December 2012
3 posts
2 tags
I'm currently researching
Parental involvement in education. And of course all the articles agree that parents being involved in their student’s education will improve the student’s chance of success.
But I’m also finding in all the articles that it’s essential for teachers to make parents feel like they can be involved and communicate with them a lot.
This is something that I hadn’t really...
Each student learns differently
If there is a spectrum of learning in the classroom, then there should also be spectrum of teaching to help ALL students succeed.
3 tags
I'm reading an interesting article
About the differences and effectiveness of process vs. skills teaching.
Process is letting the students do the work and check against each other. In this method, the teacher is less authoritative. It works best when students already have a solid knowledge base.
Skills is directly explaining everything with a lot of structure. The teacher is more authoritative in this method. It works best for...
November 2012
1 post
1 tag
October 2012
5 posts
2 tags
high lights of observation today
thatspookytrickster:
i went back to the elementary school today!
as i was walking up to the class, a boy from the class next door saw me and said
Boy: That’s really cute. Me: What is? Boy: Your shoes! What is it? Me: Oh, it’s from YoGabbaGabba. Boy: Foofa?! Me: Yeah!
once i got to class, i saw at one of the tables in the back. tanya went up to me and said hi, then went back to her table. a...
3 tags
LITTLE KIDS ARE SO CUTE
I observed at an elementary school for the first time and WOW what a bunch of cuties!
There’s 12 students, 3rd-5th grade, all with disabilities. But to be honest, if you didn’t tell me that, with 90% of the kids, I’d have a hard time telling that they a disability or if they were just over active little kids.
A few of them stood out to me. Jason, a 5th grader seemed very...
1 tag
WOW
I had TOTALLY given up on Bridgeway Elementary already, but the principal totally called me back yesterday! She emailed the special ed teachers, and one of the teachers emailed me back!
I think I’ve secured my second setting.
“You have to have a tight grip on the reins, then at the end, loosen up. If you...”
– My dad
2 tags
Observation day 1 RCHS
Ms. Brian is younger than expected but very nice. Her students have intellectual disabilities and learning disabilities. I don’t know what I was expecting to see, but there’s no visible difference between these students and typically developing students.
When Ms. Brian left the room, the students shot a bunch of questions at me about who I am and why I’m here. One of the girls,...
September 2012
7 posts
1 tag
THANK YOU MS. CAMPBELL!
The vice principal that I met with just this morning, set me up with a teacher to observe! I’m going to start observation next thursday (since i have two tests this thursday)
“Rather than blaming the students for educational failure, adults in the school...”
– Ghetto Schooling: A Political Economy of Urban Education Reform by Jean Anyon (via cherikkou)
1 tag
Getting closer to observation
I set up an appointment to see the assistant principal on Monday morning at River City High School. I turned in a form to set up an appointment to see the principal of Bridgeway Island Elementary School.
And I called Solano Middle School because I was getting desperate and no one picked up and the voicemail was full.
Seriously, the only good administration is ACHS.
1 tag
Although I haven't worked at any other school,
I have dealt with other administrations at different schools. And by far, American Canyon High School is my favorite. They’re nice, helpful, reply in a timely fashion.
They’re just great, great people over there! For example, I left a message at ACHS yesterday, asking if I could do some observation of students with disabilities and then today, the head of the special education...
1 tag
Education of Students with Disabilities
“A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.”
This is why I don’t want to teach college. Once you’re there, you’ve made it. You may not have it made, but you know what you’re doing, you know how to get places even if it may not be that easy.
At the high school level, there are students who simply don’t get it. It’s...
August 2012
3 posts
1 tag
Time to start using this blog again!
I’m taking two education classes this semester (possibly three) and I’m really excited about it! I’ve been taking math classes all of my academic career, but I’ve never taken a class that teaches me how to teach.
The first is Health Education. Although the course seems really relaxed and easy, I think it could be really interesting. I’ll have to get CPR certified to...
1 tag
Tenure
Tenure is great for teachers that are actually good and deserve it.
Tenure is not great for bad teachers. Because once bad teachers get tenure, they’re getting amazing benefits and retirement packages just for being around for a long time, and not actually performing well.
And that’s not even the worst of it. Once you get tenure, it’s practically impossible to get fired. So a...
1 tag
I never really thought about having to write a...
I mean I’ve thought about “oh man how will I know what to teach and when to teach it” but not actually sitting down and writing it.
I personally like shorter syllabuses. None of that “I went to college here and received a degree in this” type thing. Pretty short on the rules, because there are some really general ones that are already assumed, like raise your hand if...
July 2012
2 posts
1 tag
Other factors that I might have overlooked
Sexism
I never really considered this since I’ve never encountered it, but maybe it does have a significant role. Women and girls aren’t supposed to like math (and science, but that’s not what I’m talking about right now). And I don’t exactly know why. But now that I think back, most of my math teachers have been men. Perhaps girls are (still) being discouraged from...
1 tag
Math is a language that we're taught to hate.
When you’re young, it’s easier to absorb a language. A 5 year old learning Spanish from Dora will probably be more successful than a high school student in a Spanish class.
But math is something that people lose patience with. They don’t know how to teach it to their children, so the kids never learn it.
Then you have movies and shows where the main character is just barely...
June 2012
2 posts
1 tag
Today was my last day at ACHS
It was a little slow in the morning, but I can always count on Morgan and Jennifer to ask me for help in 6th period.
I’ve found myself getting a little apathetic about going around to help the students. But that’s mostly because the only work these kids even have is extra credit. If you’re in a supplemental algebra 1 class in high school, you’re not doing extra credit. I...
1 tag
Destiny: She said I stole her microwave!
Destiny: Why would I steal that shit?
Destiny: MY MICROWAVE GOES SO HARDER THAN HER MICROWAVE.
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“You know what we need to bring back? Walk it out.”
– Destiny
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Destiny: I look so dumb in the yearbook.
Mac: Just the yearbook?
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Nahomy: I will bite you.
Destiny: If you bite me I will bite you!
Nahomy: WHAT YOU THINK I WONT
Destiny: But then we'll be biting each other like a couple of retarded dogs.
May 2012
30 posts
2 tags
Nahomy picked up Janelle
The smallest girl in class and dropped her ass first into the recycling bin.
1 tag
But that means
He’s not teaching his alg 2 classes for the rest of the year.
Smh
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His algebra 2 classes
Don’t need to take the final if they don’t want to. If they like their grade, they can just take it.
Otherwise they can risk it to improve their grade.
1 tag
“Why did I think high school would be fun?”
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I recognize a lot of students in 1st period
This is an Algebra 1 class so a lot of kids from supplemental are in here.
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Positive reinforcement
goes a long way when you’re teaching. Encouraging the student does more that punishment ever will. It never occurred to me that it goes the other way too.
The so called intelligence of a student means nothing to me. Someone who understands things right away is no better than anyone else. What matters is your willingness to learn and your willingness to put in the work.
I’ve come...
Anonymous asked: When are you going to visit a REAL teacher?
1 tag
Morgan said
That over summer she’s going to a Nickleback concert.
The students recognize me
And wave to me in the hallways. One guy that asks for help a lot it really excited when he saw me walking to the classroom. “Oh yeah, today is the day you come!”
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The class's average GPA is 0.8
Mac told me that his students are lazy and pointed out the students that would actually do their work, saying that I was better off just helping them.
But that’s so messed up! The ones that aren’t doing their work are the ones that need your help the most! With a little more attention, they can be productive too.
I'm pretty sure
That it’s illegal for the teacher to leave his students alone in the room, since he’s liable for them or something.
1 tag
The students come to me first when they need help
And I can understand why. Mac is really intimidating and has very little patience.
1 tag
These kids
Are friggin selling phones in class
What the hell
sonder
dictionaryofobscuresorrows:
n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in...
2 tags
I left early
No one was coming into Mac’s class for access. Plus, one of the students (Isabella [part of Mac’s bet last week]) came in and started talking about the guy she used to like and this new girl that he supposedly likes?
Anyways, Isabella and Mac (THE FRIGGIN’ TEACHER) went out to go spy on him. I swear he’s like a teenage girl. I’m still counting this as the full hour...
1 tag
A police officer came in
And talked to Destiny in the hall for a while…. Wonder what that was about.
Later, Destiny told Nahomy that she looked like Mexican Velma from scooby doo
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Supplemental
Morgan and Jennifer needed help on their algebra 1 test so I helped them. Morgan works crazy fast so i had to encourage Jennifer because she felt bad that she was working slowly.
I also asked Mac if he’d write my teaching letter of recommendation and he said yes!
I finally worked up the courage
To ask my calc teacher if he would write my math recommendation letter and he said yes! I’ll ask Mac tomorrow if he’ll do my teaching letter.
1 tag
I helped my lab partner study today.
We went through the bones, the heart, blood cells, genetics and mitosis/meiosis.
She was having a little bit of trouble, but I kept encouraging her and eventually she got it. She also commented on the fact that it really helped that every time she got something right, not only did she get excited, but I did too. It was much better than me just saying “Yeah.. ok.. mhm..”
1 tag
My legs are still shaking
In political science, my teacher asked us to pair up and come up with the biggest problem facing our country, then present it to the class (which by the way is 50 people). We chose education and how teachers are able to get away with anything since it’s really difficult to fire a teacher. We talked for about three minutes then answered a whole bunch of questions. It’s good practice for...
1 tag
More access
Victoria and another girl walked in the classroom wearing bright pink shirts.
“On Wednesdays, we wear pink!”
She made a bet with Mac that some girl named Isabella wouldn’t come into the classroom. If she didn’t, Mac had to wear a pink shirt and tell everyone that Victoria is his best friend. If she Isabella did come in the classroom, Victoria couldn’t wear whatever...
1 tag
Access
Antonio (tony) came in for help again. He went directly to me instead of Mac for help. He worked faster this time, and he was done in 20 minutes. After I finished helping Tony, I looked around the room for anyone that needed help.
Victoria, the girl that was the first one to even get to the room, was waiting for Mac to finish talking to his football players about scouts coming to watch their...
1 tag
I think it's kind of wrong for a teacher to
be in the hall for 30 minutes on the phone for football business jokingly make a bet with the TA that your student won’t even finish 6 problems.
1 tag
Mac's phone: [rings]
Destiny: Aye, you should change your ringtone. CHANGE IT TO BOYFRIEND BY JUSTIN BEIBER.
