Just seven more teaching days and I am out of here! 12 weeks have passed so fast.
I've learned a lot of things I never knew. Like, for instance, how to unlock doors while still wearing your keys around your neck on a lanyard (critical; I have to unlock three doors on my way in and out of school every day and the restroom also has a key). How to get them to read your announcement in the morning on the intercom. How to recite the Texas pledge by heart (Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee; Texas, one state ,under God, one and indivisible). How to walk up a staircase when 100 students are descending DOWN it. What not to eat in the cafeteria (almost everything, but the wraps on Wednesdays are good). How to pin up my bangs in a stylish fashion (thanks to Desiree and Jennifer in 1st period, and Vanessa in 6th). Where to buy Famous brand t-shirts (Pac-Sun, and Zumiez, thank you D'Shawn in 2nd and Luis in 1st). I have a greater appreciation for "slash heavy metal" rock (I didn't know such a thing existed). How to train my bladder when you don't get bathroom breaks for an hour and a half on block days. What's Intervention period, and what's Advisory. How to inhale food (only 30 minutes for lunch). Who is my friend. Who is NOT my friend (mean lady in office who reports everyone).
There are still some things I don't know. There are still LOTS of things I don't know. But I'd like to learn.
I have taught some kids that will stick with me when I go. Three of my particular favorites sit together in 6th period. 6th is the last period of the day but these guys keep me energized. I call them; collectively, "Rolly, Laughy, Chatty", so they call themselves "RLC" (we have kids grouped in seating arrangments i.e. "teams" of three and they sit in rolling chairs). Two of the RLC's are seniors and are bound for Houston Community College next year. One showed me his acceptance letter yesterday. Both smart boys; both without the financial resources to go right away to a 4 year university. I wish I could send them myself. What will become of them? I hope they succeed. These two; I think they will. Some of the others; not so sure. Most of the students where I teach are children of immigrants; many of their parents do not speak English.
I can't fix everything. I wish I could. These kids have taught me so much about so many things. I still have so much more to learn.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
This is SO HARD!! I have to think
Yes, you do. My BCIS students are working on a project that is a synopsis of all of the skills they have learned thus far in Word Processing Skills. They are creating a job description booklet for five different jobs at a movie theater. They had to "interview" five fictious characters (in a computer simulation) to discover their job duties and requirements. They have some written lists of tasks given to them by the "manager". In the corporate world, this would be a classic "inbox" task duing an interview. They were provided with a checklist outlining the different elements that should be included--a template, a table of contents, a cover page, subdocuments, a table, a bulleted list.
The problem is, they have to assimilate and THINK. They don't want to think. They want to be told step by step what to do. In education, we call this "higher order thinking" and "critical reasoning". It's a real world exercise.
A few of them take right to it. Most of them sit and stare at the computer for awhile. Then they call me over--"I don't understand how to do this" We go over the task again. I walk away, they sit for awhile, do a little input and the computer, and then call me over again--"is this RIGHT?" I explain there is no RIGHT. Each of their booklets will look different. They look at me as if I am from another planet.
Its frustrating--because in education we have not taught them these thinking skills. What will happen in real life job situations?
Another teacher here told me her husband has his own architecture firm, and the young adults he hires right out of college sit and wait to be told what to do and how to do it. IT'S SO HARD TO THINK!
The problem is, they have to assimilate and THINK. They don't want to think. They want to be told step by step what to do. In education, we call this "higher order thinking" and "critical reasoning". It's a real world exercise.
A few of them take right to it. Most of them sit and stare at the computer for awhile. Then they call me over--"I don't understand how to do this" We go over the task again. I walk away, they sit for awhile, do a little input and the computer, and then call me over again--"is this RIGHT?" I explain there is no RIGHT. Each of their booklets will look different. They look at me as if I am from another planet.
Its frustrating--because in education we have not taught them these thinking skills. What will happen in real life job situations?
Another teacher here told me her husband has his own architecture firm, and the young adults he hires right out of college sit and wait to be told what to do and how to do it. IT'S SO HARD TO THINK!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Old School Friday
Today we played "classic" rock CD's while the students were working. By classic, I mean Supertramp "Breakfast in America", Boston, and some Lenny Kravitz. Perked me right up! Some of the students knew Boston; nobody knew Supertramp and this was an "album" that everyone my age (now, I am dating myself) had in their collection.
What will be "old school" when these kids are my age? Ipods? Cell Phones? Rap Music (one can only hope)?
They say you get stuck in a music mode; you just keep listening to whatever it was you listed to in high school for the rest of your life. Must be true. My mother still likes big band music and "crooners"; my dad still likes Elvis. I still like 70's classic rock and, don't tell anybody, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Does that mean my students will be listening to Rap when they are 70? Smile. It will be a sight to behold.
Will teachers in a classroom be "old school"? Will we all be replaced by virtual classrooms--some schools are already going that route. What's the future of teaching?
I think it is apparent that we as teachers need to keep up, even be one step ahead, of trends in learning styles and education today. Kids live in an MTV world. They expect lights and whistles, instant gratification, lots of technology, alternative ways to receive information, individualized, customized instructional methods. They didn't teach me this in my teacher prep classes. I have so much to learn.
So off to Twitter, read other's blogs, discuss in online chatrooms (we have Flat Classroom meetings in Elluminate!), monitor group projects in Wikis and maybe set up my Facebook page. Time for me to stop being "old school". But maybe I'll listen to some Pink Floyd while I'm doing it....
What will be "old school" when these kids are my age? Ipods? Cell Phones? Rap Music (one can only hope)?
They say you get stuck in a music mode; you just keep listening to whatever it was you listed to in high school for the rest of your life. Must be true. My mother still likes big band music and "crooners"; my dad still likes Elvis. I still like 70's classic rock and, don't tell anybody, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Does that mean my students will be listening to Rap when they are 70? Smile. It will be a sight to behold.
Will teachers in a classroom be "old school"? Will we all be replaced by virtual classrooms--some schools are already going that route. What's the future of teaching?
I think it is apparent that we as teachers need to keep up, even be one step ahead, of trends in learning styles and education today. Kids live in an MTV world. They expect lights and whistles, instant gratification, lots of technology, alternative ways to receive information, individualized, customized instructional methods. They didn't teach me this in my teacher prep classes. I have so much to learn.
So off to Twitter, read other's blogs, discuss in online chatrooms (we have Flat Classroom meetings in Elluminate!), monitor group projects in Wikis and maybe set up my Facebook page. Time for me to stop being "old school". But maybe I'll listen to some Pink Floyd while I'm doing it....
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
College Letters
This week my BCIS (Business Computer Information Systems) classes have been working on a project using mail merge. Their assignment was to research five colleges, universities, or career training programs they might be interested in attending, find the addresses of the Admissions Office, and write a letter requesting admissions information. This turned out to be a much harder project than expected--but not for the reasons I expected. Turns out "mailing addresses" in this day and age of e-mailing and Iming, is an alien concept to our teenagers. They had a very difficult time even recognizing the mailing address when I pointed it out to them. Is mailing a letter becoming an obsolete function? I had a student ask me why we even wanted to send a letter instead of an e-mail. When I asked her why, she told me letters weren't "real". The students were surprised that we were ACTUALLY mailing the letters. I received envelopes written in pencil, envelopes addressed to themselves with the mailing address in the return address spot, addresses that included phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and smiley faces. A skill not taught? A skill not practiced? A skill needed in the real world?
We spend a lot of time in education in Texas talking about the need for stronger math and science programs, about AP Tests, about writing skills, about TAKS. But are we failing our students when 15, 16, 17 year olds can't address an envelope?
Perhaps we are at the point in Web 2.0 world where communicating by mail is obsolete. Maybe I am just of another generation. What do you think?
Mail me a letter :) 1618 Cottage Landing Ln. Houston, TX 77077
We spend a lot of time in education in Texas talking about the need for stronger math and science programs, about AP Tests, about writing skills, about TAKS. But are we failing our students when 15, 16, 17 year olds can't address an envelope?
Perhaps we are at the point in Web 2.0 world where communicating by mail is obsolete. Maybe I am just of another generation. What do you think?
Mail me a letter :) 1618 Cottage Landing Ln. Houston, TX 77077
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
From a Sea of Faces, Individuals Emerge
T minus just over a month left in my student teaching assignment.
The first week I was here, I had trouble distinguishing any of my students. They all looked alike, and generic. They are mostly hispanic, they dress like your typical high school students in jeans and t-shirts. I had to have my seating chart out every day to take roll. I teach 5 class periods; all but one has 24 students. How do you keep them all straight?
Little by little, the individuals emerged. There is Shane the tuba player in first period, sharp as a tack but with attitude. Always the first one done, but never done completely right. Bored, all the time. Started giving him extra work! There are the Anas, now "Ana Basketball" and Ana Tigrette" who sit in the same seat in first and third. There is Jose the talkative in sixth and Jose the quiet in first. There is Carlos, who gives me free sandwich coupons, and Lauren, who wants to be a cosmetologist. There are the sad stories-the girl in first period who is in the hospital with uncontrolled diabetes, who takes care of her baby, her mother who is on dialysis, and her younger brother. The very pregnant 16 year old in sixth period who has just been put on bed rest, her baby is due in 2 weeks. How do they cope and stay in school? Some of them have obstacles I can't even imagine.
In short, they've become people to me, not just faces. I am going to miss all of them when I leave in a month. I have heard high school teachers say they don't really "know" their students, that it is hard to form relationships when you see them for only 50 minutes a day. These students of mine WANT to have personal relationships with their teachers. They are so pleased when I remember that they play the drums, or want to be a fireman. it's definitely a lesson I will take with me when I leave.
So here's to Yuvanelli the Spanish poet, Mario who is a flirt and wants to be a teacher, Steve who owns 44 pairs of sneakers, even Ryan who threw his cell phone across the room and stomped out of class a couple of weeks ago (bless him--PLEASE--he transferred schools after that episode). They are all unique, special, and important in this world. They deserve to be treated as such by teachers.
The first week I was here, I had trouble distinguishing any of my students. They all looked alike, and generic. They are mostly hispanic, they dress like your typical high school students in jeans and t-shirts. I had to have my seating chart out every day to take roll. I teach 5 class periods; all but one has 24 students. How do you keep them all straight?
Little by little, the individuals emerged. There is Shane the tuba player in first period, sharp as a tack but with attitude. Always the first one done, but never done completely right. Bored, all the time. Started giving him extra work! There are the Anas, now "Ana Basketball" and Ana Tigrette" who sit in the same seat in first and third. There is Jose the talkative in sixth and Jose the quiet in first. There is Carlos, who gives me free sandwich coupons, and Lauren, who wants to be a cosmetologist. There are the sad stories-the girl in first period who is in the hospital with uncontrolled diabetes, who takes care of her baby, her mother who is on dialysis, and her younger brother. The very pregnant 16 year old in sixth period who has just been put on bed rest, her baby is due in 2 weeks. How do they cope and stay in school? Some of them have obstacles I can't even imagine.
In short, they've become people to me, not just faces. I am going to miss all of them when I leave in a month. I have heard high school teachers say they don't really "know" their students, that it is hard to form relationships when you see them for only 50 minutes a day. These students of mine WANT to have personal relationships with their teachers. They are so pleased when I remember that they play the drums, or want to be a fireman. it's definitely a lesson I will take with me when I leave.
So here's to Yuvanelli the Spanish poet, Mario who is a flirt and wants to be a teacher, Steve who owns 44 pairs of sneakers, even Ryan who threw his cell phone across the room and stomped out of class a couple of weeks ago (bless him--PLEASE--he transferred schools after that episode). They are all unique, special, and important in this world. They deserve to be treated as such by teachers.
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