Today, I went to another Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment workshop that lasted most of the day. These long Saturday workshops usually tend to be lecture-based and the possible application of any of these tends to be far and inbetween because, at least for me, I find it hard to change many of my procedures and routines (the students would be uncomfortable at the very least). However, today's workshop on Helping Skills by Bill Akire was quite interesting. Although the whole thing seemed to come out of a Psych Session with the latest therapist, it was very helpful (no pun intended). Not only did the speaker share his knowledge, but he demonstrated and allowed us to experience what he was talking about. Through extensive practice, we began to feel more and more comfortable with the skill and its application. I can definitely see myself trying this on many of my students and hope that it will help me gain an insight into them by listening to them more attentively and responding to them with these helping skills.
Enough about school and school workshops...on to my personal life. Well, it turns out that all my roommates and I are heading in different directions and next year, we will all be living in different places. I, for one, have not found a place to live. Ah, the hunt for apartments. I never thought I would have to go through that again this soon, but, alas, it cannot be helped. So, I spent most of Thursday afternoon looking up apartments. Man, single bedroom apartments are expensive!!! I don't know. I have to find a roommate or two, I suppose, or move to Sacramento. However, I am conflicted. I love Davis, but I do not know if I will find affordable housing that I will like. Sacramento would be closer to work, but I would be farther from most of my friends and I would probably be moving out by myself. But, that is life. The search goes on...