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, September 12, 2010

I enjoyed being a teacher...especially when the effort is appreciated

I had a situation where I have two students assigned to the same class this year that did not get along last year and randomly chosen to work together. (A student helper, assigned students to groups during my planning period and posted the names for the next period). When the list was posted: one student stated loudly “I don’t want to work with him, we didn’t get along last year and I don’t want to work with him!” My response to her is my standard answer, “once you leave high school, you might have to work with people you do not like; however, to remain employed you will have to work with them and maintain a professional attitude.” The group was not changed.

The student placed her concerns in writing on an action plan sheet. To summarize, it stated, “I don’t like him and I don’t want to work with him”, I told the teacher that and she wrote my response.

I contacted the student’s parent, read her child’s response and asked her to ask her daughter for specifics. Her daughter was in the background and stated “he is lazy”, “doesn’t do his work”, and “I don’t like working with him”. The mother felt that if her child had attempted to work with an individual all last year, I needed to reward her and not have her daughter work with that individual this year. I explained to the mother, as a teacher, it would cause havoc if I allowed a student to tell me (in front of the class, in a loud voice) to switch a team member because they do not want to work with a person.

I explained the situation to a more experienced teacher. She stated to make sure the students were able to see the selections are random, and gave me several strategies. I went to school box and put them into place.

I contacted the mother again, to bring closure to the issue and explained the actions I had taken to ensure selections were random and visible to all the students. I maintained the stance that if her daughter and the other student are selected on the same team, they will still have to work together, but the assignments will be visibly random.

The mother stated, “you must love your job, most teachers would have said my way or the highway” She stated, she felt I went out of my way to ensure a fair system, appreciated the effort, and she encouraged her daughter to work with her groups as assigned.

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