Rules For Posting To This Blog and Weekly Blog Question

1. Only use your first name (no last names, addresses, IM screen names, etc.)
2. Show respect and consideration of others when posting and commenting. This includes individuals, students, organizations, political parties, colleagues, etc.
3. Check all posts for spelling and grammar errors before posting.
4. Protect the privacy of others. Gain permission from other people before you write about them. Avoid sharing someone else's last name. Use job titles or pseudonyms when writing about experiences with your co-workers or students.
5. Watch your language. Use politically correct and non-offensive language.
6. Make sure you write about things that are factual.
7. Keep your postings education-oriented. Avoid discussing plans for the weekend, etc.

FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!

Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?

Friday, August 31, 2007

Success (Take 2)!!!!

Wow, what a week it's been! On Monday I was ready to throw in the towel and give it all up. This is my third year of teaching and it has been the rockiest start yet! We are finishing up our 5th week of school and I was beginning to feel like I wasn't going to be an effective teacher this year. After having migraines for three days, I was looking at going back to work at the hospital. However, that all began to change a couple of days ago...

Wednesday (Day 23 of school): I tried out the scavenger hunt on my Healthcare 2 students. They searched their book for the answers to the questions pertaining to body planes, directions, etc. I had thrown in a couple of "advanced" questions requiring some of them to delve further into the text to find the possible answers. THEY LOVED IT! I enjoyed it too because it gave me a chance to see how they were going to work together as a team. Originally they were in groups of two's. Slowly, they started working in groups of 4's and before long, it was an entire team effort! There are 14 girls in that class and they all helped each other through it! SUCCESS!!!

I had a difficult time with one of my 7th period students. She was upset because I gave her a Grade/Attitude Alert form to have her parent signed. She sulked the entire class period and tried her best to get to me. She was very disruptive until the person she was sitting next to told her to straighten up that I don't play games (he knew from getting into trouble the previous few days). She finally heeded his warning as I was about to send her to ISD.

The guy she sits next too starting a rap song. I looked up and was like "Dude, that's my ringtone on my phone!". He didn't believe me so I asked him to stay after class. I plugged his phone number into my phone, set up the ringtone and told him to call me. He did and his eyes lit up like saucers and we both started to sing the song! SUCCESS!

Thursday (Day 24): Again, the Healthcare 2 class...we were preparing to study for the exam they will have today when I thought, let's do something different. So, instead of playing Jeopardy like we always do, I had them do the concentric circles and I passed out my Jeopardy cards for them to use. The class was split about 50/50 to whether or not they liked the activity. There were some things that could have been done better so we will try that next time we do it. The ones that loved it REALLY loved it and the ones who didn't like it so much were just concerned about issues that can be fixed. SUCCESS!!

Remember the guy from yesterday and the girl who was causing problems? Well, they both came into class with huge smiles on their faces (I have to admit I wondered what they were up to) and were the "perfect little angels" in class. Both began to answer questions and the girl asked me what she had to do to make it to the Healthcare 3 class! (GASP! YEAH!) Of course, I showed her the handbook where I had lined that out for them and invited her to stay after class to talk more about it. As the bell was ringing for the day, the guy started the rap song again and was like "Mrs. J is so cool! She likes rap music!" SUCCESS!!

There are a couple of kids left in that class who are minor problems. They were both issued detention for Tuesday after school. I think that was a wake-up call to them as well. We'll see what happens today!

Friday (Day 25): I was EXCITED to come to school this morning! I haven't had a migraine in a couple of days now. They all have either a quiz or a test today and I hope to see some improvement after our study session yesterday. I'm looking forward to a three day weekend, but scarily enough, I think I'm going to miss these kids on Monday!!!

Have a great 3 day weekend!!

4 comments:

Victoria said...

Congrats on your success!
I'm so glad that you are praticing the techniques we learned in NTI this summer. It seems to be paying off. You did a very wise thing by identifying with the student and his ring tone matching yours. This truly showed that you are human and the kids can relate to you.( and the you are KOOL):) The other GREAT thing you mentioned was that another student understood your work ethics and shared it with the problem student and as a result that student corrected their behavior. I agree in setting the HIGHEST stndards of excellence and your tolerance level early on, therefore the students will know what is acceptable in your classroom. I did the same thing this week as I taught a group of talkative and horseplaying students 2 days in a row. On the 2nd day, they came in and did their work, all except one, continued to try my patience. I had informed my buddy teacher next door and she took him into her classroom for the entire period. By the way, he started off by turning the lights off as he entered my classroom. Youknow I get the characters and attitudes as a Stellar sub and I let them know up front my tolerance leverl is 0.


Goodbye to the migraines. Try drinking more water...
Heres to another successful teaching week.
Victoria

Victoria said...

Congrats on your success!
I'm so glad that you are praticing the techniques we learned in NTI this summer. It seems to be paying off. You did a very wise thing by identifying with the student and his ring tone matching yours. This truly showed that you are human and the kids can relate to you.( and the you are KOOL):) The other GREAT thing you mentioned was that another student understood your work ethics and shared it with the problem student and as a result that student corrected their behavior. I agree in setting the HIGHEST stndards of excellence and your tolerance level early on, therefore the students will know what is acceptable in your classroom. I did the same thing this week as I taught a group of talkative and horseplaying students 2 days in a row. On the 2nd day, they came in and did their work, all except one, continued to try my patience. I had informed my buddy teacher next door and she took him into her classroom for the entire period. By the way, he started off by turning the lights off as he entered my classroom. Youknow I get the characters and attitudes as a Stellar sub and I let them know up front my tolerance leverl is 0.


Goodbye to the migraines. Try drinking more water...
Heres to another successful teaching week.
Victoria

Dr. J said...

I am very happy that you are willing to try the Jeopardy game again using the concerns of your students. Remember what we learned in class about not giving up on activity until you have worked with the activity and tried again. I appreciate hearing about your openness to change. Dr. J

Jessie H said...

Julie,

You did have great success. I'm so impressed that you did a scavenger hunt and concentric circles with your students. Variety is the spice of life, and your students will appreciate your use of varied activities and group structures. Hopefully, you'll get some great PR for your program from this, and your classes will start filling up again. You go girl!