May 2010
2 posts
Connections
I’m starting to realize that life is more and more about connections. Whether it’s who you know, or information you know, etc. it’s all connected. Well, my husband and I recently got a puppy. As we learn more and more about caring for a puppy there are three principles of care that Cesar Millan, aka the dog whisperer, advocates for that I can relate directly to teaching. He says...
My Fantasy World
I finally realized who two of my students remind me of…drumroll please:
1. One of my third graders sits at his desk every day, in the front row mind you, with his hands folded and smiling adoringly up at me. Loves. He’s a bit of a pudge and one of the hardest working kids I have. He is Manny from Modern Family to a t!
2. One of my other third graders talks exactly like Tracy Morgan...
April 2010
6 posts
"Get this party started!"
I asked my third grader Kahil how he was going to do on our test today. He replied:
“I’m going to ROCK it!!! Let’s get this party started!”
If only we could all share the same enthusiasm for standardized tests!!!
I am white.
I’m white. I’m as pale and pasty white as they get. I didn’t choose to be white. I didn’t choose to be born into the culture of power. I didn’t create societal standards or perpetuate them. And, I certainly would not have joined an urban teaching program if I was racist. I joined because I believe with all of my heart, that all children (red, brown, black, mocha,...
From the Mouths of Babes
Pint-Sized Student: My birthday is coming up! Guess what we’re going to do?
Me: Hm…eat cake?
Pint-Sized Student:
1. Go to the center of the Earth.
2. Go to Hollywood.
3. Go to the water park.
Me: As my friend Juno always says, “Dream Big.”
“Patience is a virtue, one hard to come by in a world that counts time in...”
– Maureen Killoran
“Children are resilient. Period Amen.”
Deep "Spring Break" Thoughts
This is my first Spring Break in over 5 years, and also the first time in 5 years I’ve had a week to myself without family/friends visiting, and vice versa. It’s bittersweet as I would LOVE to be with them, but it’s also allowed me to do some much needed work for grad school and planning for my class…and of course indulge in some seriously lazy behavior that is rarely...
March 2010
19 posts
“Jaime Escalante has left a deep and enduring legacy in the struggle for academic...”
– Gaston Caperton, former West Virginia governor and president of the College Board, which sponsors the Scholastic Assessment Test and the Advanced Placement exams.
And the winners are...
Race to the Top announced it’s winners yesterday. The apparent underdogs (Delaware and Tennessee) won! Delaware will receive approximately $100 million and Tennessee $500 million to implement their comprehensive school reform plans over the next four years. As with any federal grant program, budgets will be finalized after discussions between the grantees and the Department, and the money...
“In a recent study of fifth grade students in the Netherlands, most never...”
– Mark Moran, Forbes
Holla it's Hat Day
Today we were raising money at school, and kids could wear a hat for a quarter (yes, I believe a total of $10.75 was earned). The most darling kindergartener has been coming into my room to use our computers. He knows the password is “student” but has no idea how to spell it. Anyway, today’s deep conversation revolved around hat day. He wore this large cowboy hat with a huge...
Can Corporate Hardball Save Chicago's schools?
Here’s a highly recommended article on Chicago Public Schools. Some urban school systems are turning to the tough tactics businesses and law enforcement use to improve employee performance. The sometimes-contentious approach, known as performance management, has yielded promising results in Houston, New York and some other districts. In Chicago, it’s forcing city educators to embrace a...
India or Indian?
It’s hard for me to remember having the vivid imagination and lack of world knowledge that many of my students have…and speaking with the conviction they have that their stories are real. Lately, my only white student has been having an internal conflict over whether she’s from India or an Indian (Native American). She’s been checking out books from the library on the...
From the Mouths of Babes
Culturally responsive teaching in action…
Me: Am I saying your name correctly? Is it Angel or Angel?
Student: Miss I am Mexican and American. That means you can say it either way and it’s right.
——————
Student: Miss, how you not know Alesha and I are cousins?
Me: Sorry, I had no idea.
Student: But we’re the only two black kids in...
The Power of Grammar
As an editor, in my former life, I’ve always been a bit of a grammar nazi. In my first placement, I was in a classroom where it was all about feelings and making connections. Now, in a more traditional classroom grammar is taught, practiced and enforced. I really struggled with the idea that because standardized tests rarely take off points for spelling/grammar it wasn’t necessary to...
“Unless we take action — unless we step up — there are countless children who...”
– President Obama - In the proposed dismantling of the No Child Left Behind law, education officials would move away from punishing schools that don’t meet benchmarks and focus on rewarding schools for progress, particularly with poor and minority students. Obama intends to send a rewrite to...
Puppy Love = Adorable
Student: Miss I have a secret to tell you. Pinky promise you won’t tell?!
Me: Hm…ok?
Student: Before today my life was horrible, but now I’m in LOVE.
Me: Love?
Student: And he’s right over there!!! (Squeals and points into classroom across hall.)
“Consistency is the only way for success in this area. Just because a rule...”
– Author of “When Children Test Your Limits”
What Teachers Want
Supportive principals more than higher salaries.
Digital media more than textbooks.
Evaluations based on how much their students learn, rather than principals’ observations.
Those are a few findings from what’s thought to be the largest-ever survey of American public-school teachers, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Scholastic publishing company.
Kansas City to Close Nearly Half Its Schools
The NYTs reported that The Kansas City Board of Education voted to close almost half of the KC’s public schools. This was a wide reaching and contentious plan to shrink the system in the face of dwindling enrollment, budget cuts and a $50 million deficit.
When I first read this shocking headline I was feeling both shocked and confused by how the district would get by. Then, I read further and...
“I have EVIDENCE.”
– 3rd Grader on why she hasn’t recorded any books on her reading log.
1 tag
“In education as in so much else, high standards are important - far too...”
– by Jeff Jacoby in Why one-size-fits-all education doesn’t work
Capture Your Audience
A colleague of mine compared his mentor teacher to an actress who liked to “bring the drama.” Her kids bought into it hook, line and sinker. They would do anything for her and believe whatever she said. I believe that some people have those engaging personalities…and for the rest of us, we can hope for expert advice on How to Capture a Crowd. In this article, Mary Civiello, is...
Back in Action
So, it’s been a few weeks since I’ve written. I’ve been in a weird place and not quite sure how to articulate it. I’ve been feeling fairly unsuccessful and was actually moved classrooms. This week I found myself surrounded by some 3rd-5th graders in a classroom set up for special skill targeting. As I started my week, I was tentative. I felt nervous about screwing up and...
February 2010
12 posts
Growth=Pride
I witnessed one of the most awesome parent teacher conferences. Last fall, this little boy was in TEARS when we had his conference. He had been goofing off, forging his reading log, lying to his parents, and 4 years behind in his reading. He was put on a daily behavior plan that his teachers and parents signed.
Now, 2/3 of a school year later he has grown 3 years in his reading! He is totally...
Best Valentine's Day Card!
The best card I got at our Valentine’s Day Party is from one of my new ELLs. She’s super cute and full of spunk!
To: My Love Teacher Ms. _________
From: Your Science Student ______
Too cute!
It's a Love Story...Baby Just Say Yes
Sixth grade love is heart wrenching. At the class Valentine’s party there was an argument between a girl and boy in my class.
Girl: Stop starring at me!
Boy: You stop starring at me!
Girl: What’s your problem?!
Me: What’s going on?
Girl: He wants to date me and I can’t stand him.
Boy: I asked her out and had Alvarro give her the note. He told me she said yes, but she...
1 tag
“Instead of strengthening our neighborhood schools, that have for generations...”
– Leonie Haimson
Naughty...
My students were naughty…ok, pretty awful on Tuesday. On Wednesday they had to write apology letters. The best one?
Miss, do u eciept my epoligy? circle yes or no
From the Mouths of Babes
Situation: A substitute didn’t show for the kindergarten class so we split them up around the school. My sixth graders got 8 kindergardeners to take care of for the morning. We didn’t have an attendence list so we asked for their names.
Me: Here are the eight kids we have.
Office: There isn’t a Juan in kindergarden.
Me: He said his name is Juan?
Office: Nope, no Juan.
...
From the Mouths of Babes
Kiddo: Miss, I saw you driving to school, and you drive real fast.
From the Mouths of Babes
When the topic of kids getting paid for going to school was broached, a third grader said:
If there is anything my MAMA taught me, it’s that you do ANYTHING and I mean ANYTHING for $30.
1 tag
“What that says is, ‘Let’s focus on the student and not some...”
– Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association, a critic of the law, applauded the Obama administration’s move to revamp No Child Left Behind teaching standards.
Before 8:15 a.m....
Where were you before 8:15 a.m.? Before 8:15 a.m. today I:
Saw a kid throwing gang signs
Confiscated a cell phone
Sent a child to “time out”
Made a child cry
Was called a F*&&*%^ B*&^%$
Who said this is a thankless job? Clearly they don’t know the joy I get from my students.
After 8:15 I:
Saw students learn new (appropriate) vocabulary.
Learn what...
Best Dressed
Our sixth grade math teacher took a poll to see who the best dressed 6th grade teacher was. There are 3 of us. Coincidentally she won by a landslide.
Rigged? Unknown. Second? Right here!
From the Mouths of Babes
You know you’re going to have a good day when…
a student asks you if knives are allowed at school. Cops called. End of story.
January 2010
24 posts
“In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a world-class...”
– President Barack Obama, 2010 State of the Union
“By 1990, the female-male breakdown was 55 percent to 45 percent. The gap widened...”
– The Washington Post reports that the college ‘gender gap’ favoring women stops growing
1 tag
Texas Skipping Out on Race to the Top
Why would a state as large as Texas skip out on a windfall of national funding to help fuel it’s schools? According to Texas Gv. Rick Perry (R) and Brook Dollens Terry of the Texas Public Policy Foundation there were a few holes in the Race to the Top.
Education has historically been a state issue, with power in Texas delegated to the Texas Legislature and the State Board of Education;...
From the Mouths of Babes
Me [to random kindergardener I’ve never seen before after lunch]: Have you eaten yet? Where’s your class?
Kiddo: Yup. Can you pick me up?
Me: No.
Kiddo: Can I have a kiss?
Me: No.
Kiddo [now clinging to my leg]: HUGS!
I think we may have been speaking two different languages!
Gates Says it's All About Teacher Effectiveness
All of the studies say that when it comes down to getting a good education it’s all about teacher effectiveness. To support this mission, The Gates Foundation is giving Denver Public Schools $10 million dollars. Let’s keep our eyes on Denver to see how this changes the largest city in the state that has the least funding for public education (ok, 49th for funding, but when you’re...
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
– said Martin Luther King Jr.
- This is my truth. Today, tomorrow and always.
1 tag
“But we shouldn’t have the pursuit of money be a blind stampede to...”
– said Tom Dooher, president of Education Minnesota, that state’s largest teachers union. Dooher calls Race to the Top “coercive.” He says superintendents are telling teachers that they should go for it because it may be the only money they get for years.
I Need My Ed News!
The Washington Post comments on the report that during the first nine months of 2009 “only 1.4 percent of national news coverage from television, newspapers, new Web sites and radio dealt with education.
Do you feel like Jay Mathews and think it’s misleading information? OR, do you want more school news?
1 tag
What Makes a Great Teacher?
“The most valuable educational credentials may be the ones that circle back to squishier traits like perseverance. Meanwhile, a master’s degree in education seems to have no impact on classroom effectiveness.”
The Atlantic is covering the Race to the Top. I’m trying to learn as much as I can about this. From what I can tell it will significantly impact my career and ability to...
1 tag
From the Mouths of Babes
[Scene: Kindergardener licking snow.]
Me: Honey, do you know where that’s been?!
Kiddo: [puzzled/scared expression]
Me: I’ve been stepping all over that snow. Would you lick my shoe?
Kiddo: EWWW! BLAH!!! [spitting]
Me: Ok, let’s stay away from that. [wink]
Kiddo: You’re cute.
Hm…I can honestly say that’s the first time a five-year-old has told me I was...