Valuable domain learning

I think it is very important to do the objectives with the various levels. It in sures that you know the students get the topic. If you just started out at the top level they would probably not be able to follow. Sure there may be a few that get it but what about the rest of your students. In doing the levels you can be sure that the students are getting the topic and can follow along with recalling information. Being able to explain in their own words what they understand. Forming their own opinion about a topic these are skills they will need in the real world and if we don't prepare them then we are doing them a disservice.

Assumptions

I have made assumptions in the past where I have a student who will not participate in class when doing any class work. I tried so many different methods of trying to engage her, one day I decide to just go ahead and do a small lab. Well when went into the lab she was a whole new person she was much more involved and open to what I had to teach her. I have sense gotten her to do much better in class, because she is much more aware now that the book work part will help her. By focusing more with the class work she is learning that there is information that will help her to do much better with styling hair which she loves. So my assumption was proven wrong I thought she was just lazy but she showed me and now we both understand each other a little better as to why I teach certain parts first before going into lab.

Valuable Tools

I believe that preparing instructional objectives in each domain of learning is a valuable tool. Because students learn on different levels, by preparing the instructional objectives in each domain and at various levels, this will allow students to grasp and retain the information being taught. For me, I did not know about this teaching concept. Basically, I found myself teaching at a higher level than the students are ready for. By preparing the instructional objectives in each domain and at various levels this will allow the student to build up their mastery of the material being presented. It will allow me the opportunity to see the students progression or if they are struggling in an area. The instructional objectives will help me know how write essential and closure questions that would be relavant. Not only will preparing instructional objectives help the students but will help me to assess how well the informations is being recieved from the students.

Instructional Objectives

I believe it is important to prepare instructional objectives in each domain of learning. The objectives are part of your road map. They help point you in the direction that you as a teacher or facilitator want your students to go. This area is still an emerging area for me. Even though I have not mastered the art of preparing instructional objectives I understand enough about them to know that they are relevent and it helps drive your lessons, along with your essential question. When I have developed my objectives I have only developed them with one type of student in mind. The longer I teach I notice students are at several different learning levels and I better understand why it is important to develop these objectives at different levels.

Making assumptions

I can admit that I did make an assumption about one of my students and my assumption was wrong. I have a student who is over 6 feet tall and is very loud and is always rapping out loud. Well come to find out this student is actually a good student. You might ask, "What do you consider a good student?" This student completes all of the assignments early, to the point I have to give him more to do. He always comes to me and ask "Ms. Jackson I'm finished, what do you want me to do next?" I tell you when I realized this wasn't the average student I was pleasantly surprised. Most of my students do not complete assignments and I have to explain the directions several times. So the moral of this is don't make assumptions about "people" based on looks and your past experiences,get to know the person for who "they are" not on generalizations.

HAVE YOU EVER MADE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS OR SOMEONE ELSE'S ABILITY TO LEAN LATER WAS INNACURATE?

This topic is one of my pet peeves - as i personally feel that I am judged inaccurately because of my accent. As a result of my personal experience I try not to judge people before I have an opportunity to know them or form an opinion of them.

It is very important fro me not to prejudge my students because this will put them an an unfair advantage. However,I can be very rigid sometimes and I am working on dealing with my students in a not so rigid manner. As we learned in NTI I have to remember that the student mind i not yet developed and they may not be responsible for some of the decisions they make, so I cut them some slack but still hold them accountable for any unprofessional behavior/attitudes.

In the past if I feel that someone has made an inaccurate judgment about me I go to them and bring up the subject and discuss same if the other person is receptive to the discussion. This has worked for me sometimes, maybe you can try it sometime.

HOW VALUABLE IS TO PREPARE INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES....

Personally I think it is very valuable to prepare instructional objective in every domain of learning, and if necessary prepare instruction to suit the various levels of your domain or area of education so the no child is left behind.

Not all students learn on the same level so instruction should be prepared using different delivery tools such as power point presentations, visual like video, lecture/verbal presentation, hands on presentations like my culinary labs (where students can actually do a task and you can judge if they got the concept).

When preparation is done you as a teacher are also preparing yourself for the task at hand. When you plan and present a lesson you see where you fell short and can adjust the lesson, especially when the kids do not get it - you adjust instruction and maybe reteach if needed or change the mode of presentation.

I have learned so much by planning my instruction even if I felt I was very organized it allows me to grow as a teacher.

What I meant to say was......

"How valuable do you think it is to prepare instructional objectives in each domain of learning, and at various levels?"

First and foremost, in almost everything you do you should have some objective in mind. Rather it's to be debt free in five years or to leave the students with a better understanding of the material you just covered.

As it relates to learning at various levels, I believe in each level the material should compliment the previous level, and the objectives should become more rigorous. In my intro classes, I give the foundations, in my second and third year classes, I build on top of the foundation. I want my students to complete the pathway with a clear understanding of the criminal justice process.

Don't judge the book by it's cover

"Have you ever made assumptions about one of your student's or someone else's ability only to learn later that you were inaccurate? On what basis did you make your first judgment and what caused you to change your perspective?"

Picture, a student with sagging pants and his eyebrow's cut up. Then imagine him sitting in you class and giving you one of those "looks"..you know the kind of look as if he was sizing you up.

"Great!" I said to myself.

Well he has turned out to be one of my brightness students. He join my Skills USA Criminal Justice Club, and told me that we were going to nationals. He always have a positive attitude, and when I learned that his sister was raising him because his mother passed away some years ago then I knew he was truly a "diamond in the rough."

What I enjoy most about life, is that I'm still learning. I pray that never stops.

Learning Domains

I think that it is extremely important to prepare instructional objectives in each domain of learning because it allows students to learn basic principles of a content area and have the opportunity to comprehend what it is that they are learning before advancing. As students gain knowledge and comprehension then they can advance to higher levels of learning. I think that it is also important as teachers to be able to recognize when it is time to switch gears and step it up a notch. I have had my share of experiences where I was under the assumption that my student really didn’t have any prior knowledge of a particular unit only to find out that they knew more than I thought, so I would have to use higher level objectives to make it interesting for them and to challenge them so I think that it is very important. If instructional objectives are not presented at various levels then the ways in which our students learn to process and decipher information will be stagnant and unvaried

Preparing Instructional objectives in EACH Domain??

While I think it is extremely valuable to prepare instructional objectives in each domain, it feels like another larger than life task for me at this point. I continue to struggle to make my objectives meaningful and relevant to the lessons and staying on target with the essential questions prepared for the GPS standards. Just the thought of preparing six maybe seven objectives for each unit of study appeared to be a lot. However, as I've thought more about it, I would prepare the levels starting with simple in the beginning and saving the more complex for last. Notice, when you ask just a simple question related to how valuable "I think it is to prepare instructional objectives in each domain at various levels of learning", I immediately attempt to make it happen. I may need to remain in the convergent mode prior to diverging at this point, but I truly feel it is important to create objectives at the various levels and in each domain. In that way, I'll be able to assist the students in developing critical thinking skills a step at a time.

Learning Domains

I think it is very important to prepare instructional objectives in each domain of learning. That way the students are also prepared in what they are going to be learning starting from the lowest level of thinking and learning. This will also keep us teachers in check to not to surpass things that we thought they should have known before hand. If we start at the lower level, then there is no room for getting ahead.

Learning Domains

I think it is very valuable to prepare learning objectives in each domain of learning and at various levels because it enables students to learn at the most basic level and then build on that basic knowledge. I have been guilty of teaching above the students' head. I now realize that if students have not been given the basic knowledge, then asked to comprehend that knowledge, they will not be able to apply that knowledge. Teaching and learning must be done in a logical order. Learning domains are a very valuable tool in student assessment.

Domains of Learning

I think that it is very valuable to prepare instructional objectives using each domain of learning at various levels because it allows you as an instructor to make the learning more relevant to all students. I think that by assessing the learning styles of your students you quickly learn how to develop a strategy for preparing your instructions. I think that because of the nature of CTE, instructors have to start at the knowledge level for many students and build upon each lesson using a variety of levels for questioning in order to understand where each student is with their understanding. This assessment, helps the instructor to focus on areas where students may be deficient or need additional instruction.

Domains of Learning

I believe you should prepare instructional objectives in each domain of learning and at various levels to fulfill the needs of a wide range of different students. First you will ideally start at the knowledge level. This will ensure everyone has a base line of knowledge to build upon. Then you will probably move on to comprehension, then application, etc. and even higher levels. You can be assured to reach a multiple range of students by using a mixture of levels in each domain. Gifted students sometimes challenge the diverse levels. Each student is unique and learns in their own special way. This in turn keeps us teachers on our toes. Teaching with various domains of learning at different levels, satisfy the individual needs of a diverse group of students.

I think it is VERY important to include all domains of learning in instructional objectives. Each domain has its own objectives that all come together for the total learning experience. The cognitive domain is important to establish content knowledge before moving on to other domains. The cognitive is the traditional way of teaching, but along with the affective domain, the students can put things into their own words to better remember it. In our classes, the psychomotor domain is the only way to evaluate a set of skills. Students can be straight A students but lack mastery in hands on skills and vis a versa. This is why I think it is important to include all domains when designing lessons. It takes more thought, but I believe the students will remember your class forever, whereas recall facts from core class go right out the other ear.

Valuable domain's of learning....

I think each domain of learning is valuable, but some are really close in comparison and they overlap in a way. I do think that it is important to teach in every domain and students learn differently at different levels. A lot of students stay only in the knowledge domain, you have to push them to move up or they will stay at the same level forever. I love the application domain. I also believe that students learn better in this domain and the synthesis domain. I have tried to keep my upper level classes more in the divergent domains because they learn the basic knowledge in the lower level classes and should be able to develop more in the upper classes.

assumptions......

This is a hard one. I really do not know of an example to give you about an assumption that I have made. I think the only thing that I have assumed was that all other teachers cared as much as I do. I know that sounds terrible but some teachers do not seem to care. Students go through a lot in this era, even more than we know. Sometimes they need a break. They do need boundaries and rules but every student is different and unique. I help sponsor our school's Relay for Life. Now, I assume that the other 120 teachers in the school would come support and help out.... wrong. They could care less. So, I guess I've been let down more by the other adults in the school rather than the kids. Maybe it's because I hold them to a higher standard?? Oh well :)

Not Always What It Appears

There is one student that I remember from last year,very smart and talented. Her mother is constantly checking on her and ready to help when she can. This particular student did not do well on the final exam last year. Her mother called me, very upset, remarking that she found very difficult to believe that her daughter could get such a grade. I am coming to the assumption in a moment. The student was asked, what happened. Her reply puzzled me for a while; " I am tired".
Now the same student is in my class this year. She still professes that her goal is to become doctor. The assumption that I made is that she really wants to become a doctor. When asked, she has all the right answers. But she only does what is minimally required. She does not listen in class because she believes she already knows the answers. Her actions do not line up with the desired goals. In fact from listening to her mother, I understand that to become a doctor is really her mother's goal.
This young lady has family support, good grades and very active in school but she does not have passion for the profession. I assumed that when you have the resources that a student will succeed or wants to succeed. What I see is that no matter if the student is surrounded by resources, if they do not have the passion or dedication than you cannot make them into something they are not. I had the connection all wrong. It is not the resouces that ultimately will lead to a student's success, but the student has to to have a desire to meet their own goals. No matter what I see in a student, I cannot do it for them. Like this young lady, her mom is doing all the work; she on the other hand, watches the work being done.

Assumptions About My Students

Just recently I had an experience in the ER that wasn't good. I went to th ER for pain in my leggs and was given 1000mg of a narcotic called vicotin. I had a very bad reaction to this drug. I was hallucinating, vomitting, climbing the wall. I was out of it for three days.

I went to school under the assumption that my students would know nothing about this powerful drug, and that we would have a discussion about drugs specifically pills and why they should be careful when they are out not to be influenced by peer pressure to take pills. Well to my surprise, they knew plenty about this pill and others as well. I just asked a question. "How many of you know something about pills?" They named pills and their doses and what makes them work and what they sell for on the street. I was told that the pill I was given sells for $25 a pill. I assumed they would know the basics about drugs but I was really blown away to find out the knowledge they had about pills.

I know these young people are knowledgeable about most things, but the discussion about the possibilities of not returning to your right mind after taking certain meds is possible. I asked another Question. "How many of you know someone that's not in their right mind after taking drugs?" and plenty of them raised their hands. Please help me to make student aware of the dangers of taking perscription drugs. Please respond.

What I have Learned about Myself As a Teacher

I have learned that I am very compassionate about my students. I am compassionate about them being heard as a person. These are people!!!! not just a young mind that we think don't know anything. Some are responsible, some are not. You can trust them until they give a reason not to. Some are introvert. Some are extrovert. I've found my students to be a well rounded and mature group of young people. Oh! I have a few issues! don't get it twisted. But it's something that can be cleaned-up with an apology. My students tell me they respect me so much because I respect them, and that I'm not afraid to admit my mistakes. They really like that!

My Proudest Moment!

I was able to really put my NTI Lab lesson plan to work. WOW! in fifty minutes I had an transfer in, an EQ discussion, a set induction, a demo, a completed wet hairstyle procedure from my students,closing questions and transferred out.Oh my god I was so excited, and I did it 2 more days after that. NTI is making me into a great teacher. I'm using my stuff. I don't know about anyone else. I'm excited as I'm writing this please don't bust my bubble let me live in this moment. I'm hyped!!

What I taught that went well

Your Physical Presentation; Proper Posture was the lesson for the day and when my students came into the class I was standing with a slouch and my belly poking out and everyone just wanted to know what was wrong with me? and can I stop standing like that? So I sat down slouched in the chair, and they were just laughing and I told them to look around the class at how they sat like this also and they already have bad posture and we had to change the way we walk, stand, and sit. No one thought they had bad posture. I explained to them that their posture should show off their figure and that it should convey an image of confidence. Once I explained the guidelines for good posture, head up, chin parallel to the floor, chest out, shoulders leveled, spine straight, and their abdomen flat, I called up the models who felt they conveyed an image of confidence and it was on. We created a run way, and we had the most fun ever. My students still ask me if they're doing it right. everyone is sitting upright and walking straight up with their abdomen flat. I have to tell them to breath.

Assumptions

Toward the end of last year I had several students who passed welder certification tests and were offered employment after graduation. One of the students had very little confidence in himself and his abilities. This student would get mad when he could not immediately complete or master a task and he would throw things around. I spent considerable time with this student in an attempt to teach him to accept the fact that he could do the tasks if he just stuck with it, took it slow, and stopped being frustrated.
My assumption was that this student would not make a good employee and would only last a short time on the job. Was I ever wrong.
The student stopped by my room last week. He had been on the job for 6 months and had even been promoted. He was confident and collected. When I asked him how he did it he said he remembered how we worked in the classroom to learn a task in small pieces at a time learning to master one step before the other. He applied this to each task he was given at the job and it worked for him.
My overall lesson learned is that sometimes when you think a student is not always listening he very well might be.

False assumption

I made the mistake of stereotyping IEP students who only take CTAE classes other than their assisted learning classes as being slower than the other students. This may be true for some students, but only in categories. I have some IEP students that earn the highest grades on my tests. I also made the mistake of believing that a particular student had difficulties speaking english because he was hispanic and never spoke more than one word in class. Later I found out that he was just shy and was raised speaking fluent English. I never thought any less of these students, but I did venture away from asking too much of these students. Rookie mistake I guess.

I've learned me

This week, I've learned that I seem to look toward next year very often. Sometimes I find myself wishing time would go by quickly this year. But overall, I find that everyday I can change the things I did poorly and move on. I'm slowly losing my perfectionist mentality and becoming whatever it takes to get through. I also find that it is hard to make changes in the middle of a unit. Between units, I've began to use new strategies that have worked. This job offers many ways learning the hard way; learning from mistakes. Just glad I wasn't evaluated the first month!

Proudest Moment of the week

This week, I prepared a new unitand hoped it went well... I was at my breaking point towards the end of the last unit. The students lost complete interest and I found myself raising my voice constantly for misbehaviors. I was yelling more than I do at football practice. The new unit is going much more smoothly. I think they needed a change of pace. Even though the new unit isn't lab activities (blueprints), it is something different. I think I just need to come up with better activities for each lesson. Time.........

Bag lady

This week, I learned that I am a bag lady. I've realized that as a teacher, I am taking on my students' baggage. When a student confides that they don't have power at home, I find myself worrying about how they complete their homework, and if food is being cooked in the home. I've found that the issues they're going through keep me awake at night and I want to do all I can to help them. I realize that these issues are beyond my control and that the weight of their problems will only weigh me down. I guess that it makes me a good teacher because I care so much and I realize that caring so much will be detrimental to me the person.

Surprise, surprise!

I wrongfully assumed that a student was special needs because of the physical deformity to his head and face. In my defense, I had received an IEP for him, but had not had a chance to read it. The student is usually very quiet and I would go out of my way to make sure he understood the lesson. Anyway, it turns out that he is very intelligent. He usually scores an A on all written tests. His IEP was simply based on his behavior.

Change in perspective..it's not about me

I made an assumption about one of my student's ability based on his behavior in class. He always had something negative to say, he was quick to challenge what was being taught and he made disruptive comments. I reached the point where I dreaded the days that he was in my class and silently rejoiced when he missed coming to class, because it was so peaceful without him. I don't remember exactly what lesson I was teaching, I feel it had to do with life stages, parental traits; because during the session, the student said in a challenging, very confrontational way that he was adopted. The first statement that came out of my mouth was "how wonderful...that means you where chosen." I went on to explain that most parents are "stuck" with what they receive at birth, but he had an opportunity to be selected..."a special gift" Of course, he did all the posturing that was part of his clowning behavior, but he said "yeah!! I was chosen".

The class went on and over the course of several weeks, I noticed a change in his participation and this year even though he is not in my class, he makes it a point to come and speak to me and calls me his other mom. He becomes agitated and raises his voice when he tries to explain things, especially when he feels he's right. We worked on that trait during the past year. I had an opportunity to assist him with another teacher this year, helped him clear up the altercation, had him lower his voice and apologize. He said "but that was what I was trying to do!!!

We discussed using a lower voice, so he can be heard and it worked. He is a better student, actively participates and my greatest joy was watching him help a fellow student calm down...what a change! Did he have a chip on his shoulder because he was adopted, I honestly do not know...but I'm forever grateful to the person who shared with me the idea that adopted children have the honor of being selected as part of a family. It sure helped and he ended 2009 - 2010 school year with a high B in my class.

My perspective changed because I realized my students have many issues underneath the surface that may overflow in the classroom and that in spite of what I may feel most of the time it has nothing to do with me.

Everbody loves pizza!!

A lesson I think went well was the lesson on yeast breads. It was a lab activity in which the students made pizza dough and during the next lab used the dough to make their own personal pizzas. It was fun for them and it was fun for me watching them shape their dough and create their masterpieces. They were very creative with recipes and wanted to go home and recreate thier pizza. While the lesson was on yeast breads and how to make pizza dough the pizza lab the next day was a fun free lab for them to experiment with and they really enjoyed it.

Why I feel proud....

I think what I feel most proud of in this week was how my students came out in numbers that I couldn’t have imagined to help with this weeks homecoming events. I guess I was proud because I felt like the students really showed commitment and a willingness to help to the extent that some of them had their parents bring them to the school as early as 6:30 a.m. Quite honestly I was surprised to see students that I had not expected to show up be there early. A few were students that really haven’t been participators in class or seem not to be interested in the class at all. By their showing up, it gave me an opportunity to see their potential and interact with them one on one. Also, after expressing my shock to some of the other teachers, several of them told me that it was a good sign and that if they didn’t think that I was a half way decent teacher they would have still been home in their beds. So, that made me proud in addition to the fact that they just did an awesome job. They showed professionalism and leadership and teamwork and I was just proud and all of their abilities were highlighted in the fact that the event was a success.

What I learned...

What I have learned about myself as a teacher during this week is that while I really enjoy teaching I have to be patient with myself because it takes time to get it under your belt. Like anything else, it doesn’t happen over night. This week was our homecoming week and it was very challenging because as the culinary arts teacher I was asked to prepare the homecoming court breakfast with the help of my students. As a first year teacher it was my first time doing the event for the school and I wanted it to go well but I was concerned about how I could turn it into a learning experience for my students. I think that if I had planned better and really thought about how I could have transformed the event into a lesson it would have been a better experience for the students. The lesson for me was not to miss any opportunity to create a productive lesson. I feel that overtime and with experience it will become easier for me to identify those hidden moments that I can make into memorable moments for the students.

Assumptions!

During my first year of teaching I made several assumptions about students. For the week of class, I normally like to go around the classroom to find out as much about the students as I possibly can. There was this one particular group of students who you would consider the high achievers, who always had to have the highest test score and who would challenge the teacher about their grades that were just not motivated to do anything in class if it didn't involve a grade. I assumed that because they made good grades and were concerned about their grades that they would want to be more involved. I tried to get these students to take the lead community projects and be leaders of their class, yet their enthusiasm was more than lacking. These particular students had no "get-up and go" about themselves and it took an act of congress to get them motivated. Their philosophy was if it didn't involve a grade then they didn't see why it was necessary. This type of attitude really puzzled me because you normally see this in other students and I just couldn't understand why they felt this way. This year I have tried to incorporate more types of participation grades and professionalism into the curriculum in order to make them more accountable for being involved. I hope that this will make a difference and show them that life is not all about the grades but it also takes a well rounded individual to succeed in whatever they decide to do in life.

Assumptions

Yes, my entire first year! There were a group of students that stepped up to compete in the teamwork competition for Skills USA. They started practicing and seemed committed. They were allowed to take part of a certain field trip for their commitment. Wow, what an eye opener on their conduct outside the classroom. And when we got back to the lab the next day, they totally stopped caring about the competition. That is when I realized how they just did that to go on the field trip. That was what they were really committed to. But it was a learning experience.

What have I learned as a teacher this week??

I have learned that I need to be a little more firm. I don't want to be the hard nose teacher, but I do want to be one that is respected. Now of coarse I am only referring to a handful of students that need this firmness. But I can't help feel this way across the board. I took a step toward this Friday when I was grading their corner building rubric. Normally they would build their project, then I would grade it after they left. This time I took their rubric sheet, and wrote comments on it while they were working on it. I guess it makes a difference when they see it in writing at that moment.

"Assumptions" Oct.11

Yes, I find that is the case sometimes. One year I had a particular student who was very engaging. At first, she seemed outgoing, polite, and very helpful. So I listed this student as a substitute helper for when I am absent. But by the third week of school this student talked way too much and distracted the class. Students did not respect her and she eventually got into an altercation with another student and was punished according to school policy. I quickly removed the student from my sub-list and wrote a more reliable student in her place. This student was quite the charmer. She had me fooled for a little while.

What I learned...

This week I learned that I am a teacher. This may sound a little funny but this week I found myself understanding that mistakes will be made, bottom line is that I want to teach. When you constantly look for flaws that is all you see, even in yourself. Learning to be kind to yourself is not always easy but it is essential to making it in this profession. For a while it was easier to think of myself back at the doctor's office. It would be so much easier than battling insecurities and frustrations that at times can be overwhelming.
With the realization that everyone works at their own pace (seen in the students); I stopped comparing myself to other teachers. It will take some time to find that groove. So, while I have much to learn; instead of running backwards, I think I will walk forward.

"What have I learned about myself as a teacher this week?"

This week I am at a point where I have accepted that I have high standards and that I expect students to strive for excellence no matter what the task at hand is. Some students care and some don't. For those that don't I have to follow up and make them accountable if needed with some form of consequence - when a teacher does not make students accountable they repeat their negative behaviors. My administrative team at school is not placing students in the correct pathways - so that makes teaching very challenging. I love what I do - an important goal of mine is to educate the youth - this job gives me an opportunity to achieve this goal. I am determined to stay focused, keep my standards high and keep finding new methods of delivering the message. No matter what challenges I face I know who I am - I see that I am making a difference with some students- so you see this week I learned that my goal is being met....

"What have I learned about myself as a teacher this week"

There is always something new to learn and I strive to find a better way to do things. As a teacher, I have reached the conclusion that I need to take on fewer things so I may develop depth. I have learned that in order to make that happen, I will have to say "no" to some good things to do what is best for my professional learning and growth. I've found that having your lessons well planned makes it easier to handle situations and I'm able to be flexible when administrators make a change. Now, it is easier to bring closure to where we are in the lesson and state we'll pick up here at the next class. I'm finding it easier to laugh at myself when I thought I covered an item with a class; but I had actually covered it in the class the day before, so I too am learning the art of keeping notes. Because, while your lesson plan may be consistent, student questions and ideas may vary a great deal and I have to make sure I share important insights among the classes. Now, I just need to make lesson plans on how to handle the day-to-day activities of my personal life in order to take control of the time I need to re-energize. I think I'll schedule in a nap that covers 2 class periods (170 minutes) Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Oh well, not this week we are going to Fall Leadership Conference...but it is a thought worth developing.

What have I learned??

I think I have started learning how to become more organized. I never realized how much a teacher has to do as far as paperwork goes. I have started printing things from my email and putting them in a to do pile. I find that I have to complete the to do tray everyday in order to stay ahead on paperwork. I also have started writing things down at the end of the day that may have happened during class. Example: Last Tuesday I verbally warned a student about the length of time they were gone to the restroom. Friday the same student was gone again way to long (and it was during lunch so I knew they were visiting others). Because I had written down the verbal given on Tuesday, I could write up the student with correct information that otherwise I would have forgotten. Trying to stay organized is a struggle but I have gotten much better at it this year.

What have I learned as a teacher this week

This week along with a few other weeks I have learned to be patient with myself and my students. I am going into my third year of teaching and one thing I have learned these past three years is that no student is the same. I have learned that I have a lot to learn when it comes to being an effective teacher. I think since I really want to teach and want the students to actually comprehend the lessons I introduce to them, makes me frusrated because I realize my students are there just to meet up with their friends. I am so excited about sharing the experience I have in healthcare science I can hardly contain myself. But I know that my excitement does not always transfer to my students. So what I have learned is that I have to figure out how to get my students excited about the lessons. I know some of the students are listening and really want to learn but that is not the majority. Since I know no two students are the same I am experimenting with different activities that will hopefully draw in the different levels of students I have. Also I have learned to listen more to the students when they have suggestions and then use their suggestions.

What have I learned?

I have learned a large majority of my students are experiencing financial hardships. I have never heard of so many people being unemployed. We are at an all time record breaking enrollment at the technical college level. I am very soft hearted and want to help everyone, but that is impossible and I sometimes I feel worn down. But I must push myself to stay strong for my students. I have students who cannot afford the uniforms required by our department. Some cannot afford books for another three weeks or until their grant money arrives. It is my job to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to learn no matter what the circumstances. So until my students can purchase textbooks I will photo copy all book assignments to keep them up to date with the class. And I will do everything in my power to keep them motivated.

I have an inspirational message or quote on the smart board when they enter the classroom. And I speak in the most upbeat manner possible. I find my adult and dual enrolled high school students need a lot of positive influence in their life when the chips are down. I keep reminding them to look forward to the brighter future they will have when they complete the cosmetology program. Many of them thank me for bringing short story messages of hope and inspiration or positive quotes to them. They say it is very helpful. It is a wonderful feeling when I know I am making a difference.

6 week progress reports

I realize that I'm emotionally affected when a large group of my students don't do well in my class. I left the corporate world with a need to give back to youth in inner city neighborhoods. I spent ten years with the Urban League as Director of Technology and Programs. While working on a "Welfare to Work Grant" for several years I realize so many young people never get a chance because they don't take school serious.

Every year in my first level courses about 40%-60% of my students are failing during the first progress report. And every year it puts me in a funky mood. I spend as much time teaching about character and integrity as I do my subject and its frustrating to see such a high failure rate. Although I try to focus on the long term effects I have on my students, its still frustrating. With my class averages in my two first level classes at 43% and 51%, it simply a stark reminder of how far behind these students are academically and socially.

But I know there is light at the end of the tunnel, because my 2nd year classes are averaging in the high 70's and my advance students are in the low 80's. And by the end of the year about 80% of my first level students will eventually see the light and will pass and move on to my 2nd level classes. But it's still frustrating to have to teach so much about life before you can begin teaching your subject.

The new Me!

"What have I learned about myself as a teacher this week?"

Well, I have always known that I posses an ability to build rapport with people, especially students. This week, I had a situation where I had to split my 6Th period class between two teachers. It was the last minute and I was not happy. ( I made prior arrangements but department head informed Friday after school on the way home, he could not do it)

Well, when I returned to school the next day, Tuesday, Some of the students decided they did not want to stay in one of the teachers classroom. They left the class and did not return. I was livid. So, when 6Th period arrived I had a heart to heart with the students. I was honest and the students where quiet. I did not yell or scream, I spoke to them from my heart. At the end of it one of the students came and told me he was sorry. At that moment, I made my decision. I am still not sure how I feel about teaching; however at that brief moment,one of the five that did not return also understood the importance of doing what I ask of them.

What I learned about myself as a teacher this week, is that our students can see and tell us things about ourselves that we might not see. If we take heed to some of the things they say, we might just grow. This week my 4th period Salon II class, have had a couple of issues. I had decided that I was going to limit their lab days to one day, instead of the 3-4 days, because of some behavior problems. Well, over the weekend, I thought about the situation. How it really wouldn't be right to punish a whole class for a couple of students.

So Monday we had a talk as a class with the activity "Chalk Talk". I ask them how do they feel as a class things that we can do to take care of the problems that we are having. I was amazed at some of the things that the students were coming up with. They even had some things that made me look at myself. Things that I had to admit to, like maybe showing favortism of certain students. Once it was all over, we played "random acts of kindness", and the class was very productive. I lefted the words on the board so that they could reflect on them, and kept them on the board the next day as well. Our lab experience really was better the next day. Everybody was on board and I believe they appreciated being in the lab more, and put forth more of an effect to have and peaceful experience.

A Lesson I Taught Well

Actually, it was a lesson that the students taught well. The unit was on the integumentary system. This is one of my least favorite units so I thought I would change things up a bit. My second level class is only 14 students so I divided them up into groups of 3-4. I gave them different sections of the unit to look up certain questions and/or subjects and have them prepare a lesson on that section. I let them creative in how they wanted to present the information but I did require that they create some type of notes to be given to the other students for reference. I think everyone had fun doing it and I wasn't as bored because I got to see how creative my students could be.

Proud Moment

Wow, it's great to reflect on the things that inspires us to continue with this wonderful profession when so many days I come home wandering "what in the world was I thinking becoming a teacher"!
It sounds kind of strange, but I think that my proudest moment was a comment that came from another teacher. She has been going through a tough time because her father is terminally ill so I check on her every day to see how she's doing and if there is anything I can do to help her. While chatting with her she was telling me that the senior superlatives were being voted on. During this voting time, teachers are voted for different categories. This teacher told me that most of her students had voted for me for the category "Being the teacher most like a mother". At first I was a little dumbfounded wandering why they would say that, but then I realized this was a compliment. I took it to mean that the students know that I really care about them and their future. Teaching is not only about the academic knowledge that is passed on to our students, I believe it's also about the knowledge that they are important to someone and that they have value.

Hold On

The thing that I learned this week about myself and teaching is that you never give up on a student. I have the opportunity to teach a student for the second time this year because she failed my course last year. She has been a model student this year and is currently passing my class with an 88. After looking into her home life and some personal issues, it was brought to my attention that she has ADD and she wasnt't taking her medication properly. I spoke with her about being responsible with her health and future and encouraged her to do what she needed to do to bring out the best she has to offer herself and her community. She is like a whole different person this year and is doing well in all her classes. I guess sometimes persistance and patience pays off!

What I learned about myself this week

I learned to rely on the teamwork of fellow teachers in achieving desired results with discipline issues and acting in the best interests of the school.

I am having significant discipline issues with one of my students. This student is failing every class including mine and I am the RTI caseholder. One of the other teachers for this student also having similar issues stepped up, filled out all the required paperwork, called the parents, organized a meeting, and firmly held the line on the school's position. Other teachers in the meeting including myself each participated and contributed our own perspective based on our experience with this student. The outcome was an established game plan to help this student be successful at Cherokee HS.

It was really great to have the assistance of the one teacher to help me facilitate the process and gave me a real boost given the paper work and time requirement.

Reflections!

This past week was filled with a lot of different activities. I had my first teacher observation for NTI, classes were interrupted for testing and my senior level students began their clinical rotations in the field. I had to be very versatile with my planning and at times it became a little overwhelming. These types of situations are unfortunately all to common for a typical day in the world of teaching. This week has helped me to realize that no matter how prepared you are there are always some things you can not control. As a teacher, you try to cover all of your basis and hope that your day goes the way you planned, but in the likeliness that your plan becomes interrupted, your ability to adapt becomes very important. Over planning is always a good idea because you never know what your day is going to bring.

What I learned about myself this week.

I had an experience this week with teaching a color lesson with my 2nd year students. I was trying to explain the levels of lift to the class. The students were following along with me in their textbooks but when I looked up they had some very confused faces. I asked the kids what it was where they we're becoming so lost. In return they said that the charts in the book were confusing to them because their were 3 of them and they were arranged in away that did not make it easy for them. I remembered that sometimes you just have to make it a little more elementary so we got out the color pencils and made our own levels of lift charts. By doing this the students felt more involved and it seemed to make more sense to them by lining up the charts in a way that would be easier and made more sense. With the chart lined up in this way the students just had to scan across each row to be able to see what each color would go through in the process of lifting out natural color. It goes back to the things we have been learning about relating to the students to make them more involved in teaching them the skills they need.

Proud Moment

September 7, 2010

The power point was geared to go, the class is coming in and I felt pretty good about my preparation. As I begin talking about various insurance plans, there is a blank look in one of the student's eyes. With my NTI observation skills I noted this student mumbling to another student," do you have any idea what she is talking about?'. The other student comment was,"no". At that moment I am proud to say, I laughed at myself first and apologized to the class. The next couple of minutes was recovery and understanding that most adults do not understand insurance. In preparing I forgot my audience but from lessons learned this summer, the insurance class was saved. Also, the two students honesty help me to see my audience and not just my lesson plans.

"What do I feel proudest of in my teaching activities?"....it was working through the process of how to use the scantron machine to grade papers. This may seem like a small thing; however, last year, I graded almost all my papers by hand. I remember taking most of my holiday break completing papers. It became a family affair with my family members helping me around the dinner table. Now with this new skill under my belt, I was able to complete this activity in one planning period and provided the students more timely feedback. The students now have an opportunity to "re-do" (mandatory for any score less than 80) and possibly have it reflected in mid-term progress report.

A Lesson I Taught Went Well.

We completed a lesson on Small Wares which included completion of a graphic organizer, visual demonstration of use of hand tools, textbook pictures of tools we did not have, and a hard copy was given to kids with fill in spaces for them to define and draw a picture of tools and place in their binders. The culmination of this lesson was the most fun part. The kids had a blast and told me we should do this more often.

The kids were split into their assigned groups and had to use the hard copy of the hand tools list and locate as many tools as they could find in the storage area of the lab. They had 15 minutes to locate as many tools as they could.
This activity allowed them to have fun while learning where the tools were kept. All the storage areas were numbered and they had to put the number of each area on the relevant tool. On the day this assignment was completed we had a quiz first then ended the day with the Scavenger hunt. I saved the most exciting activity for last as we learned in NTI. This was a lesson I taught went well.

What do I feel proudest of in my teaqching activities thsis week? Why?

In the week 8 of this semester we entered the lab and started cooking. The kids were very anxious to get there. This is my proudest moment because it allowed me to gauge if they "got it". Am I getting the point across to them - was I effective in my job as a teacher? By observing my students in the lab I was able to get feedback - live feedback and I was able to help them put their theoretical knowledge into the practical aspect of culinary arts.

This observation period is was a learning experienced for me - I saw that some students did not get it so I was able to adjust my method of teaching or reteach certain things so that the students were better able to understand the material fully. I all goes back to the various/different methods of receiving information. Some students do better by watching and doing while some may get it from the lecture method. This summer in NTI opened my eyes to the various methods of teaching so that the kids benefit from learning and most important we as teachers need to make learning fun and make it as interactive as possible. I have been using a variety of methods to ensure they are not bored. We all know that they are not all angels - I still get lots of complaints but I do see some progress. Keep up the hard work guys and enjoy your proudest moments!!!

Proud teaching moment

Teaching video editing to first year students is challenging. Therefore, I take only the top 5 students and do a one on five with them. i bring them into a private editing suite and have the time of my life teaching students who WANT to be there.

The proud moment is the proudest any teacher can have..when they literally see a light bulb go off around their head.

this small group is what I really enjoy most. It has given me the inspiration to take each student as a person rather than focusing in on the ENTIRE class....sometimes I think the students like that one on one time...just wish i could do that every day!!!

Proud Moment

Lesson plans were a struggle for me. I was spending many hours over the weekend attempting to get them ready for posting. At my school, lesson plans have to be posted by 0700 every Monday morning for the week. I have finally gotten to the point where I can complete them and post to our career tech website within 3-4 hours. Initially I would work on them for hours over the weekend which wasn't much fun for me. My goal is to complete and post before leaving work on Friday. It gives me great pleasure to finally walk into class on Monday morning prepared and ready to teach. This is definitely a proud moment for me.

Proud of teaching activites

For the past couple of weeks my 2ND year students have been working on a Foiling lesson. Due to alot of testing and other activities they haven't been with me everyday but, we manged to make it through the lesson. It was great they were so excited to learn a coloring method. I new I had done a good job with this lesson when after completion they student asked if they could do some color on each other. I felt confident in this after watching them work on the mannequins. So a couple of the student paired up and put some hot pink foils in their hair they loved the result. I have had one text me and ask if she could put more in her hair she liked it so much. We have Fall intersession this week so I told her that we could do this when we come back from break. They really understood the method and we had very little mistake's we this activity. I defiantly enjoy seeing their faces we they can see the results of their work.

Proud Teaching Activities 9-27-10

I am proud of accomplishing the task of creating lesson plans. Making interesting lesson plans is one of the hardest parts of teaching for me. I attempt to keep the lessons attention grabbing, so the students will stay on task. In my class sessions I try to utilize as much time as possible. It’s my job to ensure that the students are equipped with the right learning materials to help promote their success in the classroom and the future workplace. Completing proficient lesson plans that will engage the students make me feel more prepared for my upcoming classes. Producing lessons that are practical, creative, and efficient in a classroom/lab setting is very time consuming, but well worth the effort. It is very obvious to students when a teacher puts forth the extra energy.

Lesson that went well

We have just recently added the capability to weld aluminum in my shop. After some long days - several of my seniors were able to get really good on the process.
I had to cover the section for my intro classes and instead of me teaching, I had two of the seniors come into the freshman class and conduct the lesson from the safety issues all the way to making the weld.
It was a great way to get the students engaged. I set up the initial lesson and then let them run.
My thoughts before and after the lesson were that the students were very engaged.
My plan is to do more of this as the year progresses

Proudest moment this week

I teach 3 Intro to Metals classes. The purpose of the class is to get the students familiar with all the equipment of a metal shop and be able to operate. I have a strong section on welding and require the students to perform several welds for a grade. These classes are large and my ability to focus on a single student for any significant amount of time is not possible.
One student just could not run even the easiest of the rods. He just kept trying but could not get it. I had two seniors work with him on and off for a week and still no luck.
I finally had a chance to work with him and we spent about 20 minutes trying. It was clear to me this student had some sort of a mental block with this particular type of stick welding.
I switched gears and told the student that I would give him a good grade for his outstanding effort and that I was more concerned about the ability to try than a good weld.
The student stayed with it and 2 days later asked me to watch while he ran a very decent weld.
Turns out he was also practicing after school at a friends house who had a welder.
Nothing like commitment in a student to make you feel proud.

Mission Statements

This week I taught my Salon I class about life skills. In this chapter we talked about goals and the students had to create a mission statement. I am proud of how I taught the lesson, because I also had to share my personal mission statement with my students, which is; " To be the BEST ME, that I can be". However, I am more proud of my students, and some of their mission statement. They were so creative and touching. One of my students mission statements was so touching it almost brought tears to my eyes. I had a couple of guys whom mission statements was awesome as well. It really made me think. Made me want to beef up my game a little. So right now I'm working on a new mission statement, and also creating some new goals for my life as well. It's really not what lesson I taught that made me proud this week. It's was a lesson that was taught to me, through the eyes of our children, that made me proud. Sometimes because of the politics, I forget about the real reason that I was chosen for this job. My principle told me that he chose me, because he could see that I would care about the students. So it's lesson like this, that shows me that my students and I need one another. I really am blessed to have this position, and lessons like this show me just how blessed I am.

A Lesson Learned

Every week I learn more about the students. It seems that I am the student more so than them. This week the Therapeutic class has been on the course topic of Careers. The students were introduced to the inventory assessment, goal setting, the personal data sheet and building a resume. Students have complained that they they thought they were in a health science course and not a Business or English course. Well, I had one more writing task for them on Friday.

This idea was given to me by another Health Science teacher; it is an opportunity to say thank you to someone who has helped or inspired you at school, as well as to learn how to write a thank you note. The students were allowed to pick the stationary to write their notes on, which I envisioned was going to be special. Well, once I give them the instructions, many were excited but some said that they had no one to thank at the school. In fact, one young lady was so upset that for a few seconds she explained that no one had helped her in life and she had absolutely no one to thank for anything.

I am thinking, this did not go as planned. The students gave me their letters to distribute to administrators and teachers. Within the letters there was one addressed to Heaven. OK, so were do I send this one. As I read the letter, the young man went on to express his sincere thanks for life and all that God had allowed his mother to do for him. The lesson taught to me is that I must listen to the students. Many have wombs that are deep but If you keep going they will try. It does not always go the way we want but in the end they learned how to write a thank you note.

BLESSED & PROUD

This week, our CTAE departments had to participate in the Federal Compliance Review. Of course, the big wigs from all over the state of Ga. came by to make sure our programs are in compliance. Anyway, I was questioned about what I felt I needed to have in my classroom/lab in order to do my job better. I proudly stated that I felt that I had everything already. Our program is blessed to have the equipment it has, and that it is up to me and within me to make it a great program. I take pride in knowing that I can not be replaced by technology. I feel that the life lessons and teachable moments can't be taught by a Smartboard.