Today probably isn't the best day for a blog post but it isn't like me to hold back. It wasn't a bad day, just a bad attitude day, at least for me. It seemed over and over I was struck with the absurdities of school in general, the ridiculousness of what goes on there, and the wastefulness of time and resources in the name of EDUCATION.

Part of the frustration comes from being in a new position, no doubt. I feel like a fish out of water, zigzagging back and forth, here and there. I knew that would be a reality of this new job, and I accept the realities and consequences of that. However, I don't feel like I am really helping any kids, doing anything monumental for them, in any of the "inclusion" hours I have.

For the most part, the teachers have been very welcoming, offering to include me in any or all parts of their classes. But there again, I feel inadequate. What do **I** know about civics or economics that the regular classroom teacher doesn't know better? I honestly haven't even looked at the state requirements for these classes, and even if I had, I cannot be an expert in all of them, knowing exactly what is required, where to find it, and how to teach it.

Then there's my own 8th grade prealgebra class. The kids in there are all over the place skill wise, but all of them are low, very low. Like some cannot even manage to copy a problem off the board or out of the book, low... They are nice kids, sweet kids, and most of them are really trying hard to please me, to do what is asked of them. But we are struggling greatly to find a starting point to our learning. I am expected to drag them all to the point they will be ready for algebra in high school next year, somehow. I feel like I am driving the Indy 500 in a car from 1950 that has never had its oil changed or even air put in its tires in all these years, but just gets driven and driven, hoping to make it to its final destination somehow safely. And now, I am expected to win this race with it somehow.

I think if somehow we could slow down, find a logical starting point, a place where they are all comfortable, competent and confident, we could do great things together. Instead, we are floundering, try to make sense of things that make no sense.

Too many of these students have been in a self-contained special ed classroom their entire school career, and are now, tossed to the wind, taking regular classes, trying to keep their head above water. Their skills are low, their self-esteem levels are low, and their confidence is zilch. I feel badly that there is little I can do to rescue them.

So while these kids are floundering, sitting in regular ed classes all day, pretending to have a clue about what's going on, I am sitting in another classroom, in another building, doing zilcho most of the time.

I understand the importance of inclusion. I have long been an advocate for inclusion. But I think for some of these kids, that is no longer an option. They have spent too long in an isolated setting, and are ill-prepared to be out there in real classes. Wouldn't it make more sense to have me with them all day?

Inclusion is good on paper, for most kids, most of the time. But in today's educational world, where all kids must meet the same standards, expecting them to get there at the same pace as everyone else, is simply unreasonable.

Who is to blame? I don't know. Those people who sit in Lansing and Washington and points in between and think that all kids are GOING to make it through high school with these new expectations... That's where I want to start!

I am all for raising the bar, for challenging kids, for taking them as high as they can go. But reality check people. We are NOT all created equal, we are not all the same. Just as I will never be a Olympic gold medal gymnast, some of these kids are never going to make it through high school with the new requirements.

From my perspective, raising the bar for EVERYONE means lowering the bar for many in the long run. As we try to get more and more kids through a challenging curriculum, we are forced to either leave some behind, or lower the bar so they can all make it over. Either way it is a losing proposition for someone.

With high stakes tests always at the forefront of teachers' minds, it is not a surprise when some lose sight of what school IS, or at least, OUGHT to be about. We often get caught up in the mindset of "Don't smile before Christmas" and "School is for learning not fun" modes, and forget one of the fundamental 3 R's of education: rigor, relevance, and RELATIONSHIPS.

Without building a relationship, a positive, strong relationship, with our students, for many of them, the rigor and relevance of our curriculum will be lost. Not only will they shut down, refusing to entertain even the most engaging of lessons, they will likely become our worst nightmares, as far as behavior issues go.

For some teachers, building relationships with students comes easily, naturally. They honestly enjoy the age group they stand in front of each day. Conversations flow naturally, good natured joking is a two-way street, and soon, even the most reluctant learner has braved the educational waters of that teacher's curriculum.

In other classrooms, forced congeniality is the standard. While it is often obvious students and teacher are not always on the same page, a mutual respect and tolerance develops, allowing learning to take place. These teachers may just not be 'natural' born teachers, not having the knack to interact effortlessly with their clientele, but through careful deliberate planning on their part, the gap is successfully, or at least adequately bridged. Students develop a respect for these teachers, and while may never vote them their 'favorite' come to learn how to be successful behaviorally and academically.

Sadly, in a few classrooms, it is obvious the teacher has no interest in the students, personally or beyond that test score. Their interactions are limited and forced, leaving a hgue divide. Students are disruptive, afraid, intimidated, or simply unable to learn in this environment. These are the classrooms, the teachers, that make me wonder if anyone CAN be a teacher, or are some of the traits inherent that allow for successful teaching. Can we create an effective teacher from one without those natural tendencies? Can those individuals be taught the interact with their students in manner that allow them to be successful? I don't know the answer....

The kids are back!! The kids are back!! It was a great first half day, ups and downs and twists and turns, to be sure, but overall it went wonderfully.

Being in the high school is strange beyond strange. I cannot even describe what a different vibe I get over there. It isn't bad, at all. Just different. Being the 2nd string in the classroom is a new feeling as well. It will take some getting used to I am sure.

Seeing so many old faces in new places was exciting. Seeing their faces light up when they realized I would be there with them, realizing for some of them, I was their comfort zone, really melted my heart.

Seeing the 8th graders I won't have again this year, melted my heart as well.. just in a bad way. I was sad seeing all of that group I loved so much, knowing I gave up the chance to teach them again.

My own 2 classes went fine. We only had half an hour, so not much to go right or wrong. We played a couple of quick math games and just chitchatted the time away. I can tell just from the multiplication bingo we played though, some of them have skills too low to be where they are. 8th grade prealgebra is going to be so far over their heads, we are in for rough waters. I am not quite sure how to adequately prepare 8 kids for algebra 1 in high school next year, while I basically babysit 4 more, with skills so low they will NEVER be able to make it to algebra.

Being in with other teachers was always an interesting part of my job. I've long said I learned as much from the 'bad' teachers as I did from the 'good' ones. Today was no different. The way some of the teachers interacted with their new classes, making them feel wanted and welcome, versus the others, who acted as if each and every child were evil and destined to become delinquents, was just amazing. From the ones who say, "My goal is for every kid to pass" to the ones who say, "my way or the highway"... the stark contrast is simply amazing.

And...... their dealings with me are just as stark. The ones who say, "Can you help me with __________" or, we'll have to sit down and talk about how we want our class to look" to the ones who say nothing, just acting as if you are as invisible as the wall, or as evil as the students.

Ahh.. yes, it is going to be an interesting year.

The Night Before School Start
based on the original Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
or Henry Livingston with my apologies J

'Twas the night before school starts, when all through the building

Teachers were scurrying, all in the halls;

The classrooms were decorated, new posters all hung with care,

In knowing that the students soon would be there;

The children were nestled at home in their beds,

While visions of school books danced in their heads;

And me in my cutoffs, and old Packer shirt,

Had one day left to walk around not in a skirt,

When over in the office there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the doorway I flew like a flash,

Ran down the hall and into the room.

The copier was spewing papers below

Giving the look of a paper volcano ablow,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But another eager teacher with dust on her chin,

Arm full of copies, stapler and pens,

I knew in a moment how harried she was.

More rapid than eagles her feet carried her in,

And she shouted, and swore softly, and called the copier a name;

"Now, you stupid machine can’t you just do it right!

On both sides! on one side! Now please do colate!

Make the copies now! Make them, please do it for me!

Don’t jam up the paper, don’t wrinkle it so!"

As teachers will do when they know time is short,

She expertly dismantled and got out of the pickle,

So back to her classroom with copies all made,

And me back to mine to finish today.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in the hall

The slamming and bamming of each locker door.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the hall the secretary came with a bound.

She was dressed for school, from her head to her foot,

And her clothes were all tarnished with toner and chalk;

A bundle of books she had flung on her back,

And she looked like a peddler just opening her pack.

Her eyes -- how they twinkled! her dimples how merry!

Her cheeks were like roses, her nose like a cherry!

Her feet were scurrying as she carried her load,

Delivering her goods to classrooms along;

The stack of her mail perched loosely on top,

As she made her way down the hall;

She had a determined face and no-nonsense grin,

That looked plastered on with permanent pen.

Tossing and throwing books here and there,

And I laughed when I saw her, in spite of myself;

A wink of her eye and a twist of her head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her office,

And filled all the mailboxes; then turned with a jerk,

And laying her finger aside of her nose,

And giving a nod, rang the school bell just once;

She sat at her desk, and surveyed her domain,

Knowing tomorrow everything will change.

But I heard her exclaim, as I walked out of there,

"Happy SCHOOL YEAR to all, and to all a good night."

School starts next Tuesday for us, the day after Labor Day, just like always. However, we don't know what time school starts! Apparently, the union is still negotiating this issue. Come on... for crying out loud. DOES IT REALLY MATTER??

I understand the school of thought that if we give a minute here, they'll just take another one there. And, sometimes, it is probably true.

However, the ridiculousness of it all frustrates me to no end. Pick a time and go with it. A fair number of our teachers show up late no matter what the contractual start time is. Wouldn't it be more productive for both sides to deal with THAT issue instead of arguing about an arbitrary time no one abides by. Most teachers arrive early, the remainder straggle in when they get to get to school, so why waste time arguing?

It seems to me the amount of time spent on trivial issues could be better spent dealing with true issues - curriculum, effective teaching methods, classroom management, behavior issues, bullying plans, how to meet the needs of our ever changing student population with ever shrinking funds....

Until unions are ready to really support teachers, truly promote quality instruction, and rally to have adminstrators be the driving instructional leadership force in our schools, I will struggle to support them.

As I plan what lessons to start the school year with, I am intrepid about the skill levels of my students. Knowing the class is a resource room/pull-out class, I know the average child in this class will be below grade level, and require remediation, both of skills and strategies, to become competent in math.

However, I also know that due to the state of Michigan's graduation requirements, these same students must be ready for Algebra 1 when they enter high school 1 year from now. Herein lies the balancing act. How much remediation CAN I do, and how much fast can I forget forward into new territory without losing them?

Luckily, I know a couple of the names on my roster and have had them in class before. Others though, are just a face in the hall that I have nothing concrete to attach their skills to in my own mind. I know for some, it is a matter of lack of personal motivation and parental support that place them into the resource room setting. For others, it is a true math disability.

Another balancing act - trying to find ways to motivate the uninspired, while working the shore up the missing foundation pieces for all of them, while working individually with the true math disabled students to create new learning paths to overcome their weaknesses.

Looking at my teacher's guide, looking at the grade level content expectations for 8th graders, I wonder how far back in instruction I need to go before we head into new material. How many days will it take realistically to get to the real nitty gritty of 8th grade material?

Digging deeply for fun, motivating activities to review concepts, I hope we can glide through the first few weeks, me trying to herd them into the realm of grade level material, before too much of the school year has gone by. Sketching out lesson plans, hitting the high spots, not knowing what to expect, I know to write these in pencil!

As my room comes together, starting to look and feel more like home, as I plan for these first few days/weeks with my students, I feel the excitement building, knowing that THE KIDS ARE COMING!! THE KIDS ARE COMING! and knowing that once they walk in the building next Tuesday, everything somehow just falls into place, and I am looking forward to another school year :)

I've spent a lot of time with my granddaughter this summer. Rylie turned 16 months old yesterday and is no doubt the light of my life. As I watch her grow and learn, celebrating every new word, every milestone, I am reminded that each child that walks through my classroom door has people in his/her life who feel that same way about them.

It is easy to get bogged down in the rigors of 'educating' the child and lose sight of the actual child. That is my goal for this school year: Find ways to celebrate each student, their personal successes/gains throughout the year, and share those with their families so they may also celebrate.

Schools have become more about test scores and standards lately, and less about the child. I think until we regain our focus in the individual student, we will continue to flounder trying to boost our scores by shoving more and more curriculum down their throats. We need to take a step back, look at our students as individuals, and focus our efforts on where they are, and where they need to be, as well as how we can bring that child along the educational continuum effectively, as an individual. Then, and only then, will we meet our 'benchmarks'.

In the meantime, I have one week left with Rylie this summer. One more week of cooking pretend food and feeding it to monkeys, one more week of playing in the sandbox and swimming pool, one more week of picking flowers and tossing rocks, one more week of reading and rereading about silly monkeys and itsy bitsy spiders....hoping that someday, when she goes to school, her teachers make her feel just as special as I think she is.

Someone on a listserve I was on once made the comment, "We are but part of their journey." I wish I knew who made the comment, but the name has long since escaped me, though the quote lingers in my psyche.

When we work with adolescents, we truly are one small step in their long journey of life. It is easy to get frustrated with them, their immaturity, their irresponsible nature, or their impulsivity, taking those things personally. As adults, we've often forgotten what we were like at that age, and are certain we ourselves never acted like that.

Remembering that quote helps me put their behaviors in perspective, knowing that in that given moment, that exact time and place, what that young person is doing is simply one tiny blip on their radar of life. They are most likely not trying to be annoying, not intentionally trying to make my life miserable, but are acting/reacting in the here and now.

Years later, students remember us for how we treated them, how we made them feel about themselves, long after the lessons we taught them have been forgotten or replaced with new knowledge. We run into them in the oddest of places, and find out they turned out just fine, in spite of us, in spite of the terrible adolescent things they may have said or done. They look at us and smile, simply remembering the good we gave them.

So as you begin this school year, this part of your journey in the journey that is your students' lives, remember to make a positive blip in their memory. Be one of the places they enjoyed visiting, one they want to see again.

The school year is closing in on us quickly and with my upcoming new position, I have been thinking about what makes some students successful, while others struggle. Being a special ed inclusion teacher puts me in the position to try to find ways to help some of those strugglers overcome the obstacles to their success.











For many students, the road to success simply requires a different attitude towards school in general, realizing that right now, school is their job, their real purpose. In elementary school, and sometimes even middle school, it is possible to coast along, doing little or no homework, just scraping though in classes, learning only what was forced upon you. But high school opens a new door of responsibility for students. Suddenly, classes matter, grades count, and the shift for accountability falls on the shoulders of students more than ever before. For the 'coasters', this is often a rude awakening, a realization that failure means repeating a class, and too many repeats means no graduation, or at best, a delayed walk in cap and gown.

Simple changes can make success more likely for these students:

• Show up every day. Don't let a little cough, or headache, or belly ache keep you home. Be there unless you are truly desperately sick.
• Show up on time, every day, for every class. The first 5 minutes of class are often the most critical. If you miss those first 5 minutes, you've wasted the entire hour.
• Listen, pay attention, even if it is boring. Take notes, draw pictures to help you remember what the lecture was about. Be actively engaged with what the teacher is doing. ASK QUESTIONS, make comments, draw conclusions.
• Smile, be friendly, be respectful, be polite - to the teachers, other students, everyone you encounter. If you need help, you will have established yourself as likable, which goes a long way in getting people to go the extra mile for you.
• Study a little all along. Don't wait until the night before a big test to try and cram 2 weeks or more) worth of material into your brain. Set aside a few minutes each day to review in each class. If you have questions, ask the next day. When test times comes, you will only need a short study session to remind you of all the things you already know.
• Determine how you learn best. Do you need to write and rewrite your notes until you remember them? Does saying them aloud help? How about recording them and playing the notes back for yourself? Find a strategy or two that work best for you and practice them religously.
• Come to class with what you need. It sounds obvious... I know! but when you don't have a pencil to take notes with, you don't have your book or yesterday's handout, you are spinning your wheels trying to scramble to be ready to learn. Make it easy on yourself to be engaged.
• Find a mentor who will help you study. It might be a friend, or just someone in your class who also needs a boost. Bounce questions back and forth until the material is second nature.
• Save television, computers, video games for AFTER homework. Right now, your most important job is school. Reward yourself for a job well done with time spent on your other pursuits.
• Remember: your teachers want you to be successful. Really, honestly... we didn't go through all those years of school just to torture you. Do your part to be successful and we will bend over backwards to help you. But don't break all the above rules, and expect us to cut you slack when you fail your final. If you are doing your best to pass our class and still struggling, we will find a way for you to be successful.

School is such a big part of a student's life. Making it a successful journey can be easy :)

It is official. My old room is no longer *my* room anymore. All of my things are out of there, the cupboards are the cleanest they've been in 10 years with labeled boxes of materials awaiting the new teacher's arrival.

My *new* room is just that... new... with piles of stuff, not sure of where it belongs, not sure what the overall plan is to be. I've gone from tables to individual desks, from classes of near 30 to a class size of 12, and from needing everything, to mostly needing nothing, but hesitant to let go of anything.

Without a window to park my desk in front of, I have it by the door, out of the way of students, easily accessible should I need to pop in and grab something.

I have student tables, scrounged from here and there, a mix-matched hodgepodge of old heavy wooden, to newer laminate tops, perched around the room's perimeter for easy power access for laptops. No more power cords twisted and tangled, duct taped to the floor and tables, in an effort to provide constant power for a class set of computers.

The cupboards are shoved with supplies, the few items I took with me to my new position. The tables are piled high with assorted items, not sure yet where they will land permanently. In my old room, I had finally 'perfected' my floor plan, everything had a place, the perfect spot for whatever, from library books, to hall passes, to paper for students to grab, to the pencil sharpener... all those locations had been tested and tried over the years until the best one was found.

It is like moving into a new house: full of promise, a clean slate... but a little scary at the same time. I know it won't be long and it will feel like home. But for now... it seems like I am squatting in someone else's space, longing to go back home.

The time is here.

Tomorrow, I move out of my classroom I have been in for the past 10 years. The books, professional readings, student novels, books from here and there; boxes of manipulatives from math series I never taught; folders reused year after year, with names of students of years past; posters, math & motivational, maps and student made; parent and student letters and postcards collected and saved/savored; markers, crayons, colored pencils. All of it must be sorted and boxed, moved, tossed or left for the person taking my position.

The first few years I taught here, I shuffled from room to room year after year, never settling too long anywhere, certainly not long enough to hoard. But once I moved into this room, Room 204, the middle room in the middle school, I planned on staying there until they chased me out or I retired. It was the perfect room, despite its flaws. Its location is convenient, right across from the office. It has a window, a sink, and even double cupboards for storage. It isn't huge, but is just one of the normal sized rooms. But I loved it, I longed for it before it was mine. It was destined to be MY ROOM.

But with decisions, with choices, come consequences. And.. with my move to special ed, one consequence is giving up my room. The room I am headed into has the exact same dimensions, but no window or sink. It has a white board, a HUGE bulletin board, and is still close to the office. But somehow, it won't be the same. It won't feel like home.

Oddly enough, the room I will now occupy was the very first room I was assigned when I started teaching here. I moved out almost as soon as I was unpacked, but a year later, I made my way back spent several years in there, some years sharing with other teachers, others, having it all to myself.

I cannot imagine going through all my stuff. I am the world's worst packrat. Throwing teaching materials away is like a sin to me. Who knows when you might need that last drop of glue, or those scraps of construction paper, the last of that roll of brown paper, or those strange 3-D shapes I never did figure out what were meant for. The deciding of what to take, what to leave, and the letting go of an era will be difficult I know.

But even as I dread the move and the packing process, I look forward to the fall, the excitement of a new position, the chance to see students I had years ago in a new setting, and a challenge of making waves in the still waters of our high school. I don't intend to tread water in my new position. While the journey may be upstream and often without a navigation system, I plan to arrive at my destination :) Wish me luck.....

Every teacher started their career wanting to be a great teacher. Sometimes, it works out; other times unfortunately, the stress of the job, the politics of the position, less than supportive adminstrators/colleagues, all those factors can taint even the purest soul in education.


A great article on Aolnews.com cuts to the core of what it takes to be a great teacher. Opinion: What Makes a Great Teacher lists the top traits students feel it takes to be a great teacher.


The list seems obvious:
-Know us personally, our interests and strengths -Let us know who they are as individuals -Smile at us -Encourage us to participate in school activities -Spend time beyond class time to help us be successful in their class -Give us descriptive feedback on assignments -Tell us why -Share how what we learn is connected to real life -Apologize when they make mistakes -Give meaningful work -Are energetic, enthusiastic and enjoy their job

One of my favorite books is Todd Whitaker's What Great Teachers Do Differently . I revisit this book each fall before school begins and keep it on my desk as a daily reminder throughout the year. (See a previous blog post about the book) When I saw this list on Aolnews.com, I was anxious to compare the student list to Whitaker's. It was no surprise to me to find many similarities between what students want from us as their teachers, and what Whitaker suggests makes us great.

In a nutshell, both lists want teachers who love their job, care about their students, and take their job seriously, giving work that is meaningful, relevant and appropriate, and planning intentionally to help students experience success with that work.

It was no surprise to me that the two lists have much overlap. Simple enough strategies, simple enough ideas.... But both the article and the book serve as a boost reminder as the new school year approaches. Kids will be kids, but deep inside, all they want is us to love and respect them, every day, no matter what. Then, and only then, will they give 100% in our classrooms.

I tend to be a black and white kind of person, making decisions rather easily and accepting the outcome and consequences in stride. When faced with a choice, I make my pro con list and forge forward. My most recent decision has proven to be more complex.


When I started teaching, I was a special education teacher. I worked with primarily learning disabled students in an inclusion setting. I loved what I did for the most part but parts of my job left me feeling out of control and needing a challenge. When my principal called me and asked if I was interested in teaching 8th grade history the next year, I jumped at the chance. Then one year later, a 7th grade math position opened, and again, I made the change, never looking back.


My new position was tougher than special ed in many ways. I found myself constantly bogged down in grades and lesson plans, parent contacts and designing new projects. When social studies was added to my list of responsibilities, the To Do list grew. I didn't mind. I love/d my job. I love/d the kids. I love the challenge. I loved sharing my love of math and the world with my kids.


Our district is shrinking. When I came here in 1995, there were nearly 1300 students, K-12. Now, we are just under 800. There are no jobs. People come, people go. But few stay. It is still a great place to live, a terrific place to raise a family, and has become home to me. But the reality of the smallness means that each year, teaching positions are cut, shuffling occurs, and people end up teaching out of their comfort zone.


When a special ed position opened up for the fall, I was torn. I really love what I do. But the thought of someday getting shuffled to elementary, where I might be assigned a different grade each year, is terrifying. I really do NOT like little kids! I cannot imagine teaching kindergarten. The new position would be all inclusion hours, mostly inthe high school. But in the future, I could have more control over where I was put, helping carve out my own schedule. I would not be subjected to the constant shuffling that is sometimes the case in the elementary. I would have some security in what I would do each upcoming school year.


This job would mean less time at school, more time to spend with my granddaughter. It would be an opportunity to work with kids who need me, need that extra oomph to make it to graduation. It would give me a chance to work with other teachers, some of whom I would be excited to share that responsibility with, others, not so much. It could lead to designing the middle school math special ed program to what I think would work best for those struggling students who seem to get lost in the shuffle.


It would mean leaving a job I love, a job where I have every 7th grader who comes to our school, where I know them all, good, bad or ugly, and they know me, good, bad or ugly. It would mean letting go of the 7th grade math program I have worked so hard to design, and letting go of the 7th grade social studies curriculum I have grown to have an intense love/hate relationship with.


Taking the job would most likely mean packing and moving from the classroom I've been in for nearly 10 years. It would mean playing 2nd fiddle in classrooms, sometimes just a figure head of a teacher, no real teaching, just a secondary role player, trying to help my kids as I could.


But... I applied for the position, and now.. I wait. There are some politics going on that may help or hinder my decision, things out of my control, that leave me hanging in limbo as the school year presses ever closer..... and here I sit, still not knowing what the right decision is, what I really want to happen. All I want it to know, a decision made, so I can move forward and get on with my teaching life.

Today is one of those muggy rainy dreary summer days. I decided to tackle more of the Algebra curriculum I will be teaching this fall. I usually don't mind teaching a new class, and actually, find the challenge exciting, but the prospect of THIS class gives me butterflies in my stomach.

It has been so long since I even thought about some of these concepts - weighted averages, quadratic equations, the boundary line of an inequality.... I am sure the information is all up there somewhere, but it's pretty rusty, dusty and cobweb covered. And.. I have NEVER taught any of these concepts.

I feel a strong sense of obligation to the particular group of students I will have as well. While having students for 2 years in a row will be fun, I know that this is the cream of the crop group, the upper cut, the college prep type kids. They will progress onto higher math classes both in high school as well as college, and this Algebra 1 class will be their foundation. I want to be sure I am giving them as solid a foundation as possible.

In high school, I LOVED algebra. I had Mrs. Carter for both Algebra 1 and 2 and loved her as well as the subject matter. Algebra was easy, straight-forward, black and white, pure and simple. I enjoyed all my classes, but algebra required no thought, nothing like reading and interpeting The Canterbury Tales, or memorizing the body parts of the frog we were to disect. Mrs. Carter showed us how to do it, I did it, and I aced the tests. I remember in particular the final exam in her Algebra 2 class. I had a perfect 100% going into the exam. I finished the exam in record time, breezing through the problems, wondering as always what was taking everyone else so long. Mrs. Carter smiled when I turned the paper in upside down on her desk, asking me if I wanted her to grade it right away. I shrugged and told her sure, but I was completely confident in my perfect paper. She poured over it, checking not only the answers but the steps of each problem, looking with her microscope eyes for errors. As she wrote the 100% on top, her smile told me she was as confident as I had been in my perfection.

Now, I am the teacher. I want to ask her how she did it. How did she make Algebra so easy, so simple, so straightforward? Can she give me her magic wand? Would she be surprised to find me at the front of an Algebra 1 classroom? Would she be proud?

But for now... back to the book, back to solving inequalities and creating graphs. I have to polish my memory so be ready for this group of young minds headed my way in a month!

I recently received a copy of Engaging Mathematics Students Using Cooperative Learning from Eye on Education publishing. Even though it is summer, and many other things were calling to me, somehow, this book kept making it back to the top of my To-Do pile. Upon reading it, I was not disappointed. As a matter of fact, I had difficulty putting it down.

Strebe does a great job of engaging the reader with his writing style that moves quickly from item to item leaving you with just enough information to understand the topic, without bogging you down with too many details.

There are many ideas in the book I plan to implement in my classroom this fall. I love his descriptions of many interchangeable ways to use cooperative learning to help students better understand mathematical (or any subject matter) concepts. His Think-Pair-Square-Share is one I am excited to use. It is easy to implement, and I can see my middle schoolers loving the social aspects of the process.

Strebe also advocates the use of various interrupters to refocus students when they inevitably begin to drift from your lessons. Many of these are the obvious - passing out papers, getting supplies, etc... - things we all MUST do in our classes. However, Strebe suggests using them at PLANNED times to change up what students are doing to help refocus them. Well, duh... why didn't *I* think of that?? I know now!

Another fun idea Strebe gives is using team competitions to encourage collaboration for learning. I have tried to use some competitions in the past with some success. Strebe's ideas gave me some great ideas about how to better structure these competitions for more effective outcomes.

All in all, I was thrilled with the book. It was easy to read, engaging and quick paced. I'll let you know how it works out this fall! :)

On another person's Facebook page this morning, the question was posed," "What is the purpose of public education in the life of a middle school student?"

My response:

To help guide them through the tramatic years between childhood and adulthood, giving them the skills they need to cope with any situation that will come their way. It is also about bridging their knowledge from the concrete to abstract, teaching them to analyze, question and solve problems for themselves. Middle schoolers need to see the relevance and potential application of what they are learning in order to truly absorb the material. As middle school educators, our job is to guide them through this bridging process.

Thinking more about my response, and trying to hone my answer to the intial question, I focused on the bridge analogy a bit more in my mind. Middle school truly is a bridge... a bridge across the gap of many aspects of a young person's life.

On the one side of that bridge stands a child, innocent, eager and vulnerable. Across the chasm spanned by middle school, a high schooler lurks in the shadows, not quite an adult, but no longer innocent, no longer as embracing of everything new and exciting, and most of all, independent, fiercely independent, in actions, thoughts and determination.

Somehow, the journey across the bridge has changed that child into the near adult, along the way, leading them to a clearer understanding of themselves, the world around them, and most importantly, how they can change that world.

Elementary students depend on their parents as well as teacher, to tell them what to do, how to do it, and to hold their hand throughout the process. They are concrete thinkers in most aspects, needing to see, smell, and touch something to understand the process. They are eager learners, still excited about the newness of learning.

High schoolers are adult-like, able to grasp abstract concepts, determined to find answers on their own, reluctant to be lead by the adults in their lives. They want to find their own way, or follow the path of their peers. They are often untrusting of anyone over 25, thinking these people are too old to 'get it'. High schoolers LOOK like adults, want to be treated like adults, and deserve the privileges associated with growing age.

Caught in the middle however, kids in grades 6-8, are a special breed all their own. They are begining to look the part of their high school counterparts, with attitudes to match their growing sizes. They are begining to understand abstract thoughts, begining to realize their role in changing the outcomes of their lives, and begining to make choices based on their own thoughts instead of those of their parents and teachers.

Middle schoolers love challenges, love to problem solve, love to be given a chance to think outside their comfort zone. They enjoy being pushed to excel, given responsibility to think, and being led by adults who demonstrate having faith in their ability to accomplish great things.

Middle school teachers have the greatest job in the world. At the one side of the bridge, we are holding the hands of little children, helping them, guiding them, across the span. At the other end of the bridge, we're far behind them, waving from the distance, watching them in their new bodies, racing into adulthood. We have to constantly find the balance between holding their hands, and pushing them across the bridge.

This summer, thanks to a millage renewal which passed this spring, our antiquated heating system at school is being overhauled, new boiler, new units in the classrooms, and hopefully, a consistent heating system will be in place before winter strikes. Work is progressing slowly but surely.

Last week, however, a rumor started circulating in the community that the start date of school was being pushed back from the Tuesday after Labor Day, our traditional 1st day, to sometime the end of September, even sometime in October.

I wasn't too concerned when I first heard the rumors, knowing I'd heard nothing official from school yet.

But the excitement of the rumor got me to thinking. Is it realistic to think students are excited at the prospect of going back to school? Sure, for some, it is the social aspect of school which sparks their interest and draws them into the anticipation of that first day. The opportunity to see friends they've not seen all summer, new school clothes and supplies, new classes and teachers will lure some of them into the anticipation.

However, for other students, is school really something to look forward to?

If you were a struggling student, one who works consistently below grade level, always overwhelmed by the work, the material itself, the quantity of work, the expectations.... would you be excited to return to those hallowed halls?

If you were returning to school wearing the same worn out hand-me-downs that didn't fit last year, and fit even less this year, knowing your classmates would be showing up with name brand logos splashed across their chests, new sneakers squeaking on their feet, and bookbags full of cool new school stuff while yours hangs empty from a broken strap, would you be excited to meet that new teacher?

If you had spent much of last year sitting in the hall or office, kicked out of class for your misunderstood actions, your unsquelchable enthusiasm, would you be looking forward to more of the same again this year?

If you spent last school year being teased, bullied and tormented, despite the fact you get good grades, wear all the right clothes, and follow the rules, would you be in such a hurry to don those new clothes that first day?

How can we, as educators, make school someplace ALL STUDENTS want to return to?


The solutions seems easy to me:

• Make schools safe for all learners. Create curriculums that engage and excited all students at all levels. Stop focusing on test prep and turning the page, and find ways to let students be responsible for their own learning paths.

• Work to provide additional services to our students, counseling, medical, clothing, food, hygiene, whatever it takes to help them fit in. Realize that school is not just about the curriculum, but about creating citizens of our society.

• Welcome them all with open arms, come they dirty, poor, obnoxious, smart, slow, athletic, clumsy, fat, fit, popular, nerdy.... Make a special spot for each student, each type of child, at our table of learning.

Then.... maybe they will all be disappointed when they hear the starting date of school is pushed back.... maybe they will all be there early, excited on Day One!

Today, I am unpacking my Angry Eyes. The day started out innocently enough, with a phone call full of good intentions.

The middle school secretary called me to chat about a few things about school. In the course of the conversation, she mentioned she'd been cleaning out the office closet and found some items she thought I might need, and had stuck them in my classroom. Just basic kind of leftovers from here and there, markers, colored pencils, nothing spectacular, or earth shattering.

However, I was THRILLED, thinking, "WOW!! I won't have to fork out the $$$$ to buy those things on my own now."

As the day has progressed, the more I found myself excited at the prospect of not having to purchase these basic supplies for my classroom, the more a feeling of anger took the place of the excitement. Why should these basic tools be in such short supply in a public school? Why should I have to buy anything for my classroom out of my own pocket?

Do you think the White House has to scrounge for a pen to sign a document? Or, duct tape together a broken stapler because there isn't a replacement? Do you think our Congress people, at the federal or state level, are pouring over back to school sales, adding and re-adding the totals on their lists, making choices about what they purchase to make it through the year at their office desk?

But here I am... thinking if I don't have to purchase those Expo markers, maybe I can buy enough notebooks to give each student one in both social studies and math class. Maybe I can afford to order a few new atlases, instead of trying to make do one more year with those with all the missing pages. I wonder if I could get enough post-its to use for that activity I saw at a conference about helping students dissect text?

Education, quality education, needs consistent, adequate funding. Teachers are consistenly being asked to do more, and more, and MORE, with less and less and less. Once again, a slap in the face about our priorities in this country hits me broadside.

Back to School

A new school year is a clean slate, for students, as well as teachers.

Here is my list of back to school tips for getting your classroom & yourself ready for your best year ever:


1. The classroom itself:
Look at the room arrangement. Since my tables stay in the same place all year because of the computer cords and the need for access to electricity, making certain the placement works well is crucial. I like students to be able to talk to elbow partners, work in small groups, and have room for large projects, so grouping tables together makes sense for me.

I use bookshelves to block places I don’t want easily accessed by students, like my storage cupboards. I surround my own desk with shelves of professional reading materials so they are easy for me to grab, in addition to giving the image to students that I read and learn as well. Shelves with places for assignments to be turned in, absent work to be collected, paper, pencil sharpeners, art supplies, etc... need to be in easy traffic areas for students.

Another consideration is ability to easily see all the boards as needed. On the back wall of my classroom is the Daily Assignment Board, where I write the day’s lesson, any work due today or upcoming reminders. On the side wall is the small board with today’s date. In the front, the main board where I teach, use the projector and document camera. Students obviously can’t see all of these at the same time, but I try to ensure all three boards in easily in range.

While I am far from the type to have exciting up to date bulletin boards, I do like to start the year with something eye catching and worthwhile.
My favorites include:
· Why Do I Need Math – with pictures of a variety of occupations showing math skills at work
· All About Me – pictures of me throughout my life, including those dorky middle school pictures, my family, dog, house and yard
· Pictures and cards from past students
· Newspaper Collage – This is the most difficult. One summer I clipped every picture out of the local newspaper that had students in my incoming classes – playing softball, showing animals at the fair, at the 4th of July Parade.
With a little thought and planning, you can tweak your classroom to best suit your needs and the needs of your students.


2. Curriculum:
· Aside from the obvious aligning your curriculum to the state expectations, start thinking about integrating other subjects and topics into your lessons. For example, Talk Like a Pirate Day is each year on September 19. What a fun, engaging beginning of the year way to hook your students, regardless of your subject matter! Students will love the corny pirate one liners and you will have the opportunity to teach them about maps, language, travel, morals, unexpected outcomes… the possibilities are endless.
· Beyond incorporating fun topics into your curriculum, strategize your attack plan. Rethink how you grade, assess and report learning to students and parents. Set up your plan for test retakes, extra study sessions before/after school, and how you will accommodate students with Individualized Education Plans.
· Talk to your librarian or media specialist to get ideas on how you can best utilize their services.
· Dig through the support materials that come with your textbook series. Chances are, there are some cool, easy to use ideas in there you’ve overlooked in the past.
· Work on generating one unit you’ve never taught before. Find websites, interactive online activities, and support materials, NOW, while you have some extra time.


3. Communication:
Think about your plan to communicate with parents and students. Does your website need some fine tuning? What changes do you want/need to plan?
Think about:
· Daily assignments
· Long term projects/tests
· Contact information
· Online links for materials, both daily work as well as supplemental materials


4. Yourself

If you are like me, every school year, you say this year you are going to eat healthier, exercise more, all those good things you know will make you feel better. Plan NOW. Buy that refrigerator for your classroom to keep cold drinks and healthy snacks close by. Make a list of healthy snacks to pack for school. Cook a few dinner entrees and freeze them so those first few weeks won’t be so overwhelming when you come home at night.
Plan to use part of your lunch or prep period to walk outside. Use this time to regroup, clear your head, and get ready for the next period. Strategize your mental health!
Take care of any last minute doctor or dentist appointments before the school year starts so you don’t have to write sub plans! Come back to school polished, healthy and ready to go!

It really is a clean slate for you as well as your students. Make this year your best teaching year! Get off to a great start, before the students ever walk in the door.

Middle School & Adolescence....

2 words that send shivers down the spines of parents and teachers alike.

From a middle school teacher's perspective, all those shivers are unnecessary. Making the most of your child's middle school years is quite simple: Send them to boarding school and change your phone number, email address and any other means of contact.

Seriously? Middle schoolers are a difficult crew to navigate with at times, but these years can also mark some of the best times you will spend with your child. Caught in the balance between childhood and adulthood, these kids are searching for their identity, looking for support, help, and most of all, unconditional love and acceptance.

The first step to successful navigation through the storm is flexibility. Middle schoolers need and crave rules, but need to feel as if they have a say in these rules. Be ready to negotiate, change, and bend the rules to fit the circumstances. That doesn't mean letting go of your family values and ideals, or letting your teen run the show. Just be ready to listen, rethink and reconsider how rules are enforced. If school night bedtime is normally 9, but there is some MUST BE WATCHED show in tonight until 10, negotiate - You may stay up and watch the show, but you must still get yourself up and ready for school on time. If you aren't ready when the bus comes, no TV for a week. (or whatever consequence you choose) Put the power in the teen's hands.

The next step is teaching responsibility. When your child starts middle school, you need to buy them 2 items: an alarm clock and a laundry basket, and teach them to use both. Don't rush to rescue them when they don't get up on time. Skipping breakfast to catch the bus, wearing dirty clothes to school, will not kill them! However, it might teach them to become more responsible. Helping them learning to manage their time, learning to think ahead, will not only take the getting them up and doing their laundry responsibility from your already busy life, it will ultimately help your teen when they are out on their own.

The last key to success ties in with the last one. While you are teaching responsibility, teach your child that failure might be an option. Don't be a helicopter parent, swooping in to drive them back to school to get a forgotten book every day, calling or writing the teacher to get an extension on a project, or finishing homework for your child. Middle school is about building good habits. Have clear cut expectations about work completion, grades, behavior and effort, along with clearly outlined consequences when those expectations are not met. Then, let your child take the lead, either meeting the expectations or not. It is difficult to step back and let them fail, but in the grand scheme of life and school, the middle grades are the time to let them flounder and learn to deal with the consequences.

Middle schoolers aren't just big KIDS and they aren't just littler high schoolers. They are unique creatures, interesting, intelligent, and on the cusp of adulthood. With a little creativity and perserverance on your part, you can make these the BEST years of their lives.