29.6.07
Links
Is it rude for someone to put a link to your blog on their blog... but make their's password protected and not include you? I'm a little annoyed.
28.6.07
Summer School
Summer school starts next week for me. This year the class is considerably smaller, but if they're willing to pay, I'm willing to show up.
Why is the class so small? Did we suddenly get an influx of kids who cared to pass? Alas, no. This year our Superintendent decided to launch his online learning school. They're offering about 25 courses, including ones we don't normally have like "geometry" and "french". Over 90 students signed up and about 65 showed up for the orientation. Since it's online, they do not have to actually go to the school, although it is open during the day with a teacher there to help. I can tell you that yesterday (day 3), I saw 4 students... 3 of whom are masters in the art of screwing around. I'd like to believe that all of these students will be successful, but having watched them sit around for an entire school year, I don't really see any inducement for a flurry of work in 6 weeks. Perhaps they'll prove me wrong and I can start looking for a new job.
In the meantime, my garden is flourishing - tomatoes will be ripening soon, as will the raspberries. The lettuce plants are producing enough for a salad every other day. I finished painting the guest room and I'm working on refinishing the vanity. I never did get to the bathroom floors, but I still have time in the coming month.
Why is the class so small? Did we suddenly get an influx of kids who cared to pass? Alas, no. This year our Superintendent decided to launch his online learning school. They're offering about 25 courses, including ones we don't normally have like "geometry" and "french". Over 90 students signed up and about 65 showed up for the orientation. Since it's online, they do not have to actually go to the school, although it is open during the day with a teacher there to help. I can tell you that yesterday (day 3), I saw 4 students... 3 of whom are masters in the art of screwing around. I'd like to believe that all of these students will be successful, but having watched them sit around for an entire school year, I don't really see any inducement for a flurry of work in 6 weeks. Perhaps they'll prove me wrong and I can start looking for a new job.
In the meantime, my garden is flourishing - tomatoes will be ripening soon, as will the raspberries. The lettuce plants are producing enough for a salad every other day. I finished painting the guest room and I'm working on refinishing the vanity. I never did get to the bathroom floors, but I still have time in the coming month.
21.6.07
In Review
On the last day of school, the College Board approved my syllabus. I was a little stunned - I thought for sure I had forgotten the all important research paper explaination, but I guess they decided that just a quick mention was all that was needed.
In looking back over the past year, the idea that seems most prominant is that it went by really fast! Although I'm very glad that summer is here, it still feels like I should be in March. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that from October until May it does nothing but rain. Arizona is looking really good these days, even if it is 176 degrees there.
The year did not start out well. Half of my AP class dumped the course when they found out that I was serious about the summer assignment. While this was going on, one of the other teachers suddenly found themselves having to take leave for the entire year. A total shake up of classes ensued and I ended up with a sophomore conundrum. Yes, they were the most annoying - but they were also the most dedicated to doing their work.
AP scores don't come out until next month, which will be the real judge on how I did in teaching this course. Was I able to give them enough background knowledge, vocabulary and tools to be able to pass this exam? Did anyone's writing improve? For some, I think yes. For others, not so much. I would really like to rework for next year, because I'm not so happy with it.
The year ended with more than a couple issues hanging over everyone's head... mostly the reduction in staff and contract negotiations. To say that it was not handled in kind manner is an understatement. The most telling direct quote from up above was "it's not about people, it's about money." A nice corporate sentiment and if we were producing widgets, I bet we'd have pretty good ones. However, we aren't. This isn't a factory line and we can't be replaced by robots when it becomes too repetitive (although many of my freshman find this idea really cool). Caring, like ethics, follows down the line. If no one at the top gives a damn, it's hard for the front line to really care either.
In looking back over the past year, the idea that seems most prominant is that it went by really fast! Although I'm very glad that summer is here, it still feels like I should be in March. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that from October until May it does nothing but rain. Arizona is looking really good these days, even if it is 176 degrees there.
The year did not start out well. Half of my AP class dumped the course when they found out that I was serious about the summer assignment. While this was going on, one of the other teachers suddenly found themselves having to take leave for the entire year. A total shake up of classes ensued and I ended up with a sophomore conundrum. Yes, they were the most annoying - but they were also the most dedicated to doing their work.
AP scores don't come out until next month, which will be the real judge on how I did in teaching this course. Was I able to give them enough background knowledge, vocabulary and tools to be able to pass this exam? Did anyone's writing improve? For some, I think yes. For others, not so much. I would really like to rework for next year, because I'm not so happy with it.
The year ended with more than a couple issues hanging over everyone's head... mostly the reduction in staff and contract negotiations. To say that it was not handled in kind manner is an understatement. The most telling direct quote from up above was "it's not about people, it's about money." A nice corporate sentiment and if we were producing widgets, I bet we'd have pretty good ones. However, we aren't. This isn't a factory line and we can't be replaced by robots when it becomes too repetitive (although many of my freshman find this idea really cool). Caring, like ethics, follows down the line. If no one at the top gives a damn, it's hard for the front line to really care either.
12.6.07
The end of the year
This weekend I attended a couple of foster parenting classes. In one class, the presenter mentioned "the kids we're glad to see go" and it made me think about the students I'm glad to see go.
It's not the PC thing to admit that there are students you're happy to see go. It means you didn't reach them, you might have left them behind and you're just a bad teacher. However, I think that eventually every teacher has to get to the point where you realize that you can't reach every student. Sure, you can try... but you can't get to every single one.
By the time a student gets to high school, they can self-select out of that situation. I know there are a few students who beg to get out of my class every semester. "It's too hard" or "She's a bitch" or whatever excuse they give... they move themselves. For whatever reason, there are always those who don't. Some of them actually enjoy my class. All of their friends are in the class, occassionally they do "fun stuff" and constant prodding to learn is something they've dealt with for years. Others are just too lazy. Seriously, too lazy to go to counselor to ask to be moved... too lazy to do more than the absolute minimum... too lazy to do anything but sit. The worst are the ones that enjoy the conflict. They enjoy arguing about assignments, where to sit, when to talk, when to sleep, how to cheat, when to use the cell phone. I sometimes wonder what their homelife is like, and if it's full of conflict as well. Do they believe it's the only way to be?
In the last week of school, I'm too exhuasted to think about it. I'm just glad they'll be hitting the door for the last time in 3 days.
No news about my AP syllabus.
It's not the PC thing to admit that there are students you're happy to see go. It means you didn't reach them, you might have left them behind and you're just a bad teacher. However, I think that eventually every teacher has to get to the point where you realize that you can't reach every student. Sure, you can try... but you can't get to every single one.
By the time a student gets to high school, they can self-select out of that situation. I know there are a few students who beg to get out of my class every semester. "It's too hard" or "She's a bitch" or whatever excuse they give... they move themselves. For whatever reason, there are always those who don't. Some of them actually enjoy my class. All of their friends are in the class, occassionally they do "fun stuff" and constant prodding to learn is something they've dealt with for years. Others are just too lazy. Seriously, too lazy to go to counselor to ask to be moved... too lazy to do more than the absolute minimum... too lazy to do anything but sit. The worst are the ones that enjoy the conflict. They enjoy arguing about assignments, where to sit, when to talk, when to sleep, how to cheat, when to use the cell phone. I sometimes wonder what their homelife is like, and if it's full of conflict as well. Do they believe it's the only way to be?
In the last week of school, I'm too exhuasted to think about it. I'm just glad they'll be hitting the door for the last time in 3 days.
No news about my AP syllabus.
8.6.07
Graduation
This year will be the first year my students will graduate (my middle schoolers aren't there yet) ... since they haven't really been in my classes for awhile, I didn't really think I'd be that emotional about it, but the night is here and I'm choking up writing this. It's not that I'll miss them (which I will), but rather that I'm so proud of them. So many have been smacked with sucky stick, and yet they're still going on.
One was awarded two 4 year scholarships! While supporting fully herself! Another got a football scholarship and is still on his way to becoming a doctor - I wonder if he can still spell Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis in under 30 seconds. I'm pretty sure he can still explain what it is... and I have yet to be able to pronounce it. The artists, the writer, the cheerleaders and the quiet girl; they're all so adult looking. And then there were the students who totally came through for me on the night of the show (which went off with only a few hiccups). I will be forever grateful to them for their ability to make total fools of themselves for a teacher - a skill that will probably get them far in life.
6.6.07
Survival
The show went on as planned and was well received. Those who attended seemed to enjoy it, anyhow. I was disappointed with the number of tickets that were sold and we didn't make quite enough money as I had hoped, but there should be enough to pay for the outstanding camp bill. However, it looks like we'll holding a car wash soon. The prep for the show was a blast! A former student volunteered to do the sound and he had everyone dancing up a storm just before we let people in.
My AP syllabus was submitted last week, as was the audit form. The audit form, however, has to be faxed in. So far, it hasn't been listed as "received" on their website. I'm hoping that it's just due to the rush of syllabi with the deadline looming last week. To be honest, I'm not sure my will be accepted. Ithink know that I forgot to make one requirement very plain and I'm not sure they'll figure out where it was to fit in. Either way, it's done for now.
As for everything else, the year is ending, budgets are being cut and people are leaving. No one new will be taking their places. I'm a bit worried about what will happen to several populations within our school and how we'll cope with getting them thru. Our WASL scores were released and they were not as good as last year. Several theories abound on this... my personal one is that the students really believed that the state legislature would save them from having to pass ALL portions of the test. No such luck for the major slackers.
My AP syllabus was submitted last week, as was the audit form. The audit form, however, has to be faxed in. So far, it hasn't been listed as "received" on their website. I'm hoping that it's just due to the rush of syllabi with the deadline looming last week. To be honest, I'm not sure my will be accepted. I
As for everything else, the year is ending, budgets are being cut and people are leaving. No one new will be taking their places. I'm a bit worried about what will happen to several populations within our school and how we'll cope with getting them thru. Our WASL scores were released and they were not as good as last year. Several theories abound on this... my personal one is that the students really believed that the state legislature would save them from having to pass ALL portions of the test. No such luck for the major slackers.
2.6.07
A fresh start
So, I'm trying to avoid thinking about the disaster waiting to happen show on Tuesday. I think I should have realized that I was paddling up the river when more than three people asked me if I was cancelling the show...
What better way to get your mind off your troubles than to redesign your blog and completely screw it up, thus taking at least 6 hours of work to fix, restore and redesign. I am the master of wasting time.
In the meantime, please note the Twitter box on the side. I heard about it on the radio the other day and had to check it out. It fascinates me - and because I'm testing new functionality for use in our school, I can access it all day long. I haven't figured out a good school use for it - yet! - but I'm still working on it. Especially fascinating is that Barak Obama and Christ Dodd are using it. CNN is too, but I can see the use of instant news updates, but notes from the campaign trail? Interesting to read, but does it bring any value?
So far, the most frustrating thing is that there is hidden search function, so it's little hard to navigate. TwitterVision (connected to GoogleMaps) is cool to watch, but needs a lot of work in the usability arena - cannot figure out how to add people from that page. I'm sure it's just hidden somewhere that I can't spot.
I'm also working on a new website for my classes - last fall the school district migrated to a new website program that did not offer very much along the lines of functionality. It's main positive feature is that it melded well with other programs and offered viewable grades to parents. It's more than a little clunky, but apparently barely five teachers in the district used the previous website program for anything except grades... and with those numbers it's hard to justify spending money on anything else. The tech people really did try to get me to use what functionality there was, but I usually gave up after an hour or so. It's built for the technologically inept who see little use in posting much more than grades and announcements.
The new site - which is being piloted - has been blocked for the past three days. Since I'm not going to pay for a new domain or use this one, I used freewebs.com. Once of my more tech savvy kids recommended it... but as with anything that is free, it's easily used by the nefarious. Any have any other free website recommendations?
What better way to get your mind off your troubles than to redesign your blog and completely screw it up, thus taking at least 6 hours of work to fix, restore and redesign. I am the master of wasting time.
In the meantime, please note the Twitter box on the side. I heard about it on the radio the other day and had to check it out. It fascinates me - and because I'm testing new functionality for use in our school, I can access it all day long. I haven't figured out a good school use for it - yet! - but I'm still working on it. Especially fascinating is that Barak Obama and Christ Dodd are using it. CNN is too, but I can see the use of instant news updates, but notes from the campaign trail? Interesting to read, but does it bring any value?
So far, the most frustrating thing is that there is hidden search function, so it's little hard to navigate. TwitterVision (connected to GoogleMaps) is cool to watch, but needs a lot of work in the usability arena - cannot figure out how to add people from that page. I'm sure it's just hidden somewhere that I can't spot.
I'm also working on a new website for my classes - last fall the school district migrated to a new website program that did not offer very much along the lines of functionality. It's main positive feature is that it melded well with other programs and offered viewable grades to parents. It's more than a little clunky, but apparently barely five teachers in the district used the previous website program for anything except grades... and with those numbers it's hard to justify spending money on anything else. The tech people really did try to get me to use what functionality there was, but I usually gave up after an hour or so. It's built for the technologically inept who see little use in posting much more than grades and announcements.
The new site - which is being piloted - has been blocked for the past three days. Since I'm not going to pay for a new domain or use this one, I used freewebs.com. Once of my more tech savvy kids recommended it... but as with anything that is free, it's easily used by the nefarious. Any have any other free website recommendations?
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