New Year's Resolutions

I love making New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps it is my fascination with creating lists and checking things off of the list. Perhaps it is the idea that each year is a chance to start fresh, and envision fabulous accomplishments. Perhaps I simply like the word “resolution” with its strong clear meaning, and the way the “r” sound rolls off my tongue.

Regardless of the reason, this year I decided to share some of my “teaching” resolutions with the world (or at least my friends who are kind enough to read my little musings). In the past, my teaching resolutions involved me giving more of my time, energy, and patience to my students. This year, I have decided to that my resolutions are to help me create a more balanced approach to my work:

• I will give less homework.

I have always striven to give meaningful work, but I will continuously evaluate the quantity to make sure it is appropriate to the goals. (I am sure students will appreciate this one.)

• I will leave work at a reasonable hour.

I try to make myself available to my students, but lately I realized that I am spending too much time at work. The truth is that my personal time is valuable too. A teacher who feels worn out cannot be good for anyone!

• I will pursue my interests during my free time.

I am always encouraging my students to pursue their dreams in sports, drama, music, art, etc….Isn’t it time I went back to being a role model in this area too?

• I will continue to spread the message that learning is fun, education is important, and there are no limits to creativity….

Long after students have forgotten the content, the quizzes, and the projects, my hope is that they remember that a teacher believed that every student had gifts and talents to offer in the classroom and beyond.

Wishing everyone a very happy New Year's celebration!

School daze...

It must be school time…

You can tell by the fact that I no longer know current events beyond the fact that today was picture day, and IOWAs are coming next week.

You can tell by the fact that my trips to the library revolve around resources for my lesson plans, instead of the usual “shopping” excursion for books on every topic under the sun.

You can tell by the fact that my rare adventures into domesticity (i.e. cooking) are now categorized as a distant memory.

You can tell by the fact my gym card has been gathering dust, and the fit person I became in the summer has been made extinct by the demands upon my time.

And yet…

I love my job.

I love my students.

I love the challenges.

And most of all…

I love my husband for making it possible for me to focus on teaching…

Clearing out clutter

Humans, animals, plants, etc are not the only forms of life on this planet. Apparently inanimate objects live, breathe, and breed. How else could one explain the plethora of “stuff” my husband and I just assembled, packed up, and delivered to the Salvation Army – half of which neither of us recalls ever buying? And what better explanation could be found for the emotional guilt strings these objects pull on us as we sort them into the give-away pile? Their silent screams of “Wait! Keep me! I may be useful some day!” After countless moves in my life – several of them across country – I have become almost deaf to such cries. In fact, I periodically get antsy to play the game my husband has dubbed “What can my wife get rid of now?”

Summer vacation is a fabulous time to not only clear the clutter out of my home, but out of my professional life as well. I have known so many wonderful, professional teachers with overflowing closets, basements, attics, spare rooms, nooks and crannies hidden around their schools, and (now in the age of technology) digital hard drives and cloud accounts, which are filled with all sorts of “gems” of resources. They keep such items to refer back to, inspire, use again, or even “just in case” they need it for that proverbial “someday” which never seems to come. True, there are professionals who do periodically refer to their stored resources. Yet there are many more (myself included) who almost never go back to look at such “wealth.” What value do my resources have if they sit unused?

Perhaps we can blame it on a commercial I once saw for that show “Hoarders” (I cannot bring myself to ever watch the show), but I have a reoccurring nightmare. I am on my way to class, but never make it. Instead I end up suffocating under a sea of useless objects, papers, and digital files floating through the air….

So under a warm sunny sky in July, I find myself recycling, donating, deleting, and even throwing out the useless, unnecessary, never looked at, or not needed. I breathe easier as the clutter clears, and I realize I have made room for collaboration, inspiration, and student driven ideas in the empty spaces left behind.

In pursuit of the good life...

I carry a card in my wallet worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It provides access for hours of entertainment, comes equipped with the best “concierges” I have ever known, and allows me unlimited entry to the most exclusive public club in the world. With this card I have acquired the resources to plan my wedding and honeymoon, complete a Masters degree, decorate my home, change my look at least a half dozen times, and interact with some of the most amazing minds in history. It allows me to shop virtually unlimited with a generous return policy. And as for romance, well, kids cover your ears…Nothing is more romantic than my husband saying: Honey, grab your card and I’ll drive you to the library!

It broke my heart to discover that many of my students rarely visit this Mecca of fabulousness. Recently I played a game with a class in which they tried to come up with the best (meaning irrefutable) excuse for why they might potentially not have their homework on a set due date. If I played the same game with the idea of why they do not go to the library, I imagine it might go something like this:

Me: Give me five good reasons why you don’t go to your local library.

Students: I like to watch movies and I have my (Netflix, Hulu, movie theatre pass) so that I can do that instead.

Me: Why waste your money (allowance, salary, reward money for getting good grades) when you can rent movies for free at the library? Next reason!

Students: I don’t read books, I like magazines….

Me: (After gasping in horror at the idea of not liking books) The library has magazines – in a wide variety of interests – and many popular teenage selections! Come on guys; hit me with something hard….

Students: Well, I like to play video games…

Me: (Interrupting in the same excited manner that I tell them not to do) Many libraries now have games that can be checked out, game nights for teens, computer access in a teen room which allows for gaming…..You can do better than that!

Students: Well, no one I know goes to the library.

Me: Get new friends…okay but seriously many teens go to the library…so many that most libraries host functions just for students your age. My local library holds teen knitting clubs for the fashionistas among us (Vogue knitting anyone?), poetry slams, book clubs, and the aforementioned game nights for a start. You have one more try to come up with a reason…so make it good….

Students: Well, aside from the stuff you mentioned, there is nothing else to do at a library…

Me: (At this point I have climbed on a chair or desk per my usual behavior when excited) Nothing else to do? 

• How many of you are into music? (98% of my class would raise their hand….2% have zoned out) The library has access to CDs and even free downloadable music! 
• Anyone planning on going to college? (100% would raise their hand as the 2% have noticed I am on a chair or desk) The library has college planning books, SAT/ACT prep books and videos, and other resources you can use to plan for college. 
• Anyone working or planning on getting a job? The library has resume and job planning resources, and many offer babysitting courses. 
• Want to get a good grade in my class? (I can’t help sneaking that one in and the students would laugh….) The library has databases for research, plus good-old fashioned books. 
• Looking to fulfill your community service requirement for our school? Many libraries offer volunteer opportunities for students. 
• Where are my artists in the room? Libraries often have passes for free or reduced fee visits to museums!

At this point in my imagined scenario my students would be out of their seats, dancing around the room to the chant of LI-BRA-RY! LIBRARY! LIBRARY! Half a dozen would be pulling out their wallets and dusting off this most valuable card and wondering if it had an expiration date. At least 10 would have their hands waving around while shouting out questions about how to acquire one of these ultra-cool library cards...

As the excitement came to a crashing halt with the bell ringing to announce their next class, I would climb off my desk. Then I would begin plotting the rest of my not-so-evil plan to get my students ultimately enjoying the rarest and most valuable of library possessions – the books.

After all, part of a teacher’s job is getting his or her students the resources to enjoy “the good life,” right?

Have you thanked your school counselor today?

Apparently, last week was "National School Counseling Week" and we teachers at my school missed it! Therefore I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all that you do. As a teacher, I often get so wrapped up in my interactions with students, that I "forget" that hosts of other people make such a difference in getting students through their tumultuous high school years. This year alone the amazing people in the guidance department at my school have:

• Worked with parents to set up multi-teacher meetings
• Coordinated homework for home-bound students
• Informed and assisted teachers with preparing for extended absences for students
• Met with students one-on-one for:
• College planning
• Class planning
• Check-in on progress
• Social issues (and other issues)
• Help with college applications (literally sitting with students and helping them step by step!)
• LISTENING to the students on any concern
• Written countless college recommendations making each student sound truly special
• Contacted parents, coordinated educational events; AND
• Listened and provided support to TEACHERS (like me!)
• Seriously I am not even certain this last one falls under their job descriptions, yet they do it cheerfully!

I am sure I have (inadvertently) overlooked a trillion other tasks these fine professionals perform on a daily basis. Our students are lucky to have such amazing people in our guidance department, as are we teachers. 

So three cheers for  our wonderful school counselors! Happy (belated) National School Counseling Week! Thank you for all that you do!

Enthusiasm is a two way street...

Recently I had a “growl” moment with my students – all of the classes. I had arrived at school full of my usual “pep” and was eagerly anticipating the day. I was introducing the assignment called “Say What?” (This title sounds best when said dramatically in a high pitch voice.) “Say What?” is a vocabulary group project involving online conversations. Although some classes of students had a not-so-secret pop quiz, the rest of the class was planned to involve them actively: using rotating pairs to play the parts of the sample conversation’s pretend students, and having the whole class shout “woohoos” whenever a vocab word was read in the sample conversation. In short, I was hoping for a rockin’ time with the learning.

While reading the book “The End of Molasses Classes” by Ron Clark, I was struck by a passage discussing how energy can be sucked out of the room. As I was jumping around the room, standing on chairs and stools, and doing everything I could to try and excite the students it struck me how some of them seemed determined to “suck the energy” right out of the room. Granted some students were actively listening and participating. Others however were trying to slouch down in their chairs, lean on their hands (in that scrunched up position where you push your cheeks up to your forehead), stare at spots unknown around the room…In short, they were doing their best to let me know that they did not want to be present, engaged, learning or participating.

For 4 months I have run around the classroom, used funny voices, had stretch breaks with Simon Says, jumped up and down, sung, stood on tables etc….Some students had responded, but a large number still sat passively waiting for me to, well, I am not sure what they were waiting for me to do! The point is, they were waiting for ME to do it with no work from THEM! Somehow we, our classroom community, were still missing the point that a fun classroom needed both sides to actively participate, not just the teacher! Well, my students, as I told you today…that is not going to “fly” during Term 3.

There are children all over the world who do not get the same opportunities as the ones I teach. Such students would trade anything to have a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs at regular intervals, and are dying to LEARN! Such students do not have regular access to teachers who actually WANT to teach. My heart goes out to the children who want opportunities and yet do not get them. My heart aches just as much for those students who sit in my classroom determined to not engage in the learning. They have no idea what a magical world opens up when you are willing to have fun learning about it.

I’ll say it before and I will say it again. I sure as hell ain’t in the teaching profession for the money. (Although if you know any teacher who is in this profession for the money, please pass their information on to me. I would LOVE to speak with him or her!) I love teaching on the good days, and those that fall short of my expectations. I plan to continue to give every day in the classroom my all; and I will continue to expect that my students will give their all too.

So welcome to Term 3 my fabulous students. The work will continue to get more challenging. I will continue to provide you all the resources – including my time – to help you succeed. You, however, will not continue to sit passively in my class. You will participate, you will learn, and by golly, you will have some fun in school – whether you want to or not…

Sick Day

Why is taking a sick day so difficult?

Earlier this week I woke up dizzy, nauseous, and with a headache the size of the state of Texas! I had been feeling poorly for a few days; the blame for which I placed firmly at the feet of my adorable students – or at least their parents who keep sending them to school when sick. Regardless I showered, got dressed, and then promptly got back into bed after my husband looked at me and said “You are staying home, right?”

As an adult, intelligent, and rational woman, I knew that I needed to stay home and get rest. As a teacher, my first instinct was to panic. How would my students survive the day without me? Midterms were coming and I had planned on staying after that day for extra help. Wouldn’t I be letting them down by staying home? So it wasn’t until I had another adult’s “permission” that I felt justified crawling (literally) back between the sheets.

Needless to say the students survived just fine without me. I felt fine to go in the next day and stayed after with my students that afternoon. Lesson learned: life continues whether I was in the classroom or not. The entire 4 months of learning did not fall apart in the one day I needed to be at home.

As a teacher I often feel the weight of responsibility for the progress of my students. I design my lessons with the utmost care. I try to keep vigilant about my communication with my students and parents. I research new teaching practices, and assess progress periodically and by a variety of methods. However in truth, student achievement is affected by a variety of factors of which I am only one. A little crushing to the ego, but greatly relieving for my sanity.

So the next time I feel that ill, I will let go of the guilt that seems to accompany taking a sick day and just get some rest. 

Maybe…