I seriously love my best friend

From Megan: And I am floored at all of the training and other stupid stuff you have to do. Its seriously even annoying me and I don't even have to do it.

She always knows how to cheer me up. Seriously, I love her to death. :O)

Just Another Manic Monday....

Today was just a totally crazy day. I got in really early because I hadn't done much over the four-day weekend (yet, as I just mentioned, it was a four-day weekend and I really wasn't in the mood to do any work). I made some copies, talked to the guys, talked with Catherine, did my things in the morning, it was looking to be a good day. My eighth grade classes, at least first and second period were not too bad. I'm absolutely astonished at how little they know though. For example, many of them couldn't tell me the two political parties of the United States. Anyway, with most of them, I think they understood the concept of Early Politlca Parties. I'm also looking for a quiz that will help them figure out their own political parties. I have to get on that.

On the other hand, I was also absolutely astonished at how stupid some of my kids were. There was one girl who could not answer a simple question, despite the fact that we had just spelled it out word for word AND the answer was on the board. And then when I asked her if she had been paying attention, she said no! I nearly kicked her out of the classroom- if she's going to waste my time, I don't need her around! It was so absoltuely frustrating! On the good side, in my fifth period, the instigator and most annoying student wasn't there and the other two were actually pertty good. I wonder if I can talk to someone and see about getting him removed from my class-- he doesn't do anything and when he is in class, he just distrups the other students. Or maybe we could just sedate him or muzzle him when he comes in.... Anyway....

To make up for the stupidity of my eighth graders, my seventh graders actually did a great job, especially my sixth period students. We had a shortened period because of passing back report cards and I was so impressed at how quickly they got the information. They seemed to udnerstand the concept of feudalism in class today- we'll see how they do when we recap tomorrow.

But that wasn't the end of my Manic Monday. I was planning on working on grades after school until I got an email from Feather that said: Hi. I am sure you are aware but I wanted to double check. Tomorrow 11/27 @10:16 3rd, Betsy arranged for you to see Trinity. She will demostrate some of the instructional strategies that BTSA has been talking about. I will be with you so we can talk about what you see. Arrange materials and plans as someone (Betsy & Bob) will watch your class.

WHAT???

At this point, I have to totally change my lesson around. I had been planning on doing direct instruction and now had to go and make copies of not only the quiz the kids are getting, but also a bunch of worksheets for them to do because I don't want to leave the teaching to anyone else. I'm also trying to figure out my lesson for Thursday for World and meanwhile, find out that I have to meet with the other BTSA people to talk about our box review on Wednesday.

By the time, I get everything finished, it's nearly 3:30- and then I find out that just kidding- we're postponing the demo lesson. For cryin' out loud! So, now I've just wasted almost an hour and I still haven't done my grades. So, while I'm doing my grades, atound 3:50< I get an email that there's a history training session- 3:30-5:00 on Wednesday for World and 3:30-5:00 on Thursday for US. Except, at this point, I already have that BTSA thing at 2:15 on Wednesday and another official BTSA meeting on Thursday. So now I have meetings from 2:15-5:00 on Wednesday and from 3:30-5:00 on Thursday. This leaves me NO time either day, except for maybe a half hour on Thursday to get work done. Thank GOODNESS there's a non-student day on Friday- I'm going to need that time to make up all the grading and lesson planning that I'll msis out on.

I guess I'm just really frustrated at the lack on communcation. A few hours ago, I had nothing but a short BTSA meeting and another BTSA training. Now I am jammed full of meetings and trainings and I didn't know but so many of them. It's ridiculous. I just wish that we would get thiese things a little more in advance so I have time to work my schedule around them. Sigh- if wishes were horses.....

Haikus

As we wrapped up the Japan unit, I had my students write me haikus. I had them pick a season of the year, since Japanese haikus are based on nature. We talked about seventeen syllables- a combination of 5-7-5 and they came up to get their poem approved before settingn out to put it onto a poster and decorate it. I was pretty impressed and thoroughly amused at what they came up with. Here are the winners of the First Annual Haiku Awards.

Best Decorated (imagine in your head- snowflakes, snowmen, trees, beauty, very lovely):

Snowflakes fall softly

Lovely drifting here and there

Floating Gracefully

Most Poetic:

Leaves dressed on the earth

Dancing to graceful breezes

Up, down, swilf, up, down

Poem Least Related to Picture (picture is of a cabin, snow-covered mountains, reindeers, etc.:

Winter always ends

How come it is very cold

Because it does rain

Most Misspelled (presented with no corrections):

It's warm, its's cold, ha.

I open all the presenit

Now it's over, bye.

Least Connection to a Season (see if you can see the connection to Spring....):

The car is broken

Took it to the shop to fix

Fixed it and it works

Makes the Least Sense:

Little Lily's Red

Follwoing my head and blew

and the white and red

(huh?)

Best Use of Roget's Thesaurus:

The snow is frigid

Everything freezes over

Some sun would be nice.

LAUGH Out Loud Poem:

I went to the pool

I yelled why are you here, Val?

I was bored at the pool

(***note: Val is a student in the class- and there is a picture of two people, one saying "why are you here, Val" and the other saying "I don't know")

Most Heartfelt:

A field of flowers

Where I sit down to look at

the beautiful sky

Evokes the Senses:

Time flies and leaves falls

The wind blows against my face

What a pretty sight

Most Use of the Words "May" and "Hot":

Summer is so hot

The hottest days are in May

In May it's so hot.

Most Honest:

Man it's really hot

I'm trying to get a fan

My mom is real cheap.

Fastest Passing of Seasons Ever:

The snow is freezing

In the cold I felt like frost

The snow is melting.

Most Incorrect Haiku:

In the month of

October it is windy

and cold.
(hm...)

So there you have it- the creme de la creme of the haikus that I was given. They were certainly fun to read and definitely a way for the kids to let out some of their creativity.

PS- I still crack up when I think "why are you here Val?"

BTSA Update

My apologies first and foremost for being entirely remiss in my blogging duties. It's been a crazy few days and I just haven't had the time to sit and collect my thoughts. Most importantly, now that I'm back, is to give you a BTSA update.

So, I was REALLY nervous about this whole situation because I was really worried about what lesson to teach and how my schedule was being kind of thrown off and all that. But, I needed to stay focused on how I just needed to get through first period, my favorite group of eighth graders, and then that was it. I ended up picking a TCI lesson on Hamilton and Jefferson, comparing the two and filling out a chart using some Biographical Briefings. I wanted to try and do as much modeling, sharing, pairing, etc., as I could so I went all out. I put a diagram on the board with what kids were going to fill out what sections and what pairings the students would be in, made sure to do the first section myself so that I could show them how to do it, etc.

the other thing I was worried about were the things that she had talked to me the previous time- management and behavioural issues, the whole not randomly picking on students, etc. There is no way that I'm using Popsicle sticks and I was ready again to have a discussion with her about the whole reason behind it, etc. Also, I never really have management issues with my first period class- they're all pretty docile- but I needed to make sure I had some strategies. I wasn't going to count down or anything, but I found this great website from the NEA which had all these strategies that I was already doing so I figured it was legit... and could be some good ammunition.

So, anyway, my lesson goes really well. We do a little in general talking, I explain the assignment, read a section out loud, I model and then have them contribute and then I set them on their way. I wander around, make sure they're on task, I give them further directions for sharing, etc., anyway, it goes great. She looks really pleased when she leaves, which is a good sign.

So we met that afternoon (I didn't think we'd meet until the next day but I was really glad that we met that day. she made a lot of good comments, was very positive (that's a new thing...), overall, the meeting went well. I still stood my ground on the whole Popsicle stick issue. So, after the meeting, she gave me some assignments which I have to finish by tomorrow and then I think I may be done with BTSA (well, still have meetings and such, like one tomorrow) but I don't think I'm being officially observed again for a while. Thank you Jesus.

So on Friday, Mark commented on how happy I looked- it definitely amused him... :)

The Three Musketeers from Hell!!!

There are these four kids in my six period class who make up Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d'Artagnan from hell. They are really sweet kids but they drive me up the wall sometimes. We'll assign the role of d'Artagnan to the least annoying of the three- he's actually a really smart kid and just kind of gets caught up with the other Musketeers. Because they have the same initial, we'll call the two who got detention today Athos and Aramis. They are also good kids but tend to get caught up in the instigation of Porthos, who we'll call our final kid. Athos and Aramis also tend to shout things out in class without raising their hand, which is very disrupting to everyone else. So both Aramis and Athos got three days of detention- today, tomorrow and Thursday. I let them work on their homework for half an hour but they first had to write me an essay for half an hour telling me why their got detention and what they were going to do in the future to not get a detention anymore. I found them oddly amusing and information, so I thought I'd recreate them here.

There is Athos's essay:
The reason I'm in this detention is because I talk too much in class without raising my hand. I shout things at other people, like [Porthos] always is calling me "she" and "fish" so I tell stuff back at him. I always blurt out in class although I have an answer to the questions. I'll try to not yell out in class by ignoring everybody else, if they have to say something bad to me, especially when [Porthos] calls me a girl or a fish or tells me to go back to the ocean. I'll try to raise my hand instead of blurting out the answer or something I have to say. In the future I'll try to be a smarter and better kid to know what's wrong or bad and I'll try not to talk with anybody else when the teacher doesn't want us talking, only if I'm working with a partner or doing a presentation. I'll raise my hand instead of blurting out and shouting out answers andI'll try to ignore [Porthos] so I won't shout back or get distracted or into trouble.

And here is Aramis's essay (see the similarities....):
I got a detention because at first I was goofing around and then [Porthos] called [Athos] a fish and so I laughed a lot and then that's how I got detention. I will not get detention by not goofing around in class or by not disturbing the teacher. And also by not laughing at [Portho's] jokes. I won't get detention because you have to stay one hour after school and I dont' like that. I think in the future I won't get detention because Iwill try not to get it and I will do what the teacher tells us to do. And I also think I won't be getting detention because I'm gonna focus on working hard because I want to get good grades because right now my grades aren't good and I'm going to try to raise them up. And that's how I'm not going to get detention. And I hope this is the last time I'll get detention.

Hm.... let's list the similarities. 1) Talking out in class and goofing around. 2) It seems like Porthos is the real instigator and maybe if HE gets the detention, he'll stop goofing around and the other two will calm down a little bit. 3) Neither of them want detention anymore..... 4) I think that they're both trying... hopefully two more days of detention will help.

I've found that when the class is working on a group project or with partners, it's so much more productive when one is on one side of the room, the other is working with d'Artagnan on the other side of the room and one, usually poor Athos is outside working by himself. I hate having to send Athos outside so often but unfortunately, it's usually the best way to get him to work. I'm still working on some sort of a system to keep them separated and engaged and not driving me or the rest of the class crazy!

American Idol They're NOT

So today my students had to recite the Preamble of the Constitution to me. For the past two weeks, we've been watching the Preamble clip from School House Rock (for them, it's been about seven times in two weeks- for me, it's been about twenty-eight times in two weeks but who's counting....) so they should know it. They received twenty points for reciting it and forty points if they sang it to the tune of the School House Rock clip. Each mistake was minus one point and if they really crapped it up, it was pretty much like two points for "trying".

So let me just say right off, American Idol they're NOT. Actually, there were a few who could actually hold some semblance of a key. There was one girl who gave a little bit of "vibrato", which was interesting. But in general, they were the most horrendous singers ever! I could barely hold it in. There was one guy who started in so high of a key that I am incredibly impressed that he was able to hit those high notes. Oh, and then those poor boys who were going through puberty.... oh man was that a crack up!

My favorite part of the day was those kids who whined and moaned, "But I don't know it.... I can't do it.... i only remember the first part...... wah, wah, wah, wah, wah." They were forced to go up to the front anyway and oh course, with only a little bit of prompting, did they pretty much get the entire thing. And they were so incredibly proud when they were able to get it. And all I could say was "I told you so!" Except this one girl, she didn't even try and I got so pissed off with her that I gave her two weeks detention on top of the zero. This girl pisses me off anyway. She's failing because she does absolutely nothing, she doesn't stay after school when I ask her to so she can get her assignments, she takes absolutely no responsibility for her work or her education so if she's going to waste my time, I'm going to keep her after school and take her time. Maybe in those two weeks she can make up all the work that she's missing in my class. I'm kidding- it'll take two months.

Simon Cowell-- watch out if any of my students come onto your show....

SO Impressed!

So, I don't know what happened but today AND yesterday, my usuall irresponsible and slacky sixth period class turned in ALL their homework! I was so incredibly impressed and I told them so! It's amazing how much easier it is to teach a class when the students come prepared! I have been really impressed with sixth period these last few days. I've moved some seats around, started a system where everytime a certain individual speaks without raising his hand, he gets an additional minute after school, things like that and it's looking like they're beocming more responsible, more inquisitive, more interactive, in general, more like fourth period. My fourth period kids are always great and have always been great. For an example, one of them really wanted to know my name so I told her that if she went and looked up at least ten Hebrew names, I would tell her. So not only does she get ten, she lists pretty much every single one! It was pretty cool, so I told her my name. I think in general, fourth period is easier to teach because they're right before lunch, they're smaller (only 21 kids) and there aren't as many ELL students. But I really hope that this trend continues because it makes my life eaiser when I'm not on sixth period's tail every day about their work.

Here's to keeping your fingers crossed....

Frustration to the MAX

The following is an email that I just sent Patti, Don and Deb. It pretty much goes through what happened tome today and all the frustrations that I have pent up in my right now. Needless to say, I'm not a happy camper right now.

Hello my dear education folk,

First of all my apologies for this endless email. I really need some advice and you all know me really well and I really trust and appreciate your opinions so hopefully I can get some good advice that'll help me out.

Before I get into my dilemma for which I need some advice on, I just wanted to say hello, hope that everyone is doing well and that things are going OK at good old C of I (SO weird to say that!). In general, things are going well here. We have our first benchmark test on Friday, which is a little nerve wracking but to be expected, but on the upside, it means 1/4 of the school year is over. Plus, it's November, which means Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and a non-student day. Is it good that I'm focusing on my days off?? :) In general, I really like my kids. I have a kick-butt class of seventh graders who are so inquisitive and enthusiastic, which helps me deal with my less enthusiastic other seventh grade classes. In general, my eighth graders are OK, a few problem kids who I have a hard time dealing with because they take away my attention from the other kids, but I'm working on various strategies to deal with them specifically and individually.

OK, now for the requesting of advice. A little background first. So, first and second year teachers in California have to do something called BTSA (I think I mentioned this). It's basically first year teacher mentoring and on top of having to go to a bunch of meetings and training sessions outside of class, I need to have a BTSA support person come in and observe me. The woman who comes in is called a TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment), which I seem to understand as a teacher who is out of the classroom for a few years doing something else- in this case, BTSA. So my supporter person is a third (or fifth, I can't remember) grade teacher who is spending a few years as a support person for BTSA. So the first few times she observed me, it was for a few minutes each time, popping in, sitting in the back for a bit, and then leaving. A few weeks ago, she came and made her first informal but official evaluation. It wasn't the best lesson to see and I know that and admit it. I had been out of the classroom on Monday and had to be out the following week so it was one of those "OK, today's going to be a bit of lecture and not much time to dwell on specifics, so let's just do this". The lesson wasn't a standard, it was just to introduce the kids to a concept so that they could have background knowledge of the following day. Anyway, I got absolutely NO positive feedback whatsoever, which was really frustrating because I know I'm not a perfect teacher but you taught me well, there are some things that I can do correctly. she made a big deal about putting thought into picking who I called on (not just randomly selecting), Think-Pair-Share, etc. I understood her criticisms but it was just frustrating that it wasn't an ideal lesson for her to see and I didn't' really feel like she was getting a good snapshot of what my classroom was like. Since then (before today), she had been in the classroom maybe twice for about two minutes, literally, each time.

So today was another "official" evaluation. This time I made sure that my lesson included group work, group sharing, questioning strategies, etc. I thought that I was putting together a good lesson. Basically we were talking about the rights and responsibilities of a citizen. I started off by asking the students for certain rights that we had been talking about. Some students raised their hands and gave the rights, while I pointedly called on other students. That was the check for understanding, accessing prior knowledge part. Then I asked them what responsibility means. Those students who couldn't define it were asked to give examples and I really didn't do much participating, other than asking questions. (How is babysitting being responsible? Are your parents responsible? For what? What about you? You're 13, do you have responsibilities? etc.) Then I asked them what responsibilities they had to their classroom/school/city/etc. and then asked them about their country. Instead of having them raise their hand, I had them brainstorm individually three ways they participate and are responsible to their country. While they were writing these down, I circled round the classroom and gave some students a brief one-on-one time to help them dig a little deeper. After a few minutes, when each student had at least three things written down, I asked them to share with the table and generate a communal list. I then called on each table and specifically asked one of the students to share so we could generate a list on the board. Again, they were supplying the answers and I was following up with specific questions to get more information. Finally, they got into the textbook and took notes on the textbook list and then discussed what they thought the most important way to participate in government. We didn't get a chance to discuss this but they had to write a paragraph for homework.

All in all, I felt that the class went really well. but when I sat down with Feather, my BTSA lady, she was so critical again. So this is what I'm frustrated with. I want to give you some examples of what she said to me and ask for advice on how I should respond and what I should do in the future.

She told me that I didn't have a system when calling on students and that I should use popsicle sticks or cards so that each student has an equal opportunity to be called on. I responded that my expectation is that all my students should be able to answer a question. It's part of their class participation points, they were told at the beginning of the year that nobody is exempt from speaking in class, etc. I didn't think it was necessary or particularly age level (especially since I'm trying to prepare them for high school) to use popsicle sticks. She argued that some students are ELL and I replied that regardless if they're ELL or gifted or whatever, I have the same expectation of them that they answer my question. Maybe the expectation of their level of response is different but I know my students, I know which ones like to answer questions and which ones don't and I make sure that even if I don't get to them during class, then I've talked to them and questioned them while making my rounds around the room

She made me a "minutes" sheet of how long I spent on each thing and she indicated that the first ten minutes were lecture. This was when we were talking about what rights and responsibilities are. I don't' understand why she called this lecture. I really didn't feel that pretty much any of it was lecture. It felt more like a discussion where the teacher led by questioning strategies. Never was I standing up in the front of the room and talking and having the kids take notes. She reprimanded me for not using Think-Pair-Share enough and that I only did it once when it was actually several times. And additionally, this goes back to a BTSA training where we were told that if we have the kids Think-Pair-Share first, we should be able to call on ANYONE and get an answer, since they're already shared. Yet, I get reprimanded for calling on students randomly....

I was told that I don't have an established standard for classroom management. I know that classroom management is something that I've had trouble with in the past, especially with my tenth graders last year, but it's something that I feel I have quite under control. I feel like I've t rained my students to know that when I stand up in front of the room, then it's their cue to be silent. Usually it takes a few students to start going "shhh" and within seconds, everyone is quiet. They know that I can keep them after, not let them leave with the bell, etc., and they tend to quiet up quickly. Sometimes I have to give them verbal cues by asking them to quiet down or saying sh but do you think that there's really a problem with that? I know that there are classes that have much worst classroom management and that I'm not the perfect classroom but so far I haven't felt like time has been wasted by my method and it gives me classroom and more relaxed and not as uptight atmosphere. When it's those days that we really need all the time we can get, I let them know right off the bat and this is NOT a day for messing around and in the last two months, I haven't had any problems with that.

This wasn't a big deal but just slightly pissed me off- she said that she could model a lesson for me even though she doesn't know history. She can teach the instruction but "fake her way through the history". I nearly slapped her. There's no way that I'm letting her teach my class if she doesn't know the content.

Anyway, I guess my problem is I feel like I have to change things that are working to appease the person who's watching me. Any advice on what do to? I feel like I need to make each lesson that she watches "perfect", as in do WHATEVER little detail she wants me to do, whether it helps out the class or not. I'm just frustrated- I feel like she's trying to lower my expectations of the kids and treat them like babies instead of getting them ready for high school. I know that this school is NOT Timberline but I still feel like, especially with my background in high school, that we should try and treat them more like high schoolers instead of elementary school kids. I'm just really frustrated, confused, angry, bitter, etc., etc. Any advice that you can give, I would so appreciate it.

-Michal

All I have to say after reading that again is AAARRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Schoohouse Rock

No, not School of Rock... Schoolhouse Rock. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. It is amazing. Because of Schoolhouse Rock, I know why Three is a Magic Number, what a Noun is, where you can get your adverbs (same place that Lolly does), how electricity works, how a bill becomes a law, how to say an easier version of Rufus Xavier Sapsarilla, etc.

When I became a teacher, I got so excited to show these, although it's not really relevant to show them to high schoolers. So I was thrilled to show these to the junior high kids. My students need to memorize the Preamble, so I showed the Preamble clip (and gave them the lyrics) twice yesterday so get the song/words into their head. And then we watched it again today. Meaning that in a span of three days, I've watched the Preamble clip 14 times. I'm about to shoot myself. I'm definitely at the point where I can not only say the Preamble forward, but I can probably say it backwards. My kids in second period, LOVE it though- they will even sing along with the lyrics, which is hilarious. Some of my other kids are a little too "cool" for it, but they all seem to somewhat enjoy it. One students in second period came in after school today to borrow the video to watch it a few times. That's dedication right here :).

Tomorrow I'm showing the clip about how a bill becomes a law. You know, the famous "I'm just a bill, yeah I'm only a bill and I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill."
The only problem that I have this this is that I tend to forget to sing "cuz it's a long long way to the capital city..." and instead sing, thinking of Jake Fulcher the entire time, "cuz it's a long long way to graduation" ala ACI Scholarship Banquet for last year. Oh dear.... that won't help the kids learn at all :)

But man do I love Schoolhouse Rock. Anyone remember Mr. Morton? I still remember Jeff Moore drawing Mr. Morton on his eraser in Mrs. Wanchek's seventh grade English class. He became a beloved member of our table until one day he broke in half. Then it was sad.... Man, those were good times.

VERY Pleasantly Surprised....

My eighth graders spent yesterday in groups breaking down the Preamble of the constituion. Each group (about five kids in 1st and 2nd period and three kids in 3rd and 5th period) had a segment of the Preamble and had to explain what their segment meant and then what is done to ensure that the segment happens (e.g. what is done to establish justice; ensure domestic tranquility, etc.). I know that each group did the work because it was their ticket out the door yesterday. So today, each group was instructed to teach the rest of the class about their segment. They were supposed to stand up and explain the definition and what their segment means. Easy right?

Wrong.

They were terrible! First and second period did not rise to teh occasion. They were mumbling, read too fast, not letting their clasmates ask questions, etc. It was just dreadful! I was so disapointed in them. Finally, two groups into third period I just made them sit down and independently fill out the worksheet, due at the end of the period. In that case, they rose to the occassion. They did a really good job with that so I might, depending on whether or not I want to try this fiasco again, just keep the group projects to a minimum in third period. Or at least keep the persentations to a minimum. After the dreadfulness of third period, I was so scared and worried about fifth period which is my poorest perfomring class. And man oh man, did they surprise me and rise to teh occasion. It was amazing! The first group was a little shaky but the rest were just better and better. The one that I was the most afraid for was the last group, which was made up of two people- except one didn't show. This is a student who rarely does his work, often times just sits in class and does nothing or will need to be reminded numerous times to take out an asignemtn or worksheet. But he got up there and not only did an amazing job presenting, but also had some great information. I was so proud!

However, this whole day has really made me rethink how I'm going to do group presentations in the future. It's nice to have the leeway to experiement too. But seriously, way to go fifth period.