has lessons and activites that teachers can use according to grade level. Thanks for sharing these websites with me, as they all are great to have handy! - Lori Smith |
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Re: Exploration Task Option
Posted: 28 Apr 2005 12:51 PM |
I only observed an intinerant teacher for one day, other than that I never experienced working one-on-one with an intinerant teacher. I always had experience with a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in a classroom setting, and from my experiences with the observation I noticed that the roles of the teachers are different and the amount of planning, preparation, and instruction are extremely different. I am interested in working with an itinerant teacher, especially since I feel its a very rewarding job to attend different schools and work with students one on one, eventhough it might not be a eask task or long amount of time that you work with a particular student. Some resources that would help if I became an itinerant teacher in my first year of teaching, is to have some kind of support system, an itinerant teacher who has experience with the job. Another resource would be a list of items an itinerant should keep on hand when she travels from school to school; also, perhaps any teaching tips that are useful for providing instruction in a short amount of time. However the main resource would be email which can be used to communicate with the students' teachers throughout the day. There are a lot more resources that can benefit an itinerant teacher but these are some that came to mind.
Danielle Weaver |
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Re: Exploration Task Option
Posted: 29 Apr 2005 11:31 AM |
Christina, Claire, Danielle and Lori,
Thanks for your great comments! You've all made some good points. There is a lot to consider and a lot of planning no matter where you teach. There are pros and cons with any job, of course. I'm hoping we can bring some more itinerant teachers on board here on the discussion forums so they can share this experience with everyone. Definitely check back next fall!
Shelley |
Shelley Popson Ardis |
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swtlori
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| Joined: 14 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 17 |
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Response: Exploration Task Option
Posted: 29 Apr 2005 08:48 PM |
Hi Danielle!
You have made some good points on what we need to know about Itinerant Teachers. I think it's a good idea to know what you need to bring with you to each school and what materials you should always carry around. I am sure that Itinerants have little time to work with each child and it would be nice to know the most effective way to teach them within that time period. I currently have a cyber mentor that is an Itinerant Teacher and she is a valuable resource due to her experiences and wealth of knowledge in the field. It is important for Itinerants to work with the regular education teachers and other staff on the team. These are all good questions, which I would like answers to as well. Thanks! -Lori Smith |
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Re: Exploration Task Option
Posted: 01 May 2005 11:27 AM |
| The websites that were posted did not come up on my computer, but I have worked with an itinerant teacher before. In order to graduate from high school I had to do something called a "Graduation Project" I was one of the first classes to have to do this, so I could basically do whatever I wanted. I had always enjoyed sign language, so I researched the different kinds of signs, jobs that may involve sign language, and schools that had programs that would support those types of jobs. For my project I job shadowed an itinerant teacher for a day, and I LOVED it! I liked the change in schools and the change in people. My goal now is to hopefully some day become an itinerant teacher. I really enjoyed that fact that an itinerant teacher basically gets to work one on one with the students in hopes of improving their strengths and weaknesses. Resources that would be good for a first year itinerant teacher would definitly be the internet. Even if it were through the use of bulletin boards like this, or just searching websites to see current teachers thoughts and ideas. Another good resource with be talking to a former coop teacher, if you did have an itinerant student teaching experience. You would already know that person, and it would be helpful to be able to talk your problems through with an actual person. |
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tdeck84
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| Joined: 13 Jan 2005 |
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Re: Exploration Task Option
Posted: 01 May 2005 12:37 PM |
I just finished looking at the websites from the About Itinerant Teaching post. It was great to have access to new websites. I am always interested in finding more information in our field. I thought the websites were helpful, especially for parents who may not be familiar with hearing losses and the different options. I personally have never worked with or observed an Itinerant teacher. However, it is something that I would like to experience because I have considered that as a possibility after schooling. I would especially like to do it if I stayed in the Bloomsburg PA area because I feel like it would give me a greater variety of experience. Plus Bloomsburg is a smaller area and I feel like the need for Deaf Education teachers, in the public school systems, would be low. It is almost necessary to travel in such a rural area.
I think that it would be important to speak with other Itinerant Teachers my first year on the job. It can be a stressful job with all the travel time. I feel like they would know the "tricks of the trade" and be able to give me some beneficial advice. And I do not only mean with the educational side of things, but also with time management, and schedule planning, as well as the educational suggestions. |
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