September 2012
19 posts
1 tag
Tumblr Teacher: Girl with a Lesson Plan: I feel... →
girlwithalessonplan:
Because I honestly feel like an academic.
I am not just an English teacher; I am a scholar of English.
I have an advanced degree in English. I read academic journals on effective teaching of English. I have won an award for a paper I wrote on teaching literature.
It feels like a slap in the…
This has been the sentiment quickly growing within our faculty since the...
August 2012
40 posts
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Tired Teacher is Tired
My schedule this year gives me zero time during the day for planning and mental regrouping. One day gives me planning at the end of the day when I am mentally exhausted. The other day gives me 45 minutes at 10am. That’s my lunch time. It’ always a working lunch. And sometimes a walking lunch when I have to run errands.
Hitherto Unexplored.: [Bi-]weekly email to... →
hithertokt:
I just replied to an email from a concerned parent asking if her son was doing his work. I haven’t assigned any homework, you see, so short of her 9th grade teenager communicating to her what he did in class that day (lolz), it stands to reason she’d be completely in the dark about what we’re…
I attempted sending email updates last year, but I found it often fell off my...
Angry Little Dad: Turns out my sixth graders... →
angrylittledad:
Turns out my sixth graders really love stamps. I would not have known that, but I decided to go around and stamp their work if it was completed and they would put it in their notebooks to be created at a later time.
The only stamp I have is one with my last name is really small letters that was…
I do the same thing (minus the singing - no one needs to be tortured by my...
Tomes Away From Home: Two essay grading tips →
tomesawayfromhome:
1. Use a rubric to help streamline the process. Teach your students the rubric so they understand and therefore meet your expectations. My writing rubric includes things like:
“selection of topic and its treatment” (clearly defined topic, ideas demonstrate independence and insight into the…
Rubrics save my sanity and avoid student arguments.
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Everytime someone at work mentions...articles,...
teachingtoday:
But I try not to be too obnoxious by saying “I heard about/saw/read that” every time.
Story of in-service week!
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Reinforced Today
Start of class procedures.
No homework? Fill out a Pink Slip. They have to give a reason for not having the homework done. Some common reasons are listed, but they also have space for “other”. Provides a measure of accountability, and gives me documentation for conferences. Pretty sure I found this idea on tumblr, but not sure who posted it!
Participate! Make mistakes! Find...
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Intro to Science Class
This is what we did.
Went over some of the required yet boring paperwork (syllabus, parent contact sheet, etc).
Gave them a challenge: Line up as fast as you can according to height. Next, line up as fast as you can according to birthday WITHOUT TALKING. After the first few moments of “wha?!”, they all did pretty well. As a wrap up to that activity, I showed them how they used skills...
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My First Day was better than your First Day
Because I got to wear a t-shirt and jeans. Principal’s orders. Yeah, so it took the fun out of attempting to be a fashionable teacher, but come on, t-shirt and jeans!
It also turned out to be helpful because we spent most of our day dealing with an emergency situation. The t-shirts were comfy as we spent the afternoon sweating in the stadium, and they made it super easy to ID the teachers.
...
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Students Start Tomorrow
Am I ready? Nope. I’ll be ready by sometime next week.
The room is in as good as it’s gonna get condition. The first few days are planned and copied. But I keep coming up with new ideas! And ideas for things I forgot! And then I forget those ideas.
It’s going to be a spastic week. Here goes nothing.
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Reading Strategy Paper Saver
Our high school is requiring us to implement a new active reading strategy. The new requirement calls for students to circle, underline, and box-in certain things in the text, and we are required to use it at least once a week. They gave us templates to paste text excerpts into and then print out. Here is the problem: I teach 160+ students, and the school has no money for extra paper. If I’m...
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It’s been non-stop busy since back-to-school inservice started this past Tuesday. Lists help clear my mind, so here goes:
The Good: - Our Earth Science team works together like a dream. - Principal gave everyone new t-shirts with the new school slogan: “Show your pride! Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Productive!” This is very similar to my standard classroom expectations, so...
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soak it in: An uplifting night →
lhuddles:
Yesterday, for my kids’ first homework assignment, I sent home a parent information sheet (a “tell me about your child” sheet, if you will). The kids loved it and stopped glaring once they realized that it wasn’t so much homework for them (just responsibility, really) but more so for their…
Great ideas! I think I might adopt both!
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One Day Down
Meetings lasted from 8AM till 2PM. My husband and I stayed until 5PM prepping my classroom. Freshman orientation is TOMORROW, and I was allowed/donated 3 hours to work in my room. Meetings all day tomorrow as well, leaving no time for copying the various papers they expect us to have for orientation.
This was so much less stressful when I got an entire extra week as a first year teacher.
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Here We Go
Tomorrow: First day of in-service as a returning teacher! One afternoon to get my classroom ready for…
Wednesday: Freshman orientation
Fortunately, my husband is here to help set up the room!
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Close minded people who can't debate an issue in...
jesuisuneetoile:
firstclassroom:
That is all.
Just a reminder that calling a spade a spade is not name calling. Stop being a rape apologist and people will stop attributing that label to you. Unfollowing.
Good!
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Teacher Back-to-School Do Now:
- Stop rewriting the intro unit and move on already!
Our curriculum calls for an intro unit dealing with scientific investigation. Basically a how to DO science. Teaching science skills is my biggest goal, and I have so many fun activities to accomplish this that I could fill up at least half the year. But I’ve cherry-picked my favorite activities, and it’s time to move on to the...
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Close minded people who can't debate an issue in...
That is all.
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Visited the School I'm assigned to today
ishkabibblekitsch:
So to say I’m nervous about my upcoming student teaching is probably an understatement because in truth I’m fucking terrified.
Especially since I didn’t get placed with a coordinating teacher in my own concentration. He’s awesome, but not Earth/Environmental Science. I’m just desperately hoping that I can remember enough Physics, Chemistry, and Physical Science (what even is...
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Why You Should Watch How You Say What You Say
tomesawayfromhome:
I agree with you about censorship, and the use of profanity. And, you’re right, the article in question didn’t use the f-word at anyone in particular. I didn’t read the post and fall upon my fainting couch in a dead swoon.
But the profanity in the post was used so pervasively that I felt that the validity of its argument was weakened by its lack of diction-control....
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Where are the TV shows celebrating science skills?
We have popular showcases for music talent, athletics, dancing, finding love, designing clothing, and more. I’m not saying these aren’t worthwhile talents. I’m just suggesting that we as a culture need to put some more emphasis on the importance of scientific investigation and discovery. Mythbusters is great, but let’s showcase the everyday scientists and students.
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Anybody taking part in EdmodoCon next week?
revolutionizeed:
If you have no idea what I’m talking about…check it out here!
Reblogging so I remember to look into this later. I’m planning to use edmodo for the first time this year!
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I have the principal's son in Honors English 9.
girlwithalessonplan:
“Have you ever had the principal’s kid before?” he asks?
“I did once,” he says. ”I didn’t play his son enough him ball. BAAHHHHHH. It’ll be fine. I’m excited for him.”
Good luck! You just reminded me that my principal’s oldest son starts 9th grade this year. Now I’m anxious to see my rosters!
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Got my schedule for the upcoming year. I’m no longer teaching Earth Sci II, probably because not enough students signed up for it. I’m OK with that, since I was starting to panic about not having any plans made. Note to self: work with those who are teaching it to build up resources and plans in case I teach it during future years.
Our district has A/B block scheduling. Last year, I...
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Last week I posted that my cousin was a finalist for a teaching job in VA.
She didn’t get it.
BUT they called her back today and offered her a different position, which is actually her dream job! So excited for her!
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Thrilled that I get to spend the last few days of summer with a pounding head, clogged sinuses, and a sore throat that is not responding to any medication.
Oh, and I get to do work on my grad class!
Thrilled I tell you.
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I miss XFINITY
I dislike their record keeping, but their service beats Directv hands down.
Note to self: when searching for the next abode, make sure XFINITY or some other well-known high speed Internet provider is available.
paeacefuleyes asked: TDD: Truth- What was your favorite big ah-ha moment (the light bulb coming on moment) in teaching? Dare- Respond to a post in pig latin! :)
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DIY Desk Supply Caddy
For my birthday recently, my mom got me a lazy susan and some supplies to start making something similar to this desk caddy seen at Coley’s Corner:
In addition to the supplies to make the desk caddy, she also gave me pencils, erasers, highlighters, markers, paper clips and other frequently used classroom supplies to put inside. And she bought me paint in the EXACT shades of my school...
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TDD (Kinda): Fellow cat-loving teachers, how do...
I know this is kinda gross and not really relevant, but I also know many of you (myself included) love cats. I have not lived with a cat in years, since meeting my husband. He has allergies, thus we have no cat.
Perhaps that is causing my nose to be overly sensitive to the leftover litter box smell in the house we are now renting. For some unknown reason, the owner kept her cat’s box in the...
incognerdo asked: Truth: First day jitters the second year.... easier to deal with than the first year or just as bad?
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TDD: If money/travel/all that wasn't an issue,...
Hawaii (the Big Island)! It is THE place to be for studying Earth Science.
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An open suggestion to administration/people in...
incognerdo:
In my four years of teaching, I have been in three different school districts in two different states. This, my fifth year, will put me in school district number 4. As the eternal “new guy,” I have experienced all types of administration and their various ideas of helping out us new people. Some have been extremely helpful. Others… well… not so much.
Many of them have been...
