CTE New Teacher Institute Forum: Disconnected and Disengaged

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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?

Thursday, November 3, 2016

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.

2 comments:

Laura said...: James,
I can certainly relate to a lot of your frustrations you have expressed. I feel the same pressures at my school. IEP meetings, staff meetings, homecoming duty, lunch duty, bus duty, computer training, RTI case load... and the list goes on and on. I too, am guilty of giving book work one day just because I was so behind on all the paper work from administration that I had to catch up on. I felt guilty because I was not giving my students my best...but at the same time...everything from administration had a "firm deadline" and was "mandatory". James...don't beat yourself up about this. You have a passion for your industry and your students and that comes across loud and clear. Your students will respect you no less! Keep up the good work and fight the good fight!; November 7, 2016 at 9:02:00 AM EST
Unknown said...: James,

Keep doing what you are doing even when you feel you aren't doing your best the kids really do see your effort and respect what you are trying to do so keep up the good work.; November 12, 2016 at 9:16:00 PM EST