Special Thx
Duncan Urges Master Teachers to Help Transform Teaching Profession | U.S. Department of Education
America should radically transform the way that teachers are recruited, assigned, evaluated and compensated in order to recognize and reward its great veteran teachers, attract top students into the field, and make America more competitive, said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
via Duncan Urges Master Teachers to Help Transform Teaching Profession | U.S. Department of Education.
No doubt. Education needs reform. Teachers need a better salary. The school year needs to be ongoing, not the daily equivalent of nine months and a big break. It is time for change, and we keep hoping. What seems to be coming down the wire is more of the same. More testing. More PfP, without adequate evaluation procedures. More responsibilities that have NOTHING to do with teaching. Less control over what happens in the classroom. Less discipline support from parents and administration.
Are there bad teachers who need to go? ABSOLUTELY. Get rid of them. If a teacher is not doing the job they need to be warned, instructed on how to correct the problem, and then dismissed if they can’t. A standardized test is not required to determine this! There is a place for assessment in schools. However, students are tested at an insane level. We have a course of study. That is enough of a guideline for my teaching. Prior to my current district, I NEVER stressed over the state made final exam. I didn’t even give it much thought. I taught the course, I taught the required standards…and more. My students had no problem on the final. My current district conducts pre-tests, summatives, cummulatives, finals, and retests. The emphasis on testing is INSANE.
Until districts are eliminating “bad” teachers the educational crisis is not going to improve. The emphasis on hiring a good coach over a good teacher needs to end. Students know the poor teachers, and admin knows as well. Why are they allowed to continue their employment? They are never given the high stakes testing subject because they don’t do their job. Why do they even have one???
Increasing teacher salaries sounds like a great plan, but how do you pay for it? How do you justify it? What cuts would have to be made? How do you determine a teacher’s success? Pay for performance, based on students that don’t care and refuse to work is not a fair method. There has to be some method of eliminating those students who refuse to come to school, create discipline problems when they are present and flat out don’t care if they learn anything. An alternative environment must be provided for their educational needs. They receive education in core classes only, and in a restricted environment. No more repeated suspensions for one, two, or ten days. After teacher intervention has failed… First offense, Saturday school. Second, suspension for three days, minimum. After that alternative placement for 45 days. If a student cannot return to the regular school environment they can complete their diploma in alternative placement where they are given the core subjects and life skills instruction. There should be at least one early college option in every district. Students who want to fast track high school should be allowed to do so.
Educational improvements must be a collective effort. Parents have to be willing to allow changes to the school calendar and help teachers by teaching their children how to behave. State tourism industries have to stay OUT of calendar decisions. It is ridiculous that school districts can be legally restricted by a completely unrelated industry. We also have to realize that despite our desires, college is not for everyone. Vocational training is a respectable option that should not be dismissed.
Still here…
Just taking a break during summer school. Still around. It’s time to redecorate, update, and backup. Summer school session II was amazing. It was unbelievably different than the first session. Two weeks, 15 kids, and easy instruction. They did everything I asked of them and without complain. WOOT!
Now it is time to just be. No agenda. I plan to spend a significant amount of time by the pool. Eventually, I will have to prep for the new year. That is not on this weekends agenda.
And the week rolled on…
Wow.
When I applied to teach summer school I did it with the thought that it would not be bad. The students had already failed the course so they came to summer school because they wanted to pass right? Right?????
Wrong.
They came to summer school because they thought it was an easy pass and all you had to do was attend to get credit. They fail to realize that you are completing more than a weeks worth of work in one eight hour day. You are completing an 18 week course in 8 days and a testing day. Ten goals. Eight days.
I have already ranted about day 1. Several were sent out, all came back for a second chance. You have to do that when they have 504s, IEPs, or they somehow manage to convince administration that they are willing to do the work and capable of behaving. Yeah…no.
For everyday add, chronic sleeper removed, returned and removed again. It is like a baby who can’t handle the chaos so it goes to sleep. Crazy. He works well in a separate setting, but head down and asleep when in the classroom. Poor thing can’t help it.
Day 2, was a little better and very much a blur right now. I covered a lot of what I needed to cover. There were a couple of new additions to the room. I threw out my main problem after he said it was time to show his a$$ and eventually did. 80s throwback (think Kid ‘n Play hair) was taken out along with his partner in disturbance. We had an OK day after that. Constantly telling the girls to stop talking and the boys to stop giggling. There were almost twenty interruptions in the first two hours. With every one the class has to be regained. The district social studies guy came in to observe and instead of observing silently while I had a fast paced review he decided to interject. Now, I don’t care if anyone is in my room but DO NOT DISRUPT MY CLASS! If I want your input I will ask for it. I was going quick, asking questions getting responses, making corrections where appropriate and not adding anything new. Students were preparing to take the test and I had their FULL attention. I ask a question, get a response, then turned around to get something when district guy decided to offer his example and tie it to the next goal. The state is requiring 185 student days next year, instead of 180. The students had not heard this and it caused quite a commotion. He starts stumbling to explain how it works and I just interrupt, telling students to calm down and I will explain it more tomorrow when we GET to state power and supremacy of federal over state and state over local. They babble a little but see that I am frustrated at the disruption that killed almost ten minutes of my review time. I know it was obvious and I feel a little bad about that, but I do not have time to waste on something that hasn’t even been fully decided and is NOT 100% related to the topic at hand. We did discuss it on Day 3 and it was without disruption. The only other issue for day 2 was when students were supposed to be working on their test and someone came to the door. Students began to chatter, call out to the person at the door, make silly comments, joke around and laugh. I tried to get what was needed for the visitor and get students back on task at the same time. One of the boys said something crude about the visitor and she attempted to call the office to have him taken care of. I made the statement that they really needed to be working and take this seriously. Students did not hear that. All they heard was her response of it was sad they weren’t since they had already had the course and had an opportunity to finish it now. One of my divas took offense and was seriously rude to the visitor. It was a drama filled day, but I was able to teach for some of it.
Day 3, Happy b’day to me… a$$ shower is out (blessing) and 80s throwback is back with a promise of behavior. Again, I had called parents to let them know and had a little hope that day 3 would be better. It was. The boys made it all the way to 2:00 PM before the giggling started. The girls still chattered and had to be corrected, but for the most part people worked. No one was thrown out. I had mentioned to admin the issue with class interruptions, explaining that my main problems occurred when people came to the door for this that or the other. She understood and took care of it.
After school I head home to change and then go across town to work a concert for teen kid’s band fees. Heart and Def Leopard. EXHAUSTED by the end of it.
Day 4, I am in no shape or form capable of extended patience. A$$ shower is back along with all the rest. More than a goal and a half to cover. We were off to a great start. Students were attentive, doing notes, copying graphics, and listening. Only minor issues. First break they earned a little extra. After break, back to it. Not as easy as first hour, but still OK. A$$ shower puts his head down to sleep and refuses to keep going. I send him out with security. While I am writing the issue up two other students get into it. The girl who has been wonderful each day is saying to a boy across the room that he better STFU about her and stop saying sh!t. I send them all out. They bring a$$ shower back after a good talking to and it is his last chance. I request that the girl come back after a warning and that the other guy just leave. We are now discussing city zoning and planning. They are brainstorming, designing, and most are taking it seriously. A$$ shower wants anarchy and legalize everything. He keeps trying to distract others and I keep redirecting. During lunch a counselor brings the other guy back to my room to apologize. He explained that he hadn’t said anything, he was just laughing at what some girls across the room had said about the one that exploded in a tirade. He will spend the rest of the day in a separate setting, now has a behavior contract, and will be back in my room on Monday. I think he will be OK, but we shall see. After lunch we have graphics, questions and notes to do. For whatever reason, A$$ shower takes his belt off and hits the girl beside him. I know they are playing and I simply say really? When I turn around she hauls off and hits him. We have one hour of the day remaining and I have political parties and the election process to explain. REALLY! NO TIME FOR THIS! Go to call security and they are walking by as I pick up the phone. The girl is a hard worker and has a mouth, but she has been pretty decent with me. I really want her to stay and the boy really did deserve what he got. I’ll talk to the girl and let her know there are no more chances. She can come back but it will be while sitting in isolation. A$$ shower is done. Go away, do not come back. The rest of the class was great and we finished five minutes early.
It is the last day of the week and I am ready to go, but I don’t want to come in at the butt crack of dawn on Monday so I am staying to make my copies. Heading downstairs to ask a question and then make my copies, I notice a bus has returned to school and there are students being separated into two groups. Oh joy. One group is being taken into a classroom and the other to another location. Since I was there, security was dealing with another issue, admin is handling admin things…guess who gets to babysit. I didn’t have to. I could have ignored the situation and been on my way. That is the right thing to do, so I help. The kids in the room aren’t that bad. Escorts are taking four at a time to call parents since no one was going to be allowed back on the bus. Students are not happy, but this group is understanding that there are rules and some individual decided to break them. Someone was tokin’ up in the back of the bus. Smart.
Police and drug dogs are brought in. Procedure is followed. Dog makes a hit on the bus. A$$ shower strikes again. I guess b/c he no longer has anything on him and they can’t 100% prove it was him, he was not arrested. He was simply told to get off the property and if he stepped foot back on it he would be arrested for trespassing. He had to wait for his ride up the hill and across the street.
Eventually we are allowed to let students go to the restroom one at a time. I take girls and a security guy takes the guys. We are waiting on parents. The second group that was taken to a separate location was the back of the bus folks and they were NOTHING like the classroom kids I was originally with. They were less than cooperative.
I was finally able to make my copies and get out of there by 6 PM. I know admin and support staff were there with students even longer.
This is the population that can determine my effectiveness as a teacher. Unfreakinbelievable. It is just a few that ruin the learning opportunities for others. Next week has to be better.
This week of insanity and my survival brought to you by ten years of experience, administrative support, Monster energy drinks, and Rosemount Shiraz.
Why???
I don’t understand. If you have failed a class and have to sit through summer school, why are you going to waste your time yet again? Do the work, try to learn the material, pass with a portfolio if you can’t pass the test. It is NOT difficult!
Today was the first day of summer school and my class was a piece of work. Several were all in and working hard. Several more were clowns. Fortunately, I do not have to allow them to stay if they disrupt. I gave them the day, and talked to a few. Phone calls home were made. Tomorrow, disruption = dismissal.
I cannot fathom caring so little about your academic future. How can they make it this far and know nothing about this nation? (And they have already had this class…some twice!)
Sweet sixteen
Sixteen years tomorrow, that is how long we have been married. I am so fortunate to have someone so wonderful. Through ups and downs, thick and thin, he is everything I need him to be and so much more.
5-30-95
Do-Over for May please
May. I need a do-over. Last week my husband had a mild heart attack. It started out as chest pains (tension/tightness) after working Saturday. No issues Sunday. Pain returns Monday. Concerned over stress and how it is impacting him I pushed for a doctor visit. With the appointment made the nurse called back asking for specific symptoms. They wanted him in the ER. 11:30 AM ER visit, EKG is normal. He is well enough to remain in waiting for the remainder of the day. Frustrated and ready to leave, he waits it out. By 4:30 PM he is back in an ER room, on monitors with doctors saying his enzymes show he has heart damage. They call it heart guts. Yeah, that’s what you want to hear in a description. No sleep for Monday as they have two IVs in and are doing blood work every few hours. I’m not leaving and there is no place in the room for me to curl up. Lovely. I figured out that there was room in the hospital bed if I put my head at the foot and my feet up near his shoulder. Oh yes…comfy. It was better than the poorly padded wooden straight back chair. The next day we get to meet with the entire cardio team, who all say the same thing. They will do a heart cath and if a stent is needed then they will do it at that time. Hoping to get it done and not have to stay too much longer in the hospital he opted not to eat. Morning turned to afternoon and late afternoon…no food still. Finally, the heart cath was done. They found his right coronary artery was 95% blocked and it was a long blockage. Two stents were used. Returning to the room he was fine and even carried on a conversation with a friend. Meds wore off after an hour and a new normal began. Having to be still and flat for two hours was difficult for him. When he was finally able to move a little, get on his side and slightly bend his leg he was able to rest a little more. Long night with nurses coming in and out, but it was nearly as busy as the first night. I was too afraid to curl up/stretch out beside him so I pushed my two wooden chairs together and tried to lay with my feet propped. This worked for about an hour. I noticed he was curled some and there was a small space at the end of his bed. I wedged myself there and propped my feet on my chairs. Much better. It’s insane.
In the info they give you at check in they encourage family to stay. Um…where?
He was able to go home the next day and has been recovering since. Things are getting back to normal…our new normal. Fortunately, we do not eat a lot of fast food and we strive to buy quality fresh foods. He has started cardio-rehab and we will continue to work on diet.
This could have been so much worse. I am thankful that we were given a wake up call and the opportunity to pay closer attention and try to prevent future damage. It is stressful. I fear for what could have been.
As for the rest of May. So far, so ick. Lil bit turned 11 today. She was diagnosed with strep on Monday. We probably shared that gem of a germ this past weekend when all of her friends were camped in the bonus room. I have had a dry cough since ER Monday of last week. It increases when I exert energy or try to talk. I think it is stress related, but it could also be allergies. My doc agrees. Until there are other symptoms we can’t do anything but manage it. My 64g iPod Touch that I just got back from a screen repair was stolen Monday, but I got it back Monday afternoon with only a few apps missing.
How’s that for a start to the month. Ick.
Time marches on…
Spring break is over. I have accomplished no hiking, no geocaching, no working out, and no reading. I managed a quiet Monday with nothing accomplished, not even laundry. I spent part of the week on the NC coast chaperoning a school trip. The time is gone. Tomorrow is Easter. Where did the time go?
*big sigh*
Seriously? You’re not even going to try?
That’s right, I had the majority of my first class not even try on the assessment and a few students in other classes. Several marked random answers. At least one marked all C’s. Another marked twelve questions and no more. Great. Thanks. You screwed my data!!!!! To think, in 2014 my salary will be determined by clowns like this. Unfreakinbelievable. I made it clear that those who obviously trashed the test had better not even think of asking me for even a tenth of a point and the extra credit opportunity is off the table for them. (They have to attend review sessions and make growth on their final assessment.) Really? You couldn’t just take the test? I even told you the questions that I could actually use! 47% of the test was material we had covered. Granted 53% of it was crap, but I could have used the data from the 47%. Grrrr.
Pay-for-performance, yeah…great idea. This is the crap we deal with on a daily basis.
Joy
Had a great night serving at Joy Prom. I believe the special men and women we served received a lot from us, but the joy we received from serving them was so much more. It was so much fun and reminded me that my comfort is of less importance than serving others. Just because I am struggling with fitting in where we are does not mean give up. Last night it didn’t matter. Ultimately, it is not about me. I need to continually realize that I am not a socialite and never will be…serve where I can and that’s it. Fitting with any of the cliques doesn’t matter.
Greener grass?
If you are not happy where you are, change it. You have that power. It’s your life. I am well aware that it is not that simple, but I’m just shaking my head at people who are constantly telling you how much better somewhere else is. If it is so grand and you love it so much and it is so much better than the US, why are you here? You are making a choice, and apparently choosing somewhere that is so much less than what you desire. I do not get it. I loved Haiti and think it is one of the most beautiful places around. This is a country that has true potential to be a tourist destination if they could just get their act together. I wouldn’t want to live there. It has a volatile political climate, and that is putting it mildly. At times it is excruciatingly hot. Currently it smells like a sewer and a landfill got together and birthed a country. If someone tells you how happy they are where they are living, don’t tell them how much they would love your favorite third world country. Let them enjoy smiling at their wonderful spring day.
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