Last Thursday, in response to some typical middle school behavior, the principal went all "Mean Girls" on the 6th and 7th grade girls. We had a special girls-only circle, that involved a group discussion about how to be nice to each other. The principal brought up the idea of joining cliques, and the general message was that every conversation you have with friends should be nice enough that you wouldn't be embarrassed if a role model were to overhear.Kids were sharing some insightful suggestions on how to be nice. Every single teacher got at least a little teary-eyed. It brought me back to middle school, and all the hateful things that were said to me and by me. I wish I had had a community like that.
We also had a Pi Day celebration: a pi-reciting contest! The principal circulated around at 11:30 to let us know there was a contest at noon, in front of the kids at lunch. I totally thought I had this -- I am really good at memorization, and I already had the first few digits. By the time lunch came around, I had gotten down the first 52 digits. And then, when it was my time to shine, I choked. It was terrible. I messed up about 25 digits in. Moreover, our DOO came out swinging with about 75 digits. I was humiliated, but the kids comforted me.
I'm so anxious for Spring Break. I've got that last-minute-procrastination itch. I finished my planning load for the week, so I'm all set to grade the big tests tomorrow. Let's go!
In other news, we're taking the kids to Boston! The first week of June, we're taking an end-of-the-year trip. Only the good kids get to go. Activities include a Harvard tour, visit to the Fine Arts Museum, and a performance of In the Heights. I'm worried it'll be stressful, but everyone promises it will be a blast. I'm pretty excited.
The best/worst news of last week is that the grad school (that I might have to attend next year), that was founded by the same founders of North Star/Uncommon, is starting an education administration program. As a result, the wonderful principal at another North Star middle school is leaving to run the new program, leaving an opening for...my IL. So, next year I will have another IL, likely one who won't challenge me as much and keep me on my toes every single day. I know it'll be useful to have a new opinion on my teaching, but I will definitely miss her. Now I have to make the best of the 12 weeks we have left. (12 weeks -- 1 is planned, 1 will be in Boston, which leaves 10 weeks left to plan!)
I gotta run 4 miles tonight. It should be light out, which is great, but I'm nervous to get back into the routine. I have to write it down, though, so it gets done. Hold me accountable.
3.141592653589793238463643383279502884197169399375105
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Almost Spring Break
Detention! That means it's time for my weekly check-in. Due to my (involuntary) week off from running, I sort of lost the habit of run, shower, eat, blog. I'm hoping to get back into that, if not this week, then next week during Spring Break. (!) (!!!!!)
In the last week, there have been some exciting events. The big news at school today is that a student ran away. Really. A fifth grader was in ISS, was sent to the office, and instead decided to grab his coat and go home. The teachers went crazy looking for him, but fortunately, his mom called the school soon after he arrived asking why he was home. Both kid and mom are in the dean's office right now. I'd like to be a fly on that wall. I've heard rumors ranging as far as expulsion, which is pretty rare at a North Star School.
I've also continued my certification adventure this week. I did not receive the certification I think I deserve, so one of two things will happen: 1) I figure out what's missing, get the missing paperwork, and get the certificate eventually, or 2) I have to go to grad school next year. 2 would suck. It would be like SCSU coursework all over again. I get so angry thinking about it, but I knew that was a possibility when I left CT after only one year. It hasn't come to that yet, so I'll keep my fingers crossed and my cell phone on vibrate.
Apparently, I'm a social competent here. In addition to inviting some colleagues over for a Seder next week, I've also organized a group (7+) outing to a local Ethiopian restaurant tonight. I'm really excited, and I hope to make this a monthly thing.
In addition, my homeroom won the school voter registration drive! They had a month to bring in as many completed voter registration forms as they could. They also received buttons that said, "I can't vote, but YOU can!" My homeroom brought in the most, and after break we'll vote on a prize; we can choose books, museum tickets, pizza, or other cool things for the class.
Detention is easy today, and I'm right on target for my action plan this week. I'm hoping to get things done a little early, so I can sleep well before our half day on Friday, and enter Spring Break with a clear mind. 3 days left, but one is a test day. That makes 9 classes left, but only 6 "teaching" periods. I'm planned up until next (after break) Wednesday, so I only have 2 more to plan. I have (at least) 6 phone calls to make (each student who is currently failing). 3 more wake-up-in-the-darks and 3 more force-in-contanct-lenses. 3 more round trips to Newark. 1 Ethiopian dinner, 1 6th grade production of Little Shop of Horrors. Then it's Spring Break!
In the last week, there have been some exciting events. The big news at school today is that a student ran away. Really. A fifth grader was in ISS, was sent to the office, and instead decided to grab his coat and go home. The teachers went crazy looking for him, but fortunately, his mom called the school soon after he arrived asking why he was home. Both kid and mom are in the dean's office right now. I'd like to be a fly on that wall. I've heard rumors ranging as far as expulsion, which is pretty rare at a North Star School.
I've also continued my certification adventure this week. I did not receive the certification I think I deserve, so one of two things will happen: 1) I figure out what's missing, get the missing paperwork, and get the certificate eventually, or 2) I have to go to grad school next year. 2 would suck. It would be like SCSU coursework all over again. I get so angry thinking about it, but I knew that was a possibility when I left CT after only one year. It hasn't come to that yet, so I'll keep my fingers crossed and my cell phone on vibrate.
Apparently, I'm a social competent here. In addition to inviting some colleagues over for a Seder next week, I've also organized a group (7+) outing to a local Ethiopian restaurant tonight. I'm really excited, and I hope to make this a monthly thing.
In addition, my homeroom won the school voter registration drive! They had a month to bring in as many completed voter registration forms as they could. They also received buttons that said, "I can't vote, but YOU can!" My homeroom brought in the most, and after break we'll vote on a prize; we can choose books, museum tickets, pizza, or other cool things for the class.
Detention is easy today, and I'm right on target for my action plan this week. I'm hoping to get things done a little early, so I can sleep well before our half day on Friday, and enter Spring Break with a clear mind. 3 days left, but one is a test day. That makes 9 classes left, but only 6 "teaching" periods. I'm planned up until next (after break) Wednesday, so I only have 2 more to plan. I have (at least) 6 phone calls to make (each student who is currently failing). 3 more wake-up-in-the-darks and 3 more force-in-contanct-lenses. 3 more round trips to Newark. 1 Ethiopian dinner, 1 6th grade production of Little Shop of Horrors. Then it's Spring Break!
Monday, March 11, 2013
It's Your Turn to Change the World.
I didn't run all weekend, to give my knee a rest. It sucked. I did, however, get in a nice 12 miles on a bicycle, in Saturday's lovely almost-60-degree weather. It was beautiful. Otherwise, the weekend was uneventful, and incredibly relaxing.
It's Monday, and I have the Mondays. It's also the first workday after daylight savings, which means that I'll be tired all day up to the moment that it is time to go to sleep, at which point I'll be wide awake.
On Friday, I had a non-teach half day, so I could observe a science teacher an another North Star school. It was an awesome experience, and not only because I didn't have to do any work. It was incredible watching a talented teacher with an extremely different teaching/learning style. The teacher I watched was clearly a spatial learner. He learned by looking at the physical and spatial interactions between concepts. This was both interesting and unnerving to watch, because I am NOT a spatial learner. I do not understand the spatial relationship between anything. I was able to predict that this teacher had a very good sense of direction (which he confirmed after class).
I found the lesson very frustrating, because of the way it was taught. Students were given a blank white paper on which to take notes, which were done with drawings and arrows and non-linear note-taking. It was completely unlike anything I have ever done, which made me realize something: there is probably someone sitting in my class, equally frustrated, because I don't address their learning style. I need to, over the course of a unit, address more learning styles. This led to two action steps I created on Friday:
Today, I got a lot of housekeeping done. During my 3 hours of observation on Friday, I managed to get ahead by 2 lesson plans. So, today, I spent the day working on miscellaneous activities. I updated the signage in my room, including making a sign that says, "Isaac Newton was a critical thinker and developed the Universal Law of Gravitation. These students show evidence of critical thinking that would make him proud" and is posted above some exemplar student work. It also has this picture on it:
I also completed a decorative project that had been on my to-do list for a while: I printed out a series of colorful posters that say things like, "Thomas Alva Edison, Age 14. Built his first lab and later a lightbulb. It's your turn to change the world." I took the idea from the Google Science Fair website. I posted them around the hallway, including on the wall around the water fountain. I'm pretty excited about them.
I work hard so that they'll change the world. I like to think it'll happen. Some of them, I can't wait to see what they'll do.
It's Monday, and I have the Mondays. It's also the first workday after daylight savings, which means that I'll be tired all day up to the moment that it is time to go to sleep, at which point I'll be wide awake.
On Friday, I had a non-teach half day, so I could observe a science teacher an another North Star school. It was an awesome experience, and not only because I didn't have to do any work. It was incredible watching a talented teacher with an extremely different teaching/learning style. The teacher I watched was clearly a spatial learner. He learned by looking at the physical and spatial interactions between concepts. This was both interesting and unnerving to watch, because I am NOT a spatial learner. I do not understand the spatial relationship between anything. I was able to predict that this teacher had a very good sense of direction (which he confirmed after class).
I found the lesson very frustrating, because of the way it was taught. Students were given a blank white paper on which to take notes, which were done with drawings and arrows and non-linear note-taking. It was completely unlike anything I have ever done, which made me realize something: there is probably someone sitting in my class, equally frustrated, because I don't address their learning style. I need to, over the course of a unit, address more learning styles. This led to two action steps I created on Friday:
Instead of just taking notes on a concept (esp. physics),
have students draw the forces to prove it (by teacher modeling), and then take
notes on it
Address multiple learning types (How can I do this if each
topic is only 1-3 days long? Multiple types in a lesson? Or make sure spiraling
addresses all learning types?)
Oh good, I was just starting to feel like I had mastered teaching. Ha.
I also completed a decorative project that had been on my to-do list for a while: I printed out a series of colorful posters that say things like, "Thomas Alva Edison, Age 14. Built his first lab and later a lightbulb. It's your turn to change the world." I took the idea from the Google Science Fair website. I posted them around the hallway, including on the wall around the water fountain. I'm pretty excited about them.
I work hard so that they'll change the world. I like to think it'll happen. Some of them, I can't wait to see what they'll do.
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