Words I have to put up with on a weekly basis during staff meetings:
li-bary (library, note the two r's, please!)
prah-jec (project)
cal-cuh-late (calculate)
ack-raht (accurate)
a-sep-tible (acceptable)
"Mrs. X do help us copy them off." (seriously, straight from the Captain's mouth.)
From students:
"What constellation is the Big Diaper?" (Um, Big Dipper, perhaps?)
"combinated"
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
One quarter down, three to go
In a single quarter of teaching, I have learned many new things. Here is a sampling of the latest lessons...
- It is much easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission. This particularly applies when one does not know the procedures because they have never been posted, shared, or otherwise distributed.
- The people who say the building will be open are typically not the ones who are going to be unlocking it at 6 am. They are the ones who show up an hour after you have been sitting outside the gate though.
- Your favorite students fall ill, but the ones you most wish would contract laryngitis never do.
- Adminstrative policies rarely make sense.
- (most) Middle school students are thugs. (the ones at my school are!)
- Kindergardeners cannot read signs indicating girl and boy bathrooms. And middle schoolers do not appreciate the hand drawn-stick figure pictures with pink dress or blue shirt that has been put up for the kinders. And 5th graders are terrified to venture to the bathroom between 11 and 1 every day.
- Never ask for a permanent marker "to have". Admin will freak out.
- Students never hear directions the first 30 times.
- Unless it is an announcement there is no homework.
- Never announce "no homework" early in the day.
- Students will continue to use words they think are hysterical, like "tushie". You will re-think using words like "tushie" instead of what you really mean.
- The students who most hate writing are the ones who typically have to get a drink and/or go to the bathroom as soon as you start writing a prompt on the board.
- Students will never all put their names on their papers. They enjoy giving you a mystery to figure out.
- Even the most annoying student will have moments of brilliance.
- Even the most brilliant student will have moments of annoyance.
- No matter how hard you strive to make questions clearly stated, one student will give you an answer you never remotely considered.
- And you kind of want to give that student partial points for creativity.
- Even 12 hour days pass quickly.
- Print out answer keys.
- Stay on top of the grading.
- Double sided copies count as two copies.
- Smile and nod, and then go back to your classroom and do what is best for your students. Ignore the idiocy.
- When students listen to classmates giving speeches on Explorers, they only key in on two factors: the birth date and the death date.
- They will ask really stupid questions that were answered in the speech. ("Where did the 'Father of Canada' explore?")
- You will be sorely tempted to provide an incorrect answer to that student.
- Counting to ten only works early in the year. Counting to a million takes too long later on in the year.
- Students will be impressed that there is at least one classmate who focused on the work at hand and completed it before it was assigned for homework.
- The one who will be most impressed is the one who has done the least work.
- Even though you have announced what page to turn to in the science book multiple times AND written it on the board, there will be at least one student who still will ask you what page.
- Students will amaze you in all sorts of ways. Not always in a good way. But not always in a bad way, either.
- As annoying as they can be, they still kind of wriggle into your heart.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Science Quiz Answers
We have been studying force and motion in science, and learning new vocabulary words like friction, inertia, and velocity. The students have a "Science Dictionary" that we add to each time we have new vocabulary. So as you read the following answers to a recent science quiz, keep in mind that yes, this was taught, and yes, these are terms we have been using in class regularly.
The question that stumped so many students was:
What would one need to know in order to find a car's velocity? (speed and direction)
And here are some answers that literally had me laughing so hard I was crying:
- a gun that police use to give tickets out when you are speeding
- you would need to take the car out for a test drive
- an odometer
- to know how to take a car apart and put it back together again
Then there was a motorboat question, in which a motorboat has stopped and is decelerating slowly. When asked why this happened, a couple of answers were particluarly creative:
- the boat had to overcome it's interia.
- the boat ran out of engine.
Needless to say, I re-taught the terminology.
The question that stumped so many students was:
What would one need to know in order to find a car's velocity? (speed and direction)
And here are some answers that literally had me laughing so hard I was crying:
- a gun that police use to give tickets out when you are speeding
- you would need to take the car out for a test drive
- an odometer
- to know how to take a car apart and put it back together again
Then there was a motorboat question, in which a motorboat has stopped and is decelerating slowly. When asked why this happened, a couple of answers were particluarly creative:
- the boat had to overcome it's interia.
- the boat ran out of engine.
Needless to say, I re-taught the terminology.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Week #2 and I am still standing
I love teaching. I sincerely do. I love having my own class and planning what we are going to do, and seeing how the students react, and what their questions are.
It's the "other" stuff that is wearing. Like schedules that don't really work and are changed daily. (No really, the first week, it was DAILY changes.) And procedures not fully communicated to those involved. Or procedures changed at the last moment. Or trying to figure out where supplies are locked up, and how to gain access. And trying to figure out how to dress for AZ weather when you've brought school-prohibited clothing, like sleeveless tops.
In the end, it's all good. I tell myself and I tell my kids that every day is an adventure when we face a new deviation from the anticipated pathway. I fear my smile is wearing thin, but I will push on. And things are getting better, as days pass and everyone settles into their own routines.
My first week was busy. Turns out the classroom I put all my stuff in was the wrong one, so my first day (when we were asked to wear professional clothing) I spent moving all my boxes into the other room. It was a meager 80 degrees or so. Then I got to meet all the other teachers. In full sweat. I am sure I made an impression. Oh well. The other classroom was reserved for my partner teacher who, it turns out, was expecting to be in first grade, not fifth. It took her about a week to readjust her mind to upper elementary needs. I really like her. She has proven to be a great teammate.
So I arranged my classroom. Square room, 2 doors in odd places, a one-way window we look into the cafeteria through, 2 white erase boards (one that is ready to fall out from the wall, the other 3/4 up the wall, so I can reach the lower third), no closet/storage, an odd selection of textbooks, and 21 student desks. Not perhaps the "dream" classroom, but all mine. I set up the desks, set up the student center and class library (thank you, IKEA!). I organized the textbooks into "sets" - ones I have enough to make a class set, and those I do not. I put up a Reading board, a Space board (but we decided to study Forces and Motion first), a bunch of Language Arts posters students typically ignore, and a map of the United States. And I pondered what to do with the one-way window. (I still am, actually, but have placed a reading poster in the center for the time being). I printed out labels at home, and re-printed labels as students were added to my roster.
I met parents and students on the Friday Open House before school, hoping I wasn't looking as nervous as I felt. I was warmly welcomed by parents and shyly approached by students sizing me up. I planned for the following week.
My first week seemed like it was spent doing a lot of talking. Routine this, procedure that, always, never, and so on. I memorized the kids' names by the end of the first day. Got used to them calling me "miss" (not Middleton or M, just miss). Listened to their gripes as the changes mounted, encouraged flexibility, and smiled a lot. When the gigantic 2 inch long cockroach scrambled across my floor, a student offered to kill it, and the rest of the class assured me it "wasn't all that big". By the end of the week, the kids were more comfortable with me. I could tell because they were starting to act up, so I put a stop to that by making them write about respect. That helped.
I spent the weekend reviewing assessment data, personal journals (one of them thinks I am a spy - what, like I have time for that too?), and planning for my second week. I learned the basics of how to run the assorted computer softwares, and discovered all my work was being "converted" when I brought it to work on a thumb drive. So then I spent evenings turning everything into a .pdf.
The work never ends. The changes to my roster are easing up, although I know one student who isn't going to show up, so his desk has been pushed to the side. I have lessons to plan, write, and submit to what I refer to as "Taskmaster", an online site the school uses. Grades are already due and I am recording those in my gradebook, to transfer later in the week onto the computer. I have set up folders for Science and Reading Conferences, collected items for science experiments, and ensured that every student has all the supplies he/she could possibly need. I still have reading assessments to review and finish calculating, math worksheets to check over, and I am sure there is something else, but I can't recall what it is right now.
And did I mention I love this? All of it. Yes, my eyes hurt from trying to read all the handwriting. My back hurts from sitting in a chair correcting papers and recording grades for longer than I care to admit. I am terrified of turning on the light in my classroom and seeing something scurry across the floor. I am still too warm every day.
But I'll tell you what: it's worth it. Every day is worth it. I love these kids already. And you know what? I think they kinda like me, too.
It's the "other" stuff that is wearing. Like schedules that don't really work and are changed daily. (No really, the first week, it was DAILY changes.) And procedures not fully communicated to those involved. Or procedures changed at the last moment. Or trying to figure out where supplies are locked up, and how to gain access. And trying to figure out how to dress for AZ weather when you've brought school-prohibited clothing, like sleeveless tops.
In the end, it's all good. I tell myself and I tell my kids that every day is an adventure when we face a new deviation from the anticipated pathway. I fear my smile is wearing thin, but I will push on. And things are getting better, as days pass and everyone settles into their own routines.
My first week was busy. Turns out the classroom I put all my stuff in was the wrong one, so my first day (when we were asked to wear professional clothing) I spent moving all my boxes into the other room. It was a meager 80 degrees or so. Then I got to meet all the other teachers. In full sweat. I am sure I made an impression. Oh well. The other classroom was reserved for my partner teacher who, it turns out, was expecting to be in first grade, not fifth. It took her about a week to readjust her mind to upper elementary needs. I really like her. She has proven to be a great teammate.
So I arranged my classroom. Square room, 2 doors in odd places, a one-way window we look into the cafeteria through, 2 white erase boards (one that is ready to fall out from the wall, the other 3/4 up the wall, so I can reach the lower third), no closet/storage, an odd selection of textbooks, and 21 student desks. Not perhaps the "dream" classroom, but all mine. I set up the desks, set up the student center and class library (thank you, IKEA!). I organized the textbooks into "sets" - ones I have enough to make a class set, and those I do not. I put up a Reading board, a Space board (but we decided to study Forces and Motion first), a bunch of Language Arts posters students typically ignore, and a map of the United States. And I pondered what to do with the one-way window. (I still am, actually, but have placed a reading poster in the center for the time being). I printed out labels at home, and re-printed labels as students were added to my roster.
I met parents and students on the Friday Open House before school, hoping I wasn't looking as nervous as I felt. I was warmly welcomed by parents and shyly approached by students sizing me up. I planned for the following week.
My first week seemed like it was spent doing a lot of talking. Routine this, procedure that, always, never, and so on. I memorized the kids' names by the end of the first day. Got used to them calling me "miss" (not Middleton or M, just miss). Listened to their gripes as the changes mounted, encouraged flexibility, and smiled a lot. When the gigantic 2 inch long cockroach scrambled across my floor, a student offered to kill it, and the rest of the class assured me it "wasn't all that big". By the end of the week, the kids were more comfortable with me. I could tell because they were starting to act up, so I put a stop to that by making them write about respect. That helped.
I spent the weekend reviewing assessment data, personal journals (one of them thinks I am a spy - what, like I have time for that too?), and planning for my second week. I learned the basics of how to run the assorted computer softwares, and discovered all my work was being "converted" when I brought it to work on a thumb drive. So then I spent evenings turning everything into a .pdf.
The work never ends. The changes to my roster are easing up, although I know one student who isn't going to show up, so his desk has been pushed to the side. I have lessons to plan, write, and submit to what I refer to as "Taskmaster", an online site the school uses. Grades are already due and I am recording those in my gradebook, to transfer later in the week onto the computer. I have set up folders for Science and Reading Conferences, collected items for science experiments, and ensured that every student has all the supplies he/she could possibly need. I still have reading assessments to review and finish calculating, math worksheets to check over, and I am sure there is something else, but I can't recall what it is right now.
And did I mention I love this? All of it. Yes, my eyes hurt from trying to read all the handwriting. My back hurts from sitting in a chair correcting papers and recording grades for longer than I care to admit. I am terrified of turning on the light in my classroom and seeing something scurry across the floor. I am still too warm every day.
But I'll tell you what: it's worth it. Every day is worth it. I love these kids already. And you know what? I think they kinda like me, too.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Slowly Settling
The last of the boxes have been unpacked and flattened in my apartment. The IKEA furniture for the classroom was put together when we dropped off the boxes. Since the school isn't entirely certain that my classroom will be the one in which I have stored my things, I have not unpacked. Nor do I have access.
And perhaps that is a good thing. My apartment is functional, I can spend time doing some lesson planning, exploring the area, and sleeping. And just maybe get a little more acclimated. I am stunned at the amount of water I have been sucking down. For someone who doesn't really like water, it comes as a surprise. I realize it shouldn't. It's about survival in a desert. I get that. I really do. It's just another in a series of changes in my new life in Arizona.
One of the nice things about this area is how friendly people are. I went to Trader Joe's yesterday, and the woman at the check out counter noticed I was stocking up on spices. I told her I had just moved from Oregon. As she handed me my receipt, she welcomed me to Tucson and wished me luck. I met one of the middle school teachers when we moved my school boxes into the classroom, and she immediately offered me help and guidance.
It will take awhile to adjust. That's okay. Looks like I have a few days before I officially begin work as a full time teacher. (The idea makes me want to shout, "YEAH!") My fridge is fully stocked. I have a lovely, air conditioned home and car. I have maps and I am starting to be able to navigate my way around town. (This is a very big deal, actually.)
We had a big storm move through the other night. Lightning streaks and booming thunder. Heavy raindrops the desert cannot soak up immediately. And then the day brought bright sunshine and high temperatures. Like life, there are dark periods that are followed by times of breaking joy. I suspect I have just left the storm of unemployment behind, and am beginning the sunny days of teaching. Not that there won't be more storms in the forecast. But I can see the pattern of light, too.
And perhaps that is a good thing. My apartment is functional, I can spend time doing some lesson planning, exploring the area, and sleeping. And just maybe get a little more acclimated. I am stunned at the amount of water I have been sucking down. For someone who doesn't really like water, it comes as a surprise. I realize it shouldn't. It's about survival in a desert. I get that. I really do. It's just another in a series of changes in my new life in Arizona.
One of the nice things about this area is how friendly people are. I went to Trader Joe's yesterday, and the woman at the check out counter noticed I was stocking up on spices. I told her I had just moved from Oregon. As she handed me my receipt, she welcomed me to Tucson and wished me luck. I met one of the middle school teachers when we moved my school boxes into the classroom, and she immediately offered me help and guidance.
It will take awhile to adjust. That's okay. Looks like I have a few days before I officially begin work as a full time teacher. (The idea makes me want to shout, "YEAH!") My fridge is fully stocked. I have a lovely, air conditioned home and car. I have maps and I am starting to be able to navigate my way around town. (This is a very big deal, actually.)
We had a big storm move through the other night. Lightning streaks and booming thunder. Heavy raindrops the desert cannot soak up immediately. And then the day brought bright sunshine and high temperatures. Like life, there are dark periods that are followed by times of breaking joy. I suspect I have just left the storm of unemployment behind, and am beginning the sunny days of teaching. Not that there won't be more storms in the forecast. But I can see the pattern of light, too.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Moving on...
I got the job in Tucson. The interview went well. I feel very confident about teaching and working in the school. It appears from the interview that I have a lot of background that may become a handy thing to have in my arsenal of experience. (Oh, wait, as a sub, I have no "experience". Yeah, right!)
So I have been packing, researching paperwork, licensing (teaching and driving), obtaining a place to live, and organizing. Shopping, too. Lots of shopping. It has been a busy month. I have also played golf, read, hung out with friends and enjoyed the beautiful weather I am about to give up.
And I have been attempting to quell the inner fears. The concerns about how I will adapt to a new city, a new culture, a new environment. The worries about learning the computer system, the software, and creating my little classroom. That niggling, dark wonder, "Will they like me?" And the fear that what I leave behind will change, ignore, or forget me.
As I sit on my couch, making my daily list of things to do, it occurs to me this is the last Friday I will have here, for awhile. My corgi snoozes peacefully nearby, the cat purrs from her kitty apartment, and the puppy is running around our backyard, digging into fresh, earthy, mole mounds. Suddenly, so few days are left. And as I type those words, anxiety blooms from deep within, spreading quickly, reaching my fingers and toes, stinging my eyes.
Opportunity is not without risk. I know that I am capable to taking this on. I want this chance to teach, to prove to both myself and the world that I am a great teacher. I have worked towards this moment, yet I find myself afraid as it approaches. In this quiet moment, sitting alone, the full weight of this decision settles upon my shoulders. That it does not come crashing down tells me that I am not alone, nor did I make this decision alone. My husband, my family and friends all support me and this choice, even though it brings with it a bittersweet goodbye - for now.
I look outside and see the sunlight speckling through the trees onto the forest floor. The day is waiting for me to take action. Dwelling on fears that keep me captive will do nothing for me. Focusing on my goal frees me to smile, enjoy the time I have remaining, and spurs me to action.
My to-do list for the day awaits. Off I go!
So I have been packing, researching paperwork, licensing (teaching and driving), obtaining a place to live, and organizing. Shopping, too. Lots of shopping. It has been a busy month. I have also played golf, read, hung out with friends and enjoyed the beautiful weather I am about to give up.
And I have been attempting to quell the inner fears. The concerns about how I will adapt to a new city, a new culture, a new environment. The worries about learning the computer system, the software, and creating my little classroom. That niggling, dark wonder, "Will they like me?" And the fear that what I leave behind will change, ignore, or forget me.
As I sit on my couch, making my daily list of things to do, it occurs to me this is the last Friday I will have here, for awhile. My corgi snoozes peacefully nearby, the cat purrs from her kitty apartment, and the puppy is running around our backyard, digging into fresh, earthy, mole mounds. Suddenly, so few days are left. And as I type those words, anxiety blooms from deep within, spreading quickly, reaching my fingers and toes, stinging my eyes.
Opportunity is not without risk. I know that I am capable to taking this on. I want this chance to teach, to prove to both myself and the world that I am a great teacher. I have worked towards this moment, yet I find myself afraid as it approaches. In this quiet moment, sitting alone, the full weight of this decision settles upon my shoulders. That it does not come crashing down tells me that I am not alone, nor did I make this decision alone. My husband, my family and friends all support me and this choice, even though it brings with it a bittersweet goodbye - for now.
I look outside and see the sunlight speckling through the trees onto the forest floor. The day is waiting for me to take action. Dwelling on fears that keep me captive will do nothing for me. Focusing on my goal frees me to smile, enjoy the time I have remaining, and spurs me to action.
My to-do list for the day awaits. Off I go!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The interview went well...
I arrived back home after an adventure in Arizona. It should be noted that it is important to have air conditioning - functioning A/C mind you - when temperatures reach 107 degrees. I figured this out when I discovered that my rental car no longer was going to produce cooling air and I had to drive all the way back to the airport an hour after leaving it. Fortunately, the good folks at Alamo upgraded me to a nice car with working A/C - after checking to make sure I had "pushed the little green button". I was also able to locate a great apartment.
The following morning, I showered, dressed, and readied myself for the interview. I arrived early enough to be able to take a tour of the school. Small charter school, small classrooms, but the people really care about the students. No library, but the kids have Music and PE and Computer class. There is a lunchroom - I have been working in a school where the kids eat in the classroom, and it's a bit gross. The kids play outside for recess, and I don't have duty.
Then I went into the interview, which I had been preparing for all month. And I was just fine! I wasn't ever stumped on a question, although the superintendant was clear about what he wanted - and what he wants is a good teacher who cares about teaching the kids. I felt clearheaded and confident.
I left the interview feeling great. I was myself - the best piece of advice I heard before I left was to be myself - if they didn't like me, then I would not be happy working there. I didn't have to think about my answers. I figured I had done my best.
Turns out, I did just fine. So well in fact, that I have been offered employment. After three tough years, I suddenly find myself preparing for the start of the school year - which is in four weeks.
What am I worried about? Lots of assessments. Lots and lots of 'em. Small classrooms - where do I put the classroom library, the math manipulatives, the "stuff"?
I have a lot to do. But that's ok, I have been hired! YAY!
The following morning, I showered, dressed, and readied myself for the interview. I arrived early enough to be able to take a tour of the school. Small charter school, small classrooms, but the people really care about the students. No library, but the kids have Music and PE and Computer class. There is a lunchroom - I have been working in a school where the kids eat in the classroom, and it's a bit gross. The kids play outside for recess, and I don't have duty.
Then I went into the interview, which I had been preparing for all month. And I was just fine! I wasn't ever stumped on a question, although the superintendant was clear about what he wanted - and what he wants is a good teacher who cares about teaching the kids. I felt clearheaded and confident.
I left the interview feeling great. I was myself - the best piece of advice I heard before I left was to be myself - if they didn't like me, then I would not be happy working there. I didn't have to think about my answers. I figured I had done my best.
Turns out, I did just fine. So well in fact, that I have been offered employment. After three tough years, I suddenly find myself preparing for the start of the school year - which is in four weeks.
What am I worried about? Lots of assessments. Lots and lots of 'em. Small classrooms - where do I put the classroom library, the math manipulatives, the "stuff"?
I have a lot to do. But that's ok, I have been hired! YAY!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
An Interview at Last!
I head out for an interview tomorrow. I am very excited. Nervous too, but mostly excited.
I made the decision to start applying to other states this spring. As a married mother of a teen, this is not a choice I made easily. I have applied in the state, to no avail. I figured I had best begin looking "outside of the box", with the box being my home state. After two years of searching, I wondered if I was just not looking in the right places. So I expanded my search. Yes, I did get a bunch of rejection letters from other states, too. Actually, I sadly discovered that other states & districts are better at responding than ones locally. Go figure. And other states have plenty of "highly qualified candidates" to choose from as well.
So when I got a phone call from Tucson, AZ, for a 5th grade position, well, you can imagine the thrill.
I have had to wait until the end of the month for the face to face meeting. Which has given me time to plan, prepare, rethink, and sweat it.
I head out to the airport tomorrow morning. I will arrive in 104 degree weather, pick up a car and check out the school location, look at an apartment complex, and wander around the city a little. Then I get to wake up early, check out of the hotel, and arrive on time for my interview. I will have a chance to check out the school, and then head to the airport and fly home.
When will I find out? How will I interview? Will I say the right things? Am I ready to move away from all things familiar?
I don't know the answers to all these questions bubbling up. My friends are excited for me. I have been wished a tremendous amount of luck. I have faith in myself. I have had a friend prep me. What happens next... is what happens next.
I made the decision to start applying to other states this spring. As a married mother of a teen, this is not a choice I made easily. I have applied in the state, to no avail. I figured I had best begin looking "outside of the box", with the box being my home state. After two years of searching, I wondered if I was just not looking in the right places. So I expanded my search. Yes, I did get a bunch of rejection letters from other states, too. Actually, I sadly discovered that other states & districts are better at responding than ones locally. Go figure. And other states have plenty of "highly qualified candidates" to choose from as well.
So when I got a phone call from Tucson, AZ, for a 5th grade position, well, you can imagine the thrill.
I have had to wait until the end of the month for the face to face meeting. Which has given me time to plan, prepare, rethink, and sweat it.
I head out to the airport tomorrow morning. I will arrive in 104 degree weather, pick up a car and check out the school location, look at an apartment complex, and wander around the city a little. Then I get to wake up early, check out of the hotel, and arrive on time for my interview. I will have a chance to check out the school, and then head to the airport and fly home.
When will I find out? How will I interview? Will I say the right things? Am I ready to move away from all things familiar?
I don't know the answers to all these questions bubbling up. My friends are excited for me. I have been wished a tremendous amount of luck. I have faith in myself. I have had a friend prep me. What happens next... is what happens next.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Latest "Must Have" for Teachers
I have been working a lot recently, which of course pleases me to no end. The classrooms I have been working in have student teachers who are doing their solo teaching. This makes for an easy day for me. I tend to establish myself outside of the classroom, so that the student teachers don't feel like I am hovering - one less pair of eyes watching their every move. But I am always close by so that they can poke their heads out of the door and call me in for help as needed.
Anyway, I have been doing some reading assessments for teachers. These are required by the district at the start and end of every year, and are supposed to show growth in reading. It starts with a running record (the student reads aloud, we note every error, and it is timed), and then we include a summarization and ask a few questions about the passage. (Yes, there is more to it than that.) I have done these for the past four years, using a couple of different programs. (Not Rigby or DIBELS).
So yesterday, my mentor teacher said she had a combination stopwatch and calculator. I realize this doesn't sound like anything much, unless you're a teacher who does reading assessments. Fountas & Pinnell, the reading goddesses, have developed what I call the "stopulator": it times the student, then you input the number of words read, number of errors and self corrections, and it calculates out the words per minute and the accuracy rate. SO COOL! No more looking up the equation for figuring this stuff out - YAY! I used it yesterday and flew through the calculation piece quickly and easily. Love it.
If you do an online search for "Fountas and Pinnell stopwatch", it will come up on Heinemann's website. It runs about $25, but is well worth it in saved time.
Anyway, I have been doing some reading assessments for teachers. These are required by the district at the start and end of every year, and are supposed to show growth in reading. It starts with a running record (the student reads aloud, we note every error, and it is timed), and then we include a summarization and ask a few questions about the passage. (Yes, there is more to it than that.) I have done these for the past four years, using a couple of different programs. (Not Rigby or DIBELS).
So yesterday, my mentor teacher said she had a combination stopwatch and calculator. I realize this doesn't sound like anything much, unless you're a teacher who does reading assessments. Fountas & Pinnell, the reading goddesses, have developed what I call the "stopulator": it times the student, then you input the number of words read, number of errors and self corrections, and it calculates out the words per minute and the accuracy rate. SO COOL! No more looking up the equation for figuring this stuff out - YAY! I used it yesterday and flew through the calculation piece quickly and easily. Love it.
If you do an online search for "Fountas and Pinnell stopwatch", it will come up on Heinemann's website. It runs about $25, but is well worth it in saved time.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
The Work Week
Yay! I worked last week. I spent 4 days in classrooms. One day I spent applying for positions, which is still work, just less enjoyable than teaching.
Monday I worked for my mentor teacher. She is trying out a great reading assessment program that I was able to read up on and use with her students, one at a time. Using it to analyze student progress and ability is terrific practice.
Tuesday I worked at the last minute for a 4th grade teacher who had 31 students in her class. Now, 14 of them were ELL students, another 5 of them were SPED, and 3 more of them were on daily behavior plans. They were pretty good kids, and certainly helpful when it came to questions about how they did certain things. And then we got to the math lesson. It was a Bridges (curriculum) lesson that was a continuation of students understanding the patterns of add and even numbers. Then there was this graphing activity. I could not make heads nor tails of the lesson - and I had the teacher edition! I finally gave up trying to teach it and ensured that the previous lesson had stuck. I don't think I have ever not understood how to teach a lesson from a curriculum. This one just made no sense to me. The rest of the day went alright, but I went home so frustrated I couldn't figure out that one lesson. It still nags at me!
Wednesday was the day I spent cruising the 'net for jobs and writing essays. I guess it's good that I am finding jobs to apply to, I just wish they were more local... although a couple were in districts in the area, so that was nice.
Thursday and Friday I worked for a teacher who had a student teacher in his classroom. Evidently they had gone on their Lewis & Clark field trip to Astoria the previous day and it had poured down on them all day. Yes, an authentic Fort Clatsop experience for the kids, but miserable, too. So the plan was for a pretty quiet, nothing academically new, day. The student teacher left just before math in the morning, and the classroom has the lowest ability group. It was thankfully small, and the kids were supposed to cut out a bunch of pre-printed arrays. There was an instructional assistant in the classroom as well, and evidently she was unwilling to allow the students a simple day of cutting without any learning... so she stopped the cutting and insisted on teaching the kids a word problem - that they did not understand, and then had to do for homework. Huh. The rest of the day went fine, and the following day, the student teacher returned, feeling refreshed. I mostly sat in the back and read a book on teaching persuasive writing, and then created a unit lesson.
It was a satisfying week. I will be receiving a paycheck. I was given the opportunity to try out a reading assessment and make my own observations. I was reminded that I don't always know how to teach a lesson, so I had to improvise. I taught a day, and I spent a day doing the other thing teachers do: plan with thoughtful care and focus.
OK, so it wasn't perfect - because I wasn't in my own classroom - but it was as good as I can hope for, at least for the time being. And yeah, I still want to teach in my own classroom. these experiences just confirm that.
Monday I worked for my mentor teacher. She is trying out a great reading assessment program that I was able to read up on and use with her students, one at a time. Using it to analyze student progress and ability is terrific practice.
Tuesday I worked at the last minute for a 4th grade teacher who had 31 students in her class. Now, 14 of them were ELL students, another 5 of them were SPED, and 3 more of them were on daily behavior plans. They were pretty good kids, and certainly helpful when it came to questions about how they did certain things. And then we got to the math lesson. It was a Bridges (curriculum) lesson that was a continuation of students understanding the patterns of add and even numbers. Then there was this graphing activity. I could not make heads nor tails of the lesson - and I had the teacher edition! I finally gave up trying to teach it and ensured that the previous lesson had stuck. I don't think I have ever not understood how to teach a lesson from a curriculum. This one just made no sense to me. The rest of the day went alright, but I went home so frustrated I couldn't figure out that one lesson. It still nags at me!
Wednesday was the day I spent cruising the 'net for jobs and writing essays. I guess it's good that I am finding jobs to apply to, I just wish they were more local... although a couple were in districts in the area, so that was nice.
Thursday and Friday I worked for a teacher who had a student teacher in his classroom. Evidently they had gone on their Lewis & Clark field trip to Astoria the previous day and it had poured down on them all day. Yes, an authentic Fort Clatsop experience for the kids, but miserable, too. So the plan was for a pretty quiet, nothing academically new, day. The student teacher left just before math in the morning, and the classroom has the lowest ability group. It was thankfully small, and the kids were supposed to cut out a bunch of pre-printed arrays. There was an instructional assistant in the classroom as well, and evidently she was unwilling to allow the students a simple day of cutting without any learning... so she stopped the cutting and insisted on teaching the kids a word problem - that they did not understand, and then had to do for homework. Huh. The rest of the day went fine, and the following day, the student teacher returned, feeling refreshed. I mostly sat in the back and read a book on teaching persuasive writing, and then created a unit lesson.
It was a satisfying week. I will be receiving a paycheck. I was given the opportunity to try out a reading assessment and make my own observations. I was reminded that I don't always know how to teach a lesson, so I had to improvise. I taught a day, and I spent a day doing the other thing teachers do: plan with thoughtful care and focus.
OK, so it wasn't perfect - because I wasn't in my own classroom - but it was as good as I can hope for, at least for the time being. And yeah, I still want to teach in my own classroom. these experiences just confirm that.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Kinder Kinders
Spent the day with two half day kinder classes today. The morning went really well. The class was wonderful. Kids were ready to follow directions and listen. Yes, they behaved like kids that young are expected to. But they also followed directions. They didn't run in the hallways. They were quiet when asked to be quiet. They raised their hands. They helped each other, said they were sorry when they needed to, and made my morning fly by.
And then the pm class arrived. Oddly the kid who was stuck to his mom's side when I came to the front of the school to pick them up turned out to be the best kid in the class. Followed directions, the whole bit. Think he must've been meant for the am class. The pm class could not all be quiet at the same time to save their lives. Thye were unable to follow directions - no doubt because they were talking - or to treat anyone with respect. I'm talking basic respect here, after all I know it's kindergardners. One kid had a comment about everything I said. 'yeah, yeah, yeah, we know.' And he ran in the halls, jumped onto and off of a chair, annoyed the kids around him in line, and stole a kid's paper and replaced it with his own that had been written on. Yeah, that's just one kid. And every time I spoke with him about his "choices" (that's what we call them, you know, choices. But that's another blog post.), he said he knew that he wouldn't treat his regular teacher like that. Thanks, kid.
What would have been nice is if the teacher had bothered to warn me that she had the devil incarnate in her afternoon classroom. But no, no such warnings were issued. It would have been nice if the kids knew how to treat "guest teachers" (another silly euphemism). It would have been nice if this kid's parents had bothered to parent him. Or if he'd stayed home from school today.
What a day. Glad to work, don't get me wrong. But it amazed me (really, it did) how two classes in the same day could behave SO differently. Yet another lesson learned as a substitute teacher. When I got home, I had an e-mail request to work for a 4/5 grade class. Yes, please.
And then the pm class arrived. Oddly the kid who was stuck to his mom's side when I came to the front of the school to pick them up turned out to be the best kid in the class. Followed directions, the whole bit. Think he must've been meant for the am class. The pm class could not all be quiet at the same time to save their lives. Thye were unable to follow directions - no doubt because they were talking - or to treat anyone with respect. I'm talking basic respect here, after all I know it's kindergardners. One kid had a comment about everything I said. 'yeah, yeah, yeah, we know.' And he ran in the halls, jumped onto and off of a chair, annoyed the kids around him in line, and stole a kid's paper and replaced it with his own that had been written on. Yeah, that's just one kid. And every time I spoke with him about his "choices" (that's what we call them, you know, choices. But that's another blog post.), he said he knew that he wouldn't treat his regular teacher like that. Thanks, kid.
What would have been nice is if the teacher had bothered to warn me that she had the devil incarnate in her afternoon classroom. But no, no such warnings were issued. It would have been nice if the kids knew how to treat "guest teachers" (another silly euphemism). It would have been nice if this kid's parents had bothered to parent him. Or if he'd stayed home from school today.
What a day. Glad to work, don't get me wrong. But it amazed me (really, it did) how two classes in the same day could behave SO differently. Yet another lesson learned as a substitute teacher. When I got home, I had an e-mail request to work for a 4/5 grade class. Yes, please.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Hope and Faith
After much soul searching, I decided to start applying to positions outside of this state. Oregon is not willing to support education in the way it needs be financially supported, so students and new teachers are getting shafted. It is dismal, and seems to get worse every year.
I recently applied to several positions in a small town in Wyoming. When you have submitted close to 200 applications, it is difficult to get excited about the positions anymore. But this one seemed different, and held a lot of potential. I sincerely wanted the job, and felt like I would be a great fit. I researched the area, examined the curriculum, checked into potential residences... I was full of hope, bursting with enthusiasm.
I touched base today with the secretary to see what the status was. They are hiring 9 people, and I wasn't even considered for an interview. Oh.
Hope can be so cruel.
It is so brutal to be refused again and again and again. Yet I am told by the professionals I work with not to lose hope, that I am a great teacher, to keep trying, that it's just the economy, that things will turn around. Not one of those phrases helps me pay bills or provides me with the same feeling I get when I am teaching. But they all give me hope, which is then dashed when I dare to entertain it.
I am not a particularly religious person. I figure it is a personal decision, and everyone finds the belief that fits them. For me, I believe that there is a plan for me, a path to follow, and that things happen for a reason. Maybe I didn't get the job in another state because there is one waiting me closer to home. Maybe I would have been miserable there. I won't know the "maybe" until the plan plays out. So I have to maintain a sense of faith.
The great thing about faith is, you can always say that things haven't played out. You can procrastinate the results. And in that way, you can maintain your faith in a way that hope cannot. Your hope gets squelched periodically, and just about that time, your faith in the future grows just a little bit more.
I don't know about my faith or hope in Oregon's future. But I suppose I have to maintain my own.
I recently applied to several positions in a small town in Wyoming. When you have submitted close to 200 applications, it is difficult to get excited about the positions anymore. But this one seemed different, and held a lot of potential. I sincerely wanted the job, and felt like I would be a great fit. I researched the area, examined the curriculum, checked into potential residences... I was full of hope, bursting with enthusiasm.
I touched base today with the secretary to see what the status was. They are hiring 9 people, and I wasn't even considered for an interview. Oh.
Hope can be so cruel.
It is so brutal to be refused again and again and again. Yet I am told by the professionals I work with not to lose hope, that I am a great teacher, to keep trying, that it's just the economy, that things will turn around. Not one of those phrases helps me pay bills or provides me with the same feeling I get when I am teaching. But they all give me hope, which is then dashed when I dare to entertain it.
I am not a particularly religious person. I figure it is a personal decision, and everyone finds the belief that fits them. For me, I believe that there is a plan for me, a path to follow, and that things happen for a reason. Maybe I didn't get the job in another state because there is one waiting me closer to home. Maybe I would have been miserable there. I won't know the "maybe" until the plan plays out. So I have to maintain a sense of faith.
The great thing about faith is, you can always say that things haven't played out. You can procrastinate the results. And in that way, you can maintain your faith in a way that hope cannot. Your hope gets squelched periodically, and just about that time, your faith in the future grows just a little bit more.
I don't know about my faith or hope in Oregon's future. But I suppose I have to maintain my own.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
More than a Number: Why Class Size Matters
More than a Number: Why Class Size Matters Check out this article. Amazing information on class sizes.
Thoughts on Recent News Stories
Maybe you have seen a couple of recent news stories that hit the TV news magazines recently. One was some video from Australia of a smaller boy taunting and then punching a larger boy, followed by the larger boy picking up and body slamming the smaller boy. The other was a news story that there is a publisher that has released what I would refer to as a "politically correct" version of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I have been unable to stop thinking about both of these stories as they pertain to my line of work. The first story involves a clear case a bullying. Or maybe not so clear. I did not see all of the followup interviews, but the larger boy claimed to have been bullied all his life and said he had just lost it, or words to that effect. (Note I am not using quotation marks here.) Then the other boy claimed that he too, had been the subject of bullying all of his life. My first question was of course, where were the teachers, the adults? Then the public outcry (that was reported on TV) was that people really supported the larger boy for standing up for himself. Really? People are congratulating this kid for body slamming another kid? OK, based on the video image only, sure, it looked as though the smaller kid "started it", and certainly is caught punching the larger kid in the face. But the reaction that physical retribution is indeed the best way to handle this situation? Ummm, I don't think so. Whatever happened to walking away? Obviously I don't think he should have been bullied in the first place. I have to wonder if the parents or schools have no-bullying rules in force. I mean, what is going on? I don't know all of the backstory or details, but I have to think that some other result could have occurred had someone known about all of this bullying behavior. I wonder if I supervise my kids enough, if I am watchful enough, if I am intolerant of bullying enough to prevent this from happening at my school. So as I begin another long six months of checking for open positions and applying for potential jobs, this is one more thing that I know I have to be firm about from the start of school. Now onto Huckleberry Finn, 2011. New South Books decided that since books like Huck Finn were being avoided in classrooms, they would republish it, changing the "n-word" (no, I don't say it) to "slave". Is this really necessary? First of all, changing an author's words in a book that has been in publication since the 1880's, seems wrong to me. Books are not about agreeing with the author or subject, they are there to spawn thoughts and conversation. Secondly, who is New South Books to tell me what I can and cannot handle reading? I don't blindly walk into a book store, not peruse the book, and buy it! I pick up books by authors I enjoy, books about subjects I am interested in, books that may challenge me, but I typically have done the smallest scad of research before I start reading. Third, how did they decide that "slave" is the best synonym for "n----r"? Didn't Twain use the word to reflect the sign of the times? Wasn't that verbage pretty common in the day? Using the word "slave" seems like a title, like a sign of respect, when you place it against the "n word", which is purposely derogatory. Granted that kids nowadays have probably all heard the word if they have listened to rappers, so that generation does not have the highly negative connotation with this word that older generations like me might have. And finally, if I was thinking about teaching this book, I would think about how the contents of the book would assist my students in learning. How would this book (or any book) help my students understand the essential question of this unit of study? And, I would also think about how students might feel with the verbage in the book. Is my class mature enough to handle it? Are there some students I am concerned about? In the end, I would certainly see if the materials I am choosing for my class fit the lesson and the students. Just like I do with any materials. The New York Times wrote an interesting article about the revised Huckleberry Finn: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/books/07huck.html
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
March 9, 2011
President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you to ask for your advice. I am 40 years old and an elementary school teacher. Unfortunately, I have not been able to secure a permanent position since I earned my Master's in Teaching from Lewis & Clark College 3 years ago. I am in the midst of updating my license, spending money on top of the $40,000 I took out as a loan to secure my original license and degree. I have an excellent reputation among the teachers I have worked with.
I have been fortunate in that I am able to continue making my student loan payments, thanks to my husband who owns his own business and supports our family. We, as many families across the Unites States are, under financial strain, but we are not in dire straits. I cannot collect unemployment as a substitute teacher, so I am forced to wait for the phone to ring in order to work. It has been silent more often than it rings. The unemployment rates the news brags about do not include me.
I looked up your State of the Union Address online, and found the following excerpt:
"And over the next 10 years, with so many baby boomers retiring from
our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of
science and technology and engineering and math. "
"In fact, to every young person listening tonight who's contemplating their
career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if
you want to make a difference in the life of a child -- become a teacher.
Your country needs you."
-Obama, Barack. State of the Union Address. US Capitol. Washington DC. January 25, 2011.
I have read and re-read those words many times. I agree that making a difference in the life of a student can make a difference in the life of our nation - it is among the many reasons I chose to pursue this field. In my time as a teacher, I have made connections with students and families that go beyond the classroom, and I take pride in hearing glowing parent reports about children I have taught. I am prepared now. My country needs me now.
So here is my question. Do I wait until I am 50 years old before I can reasonably expect to be permanently employed? In a time when I am supposed to be putting money away for my retirement, are you asking me (and so many of my friends who are in a similar situation) to simply exist in the hope that in the next decade, we might be able to find a job teaching? What do you want me to do? How can I serve our country's future, while waiting for school districts to have enough money to hire new teachers?
My father was a United States Senator for more than 20 years. I realize that a staffer is reading this letter, and that any response I get will be a general, prepared answer. But I hope that my question is passed along to decision makers willing to hear what actual people are enduring, and who can make a change to help everyone.
Sincerely,
Shyla P. Middleton
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Just when you think you have heard everything...
It has been a slow substitute season this year, as teachers are afraid to lose their jobs if they take too much time off, so I have been quiet.
Fortunately, I ran into a teacher I had gone to school with a few years back, and he asked me to sub for him the following day. Turns out all of the teachers of that grade were going to meet to plan curriculum that day, so there were subs in all four portable classrooms. The class was fabulous, one of my favorite grades, and they were a lot of fun to teach.
Well, at lunch, the teachers and the subs were gathered in the staff room, gobbling down food and comparing notes on the kids. Then one of the teachers walks in and asks if we had heard what had happened in her classroom that morning - the sub was absent from the room. No, we replied, we hadn't heard, but we were eager to find out what she had to share.
Turns out one of the students in the class had brought something from home that day. Now, keep in mind that kids bring in all sorts of things from home every day. As a teacher, you see all kinds of objects: pictures, stuffed animals, toys... but never have I seen a student bring in a vibrator.
Yep, that's right, that's what this student had evidently brought to school that day. Not a personal massager, but an out and out vibrator.
After we all chuckled, I thanked my lucky stars that it hadn't been in my classroom. The student was asked to go to the office with the offending object, and from what I understood, the receptionist had to call home. Boy, there's a call you wouldn't want to answer!
So the lesson here is, if you are a parent, be sure to review the things your child wants to take to school to share. And if you are a teacher, make sure you take a look before the student pulls their "sharing" out of their backpack. You never know what might be lurking...
Fortunately, I ran into a teacher I had gone to school with a few years back, and he asked me to sub for him the following day. Turns out all of the teachers of that grade were going to meet to plan curriculum that day, so there were subs in all four portable classrooms. The class was fabulous, one of my favorite grades, and they were a lot of fun to teach.
Well, at lunch, the teachers and the subs were gathered in the staff room, gobbling down food and comparing notes on the kids. Then one of the teachers walks in and asks if we had heard what had happened in her classroom that morning - the sub was absent from the room. No, we replied, we hadn't heard, but we were eager to find out what she had to share.
Turns out one of the students in the class had brought something from home that day. Now, keep in mind that kids bring in all sorts of things from home every day. As a teacher, you see all kinds of objects: pictures, stuffed animals, toys... but never have I seen a student bring in a vibrator.
Yep, that's right, that's what this student had evidently brought to school that day. Not a personal massager, but an out and out vibrator.
After we all chuckled, I thanked my lucky stars that it hadn't been in my classroom. The student was asked to go to the office with the offending object, and from what I understood, the receptionist had to call home. Boy, there's a call you wouldn't want to answer!
So the lesson here is, if you are a parent, be sure to review the things your child wants to take to school to share. And if you are a teacher, make sure you take a look before the student pulls their "sharing" out of their backpack. You never know what might be lurking...
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