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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?

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Self

My teaching experience in Georgia has been quite a different experience compared to Massachusetts. Juggling thirty-two students in each class, having to write all new curriculum for three classes, receiving twenty-two observations, and my own  two young children, I feel like burn out should be my middle name! However its not because I learned one very important thing this year...

So my final piece of advice would be to take care of yourself, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I find that eating right, getting rest, exercising, drinking lots of water, and just taking care of myself has allowed me to keep my sanity. When I feel better, I do better.

My first year at my school I could not believe the turn over rate, ever year we have had at least thirty new teachers. I remember in NTI for my county it was said that a large percentage of teachers quit after the first year. The burn out rate is incredible but I have realized that we can not give these kids everything they need unless we are complete. So that is my final advice to take care of yourself and I wish I was boarding the plain now :)

Happy Holidays!


Disconnnected

As we all know teaching can be very trying at times.  What I have learned is that your environment can make that feeling worse or have very little effect on what you teach in the classroom.  During the last two years I have felt disengaged multiple times throughout the year and just threw my hands up made it only to clock in and clock out.  And just in case you are wondering yes I had to clock in at my last school. When dealing with production one of the largest elements is to record... But when the school has tons of restrictions on students and their creativity it is very hard to do that.
Last year I had a large student group out recording a video about a student's first date at a new school so the group had to be a little larger than normal.  I knew this group and knew that they would be ok to send out again to shoot more scenes.  They have already been shooting for atleast 2 weeks so this was just another day anyway. Midway through a scene I received a call from admin saying that they sent this group back to class and they couldn't record in a group that large (10) and would need to stay in class.  I was upset with them at first thinking they had done something bad but minutes later I read the email as to why they were sent back.  They were sent back due to the multiple skippers, bathroom smokers and other random kids walking the halls.  I asked them why were my broadcast students being punished for others actions and when my actual monitoring admin didn't back me up I said ok.  If you want to have a broadcast class with restrictions I will also give you the bare minimum.  Many times like that is why I knew it was time for me to go.  I am now at an amazing school with amazing admin, teachers, and a more relaxed campus.  I love it here and the student's love me.  My hands are working now and not being thrown in the air.  haha

$725 Million Lottery Winner is a Teacher

I am sure you know who I am with all of the media coverage but just in case you haven't seen the news my name is Professor Cook.  I was a teacher that almost completed my time with Dr. Burns in NTI but after winning 725 Million Dollars in the Alabama lottery I decided to make myself a Professor.  No, there is no degree to attach to that name but who is going to tell me I'm not a Professor now?  Anyway, I am here to give you my key to my class and lab and have left a list of instructions on equipment, lab info, and some of my students but I want to leave you with one piece of advice now.
Take this key and use it for more than just to open the doors.  Each door has the same key but it opens up so many different aspects of the class and opportunities.  Use it as such.  Use it to open the kids minds, use it to open their imagination, use it to open your heart when one of them is having a personal issue, use it to send them out with cameras so that they can capture the world.  I know you will succeed because I can see the excitement that you already have but there is a second part to this one piece of advice I have given about this key... Don't use it to lock anything! Let their lives flow thru you and their drive be an extension of what you pour into them.  This key holds their future in the video pathway so use it wisely.

Winning the lottery

      Winning the lottery is something only a few get to experience, and many dream of experiencing.  As a lucky lottery winner myself, I am leaving behind teaching to travel the world and chase my own dreams.  As I walk out of the classroom for the very last time, I feel compelled to make sure that my students are left in good hands.  My replacement is new to teaching and has asked me for one specific piece of advice.  After careful consideration, I responded, "Take it one day at a time, making sure the next day is better than the previous."
     As we all know, giving only one piece of advice when it comes to teaching feels incomplete.  With all the various aspects from classroom management, lesson planning, laboratory management to handling behavioral disruptions to the numerous other aspects can easily become overwhelming and stressful.  Teaching is not a profession that is mastered immediately, or possibly even ever.  Continue to grow as an instructor and an individual and remember that you can't be perfect everyday, but you can try.  Bon voyage, best of luck!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

WINNING THE LOTTERY

WINNING THE LOTTERY

I just hit the lottery, now all my dreams are now a reality. No more teaching, no more getting up early, no more having to do the daily grind, and best of all, no more worries. What to do with my time? So many choices. I think I will travel around the world playing golf at all of the most famous and beautiful courses available to me. Finally a dream come true, but before I can start my journey there is one thing I have to do. I need to bid all of my students a final farewell and give my replacement one tip of advice. This will require some thinking, due to the fact that there is so much that I could tell the new teacher to help him or her in their new endeavors. After some serious thinking, I believe the one thing that I would say to the new teacher, is never let them see you sweat. High school students are very intuitive and can tell if they will be able to control the classroom or be controlled in an effective manner. I would let them know that they need to establish  boundaries and achievable expectations of the students. If this can not be accomplished, it will make for a very long and struggling year, but if this can be done the rewards of teaching will be fruitful and gratifying for their entire career. 

Sunday, November 27, 2016

CedHoward Going through the Motions

As we come down to the final two weeks of the semester, I can honestly say that I have found myself going through the motions a few times this year. It not that I feel overwhelmed with my students or anything going on inside the classroom, it is more so the changes being passed down from the district. This year our school district has rolled out the Social Emotion Learning Model which is suppose to be executed during our 90 minute advisory period every Wednesday. A lot of our students do not take the weekly advisory period serious so often they skip the class which sometimes lead to total chaos. What has led to me feeling like Im just going through the motions is the lack of time we get as teachers to prepare for a new model that has a variety of modules that change every week.  

CedHoward Lottery

Winning the lottery at this point in my life would be a dream come true! In fact, I have began to play the lottery a little more with the mentality of "why not me". As much as I love being a teacher and being around my students, I would ride off into the sunset with no regrets if I hit the lottery tomorrow.
However, I would prepare my students as well as the new teacher for the road ahead because I Marzano's care about the students and parents that I service. If there was one piece of advice that I would share with the teacher coming in to replace me it would be to become familiar with the different learning styles of the students in your classroom. Find different ways to reach your students through research and suggestions from successful veteran teachers. In my opinion, the best way for a teacher to create a lesson that reaches all learners is to use differentiations strategies genuinely Marzano's Marzano's Marzano's Yield Strategies and Blooms Taxonomy.  

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Going Through the Motions...



Hi NTI Team,

So far my teaching experience has gotten off to an ok start. I have had several of the “I’m just going through the motions here” moments. I think I have had more of those moments than any. I sometimes feel like I speaking over my students head and they are not understanding anything I am saying. While I’m teaching they look at me with blank faces as if I’m speaking another language. They ask questions that doesn’t pertain to the lesson. I feel like I’m not being productive in my lessons and lesson plans. I second guess myself a lot when following through with my lessons thinking that they are too hard or too easy. I ask myself several times, is this what being a new teacher feels like. Are there any other teachers that feel the same way as me?? Hmmmmm…

Friday, November 25, 2016

A bit of advice...

As I near the halfway mark of my third year of teaching, I feel (and rather hope) that I have come a million miles from where I began my journey. In retrospect, I can think of many things I wish that I had known in my those first tenacious weeks in the classroom.

Were I to try to deliver just a single, valuable bit of advice to a new teacher, it would be this: Accept this as a process of growth.

At the risk of sounding conceited, I will say that I have always considered myself an over-achiever. My goal, quietly, in my personal, academic, and professional life was perfection. Never mind that I understand that perfection is not attainable in reality. I had always hoped to be as close as possible. In every skill, and every task, I would set my sights on the highest possible level of proficiency and I would expect that of myself from day one.

In that way, teaching has been profoundly grounding and humbling. It has taken me time to realize that no amount of effort, preparation, or raw talent can produce perfection in the classroom. Even with ample effort, preparation and talent, it is experience that will truly refine and prefect the methods of the teacher.

Growth is uncomfortable. It will require that you fail. It will require that you reflect, and that you change. So, accept teaching and becoming a teacher as a process of growth. Forgive yourself failures and shortcomings ahead of time, and dedicate yourself to learn and grow in those failures. Accept that time and experience alone will give the tools necessary to reach those highest levels of performance in this profession that blurs the lines of art and science. Commit yourself to work collaboratively with peers and students to refine your own skills and to share your strengths with others. And finally, allow that love of the process to continue to grow in your heart.

Just embrace the process.

Happy growing!
Jessica

Oh Happy Day............

I have always known I would be destined to live a very wealthy and prosperous life, and my day has FINALLY arrived!!!! As excited as I am to embrace and embark on the next phase of my life, I would feel less than the extraordinary teacher I pride myself in being by neglecting to leave instructional tools, resources, and advice for my replacement.

Whom ever It May Concern:
Although I could write a book on all my many experienced adventures while working at DCHS, I will try to keep this short and inspiring.

I left a copy of my lesson plans for the remainder of the year. (I like planning ahead) Ms. Lee, the other Healthcare teacher on campus, can assist you with other instructional items and tools you may need.
I was afforded the opportunity to share in the lives of over 200 students from various walks of life, and backgrounds. Treat them as individuals, and meet them where they are! I will admit, they can sometimes be a handful, and test your patience. During those difficult times, remember to breath, focus your energy on positive things, and move forward.

Being a high school teacher has proven to be the most challenging, as well as one of great reward! If you can connect with, and positively influence at least one of them, you will have won! I genuinely love my kids, and I'm confident you will grow to love them too! I will visit them before this school year comes to an end, so be sure to let them know it won't take much for Vonquisha to make a final appearance! Lol

  One last piece of advice...Don't be afraid or ashamed to ask for help! I am one of the rare species left who still believes it takes a village.

Good Luck. God Speed. Go Get Um.......
 LOTTERY HAS OFFICALLY CHANGED MY LIFE TOOOOOO!!!!!!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

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!

First off, I would like to say that I am ELATED to win the lottery and get the opportunity to travel the world!  As I am leaving my keys and I see the new teacher, the one piece of advice I would give them is to roll with the punches.  My reasoning for this advice is because the world of teaching is full of surprises, whether it is from the students' behavior and/or grades, or from administration springing new things on you.  Also, because the first year can be daunting so if a teacher is prepared to let any and everything roll off their back, they will have a much more successful year.  I wish that someone would have told me this information and I could have saved myself days, weeks, and months of anxiety.

Monday, November 21, 2016

PLAY THE LOTTERY

My advice to a new will be to make sure they sign up for NTI with Dr. Burns. At Columbia I will tell them to take plenty of notes on he lesson of classroom management. Make sure they keep their notebook organized while going through the program. Listen to the students and understand that so many of them have adult roles in their households and their youth is gone. I will also tell them to play the lottery because coming from the industry to teaching is a lot of work, Enjoy their new journey as I start mine.

I WON!

For years, I've played the lottery with various combinations of my wedding anniversary.  Well, it happened.  I WON!!  Who knew that marrying the most wonderful man in the world would have benefits beyond my wildest imagination?!  My husband and I agreed that world travel was in order along with time for our precious grandchildren.

That meant giving up my teaching job.  "What about the poor, unsuspecting soul that would take over my classroom?", I thought.  For me, it had felt like 'sink or swim' - there was precious little assistance available for me as a new teacher.  After much prayer and deliberation, I left her the following note.
Denise,
Fasten your seat belt!  Teaching Health Care Science is likely NOT what you thought it would be.  It is oh so much more!  There are many things I would like to say, but it all seems to boil down to this:  Take a deep breath.  This is where real change starts (it just ain't easy)!
 
Bon Voyage!
~Suzanne Ward 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Nah Nah Nah Hey Hey Hey Goodbye

Watch out for full moons; never turn your back on them, they lie and steal. Oh so many things I could tell you of the bad kids, but in all seriousness the first year is the worst and it gets better from here. You will fall in love with these kids, and while there will be days that you want to pull your hair out, when one kids picks construction as a trade or finally understands the point, all of your long days and hard work will seem worth it. Good luck, don't let them get under your skin. Be a duck, let it all roll off your back especially from administration.

Lottery Winner

I am so excited that I just won the lottery and I am ready to travel around the world. I have been planning this for so long, and the time has finally come! Now that it is time for me to leave my position at Shaw High School, I just have one piece of advice for the teacher who replaces me: remember what's really important.
I think this is the most vital piece of advice anyone coming into teaching could ever receive. It is so easy to get caught up into the daunting everyday tasks and forget that our number one job is to be there for the students. A teacher may be mad at a student for eating in class, but maybe that student is eating because they don't get a meal at home. No matter how hectic our jobs get, we must always remember the reason we are teaching. In my opinion, having a positive impact on a student's life is more important than whether or not they are good at making videos. At the end of the day, it is the positive relationships which the students will remember years later and not the math equations or framing techniques. Do your best to teach them what you can, but make sure above all else that you work to make their lives a little bit brighter each day.

Anna Miller

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

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!

Woo Hoo!!!  Lottery winner....up until now, all I've ever won on the lottery is $5 on a scratcher! lol
Can't wait to finally meet and visit my family in Italy and then cruise the Caribbean!
Hmmmmm...just ONE piece of advice....that is a tough one.  After a lot of thought, I have decided on the most important piece of advice, in my opinion.
Treat your students like you would like to be treated! Treat them like human beings.  Talk to them in a tone you would want to be talked to in.  Build relationships with them.
I do not get many compliments from my administration or student parents, but when I do, it usually goes something like this: "You have a great relationship with the students and they love your class".
I really think relationship building and trust between teacher and student are very important.  I always try to be kind, watch my tone, and speak to my students in a way that I want someone to speak to me.  I try to live by the golden rule.  Treat them how I want to be treated.  As a result of this, I have been able to build some great teacher/student relationships. 
I have seen some of the less than stellar home lives from my years in law enforcement. I know that a lot of students do not have loving and supporting set of parents at home.  I certainly am not trying to replace a parent, but in some cases, I know that teachers are the only people these kids have to look up to and help them out.
Always remember in loco parentis and the golden rule.  These are impressionable kids that need guidance, kindness, knowledge, and rules.  Give them structure, give them your effort and give them your time.  Give them you!

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Going Through the Motions...

Fall Semester 2016 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?"

When I first began teaching last October, I really felt as if I was going through the motions.  I had no clue what I was doing, what I was supposed to be doing, or how I was supposed to be doing it.  There was zero orientation from the county.  It only consisted of how to sign up for benefits etc and report to work tomorrow.  So I sat there like a bump on a log for the entire first semester, essentially deferring to my co-teacher and para-educator (thank God that I have them) because I did not know what the school or the county wanted me to do.  My teacher support specialist was of no help.  So every day, I would sit there and write down questions that I had and take notes during our professional learning meetings.  I asked a senior teacher on staff and slowly but surely, she helped me figure things out.  

So, this year, I started off knowing what was going on and what I am to do.  It's made my life much easier and it's been much more helpful for the students to actually learn what they should.  

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Week 7 When i Feel most Disconnected

The times I feel is most disconnected from teaching is usually My six period class. I catch myself struggling to reach them. I think its mainly because they are all classified as special ed and some are severe cases and I am not sure how to reach them. As a culinary teacher I am fearful to put a knife in their hands so me and my para just do a lot of demo and taste learning. I don't know if I  am reaching them all, but I pray I am helping and teaching at least half.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

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?"
 
I have had many 'disconnected' moments.  I honestly sometimes don't understand how or even why I have ended up here - and at my age!  Teaching middle school Health Care Science is just not something I would have imagined myself doing...
 
And yet, my head spins with ideas almost 24/7 on just how to make my courses better, how to engage them more, how to 'hook' these kids for life.  If I can only help them understand how much health care has to offer!

I find that time goes so very quickly.  The Mondays blend into the Fridays and the cycle begins again.  The blazing temperatures of summer now make way for Fall and even the holidays.  I may make a moderately successful run at this 'teaching gig, in spite of myself!
~Suzanne
 
 

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Disconnected

I believe all teachers go through periods of disconnect. If you don't, please teach me your ways! I have felt disconnected this year a couple of times when my to-do list has just been more than I can handle. I wear a lot of hats at my school (as I'm sure you do too). This keeps me busy, from being in charge of the school's social media sites, the school newspaper, our Partners in Education program, or filming the football games on Friday night; sometimes I forget that I am also a teacher and have to make time for lesson planning. When all my "other" duties get in the way, sometimes my day-to-day lessons get put aside. This can cause me to have a disconnect in the classroom. When I haven't put in the time and effort into making my lessons engaging or preparing properly, I find myself rushing to prepare and that often leads to a disconnect in my teaching. My goal is to remember that I am a teacher first and everything else comes after that.

Thanks for reading!

Monday, November 7, 2016

When I feel disconnected.....


I'm taking it as a sign that this is this week's blog topic.  I have felt very disconnected to my 7th period level 3 students all semester.  In fact, my classroom is literally divided.  I have 15 students  in this class.  The left side of the class is engaged, interested, and well behaved.  The right side of the class is disrespectful, unengaged, and very lazy.  I've tried every tactic I know to get them involved and improve their behavior, to no avail.  I even had a student approach me after class last week and say, "Ms. Antonelli, those kids don't care and they don't respect you." This has been weighing heavy on my mind.  I have been brain storming and asking other teachers for advice.  This too, has proven to be unfruitful.  Across the board, the other teachers have told me they have or currently are experiencing the same difficulties. I feel so disconnected to this class now.  I struggle every day because there are so many fun activities I want to do with this class, but I know that half of the class couldn't care less.  I know that it is not fair to the other half of the class though.  Often times in this class, I just find myself going through the motions. This is NOT the kind of teacher I want to be!  I want to be engaged and connected every class, every day.  I am struggling with this and I hope that the lightbulb is going to go off soon.  I keep waiting for the students to shape up.  However, realistically, I don't think this is going to happen.  I cannot let the actions of some of my students dictate my attitude in the classroom.







Sunday, November 6, 2016

Right Now......

I will have to say at this present time in my life that I am probably going through the motions. I'm trying to plan a wedding, buy a house, teacher at a school with very little parent support, decide if I want children or not, and being a student in the NTI program.  There are so many days my phone dies from how busy it is or I am always on it. I guess I can say that right now there are days when I just stay at the gym for hours because its a big stress reliever , and I can really focus on one thing and its not so many thoughts going on my mind. I guess timing is just bad because you don't' know when you are going to fall inn love , and want to be able to plan you future with someone. Don't get me wrong I am very thankful, but just going through motions RIGHT NOW.......

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Disconnect :/

It must be the time of year, but I have had so much difficulty finding my energy these last two weeks. My personal life has been trying, with busy schedules and sick kids, and even having to purchase a new car. I feel that this has really pulled my energy away from teaching.

I have not been as creative with my lesson planning as I have been in the past. Looking back in my last unit, I feel I chose similar activities too often. I have noticed that the enthusiasm of my students has declined a bit, too. I know we are all ready for that week long break at Thanksgiving!

 However, I am really feeling we need to mix things up in my classroom to make it through the next two weeks before break. I plan on spending some time over the weekend coming up with some fun and engaging activities for the last two weeks before Thanksgiving. I also feel like pushing my creativity will help me to re-engage in the teaching process and increase my enthusiasm, as well as my student's enthusiasm.

Disconnected and Disengaged

I currently feel that I have become somewhat disconnected and disengaged.  At this time of the year our Culinary Department gets overbooked with school events for inductions, banquets, pregame meals, and various requests from our administration.  On top of that our school is piling a lot of extra work on the teachers each week after numerous assignments are assigned to us after each PL.  Not to mention we have the 13.5 week grading period and conferences coming up and competitions to prepare for!  I have recently assigned more student-led activities which they enjoy, but I feel the end result is not as successful as it could be.  It has allowed me to play some catch-up, however, it leaves me feeling a degree of guilt for not doing a better job than I did.  It's no excuse to coordinate classes in order to make it more beneficial for the teacher as opposed to the students.  I had reached a better level of connection and engagement earlier in the year and I was noticing vast differences between this year and last year.  It is my focus now to get back to that point and bring it further.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Disconnect and Disengaged

Going through day to day life can sometimes prove to be a daunting task within itself. However, I will remain thankful and grateful to be met with that challenge daily. I have been overwhelmed this school year, and am still trying to play catch up! The constant PLC meetings, Collaboration meetings, SST meetings, IEP meetings, Parent meetings, Department meetings, Instructional Lead meetings, Parent calls, Grading, CHAMPS after school program, Online surveys, Health surveys, Planning Period trainings, and NTI assignments all seem to never come to an end. Be those as they may, I have found myself over the last two weeks, assigning more student projects which allows individual and/or small group participation. While students are in class working diligently, I have been utilizing that time to grade, complete forms, and try to catch up. Although, that has been beneficial for me, I have noticed not being as connected with my students as I once was. In my mind, students would prefer to work alone rather than take notes while I lecture, but it turns out they actually do enjoy hearing from me! Who knew? Lol All that being said, I am going to make an effort to become reacquainted with my students.

Where am i, who am i ?

Last week I was sick and missed two days. On one of the days I missed I tried to go in, but while sitting in my office at home I could not gather my thoughts. The next day I did make it to school but was not feeling much better by the end of the day I was tried and felt awful so my last two periods I let the students watch construction videos. While being sick is no excuses for poor teaching all I felt like I could do was let the tape roll. I am proud to say that while my instruction is not always good I do try 99% of the time, the kids at least deserve my best effort even if the effort is not that good.