Author: Bioribel Castillo '19

Things got very hectic towards the end of the week. On Thursday one of my students who had not been in class for about two weeks handed in all of his missing work and we had a small chat about his path to success. It was so nice to see him working hard towards catching up.

Thursday night I spent about 4 hours cutting up paper with my roommates in order to make this cool puzzle game for my period 2 class. I had to make Fridays fun but I also wanted to show off my craft skills during my observation. I was very nervous but it all went well, my students were very engaged and seemed to have fun with the puzzle pieces!

Friday I taught period 2 all by myself for the first time. This class is perhaps my most challenging class, not only due to the class size but also the various learning styles. I am very excited yet nervous to start teaching this class but I know I will grow so much as a teacher. Photo Credits to Ms. Muñoz for the great picture.

All great teachers know how to have fun in and outside of the classroom. This is a picture of Ms. Muñoz and I at the Holy Cross 100 Days Ball.

Thank you for joining me on my journey!

-Bioribel Castillo’19

Meg Ober surprised me today during my period two! She observed my class for a bit and then we made our way down to HR to take care of some paperwork. I truly can’t express how helpful the TEP staff has been throughout my journey. A HUGE S/O to Kate Riley, Meg Ober, Professor Capotosto, Professor Lopez and of course Mary Meth Cashman! You all make TEP a home for me.

Just another day doing teacher things! I had two amazing lessons today. Teaching for me is all about being yourself. You have to show the students that despite all of the expectations that they have on their shoulders they are more than enough. Being goofy and admitting my mistakes when I make them helps me become a better teacher. I am a work in progress and so are my students. We are growing together and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the current version of ourselves because we are all working towards who we want to become!

Okay enough rambling….

The whole gang is here! I learn so much from each and very single one of the TEP Student Teachers! We have class on Wednesday 3:30-6, always working hard to become better teachers and better people. As well as trying to manage sleep, healthy eating habits, lesson plans, making copies, the gym, campus jobs, volunteer programs, friends, and walking up and down these hills!

Me: “Okay everyone, please answer the following question using the subjunctive.

question: “what don’t you want your friend to do?”

answer: “I don’t want my friend to be stopid”

Jus another day on the job!

My mornings consist of prepping for my classes. This is also a great time to get to know other teachers in the building and plan for the week.

During 5th Period Mr. Davis and I have office duty! I am still trying to get the hang of things but answering the phone and writing slips can be very fun.

My afternoons back on The Hill consist of meetings with my mentees and my usual salad! I have 5 mentees (first years) and its a very reflective experience and its awesome to see their growth throughout their first year on campus.

There is a lot happening on campus and since I spend most of my time away I like to keep up with events and support as much as I can. I took some time to stop by the Fenwick where many of my HC peers gathered to protest the recent sexual misconducts that occurred on campus. It’s important for me to continue to support my peers, especially as a senior.

Correcting papers and lesson planning, the hustle never stops! A huge S/O to these dinning dollar for the snacks.

I am currently working on a project to bring clothing donations to students at Burncoat High. The school has an awesome closet where students can grab clothes when they need it and everything that is not used at the end of the year is donated. Many of my friends have donated and I am really excited to bring these clothes to BCHS! <3

Defeated but content. See ya’ll tomorrow!

These two days totally blended in for me! I have classes all morning Thursday and work in the afternoon. I work for the office of Diversity and Inclusion on campus. This is an amazing experience and space where I get to learn about the importance of the subject but also the ways in which we can better assist those that work diligently to improve our campus. Friday mornings I also work in the office and have classes in the afternoon.

I want to end my Take Over Week by saying that this was a great experience. Often times we are not really aware of how much we really do throughout our day. This served as a reflection exercise but also a form of appreciation for all the different insight that I will be able to offer to my student!

Today the Teacher Education Program Pre-Practicum students had the opportunity to observe at the Nativity School of Worcester! I must say this has been one of my favorite experiences of the year. The school has a very welcoming environment and the students were extremely polite. Hoping to have the opportunity to stop by once more before the year is over!

Tuesdays are fairly calm days for me. I have three classes and two mentee meetings. Working for the Peer Mentor Program has brought me so much joy! My mentees are all wonderful and always come with a smile to our meetings. It has been cool to see their transition from high school to college and as we walk through their journey together I have the opportunity to reflect on my time here/growth.

Mondays may be one of my favorite days of the week.

After my hours at Burncoat, I spend my day in and out of meetings, until 10:00 pm. It may seem like a lot but I truly enjoy being this busy, it keeps me on my toes. Id like to call Mondays my 9-5’s in Cool Beans.