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Category Archives: Teaching
Want to see a junior higher get existential?
Today a student asked me the age-old question: is fire a living thing? I remember that same question when I was a teen. I think it shows up when we want to feel smart. Either that or when we’re pyros.
So my response was that fire is a chemical reaction, but that some people say that we are just a collection of chemical reactions. That sent the wheels spinning.
Advice for a student teacher
Normally this is something that I would post to my professional site, but, as you’ll learn in education, it’s very freeing to have a secret identity that doesn’t have to follow district policy. I just ask you to maintain that.
It’s been ten years since student teaching and the educational climate has changed quite a bit over the years (I had previously thought that RIF was what guitarists played. I like that definition a whole lot better.), but if a friend of Devin needs help, then here we are. (For my other readers – Devin messaged me on Twitter with a plea. This is the response.)
Let’s get this out of the way at the beginning: teaching is worth it. Our students really need people who will help them analyze the world around them and be world-changers, not just consumers. Here’s the kicker, though: you will hardly ever get to see your investment played out first-hand. Some students will come back to update you, and those have been encouraging, but many will move on to bigger and better things – and that’s what we want, really.
The biggest advice I can give is to jump right into any responsibilities that you can. I took over a class on the very first day of student teaching, even though it wasn’t required, and it benefited me tremendously. They were MY students to the very end of the semester. I didn’t have to worry while doing observations. 1st hour I paid attention because 5th hour I needed to know how to teach it.
I also went to all of the pre-semester meetings, the ones where teachers get trained on what to expect for the year. You’ll be just as clued in as the staff. It’s also where teachers shared about their summers. I built relationships that were supportive and much needed when mid-semester hit. If you’re student teaching in January, make sure to attend the staff meetings, especially at the beginning of the semester.
In college, I freaked out about presenting a lesson for 15 minutes. Quick hint: class periods are longer than 15 minutes. But when you have the whole scope of the unit, it makes planning the smaller chunks a lot easier. One idea, one concept, one objective, one activity flows into the next.
Lesson planning and classroom management is all about flow. It’s very “leaf on the wind”, except that you get to be the wind. Keep activities to ten-minute increments. Students can pay attention for 7-10 minutes and then they need a state change, whether it’s a body movement or a switch in activity. Push that 10-minute threshold and you’ll see the consequences.
This probably has been said before, but make sure that early on the expectations you express, both verbally and nonverbally, are the expectations you want to live with for the rest of the semester.
You are not the students’ friend. Friends don’t assign each other lunch detentions. You can be kind, consistent, and caring, but not a friend. Students need adults who are kind, consistent, and caring. They get enough buddy buddy from adults who think they’re cool but aren’t.
Introduce yourself to the principal and the office staff. Be memorable as someone who is professional. You want to be as much of an integral part of the campus as you can. It definitely gives you an edge over the random job applicants. Even if you don’t want to work at the same school you student taught at, you’d be surprised at just how connected administrators from other districts are. Ask for a screening interview at the end of the semester, if only for the practice.
Do whatever you can to help out the secretaries and the maintenance staff. You make their lives easier, they brag about it. You give them trouble, they will crush you.
Yes, there are fewer teacher openings out there than there were ten years ago when I applied. The downside is that there is a tinge of paranoia. The upside is that those that have jobs are generally pretty thankful for them. Even if you don’t get hired right out of student teaching, long-term sub. Teaching is a skill and you don’t want to get out of practice. Sure, you can read a book about teaching, but it’s the delivery of the lesson that counts.
Here’s a timeline of fear that I’ve seen play out in my experience as a district mentor (I work with every new teacher that gets hired to my school):
The Fears/Doubts
Student teaching – Did I choose the right major? Did I waste four years and thousands of dollars? Will the students like me? Will my cooperating teacher be a jerk? Can I afford to not get paid for a semester of work?
First year – Are you sure I chose the right major? This is nothing like student teaching. How can I do this the right way? My cooperating teacher never had this trouble. Are the veteran teachers making fun of me? Does the staff respect me? Will I always have to stay at school until 6pm?
Third year/fifth year/seventh year – Am I teaching what I want to teach? Are the students actually learning? Is this my career? Can I put up with one more crazy parent? Did I handle that situation the right way?
Tenth year – Am I really one of the old guys on campus? Why am I making all the decisions? Why is everyone complaining about my decisions? Can I please just worry about one more crazy parent instead?
One really cool aspect, though, is being able to recognize the spark of learning. Over time you get to see those moments add up and know that you did something with your life. If that student then grows up and positively impacts another person’s life…Exponents are crazy. You can either positively or negatively affect a whole bunch of people’s lives. It’s a lot of responsibility. And, you know, you get summers off(-ish).
A Portrait in a Brazen Attitude
My first thought was to protect the students. The second was to protect the external hard drives/cameras/other expensive tech. My third thought was,”Hey!! That’s my pad of paper!”
Context: This is a guy who came into my office without me knowing and started up a sales call. At first he started checking out my calendar and my family photos, then sat down and picked up a pad of my paper and took notes regarding his business. (Which he should mind somewhere else.)
Does that decision extend to elected officials?
Interesting article about being a public employee:
At the time, the sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals District Judge Walter H. Rice, speaking for the three-judge panel, ruled in favor of the school district’s interpretation of academic freedom and that it does not hold for elementary and secondary teachers. He based his ruling on the 2006 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Garcetti v. Ceballos, which states a public employee has no First Amendment rights when speaking officially. The school district and court maintain that a teacher’s choice of curricular resources is speaking officially.
Allotting the right amount of time for a technology project with junior highers
Good teachers must find the balance.
If you can’t see the image, click here.
Halo = Robotech + Ender’s Game
I realized last night while watching Robotech with my daughters (yeah, they rock) that the Zentradi have the same alien invasion motivation as the Covenant: discovering clues to their origins.
The big difference, though, is that the Zentradi are foiled by the lovely singing of Minmei:
whereas the Covenant are foiled by grenades to the face.
I use Halo to sell students on reading Ender’s Game (yes, it’s a low tactic, but the principal did say “teach the kids – whatever it takes”). When I was in the classroom, a student said, “Hey! This Orson Scott Card guy copied Bungie.” After I calmed down, I used the hypermilitary genetic experiment story hook to bridge the gap. (In a related instance, one student actually claimed that “some Tolkien guy” copied Chris Paolini.)
Fear not, faithful readers. When you hear me say “teaching”, translate it to “indoctrinating in proper geek culture”.
Who is the boss of history?
Tonight we’re cleaning and watching Date Night (the irony does not escape us). Tomorrow we hope to catch Tony Danza teaching history in Philly. It’s an actual reality show. We shall see.
As the old addage goes
Any day you get to dress up as Gandalf is a good day.
click to zoom in
Everything still smells like baby powder. I think the project was a success. The student came in later to say that it was, “like watching a kung fu master do his thing.”
I’m surprised it’s taken this long.
A student asked me today to be in his skit for English class. He has to interview a literary character, so he picked Gandalf the Grey. He’s going to get another kid to play a hobbit and I shall be the wizened mentor. I had to reign in the geekiness. I told him yes, I do have a cloak and yes, I do have a walking stick. He has to supply the hat.
I’m contemplating a bubble pipe.
How old? Sideburns old
I know that I’ve mentioned distinguished sideburns before, so faithful readers are aware that I don’t really know what age I am. Today it hit me when checking in with my first year teachers, the ones who graduated college last December. Talking about my student teaching from a decade ago has put things in perspective.
Congrats to my brother on his second year progress, by the way.
Superintendent of Schools Debate
I think I’ve become one of those teacher-type people.
I don’t think I’ll be wearing a denim jumper with Snoopy on it anytime soon, so the transformation is still in process. What I can say is how refreshing it is to be surrounded by 138 of the best teachers (although I know there are many more out there *cough* Mike/Sean/Steve *cough*) in the state. In order to attend, you had to be identified as a master teacher and had to be in active leadership. Gone were people complaining about things that they have little control over. Replace that with some amazing educators and it was a very worthwhile conference.
We took our share of responsibility for the condition of education in the state and country and asked the question, “What now?” I was surrounded by people who matched my enthusiasm and challenged me to grow as a professional. I realized just how much influence I have on my campus. Part of that needs to be divvied up – it’s not sustainable if it falls apart when I get hit by a meteor (most likely scenario). But I was reminded to be a steward (my words, not theirs) of the network of professionals I’m in. There are so many kids depending on us taking our jobs seriously that we can’t let policy keep us (no matter how much it tries, at times) from equipping students for success in life.
For more ranting, check the professional site. I think it’s all the McDonald’s I’ve consumed.
Cheer up! At least this bloggh isn’t getting pushed back half an hour.
Bus
As promised
Librarian, move that bus!
Yes, @sidewalkdriver, I stole your title. (I think the title’s funny, if that’s any justification.)
My brain hurts. I was subjected to the district’s version of Chuck conditioning. (My wife spent the afternoon researching Phillip Glass songs, so my YouTube recommended videos are quite interesting. Let’s just say I spared you some trouble.)
The Clockwork Orange known as Bus Training involved a very long video reminiscent of Driver’s Ed – except now a voice kept repeating, “It’s all your fault!” as I watched buses get repeatedly slammed by trains and semis, buses running over pedestrians, and kids being extracted from the wreckage.
I watched this in the lobby while the rest of the already-trained bus drivers drank coffee before going to their routes.
The second video wasn’t too bad – 22 minutes (I checked the VCR (that I helped set up)) worth of information about proper mirror adjustments. When you’ve got that many convex lenses to align, it makes sense.
I did get to do behind the wheel, complete with pulling that lever to swing open the door. My instructor asked if I could turn on the air conditioning. I felt like I was fumbling for the hyperdrive switch as I made my way around a couple miles worth of suburbia.
When we returned to the Bus Barn (actual name) the buses were returning from their route. These drivers have done this so many times, it’s a synchronized ballet of giant metal transports sliding perfectly into their spots – backwards!! – without any hesitation. I expect that Stanley Kubrick directed today’s routine.
Then it was my turn. Buses waited for me as I looped around, swung the bus left and right, pulled forward, pulled back, pulled forward again, pulled forward more, was warned that the mirrors stick out farther than they look, slowed down, and finally completed some reasonable facsimile of a parking job.
Anyone who has spent a decent amount of time with me can agree on two facts:
- Parking is an unnecessary detail in my mind.
- I move the seat back very far.
A bonus to the bus? Lots of head room.
I have a lot of respect for bus drivers. I wish I could have chatted about this with my grandpas, both being masters of heavy vehicles. Kids, don’t act stupid on buses. There are way too many blind spots (like giant metal panels) – not to mention the video clip where the kid followed his frisbee under the bus will stay with me for a while.
You know when you work out for a while, like riding a bike at a fast pace for an extended period of time? Or running with weights on your ankles? When you take off the weights (Harrison Bergeron, anyone?) it takes very little effort to move, almost like you’re flying. That’s what it felt like driving the Scion out of the Bus Barn.
After an exhausting, impromptu training (I found out today I have too many students for the school van), I can officially drive…the short bus. Yes, it has been mocked before, but it is MY short bus and I am very defensive of it.
I signed an agreement that I would drive defensively.
(Pictures hopefully tomorrow.)
Aviary, A Different Pop Quiz and Let’s Get Irrelevant
Why didn’t anyone tell me about Phoenix, Worth1000‘s free online image editor? This is the quickest-loading one I’ve seen. Check out the rest of the aviary.
We’re in day two of a district training. Some of the stuff has been kind of goofy (like which candy bar you choose determining your personality type…I think I may have seen that quiz on Facebook), some just plain weird (thank you, Worth1000…yes, it’s EyePod/money laundering/cardiac arrest), and some brain teasers that I might be able to use as a warm-up in a staff meeting. To give the presenter credit, it’s three days, eight hours per day. We need some wake-up from time to time. (And teachers, if you’ve ever been surrounded by a group of them, are not always the best audience.)(Yes, I said it. Deal with it.) We did a cool graphing out of certain lessons on a rigorous/relevant X,Y chart (to really evaluate if lessons are doing what we intend them to do). I liked it so much, I took some photos with my phone. As I type, more teachers have gotten up and started taking photos with their phones. Muahaha! I am influencing creative uses of common technology. Perhaps some may even try their hand at booyoring next year.
Little known fact: when creating a survey, it’s better to have an even number of options so that you have to answer either high or low – you can’t choose the middle.
The meat of the training has actually been good, even though it’s during the summer. For my professional thoughts on how to make instruction relevant and rigorous, check out the other site.
For here, let’s get irrelevant.
We’ve seen three words to describe an animal you would become, three words to describe your favorite color, and even three words to describe your favorite river (don’t get me started on what educational psychologists say about that result). (I guess three is the magic number, whether in training or in Twittertopia. Nice break-up words, by the way, Devin. The Phantom Menace. That’s comedy.)
But here’s a fun challenge that I had seen before but had momentarily forgotten the solution.
So this week’s Pop Quiz takes on a new form:
What is the connection between these words? Hint: The number seven plays a part.
Misunderstood
Vermont
Statuesque
Swedish
Arthur’s
Africa
Sensation
Post some comments, post some guesses. (I should mention that my group won the challenge. Jodi, I’m gloating on the inside.) The solution will be posted on Saturday.
Mom, this one’s for you:
It’s from Tom Chapin (brother of the Cat’s in the Cradle guy).
Get the Facts about the Education Cuts
There are a lot of quotes floating around (just like anything about politics) and I want to make sure people get the facts about the education cuts that are happening.
The Legislature already approved Bill 1006 to cut education. As a state, we’ve already had our budget cut by $133 million dollars. We’re looking at $800 million next year. What’s being frozen are things like soft capital (book purchases) and maintenance costs (why my library is running on 50% lights (literally half of the bulbs)… I feel like I’m in freakin’ Das Boot over here).
I am thankful that I have a job, even if it looks like we’ll lose 301 funding. We made cuts already this year, but we are expected to cut an additional $12 million from our district next year.
What the big deal is is that Jan Brewer is expected to approve these cuts this Saturday.
The instigators behind these cuts have been Appropriations Chairs Russell Pearce and John Kavanagh. Give ‘em a call.
If you see these fugitives on the street, consider them armed and dangerous.
To be fair, I hope that they think they’re doing the right thing (and not being thieves). Here’s a quote from Pearce:
“It doesn’t matter whether the public likes it,” Pearce told Capitol Media Services. “They can’t afford it.”
It should be noted that this year we moved on the state rankings for education. We went from 49th to 50th. Enjoy your victory lap, Mississippi. You’ve beaten us fair and square.
We’ve been hit hard, but we know it’s rough all over. Across the state murmurs of a walk-out are forming, but for now we realize that the state would just hire emergency certified replacements, many lacking the training and strategies to engage our students.
It’s rough all over and I hope that the stimulus plan works (versus hating it just because I didn’t vote for the guy). It’s the plan that’s out there right now.
For more information on an educator’s perspective on the cut, the superintendent for Florence schools set up a website that has great information on it: http://respectforregularfolks.com/.
Why I love my principal
From an e-mail regarding today’s faculty meeting and the insane cuts made by the state and why we must continue:
On the TV show LOST, one of the main characters is Desmond. As you know, LOST can be a confusing, interesting and crazy story to follow. One of the best episodes (in my opinion) of the show was titled “The Constant”. The plot-line revolved around Desmond and his quest to find the love of his life, Penny. Desmond’s life is crazy, insane and unpredictable (sound familiar?), but the one thing that keeps him focused, that keeps him going, is Penny. She is referred to him as his “constant”, as well as him being hers.
We are that for our students, we are their ” constant ” in these days and upcoming days….
story time is over, thanks for listening…
More than just checking out books
We, the undersigned, call upon Arizona State Legislators, Governor Napolitano, and the members of the Arizona State Board of Education to ensure that Arizona students have full-time access to school libraries and a certified teacher librarian to provide a competitive education in information technology and literacy.
“So we don’t get jacked by ADE.”
Yeah, I actually said that in a meeting I ran today about AIMS standardized testing policy. (ADE, by the way, is the Arizona Department of Education.)
“We must follow standardized testing procedures so we don’t get jacked by ADE.”
I also was the griller today. I grilled up roughly 60+ hot dogs and 60+ hamburgers. I just smelled grease thinking about it. I also got in trouble (or at least rumors). I was drinking an IBC in one hand while flipping burgers with the other. Imagine a 6’9″ librarian wearing an apron. Many students walked by, most very encouraging (“Is there anything you don’t do?” “Those smell great. You must be a good cook.”) but I guess a couple of concerned students went to their teachers about my brown bottle. Even teachers walking in to the meeting did a double take. “This is how librarians roll.”
Another sentence probably never uttered before.
I’m totally digging my phone. I loaded up Great and Terrible Beauty by Libby Bray and I plan on loading Neil Gaiman’s Fragile Things. (The one where Sherlock Holmes tackles H.P. Lovecraft.)
I also want to take this time to point readers towards Michael Stackpole’s Talion Revenant. I was like, “Why the JPGs, man? For a Second-Lifer that’s not too tech savvy.”
Now that I have a phone that creates folders but doesn’t do PDFs, I get it.
I might even have to check out Stackpole’s Serial Fiction. I’m digging Kraka’s Holocam. I may need to do another project like this. (It’s crazy to think that the Year of Haikus is almost up. I feel like I can do them pretty fluidly. I should tackle finding where the turning point was for me…)
The Haiku
What will I type out -
a cinquain, a fluff sonnet?
The year finds a gap.