Open Mic

Spring break is coming to a close, I hear of the students disinterest and wonder if I am prepared. I have been told the last semester goes quickly, and planning becomes even more critical. To run out of time is not an option. We must meet and exceed the curriculum. I had a hard time getting the students going after the last break. These are the challenges we face, but like the others they will fade. The classes at NTI this year gave back to me more than the sum of the material. Each of us has experienced trials this year, I found strength in each of you. This is a class of highly motivated people striving for a single outcome. To achieve excellence in any endeavor requires this. I received New Teacher of the Year a couple of weeks ago. (What were they thinking?) As I reflect on this honor it occurs to me this was earned by all that attend, and certainly instruct this class. Your drive has driven me. I will recommend this class to all new teachers.

The Most Important Thing

The most important thing I have learned as a student during the past three semesters in NTI is that knowledge of a subject matter and the ability to teach are processes learned. Starting with classroom management, student behaviors, and good planning. These we would probably realize, but fail in our procedures without the knowledge learned from NTI. Lesson planning, classroom and lab procedures also require knowledge. The numerous teaching strategies taught at NTI benefit our programs, they allow us to reach all of our students and provide variety for our students. The multiple assessment strategies alone would have been worth the tuition.
To summarize, the most important thing I have learned as a student during the past three semesters in NTI is that I lacked the knowledge to run a classroom and instruct affectively. The first thing taught at NTI was to not re-invent the wheel. We now have benefits of those before us. I believe Instruction requires knowledge, and further knowledge should be our highest priority. My father would ask daily what I had learned, when I made a mistake he would ask the same question. Our student’s parents should be doing the same, but more importantly are we?

Counselor

After assessing the responsibilities facing the counselors, I already have a new appreciation for them. Just considering the social issues that arise, this alone seems insurmountable. Given all the other requirements to see our students to graduation, their patience, resolve, caring, and logistical skills far exceed most I have known. I am fortunate to work for and be a part of North Paulding High School. Being surrounded by professionals in every aspect demands me to give the best of myself to the benefit of my students. I believe good communication with the counselors is essential for them to do their job well, this in turn will benefit our programs. These professionals are often taken for granted. Without their diligence we all would fail our wards.

Lavoie

Lavoie helped me understand the issues that face us and our students. It is not enough to know about these problems. In understanding, we can better evaluate and resolve problems. He has a way of explaining these problems you might not understand through traditional sources. I love how he removed the classroom from the student! I would have never considered this! Twice this year I could have used this. His thoughts on adolescents would not have crossed my thoughts without his input. I realise there are some but would not have thought all. It is the teachers, teaching teachers that make such a difference.

December 1-8 Question Of The Week

My confidence level has improved very much, I believe my delivery in the classroom is more fluid and my time estimates are better as a result. I find teaching Bell To Bell requires less late alternative back-ups. This also helps with my curriculum mapping, not having to make adjustments as often. My (Tool Bag) is growing and I enjoy trying new methods.
I feel classroom management continues to need adjustment. Most days are good, some are more difficult. Moods of different classes continues to amaze me. I feel this is one of the most important aspects of our duties, if classroom management fails, we and our students fail. I am grateful I get a second chance the second semester as I will receive a brand new block class. I feel this opportunity may place me a year ahead on classroom management by the end of spring semester. I have received advice from other teachers saying not to smile before Christmas. I wish this was in me, but totally out of my character. I see how this advice may help as the students do not have to like you to learn from you.

Online Modules

I have found the online course less demanding. It allows more flexability in my schedule. The last few weeks with RTI conferences, CTAE meetings, after school duties, and advisory meetings, some of them with only a few hours notice! For me it has helped. In addition the driving time and expense of the trips has helped also. As for teaching style, I am older than most in the class and used to a traditional classroom. This being said, I have to adjust as this is where things are going. Technology, and information is at our fingertips. I remember DOS, footnotes pasted everywhere, and how slow it was. Trips to the library were frequent and necessary. Our students are used to the stimulation. If we are to succeed we will have to move faster to keep their interest. Learning is also adjusting and I will adjust as this may very well become the norm.

Contacting Parents

We have a system where we contact parents two times following problems. When a third occurrance arises we note problem and it is referred to a counselor. At the fourth occurrance it is referred to a vise principal. Each occurrance after this is automatically referred to a vise principal. I have had mixed results with parents, I have been told by about half that they are out of ideas to handle problems. From these I have ongoing problems. Of the other half, the parents that seem to have a handle, I have experienced good results with only a few requiring a follow up call. I have yet to receive back a note sent home to a parent. As a result of this I will always call and log my call. It is required to keep a phone log in my county and I would do this anyway. I only E-Mail as a last resort, and then only to ask for a call back. As with the notes most are erased by the students before the parents receive it anyway. The phone is my best friend.

New Post # 2

I had a great week this week, only two student problems. The students participated in class, and
it showed on a review of the material friday. This was a lot to absorb for them, perhaps they liked the material. Perhaps my telling them this was the foundation for all the program had something to do with it. I had another duty friday night at the football game and we even won
the game! That does not sound like much but we only have ninth and tenth grades to fill the varsity squad. I hope the next week goes as well, I am looking foward to the thanksgiving break
to spend some time with the family as I feel I have neglected them for a number of months.
Good luck this week to all of you and I look foward to seeing you at class.

Class Activity

Early this year I tried a lab activity and chose the group leaders myself. I then allowed the group leaders to chose their own groups. Surprise! three out of five groups excelled while two failed. This was a major lesson to me and is supported by our fall class. Since this failure I have taken the lessons learned in this semesters class very seriously. While three groups did well, the two that did not was not acceptable, the activity was scraped, time was lost, and I needed a replacement activity. The replacement activity was not as good as the first, but worked out well.

My Challenge

My Challenge,I am having trouble with my warm-up assignment. The students have figured out this is graded as informal, and carries no weight. We have Infinate Campus and they can log on and check, they are very aware of the rules and know the system.
When the warm-ups fail, there are problems taking role. This then carries on to the classroom. Some projects bring the students back in, while others do not. The students talk between classes, and a project that went very well in the morning may do poorly in the afternoon.
I have changed seating arrangements, changed work groups, and followed the classroom management learned in the summer NTI course and these work well but only for a limited time.
I have been tracking students with learning dis-abilities and I am currently receiving more notifications, I am over 50% in all but one class.
This is not to put the blame anywhere as others seem to cope with like issues. Maybe the lack of a better (tool-box) is part of the problem, but lack of experience seems to be the likely candidate. (Help!!!!)

What Surprised Me Most.

Hello Everyone, What surprised me most is how many personalaties there are in our students, and how one class can differ from another. I am constantly surprised by my students from one day to the next. One day talkative in class to model student. My classroom's may even change, though I had already thought I had that (personality) down. I find that it is not as easy to (label) our students as one might think. This one is model, this one could care less, etc. Our students are as complicated as we are, and should not be deminished by a one, two, three size fits all mold. Everyone has a purpose and ours is to try to mold. I hope I never loose my energy for this purpose, and never find myself judgemental to others. This has to be a calling or we would be crazy to do it. The hours spent are worth it if our resolve does not falter.

Reflecting on First Weeks.

What worked first weeks, introducing classroom manager has helped with work load of class. In most cases it has worked well, however in some cases not so well. I have been rotating this weekly, and filling the position by elections. In some cases the classroom manager has taken the duty and flown. In others the classroom manager has not taken the duty seriously and become a distraction. Perhaps I should have fired the poor classroom managers, however it seems I have mutiple students with learning disorders and more and still receiving notifications, have been reluctant to fire.
What has not worked so far is most work groups prior to ten days ago.
I was setting up work groups by the count to three -four etc. method.
A few days ago I did a cooperative learning experiment with two classes,
I used the first method with my first period class and chose the students for my second period class.
What a difference! My second period class excelled beyond my first period class by leaps and bounds.
However I would not have known my students at the begining of the year
and this would have made no difference. Ken B