Halloween.
Helloween.
Hell.
wowoowowowowowowowowow. I now have a new-found appreciation for my elementary school teachers.
I am a firm believer that school should be fun for kids. When people have fun doing their job, they are generally more productive and morale is higher. The same thing applies to kids, but in an even greater sense. If they are totally bored and not enjoying what they are learning, then they won't retain nearly as much as when they are having some fun during the school day.
That said, Halloween is an f-ing crazy holiday to celebrate in school. Here's why:
1. There isn't much that is academic about Halloween. Sure, we can teach about the history of it and its origins, but this can only be taken so far. Plus, let's be real here, that has absolutely NOTHING to do with how Halloween is celebrated now, so it has no authentic context for the kids to relate to.
2. Classroom teachers have a LOT of responsibility. When you are the student, you don't realize all of the thousands of things running through a teacher's brain at all times. Between doing a head count every 5 minutes, running through the list of unique needs of each child, and keeping your eyes peeled to see which kids are off task, you're a very busy person. Oh, and did I mention you have to teach and be clear and answer all kinds of questions and be PATIENT at the same time? Yeah. So, throw into the mix 22 kids who are not at all focused on school for an entire morning, the promise of a party in the afternoon, and the need to supervise 7 classes of 24 students changing into costumes in 3 bathroom stalls ALL AT ONCE......yeah.
3. The parents. Oh lord have mercy. Everyone wants to be there to celebrate important moments with their child. But these are 5th graders. They've done this now for 11 years, and the parties dont' change much. I had upwards of 7 parents in my room for 2 hours in the afternoon. That sounds nice doesn't it? Except that in that neighborhood, you have to be careful what you say, how you address the kids, what you leave out on your desk - because they will find things and they will scrutinize and they will bash you on the soccer field.
Yeah, so Halloween is hell for teachers.
Other than that, I'm happy to report that it was a pretty good week. I have my second meeting with my principal next week, our first field trip (to the Lyric Opera!), a full day SMARTboard training, and a pretty serious meeting involving one of my kids, his parents, the principal, the social worker, and the kid's psychiatrist.
It's going to be an interesting week.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
To steal a favorite phrase from my teacher friend Amy, I teach for moments like this:
Parent/Teacher/Student conferences begin today after school and continue into tomorrow (all day long....). In an effort to prepare the kids for this, I had each of them fill out a goals sheet, and I've met with them each individually so that we can talk through the goals and discuss how they'll meet them. These have been really good experiences so far because it's rare that I get to touch base for any length of time with each kid in my class. Today, however, I took about a half hour to explain the structure of the conferences with the whole class so that they would know what to expect. Our conversation turned into an AMAZING moment where kids were sharing their personal worries about grades and disappointing parents and thinking that their best isn't enough to please the people that they love.
Some highlights:
- "European parents are VERY serious about school"
- A student sharing with me privately afterwards that she overheard her parents saying that they need to focus on giving their kids the best education possible so the kids can take care of the parents when they are old.
- Kids responding like somebody finally UNDERSTOOD them when I told them that it is normal for them to have new reactions, extreme emotions, and relationship changes at this age
- Seeing my kids relate to each other in a personal way that I haven't seen before.
It was as if all of a sudden it was just our class, that we were in it for the long haul. Just before sending them out to recess, I told them that for me, their best is enough. I shared that I have similar worries, but I worry about disappointing their parents, the principal, and them, my kids. I said "I'm going to give you my best every single day, and I know that you are going to give me your best in return" AND THEY APPLAUDED ME.
I teach for moments like this :-)
Parent/Teacher/Student conferences begin today after school and continue into tomorrow (all day long....). In an effort to prepare the kids for this, I had each of them fill out a goals sheet, and I've met with them each individually so that we can talk through the goals and discuss how they'll meet them. These have been really good experiences so far because it's rare that I get to touch base for any length of time with each kid in my class. Today, however, I took about a half hour to explain the structure of the conferences with the whole class so that they would know what to expect. Our conversation turned into an AMAZING moment where kids were sharing their personal worries about grades and disappointing parents and thinking that their best isn't enough to please the people that they love.
Some highlights:
- "European parents are VERY serious about school"
- A student sharing with me privately afterwards that she overheard her parents saying that they need to focus on giving their kids the best education possible so the kids can take care of the parents when they are old.
- Kids responding like somebody finally UNDERSTOOD them when I told them that it is normal for them to have new reactions, extreme emotions, and relationship changes at this age
- Seeing my kids relate to each other in a personal way that I haven't seen before.
It was as if all of a sudden it was just our class, that we were in it for the long haul. Just before sending them out to recess, I told them that for me, their best is enough. I shared that I have similar worries, but I worry about disappointing their parents, the principal, and them, my kids. I said "I'm going to give you my best every single day, and I know that you are going to give me your best in return" AND THEY APPLAUDED ME.
I teach for moments like this :-)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Today was one of those days that you look back on that think "no wonder the burnout rate for teachers is so high."
If I look at the day as a whole and focus on the children, I would say that today was a pretty good one. Book clubs went beautifully, and thank goodness because I had invited the principal to join us (since we can't seem to get her anywhere near the classroom unless she has an engraved invitation). The students were insightful, I was productive, and I even closed the lesson with a reader's response - which I've been slowly trying to incorporate to get them to practice quality writing (believe me, they need it!). I gave a math test, and there were very few questions, and not nearly as many pained faces as the last test I gave. They asked great questions in science - a few that were more advanced than my knowledge (aka, my ultimate fear as a science teacher, and something that occurs far too often).
But the problem was that today I was not able to focus on the children. Today was taken away from me by a parent.
You see, I have this kid in my room who is a worrier. He's got anxiety as a fifth grader. And supposedly it's anxiety that is crippling - like tantrum style, can't function. But the kid I see in class is composed, involved, participatory, and productive.
His mother, on the other hand, displays far more of these symptoms of anxiety than her son. There have been several (yes, several, and we have only had 7 weeks of school) incidents this year in which I have received a phone call (or multiple phone calls!!!) during the school day that I have stopped teaching in order to answer to listen to this parent tell me that her child is very upset, worried that I'm going to be mad, trying desperately to get him to calm down and "our priority is to get him to school" and "he's so worried that this will affect his grade."
Now, the only information I ever received about this child was from his mother. We talked before the year started about his anxiety and that sometimes he gets worried about things. I explained my personal experience with anxiety in school, thinking that this was a totally normal part of being a type A personality. Well now that I'm 7 weeks in, I'm finding out that mom totally downplayed the issue. Apparently this child has been diagnosed by a doctor as having anxiety and he is on medication that is being tweaked. But did his mother tell me any of this so I could make appropriate accomodations and provide him tools to be more successful? NO NO NO NO NO. In fact, she STILL HASN'T SAID A DAMN WORD TO ME!!
I am going to stop writing about this because it has raised my blood pressure. But I have to say that as a teacher, if anyone is going to make me feel like I want to cry before 7:45 in the morning, it should not be a parent. I have teacher friends that are dealing with children that make them cry, but I am not allowed to focus on the kids in my room because of the selfishness of one parent. There is so much more to this story. I could probably tell it over a period of hours. But seriously.
Seriously.
If I look at the day as a whole and focus on the children, I would say that today was a pretty good one. Book clubs went beautifully, and thank goodness because I had invited the principal to join us (since we can't seem to get her anywhere near the classroom unless she has an engraved invitation). The students were insightful, I was productive, and I even closed the lesson with a reader's response - which I've been slowly trying to incorporate to get them to practice quality writing (believe me, they need it!). I gave a math test, and there were very few questions, and not nearly as many pained faces as the last test I gave. They asked great questions in science - a few that were more advanced than my knowledge (aka, my ultimate fear as a science teacher, and something that occurs far too often).
But the problem was that today I was not able to focus on the children. Today was taken away from me by a parent.
You see, I have this kid in my room who is a worrier. He's got anxiety as a fifth grader. And supposedly it's anxiety that is crippling - like tantrum style, can't function. But the kid I see in class is composed, involved, participatory, and productive.
His mother, on the other hand, displays far more of these symptoms of anxiety than her son. There have been several (yes, several, and we have only had 7 weeks of school) incidents this year in which I have received a phone call (or multiple phone calls!!!) during the school day that I have stopped teaching in order to answer to listen to this parent tell me that her child is very upset, worried that I'm going to be mad, trying desperately to get him to calm down and "our priority is to get him to school" and "he's so worried that this will affect his grade."
Now, the only information I ever received about this child was from his mother. We talked before the year started about his anxiety and that sometimes he gets worried about things. I explained my personal experience with anxiety in school, thinking that this was a totally normal part of being a type A personality. Well now that I'm 7 weeks in, I'm finding out that mom totally downplayed the issue. Apparently this child has been diagnosed by a doctor as having anxiety and he is on medication that is being tweaked. But did his mother tell me any of this so I could make appropriate accomodations and provide him tools to be more successful? NO NO NO NO NO. In fact, she STILL HASN'T SAID A DAMN WORD TO ME!!
I am going to stop writing about this because it has raised my blood pressure. But I have to say that as a teacher, if anyone is going to make me feel like I want to cry before 7:45 in the morning, it should not be a parent. I have teacher friends that are dealing with children that make them cry, but I am not allowed to focus on the kids in my room because of the selfishness of one parent. There is so much more to this story. I could probably tell it over a period of hours. But seriously.
Seriously.
Friday, October 09, 2009
This time I'm at school. 2 blogs on weekdays in a row? Unheard of!
I just wanted to mention something about the level of emotion involved in my job:
This morning I woke up feeling energized. I usually stop for coffee on Friday mornings as a weekly treat, (and because tea doesn't cut it by the end of the week) but I didn't stop this morning - opting instead for a naked juice, yogurt, and an apple.
I got to school and got right to work getting things ready. After such a good day yesterday, I was ready to go!
....and then I started grading papers.
There is nothing more depressing than realizing that what you're doing may not be as effective as you had hoped. This is the case for teachers so often I can hardly measure. I have so much emotion invested in these kids and their success, and when they don't do well it doesn't just irritate me, it actually hurts. It has put me in a mood that matches the crappy weather outside my windows. It's days like these that I wonder how in the world I'll ever be able to do enough for these kids this year. With the little experience I possess, and the incredible amount I have left to learn through trial and error, I worry that there will be kids in here that get let down because of me.
I just wanted to mention something about the level of emotion involved in my job:
This morning I woke up feeling energized. I usually stop for coffee on Friday mornings as a weekly treat, (and because tea doesn't cut it by the end of the week) but I didn't stop this morning - opting instead for a naked juice, yogurt, and an apple.
I got to school and got right to work getting things ready. After such a good day yesterday, I was ready to go!
....and then I started grading papers.
There is nothing more depressing than realizing that what you're doing may not be as effective as you had hoped. This is the case for teachers so often I can hardly measure. I have so much emotion invested in these kids and their success, and when they don't do well it doesn't just irritate me, it actually hurts. It has put me in a mood that matches the crappy weather outside my windows. It's days like these that I wonder how in the world I'll ever be able to do enough for these kids this year. With the little experience I possess, and the incredible amount I have left to learn through trial and error, I worry that there will be kids in here that get let down because of me.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
It is rare that I will write in the middle of the week, but I have had a very good day and thought I should share:
It all started this morning when the kids came in and got right to work without ANY prompting from me. This is rare, and they did it so quietly and efficiently. Got right to the morning routine and were sitting in their desks working on the morning message. I loved it :-)
After that nice quiet start, I did a shared reading lesson that I had come up with while lying in my bed last night. At the moment I'm reading The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid a memoir by Bill Bryson. The book is all about Bryson's life growing up in the 1950s, and it is hysterical. The part I was reading last night, however, tied in to a conversation we had begun the day before in shared reading about natural disasters. Bryson was describing the conditions of a particular tornado his grandparents experienced in rural Iowa, and it provided me with a lightbulb moment. After my training on shared reading on Monday (provided by the district as a part of our new teacher professional development) I knew that I could choose any text, regardless of level, and use it to teach a variety of lessons.
So this morning I prepared photocopies for my kids and decided I would talk about accessing background knowledge to help us understand what we're reading. IT WAS AWESOME!! The kids were with me, they loved Bryson's writing style, and they got excited about the fact that they could read and comprehend an "adult" book.
I went on later that morning to call all 3 of my guided reading groups- no small feat when you don't have a curriculum and you've never practiced teaching guided reading before.
This afternoon was similarly productive. I had a great math class in which the kids worked independently for the majority of the hour and we reviewed together at the end. I was able to finish calling small groups to pre-assess, and able to gather information about how they're getting this unit via a warm-up worksheet.
The kids are also getting really excited about the next science unit. I'm really shocked at how much I'm enjoying science all of a sudden. It's so refreshing to be able to take the content at a slower pace, pick and choose what I feel is important, and to get invigorated about the processes all around us that are so phenomenally complicated and intricate. Our next unit is on weather, and we watched a video that got us all in the mood to be scientists. Being a weather man is like being James Bond with all those gadgets - and the kids think that's way cool!
And then after sitting in traffic for an hour, I sat down at the table for dinner and planned an entire week without cracking a book. What that means is that I'm figuring it out. The planning is becoming more natural. I don't need lesson plans anymore because I'm teaching with the end in mind. I know what the goals are and so do my students, so I direct all of my instruction toward accomplishing those specific goals. When it's all laid out for me, it makes it so much easier to decide what to do and how to do it.
Isn't it great when you feel like you just might finally know what you're doing? I'm happy to say that I'll be able to go away this weekend without worrying about not being prepared for next week. Yay for progress!!!
It all started this morning when the kids came in and got right to work without ANY prompting from me. This is rare, and they did it so quietly and efficiently. Got right to the morning routine and were sitting in their desks working on the morning message. I loved it :-)
After that nice quiet start, I did a shared reading lesson that I had come up with while lying in my bed last night. At the moment I'm reading The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid a memoir by Bill Bryson. The book is all about Bryson's life growing up in the 1950s, and it is hysterical. The part I was reading last night, however, tied in to a conversation we had begun the day before in shared reading about natural disasters. Bryson was describing the conditions of a particular tornado his grandparents experienced in rural Iowa, and it provided me with a lightbulb moment. After my training on shared reading on Monday (provided by the district as a part of our new teacher professional development) I knew that I could choose any text, regardless of level, and use it to teach a variety of lessons.
So this morning I prepared photocopies for my kids and decided I would talk about accessing background knowledge to help us understand what we're reading. IT WAS AWESOME!! The kids were with me, they loved Bryson's writing style, and they got excited about the fact that they could read and comprehend an "adult" book.
I went on later that morning to call all 3 of my guided reading groups- no small feat when you don't have a curriculum and you've never practiced teaching guided reading before.
This afternoon was similarly productive. I had a great math class in which the kids worked independently for the majority of the hour and we reviewed together at the end. I was able to finish calling small groups to pre-assess, and able to gather information about how they're getting this unit via a warm-up worksheet.
The kids are also getting really excited about the next science unit. I'm really shocked at how much I'm enjoying science all of a sudden. It's so refreshing to be able to take the content at a slower pace, pick and choose what I feel is important, and to get invigorated about the processes all around us that are so phenomenally complicated and intricate. Our next unit is on weather, and we watched a video that got us all in the mood to be scientists. Being a weather man is like being James Bond with all those gadgets - and the kids think that's way cool!
And then after sitting in traffic for an hour, I sat down at the table for dinner and planned an entire week without cracking a book. What that means is that I'm figuring it out. The planning is becoming more natural. I don't need lesson plans anymore because I'm teaching with the end in mind. I know what the goals are and so do my students, so I direct all of my instruction toward accomplishing those specific goals. When it's all laid out for me, it makes it so much easier to decide what to do and how to do it.
Isn't it great when you feel like you just might finally know what you're doing? I'm happy to say that I'll be able to go away this weekend without worrying about not being prepared for next week. Yay for progress!!!
Sunday, October 04, 2009
I feel like this blog is negative a great deal of the time, so this week I'd like to focus on the positive. Fortunately, there are several things I could talk about (yay!!! finally!!!) so let's get to it:
I had my first evaluation meeting this week. My district uses the Danielson framework as the model for staff evaluations, which dictates that the evaluation process should be an ongoing dialogue between the staff member and the principal. I prepared thoroughly by going through all 4 domains that I was required to provide evidence for with my instructional coach the day before, and I had post-it notes everywhere (reminding myself of the Ferg). My principal arrived and basically said "Just tell me everything." So I did. I talked for a good 25 minutes, pointing out evidence in my classroom as I went along and providing examples as she asked me questions. I felt it was a really productive time for a few reasons:
We are at a point of transition in fifth grade this month. We are starting new books in reading, a new math unit, a new science unit, wrapping up a writing assignment.... So, naturally, I am using this as an opportunity to up the ante in the area of expectations. I explained to the kids that work that is less than quality (quality being something we defined as a class) will be graded and returned with the requirement of corrections. I will not be allowing students to make corrections for points back, rather they must correct their mistakes for the good of the exercise. I explained to them that it is time to start turning in fifth grade work, now that they have been fifth graders for a full month. The results? Great so far! It seems like I made at least a small impact. The homework I graded so far this weekend has been much closer to what I expect to see. Now if only I could get these kids to TURN IN THEIR WORK ON TIME (or at all) with names written on their papers. It's the little things.....
And finally, some teacher moments:
I had my first evaluation meeting this week. My district uses the Danielson framework as the model for staff evaluations, which dictates that the evaluation process should be an ongoing dialogue between the staff member and the principal. I prepared thoroughly by going through all 4 domains that I was required to provide evidence for with my instructional coach the day before, and I had post-it notes everywhere (reminding myself of the Ferg). My principal arrived and basically said "Just tell me everything." So I did. I talked for a good 25 minutes, pointing out evidence in my classroom as I went along and providing examples as she asked me questions. I felt it was a really productive time for a few reasons:
- It helped me uncover all of my accomplishments. I have done A LOT of really good work so far this year, and I continue to refine and improve my practices.
- My principal seemed impressed with the amount of evidence I was able to provide, and she warned me not to take on too much - that I was doing a great job already and that I shouldn't push it.
- It gave me a way to think through my goals for the short and long term and prioritize a bit.
We are at a point of transition in fifth grade this month. We are starting new books in reading, a new math unit, a new science unit, wrapping up a writing assignment.... So, naturally, I am using this as an opportunity to up the ante in the area of expectations. I explained to the kids that work that is less than quality (quality being something we defined as a class) will be graded and returned with the requirement of corrections. I will not be allowing students to make corrections for points back, rather they must correct their mistakes for the good of the exercise. I explained to them that it is time to start turning in fifth grade work, now that they have been fifth graders for a full month. The results? Great so far! It seems like I made at least a small impact. The homework I graded so far this weekend has been much closer to what I expect to see. Now if only I could get these kids to TURN IN THEIR WORK ON TIME (or at all) with names written on their papers. It's the little things.....
And finally, some teacher moments:
- We started book clubs this week, and had our first group meetings on Friday. The kids were amazing. They were excited about their books and totally focused on the task at hand. They were inquisitive and eager to solve the mysteries, even after reading only the first 2 chapters. I love literature circles because they put full responsibility into the hands of the students, and let them explore books on their own terms. It's awesome.
- I've been grading personal writing journals from last month. The kids have to write 8-10 pages each month - and they can write ANYTHING they want. One of my girls wrote a 13 page story about me and included everyone in our class. Her writing was superb, and the story was awesome. With just enough fifth grade goofiness, she wrote about my birthday. On that day I didn't come to school, and through the magical powers of unicorns (....she is a fifth grader after all) they discovered that I was writing my letter of resignation because I felt like the kids didn't appreciate or respect me. To prevent me from this crazy act, they threw a surprise birthday party in my backyard featuring the musical stylings of Michael Jackson. It. Was. Awesome.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
I have a link to this blog at the top of my browser toolbar so that I am reminded of it daily. Every single day this week I looked at it and thought to myself "I should really update that at lunch" but every single day this week I was working through my lunch just as feverishly as I worked through the rest of the day.
Every week, though, gets a little bit better in some ways. I am CONSTANTLY learning with this job, and I'm grateful for that. It will be years before I feel like I know even the majority of what there is to know about teaching, but at least for now I'm making progress. My mentor teacher is a saint. This week she helped me see that I'm doing a great job for the amount of experience I have and the amount of hours in the day. She showed me that I"m on the right track and gave me practical advice for how to keep moving forward. I feel like I'm doing well. I'm using data to inform my teaching, I'm getting to know my students, I'm planning ahead and using the learning goals and objectives as a guide for how I plan. There are a thousand things that I didn't learn in my undergrad or during student teaching that I'm picking up as I go along. I guess that's the way it should be.
In the meantime, I have a laundry list of things to do. I love working on the north side because I have tomorrow off for Yom Kippur :-) A whole day off to work on school stuff.....
Every week, though, gets a little bit better in some ways. I am CONSTANTLY learning with this job, and I'm grateful for that. It will be years before I feel like I know even the majority of what there is to know about teaching, but at least for now I'm making progress. My mentor teacher is a saint. This week she helped me see that I'm doing a great job for the amount of experience I have and the amount of hours in the day. She showed me that I"m on the right track and gave me practical advice for how to keep moving forward. I feel like I'm doing well. I'm using data to inform my teaching, I'm getting to know my students, I'm planning ahead and using the learning goals and objectives as a guide for how I plan. There are a thousand things that I didn't learn in my undergrad or during student teaching that I'm picking up as I go along. I guess that's the way it should be.
In the meantime, I have a laundry list of things to do. I love working on the north side because I have tomorrow off for Yom Kippur :-) A whole day off to work on school stuff.....
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I'm rather embarrassed that my previous post was on the weekend as well, but I suppose it serves as an appropriate representation of just how busy I have been this week.
In a long conversation over dinner with my good friend Miss G. (her first year teacher blog can be found here) I got the detox I have so sorely needed all week. Therefore, this blog will be less complaining and more of a recap of the kind of things I've been dealing with this week. Consider yourselves lucky!!! Let's shoot for highs and lows:
Highs
-Making the decision to bring in the social worker to help me work through a problem with my challenge student, and making a HUGE breakthrough, such that he behaved and really worked hard for the rest of the week.
-My teammate, Liz, telling me that she thinks that so far I'm "rocking" my first year. That meant so much to me.
-My mentor teaching me to stand up for myself, and helping me remember that I AM A PROFESSIONAL! I am capable, competent, and perfectly ready to drive the train, instead of running after it.
-Seeing other new teachers (to the district, not to teaching) in the hallway at 6:30am and other ungodly times throughout the day with the same look on their face that I have most of the time.
-Phone conversation with a parent who is NOT crazy. She may be the only one in my class.
-Leaving the building by 3:15 on Friday. Can you say rock star?!
LOWS
-Confronting a student who is generally well behaved about calling someone "special ed" and intending for it to be hurtful
-Feeling like I'm picking on the girl in my class who is totally clueless and is never doing what she is supposed to be doing
-Another girl in my class getting a VERY low score on her Reading NWEA test and having to worry about how the parents will react
-Feeling inadequate about keeping up with everything on my mental list
-The email from a parent who said she was going to observe my classroom for an ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY. And then after my carefully crafted response that in teacherese basically said: NO F^$&*%$ WAY LADY, she wrote back and said "I"ll come in for Math on Tuesday. Perhaps we can start with that." And realizing that I was being bullied.
-Not sleeping/waking up 3 times every single night because I'm dreaming about school
-Feeling bogged down by the realization that I am responsible for preparing these kids for middle school, and that in so many ways they are barely prepared for fifth grade
If you take nothing else from this email, let it be this: Teaching is very very very very hard. It's exhausting, and frustrating, and painful, and it makes you beat yourself up every single day because you know that there are a thousand more things that you SHOULD OR COULD be doing, but you CAN'T because you are too physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day. Every day I play a hundred roles: mother, teacher, babysitter, mediator, secretary, administrator, psychologist, social worker, friend, coworker, leader, guide............
I love what I do, but the first year has already (at the fourth week of school, no less) shown me exactly how people burn out of this profession. No matter how good my cooperating teacher was, or how successful my student teaching, or that I graduated with honors - none of it could have truly prepared me for what I face every day. I just keep learning and refining my understanding, and hopefully one day soon I will be able to sit down at my desk at the end of the day and not have to catch my breath.
In a long conversation over dinner with my good friend Miss G. (her first year teacher blog can be found here) I got the detox I have so sorely needed all week. Therefore, this blog will be less complaining and more of a recap of the kind of things I've been dealing with this week. Consider yourselves lucky!!! Let's shoot for highs and lows:
Highs
-Making the decision to bring in the social worker to help me work through a problem with my challenge student, and making a HUGE breakthrough, such that he behaved and really worked hard for the rest of the week.
-My teammate, Liz, telling me that she thinks that so far I'm "rocking" my first year. That meant so much to me.
-My mentor teaching me to stand up for myself, and helping me remember that I AM A PROFESSIONAL! I am capable, competent, and perfectly ready to drive the train, instead of running after it.
-Seeing other new teachers (to the district, not to teaching) in the hallway at 6:30am and other ungodly times throughout the day with the same look on their face that I have most of the time.
-Phone conversation with a parent who is NOT crazy. She may be the only one in my class.
-Leaving the building by 3:15 on Friday. Can you say rock star?!
LOWS
-Confronting a student who is generally well behaved about calling someone "special ed" and intending for it to be hurtful
-Feeling like I'm picking on the girl in my class who is totally clueless and is never doing what she is supposed to be doing
-Another girl in my class getting a VERY low score on her Reading NWEA test and having to worry about how the parents will react
-Feeling inadequate about keeping up with everything on my mental list
-The email from a parent who said she was going to observe my classroom for an ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY. And then after my carefully crafted response that in teacherese basically said: NO F^$&*%$ WAY LADY, she wrote back and said "I"ll come in for Math on Tuesday. Perhaps we can start with that." And realizing that I was being bullied.
-Not sleeping/waking up 3 times every single night because I'm dreaming about school
-Feeling bogged down by the realization that I am responsible for preparing these kids for middle school, and that in so many ways they are barely prepared for fifth grade
If you take nothing else from this email, let it be this: Teaching is very very very very hard. It's exhausting, and frustrating, and painful, and it makes you beat yourself up every single day because you know that there are a thousand more things that you SHOULD OR COULD be doing, but you CAN'T because you are too physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day. Every day I play a hundred roles: mother, teacher, babysitter, mediator, secretary, administrator, psychologist, social worker, friend, coworker, leader, guide............
I love what I do, but the first year has already (at the fourth week of school, no less) shown me exactly how people burn out of this profession. No matter how good my cooperating teacher was, or how successful my student teaching, or that I graduated with honors - none of it could have truly prepared me for what I face every day. I just keep learning and refining my understanding, and hopefully one day soon I will be able to sit down at my desk at the end of the day and not have to catch my breath.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Ah, the weekend :-D
Today has been so relaxing, and not because I haven't done anything, but because I have done it at my own pace. There is no schedule to follow, no meetings to get to, no bells ringing to tell me I'm out of time. I don't have seventeen kids shouting my name all at once, I'm not running down the hallway because I have to make copies, and I'm NOT working through my lunch.
It is Saturday. Saturdays are wonderful :-)
On another note: We hosted Curriculum night this week on Thursday, and it was a huge success! The parents were kind, supportive, good listeners. Many of them came up to me and gave me great compliments and praise about how the year has begun, and the positive changes they've experienced from last year to this year. The parents are my second biggest critics (next to myself, of course) and I'm glad to know they are feeling comfortable with my choices in the classroom.
My neighbor at school told me that last year the parents in my class were very quiet, and that the previous teacher was under the impression that this group of parents was rather uninvolved - not uncaring, mind you, but not too in your face. Au contraire! my friend. I am now receiving DAILY emails from parents. So far I have only experienced one "scary" phone call, but was able to smooth things over without any violence on her part. However, they're definitely involved this year. Maybe it's because they know I'll listen? Because they know I'll make every effort to do what they ask? Because they feel I'm competent and professional and will do my absolute best to meet their students' needs?
Let's hope it's the last one.
Today has been so relaxing, and not because I haven't done anything, but because I have done it at my own pace. There is no schedule to follow, no meetings to get to, no bells ringing to tell me I'm out of time. I don't have seventeen kids shouting my name all at once, I'm not running down the hallway because I have to make copies, and I'm NOT working through my lunch.
It is Saturday. Saturdays are wonderful :-)
On another note: We hosted Curriculum night this week on Thursday, and it was a huge success! The parents were kind, supportive, good listeners. Many of them came up to me and gave me great compliments and praise about how the year has begun, and the positive changes they've experienced from last year to this year. The parents are my second biggest critics (next to myself, of course) and I'm glad to know they are feeling comfortable with my choices in the classroom.
My neighbor at school told me that last year the parents in my class were very quiet, and that the previous teacher was under the impression that this group of parents was rather uninvolved - not uncaring, mind you, but not too in your face. Au contraire! my friend. I am now receiving DAILY emails from parents. So far I have only experienced one "scary" phone call, but was able to smooth things over without any violence on her part. However, they're definitely involved this year. Maybe it's because they know I'll listen? Because they know I'll make every effort to do what they ask? Because they feel I'm competent and professional and will do my absolute best to meet their students' needs?
Let's hope it's the last one.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I'm a total slacker.....but only in the blogging sense.
Things at school have been ridiculously busy, but I am finally feeling like I've found a rhythm. I'm able to look ahead and plan farther in advance. I'm using my resources (people and materials) to answer my questions and improve my teaching. I'm still feeling exhausted when I wake up, and dreaming about school (usually waking up at least once because of it) but I'm feeling less "burned out" when the kids leave at 2:30.
I would have to say that this week my kids have made great improvements in their behavior. They are a needy group- always getting out of their seats (without considering if it's an appropriate time) to ask questions that I've usually answered already. I find myself repeating directions more than once, writing them down, and referring kids to them over and over. While this is tedious, I'm already seeing a change. The kids are starting to consider whether their question is one that is crucial and requires an immediate answer, or whether they can answer it themselves or leave it on a post-it note. I'm trying to make them more independent, and I think that by Thanksgiving (HOPEFULLY) they will have it down.
Schedules are always thrown off at the beginning of the year with testing. As benchmark tests and standardized tests are administered, we have to give up teaching time. So far, that's ok with me, because the information I get from those tests will help me figure out how to meet their needs better. In the mean time, however, I have a lot of space to fill, so here's to thinking on your feet!
I know I've been slacking with pictures. I'll get there, promise.
Things at school have been ridiculously busy, but I am finally feeling like I've found a rhythm. I'm able to look ahead and plan farther in advance. I'm using my resources (people and materials) to answer my questions and improve my teaching. I'm still feeling exhausted when I wake up, and dreaming about school (usually waking up at least once because of it) but I'm feeling less "burned out" when the kids leave at 2:30.
I would have to say that this week my kids have made great improvements in their behavior. They are a needy group- always getting out of their seats (without considering if it's an appropriate time) to ask questions that I've usually answered already. I find myself repeating directions more than once, writing them down, and referring kids to them over and over. While this is tedious, I'm already seeing a change. The kids are starting to consider whether their question is one that is crucial and requires an immediate answer, or whether they can answer it themselves or leave it on a post-it note. I'm trying to make them more independent, and I think that by Thanksgiving (HOPEFULLY) they will have it down.
Schedules are always thrown off at the beginning of the year with testing. As benchmark tests and standardized tests are administered, we have to give up teaching time. So far, that's ok with me, because the information I get from those tests will help me figure out how to meet their needs better. In the mean time, however, I have a lot of space to fill, so here's to thinking on your feet!
I know I've been slacking with pictures. I'll get there, promise.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
This morning I had my first of what will be monthly new teacher meetings. This weekend I wrote my sub plans for the afternoon, then promptly re-wrote them last night to calm a colleague who was freaking out about missing the morning because he was afraid his fourth graders couldn't handle a sub for the literacy block.
So, I arrived at school at 6:30 (this is becoming normal. That scares me.) to get some (more) work done before I had to be at my new teacher meeting at 8:30. Of course, I had everything prepared for the sub the night before, thinking that I would be able to sleep in and go straight to the new teacher meeting at 8:30. Unfortunately, I chickened out and opted to work for an hour before school, rather than staying at school till after 5pm 2 days in a row. I stayed till 4, and am considering that a rock star move.
While the meeting wasn't necessarily as productive or relaxing as the administration advertised it to be, it was a welcome break from the classroom. The first few weeks are undeniably stressful, overwhelming, and frustrating. There are so many questions that lack answers, lists upon lists of things that you still need to accomplish, and voices in your head that are constantly reminding you of what you're not doing, but should be. It's truly exhausting, but a morning away from the children made 100% of a difference. When I came back in the afternoon and they were actually happy to see me, it made me remember what I had nearly forgotten in the first week: I love kids, and I love teaching.
Just a brief respite helped me get my bearings and think about what has gone well and what needs improvement. It helped me prioritize and brought to light the ways in which I am already ahead. In the first weeks, and first months, to be fair, it is ALL about baby steps. I've mentioned this before, but it is rapidly becoming my mantra. Accept that big things don't come immediately. Big accomplishments are the product of countless baby steps, especially for teachers.
Oh, and among other little victories today, I survived my first scary parent phone call. This particular parent is known to be rather intense, and her voicemail was down right frightening. I was literally shaking after listening to it. But I did my homework before calling back, thought through her concern and figured out an answer. I was an active listener and asked how I could help, thanked her so much for calling, and ended the conversation by telling her what strides her son has made since last year. She actually thanked me, told me that my explanation made perfect sense, and we hung up on very good terms. Perhaps I have won the trust of this parent. It gives me confidence that I do have the skills to win the trust of many more :-)
So, I arrived at school at 6:30 (this is becoming normal. That scares me.) to get some (more) work done before I had to be at my new teacher meeting at 8:30. Of course, I had everything prepared for the sub the night before, thinking that I would be able to sleep in and go straight to the new teacher meeting at 8:30. Unfortunately, I chickened out and opted to work for an hour before school, rather than staying at school till after 5pm 2 days in a row. I stayed till 4, and am considering that a rock star move.
While the meeting wasn't necessarily as productive or relaxing as the administration advertised it to be, it was a welcome break from the classroom. The first few weeks are undeniably stressful, overwhelming, and frustrating. There are so many questions that lack answers, lists upon lists of things that you still need to accomplish, and voices in your head that are constantly reminding you of what you're not doing, but should be. It's truly exhausting, but a morning away from the children made 100% of a difference. When I came back in the afternoon and they were actually happy to see me, it made me remember what I had nearly forgotten in the first week: I love kids, and I love teaching.
Just a brief respite helped me get my bearings and think about what has gone well and what needs improvement. It helped me prioritize and brought to light the ways in which I am already ahead. In the first weeks, and first months, to be fair, it is ALL about baby steps. I've mentioned this before, but it is rapidly becoming my mantra. Accept that big things don't come immediately. Big accomplishments are the product of countless baby steps, especially for teachers.
Oh, and among other little victories today, I survived my first scary parent phone call. This particular parent is known to be rather intense, and her voicemail was down right frightening. I was literally shaking after listening to it. But I did my homework before calling back, thought through her concern and figured out an answer. I was an active listener and asked how I could help, thanked her so much for calling, and ended the conversation by telling her what strides her son has made since last year. She actually thanked me, told me that my explanation made perfect sense, and we hung up on very good terms. Perhaps I have won the trust of this parent. It gives me confidence that I do have the skills to win the trust of many more :-)
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Although I am at the point where I really should be in bed, I thought an update was in order:
This week the kids are starting to show their fifth grade tendencies. Think about a ten year old you know. Yep, that's right. He or She can be a very snotty kid sometimes. Other times they can be the coolest kid you know. At this point, my students are starting to push the limits. I assume that some of this has to do with typical control issues that every new teacher faces. The other half of it has to do with what the kids were used to last year. I run a much tighter ship than their previous teacher, and the adjustment phase is just now starting to kick in. I'm really trying hard to accept that baby steps will have to do, and I'm trying equally as hard to celebrate little victories and ignore the frustrations for the moment.
With a concrete schedule, meeting dates for my mentor and instructional coach settled, and my desk cleared off of first week paper mania, I'm doing ok. I have to have a substitute tomorrow morning while I attend my first mandatory professional development meeting. Can you believe it?! Professional development and I haven't even been in the classroom for a full week! I can only hope that my sub plans are sufficient, and that those darling children behave themselves....
Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat.
This week the kids are starting to show their fifth grade tendencies. Think about a ten year old you know. Yep, that's right. He or She can be a very snotty kid sometimes. Other times they can be the coolest kid you know. At this point, my students are starting to push the limits. I assume that some of this has to do with typical control issues that every new teacher faces. The other half of it has to do with what the kids were used to last year. I run a much tighter ship than their previous teacher, and the adjustment phase is just now starting to kick in. I'm really trying hard to accept that baby steps will have to do, and I'm trying equally as hard to celebrate little victories and ignore the frustrations for the moment.
With a concrete schedule, meeting dates for my mentor and instructional coach settled, and my desk cleared off of first week paper mania, I'm doing ok. I have to have a substitute tomorrow morning while I attend my first mandatory professional development meeting. Can you believe it?! Professional development and I haven't even been in the classroom for a full week! I can only hope that my sub plans are sufficient, and that those darling children behave themselves....
Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat.
Friday, August 28, 2009
First week, DONE!
I feel really good about what I have accomplished this week, but I am definitely weary of what's to come. As of about 10:30 this morning, my mini-team will have to adopt a new schedule, which means I'm left to re-plan everything for next week. While I'd rather not spend my Saturday planning, I'm trying to be flexible. Flexibility and adaptability are two qualities of really good teachers, and I'm doing my best to suck it up and go with the flow.
I'm not sure that the previous post captured my true feelings about being a teacher. I had a few moments today when I looked around that made me aware of how far I've come. When I read aloud from James and the Giant Peach today, they sat there and listened so intently - some with wide eyes and some completely at peace. They did what they were told after hearing the directions only ONCE and worked together cooperatively and respectfully to start re-organizing our classroom library. And when I watched them or caught their faces out of the corner of my eye, I realized that this is what I have always been meant to do. Those kids look to me for guidance, for knowledge, for answers, and I can give it all to them. I've only known them for a short time, but I'm already attached - even to the ones that drive me crazy on an hourly basis. Each kid is special. Each kid brings an important dynamic to the classroom. Each kid tests me in different ways and challenges me to work harder to be the best teacher I can be.
But baby steps, Katy. I can't do it all at once. My biggest challenge this year will be reigning in my expectations for myself. They can't get so high that I become overwhelmed, because that is how burnout starts. I'm too set on this job to get burned out in my first year, so, I repeat...
baby steps.
I feel really good about what I have accomplished this week, but I am definitely weary of what's to come. As of about 10:30 this morning, my mini-team will have to adopt a new schedule, which means I'm left to re-plan everything for next week. While I'd rather not spend my Saturday planning, I'm trying to be flexible. Flexibility and adaptability are two qualities of really good teachers, and I'm doing my best to suck it up and go with the flow.
I'm not sure that the previous post captured my true feelings about being a teacher. I had a few moments today when I looked around that made me aware of how far I've come. When I read aloud from James and the Giant Peach today, they sat there and listened so intently - some with wide eyes and some completely at peace. They did what they were told after hearing the directions only ONCE and worked together cooperatively and respectfully to start re-organizing our classroom library. And when I watched them or caught their faces out of the corner of my eye, I realized that this is what I have always been meant to do. Those kids look to me for guidance, for knowledge, for answers, and I can give it all to them. I've only known them for a short time, but I'm already attached - even to the ones that drive me crazy on an hourly basis. Each kid is special. Each kid brings an important dynamic to the classroom. Each kid tests me in different ways and challenges me to work harder to be the best teacher I can be.
But baby steps, Katy. I can't do it all at once. My biggest challenge this year will be reigning in my expectations for myself. They can't get so high that I become overwhelmed, because that is how burnout starts. I'm too set on this job to get burned out in my first year, so, I repeat...
baby steps.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
It's funny. Today was my second full day as a real-life teacher and the novelty has already worn off. I find that completely hilarious.
I suppose that could mean many things:
1. I've reached my comfort zone early
2. Teaching is a crazy profession that requires an incredible amount of stamina every day
3. I'm a cynic
Now, I don't mean to say that I don't like my job. That couldn't be farther from the truth. I think I have one of the best jobs in the world. I might have trouble dragging myself out of bed at 5am on a rainy morning, but I never wish for school to be cancelled (just for 294 to be traffic-free.)
My first day went really well. I over-planned, but got through about 3/4 of the material I planned, which I thought was pretty commendable considering that the first day is always so crazy. I explained procedures and we got to know each other, organized all our supplies and took first day pictures. The kids did great, and they were obviously listening carefully because this morning (Day 2) they followed all the procedures without any reminders or any problems. This was a total shock to me, as the 3rd graders I had in the fall took weeks to perfect the morning routine. I'll give myself a bit of credit - I was very clear when I explained my expectations, and I think that made a lot of difference.
I do have to say that I am really proud of myself. I can't believe I'm really here, where I've been headed since I was in second grade. I feel confident about my role in the classroom, but I am still a little nervous about what goes on behind the scenes. There are extremely high expectations in this district, and I'm concerned about things like parent complaints/concerns/gossip, about planning a 90 minute reading block without so much as a set of clear learning goals provided by the district, about my principal not agreeing with the schedule we developed last year and waiting to throw a fit until the night before the first day of school.
Things are still up in the air, and there's a lot of worries, but I keep trying to remind myself that it's ONLY DAY 2...even if it feels like we've been here for weeks. It's only my FIRST YEAR of teaching, so I don't have to be perfect. And there are so many people in my building that are eager and willing to help me figure everything out. If there's one thing I'm the most thankful for, it's the staff in the building I work in. The welcome I have received is unbelievable, and the support that I get every single day is so helpful. I'm a lucky gal :-)
I feel like that was an unsubstantial description, but I'm so exhausted that I've run out of brain cells. Ask questions, and I'll answer them - that will be easier!
I suppose that could mean many things:
1. I've reached my comfort zone early
2. Teaching is a crazy profession that requires an incredible amount of stamina every day
3. I'm a cynic
Now, I don't mean to say that I don't like my job. That couldn't be farther from the truth. I think I have one of the best jobs in the world. I might have trouble dragging myself out of bed at 5am on a rainy morning, but I never wish for school to be cancelled (just for 294 to be traffic-free.)
My first day went really well. I over-planned, but got through about 3/4 of the material I planned, which I thought was pretty commendable considering that the first day is always so crazy. I explained procedures and we got to know each other, organized all our supplies and took first day pictures. The kids did great, and they were obviously listening carefully because this morning (Day 2) they followed all the procedures without any reminders or any problems. This was a total shock to me, as the 3rd graders I had in the fall took weeks to perfect the morning routine. I'll give myself a bit of credit - I was very clear when I explained my expectations, and I think that made a lot of difference.
I do have to say that I am really proud of myself. I can't believe I'm really here, where I've been headed since I was in second grade. I feel confident about my role in the classroom, but I am still a little nervous about what goes on behind the scenes. There are extremely high expectations in this district, and I'm concerned about things like parent complaints/concerns/gossip, about planning a 90 minute reading block without so much as a set of clear learning goals provided by the district, about my principal not agreeing with the schedule we developed last year and waiting to throw a fit until the night before the first day of school.
Things are still up in the air, and there's a lot of worries, but I keep trying to remind myself that it's ONLY DAY 2...even if it feels like we've been here for weeks. It's only my FIRST YEAR of teaching, so I don't have to be perfect. And there are so many people in my building that are eager and willing to help me figure everything out. If there's one thing I'm the most thankful for, it's the staff in the building I work in. The welcome I have received is unbelievable, and the support that I get every single day is so helpful. I'm a lucky gal :-)
I feel like that was an unsubstantial description, but I'm so exhausted that I've run out of brain cells. Ask questions, and I'll answer them - that will be easier!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Well, the moment is almost here. I am so excited to get those kids in my room and get this year started! I left today with the thought that tomorrow is the first official day of my career. Tomorrow I get to do what I've wanted to do since I was a second grader.
I was riding my bike around the neighborhood last night to clear my head, and on my way home I rode on the sidewalk near my elementary school. I looked in the windows and was hit with deja vu. I've done that so many times before, and every time I've looked to my right into the third grade hallway windows and checked out the classrooms thinking, "that's going to be me some day." And last night, my thought was, "that's going to be me on.....WEDNESDAY!!"
To have reached this point is somewhat unbelievable to me. About 5 months ago I recall wishing desperately that I could just skip the end of second semester, skip the anxiety of the job search, skip the unknown that lay ahead of me, and get to whatever it was that my future would turn out to be. But here I am, SO LUCKY to be employed in a great district, working with people I admire already, after only a short time.
I'm ready for school. Are you?
I was riding my bike around the neighborhood last night to clear my head, and on my way home I rode on the sidewalk near my elementary school. I looked in the windows and was hit with deja vu. I've done that so many times before, and every time I've looked to my right into the third grade hallway windows and checked out the classrooms thinking, "that's going to be me some day." And last night, my thought was, "that's going to be me on.....WEDNESDAY!!"
To have reached this point is somewhat unbelievable to me. About 5 months ago I recall wishing desperately that I could just skip the end of second semester, skip the anxiety of the job search, skip the unknown that lay ahead of me, and get to whatever it was that my future would turn out to be. But here I am, SO LUCKY to be employed in a great district, working with people I admire already, after only a short time.
I'm ready for school. Are you?
Friday, August 21, 2009
After an entire week of unpaid training, my district has officially decided I'm ready to join the league of teachers :-)
It has been a really long week, but I think overall a very productive one. While the training got a bit tedious and occasionally redundant, it definitely got my brain working in the right direction. I tried to "take the summer off" for possibly the last time ever. I say this because no teacher ever truly "takes the summer off." Sure we get a couple of months where we're not contracted to be in school, but good teachers are always always thinking about school. In fact, most of the teachers I've talked to this year spent a good portion of their summer re-vamping their strategies, doing long range planning, or re-organizing their rooms.
One of the teachers said something the other day that really struck a chord with me: Teaching is a really easy profession to do poorly. To be a good teacher takes everything you've got. Long hours before and after school. Planning and re-planning and teaching and re-teaching. Talking to angry parents and taking kids' temperatures and grading homework. There's so many pieces, so many things to remember and keep track of, and yet, there's always more you can do.
That being said...
I love my job, and I am so freakin' excited about the kids. They arrive on Wednesday, and I know that when they walk in the door, the last 3 weeks of unpaid work, stress, and occasional frustration will all seem worth it. Seriously, it's going to be a really phenomenal year.
It has been a really long week, but I think overall a very productive one. While the training got a bit tedious and occasionally redundant, it definitely got my brain working in the right direction. I tried to "take the summer off" for possibly the last time ever. I say this because no teacher ever truly "takes the summer off." Sure we get a couple of months where we're not contracted to be in school, but good teachers are always always thinking about school. In fact, most of the teachers I've talked to this year spent a good portion of their summer re-vamping their strategies, doing long range planning, or re-organizing their rooms.
One of the teachers said something the other day that really struck a chord with me: Teaching is a really easy profession to do poorly. To be a good teacher takes everything you've got. Long hours before and after school. Planning and re-planning and teaching and re-teaching. Talking to angry parents and taking kids' temperatures and grading homework. There's so many pieces, so many things to remember and keep track of, and yet, there's always more you can do.
That being said...
I love my job, and I am so freakin' excited about the kids. They arrive on Wednesday, and I know that when they walk in the door, the last 3 weeks of unpaid work, stress, and occasional frustration will all seem worth it. Seriously, it's going to be a really phenomenal year.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Today was very successful in teacher land. The second day of training definitely proved more boring than the first, but I think the administration communicated some good stuff, and achieved their goals today.
The focus of our morning was the Danielson framework. Basically, it's a program for educators that provides a clear-cut set of objectives and expectations for teachers and associates. It came about because for years teachers had been evaluated based on one or two formal observations by their principals. Unfortunately, these evaluations tended to be inauthentic and didn't involve enough dialogue between teacher and principal about what was actually happening in the classroom. The Danielson framework provides administrators and teachers with objectives so that their job is made very clear. It's used for lesson planning, teaching, and reflection and the results of these three components are the basis for the evaluation. In the end, I'll meet with my principal one on one 5 times this year to discuss my progress and present some evidence of what I'm doing in the classroom. She will also conduct a formal observation at least once, and then I'll get a final evaluation at the end of the year called the "summative" evaluation that will take into account all the other meetings/observations. It's a pretty cool system, and actually takes a bit of the stress out of the process. I know exactly what's expected of me, so I can do it on my terms.
This afternoon we went to our buildings for some time to work in our classrooms. We (the 7 new staff members) met with the principal for a while to discuss how the Danielson framework would work in our building, and other basic procedural stuff. I've actually been in the school before and know a lot of that stuff, and since my principal wasn't hired till this summer, a lot of those questions were fielded by me.
And now, enough chatter. I'm going to create a class website :-)
The focus of our morning was the Danielson framework. Basically, it's a program for educators that provides a clear-cut set of objectives and expectations for teachers and associates. It came about because for years teachers had been evaluated based on one or two formal observations by their principals. Unfortunately, these evaluations tended to be inauthentic and didn't involve enough dialogue between teacher and principal about what was actually happening in the classroom. The Danielson framework provides administrators and teachers with objectives so that their job is made very clear. It's used for lesson planning, teaching, and reflection and the results of these three components are the basis for the evaluation. In the end, I'll meet with my principal one on one 5 times this year to discuss my progress and present some evidence of what I'm doing in the classroom. She will also conduct a formal observation at least once, and then I'll get a final evaluation at the end of the year called the "summative" evaluation that will take into account all the other meetings/observations. It's a pretty cool system, and actually takes a bit of the stress out of the process. I know exactly what's expected of me, so I can do it on my terms.
This afternoon we went to our buildings for some time to work in our classrooms. We (the 7 new staff members) met with the principal for a while to discuss how the Danielson framework would work in our building, and other basic procedural stuff. I've actually been in the school before and know a lot of that stuff, and since my principal wasn't hired till this summer, a lot of those questions were fielded by me.
And now, enough chatter. I'm going to create a class website :-)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Today was my very first day of teacher training. It's official, I am a real live staff member. I have a badge with my face on it as proof :-)
My district provides/requires a full week of training for new teachers entering the district. This is a really great resource, and speaks to the quality of the district I'm working for. Not only does it seem to be very child-centered, but it also manages a great deal of concern for its staff. I feel like I"m going to get all the support I could possibly need in my first year, and certainly beyond.
The resources alone are astounding. Today they handed all 50 new teachers in the district brand new Macbooks (upon which I am typing this post) and explicitly explained that the use of technology in this district is NOT optional. The tech director put it this way: our kids are living in the 21st century, and if we're not teaching with technology, then we're not teaching the right way. While this is a crude way of putting it, I tend to agree. Kids learn in so many different ways, and by embracing technology and all the resources it provides we can better meet our students' needs. I already incorporate technology into my teaching, and I was the recipient of a grant through the district to have a SMARTboard installed in my classroom, so accomplishing this should be a breeze this year.
Our training today also involved a sweet road rally where I got to unleash the .5% of me that is competitive. I drove like a mad woman, heckled other teams, honked my horn, and purposely parked like a jerk to prevent other teams from getting to the place on the photo scavenger hunt list. All the while this behavior was encouraged by one of the district administrators who served as our team captain and navigator. He is a rock star.
I'm pretty sure tomorrow won't be nearly as interesting or fun, but will probably be helpful....I guess....
My district provides/requires a full week of training for new teachers entering the district. This is a really great resource, and speaks to the quality of the district I'm working for. Not only does it seem to be very child-centered, but it also manages a great deal of concern for its staff. I feel like I"m going to get all the support I could possibly need in my first year, and certainly beyond.
The resources alone are astounding. Today they handed all 50 new teachers in the district brand new Macbooks (upon which I am typing this post) and explicitly explained that the use of technology in this district is NOT optional. The tech director put it this way: our kids are living in the 21st century, and if we're not teaching with technology, then we're not teaching the right way. While this is a crude way of putting it, I tend to agree. Kids learn in so many different ways, and by embracing technology and all the resources it provides we can better meet our students' needs. I already incorporate technology into my teaching, and I was the recipient of a grant through the district to have a SMARTboard installed in my classroom, so accomplishing this should be a breeze this year.
Our training today also involved a sweet road rally where I got to unleash the .5% of me that is competitive. I drove like a mad woman, heckled other teams, honked my horn, and purposely parked like a jerk to prevent other teams from getting to the place on the photo scavenger hunt list. All the while this behavior was encouraged by one of the district administrators who served as our team captain and navigator. He is a rock star.
I'm pretty sure tomorrow won't be nearly as interesting or fun, but will probably be helpful....I guess....
Thursday, August 13, 2009
So, after two 6 hour days in a row, I am feeling pretty good about going into new teacher training next week. Yesterday morning I sat down and made a long list of all the things I needed to do this week. Today, I crossed off at least 5. I thought that was pretty good, considering it involved quite a bit of copying and some binding (my least favorite teacher thing to do next to bulletin boards). Oh and paper cutting, which comes in at number 3 on the things I hate about being a teacher list. That list is short, btw.
I've decided that I've worked enough hours off the clock. There are 2 other new teachers (new to the school, not to teaching) on my team, and one was only hired a couple days ago, so I definitely have a leg up. I am taking tomorrow off to go shopping and prepare for a weekend of relaxation in Wisconsin. I think I need a breather before "shit gets real" if you will :-)
I've decided that I've worked enough hours off the clock. There are 2 other new teachers (new to the school, not to teaching) on my team, and one was only hired a couple days ago, so I definitely have a leg up. I am taking tomorrow off to go shopping and prepare for a weekend of relaxation in Wisconsin. I think I need a breather before "shit gets real" if you will :-)
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