There is a bad word amongst many of the faculty on campus. That word is flipped. And, I've decided to add it to my vocabulary. I'm going to slowly start to "flip" my classroom, or at least, one class.
For those that do not know what a flipped classroom is, you may want to look here.
Many students and teachers on campus are tired of hearing about the flipped classroom and sigh dramatically or roll their eyes any time it's mentioned. I, myself, once made the joke that we could turn our staff meetings into a drinking game every time the terms flipped or flipping were mentioned. It seems to be be all and end all for the administrators. But, after attending a three day long conference on education and technology, I've been a bit inspired.
I definitely believe that we need to use the tools that students have at their fingertips. And, I mean this literally. Their phones are a powerful tool that be used for the greater good and not the dark side in the classroom. Many students also have iPads, Chromebooks, and other technology that can be harnessed to make them learned, and (gasp) make them want to learn.
I've already started some flipping in one of my classes, an honors
class. The students do the reading at home and we begin the activity in
class with their peers and their teacher (me) to assist them.
Now, I'm going to do this slowly, very slowly, because I'm already overwhelmed with all I have to do and how far behind I am with things that need to be graded. I'm going to do as Catlin Tucker suggests and acquire one tool at a time.
I tried a little BYOD with my honors students today, and signed them on to my WiFi, but I'm now concerned that they will try and sign on when they shouldn't. This will definitely be a learning process for me, but hopefully it will improve student engagement.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
What's Good for the Goose...
One of the best ways to get the results you want, particularly in classroom management, is to use positive reinforcement. Teachers are expected to positively reinforce good student behavior in order to eliminate poor student behavior.
This is not a bad thing. It's very much a good thing and usually works. Then again, are students learning to behave as they should because it's the right thing to do or because they get a treat if they do? A perfect question for a debate, but not the subject of what I want to type about here.
I was reading a blog article that came through on one of my facebook feeds and the first numbered bullet point on "Acknowledgement" really hit home (or in my case, hit apartment). Less and less, teachers are not acknowledged (to show or express appreciation or gratitude) for the things they do right. You know? Positive Reinforcement.
If a student is acknowledged when they do something right and therefore keep up the same behavior and skill because of that "Great job, Awesome Student!", whether it be the ability to actually recognize that the word good is not an adverb or they gathered all the handouts for everyone in their group because they were the first to class and had the time, don't you think a teacher would do the same thing?
We are just as human as the students we teach; however, the vocal part of society either forgets this or ignores it. With the exception of family and friends, "I" get blamed for many things outside my control and painted with a broad brush as a greedy con artist using the nation's children as a way to make money without really doing any work or caring about them. And if I speak out in defense of myself and my colleagues? Then, I'm obviously not a good teacher. "Good" teachers don't speak out against criticism like that in Waiting for Superman. "Good" teachers praise the criticism and applauded the charter schools that always succeed (see this Washington Post article for those that missed the sarcasm). "Good" teachers are somehow supposed to enjoy the abuse meted out by the critics. Sorry, but I'm no Anastasia Steele. I'm better written then that.
Sometimes, I can't really blame them. All I seem to hear from the news is about the bad teachers. The sick, twisted people who find their way into schools and do unspeakable things. These people don't deserve to be defended. You rarely hear about the heroics of teachers (like this one and this one); and if you do, the stories die down rather quickly.
So, if positive reinforcement is good enough for us to use with our students, why isn't it good enough for "society" to use with teachers? Teachers will be less burned out and become less cynical about their profession and how it is viewed if what they do right is being positively reinforced, rewarded, or acknowledged instead of pointing to everything they do "wrong".
It's a process that I know isn't going to happen overnight. I know that I need to work on improving the amount of positive reinforcement I use in my classroom. But, according to the California Cheese commercials, happy cows make good cheese. Happy teachers make good students.
This is not a bad thing. It's very much a good thing and usually works. Then again, are students learning to behave as they should because it's the right thing to do or because they get a treat if they do? A perfect question for a debate, but not the subject of what I want to type about here.
I was reading a blog article that came through on one of my facebook feeds and the first numbered bullet point on "Acknowledgement" really hit home (or in my case, hit apartment). Less and less, teachers are not acknowledged (to show or express appreciation or gratitude) for the things they do right. You know? Positive Reinforcement.
If a student is acknowledged when they do something right and therefore keep up the same behavior and skill because of that "Great job, Awesome Student!", whether it be the ability to actually recognize that the word good is not an adverb or they gathered all the handouts for everyone in their group because they were the first to class and had the time, don't you think a teacher would do the same thing?
We are just as human as the students we teach; however, the vocal part of society either forgets this or ignores it. With the exception of family and friends, "I" get blamed for many things outside my control and painted with a broad brush as a greedy con artist using the nation's children as a way to make money without really doing any work or caring about them. And if I speak out in defense of myself and my colleagues? Then, I'm obviously not a good teacher. "Good" teachers don't speak out against criticism like that in Waiting for Superman. "Good" teachers praise the criticism and applauded the charter schools that always succeed (see this Washington Post article for those that missed the sarcasm). "Good" teachers are somehow supposed to enjoy the abuse meted out by the critics. Sorry, but I'm no Anastasia Steele. I'm better written then that.
Sometimes, I can't really blame them. All I seem to hear from the news is about the bad teachers. The sick, twisted people who find their way into schools and do unspeakable things. These people don't deserve to be defended. You rarely hear about the heroics of teachers (like this one and this one); and if you do, the stories die down rather quickly.
So, if positive reinforcement is good enough for us to use with our students, why isn't it good enough for "society" to use with teachers? Teachers will be less burned out and become less cynical about their profession and how it is viewed if what they do right is being positively reinforced, rewarded, or acknowledged instead of pointing to everything they do "wrong".
It's a process that I know isn't going to happen overnight. I know that I need to work on improving the amount of positive reinforcement I use in my classroom. But, according to the California Cheese commercials, happy cows make good cheese. Happy teachers make good students.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
When a Teacher "Hates" You
"All my teachers hate me."
No, Deprecating "Debra"*, your teachers do not all hate you. They may all be frustrated with you, as I am. You are exhibiting behaviors that are getting in the way of not only your academics but a healthy self view.
I don't think in my five years of teaching that I have ever met a student that I actually hated. I've had students that I hate being around, or hate the days that they actually show up to class (and if anyone has issue with me making that statement has never been a teacher or in education). But, I've never hated them. I've hated the way they frustrate me because I can't figure out how to help them, to enlighten them, to make them see sense.
Some say hate is a strong word and shouldn't be used. However, it gets the point across. It's a lot more succinct to use than "I have an unbearable and strong dislike of _______".
Many students fall into the "trap" of thinking that if a teacher doesn't act like your friend, lets you get away with not doing work, doesn't call you out when you are being rude, inappropriate or disrupting "hates" you.
When a teacher "hates" you, thank the Lord above. When a teacher "hates" you, he or she is taking time out of their busy schedule to address a problem you have. When a teacher "hates" you, they want you to live up to the enormous potential that they know you have. When a teacher "hates" you that means there is at least one person out there that cares about how you turn out as a person and how much of a future you will have.
We should all be so lucky as to have a teacher who "hates" us.
*name changed to cover my butt.
No, Deprecating "Debra"*, your teachers do not all hate you. They may all be frustrated with you, as I am. You are exhibiting behaviors that are getting in the way of not only your academics but a healthy self view.
I don't think in my five years of teaching that I have ever met a student that I actually hated. I've had students that I hate being around, or hate the days that they actually show up to class (and if anyone has issue with me making that statement has never been a teacher or in education). But, I've never hated them. I've hated the way they frustrate me because I can't figure out how to help them, to enlighten them, to make them see sense.
Some say hate is a strong word and shouldn't be used. However, it gets the point across. It's a lot more succinct to use than "I have an unbearable and strong dislike of _______".
Many students fall into the "trap" of thinking that if a teacher doesn't act like your friend, lets you get away with not doing work, doesn't call you out when you are being rude, inappropriate or disrupting "hates" you.
When a teacher "hates" you, thank the Lord above. When a teacher "hates" you, he or she is taking time out of their busy schedule to address a problem you have. When a teacher "hates" you, they want you to live up to the enormous potential that they know you have. When a teacher "hates" you that means there is at least one person out there that cares about how you turn out as a person and how much of a future you will have.
We should all be so lucky as to have a teacher who "hates" us.
*name changed to cover my butt.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Don't Ask What your School System Can Do for You...
...ask what you can do for your school system.
"It is the country that is failing public education, not the other way around"
In lieu of "Waiting for Superman" and the economical crisis in the United States, teachers have been under fire.
People are not happy with the way most school systems are being run and want change. Guess what, so are teachers. However, the problem isn't really with the teachers but with "you" (a general you, not necessarily you personally). The teachers did not create the system, they just work within it the best they can. "You" created the system by voting in politicians that don't know much, if anything, about education. It's these politicians that created the system.
People want change in the school system, and so do teachers, but when the teachers try and do something about it they are attacked in the media. If you want change in your schools, YOU need to do something about it. Vilifying and blaming the teachers is not going to do it.
I'm not talking about coughing up more money. On the contrary, lets get rid of some of the money. Let's get rid of the money in the hands of the textbook companies ($100/book every seven years?), and the testing companies.
The reason that students seem to know less than they did in the past is because they don't. Despite the fact that students start learning Algebraic equations in elementary school, they aren't living up to students in past generations. Too much information is given to them in a shorter amount of time and they aren't really learning and retaining what they need to know.
State standardized testing (which my students are currently right in the middle of) occurs at the end of April/beginning of May for most states. ALL the standards for each discipline tested are included in the testing. This means that teachers must address and teach all of the standards of their discipline in about 30 weeks. My main discipline has 55 standards for my student's grade level alone. That is about two standards a week.
Each year the media and news outlets talk about how the quality of our schools get worse and worse. Each year there is more and more emphasis put on standardized tests. Am I the only one that sees the correlation here?
"It is the country that is failing public education, not the other way around"
In lieu of "Waiting for Superman" and the economical crisis in the United States, teachers have been under fire.
People are not happy with the way most school systems are being run and want change. Guess what, so are teachers. However, the problem isn't really with the teachers but with "you" (a general you, not necessarily you personally). The teachers did not create the system, they just work within it the best they can. "You" created the system by voting in politicians that don't know much, if anything, about education. It's these politicians that created the system.
People want change in the school system, and so do teachers, but when the teachers try and do something about it they are attacked in the media. If you want change in your schools, YOU need to do something about it. Vilifying and blaming the teachers is not going to do it.
I'm not talking about coughing up more money. On the contrary, lets get rid of some of the money. Let's get rid of the money in the hands of the textbook companies ($100/book every seven years?), and the testing companies.
The reason that students seem to know less than they did in the past is because they don't. Despite the fact that students start learning Algebraic equations in elementary school, they aren't living up to students in past generations. Too much information is given to them in a shorter amount of time and they aren't really learning and retaining what they need to know.
State standardized testing (which my students are currently right in the middle of) occurs at the end of April/beginning of May for most states. ALL the standards for each discipline tested are included in the testing. This means that teachers must address and teach all of the standards of their discipline in about 30 weeks. My main discipline has 55 standards for my student's grade level alone. That is about two standards a week.
Each year the media and news outlets talk about how the quality of our schools get worse and worse. Each year there is more and more emphasis put on standardized tests. Am I the only one that sees the correlation here?
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Better Kids does NOT equal less work
I'll admit. I was one of those teachers that transferred to a school like the one I'm at (what is called a "Fundamental School", but technically isn't) the moment the opportunity arose. As many of you have read, I was fed up with the status quo and the way I was being treated at my former school. I'll even admit that I thought it would be easier for me at this school.
BUT, I have never worked harder as a teacher in my life as I do at the school I am now at, and I worked hard at my former school. Schools like mine are full of some of the hardest working teachers around. That is not to say that other schools don't have hard working teachers; they do. I'm putting in nearly 14 hour days, save the days that I have appointments to make. I'm taking stuff home for the weekends, not that that is anything new.
Yet, I'm still happier and less stressed than I was at my former school. I feel I'm only going to be an even better teacher than I was before. The bar has been raised higher for me, and luckily for my students, I'm never one to back down from a challenge.
The difference isn't in the quality of kids because the other schools do have the same kids, even my old one. The difference is in the way the students, parents, and faculty all "buy in". There isn't any finger pointing placing blame, but (here comes the corniness) hand holding and pushing each other up the hill. We may all rise to the top together; but if we go down, we go down together too.
BUT, I have never worked harder as a teacher in my life as I do at the school I am now at, and I worked hard at my former school. Schools like mine are full of some of the hardest working teachers around. That is not to say that other schools don't have hard working teachers; they do. I'm putting in nearly 14 hour days, save the days that I have appointments to make. I'm taking stuff home for the weekends, not that that is anything new.
Yet, I'm still happier and less stressed than I was at my former school. I feel I'm only going to be an even better teacher than I was before. The bar has been raised higher for me, and luckily for my students, I'm never one to back down from a challenge.
The difference isn't in the quality of kids because the other schools do have the same kids, even my old one. The difference is in the way the students, parents, and faculty all "buy in". There isn't any finger pointing placing blame, but (here comes the corniness) hand holding and pushing each other up the hill. We may all rise to the top together; but if we go down, we go down together too.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time, in a land not to far away (when you work 10 minutes from home, you can't claim it's 'far far away land'), Miss B toiled and was troubled as she worked her fingers to the bone in a school that time would probably like to forget. She was sexually harassed, normally harassed (there really shouldn't be such a term...is there such a term?), and overall taken advantage of on a weekly, if not daily basis. She was stolen from, lied to, and overall stressed the hell out.
Yet, she showed up to work every day (2 sick days the whole year) and poured her heart out to her students to get them to work, to help them, to teach them. Her struggles to assist these kids that others had given up on usually ended with her in tears. However, she never once gave up on them. She tried strategy-after-strategy and even used bribes from time-to-time. She sounds quite the martyr (well, except for the bribery), and maybe she would be but obviously she bitched quite a bit about her tormented times. Martyrs don't bitch. Mother Teresa never bitched. Miss B is no Mother Teresa; nor is she a Gandhi - but I digress.
Now, as the new school year is about to begin for most teachers, Miss B included, her story starts anew, at a new school, one infinitely better in reputation and resources. Miss B will be teaching English still, but also a new subject she's never taught before. She has some experience in the subject. She did 3 1/2 years of it in high school herself, and started out within the subject's major during college and people often say she can be quite dramatic (or is it melodramatic?), but that was quite a bit ago and Miss B could quite possibly f**k it up.
The question(s), dear readers (reader?), is this: Has Miss B sold out? Has she given up on the kids that truly needed her help? Or, has she gone where she can get to them before they ever have to step foot into her old school? Is it more noble to deal with consequences or to step in before there are any consequences to be dealt with?
Yet, she showed up to work every day (2 sick days the whole year) and poured her heart out to her students to get them to work, to help them, to teach them. Her struggles to assist these kids that others had given up on usually ended with her in tears. However, she never once gave up on them. She tried strategy-after-strategy and even used bribes from time-to-time. She sounds quite the martyr (well, except for the bribery), and maybe she would be but obviously she bitched quite a bit about her tormented times. Martyrs don't bitch. Mother Teresa never bitched. Miss B is no Mother Teresa; nor is she a Gandhi - but I digress.
Now, as the new school year is about to begin for most teachers, Miss B included, her story starts anew, at a new school, one infinitely better in reputation and resources. Miss B will be teaching English still, but also a new subject she's never taught before. She has some experience in the subject. She did 3 1/2 years of it in high school herself, and started out within the subject's major during college and people often say she can be quite dramatic (or is it melodramatic?), but that was quite a bit ago and Miss B could quite possibly f**k it up.
The question(s), dear readers (reader?), is this: Has Miss B sold out? Has she given up on the kids that truly needed her help? Or, has she gone where she can get to them before they ever have to step foot into her old school? Is it more noble to deal with consequences or to step in before there are any consequences to be dealt with?
Monday, June 21, 2010
No Sarcasm Left Behind
"The fact that teachers aren't accountable to anyone is the problem."
Apparently, I'm not accountable to anyone. Wow! I wish I had known this before. If I had, I'm sure my stress level would be at a nice cruising altitude.
I was under what must be a mistaken impression that I was accountable to my government, state, county, district, and school. Not to mention, accountable to my students.
The federal government, thanks to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and now to Race to the Top (RTTT), puts an emphasis and judges a teacher on the test scores of his or her students. Test scores that have no importance to the students because it doesn't allow or disallow them from graduation.
You mean this test that takes days and hours doesn't really matter to me? Oh! Of course, I'll try my hardest Miss B so that your "merit" as a teacher can be judged accurately.
That's what all students think when they take these state-mandated tests, right? They all get a good night's rest, eat a proper breakfast, and were paying attention all year and the years before that. Or if they didn't, it doesn't really matter because those things would never have any bearing on how well a student does on a test. Nor would their socio-economic status or ability to speak English.
I'm so glad that I'm not accountable to anyone. It's always good to know you work so hard for nothing.
Apparently, I'm not accountable to anyone. Wow! I wish I had known this before. If I had, I'm sure my stress level would be at a nice cruising altitude.
I was under what must be a mistaken impression that I was accountable to my government, state, county, district, and school. Not to mention, accountable to my students.
The federal government, thanks to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and now to Race to the Top (RTTT), puts an emphasis and judges a teacher on the test scores of his or her students. Test scores that have no importance to the students because it doesn't allow or disallow them from graduation.
You mean this test that takes days and hours doesn't really matter to me? Oh! Of course, I'll try my hardest Miss B so that your "merit" as a teacher can be judged accurately.
That's what all students think when they take these state-mandated tests, right? They all get a good night's rest, eat a proper breakfast, and were paying attention all year and the years before that. Or if they didn't, it doesn't really matter because those things would never have any bearing on how well a student does on a test. Nor would their socio-economic status or ability to speak English.
I'm so glad that I'm not accountable to anyone. It's always good to know you work so hard for nothing.
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