Apples to Apples

TEACHER APPLICANT
   
    After being interviewed by the school
administration, the eager teaching prospect said
“Let me see if I’ve got this right. You want me to
go into that room  with all those kids, and fill
 their every waking moment with a love for learning,
and I’m supposed to instill a sense of pride in
 their ethnicity, modify  their disruptive behavior,
observe them for signs of abuse and even censor
 their T-shirt messages and dress habits.
 
     
       You want me to wage a war on drugs and
 sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks
 for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their
self esteem. You want me to teach them patriotism,
 good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to
 register to vote, how to balance a checkbook, and
 how to apply for a job.
      
     I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a
 safe environment, recognize signs of anti-social
behavior, make sure all students pass the state
 exams, even those who don’t come to school regularly
 or complete any of   their assignments.
 Plus, I am to make sure that all of the students
 with handicaps get   an  equal education regardless

This blog died. It died long ago. But I  loved it and I want it up and active. And I am a teacher and a nurturer, so  Ifeel that I can be successful is reviving it. Plus, it’s summer and I’m bored

I found this post saved in my computer from mid-school year. It took me back to one of the many frustrations and revelations that I felt this year. I thought I would go ahead and share it. Later on in the summer, I’ll be back to share more stories, ideas, and info for teachers

Another day had passed in my classroom. Another boring day. I am bored. How could the kids be learning ANYTHING if I Am bored? I am doing all of the differentiated instruction bullshit and still I don’t feel like they are getting it!

I’ve felt like this time and time again. It always makes me mad that I feel like I want to be a great teacher, but I’m not. I think I do awesome working with kids, but am I effectively educating them in academic areas?

I know this is hitting me much harder this year than last because I have students with learning disabilities, but I am a no excuses kind of person, and I just can’t be happy doing what I do, knowing it’s not working, and continuing it that way.

I want to be a teacher like Ron Harmon (put in link to him). I want to reach kids in a way that will cause them to be better people AND learn how to make sense of what they read, or to master long division, etc.

It may seem obvious to so many, and it is preached in colleges across the world, but like a ton of bricks “Bring it to life” came to mind last week for me. You know, stop giving them the information and TEACH them the damn stuff!!!

My plan of action is to move, move, move more around my classroom. Plan quarters at a time (which I do now, but only the skeleton info) and gather all the details I can. I am going to make it a goal never to read and do the questions. That way, when I am lost for how to communicate something, I can have that as a fall back and it will only be once in a great while. Many of my students can’t read. I am going to plan my lessons around that. I am also supposed to be teaching the same 6^th grade standards, so I am going to use the same books and just BRING IT TO LIFE so that a non-reader is getting the same info. I’ve decided to take a new perspective. I want my kids to know the standards and I want them to be able to carry a conversation with other kids and adults. I am going to TEACH them all that I know about the topics for their level. Then in the cracks I will reteach them reading and writing. My hope is that they learn to love new information and it starts to click enough to make something of themselves

When the school year started, I told myself I would blog all acounts of my 4th year and put up every helpful bit I came across and a be not only a place for teachers to vent, but to share, and learn from each other. It is now nearing the end of the 3rd quarter and I have not done this. I feel like I’ve failed at this, but I am not yet going to give up. I am going to bring this baby back to life! Stay tuned for recollections of the beginning of the year and yeasr past, a list of what I think will make life easier for next year, stories to remind of you of why you are a teacher (and some that may make you reconsider), support for the dazed and confused, and fun in general.

I love a good debate regarding politics and various viewpoints, but I did not like the political experience I had today.

I had to sit through a Manifastation Determination hearing. For those who are not yet familiat with this, it is an aspect of special ed where you have to determine if a child’s poor behavior is due to their disability or because something is going unaddressed.

In this case, the argument could have been made in either direction for this particular child. It isn’t so much having to go through that - though it is taxing. It was the whole discussion that went with it. The principal and head of  special ed were on one side while the other special ed teacher, spec ed coordinater, social worker, and parents were on the other. I had no idea which was I planned to vote, so I sat quiet trying to weigh all info and make the best choice for the child. The two sides argued and argued and man, were they nasty. It was clear that there are several years of tension and disrespect behind it and I just felt completely stuck.

When the paper came around to sign and mark which box you agreed with, I was coerced into marking the same as the othed spec ed teacher. I don’t feel good about my decision. I feel worse that I let myself be bullied. I feel like I want to run to the principal and tattled that my coteacher intimidates me into doing things I don’t agree with.

I am having a very hard time balancing my ethics and my professionalism at this job. I decided today that I am putting in for a transfer to get out of this position. I don’t who I can trust in this building and who I can listen to.

My coteacher keeps telling me half truths or forgetting to tell me things or not showing up on important days knowing full well I am unprepared. My coordinator is aparently too busy to stop in and make sure I’m not drowning, and my principal is in his first year and just as lost as I am (at least it seems that way). I feel like I have no where to turn and the evil one is constantly tricking me and making me fell like an ass in front of the rest of the staff.

Like I said, I’ve decided to transfer next year, but what am I to do until June? Should I talk to the principal even though I’m not sure I trust him (I don’t trust anyone at my school, so sad)? Should I just keep my mouth shut and vent online here at my blog? I feel like that 12 year old girl who just wanted to fit and did stupid shit to make others accept her. I am too damn old to act like that, but I can’t come up with any other option.

What’s your call?

Blog.com has made some upgrades - YAY!

In the process they’ve managed to wipe out my profile - BOO!

I am being patient, I am being patient.

I just finished watching a documentary on TLC. It was about a young child born with an undeveloped twin attached causing her to look like a two headed child, because…well, she was. They removed the head, though it sucked and smiled and cried. The little girl survived! But she had some water on the brain because of the surgery and was sure to be a special needs child (and adult).

It was a reminder to me that the students in my class are the way they are for reasons beyond their control. And they are as frustrated as I am that they are having a hard time learning to read.

I’m likely be muster up those last bits of patience tomorrow.

I used to have a picture up of myself on this blog. It was just a regular picture. Then, I got back my school pictures and thought other educators would find the humor in it if I used that one. Because really, what do we do with them? I know personally, I sign smart-ass stuff to the back like we did in high school ( you know, K.I.T., have a kick ass summer, I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know you, etc) and I mail them off to my closest friends. Then, I obnoxiously mail my parents the 5 x 7 with some sort of sarcastic note about how I want to see it up next time I’m over (which now that I live across the country may be a while). Anyway, I thought it would be funny to me, if no one else, to have my lame school pic posted on my teacher blog.

Instead, I redirected one of my students who was wandering the room last week to draw a picture of me on the board. I know, I was asking for it. She could have done a number to my self-esteem. Instead she came up with what you now see on the sidebar. Not bad! I was impressed and have found one talented artist in my group of 6^th graders!

Oh and simply for amusement, here’s my fall school picture.

KIT!
LYLAS!

BFF!

Friends 4 Eva!

A coworker sent me the following link this week. It’s a survey about No Child Left Behind. I found it difficult to answer because there are no options to answer “this is impossible”, “this is a utopian concept with many flaws”, or even “none of the above”. Hopefully you will have better luck expressing yourself than I did. Make sure to pass this on to anyone you know who would have an opinion about NCLB.

 www.GiveKidsGoodSchools.org

I wanted to add this post a while ago - the second week of school acutally (now it’s the 8th).

At my interview I was asked about what I would do if a student didn’t call me by name. I was stumped and explained that I would probably remind them of my name, correct them, and ask for it to be said correctly in the future.

It was then explained to me that in this city/culture that would be the wrong thing to do. Apparently, the students in this community call you “Miss” or “Mister” when they really like you and you are “in” with them. It is something you don’t WANT to correct.

So the school year started, I introduced myself, and they called me by name. Early in the second week, a student touched my arm and said “Miss”, I took the breath to turn and remind him of my last name, but as I turned to look at him, I quickly remembered my interview conversation and smiled.

If felt so great to be in the midst of the chaos that was my life, and be accepted like that. I did a little “Yes!” on the inside.