Because of my educational expertise, I'm being interviewed by a student body member of a well-known organization dedicated to education!
Ok. I'm being interviewed by a lady at church for a class she's taking. In fact, I think it's the same exact interview I had to conduct for the exact same class she's taking. But it's still nice to be interviewed.
The questions really help me to reflect a great deal on my first year in the classroom. In fact, they may be just what I've needed to get myself out of the dreamy summertime blues I've been experiencing lately. I've got until Saturday to answer seven questions. So, here's the first:
Interview Question:
What have been your greatest successes as a teacher?
My Response:
My own successes as a teacher are made up of my students’ successes in academics, critical thinking, and social skills. Before I ever taught, I asked my church and family to pray with me that I would be placed where God wanted me to be. I am happy to say that our prayers were most definitely answered. I have watched students of limited English proficiency gain award-winning reading skills. I have seen older students who were taught racism embrace peers of all cultures. I have watched students who felt unloved blossom into happy, confident individuals. Knowing that my actions and words played a major role in their success is more precious than any bonus or recognition offered by the school board.
Interview Questions:
0 Comments on I'm a STAR!!!! (Kind of) as of 1/1/1900
Because of my educational expertise, I'm being interviewed by a student body member of a well-known organization dedicated to education!
Ok. I'm being interviewed by a lady at church for a class she's taking. In fact, I think it's the same exact interview I had to conduct for the exact same class she's taking. But it's still nice to be interviewed.
The questions really help me to reflect a great deal on my first year in the classroom. In fact, they may be just what I've needed to get myself out of the dreamy summertime blues I've been experiencing lately. I've got until Saturday to answer seven questions. So, here's the first:
Interview Question:
What have been your greatest successes as a teacher?
My Response:
My own successes as a teacher are made up of my students’ successes in academics, critical thinking, and social skills. Before I ever taught, I asked my church and family to pray with me that I would be placed where God wanted me to be. I am happy to say that our prayers were most definitely answered. I have watched students of limited English proficiency gain award-winning reading skills. I have seen older students who were taught racism embrace peers of all cultures. I have watched students who felt unloved blossom into happy, confident individuals. Knowing that my actions and words played a major role in their success is more precious than any bonus or recognition offered by the school board.
Interview Questions:
What are the greatest challenges to you as a teacher? How do you handle these challenges?
My Answer:
My greatest challenge as a teacher is separating my heart from my head. Sometimes, a student may behave poorly in class due to a myriad of troubles experienced at home. When I am aware of home issues that are likely to impact a student, it’s difficult for me to remain focused solely on academics when another dimension of the student is so much in need. I handle this kind of challenge by incorporating individual needs of each student in my instruction. Providing reading selections that deal with an individual student’s situations, providing a choice of response activities in which students can express their feelings without judgment, and even providing a listening ear during planning time are ways that I have addressed this situation.
Summers a time for fun...and academic upkeep!
The kids I'm keeping this summer are terrific! I realize the importance of maintaining the individual level academic mastery. But I hate to be a bore and extend the school year they've awaited the end of for so long.
I'm developing a solution I think will work with this group of individuals. I'm building a schedule of events that will incorporate all the fun they want and the learning they need. The Beta version will be introduced to the kids by the end of the week. I'm hoping for a favorable response. I can't wait to post about their utter delight and extremely mature response to this undertaking...in my dreams!
Summers a time for fun...and academic upkeep!
The kids I'm keeping this summer are terrific! I realize the importance of maintaining the individual level academic mastery. But I hate to be a bore and extend the school year they've awaited the end of for so long.
I'm developing a solution I think will work with this group of individuals. I'm building a schedule of events that will incorporate all the fun they want and the learning they need. The Beta version will be introduced to the kids by the end of the week. I'm hoping for a favorable response. I can't wait to post about their utter delight and extremely mature response to this undertaking...in my dreams!
My plans this summer? Plan!
I don't plan to let my second year of teaching get away with the same punches it cornered me with this year. My summer plans consist mostly of planning for next school year. Yes, just one huge planning session. Since I will be babysitting the entire time as well, I figure that I will throw in some trial runs of various lessons to see how the kids respond. I know that the little boogers (and I say that with love) that I am keeping will be super helpful. Can't wait to see what we come up with!
My plans this summer? Plan!
I don't plan to let my second year of teaching get away with the same punches it cornered me with this year. My summer plans consist mostly of planning for next school year. Yes, just one huge planning session. Since I will be babysitting the entire time as well, I figure that I will throw in some trial runs of various lessons to see how the kids respond. I know that the little boogers (and I say that with love) that I am babysitting all summer long will be super helpful. Can't wait to see what we come up with!
I'm ready for summer. But I worry about my kids.
After a year in school, summer is the time many kids let loose. Unfortunately, they can also do some pretty unwise things. Considering some of the choices that many of my students have made this year, I fear that some behavioral trends will continue, or worse, escalate during a time when there is little structure and supervision.
But what's out there? What in the world can young teens do during the summer that is constructive?
Well, it seems that there are things out there for kids to do. A quick search revealed the following:
There are hundreds, even thousands of things teens can do during the summer, most for free! When I was a teen, I talked on the phone, drew pictures, wrote poetry and stories, daydreamed, and watched TV; and that was perfectly fine with me. But I know that kids today have different expectations.
I realize now that I should have been researching this kind of information BEFORE the end of school. I should have made it available to parents. I should even have planned on providing some incentives. But being that it was my very first year, I was caught up in a whirlwind of mandatory tasks and unexpected events. Rather than focusing on the fact that I didn't secure some kind of summer activities for the ones who I felt needed it most, I am choosing to focus on the fact that I have learned a lesson about the role of the teacher, one that will help me to provide the most I can for my future students.
Here are some other informative articles about beating summer boredom:
I'm ready for summer. But I worry about my kids.
After a year in school, summer is the time many kids let loose. Unfortunately, they can also do some pretty unwise things. Considering some of the choices that many of my students have made this year, I fear that some behavioral trends will continue, or worse, escalate during a time when there is little structure and supervision.
But what's out there? What in the world can young teens do during the summer that is constructive?
Well, it seems that there are things out there for kids to do. A quick search revealed the following:
There are hundreds, even thousands of things teens can do during the summer, most for free! When I was a teen, I talked on the phone, drew pictures, wrote poetry and stories, daydreamed, and watched TV; and that was perfectly fine with me. But I know that kids today have different expectations.
I realize now that I should have been researching this kind of information BEFORE the end of school. I should have made it available to parents. I should even have planned on providing some incentives. But being that it was my very first year, I was caught up in a whirlwind of mandatory tasks and unexpected events. Rather than focusing on the fact that I didn't secure some kind of summer activities for the ones who I felt needed it most, I am choosing to focus on the fact that I have learned a lesson about the role of the teacher, one that will help me to provide the most I can for my future students.
Here are some other informative articles about beating summer boredom:
This year has taught me humility and to always be willing to learn. I think that 98% of what I've learned about teaching has come from my experiences with teaching. Had I considered myself a fully educated individual who could not benefit from listening to others, I would have missed out on so much. I'm going to officially call this year my third internship. There was so much that I didn't know that I was even ignorant to my own cluelessness. Praise God for the willingness to be wrong, to laugh at my mistakes, and to continue absorbing knowledge like a cranial sponge.
This year has taught me humility and to always be willing to learn. I think that 98% of what I've learned about teaching has come from my experiences with teaching. Had I considered myself a fully educated individual who could not benefit from listening to others, I would have missed out on so much. I'm going to officially call this year my third internship. There was so much that I didn't know that I was even ignorant to my own cluelessness. Praise God for the willingness to be wrong, to laugh at my mistakes, and to continue absorbing knowledge like a cranial sponge.
The all boys group I'm assigned to for FCAT felt they did okay today. The 70-minute reading session was just as burdensome for us as it was for them. Thankfully, the 7 classes that followed were only around 22 minutes each. With such short classes, and the same schedule tomorrow, it would seem that planning would be a breeze...
Knowing the flow of things, I thought it best to engage the kids with the same academics they've had all year. Apparently, I'm the only teacher who thinks this. My kids were majorly upset with even the 6-question bell-ringer.
"We've been reading all day!"
"My brain is fried!"
"All the other teachers are watching movies!"
Being the big, passive wolf that I am, I think that tomorrow is going to be a day of learning games and crafts. As for the kids' view on the activities, well...Lord help!
The all boys group I'm assigned to for FCAT felt they did okay today. The 70-minute reading session was just as burdensome for us as it was for them. Thankfully, the 7 classes that followed were only around 22 minutes each. With such short classes, and the same schedule tomorrow, it would seem that planning would be a breeze...
Knowing the flow of things, I thought it best to engage the kids with the same academics they've had all year. Apparently, I'm the only teacher who thinks this. My kids were majorly upset with even the 6-question bell-ringer.
"We've been reading all day!"
"My brain is fried!"
"All the other teachers are watching movies!"
Being the big, passive wolf that I am, I think that tomorrow is going to be a day of learning games and crafts. As for the kids' view on the activities, well...Lord help!
While clicking through some Entrecards as I waited to drive a relative to church, I happened across a delightful blog called Life, Day by Day. One particular post, "On Aloof Girl," got my attention.
I felt for the auntie in her frustration and pain. So, instead of just knowing what I felt, I commented:
"Don't give up on her. In all truth, her behavior is not that uncommon for a girl her age. I know it's much easier said than done, but give her more time and hang in there with her.
I understand your frustration. I work at a school with kids ranging in age from 11 to 17. Really, they're only supposed to go up to 14 years at the oldest. But many have been retained in their grades because of failure. I teach reading, particularly to those kids who've had the most trouble with it. By the time they get to me, kids who have had a great deal of trouble with reading tend to hate it. They hate reading. They hate the class. Quite often, they hate me.
Now, I'm one of those teachers who is extremely warm. I know that most of my kids have been trained to expect teachers to look for the worst in them. So, I do the opposite. I smile at them a great deal. I give them sarcasm when they say things that they think will upset me. I hit them back with love for their harshness. Not only this, but I go out of my way for their studies even in other academic areas. I have printed out assignments for other classes for kids who don't have a printer at home. I have even taken handwritten work and typed it into a word processor file for students who had trouble getting their work typed. I have spent thousands of dollars on these children to purchase everything from books, to school supplies, to food. But despite all of my kindness, they are still quite harsh to me at times. This is my very first year teaching, and already I have been hit (more than once), I have been tickled, pinched, and cursed at by these students for whom I have given just about everything but my very blood.
I have given up more times than I can even recall. But every time I give up on them, every time I say to myself, "this child is simply a lost cause," I remember the fact that they may very well be a lost cause if someone doesn't influence their lives. So, I keep going.
I NEVER wanted to teach this age. Before I even finished obtaining my degree, I knew that if there was one group I did NOT want, it was middle school. God had other plans for me.
Looking back, I have grown more in the areas of patience, perseverance, and love than I knew I could. This has been the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. But I am thankful for the opportunity.
What worked for me is this: detach yourself from the event of misbehavior at hand. When she acts out, look at her as if you're watching a movie. Try to remove your emotions and view her as a biological specimen or something like that. Simultaneously, remember that, in a few years, she will realize the good in what you did for her; and if she has a great deal of sense, she will realize what she put your through. The amount of gratitude she will have for your sacrifice will far exceed its present misery.
I don't want to fill up your entire comment block! Sorry! :0) But I just wanted to encourage you not to give up on the little brat. She'll pull around after a while. You seem like such a kind person. Even offering to help your brother out says a GREAT deal about your fantastic character. Here's your chance to continue refining your already great self. It's going to be hard. But the rewards will be worth it."
I didn't realize it a
While clicking through some Entrecards as I waited to drive a relative to church, I happened across a delightful blog called Life, Day by Day. One particular post, "On Aloof Girl," got my attention.
I felt for the auntie in her frustration and pain. So, instead of just knowing what I felt, I commented:
"Don't give up on her. In all truth, her behavior is not that uncommon for a girl her age. I know it's much easier said than done, but give her more time and hang in there with her.
I understand your frustration. I work at a school with kids ranging in age from 11 to 17. Really, they're only supposed to go up to 14 years at the oldest. But many have been retained in their grades because of failure. I teach reading, particularly to those kids who've had the most trouble with it. By the time they get to me, kids who have had a great deal of trouble with reading tend to hate it. They hate reading. They hate the class. Quite often, they hate me.
Now, I'm one of those teachers who is extremely warm. I know that most of my kids have been trained to expect teachers to look for the worst in them. So, I do the opposite. I smile at them a great deal. I give them sarcasm when they say things that they think will upset me. I hit them back with love for their harshness. Not only this, but I go out of my way for their studies even in other academic areas. I have printed out assignments for other classes for kids who don't have a printer at home. I have even taken handwritten work and typed it into a word processor file for students who had trouble getting their work typed. I have spent thousands of dollars on these children to purchase everything from books, to school supplies, to food. But despite all of my kindness, they are still quite harsh to me at times. This is my very first year teaching, and already I have been hit (more than once), I have been tickled, pinched, and cursed at by these students for whom I have given just about everything but my very blood.
I have given up more times than I can even recall. But every time I give up on them, every time I say to myself, "this child is simply a lost cause," I remember the fact that they may very well be a lost cause if someone doesn't influence their lives. So, I keep going.
I NEVER wanted to teach this age. Before I even finished obtaining my degree, I knew that if there was one group I did NOT want, it was middle school. God had other plans for me.
Looking back, I have grown more in the areas of patience, perseverance, and love than I knew I could. This has been the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. But I am thankful for the opportunity.
What worked for me is this: detach yourself from the event of misbehavior at hand. When she acts out, look at her as if you're watching a movie. Try to remove your emotions and view her as a biological specimen or something like that. Simultaneously, remember that, in a few years, she will realize the good in what you did for her; and if she has a great deal of sense, she will realize what she put your through. The amount of gratitude she will have for your sacrifice will far exceed its present misery.
I don't want to fill up your entire comment block! Sorry! :0) But I just wanted to encourage you not to give up on the little brat. She'll pull around after a while. You seem like such a kind person. Even offering to help your brother out says a GREAT deal about your fantastic character. Here's your chance to continue refining your already great self. It's going to be hard. But the rewards will be worth it."
I didn't realize it at the time, but what I did was encourage myself.
I have heard of this before. David did it when nobody believed in him. Unlike myself, who only have standardized test scores to be accountable for, he had the lives and livelihood of hundreds of families. Imagine the stress level there! Rather than give up, however, he renewed his faith reliance on God, the only One who could actually help him in his loneliest time of need. I didn't even realize that I was doing generating some self-therapy until I was finished. The very same words that I need to hear when I have to bite my tongue rather than react to something a kid has done, is what I wrote. I believe it may come in handy in the days to come.
So, in order to give my students some FCAT prep that was different than simply taking a mock FCAT, I decided to let them listen to a story called "Barnaby in Exile," by Mike Reznick. It's the emotional story of a young ape of exceptional intelligence who is forced out into the wild, the place he doesn't want to be. It's told from his own point of view. The story had everything I thought I needed to review. It was perfect for understanding narrator's perspective, author's purpose, and even text structure, although the entire delivery was via audio. I made twenty questions of varying levels of cognitive complexity that covered the main elements of the FCAT. Not only did I display the questions on the screen at the front of the room, but I also provided hard copies to individual students who wanted one.
It could have been worse, so I won't do anything but offer gratitude. Students found the story EXTREMELY boring in most mods. Only the exceptionally high-level students (classified as gifted) found it really enjoyable. I washonestly very surprised by this. None of the classes reached the solitary bad word in the story, which I was well-prepared to skip long before it even came up. Only a few students finished more than 2/3 of the questions.
So, Ideveloped an FCAT prep lesson that consisted
So, in order to give my students some FCAT prep that was different than simply taking a mock FCAT, I decided to let them listen to a story called "Barnaby in Exile," by Mike Reznick. It's the emotional story of a young ape of exceptional intelligence who is forced out into the wild, the place he doesn't want to be. It's told from his own point of view. The story had everything I thought I needed to review. It was perfect for understanding narrator's perspective, author's purpose, and even text structure, although the entire delivery was via audio. I made twenty questions of varying levels of cognitive complexity that covered the main elements of the FCAT. Not only did I display the questions on the screen at the front of the room, but I also provided hard copies to individual students who wanted one.
It could have been worse, so I won't do anything but offer gratitude. Students found the story EXTREMELY boring in most mods. Only the exceptionally high-level students (classified as gifted) found it really enjoyable. I was honestly very surprised by this. None of the classes reached the solitary bad word in the story, which I was well-prepared to skip long before it even came up. Only a few students finished more than 2/3 of the questions.
So, I developed an FCAT prep lesson that consisted of more than taking a practice test, and almost no one was able to really get into it. In retrospect, I suppose I should have included a hard copy of the story...duh! I should also have prepared a little bit of background knowledge about lab animals. I realize that a different story, one with more action and shock with fewer emotions, would have perhaps been a better choice. Ideally, some visuals could have been added to make it even more engaging. What seemed like an excellent idea became a lesson bound to crash and burn! L Well, first year is full of mistakes. I plan to learn from every single one of them.
Reading is NOT a regular hobby of many of my students. So anytime they actually look forward to reading something, I'm quite psyched. Accordingly, our latest book choice has me too psyched to settle down. When I hear the question, "Are we reading that book again?" or "Can we please read the book today?" I am quite happy.
Touching Spirit Bear, by
Ben Mikaelsen, is the story of Cole Matthews, a troubled teen with a habit for making bad choices. While his wealthy parents have always been able to fund him out of trouble, he crosses the line and is threatened with jail time. Rather than send him right to jail, however, he is offered a chance at a judicial practice of the Tlingit (an Alaskan tribe) known as Circle Justice. This system works to heal the community of both the guilty party and the victim. But in order for it to work, Cole must choose to manage his anger instead of letting it run his entire world. It's really a great story with lots of fabulous lessons on character. What's more, it leaves me feeling as if I'm actually accomplishing something with my kids rather than simply being a newbie.
There are TONS of excellent resources for this story. This is a short list because I want to go to bed. :0) I'm sleepy. But I would like to add more resources at a later date.
Tlingit Information
Facts for Kids: Tlingit IndiansTouching Spirit Bear Study and Teaching Tools
Touching Spirit Bear Novel-Tie (Dedicated Teacher)Touching Spirit Bear Project Packet (Broward Schools)Touching Spirit Bear Totem Pole Project (Not sure who's responsible for this excellent idea) Touching Spirit Bear Flashcard Sets (Quizlet)
Books on Tape: Touching Spirit BearListening Library Teacher Guide
Circle Justice Lesson (Safe and Caring Schools and Communities)
Resting in the shade, feet propped on a soft cushion, I realized that breaks are necessary in order to be a good teacher. This week-long break has been majorly therapeutic, and I believe that my students will benefit a great deal from my little slice of sweet, delicate peace.
With a mind full of missing-my-kids, a heart full of God's love and help, and a head and plan book full of ideas, I can look forward to Monday.
Resting in the shade, feet propped on a soft cushion, I realized that breaks are necessary in order to be a good teacher. This week-long break has been majorly therapeutic, and I believe that my students will benefit a great deal from my little slice of sweet, delicate peace.
With a mind full of missing-my-kids, a heart full of God's love and help, and a head and plan book full of ideas, I can look forward to Monday.
For some strange reason, my undergraduate training didn't include one of the most beneficial theories in the field. While Piaget and Erikson are quite necessary, once the brain has stored them and they are easily recalled in a manner which positively influences a person's teaching, then they have done their job. Unfortunately, not much teaching can occur without the most important component of real life in the classroom: management.
Thank God for Harry Wong! This man is not a professor or even a doctor; but his knowledge and expertise have saved the careers of many would-be-ex-teachers, yanking them out of the statistical gutter with his wit and practicality.
For some strange reason, my undergraduate training didn't include one of the most beneficial theories in the field. While Piaget and Erikson are quite necessary, once the brain has stored them and they are easily recalled in a manner which positively influences a person's teaching, then they have done their job. Unfortunately, not much teaching can occur without the most important component of real life in the classroom: management.
Thank God for Harry Wong! This man is not a professor or even a doctor; but his knowledge and expertise have saved the careers of many would-be-ex-teachers, yanking them out of the statistical gutter with his wit and practicality.
As my first official students took their exams, I couldn't help but wonder this. I think it's something that most teachers probably ask themselves during any kind of assessment. All this thinking has got me prepping myself for next semester. Starting with the big picture in mind helps keep every action focused.
As my first official students took their exams, I couldn't help but wonder this. I think it's something that most teachers probably ask themselves during any kind of assessment. All this thinking has got me prepping myself for next semester. Starting with the big picture in mind helps keep every action focused.
I thought I'd made an excellent novel selection. I should have known better.
For some strange reason, even though the reading level was accessible to all of my students- challenging for some, a "dessert book" for others - and the content seemed familiar to many of them, my students are not as interested in this book as I thought they would be. It's skinny. It's about teenage boys, which most of my students happen to be, and it includes realistic characters and dialogue.
After some deep thought, I realize that this particular text may be a bit too poetic. While it's lovely, and expressive, my students need something that is a little easier to grasp. Much of the narrative consists of abstractions that many of my kids may not be totally familiar with. Also, all of the emotional content may be uncomfortable for them to have to deal with when they are trying to do something they don't particularly feel very successful with: reading.
Our next choice will hopefully be something that will motivate them to turn the pages. I want to do all I can to instill a love of literacy, or at least an acceptance of its usefulness.
It would seem that, once I had graduated and started working as a real-life teacher, my posts would increase. Obviously, I'm encountering tons of post-worthy events every single day. But it's because of this that it's so difficult to take time out to share my tales. I've hardly got time to do such activities as peeing, eating, and sleeping. From planning and prepping to communicating and giving feedback, it often seems that my every second is accounted for.
I realize, though that if I don't write about my experiences, I may lose some of them. So, I plan to do better. I am reflecting EVERY day; but I plan to document these experiences more often than I have been.
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Came over to visit your blog and saw your post. Awwww, I am touched that you found my blog delightful. That adds more meaning to what I write. I will copy my reply to your comment here "thank you so much for sharing your experience and really good practical advice. It was my birthday last Saturday and at the stroke of midnite she sent me a greeting thru text and was besides herself with glee that she got to greet me first before anyone else. Then when morning comes she is nowhere in sight and her brother called her to come over (we live next door) for dinner since it was my birthday...she sullenly comes, mumbles good evening and happy birthday in the same breath (no hug, no kiss) and asks, are we eating now? hahahahahah. Yes, hopefully things will get better when she gets older". I will put your blog on my reading list :)
Maritel (merlmd)