So it's that time of the year for seniors, we have come to the point in the year where the students are done. It's May, I can't blame them to much. Yet as I passed out the same old review (revised to cover this years material, but still same concept of previous years) I couldn't help but think - THERE AS TO BE A BETTER WAY TO END THE YEAR!!!
I mean, ever since I was given the chance to go digital, and even to some degree before then, I have tried to not do the ordinary. You can see it in the kids face's most days, they hate school - and who can blame them. We ask them to come to a building and sit in desks, and go against human instinct - be quite and work with little breaks. And then we ask them to repeat this process over
and over
and over
and over (we have 8 periods in my building)
day after
day after
day ..... (you get the point)
It's boring.
Most teachers want to do engaging things, at least those that I read and try to emulate in my building. We are human beings as well, and doing the same thing everyday would be just of a big of beating on us as the kids. Yet knowing this - I feel into the same trap!!
I passed out a long, uninspiring review. Here do this. Define this.
What?!?! I know better!! What the hell happened!
As a teacher of seniors I'm torn - I have my college bond kids that need to be shown how to take a semester worth of information, boil it down, study and then take a pressured exam over it - like traditional college (though I hope they are changing a we below them push to change the way we teach as well). Yet I also have tons of kids that college isn't in their plan, and knowing how to create a meaningful product would be a worth while experience.
So I ask, ponder, and think about - How do we end the school year and do both - prepare students for college, yet not bore them to tears in the process?
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
It's Been a Whirl Wind of a 10 Days
So in the last 10 days or so I've ...
1. tried unsuccessfully to have my AP Macro kids take the AP test (we are rescheduled again for next Thur May 30). We missed the first date due to school closer (more on that in a bit) and the second attempt was missed due to failure to actual have the exam in our district to give to the students.
2. seen my town literally torn apart, and then come together to start to rebuild. We were hit by a EF-3 tornado damaging two schools within our district, and several neighborhoods. During the next two days, and everyday since, parents, students, community members have come together to clean-up and start to rebuild. And when another community was hit by storms just days later, while we are still trying to fix ourselves, my students are also figuring out ways to send aide. It's amazing.
3. started to reflect on myself as a teacher. Looking at what worked, what didn't work, and what is truly important to me. And I've come to some good, and yet painful, conclusions I had a lot of successes this year. I had some failures, but I learned from those and have made myself a better teacher.
I've also learned that I'm a teacher. I love to teach. I love seeing that light come on a kids face when the succeed. I love seeing the joy that comes now as we close in on graduation. I love seeing them grasp not just economics, but start figuring out life. I've come to the conclusion that no matter what may come in the future but I will always be a teacher.
4. I am getting excited about next year already. I have started started the transition to integrating technology in my class the past couple of months. My students and I have been willing to experiment, fail, and try again. It's given me something to work on and plan for. I look forward to reexamining how, why, and what I teach for next year. It's May, but I can't wait for August so I can start, try, fail, and try again new projects, lessons, and technology for my class. I know I'm crazy.
So till next time - Live long and proper, May the Force be with you, and remember with great power comes great responsibility.
1. tried unsuccessfully to have my AP Macro kids take the AP test (we are rescheduled again for next Thur May 30). We missed the first date due to school closer (more on that in a bit) and the second attempt was missed due to failure to actual have the exam in our district to give to the students.
2. seen my town literally torn apart, and then come together to start to rebuild. We were hit by a EF-3 tornado damaging two schools within our district, and several neighborhoods. During the next two days, and everyday since, parents, students, community members have come together to clean-up and start to rebuild. And when another community was hit by storms just days later, while we are still trying to fix ourselves, my students are also figuring out ways to send aide. It's amazing.
3. started to reflect on myself as a teacher. Looking at what worked, what didn't work, and what is truly important to me. And I've come to some good, and yet painful, conclusions I had a lot of successes this year. I had some failures, but I learned from those and have made myself a better teacher.
I've also learned that I'm a teacher. I love to teach. I love seeing that light come on a kids face when the succeed. I love seeing the joy that comes now as we close in on graduation. I love seeing them grasp not just economics, but start figuring out life. I've come to the conclusion that no matter what may come in the future but I will always be a teacher.
4. I am getting excited about next year already. I have started started the transition to integrating technology in my class the past couple of months. My students and I have been willing to experiment, fail, and try again. It's given me something to work on and plan for. I look forward to reexamining how, why, and what I teach for next year. It's May, but I can't wait for August so I can start, try, fail, and try again new projects, lessons, and technology for my class. I know I'm crazy.
So till next time - Live long and proper, May the Force be with you, and remember with great power comes great responsibility.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Coming to An End
Having seniors and it being May, it's that time of year when we are all done - or at least we all wish we were done. We have just a little material left to cover, yet we wish we could make it all just disappear. The students are anxious for graduation (though some are nervous about being able to actually pass to graduate).
Part of me wishes we could hurry up and it just be June 7th (our graduation date) but I know that these are also some of the best days of teaching still. I get to talk about life, not just economics. I get to calm nerves about what comes next for them. I get to see the joy of them getting scholarship and acceptance letters. I get to see relief after AP tests are done. These are the rewarding days. yet these are the hard days - we are all done.
So keep pushing and keep teaching. It'll be June before to long.
Part of me wishes we could hurry up and it just be June 7th (our graduation date) but I know that these are also some of the best days of teaching still. I get to talk about life, not just economics. I get to calm nerves about what comes next for them. I get to see the joy of them getting scholarship and acceptance letters. I get to see relief after AP tests are done. These are the rewarding days. yet these are the hard days - we are all done.
So keep pushing and keep teaching. It'll be June before to long.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Too Often
Not sure how much more I can do this. Yesterday was a hard day for my campuses. We had a student suddenly and tragically leave us. This is the fifth student that 4 years that my campus has lost. Wow we rallied as a staff and community, we are becoming to good at doing so.
I find it hard to even think about prepping my courses (and my AP kids have their test next Thursday). Losing students is something that a teacher, community, staff should never have to deal with, yet it seems to becoming more and more common. I'm getting tired of responding and feel a need to be proactive.
We as teachers love our students, we care for them. Otherwise we wouldn't do what we do. Yet we continue to watch them harm themselves. We need to let them know that we care. And not just when there is a tragic loss, but routinely.
I'm drained. I hurt for my kids, those directly and indirectly affected by our loss. I hurt for the staff and teachers that were closest to our loss. Yet I'm fearful that this is becoming routine.
We will move on. I will continue to teach, it's what I do best. I'll have my kids as prepared as I can for next week. I'll just do so with a heavy heart.
I find it hard to even think about prepping my courses (and my AP kids have their test next Thursday). Losing students is something that a teacher, community, staff should never have to deal with, yet it seems to becoming more and more common. I'm getting tired of responding and feel a need to be proactive.
We as teachers love our students, we care for them. Otherwise we wouldn't do what we do. Yet we continue to watch them harm themselves. We need to let them know that we care. And not just when there is a tragic loss, but routinely.
I'm drained. I hurt for my kids, those directly and indirectly affected by our loss. I hurt for the staff and teachers that were closest to our loss. Yet I'm fearful that this is becoming routine.
We will move on. I will continue to teach, it's what I do best. I'll have my kids as prepared as I can for next week. I'll just do so with a heavy heart.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Overcome and Be Surprised
So earlier this week I vented about the frustration (Here) I was having with technological roadblocks due to my districts' policies and lack of fully understanding the speed at which a flipped classroom can move. Well the latest is that while most of my district is onboard and willing to trust those of us that are pioneering this digital age in the classroom, there are a few that are holding on to old ways of doing business.
But we've overcome, we have found ways to work within the system we have now and still fight for more access. It'll take time.
---- ---- ---- ----
Switching subjects, students were creating video projects advising Clark Kent on how to solve an economic problem he uncovered while researching the use of kitten tears as a diet supplement (I know strange set-up but I use superheroes in the business world all the time to teach my economics class). Here are some observations I've noticed this week, keep in mind this is the first big project my students have taken on using the new technology (we got the class iPads just a week ago) ...
1. As a teacher, it is hard to give up control (at least for this OCD control freak) of exactly how and the pace of the students gain the knowledge needed to complete their projects.
2. I've learned quickly the importance of having built in check points on long the road to completion. I knew this going in, but having these check points gave me the ability to see if the students were on the right path, and to keep them moving down the road.
3. I was surprised, pleasantly surprised by the level of knowledge my kids gained from this project. They looked forward to working on the iPads everyday, and while they were on task 100% of the time (and be honest who of us is) they did a lot of work to complete their project. There were times when I doubted whether this was going to work, did I not give clear directions, was my expectation for them too high, and so on. But as they are turning in projects today, I'm seeing great work, with thought and insight.
In the end - I'm sold on blending my classroom and using project based learning!
But we've overcome, we have found ways to work within the system we have now and still fight for more access. It'll take time.
---- ---- ---- ----
Switching subjects, students were creating video projects advising Clark Kent on how to solve an economic problem he uncovered while researching the use of kitten tears as a diet supplement (I know strange set-up but I use superheroes in the business world all the time to teach my economics class). Here are some observations I've noticed this week, keep in mind this is the first big project my students have taken on using the new technology (we got the class iPads just a week ago) ...
1. As a teacher, it is hard to give up control (at least for this OCD control freak) of exactly how and the pace of the students gain the knowledge needed to complete their projects.
2. I've learned quickly the importance of having built in check points on long the road to completion. I knew this going in, but having these check points gave me the ability to see if the students were on the right path, and to keep them moving down the road.
3. I was surprised, pleasantly surprised by the level of knowledge my kids gained from this project. They looked forward to working on the iPads everyday, and while they were on task 100% of the time (and be honest who of us is) they did a lot of work to complete their project. There were times when I doubted whether this was going to work, did I not give clear directions, was my expectation for them too high, and so on. But as they are turning in projects today, I'm seeing great work, with thought and insight.
In the end - I'm sold on blending my classroom and using project based learning!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)