New Career and Technical Education Teachers' Blog

‘’Changed Impressions’’

2012-01-28T06:40:00.000-05:00

‘’Changed Impressions’’

My impressions of the role and responsibilities of guidance counselors have improved. After reading the websites, my allegiance and respect for guidance counselor’s role and responsibilities have increased by two hundred percent. Counselors have enormous role and responsibilities. Not only are counselors focusing on academics, personal/ social development, confidentiality and collaboration with parents, teachers, administrators, to name a few, but are accountable for student’s success. School/guidance counselors develop and implement data and participate in continuous program evaluation activities. Checks and balances are necessary to assess the outcome of student’s success which I failed to mention in Blog 1. As stated in the article, ‘’school counselors analyze outcome data to guide future action and improve future results of all students’’. Guidance counselors must adhere to and/or enhance comprehensive school counseling programs that promote students’ success. Guidance counselors are vital to the success of students, all students and the collaboration of those involved. I have always tried to assist counselors when needed, but after reading the websites, I will now volunteer my assistance to counselors.

Jan/Jannie

Perceived Roles

2012-01-27T21:09:00.001-05:00

‘’Perceived Roles’’

My personal impressions of what the roles and responsibilities of guidance counselors include a strong commitment to student’s academic and social needs. Guidance counselors are professionals who provide assistance to elementary, middle, high school and college student’s curriculum. Guidance counselors review or assess each student’s school record to determine what classes are required to advance to the next grade or graduate. Test scores and health records are assessed to determine what limitations a child may or may not have. Guidance counselors refer students to the school psychologist, if applicable, as well as confer with their teachers and parents. Guidance counselors administer tests to determine a student’s interest and/or educational goals. A guidance counselor’s responsibility is to make sure each child is happy and successful in graduating from high school by developing a plan- IEP. Guidance counselors are responsible for helping students get into colleges by developing an academic plan during high school. Guidance counselors assist with SAT preps and other tests as well as gather material for colleges. Guidance counselors are approachable, compassionate, empathetic, non- judgmental, good listeners, patient and have the abilities to build a positive trusting professional relationship.

Jan

Perceived Roles

2012-01-27T21:06:00.000-05:00

‘’Perceived Roles’’

Jan

Rewards and Challenges

2012-01-27T09:24:00.005-05:00

I honestly think one of the most rewarding times for a guidance counselor is graduation day! It's got to be a great feeling to see this student whom you've worked with for 4years meet their goal of graduating on time, passing all of those test, and most importantly not giving up. I've seen even at my own school how some of them get real emotional that day.
I also think that their reward is also the challenge! The challenge is making sure the students are on the right path, they pass their graduation test, they graduate on time, and to keep the students encouraged not to give up especially in hard times. The rewards and challenges of a guidance counselor to me are about the same.

2012-01-27T09:24:00.001-05:00

"Changed Impressions"

2012-01-27T09:17:00.002-05:00

My impressions really have not changed about what I thought about the role of guidance counselors. I did find that they really have to know how to deal with the parents of the children and that can sometimes be difficult. I also learned that most guidance counselors really do care for the children and want the best for them. I have also found that they sometimes seek help from the teachers in the school to further help them with the students and their pathways. I love the way they can have that one on one time with the students.

Perceived Roles

2012-01-27T08:54:00.007-05:00

I perceive the roles of a school counselor are mainly to advise students academically. In the small school setting it is necessary that CTE teachers work with the counselor to ensure successful pathway completion and career advisement. However, in addition to student scheduling and assisting seniors with college applications, counselors are skillful at personal and social development of all students.

Perceived Roles - Angela

2012-01-25T08:55:00.000-05:00

I perceive the roles and responsibilities of the guidance counselor as those similar to a liaison officer. Guidance counselors are the link between students, parents, faculty and the community. Additionally, I feel the counselor’s role is multi-faceted and varies according to each student’s needs. Over the years, I am certain that their responsibilities have changed. Once upon a time, the counselor was someone that assisted students with their academic needs. However, with the rapid social changes of today, the role of counselor has changed to someone that can help students with everything from class schedules to connecting them to community resources to acquire a bed for their young child. In closing, counselors’ connected to academics, but equally they do link students to resources that assist with staying in school. For instance, the assistance could be online financial aid applications or online part time employment applications. Either way counselors are a critical part of the educational process.

“Perceived Roles.”

2012-01-24T21:55:00.002-05:00

These are my perceived roles:

1. Help students decide on a pathway
2. Help students with schedules
3.Work with parents to ensure the child is on the right path
4. Encourage the students to do well in all classes.
5. Provide college information
6.Help teachers with schedules

Rewards and Challenges

2012-01-24T19:47:00.000-05:00

Rewards and Challenges
I think the most rewarding thing for guidance counselors would be the satisfaction of knowing they helped a student reach their goals. Whether the goal was purely academic or if it was more of a life goal it would be rewarding to the counselor if they were able to contribute to the accomplishment of that goal. The most challenging for guidance counselors would be to deal with a student that was having major problems at home. So many of our kids are in bad situations at home and look to the counselors and teachers to help them solve those problems. Drugs, alcohol, gangs, physical abuse and much more plague some of our students. The counselor is often the first line of help in the school for these kids. This can be both rewarding and challenging for the counselor.

Percieved Roles

2012-01-24T19:20:00.001-05:00

The guidance counselor is a very important of our team at the school. They have to start a few days earlier in the school year than the teachers, so that they can start getting student schedules started and getting our classes filled. They are responsible for talking to students to find out what kind of career that they are interested in pursuing, and helping them to find the best path to that career. They are deeply involved in testing for end of pathways, SAT, ACT and other college entry tests.They help students with the college application process, and they arrange tours. They sometimes also work with us to move students out of our class if it turns out not to be the correct fit for them. Occasionally they will assist us with discipline issues. I am sure there are more things that I have not thought about, but that's all I have.

Changed Impressions

2012-01-24T19:06:00.001-05:00

Changed Impressions:
My impressions of the roles and responsibilities of guidance counselors has not changed dramatically but has expanded. The amount of responsibility that the counselor’s burden has expanded to include the parents of the students. It’s almost as if they are family counselors. I didn’t realize that guidance counselors were members of the national professional organization. I was unaware of the extensive education that they must complete. The following was taken from the GSU web site…. Students wishing to pursue the initial certification/non-degree program in school counseling must hold a master's degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. I also didn’t realize the amount of professional development was required. I have had great experience with my guidance counselors and realize what a valuable and important part they play in the education of a child. They have always been helpful to me whenever there was a need.

" Rewards and challenges"

2012-01-24T18:51:00.002-05:00

First I will start with the rewards of being a guidance counselor. I would think that one reward of being a counselor would be just knowing that they are a service to people that helps! Nothing negative usually comes out of guidance. Students are helped acedemically through them and emotionally. Having someone trust you with private issues and problems good or bad is admirable. The self gratification of the job reminds me of construction. In construction when you help someone achieve a product to their liking it feels great. This is much like a counselor. They help students get what they need whether it be classes or emotional help. One challenge though that would seem to be held over a counselors head would be that they must always keep in mind what exactly to say or how to word a conversation with parents and students. Some parents are easily ignited when talked to. It would be tough to know that personal information is legally confidential. One other challenge would be that they are mostly responsible for making sure students have all their credits to graduate and are ready for college. I know that guidance helps my program alot because they see when students are doing poorly in some areas which sometimes brings them to the CTAE department. They feel that some students after being evaluated best belong in career tech areas. Some students may not be " college material". Carer tech offers real job training that you can't get in acedemic classes.

" Changed impressions"

2012-01-24T18:40:00.002-05:00

My impression of a guidance counselor hasn't changed much. I knew that they had a huge responsibilty to fullfill. I do know that I didn't realize how much training and schooling that they have to complete just to be a counselor. I guess that it makes sense to have that much training because there is alot of different responsibilities that they carry. Sometimes it seems that they "have it made" but really do more behind the scenes. Having to obtain a master's degree just to get the career says alot. I know that if they didn't receive extensive training there could be legal liabilities to the school system. Guidance deals with crisis, students, parents, colleges, teachers, etc.... I guess what I am trying to say is that guidance counselors probably have more education than most teachers and alot of duties. Guidance should " be your friends"!

Perceived Roles

2012-01-24T17:45:00.002-05:00

Guidance Counselors are the building blocks of our education. They truly carry a large responsibility of making sure our school system is ran correctly, as well as ensuring our education is on track to be a good learning experience for our students, as well as meeting state requirements.

The Guidance Counselors in my school system are by far a backbone for our outstanding academic achievement and scholars. They make sure all students are on the right educational track with their classes and which classes they should be planning to take in the future. They also help students achieve their desired grades on standardized test and such, by planning extra classes after school, as well as giving up their one on one time to work with these students as need be.

They help aid in disciplinary actions and help to stop some of the negativity that causes discipline to be implemented before it even starts. Our counselors offer many courses for parents, student and teachers to teach about bullying, teen relationship issues, etc. They truly have their plates full. Amidst all of this, it is in their job to seek out the teens pregnant in a school system to help get them the help they need as well. We actually offer a class for these moms to help them stay in school and see that they can still make something of themselves.

On top of all of this. Our counselors also attend to the attendance policies and make it their priority to see students at school. In fact, I accredit them with being a big part of why we have made AYP since our school opened in 2009. I truly don't think schools can run properly without this job being done properly. Counselors are wonderful.

Perceived Roles

2012-01-24T17:41:00.003-05:00

Perceived Roles- Paul
My perceived Roles and responsibilities of the guidance counselors are as listed:
1. Work with the students on scheduling courses and pathways.
2. Keep up with student transcripts.
3. Counsel students in different areas i.e. personal, educational and future goals.
4. They keep up with student placement testing.
5. Health and shot records.
6. Work in recruitment of new students.
7. Work as the students liaison between teachers, parents, students, colleges, universities militaries, and administration. They represent the student in all types of different situations.
8. They are problem solvers and investigators.
9. Record keepers for student information.

"Perceived roles"

2012-01-24T17:41:00.002-05:00

From my experiences with guidance I see that they are a crucial part of our school. The guidance department at our school have many duties. One job of theirs is to "guide" the students in the right direction to graduate. This takes alot of coordination between the teachers, admin., and the counselors. They make sure that the students are in the right courses they need and in the proper order to keep them on the right path that the student chooses to take for graduation. The guidance department also deals with personal issues with students and familes. If a student is struggling emotionally about something or their grades are slipping or even having family problems they are there to help. The guidance department deals with issues that may have legalities tied to them also. Testing such as ASVAB and others are orchestrated through guidance also. College preparations are handled and assisted through guidance to students. Guidance can assist students in applying for scholarships, military entrance, and college placements. Schedules are run through guidance prior to students receiving them. The guidance office prepares them and makes sure class numbers are correct and that the students are in classes that they are supposed to have. Guidance is like the human resource department at your schools. My guidance department at my school has helped me tremendously over the last two years.

Surprises

2011-11-08T22:13:00.003-05:00

I typically like surprises and what they represent. Surprises are usually fun and create variety and zeal in life. However, sometimes surprises can be troubling and this year I'm trying to figure out if my demeanor as a teacher is good or bad.

When I first came from the business field I was a bottom line oriented thinker and operated that way on a daily basis. I did so because the rigors of running a business required me to be that way. I took that approach with my students because I was asked to by administration after taking over for a previous teacher who could not control the students as it was explained to me by the principal. Well control over my "domain" isn't something I've had a lot issues with in the past so control them I did. So much so that it wasn't very fun for the students or me until we had an understanding on how they were to behave day in and day out. Behavior was easily my biggest challenge as teaching unfortunately became secondary to that since there wasn't going to be any learning going on until the behavior changed.

Being new to teaching I knew literally nothing about the fact that my class was an elective, and consequently reliant upon myself only for the recruitment of future students. The hard translation of that is that is was up to me to create the need to even have a construction program. That's tough to do when your class is filled with utter behavior misfits.

Since the construction program took a 1-year hiatus due to budget constraints, I was afforded the opportunity to recruit some new kids to my program this year. Not all but some mind you. Dr. Burns would be proud because I made a decision with the end in mind, in that I would attempt to teach this year with much less yelling and frustration aimed at constant behavior problems. I'd simply hand out discipline and remove kids if necessary but do it with a smile.

The problem is, at this point I don't know if surprisingly it's working or if it's not working. I have an ongoing internal debate if I should be much more demanding or continue to handle issues with a swift by "softer" exterior. It's really hard when you have only male students with some of them desperately in need of a male role model, since there is none at home.

I hope that at the end of the year, I'll be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this approach. It's definitely the opposite of my instinct in regards to repeat offenders because I only operate in an orderly environment and not chaos, which is what my kids obviously prefer too often. There are good days and bad for both me and them, but surprisingly we're all still here, in tact, and still driving towards our academic goals. Color me surprised.

Surprised Student

2011-11-08T10:53:00.001-05:00

Surprised Student which really doesn't surprize me.

Shop math class today we will be learning how to Measure a footing to figure out the cubic yards so we will know how much concrete to order from the supplier. ......... Student: Why do you need math in construction anyway? You just build stuff anyway. A linear yard, square yard, cubic yard who cares. Mr.G...... I want to go in the back and build something. Ok what do you want to build? A dog house. Ok get me a picture of what kind you want to build, the dimensions of the dog house, the type and slope of the roof, draw a set of plans to include a floor plan and two elevations one front elevation and one the side elevation, and put together a material list, do a cost estimate and a takeoff, get back to me with those items along with an invoice and purchase order for the materials needed and I will get you started now. That is as long as you can get it to me today and get it without using math. If you can do that I will even pay for the materials out of my pocket. OK I will.....
Surprised at Hardaway.

Gomer Pyle's voice, SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE

2011-11-06T18:28:00.003-05:00

The thing that surprised me most was plan as we may, there is always one more thing to do. This week was long for me because I had a Dr's appt., Magnet Open House and class Tuesday then we worked yesterday. The surprise occurred Tuesday morning. Not only did our principal want to showcase the Magnet Program( of which I am not part ), he wanted a complete Curriculum Fair with table displays for each class. So rather than gathering material calmly for my classes. I was rushing around to set up a display. A display for which I would not be present to discuss. That really concerned me because I wanted to show items that really represented my classes. However, my main worry was that some of my displayed items might walk away. Luckily, they didn't and I was able to use several things I still had put together from the Perry Fair. I only wished after I read the email that I had Dr. Burns or Ms. Chillis asking one of us to explain back what it was I thought I was suppose to be doing! In the end it worked out fine for the 50 or so parents that came out.

what a surprise!

2011-11-04T21:35:00.002-04:00

this week has been a crazy one! First of all I am constantly reminded of the challenges that you face as a teacher. Just to start, I have a couple students in a couple of classes that are just off the wall. Well they have been either out or suspended a couple days this week and it is amazing the difference in the attitude of the class when they are gone. My classes were great!! On a second and the worst part of my week happened today. I had a student(9th grader) to go to the office today for acting up in the hallway. Well I'm not sure how it came up but he ended up in the office for a completely different reason. Another student accused him of selling marijuana to another student at school. They didn't find anything so they let him go. He came during my lunch to get his books and I asked what happened and he said that he was accused and I said "well did you or did you not distribute marijuana at school" and he said no sir. Maybe I should have left it at that, but he gave the look to the left and right as if he were lying to me. I said tell me the truth! I have established a great relationship with my students to the point where they have grown to trust me and confide in me. I love this, but he actually admitted to me that he did it!!!!! Now I was obligated to tell administration. I realllllllllllly didn't want to because I felt like I was breaking a precious thing with him called TRUST. I told on him though. I knew I had the legal obligation to. This day has been really hard for me. He left the office when told not to and came straight to me. He was so upset that I thought he was going to have an anxiety attack! He was hurt that I told on him. I hope one day that he realizes that I just didn't want him to go down the road he was taking. He is only fifteen years old. This day really surprised me of how emotional this career is!!

Surprise Surprise

2011-11-01T14:57:00.004-04:00

The thing that surprised me is the lack of drive of most of my students. I feel like they are being given so much that they do not appreciate anything. For the most part, there are only a handful of hard workers or go getters, if you will. They curse like they are grown up sailors in a strip club and that the girls. The focus is on everything else but school work. The economy is such that you really need to be preparing for your career right now. My students do not get that. It's as if they thing we are lying to them. Maybe they are part of a group that I like to call lottery winners because that is the only way some of them will be able to make money. We talked about social skills in this class. This is the number one thing that these kids need. When and if they get a job, it may be difficult to keep a job. In this day and age jobs are few and far between. That is what surprised me this week which was the lack of drive of my current students.

blog topic

2011-10-24T09:55:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to make sure I have not missed any recent or new blog topic. The topic shows up as week of Sept 18 and 25...

Tough week to be weak

2011-10-19T17:06:00.003-04:00

Our community and students lost a young man this week to a terrible accident. That student was Conner Weeks and he was in my class at Hardaway and in Jessie’s class at Shaw during the last 2 years. Below is the announcement to teachers about the incident.
“ I regret to inform you that a terrible accident occurred off campus that involved current and former Hardaway students. Conner Weeks attended Hardaway for nearly three years. He was attending Shaw this school year as a Senior. He was accidentally shot last night. He did not survive. He died at the Medical Center early Sunday morning.
The shooting was ruled an accident by the Columbus Police Department. As of this evening, no crime has been committed. The incident occurred at the home of one of our students. The young men were handling a gun that was believed to be unloaded when it fired. There may have been more students at the residence when the incident occurred.
Conner had many friends that are current Hardaway students. He was very popular with his classmates. I am requesting help from the MCSD Crisis Management Team (Guidance Staff). Counselors will be available to speak with students on Monday.
This incident will be on the minds of many of our students. On Monday, it's important to get back to our normal routine. If a student needs to talk with a counselor, send them to Guidance. There is no need to discuss the incident in the classroom setting.”
My surprise this week is the way we must as teachers handle situations like this. We must put aside our emotions and ties to the situation and be understanding but not have an opinion and stay completely neutral. If we have a tie to the situation then that must stay private even to the students and faculty that know of our ties. We must be compassionate to the students but not council them. We must leave the counseling up to the professionals. Don’t get me wrong I understand this position and why we must comply. It was just a shock at the way teachers have to handle this type of situation and something I was ill prepared for. It was an awareness of the liability issues that allow teachers say only certain things that surprised me also. Tough day seeing these students grieve about the loss their friend and not be able to console them other than to say this was a tragic accident, I’m sorry for your loss, and if you need to talk with a counselor you may go to the guidance office. I was able to do this most of the day until the last class in which most of his friends and the friends of the other boys were in. Still didn’t talk about it much other than to say sorry and give the grieving nod to the kids so they knew it was a loss for me also and i could feel their pain.
The surprising good that came out of this is that three rival schools and a community have come together to support each other during this tragic time.

David letterman

2011-10-18T22:57:00.002-04:00

Im sorry but I couldn't find the Top Ten you were referring to. I missed it and they haven't posted it on the computer yet. I'll check again in a couple of days.

One Thing Surprising

2011-10-18T22:23:00.002-04:00

One thing surprising this week was that I didn't realize how well children can pull together in times of crisis. Our school had a student die from an accidental gunshot wound. The kids in my school have really shown how much they care for eachother by grieving together, sharing stories together, and great memories about him. Not only are the kids at my school doing this, but they are also communicating and participating in activities with the kids at Hardaway High also. I have been surprised at how bad some children take this situation in comparison to others. These kind of situations also opened up my eyes because I now hope I treat each student great each day no matter how much they may get on your nerves because you never know what tomorrow may bring. This student was the second student of mine to pass in two years. One thing that has been bothering me is that the student that was murdered last year didn't get nowhere near the recognition. It kind of saddens me to know this. Im not sure why people didn't really make a big deal about it and have made a huge deal about it this year?! I am surprised at my mixed emotions I guess. What do ya'll think?

David Letterman

2011-10-17T04:40:00.003-04:00

I enjoyed listening to the top ten things you don't learn about teaching in college. I copied them because I can definitely relate (my comment follows each). 10. Why are the bad kids never sick? I wonder the same thing.
9. No matter how sick you are, it is easier to come into school than to write sub plans. I used to feel like this, but now, thanks to NTI this summer, sub plans is a piece of cake!!!!
8. When students tell you they really have to go to the bathroom, always believe them. This is true, I have a story to tell.
7. Forget your college friends and loved ones, who’s your best friend? Wipes!!!! Good point!
6. How to disarm the school alarm system on the weekend! I have a story to tell…!
5. You’ll get so sick and tires of hearing your last name, you’ll want to change it. Oh, I can relate!!!
4. Your fitness program will consist of carrying your bags to and from school. So true, weight lost is a possibility.
3. Two words, ‘Differentiated Instruction” So true…
2. The principal’s office is still scary…Yes, it is!!!
1. Always be good to your superintendent. Always!!!
Jan

surprise

2011-10-17T04:29:00.003-04:00

What surprise me about students is how obedient they are when someone comes in the classroom (such as a principal, assistant principal or evaluator). Suddenly, students become angels and you can hear a pin drop. It seems as though they have planned their reactions and will not deviate from that demeanor. It’s amazing how students can set such positive examples. However, it doesn’t last. Students know how and when to act in a professional manner. I am working on ways students can maintain that positive attitude without any restraints. They can and will maintain high standards for themselves, it just takes time. I am glad to know, they can make discipline decisions without my assistance. I will continue to encourage positive behavior, because it works!!!!
Jan

Surprised

2011-10-15T12:15:00.002-04:00

For the last few weeks we have been working on shop math. I have been trying to teach it in different ways to keep the interest of the students, which is not too easy.
This week while teaching surface area and volume, I gave the students a piece of isometric graft paper and demonstrated how to use the paper to draw some three dimensional cubes. I then had the students try drawing some cubes to be sure that they could grasp the concept. I used my doc. cam with some real cubes to give them a good visual of what they would look like. I stacked some cubes after that and had them draw the stacked cubes. When they mastered that which didn't take too long, I had them write their initials in cubes. This took a little longer because some of the letters can be difficult to draw. When they were finished with that, I had them figure the surface area and volume of their initials.
I really wasn't sure how the lesson would go over, but I was surprised that the students liked it and put some really good effort into it. I was also surprised that I actually had some veteran teachers that are planning on using that lesson in the future.
In the lessons that followed, I built upon that and had them drawing more complicated isometric drawings, which I think is important for teaching spacial relationships and visualization. I think this will help me in the future when we start designing and creating duct work.

surprise

2011-10-14T14:29:00.003-04:00

"What one thing this week surprised you most about your teaching, and why?"

One thing that I am constantly surprised by, more so this week, is how the students constantly "beat the system" when it comes to discipline and consequences.

Students in my school know exactly what to do when they are called in for discipline. They know to hand off any illegal objects to their friends when they get called to the administration office. They know how to point blame onto someone else when they get accused of doing something wrong. The even know that they can get away with straight up refusal to follow policy or procedures. When they do get to the administration office, they know that they can refuse to answer questions if they choose to, and refuse to cooperate. Students also know the "consequences" of each infraction, and brag about each one...

The administration turns a blind eye to what is going on, despite it being widely known by the teaching staff. Administration refuses to change their policy on discipline, and denies that the system is flawed and failing. Administration also "cannot come up with any way to stop students from potentially handing off items" when students are called to the office - even though we teachers have suggested sending an escort to retrieve students. And the list goes on...

How does this relate to me? I have written referrals for several students over the past 3 weeks, and only one student has been disciplined in any way. I am surprised at the apparent apathy by the administration regarding student conduct. I am also surprised at the fact that the administration places the blame back on the teachers...

However, the more it happens, the less surprised I am.

Don't break the routine

2011-10-11T22:02:00.000-04:00

The thing that surprised me most last week was how much kids want structure and routine. Last Friday I was called to an unannounced parent conference right at the beginning of my 4th block. The timing could not have been worst, because I think the first few minutes of class really sets the tone for the day. On a normal day my opening is a literacy activity from a quote. However, this day would be different because of the conference. Well when I returned, nearly 40 minutes later from the conference I wanted to pick up where my covering teacher had ended. But Nooo... imagine my amazement when one of the most disruptive kids in the class raised his hand and asked aren't we gonna do the opening cause I have something to say about it. Well the biggest smile rushed over my face and I said by all means, I will do the opening so you can make your comment. I said all of that, to say this. Even though kids sometime fight us tooth and nail on structure and routine they need it, expect it and deep down probably want it. It was a good day.

Good and Bad

2011-10-10T16:18:00.003-04:00

After the last several Tuesday sessions, I decided to step out on the limb and actually try some of the different activities discussed. One of the new activities I tried was Reading Groups, as I attempted to implement this into my strategy for introducing new material.

Reading Groups is an activity where you assign students to small size groups so they can read, cover, and hopefully learn new material. I was circling back to finish my safety unit and was introducing fire safety to my Intro class. I broke the students into groups of 3 and assigned roles of Reader (audibly), note taker, and timekeeper.

My first surprise came when the first time we tried this as a class it actually went well. The assignment was to complete their own group notes, complete a short research project, and each do 5 review questions at the end of the section. 90% of the class completed the assignment in it's entirity. I did have to prompt several times with us doing this for the first time, but I expected that.

My second surprise came when I did a verbal formative summative assessment with the class to determine what they actually learned. I was surprised because despite the fact that most completed the review questions, participated in the active reading of the short section, and had a hand in their group notes along with a short research project that some still had a difficult time applying critical thinking skills to some more complicated questions.

The good is that they completed the new assignment. The bad is that upon completion they were only able to regurgitate simple information and few could assess or evaluate situations based on what they had covered.

Doing differently......

2011-10-09T22:23:00.008-04:00

This week I placed my students in small groups. I actually gave students numbers and placed them in groups by those numbers. It worked out perfectly. It cut down on excessive talking in MOST of my classes. My students are completing group assignments and I am holding them more accountable as a group and individual. We completed a Gallery Walk this week that was very successful ! I felt like we were really in an art gallery. Students were very quiet, stayed on task and were very excited about reviewing the answers.
Now, that was the good, my bad is that its hard to keep two students motivated in my second period class. I teach them the same lessons as my other classes. They have portfolios and present their work during class but its boring to them (of course no audience) All of my other classes are pretty nice sizes. Its a hard transition for me to teach my first period class of 28 students and then 2 students. The flow of this class is very fast and both of these students are very focused. I am looking for a way to keep these two students just as excited as my other classes. Does anyone have any suggestions for this situation?

2011-10-08T10:36:00.000-04:00

Jessie's week!

2011-10-07T21:22:00.004-04:00

In the last five days I have taught about 40 new students how to measure without having alot of confusion. I was very, very pleased when I tested them on it and they did so well. I taught it a little different than I did last year and really quizzed them on it. After I knew they were doing well enough with their new found knowledge of measuring, I had an estimating and measuring exercise in the full sized house we have out in the back of the constructrion area. The students responded to this assignment really well. The students were placed, by me, in groups of four to estimate materials needed to finish the interior of the home. This assignment has been really teaching them some very useful information. The students even see the use in the assignment. My advanced classes have actually been jealous because they didnt get to do it last year!! I guess what I am saying is that I was pleasantly surprised at how much these students were learning and how great this is knowing that this group of children will have me for a few more years!

Something surprising

2011-10-05T10:42:00.004-04:00

I was very surprised that my students did such a WONDERFUL job on their jigsaw work. We broke each class up into 5 sections, because their are 5 sections in our current chapter, over Shampoo, Conditioner, and Scalp Treatment. They are now presenting what they have planned for their lessons, and it is going very well.

Of course, there were some students who lacked enthusiasm to TEACH the course. But, they all really seemed to plan well and their lesson plans look wonderful. I had them come up with the lp's, their eq's, and each assignment for the entire day of our hour and 45 class. This had to include a quiz as well. Most of them also included some sort of lab with their work. It turned out great from all aspects.

I actually am using a lot of their quiz questoins to come up with this units test. I am very surprised at how well the students took to this assignment, and how much time and effort they actually put into it. I can honestly say....I am a proud teacher this week. :)

different

2011-10-05T07:28:00.002-04:00

"What one thing would I do differently this past week with my teaching activities and why?"

There is one major thing that I would have done differently this week if given the opportunity - be more strict.

We started out the week working in the lab/shop, and clean up was the goal, as the shop was in disarray from a rough week prior. The groups each had their tasks and jobs to perform. I left it up to them to make sure these duties were completed in the time allowed.

It turns out that leaving groups to work on their own pace is a bad idea. Of the 5 groups in each class, maybe 2 groups actually completed their tasks. Of these completed groups, only 1-2 members completed the tasks - the others simply watched or looked busy until the job was done.

Upon completion of the clean up time, I spoke with the groups and got various excuses and reasons that the groups could not get done. This was very troublesome. I tried to be lenient on the groups and allow them to work at their own pace, and they failed. I should have been much more strict and enforced the "no work no grade" policy that I take when working in the lab... Silly me, it will not happen again...

Hindsight is 20/20

2011-10-01T08:06:00.000-04:00

What I would do differently as it relate to a teaching activity this week is change how I responded to the inappropriate classroom behavior of my 4th block. My response to their behavior was reactive and not proactive. Which was completely opposite of what I learned in NTI and know as on so many other levels. On Thursday I planned a small group activity that we never got to because of students' excessive talking, laughing and playing around. Knowing that this block is my most challenging class I should have planned better how I would address my habitual behavior issues. With this class its seems that when I address one behavior issue another is developing during that moment. To me it seems as though I am spending more time addressing behavior that teaching. All I can say is I was completely and totally perplexed by the total disregard for the lack basic respect. As a result I was completely off my game and modified the lesson to reading aloud, lecture and note taking :( I have tried the usual consequences; warnings, parent phone calls even referrals to AP but nothing has deterred the inappropriate behavior. So I plan to spend a good part of my Saturday calling parents and planning what to do with about 7 individual students.

If I could get a Do-Over

2011-09-28T20:36:00.001-04:00

Reflect........Looking back at the last 5 days the outcome has been less than what I had desired. We are currently studying Material Safety Data Sheets(MSDS)and how they are used in the construction industry and the benefits to the worker. I gave the students handouts, a completed and actual MSDS from a government web site on a common and recognizable household chemical(Drano), a Blank MSDS form for them to fill out, and an instruction/worksheet that explained how to fill out the MSDS sheet. I feel like I have given the student to much credit for being able to decipher new materials.I broke the student into work partners and I thought this would take about a day and half to complete. Total time spent on this activity was approximatly 3 days. We would post the msds sheets exactly the way they do on the job site. Every student was to fill out their own sheet and I would grade them and then have them post to the Right to Know Center. It was a drudgery for the student and me. I kept lectures to a minimum and instruction simple. I walked around the room and answered questions. We changed up and went in to the Lab and had nail driving competitions and several other breaks and reward activities. I changed the lesson outline to help facilitate completion of this activity. Completion finally arrived today. hallelujah
What would I change all of IT! I think mabye spend 20 minutes lecturing and 10 minutes reading and 10 minutes quizzing and say its covered and that be it. Frustated and it probably shows.

Do differently

2011-09-28T20:14:00.003-04:00

My Principal likes to say, and I think he actually got it from Oprah, that we as teachers have the awesome responsibility to teach our students to " do differently". Unfortunately we are not only teaching a microwave generation (want everything immediately without working hard and waiting for it to payoff) but a generation of followers. Sadly for our students, and many of those in inner city schools, the path they follow does not end on a college campus. We are constantly challenged to show,model expose our students to alternative paths. However the road less traveled for anyone is scary, it is imperceptible for the majority of our students. So how do we get our students to " do differently"?How do we teach them to do the opposite of what they have been taught, (explicitly or implicitly) from their environment?

If there is an answer or a solution I believe it lies in what we learned this week in class-social skills. In creating small groups in my classes, I really wished I would have focused on teaching my students how to interact with one another " differently" then they are accustomed to. How to be assertive not aggressive, how to disagree agreeably and most importantly how to resolve conflicts civilly.

Shop Math Blues

2011-09-27T06:09:00.002-04:00

The past couple of weeks I have been teaching shop math. This is a subject that the students do not get very excited about, and I don't get really excited about teaching it. The students will sit there and act like they understand it, but judging from the classwork, they don't. It is hard for me to understand how students who are going to the workforce can have such a problem with the most basic of math problems. How do you teach the boring subjects in a way that keeps the students engaged and interrested?

This is where the "what would I do differently" comes in. I think the key to almost everything that I teach is giving them a real world application. I can do this better with lab time, and more variety in my teaching. I need to gather more materials and find some unique solutions.

What would have done different?!

2011-09-26T20:59:00.002-04:00

I would have to say that this past week was a busy one. Keeping up with four classes and no planning period is already a challenge, but to add to it having four classes doing different things at the same time makes it harder. I would have to say that If I could manage to squeeze in the time I would definately assign duties to the students in a more formal format. I assigned duties to each student but it was after I already had started the lab activity. The next day I wrote on the whiteboard what each persons job was. I feel like it would have been alot easier and less chaotic if I would have had a better drawn out plan. Don't get me wrong, the students got alot finished but at times you have to step in and reiterate what the main goal was. My goal is to have the class one day where my students will come to class with the objectives so clear that the class can run itself.........of course with my assistance!LOL .

Hmmmm.....

2011-09-24T21:15:00.003-04:00

This weeks blog topic of what I would do differently could be really really really long if I listed everything that I'd want to try and perfect. Teaching construction is both challenging and rewarding, but the pursuit of being a great teacher is something I suspect will never have a finish line.

My classroom is much more organized this year than last. Part of that is of things I learned in my first year, but the summer's NTI session was extremely beneficial. However, organization of my classroom is not my #1 weakness, but rather I'm focused on finding more and more solutions to making learning construction fun and engaging for my students.

Therefore, if I had to change anything it would be to change my daily teaching approaches from simple short lectures and peer tutoring exercises to include a broader scope of instructional tools to both keep content presentation new and fresh, but also engaging and fun. The first 2 online classes have been key in my thought process about what new things I can inject into my teaching structure to challenge the kids and get them to process the necessary information.

This coming week I'll be armed with new ideas that I'll use to present the Unit Material with. I'm going to try Reading Groups, Drill Partners, and Focus Trios, which are 3 approaches I've not yet tried in my class. Hopefully they go well and are something we as a group can continue to use in an effort to make learning fun and productive at the same time.

Differently 2

2011-09-20T19:46:00.005-04:00

This week I started giving detention for being late for my class. My students seem to not be afraid of being late. There is no sense of urgency. I can look up the hallway and see the same group just standing socializing in the hallway. Even when the bell rings, there still is no sense of urgency to get to class. They walk as if there is not a care in the world. I'll start my lesson then one by one there are knocks at the door. This constantly disrupts my class. It wastes my time and also the time of students that show up on time. I don't know where this group of kids gets their sense of entitlement. It's as if we owe them something. I plan to start running my class as if it were a real job. I heard a story about a teacher that did this. He even went as far as having them call in when they were not going to be at school. 'mI also looking forward to implementing the social skills lessons. I can't take for granite that my students are learning these things at home.

What the diff?

2011-09-20T19:14:00.001-04:00

What haven’t I done differently this year? From the bellringer activity to the recap at the end of class and from the transfer in, to the transfer out my class room management has changed. I am not as structured as I would like to be but I am getting there. This year has been a little harder than last year due to some changes in administration, supervision, and guidance. I would be completely lost and out of sorts if it had not been for NTI and the classroom management plan, the lesson plans, the Emergency lesson plans (which I get to show off to some of the teachers), the course syllabus and the list goes on and on. I Feel like all of you know exactly how and what it feels like to be working with a plan. My writing up a few notes and throwing together a lesson plan the night before or the morning of the school day has gone away.

Proud

2011-09-20T19:12:00.000-04:00

I feel most proud of my use of groups in the classroom. We have broken into groups to handle a number of different types of assignments. We have used team/peer teaching, artwork groups, demonstration groups, research groups, skit groups to act out different safety scenarios and a number of other group activities. This week we have broken into pairs to complete an assignment of making different types of ladder labels. This gives them an opportunity to bounce information off of each other and the creativity is amazing. They are concentrating on the information without even realizing it. This gives them a break from books, lectures and notes in which they are getting plenty of from my class and their other classes. The instruction labels on the ladder and in the books are all most the same in reguards to safety and proper use. I will continue using groups as an effective way of disseminating information. The students love it.

Changes to Address

2011-09-19T23:20:00.004-04:00

One thing I would do differently with my teaching activities would be to incorporate medical terminology and abbreviations in my 15 minute lectures. This would include 5 medical terms and 5 abbreviations. As an assignment, in small groups of 5, students will write the definitions of each medical term and abbreviation on a separate 3 x5 card. Students will also write at least 5 things about that word (how that word is used) from a medical journal, nursing magazine of any other medical/health article. Students will study with their group and keep a card box of all words. Students can review and test themselves as needed. I will do this because students seem to forget medical terminology and abbreviations within 3 days. I can not stress enough the importance of medical terms. It is imperative that students learn (know) medical terminology and abreviations in order to be successful in the medical field. It is very difficult to function in the medical field if you do not know medical terminology. Jan

Scratching My Head

2011-09-19T20:42:00.000-04:00

The thing that I would do differently is eliminate this weeks homework assignment. Currently I have a standing bi-weekly homework assignment. The assignment is to review and share a Food, Nutrition and Wellness current event. I informed students of this standing assignment the first week of school. The source of the current event is open to the student; newspaper, magazines, Internet and TV. To further assist students I even make newspapers and magazines available. Right now I am considering reducing the assignment to once a month or maybe eliminate it altogether. I'm perplexed because most students did not turn in the assignment. Furthermore, they don't seem phased at all that they are losing points. At the least I expected students to maybe turn it in late. I will close with, unsure what to do but open to any suggestions you may have.

Something Different

2011-09-19T14:08:00.003-04:00

One thing I would do different would be in my note taking. I usually try to create powerpoints to make notes interesting. But, I did the original notes of the projector this time. Bad mistake!!! My students are by far more tech savvier than I. They all thought it would be better if they took pictures with their amazing phones and went home and printed the notes out. This defeats my whole purose of helping the audio/visual learners. I, myself learn better like this, by reading outloud the notes and writing them down.

So, I am changing this note taking aspect on my next chapter. I am actually interested in ideas if anyone is good at this. I have in the past done a lot of powerpoints with notes, but I am looking for a more fun way of learning for my students. I need something interesting to all highschoolers, but that will help them learn and remember at the same time. My class blocks are an hour and 45 minutes each. Soo...... it gets a little tricky.

Different

2011-09-16T13:36:00.001-04:00

Over the Summer I went to Stevenson University to learn a new curriculum. I had a lot of fun. My kids will definitely benefit from all of the hands on activities. This means that they not only hear a lecture but they get to apply their knowledge hands on. We dissect kidneys, cow eyes, and they also get to conduct different lab reports. My classroom organization has also gotten better. Last year I felt overwhelmed at times but I have a better handle on things this year. The grading process has even been simplified. This helps me get feed back to my kids even faster so if there is something I need to re teach, there wont be a great deal of time wasted.

Excited

2011-09-15T16:49:00.002-04:00

This is my third year teaching. My first year I have to admit, it wasn't at all like I pictured it would be. I had problems with overall classroom management. I had no lesson plans. I knew different things I wanted to teach my students but how to put it together to where they were engaged the entire class period was an entirely different story. This year I have learned from my mistakes. I don' t spend as much time on discipline as I did in my first two years but that is still an ongoing problem. For the most, part I have a great deal of kids who have their own agendas and I could'nt change their minds unless Jesus himself was observing me in the corner. I have managed to get a pretty large group to buy in to what we are doing. A majority of what I am teaching, most kids don't get to see until college so if they get it now, they should do very well at the next level. That is what excites me.

Proud

2011-09-13T19:00:00.002-04:00

I am proud about the knowledge that I have gained throughout the NTI program. I know that I am a better educator. I am also proud about regaining alertness on my current health. I have been dieting for about a month and have lost about 20lbs. I believe that expanding my mental capacity with new education practices and shrinking my waistline will improve my longivity in the education profession. Also, I am happy to say that I have finally completed the necessary testing requirements to become a school administrator....So, once I am ready to come out of the classroom, I will have more options...

Spark

2011-09-12T22:12:00.003-04:00

During our last professional learning seminar (staff meeting), my principal challenged us to rekindle the spark that inspired us to teach. Although this summer added the necessary oxygen to breath life back into my flame, I began to reflect on my teaching attitudes. When I began teaching, I had extremely high expectations for my students success. Believing that every student was capable, given the means and motivation. Somewhere down the road (and I know I'm not alone) I began to do my students a disservice and lower my expectations.
I am most proud of myself this school year for keeping the bar raised and continually pushing my students to think critically. I am proud of them and myself.

I love my job

2011-09-12T21:45:00.002-04:00

I truly love my job. Teaching has certainly been a life changing experience for myself and my students. I began teaching with a "save the world" attitude, which is befitting since I'm also a paramedic. However, I often felt drained after an eight hour day of counseling,encouraging, disciplining, inspiring and of course teaching my heart out. Fortunately, the strategies I learned in NTI have equipped me with the organizational skills and planning that make it easy to teach. Yes I said easy! I am in love with my lesson plans soley because I was forced to work hard and ensure standards based learning was engaging. Who would have thought something as simple as a set induction could bring so much life to a lecture. I believe growth is a process that never ends, and thus am exciting about what seeds NTI will plant this fall.

Pride

2011-09-12T10:48:00.002-04:00

I am most prideful of my set inductions. I really enjoy this because of my field. I can find some really cool stuff on YOUTUBE and it makes my students excited. They come into my room anticipating something really cool that I can share with them that is linked to the lecture. I really did not expect NTI to be so in depth with teaching. I felt that it was a struggle at times however I now see the bigger picture :). My goal this year to maintain the same excitement througout the lesson. I want this to be from set induction to closure. I enjoy all of my students this year ,even though I lost a cluster of students and gained a new cluster. I am starting over with the first day of school so that my students understand my expectations and we will perform a unity of learning within the classroom.

Something new

2011-09-12T10:17:00.003-04:00

Classroom management is not new but it is IMPROVED ! I've never had problems with this area however my classroom is very organized. I implemented the 3 fingers rule, so when they have to use the restroom they raise three fingers. I find that it is less distracting for me or a speaker. I nod and they get up and use the restroom (it's in my room). I also will not dismiss my class unless all paper is picked up and chairs are pushed in when the bell rings. This saves me time between classes so I can greet my students at the door :)
I am having my first meeting with my classroom mgrs this Friday. I will have cupcakes or something and discuss some great new ideas that will make the class more challenging with fun!
I want them to be involved in their education and the development of future activites. I am so excited this year!

Saturday Test-Post

2011-09-10T10:53:00.000-04:00

Testing in class for everyone to see. . .

Pride

2011-09-10T08:33:00.002-04:00

Pride is such a delicate thing in my household. We want to take pride and ownership in what we do, but we don't want to be prideful.

With that said, this week I take pride in the fact that my construction class continues to take notable strides forward. We've had several hurdles to overcome just to restart the construction program at Allatoona High School. We've been faced with spacial issues since our building last year was used as a warehouse and storage facility for the rest of the school while the program was on the wrong end of the budget crisis. We've had to deal with a sizable portion of our class being transferred in and out of the program in the first few weeks due to the scheduling nightmare caused by a large amount of transient and school of choice students searching for a better education at AHS.

I take pride in the fact that with all those moving parts we've made big strides this past week in just how we operate. I've changed a few classroom management items to better accommodate the size and type of student that is now in construction. I was able to take some suggestions by Ron Clark and apply them and his has "moved the meter" in regards to student behavior, organization, process, and overall productivity.

Proud?

2011-09-08T19:23:00.002-04:00

Due to the construction situation at my school, I cannot say that I am truely proud of anything that I have done this year. I will say that I am pleased with how I have used the construction going on around me to my advantage. This week my class and I dis-assembled the playground behind the school and packed it up to be sent to an elementary school in the area, so the children can enjoy it. This playground was standing in the area where they are planning on building an addition our school. I was pleased that almost everyone helped out, and we had no discipline issues. My halo must still be shining.

What am I proud about?

2011-09-06T07:37:00.002-04:00

This week I feel proud to have followed in my grandfathers footsteps in teaching and in coaching a sport. I was out of the state from Thursday of last week, until yesterday, attending my Papa's funeral in Farmerville, Louisiana. I actually spoke at the funeral, on behalf of him, and how he is such an inspiration to me. He dies last Tuesday, at the age of 85. He is a lifelong educator and baseball coach. This year is the first year he has been without this job. His students from recent and past years came to the viewing and to the funeral. Some of their comments were magnificent. I realized how proud I am to have followed his teaching role, and hope that one day to have accomplished everything he has.

Refection of Self

2011-09-03T16:25:00.003-04:00

Reflection of self
“What do I feel proudest about regarding my teaching activities this week, and why”? I am ecstatic and proud of my lesson plans and classroom management. Students respond in a positive manner and seem to want to learn. Lesson plans with built in time management and intertwined with classroom management makes me proud to be a teacher. The clock keeps me on track as well as my students. I learned so much in Summer NTI that can and has improved my teaching strategies. I am elated and so proud to have been a part of GSU NTI program. I can only imagine the greatness in teaching that awakes me. Teaching of today is so different from the nineties and that is why I am so proud of my lesson plans and classroom management. It is a great feeling when students learn, enjoy doing it and assist others who may lag behind.
Jan

A Road Map to Success

2011-09-03T06:16:00.000-04:00

My Post this week is a "Shout Out" to Ms. Chillis. The one thing I feel the proudest about is my lesson plan. Because of an appointment, I had to leave school early one day this week. As a result one of my team members covered my class. Well the next day she came by my room to say she "loves" my lesson plan and asked could she please have a copy of it to use as a guide for her own lesson plan. In our conversation she stated how impressed she was with the content of the lesson, the format and distribution of time. Additionally, she shared her opinion of my plans with my CTAE Supervisor. Giving credit where credit is due, I explained that the lesson plan was not of my own originality,but something I learned from Ms. Chillis and NTI. The entire scenario reminded me of Ms. Chillis' comments about our lesson plans being a reflection of us as teachers. I'm glad for my NTI experience.

I am so grateful!!!

2011-09-02T23:10:00.002-04:00

Hi!

What I am most proud of this week is being able to help the new teachers! This week I was walking down a hall where we had four new teachers in a department. As I walked by each room I stopped and asked, how was your day, do you need anything, and let me know if I can help you with anything. One teacher asked me about classroom management! OMG! I know a little something about that! ........Thanks to NTI! I shared with her some of the things I do that I have learned over the summer, even the point of how the student desk and the teacher desk could play a role in classroom management. The very next day she tried some of the things. Yes! It worked! She said just some of the small things she did differently the next day made a difference. Of course, I let her know that she has to be consistent. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to help someone and an even better feeling to know that they accepted what you told them, tried it, and it worked.
I could go on and on about the things I am proud of this week but I will save that for another time. I am looking forward to the rest of the school year. It feels good to finally be organized and have each class run smoothly.

I am grateful!

What I am proud of!

2011-09-02T22:28:00.003-04:00

First of all I know that eveyone probably feels the same way as I do. I really feel like a real teacher this year. There have been new teachers come to my school this year, and it feels really great when they come to me for answers about certain things. It is a great feeling when I can help them. I am probably the proudest that I am more thorough and organized with the material I teach. I want my students to learn more from the books and not just lab work. I really enjoy doing labs but I know that the material should be covered better prior to lab work. NTI helped me learn how to be more organized and those task analysis projects helped me be more thorough!

The Start of School

2011-08-27T23:34:00.002-04:00

It was nice to get back in the classroom. After summer break was spent learning tons of new stuff, it was nice to get back in front of students and start trying out the new teaching strategies we all diligently worked on.

The part that was positively different for me was just my overall approach and organization. In teaching, I've learned that the course will either run you or you will run the course. NTI helped me inch closer and closer to becoming what I want to be, and that's a 'Master' of my classroom environment.

I know that's a career long pursuit, but there's notable positive steps that have taken place this summer and my organization, overall planning, and execution in the classroom is at another level as I've entered this year. I've still got plenty of room to grow, but with a plan going into each day detailed out to the minute the kids are forced to be engaged and much more efficient in order to keep up. It's much more challenging out in the construction building from a time management standpoint, and as my students get more used to how things work they will most assuredly see the positive benefit of the course's overall organization and new found direction.

It really, really worked!

2011-08-25T21:16:00.002-04:00

Hey guys,
I really took those first two weeks of school to make sure that the students knew and understood the classroom procedures and expectations. It really works, the students don't complain much. They really love to help. I also implemented having the classroom manager! I am amazed at how many volunteers I get when I ask, "who wants to be classroom manager next week?" Amazing!

Off to a Great Start

2011-08-25T19:15:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone. I knew I had learned a substantial amount during NTI, but being back in the classroom has helped me to see it clearly. Since being back I have implemented several of the ideas and techniques that I learned. The first was assigning a classroom manager. It went great. In fact after explaining the requirements the seniors got in to a debate about which of them was most qualified to be the first manager. I'm amazed at how something so small has made such a big difference already. Both the students and I have come to rely on the manager. Another idea that I am using are the in boxes for each class. Like clockwork, the kids come in, place their papers in the right place and take a seat. So needless to say we are developing a good routine.

Angie

2011-08-24T23:16:00.008-04:00

Hello, I am thrilled to be back in class. This summer was incredible. I learned so much from the NTI program. This year, I plan to incorporate numerous techniques learned this summer into the healthcare program. A positive attitude, love for teaching and learning, organization and management are key components to a successful year. Room organization (décor) and teaching strategies will define the tone of the class. NTI has inspired me in so many ways. I am confident that students will have a positive attitude and want to learn. They will raise their hands and remember to “ask three then me”. In this class, Healthcare Science Technology, we (students and teacher) plan to learn as much as we can and have fun doing it. I will limit lectures to 15 minute intervals and increase small group activities. The positive attitudes, the smiles, the learning, participation and feedback will hopefully determine the success of my increased strategies and teaching abilities.
Jan

New Career and Technical Education Teachers' Blog: NTI Helped

2011-08-24T23:11:00.000-04:00

New Career and Technical Education Teachers' Blog: NTI Helped

NTI Helped

2011-08-24T21:04:00.002-04:00

Teaching at the technical high school this year has presented some serious challenges. Our school is undergoing major renovations, and for that reason we have all been moved into trailers. At NTI this summer I learned how to be more organized. This helped me because I came in the first day with everything all planned out. I used PowerPoint slides and was able to fill the days up with activities. I feel I made a better impression to the students that want to learn, and the ones that didn't left because they knew they had a teacher that was prepared, and therefore they were gonna have to be prepared. I feel more confident this year than last, and I am confident that I will have a good year. This was not the case last year.

Happy 2011 School Year

2011-08-24T21:02:00.003-04:00

Good Evening Everyone. Hopefully everyone is off to an fantastic start. Especially since spending the majority of the summer in class at NTI. I am looking forward to getting back in the classroom and using the knowledge that was gained this summer in our program. I am also happy to have the opportunity to inspire students to reach and obtain goals that will stretch them in life. The information that I acquired this summer will indeed transform me into a better teacher. I feel as though I am equip with the necessary tools to be successful in the classroom. I appreciate the opportunity of being involved in a cohort that is awesome. I look forward in continuing this program with you all.

Sincerely,

Maliki

My new beginning!

2011-08-24T17:44:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying a better start to their new year since NTI. I have been so glad that my second year has started easier than last. Of course everything was new last year, and this year I already know what my school expects of me and what new goals I want to achieve this year. NTI has really helped me be prepared better this year. I came in this year with a new attitude that my students would be busy as they enter the room. Some things I quit doing last year such as having students keep an orderly notebook and they are also using the time clock again. The time clock makes the students keep up with their hours each week and on Fridays they figure up how much imaginary money they made that week after we calculate deductions. These things last year were a hastle because I wasn't organized enough. My former students have told me this year already that they see a huge difference. I have been able to be more thorough enabling better learning and more classroom management! It's going to be a great year I think!

Something new this year

2011-08-24T15:52:00.002-04:00

Something I have changed is parent contacts. Last year I would speak to students about detentions and such, but just assumed the parents knew. This year I have really stepped up this approach. Our school provides a Parent Contact Log where we can keep records and turn in the records to our administrators. I have already contacted two parents, one for detention, and one because of the student not being at school regularly. I plan to continue this and hope that it helps more parents become active in their childrens school life. Also, I think it builds trust between parents and teachers.

Tiffany

Vacation

2011-07-20T22:09:00.001-04:00

I plan to go on vacation with my sister...Where..unsure..
Jan

Vacation

2011-07-10T23:16:00.002-04:00

I have a rental house I really need to finish working on, some work to do around my house, want to put a new coat of paint on this Honda I bought last week, want to get together and jam some metal on the drums with my buds, would like to go back to Florida and do some more golfing, would like to take my kids somewhere fun, so who knows. Maybe I will just say the heck with it all and just sit by the pool and drink beer the rest of the summer. You're all welcome to join me

Summer!!!!!

2011-07-09T09:46:00.002-04:00

I plan to spend the end of summer with my kids doing whatever they would like to do. Of course the beach will be in those plans. Hope each of you have a safe, fun, and restful end of summer.

Summer Vacation

2011-07-07T17:44:00.003-04:00

I am planning to visit my best friendgirl in Charlotte, NC. We have been friends for more than 35 years.

Summer break

2011-07-07T16:19:00.001-04:00

I plan to wash and wax the car tomorrow. Then finish up those fantastic lesson plans... Next week, who knows?

Summer Vacation

2011-07-07T14:23:00.002-04:00

This time tomorrow (Friday), I'm going to be loaded up in the Honda Odyssey with my family headed at a high rate of speed in route to our place in Hilton Head. Going to be having some fun in the sun, ocean, Salty Dog Cafe, Harbor Town, the lighthouse, and a whole lot of seafood.

Summer vacation

2011-07-07T13:50:00.001-04:00

I plan on spending the rest of my summer catching up and having fun with my son and wife!

Learned About Making Test

2011-04-26T22:08:00.002-04:00

During this current year I have only used test that were generated from exam view or pre-written test from the ctaern web site. I have learned how to create my own test from the material I will be teaching about at the time. My test will be specific and will relate to the content that I am teaching at the time. Looking back over some of my previous test, even those that were pre-written had many rules that were broken. One of the main rules was that the directions were not clear. The Burns book taught me a great deal and I will use it through out my teaching career.

TEACHER MADE TESTS - WHAT I HAVE LEARNED...

2011-04-26T16:00:00.003-04:00

This semester I have learned that teacher made tests must show clarity at all times. Students should have no difficulty in reading and following instructions on any teacher made test.

It is very important for me to complete my "Mise En Place" (A French culinary term meaning 'everything in its place"). Mise En Place includes the collection of ingredients, equipment, and making a time plan to complete a task in an efficient and timely manner. Therefore as a teacher I have to make sure my Mise En Place for any test is completed so that my students can complete any test efficiently.

This semester I learned that any teacher made test should have clear directions, all items on test should be arranged in a logical manner; free from overlap. Test items should be clear and free from clues. Test should be numbered in consecutive order - all parts of a test item should be on the same page. There should be a minimum of three types of questions included on a test, for example essay type questions, true or false questions, and fill in the blank questions. The test should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Most important a teacher needs to follow the rules for each type of question. For example use modified type questions for true or false questions. Make sure there are four alternatives in multiple choice questions. There should be space for student name or number, date, and score on the test.

I have learnt so much more than when I started - I feel that I can now write a test at the higher level where my students need to be in terms of the depth of knowledge. All this new data I have and am continually processing will be used to continue writing test that challenge my students and allow them to keep working at higher levels - the end result being students that can think critically and out of the box.

Teacher made tests

2011-04-12T08:22:00.003-04:00

The lesson on designing tests could not have come at a better time. Not long ago I was discussing with another teacher about how to make sure you are covering information on a test that you have introduced in class. The information Dr. Burns provided to us is so valuable. I have been teaching going on three years and have never been given this information. I did not know that it is better to use capital letters on the multiple choice test. I also did not know that it is better that the words true and false be written out instead of "F" or "T." I have noticed that on some tests when the students are asked to select true or false and they write the letters T or F it is a bit confusing at times to read. It was also good to know that when designing a test it is based on the objectives you have put in place. This really was an eye-opener to me because this new found information is going to allow me to improve the way I teach my students. I was excited about this lesson becasue this was an area of teaching I needed information about.

Learned about making tests

2011-04-11T11:47:00.002-04:00

After we discussed the information in class - I went back over all the tests I wrote this year and the last. Totally amazed at how many rules I broke and how bad the tests were. Equally bad were all the existing tests left for me when I took over the program. What I am able to salvage is that the intent of the questions are good and make sense but the muliple choice and matching need to be done over. I am in the process of doing this and will have ready for the final exams due sometime next month. It is also interesting to look at tests given by other teachers outside my group. Lots of room for improvement. I will never look at a test again without remembering details we learned. Great information.

What I Have Learned in Making Tests

2011-04-10T16:03:00.002-04:00

You've done it again! Just when I think I have learned enough about teaching, I realize how much I do NOT know about teaching. I think the biggest challenge for me is to actually go back through my tests to see where I have violated the rules of test making.

Next, I must address each question and thoughtfully construct it so that it makes sense to glean the information I want from my students to see if they actually have learned the material. But it does not stop there...I must carefully layout the structure of the questions so that visually they make sense.

It is overwhelming to think that I might have been actually harming the learning process in my testing. I do have comfort in knowing that some of my most important tests are "hands on" tests and the information is used daily.

I must admit that my tests violated some, if not, most of the general rules of test making. The information you have provided me are useful today, tomorrow and next year! Again, I have to thank you for providing me with an arsenal of information to produce high quality tests.

Teacher Made Test

2011-04-09T11:29:00.002-04:00

I have learned so much about test making this semester. I really did not realize that there were so many rules involved with making test. The Evaluation Strategies for Teachers and Trainers has so many great tips for making test questions and making sure that you are able to formulate great questions for your students. I especially like the examples used to help guide you with the process. The next thing that I found very useful was the creating of the scorecard and checklist. This really helped me a lot especially with my Health care Science labs and projects. The checklist are easy to develop and a very consistent form of evaluation. Lastly, learning about grids was very interesting. I feel that grids will help me to better prepare for upcoming units and structure quizzes and test around the most important information I want to cover in class. There becomes a direct relationship between my objectives and assessment tools. Overall, I feel that this semester has enlightened me so much on a lot of things that I have been doing wrong in the test making area of teaching.

What I have learned about teacher made test.

2011-04-07T08:43:00.003-04:00

I have learned so much about testing this section of class. I learned that many of the teacher made tests that I have made and used were full of errors. I was making tests that confused my students and were not helping them retain the information. Things that I would never think about being wrong were. In doing this I will be much more careful about how I make a test. I want my students to succeed and in learning how to properly write a test will help them and not confuse them. When my student depend on me to do what ever it takes to help them , then that is what I must do. Now I can put one more thing to my repertoire of improving my skills for them.

What I have learned about teacher made test.

2011-04-07T08:32:00.000-04:00

Tests

2011-04-04T00:35:00.002-04:00

I have learned a lot about making tests this semester. I enjoyed learning the different small hints that would make the students think more for the answer. Everything from the size of fill-in the-blank lines to where to place those lines. Before this semester, I have created some test that now I know need to be revised from what was taught. I have really enjoyed learning the information NTI has presented to us.

Teacher Made Tests

2011-04-02T20:29:00.003-04:00

Constantly I am amazed at how much there is to teaching. Developing tests as I have learned from NTI takes thought and time. The structure of the test is just as important as content. Using capital letters in order to help students choose a clear response was a light bulb moment for me. Something so simple can make a huge difference for some students. My understanding of how to write test items is much clearer after this section. As I look back on previous tests, many mistakes were made, especially using mostly tests from the state disk. My plan is to use a variety of test items on future tests. I found the modified true/false and the free response (without a word bank) test items interesting and I am looking forward to using them to prepare tests.

Teacher made test...

2011-04-01T17:34:00.002-04:00

I have learned so much this semester about creating test. I now understand why we should have a good mix or a variety of at least three different types of questions included in a test. In the past I primarily gave multiple choice test to prepare my students for the state board exam. But I now see how placing a variety of test questions in one test will help meet the needs of all of my students. I really like the idea of saving a free/response short answer or essay question until the end of the test after the student has had time to warm up during the evaluation. I am also pleased to learn about modified true and false questions, and fill-in-the-blank assessments. In addition, by using all capital letters to identify responses will be helpful to clarify answers. I have acquired a lot of valuable information which I look forward to using in generating future test.

Testing All Teachers!

2011-04-01T14:55:00.002-04:00

Creating tests have always been a test for me. I was surprised to find that I was doing alot of things correctly when creating tests in the past. I have never liked to print a test from a CD or website. That's simply because I don't trust anyone else's information. I tell my students the same thing. Also, I've always created the tests with the students' point of view in mind. Asking myself over and over again "will the student understand this?" Of course, I have been doing alot of things incorrectly. I will use the modified true/false testing method to ensure that students really do understand the subject matter. I will no longer place my multiple choice answer responses in a linear pattern, but will only place them in columns so that students can understand more clearly. Lastly, I will not copy information verbatim from the textbook.

Teacher made test..............

2011-03-30T20:26:00.002-04:00

This semester through NTI I have learned that no method of test making is flawless. I have made test myself and I have taken test off of a CD and both ways have had mistakes. The one thing I have learned though is you need to give a test around three or four times before all of the kinks are worked out of it as far as wording and levels of knowledge. I will however re-write my true/false sections to reflect more levels of thinking. I also like the idea of using pictures in matching sections. I have always been scared of giving essay type questions but I may add one to each test. I have learned alot about test making. I learned about the different types and I think I will not be afraid to write my own, verses taking one off a CD.

One Piece of Advice

2011-03-15T11:33:00.003-04:00

Wow - winning the lottery........ what a nice dream! Okay here goes. I would tell the new teacher to come into class everyday expecting something good to happen. Teaching is a very difficult career and there tends to be so many disruptions, interruptions and eruptions that it can really start to wear on even the most laid back person. But, if you get up everyday expecting something good to happen, at the end of the day when you are reflecting on all that has transpired you will usually find that something that will make you want to get up and do it all again the next day.

Updates

2011-03-14T20:05:00.002-04:00

Hi All~

Sorry I missed you guys in last class...I was asked to judge the documentary portion of video entries for the Emmy's last Tuesday evening. I spent most of the night watching one video after another over at Fox 5 Atlanta.

Just prior to that, I pulled my upper level students aside to show them the implementation plan for retrofitting our video production studio. I made the students a promise earlier in the year that we would be a tapeless studio by the end of the year! Well, last week we received our new HD video camera and proceeded to redo the entire studio. We basically replaced an entire studio with one Mac computer and we have plans to bring in 4 more for post production.

Fulton County also came in with their own bit of good news. They realized that in video production it pays to be Apple Certified. FCS is going to pay for those who want it, to become Apple Certified. I was the first one to respond with a "sign me up!"

I now have my fourth student receiving state honors in video production this year!!! Our video production had never received one accolade in the years prior to me coming in.

For those of you who read my blog post about running it like you own it...That one statement has changed the way video is perceived in my school. It is now an honor to be selected to join our morning show. I plan the studio as a production studio to maximize the room that I have, implement new technologies (which, by the way cost less than old technologies!!) and I always keep my fingers on the pulse of what is happening in the industry to bring my students the latest and greatest!

This second year of my teaching has been a pleasure because of all that I have learned and applied from NTI! And, to add even more...ALL of my students are now required to have an online portfolio of their work....guess where I got that little GEM!!!!

I firmly believe that my applying the techniques taught in NTI have made my teaching very easy.....I equate this as learning how to swim...first you get tossed in the water...and THEN you learn how to swim, navigate, float, and tread water.

Thanks NTI!

Open-Mind

2011-03-13T20:14:00.002-04:00

Always keep an open mind with the kids, curriculum, classroom, faulty, and administration. First, the kids the are lovable no matter how tough they many seem. The curriculum is not as hard as it is put off to be, always stick to what you know. Your space, is not your space just do what you can where ever you are. Try your best to make each space your own the kids will learn better if they see that you've designed a nice learning space. The faulty and administration ask only when you need too and just maybe someone will help you before you find away to do it yourself. Keep an open mind and put yourself and the kids first..

ONE PIECE OF ADVICE...

2011-03-09T21:56:00.002-05:00

Honestly if I win millions in the lottery I may just come in let them know that I won and will never be a teacher again. I will advise that I am moving on to whatever I dreamed of doing if I ever won the lottery.

Lets get serious I care too much about teaching to leave like that. The most important advice I would leave for this new teacher is simply this. You have to have passion for whatever field you are teaching, if you do not have passion for your job - that job is not for you. You may as well walk away and allow someone who is passionate about teaching - fill the position. Being Passionate about your job allows you to give your best no matter what the circumstance.

I would give the new teacher Dr. Burns’s number so that he or she can contact GSU to take some courses because the instruction I received from NTI has been extremely helpful in making me more professional in the daily management of my classroom.

Whenever I leave a job I like to leave work samples for the incumbent, so that they can have a guide to work with so that the classroom standards are maintained allowing the kids get the best possible higher level education possible. Hopefully I would have the opportunity to give on the job training to the new teacher for at least a week before I leave. (Travel to: Hawaii/Paris/New Zealand/Australia/Italy/Africa....a world wide tour/cruise…....laugh).

That would be my advice to the incumbent.

My Best Advice

2011-03-08T19:13:00.002-05:00

The best piece of advice I can give a new teacher is build relationships with as many students as possible. In the last two years, I've heard the importance of the 3 Rs about 1,000,000,001 times. Rigor, relevance, and relationships. I teach at a school with students who are labeled as "at-risk". In my opinion and my experience, the relationships have been the most important for me and for the students and should be listed before rigor and relevance. Forming relationships have enabled me to expand from just teaching healthcare science to teaching real-world life lessons. Teachers should be personable, approachable, and friendly to students. In many cases, we are the only one's they have to depend on, trust, lean on, turn to, and look up to.

Advice

2011-03-08T07:52:00.002-05:00

I would tell my replacement that sometimes being a teacher involves alot more listening than talking on my part. To always follow the school policy's and procedures. Remember to follow the lab and classroom procedures things run much smoother when you let them know your expectations. Go into class everyday with your lesson plan prepared you might deviate slightly from it but, having a plan works better for you and the students. Don't always be so serious with them it can be a fun and educationally class for everyone and still teach standards. You have to love this job or it will show and the students will know you don't want to be there. All in all it is a great job and is very fulfilling to person who who truly cares about our youth and their futures.

Advice for the New Guy

2011-03-07T23:00:00.005-05:00

The advice I would leave for my replacement is to come in strict and be consistant. These students stay more focused if they are know what is ahead and what is expected of them right up front. Keep them busy! Also, this school is very supportive of you, espically when it comes to disipline. Administration is behind your program, and wants to see it succeed. These are two important factors in a CTAE program.