A recent online conversation about gum chewing in the classroom led into an interesting side tangent about teachers, students, respect and responsibility.


Several teachers insisted students cannot be taught to responsibly chew gum at school. One even went so far as to say it is a waste of time to try to teach students to be responsible.


Personally, I find this highly insulting to both students and teachers. If you think any part of teaching is a waste of your time, you need to find a different profession. Period. End of discussion.


Even on the worst day of my teaching career, even when all the scores on a test were low, even when behavior was roaring at an all time worst... I've never felt my efforts were a waste of time. I might feel I need to re-evaluate my strategies. I might feel overwhelmed and defeated. But at no time have I thought it was ALL for naught.


As far as gum chewing goes. Whatever... I really don't care whether a teacher allows gum or not. I am a gum chewer, so perhaps that taints my own views. I also think for active students, especially middle schoolers, chewing gum is a great release of some energy. Some research even suggests chewing gum stimulates the brain.


The real discussion point of disagreement wasn't about the gum itself though. It was whether or not students can be taught to respect school property, the classroom, and be trusted to act responsibly with gum.

I find it easy to teach students to be responsible and respectful of property but showing them HOW that looks. Often, we, as adults and teachers, make assumptions that students SHOULD know how to act, instead of gently showing them, encouraging the appropriate actions, and positively reinforcing their efforts.

At the end of each class period, take a minute or two to have students clean up. Make sure their floor area, desk, etc.. are clean. My motto is: It doesn't matter if it is yours or not, take care of it! Have students learn to automatically push chairs in when they leave a table.

Have them learn responsibility for the school at a larger level as well. When you clean lockers out, and the hall is littered with rubbish, grab THOSE boys to sweep the hall. Have students haul the garbage barrels to the dumpster.

Grab some wet cloths and disinfectant once a week or so and have students quickly clean desks or tables. Let volunteers clean boards.

When you have a 'party' or project in your classroom that creates extra waste, have students dump the extra instead of making more work for the janitors. When you notice the hallway is full of garbage or tracked dirt, grab a kid to make a quick sweep.

It doesn't take long and all those become second nature for students. It doesn't disrupt your teaching. In fact, it makes your own life easier. Students will began to automatically put materials back where they belong, take care of their own messes, and take responsibility for the classroom's 'essence'.

Teaching is more than just delivering the content. We are preparing our students to be adults, contributing members of society. We are teaching them how to be a part of something greater than themselves. It doesn't take much effort, and it makes a trickle effect larger than you can imagine. It all comes down to classroom culture and building respect, mutually, between yourself and your students. If they feel important, valued, and part of the greater whole in your classroom, the physical appearance of your classroom will reflect that. If they feel respected and valued as individuals, discipline problems will be virtually non-existent. It really is a give & get situation, a win-win for all involved on every front.

It is possible, and it is worth the time and effort. Don't sell your students short!

In his ASCD Edge blog, Walter McKenzie posed an interesting thought: Just Because We Can. McKenzie questions whether iPads for kindergartners is a good idea. His discussion points out the developmentally appropriate activities for 6 year old's versus 12 year old's, as well as using Gardner’s multiple intelligences to structure instruction for each level of learner. McKenzie is not anti-technology, but instead questions whether sometimes, as in the case of iPads in the hands of kindergartners, we do it "just because we can".







I think educators are all too often guilty of "just because we can" when it comes to technology. Technology is critical to education today. Our students live in a virtually charged world, where real time communication is the norm, where access to unlimited information is a given, and where they demand to be stimulated with the bells and whistles that come with technology. It is no longer whether or not we want to use computers in our classrooms but how can we best effectively use them.





Unfortunately, computers too often become expensive babysitters in classrooms. Students are instructed to:

-go online and research tornadoes and write 5 facts about what you learned
-create a wordle with your vocabulary words
- type your answers to the worksheet
- submit your quiz online

While all of these are valid uses of technology, none of them demonstrate an effective integration of technology as a tool to enhance learning. There is no creativity, no collaboration, no anything different than a paper and pencil assignment.

Teachers need to explore how technology can make learning more efficient, more engaging, more 21st century.

Just today, in a lesson on theoretical and experimental probability, I had students in my pre-algebra class use an online coin toss simulator to conduct and experiment. In a short time, as a small group of students, we had tossed our coin 18,00o times, proving that the greater the sample, the closer the experimental probability gets the theoretical probability. This experiment would have been overwhelmingly time consuming to do by hand. Technology allowed my students to explore and see the connection between sample sizes and probability quickly and easily. We will also explore online using spinners, dice, and other interactive tools to learn about probability in ways difficult to replicate in a real-life setting.


There are countless ways to use technology to create, collaborate and communicate. Opportunities that would not be readily accessible without computers can be proved easily in classrooms in all subjects, at all grade levels. Bloggings, wikis, video conferencing, and collaborative websites are just a few examples of how technology can dramatically change student engagement and learning outcomes.

When teacher are trained to effectively use technology, when teachers actively use technology to provide unique learning opportunities for their students, then and ONLY then, is technology worth the price.

My school was fortunate to be part of a one-to-one initiative 7 years ago. Some teachers seized the opportunity to innovatively integrate technology into their classrooms, transforming already adequate lesson plans into dynamic learning opportunities. In other classrooms, computers were used as time fillers, with little thought to how to best utilize the tools to connect their classrooms globally. Students played games, typed notes, or simply "researched".

Now, again, we are part of a grant initiative giving all students grades 7-12 a netbook. How exciting is that? Not much unless we, as educators, jump aboard the train and let the technology transform what our classrooms look like daily. Otherwise, it will be just another huge wasted expenditure of tax payer dollars.

One of the most powerful phrases a teacher can use is, "I don't know." When a student asks a question, if you are not sure of the answer, or even just simply do not know, the best response is always an honest one.

Often, teachers feel the need to be the 'know-it-all' in the equation, and ad lib answers. When those answers are inaccurate, you've done your students a major disservice. Let go of the feeling you must know every answer, and gain respect from your students. Find out together. Challenge them to find the answer on their own.

Regardless, do not ad lib, chancing you will give wrong information. This misinformation will be the one tidbit of knowledge they remember from the day.

Sitting in the back of the classroom, a different perspective is easily gained. I often think, watching different teachers teach, how I would approach their lessons differently, given the opportunity. Some things come down to teaching style with no obvious right or wrong answer. Others, I wonder if I am just overly critical (quite possibly....) and have too high of expectations.

For example, when a teacher reads the test to an entire class, explaining a large percentage of the vocabulary words in the questions, it makes me wonder about the validity of the test. It seems that this 'over' defining creates an artifical-ness in the scores on the test. If you need to explain that many words, it seems either the material has NOT been adequately taught/mastered, or the test is written at a level over the reading/comprehending level of students. Either way, it makes me wonder why give the test in the first place. Wouldn't it make more sense to reteach the material until students are comfortable and confident, or, simply rewrite the test at an appropriate level?

Test retakes in and of themselves are a critical part of the learning process. However, when retakes become the norm, the standard, the expectation, doesn't it seem that their is a simpler way to do things? Perhaps, the tests are being given before the material has been adequately taught to students. Perhaps, the tests are written poorly. Perhaps, other teaching strategies need to be implemented to meet the needs of learners. At any rate, when the majority of tests need to be regiven to the majority of students, there is obviously a systemic problem that should be addressed instead of simply retesting constantly.

I wonder how these teachers can best be helped? If they can be helped? Would requiring professional development on effective teaching, best practices, and how to engage learners make a difference?

Where is the breakdown in teaching and learning? How can we best bridge this ever-widening gap?

Today we will have our spring parent teacher conferences. I pause to reflect on my years as a parent, attending these conferences, and my many years sitting on the other side of the table, talking to parents about their students.


As a parent, going to conferences was something I did because we were supposed to. With rare exception, the comments were the same. Your daughter is doing great in class, polite, kind, works hard. The rare exceptions were my youngest daughter in her few rebellious episodes in high school, where she tried to shirk her student responsibilities and cause a few minor disruptions, slack off on a few assignments. However, she and her teachers knew, overall, she was a good kid, just needing a little prodding from home to get her back on track. Otherwise, I often wondered why I took up the time of those teachers, going to hear the praise of my children.

As a teacher, I've come to understand how it is like to sit on the other side of the table. Often, you see mostly parents of the 'good kids'. It is easy to tell them how wonderful their child is, how much they contribute to your class, how much you enjoy having them. You really don't mind these conversations. They are easy to have.

Unfortunately, you don't often see the parents of students who are struggling, or persistently disruptive. These are frequently parents who do not have positive school experiences, and therefore now, avoid school and teachers at all cost. They already know what you will say about their child, and either they simply do not care, do not know how to fix the problem or are completely overwhelmed with their role as a parent already.

When the parents you need to see do come, often the conversation is awkward. The parent may acknowledge the problems, and want to work with you to find solutions. They accept their part in their child's educational success and honestly are willing to meet you halfway to find a way to make things better. They don't blame you the teacher, but do expect you to have answers and be realistic and positive about their child. While these meetings can be difficult, as a general rule, afterwards, you see an improvement with the child's performance in the classroom. Things look better, at least for while.

Other meetings do not go as well. The parent is looking for a scapegoat. They know they have no control over the situation and instead of trying to be a part of the solution, instead, make everything worse by finger pointing at the teacher and the school. It becomes a struggle, head to head, where no one wins. The child often leaves the meeting feeling as if s/he has won, realizing that the parent and teacher are at complete odds as to what to do. The child feels IN CONTROL, knowing this battle is a win-win for them, with the parent blaming the teacher and the teacher blaming the parent, when in all actually, the blame falls on the student.

The solution? I wish I knew... but the most successful conferences I've had, even with parents of difficult students, difficult parents, start with compliments. If you as the teacher can find positive things to share about that child, you set the parent up to realize you are NOT out to get their child. If you've taken the time as a teacher to share positives all along, if you've opened the lines of communication early on, if you've established a classroom of trust and mutual respect, the difficult conversations become easier.

When nothing seems to work, it is often best to cut your losses, say something with finality but sympathy, like, "I am sorry you are upset. Maybe we can continue this conversation at another time when we both have gained a new perspective and can get together with clearer minds about your child." Shake their hand and execute an exit.

The most important part of being the teacher at the meeting? Remember that every child IS indeed special, unique and loved. The parent, truly, in their heart, wants to hear good things, know their child is success and valued at school. If you, the teacher, can meet that parent with a positive outlook towards their child, half the battle is solved before it begins.

Zoo does not even begin to describe school today. High school special education students were headed to a Transition Fair with 2 teachers tagging along. Senior bands students were in Chicago with 3 teachers tagging along. Yet another group of high schoolers were headed to a science event with another group of teachers tagging along. Not enough subs to cover the classes left behind meant the people here were left scurrying trying to cover for others. Some people left great lesson plans.. others did not. Again, leaving those here trying to piece it all together. Some scheduled subs showed up, on time, others did not. A zoo.... I am all for field trips which are meaningful for whatever reason. It may be part of the curriculum, linked directly to classroom instruction. It might be a culminating event as a celebration of some accomplishment or achievement. Again, great ideas! But why do we sacrifice the education of the students left behind for the enjoyment of the ones going on trips? Why do we leave the adult line at school skeletonized so the few can enjoy a day away? I have more thoughts on the subject but I'm off to cover for someone else again....

Yesterday, we had the pre-meeting for our annual 8th grade trip to Detroit. This 3 day trip is, for many students, the first time they've left our town/county... the first time they've crossed the Mackinac Bridge, headed downstate. It will be their first time seeing a traffic light, the first time they've travelled on a true highway with 4 lanes of divided traffic, the first time they've seen a city, a mall, or eaten at a fast food restaurant other than McDonald's. It is an exciting experience, even for me, as an adult who's been and seen and done. The traveling with a group of teenagers makes everything exciting and new to me as well. I love watching their enthusiasm and interest. Day one will get us to the big city, via about 6 hours on a comfy big yellow school bus, with a stop at a rest area to eat our sack lunches. Hotel check-in, then downtown Detroit, here we come! A ride on the People Mover will give us an overview of the city itself. A stop at the Joe Louis arena for a tour of the home of the Red Wings will be a highlight for sure! Then to Greektown for real deep dish pizza at Papa Papali's. Then.. the evening excitement?? A Tigers game at Comerica Park!! Back to the hotel for the evening.. where we will all crash, after a quick dip in the pool. The next day, up early, breakfast at the hotel. Then off to Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village! After leaving there, we will stop at Oakland Mall for dinner and finish at Joe Dumar's Fieldhouse. Friday, after packing up and breakfast, off to Detroit Zoo. After lunch at the zoo, our last stop is the Holocaust Memorial Center. An educational and fun PACKED schedule for 3 days... the long bus ride home will be filled with snoozers, I am sure! May 4, 5,6 cannot come fast enough!!!

Today, the day before spring break, the last day of the third marking period, I'd like to offer you a little magic dust.



The school year feels as if we've finally hit our groove. The kids and I understand each other. We've found our ways to get along and git 'r done, so to speak.



Some of that is attributable to them, and their determination and perserverance. I am constantly 'magic-ed' by the tenacity of some of my students and their unwillingness to let their limitations limit them. I love the excitement in their faces when they GET IT, especially when they thought they couldn't. I love the pride that shines when they earn that hard-sought, definitely earned A on an assignment, particularly a difficult one, a chapter test, or something other huge obstacle.



Some of the groove is me, finally finding my pace with them, this hodgepodge of differentness compared to years gone by. Learning to accept, but challenge, encourage but not overwhelm, be patient but relentless.... it is always a balancing act with any group of students, without a doubt, but in special ed, it seems that balance is even more tenuous than in the regular classroom.

It's been a winding road this year, with obstacles I thought I'd never climb through without dynamite.

But here we are... in the home stretch. And... we're going to make it. :)

Teaching often becomes a power struggle with the teacher trying to overcome the reticence of students to accomplish the tasks in front of them. Unfortunately, it is a battle seldom won by the teacher. We can threaten, cajole, beg, bribe.... but we can't make those horses drink from our troughs.

Sometimes, a little extra one on one attention can change the reluctance to willingness, with some students. For other students, it is almost a contest to see who can hold out the longest in the head to head competition.

There are those who think it is simple... sit next to the student and make them do the work. Sure, that might work, but what about the students who also need, but want the help as well? What about the increasing number of reluctant learners/workers in the typical classroom? Is it possible to solve all those problems all the time just by sitting one on one? In my experience, not always. While I as a teacher may be able to encourage and get a student started on an assignment, I cannot always get them to the independent working stage.

Others swear if we give students choices and options in their learning, we can engage them more readily. Sure, I agree! But reality says, I am told what I must teach by the state, and those topics are not always easily attached to some topic that interests each and every student. Sometimes, they truly must learn it because they have to. I can work to make topics relevant, real life and meaningful, as much as possible, but again, some topics lend themselves more readily to this approach. Realistically, we just don't have to explore how peripherally topics may relate to each child's individual interests.

School should be engaging. Learning should be fun. But sometimes, students just have to learn because we, their teachers, tell them to. They have to do the work because we are told we must teach it to them, because THE TEST will test them on it.

Teachers sometimes forget the most important part of teaching is not delivering the content but their relationship with their students. If you spend time developing that relationship, the content will come naturally. After all, you are an expert in your field, trained to teach that subject matter. But if you don't first develop, and constantly strive to maintain a relationship with your students, all that knowledge is wasted.


Developing those relationships successfully depending on the grade level you teach. With middle schoolers, it is all about knowing them as an individual and acknowledging their uniqueness. They want you to ask about their life outside of school; they want you to comment on their new hair cut or sneakers; they want you to laugh at their jokes.Middle schoolers want to know about your life outside of school; they want you to share bits of yourself with them; they want to laugh at your jokes.

Yelling, demeaning, threatening, intimidation.... have no place in a classroom. Humor, reasoning, logical consequences go much farther in establishing order. Choices, conversations and praise work in almost every situation.

Some teachers think by ignoring students, they can eliminate problems. In certain circumstances, sure, picking your battles, letting the little stuff go, is definitely the right option. But allowing students to rule the roost, do whatever they want, with little or no regard for the good of the all, will set up a pattern of behavior that will soon snowball out of control. Nip insubordination in the bud early, before it is out of control by establishing your role as the classroom leader, not allowing an unruly student to run the show.

If you establish your classroom as a safe zone, a place where all are accepted, all are valued, and all are treated fairly, classroom rules become irrelevant as the class itself determines the norms. The daily routine ebbs and flows with little interruption or disruption. Relationships flourish and academic achievement clippity clops along.

When you change teaching positions, often you also change classrooms. Such was the case with me this year. I moved from THE perfect room, the classroom I always wanted, ironically, back to the classroom I was in many years ago. While the 2 rooms are identical in size, the new one doesn't have a window or a sink. It also doesn't have the premier location of being in the middle of the middle school. But all that proved minor in the move. The only bad part - I inherited individual student desks instead of the 2 person tables I had before and loved.

As the year has gone by, I've gotten used to the desks... until when 3 tables were abandoned in the classroom adjoining mine! The sight of those tables there, lonely, no home, no students, no books.... I HAD to rescue them. RIGHT?

I talked to my kids in Guided Study and asked how they felt about switching. They LOVED the idea and we were off, hauling, rearranging, shoving tables this way and that, until they got everything just how they wanted it. The girls all chose to sit around the square tables in the back, while my boys lined across the front set of tables. They chose who to sit next to, and argued over which of the mismatched chairs they would claim as their own.

For the first time all year, it feels like home :) The kids love the change, and for me, it's like a step back in time. Funny how a few mismatched pieces of furniture can change a room from a classroom to a home!

I spent the first part of this week giving the ACT/MME to some of our juniors. The group I was with were 4 students who were allowed time and half as an accomodation for the tests. As the room supervisor for these tests, I had to monitor to make sure students were on the correct test, record the actual times each student took and each particular part of the test, and make sure nothing disrupted their testing environment.

Sounds like a pretty sweet gig, doesn't it? Sit back, relax... 3 days of pretty much nothing to do in the morning except watch the clock.

Let me tell you this! That clock ticked slower and slower and slower, with every passing second. Not allowed to read, use a computer, or do anything other than sit and watch those kids was about as boring as it can get. But it did give me time to think an awful lot about those tests, their implications for students and teachers, their cost, and their actual worth.

My 4 students were all great kids, kids I remember from middle school fondly. Maybe 1 of the 4 will go to college. For the others, for a variety of reasons, college is not a realistic goal. Would I give any of them a letter of recommendation to an employer? Hands down, a resounding YES. Any of them would make a terrific employee, dedicated, responsible, and model of what an employee should be.

So we spent 3 days testing these kids, using a test that is supposed to indicate whether or not their teachers have taught them the Michigan Merit Curriculum ( a 4 year plan, of which they've had 2 1/2 years worth so far) and give colleges a predictor of their potential success at their institute.

Day one, most of them gave their tests an honest effort. They read the questions, pondered their responses, and did their best. Day two, I could see their interest waning. They said the tests were more difficult, but I don't know. By Day three, they were just filling in bubbles. They were tired of sitting in those same hard, uncomfortable chairs for hours on end. They were tired of trying to read and understand question after question. They were tired, mentally and physically. Any initial motivation they had was gone, and they were simply going through the motions.

I don't blame the kids. I don't blame their parents. I blame Mr. Congressman and Mrs. Researcher. I challenge ANY elected official, any person who thinks these high stakes tests are accurate, reliable, an efficient use of time and money... to come take the tests. YOU, yes YOU, come sit in those miserable desks for 3 mornings in a row. You bubble in those little ovals. You sit there, waiting for the last person to be done, another hour after you've finished YOUR test. You sit there, take that test, all those different 10 tests that make up this particular battery, and let's see how much honest effort YOU want to put in. Then, try and think back to when you were 16, 17 years old... and reflect on how you might have done on those tests if you were one of these kids, not college bound, not one of the top, brightest students in the class, one of those who works hard, tries to be successful, but all that hard works garners you a C at best. And think..... how would you feel about that test?

Sometimes we spend too much time focusing on the rain, forgetting that there really is always a silver-lining to the cloud above. At this point in the school year, I'd like to pause, reflect and think about the good things of my new position.

One of the best parts of taking on this new position has been the challenge of doing things differently, looking at school from a different perspective, and stopping to really reflect on the true purpose of education and the implications standards and accountability have on the lowest students of the pecking order. It is easy to get into a rut of doing the same thing, year after year, teaching to the 'norm', cruising along expecting them 'all' to get it, pushing forward regardless. But working with special education students has caused me to stop and think critically about what I teach, how I teach it, and the consequences of them not getting it. I've been forced to rethink how I do things, and change my standard go-to methods. Regardless of where next year, or the next, may find me, I have a new lease on teaching, one that will carry me into where ever the next part of my journey may lead.

The kids on my caseload remind me daily to not take for granted the things which come easy to me. To watch a student struggle daily with the simplest of tasks is painful at best. I have one girl who works very hard, but simply cognitively, cannot understand basic math. When asked what half of ten is, she struggles to answer. When shown her 10 fingers, shown her two hands, she still does not grasp that 5 is half of 10. But, next year, she will go to high school algebra. Anotehr young man could not log onto the computer, even when reminded his password was a certain number followed by his first name. He goes by a nickname, and even at 15, does not know how to spell his first name - a simple one. Others try hard, but without constant reminders of the steps of mathematical processes, they get lost, forget, simply cannot follow along. But, they will all go to algebra in high school next year. I am amazed at the determination and the willingness to continue to try that many of these students exhibit day after day, failure after failure. They want so badly to please, to be successful, but because of the luck of the draw and the narrow-mindedness of the state implemented curriculum, they are constantly failing. From them, I learn humbleness, daily.

I've come to realize, this year, how much student relationships mean to me, and to teachers in general. Until you find ways to connect on a real level with your kids in your classroom, you will never reach them academically. The old saying goes, "Kids don't care how much you know until they know how much you care, about them." is true.. so true... I wish I could somehow impart that into teachers everywhere, that want to know students on a real and personal level. If we could ever achieve that, I truly believe education would soar.

Through the bad times, it is easy to forget to focus on the good. This year HAS had many high points, many kids who've touched me deeply, and for that I am grateful.

Teachers live and teach in their own Utopian Worlds, behind closed doors, assuming behind each and every other closed classroom door teaches another equally motivated, dedicated and inspiring teacher. We defend the honor of educators everywhere, assured in our own minds that all are on an even keel, providing a quality educational experience for students.

When that boat is rocked for a teacher, the overwhelming incompetence of colleagues can be a shocking awakening to our secure existences. Suddenly, the reports we see on the news, the attacks on public education, all the negativity seems plausible. We question our own worth. We question our faith in the all.

I've loved teaching from the moment I set foot in a classroom. From the first time I was in a middle school classroom during my student teaching days, I knew that THIS was what I was meant to do. I've loved the kids, the subjects I've taught, and the never-ending excitement of my chosen career path. I've often remarked I can't believe they PAY ME to do this.

I lived in my own closed door world of Utopia. I thought every other teacher had the same ideals, the same dedication, the same drive to provide the best possible opportunity for their students.

Then, my world changed. I saw into the classrooms of others. Some teachers I've watched teach with a fever and dedication that shames my own methods. I watch and learn in awe of their knowledge, their passion and their constant drive for their own excellence to shine in their classrooms. I leave those classrooms as inspired as the students, feeling as if I've grown as a person just by having witnessed that person teach and share their love of subject matter with their students. These are the superstars of education, the ones who should earn the Grammy or Oscar of our profession.

Other classrooms, I see teachers who are adequate, getting their students from point A to point B, with little inspiration or flare, but with a certain safe and guaranteed plan that in and of itself offers security for students in those classes. These are teachers who teach, convey content, and earn their paycheck, day by day, lesson by lesson.

Then, there are the classrooms where every day, a part of my teacher heart dies, withering into oblivion, watching the incompetence, the slacking, the willingness to just get by that is exhibited by these teachers. I watch students flounder in the chaos, struggling to make it through yet another hour entrusted to this adult.

and I miss my own Utopia, my own little world of oblivion... that secure planet I taught on for so long....

When it comes to dealing with students, THEIR PERCEPTION IS OUR REALITY. Too often, we as teachers, forget that regardless of what our intent is, the only thing that really matters, is how our students perceive our intentions.


If we deal with a student harshly, they think we hate them. Rarely is that the actual case, but once a student decides their teachers hates them, the cycle becomes difficult to break. The student finds reasons to believe this hatred exists in even the most mundane of comments and actions. The more they are convinced of the hate, the more their own actions stir the pot. Reacting to this negativity, the teacher compounds the problem, reinforcing the student's belief.


If a student thinks the teacher doesn't have faith in their ability to be successful, the student becomes less likely to try, therefore, zeroing in on their own self-fullfilling prophecy. As the student's grades suffer, they are certain the teacher finds their ability less than par, and find more reasons to slack in the class.


On the other hand, if our students think we like them, think we have faith in them, think we enjoy our jobs and being with them, we set up a pattern of happiness and success in our classrooms. The more we project our enjoyment of being with our students, the more we show we believe in their potential, the more we expect from them, the harder they work to live up to those expectations. The harder they work, the more successful they become. The more successful they become, the happy we are with our jobs. The happier we, their teachers are, the happier our classrooms are. The happier our classrooms are, the more learning happens there.

Seems like a pretty easy win/win scenario doesn't it????

The key to success in teaching is not necessarily the same as the key to success in other professions. For most careers, it seems a drive to be the best, the willingness to work to achieve that top spot, coupled with the necessary training/schooling, can successfully lead you to your goals.

Effective teaching seems to be a bit more intangibly based. When I think about the difference in effective and ineffective teachers, two things seem to be the key to their differences.

The biggest component I see in effective teachers is the self-reflective piece of the puzzle. Great teachers spend time on a regular basis looking at what they've done in class, looking at their students' achievements, thinking about what worked well, what things were close but not quite, and most importantly, what is not working at all. They consider academics, of course, the lessons themselves, the assessments, the projects. But more importantly, they look at classroom management. How are they relating to their students, how can those relationships be improved, and what their personal role in the shortcomings of the interactions are.

The second part of effective teaching is humbleness -a willingness to admit your shortcomings, a willingness to admit you don't know all the answers, and most of all, a willingness, even a drive, to change. Teachers who are effective seek out those wiser than they themselves are, trying to find solutions beyond those in their own toolbag. They ask for advice, constructive criticism, and direction in their classrooms. They want to learn, grow and become more than the mundane.

If self-reflection and humbleness are truly the keys to effective teaching, can we teach all teachers to have those traits? Can we somehow encourage them, cultivate them, and require them? Is that possible?

Rereading my most recent posts, I feel the despair and downtrodden-ness taking over. I started my blog as an honest attempt to share what it is like to teach middle school- the good, the bad and the ugly. I've been forgetting to share the GOOD parts.


and even on my worst day, there are good parts...

Today in 6th grade social studies, we reviewed for tomorrow's chapter test on the physical geography of Latin America. I've taught this unit, and loved being back really teaching kids, so I want them to do well on the test. It will be their first test this year they cannot use their notes on, so many of them are unprepared for the reality of commiting new information to long term memory. The test is very basic though. A few vocab words, a map of some important places and landforms of the area, and some short answer questions. An embarassingly easy test, with one 'essay' question asking them simply to recount somethings they learned about the rainforest.

I want them all to be successful on this, their first attempt to take a real test. Using your notes on a test doesn't require you to store information, it just requires you to take good notes. By scaffolding their learning, making this test a simple one, I hope to set them up to realize they CAN learn, can remember information, and can be successful.

We've studied hard for the test together. They made vocab cards, with definitions of the terms, as well as pictures, to help them remember. We organized our notes on a foldable. We've practiced locating the places on a map multiple times. Each student located the places on his own map, as well as contributed to a larger hand drawn group map, locating those and other places. We played vocabulary bingo, we played a review game together today, go over and over the questions/vocab words they were struggling with. I tried to give them visual clues to help them distingush between words they were confusing - tributary and estuary... a TRIBUTary conTRIBUTes to a larger river. We drew it, repeated it, talked about it.

Tomorrow will be the test. We will see. Some of them have sat, refused to participate, even in the fun activities. Others, have shown their eagerness to learn, their willingness to tackle a challenge. I am anxious to see what they have learned.

Then... what comes next? The other teache
r will go back to teaching. I will go back to being the sidekick. I hope I've made a small contribution to his journey as a new teacher, helping him with some ideas of how things can be done differently in social studies. Maybe that's the true test in this project... not what the students learned, but what he learned, and how this impacts his relationship with the students?

Regardless of the outcome, I have loved being the real teacher again, loved connecting with the kids, loved sharing knowledge with them and seeing their excitement to learn.

I've come to the conclusion that I am a wasted paycheck this year. Because I have a special education degree, I fill a quota instead of really teaching kids.

We call it inclusion, co-teaching, servicing students in the least restrictive environment; in reality, it means my days are mundane, the needs of many of my students remain unmet, and I feel like a cow, wandering the field, chewing on grass, never really doing anything worthwhile or exciting, just waiting until slaughter day.

Today is an ordinary day, much like the past 20 weeks of school has been filled with. I started the day in a high school history classroom where students were watching a movie on the Great Depression. I sat with the handful who were not allowed to watch the movie because they either didn't bring a permission slip or couldn't behave.

Second hour, I am in a 6th grade social studies classroom. Today, we had a middle school assembly in the auditorium that lasted nearly the entire hour. Together, the co-teacher and I walked the 20 students in our class down to listen the presentation. Afterwards, we herded them back to the classroom, where we spent the last 15 minutes playing a quick vocabulary BINGO.

Third hour, I actually have my own class. WOOHOO. 8th grade prealgebra with 10 labeled students I am entrusted with to prepare for high school Algebra next year. Some days, things go well. Other days, it is a waste of effort for me and my students. We are learning to find GCF's of pairs of numbers and monomials, as well as algebraic expressions. For this group of students, who have such low numerical skills they don't understand that dividing by 2 is the same as taking half of something, or that half of 10 is 5, or the difference in even and odd numbers, this is liken to torture. They don't know their multiplication facts, but are allowed to use calculators. But a calculator can't lead their way from 80 + 5x to 5(16 + x). We draw factor trees, we talk about strategies, we work problems through together, but the bottom line? They simply cannot do the work. It is too difficult for them.. and that is the ones who actually care and try to do it. Many simply look at it, watch me explaining the process, and tune it all out, choosing to simply breathe instead of try.

Fourth hour, I am in an Earth Science 8th grade class. We finished watching a video on the history of the earth we started earlier. Then, the remainder of the hour, we watched clips from the Weather Channel, including a horse making a snow angel.

Now, it is lunch time, and I sit at my desk, pondering my worth, wondering if I accomplished anything worthwhile today.

Co-teaching can sometimes be worthwhile, when I know what the grand plan is, and can work to help my students master what is being taught. Unfortunately, that is rare. I usually walk in the door with students, wondering what is going on that hour. Things that would help my students be more successful in regular ed classes - organizers for their notes, study guides for tests, rewriting tests - those things happen only when I am in the planning loop for the classes and have time to create those aids. Reality? That doesn't happen. I see the test when they see it.

My own prealgebra class is like trying to teach Greek to a donkey. The divide between where these students came to me, and where they need to be at the end of the year is too huge a gap to bridge.

I am disappointed in my own lack of ability to overcome, my sinking into an abysmal hopelessness like many of my students. I took this position thinking I could make a difference, thinking somehow, I could help these students achieve. In reality, I am just a bean to be counted, a degree that keeps the school in compliance, saying these kids are being serviced, when in reality, they are being left behind.

As time goes by, I become more and more disgruntled with school, teachers, adminstrators, students and parents. It seems like an endless blame game where no one wants to accept their role/responsibility in the ultimate outcome - educating students and preparing them for the future.

My group of guided study kids just left after what was essentially a wasted hour. Three girls were completing a timeline for science class. The actual process of putting it together was nothing more than reading and following directions but of course, they did it mostly wrong. The directions said one thing, the teacher told them something else, and the final product was a combination of the written instructions, what they thought they were told to do, and their own creative interpretation of how to complete the assignment, which boiled down to just getting something written on the paper and let's color some so it looks good. Forget the higher purpose of the project - to see the various eras in the Earth's history in scale - the way they had them on the paper there was no gleaning anything from the assignment. I am disappointed in their lack of personal responsibility, frustrated that the instructions were confusing and conflicting, and that something that could have turned into a learning experience was treated as busy work for 2 class periods of science, and now, another class period of guided study. They never even got to complete the 'what did you learn' part of the project, and even if they had, I am sure the learning was minimal at best. Even for the brighter kids in the class, the learning component was shallow. As I listened to one group writing their final paragraph about what they learned, the writer tossed out her funny quips of what she really learned - "if you step on the strip of paper, it will rip" and "meter sticks and yard sticks are not the same thing". Then she confessed that she knew what TO write - she understood what the project was supposed to teach her, though she really had learned nothing in the 2 class periods devoted to the project. So, she wrote down the basic objectives, flowered with some 'good kid' language, to ensure her group got their 'A'.

But back to guided study, and the wasted hour....

Another girl & boy sat coloring, yes coloring... their French assignment. French is an elective, but truly, it is a worksheet class. The volume of paper given in that class is overwhelming. Search a words, crosswords, coloring sheets and fill in the blanks. My kids can't even begin to keep up with the work load!

Two boys took their math quiz from when they were absent. Check - we accomplished something! But neither brought anything else from when they were absent. They assured me their other classes did nothing while they weren't there. Great... wonderful... peachy....

Another girl sat quietly reading her book. She's a voracious reader, to a fault.

Now, I sit in my prep hour, listening to one teacher screaming at his class to be quiet, another, the door keeps opening and slamming closed with kids wandering in and out at will, squeaking up and down the hall noisely in their sneakers, avoiding returning to class, more students out of the room than in.

It seems for more than not, the school day is something to be endured. Teachers show up late, leave at the bell, do as little as possible to make it through each hour. Students show up intermittenly, some missing what adds up to months of school each year.

When did school become a punishment for us all?? When did it become not fun?? What HAPPENED?

The ubiquitous white 3 x 5 notecard. Given to students to 'take notes' to use as a study help on a test.

In theory, a great idea. It teaches students to summarize, consolidate, and best of all, to STUDY. Just the process of sorting through to select the important info to include on the card, and the process of writing those notes is often enough to help students be more successful on the test.

Unfortunately, for many students, note taking is like black magic. How do you decide what IS important and what is NOT important? How to you find answers to questions when you really aren't sure about the question in the first place?

Education is failing so many students. I am failing so many students. 8th graders who can't read. 8th graders who don't understand the basics of what most 5th graders know. 8th graders who are so conditioned for failure they do not even try to experience success.

I feel helpless and hopeless. Today is the last day of semester one. Are these kids really anywhere ahead of where they were in September?