In mid-January, our CTAE department launched a massive recruiting campaign. Second semester always brings uncertainty when the numbers game begins for the following school year. I have always taught on the extended day schedule -- meaning no planning period and six classes each day. With the economy spiraling downward, it was even more important to recruit enough students to justify having and extended day schedule.
The recruiting campaign was a success. I increased my numbers enough to have six full classes and then some. So I'm assuming that I should not lose my extended day and not have to make less dollars next year. What a blessing!
Well.. this week, my AP comes into my room to tell me that regardless of numbers there is no more extended day across the board for any teacher at the school. So all that hard work preparing marketing throughout the school, a thousand flyers to be handed out at parent/student events, and a recruiting video played on the closed circuit TV, did not produce the desired result. Bummer....
So how does all that tell me that I am progressing as a master teacher? Well numbers tell a great deal about how your students feel inside the environment you create each day. If the students are having a good time, they tell their friends, and those friends tell their friends... and the cycle begins. When I arrived, this program was only three classes of maybe 40 students at Etowah High, and then only 3 classes of maybe 40 students at Woodstock High. Having turned this program around a full 180 to a six period day at only one school tells me I am doing something right.
I know without a doubt that I am not a teacher who is lazy. My students are required to to produce much more work than with the previous instructor. However, I feel that I produce a positive, fun, relaxing environment where the students produce this work. This philosophy has changed the game...
2 comments:
From some of the stories the students tell me about their other teacher, I feel like a master teacher. I try to make the class as interesting and as open as possible. I feel I have earned their respect as well as given them the respect they have earned. We set goals at the beginning of each unit and most of the time we accomplish the goals we set. All the while maintaining a fun, (maybe sometimes to fun) and open atmosphere in the class while giving them a gift they can use forever.
Hey Grummer.
We have our recruiting stuff going on this week. 8th graders and all. I have to wear a costume for our department to try and peak interest, or at least get people to sign up for a class, or just for some laughs at least. Its an inflatable longhorn costume. Pretty funny. I'll post pictures. Anyway, I am worried about the extended day pay as well. Thats frustrating that the powers that be keep taking away from schools and teachers. I think you and Jeff and I have a great class to teach and probably have similar class atmospheres. Its always fun and a positive place to be. Performance learning lives in our classroom.
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