*note: there is some profanity
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
What Teachers Make
I'm taking a brief break from million-and-a-half Tyler pictures (don't worry, many more to come!) to share this video. It's old, I've seen it countless times, but it makes me pump my fist in the air each time. I've included the link to youtube as well, since I've not had great luck recently with embedding videos.
*note: there is some profanity
*note: there is some profanity
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Roller Coaster
Friday was a rough day. The room was thick with apathy and their faces aglow with their contraband phones. My face turned blue running out of oxygen lecturing them.
...I explain that 11 students (of the 29 in the class) are currently failing.
...I explain that if they end up with a 69.4 for the semester, they will not pass (no curves or "bumping").
...I explain that every single student who is failing owes me at least three missing assignments.
...I explain that they need to be doing their work.
Then, my face turns crimson. Crimson with fury. Why aren't they listening? They don't even look up. If a teacher had told me ANY of the things above when I was a student, I'd be rushing forward to ask him or her if I was missing anything. Mind you, I was a good student and I still would have been quaking in my boots (ok, Skechers).
I emailed Jason and said, "I don't like the person they make me become."
That was Friday.
Then, Monday came.
I've been emailing back and forth with a mom about her son's missing work. Over the weekend, she rifled through his backpack and found the completed (but not turned in) assignment and scanned it to me. She also found something else -- a Teacher Appreciation card her son had made for me but had evidently decided against giving to me. She decided that I should see it, and scanned it as well. I'll keep the details to myself, but it was one of the best cards I've ever received. I don't know if it was the student's sincere words or the frustrations of the previous school day, but I teared up reading it!
Sometimes I think about leaving the teaching profession (yes, the profession I profess to love so much) because it is frustrating, demeaning, difficult, did I mention frustrating? But then something like this happens (and from such an unlikely candidate) and my heart warms all over again. Oh teaching, you are such a roller coaster of emotions.
...I explain that 11 students (of the 29 in the class) are currently failing.
...I explain that if they end up with a 69.4 for the semester, they will not pass (no curves or "bumping").
...I explain that every single student who is failing owes me at least three missing assignments.
...I explain that they need to be doing their work.
Then, my face turns crimson. Crimson with fury. Why aren't they listening? They don't even look up. If a teacher had told me ANY of the things above when I was a student, I'd be rushing forward to ask him or her if I was missing anything. Mind you, I was a good student and I still would have been quaking in my boots (ok, Skechers).
I emailed Jason and said, "I don't like the person they make me become."
That was Friday.
Then, Monday came.
I've been emailing back and forth with a mom about her son's missing work. Over the weekend, she rifled through his backpack and found the completed (but not turned in) assignment and scanned it to me. She also found something else -- a Teacher Appreciation card her son had made for me but had evidently decided against giving to me. She decided that I should see it, and scanned it as well. I'll keep the details to myself, but it was one of the best cards I've ever received. I don't know if it was the student's sincere words or the frustrations of the previous school day, but I teared up reading it!
Sometimes I think about leaving the teaching profession (yes, the profession I profess to love so much) because it is frustrating, demeaning, difficult, did I mention frustrating? But then something like this happens (and from such an unlikely candidate) and my heart warms all over again. Oh teaching, you are such a roller coaster of emotions.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
My Thoughts on the State Budget
Yes, this is going to be a *gasp* political opinion post. This is a big deal for me because I am not a big political person. I don't take one side and blame the opposing political party for all the world's problems. I do not post on Facebook my political opinions or try to persuade people to vote for a certain candidate. What could possibly persuade me to write a political post then? Oh, nothing much, just the NC General Assembly trying to destroy my profession. Honestly, I doubt any of you will make it through the whole post. If you're not a teacher or you do not have children in school, much of this doesn't directly affect you. However, I have a lot on my mind and this is a way for me to air some of those opinions.
If you haven't heard the news:
Watch here
Teachers' responses
NCAE's (NC Association of Educators) Response
Comments from the Public
The newly proposed NC budget wants to change several things about education.
1. Cut teaching assistant positions
2. Remove teacher tenure and give merit-based raises
3. Create "opportunity scholarships"
4. Provides 5 bonus days for employees
1. Cut teaching assistant positions
I don't have much to say about this one since teaching assistants are primarily found in elementary schools. I know that class sizes are steadily increasing and that TAs can help a teacher give individualized education to each student and quickly identify holes in a student's comprehension. I know that losing TAs in the lower grades is going to worsen the reading and math deficiencies I already see in my own students.
2. Remove teacher tenure and give merit-based raises
First, a few facts.
I am about to start my third year of teaching. The first three years of the teaching profession are called probationary. This means that each year, I am on a one-year contract and that my school (based on my performance or job availability) has to ask me back each year. Each of these years, I am evaluated by a team of people (the assistant principal in charge of the science department, peers (usually my department chair or a senior member of the sci dept), and my mentor teacher). Last year, I'd estimate that I was formally observed about ten times. During these observations, they evaluate my performance based on five standards of teaching. This year, they added a sixth standard which is based on my students' performance on a state exam called the Measures of Student Learning (MSLs). During my fourth year of teaching, I will go through the same evaluation process, but with the principal of the school. If I reach a certain level on the evaluation tool, I will receive tenure.
The term "tenure" gets thrown around a lot, so I looked up exactly what it means. According to the Professional Educators of NC, a tenured teacher (or a "career teacher" as it actually shows up in our paperwork) can only be discharged under certain conditions. Many people outside of education consider tenured teachers the ones that prop their feet up on their desks and let students goof off or sleep all day. Why do they care? They've got job security for life. This isn't a true picture though, because tenured teachers can still be fired for inadequate performance, immorality, insubordination, neglect of duty, or a decrease in the number of teaching positions available in a school district.
I made the mistake of reading the public comments on wral.com (the last link I provided above). Many people talk about how they support getting rid of tenure because teachers receive this raise (tenure) simply for being present for four years. They say that in the "real world," people have to earn their raises. Dear "real world," teachers have not received a raise in years. We haven't even received a cost-of-living raise that most employees receive every year.
The state also wants to get rid of pay incentives for people with masters/doctorate degrees or national board certification. Now, I was in grad school with some people that I really worried about becoming teachers, so I am not saying that a higher degree makes a better teacher. I have also heard stories about teachers "planting" questions/comments for their students to make while they are filming their classes for board certifications. I am not saying that 100% of us are quality teachers out there. However, what does it say about our state's view of education when they see no benefit in rewarding or motivating their teachers to further their own educations?
I'm about to ruffle some fellow teachers' feathers, but I'm not outraged about the loss of tenure. Well, let me say that differently. In comparison to how outraged I am about OTHER parts of the state budget, I don't have enough energy to be AS outraged about the loss of tenure. The second part of this (the merit-based raises) is what gets me.
This new merit-based raise sounds like a good idea until you start thinking about logistics. First of all, it is based on student achievement. This is like a customer service rep receiving pay raises based on customer satisfaction when they call. If you get an irate customer, you get no raise. It doesn't matter that the customer was already irate when they called you and that you actually calmed them down quite a bit. If they're not singing your company's praises at the end of the call, you're a failure. It's not really evaluating how good of a job you're doing, but how good of a job the people you interact with are doing.
My primary role as an educator is to make sure my students know more about science by their final exams than they did when they walked into my class on the first day of the semester. I believe that teachers who can effectively do this should receive monetary compensation for this achievement. However, there are some issues with HOW they are measuring our achievement. The state is currently measuring this with a new state exam, the MSL. Teachers are not allowed to administer their own exams to their own students because the state suspects we may "help" our students get the right answers. I'd be worried about this, too, if I was paying my employees based on how their students score on this one test! While I was not allowed to see the test (and learn what the state actually wanted my students to know), I did get to see the released practice questions from the state. They were horrible! Several of them were vaguely worded where multiple answers seemed logical (it's bad when teachers get together and can't discern what the "correct" answer is!) and several where the "correct" answer wasn't correct at all!
An actual sample question: What river basin do you live in?
A. Nile River
B. Amazon River
C. Mississippi River
D. Yellow River
What answer did you choose? Well, even if you don't know much about river basins, you probably chose C, Mississippi River. According to the state, you would be correct! Hate to burst your bubble, though, but you're wrong. We live east of the Appalachian Mountains, so our rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean, not the Mississippi River. What's my point? My point is that the state is going to base my pay on how well my students perform on a severely-flawed test.
My second point is that student demographics are not part of the consideration at all. There were no special accommodations on the test for my students who speak little to no English or those that usually receive modifications due to their special needs. There was no box for me to check saying that the student went into the exam with a 30 average in the class because he/she has over 40 absences (so they missed the majority of my instruction). There was no place to put comments about the student who was retaking Earth Science for the third time because they hate school and put in no effort all semester because they are counting down the days until they can legally drop out. These students' results just show the state that I'm a lousy teacher...
When I was in high school, I did have a pretty lousy teacher. True, she was dealing with a lot of health problems and we had a sub for much of the semester. That said, I was a good enough student that I went home at night and taught myself from the textbook. That way, I could still perform well on the tests even though we hadn't really been taught the material. This past semester, I heard about a similar thing at my own school where students, worried about the upcoming MSL, asked another teacher for her study guides because they felt unprepared by their own teacher. They actually got together in study groups the week before the exam and taught themselves the material because they were scared about doing poorly on their exams. So, would this teacher have received a raise because his/her students were successful on the test?
3. Create "opportunity scholarships"
The state wants to allocate $10 million for low-income families to send their children to private schools instead of free public schools. Senator Neal Hunt said, "We're taking folks that couldn't afford to go to a private school, giving them the opportunity to get out of a public school that's maybe not performing well."
Every student deserves a quality education. I also fully understand that there are some subpar schools in North Carolina where students may not be receiving a quality education. However, I have major problems with taking state funding and giving it to private schools, especially when public education is so underfunded. That is not the solution. Jason and I are both pro public education, but I thought he made a really good point today: "We can't afford to send our own kid to private school, so why am I paying to send another person's kid?"
I also know that not all private schools are created equally. When I was looking to enter the teaching profession, Wake County required that I have a teaching license (no more lateral entry for them). Several private schools I looked into had no problem with my lack of education experience. My brother-in-law went to a private school where some of his teachers had no experience in the subjects they were teaching. Private schools are not going to fix our lack of educated youth in this state, and devoting $10 million of the budget seems ridiculous to me. According to one website, the average salary for Teaching Assistants in Raleigh (one of the highest-paid areas in NC) is a little over $20,000. That $10 million could pay 500 teaching assistants' salaries.
4. Provides 5 bonus days for employees
A few words (really, I AM capable of being succinct... sometimes) about the 5 extra vacation days. Dear General Assembly, thanks (I guess) for this little bone you're throwing us. However, we're not allowed to take vacation days on normal school days. We're only allowed to take vacation days on teacher workdays when we're required to work, but students are not at school. What message does this send us? Wouldn't you prefer for us to take advantage of our workdays and, I don't know, WORK?
I can't speak for all teachers, but I'd rather be given a check for an extra week's pay than the five vacation days. That way, I could use that money to go out and buy my own school supplies and pencil and paper for my students who can't afford their own school supplies. But wait, you probably didn't know we did that, did you, NC General Assembly? Yep, you're taking away all our pay incentives, cutting our jobs, paying us some of the lowest salaries in the country, and we turn back around and buy supplies for our classes with that money.
But I thought all teachers only put in effort until they get tenure, waste away the day from bell to bell, and then drive home to their mansions? Is that not what happens?
If you haven't heard the news:
Watch here
Teachers' responses
NCAE's (NC Association of Educators) Response
Comments from the Public
The newly proposed NC budget wants to change several things about education.
1. Cut teaching assistant positions
2. Remove teacher tenure and give merit-based raises
3. Create "opportunity scholarships"
4. Provides 5 bonus days for employees
1. Cut teaching assistant positions
I don't have much to say about this one since teaching assistants are primarily found in elementary schools. I know that class sizes are steadily increasing and that TAs can help a teacher give individualized education to each student and quickly identify holes in a student's comprehension. I know that losing TAs in the lower grades is going to worsen the reading and math deficiencies I already see in my own students.
2. Remove teacher tenure and give merit-based raises
First, a few facts.
I am about to start my third year of teaching. The first three years of the teaching profession are called probationary. This means that each year, I am on a one-year contract and that my school (based on my performance or job availability) has to ask me back each year. Each of these years, I am evaluated by a team of people (the assistant principal in charge of the science department, peers (usually my department chair or a senior member of the sci dept), and my mentor teacher). Last year, I'd estimate that I was formally observed about ten times. During these observations, they evaluate my performance based on five standards of teaching. This year, they added a sixth standard which is based on my students' performance on a state exam called the Measures of Student Learning (MSLs). During my fourth year of teaching, I will go through the same evaluation process, but with the principal of the school. If I reach a certain level on the evaluation tool, I will receive tenure.
The term "tenure" gets thrown around a lot, so I looked up exactly what it means. According to the Professional Educators of NC, a tenured teacher (or a "career teacher" as it actually shows up in our paperwork) can only be discharged under certain conditions. Many people outside of education consider tenured teachers the ones that prop their feet up on their desks and let students goof off or sleep all day. Why do they care? They've got job security for life. This isn't a true picture though, because tenured teachers can still be fired for inadequate performance, immorality, insubordination, neglect of duty, or a decrease in the number of teaching positions available in a school district.
I made the mistake of reading the public comments on wral.com (the last link I provided above). Many people talk about how they support getting rid of tenure because teachers receive this raise (tenure) simply for being present for four years. They say that in the "real world," people have to earn their raises. Dear "real world," teachers have not received a raise in years. We haven't even received a cost-of-living raise that most employees receive every year.
The state also wants to get rid of pay incentives for people with masters/doctorate degrees or national board certification. Now, I was in grad school with some people that I really worried about becoming teachers, so I am not saying that a higher degree makes a better teacher. I have also heard stories about teachers "planting" questions/comments for their students to make while they are filming their classes for board certifications. I am not saying that 100% of us are quality teachers out there. However, what does it say about our state's view of education when they see no benefit in rewarding or motivating their teachers to further their own educations?
I'm about to ruffle some fellow teachers' feathers, but I'm not outraged about the loss of tenure. Well, let me say that differently. In comparison to how outraged I am about OTHER parts of the state budget, I don't have enough energy to be AS outraged about the loss of tenure. The second part of this (the merit-based raises) is what gets me.
This new merit-based raise sounds like a good idea until you start thinking about logistics. First of all, it is based on student achievement. This is like a customer service rep receiving pay raises based on customer satisfaction when they call. If you get an irate customer, you get no raise. It doesn't matter that the customer was already irate when they called you and that you actually calmed them down quite a bit. If they're not singing your company's praises at the end of the call, you're a failure. It's not really evaluating how good of a job you're doing, but how good of a job the people you interact with are doing.
My primary role as an educator is to make sure my students know more about science by their final exams than they did when they walked into my class on the first day of the semester. I believe that teachers who can effectively do this should receive monetary compensation for this achievement. However, there are some issues with HOW they are measuring our achievement. The state is currently measuring this with a new state exam, the MSL. Teachers are not allowed to administer their own exams to their own students because the state suspects we may "help" our students get the right answers. I'd be worried about this, too, if I was paying my employees based on how their students score on this one test! While I was not allowed to see the test (and learn what the state actually wanted my students to know), I did get to see the released practice questions from the state. They were horrible! Several of them were vaguely worded where multiple answers seemed logical (it's bad when teachers get together and can't discern what the "correct" answer is!) and several where the "correct" answer wasn't correct at all!
An actual sample question: What river basin do you live in?
A. Nile River
B. Amazon River
C. Mississippi River
D. Yellow River
What answer did you choose? Well, even if you don't know much about river basins, you probably chose C, Mississippi River. According to the state, you would be correct! Hate to burst your bubble, though, but you're wrong. We live east of the Appalachian Mountains, so our rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean, not the Mississippi River. What's my point? My point is that the state is going to base my pay on how well my students perform on a severely-flawed test.
My second point is that student demographics are not part of the consideration at all. There were no special accommodations on the test for my students who speak little to no English or those that usually receive modifications due to their special needs. There was no box for me to check saying that the student went into the exam with a 30 average in the class because he/she has over 40 absences (so they missed the majority of my instruction). There was no place to put comments about the student who was retaking Earth Science for the third time because they hate school and put in no effort all semester because they are counting down the days until they can legally drop out. These students' results just show the state that I'm a lousy teacher...
When I was in high school, I did have a pretty lousy teacher. True, she was dealing with a lot of health problems and we had a sub for much of the semester. That said, I was a good enough student that I went home at night and taught myself from the textbook. That way, I could still perform well on the tests even though we hadn't really been taught the material. This past semester, I heard about a similar thing at my own school where students, worried about the upcoming MSL, asked another teacher for her study guides because they felt unprepared by their own teacher. They actually got together in study groups the week before the exam and taught themselves the material because they were scared about doing poorly on their exams. So, would this teacher have received a raise because his/her students were successful on the test?
3. Create "opportunity scholarships"
The state wants to allocate $10 million for low-income families to send their children to private schools instead of free public schools. Senator Neal Hunt said, "We're taking folks that couldn't afford to go to a private school, giving them the opportunity to get out of a public school that's maybe not performing well."
Every student deserves a quality education. I also fully understand that there are some subpar schools in North Carolina where students may not be receiving a quality education. However, I have major problems with taking state funding and giving it to private schools, especially when public education is so underfunded. That is not the solution. Jason and I are both pro public education, but I thought he made a really good point today: "We can't afford to send our own kid to private school, so why am I paying to send another person's kid?"
I also know that not all private schools are created equally. When I was looking to enter the teaching profession, Wake County required that I have a teaching license (no more lateral entry for them). Several private schools I looked into had no problem with my lack of education experience. My brother-in-law went to a private school where some of his teachers had no experience in the subjects they were teaching. Private schools are not going to fix our lack of educated youth in this state, and devoting $10 million of the budget seems ridiculous to me. According to one website, the average salary for Teaching Assistants in Raleigh (one of the highest-paid areas in NC) is a little over $20,000. That $10 million could pay 500 teaching assistants' salaries.
4. Provides 5 bonus days for employees
A few words (really, I AM capable of being succinct... sometimes) about the 5 extra vacation days. Dear General Assembly, thanks (I guess) for this little bone you're throwing us. However, we're not allowed to take vacation days on normal school days. We're only allowed to take vacation days on teacher workdays when we're required to work, but students are not at school. What message does this send us? Wouldn't you prefer for us to take advantage of our workdays and, I don't know, WORK?
I can't speak for all teachers, but I'd rather be given a check for an extra week's pay than the five vacation days. That way, I could use that money to go out and buy my own school supplies and pencil and paper for my students who can't afford their own school supplies. But wait, you probably didn't know we did that, did you, NC General Assembly? Yep, you're taking away all our pay incentives, cutting our jobs, paying us some of the lowest salaries in the country, and we turn back around and buy supplies for our classes with that money.
But I thought all teachers only put in effort until they get tenure, waste away the day from bell to bell, and then drive home to their mansions? Is that not what happens?
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Science Bash/Baby Shower
The Science Department has two big get-togethers a year, one at Christmas and one to celebrate the end of the school year. This year, the end-of-year bash was at my department chair Tina's house. They also celebrated Lilhimself by throwing us a shower.
This shower was on June 9th, one day after I pulled my abdominal muscle. I hobbled my way into Tina's house, and she had her glider waiting for me. Everyone treated me like royalty (or like a cripple, not sure which!) that day, offering to get me food, throw away my trash, etc. Though I was in a lot of pain that day, I felt totally spoiled and had a great time!
They went above and beyond with the presents! Tina said it was to ensure I come back next year after maternity leave. Jason was on photographer duty...
As the party was coming to an end, I wanted a picture of the science department. They sat me on the couch, and everyone was supposed to gather around me. Instead, everyone's (well, most everyone's) kids were put around me. Definitely my favorite pictures of the day!
This shower was on June 9th, one day after I pulled my abdominal muscle. I hobbled my way into Tina's house, and she had her glider waiting for me. Everyone treated me like royalty (or like a cripple, not sure which!) that day, offering to get me food, throw away my trash, etc. Though I was in a lot of pain that day, I felt totally spoiled and had a great time!
They went above and beyond with the presents! Tina said it was to ensure I come back next year after maternity leave. Jason was on photographer duty...
 |
| Bouncy/vibrate-y monkey chair |
 |
| Monkey and monster outfits |
 |
| Bobby pillow |
 |
| Music-playing giraffe |
As the party was coming to an end, I wanted a picture of the science department. They sat me on the couch, and everyone was supposed to gather around me. Instead, everyone's (well, most everyone's) kids were put around me. Definitely my favorite pictures of the day!
You can tell I got really tickled!
I did manage to get a Science picture as well. There were better ones, but Blinky McGee Megan messed them up. Here was the best one:
 |
| Top row (l-r): Christie (biology), Chip (environmental science), Ryan (Earth sci), Kelley (forensics), Tina (anatomy), Jordyn and Jennie (bio) Bottom row (l-r): Gabe (chemistry) and Ella, me, Carrie (Tina's daughter), and Naomi (bio) |
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Philippians 4
I have a hard time with favorites. I have a favorite color (orange) and a favorite movie (Princess Bride), but beyond that? How could I ever pick one food to say I like more than any other food? How could I say one song is more awesome than all the other ones I love? I like too many things to say something is my "favorite."
That said, my hands-down favorite book in the Bible is Philippians. Paul is succinct (which can't be said for all of his letters!), lays out his own testimony (which I consider very similar to mine... esteemed by the world's standards, but headed in the wrong direction only to be called to lay down those things to follow Christ), and has such quotable verses.
My all-time favorite verse in the Bible is the 4th verse --
"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!"
Though that's my favorite verse, I find myself quoting verses 6&7 more often --
"Be anxious for nothing. But by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
I am a high-strung person. The month of May has been overwhelming me recently between teaching, end-of -year paperwork, student drama (a student moving, another student refuses to come to school and is suspended when she's here, bullying that was happening right under my nose), social engagements, and not being able to do as much as I used to (my back gives out for the day around 3:30, so staying late to get stuff done is nearly impossible).
This morning, God and I had some quality time calming me down with Philippians 4:6-7 and "It is Well with My Soul" on the radio. When I got to school, I had a card in my mailbox from the girl who's been dealing with bullying. It said:
"Dear Mrs. Self, you are a great teacher and have been a great support system when I was in need. You are going to be a wonderful mother because you're a wonderful teacher and person. Thanks for everything."
It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and she had written it for an assignment (I saw other teachers had cards in their boxes as well). I have not been feeling underappreciated, but I have been feeling stressed. This card was just what I needed (and I'm not ashamed to say the pregnancy hormones made me tear up a bit when I read it) to help me focus on what's important about my job and to relax about the less important things.
I pray that God's peace fills you today with whatever life is trying to throw at you.
That said, my hands-down favorite book in the Bible is Philippians. Paul is succinct (which can't be said for all of his letters!), lays out his own testimony (which I consider very similar to mine... esteemed by the world's standards, but headed in the wrong direction only to be called to lay down those things to follow Christ), and has such quotable verses.
My all-time favorite verse in the Bible is the 4th verse --
"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!"
Though that's my favorite verse, I find myself quoting verses 6&7 more often --
"Be anxious for nothing. But by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
I am a high-strung person. The month of May has been overwhelming me recently between teaching, end-of -year paperwork, student drama (a student moving, another student refuses to come to school and is suspended when she's here, bullying that was happening right under my nose), social engagements, and not being able to do as much as I used to (my back gives out for the day around 3:30, so staying late to get stuff done is nearly impossible).
This morning, God and I had some quality time calming me down with Philippians 4:6-7 and "It is Well with My Soul" on the radio. When I got to school, I had a card in my mailbox from the girl who's been dealing with bullying. It said:
"Dear Mrs. Self, you are a great teacher and have been a great support system when I was in need. You are going to be a wonderful mother because you're a wonderful teacher and person. Thanks for everything."
It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and she had written it for an assignment (I saw other teachers had cards in their boxes as well). I have not been feeling underappreciated, but I have been feeling stressed. This card was just what I needed (and I'm not ashamed to say the pregnancy hormones made me tear up a bit when I read it) to help me focus on what's important about my job and to relax about the less important things.
I pray that God's peace fills you today with whatever life is trying to throw at you.
Monday, March 25, 2013
It Was the Best Day...
I really hate insurance commercials (seriously, how many spokespeople/animals does Geico need?), but I like the song from this Progressive ad:
"It Was the Best Day"
That song popped in my head on Friday because I was having a really great day. It had started out really hectic. I had left work on Thursday with about 15 things still on my to-do list. Not great. One of those things was to grade my Earth Science tests.
God bless the scantron machine. You know, where students bubble in their answers? Seriously, zzhoomp zzhoomp zzhoomp through the scantron machine, and next thing you know, you have 30 graded tests. So I guess I'm not opposed to ALL technology. Anyway, my Earth kids rocked the house with their test! I'm talking some students were scoring 20 points higher than all their other tests! Woohoo!
It was great motivation Friday since it was a review day before their midterm this week. Plus, they really enjoyed "Earth Science Pictionary" and got nearly every clue right! Where have these geniuses been hiding?
In Physical Science, we learned about one of my favorite topics all semester -- Light and Color. It combines science (light absorption/reflection), art (mixing pigments), and psychology (perception of color), all things I really love. Plus, as the granddaughter, cousin, friend, and wife of colorblind guys, I feel quite well-versed in a subject that most students find really interesting.
As if that wasn't enough excitement, I then let them mix together yellow, cyan, and magenta paints so they can see how all other colors are combinations of the three.
To top off my day, a student and I had an in-depth conversation about color perception (Is the color I call red the same as what you see as red?) and then she said, "You know, Physical Science is the first science class I've ever really liked. I used to hate science until this class."
It was the BEST day!
"It Was the Best Day"
That song popped in my head on Friday because I was having a really great day. It had started out really hectic. I had left work on Thursday with about 15 things still on my to-do list. Not great. One of those things was to grade my Earth Science tests.
God bless the scantron machine. You know, where students bubble in their answers? Seriously, zzhoomp zzhoomp zzhoomp through the scantron machine, and next thing you know, you have 30 graded tests. So I guess I'm not opposed to ALL technology. Anyway, my Earth kids rocked the house with their test! I'm talking some students were scoring 20 points higher than all their other tests! Woohoo!
In Physical Science, we learned about one of my favorite topics all semester -- Light and Color. It combines science (light absorption/reflection), art (mixing pigments), and psychology (perception of color), all things I really love. Plus, as the granddaughter, cousin, friend, and wife of colorblind guys, I feel quite well-versed in a subject that most students find really interesting.
 |
| Colorblind people do not see the number above. Do you? |
Then, we had one of my favorite labs of the semester. Did you know that if you look under a microscope at magazine pictures and newspaper comic strips, you can see the three primary pigment colors -- yellow, cyan, and magenta? My students now do! How about when you put a cell phone under a microscope? Well looky there, the three primary light colors -- red, green, and blue!
As if that wasn't enough excitement, I then let them mix together yellow, cyan, and magenta paints so they can see how all other colors are combinations of the three.
To top off my day, a student and I had an in-depth conversation about color perception (Is the color I call red the same as what you see as red?) and then she said, "You know, Physical Science is the first science class I've ever really liked. I used to hate science until this class."
It was the BEST day!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Making a Difference
I'm taking a short break from overwhelming y'all with pregnancy stories to give you some insight into my life. As a teacher, it's my goal that students will begin to see science in their daily lives, not just as facts and figures to study for the test. Yesterday, I got my wish. A student came in and said he came across a picture, and was so excited because he knew what it meant.
So glad to know I'm making a difference...
So glad to know I'm making a difference...
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Ok, Maybe Not So Bad
Teachers work hard. Long after the final bell rings, we're setting up the next day's labs, tweaking activities, and grading an endless mound of papers. That said, these past two weeks have been pretty darn sweet.
January 14-18
Monday: Beginning of exam week. Students took their first period exams from 7:25-10:25. I don't have a first period, so I spent these three hours in silence, planning my little teacher booty off. My 2nd period students came to me after that for an hour of review, and then students went home for the day at 11:30. I spent the rest of the school day (til 2:18) in silence, planning my little teacher booty off.
Tuesday-Thursday: Students took an exam with me (three hours of silent babysitting, with the exception of an occasional question that needed answering or a pencil that needed sharpening). Students left at 11:30, and the rest of the day was spent planning.
Friday: Two hour delay due to the "winter weather." No students at all that day, so basically a teacher workday!
Are you mad at me yet for my awesome schedule?
January 21-25
Monday: Martin Luther King Day... no school!
Tuesday: Teacher workday to give us time to enter grades and switch over before the new semester.
Wednesday: 1st day of second semester. Little tiring. Made Jason make dinner (which meant HE had to microwave bowls of Mom's Brunswick stew instead of me doing it).
Thursday: Normal day. We have Open House tonight, so I'm typing this while waiting on parents to show up and all ask for their kids to sit on the front row. I'm also eating free Chick-Fil-A (thanks, PTA!)
Friday: I just heard that we are being dismissed THREE HOURS EARLY tomorrow because of the threat of winter weather. Sure, it sounds pretty ridiculous (and REALLY screwed up my schedule for tomorrow), but the last thing they want is another ice storm where students are stranded at school until late into the night like it was several years ago. So yeah, my weekend begins at 11:18 tomorrow.
Ok, you're definitely mad at me now, aren't you? Sorry, I just had to brag a bit.
January 14-18
Monday: Beginning of exam week. Students took their first period exams from 7:25-10:25. I don't have a first period, so I spent these three hours in silence, planning my little teacher booty off. My 2nd period students came to me after that for an hour of review, and then students went home for the day at 11:30. I spent the rest of the school day (til 2:18) in silence, planning my little teacher booty off.
Tuesday-Thursday: Students took an exam with me (three hours of silent babysitting, with the exception of an occasional question that needed answering or a pencil that needed sharpening). Students left at 11:30, and the rest of the day was spent planning.
Friday: Two hour delay due to the "winter weather." No students at all that day, so basically a teacher workday!
Are you mad at me yet for my awesome schedule?
January 21-25
Monday: Martin Luther King Day... no school!
Tuesday: Teacher workday to give us time to enter grades and switch over before the new semester.
Wednesday: 1st day of second semester. Little tiring. Made Jason make dinner (which meant HE had to microwave bowls of Mom's Brunswick stew instead of me doing it).
Thursday: Normal day. We have Open House tonight, so I'm typing this while waiting on parents to show up and all ask for their kids to sit on the front row. I'm also eating free Chick-Fil-A (thanks, PTA!)
Friday: I just heard that we are being dismissed THREE HOURS EARLY tomorrow because of the threat of winter weather. Sure, it sounds pretty ridiculous (and REALLY screwed up my schedule for tomorrow), but the last thing they want is another ice storm where students are stranded at school until late into the night like it was several years ago. So yeah, my weekend begins at 11:18 tomorrow.
Ok, you're definitely mad at me now, aren't you? Sorry, I just had to brag a bit.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Spirit Week
Yes, more homecoming stuff. I'm finally getting around to looking through pics from my camera.
Friday = Green Out/Spirit Day (you can see the original post here). It was also our pep rally. Here's a few shots from the day.
Friday = Green Out/Spirit Day (you can see the original post here). It was also our pep rally. Here's a few shots from the day.
 |
| My door, decorated by some of Shelly's students |
 |
| Shelly and Cammie, Homecoming coordinators |
 |
| me, Shelly, and Leslie, rocking the East/Murphy building together |
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Homecoming Quotes
Tuesday = Olympic Ring Day (see original post here)
Here are a few more shots from that day, along with some student quotes.
PS, the answer's probably no, but it's nice that I was considered "cool" for a moment. :)
Here are a few more shots from that day, along with some student quotes.
"Are you dressed up for Halloween?" (he honestly didn't realize I was dressed up for Homecoming)
"I'm too scared to go in the classroom!"
"Are you going to change before you start class? I won't be able to pay attention to you!"
And my personal favorite, from a student in the hallway to one of my students:
"Is that your teacher? Man, I wish I had her! Is she cool?"
PS, the answer's probably no, but it's nice that I was considered "cool" for a moment. :)
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Unexpected Encouragement
August. That was the last time we had a teacher workday. I've been feeling burned out all year, and from asking around, I'm not alone. Other teachers have mentioned losing sleep or crying because they're overwhelmed at work. One mentioned missing out on a family outing because she needed an hour by herself. We're massively burned out.
I have begun to pray every morning on my way to work. Tuesday morning, among other things, I prayed about feeling burned out and asking God for the perseverance to make it to October 31, when we get our first workday of the school year. After my prayer, I turned on the radio. I usually seek out a station playing music, but G105 (of all stations!) got my attention.
They were talking about teachers who really make a difference in their students lives. They talked about their favorite teachers, the ones who really stuck in their minds. These teachers were passionate about their subject and made them love politics or math, things they had never loved before. One dj who is a parent said that after just a short time at open house (usually about 10-15 minutes), he could tell which of his child's teachers cared about what they taught. I can't remember what all they talked about, but I can't begin to express how encouraged I felt!
I did not ask for encouragement. I asked for the ability to trudge through a few more weeks until I could breathe for a day. God, in His awesome sovereignty, heard what I wanted, but gave me exactly what I needed. Prayer does not always get answered immediately, but I'm oh so glad that God saw my need and warmed my heart that morning.
I have begun to pray every morning on my way to work. Tuesday morning, among other things, I prayed about feeling burned out and asking God for the perseverance to make it to October 31, when we get our first workday of the school year. After my prayer, I turned on the radio. I usually seek out a station playing music, but G105 (of all stations!) got my attention.
They were talking about teachers who really make a difference in their students lives. They talked about their favorite teachers, the ones who really stuck in their minds. These teachers were passionate about their subject and made them love politics or math, things they had never loved before. One dj who is a parent said that after just a short time at open house (usually about 10-15 minutes), he could tell which of his child's teachers cared about what they taught. I can't remember what all they talked about, but I can't begin to express how encouraged I felt!
I did not ask for encouragement. I asked for the ability to trudge through a few more weeks until I could breathe for a day. God, in His awesome sovereignty, heard what I wanted, but gave me exactly what I needed. Prayer does not always get answered immediately, but I'm oh so glad that God saw my need and warmed my heart that morning.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Kelly Green Never Looked So Good
Friday was Spirit Day, also known as Green-Out Day. Since everyone was in green, it was hard for science to stand out...
...until we discovered Party City had green tights. Yeah buddy! And yes, my eyes are closed. What else is new?
Science was taking pics around the "L" and math came to join us. Wave hey, everybody!
...until we discovered Party City had green tights. Yeah buddy! And yes, my eyes are closed. What else is new?
Science was taking pics around the "L" and math came to join us. Wave hey, everybody!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Hmm, Should I Be Kate or Pippa?
Thursday was British Influence Day. We decided to dress up like British royalty at tea time.
A super-duper large shout-out to Gabe for this picture since, believe it or not, we were not all present for this picture! Thursday was a crazy day (I had not one, not two, but THREE meetings after school!), so Gabe kept his camera in the same place, took our pictures, and actually stitched the picture together. Crazy!
For instance, this was the actual picture with me in it...
That man has skills!
Another special shout-out to my friends Kristen and Amanda for letting me borrow their shoes and hats (respectively) to help make my outfits. I don't know what I would have done on country day or British day without y'all!
A super-duper large shout-out to Gabe for this picture since, believe it or not, we were not all present for this picture! Thursday was a crazy day (I had not one, not two, but THREE meetings after school!), so Gabe kept his camera in the same place, took our pictures, and actually stitched the picture together. Crazy!
For instance, this was the actual picture with me in it...
That man has skills!
Another special shout-out to my friends Kristen and Amanda for letting me borrow their shoes and hats (respectively) to help make my outfits. I don't know what I would have done on country day or British day without y'all!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
"Texas" is a Country, Right?
Wednesday was "Favorite Country Day." Of all the days, this one seemed to give us the most trouble. How can we go all out (which if we were going to dress up, we were going to dress WAY up) without being a stereotype? We certainly didn't want to offend any of our students.
Weeks went by, and at a group lunch, it was brought back up. "What are we going to be for Country Day?" Then, all of a sudden, Chip said, "Country Day? Like country western?" *light bulb!* We'll just say that our favorite country is "Country Western."
Yeehaw! Thanks again to our resident photographer Gabe for the photo.
And my fave picture from the day:
Weeks went by, and at a group lunch, it was brought back up. "What are we going to be for Country Day?" Then, all of a sudden, Chip said, "Country Day? Like country western?" *light bulb!* We'll just say that our favorite country is "Country Western."
Yeehaw! Thanks again to our resident photographer Gabe for the photo.
 |
| My PLT (professional learning team for those not in the 'biz), aka fellow Earth/Environmental teachers |
And my fave picture from the day:
 |
| Gabe's caption on Facebook: "We obey the laws of physics in these here parts"... Hilarious! |
Friday, October 12, 2012
Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid
Day 2 of Homecoming was Olympic Rings day, where each class was assigned a different color of the Olympic Rings. The staff were assigned black.
We took "black" as dress from head to toe in black, wear scary goth make up, and freak out your students. Mission accomplished.
Here's a close-up of me...
We took "black" as dress from head to toe in black, wear scary goth make up, and freak out your students. Mission accomplished.
Here's a close-up of me...
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Where's Our Gold Medal?
Homecoming 2012 (London Olympics-themed) started off great for the science department. For Sports Day, we went as the macho-est sport we could think of -- rhythmic gymnastics. I'll share more photos once Jason gets a chance to edit them, but here's the "official" picture courtesy of Gabe (the excited one holding up the hoop).
Monday, October 8, 2012
The Exhaustion of the American Teacher
My favorite high school teacher posted a link to this article on Facebook the other day. After reading it, I wanted to share some quotes from it. If you have abundant time, I'd recommend reading all of it. If you're like me (who had to email the article to myself to read later while I wolfed down lunch), then hopefully you'll at least make time to read some of the quotes from it...
The Exhaustion of the American Teacher
John Kuhn
With the 2012-2013 American school year still in its infancy, it's worthwhile to note that the people doing the actual educating are down in the dumps... They've accumulated invisible scars from years of trying to educate the increasingly hobbled American child effectively enough that his international test scores will rival those of children flourishing in wealthy, socially-advanced Scandinavian nations and even wealthier Asian city-states where tiger moms value education like American parents value fast food and reality tv...
The American child has changed, and not necessarily for the better. Many shrill voices argue that teachers must change, too, by simply working harder. The favored lever for achieving this prescribed augmentation of the American schoolteacher's work ethic is fear, driven by a progressively more precarious employment situation. But teachers by and large aren't afraid; they're just tired...
Americans have explicitly handed off character education to schoolteachers. Such a practice says a great deal about our nation's expectations of its parents...
Truth is, the problem with the American student is the American adult. Deadbeat dads, pushover moms, vulgar celebrities, self-interested politicians, depraved ministers, tax-sheltering CEOs, steroid-injecting athletes, benefit-collecting retirees who vote down school taxes, and yes, incompetent teachers -- all take their turns conspiring to neglect the needs of the young in favor of the wants of the old. The line of malefactors stretches out before our children; they take turns dealing them drugs, unhealthy foods, skewed value messages, consumerist pap, emotional and physical and sexual traumas, racist messages of aspersion for their cultures, and countless other strains of vicious disregard.... We're told not to worry because good teachers will simply overcome this American psychic cannibalism and drag our hurting children across the finish line... yeah right...
Adults -- not merely teachers -- have caused these little ones to stumble, but journalists and nonprofits and interloping government experts offer not a hand to the young but rather cat-of-nine-tails across the backs of their teachers. Injustice for teachers is confused with justice for kids.
"Waiting for Superman" told teachers they were terrible, callous, and incompetent, that only magnanimous charter school operatives could save victimized children from their rapacious clutches.
[No Child Left Behind] told teachers that would only be considered successful if 100% of their students passed 100% of their tests.
Condoleezza Rice told teachers they were so ineffective that they were a national security threat...
Eric Hanushek told America that larger class sizes will improve education and, gee-whiz, they're cheaper too, so why wouldn't we grow them? Bill Gates seconded the motion...
The educators I've known aren't the goats they're held up to be. There are certainly goats, and they've made a terrible mess of things. There are indeed Americans doing grievous harm to children; they just don't happen to always be their teachers...
When it comes to America's shamefully overflowing crop of ravaged children, [leaders] lead us in a chorus in which we either blame their teachers, or we blame some amorphous like poverty, or we blame no one... And so we fix nothing.
I don't usually get political on here, but after a heart-breaking conversation at Kara and Kelly's the other night where the four of us talked about the broken school system and I went to bed in tears, I thought this article explained a lot. No, it was not my proudest moment, but I share it just to give you an idea of the mentality of the American school teacher. We're not delusional. We know we're working in a broken system. We want to make a difference, reach those students who have slipped through the cracks so far in their education, but for the most part, we're fighting a losing battle. We put in three tons of effort to squeeze out an ounce of effort from our students. And we're exhausted. We need help... I just don't know where that help is going to come from.
The Exhaustion of the American Teacher
John Kuhn
With the 2012-2013 American school year still in its infancy, it's worthwhile to note that the people doing the actual educating are down in the dumps... They've accumulated invisible scars from years of trying to educate the increasingly hobbled American child effectively enough that his international test scores will rival those of children flourishing in wealthy, socially-advanced Scandinavian nations and even wealthier Asian city-states where tiger moms value education like American parents value fast food and reality tv...
The American child has changed, and not necessarily for the better. Many shrill voices argue that teachers must change, too, by simply working harder. The favored lever for achieving this prescribed augmentation of the American schoolteacher's work ethic is fear, driven by a progressively more precarious employment situation. But teachers by and large aren't afraid; they're just tired...
Americans have explicitly handed off character education to schoolteachers. Such a practice says a great deal about our nation's expectations of its parents...
Truth is, the problem with the American student is the American adult. Deadbeat dads, pushover moms, vulgar celebrities, self-interested politicians, depraved ministers, tax-sheltering CEOs, steroid-injecting athletes, benefit-collecting retirees who vote down school taxes, and yes, incompetent teachers -- all take their turns conspiring to neglect the needs of the young in favor of the wants of the old. The line of malefactors stretches out before our children; they take turns dealing them drugs, unhealthy foods, skewed value messages, consumerist pap, emotional and physical and sexual traumas, racist messages of aspersion for their cultures, and countless other strains of vicious disregard.... We're told not to worry because good teachers will simply overcome this American psychic cannibalism and drag our hurting children across the finish line... yeah right...
Adults -- not merely teachers -- have caused these little ones to stumble, but journalists and nonprofits and interloping government experts offer not a hand to the young but rather cat-of-nine-tails across the backs of their teachers. Injustice for teachers is confused with justice for kids.
"Waiting for Superman" told teachers they were terrible, callous, and incompetent, that only magnanimous charter school operatives could save victimized children from their rapacious clutches.
[No Child Left Behind] told teachers that would only be considered successful if 100% of their students passed 100% of their tests.
Condoleezza Rice told teachers they were so ineffective that they were a national security threat...
Eric Hanushek told America that larger class sizes will improve education and, gee-whiz, they're cheaper too, so why wouldn't we grow them? Bill Gates seconded the motion...
The educators I've known aren't the goats they're held up to be. There are certainly goats, and they've made a terrible mess of things. There are indeed Americans doing grievous harm to children; they just don't happen to always be their teachers...
When it comes to America's shamefully overflowing crop of ravaged children, [leaders] lead us in a chorus in which we either blame their teachers, or we blame some amorphous like poverty, or we blame no one... And so we fix nothing.
I don't usually get political on here, but after a heart-breaking conversation at Kara and Kelly's the other night where the four of us talked about the broken school system and I went to bed in tears, I thought this article explained a lot. No, it was not my proudest moment, but I share it just to give you an idea of the mentality of the American school teacher. We're not delusional. We know we're working in a broken system. We want to make a difference, reach those students who have slipped through the cracks so far in their education, but for the most part, we're fighting a losing battle. We put in three tons of effort to squeeze out an ounce of effort from our students. And we're exhausted. We need help... I just don't know where that help is going to come from.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Grading Papers
Grading papers is one of those realities as a teacher. Between labs, worksheets, and tests, I usually have quite a pile to grade every few nights!
This is how I grade: on the couch, usually under a blanket, using a wooden cutting board to bear down on.
Want to know what's at the other end of the couch?
All that grading really wears him out. :)
This is how I grade: on the couch, usually under a blanket, using a wooden cutting board to bear down on.
Want to know what's at the other end of the couch?
All that grading really wears him out. :)
Friday, August 24, 2012
Friday Letters -- 2012/13 School Year Edition
Dear 4:45am, you come far too early in the morning. Dear Coffee, I need you to up your game.
Dear Open House, you are no fun. Sure, it's great to meet parents, but you never give me enough time with them. Everything is so hectic, with parents trying to navigate the school and figure out their child's schedule. Plus, you keep ending up being on Jason's birthday, which is just cruel. Oh, and you make me have a 13hour day, which is REALLY cruel. No wonder I'm fighting a losing battle with my coffee this morning!
Dear Flip Flops and Shorts, I will miss you. Dear Dress Pants and Cardigans, welcome back to the wardrobe.
Dear Classroom, I'm excited to be in you another year, and I'm glad you're much more organized than you were this time last year. Please don't start smelling like sewage again this year. Did you hear me, sinks? I don't want to have to buy lots of air fresheners again if I don't have to.
Dear Fellow Teachers, I've loved having some time to hang out, eat lunch together, and attend meetings together. Sorry in advance for being MIA most of the time during the semester. We'll catch up on the next workday, I guess.
Dear Students, this semester is going to be challenging. I'm trying some new things, but I will try to pretend like they've been my policy for years. Follow my rules, do what I ask, and we'll survive this semester together. For goodness sake, put those cell phones away! With the exception of cheating, those phones are my biggest pet peeve and the easiest way to get on my list... and you don't want to be on my list! My goal this semester is for you to understand science better and for you to hopefully like it a little more than you did coming in.
Dear Former Students, I've loved running into you the past few days around campus. When you smile, yell "Mrs. Self!," and run over and hug me (yes, these were girls, btw), I can't tell you what that means to me. It almost means as much as the student I failed who stopped by to visit. I failed you, and you still want to drop by and chat? That's awesome!
Dear School Year, I can't believe you start on Monday. I need more time! There was so much more I wanted to get done during the workdays, ack! I'm dreading you (hey, summers are awesome...) and eagerly awaiting you at the same time. Dear 2012-2013, bring it on!
Dear Open House, you are no fun. Sure, it's great to meet parents, but you never give me enough time with them. Everything is so hectic, with parents trying to navigate the school and figure out their child's schedule. Plus, you keep ending up being on Jason's birthday, which is just cruel. Oh, and you make me have a 13hour day, which is REALLY cruel. No wonder I'm fighting a losing battle with my coffee this morning!
Dear Flip Flops and Shorts, I will miss you. Dear Dress Pants and Cardigans, welcome back to the wardrobe.
Dear Classroom, I'm excited to be in you another year, and I'm glad you're much more organized than you were this time last year. Please don't start smelling like sewage again this year. Did you hear me, sinks? I don't want to have to buy lots of air fresheners again if I don't have to.
Dear Fellow Teachers, I've loved having some time to hang out, eat lunch together, and attend meetings together. Sorry in advance for being MIA most of the time during the semester. We'll catch up on the next workday, I guess.
Dear Students, this semester is going to be challenging. I'm trying some new things, but I will try to pretend like they've been my policy for years. Follow my rules, do what I ask, and we'll survive this semester together. For goodness sake, put those cell phones away! With the exception of cheating, those phones are my biggest pet peeve and the easiest way to get on my list... and you don't want to be on my list! My goal this semester is for you to understand science better and for you to hopefully like it a little more than you did coming in.
Dear Former Students, I've loved running into you the past few days around campus. When you smile, yell "Mrs. Self!," and run over and hug me (yes, these were girls, btw), I can't tell you what that means to me. It almost means as much as the student I failed who stopped by to visit. I failed you, and you still want to drop by and chat? That's awesome!
Dear School Year, I can't believe you start on Monday. I need more time! There was so much more I wanted to get done during the workdays, ack! I'm dreading you (hey, summers are awesome...) and eagerly awaiting you at the same time. Dear 2012-2013, bring it on!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)