Week of Vacation

Like many others, I have enjoyed an entire week of vacation. I was very glad to have the break to sleep and enjoy myself.

I am looking forward to getting back next week and finishing the semester with my students. I actually began to miss them around Thursday.


Steven V

Skills USA Help

I am in charge of the Law Enforcement/Public Safety aspect of Skills USA. I have no idea what to do. I know how to find Skills USA's website, but am looking for actually advice from those of you who have taken your students and have competed at this event.

Any help and suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steven Vinsant

Formal Evaluation

I was so scared that I wasn't teaching right. You know first year insecurities. My administration has had either my department head or the administration staff themselves come observe my classes at least 5 times. Finally my vocational administrator came in for the formal evaluation.

She sent me an email stating "Please see me Wednesday at 9:00 am to discuss your evaluation". Nothing else - this was sent to me on a Monday so I had two days to worry.

I am proud to say that I had nothing but satisfactory and great comments listed on my evaluation. Now I can relax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I always knew how to teach adult learners, but had to adjust and am still adjusting to teaching teenagers. Thanks goes out to Dr. B, Jesse and all the rest of the staff for teaching me how to manage a class full of crazy and hormone driving teenagers.

Steven Vinsant

Security Detail

I have been given the responsibility of training students for Security Detail for all home athletic events for the rest of the year. I am very excited about the opportunity this will give my public safety students. The students had to go through an application and interview process before they were picked to be on the student security team. These students will be given a chance to practice some of the skills that we have learned in class.

Hopefully, none of them will do anything illegal in the process of protecting the school and athletic teams!!!!!! On a serious note they will undergo additional training, so I am very confident that I will be proud of their actions as they guard the school!!!

Steven V

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

Need e-mail help

Seriously, I had two boys square off at one another yesterday. I was able to intervene and separate them with a little police "lingo" that I'll refrain from saying here for the sake of graceful eyes. I realized that I may have to go into the "Cop" mode to protect other kids in these situations. The way I see it, 25% of my student load is either High Risk Intervention kids, "Almost Fry Cook" Kids, or the very precious Special Education Kids. So I have to be on my toes...very little can set these guys off.
Anyway, yesterday, I made my first big e-mail "boo-boo". I sent an invitation to the entire school to my Lab on November 5 which will be the "Pedestrian Under the Influence" drill. My guys will wear "Drunk Buster" goggles and negotiate through an obstacle course with the mighty Dr. Burns watching, (with two #2 pencils! )Anyway, the e-mail said..." All are invited to observe the Public Safety 4th period "Pedestrian Under the Influence" drill on November 5 in the yard. This is a very funny drill to watch but it also teaches the kids they shouldn't drink. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY...WHAT WAS SENT WAS... "All are invited to observe the Public Safety 4th period "Pedestrian Under the Influence" drill November 5 in the yard. This is a very funny drill to watch but it also teaches the kids they should drink! (I left out the "n't" in shouldn't. Luckily Every administrator in my command found it at the same time and helped me spell it correctly. Every one had a big laugh. I throw the "rookie card" which I'm almost out of.

Question about Special Ed/SST Students

I understand that legally I must follow their IEP, SST modifications, etc. But what are we really teaching these students. Have they just given up and them and declared that they no longer can learn how to effectively ready, write and comprehend?

I have been modifying the best I can, but some of these students still are failing? Looking for advice on how to "correctly" modify their grades.


Steven V

When is enough - "enough"

I have several students in my classes that absolutely have no desire to learn. They will actually turn in their tests completely blank. I have spoken to each one of their parents and their parents all say the same thing - that they will continue talking to their child, but they are having attitude problems with them at home as well.

I have tried motivating these students every way possible, but it seems that I am hitting a brick wall with them. These students are also the ones that I am also having discipline problems with.

I know that a teacher should never give up trying to motivate and influence their students, but when is enough just that - enough!!!! I have other students that want to learn, but are being "Cheated" out of learning because of the distraction these students bring!!!

These students have been given detentions, ISS and their parents have been called. Advise will be greatly appreciated!!!!!

Steven Vinsant

Corey C

Corey,


Please check your gsu email

Steven Vinsant

Budget

I had my first experience with budgeting and spending money. Of course, I had no idea on what color forms my school wanted me to use. My department head told me "oh by the way I need the list of what you want to order for your subject area by Monday" Which of course was only a week away. Then she told me I also needed my big ticket item to be ordered by Perkin's money. Once again - did I know what Perkin's money was- of course the answer is no.

My fellow health occupations teacher helped walk me through the process. I already knew that my list had to be ordered by approved vendors only - so that was not a problem. The problem was that what I wanted for my big ticket item could only be ordered from one vendor. My co-worker advised me to get them to write a letter stated that they were the sole vendor of my item.

Overall the process was not as painful nor as difficult as I thought it would be. I had been advised by my wife and fellow co-workers to have my "wish list" ready so that when they decided to tell us it was time to place our orders that I would be ready.

For once I actually was!!!! Plus I was able to spend more money than my wife would have ever allowed me to in 10 years !!!!!!!!!!


Steven Vinsant

Time Management

This week has gone exceptionally well for me. I finally had a week with no interruptions during my planning period.

Although it is not required by my school (to the best of my knowledge) I have been keeping a lesson plan book so that I can plan my classes effectively. This week I added how much time I wanted to spend on each topic/assignment, etc. It seemed to help me since I tend to get off track telling "war stories" to my students.

I have a totally new found respect for the concept of time management!!!!!

Sometimes Kids Suprise You

D'Anthony took control of the class during Dr. J's visit. He's normally my biggest problem, but really took control when it mattered. Sometimes the kids you have the least confidence in, become your biggest cheering section. Now he knows that I will expect him to be a leader from here on out!!!!!!!

The biggest problem I have is that the teacher before me, did nothing to educate the students about Public Safety. Now I have to re-train the lads and lassies into the proper way things are to be done. Glad I have 30 years experience to help me along!

Steven

Planning Periods

As a first year teacher, I find it extremely frustrating that the administration feels it necessary to use planning periods for meetings, monitoring, etc. I "have" first period planning - unfortunately I never seem to get to "plan" for my students. I have not had a planning period for over a week due to meetings, monitoring, testing, etc. I wish they would let us use our planning periods for just that - planning.