This is a presenter at a Smartboard seminar I am attending. She had a lot of great ideas and endless enthusiasm and energy.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Three Weeks Into Summer
Well, I have had three glorious weeks of vacation. On Tuesday I start my summer internship for my Sped degree. I will be working at an elementary summer school placement about 40 miles from where I live. It will only be Monday-Thursday, from 8:30-1, until August 5, for a grand total of 19 days. I was pretty lucky. If you are a secondary teacher, your summer placement is in an elementary setting. If you are an elementary teacher, your placement is in a secondary setting. Most of the secondary settings are for six weeks, and for 6 hour days. As I stated, I was lucky. I am actually looking forward to working with younger kids, which I have not had the opportunity to do since my subbing days. I am going to drive out there today after I work out so I know where I am going on Tuesday.
Yes! I am working out! I purchased a 30 day visitor's pass to the fitness center at the county community college. The center is only a couple years old and it is BEAUTIFUL! During the tour, the salesperson described it as "executive style" which I guess just means posh. I have been using the elliptical machine which I love. I can program in my age, height, and weight, and it tracks distance, calories, and my heart rate. I have also used the jacuzzi (there is one in the women's locker room so I'm not too self-conscious to climb in) and the walking track. I plan on taking the yoga classes and some of the water aerobics classes. I have been eating much better than I was during the school year and have already lost a few pounds.
The local men's club hosts fireworks every year and I am planning on walking the mile or so down to the park where they set them off tonight. Most years I don't feel like fighting the crowds at the end of the day but I am in the mood this year. The most important thing to remember is the bug spray.
On the academic front, I have been working on organizing and planning for my three preps this fall. I have the basic framework and pacing for each class, now I want to start on specifics. The previous algebra II teacher left me a message that she had copied the first five chapters of her material and I just have to go down to the school and some point and retrieve it. The only problem is that it is really hit or miss as to when the office is going to be open. I think the secretaries are on vacation until Wednesday. Oh well, no hurry at this point. TTFN.
Yes! I am working out! I purchased a 30 day visitor's pass to the fitness center at the county community college. The center is only a couple years old and it is BEAUTIFUL! During the tour, the salesperson described it as "executive style" which I guess just means posh. I have been using the elliptical machine which I love. I can program in my age, height, and weight, and it tracks distance, calories, and my heart rate. I have also used the jacuzzi (there is one in the women's locker room so I'm not too self-conscious to climb in) and the walking track. I plan on taking the yoga classes and some of the water aerobics classes. I have been eating much better than I was during the school year and have already lost a few pounds.
The local men's club hosts fireworks every year and I am planning on walking the mile or so down to the park where they set them off tonight. Most years I don't feel like fighting the crowds at the end of the day but I am in the mood this year. The most important thing to remember is the bug spray.
On the academic front, I have been working on organizing and planning for my three preps this fall. I have the basic framework and pacing for each class, now I want to start on specifics. The previous algebra II teacher left me a message that she had copied the first five chapters of her material and I just have to go down to the school and some point and retrieve it. The only problem is that it is really hit or miss as to when the office is going to be open. I think the secretaries are on vacation until Wednesday. Oh well, no hurry at this point. TTFN.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Lazy Sunday
Well, not completely lazy. I went for my walk with the dog this morning. Yesterday was so hot and humid that I knew I had better get a walk in early or not at all. I've been pretty busy for the past couple of days. I cleaned out the mudroom and the garage, and I have just finished laundering every stitch of clothing I own. I had actually run out clean clothing (that fit properly). I always feel so wonderful when all of my laundry is done. I weighed myself this morning, something I have avoided doing for a long time. I knew I had put on a lot of weight this year because I overeat when stressed, and I was really stressed (so I really overate) this year. I am not even going to publish how many pounds I have gained since September of last year. I am hoping to whittle some of that away by the time school starts in the fall.
We live on one of the major routes to a speedway (about 20 miles southwest of us) and this weekend is one of the NASCAR races. These happen a couple of times a summer and it is best to plan to stay home (inside) or leave town. We are a small village, so even though the state highway goes through town, all vehicles on it must stop at the main intersection (4-way stop sign). This means an unending string of large, overheating vehicles working their way through this intersection. It is not pleasant and this weather (sultry) makes it even worse. A couple of years ago I worked at a NASCAR merchandise sale booth at the speedway for a local Democratic party fundraiser and I would never do it again. We had to get there at the crack of dawn to get set up, it was hot and the noise deafening (earplugs are a hot seller), and then it took hours to get home at the end of the day because the traffic crawled. To each his own, but sitting in the heat, watching cars circle a track is not my idea of a fun weekend. I guess most of those people would think my idea of an enjoyable weekend is pretty lame.
On my list for fun this summer:
1. Camping. Number one is a camping trip at the end of August. Last year we camped our way up the Lake Michigan coastline, which was fun but exhausting. This year we decided to take a long stretch at our favorite campground (still on Lake Michigan). I am excited! I hope to get a couple of smaller trips in before then.
2. Reading. Several of my favorite authors (Alexander McCall Smith, Preston and Childs, Martin Cruz Smith, Martha Grimes) have new novels out or about to come out, and I am soooo looking forward to getting my hands on them. I also have a few that I have collected over the past year but didn't get a chance to read.
3. Crocheting. I got hooked on this over Christmas break when I completed a small afghan. I purchased some yarn for more projects but was putting off starting them until the summer.
On my list for necessary (but not necessarily fun) this summer:
1. Lose weight. No further comment.
2. Plan for next year. I am so excited about only having three preps next year, and the planning for two of them is in good shape from last year. I just need to go through my notes and tweak the lesson plans. Hallelujah!
We live on one of the major routes to a speedway (about 20 miles southwest of us) and this weekend is one of the NASCAR races. These happen a couple of times a summer and it is best to plan to stay home (inside) or leave town. We are a small village, so even though the state highway goes through town, all vehicles on it must stop at the main intersection (4-way stop sign). This means an unending string of large, overheating vehicles working their way through this intersection. It is not pleasant and this weather (sultry) makes it even worse. A couple of years ago I worked at a NASCAR merchandise sale booth at the speedway for a local Democratic party fundraiser and I would never do it again. We had to get there at the crack of dawn to get set up, it was hot and the noise deafening (earplugs are a hot seller), and then it took hours to get home at the end of the day because the traffic crawled. To each his own, but sitting in the heat, watching cars circle a track is not my idea of a fun weekend. I guess most of those people would think my idea of an enjoyable weekend is pretty lame.
On my list for fun this summer:
1. Camping. Number one is a camping trip at the end of August. Last year we camped our way up the Lake Michigan coastline, which was fun but exhausting. This year we decided to take a long stretch at our favorite campground (still on Lake Michigan). I am excited! I hope to get a couple of smaller trips in before then.
2. Reading. Several of my favorite authors (Alexander McCall Smith, Preston and Childs, Martin Cruz Smith, Martha Grimes) have new novels out or about to come out, and I am soooo looking forward to getting my hands on them. I also have a few that I have collected over the past year but didn't get a chance to read.
3. Crocheting. I got hooked on this over Christmas break when I completed a small afghan. I purchased some yarn for more projects but was putting off starting them until the summer.
On my list for necessary (but not necessarily fun) this summer:
1. Lose weight. No further comment.
2. Plan for next year. I am so excited about only having three preps next year, and the planning for two of them is in good shape from last year. I just need to go through my notes and tweak the lesson plans. Hallelujah!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Here We Go Again!
I don't know why it's so hard for me to keep up a blog during the school year. At any rate, today is the first day of summer vacation (woot woot!) and I am posting.
I knew this year was going to be tough and it was. I had two new preps. One was algebra 2a, which is the low functioning 10th graders who are now required to have four years of college prep math in order to graduate. They didn't want to be there, they weren't prepared to be there, I wasn't prepared to teach them effectively, etc. It was a bloodbath. It was like being a detention hall teacher and I hated it. I also taught pre-calculus for the first time. It was the first time I had seen many of the topics in 25 years, and I really had to stay on my toes. I had good guidelines from the previous teacher, but I had to do the homework every night before I assigned it to make sure I really understood what I was teaching. It was shaky at first, but I rediscovered the "joy" of this math. Also, these were the high-functioning math students (who I had for advanced pre-algebra and algebra I in middle school) who are also a joy to teach. I also taught algebra I. Although I have taught algebra I for several years, this was the first year I taught it to the general population, rather than to just the high functioning 8th graders, again thanks to the new graduation requirements. Algebra I is a whole 'nother ball game with unmotivated students. I wasn't able to cover as much as usual, and I really felt guilty about the 8th graders in the class, because I felt they were held back. Another teacher will be teaching algebra I next year and I have talked to her about this problem. I will be taking over all of algebra 2 next year, and instead of splitting the low kids off from the rest, we are integrating the classes and just hoping for the best. The state has now lowered the algebra 2 requirements to 1/2 semester for graduation, so the principal's take on it is that students only have to pass the 1st semester, and if they fail the 2nd semester, it will be okay because they won't have to repeat it to graduate(!). This ought to be interesting. At any rate, I am pretty happy about next year because for the first time since teaching here, I will have ONLY THREE PREPS!!!!.
I am already happily planning!
Time for my first morning walk of the summer!!!!
I knew this year was going to be tough and it was. I had two new preps. One was algebra 2a, which is the low functioning 10th graders who are now required to have four years of college prep math in order to graduate. They didn't want to be there, they weren't prepared to be there, I wasn't prepared to teach them effectively, etc. It was a bloodbath. It was like being a detention hall teacher and I hated it. I also taught pre-calculus for the first time. It was the first time I had seen many of the topics in 25 years, and I really had to stay on my toes. I had good guidelines from the previous teacher, but I had to do the homework every night before I assigned it to make sure I really understood what I was teaching. It was shaky at first, but I rediscovered the "joy" of this math. Also, these were the high-functioning math students (who I had for advanced pre-algebra and algebra I in middle school) who are also a joy to teach. I also taught algebra I. Although I have taught algebra I for several years, this was the first year I taught it to the general population, rather than to just the high functioning 8th graders, again thanks to the new graduation requirements. Algebra I is a whole 'nother ball game with unmotivated students. I wasn't able to cover as much as usual, and I really felt guilty about the 8th graders in the class, because I felt they were held back. Another teacher will be teaching algebra I next year and I have talked to her about this problem. I will be taking over all of algebra 2 next year, and instead of splitting the low kids off from the rest, we are integrating the classes and just hoping for the best. The state has now lowered the algebra 2 requirements to 1/2 semester for graduation, so the principal's take on it is that students only have to pass the 1st semester, and if they fail the 2nd semester, it will be okay because they won't have to repeat it to graduate(!). This ought to be interesting. At any rate, I am pretty happy about next year because for the first time since teaching here, I will have ONLY THREE PREPS!!!!.
I am already happily planning!
Time for my first morning walk of the summer!!!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
There are only three more days left in the class I am currently taking. Today (Wednesday) and tomorrow, pairs of students will present a demonstration of decreasing/increasing a student behavior. The presentation is based on a functional behavior assessment of a student (fictional or real) which was an earlier assignment. The presentation must include a summary of the FBA, an "acted out" planning meeting with parents, teachers, etc. for the purpose of developing a behavior intervention plan, the BIP itself, and a demonstration of how it will be implemented. Normally we would have been given the assignment and had three weeks to work on it. instead, we have three days! Aaarrrgh! We also have the final project, a behavioral intervention plan based upon the FBA we did, due on Friday, as well as the final exam. The instructor did not adjust the curriculum at all to take in consideration that the course would be completed in 15 days instead of 15 weeks, which has made it a challenge. Still, it is summertime, when most teachers are not working, and should have the time available to devote to the coursework. The problem is that with a major collaborative project like this one, it is almost impossible to squeeze in enough meetings in three days to draft, research, and revise. Oh, well.
My next class starts on Monday of next week. Same instructor, but longer day (9:30-3:30) and only two weeks long. If he does the same thing he did for this class, I am in for a wild ride.
This course has been very good. It focused on analyzing student behaviors, methods for increasing/decreasing behaviors, and developing behavior intervention plans. It all makes sense and could be useful. It's just that in the context of a classroom, with a thousand things going on at once, it is questionable how much of it will translate into use in the classroom.
One thing that was brought to my attention through a school critique paper, was that our school has no "schoolwide positive behavioral intervention and support program" (SWPBIS). Basically, we have no schoolwide program to encourage positive behavior and identify and decrease undesirable behaviors, other than a system of detentions and suspensions. We have never had any schoolwide professional development devoted to addressing behavioral issues, or creating a working, schoolwide plan for changing student behaviors. Our focus is strictly on punishment. Our schoolwide professional development has been total shit, (what color is your personality?) and writing the critique made me aware of the need for schoolwide training and some sort of across-the-grades continuity with respect to behavior expections and intervention plans.
My next class starts on Monday of next week. Same instructor, but longer day (9:30-3:30) and only two weeks long. If he does the same thing he did for this class, I am in for a wild ride.
This course has been very good. It focused on analyzing student behaviors, methods for increasing/decreasing behaviors, and developing behavior intervention plans. It all makes sense and could be useful. It's just that in the context of a classroom, with a thousand things going on at once, it is questionable how much of it will translate into use in the classroom.
One thing that was brought to my attention through a school critique paper, was that our school has no "schoolwide positive behavioral intervention and support program" (SWPBIS). Basically, we have no schoolwide program to encourage positive behavior and identify and decrease undesirable behaviors, other than a system of detentions and suspensions. We have never had any schoolwide professional development devoted to addressing behavioral issues, or creating a working, schoolwide plan for changing student behaviors. Our focus is strictly on punishment. Our schoolwide professional development has been total shit, (what color is your personality?) and writing the critique made me aware of the need for schoolwide training and some sort of across-the-grades continuity with respect to behavior expections and intervention plans.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Summer Class
On Monday (today's Friday) I started my first class: Managing Classroom Behavior. It meets for 2 1/2 hours a day, five days a week and runs for three weeks. That's fifteen consecutive class periods for a 3 credit hour class. It sounded good to me but the instructor is making no adjustments to the curriculum he uses in a regular 15-week semester so the first day's reading assignment was two chapters and the second day's assignment was 3 chapters! Now that we have slowed down to one chapter a night if feels like cake. The instructor is knowledgable, experienced, and interesting, so I am enjoying the class. This is a very good thing as he will also be the instructor for the second class I am taking this summer. That class will meet 6 hours a day, Monday through Thursday, for two weeks. Sigh...
Our first paper was due yesterday. It was to be a critique of the "Schoolwide Behavior Intervention Plan" at the school where we teach. Well, our school doesn't really have one. We have what might be considered pieces of one. One of the questions we were to answer in the paper was whether the school had provided any personal development related to creating a schoolwide BIP and when I thought about the four years I have been teaching there, I could not remember any PD devoted to this topic. Why? Student behavior is a major issue at our school. Why haven't we ever addressed student behavior in a schoolwide manner? It pissed me off, especially when I thought about all the agonizingly long PD days spent in inane workshops and presentations.
This fall, the middle school will be physically relocating to the high school. We (middle school teachers) have among ourselves discussed our concerns about the difference in behavior expectations and rules. The adminstration hasn't addressed this issue at all and it is worrisome. We will now be under the administration of the high school principal and we don't have the comfort level we developed over the years with the elementary school principal.
Another problem I am having is that I identify myself as a middle school teacher. Beginning in the fall, however, I will be primarily a high school teacher. I always intended to teach high school, but after the last six years I have developed a fondness for middle schoolers and their peculiar brand of charm. Now I am apprehensive about teaching older students! Well, I don't care--I am still putting up all of my stupid posters and bulletin boards.
Our first paper was due yesterday. It was to be a critique of the "Schoolwide Behavior Intervention Plan" at the school where we teach. Well, our school doesn't really have one. We have what might be considered pieces of one. One of the questions we were to answer in the paper was whether the school had provided any personal development related to creating a schoolwide BIP and when I thought about the four years I have been teaching there, I could not remember any PD devoted to this topic. Why? Student behavior is a major issue at our school. Why haven't we ever addressed student behavior in a schoolwide manner? It pissed me off, especially when I thought about all the agonizingly long PD days spent in inane workshops and presentations.
This fall, the middle school will be physically relocating to the high school. We (middle school teachers) have among ourselves discussed our concerns about the difference in behavior expectations and rules. The adminstration hasn't addressed this issue at all and it is worrisome. We will now be under the administration of the high school principal and we don't have the comfort level we developed over the years with the elementary school principal.
Another problem I am having is that I identify myself as a middle school teacher. Beginning in the fall, however, I will be primarily a high school teacher. I always intended to teach high school, but after the last six years I have developed a fondness for middle schoolers and their peculiar brand of charm. Now I am apprehensive about teaching older students! Well, I don't care--I am still putting up all of my stupid posters and bulletin boards.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Day-Tripping
Yesterday, my 18 year-old daughter and I made a trip to the Detroit Institute of Art. It has been a long time since I have been there. Long as in I was single and childless the last time I was there. At any rate, they have completed an enormous renovation/expansion since then, and we knew as soon as we got there and looked at a map that we would need to come back another day in order to see all of the collections. We had visited the Toledo Museum of Art the day after school got out and had been completely awed by the modern art collection, so that was our major focus yesterday. We also looked through the Native American, Asian, African, and Egyptian galleries. The Egyptian gallery was being renovated so there were only a few pieces on display in a temporary location. The Modern and Contemporary Art Collection was amazing. Even though we had narrowed our focus, we still had to move at a faster pace than we would have liked in order to finish before closing time. We had a wonderful day and are planning on returning to see the rest of the collection.
The $158 million renovation of the museum included replacing the stone facade on the north and south wings with mirrored sheets of granite. The white with black veined granite is beautiful, but wholly at odds with the original central structure. I was trying to remember the facade material it replaced, because it would have to have been pretty bad for this to be an improvement. On its own, it's quite beautiful. It's just in juxtaposition with the original that it becomes heinous. The University of Michigan recently constructed an enormous addition to the Alumni Art Museum in Ann Arbor (beaux arts style), and even though the architectural design of the addition is very modern, the materials (limestone cladding) are an exact match to the original building. I think the completed building is beautiful, because the beauty of the original was respected. I don't understand why there was so little apparent attempt for cohesiveness with the DIA renovation. I don't like to be negative about improvements when they are truly needed, but as a whole, this one is just plain ugly.
The $158 million renovation of the museum included replacing the stone facade on the north and south wings with mirrored sheets of granite. The white with black veined granite is beautiful, but wholly at odds with the original central structure. I was trying to remember the facade material it replaced, because it would have to have been pretty bad for this to be an improvement. On its own, it's quite beautiful. It's just in juxtaposition with the original that it becomes heinous. The University of Michigan recently constructed an enormous addition to the Alumni Art Museum in Ann Arbor (beaux arts style), and even though the architectural design of the addition is very modern, the materials (limestone cladding) are an exact match to the original building. I think the completed building is beautiful, because the beauty of the original was respected. I don't understand why there was so little apparent attempt for cohesiveness with the DIA renovation. I don't like to be negative about improvements when they are truly needed, but as a whole, this one is just plain ugly.
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