Open Post 2

I would like to use this time and open post to talk about an issue I have encountered during internship. I have this student, let's call him Robert, for his confidentiality, he is very sweet and smart. He is that student that I swear reads nonstop. Every time I turn around, he is asking to check out a new book and take an AR test. He's certainly a top student. 

Unfortunately, the other day, my supervising teacher received an email from his mother letting her know that his most recent book he checked out from her had been ruined by another student who "played a prank" on Robert and that they would replace the book. Obviously, my supervising teacher did not care about the book being ruined and refused to let his mother replace the book, which I agree with. We were both concerned about the "prank." We discussed it, and neither of us believe this to be a harmless prank by a friend, but rather a mean "prank" from a bully. 

All day, all I could think about was poor Robert being bullied. He would never say a mean thing to anyone. All he does is sit quietly in the back of the room, does his work, then reads. Yet, some jerk student decided to pour paint in his backpack as a joke, ruining all of his possessions and school work within the bag. I wanted to pull him aside and talk to him, but I do not feel this is my place as I barely know the students at this point. The same day I found out, a noticed a student in my class shove Robert's notebook off of his desk right in front of me. I almost lost it. All I could think to do was tell the student to never do anything like that again, lecture on bullying, and tell my supervising teacher (who was monitoring the hallway at the time). That student received a detention, but I am not sure that made the student stop.

I remember when I was in middle school, if I knew of a kid bullying someone like Robert, I would have given the bully a taste of his own medicine. I had a habit of doing such things back then, always taking the underdog's side and proving the point of what comes around, goes around. As and adult, I know better, yet those feelings come back again of wanting to help the so-called underdog, but I do not know how as an intern with no true connection to the students yet.

Has anyone else encountered this in their internships or in similar situations? I want to help Robert, but I do not know how. The teachers and administrators already know of the issue, so my first idea of letting someone know who can do something is out the window. I want this sweet kid to feel safe and like someone is standing up for him. Any ideas?

Tech 1 Post

I am somewhere between a technophobe and technophile. I can do what I need to do, and that's about it. I'm not one of those people who can find a new technology and pick up on it instantly. I get stuck in my ways and struggle with the new, but eventually I get the hang of it, though I usually find out years later there could have been so much more within my abilities.
I have had a MySpace pretty early and eventually learned how to add music, pictures, and fun backgrounds. I might not member how to do those things now, but I could then. I also had a Facebook, but as far as I know, there wasn't extra stuff we could do. Just the basics. I now have an InstaGram. I have never had a Tumblr, Twitter, or any of those other social media outlets.
I actually recall back when all we had was AIM, before MySpace, having this thing called a "Sub profile," where I could add this link and my little box intended for a quick bio on AIM that had different colors and subheadings where I could add music and all this crazy stuff. I have no clue how I did it, but I did. Honestly, I think I may have regressed from a technophile to the in-between that I am now.
I am doing well with figuring out this blog and Wiggio. I am trying to figure out Edmodo, since my teacher uses this with her students, uploading homework and helpful links for any assignments. I need to learn more, because I see these students and they seem so advanced with technology, while I just stare in awe. I need to get on their level as much as I can. I've already been mocked by the students in my internship for being out of touch with technology, after telling a student to look it up in the dictionary, when "duh, they like have computers, who uses a dictionary anymore."