What a difference a year makes

Haven't been on in a while computer issues. Last year I didn't know if I would make it or not. My class was unruly, my personal life was a mess and I was broke. I pretty much felt like a failure in every aspect of my life. I hope the statute of limitations is up but one time last year a kid was driving me so crazy that I put him in the closet desk and all. When I realized that what I was doing was crazy, I told him to come back out and he refused saying that the closet was his office. I didn't know what to do so I just let him stay there the rest of the day. He finally came out when they called his bus. Also, I would hear other teachers gossiping about how chaotic my class was and I would not have admitted it at the time but it was hurtful not to have the respect of my peers and administration. That may give some idea of my teaching ability last year.

This year has been much different. We have had minimal discipline problems. The students are generally engaged, my principal has asked me what I did with the teacher from last year and even had me demonstrate lessons and classroom management techniques to the faculty. I'm not always pleased with my performance as a student but I'll have to say I don't know what I would have done without NTI.
Happy Thanksgiving

Saturday class

I just wanted to tell all of the class on the 17th that this was the most fun I've had in a while.We had some wonderful actors and actresses in there.There for a minute I thought we were on a field trip to a comedy club.I had not looked forward to the 60 mile one way drive saturday morning but it was well worth it.I hope everyone has a GREAT THANKSGIVING and enjoy the well deserved day off.I give a standing ovation to all.Remember if things are not spelled correctly,I am an automotive teacher.

A Good Week

I hate to be positive in case the demons are listening and mess up a good week. All is going well and I am looking forward to the Thanksgiving holidays. Administration and my mentor both gave satisfactory observations of my classroom. The SACS review was this week and we (CTAE) passed with flying colors. Monday the 19th is our professional learning day and I have been asked to lead the automotive collaborative session. I felt it was an honor that the county would put that much trust in me. I am so far out of my comfort zone it is hard to describe the anxiety. Each week seems to bring another challenge and then passes. A good week!!!

Hosting a Pageant really hard!!

Man! I didn't realize how much it took to host a Miss Georgia, and Miss Teen Pageant from a security point of view. My public safety kids and myself are exhausted from working on parking, seating, inspecting, and giving direction. These last two weeks, we have been running as fast as we can to make it happen. We have four shows over two night each show last about 45min. We have one more night and its back to being normal. One good thing is that my public safety kids got good exposure being around some High Dollar people and sponsors of the pageant. The producers of the pageant and parents gave my students some high marks on handing the situation.

6 Weeks Left!!

Wow, so there's only 6 weeks left in the semester! Seems like this year has gone faster than most of my previous years. My students will be starting their final performance exams soon, which is basically to write and record a commercially viable song. They can't wait and neither can I! The last two weeks we have been talking about, listening to, performing with and recording as many different instruments as we/I have access to; it's been fantastic. I am really seeing some true talent in my kids this year and I surely have the best drummer & one of the best guitarists that I've had yet (in 3.5 years!) I hope everyone does great in the coming weeks and has a great holiday.

NOVEMBER!...already!!

November is upon us...the year is getting on by quickly,huh? And to think we still have the teacher workdays and Thanksgiving to look forward to...WOW...and next December!(another abbreviated month)..I LOVE MY JOB, MY KIDS, MY TIME OFF!!!!....If I knew back then what I know now...I would have been an education major in college.....wow! No wonder my wife practically begged me to consider this career change...I am loving now!
Hopefully my career as a teacher will be this wonderful until I hit the "GEORGIA POWERBALL" or until retirement...LOL...
Have a good month of school guys and gals!!! it will be 2008 before we know it...

Pleasant surprise

Hi everyone! This past week has been great. Last Thursday, HOSA held it's first event, "Support the Cure" We asked that everyone wear pink, yes even the guys! I was shocked at the participation. It was wonderful!!! everywhere you turned, it was pink !!! I took several photos of my kids, staff, faculty and students throughout the school.
My biggest surprise came through an assignment I gave last Friday. I asked the students to write in paragraph form three things that they have learned since the beginning of school. The main objective of the exercise to assess their writing skills and to see if I met the objectives I set forth for myself. WOW! These students learned a lot more than I thought. What they wrote about were things we learned in either group settings, hands on or by games. In other words, anything that got them up and moving. The writing activity turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
This week we are having spirit week. So far it has been fun. It is also ending our second six weeks and there is plenty of paperwork to complete.
I hope all of you have a great week!

Bragging

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to take a moment to brag a little. I did so much complaining about High Schools that work coming for their site visit today and it went well, at least I think so. I still haven't heard how my observation went, but my students were on their best behavior. I did get good news about the High Schools that work team meeting with a group of students and I was one of the teachers the students voted as the teacher that most inspires them. I was really honored. I don't get a prize for it, but it really made me feel good. I guess I am doing something right.

Homecoming Week

We are having homecoming this week. Of course our football team has not won a game the entire year and may not win one at all this year!!!!! I hear our basketball team is much better - I hope so!!!

I have never had so much fun!!!! My department has participated in dress the entire week. Personally, on Monday I dressed so tacky that even my kids said I was the tackiest teacher they had ever seen. Tuesday was sports day - and of course I was head to toe with Thrashers clothing. Wednesday was decade day and boy did I ever date myself. I dressed as Fonzie did. The kids had no idea who Fonzie was - they thought I looked like Michael Jackson. Of course tomorrow (Friday) is spirit day and I will dressed in complete purple and gold!!!

I love my teaching and I love the students. The only thing I have issues with is the administrative details and all the extra duties they throw at us without warning!!!

Steven Vinsant

I had a good day on Wednesday :)

This week my 4th period student and I did a lesson on MRSA--the student's taught the class. I give them an article from the internet, divided the student into groups of four, assigned a section of the article to read and present to the class by the end of class. The students were allowed to use paper and color markers for their presentation and they had 30 minutes to complete their presentation. Next, the student presented their section and showed their artwork. Before the end of class, they cleaned the room and we did exit questions, discuss their quiz for the next class and was ready to leave on time when the bell rang. I did my walk about during class and commented on their work. Their presentations were nice and i was proud of their behavior.

WOW! another break...

Like Mortissa I am coming off a nice fall break...HOORAY FOR CLAYTON COUNTY B.O.E......These breaks really energize me and I often find myself recharged..I really don't see how teachers get burned out of the teaching profession. I have had many jobs in the past that really burn you out mentally, physically, and sometimes emotionally. I often tell my friends that work in 'corporate America' that I LOVE my job and what I do...they say that the pay isn't high enough and I tell them I know "they are Happy with the salary they make...but at WHAT COST??" I love being a little league coach, I love traveling, I love not sitting in 5-6pm traffic jams,etc.....and most off all this is BY FAR the most fulfilling job one can ever have!

Thanks from a student

At our school we have student of the month every month. I really think about this and give it to the student that I believe deserves it. Not because this student has the highest grade, but because I feel like he tries all around. Last week we picked our students for last month,we're running a little behind[ha,ha] so I thought about it and picked a student that I didn't have for 10 days at the first of the year because his home school had him in ISS. We talked about the reason he was in ISS and I explained to him my opinion about what he had done,and we talked about life and the decisions we make. I told him that change starts with the man in the mirror,if you don't like what's happening in your life you have the power to change it. In my class he has shown consistant improvement. I didn't tell him that I had chosen him for student of the month, so when the lady came to take him to have his picture made I just called him to the front of the class and told him to go with her. He looked at me as if he had done something wrong, I assured him that he wasn't in trouble and they left to take his picture. When he came back to class we were in the lab, he walked over to me and all he said was Thank You. That's the first time in two years that a student has thanked me for choosing them, most just come back to class and act as if nothing has happened. Today report cards went home, this student brought his report card to me to show me at the 4 weeks progress report he had a 48 in a class and now he has a 71. He is passing all of his classes. Some kids haven't really met the man in the mirror, but sometimes a little encouragement and explanations can make them see that this reflection can be the start of a whole new life. I'm proud of him and he's proud of himself.These little bright spots make up for several dim spots in the world of teaching.

Another Day in Paradise!!!

Well we've started another very exciting week. Friday was actually a teacher work day we only had one meeting and the rest of the day was ours and as if it just couldn't get any better our principal let us go home at 1:30. Alright back to my topic, since I've been a teacher I've realized that a day can only be as bad as you make it, or in other words you get out of the day what you put into the day. If you wake up in the morning in a bad mood 97 percent of the time you will have a bad day if you wake up in a good mood- you have a good day. Every morning we as teachers are required to watch our hallway to make sure all the students behave and that they are cleared out of the halls after the bell rings, and I imagine most of you teachers know what happens when teachers stand around in a group together? They start talking about something negative or how they have it so bad and there is nothing physically wrong with none of them or their families, so when they ask me how my day is- I always say "it's just another day in paradise" I know we all go through hard times, but lets face it. Things could be much worse than this if you don't believe me just go and visit a nursing home you will see that we really have it great. So just think positive and keep your head up, and what other job can you go to that after the end result you look back and see your passions being shared in the lives and hearts of so many other people. One more thing before I close this blog down, I don't have a big budget so I came up with a auto detailing class for my second period which is 95% special needs and in that class I found a student who no one thought could do anything. He is turned out to be an excellent auto detailer and now he has the hope of getting to have a normal job for the first time in his life. Hope- is there anything better or more satisfying than that? He told me yesterday that for the first time in his life he feels he is not just plain dumb and that there is something for him. I think I held my head seven inches higher that day because I felt the passion teaching brings. I hope all is going well.-- Riley

1 down 3 to go

well the first 9 weeks are over..only 3 more this year...i have less students failing this year than last..and FALL BREAK IS HERE..YIPEEEE

Keep On-Keeping On

Hey All,
This is the end of the first nine weeks and we are busy working on final grades for the report cards. We had a busy week, with spirit week (which went better than I expected), homecoming, pep rally, parade, signing up for teacher work classes for our professional learning day, voting on Queen and King, and ETC...In many ways, this nine weeks has gone by fast. BUT, in many other ways it has dragged on forever! As I read every one's blog, I realize that this small world- truly is a small world. We all seem to be experiencing a lot of the same situations, students misbehavior, overcrowding, observations, report card, etc..and well honestly-- it takes a world to raise a child. I hope to encourage someone in some way today, keep on - keeping on. This job truly has it's rewards, sometimes we just have to wait on 'em. I'm trusting that the best is yet to come! -Riley

Learning Curve

This week has been another incredible week. I can't get over how fast it goes by!!! before I know it it's friday!!! TGIF !!! I just love Fridays. Our school had it's first pep rally and first home football game. One of my students asked if I could wear his football jersey on Friday as well as at the football game. I did. Call me crazy, but even through the hardships of having to learn so much, call parents, complete paperwork, get little rest, I am still enjoying the students. I have come to realize the kids that could care less are a small fraction compared to those who actually want to do well. They are just walking hormones with drama at times. This whole year is just a huge exhausting learning curve !!

Mush!

Okay you guy's. I've been reading all of these mushy entries and I figured I'd better go ahead and get mine in. Now that I've figured out how this blog thing works, I'm finding that there is a therapeutic quality about it. We didn't have a chance to really get to know each other this summer although I felt closer to everyone after the summer session. But now with this blog thing and everyone sharing all of their deepest feelings I feel like we're a lot closer. (excuse me while I wipe away these few tears, I'll be O.K. in a minute) But anyway, being able to read this stuff makes me realize that I have a real team beside me and people who can relate all around to what I'm going through! I love you guys! (uncontrolled sobbing, no I'm just kidding) But really, I love all you guys, Dr. B, Jessie, Jennifer and all of the rest of the teachers, you guys rock!

Angel Email

O.K. I am going to try this again. I sent a post but some how it got deleted. Anyway, I had a hard week this week. One day during my planning period, I decided to have a pity party with myself. While I crying in my office, I said to myself I got to get back to work so I started checking my e-mails. I saw that an e-mail had just been sent and it was from a student of mine that had graduated last year. She said that this was her first day of college at Griffin Tech and that she decided to send me an e-mail. She told me about her classes and that the professors don't mess around. She said she was just thinking about me and wanted to say thank you for preparing her for college life. I know that the Lord prompted her to e-mail me because I needed it. It came just at the right time. It was to remind me that I am where I am supposed to be. We as teachers definitely have a purpose and I thank the Lord for the reminders that He has given me. We all just need to hang in there and receive the blessings. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Tracy

Greetings

Hey Everyone,

Can you all believe that this week has gone very well for me? I don't have too many complaints and most of the time it doesn't do any good to complain. I do have more visitors to look forward to this week. Over the past month or so, we have been preparing for visitors from hmmm, not sure, but another state. They want to view our vocational department to get ideas. How great is that? We must be doing something right.

When you are having a bad day...reflect on this or something like it

I know, I'm wordy and this is my second post today but I felt like maybe some of you out there who are in your first year could use this to inspire you. It may not be the same circumstances, but you will get the point. This is why I chose to stay on teaching after my first year. My first year was extremely difficult, as I was starting a brand new program with absolutely no guidance, found out the third week of school that I was pregnant, and was entirely clueless about teaching in general. When you have a bad day, reflect on a story like this. It helps me to remember why I'm still teaching. Grab a tissue and enjoy!

I was working as a nurse on the cardiac step-down unit at a local children's hospital when T.D. came in. He was a young man in dire need of a heart transplant. He stayed with us quite some time in the hospital while he waited. He was too sick to send home and wait. During that time, we had a lot of sick babies and children. We had at least 5 who were critically ill waiting on hearts and we knew if something didn't happen soon, we would lose them. Well, T.D. got his heart the same day as another patient. He did extremely well throughout the surgery and even afterwards. The summer he was transplanted, we had 5 others receive their new hearts as well.

I didn't see T.D. much after his discharge because he went to his local cardiologists for check-ups. A couple of years pass and the kids were getting sicker and the toll of nursing was really weighing on me, to the point that I was physically getting sick myself. So, I made a difficult decision to leave nursing and accept a job as a healthcare science teacher.

My first day of school, I was looking at my rosters and there it was..T.D.'s name. I thought, surely this isn't the same person? Everyone else who had been transplanted that summer had already passed. T.D. was the only one we knew of that was still alive. Well, T.D. walked into my classroom. Tears filled my eyes. I was so inspired! He was the only one out of the bunch we had transplanted that summer who was still alive and HE LOOKED AWESOME! Needless to say, T.D. did not want to be in the healthcare class so he jumped ship into Art. Ok, no big deal.

The next most inspiring moment came when, that spring, I was in the audience as T.D. GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL! I was so touched that I was moved to tears, out of control sobbing, because I had never thought I would live for the day to see one of my transplant patients graduate!! Even more touching, he had contact with the donor family and they flew in from their home state of NM to watch T.D. (and their son in a round about way) graduate from high school. It was then that I knew I was in the right place. I called my nursing colleagues to tell them what I had just witnessed and they were all jealous that they didn't get to see it for themselves.