It's amazing to me how much work is involved in order to take a day off work. Wednesday I woke up a little light headed with a sore throat. No worries, I'm a trooper...I can carry on. I went into work and went through the day with continued symptoms. When I reached the end of my day I added shivers and aching to my list of ailments. I felt like I had been hit by a dump truck but knew it was coming back to get me again.
I decided that it would probably be best for me to take a sick day on Thursday - I didn't know what was coming, but I sure didn't feel well enough to teach at that moment. That meant that before I got to go home (to my sick bed), I had to make preparations for my classes the next day. I had to organize, photocopy and plan for the next day. What could my students do without me there. Sometimes you're lucky and they're in the middle of working on an assignment that the students can work on without you there. This can happen more often in art than in history, but I really does depend on where in the curriculum you are. Sometimes you are not that lucky and you're in the middle of teaching information when the sick day pops up on the radar. That means that you've got to figure out what the students can do without you, with a supply teacher, and without too much loss to either the credibility or flow of your course. Then you need to prepare, write instructions (for students and supply teacher) and photocopy...all so you can have a day off to wallow in your sickness.
I mention the supply teacher because you're playing a game of Russian Roulette when a supply teacher is brought into your room. Don't get me wrong, I've been that supply teacher. I understand what it is to come into a class that isn't yours, have the students assume they can walk all over you, attempt to assert control with expectations that the students may or may not respect, and then do it all again the next day. I get it, it's a tough job. Except that there are four kinds of supply teachers.
One: The supply teacher who barely passed teacher's college and still can't get hired, so they're still on the supply list after being an accredited teacher for 7 years. Two: The supply teacher who retired from teaching because they 'were done with teaching' but has decided to return for that bit of extra pay. Three: The individual who, for reasons unapparent, somehow got onto the supply list without having been a certified teacher and decide that it is better to ignore the students and take the day in further their personal interest (i.e., the daily crossword, the sweater they are knitting, or ensuring the daily newspaper is read from cover to cover). Four: The dynamic teacher who, because of a lull in hiring, has been designated as a supply teacher. (This category has a sub-category; the retired teacher who still loves teaching, but is supplementing their income and keeping busy because they still love the kids and being in the classroom.) This supply teacher is biding their time until they get hired (an eventuality, which is why this group is the most rare), but is highly sought after.
Most teachers have a list of supply teachers from this last category. The list is not long, and is often shortened throughout the year as these dynamic teachers get hired. Now, officially we cannot request a supply teacher, but if we know that there will be an absence in advance (due to, say, an appointment or a trip) we fight for the chance to employ these teachers as often as we can. We know that our lesson plans with be followed and our students will be left in good hands. We know that it will be like we were never gone.
When you don't know you're going to be taking that sick day until the evening before, you are not guaranteed a category four supply teacher - ironic because in teacher talk, "category" or "level" 4 is an exceptional exemplar of student work.
Yesterday, while I lay abed and drinking lots of liquids, I was lucky. My supply teacher ensured that my lesson plans were followed and my students did their work. That is all I can ask for.
Today, when I returned I picked up right back where I left off, but with more marking (I had to leave them something meaningful yet worthwhile for their time). Oh, and midterm marks were due yesterday...so I spent my prep period and free time today submitting marks and comments for a deadline that I missed. I stayed late to finish and to photocopy what I need for Monday.
Man, I'm glad it's the weekend and I can recover from my sick day!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
We Must Make It Better
Recently Rick Mercer, a Canadian television personality, let his weekly "rant" shed light on a very dark topic. Teen suicide. More specifically, teen suicide due to anti-gay bullying. This is a topic that requires more than just discussion, it requires something to be done. Indeed, Mercer calls for action. He demands that all gay adults become the role models to gay teens that they so desperately need; "Adults don't need role models, teens do". He calls out schools to deal with the bullying the same way that schools deal with vandalism - to search out the teens who bully and deal with them. If they cannot be found, find those who know - the culture of teens and of bullies is such that their actions are not kept secret. We live in a world where teens post their lives, their most intimate thoughts and their most public feelings onto the web - they are there for all to see if you care to look.I believe that even this is not enough, although it is a start. As a teacher (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, two-spirited...or even straight) I am a role model. It was drilled into me in teacher's college - I am held to a higher standard and as such must stand straighter, speak louder and act with intelligence. It is important for teens to be able to see adults who mirror their own situation, but they also need to see adults who support their plight and who do not allow bullying (of any kind, for any reason) to be excused.
Last month I had a student miss school for a week and a half because a group of schoolmates were bullying her. The bullying extended to threats via the internet. She was afraid to attend school and voiced concern at bringing the school into the issue to deal with her bullies. She did not want to make the situation worse. If we are supposed to have a zero tolerance for bullying in our schools, why was my student's answer to stop attending school and not to involve the school's administration? She was afraid. She was fearful of what would happen if she attended school. She was scared to have the bullies dealt with when she finally returned to school. Regardless of why she was being bullied, she needed more than just a role model.
We need an environment where bullying is viewed the same way as stealing or bodily violence...and dealt with accordingly....including over the internet; the choice weapon for many of today's teen bullies. The new buzz words these days are Digital Citizenship - in other words, being cyber-smart. Just as in the real world, where you must be accountable for your actions, in the cyber world your posts still have impact and consequences. Information, images, statuses and comments all go out onto the wide world web and are there for all to see/read. We know that bullying leads to lowered self esteem. Poor self worth is one of the major contributors to teen suicide. We also know that hate must be taught. Stereotypes and hierarchies are a major part of teen culture. They say that love is stronger than hate. We must teach respect and acceptance. We have to get teens to buy into the idea that bullying equates to violence. We must show them that bullying will not be overlooked or ignored. We must be role models. All of us.
It is not enough to call out the gay adults in our governments, media, communities and schools to stand up and become role models. It is a start, but not the end. It is not enough for us to say "don't worry, it will get better" (the standard answer when we have no solution). We must all stand together. We must ALL become role models for all teens suffering from bullying of any kind (including anti-gay bullying) as well as positive role models for our teens who bully. Our message cannot be "it gets better". Our message must be "we will make it better together and we will make it better now".
Last month I had a student miss school for a week and a half because a group of schoolmates were bullying her. The bullying extended to threats via the internet. She was afraid to attend school and voiced concern at bringing the school into the issue to deal with her bullies. She did not want to make the situation worse. If we are supposed to have a zero tolerance for bullying in our schools, why was my student's answer to stop attending school and not to involve the school's administration? She was afraid. She was fearful of what would happen if she attended school. She was scared to have the bullies dealt with when she finally returned to school. Regardless of why she was being bullied, she needed more than just a role model.
We need an environment where bullying is viewed the same way as stealing or bodily violence...and dealt with accordingly....including over the internet; the choice weapon for many of today's teen bullies. The new buzz words these days are Digital Citizenship - in other words, being cyber-smart. Just as in the real world, where you must be accountable for your actions, in the cyber world your posts still have impact and consequences. Information, images, statuses and comments all go out onto the wide world web and are there for all to see/read. We know that bullying leads to lowered self esteem. Poor self worth is one of the major contributors to teen suicide. We also know that hate must be taught. Stereotypes and hierarchies are a major part of teen culture. They say that love is stronger than hate. We must teach respect and acceptance. We have to get teens to buy into the idea that bullying equates to violence. We must show them that bullying will not be overlooked or ignored. We must be role models. All of us.
It is not enough to call out the gay adults in our governments, media, communities and schools to stand up and become role models. It is a start, but not the end. It is not enough for us to say "don't worry, it will get better" (the standard answer when we have no solution). We must all stand together. We must ALL become role models for all teens suffering from bullying of any kind (including anti-gay bullying) as well as positive role models for our teens who bully. Our message cannot be "it gets better". Our message must be "we will make it better together and we will make it better now".
Monday, October 10, 2011
We are saved...from the worse of two evils...
We now have a minority liberal government. That means that our government in Ontario - who have been good to us (those in education) so far - will hopefully continue as is.
We were successful in keeping Hudak from having a lion's share. Unfortunately he still has a voice, but we have chosen the lesser of two evils.
I remember teaching civics (a course about government, citizenship and what roles that teens have in the future of both our country and world) and having a discussion of why people vote the way they do. I remember part of the discussion being about voting strategy; that sometimes people are aligned with a specific party, sometimes people get to vote for a person they believe in, but that most of the time people are voting for whatever the lesser of all the evils is. I remember that one student put up their hand and made a comment about how sad that was. I agreed, but also knew from my own experience that it was quite often the truth. I challenged them to do something about it if, when they reached the age of majority, they felt that their vote was going not to a party they felt that they could back wholeheartedly, or to a politician that they felt inspired by.
Last election a number of the students in that class were old enough to vote and many came to me voicing their frustration at the fact that they were voting for someone who they felt were going to "screw things up the least". They echoed the sentiment that many of us (who are often tired of voting for the lesser of all evils) feel. When will there be a leader who we are voting for because we feel that they will be great in power? I have been voting for 15 years now, and I am still looking for one.
Coincidentally, I have been teaching for 10 years and I have yet to teach under a principal for whom I feel the same. When I decided that my place was in the classroom, I felt that I could inspire and share my passion to new generations of students. I wanted to capture their interest and provide an environment where students could find their own voice through the skills I could share with them. That is my vision. I am not a visionary. I am waiting for a principal who has more passion about our school than about climbing the ladder. I am waiting for a principal who can unite the school staff as well as unite the students. I am waiting for a principal who wants to lead our school, not simply one who is placed on our rung on the educational ladder, so to speak.
Now, I know the simple answer is to climb the administrational ladder myself - become the principal I seek to follow. The problem is that this would require me to leave the classroom. It would mean that I would leave those students who I feel I can reach the best on a one-to-one level. As contrary as it sounds, I cannot follow my own advice, because it would mean abandoning what I am passionate about. A leader must have passion. So I must wait.
I wait for a principal who wants to lead my school and staff to great things for the sake of it (and not for another notch in their resume). Just as I await a day when I can say that I voted because I was passionate about the politician, and not because they were the one who will (to quote my student) "screw things up the least".
I await inspiration.
We were successful in keeping Hudak from having a lion's share. Unfortunately he still has a voice, but we have chosen the lesser of two evils.
I remember teaching civics (a course about government, citizenship and what roles that teens have in the future of both our country and world) and having a discussion of why people vote the way they do. I remember part of the discussion being about voting strategy; that sometimes people are aligned with a specific party, sometimes people get to vote for a person they believe in, but that most of the time people are voting for whatever the lesser of all the evils is. I remember that one student put up their hand and made a comment about how sad that was. I agreed, but also knew from my own experience that it was quite often the truth. I challenged them to do something about it if, when they reached the age of majority, they felt that their vote was going not to a party they felt that they could back wholeheartedly, or to a politician that they felt inspired by.
Last election a number of the students in that class were old enough to vote and many came to me voicing their frustration at the fact that they were voting for someone who they felt were going to "screw things up the least". They echoed the sentiment that many of us (who are often tired of voting for the lesser of all evils) feel. When will there be a leader who we are voting for because we feel that they will be great in power? I have been voting for 15 years now, and I am still looking for one.
Coincidentally, I have been teaching for 10 years and I have yet to teach under a principal for whom I feel the same. When I decided that my place was in the classroom, I felt that I could inspire and share my passion to new generations of students. I wanted to capture their interest and provide an environment where students could find their own voice through the skills I could share with them. That is my vision. I am not a visionary. I am waiting for a principal who has more passion about our school than about climbing the ladder. I am waiting for a principal who can unite the school staff as well as unite the students. I am waiting for a principal who wants to lead our school, not simply one who is placed on our rung on the educational ladder, so to speak.
Now, I know the simple answer is to climb the administrational ladder myself - become the principal I seek to follow. The problem is that this would require me to leave the classroom. It would mean that I would leave those students who I feel I can reach the best on a one-to-one level. As contrary as it sounds, I cannot follow my own advice, because it would mean abandoning what I am passionate about. A leader must have passion. So I must wait.
I wait for a principal who wants to lead my school and staff to great things for the sake of it (and not for another notch in their resume). Just as I await a day when I can say that I voted because I was passionate about the politician, and not because they were the one who will (to quote my student) "screw things up the least".
I await inspiration.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
5/4...it's all about the math!
This semester I have the undeniable schedule of teaching 5 courses in a school day divided into 4 periods (one of which is my prep period). Doing the math? Crazy, huh? Impossible you say? Nope. I teach 2 split level courses. During a day where I'm supposed to be teaching 3 courses and preparing for those three during the fourth period, I'm teaching a total of 5 courses during 3 periods and attempting to photocopy, mark and plan during the remaining period. This inevitably flows over into my own time after my official work day is ended by the school bell.
I admit, there are undeniable benefits to my schedule. For instance, teaching two 11/12 splits means that those grade 12 level courses are running, instead of being cancelled. This means that I am able to help my grade 12 students develop artwork so they can prepare for their post-secondary portfolio interviews. It also means that I have the possibility of growing a program by allowing the students within them to show off to their peers what they are now able to produce.
I am trying to remind myself of this, and of the fact that as a school we lost a number of teachers to surplus. We are down students; everyone is down section (class) numbers; there are new teachers coming out of teacher's college who have been looking for up to 4 years and still don't have a full time teaching job. I should be happy to have a job. I should be happy to have a job with at least more job security than many others in today's economy. I should be happy I'm teaching art. I should be happy to be doing what I love. I am...but it's hard to remember my new mantra at the end of a very long day when Tim Hudak calls my home with a recorded message telling me that he wants to "let teachers teach".
Background: Ontario (the province in Canada in which I live and teach) is having an election to decide who our next premier (leader) will be. There are 3 forerunners. The first is our current Premier, Dalton McGuinty - he's a Liberal and has done well for Education during the recent years that he's been in power. The second is Andrea Horwath, of the NDPs - the last time the NDPs were in power there were some shake ups within education and they were quickly voted out. Please note that the NDPs have recently been promoting themselves as the 'vote for the other guy' party. The third choice is Tim Hudak, the Conservative leader. He is an interesting character who always has interesting things to say...He has put education at the forefront of this election.
He makes it public that he's an ex-teacher, so you'd think his education plan would be positive and helpful. Having had an inside view on what a teacher's daily life is like, he'd be able to meet and provide for the needs of schools and teachers. I feel that there's a secret he's not telling us - something along the lines of why he got out of teaching (I keep expecting him to drop the bomb that he actually hated teaching or left the teaching profession because he got kicked out), which would help to explain why he's come at education with his guns blazing and his spin team using their finest editing skills. His line is "let teachers teach".
Now that sounds great! Instead of overwhelming teachers with needless minutia and paperwork, let teachers teach! Let us make our own judgements as to what our students will be captured by. Let us focus on giving our students the opportunity for more 1 on 1 time by lowering class sizes. Let us spend our time teaching the next generation the skills they need with updated technology. Let teachers have the resources they need to properly capture the students' imagination and creativity - like textbooks, supplies and budgets that meet our needs. Let teachers, who are in our schools' classrooms, be the best judgement as to what they need to teach. Let teachers teach...period.
Instead, "let teachers teach" means something QUITE different to Tim Hudak...what he's not telling us is how he finishes the sentence. "Let teachers teach" is followed by a lot more than a period. It means that instead of teaching 3/4 classes a day, teachers will go back to teaching 4/4. That means no prep period. The last Ontario Conservative government that tried to do that saw thousands of teachers walk away from the job and saw many more made redundant because less teachers were needed to teach the same number of students. Teachers were exhausted. Teachers were literally dying on the job from exhaustion. Teachers stopped being able to use their prep period to mark, copy and prepare for their classes and had to do these things after school. Teachers were forced to choose between teaching and coaching. All extra-curricular activities (sports, dramatic productions, choirs, clubs, etc.) were all put on hold because teachers had to use the time they have previously set aside for supervising these extra activities (many of which have been proven to motivate those students who are at risk of failing and/or dropping out of school) for what they would normally do on their prep period...and had to prepare for an additional class as well. Teachers suffered, students suffered, education suffered. Hudak, an ex-teacher, wants to re-instate this policy and everything it brings with it.
Additionally, Hudak wants to increase class sizes (that means that what little time a teacher has in 75 minutes for each of their 28 students, will now have to be divided even further). He has not said where he will cap class numbers. He wants to change the ability that the teachers' union has to negotiate for pay raises, so that they cannot bargain for even cost of living increases (not to mention anything beyond than that). If Hudak wants to do that to the teachers' union, I ask you which union is next on his list for eliminating wage increases as a bargaining tool?
This is all only the tip of the iceberg. To continue with the analogy, the majority of an iceberg's mass is unseen, under the water. I make the same comparison with Tim Hudak. Much of what he has in store for Ontario is yet to be seen. If he is allowed to rise to power within our provincial government, none of us know what is truly in store.
My solace for my 5/4 timetable is that once first semester is over, my schedule goes back again to 3/4. I am teaching 3 straight classes and my fourth is a prep period. If Tim Hudak is allowed to govern, there will be no respite for anyone until he is taken out of power. Just as it was too late for the Titanic after it hit the iceberg, I say that it will be too late for us and for education if we are hit with Tim Hudak.
I admit, there are undeniable benefits to my schedule. For instance, teaching two 11/12 splits means that those grade 12 level courses are running, instead of being cancelled. This means that I am able to help my grade 12 students develop artwork so they can prepare for their post-secondary portfolio interviews. It also means that I have the possibility of growing a program by allowing the students within them to show off to their peers what they are now able to produce.
I am trying to remind myself of this, and of the fact that as a school we lost a number of teachers to surplus. We are down students; everyone is down section (class) numbers; there are new teachers coming out of teacher's college who have been looking for up to 4 years and still don't have a full time teaching job. I should be happy to have a job. I should be happy to have a job with at least more job security than many others in today's economy. I should be happy I'm teaching art. I should be happy to be doing what I love. I am...but it's hard to remember my new mantra at the end of a very long day when Tim Hudak calls my home with a recorded message telling me that he wants to "let teachers teach".
Background: Ontario (the province in Canada in which I live and teach) is having an election to decide who our next premier (leader) will be. There are 3 forerunners. The first is our current Premier, Dalton McGuinty - he's a Liberal and has done well for Education during the recent years that he's been in power. The second is Andrea Horwath, of the NDPs - the last time the NDPs were in power there were some shake ups within education and they were quickly voted out. Please note that the NDPs have recently been promoting themselves as the 'vote for the other guy' party. The third choice is Tim Hudak, the Conservative leader. He is an interesting character who always has interesting things to say...He has put education at the forefront of this election.
He makes it public that he's an ex-teacher, so you'd think his education plan would be positive and helpful. Having had an inside view on what a teacher's daily life is like, he'd be able to meet and provide for the needs of schools and teachers. I feel that there's a secret he's not telling us - something along the lines of why he got out of teaching (I keep expecting him to drop the bomb that he actually hated teaching or left the teaching profession because he got kicked out), which would help to explain why he's come at education with his guns blazing and his spin team using their finest editing skills. His line is "let teachers teach".
Now that sounds great! Instead of overwhelming teachers with needless minutia and paperwork, let teachers teach! Let us make our own judgements as to what our students will be captured by. Let us focus on giving our students the opportunity for more 1 on 1 time by lowering class sizes. Let us spend our time teaching the next generation the skills they need with updated technology. Let teachers have the resources they need to properly capture the students' imagination and creativity - like textbooks, supplies and budgets that meet our needs. Let teachers, who are in our schools' classrooms, be the best judgement as to what they need to teach. Let teachers teach...period.
Instead, "let teachers teach" means something QUITE different to Tim Hudak...what he's not telling us is how he finishes the sentence. "Let teachers teach" is followed by a lot more than a period. It means that instead of teaching 3/4 classes a day, teachers will go back to teaching 4/4. That means no prep period. The last Ontario Conservative government that tried to do that saw thousands of teachers walk away from the job and saw many more made redundant because less teachers were needed to teach the same number of students. Teachers were exhausted. Teachers were literally dying on the job from exhaustion. Teachers stopped being able to use their prep period to mark, copy and prepare for their classes and had to do these things after school. Teachers were forced to choose between teaching and coaching. All extra-curricular activities (sports, dramatic productions, choirs, clubs, etc.) were all put on hold because teachers had to use the time they have previously set aside for supervising these extra activities (many of which have been proven to motivate those students who are at risk of failing and/or dropping out of school) for what they would normally do on their prep period...and had to prepare for an additional class as well. Teachers suffered, students suffered, education suffered. Hudak, an ex-teacher, wants to re-instate this policy and everything it brings with it.
Additionally, Hudak wants to increase class sizes (that means that what little time a teacher has in 75 minutes for each of their 28 students, will now have to be divided even further). He has not said where he will cap class numbers. He wants to change the ability that the teachers' union has to negotiate for pay raises, so that they cannot bargain for even cost of living increases (not to mention anything beyond than that). If Hudak wants to do that to the teachers' union, I ask you which union is next on his list for eliminating wage increases as a bargaining tool?
This is all only the tip of the iceberg. To continue with the analogy, the majority of an iceberg's mass is unseen, under the water. I make the same comparison with Tim Hudak. Much of what he has in store for Ontario is yet to be seen. If he is allowed to rise to power within our provincial government, none of us know what is truly in store.
My solace for my 5/4 timetable is that once first semester is over, my schedule goes back again to 3/4. I am teaching 3 straight classes and my fourth is a prep period. If Tim Hudak is allowed to govern, there will be no respite for anyone until he is taken out of power. Just as it was too late for the Titanic after it hit the iceberg, I say that it will be too late for us and for education if we are hit with Tim Hudak.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
First day's glance to the last
I've always found it interesting to watch students the first day. Each group of students reacts totally differently to their first day of school.
Grade 9s are often shell-shocked. I usually describe them as "deer in the headlights". They are worried about getting lost, they're overwhelmed and they're trying to be cool all at the same time.
Grade 10s walk with a bit more assurance...with a bit of a swagger. They aren't the bottom of the totem pole anymore. They know their way around the school, but are still a little anxious about what grade 10 will hold and whether they are going to get those really great teachers they liked (or, gasp, those teachers they didn't like) for their classes this year. Grade 10s are a little trickier because they are a mix of wanting to show you they aren't those 'grade 9s', but they're trying to start the year on a good note.
Grade 11s are a little more self-assured. Grade 11s can walk into a class and still not be too sure - grade 11 is when a lot of their optional courses kick in. Many new optional courses open to them mean that they're happy to be in your class because it's THEIR choice they're there. Many new optional courses open to them also means that these are brand new subjects so they are also a little overwhelmed with new information.
Grade 12s are an interesting bunch. They walk into your class understanding that it's okay if they're excited to see you; they'll ask you how your summer went and actually be interested in the answer. Grade 12s are also (usually) focussed on the year ahead because they feel that their marks matter more than last year. In fact, they do, but since our government has granted universities and colleges freedom to look at an applicant's grade 11 marks, they don't stand alone.
Either way, most students (regardless of grade) all usually start the year with good intentions and with good motives. Talk to them in a week, in a month and inevitably there will be students who tell you that they don't know what happened, they are failing.
There's something I say to all my classes each semester's first day; if they attend class regularly, submit their assignments and listen to my feedback throughout the year I promise them that they will not fail my class. It is the truth and, for me at least, it's obvious as a path for success. The students often feel differently. They treat my promise with something akin to disbelief. It's as though no one has sat down with them and said that attendance, submission of your best work and bettering each assignment by listening to teacher feedback are the keys to success in school.
In truth, I don't remember anyone actually sitting my down and TELLING me these things would lead to my success. I just knew that if I didn't skip class, tried my hardest, listened to constructive criticism and tried to incorporate it in my work, I'd do just fine. In fact, I did very well indeed. Where has that common sense gone today in a group of students who seem to think I'm letting them in on some secret to success? Why don't students know these things?
Maybe our expectations have been lowered. Maybe we aren't holding the students to a high enough standard. Maybe the problem is that we are being proactive instead of being forced into reactiveness.
Instead of giving students an opportunity to recoup lost credits after bad choices were made throughout the semester, we let them in to the 'secret' of success right from the beginning. Maybe we shouldn't just hold them accountable for their bad decisions, but show them ahead of time what happens if they make smart choices and EXACTLY what those smart choices look like.
Let them succeed (or fail)...but let them do it with their eyes wide open. Let the end result clearly show which path is preferable as well as exactly how to get there. Let us not just outline how to fail, but how to pass!
Grade 9s are often shell-shocked. I usually describe them as "deer in the headlights". They are worried about getting lost, they're overwhelmed and they're trying to be cool all at the same time.
Grade 10s walk with a bit more assurance...with a bit of a swagger. They aren't the bottom of the totem pole anymore. They know their way around the school, but are still a little anxious about what grade 10 will hold and whether they are going to get those really great teachers they liked (or, gasp, those teachers they didn't like) for their classes this year. Grade 10s are a little trickier because they are a mix of wanting to show you they aren't those 'grade 9s', but they're trying to start the year on a good note.
Grade 11s are a little more self-assured. Grade 11s can walk into a class and still not be too sure - grade 11 is when a lot of their optional courses kick in. Many new optional courses open to them mean that they're happy to be in your class because it's THEIR choice they're there. Many new optional courses open to them also means that these are brand new subjects so they are also a little overwhelmed with new information.
Grade 12s are an interesting bunch. They walk into your class understanding that it's okay if they're excited to see you; they'll ask you how your summer went and actually be interested in the answer. Grade 12s are also (usually) focussed on the year ahead because they feel that their marks matter more than last year. In fact, they do, but since our government has granted universities and colleges freedom to look at an applicant's grade 11 marks, they don't stand alone.
Either way, most students (regardless of grade) all usually start the year with good intentions and with good motives. Talk to them in a week, in a month and inevitably there will be students who tell you that they don't know what happened, they are failing.
There's something I say to all my classes each semester's first day; if they attend class regularly, submit their assignments and listen to my feedback throughout the year I promise them that they will not fail my class. It is the truth and, for me at least, it's obvious as a path for success. The students often feel differently. They treat my promise with something akin to disbelief. It's as though no one has sat down with them and said that attendance, submission of your best work and bettering each assignment by listening to teacher feedback are the keys to success in school.
In truth, I don't remember anyone actually sitting my down and TELLING me these things would lead to my success. I just knew that if I didn't skip class, tried my hardest, listened to constructive criticism and tried to incorporate it in my work, I'd do just fine. In fact, I did very well indeed. Where has that common sense gone today in a group of students who seem to think I'm letting them in on some secret to success? Why don't students know these things?
Maybe our expectations have been lowered. Maybe we aren't holding the students to a high enough standard. Maybe the problem is that we are being proactive instead of being forced into reactiveness.
Instead of giving students an opportunity to recoup lost credits after bad choices were made throughout the semester, we let them in to the 'secret' of success right from the beginning. Maybe we shouldn't just hold them accountable for their bad decisions, but show them ahead of time what happens if they make smart choices and EXACTLY what those smart choices look like.
Let them succeed (or fail)...but let them do it with their eyes wide open. Let the end result clearly show which path is preferable as well as exactly how to get there. Let us not just outline how to fail, but how to pass!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Less Than A Week To Go...
Today is a mixed bag; there is less than a week to go before a new school year begins.
Part of the bag is filled with promise; a new year means new students, new courses and new beginnings. This is good because I am now renewed and refreshed to face all the excited faces who share my passion for visual arts. I have forgotten all the problems and issues that stayed behind my when I walked out of the school in June. I am excited with new ideas for the courses I am teaching and looking forward to what the year holds. I can't wait to get back into the classroom and face each new day as it comes.
Also in the bag is hesitation; a week left of summer vacation and a new year of drama, whining and self-entitlement...not all of which comes from the students. I am also a little hesitant this year because instead of teaching 3 courses first semester (as is the norm), I am teaching 5 (I have two split level courses - brilliant of my guidance department considering both combine the introduction and the experienced sections of the course). This is hard to balance and a lot of prep work for me. Right now my brain is still in summer mode. It takes more than just a switch that flicks to on to get my brain going into teacher-mode. I enjoy my summer vacation and although my husband is antsy with just a month of vacation, after having taught summer school, I could have another month of time just to complete my list of things-to-do and still be happy...until I look at my bank account.
I am then reminded that I am excited about going back in a week because it will mean I get paid! It's amazing to me that this one particular element of teachings-having-the-summer-off is often left out of the rant that I hear from non teachers about how nice it would be to have 2 months off. My usual retort is something along the lines of "you had the same opportunity to go into teaching that I had, I guess I chose wisely"...maybe the next time I get the thinly veiled jealousy I'm going to respond with something about having a 2 month vacation from my paycheck too.
Part of the bag is filled with promise; a new year means new students, new courses and new beginnings. This is good because I am now renewed and refreshed to face all the excited faces who share my passion for visual arts. I have forgotten all the problems and issues that stayed behind my when I walked out of the school in June. I am excited with new ideas for the courses I am teaching and looking forward to what the year holds. I can't wait to get back into the classroom and face each new day as it comes.
Also in the bag is hesitation; a week left of summer vacation and a new year of drama, whining and self-entitlement...not all of which comes from the students. I am also a little hesitant this year because instead of teaching 3 courses first semester (as is the norm), I am teaching 5 (I have two split level courses - brilliant of my guidance department considering both combine the introduction and the experienced sections of the course). This is hard to balance and a lot of prep work for me. Right now my brain is still in summer mode. It takes more than just a switch that flicks to on to get my brain going into teacher-mode. I enjoy my summer vacation and although my husband is antsy with just a month of vacation, after having taught summer school, I could have another month of time just to complete my list of things-to-do and still be happy...until I look at my bank account.
I am then reminded that I am excited about going back in a week because it will mean I get paid! It's amazing to me that this one particular element of teachings-having-the-summer-off is often left out of the rant that I hear from non teachers about how nice it would be to have 2 months off. My usual retort is something along the lines of "you had the same opportunity to go into teaching that I had, I guess I chose wisely"...maybe the next time I get the thinly veiled jealousy I'm going to respond with something about having a 2 month vacation from my paycheck too.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Welcome!
I suppose introductions are in order...To begin with, I teach Visual Arts and History at the Secondary School level. I have been teaching for 9 years now. Within the school I teach at, this means that I'm one of the more senior teachers. We have veterans (teachers who have been teaching for 15+ years), but we are a mostly young staff. That means that the majority of teachers in our school have been teaching for about 6 years or less. That puts me in the middle of the road, in terms of experience, within my school. This gives you a bit of a picture of me, but it is not "me" in entirety.
I am newly married (we just celebrated our first anniversary) but have been friends for 10 years now, I am a new home owner, I love to cook, read and watch movies. I am passionate about photography and about art. I have long ago learned that my friends are my solace, and that counting husband among my best friends is one of the most important things in our relationship.
My husband and I have a lot in common, and many of our differences challenge the other to expand who they are. Among our commonalities, is the fact that he is also a teacher. In fact, he teaches Phys'ed in the same school that I teach...and no, we did not meet at the school. We met before we started working together.
There are usually two fixed responses when people discover that we work at the same school; people either think that "it's great" (getting to work together and see each other all day) or they wonder if it's "awkward". The thing that many people don't think about is that we usually don't see each other throughout our day. We're both in our respective classrooms, teaching, for our work day. When we decided to teach at the same school, we made a decision to keep it professional at work. This may make sense to most people, but to us this also means that we go through our day, for the most part, separately (we don't even eat lunch together, we eat with our friends/colleagues on staff). We wanted to keep distinct and unique identities for ourselves within the school among both the staff and students. We both felt that this was/is important as we want to be able to deal with students on an individual basis, not as each others' spouses. That doesn't mean that we keep our relationship a secret, everybody knew that we were dating and knows that now we're married.
This leads us to whether it is "awkward" to teach in the same school as my husband. It is not. I won't lie, it was at first. It was weird when students would approach me and know something about my personal life (that we were dating). It soon became something I got used to because that was where their information information and, for the most part, their questions...we were dating (or, as of last summer, we are married). That's the end of the conversation because that's where we have always chosen to end the conversation - professionalism in the workplace.
Is there anything else about me you should know? I'm sure there is, but that's enough for now. As I soak up the last couple weeks of summer vacation and my brain begins to turn once again to the classroom, I will leave you with a thought. In this blog want to relay something of what I have learned, and continue to learn from the students. My students are approaching the world from a point in life and from within a generation that we have labelled with terms like awkward, troublesome, lazy, apathetic, unengaged, and selfish. What were the adults saying about you and the teens of your generation?
It really all comes down to one word. It is the word that I use to advise my photography students on how to achieve better images. It is the word that can reflect change and can be the difference between a problem and a solution. It is the word upon which I base my blog.
Perspective
I am newly married (we just celebrated our first anniversary) but have been friends for 10 years now, I am a new home owner, I love to cook, read and watch movies. I am passionate about photography and about art. I have long ago learned that my friends are my solace, and that counting husband among my best friends is one of the most important things in our relationship.
My husband and I have a lot in common, and many of our differences challenge the other to expand who they are. Among our commonalities, is the fact that he is also a teacher. In fact, he teaches Phys'ed in the same school that I teach...and no, we did not meet at the school. We met before we started working together.
There are usually two fixed responses when people discover that we work at the same school; people either think that "it's great" (getting to work together and see each other all day) or they wonder if it's "awkward". The thing that many people don't think about is that we usually don't see each other throughout our day. We're both in our respective classrooms, teaching, for our work day. When we decided to teach at the same school, we made a decision to keep it professional at work. This may make sense to most people, but to us this also means that we go through our day, for the most part, separately (we don't even eat lunch together, we eat with our friends/colleagues on staff). We wanted to keep distinct and unique identities for ourselves within the school among both the staff and students. We both felt that this was/is important as we want to be able to deal with students on an individual basis, not as each others' spouses. That doesn't mean that we keep our relationship a secret, everybody knew that we were dating and knows that now we're married.
This leads us to whether it is "awkward" to teach in the same school as my husband. It is not. I won't lie, it was at first. It was weird when students would approach me and know something about my personal life (that we were dating). It soon became something I got used to because that was where their information information and, for the most part, their questions...we were dating (or, as of last summer, we are married). That's the end of the conversation because that's where we have always chosen to end the conversation - professionalism in the workplace.
Is there anything else about me you should know? I'm sure there is, but that's enough for now. As I soak up the last couple weeks of summer vacation and my brain begins to turn once again to the classroom, I will leave you with a thought. In this blog want to relay something of what I have learned, and continue to learn from the students. My students are approaching the world from a point in life and from within a generation that we have labelled with terms like awkward, troublesome, lazy, apathetic, unengaged, and selfish. What were the adults saying about you and the teens of your generation?
It really all comes down to one word. It is the word that I use to advise my photography students on how to achieve better images. It is the word that can reflect change and can be the difference between a problem and a solution. It is the word upon which I base my blog.
Perspective
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