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A friend asked me what would I do instead. My response:  I don’t know. I don’t have any back up plans because teaching is supposed to be my career.   It wasn’t a last resort career for me, it was my dream.  And the thing is:  I know I’m good at teaching. . . when I actually do it!  I’ve been given a GOOD thing this year.  My schedule is the best its ever been. Classroom management should be minimal at this point for me.   And its not.   I don’t know what I am doing wrong.  *sigh*  I don’t expect students to be perfect angels, but apathy combined with behavior is driving me away . . .

And don’t let me hear the words, “but this is an elective” ever.again.

• How to manage the busyness of my life without going of my diet.  This has always been my struggle.  Today, I worked in my classroom (and was interrupted 20,000 times) until almost 1:30.  So caught up in things that I absolutely forgot to eat.  I brought my lunch.  It was a really good lunch:  salad, roasted veggies, pork chop & apple.  Well, I had to go right away to the dentist.  I was STARVING when I left the dentist.  And the fast food was pretty tempting.   I don’t know how I resisted.  I came home and cooked:  salmon, wilted spinach & onions and cabbage.  It was good but after it was over, I was still hungry.
• Today, I didn’t get anything done.  Other teachers, kept coming by to say hello and welcome back and to check out my classroom’s new setup.    Also, I’ve been helping the new SS teacher.  With all of that action, anything I started never got completed.  I sat at the computer several times to only be interrupted.  *sigh*  How will I ever get finished with my lesson plans and ancillaries by Monday!?  I’ve decided tomorrow that the lights are going off, the door will close and lock and I’ll work until my stuff is ready!
• The FlyLady is really working for me.  My home is CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!  Oh, yeah!  Everyday, I spend 15 minutes picking up and prepping for the next day.  It is working-even on this school schedule.  Yes, I am beat tired when I get home, but I make myself do it.  And it feels good.  You know, she has a FlyLady plan for teachers???
• I am so excited to be returning to my school this fall.  I never thought I could be this optimistic, but I am.  Thank you, Lord for such a positive attitude.    I haven’t felt this good about school in a long time.   Here are pictures of what my classroom looks like right now:

Some of you may think I have gone to far and this document is insane.  Perhaps?!   But,  I work in an urban environment.  And I’m trying a lot of new stuff this year.  I find that spelling things out in detail WORKS for me.  And spending 2 weeks teaching and reinforcing procedures ALWAYS results in a great year!    It is worth every single minute of me creating & editing this document.

Classroom Procedures

• Return to WW/YMCA–get lots of exercise:  Didn’t exactly work out, instead I joined started following the Paleo diet.  And I love it.  I’ve lost 12 lbs and my body has been completely reshaped.  I’m actually down a shirt size.  I’m wearing stuff I couldn’t wear last school year and a belt with my jeans!!!!   My plan is to run/joggle a 5k in October.  I’ve got a workout partner.  Hopefully, he’ll stick with me and won’t get frustrated.   I’ve made a positive lifestyle change and its been wonderful on my disposition.

• Read a book a week:   I didn’t exactly read a book a week, but I read about 8 books–all trash (chick-lit), except for Teach Like A Champion.

• Visit my mother for 2 weeks.  Didn’t  happen.  I decided to save money and my sanity.  This summer was about me.  I’m glad I made this decision.  Next summer I will travel!

• Organize my school ancillaries/documents:  I actually completed this task for World History.  I’m all set up for the school year.

• Apply to graduate school:   I haven’t finished the application.  Most of the documents are complete.  However, I had to write my own letter of recommendation and I just got stuck and couldn’t finish it. Its hard to toot your own horn.  Even when other people give you examples.   Hopefully, I’ll finish it this weekend.

• Complete my digital/online portfolio.  Didn’t even touch it.  Instead spent the entire summer working on my classroom website.  Decided that my portfolio wasn’t as import when my plan is to stay here another year or two.  I’ll work on it through out the year.  Long as something is together by March of next year, I’ll feel pretty good.

• Set up a better classroom website:  My website is really good and I’m happy about the work that I’ve done there.

• 5 Days of PD:  Obtained 35 hours of professional development this summer.

Here are somethings, I worked on this summer that we not on my list:

• Spring clean my home.  It is so nice to walk around in my bedroom and not trip.  I can actually find things in my bedroom and closet, too!  Before, it was a dumping ground so I could keep my “company” areas clean. Now, I can sleep in peace.  It’s lovely.  I’d show you a before and after, but I’m afraid my readers might lose respect for me.

• Watch 2 complete seasons of Burn Notice and Drop Dead Diva and 3 seasons of Bones.  Yes, I complete vegged out and accomplished NOTHING!!!

• Worked on my mental  & spiritual well-being!  I spent time in consistent prayer and meditation.  I really believe the Lord deserves most of the credit for my change in attitude.  He has truly restored the “joy of my salvation.”  I’m happy, again.  I feel like the old me .  . . the me from two years ago.  Co-Teacher said when she first met me, there was a joy, a light and last year, it was gone. It’s true . . . but oh, that light is back and bright!

• Took a swim class.  I can do the breast crawl now.  Its going to take a lot more time for me to become an experienced swimmer but I’ll keep trying.

All in all, although I did not accomplish all of my goals, I did enough and I’ve gone to back to school rested and for me that = SUCCESS!

• Seating students in groupings. I’ve been acquiring tables that seat 4 students.   My hope is that students will work more collaboratively.  However, I’ll have to be “snappy and with it” the first few months of school to establish appropriate behavior in this type of atmosphere.

• Interactive Notebooks.  I’m doing them based on the  History Alive model. . . with students actually responding to the materials the “content” learned in class.  This is the thing I am

• In class Portfolios.  I am requiring students to get a 3 pronged folder.  Instead of students keeping tests, quizzes and rubrics and other assessments, I am going to have students file them in the folder when I return them.  I might keep other parent contacts in the folder.  These folders will remain in my classroom.  Imagine the success of parent conference with this type of documentation!

• Maintaining a class website.  I’ve already set up a pretty comprehensive. . . the goal is that students will use it to stay on top of when things are due.  And to have access to all class documents online:  homework, rubrics, notes . . .EVERYTHING.  I’m tired of copying and answering the same questions over and over again.  I hope students will actually use it.  What I’d LOVE to do is set up discussion boards or blog. . . but I haven’t figured out how to make it work.  I am open to suggestions!

• Giving weekly progress notes.  I am desperate for my students to have more “communication” regarding their grades.  Unfortunately, our system for giving parents online access does NOT work and when I asked about it today, I got the run around.  So, my plan is to print them from the grade book every Tuesday and then send a mass email to parents letting them know I sent them home.  I know I will waste a TON of paper. . . but I’m tired of excuses and this whole “credit recovery” system that my principal seems to endorse b/c of his belief in standards based grading.  I like the idea of SBG. . . but what it turns into is cheating, borrowing and lack of quality products produced.

Journaling from Miss A on Vimeo.

Why require journals?

• Students need to be reflective about their learning. At the beginning of a lesson, journaling can be used to review a previously learned concept or get students thinking about it before the lesson has been introduced. At the conclusion of the lesson, students can apply what they have learned by journaling.
• Classroom management. I used journals at the beginning of class (bellwork/warmup) to focus students. I introduce it to the students like this, “The beginning of the class is a time for silent reflection. We all need quiet time to focus and ready ourselves for the learning process.”
• Student practice their writing skills. Students will not get better at writing, reading or narratives if they do not practice.
• Discussion points. Students need to write before discussing. It is the time where they gather their own thoughts and opinions before letting another student or even me tell them what to think. Journals lead to REAL discussions in my classroom. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the discussion; we get behind in the content.

What are they?

• Foldable bound booklet—Students used to keep composition books or a section in their notebook.  The foldable works better b/c we can keep all of their work for a quarter together. Easier and less bulkier to grade
• Students write in them everyday, labeling the journal with a number & the date

What type of work is done in them?

1. TWEDYs
2. Responses to Journal Prompts—usually these are my “hooks”, questions about everyday life or their own belief systems that connect to themes in the lesson.
3. Identity charts
4. FreeWrites/Freedom Writers Journal
5. Narratives/RAFTS—students take on the role of someone from the lesson and write a narrative as if they were that person
6. Short summaries of previous lesson

How do I grade them?

• I collect journals randomly (if they chat during the warmup time, I call for them when the timer goes off). I only grade the entry for that day. Usually worth 25 points. Students do not lose points for grammar or spelling. I look for content and substance and sometimes quantity.
• At the end of the quarter, I count up how many entries they have for the entire quarter and multiply it by 3, 4 or 5 points (vary according to how many entries I assigned that quarter. Remember, I can stop in the middle of lesson and say “journal about this” to facilitate class discussions. ) This typically gives students some grace for absences they didn’t make up.

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1. Went back and moved furniture in my classroom. Set up the technology.  Still have decorating and little cleaning to do-so its only one more day of work.
2. Completed my classroom website. .  .well almost . . .i think it’ll forever be a work in progress.
3. Completed my syllabus and 2 weeks of lesson plans. . . now, i just need to make the ancillaries and I’ll be all set. I’m making a lot of changes this year to increase the rigor of my classes.  I’ve decided to demand more writing this year.
4. Created a list, will share later, of teaching strategies.  The goal/point is make instructional variety easy as looking at a chart. (For this blog, this school year, I’m going start sharing more of my lesson plans, so expect to see them in the upcoming weeks)

Here is my syllabus if you’re interested.  If you have any feedback or corrections, feel free to comment. English teachers, I always appreciate your help!
NetSyllabus

There is nothing revolutionary about the book.  The techniques presented here are the “basic” building blocks of education and are not new to the education world. The novelty and star quality of TLAC is that Lemov gives the strategies names and organizes them in an accessible way.   Most of the principles of TLAC are “old school.”  As I began to read more and more, I remember that many of elementary and middle school teachers running their classroom this way-and I graduated over 15 years ago.   Thus, it builds more steam to the argument that the traditional pedagogy still works and yields high results.  (Hmmmm, ain’t that something?!)

Things about the book that I love:

1. The accompanying DVD that shows the strategies in action.
2. The organization of the book.  It is EASY to browse . . . just picking a strategy here and  there read and add to your tool box.  It is organized so that there no need to read it cover to cover!  Personally, I’ll probably leave my copy in the bathroom or car for a “quick read” after this review.  It is one of those books like the Essential 55; you can just flip it open to read a strategy or two and then do something else.
3. Lemov provides SEVERAL examples of how each strategy should work through the text and DVD.  It is NOT one of the cryptic books  in which you can’t figure out how to implement or use the content.
4. If implemented, the techniques will give you an effectively run and demanding classroom.  Something my students desperately need.

Things about the book that bothered me:

1. Although, concepts in the book are universal and can be adapted, it seemed to focus on primary and middle grades.  There is little focus on high school.  On the DVD, it appeared only 3 secondary classrooms were showcased.  Is it because “hooking” students at the primary grades is key to being successful in upper grades? Or that these strategies are not as successful there?  Why couldn’t he find more high schools doing great things?
2. I feel like the book has been promoted as a teaching strategy book, it is NOT, in my opinion.  To me, a teaching strategy is how the content is presented to the student, activities or delivery method.  This book seems to be about controlling the learning environment to maximize learning.    This is NOT how I want run my classroom.  Now, I admit that I am control freak when it comes to my classroom environment.  However, there seems to be liberty, freedom and diversity my classroom–it not just a “learning” silence.  My students are engaged in discovery and discussion and I am NOT the source of all learning-center-of my classroom.   My role is to guide students to learning, not to be the focus of it.

I believe this book is an excellent for first year teachers.  Classroom management is one of the biggest issues with first years.  I believe if a first year implemented about 15 of the techniques, they would have an extremely successful year.  Out of the 49 techniques presented in TLAC, 14 of them are things that I already do in my classroom.  Therefore, I can “testify” to  the effectiveness of the strategies. MY ADVICE:    First year teachers need to graze through TLAC (read a bit here and there)!  Do NOT read it cover to cover-it could be overwhelming.  Pick only a few things to implement and do those things WELL this year. No one can use them all!

For experienced teacher, this book could give you a few more classroom management strategies to add to your repetoire. In the words of David, “It is always good to sharpen your sword.”    As an experienced teacher, I would have been fine with the DVD only-I like hearing the verbiage other teachers use.  Nevertheless, I’ve decided that I’ll try to integrate at least 5 TLAC techniques in this books in the upcoming school year:

1. No Opt Out-For Q & A, Students must answer the question with a correct answer.  Students do not get the option to not answer the question.  Lemov gives verbage and options for getting the child to the correct answer.  The ones that I’ll probably use most often are guiding the student to the correct answer and allowing another student to answer then come back to the student for the correct answer.
2. 100%.  This strategy requires teacher to correct students when off task, so that 100% of students are on task the entire class.  I love the phrases used by Zimmerli in this clip, “I have Jasmine, but not . ..  .”   & “Still waiting on 3. . ..on 2. . . now, lets do . . . “
3. Name the Steps-This technique is simply giving students steps or process for the content.  He suggests no more than six.  This is a bit difficult to do with history.  However, before reading TLAC, this was something I had planned to do this year.  Usually, when I give notes,  I give guided notes b/c there is so much content.  This year, I had planned to make a change b/c of the results of my AP exam and a transition to SBG.  Reading the book for details will be there responsibility and I will be giving “summaries” of history.  The plan is to give 1-4 slides of notes in some sort of brief form, analyze a primary source that relates or tell a story, review content.  Instead of the long lectures were students are filling in blank after blank.  I like the idea of giving them the key points to remember.
4. Pepper-Rapid fire of questions during a Q & A review.  I usually do Q & A, but its pretty slow.  I like the idea of just banging them out one after another.  I’d probably need to have them prewritten b/c thats my style.  What I like about this that everyone can answer in unison or I can randomly call of various people.
5. Call and Response-This technique requires students to answer in unison with an answer or repeat what you’ve said.  I used to do this in my classroom, but it had declined over the past couple of years.  It reminds me of church-like when the Pastor says God is Good!  Definitely, going to use this one more!

***Please don’t feel that this a bash of the book.  It is a honest reflection of how I could practically use its contents***

• all nighters
• writers block (absolutely terrible for a History or English major)
• READING, READING & MORE READING
• party allnighters–well, for me it wasn’t much partying.  I had a group of friends that I’d play cards or board games with until 3 or 4  in the morning
• dorm life (not that I really miss it, just the people who were there.)

Anyway, as I began to look through the papers, I began to smile and laugh and remember the “good ole days.”  As I picked up sheet after sheet, I’d squeal and say, “I remember this. . . .I stayed up all night to write this.. . . I loved this class. . . uh, that professor was narcissistic.”  My college days were good.  Yes, there were times that I didn’t have money for food or to go out with my friends AND I worked my entire college career. I remember a friend and I gave blood to buy groceries.  Her dad found out and it brought the man to tears.  The next day, her parents showed up with groceries for both of us and cash.  (They knew I didn’t have a father I could rely on and my mother didn’t have any money.  She wasn’t even paying my tuition)  Yes, those were the good ole days!

I remember my biggest issue in college was a problem of confidence.  I did the work and I got As & Bs.  But I was never really confident about the work.  I never felt “smart.”  It was like should have known more than I did.  I made up for this with hard work (Today, I make up for it with internet. You mention something I don’t know. . . I google it.)  The history department at my university was relatively small, I took the same professors over and over again.  And had classes with the same students.  I think a few of my professors got to know me pretty well.  I participated in class, but I sure lacked confidence in what I was saying.  In most classes, I was quiet until someone called on me. . . and when they did, my professors offered feedback that gave me confidence. . . made my words seem insightful.

I was NEVER confident about my writing.  (I believe this stems from a teacher in high school who told me I really needed to work on my writing.  I had wanted to be a writer someday. . . you know writing books.  I don’t believe this teacher intentionally tried to discourage me, she just didn’t encourage me to continue writing.)  Tonight, as I browsed through the papers  and read my teachers feedback, I began to feel better about my work ALL OVER AGAIN!

From my favorite professor:  ”As usual, excellent work,. . . once you realize how bright you are, you will be dangerous.”

“Brilliant.  Excellent job weaving the lives of these women together.”

“thoughtful. . . well wrought . . . meticulous”  This professor gave me an A- for this essay.  This man was INSANE . . .he had a reputation for never giving As and my paper BLED with his marginal comments.  I was EXCEPTIONALLY proud of this essay at the time.  I remember the SLEEPLESS nights pouring over this paper about More, Menocchio, Martin Luther & Machiavelli.  And back then, wikipedia was available to help when I was stuck!  It was an assessment of my reading those works that semester.

Today as I look back over these papers, I am overwhelmed and excited by the comments my professors left.  I can’t believe how much my professors believed in me and celebrated the work I had given them.

Feedback is soooo important to our students.  Grades are not feedback!  Unfortunately, I must admit, I take so many grades, it is difficult to offer a true assessment of students’ learning.  As I move into this school year, I will make it a point to offer “meaningful” evaluations of their learning.  If these comments give me a sense of pride and meaning today, imagine what my words of esteem could do for the teenagers I teach today.

I have a total of 5 crates that I need to sort through to make life easier in the fall.  I have decided to move toward a binder system for keeping master copies of my documents and lesson plans-by units of course.  Two of the crates are still sittiing by the front door.  Yep, excuse the dirty floor!

Over the last couple of days, I’ve been lurking on twitter…listening to other educators discuss . .. . and something got me thinking about my late work policy.  For the past 2 years, I started off the school year, saying “No Late Work Accepted.”   That ain’t working for me because I ALWAYS have to eat my words.  Remember that Willy Nilly make up policy?  I always alter my policy.  And I’m forever grading because I always have late work/make up work being turned in.

So here is the policy, I am tempted to create:

1. Tests/Quizzes-  Can be made up/retaken within the quarter in which they were given.  There will be NO credit recovery after the grading period has ended.
2. Classwork/Homework/Projects-Can be turned in late. DEADLINE: When I return the graded assignments to the class.  I will emphasize that it will NEVER ever take me longer than a week to grade & return assignments.  After I have returned the assignments, the only opportunity for make up is Saturday School.  No exceptions.  I want the students to “invest” in their late & make up work.  I’m tired of being the only one inconvenienced.
3. There will be NO credit recovery after a grading period has ended and a child has had a “Holy Ghost” or “Come To Jesus” meetin’ with their parents.
4. I will strictly enforce the  ”Dog Ate My Homework” slips.  I “borrowed” this idea from Leespea and it is simply genious.  I did this with last project of the school year. On the A day, out of 75 projects to be collected only 30 were turned in.  I was FURIOUS b/c students had over 6 weeks to complete them.    If you didn’t have your project, you had to turn in this form.   While the students were working on an assignment, I took the phonelist & those glorious pink forms and sat down to call parents.  The students knew what I was doing, even though they didn’t hear the entire conversation.  It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop as I read the excuses.  Within a week, I had collected 90% of the projects from ALL of my students (and yes, most of them were crap.)  Here is the form, that I made based on Leespea’s post:

Pink Slip

So, yesterday, I facebooked that I was bored.   I wrote that I was tired of tv, movies and starbucks-I needed something NEW to do.   A friend wrote back about this paint class.  Basically in 2 – 3 hours, she teaches you to paint a masterpiece.  I watched some of the news clips of her and you she keep saying no art skills were required at all!  And I have none- my students laugh at my map drawing, so I know I’m not any good.  On her website, it said that all of her seats for last night were booked.  I told her to email me in case of any last minute cancelations.  About an hour before the class, she emailed me and said I could come.

I had a FABULOUS time.  I have never painted anything in my life outside of kindergarten scribbles and that was over 25 years ago!  Here is my work.  It is titled “My City Music”

So afterward, I had an idea.  My kids would love to do something like this.  How could I incorporate painting into my classroom?  Into history?  What if I could write a grant and she could come do this at my school with my students?  We have art teachers at my school.  How could I collaborate with them to do something like this?  What unit would it go with? the Renaissance era?  How would I make connections?   On their own, my students would never be exposed to something like this-remember I am the grown version of them.   This would be an awesome adventure and cultural awakening for them.

Although, Year 5 was not my best, here are a list of practical activities to stay motivated to continue teaching beyond year 5 . (I will not discuss any of those lofty, philosophical, teachers pet’s reasons like remembering the children)  If you follow my suggestions, reentering the classroom year after year, won’t seem so difficult.

• Take vacations seriously.  Make sure that use this time as leisure.  Don’t spend it all working.  Last summer, I worked summer school, went to several PDs (over 100 hours worth) and went back to school weeks before it started to ready my room.  If you want to survive in this profession, rest & relaxation are necessary.  Send your kids to grandma’s for a week, get a good book, lay on the beach and have a child free zone for at least a week.  At this point in my vacation, I am so bored, but I know it is what I have to do to be prepared for next year-it is the mental component.   Using vacation time to work is a big mistake because you never get a chance to rejuvenate your mind and body.  Example:  Before year 4, I spent most of the summer at the Y, learning to swim.  . .catching up on LOST and napping. When I came back, I was ready to throw myself into school.   Of course every year has it challenges, but I remember it being a great year.

• Keep home and school separate.  This means limiting the work you take home and complete at home.  I have heard some teachers say that they stay at school until the work is done .  Other say, they only grade essays at home. Some teachers only use their home time to plan.  If you want to endure, school can NOT be your life.    There has got to be a CLEAR separation of work and home.  This past year, after the first month of school, I decide I was not bringing anymore papers home to grade.  It was the best thing ever, instead I used my home time to clean house, watch netflix or nap.  Even co-teacher followed my example and she expressed that it REALLY made a difference in her quality of life.  If you don’t make the separation, you will burn out!

• Find a way to decompress after the school day.  Teaching is hard, complicated work.  It can be so emotional at times.  Find a way to release the stress.  For many, this may come through praying (the scripture of casting your cares keeps running through my head-1 Peter 5:7).  Margaret runs, while others join exercise classes.  I used to blog/journal my thoughts. You could see a therapist (for that to work you’d probably need to seem him/her everyday because school is such an up and down thing) You MUST do something that release the stress, to get it off your chest.  I learned that lesson this year–not releasing the stress caused weight gain and general apathy and despondency with regard to public education.  Plus, my blood pressure shot through the roof!

• Develop a PLN.  Start networking with other teachers online.  I found that I was able to run lesson ideas by them, get new ideas and draw fresh perspectives from their work.  The thing that helped the most:   my PLN allowed me to vent, they sympathized and then encouraged me and reminded me of why I chose the profession.    I don’t know how many nights David or Miss Profe or Margaret or Ms. H or K listened to me whine about school.  They hugged me virtually and then gave me resources or swift kick in the virtual rear end.

This by no means a comprehensive list–just lessons that I’ve learned in my 5 years.   Please feel free to add to the conversation.  How do you stay motivated?  What tools keep you coming back year after year?

I made the decision to leave my city back in December after a terrible day-4 fights and just general insanity at my school.  It never occurred to me that leaving would be a complicated matter.  I assumed that I would apply for a few jobs, send off my resume and do an interview or two and accept an offer.  Really, I thought the process would be quite simple.  I believed with all of my heart that I would have packed up my classroom by now. . . my apartment would be in boxes and I would be all set to relocate.

Despite what my heart wanted, nothing happened the way that I thought it would.  Nothing.  In fact, its been quite the opposite.  Instead of packing up my classroom, I watched co-teacher pack up her classroom and accept a job doing professional development with a nonprofit.  I would NEVER want the position that she accepted, but it stung a little.  I wanted to go so badly and she was convinced staying and teaching inner city children was her calling.  It has just been completely opposite of what we had planned.

This job just fell into her lap.  Let me tell ya, I had to do some serious praying. Seriously.  I was so happy that she was getting a job that she’s passionate about, but she hadn’t planned it.  AT ALL!  I just didn’t understand it-how I wanted something so badly and not get it.  So, I prayed about it and talked about it with a close friend.  It amazing how prayer and reading God’s word is a comfort to the soul.  What I realized after prayer:

• I had been looking for MY WILL to be done, not His!  I had been setting dates–first it was May 30th and then June 30th.  I was concerned about the renewal of my lease, breaking the lease, giving appropriate notice at work, gathering the funds to move, finding an apartment in the new city, hiring folks for the move, getting to a new place and setting up a classroom, just a whole bunch of stuff that simply takes time to organize and plan.  I was thinking all about me and mine.  No Him & His!  I’m just a control freak-but that is for another post.

• God’s plan is perfect for me.  And if I honestly reflect, MOVING was my plan not His.   I really didn’t even consult God about it.  Just decided moving would  ”fix” my problems.

• I was running away.  Teaching in My City is a CHALLENGE  and I just wanted out.   And I still want out.  I’m realizing that it is not my time, just yet.  And I must learn to be patient and wait. . .

• Maybe the “break,” I had been talking about all school year was simply a REAL summer break, the one I’m experiencing now: leisurely days at the pool, sleeping in, mental rest from the stress of school life, instead of ones where I worked, went to school, attended professional development, planned lesson and went back to school 2-3 weeks early to work in my classroom.  I’ve needed some plain old rest!

I guess it was yesterday that I began to feel that I maybe God was telling me I needed to stay in My City  little while longer.  Here’s why:

• I need to spend sometime submitting. (Christians, I know you hear me!! I hear bunch of virtual Amens!).  Honestly, I’ve been in rebellion for quite a while and it is apparent my way isn’t working.  And the word submission makes me absolutely cringe . . .but  I have been learning submission is not so bad when the party cares for you and has your best interest at heart.

• I’ve got some financial issues that really need to be cleared up.  I’d be moving with a whole lot of debt and piling up a LOT more to make this “thing” happen.

• I need to continue to develop myself professionally.  I really feel pressed to finish my Masters and become a NB certified teacher.  I have many other goals in mind, that if I stay I would implementing and accomplishing them would be a breeze.

• My original goal had not been moving North or to Texas.  It was to go international.  THAT IS still my DREAM!

• I love my students.  Yeah, they have issues, but so do I.  And I was “them” in high school (yes, English teachers I know, grammar).  Although, I was a nerd to the 3,238,523,537th degree, I see my high school experience in my students.   However, I know that it was the God’s grace that I did not end up in the situation of many of their parents and my peers.  That is why I am so passionate about education and what is happening to the kids here.  And apparently, it is not my time to leave them.  I still have work to do, here!

So, nothing happened the way I had planned.  For now, I am staying and while I’m here and I WILL make an impact.  I will make a dent in “thangs” and stir the water. . . .and fight for my kids since they can not fight for themselves and their parents are not fighting for them.   And, I AM learning to be okay with this.

I will spend the next year trying to reinvigorate my love for teaching and education.  I have a few things planned for the summer . . .for my blog.  So as I chillax, for the next weeks, I think you’ll see the old Miss Teacha return.  Ideas roaming around in my head:

• Mission Organization:  Discussion on how my classroom is organized, what I’m changing about it organization, I’ll be going through all of my old lessons, forms and revisited them. . . organizing them & discussing them as I go along.  About 3 or 4 months ago, I started working a videocast of how I organize my teaching materials, but with the computer crash and other adventures, I abandoned that project.  I’m going to dig it up, put a new spin on it and help some new teachers get it all together.

• Strategies:  I like to develop a comprehensive page of teaching strategies for Social Studies.  I’m SURE that they can be used with any subject, but one thing that has bothered me is that people treat history/social studies as an afterthought in this country.  Many folks see it as developing a useless class of facts and dates and useless information and lecture and book work.  I’d like to change that–YA’LL Social Studies is fun and exciting and useful!  We create citizens. . . we are training future citizens.

Beyond these 2 ideas, I’m really feeling kind of stumped.  Help me out, dear readers.  What should I write about?  Give me topics to explore?  Ask me questions!  I need a writing prompt (I know the English teachers LOVE to hear that).  Shucks, if you need some advice, let me give it publicly on this blog–it may not be the answer you want but I’ve always got an extra 2 cents!

When the doctor comes in, she tell me that my blood pressure was 142/92.  She says its too high and explains blood pressure mumbo jumbo to me.  And goes back through my file to read to me some of the previous notes on my bp.  Apparently, I’ve always had blood pressure on the low end–pretty shocking for someone my size.  Wasn’t an issue until this past December when my blood pressure read 160/97.   She though it was a fluke . . .maybe something had happened that day or I didn’t get enough rest that night.  So, she wasn’t alarmed in December.  Now, in May, the Doctor is alarmed at my elevated numbers.

We talked about different things. . . when I saw her in December, I asked for anxiety medication.  I told her that I was stressed and suffering with a little winter blues.  She gave me a few magic pills and told me to check back in.  The magic pills gave me stomach cramps that were not worth the faux happiness !  After a week or two, I quit taking them and put them in the garbage.  In December, I had been staying up and getting up early to prep for school.  I was tired.  I was stressed out and just plain miserable.  Remember I was teaching 2 new courses . . .one of which was an AP Course, (the other Co-Teacher supplied most of the materials, but I still had to teach it) planning period every other day and meetings one of those planning periods.  It was too much work to do, too little time and I was flat out exhausted!!!

Second semester has been better because I taught AAH and because I’ve been teaching it for 3 years, I have it DOWN!  But its still 3 preps.. . .approx 185 students.  And an AP class that I planned and studied for AT HOME!  Wrapping up the school year has been crazy because students were still turning in make up work on exam days (according to our willy nilly policy, I have to accept it–of course, I threw it away.  Didn’t even look at it!).  I fell off the wagon with Weight Watchers because when I got home, I didn’t want to cook and I started eating out again. . . .its just a vicious cycle:  stress, eat, stress, exhausted, stress, the blues

As the doctor and I talked, I came to the realization that my school district has made me sick–literally.  My doctor says, “I think its too early to put you on BP meds.  I’d like to watch it for a little while.  You need to record your BP everyday for the next couple of weeks.”  And then she began discussing new meds to handle the anxiety/stress.  Finally, she says, “Miss Teacha, I really need you to make some lifestyle changes.”

“Lifestyle changes?” I respond.

“Eating less salt, diet, exercise, find ways to handle your stress.”

Hmph, I thought to myself, that is how I handle my stress.  A big piece of chocolate cake.

“Look I can’t give you the meds you want because they might give you a stroke.  You will have to suffer through this infection with over the counter stuff and some fexofenadine.  We’ll just be treating the symptoms.”

I sigh. . . and I listen to all the instructions about the meds she’s giving me that WON’T help my sinus infection.  By the time I got out to the car.  I made the decision to go home put on my bathing suit and start my lifestyle changes.

1. Return to WW/YMCA–get lots of exercise
2. Read a book a week.
3. Visit my mother for 2 weeks.
4. Organize my school ancillaries/documents
5. Apply to jobs and/or graduate school–I’m looking at getting into a program that will help me gain National Board Certification.  If I do NOT relocate, then I am EAGER to get started with NBC.
6. Complete my digital/online portfolio.
7. Set up a better classroom website.
8. I have 5 days of PD this summer that I must attend.

1. Film Guides–50% of students mentioned they hated the film guides.  Most liked the films.  It is the guide they detest.
   • “students fall asleep quickly when watching them”
   • “the guide takes away from enjoyment of the movie”
   • “its hard to keep up with the video sometimes”
   • “we didn’t learn anything from it”
   • Why do I assign film guides?   The documentaries/films I use in class often have GREAT content in them. However, my past EXPERIENCE tells me that students tend to go to sleep and miss the main points of the film.  I realize that some of my film guides are intensive.  For example:  my Roots film guide has 100 questions.  We watch Episodes 1 & 2 to illustrate/discuss issues of the Middle Passage.
   • To be truly reflective, I need to listen to my students comments.  I actually discussed this point in detail with my “hellion” class.  They said, that the guides had too many questions.   So I will do 3 things
     
     1. Next year, I will reduce the number of questions on the film guides to see if it makes a difference.
     2. Co-Teacher started doing something new this year with her film guides and she reported good results.  She used the internet to get scene lists/chapter lists for the films shown in class.  She used them to make a T-Chart.  On one side,  students would write the title of the scene.  On the other side, they had to write a summary of what happened in that scene or chapter.  She paused the film after the scene/chapter to discuss what had happened & make connections.  If she couldn’t find a chapter lists, she would find a list of the main characters and as students watched they would identify conflicts or other important information about the character as they watched.
     3. I will do more excerpts from the films, rather than watching the entire documentary.  I will not have my students watch a film and do nothing, that says to them free day and the content is not important. That is not the message I am trying to send.
        
2. Book  Work–in my AAH class, I gave book work, maybe 4 times for the entire semester.  In my world history, they may have had book work 10 times the entire year.  To me, this is NOT excessive.
   • “too much reading”
   • “its boring”
   • Why do I do it?  Student need to read the text for background information.  Again, in preparation for college students need to be able to read a book and dissect/take notes on the information in it.   I can’t tell you how many times I took a test and the info came directly from the text.
   • What will I do differently?  Nothing.  I like book work when its done in moderation.  I do it in moderation.  And occasionally, I need a day to do paperwork my lovely admins require but have graciously decline me the prep time to do so.
3. Projects–25% of students mentioned this as something they hate.
   • “They were complicated and boring”
   • “we have other classes”
   • “this is an elective” *sigh* I don’t even want to discuss this again.
   • “because most children don’t try.  There are only a  few like me who did it”
   • “because some students aren’t creative”
   • Why I give them?  To teach students how to research.  If they plan to study anything after high school, research is an important component.  Students need to learn how to research, comprehend their research and apply it.
   • What will I do differently?  Explain the importance of research.  Teach more research skills in class.  Maybe,  offer a lot more in research time.
4. Portfolio/Notebook/Binder Check
   • “Sometimes we misplace things.  that doesn’t mean that were irresponsible and we should lose points for it”
   • Why do I require a notebook?  Students need to know that a notebook should be kept and used as a  study tool.  Students need to be taught organization skills.  Notebook checks help improve students grades.
   • What will I do differently?  I need to do some research on how to effectively use notebooks in class.  I need to spend more time showing/discussing why they are valuable and how keeping one will prepare them “organizationally” for college or the work place or even managing their own home activities–bills, documents.
5. Vocabulary Cards/List–in my AAH class, I made them make vocabulary cards.  An image & word must be on the front.  Definition on the back.  In my WH, students keep their vocabulary in T-Chart form.  Word & graphic in the left hand column, definition on the right side.
   • I thought they were unnecessary”
   • “Pointless & didn’t have anything to do with what we were studying”
   • Why do I do it?  My students have LIMITED vocabularies.  Part of history & reading primary sources is understand what the people are saying.  If you don’t understand the words in the text, then you don’t understand the meaning of the document.  If I required them to read the document, most wouldn’t understand the context.
     
   • What will I do differently?  Find ways to use the vocabulary in class more often.  More vocabulary quizzes.  Point out and have students highlight when we encounter vocabulary words.  Require students to use the words in our discussion.
6. Notes--I’m surprised at how many students had issues with taking notes.  About 10% of students mentioned that there was too much notetaking.
   • “it’s pointless”
   • “I didn’t like all of the writing”
   • “it seemed as if we took notes everytime we came to class”
   • Why do I do it?  When you write something down you are more like to remember it.  It is a skill they will need for college.  AND most of all:  IT IS A HISTORY CLASS.
   • What will I do differently?  Teach more note taking skills.  I teach notetaking at the beginning of the school year–the Cornell note style.   In my lesson write after the notetaking lesson, I tell them to write what they need.  And then I give them a quiz, right after the lesson, with instructions to use their notes.  The idea is drill home the value of notetaking.  However, this year was NUTS, we lost 20% of our instructional time due to scheduling.  Therefore, when I realized I needed to get through my curriculum more quickly, I began to give them “guided notes.”  (Basically, its an outline of my lesson and they fill in the blanks as we go along.)  And I admit it:  I lectured a LOT more this year.  Direct instruction was my solution to the “time issue.”  So, notes will not go away.  I will simply teach why we take notes and make them more productive & useful.

Other students mentioned that they hated things like journals, essays and group work.  But these things were minimally listed; therefore, I don’t see them as big issues.  I love journals because they add a reflective component to the class.  I’d like to do more journal work next year.  Maybe, one at the beginning and one at the end of class.

The email had informed her mother that the student was not cooperative with the opportunities I gave for make up work.  She didn’t want to stay after school, come during lunch or Saturday school.  I was not offering any other alternatives.  This student was absent more than she was present. And at this point in the school year, I’m not as accommodating as the first quarter.

“Yes, you received the reduced grade I give for make up work.” I responded.

“But I worked hard.  I think my grade should be higher and you gave me a check mark on the work.”

“Yes, you received a ‘for credit” grade.”

“But my grade should be higher.”

“You have a 94.”

“I’m not happy with that.  It should be higher.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, Miss Teacha, I’m serious.”

I give her the look.  You never come to school and because of your “issue” I must give you alternative work and you are looking for a higher grade LOOK.  After an uncomfortable 30 seconds of silence, she walks away.

Maybe, after I have been doing this a few years, I get better at handling situations like this.  Or enough seniority that I don’t have to take late work.  I’m frustrated  because parents and students expect full credit for late/makeup work, that most likely has been copied from someone else.

*sigh*  Summer, you looook soooooo sexy right now!  48 hours!

1. Circle Discussions, Debates, Human Barometer outside   (students said that like the conversations & hearing others opinions, gave students a chance to express opinions)  This year, I incorporated a lot more discussion than I have in previous years.  The incentive to participate was the BRAVO! stamp. By the second semester, students were so eager to participate that the BRAVO! points were not required to get the conversation going.
2. TWEDYs
3. Movie Making- This was my first year doing this project. I got the idea from David.  It was a headache to teach and facilitate and students whined and complained about it A LOT.  But strangely, by the end of the year when I did NOT allow movie as products  students were begging to do them instead of the “products” I had assigned.
4. Line Dance
5. Foldables (one student called this arts & crafts, she said “it was better than doing work”)  This year, I did a foldable every chance I got.  In my AAH classes, we did about 10 foldables this semester.  Its funny that the student said it was easier than doing work, because after we made the foldable there was a reading and we dissected it using the foldable = manipulation on my part!
6. Simulations–we did a couple this year:  CaveMan Art (modified version of this lesson.  I’ll have to find the exact lesson later.  We pretended to be cave men and drew in the dark at the end of class and there was a reflection about the experience) , Building A Civilization (students broke up into groups of 4 and became families. The pretended to be a nomadic family from ancient times that decided to farm. They had to grow wheat to feed their families. And make exchanges for tools so they could build canals, etc all leading to increasing their standard of living)
7. Songs, Raps, Poems (students said that it was new and fun, they enjoyed performing)  I always wonder how this would work outside of my urban environment. My kids love to sing, rap–express themselves.  Kids always love these activities because they get to work in groups and show off their “skills” to others.
8. Films & guides (students said they were easy, films made the content easier to learn, visual form of learning-yes, a student actually said this!)
9. Grafitti Walk
10. Games:  Jeopardy, Fly Swat
11. Learning Centers/Station Rotation (students said they got the opportunity learn a lot of different things & socialize with other people in the class.)  This year, I created a few more–one for slavery, one for Christianity.  I love using learning centers because students get to work with primary source material and don’t even realize it.  Learning centers are often reading intensive= manipulation on my part.  It seems like they are only reading a paragraph, here or there, but in reality they read sooo much more.  (Strangely, the students don’t complain about the reading associated with it)  The best thing about rotation is that I divide up all of my “needs” students and because they are with stronger students, they are able to get more out of the activity.  And my students LOVE LOVE LOVE the ability to get up and move about the room.  Students mentioned group activities as something they love.  However, toward the end of the year, I stopped doing them because students were “socializing” and get less “work” accomplished.  I got tired of  hearing about fights, bad weaves and relationships gone bad.  *sigh*
    

In general, this year, I was successful at diversifying my strategies. I’ve definitely have a lot tools in my belt.   This year, there was WAAAAYYYY more discussion from my first few years of teaching.  I think this has a lot to with the perfection of my classroom management plan. Overall, I think I am making it easier for students to learn; however, my students learned less of the curriculum this year due to scheduling and other issues at my school.

Me:  So, is it official?  Are you really retiring?

Veteran:  Yep, it is time.

Me:  What a loss!  I hate to see you go.

Veteran:  Well, I didn’t want to.  But I need, too.  The strategies and methods I use don’t work with this generation of kids.  I’m not effective anymore.  You use new strategies, new things and it works . . ..

Me:  Hmph, somedays, it works. Other days, not so much.  It has been a hard year for ALL of us.   (I laugh)

Veteran:  Seriously, you got all of this energy and new strategies and I just can’t keep up with it all.  I can’t change who I am.  The students today are different and you know to adjust.  You know all of these NEW ways to reach these kids.  This was a terrible year for me.  So, it is time.

Me:  I hate to see you go.  I’ll miss you.

I love this veteran.  She is one of the most supportive people I know.  After I did a presentation during faculty meeting, she sent me a card thanking me and supporting the work that I do.    I really will miss her.  To me, she is the backbone of our school.    She is one of those who offered support and advice during my rocky first year of teaching.

It bothers me that the Veterans thinks that it takes all NEW skills  or strategies to teach today’s students.  Personally, I believe that I am product of old school wisdom (shared by Mrs. Veteran) and strategies learned from the net/books.  I would not be who I am with out those old school tactics that still work!  Yes, young teachers will come in and breathe new life into the school as many veterans retire this year.  But without our backbones like Mrs. Veteran,  I don’t know how these new teachers will survive.  If all of them go this year, how will we learn?  Mature?  Where will the support come from?  Where will we get those great tidbits of wisdom?

What we need is more mentoring by the older generation tied in with the useless information given in the teacher prep programs.  It JUST makes me nervous, b/c next year it appears that about 75% of our staff will  be under the age of  40.  (Yes, I recognize that skill is not tied to age, but wisdom is!)  Next year, based on my count,  I am willing to bet that more than 25% of our teachers will have less than 3 years of experience.

• Really learned a lot in this class.  Had fun!
• The teachers are mean.  The only nice teacher is you.  You made this class fun and enjoyable
• I absolutely hated this class.  We did more work in here than in a class that really counted.  (This student put her name on the form.  If I could really tell this child something:  YOU MADE EVERY TUES, THUR & FRI A LIVING  HELL for me.  I was grateful for ALL the time that you spent on suspension.  This student challenged everything I taught and tested me the entire school year!  In response to the work, it is an elective and  not a study hall! I am shocked at how many students believe that they should just “chill”  and “have free days” in class. )
• This class is boring.  She grades too hard.  This class was hard!  (I had about 5 similar comments.  Again, students want to do NOTHING in elective classes.  And generally, these were Freshman and Sophomores.  Strangely, seniors wrote the exact opposite!  For them, it was a low pressure course)
• Great Job!  Looking forward to being in your class next year. (Many more comments similar to this one)
• Have a chill day every other week.  You’re a great teacher.  (Chill days result in gossiping and “checking” and that leads to fights.  So, although it is a nice thought, it won’t happen.  I still can’t believe how many teachers give free days.  This year, I tried to give a makeup work day, it was a disaster.  Students copied other students work and then were basically socializing.  I’ll never EVER do that again.  NEVER!)
• I really enjoyed this class.  By far you were my favorite teacher and I will really miss you next year.  You had a great way of teaching and I really appreciate it.  (This came from one of my favorite students–admit it, we all have them.  She was a true work horse.  I would give a project and weeks before the deadline, she would come in and say, “Miss Teacha, here is my project.”  Oh, the places she will go!)
• I love the kids songs
• Even though, I didn’t do my best at time, I enjoyed learning.  I just was a little lazy on some of the assignments.
• You really are one of the teacher who I can say “taught me some.”  (the student put it in quotations so I would recognize she meant to be grammatically incorrect.  I’m the queen of returning journals with the following “what????” and pretending I don’t understand their slang.)

My thoughts:

Overall, I think the kids felt like they actually learned stuff this year.  The problem I battle is the load of work vs rigor.    It appears that Freshman are not prepared for the workload or rigor when entering high school.  Should I try a process of easing them into it?  I am frustrated that middle school teachers are not more serious about “rigor.”  I have asked students what kind of work they did in middle school.  Many of them reported:  book work or “nothing.”  How do I as a teacher combat this?  I recognize that rigor and workload are completely different things.  But I was having such difficulty with rigor due to lack of rreading & comprehension skills, I just piled on work–small tasks to get them to rigor (critical thinking) and honestly, it just didn’t work this year!

Personally, I think this was my worst year of teaching. I didn’t get through even HALF of the curriculum due to scheduling.  I was disappointed in my lack of creativity and differentiation of teaching strategies.  I lectured more this year than last year.  There was less primary source material this year in ALL of my classes and these are the things that make school fun!

My favorite question on the sheet is, give a song or book title that describes your experience in this class:

• The Fun of AAH
• Ummmm….
• Freedom Writers
• Self Destruction (I honesty don’t know what this means.  We listened to this song in AAH.  But as an experience. . . )
• All I Do is Win
• I Should’ve Cheated
• The Great Teacher
• Nodding My Head Like Yea
• The Skin I’m In
• Road to Riches
• You know its hard out their for a pimp!
• Roots
• Passing Time
• School sucks
• My soul has been anchored
• We are the Champions
• Good Times
• So hard by Rhianna
• A school child trying to pass to the 10th grade
• Lord, you are good
• Over  (I am so glad its over, too!)
• Hardwork Pays Off
• I remember the good teacher
• Race to Freedom
• Transformers
• If you only knew
• good While it Lasted
• The Worst School Year (This poor kid, it was just all around bad for him.  It is a shame that kids today go through so much)
• Forever, It took Forever
• Lean on me
• Wade in the Water
• Hard Work
• Freedom Song
• All I do is win
• Day in Hell (It was a year of hell for me.  Hands down this was the WORST teaching year of my life.  This beats my first year)
• You think you know, but you have no idea

My thoughts:  The students had a good year, overall.  But it was a rocky one!

You were my favorite teacher.  I really love your style of teaching.  I actually learn stuff in your class and it isn’t boring or excessively hard.  I appreciate teachers like you.  Keep up the good work.  P.S.  I will miss your craziness & keep calling our parents.

She loved me despite the hard time I gave her by calling her parents b/c she had gotten the itis!  This card made my day. It really is the little things!!!

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I am not a foldable expert, for that you need to visit Dinah Zike’s website. Please support her by purchasing her materials.  I have bought two of her books and can not wait to implement more of her work in the classroom.  She is AMAZING.  She came to my city to do a seminar and it was faaabulous!

Ms. H has taken her class and obtained certification.  You could consult her for clarfication.

Here are student products from 2 years ago.

If you are unable to use the video player above, here is the video in vimeo.  The password is:  fold

Tabbed Foldable from Miss A on Vimeo.

~~~~~~~~~~

Video Disclaimer:  Ugghh!!! It was hard to make this video, especially since I usually run the other direction whenever a camera is present.  The basics are presented in the first 5 minutes.  After that its modifications and just discussion of how the students use them in class.  I apologize for my redundancy.  I think this comes from repeating myself 30,000 times a day.  I didn’t realize it until I watched it back.  And, I guess I just talk to much.  *sigh*  What’s a girl to do?

• Apparently, there is NO shortage of jobs within this state. I don’t understand how teaching jobs could be sooo plentiful in TX?
• Classroom sizes are pretty small and manageable which really helps with classroom management
• Extremely friendly and welcoming people . . . I found that people really like to get to know one another and that southern courtesy is expected if you wanted to be successful here.
• School facilities are maintained well and ARE BEAUTIFUL! Even the old buildings seemed REALLY nice!
• Texans are extremely patriotic to their country and the state.
• Texans are EXCESSIVELY conservative about their politics.  My socialist antics could get me booted.  And what about my emphasis on tolerance?
• Texans are OBSESSIVE about football.  Secretly, I have issues with the sport, like wrestling, I find it barbaric.  A bunch of men hitting and pushing each other over a ball?  (ssshhhh, don’t tell the Texans)

At the end of the visit, I realized:

• The place that I worked is pretty standard for urban public education. Little support, but a lot of criticism.
• I really should make it clear in the interview what type of teacher I am. My philosophy & approach, just so that I am good match for the school. I would not want to mislead anyone about who or what I am.
• I definitely need to work on my portfolio b/c moving is inevitable.

Fears:

• moving alone and being alone.  At least here, when something is really crazy, my mother calls in the cavalry, my aunts and uncles
• financing a move. . . Lord knows, I am not financially ready for a move. Seriously.  Although, I know things would work out in the end.
• Not being “reelected” after the first year b/c I did not “gel” with the school climate

I was in Chicago on a school field trip, I was having a drink with a co-worker and she asked me a very, very good question:

Our school is one of the best in the district.  Overall, we have good kids and our Principal is good.  Why would you want to leave?

I responded with the typical explanation of 4 preps and general frustration. . . is that enough to pick up and relocate to a place I know very little about?  A place where I have no family, no roots?  Why am I not trying to move to Seattle (where my mother lives)?

1.  I feel stunted in my growth professionally.  One of my friends said the other week, she has dumbed things down so much, she feels dumb herself.  She thought she had lost vocabulary (she was trying to write an essay for entrance to graduate school and was struggling with the words needed to make her work “graduate level”)  To a degree I feel the same way, I feel that I have adopted some of the words-slang-of my students. . .a downward spiral is occurring

• Part 2 of this is I don’t feel that I could ever be the teacher I want to be in My School.  I’d like to challenge my students to “think deeper”- to really analyze the impact of history on the present . . . to do the work of historians, analyzing various sources.  How could I perfect my craft if I can not get beyond the basics?  My students already whine that my class is their hardest. They claim they work hard, but I know that I am not challenging them enough.  And this year, I feel exceptionally guilty about that.  In the past my students were writing, this year, because of scheduling, they are not writing and therefore, not growing.  Unfortunately, I am not preparing my students for college adequately.

2.  I do not feel valued or appreciated.  I know that the district (based on the walkthrough) and principal like the work I am doing, but somehow that generic “thank you” at the end of every email and memo doesn’t seem to do it.  It just seems like words. . .because if they really did appreciate the work I do, they would give me the appropriate clock time to do it!

3.  I am tired of last minute stuff.  Why should a lack of organization at the district office continue to inconvenience me?  They realize they do not have the meaningless paperwork they should have requested during inservice–wham, urgent announcements are made that it should be completed by 2 pm and it does not matter that you are TEACHING students and you do not have a planning period.  Our school year ends in May.  Students fill out course requests in April. Yet, most years you have NO idea what you are teaching until you show up for day 1 of inservice.  The district has not resolved the block scheduling debacle.    They haven’t even decided an alternative to the block scheduling or if they are going to continue it.   And as side note, how is that I am department chair and I play NO role whatsoever in scheduling of SS courses?   If department chairs actually had some input,  maybe the system would work a little better.
4.  I want to experience a different way of life.  I’d like to move to a city where there is more to do.  More people to meet . . .  have a chance to explore and see new things, do new things.
5.  Sanity.  For those of you who do not know, the pace and atmosphere of the inner city is insane.  If I continue at this pace, I will loose my sanity.  I will have to publish my blog from a mental institution.  I am dying to experience a much calmer way of teaching and a more peaceful way of life.
6.  Secretly, I would like to know:  am I good enough?  Can I teach anywhere?  Or am I just a one hit wonder with my students.   In conversations with others, it felt like teaching in my district was not real teaching (one of my friends actually said so after leaving) because we spend so much time on discipline and other issues.  Are my teaching/learning strategies too babyish?

What would make me stay?

• My students. . .shucks, I love my kids.  They need good teachers . . . this is one of the things that makes the decision to leave sooo hard.
• Inability to secure a job elsewhere

• On the same evening,  in parent teacher conferences, I was hugged by TWO parents.  One asked me could she hug me.  She said that she was so happy that her son had me for the second time in his high school career.  She knew I was a good teacher and that I cared about her son.  The second mom was in her teacher prep program.  She loved my teaching methods.  Everything her daughter brought home, she was using and looking at as an example for her own classroom someday.  Not only that, she appreciate that I weaving in some African American History into her World History course.  Why?  Because she wanted her daughter to be proud of her heritage and that nobody else had EVER given this type of content before.   Both of these interactions with parents meant a lot to me because I was really still doubting myself as a teacher. . . as a professional.  And it was reassurance and appreciation for what I was doing everyday.  . .and solidified the fact that I was doing something right.
• When a Latino student remember the varna system from a previous year b/c of a song he had written in my class.
• A funny:  A student was doing a presentation and had one of those nasty grills in his mouth.  He was going to try and rap with that thing in!  I said “before you present anything to us, take that THING out of your mouth.”  Because he really is a polite & good kid, he took it out, immediately.  But when he did, there was the nastiest and loudest slurp of slobber.  The whole class responded “Ewwwww, that’s disgusting.” Their voices were almost in unison.  I cracked up with laughter.  Class stopped for an entire 5 minutes because I could NOT stop laughing.  This will always be memorable to me because the kids saw me as a person that day, not some meanie . . .and they still come around talking about how hard I laughed that day

Really, someone should ask me this question AGAIN in 10 years. The reality is that my experience is too short to have anything truly life changing  or revolutionary.  However, it was really nice to walk down memory lane.

D comes up to me:  Miss Teacha, my daddy was here at school, but I’m not in any trouble.

Me: Oh, really.

D:  Yeah.  Hey, can you tell me my grade so I can tell my daddy.

Me:  Sure, hold on a minute while I look it up.

D begin to take deep breaths, like she’s trying to prevent panic attack–big inhales and exhales

Me, while fiddling around on the computer:  What are you doing?

D:  I’m preparing myself for the news.  (big, slow inhale & exhale)

Me:  You have a 92

D:  Oh, yeah!  (D begins to dance around the room like shes taking a praise break at church service) Yes, Yes, Yes!

Me, giggling:  You have just made my day.

Scene:  My classroom, about 1 minute before the bell rings. Students are helping me clean up & packing up their bags.

Me:  Ya’ll have a nice weekend

C:  You, too, Miss Teacha . . . what are you going to do?

Me:  I think I’ll do some dancing this weekend.  (I do a little dance and the kids giggle)

C:  You going to the club?!

Me:  Child, no!  I’m too old for that scene.  To many of ya’ll young folks there.

D joins the conversation:  But Miss Teacha, they have older people clubs. . .you know like over 25 clubs.

C:  Yeah, Miss Teacha, there’s a club for old folks in my neighborhood & they have happy hour. It’s called, “The Godfather” (name is similar, changed it to protect my location)

D yelling at C:  Ceeeeeeeeee, that’s a  male strip club.  You tellin’ Miss Teacha to go to A MALE STRIP CLUB!!!

C:  Aw, I didn’t know, I just saw happy hour on the building

Me:  Uhm, thanks for your advice C, but I think I’ll do my dancing at home.  D, thank you clarifying the type of club.  It would’ve been pretty shocking if I had gone there.

We all crack up laughing.

I realize that it has been several years since you have been in a classroom.  And, I also realize that you want somethings to be VERY clear when you walkthrough our building.  And I know my thoughts mean very little you but I’m going to say them anyway:

• Posting DATA about assessment means VERY little to our students.  Our wall space should be reserved for celebrating our students or passing on information to our students, not POSTER SIZE bar charts that the students do not understand.  Secondly, you have access to the DATA by looking at a computer.  Yes, that is where we got the information from–your district approved program. . . that you look at and send emails discussing what were are to do “in light of the data”.  Mmmm, novel concept, the use of computer to get YOUR data, that YOU created. . . .And, uhm, actually USING the data to guide instruction is quite different from posting it in the hallway.

• Why did you come at lunch time?  You know better!

• I’m upset that you did NOT walk into ANY classrooms. . . you didn’t go into ONE classroom on your visit.  We are doing GREAT stuff in the classroom.  No, you chose to base your entire ASSESSMENT on what you saw in the hallway!  You could have even asked us for a lesson plans.  No, you just do a surface assessment.  If you saw us do something like that with our students, you would not be pleased.

• How can you dictate the quality of our rubrics when YOU have not been in a classroom in over 10 years. . . you haven’t graded a paper in probably 20 years. . . The work I have posted is quality!  It is the best work that my students have produced.   And my rubric is on point. . . or did you want me to spend 10 minutes grading each and EVERY project produced by the 190 students you have assigned me this semester.

• How dare you complain about the # of times we have TEAM MEETINGS!  Once a week, every-single-stinking-stupid week (and I don’t care that I sound like a 3rd grader here!). . .are you insane, you want 2 meetings EVERY WEEK?  When am I supposed to plan those “dynamic” lessons you want?  And what do these meetings accomplish:  NOTHING.  We are only reiterating what was sent to us in email. There is nothing new invented, nothing new accomplished because we don’t have the friggin time to implement these ideas.

• I am frustrated with everything you are asking us to do!  IT IS ALL FOR SHOW! And a royal waste of my time.  Wouldn’t my time be better spent, planning engaging lessons for my students?  How about assessing my students retention/comprehension of previous lessons?  Actually, TEACHING the students?  With the level of stuff you are expecting us to do, I don’t know how I actually find time to TEACH my kids.  Isn’t that my main job, teaching the kids?

Sincerely,

Miss Teacha

P.S.  You really don’t expect to retain teachers, do you? Really counting on the bad economy?

Oh my goodness, gee-willikers,  golly-gosh . . . .  aw, hell!

I just checked my district email.  I don’t know why.  I just felt an urge. I just received a notice that the district is making us do declarations of intent for the first time EVER.  Basically, we have to tell them what we plan to do for next year.  Are we coming back? The initial phase of this is an “anonymous” survey in which they are asking us questions like:

• Will you return?
• Why not?
• Expectations of notification date?

The district office want to get an “aggregate” estimation of what they will need to staff for next year. Even more, the email said that Principals will be having one-on-one conversations with staff members to get a better idea of the staffing needs for each school. . . .  ooooohhhh, they know, yall!  They know!

My thoughts:

1. Why an “anonymous” survey?  They are expecting a massive, massive exodus this year.  A number of teachers have declared intent to retire.  And many of their 1st years will not return. (These are just the murmurings from inside my building.  And must I remind you that I am at one of the better schools within the district)
2. Wow!  They are really trying to get a picture of the turnover rate really early.  I am SHOCKED!  Again, a sign that the powers that be KNOW something is wrong.
3. It is a sign of how bad things REALLY are within the district. They know morale is low.  They can feel it in the air.  Why not try to solve that problem?
4. If I say my plan is to leave, will I become a target?  Especially, if I don’t find anything and have to stay?

Maybe, I’m reading too much into this “anonymous” survey . . . Which I don’t feel is REALLY anonymous unless I do it on public computer without following the link from my email . . .  and even then is it truly anonymous. . . Or, maybe, I’m just being super suspicious after watching the movie 2012. . . what do ya’ll think?

“Miss Teacha, what was that work you left us on Thursday?”  Student O was referring to the guided reading I have left behind.  “It was really hard . . . It was just busy work, wasn’t it?”

“No, it wasn’t busy work.  It was actually reading that you needed to complete.  You will be using the information to do an assignment later this week.”

“It was long and it was a whole chapter.  It was hard.”

After class was over, there was another student staying after to make up an assignment from earlier in the semester.

I prompted her, “Tell me, what was it really like?  Was there a lot of conversation and noise?”

“Naw, Miss Teacha, everybody was working really hard on the assignment. Really, the only thing you heard was, ‘I can’t find number 22.  Can somebody help me with 15.’ Outside of that everyone was really quiet.”

“Wow, was the assignment that difficult?”

“It wasn’t hard, but it wasn’t easy either.  It wasn’t one of the readings where you just copy the information from the textbook.  We actually had to read the text, comprehend it and then answer.”

“Oh, good!  Ya’ll read the textbook!  Exactly, what I wanted!”  I beamed.  She gave me a quizzical look.

Poor thing, she just didn’t understand why I was so excited.

People are so against book work because it requires students to regurgitate or copy information  Nope, not my book work. My questions require students to demonstrate they comprehend and can apply the information.  I don’t give many bookwork assignments in my AAH class-actually, this was the first!  I am really excited about how successful it was.  The goal was to prep them with the content needed to complete a foldable later this week.  The foldable will demonstrate everything we have been discussing & seeing (through the film, Roots)  about the Middle Passage and the Atlantic Slave Trade.

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A student of mine was telling me about a documentary he saw on the discovery channel a few weeks ago about Hindu funerals /widow burnings.  He said the show had something to do with human sacrifices.  I have looked everywhere to find the title of the program so that I could see it and possibly use it in my class.  Did anyone see this back in January?  If so, do you remember the title of the program?  Thanks for your help.

1. The district does not have a clear make-up work policy. It varies from school to school, teacher to teacher. However, the district has set a grading floor of 59%. This is to allow for the statistical problems of zeros, give students hope and meet the minimum requirement to attend summer school.
2. At my school, if a child decides they want to pass at the end of the school year, the teacher MUST give the student the opportunity “to meet the standard or acquire the skills.” Even, if it is from the first semester. Students are adopting bad habits of turning work whenever they feel like it. They copy other students work and submit it as their own. What students really want is for teachers to give some sort of make up work packet and a completion grade.
3. So, here is my policy:

• Students may complete makeup work at any point in the year (in accordance w/district policy), however, it must be done in my presence AFTER school.
• I don’t grade classwork. Students only receive a completion grade for it.
• I do grade tests, which may be taken open note & open book after school in my presence or at Saturday school.

My thoughts:

I am torn b/c in college, there is no make up work or latework policy—it just isn’t accepted by most professors. I failed a class in college b/c of this. We need to better prepare them for life after high school.

“What?”  I responded.

“I’ve always admired you!  The way you go after things.  You decide what you want and then you pursue it.”

I was really surprised to hear this from my mother.  She talked about how head strong I was growing up.  If I wanted something, I went after it.  I devoted all of my energy toward it.  I pursued it with great tenacity.   I went against the grain.  I challenged the status quo.

If you had asked me prior to this conversation, if I was that girl, I would have denied it.  I had not seen myself as being THAT strong.  Or strong willed.  I have always magnified my weaknesses. . . maybe, in my mind’s eye, I saw my weaknesses and it manifested itself in hardwork to overcome them.  As I look back, I was that way with many things, I wanted desperately to be a cheerleader, I worked hard at learning to cartwheel and split. . . I wanted to be in the choir, I worked hard at singing on pitch and learning the music and let’s not even discuss show choir and the many hours I spent in the mirror dancing and practicing.    When it came time for me to apply to college, I was methodical about it, I spent time writing schools for information, making lists and comparing (the internet had not taken root back then).  So, I guess I was very much a go getter!

She brought this into the conversation because she was confused at my recent moodiness (and here).  I was saying I wanted to do somethings, but the reality was that I was doing NOTHING to get them.  What had happened to my fire?  Who knows?  What I do know is that anything I have ever wanted to do, I have pursued it with everything that was in me.  Yes, there were many, many crushing moments, but they never kept me down.  I picked myself up, set a new goal and went after it.

I keep thinking, when we become adults, do we get caught up in the mundaness of paying the bills and working, that we forget to dream? Or even abandon our dreams?  Or do we let life’s issues and other people kill our dreams.  Whatever it is, I will not let it happen to me anymore.  In my last years of college, my dream was to become a teacher.  A great teacher.  I had dreams of traveling overseas, seeing the world. . .It’s time to breathe new life into these dreams. . . I remember these dreams . . .my bff remembers me making them . . .

• Go overseas to teach
• Complete an Ed.S. or Ph.D.
• Write a book

So, the first part of this journey is to broaden my teaching experience, i.e. GET A NEW JOB.  For the last few hours, I’ve been working on my resume. I’ll begin applying to jobs in the next few weeks, specifically to the Department of Defense because they have schools all over the world.  No matter the what, I have to leave my city in order for my journey to begin.

If you’re a reader of this, here is how you can help me (yep, I’m telling you what I need from you).

• Any job postings that you see, especially for things overseas, forward them to me.
• Review my resume*and digital portfolio (not up yet, but coming in the next week).
• Remind me of my goals when I start to whine and complain and vent.

*My you can click on my the link  to read my resume.  However, it is password protected.  The password is my real name-first name only.  I’m sorry that I can’t give it to everyone, but ya’ll know how that goes.  You may email me privately for access, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll give it.    Secondly, this is the condensed version of my resume.  It was over two pages long with all of my previous work experiences and all of that, but upon the suggestion of a friend, I condensed it  and will have a separate CV with all of those specific details in my online portfolio.  Thanks in advance for suggestions, comments and constructive feedback.

Here are my plans for February:

• To complete the update of my resume.
• Apply for grant to study overseas
• Make a video bio.  I’m not going to pay for the real thing.  I’m taking the idea and doing it up teacher style.
• Get some video clips of me actually teaching in my classroom
• Get some applications and resume
• Work on my online portfolio

I’ve decided that as apart of my job hunt, I’ll be looking at private or suburban schools for middle grades (7-9).   I’d like to continue to teach World History (US is sooo boring, I don’t know how to breathe life into it).  I am not interested in teaching AP unless it is something like Euro.

I say this with all sincerity:  I have reach the point of burnout with my urban school.  Yes, I realize I will have to make adjustments anywhere I go and there will NOT be as much liberty with the curriculum.  I got into teaching to change the world.  To make an impact.  Instead of helping of others, I feel like my spirit is suffocating.  Personally, I think it is a result of this urban area . . .its so hard to see change and very few people ever say thank you.  It is like giving and giving and giving everyday and there is very little to replenish my soul. (Maybe, deep down, I got into teaching to satisfy my narcissism…and maybe therein lies the problem, who knows???) For now,  I am ready to make the trade-off:  teaching freedom for teaching newness

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It is Black History Month. . . and as you all know, I have an AWESOME unit for my World History classes.

• In a few weeks, my school will host the 1st Black History program that we’ve had in years.  I’m coordinating it and extremely nervous about how it will go over.
• Every morning, during the announcements, I have students highlighting notable African Americans

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I’ve also made the goal to do more “learning centers” or “stations” as we approach the end of the school year.  I really don’t use this strategy enough.  It is time consuming to put together, but they are the most awesome learning experiences when supported by connections and review at the end.    Before the end of the year, I am planning to put one together for:

• The Holocaust
• Civil War & Reconstruction (for AAH)
• The Modern Era (conflicts)

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At this point, I don’t know how I feel about this b/c my area isn’t tested, yet.  However, I feel REALLY sorry for the teachers who are tested.  Let me provide you with an example:  Mr. Math teaches a Pre-algebra/Algebra I class (its blended starts off the 1st quarter as pre-algebra)  that tests Algebra I skills at the end of the school year.  Meanwhile, the district has purchased an online intervention program to increase math skills.  They have mandated that ALL of these students take the intervention.  Students are supposed to do the intervention during their study hall or on their own time.  It is not happening, for whatever reason students are not completing the intervention.  Therefore, Principal has told Mr. Math, to cancel certain class periods and put all of the kids in front of a computer for intervention-so much so, Mr. Math was walking up and down the hallways asking “How many computers are available in your classroom? Can I send a child to use it?”

This intervention does NOT reinforce the skills Mr. Math has been teaching in his classroom–it is something all together different.  Now, Mr. Math is losing teaching time for this intervention.  His evaluation (and job) are on the line b/c students will now fail the Great Test at the end of the year.  Principal’s job is on the line regarding the intervention program. What is Mr. Math to do?  What is Principal to do?  All I can say is:  We are failing our children.

A few tidbits from school:

Earlier this week,  my students approached me about homecoming–3 basketball players.   They asked why I was not coordinating the activities anymore?   I explained that I resigned from the position a year ago. They were upset b/c they felt like this homecoming was going to be lame. They could tell it wasn’t well planned.   “But you did football,” they whined.  I rambled, that I was sucked into football at the last minute b/c the new coordinator claimed she didn’t know what she was doing.   Really, I don’t think my excuse went over well.

Why the boys were so upset with me:   They are actually winning games this year and they feel that homecoming should be a celebration of that.  Needless to say, the boys were pretty disappointed.  And now I feel guilty!  In relinquishing some of my duties, I failed to remember that this type of stuff really matters to kids. To these students, it was me rejecting them, rather than rejecting the job.

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I wrote a textbook post yesterday . . .and I still haven’t decided what I am going to do.   Someone mention in the comments that kids really don’t like book work.  It is the exact opposite here.

Before the Christmas holidays, I had a some students to come in after school to make up quizzes & missing work.  As we were wrapping up to go home, a student asked, “Why don’t you give more book work.”

Shocked, I looked at her , “you want more bookwork?”

“Well, Miss Teacha, it is easier.”

They other kids in the room (honor students) started fussing.  “Girl, are you crazy!  Uh-unh, we don’t want book work.  Miss Teacha, don’t you listen to her.”

We laughed and joked around.  And I promised her more bookwork–I did keep my promise after Winter Break.  We dedicated a day just for bookwork.  I told my classes to thank the student who requested more book work.  They all looked around at each other trying to figure out who made the request, meanwhile I giggled.  I  know it was wrong.

After thinking about the conversation, what I realized is that students would rather do book work b/c most teachers just give them the work and sit down.  They don’t care about senseless chatter.  For the students book work is a time to socialize on top of it being fairly easy & mindless.   Additionally, teachers give book work as make up work, rather than have them do the original assignment.  For example, if we watched a video and had a video guide while you were out, you must make time to come and watch the video and complete the guide.  I do not allow you to just copy someone’s guide and turn it in-I must watch you do the work.   If we did bookwork as makeup work, the  student could just do the work from the book (or copy from someone else).  And, for me, that is not the same learning experience as those who were in class!   I’ll save our school’s willy nilly make up work policy for another post.

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This past week, I realized that I have to SPED (low performing, low skills)  students in my honors classes.  I did not receive an IEP from the SPED department until this past week.   Readers may be asking:  couldn’t you tell?  Yeah, I could tell something was not right and yes, their grades were poor, but I didn’t have time to investigate (seeing as how I have 7 classes, 4 preps, one of which is an AP course and 2 extra curricular clubs).   So, I go to SPED teacher and explain the problem.  She can’t take them out of my class.  She sends me to Assistant Principal, “it is awfully late in the year to do anything about this.  Can you modify to meet the terms of the IEP?”

My response, “Modify an honors level course for lower level?”

“Go back to SPED teacher and come up with some ways to modify”

Are YOU kidding me?  I think.  So at some point during the week, I’ll be meeting with SPED teacher to come up with modifications for an HONORS course–and ya’ll know they are going to ask, why do they get use the book on the test?  And then pulling students out & calling parents to discuss this and fixing the 1st semester grades.

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*sigh*  I guess I can say, it’s both . . .I  love and hate this job!

• Homework for my class would be to study notes, handouts and materials from that day’s class.
• A daily quiz over the notes and materials to enforce studying
• Students would complete projects at home as there is NO daily homework to be completed from the textbook.

I’ve never really given much book work to begin with. . . except that we do bellwork vocabulary from the textbook and it flows better when they can use the glossary of the text rather than the dictionary.  It takes my students FOREVER to look up words in the dictionary–although, sometimes we don’t have any other choice.  So, when the mandate came down for a class set, I got excited.  Why?

• In the past, students would not bring their textbooks to class.  They whined about how heavy it was, not enough time to get to their locker, we don’t use it enough (blah, blah, blah).   And I despise sharing of books because it encourages socializing rather than working and concentrating on the content.   It was a battle that I was tired of fighting.

• The textbooks would always be available in the classroom, whenever I wanted to use them.  They are a resource.  It made giving work and using it as reference, so much easier.  I would not have to determine who did not have a book for the activity.

• Book work is boring  & feels like busy work.  Sometimes, I feel like the kids get much out it.  What is the point of giving a bunch of work and their not getting anything out of it?  However, I do see book work, in limited quantities, as a valuable teaching & classroom management tool–it provides reinforcement and quiet time (so I can get district paperwork completed in a timely manner). Yes, my friends,  guided readings are still on my GO TO list.

• Books are not the crux of teaching and learning in my classroom.  If I give book work all of the time, I do not feel like I have adequately earned my paycheck.  Seriously, what am I there for if the students are getting all of their instruction from a book?  I just do not think it is right for students to come to school, socialize and complete book work.

So back to my dilemma, after complaining by parents (and realizing it was a dumb decision), the district office has now mandated that every student be given a World History textbook.  So over the coming weeks, the textbook coordinator is going to take my classroom set and  issue them out to students.  When I think back over my past experiences and feelings about textbooks, I don’t know what I am going to to do!

• How do I encourage students to bring their texts to class, so that they are available as a resource?

• How do I make it worth the students’ time and effort to bring them to class?  I surely don’t want to give a book work assignment every class period?  Co-Teacher requires her students to bring the text everyday, therefore, she gives them an assignment from it everyday!  She said she does not feel like she can require students to bring the book everyday, if she doesn’t make them use it everyday.  *sigh*

• Do I really have to think about my lessons weeks in advance to structure them for certain days of book work?  This would happen if I made a policy to only bring the text on Monday or Tuesday.   Seriously, I plan in units, not days.  And activities and bellwork, in my classroom, change with the wind.

I just do not know what kind of policy to implement.  And I don’t like fighting the battle of the textbooks!  What should I do?

The first one was about the Black history program.  I know it is symptomatic of my lack of control over it.  I started planning the program back in December.  The guest speaker was a friend of Dr. King’s and will be speaking about King’s last moments.  It started out fairly simple.  The choir would sing, the band would play and we’d have student jembe performers and some steppers from a local college.  All of this would be spliced with students making short speeches (30 sec) about famous black leaders and groups.

When we came back to school from Christmas Break, Student Council Matron, had seen some Jembe performers (dancers and drummers).  She said she had a relationship with the leader.  She wanted them to come and do a presentation on Kwanza.  She said it was really powerful.  I thought, “Cool.”  She came back saying that they charged $1200 for the performance.  She would try to talk them down.  A few days later, she said they would charge $300.  I’m still not happy with the price b/c we are paying $300 for TWENTY MINUTES!  She really wants it and she’s already talked to Principal.  Well, I asked her for his number b/c I’d like to talk with him about it.  I need to know what type of equipment he needs, how many performers, confirm times, you know all of the typical stuff.  Remember, I’m the organizer–its my job.  She got very frustrated with me and told me “Let me do the talking to him.  I KNOW HIM!”  Now, this makes me suspicious. . . .so, all of this is going on in my head and  I have a nightmare last night:

I dreamed that we were having the Black History Month program and it was poorly organized.  Poooorly organized.  The kids were talking throughout.  The mics were not working.   The people did not show up.  It was just falling apart.  I sat down in a chair and sighed, saying:  “This IS NOT my fault.  She did this”

Really, this dream is about a lack of control  . . . and how unsure I am about her contact with this man and the price.  Our guest speaker isn’t EVEN charging.  It is a school.  It is a bunch of teenagers.  And this just doesn’t feel right to me.

So, the second nightmare a few hours later in the night:

I dream I am running from someone who has kidnapped me.  I fight and fight and fight.  I use one of their trucks to run away.  They get in a Black SUV and chase me all around town.  It does not matter how many red lights I run or how many turns I make without them, they are still within range of me.  I can’t figure out HOW they are able to chase me like this.  I realize that they have GPS in the truck I’m driving and that is why they are able to catch up to me.  So, I decide that I’ll have to abandon the truck  and go on foot.  I arrive at an elderly ladies house.  It is at this house that I strip down all of my clothes–maybe there is GPS in the clothes,  too or could have they put one in my body?  Anyway, I am climbing on top of the roof and in and out of windows in a neighborhood.  Meanwhile, the old lady is fending off people at the door by pretending to be crazy and not know what the men are talking about. 

I wake up abruptly.  When I awakened in my mind was thinking, “run, run, run.”  I don’t know WHAT this dream means!  *sigh*

Kudos, Bravo and You Rock, Ms. H.  Thanks for giving my blog that “sophisticated” look by creating this spiffy new header!

I love the new look of my blog.  It looks. . . . “professional.”  Ms. H inspired this streamlined and uncluttered look!!! Oh, sooo excited!!!   Ya’ll give a shout out to Ms. H when you get a chance!  *sigh*  I just love it.

At the same time,  I was thinking today, you really don’t know how good you’ve got it until you hear someone else’s story.  I really do have a great relationship with Principal.  During departmentals, I listened to other conversations and run ins  . . .and I’m shocked.  Some of the things said to others has never been said to me.   I get the feeling Principal respects me and the work that I do in the classroom.  So, yaaah, me!

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As far as lessons go this week, it’s all really boring. . . .however, we did discuss Haiti!  My kids always surprise me with their compassion, the “hardest” kids at my school  has so much compassion for others.  (As a side note, my kids really don’t pick on the special needs students at my school.  They really do try to help them.  They really are amazing students!)  It was emotional as we watched clips from CNN .

One student who survived Katrina spoke up during our conversation.  She said it bothered her that we were trying to help people in another country and Louisiana is still in crisis–she felt like we had forgotten them.  According to Student T, America still has a lot of problems that it needs to fix.  I had no answer for her.  But she brought an interesting dynamic to the conversation.  When students asked about the looting and rioting.  She provided her classmates with her firsthand accounts of her time in the dome.  I still have chills, just thinking about it.