Monday, February 1, 2010
All good things must end...
Well my friends, it looks like the point of this blog will have to change because I got a very long term sub job. It'll be from now until the end of the year!! I'll be pondering what I can write about next and maybe just tell stories about teaching in general. I do collect plenty of those.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Back to Business
January 12
Motto of the Day: Water on a duck's back!
I remember this was the first class in a huge high school for which I subbed and one was a behavioral challenge. So today I've come with a new motto and so far it's worked. The beauty of the situation though is that it's second semester and these are all new classes and they were fantastic! The water swooshed off this duck's back very easily today.
In the Business Management class we watched a video on the history of advertising. I learned that Nabisco started out the NAtional BIScuit COmpany! No way! I found the whole thing quite interesting but the kids? Not so much. Watching the few with their heads down brought back the quote "education is wasted on the young." I thought about it for a minute and decided a certain amount of education is NOT wasted on the young. Everybody needs to be able to function in society and in order to do that they need certain skills. Then there was a short period where I had to pass out registration materials for next year. As I flipped through the book of registration options, I had to wonder how many kids still graduate without those basic skills while given the opportunity to take classes like Japanese? Yes, you need to be able to read and write English. Japanese?? Russian?? Even French and Spanish are unnecessary if you can't read and write English in the United States!
The peeve of the day (as always at this particular school) is the allowing of cell phones and texting in class. Gee, do we wonder why the attention span of kids matches that of a gnat? If the kids have to learn to pay attention... they will! No more excuses people!! Just say 'NO'.
Motto of the Day: Water on a duck's back!
I remember this was the first class in a huge high school for which I subbed and one was a behavioral challenge. So today I've come with a new motto and so far it's worked. The beauty of the situation though is that it's second semester and these are all new classes and they were fantastic! The water swooshed off this duck's back very easily today.
In the Business Management class we watched a video on the history of advertising. I learned that Nabisco started out the NAtional BIScuit COmpany! No way! I found the whole thing quite interesting but the kids? Not so much. Watching the few with their heads down brought back the quote "education is wasted on the young." I thought about it for a minute and decided a certain amount of education is NOT wasted on the young. Everybody needs to be able to function in society and in order to do that they need certain skills. Then there was a short period where I had to pass out registration materials for next year. As I flipped through the book of registration options, I had to wonder how many kids still graduate without those basic skills while given the opportunity to take classes like Japanese? Yes, you need to be able to read and write English. Japanese?? Russian?? Even French and Spanish are unnecessary if you can't read and write English in the United States!
The peeve of the day (as always at this particular school) is the allowing of cell phones and texting in class. Gee, do we wonder why the attention span of kids matches that of a gnat? If the kids have to learn to pay attention... they will! No more excuses people!! Just say 'NO'.
Monday, December 21, 2009
December?
Wow, not a lot going on in December for a sub... at least not for me. That means either they only needed building subs or it's the time of year when everybody knows a great break is coming and they head to school anyway. I guess we'll never know.
Next month I start serious school shopping to see at what school I'd really like to teach. You shouldn't always let the job pick you.........
Next month I start serious school shopping to see at what school I'd really like to teach. You shouldn't always let the job pick you.........
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Middle School French
November 30
I did NOT like my junior high French teacher. She was a little prickly and it was a lot of work. Of course, when I went to Paris 10 years ago I could actually speak fairly well, which gave me a whole new appreciation for her. Maybe she wasn't the most fun but I learned French!!
So today I was a middle school French teacher and from what I remembered I must have done fairly well because the kids thought I spoke French. I was honest and told them my little story. Anyway, this was clearly the most disorganized teacher I've ever seen!! And as usual, the disorganized room also reflected disorganzied students and a disorganized plan for classroom management. It is amazing how so many of these things connect!
During one class (7th grade) there was a group of 4 boys sitting in a back corner. We were taking care of some housekeeping chores, collecting papers, passing out books, etc., when it finally happened. (I always wondered what I would do if it did happen and now I know.) These 4 boys all started coughing at the same time. Oh no! A disrupt the class 'cause there's a sub trick! Well, these were 7th graders who still have just enough fear to be intimidated so I walked over, got real close and told them to knock it off, it wasn't going to work with me and I'll have them out of this class so fast they won't know what happened. Big eyes and surprised faces looked back and nodded. I didn't say it loud enough for the whole class to hear but they knew what was going on and it was a good class after that.
I don't know that I would have reacted the same way with a high school group who tried something like that but it worked today.
I did NOT like my junior high French teacher. She was a little prickly and it was a lot of work. Of course, when I went to Paris 10 years ago I could actually speak fairly well, which gave me a whole new appreciation for her. Maybe she wasn't the most fun but I learned French!!
So today I was a middle school French teacher and from what I remembered I must have done fairly well because the kids thought I spoke French. I was honest and told them my little story. Anyway, this was clearly the most disorganized teacher I've ever seen!! And as usual, the disorganized room also reflected disorganzied students and a disorganized plan for classroom management. It is amazing how so many of these things connect!
During one class (7th grade) there was a group of 4 boys sitting in a back corner. We were taking care of some housekeeping chores, collecting papers, passing out books, etc., when it finally happened. (I always wondered what I would do if it did happen and now I know.) These 4 boys all started coughing at the same time. Oh no! A disrupt the class 'cause there's a sub trick! Well, these were 7th graders who still have just enough fear to be intimidated so I walked over, got real close and told them to knock it off, it wasn't going to work with me and I'll have them out of this class so fast they won't know what happened. Big eyes and surprised faces looked back and nodded. I didn't say it loud enough for the whole class to hear but they knew what was going on and it was a good class after that.
I don't know that I would have reacted the same way with a high school group who tried something like that but it worked today.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Same School for 4 Days
November 20-25
I'm at the same school for four days!!! It's very exciting because I can actually get to know the kids a bit. It's a middle school.
So far every day during second hour this girl comes up to me and tells me her knee hurts. The first day she did it I noticed she walked in without a problem, sat down, nothing looks swollen, but she needed to go get an ice pack. I simply asked what had happened during first hour and how she hurt herself. She just shrugged. Ok, then. So I looked at both skinny little knees on this girl who weighs about 85 lbs with 10 lbs of hair and told her she looked ok to me. "If it's still a problem you can go next hour." About 10 minutes later she gets up to go sharpen her pencil and she's limping. Oh my. It must be getting MUCH worse. I smile and wonder if the limp will change from knee to knee. When it's time to go she walks perfectly normally out the door.
Now, that in itself is a little comical BUT the funny part was that it happened again the next day! She walks in just fine and then at some point during class it just starts hurting again to the point where she's limping. I told her there must be something about this room that makes that knee really hurt. She looked at me and agreed. I can't wait to see if it happens again!
Then there was this boy who was supposed to be reading silently. I saw him taking apart his pen and playing with the pieces. When I brought it to his attention and told him to stop he informed me that he was very smart and should be in a different class. I told him he should talk to the teacher about that when she came back because that could be a really big problem. A few minutes later I look up and see him tear off a piece of paper and start chewing on it. Oh yes! Not only is he smart but he's a paper-eater. Great!
Then it dawns on me... Hmmm... pen taken apart, tiny wads of wet paper... Yes, I'm slow, but rarely stupid. Not a paper-eater! Spit wads!! He didn't get a single shot off. Here's to teachers who watch and pay attention.
I'm at the same school for four days!!! It's very exciting because I can actually get to know the kids a bit. It's a middle school.
So far every day during second hour this girl comes up to me and tells me her knee hurts. The first day she did it I noticed she walked in without a problem, sat down, nothing looks swollen, but she needed to go get an ice pack. I simply asked what had happened during first hour and how she hurt herself. She just shrugged. Ok, then. So I looked at both skinny little knees on this girl who weighs about 85 lbs with 10 lbs of hair and told her she looked ok to me. "If it's still a problem you can go next hour." About 10 minutes later she gets up to go sharpen her pencil and she's limping. Oh my. It must be getting MUCH worse. I smile and wonder if the limp will change from knee to knee. When it's time to go she walks perfectly normally out the door.
Now, that in itself is a little comical BUT the funny part was that it happened again the next day! She walks in just fine and then at some point during class it just starts hurting again to the point where she's limping. I told her there must be something about this room that makes that knee really hurt. She looked at me and agreed. I can't wait to see if it happens again!
Then there was this boy who was supposed to be reading silently. I saw him taking apart his pen and playing with the pieces. When I brought it to his attention and told him to stop he informed me that he was very smart and should be in a different class. I told him he should talk to the teacher about that when she came back because that could be a really big problem. A few minutes later I look up and see him tear off a piece of paper and start chewing on it. Oh yes! Not only is he smart but he's a paper-eater. Great!
Then it dawns on me... Hmmm... pen taken apart, tiny wads of wet paper... Yes, I'm slow, but rarely stupid. Not a paper-eater! Spit wads!! He didn't get a single shot off. Here's to teachers who watch and pay attention.
Not a Great Day
November 20
This was one of those days when you wonder why you're doing this again? It is amazing the effect one or two students can have on your psyche! Many years ago I taught in a special program for inner-city high school kids who have the unique challenge of not being able to have chosen the family or circumstances in which they came to be in the world. Since our family is pretty much chosen for us, depending on your family, you react differently to the world and how it functions. For some kids not only is surviving or navigating the world a challenge, but surviving their day-to-day family life is also a challenge. Everybody has their own set of baggage that comes with them, but many of these students come with an extra set because they do not have a supportive family and have had to learn to cope on their own. It's the cycle of poverty and how it affects their parents, siblings, their world.
As a teacher when you come up against one of these students you remind yourself NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY. Rarely does a student lashing out have anything to do with you. I've learned that when something happens teachers react with their gut, their heart, or their head. When a student lashes out, many teachers have a gut reaction. They get mad and respond with the first thing that pops into their head and usually lash out themselves. This creates a power struggle that they most likely won't win or make themselves a royal fool trying.
Other teachers react with their heart. Their feelings are hurt and they can't believe this student, whom they honestly care about, has treated them this way. As the students watch the teacher give up their authority in front of the whole class, they all remember what button was pushed to get this reaction and file it away for later use. The creates a weak and emotional teacher who will struggle a lot.
Finally, those teachers who 'get it' will respond with their head, reminding themselves that it's not about them. Most students, especially those carrying the extra baggage, really don't think about their teachers as much as some teachers think they do. They don't really care about what's going on in your world because they may not have had breakfast, may have unavailable parents, may not be sure where they'll sleep at night. Or it's not quite so dramatic and a kid just had a fight in the morning with a sibling and got in trouble on the way to school and is taking it out on everyone they meet. The reason is unimportant. The reaction is critical. Teachers need to stay in their heads. Period. It's not always easy. But it always makes for a better day.
So, when you tap on the head of the girl who is sleeping and ask her to pick up her head in class, (as I did today) when she responds with a loud, "You hit me!" You can't react outside of your head. When she goes to the principal and complains and students come in your room and ask if you slapped a student, you cannot get mad or emotional. You tell them the truth. "Nope. Didn't slap anyone. Interesting story though." No defense, no emotion, just the truth, or as much of it as they need to know.
Let's remember though that it can be scary when something like that happens. Careers have been ruined with lies like that...
This was one of those days when you wonder why you're doing this again? It is amazing the effect one or two students can have on your psyche! Many years ago I taught in a special program for inner-city high school kids who have the unique challenge of not being able to have chosen the family or circumstances in which they came to be in the world. Since our family is pretty much chosen for us, depending on your family, you react differently to the world and how it functions. For some kids not only is surviving or navigating the world a challenge, but surviving their day-to-day family life is also a challenge. Everybody has their own set of baggage that comes with them, but many of these students come with an extra set because they do not have a supportive family and have had to learn to cope on their own. It's the cycle of poverty and how it affects their parents, siblings, their world.
As a teacher when you come up against one of these students you remind yourself NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY. Rarely does a student lashing out have anything to do with you. I've learned that when something happens teachers react with their gut, their heart, or their head. When a student lashes out, many teachers have a gut reaction. They get mad and respond with the first thing that pops into their head and usually lash out themselves. This creates a power struggle that they most likely won't win or make themselves a royal fool trying.
Other teachers react with their heart. Their feelings are hurt and they can't believe this student, whom they honestly care about, has treated them this way. As the students watch the teacher give up their authority in front of the whole class, they all remember what button was pushed to get this reaction and file it away for later use. The creates a weak and emotional teacher who will struggle a lot.
Finally, those teachers who 'get it' will respond with their head, reminding themselves that it's not about them. Most students, especially those carrying the extra baggage, really don't think about their teachers as much as some teachers think they do. They don't really care about what's going on in your world because they may not have had breakfast, may have unavailable parents, may not be sure where they'll sleep at night. Or it's not quite so dramatic and a kid just had a fight in the morning with a sibling and got in trouble on the way to school and is taking it out on everyone they meet. The reason is unimportant. The reaction is critical. Teachers need to stay in their heads. Period. It's not always easy. But it always makes for a better day.
So, when you tap on the head of the girl who is sleeping and ask her to pick up her head in class, (as I did today) when she responds with a loud, "You hit me!" You can't react outside of your head. When she goes to the principal and complains and students come in your room and ask if you slapped a student, you cannot get mad or emotional. You tell them the truth. "Nope. Didn't slap anyone. Interesting story though." No defense, no emotion, just the truth, or as much of it as they need to know.
Let's remember though that it can be scary when something like that happens. Careers have been ruined with lies like that...
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Amazing Former Students
I just finished reading the blog of a former student who recently came back from teaching English in Thailand. She kept us all up on what she was doing, where she was going, the people she met, the fun she had, and the food and sickness she encountered on her journey through countries I cannot imagine visiting. She has grown into an amazing human being and I taught her math and character education in 6th grade! Now believe me when I tell you I had NOTHING to do with who she is now and give God and her parents all the credit in the world. But when I think of that little girl with the great sense of humor, asking questions and giggling with her friends, and see who she is now... I am simply blown away by the person she has become... and humbled by what she has done and seen so far in her life. I feel honored and privileged to have been a part of her life and very lucky to still be connected in some small way.
These are the things many teachers never know. What adventures will the student who was fortunate enough to get into Yale University and wants to make movies, the beautiful, strong, and funny young women studying Latin and classics who used to make me laugh so hard with their quotes in Calculus, the United States Marine learning to speak Farsi who used to sleep in class and still understand what I was talking about, those who used to call me 'Chalang', and that funny group of boys who who were always doing something crazy that you just couldn't get mad about have? We, as teachers, are connected to so many people who are not yet finished. What a privilege!! Unless you teach, you will never know what an unbelievable gift that is...
I cannot wait to see who they all become and hope one day I'll know.
These are the things many teachers never know. What adventures will the student who was fortunate enough to get into Yale University and wants to make movies, the beautiful, strong, and funny young women studying Latin and classics who used to make me laugh so hard with their quotes in Calculus, the United States Marine learning to speak Farsi who used to sleep in class and still understand what I was talking about, those who used to call me 'Chalang', and that funny group of boys who who were always doing something crazy that you just couldn't get mad about have? We, as teachers, are connected to so many people who are not yet finished. What a privilege!! Unless you teach, you will never know what an unbelievable gift that is...
I cannot wait to see who they all become and hope one day I'll know.
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