Teachers - it''s that time of year...

[zoebartlett]

I know that school has just begun for some of you. We don''t start until the week after next, but I''m going to school today and most of next week to get ready.

What are you looking forward to this year?

What are you going to change from the way you''ve done something in the past?

 

[zoebartlett]

I''m looking forward to getting to know our new principal and seeing what things of her own she brings to her new job. I loved our former principal but she left for a new job in a different district. I think the two will be very different, but in a good way. We have a couple of other new staff members starting this year, so it will be great to get to know them and see if there are any changes to the dynamics in our school. Overall, my school is a positive environment, which is good.

I know I asked the question, but I''m not actually sure what I''d change. Certain aspects of our schedule are changing (none of which are in my control), and I''m curious to get the details of the changes. Hmmm, the only thing I can think of is that our science curriculum has changed -- significantly for some and not so significantly for others. I''m looking forward to trying a few new units.

Question: Do you have any great tips for staying organized and orderly? I say this every year, but this year I mean it! I do label folders and do my best to put stuff away after I use it, but I also tend to have piles of papers, etc. that just sit for months on my counter. Part of my problem is that I have a long counter right behind my desk that always gets so cluttered. Any thoughts of how I can stay organized are greatly appreciated.

Off to school! For those of you who have already started, I hope you had a good day. How is it going so far?

 

[phoenixgirl]

We have a new principal too, although she''s taught at the school for a while up until five years ago (went to become AP then P of other schools). Her last year was my first, and I ate lunch with her group for a while at the beginning of the year. She often stood up/looked out for me -- told a teacher who had asked me how much weight I was going to lose for my wedding that she should apologize, told them I probably stopped eating with them because they were too crude, etc. -- so I am hopeful that she will be a fair and effective principal.

This year I am going to split the four honors classes into two different pacing guides. I''ve never taught four of the same class before, so it''s partly for my sanity. This way I''ll only get half their papers to grade at once and won''t have a problem having enough books. I need to bribe the students to buy books for extra credit most years because otherwise there wouldn''t be enough to go around, but I''m hopeful that splitting it this way will solve that problem. This is not a rich school and we already charge the kids so much just to attend ($8 science fee, $8 PE fee, $8 art fee, $5 fee to print stuff at school, etc.) that I feel bad asking them to buy things.

This *should* work well because I''ve come up with five thematic units (the hero cycle, the unreliable narrator, etc.), so all 4 classes will be doing the same theme, just reading the literature in a different order. I''ll need to hold giving back reading quizzes and worksheets because all the honors kids are friends and they''ll share them with the kids in the other classes, but for most units I''ve made three different tests anyway (again, never had four honors sections before -- the school is really encouraging them to move up).

Also, I''m eliminating some of my grammar units to focus more on general principles (such as, it''s more important to know that when you write a bunch of words describing an action, put a comma, and then write the rest of the sentence, you must put the clause or phrase right next to the word it modifies to eliminate confusion than to know what type of clause it is). I do still want them to be able to tell the difference between a direct object and a predicate nominative etc., but the way we''ve done things in the past hasn''t worked very well.

At the end of last year we suddenly switched eleventh grade, the next year, from honors American literature to AP language and composition, and my friend who''s teaching it doesn''t know that much about it yet, but I''ll try to get a sense from her what the rhetorical strategies are and introduce those ideas to the kids as well.

If my dad hadn''t died at the beginning of the summer, I would have done more lesson planning and tweaking this summer, but this is my fourth (snore) year without a new prep, so nobody would know except me if I just used all my old stuff.

One thing I''m a little sad about is that with the growing honors program, I am not teaching any remedial classes. Those were always such a great balance to the honors classes. The honors kids all have parents and coaches and youth group leaders looking out for them, but the remedial kids don''t and will really latch on to you when you are encouraging and accepting of them. I''ll bet you that at least three of my tiny 12 person remedial class will come see me on the first day of school, but only a couple if any of my 65 honors kids will, especially since with them I am more kick your butt but teach you a lot teacher rather than tons of fun, froo froo projects teacher (in other words, I''m not winning any popularity contests). And I am good at teaching the remedial kids basic strategies to get them to pass the state writing test, which was always a tangible way to help them (not going to graduate if they can''t pass it!) and measure your effectiveness. With honors it''s more, yawn, take this easy test, try to take it seriously and bring up our test scores.

I guess I could split the honors classes with another teacher, and if it grows any bigger that will have to happen, but one year another teacher taught a section due to an AP''s miscalcuation of how many kids could squeeze in one class, and it was annoying to have the kids (remember, they all know each other) say, "Miss So and So''s class didn''t have to take the summer reading test. Miss So and So''s class didn''t have to learn this grammar." (I wanted to say, Yeah, well, Miss So and So is a history teacher who is only teaching this class because there was a hole in her schedule and she told the AP, and I quote, "I''m an honors whore so please give me an honors class!")

A funny story -- last year the yearbook did teacher superlatives instead of student superlatives. The remedial kids put me down for nicest teacher, etc., but the honors kids put me down for most opinionated. But I swear, I never share my personal beliefs with the kids; I am strongly against that, and I''m not a history teacher so stuff like that doesn''t come up as often anyway. I''ll play the devil''s advocate, but I won''t come down on one side or the other, even on an interpretation of what we''re reading.

Yes, they''re the honors kids, but I really don''t think they understand what opinionated means. I think to them, opinionated means "least likely to take your homework late or believe your BS story."

 

[pennquaker09]

Phoenix Girl, what state do you teach in? The reason I ask is that I''m used to 11th grade being American literature, no matter what level the class is (as in regular, college prep, honors, or Advanced Placement).

 

[Elmorton]

I know this thread is geared a bit more toward secondary ed, but thought I'd chime in anyway - teaching is teaching after all .

We start next Monday and I have yet to finish my syllabi - yikes. It's the first time that I've managed to get a full class load (adjuncting at community colleges), so I'm really excited about that, but also nervous, since it is a bit more work than I've done in the past. I'm also teaching at two different colleges and a little terrified that at some point, I'll screw up and start driving to the wrong place,haha. One of the difficult things (and most exciting part) of this semester is that I'm teaching pretty much the range of composition courses offered at the community college level, starting with communication skills, different levels of preparatory composition, then comp I and comp II. I think it will be a really good experience for me to see the progression, but it also means a lot of prep on my part. I can't wait to go back, but at the same time I feel like I'm not ready at all, since half of my classes are at a college where I've never taught and I'm teaching a vocational communication course which is definitely going to be different than a typical comp.

In terms of organization - one of the things that has helped my organization immensely is file folders. Since I teach writing as a process, my students will have a ton of drafts and activities by the end of the unit. I read and record everything as we go, but I never officially collect their writing until the end. It's super easy to flip through a file folder (because of the lack of pockets), they're easy to alphabetize, etc, and I like that students can see all of the work that it took to build their essay in one place. I never thought the type of folder would make a difference, but it does. In grad school, I knew many people who used binders, but I can't think of anything more unwieldy to carry in large quantities.

While this is probably not advisable/possible with many Jr. High/HS students, another thing I'm trying out is having a Facebook profile for my students to use. I toyed with it this summer, and about half of my students caught on and seemed to really like it. I explained to the class that I have more to do with my time than to search their profiles, so from a privacy standpoint, they can know that I will not be invading their space, but I wanted them to be able to contact me easily and I can also use the "notes" function to update class info and assignments. I've found that most students check FB more than their e-mail, too, so sometimes it's the quickest way to respond. We'll see how it goes this semester

Another difference in my teaching is that I plan to really stress sentence combining as a way to teach grammar. I'm so sick of textbooks using "grammar speak" that my students don't get, so I want to focus on a more functional/descriptive way to approach grammar. Several of my colleagues spend weeks of their courses doing tons of sentence combining, which is what I plan to do differently in my prep classes as well. I used it while tutoring this summer and it worked wonders. I had also been trying to do lots of writing first and locate grammar instruction in the students' own writing (as I was taught in grad school) last semester, but I really didn't see that being effective at the level that some of my students were working in.

For those of you who have been teaching longer than I have (which I'm guessing is just about everyone - I've only been teaching for a couple of years) - does the weird mixture of excitement and dread ever go away? I can't wait to get back in the classroom, but at the same time it's like I don't want next Monday to ever come. Even though I know my students are more nervous than I am (especially in Fall when most people are starting college for the first time), I get sooo keyed up the week before school starts.

 

[NYCsparkle]

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!

ok now that i''ve got the summer is ending scream out.....


i teach 2nd grade and my desk was a pile of papers that had no meaning. i got rid of my desk and now have a table to sit at and a shelf behind it for filing. it has helped keep me very organized. if i see papers on my table i have no choice but too file them or get rid of them. it has also made me more available to my students, because when they have a problem with work or whatever they come sit with me at my circle table for support.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 8/16/2008 11:56:10 AM
Author: Elmorton
I know this thread is geared a bit more toward secondary ed, but thought I''d chime in anyway - teaching is teaching after all .

We start next Monday and I have yet to finish my syllabi - yikes. It''s the first time that I''ve managed to get a full class load (adjuncting at community colleges), so I''m really excited about that, but also nervous, since it is a bit more work than I''ve done in the past. I''m also teaching at two different colleges and a little terrified that at some point, I''ll screw up and start driving to the wrong place,haha. One of the difficult things (and most exciting part) of this semester is that I''m teaching pretty much the range of composition courses offered at the community college level, starting with communication skills, different levels of preparatory composition, then comp I and comp II. I think it will be a really good experience for me to see the progression, but it also means a lot of prep on my part. I can''t wait to go back, but at the same time I feel like I''m not ready at all, since half of my classes are at a college where I''ve never taught and I''m teaching a vocational communication course which is definitely going to be different than a typical comp.

In terms of organization - one of the things that has helped my organization immensely is file folders. Since I teach writing as a process, my students will have a ton of drafts and activities by the end of the unit. I read and record everything as we go, but I never officially collect their writing until the end. It''s super easy to flip through a file folder (because of the lack of pockets), they''re easy to alphabetize, etc, and I like that students can see all of the work that it took to build their essay in one place. I never thought the type of folder would make a difference, but it does. In grad school, I knew many people who used binders, but I can''t think of anything more unwieldy to carry in large quantities.

While this is probably not advisable/possible with many Jr. High/HS students, another thing I''m trying out is having a Facebook profile for my students to use. I toyed with it this summer, and about half of my students caught on and seemed to really like it. I explained to the class that I have more to do with my time than to search their profiles, so from a privacy standpoint, they can know that I will not be invading their space, but I wanted them to be able to contact me easily and I can also use the ''notes'' function to update class info and assignments. I''ve found that most students check FB more than their e-mail, too, so sometimes it''s the quickest way to respond. We''ll see how it goes this semester

Another difference in my teaching is that I plan to really stress sentence combining as a way to teach grammar. I''m so sick of textbooks using ''grammar speak'' that my students don''t get, so I want to focus on a more functional/descriptive way to approach grammar. Several of my colleagues spend weeks of their courses doing tons of sentence combining, which is what I plan to do differently in my prep classes as well. I used it while tutoring this summer and it worked wonders. I had also been trying to do lots of writing first and locate grammar instruction in the students'' own writing (as I was taught in grad school) last semester, but I really didn''t see that being effective at the level that some of my students were working in.

For those of you who have been teaching longer than I have (which I''m guessing is just about everyone - I''ve only been teaching for a couple of years) - does the weird mixture of excitement and dread ever go away? I can''t wait to get back in the classroom, but at the same time it''s like I don''t want next Monday to ever come. Even though I know my students are more nervous than I am (especially in Fall when most people are starting college for the first time), I get sooo keyed up the week before school starts.

Nope -- it''s for everyone. I teach elementary...

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 8/16/2008 12:59:53 PM
Author: NYCsparkle
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!

ok now that i''ve got the summer is ending scream out.....


i teach 2nd grade and my desk was a pile of papers that had no meaning. i got rid of my desk and now have a table to sit at and a shelf behind it for filing. it has helped keep me very organized. if i see papers on my table i have no choice but too file them or get rid of them. it has also made me more available to my students, because when they have a problem with work or whatever they come sit with me at my circle table for support.

Me too! I thought of getting rid of my desk and just using a table but I forgot to do that at the end of last year and now all the extra tables are spoken floor. Oh well -- maybe next year.

 

[Sabine]

I''ve been avoiding this thread because I''m not ready to think about school yet. Inservice starts for us on Wednesday, kids start next Monday. We actually have a new principal this year as well! I haven''t met him yet...so I have no idea what he''s going to be like. However, for the past 2 years, I had only spoken to our principal a handful of times (she was not a people person) and dealt strictly with our 2 assistant principals, so I don''t know how big of a change that will be.

This year I need to start the year off a lot more strictly with my lower level classes. Our school is experiencing some major discipline problems, so even though I am much more comfortable being laid back and making rules that follow common sense only where needed, after last year''s struggle, I''m going to have to go against my natural inclination and start the year off with a bunch of rules, yuck

The thing I''m most looking forward to again is having a section of 9th grade honors (this year I have 9th Honors, 10th Honors, 11th college prep, and 10th applied) because my FAVORITE book to teach is To Kill a Mockingbird, and even though we teach it to all levels of 9th graders, the honors kids seem to be the only ones who really get into it and get inspired by it. I''m also grateful for the fact that even though I have a number of preps, the are all finally ones that I''ve taught at least once before, so I finally feel like I''m not starting from scratch.

Is it horrible to say that I''m also looking forward to this being my last year teaching? I''m still going to do my best to teach these kids, but unfortunately, I know this profession is not for me, and I''m looking forward to figuring out what will be a better fit.

 

[phoenixgirl]

PennQuaker, I'm in VA. Basically, adding the AP course means those kids will never have American literature. If I tried to move some American literature into 10th grade honors, then other teachers would complain about the kids who take my class but don't take AP and thus repeat the literature. But I do believe the teacher will add some American literature in, even though it's a comp class. In the next county over they have American lit in 10th grade, so I guess it's not a state wide thing.

Elmorten, I still have the excitement/dread.

Sabine, wow, 4 preps . . . is that pretty standard at your school? At my school 3 preps is usually the most anyone has, and that's really only the honors/AP/specialty center teachers (I guess the rationale being that you'll put up with more preps to teach the gifted kids, but teachers not "lucky" enough to have those classes at least get less stress with fewer preps). If I get pregnant in the next few months then this will be my last year teaching too, at least for a while.

I guess I never answered the organization question. My student teacher told me I was pretty well organized, at least compared to her other coop, but I don't think I'm really that organized.

I do have a system, at least. I have a tray for in-work and out-work for each class, and then I have a ladder-like stacking thing behind my desk where I keep a folder for each unit we do. In my remedial classes we wouldn't do enough work to need more than a literature, grammar, writing, and vocabulary folder for each marking period, but in honors there are enough papers that I'd have a Julius Caesar folder and a clauses folder, etc. Then at the end of the marking period I recycle most of the papers, keeping originals of anything new for a binder in which I keep one copy of each handout and for a folder on that unit which I keep in the filing cabinet. The binder and folders are back ups; I usually rework things each year and print out new originals to copy, but sometimes the printer doesn't work or computer crashes. That's when you say, Sorry this has my maiden name on it or sorry this has a chapter we haven't read on it yet . . . but at least you have a handout.

In my desk I keep a folder of "need to do" stuff so that if there's a phone call to return or form to fill out I know where it is. I always have a place for everything, but I don't always file immediately. I really hope I get to stay in my room again this year during my planning period because that helped a lot last year. When you need to rush out of the room before the next class you never end up going through the pile. I just can't seem to get to work early, and I don't believe in staying late (plus the aforementioned janitor creeps me out), so . . . (That's a whole other discussion, but I'd rather take home papers to grade and be at home than be stuck at school for hours but never take work home . . . but the truth is I don't grade that much at home and let papers pile up until it's too embarrassing not to have graded them yet.)

What else? Um, I have file box with a handle in which I take home papers to grade. So the papers are either in the in-tray, in my file box, or in the out-tray. Occasionally a student will say I lost their paper, but with my system, I know that's unlikely, and 9 times out of 10 they sheepishly produce the crumpled up paper from the bottom of their bookbag later. I'm assuming the other 1 out of 10 has a dog with some English homework in its stomach.

I also use Microsoft Outlook on my school-issued laptop to keep track of IEP and faculty and club meetings. Otherwise I'd been that numskull eating snacks in the break room, wondering where all the other teachers are, when there's a meeting I'm supposed to be at.

 

[Haven]

We just finished our first week--teachers went in on Monday, and the kids came Tuesday.

I''m looking forward to seeing how our new superintendent, principal, AND assistant principal work out. YUP! All three are brand new this year. It''s going to be interesting. So far so good, though. I''m just bummed because our former principal was an ally of mine, and he really helped me out in a lot of ways.

A lot is changing for me this year because I''ll only be teaching one period per day, and then I''m running a reading lab the other two periods per day. (We''re a high school on a block schedule, so full time teachers teach three 90-minute classes per day, plus an extra 30-minute period for one class.) I''m also teaching American lit to juniors, which is my FAVORITE class, so I''m really excited about it. The reading lab is going to be great, my vision has turned into a reality so now I have to prove that this enormous change we made was worth it, no pressure or anything. I''m up for the challenge, I''m really looking forward to it.

I was really bummed about going back on Monday, but then so many of my former students sought me out during the week that it was a blast seeing all of them and catching up, so I''m not so unhappy about being back anymore.

But yes, I feel that mix of anticipation and dread every year.

 

[Haven]

El--I have a facebook profile for my students. I post homework and other updates. I used to use a website that I created myself, but I find that the students log on to facebook far more often. Gee, imagine that!

I had about fifteen emails from students this summer saying: What am I supposed to read for summer reading? The titles were listed on our school''s website, but they all contacted me, instead. So, I put up a link and voila! Job done.

I had a lot of success with a class blog when I taught community college. Students posted responses to each text that we read, and then "discussed" the text with each other using the comments feature. It was really great. I used Blogger, which is now powered by Google, and it was really nice and easy to maintain.

 

[Blair138]

ewwww...I can''t even think about going back....ahhhhhhhhhhhh

OK-well I actually went in a few days this past week, I go back Friday, have 2 Institute Days and then kids start Tuesday the 26th. We start SO LATE and I don''t get out til June 12-I want to cry...

I''m teaching 3 preps 1st semester and 4 2nd semester-it''s a lot of work but I think I can make it-on top of taking Master''s classes and planning on wedding...

this year I vow to be more consistent-I always try to do ''new'' things like discipline rules or something for my class and then forget halfway through the semester. I also vow not to say ''yes'' to as many things this year-I need to not take on so much-It is my 3rd year so I feel as a non-tenured teacher I should always say yes, but I do SO MUCH as it is, I can''t make myself nuts.

Haven-you went back really early! Do you get out in May? I''m slightly jealous...

 

[little miss sunshine]

I teach first grade and I guess I am lucky - we don''t start until after Labor Day...

I am looking forward to lunch w/my grade level team - I work with amazing girls and over the past few years we have gotten so close ...

As far as change, I find myself having to change things every year... this will be my 4th year and each year my class has had SUCH a different dynamic...

I would also LOVE to be more organzied Zoe!! Have you thought about getting one of those "mailbox" style paper organizers? I have one with 8 shelves (4 rows split in two). It''s black and a wood-ish materal - they make them in heavy duty cardboard as well... some teachers use them as mailboxes for their students but i have a smaller one that''s not so space-consuming. I got it at Sam''s club and I stick papers in it by subject (math stuff, spelling, etc) and then refile at the end of week/month/whenever I get to it... I also like the organizer because it''s sturdy (I cant stand those stacking cheap plastic trays) and it can even fit a whole class set of copies of something if I don''t get to it. Then I can either file it for next year or use it later on as a review...

Let me know if you think of any other organizational strategies!!

 

[Elegant]

Well, I just got a new job as a 4th grade GATE teacher (I used to teach 3rd grade - never any GATE classes) at a new school, so I am very nervous.

In response to the organizational question, I figured out a great way to store/organize papers. I bought some really cheap magazine holders and I label them by subject matter. So for example, I have a "Reading" magazine holder, and I put file folders with "author''s purpose," "summarizing," etc. I even put my teacher''s manuals and label the magazine holder according to what it is in it. I put the magazine holders on the shelves inside of my closets in the classroom. It REALLY helped keep me organized. I HIGHLY recommend it.

I am also using an online gradebook that allows parents to view student grades and comments I make about their child. Using this method, I rarely have unhappy parents visiting me unexpectedly.

I am NOT looking forward to starting, but I am happy that I found a job where I relocated to.

I start on the 25th of this month - and thankfully it is a minimum day! 8:30 - 12pm!

I need to find some neat icebreakers/community building activities for the first two weeks of school. I think it is important to build a collaborative and supportive classroom culture.

Sigh.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 8/16/2008 6:55:11 PM
Author: phoenixgirl
PennQuaker, I''m in VA. Basically, adding the AP course means those kids will never have American literature. If I tried to move some American literature into 10th grade honors, then other teachers would complain about the kids who take my class but don''t take AP and thus repeat the literature. But I do believe the teacher will add some American literature in, even though it''s a comp class. In the next county over they have American lit in 10th grade, so I guess it''s not a state wide thing.

Okay, well that''s different. In Alabama, 11th grade is American Lit and history is American history. (Actually, both 10th and 11th grade in AL are American History.) But Alabama has what they refer to as the 4x4, in order to graduate, a student has a to take one course from the 4 core subjects every year and for the most part, they are predetermined. The only difference comes when one takes the AP and IB courses.

 

[Haven]

Date: 8/16/2008 8:15:25 PM
Author: Blair138
ewwww...I can''t even think about going back....ahhhhhhhhhhhh


OK-well I actually went in a few days this past week, I go back Friday, have 2 Institute Days and then kids start Tuesday the 26th. We start SO LATE and I don''t get out til June 12-I want to cry...


I''m teaching 3 preps 1st semester and 4 2nd semester-it''s a lot of work but I think I can make it-on top of taking Master''s classes and planning on wedding...

this year I vow to be more consistent-I always try to do ''new'' things like discipline rules or something for my class and then forget halfway through the semester. I also vow not to say ''yes'' to as many things this year-I need to not take on so much-It is my 3rd year so I feel as a non-tenured teacher I should always say yes, but I do SO MUCH as it is, I can''t make myself nuts.


Haven-you went back really early! Do you get out in May? I''m slightly jealous...

YES WE DO! Our last day of Term 4 finals is Thursday, May 21st, not that I''m counting. We always finish before Memorial Day because we find that the kids are more likely to "check out" at the end of the year.

I finished my master''s last year while teaching full-time and planning a wedding--it''s not easy but you can do it! Delegate, delegate, delegate! And I definitely graded fewer tiny assignments throughout the year.

Elegant--We use PowerSchool for grading and it''s GREAT! Parents and students can check grades and comments at any time, and there''s a link to email the teachers right from the grade book if they have any questions. Teachers also have access to students'' other grades and attendance records and all that, so we can see if our students are performing similarly in other classes, and we can easily contact students'' other teachers. We have to use it at our school, but I would use it even if it wasn''t mandatory.

 

[Haven]

Date: 8/17/2008 4:22:14 AM
Author: pennquaker09

Date: 8/16/2008 6:55:11 PM

Author: phoenixgirl

PennQuaker, I''m in VA. Basically, adding the AP course means those kids will never have American literature. If I tried to move some American literature into 10th grade honors, then other teachers would complain about the kids who take my class but don''t take AP and thus repeat the literature. But I do believe the teacher will add some American literature in, even though it''s a comp class. In the next county over they have American lit in 10th grade, so I guess it''s not a state wide thing.

Okay, well that''s different. In Alabama, 11th grade is American Lit and history is American history. (Actually, both 10th and 11th grade in AL are American History.) But Alabama has what they refer to as the 4x4, in order to graduate, a student has a to take one course from the 4 core subjects every year and for the most part, they are predetermined. The only difference comes when one takes the AP and IB courses.

In our school, AP Lit and AP Language are considered electives. Students may take them during their junior or senior year, HOWEVER, they must take American Lit during their junior year in addition to any AP courses, as American Lit is a graduation requirement.

What is an IB course, Penn?

 

[phoenixgirl]

It''s the International Baccalaureate program.

 

[Haven]

Thanks Phoenixgirl. I''ve never heard of the IB program. I just did a search on their website and I see that there are only 18 schools in Illinois that offer it, and none of them are on the North Shore, where I live and teach.

Hmmm . . . perhaps I will delve a little further.

For those whose schools offer the program, do you like it? Any feedback?

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 8/17/2008 11:12:26 AM
Author: Haven
Thanks Phoenixgirl. I''ve never heard of the IB program. I just did a search on their website and I see that there are only 18 schools in Illinois that offer it, and none of them are on the North Shore, where I live and teach.


Hmmm . . . perhaps I will delve a little further.


For those whose schools offer the program, do you like it? Any feedback?

I can give the prospective of being an IB student, but not as a teacher. I will say that having an IB diploma influences the way that I teach.

 

[Rachie]

Oooh! Great thread! I am starting my student teaching Sept. 2nd in a resource room (middle school) and I am so excited! I am going in next week to help the teacher set up her room. This thread has definitely given me some ideas on how to get and stay organized.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Around here, where counties/cities have upwards of ten high schools each, it''s common to have the IB program in one school. We have a middle school and high school program for which students can apply. One of our feeder middle schools has the program, so a number of my honors kids did the program in middle school (because it was easy since it was housed in the school they already attended . . . why not apply?) but chose not to go to a different high school. One of my students whom I''ve gotten to know through newspaper did the high school program for 9th grade, and she definitely had a leg up on all the other kids in terms of what she was exposed to in 9th grade.

 

[Elegant]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:05:19 AM
Author: Haven

Date: 8/16/2008 8:15:25 PM

Author: Blair138

ewwww...I can''t even think about going back....ahhhhhhhhhhhh

OK-well I actually went in a few days this past week, I go back Friday, have 2 Institute Days and then kids start Tuesday the 26th. We start SO LATE and I don''t get out til June 12-I want to cry...

I''m teaching 3 preps 1st semester and 4 2nd semester-it''s a lot of work but I think I can make it-on top of taking Master''s classes and planning on wedding...

this year I vow to be more consistent-I always try to do ''new'' things like discipline rules or something for my class and then forget halfway through the semester. I also vow not to say ''yes'' to as many things this year-I need to not take on so much-It is my 3rd year so I feel as a non-tenured teacher I should always say yes, but I do SO MUCH as it is, I can''t make myself nuts.

Haven-you went back really early! Do you get out in May? I''m slightly jealous...

YES WE DO! Our last day of Term 4 finals is Thursday, May 21st, not that I''m counting. We always finish before Memorial Day because we find that the kids are more likely to ''check out'' at the end of the year.


I finished my master''s last year while teaching full-time and planning a wedding--it''s not easy but you can do it! Delegate, delegate, delegate! And I definitely graded fewer tiny assignments throughout the year.


Elegant--We use PowerSchool for grading and it''s GREAT! Parents and students can check grades and comments at any time, and there''s a link to email the teachers right from the grade book if they have any questions. Teachers also have access to students'' other grades and attendance records and all that, so we can see if our students are performing similarly in other classes, and we can easily contact students'' other teachers. We have to use it at our school, but I would use it even if it wasn''t mandatory.

I will have to see if the new school offers that program! I don''t think so though. Seems like I was the only elementary teacher at my old school to do it - everyone thought it was awful to have an open gradebook. I did it voluntarily. I don''t know why...a lot of the time teachers aren''t up to date with grading - this keeps you on your toes! I know that in my district they have a program like yours for the high schools, and I think this year they are serving middle schools, but no K-5. Thanks!

 

[swimmer]

Update!

How is it going teachers?

My organization system has already fallen into disarray, but nothing has gotten lost yet...
Hope you are doing great! Man I love Halloween on a Friday!

 

[Elmorton]

Ugh, caught me on a bad day. My most advanced students have decided not to follow directions nor do they have any desire to do work, so they're tripping up all over themselves. I'm hoping they'll get their act together in this next unit (and counting days until the current one is over). In one of my college-prep classes, the students are great - really pushing me to raise the bar higher, but in the other, it's mostly people who are parents and work full-time, so I've had to re-structure the class so almost all the work is done in class or it won't get done. That's a little frustrating, because I know they're capable of so much more than what I'm getting from them. My most exciting group is actually a tiny class of auto-tech students. I've been learning so much from them (I know what a piston is!) and I'm so impressed with how quickly they learn.

Back to the first group though -for the project they're doing, they have a thorough assignment description, multiple models (sample previous students' work), and I had an excellent librarian walk them through research tools (which make the assignment a snap). They've had two weeks to draft and research their (group) writing projects. I've conferenced with the groups three times since they day the assignment was given, so they've had ample time to bounce ideas off of me, ask questions, and have me look over preliminary drafts. Today was peer review. Of the students that came to class, only 3/4 had drafts prepared.

Multiple students were saying things like "well, I don't know how to do this..." - (read: "I haven't really thought about doing this..")

I know it's that point in the semester where students just give up and lose motivation, so I'm curious - what do you do to "revive" your classroom and get your students back in the game?

ETA: I love Halloween on a Friday, too!! It means that I might be able to actually expect students in class on that Fri morning I'm afraid the k-6 teachers don't get much a reprieve in our area, since most of the trick-or-treating is the night before.

 

[Sabine]

Funny, we were just talking today about how it''s getting to be that time of year where we get so caught up in everything we are doing in our classrooms that it gets to be overwhelming and all-consuming. Right now I have 2 sections of quizzes to grade, 2 sections of practice PSSA (state assessment) essays to grade, and about a gagillion reminders posted everywhere of assignments I want to create, people who need to make up stuff, copies I need to make, etc. Thanksgiving can''t come fast enough!