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?

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Good Intentions

I must say if I hear "standards based classroom" one more time I'm going to scream!!!! I know our school system is considered to be behind the eight ball when it comes to keeping accreditation and our school specifically is desperately trying to make AYP this year...but come on people...can we still focus on teaching our kids the curriculum instead of spending 30 minutes of our 55 minute class period on whatever the latest and greatest idea in education is!!! I feel that we are loosing sight of what the true goal should be for our students. Ok, I'm fine with having to write out the entire standard and element and essential question on my board, though I may grumble a little when all of this takes up 90% of my board space. I haven't complained too much when I visited other schools in the county and found that they have been able to type their standards and elements out and just change them periodically..thus saving board space (when our principal told us specifically that we could not do this per the superintendent). However, now you are going to tell me that I have to write the standard, the task assigned, and teacher commentary for every piece of student work I want to display on my bulletin board!!! This is ridiculous...I think that if you have a question about whether or not the work is considered to be standard-related just ask me. This kids don't really care and it looks awful to have all this junk up there. I now have no room to display the things that the kids worked so hard on. I feel like I have to tell my kids...sorry I only have room for one student's work to be displayed because I have to place all this other crapola on there which I feel is just for show. I know that our administration has good intentions, but enough is enough. I'm too busy trying to make the "frosting on my cake" look right and not worrying about the cake itself. The staff is getting worn out, the kids are loosing focus because they are drowning in the "language of the standard", and frankly I'm just getting sick of the whole thing!

2 comments:

Ginger said...

Poor Amy! I know how you feel but it sounds so much worse on your end. I can't imagine if I had to do all of that (and maybe I am supposed to but I don't). I write my standards that we are covering on the board and go over them and the kids just look at me. I feel like I put the standards on my lesson plans so if anyone has any quesetions on what I am covering, they can look at those.

I feel like we are trying to focus on the adults being happy rather than the kids being happy.

I loved and I do mean loved high school. I was one of those odd kids that took a Calculus class an hour before school even started and then stayed late to take a computer class even though I could leave early. The reason I loved school so much is because I learned so much. I felt like I was becoming a better person and that the sky was going to be the limit with all that I was learning. Well the funny thing is, I have no idea what standards I covered but I do know that I can type faster than most chefs, have more math knowledge than most chefs, and feel like a more rounded person because of it.

I went back recently to see my English teacher (my favorite teacher of all time even though I hated English) and I was talking about my fondest memories in her class. The final senior speech, the long discussions of literature, etc. and she informed me that she no longer has time to do those things because she is so consumed with end of the course testing. I could not believe they had taken the best memories that have stuck with me for 10+ years away from the classroom. Something is wrong in how the classrooms are run these days.

Anitra said...

Preach Preacher..You are singing to the choir, it's snowing in Alaska, freaks come out at night and all of the other ironic truths. Amy I feel you lady and I wish I had three wishes, I'd give you one. Girl, keep your head up. Prayerfully, a great change will come after a while.