It's done. I've made it through Institute. And I'm still alive.
Yesterday, after one session of casual reflection (I know! It wasn't that bad!), we had some nice bonding experiences as a school team and then parted ways.
We did a nice activity, that consisted of the thirty or so of us CMs to stand in two concentric circles. The folks in the inner circle closed their eyes. The folks on the outside were asked to tap the shoulders of the people on the inside circle who inspired them as a teacher. Then, who will now be a lifelong friend. Then, who made them laugh. After a half dozen of these, the circles switched places, and I was now standing on the inside with my eyes closed. The first category was "Tap the shoulder of people who gave it their all". A couple of seconds went by. Another couple of seconds. Then...tap. Tap. Tap tap tap tap.
I cried.
Also, one of the CMs made peach cobbler. There was a slideshow. We went home early. My parents helped me move out of the dorms.
Oh! I have a interview! I was invited to an interview at a public school in Bridgeport next Wednesday. I'm really excited. I think most of the rest of the CT science CMs who haven't been placed have interviews next week. I might have a placement soon!
Now I will relax for a few days. I will not work, I will not teach, and I will sleep. If only I could stop sounding like a teacher all the time...
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Reflection Reflection
Yesterday I realized what I find frustrating about Institute and the TFA training process: reflection. In reflecting upon reflection, I realized that a lot of the program is teaching us how to reflect. We are being taught how to reflect on our lessons, our students, our preconceived notions, and our assessment scores. It seems, though, that this is something that I have already done. As a writer, I spend a lot of time reflecting, even if I am not conscious of it at the time. As a writer, my reflections are recorded so I can go back and look at them later, even if I never really wanted to see them again.
The problem is this: if I knew we would be given 10 or 15 or more minutes of quiet time to fill in boxes with specific reflection questions in it, I would not have spent the time earlier reflecting on what I've accomplished this month. Not only have I done the reflecting already, but I've done it in a natural and free-flowing manner, rather than in an overly-guided MS Word table like the many that TFA loves to give us.
Today, our assignment was to reflect (on specific things) on index cards, which we would glue (with a glue stick) to a manila folder to keep forever.
I guess I understand the purpose of this exercise; reflection is important, and is necessary for being good at anything, especially a new endeavor. But. But I don't need the guide. I don't need to be forced. Not only does it make it harder, it also makes me instinctively take it less seriously. It's like if you were handed a crossword puzzle, and then given a list of answers to the clues. And then you were told you had 15 minutes to sit and fill in the clues. I'm sure it's a challenging puzzle, and probably fun to do, but not if they give you the answers. I'd rather take the puzzle without the answers. Or, don't expect me to fill in the answers we are given.
I write anyway. I reflect anyway. And I love it. But forced guided reflection ruins it for me.
On the bright side, it got me thinking about differentiation. How do I give students interesting projects that challenge every student at every different level? How can I make sure that every student is feeling included, even though their abilities differ considerably? For every student who isn't understanding the lesson, there's another student who is bored and unchallenged.
This will be challenging. I will have to make enrichment work for different levels. I plan on providing my students with a classroom library for extra "science" education (Ender's Game! Fahrenheit 451! Ray Bradbury! Robert A. Heinlein!). I hope to provide extra credit opportunities at all levels.
(Today, our forced guided reflection involves writing letters to our future teacher selves.)
Differentiation is challenging for all teachers at all levels.
The problem is this: if I knew we would be given 10 or 15 or more minutes of quiet time to fill in boxes with specific reflection questions in it, I would not have spent the time earlier reflecting on what I've accomplished this month. Not only have I done the reflecting already, but I've done it in a natural and free-flowing manner, rather than in an overly-guided MS Word table like the many that TFA loves to give us.
Today, our assignment was to reflect (on specific things) on index cards, which we would glue (with a glue stick) to a manila folder to keep forever.
I guess I understand the purpose of this exercise; reflection is important, and is necessary for being good at anything, especially a new endeavor. But. But I don't need the guide. I don't need to be forced. Not only does it make it harder, it also makes me instinctively take it less seriously. It's like if you were handed a crossword puzzle, and then given a list of answers to the clues. And then you were told you had 15 minutes to sit and fill in the clues. I'm sure it's a challenging puzzle, and probably fun to do, but not if they give you the answers. I'd rather take the puzzle without the answers. Or, don't expect me to fill in the answers we are given.
I write anyway. I reflect anyway. And I love it. But forced guided reflection ruins it for me.
On the bright side, it got me thinking about differentiation. How do I give students interesting projects that challenge every student at every different level? How can I make sure that every student is feeling included, even though their abilities differ considerably? For every student who isn't understanding the lesson, there's another student who is bored and unchallenged.
This will be challenging. I will have to make enrichment work for different levels. I plan on providing my students with a classroom library for extra "science" education (Ender's Game! Fahrenheit 451! Ray Bradbury! Robert A. Heinlein!). I hope to provide extra credit opportunities at all levels.
(Today, our forced guided reflection involves writing letters to our future teacher selves.)
Differentiation is challenging for all teachers at all levels.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Last Day of School
Today was our last day teaching this summer (don't worry, we still have a full day of sessions tomorrow before they let us go). I received many nice words from the three students that attended, and one of them gave me a hug. I almost cried. That's not true. I cried.
The assessments were...eh. The class certainly improved, from a 39% average at the start of the summer to a 62% average now, but I'm disappointed. I guess if you consider that the assessment tested different objectives than the ones we were required to teach, the scores can be considered a little higher (if we don't count the material that we were told not to teach). That includes a nice chunk of the test, which might have raised our class average to the arbitrary goal that was set for us, 75%. I'm disappointed, but I think it had to do more with planning objectives and creating assessments than with teaching.
Fortunately, we had a session on creating unit plans and other long-term planning techniques. In addition to making me more anxious about the placement I don't have yet, we learned how to take a year-long curriculum and plan each day. I love planning. I'm great at planning. This school year will be very good (I hope).
I've learned that some awesome people are reading this blog. I'd like to shout out to the coolest girl in Memphis (and her new kitty!) and my favorite small writer in NYC (who will get a great job soon, I'm sure of it).
I realized today that I really love teaching. I think I've picked the right thing. Well, 1.5 days left of Institute, and 2 years left in TFA. Proud, eager, and excited.
The assessments were...eh. The class certainly improved, from a 39% average at the start of the summer to a 62% average now, but I'm disappointed. I guess if you consider that the assessment tested different objectives than the ones we were required to teach, the scores can be considered a little higher (if we don't count the material that we were told not to teach). That includes a nice chunk of the test, which might have raised our class average to the arbitrary goal that was set for us, 75%. I'm disappointed, but I think it had to do more with planning objectives and creating assessments than with teaching.
Fortunately, we had a session on creating unit plans and other long-term planning techniques. In addition to making me more anxious about the placement I don't have yet, we learned how to take a year-long curriculum and plan each day. I love planning. I'm great at planning. This school year will be very good (I hope).
I've learned that some awesome people are reading this blog. I'd like to shout out to the coolest girl in Memphis (and her new kitty!) and my favorite small writer in NYC (who will get a great job soon, I'm sure of it).
I realized today that I really love teaching. I think I've picked the right thing. Well, 1.5 days left of Institute, and 2 years left in TFA. Proud, eager, and excited.
Final Exam
I rarely get nervous for final exams. I'm nervous for this one. It doesn't help that we didn't get to write the exam, and that it doesn't align to the objectives we were told to teach this summer. It is also frustrating that we were expected to teach isolated objectives to prepare them for the final, and we had to squeeze in the foundational knowledge on our own. Oh well, it's up to the kids now. They always do better than I think.
Yesterday we had one of the most useful sessions I've seen so far: grading. How to grade, what to grade, when to grade. For example, if you grade every single homework, the students feel uncomfortable practicing new skills. However, if you never grade homework, they won't put enough effort into it.
In addition, it is important to create a rubric or grading system prior to giving the exam, so that you are grading by a standard, rather than giving points for effort. Don't confuse effort with mastery.
The students' grade should reflect their level of mastery of the material.
My students are taking the exam right now. The review session went well, so we'll see how they do in practice.
I am even more anxious about placement now. In the last couple of weeks, many of my fellow CT CMs have been placed. I haven't heard anything. I have no idea what city I'm going to be in or exactly what grade I am going to be teaching. I know that placement occurs right up to the start of the school year (and sometimes a few days later), but I am really hoping to be placed sooner rather than later. I'd like to have some time to find an apartment and move in, as well as creating a unit plan for my classes. I don't want to be that one person who wasn't placed until a week into the school year.
As for now, I'll worry about the final exams. Results to follow.
Yesterday we had one of the most useful sessions I've seen so far: grading. How to grade, what to grade, when to grade. For example, if you grade every single homework, the students feel uncomfortable practicing new skills. However, if you never grade homework, they won't put enough effort into it.
In addition, it is important to create a rubric or grading system prior to giving the exam, so that you are grading by a standard, rather than giving points for effort. Don't confuse effort with mastery.
The students' grade should reflect their level of mastery of the material.
My students are taking the exam right now. The review session went well, so we'll see how they do in practice.
I am even more anxious about placement now. In the last couple of weeks, many of my fellow CT CMs have been placed. I haven't heard anything. I have no idea what city I'm going to be in or exactly what grade I am going to be teaching. I know that placement occurs right up to the start of the school year (and sometimes a few days later), but I am really hoping to be placed sooner rather than later. I'd like to have some time to find an apartment and move in, as well as creating a unit plan for my classes. I don't want to be that one person who wasn't placed until a week into the school year.
As for now, I'll worry about the final exams. Results to follow.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The Importance of Binder Clips
Yesterday we had a session on multicultural education. I learned the following:
Sidebars in textbooks often encourage stereotypes. Instead, offer examples that are seamlessly woven into a lesson.
Don't have the “heroes and holidays” mindset (i.e. Black History Month): it puts people in boxes on calendars, instead of celebrating then all the time.
Multi-Cultural Education is NOT:
at odds with western civilization and with the teaching of western history, literature, and thinking.
appropriate enrichment only for students who have already mastered “basic” content and skills.
a curriculum movement only for disenfranchised or marginalized groups.
We have the ability to help change mindsets of children, as well as to help them develop pride in their own culture/background/life history.
Students do better when they have something to relate to, so we need to give enough examples to reach every kid in our class. Learn about the students so you can leverage their backgrounds to help them get invested.
Teach them to stand up for themselves.
During that session, the CS (Curriculum Specialist) did something very nice for me, which shows me how good she is as a teacher. I arrived at class early, and she had this to say to me, "I know you like fidgeting on your computer during class, but this session's notes are only in hard copy, so no computers today. But, here's a binder clip and some masking tape to play with."
I learned that binder clips are a great and quiet way to entertain fidgety students to help them focus.
We also had a special session on science education. I learned to always have a substitute teacher binder, which includes attendance rosters, emergency class plans (Mythbusters and the Scientific Method, House and the Scientific Method), and exam review sheets. Also, make sure the students have computer and internet access, because they won't always have them at home. Inform the students on the locations and hours of local libraries. Also, make friends with a lab supply salesman, the art teacher, and local fast food shops for free (or cheap) lab supplies, including sugar packets and straws.
Class went really well yesterday. I had all of my students working hard on writing a letter to the editor of the New York Daily News regarding an article about cutting down a grove of trees in the Bronx. They were writing to inform the readers about the effect of deforestation on global warming. They didn't want to stop writing to leave class!
Only one more day of teaching left, and one day of review and assessment after that. Almost done. And I'm almost sad about it.
Sidebars in textbooks often encourage stereotypes. Instead, offer examples that are seamlessly woven into a lesson.
Don't have the “heroes and holidays” mindset (i.e. Black History Month): it puts people in boxes on calendars, instead of celebrating then all the time.
Multi-Cultural Education is NOT:
at odds with western civilization and with the teaching of western history, literature, and thinking.
appropriate enrichment only for students who have already mastered “basic” content and skills.
a curriculum movement only for disenfranchised or marginalized groups.
We have the ability to help change mindsets of children, as well as to help them develop pride in their own culture/background/life history.
Students do better when they have something to relate to, so we need to give enough examples to reach every kid in our class. Learn about the students so you can leverage their backgrounds to help them get invested.
Teach them to stand up for themselves.
During that session, the CS (Curriculum Specialist) did something very nice for me, which shows me how good she is as a teacher. I arrived at class early, and she had this to say to me, "I know you like fidgeting on your computer during class, but this session's notes are only in hard copy, so no computers today. But, here's a binder clip and some masking tape to play with."
I learned that binder clips are a great and quiet way to entertain fidgety students to help them focus.
We also had a special session on science education. I learned to always have a substitute teacher binder, which includes attendance rosters, emergency class plans (Mythbusters and the Scientific Method, House and the Scientific Method), and exam review sheets. Also, make sure the students have computer and internet access, because they won't always have them at home. Inform the students on the locations and hours of local libraries. Also, make friends with a lab supply salesman, the art teacher, and local fast food shops for free (or cheap) lab supplies, including sugar packets and straws.
Class went really well yesterday. I had all of my students working hard on writing a letter to the editor of the New York Daily News regarding an article about cutting down a grove of trees in the Bronx. They were writing to inform the readers about the effect of deforestation on global warming. They didn't want to stop writing to leave class!
Only one more day of teaching left, and one day of review and assessment after that. Almost done. And I'm almost sad about it.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Bad Investment
“I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.”
Dr. Hiam Ginott
Today I received some unpleasant news about my class: any student with three absences will lose credit for the course. For my class, that means losing three of the four students. And here's the kicker: they won't be told until after Thursday, so "it doesn't affect our statistics".
Our school operations manager (SOM) says that it isn't my fault and that we did nothing wrong, that these things happen. I feel like I failed. Either my class wasn't good enough for them, or I couldn't invest them enough to make them understand the importance of attending school regularly. Bummer.
I must do better next time.
I still have to teach the class, although we haven't had nearly full attendance this week. Today I'm teaching about global warming. In order to do this, I'm going to do this in the form of learning how to write a letter about global warming. Their project today is to write a letter to the editor of the New York Daily News in response to a recent article about removing a grove of trees from a park in the Bronx. I hope they will be able to explain that removing trees is deforestation, and since trees absorb carbon dioxide, there will be more carbon dioxide in the air, which is a greenhouse gas, and greenhouse gases cause global warming.
It is a simplified explanation, but it works. I wish I had the time to explain to them the different prediction models of the effects of global climate change and the debates over the IPCC data. Maybe next year.
Dr. Hiam Ginott
Today I received some unpleasant news about my class: any student with three absences will lose credit for the course. For my class, that means losing three of the four students. And here's the kicker: they won't be told until after Thursday, so "it doesn't affect our statistics".
Our school operations manager (SOM) says that it isn't my fault and that we did nothing wrong, that these things happen. I feel like I failed. Either my class wasn't good enough for them, or I couldn't invest them enough to make them understand the importance of attending school regularly. Bummer.
I must do better next time.
I still have to teach the class, although we haven't had nearly full attendance this week. Today I'm teaching about global warming. In order to do this, I'm going to do this in the form of learning how to write a letter about global warming. Their project today is to write a letter to the editor of the New York Daily News in response to a recent article about removing a grove of trees from a park in the Bronx. I hope they will be able to explain that removing trees is deforestation, and since trees absorb carbon dioxide, there will be more carbon dioxide in the air, which is a greenhouse gas, and greenhouse gases cause global warming.
It is a simplified explanation, but it works. I wish I had the time to explain to them the different prediction models of the effects of global climate change and the debates over the IPCC data. Maybe next year.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Second-to-Last Friday
It's Friday!
This morning, we learned about special education.
When it comes to special needs students (and all students, really), it is our responsibility to advocate for our students. It is our legal obligation to uphold the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for each student.
There is a big distinction in actions we can take.
Accomodations: change the process, but not the content (i.e. organizers, large font), change to the way students show learning
vs.
Modifications: change to the content or difficulty level of the gen ed curriculum
And then we watched a video that was obviously filmed in the 1980s that reminded us that telling student with learning disabilities to “try harder” will never, ever work.
We learned to teach students to advocate for themselves. Not every teacher knows to ask for an IEP. A student needs to tell a teacher that they have special requirements and what those requirements are. The students need to learn how they learn best, and what they can do on their own to succeed.
Also, fair is not always equal. We were shown an example
Later in the morning, we had a session on meeting the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs). The most important part is to remember that ELLs include those who don't speak English as a first (or second, or third) language, as well as those who don't readily speak “academic” English.
One of the examples was a passage we were given in French, with some questions in English following, to show us how difficult it was to answer questions about a passage in a language we don't understand. I actually translated it for the class, which made me feel special; I guess I haven't forgotten too much from high school French. It was also pointed out to us, though, that the questions was even more difficult because we didn't understand the culture it described (the French school system).
The heart of the achievement gap is a literacy gap, or vocabulary gap. They may speak the language, but there is a big gap between speaking the language and being able to decode academic texts. Hence my students' problems with multiple-choice questions. There is a big difference between being able to communicate socially and being able to understand a teacher.
And then there's the issue of getting a kid comfortable enough with a non-native language to ask questions he might be uncomfortable asking in the first place. (I'm really considering creating a participation-required IDK box.)
We now have a couple more ideas in our toolbox for differentiating the lesson for students who are special education or ELLs.
I also received a comment on a lesson plan complimenting my key points, one of the most important parts of our plans: “Good WHAT, WHY, and HOW”. This is the TFA equivalent of an A+.
In other news, Texas' abstinence-only education program seems somehow flawed. For some really shocking reason, it seems that since enacting the program, rates of teen pregnancy have increased. Gov. Perry, who is considering a bid for president, when asked for a statistic to suggest it works, replied that "I'm just going to tell you from my own personal life, abstinence works."
That's why I need to be a science teacher.
The day ended with a nice, honest group discussion. We were expressing our frustration with some of the TFA logistics that leave us cramming our lesson planning into sleep hours while sitting around for hours while some programs (and breaks!) are dragged out. We were reminded, by an adored superior of ours, that we're here for a reason. We're here because we want to teach and because we want to help people. We're not here because we love everything about the organization that runs the program. We're here because we want to be.
Although, if you really want a fun time, wait until the heat index pushes 115 and sit in traffic on a yellow school bus. Oof.
This morning, we learned about special education.
When it comes to special needs students (and all students, really), it is our responsibility to advocate for our students. It is our legal obligation to uphold the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for each student.
There is a big distinction in actions we can take.
Accomodations: change the process, but not the content (i.e. organizers, large font), change to the way students show learning
vs.
Modifications: change to the content or difficulty level of the gen ed curriculum
And then we watched a video that was obviously filmed in the 1980s that reminded us that telling student with learning disabilities to “try harder” will never, ever work.
We learned to teach students to advocate for themselves. Not every teacher knows to ask for an IEP. A student needs to tell a teacher that they have special requirements and what those requirements are. The students need to learn how they learn best, and what they can do on their own to succeed.
Also, fair is not always equal. We were shown an example
Later in the morning, we had a session on meeting the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs). The most important part is to remember that ELLs include those who don't speak English as a first (or second, or third) language, as well as those who don't readily speak “academic” English.
One of the examples was a passage we were given in French, with some questions in English following, to show us how difficult it was to answer questions about a passage in a language we don't understand. I actually translated it for the class, which made me feel special; I guess I haven't forgotten too much from high school French. It was also pointed out to us, though, that the questions was even more difficult because we didn't understand the culture it described (the French school system).
The heart of the achievement gap is a literacy gap, or vocabulary gap. They may speak the language, but there is a big gap between speaking the language and being able to decode academic texts. Hence my students' problems with multiple-choice questions. There is a big difference between being able to communicate socially and being able to understand a teacher.
And then there's the issue of getting a kid comfortable enough with a non-native language to ask questions he might be uncomfortable asking in the first place. (I'm really considering creating a participation-required IDK box.)
We now have a couple more ideas in our toolbox for differentiating the lesson for students who are special education or ELLs.
I also received a comment on a lesson plan complimenting my key points, one of the most important parts of our plans: “Good WHAT, WHY, and HOW”. This is the TFA equivalent of an A+.
In other news, Texas' abstinence-only education program seems somehow flawed. For some really shocking reason, it seems that since enacting the program, rates of teen pregnancy have increased. Gov. Perry, who is considering a bid for president, when asked for a statistic to suggest it works, replied that "I'm just going to tell you from my own personal life, abstinence works."
That's why I need to be a science teacher.
The day ended with a nice, honest group discussion. We were expressing our frustration with some of the TFA logistics that leave us cramming our lesson planning into sleep hours while sitting around for hours while some programs (and breaks!) are dragged out. We were reminded, by an adored superior of ours, that we're here for a reason. We're here because we want to teach and because we want to help people. We're not here because we love everything about the organization that runs the program. We're here because we want to be.
Although, if you really want a fun time, wait until the heat index pushes 115 and sit in traffic on a yellow school bus. Oof.
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