When your mind is going in too many direction

You can be sure you are a 7th Grade teacher.

Here it is, a Saturday night, and I am thinking about how I am going to deal with my 3rd period class on Monday. My mind then switches to the next unit I will start teaching in 8 weeks. Then I am on to figuring out how I am going to find a high school job next year.

This last thought took me to the application for Fremont HS. I filled it out, except for addresses to my last two jobs and accidentally erased the whole application. I will have to redo it later.

Now I am on to which Academy I would want to teach in and how I would approach the curriculum for each of the academies. Which is overriding my brain and taking me to BTSA.

I really need to fill in the inane forms that will allow me to have a life time credential as long as I pay a fee every so often. This leads me to the idea that it makes no sense that I will not be required to continue my education as an educator. This makes me crazy.

This takes me to the Harvard website to see about applying for their newest Doctorate in Education. Yes, I am too late for the fall, but what about 2011? Harvard only takes 25 students into this program, but they pay your way including a stipend for living. This makes me think I could do it -- at some point. But how do I get in if I lose my job again.

And now I am back to what am I going to do with my students for the next two weeks. Oh, and I need to buy my Homeroom class some food to eat before they take their CST writing test on Tuesday.

I apparently am manic at the very least. And now I am wondering if anything I do makes a difference of any kind. This of course leads me to figuring out what I can do to teach them better, make them like to read and how to make them better writers.

Okay, exhausted. If only every night wasn't like this. Of course, then, I wouldn't be me if this wasn't my daily process.

Last Day of the Semester

So, their grades are in and they surprised me. Many Ds and Fs are now Bs and Cs. Only the very few are still failing. They actually (for the most part) did the make-up assignments and turned them in. That shows me they can take responsibility.

Now, grades are due today (I have turned mine in) and they had an assignment due yesterday. It was a bit of mad dash at the end and I planned accordingly. They earned a film during their Periodic Assessment, but I still wanted the film to be meaningful. I thought and thought and then went to the cupboard. Ah Ha! Freedom Writers. But still I wasn't quite sure how it would turn out.

It has turned out fine. They are enthralled and connected and quiet. In fact there is a group from my morning classes in my room right now to watch the conclusion at lunch. It feels good to watch them at their best and it gives me the feeling of hope I need to start anew on Monday.

And Monday will be an awesome day. We start the process of experiencing Romeo & Juliet and Shakespeare. I have already caught them in my spell by telling them they will be creating Shakespearean Insults. they also know they get to insult one another using their creations. They know it is about gangs, sword fights, drugs, love and death. They are excited. I AM EXCITED.

Maybe I should set up movie time in my classroom at lunch for them. It is so important to experience them when you are not expecting anything from them. Then they are lovely and funny and loving. The attitudes fade away.

It is turning out to be a very good last day of the semester. I am sure I will sleep deep tonight. Tomorrow I will be in my classroom cleaning and setting up for a whole new beginning. It is as if Spring has come early.

They are driving me to be insane

UGH, they are just ridiculous. They follow no direction. They are completely irritating. And I really wish I was any where else except in accounting. So I guess I am okay.

Teaching, Learning, Testing,

I am in the process of giving my students a standardized test on their Expository Unit. This unit has many challenges. The greatest challenge being a 3 week break in the middle of it. The second greatest challenge is administering the test before the unit is actually complete. It is a bit overwhelming at times, but I am pretty sure they have learned something during this.

I was going over evidence needing to be accurate, adequate and appropriate and they were having a difficult time with the whole concept. So, here is the example I gave:

Assertion: Kobe Bryant is the greatest basketball player in history.

Evidence: He is tall. He lives in Los Angeles. He plays for the Lakers.

The first response I heard was: "He's not tall!"

Seriously, that was the response. Then they went on to say he's not the greatest, blah blah blah.

So, it didn't exactly work. The worst part is I thought I could make it work and tried the same example in all 5 classes. I am a dork! I did try to improve my set up for the example to them, but I heard in all 5 classes: "He's not tall!" "Kobe don't have no game!" "Who Kobe Bryant?"

I've been thinking about it for a few days an the tall thing keeps coming back to me. I had to look it up. Kobe Bryant is 6'6" tall. How is that not tall? Why do they think he isn't tall? I guess because when they see him on TV they see him next to people who are taller than him. They don't see him next to people their height. THen I think why haven't most of them been to a game? It is only 5 or 6 stops off the blue line from where they live.

Then I think, "my students need real life experiences!" I need to add some in to next semester for them. That may be the most important thing I expose them to in my class.

Any ideas, let me know.

Just haven't had any good things to say

I went to a training for three days this week and it was worth it. It was called "Capture Kids Hearts."  The first day was hard but by the end 50+ teachers were like old friends. It was camp like or in the word of one of my new friends, "therapy."

So, today with trepidation and excitement, I went back to my students. Apparently, they seem to finally get me and in turn their education. It was awesome today. Hugs and smiles and work they actually did! Plus notes and pictures they left me. I changed in the three days and they seemed to have changed/grown as well. 

In this mess of an education system it is good to know learning, academic and social, is going on in the classroom. I missed them so much. I still miss my students from last year as well. I can't help but wonder and hope their English teacher loves them as much as I do.

I was my Kindergarten Teacher's first class. She was amazing and I used to see her for years after. Even after I had graduated high school. She always remembered me and I was always so grateful for her. I know she knew that. I thought today about what we sang in the Holiday pageant, it was the Dreidel Song and I was a pink present with a blue bow. 

I am going to focus on that memory because it makes me realize what I do does matter no matter what is going on in buildings and offices and unions and the media.

Need to find my sense of humor.

Just kidding. I had so much fun dressed as a stereotypical nerd on Friday. My students thought it was hysterical and I am pretty sure I earned points in their books. We also learned about MIT and Nerd Pride during homeroom. All in all it was a fun day. I so love to dress up! However, I did have a moment when I forgot I was dressed up and could not figure out why people were smiling at me so intently. I now wish I had gotten up early enough to take the subway while in my nerd wear!

And today I have solved a problem for myself. I love reading to my students, but by 6th period I have little voice left. So, I downloaded the unabridged version of Hunger Games onto my iPod which also means they can listen and journal while I meet with them one-on-one to go over their grades and test scores. It seems like a perfect match and I really want to have time to talk to them, each and every one of them. Now we can get caught up on our book and they can write and I can spend the time.

This week begins the count down, 3 days until a 4 day weekend, then 3 weeks until a 3 week vacation. I am so tired and I need the break so much. However, I have so much work to do in the next 3 days. On the up side Thanksgiving is just 6 of my immediate family this year and we are doing it at my mom's which means so much less work and I get to enjoy the cooking part instead of being stressed out about silly stuff. 

Onward I go and I must get to sleep soon.

Clearing the Air

It has been a while since I posted here. I have felt conflicted. I wanted there to be more humor in my posts, but apparently, that is not to be. And yet I hold out hope. 

I have been losing my sense of humor and my focus and my knowledge everything will be okay. But, in spite of everything, things are looking up. On Tuesday my favorite professor from Pepperdine was at my school. I am never sure if people will remember me, but she did and greeted me with hugs and excitement. She proceeded to introduce me to the rest of the Pepperdine crew and then took me to MY Principals to let them know how lucky they are to have me. I am sure you can understand how it is different to have a person who you deeply respect and admire in your field say those kind of things. She then informed me I would be getting my doctorate as well. All in all she rejuvenated me. I felt much less lonely than I have the past few weeks.

Another positive is my students are starting to settle in and get their acts together. This is not to say they are easy, far from it, but the numbers of crazy are getting fewer and fewer. Plus our school has taken on a more strict program for those causing the most problems. They will now be attending 0 period each day to get them on the right track. Plus we will now have tardy sweeps. (Oh thank goodness)  Things are definitely improving. There is still so much to do. 

And, I have energy again and I am posting while taking a break from getting my grading updated and ready to submit. I feel positive. I feel I can make it to Winter Break! 

I know one thing for sure. I never want to be 12 years old again.