Genius Hour has commenced!

I am so excited about this Genius Hour stuff. So. Excited.

Though I've had a few glitches to work out in communicating my expectations to kids and exactly how much paperwork they really need to do the project, it's starting off well.

The kids pitched all their ideas a few weeks ago, and we're setting up blogs today. I think a lot of the kids are truly excited for what they're doing. Some of them have lofty goals... some of them don't. Some of them have very interesting topics but struggled to come up with a project to go with it. They all seemed to have something they wanted to study or learn or focus on quickly, but finding a project to go with it was a challenge for some.

I think, though, that so far, my goal for the project is being met - the kids are engaged in learning and doing something of their choosing. The kids I have, by and large, are all high-achievers. They have to be, to qualify for College Prep English. And because of that, they are also some of the busiest, most involved students we have. I think they appreciate having a chance to pursue a hobby or an interest of theirs built in to the school week.

Some of our projects are:

• making blankets for the needy
• testing computer virus software
• making model cars
• making soap
• creating painting tutorials
• raising money to build a house in Haiti
• creating a lending library
• writing an a cappella song to perform at a Christmas concert
• learning photography techniques

Overall, I'm pumped to see where these kids go with this opportunity. You can check my Genius Hour page for links to all their blogs, which are supposed to explain their projects and their progress. They're still in the initial stages, though, so some of them don't have much up yet. They will!

Product Update: Writer's Mini-lessons

One of my favorite assignments I give to my seniors is the writer's mini-lesson. By the time they are seniors, there is very little actual new information for them to learn regarding grammar. Most of what they are doing in their writing is improving, maturing, and simply adding sophistication. So, for our grammar and writing review, I have the students teach most of the lessons.

The best part about student-led instruction is how much better they retain what they taught. And I've been really surprised by the different ways they have come up with to practice the information or skill! Some of them have gotten really creative!

The down side of all of this, which I learned the hard way the first few years, was the organization of it all. I have one group present each Wednesday, and they all have due dates based on when they present, so it can get really difficult to keep everyone on schedule and organized. I made myself a chart for each of my hours to try and stay on top of it, but I mostly relied on the kids to be aware of deadlines and get things to me. They are seniors, after all. I tried my best to remind them, and they did get points deducted if they missed a deadline. I just let them know up front that they were in charge, and it seemed to work well enough.

I have certainly learned a lot through trial and error with this assignment, but I think I've streamlined and organized the process now (mostly). So, to reflect that, I've updated this product to include some more documents and helpful tips and tricks. Click here to check it out!

DIY Ruler Growth Chart [Tutorial]

I LOVE getting to be crafty in the summer! And as my kids are growing like WEEDS, I decided I needed to make this project a priority: a ruler growth chart!

Here's what I used for my project:

• a 2" x 6" x 6' board
• a hand sander
• 50-, 100- and 150-grit sandpaper
• a light stain
• some clean cloths or a brush to apply the stain and finish
• a tape measure or a yardstick
• printouts of the numbers 1-6 in your font of choice (mine are HERE and they were 288 pt.)
• a Sharpie (you could paint the lines and numbers, but I'm not that steady!)
• a clear polyurethane finish

First, I sanded the board using a hand sander, starting with the 50 and working up to the 150. I didn't need it to be too smooth - just enough so that it didn't scratch. I wanted a little bit of a rough look. I also slightly rounded the corners with the sander.

Then, I applied two coats of stain using a cloth. I used Minwax Colonial maple. I would not suggest going too dark, because you want to be able to see your numbers easily and your marks for the kids' heights.

After the stain dried a full 24 hours, I went to work on the numbers and marks. I decided I wanted a mark every inch, and I made the 1/2 and 1/4 marks (at 3", 6", and 9") longer. I laid out a tape measure beside my board and marked at 6", because that is how high I was going to hang it off the ground. My family is fairly tall, and I wanted to make sure this baby could accommodate tall boys, so I started my numbering at 6" and it goes up to 6' 6"!

Using my tape measure, I marked off at 6", 1' 6", 2' 6", etc. all the way up to the top. I used a square tool (like the one pictured to the left) to mark lines in pencil that were 3" long for each foot. However, if you wanted your 1/2 marks to be longer than your 1/4 marks, you'll want to make these 4". Then, I marked every three inches with lines that were 2" long (make your lines at each foot 3" if you want your 1/2 lines longer), and finally I marked every inch 1" long. This part took a little bit of time, but it was super easy. After I did it all in pencil, I went over it in a new black Sharpie.

For the numbers, I put the paper on top of the board where I wanted them to go (I centered it off the foot marks) and traced over it, pressing down hard, with a mechanical pencil with the lead retracted. It left an impression in the wood, since I used a pretty soft wood, that I then simply traced with Sharpie and colored in! You can sort of see the impression here, and in this closeup pic, you can see the coloring lines a bit, so if that would bother you, I'd fill in the numbers with paint.

I gave the Sharpie a good 24 hours to set because I wasn't sure if it'd bleed or not, and then I put two coats of satin-finish clear polyurethane to seal it.

To hang my ruler growth chart, I scoured the Internet but didn't really find the suggestions I was looking for, so I went to the hardware store to browse and ended up coming home with these flush mount hangers. I screwed the hanger to the board and screwed the other one to the wall (making sure to use a level), but it still was a little wobbly hanging, so I added three Velcro 3M strips to stabilize it, and I feel much better about that. The best way I found to attach those was to put the strips on the board, then attach the other strips with the Velcro, then peel off the backing and hang it on the wall. Then I pressed really hard where the strips were, removed the board, and pressed them in some more. I don't want this baby going anywhere!


I'm so happy with how this turned out! Labor-wise, it probably took me only a few hours to sand, stain, draw the numbers and finish. There was some wait time in between, but it made a really good naptime project for me! To mark their heights, I used three different colors of Sharpie. And the kids LOVED getting measured, especially baby girl, who modeled for me without me even asking. :)

Making my Masterpiece

... OK, I'm not sure this one is my "masterpiece", but I do think it's a really fun unit!

This week's challenge for the Teachers Pay Teachers Sellers Challenge (hosted by Amber at PreppyZestyTeacherista, Ashley at Teach Create Motivate, Emily at Third in Hollywood, and Jen at Sparkling in Second) is to create a new product. I had been meaning to get my "Surprise Endings" unit ready to sell basically since I taught it. I loved teaching it, and at the end of the year, several students told me it was their favorite thing we did all year.

Basically, I recap plot, characterization, and tone/mood by using Pixar shorts, and then we read three short stories with twist endings ("The Black Cat", "Lather and Nothing Else", and "The Open Window") to practice analyzing those skills. Finally, the kids get to write their own short stories (this was the part they loved) with their choice of four surprise endings. Then, they write a paragraph analyzing their stories and explaining how they used elements of plot and characterization and how they created the tone/mood.

The best part of this challenge is that they told us to find a partner to evaluate it and give us tips on how to make it better. It was awesome because that is something I have never done before. Based on that feedback, I reorganized some things, I made some things more noticeable and clearer, and I took out some things that were in my personal plan that aren't included in the product.

I'm so excited for this one, and I'm working on putting up the individual lesson plans as well.

If you think this unit sounds like something you'd enjoy, you can find it in my store here!

It IS a business!

I really didn't know what to expect when I joined the Teachers Pay Teachers Sellers Challenge (hosted by Amber at PreppyZestyTeacherista, Ashley at Teach Create Motivate, Emily at Third in Hollywood, and Jen at Sparkling in Second), but it has certainly provided a kick in the pants to get my store close to where it should be.

Up until very recently, I didn't really think of it as a business. I know it's called a "store", but in my head, it was more of a hobby. I think that was mistake number 1. I just posted my "products" (still didn't think of it as a business) hoping that they were useful and user-friendly. Sale-ability, marketing, branding... none of that occurred to me.

And because of that, when someone started a post discussing Terms of Use pages on the TpT Seller Challenge Facebook page, it got me thinking. Why didn't I have one of those? If I want others to take me seriously and respect my products, I think I need those things that say I take myself seriously. Like a Terms of Use page.

So, here it is! I even figured out how to add hyperlinks to it.

Now for the somewhat arduous task of inserting it into all my existing products... I guess I can do that as I work on updating all my covers too. :)

So what about you? If you sell, did you have trouble taking yourself seriously?

Daring to Dream

I suppose to start out with, reviving this blog is daring to dream itself.

However, the last time I tried this, I had thought, "What a great way to remember my FIRST year of teaching... I'll keep a blog!" Then I actually started teaching and realized how much work - so, so much work - is involved in teaching, especially when it's your first year and you're starting from scratch.

Now, as an older and wiser teacher with five full years under my belt (ha!), I'm hoping maybe I can do this. I've got the incentive of all those other Teachers Pay Teachers sellers out there who all seem to be saying, "YES, you need a blog!"

So, this blog will also be my Genius Hour project that I'll work on while my dual credit English 12/College Composition seniors work on their Genius Hour projects (more on that later).

What I'm hoping to gain from my TpT store

When I started my Teachers Pay Teachers sellers account, I had a basic account for probably six months. I wasn't really sure what I expected out of it. In fact, I think I mostly planned to download free items, but I figured that if the seller's account was free too, I might as well post some of those middle school units I wouldn't be needing as I changed jobs to a high school teacher. It took a while, but I still remember how exciting that first sale was. It was as if someone out there was saying, "Hey, it looks like you know what you're doing. I'm going to PAY MONEY for your work!"

That feeling was incredible. Validation.

The first part of my dream was simply taking pride in my work. I mean, I had always been proud of what I was doing in the classroom, but it is so hard to share with non-teachers (and even other teachers - I hated feeling like I was bragging, especially as a young teacher). So my store allowed me to really have a concrete reason to feel pride in my work, and I had people that I could share it with who might even pay some of their own hard-earned money to purchase my work.

When I finally did the math and realized that I actually could be making a lot more money, even with spending the money for the premium account, my dreams started to materialize. This money, for us, is not in the budget. Some of it goes on our Starbucks card. I used some to buy a second pair of glasses. I bought a skirt from JC Penney's. You know, fun stuff! Guilt-free, non-budgeted fun stuff!

Finally, after completing my first year as a premium seller, my husband and I decided that we would save as much as we could (minus some Starbucks money still) to take a vacation. I'm not sure when or where just yet, because we've got big J and the twins to think about, but we are thinking maybe Vegas. I'd kind of like to make it coincide with the TpT conference, but we'll see what he thinks about that. :)

This TpT Seller's Challenge has been great motivation so far. I'd already revamped several product covers, as well as some products themselves, and now, I'm getting re-committed to this blog. There's no time like the present!

Busy, busy, busy!

Today was one of those days that felt like a week. We started with VB practice for the varsity this morning at 6:30 since their was a HS quad after school at home. Then I stayed after school and finally got my file folders for each kid organized. Luckily Brandon helped me with that. We left and then went straight to Brandon's parents' house to have hamburgers and okra with them and Meghan while she's home. I'm glad I'm finally sitting down! I feel like the first few weeks of school have both flown by and gone incredibly slow. I'm always busy and feel like I haven't had a moment to stop and think since we started, but yet I feel like we've done so much already that we've had to have been in school for weeks.

I wanted to share today some of the things my kids came up with for their quickwrite today. Basically, I start each class with a quickwrite: a 5-minute, write-as-fast-as-you-can journal entry. For the 8th graders, today, the topic was based off a photo of two bicyclists who were stopped on a road and looking straight at the camera. Their quest was to describe what it was that made the bicyclists stop and look. One kid decided it was because they could see right into our classroom, and they stopped when he announced that today's lunch was Salisbury steak. They were trying to figure out how to get into the classroom to eat with us. Another kid told in detail of the unicorn farm, where the unicorns were playing chess and the goats were singing. I can't remember all of them, but man, the imagination these kids have! Love it!

The 7th graders had a similar creative topic. Theirs was to imagine that they received an official-looking, white, business-size envelope in the mail from a company called Peerless with the words "You May Have Already Won" stamped on the outside in red. They were to then come up with the next part of the story. One kid told the story from a 3 year old's perspective, and she won a lifetime supply of Spaghetti-O's. Another kid wrote the letter that was actually in the envelope: it started out saying you had won a trip to outer space, but then said "just kidding" and was actually a letter asking for money to support research for kids afraid of the colors red, yellow and blue. Another kid told it from the perspective of the oldest man alive, who is 1,979 years old. And still walking (the kids got a kick out of that part).

They just amaze me with their varied ideas! I'm excited to hear what they have to say about Where the Red Fern Grows in 7th grade, and I know the 8th grade will come up with some good tall tales/myths/legends/folk tales/etc. in their unit this week and next.

I love being a teacher so far, but man, I feel so busy!!

First Full Week... CHECK

Wow, I can't believe the week flew by that quickly. All my classes went through their diagnostic units, with some kids realizing that I mean it when I say the deadline. But I'm really enjoying how hard they are working so far. I can't wait to read all their essays this weekend! (I mean that seriously, fyi!)

Reminder to self: breathe...

With IEP meetings before school, volleyball practice and scrimmage yesterday, I am exhausted, but exhausted in such a happy way. Turns out I really do have a knack for this teaching thing. I feel great, and the kids all (all but a couple, anyway) seem to like and respect me and therefore work hard to impress/please me. I've been trying so hard to get the message across that they are in charge of how hard they work, and that I expect high quality out of them, and they're listening. Woo hoo!

After this morning's I've helped to set up the project of disassembling and reassembling a computer for a kid who often gets bored by the end of the day, and Brandon's going to meet him Tuesday to give him some pointers and extra information about what he's doing. I think it'll be good for both the kid and Brandon!

Happy as I am, I'm pumped for the weekend. Time on the Plaza at KC with Meghan (home for R&R from Afghanistan) and the family will be great!

The First Day of School

Yesterday was my first day with kids. It went well, really, though I had planned WAY more than what we could do in the 27 minutes they had with me because of a shortened schedule and 1:00 release. Wow. Except 5th hour, which came at the end of the day and was normal length, due to lunch. I was glad to have that breather at the end of the day.

But I'm really impressed with the kids, for the most part. They were all really paying attention, even when we got to the boring rules stuff, and a few classes had kids that were asking questions too. Some chattering, of course, but what do you expect for the first day. I suppose I should probably make them raise their hands more. It's just not exactly my style... I'm more open. But I'd better hammer down, or it'll only get worse. :)

I'm already pushing things back a day, and I've realized I need a new system of keeping track of what day we're doing what. I have dates on everything that now need to be shifted one day. I guess I better start just labeling things "Day 1" and "Day 2" and so forth. It'll save me a lot of time.

I'm really impressed with my reading class, at least in their abilities to read out loud. I've only got 3, so we got to talk quite a bit in our 27 minutes; since they're all in my English classes, I didn't need to rehash the rules or syllabus. I gave them 3 books to choose from for the first unit, and they chose Night of the Twisters. I knew they would... Kansas kids. :) So today I think we'll read some newspaper stuff on this particular tornado that happened in Grand Island, Neb., that inspired the book, as well as ones around here.

I'm just so excited!

Kids' Camp

It has been quite a while since I've posted on this blog. But, my goal is to post at least once a week as I begin my first year of teaching.

This week, I'm seeing what it's like to work with younger kids. I'm helping another teacher with the kids' camp for the Flint Hills Writing Project. In the morning, we had 6 kids (of 8) who were 1st-3rd grade. In the afternoon we have 4th-6th grade. The difference in the mood of the camps is striking. The morning kids were all boys full of energy. Though they were able to write more than they thought they would with our photo gallery activity, they still took a lot of prodding, and physically writing took a lot longer with the younger ones. This afternoon, there are 11 kids (mostly girls), and they are so quietly writing away you could hear a pin drop.

I'm finding that it takes a lot more work to help kids round out their stories than with middle school and high school students. These kids are still in that plot-driven state, and only so many things can happen to their main character before the story needs to be over. I'm hoping we can get more descriptive, more specific, and deeper characters by the time the week's through. My favorite question is going to be "How did they feel when that happened?"

It's definitely neat to hear all the ideas they have though. We played a game where one student starts a story, then each adds a sentence. It got a little... weird. You know, a pie who wanted to hit someone, so he hits a person, then the person eats him, then he goes through the sewer to the ocean, where he is eaten by a shark... you get the drift.

What really struck me most was when we had the 4th-6th graders pull out the laptops. You can just tell what a computer generation we have... these kids can pull up Word, save their document, and type using (mostly) correct fingers. They need help spelling gentle, but typing--they got it. The only few bits of trouble are because the computer's a Mac.

Also, the one kid who was refusing to write more than a page on the huge lined paper (you know, the kind with the dotted line in the middle) is now typing away, really quickly, adding sentences to his story. Of course, it's about how the neighboring tribe came over and blew everyone up with grenades, but hey, he's writing.

You can check out the kids' writing at fhwpkidscamp2010.blogspot.com. We'll be posting all week.

Until next time,

Tamara

A Wordle of my blog!

Check out the Wordle of my blog!!

Wordles are these neat things that takes which words are used and makes the ones that are used most often the biggest, then compiles them all into art! With colors! And a font!















You can make your own at http://www.wordle.net :)

Decisions, decisions...

Recently, I substitute taught at Junction City Middle School for sixth grade social studies and eighth grade math. I have always heard that teachers have to make a ridiculous number of decisions in one day, so I decided about halfway through the day to keep track of all the decisions I had to make that day. Keep in mind that this was one full day of teaching (no plan period taken) for a substitute, so I generally did not have to make decisions that affected more than one class period generally. So, here's the official list. Sometimes I included my decision. :) I'm not saying they were all correct decisions, but that's what I went with!

--Do I take the extra job presented to me once I got here?
--What do I buy with my $1.35? (I didn't bring lunch, just a breakfast snack.)
--How do I find the kids for Cat Time who didn't check in (since they went to other classes today)?
--Do I allow kids to go to the restroom? (Even though the teacher asked me not to?) (No.)
--How exactly do kids play this game? (The instructions were slightly vague...)
--"Do we have to turn this in?" (Yes.)
--"We lost our die for the game." Where did it go? How can they play without one?
--Should I take the paper football or return it and have them put it away? (Trash it.)
--Do I allow the rowdy boys to continue rolling their die on the floor? (No way.)
--Do I make the kid play the game if he would rather just complete the math worksheet? (As long as you finish the math, I don't care.)
--How closely should I watch the kids and enforce the rules? (They're making progress on the worksheets... guess as long as they're relatively calm I'll leave them alone.
((END OF CAT TIME))
--How quiet do I make the kids be before we walk to the library?
--Should I make the kids stop walking until they can be quiet on the walk to the library?
--Should I let this girl go to her locker before going to the library? (Even though I told kids during passing period to bring their books?)
--Should I pull the giggling girl who kept "dropping" her books on the walk aside and chat with her about appropriate behavior?
--How much time should we spend in the library? (Has the past 10 minutes that the teacher said to stay long enough?)
--How many kids should sit at each table in the library for them to keep quiet? (Three.)
--What book do I suggest to this boy? (Some Chris Crutcher.)
--How will I tell kids they need to be quiet for the rest of the period and read? (Mean? Kind? Remind them about their behavior grade.)
--How do I reward kids for being silent the whole reading time? (Two minutes of talking.)
--Should I let a girl leave to take an RC test? (No.)
((END OF CORE 1))
--repeat several of the above questions
--Should I separate Tamica and Jacy? (Not yet.)
--Should I let Jacy get out of the line to get a drink for her "hiccups"? (I guess.)
--How much extra time should I let Adrian stay in the library?
--How do I get this class to be quiet? (Kind of mean.)
--Was Tamica just up out of her chair? What was she doing?
--There she was again! Do I get up and say something? (Hopefully meaningful eye contact was enough.)
--She's crawling on the floor to pass a note to Jacy! Eye contact all the way... Was that enough to stop her?
--Do I dock Tamica and Jacy both for behavior points?
--How do I approach them while the rest of the class talks the last two minutes? (Ask them why I might be docking their behavior points today--they know.)
((MOVE TO 8TH GRADE MATH))
--How strict should I be with the 8th grade?
--How do I learn their names with no rosters?!
--What do I have them do with their time if they have no worksheet from yesterday to finish?
--Should I let them work in groups?
--Do I get someone to go find Reshawn from the restroom? (He's been gone nine minutes... oh there he is.)
--How closely should I watch them? If they're talking and working, do I let them?
--These girls are definitely not talking and working, who should I have move? (Ask them for a volunteer.)
((END OF 8th GRADE CORE 1)
--When do I walk these kids to lunch?
--Do I need to go get them from lunch? (I don't have any idea when... they'll walk themselves back.)
--Should I let these kids work in groups?
--Do I 'let it go' or discipline that? (There were several of these decisions...)
--Do I comment on that joke I just overheard about "cutting myself over boys"?
--Do I let them continue to work in groups? (Chris and Austyn are way off task and talking so loud...)
--What do I do with this new 7th grader in 8th grade math? (Just give him the worksheet and let him work through it with another student.)
--Do I take the balloons or just make them put them away? (Throw them away, boys.)
--Why is that boy holding that girl and her desk hostage? Should I make him stop?
--Do I let this kid interrupt class across the hall to use the pencil sharpener? (This one's not working?)
--Should I have my student tell someone the boys' bathroom is a mess with toilet paper?
--What do I do now that I've seen balloons the second time? (Take them and ask them for all the balloons they have--these kids will probably give them to me.)
--Does this 7th grader really need to leave 20 minutes early from this hour?
((END OF 8th GRADE CORE 2)
--What do I do with this kid that's playing games on the calculator? (Make him do his work without.)
--Can these kids handle group work?
--What do I do with the kids who have other kids' papers? (There were several!)
--Is that kid trying to blow up a balloon? Should I take it?
--How many kids do I let go to the library when their work is finished? (Two.)
--Should I give them a pass to their locker for extra work? (If they really want to use their time to do more homework, then definitely.)
--Can I leave this class to go to the restroom now?
--How much help should I give this kid on this problem?
--Should I go ahead and send another kid to the library? (It's 5 minutes past the 10 minute limit I gave the others... No, just wait.)
--Should I let this student who hasn't been working go to the restroom? (There were LOTS of these requests.)
--Should I make them all sit down and be quiet until the end of class or not worry about it? (They've been awful and are all out of their chairs.)
--What do I do with this calculator with the awful picture drawn on it? (The kid who gave it to me definitely did not draw it...)
((END OF 8th GRADE CORE 3))
--What do I do with Chris' apology for his behavior earlier? (Take note of it... but keep his name on the 'misbehaved' list.)
--Should I leave this class to go to the restroom? (Ah! There's a hall monitor I can ask to watch them!)
--Should I allow a group of 5 to work? (I'll give it a 5-minute test run.)
--What noise level should I allow since they're actually working?
--Should I let this group of girls work in the hallway? (They're complaining that the boys are bothering them... They'll get over it.)
--Do I punish the kids eating candy who were tattletold on by others? (I hate tattletelling...so no.)
--Do I interfere with the "fighting" and flirting boys and girls?
--Do I reprimand that girl for climbing over her chair?
--Do I let them work in the hallway now? (Still no.)
--How long should I tell these two girls to be in the library?
--What do I do with my last 25 minutes here since I'm done with my homework?
--Do 7th graders really leave two minutes earlier than 8th grade?

There you have it: 75 questions. And then... HOME. :) It was a long day, but I did get paid for the extra hour I worked instead of taking a plan.

This semester

I can't believe this semester is already winding down. I always feel a little frantic right before Thanksgiving break, because I know that right after Thanksgiving break, I have very little time before I'm taking finals/ turning in final projects. Especially because this year's biggest final for me is a 15-20 page paper for my ENGL 660 class. Yikes. At least my other classes seem fairly easy. A final project for educational technology, a non-comprehensive final exam for educational research and a normal 5-7 page paper of what I learned in educational philosophy.

All of this just makes me even more excited for next semester. After doing a quick intercession class, I just have two more classes (one is online) and the portfolio. Then I get a master's degree! :)

Now, I'm going to go back to work on my first four pages of that final paper for English, due next Monday. I have ... not very much so far. I'm just not sure where I want to go with the paper. My topic is alcoholism and the Drunken Indian stereotype within Sherman Alexie's novel Reservation Blues. Tricky, tricky. I think I will re-read the book and take careful notes now. Thank goodness it was a quick read!

When I imagine...

I have decided, while I sit here broiling in the RP office, that I should blog. It is nearing the middle of my third year on staff, and after being immersed in the world that surrounds the most award-winning college yearbook in the country, you would think I have some reflections. 

Guess what! I do.

Many of them center around how I would like to run my staff when I advise for a high school. Some general ideas, in the order that I think of them:

• Take my kids to conventions. And pre-covention etiquette dinners so I can teach them good manners for the trip.

• It is important to lie to the kids about deadlines. It is important to build in a little leeway for yourself, because things will happen, and high schoolers won't handle it nearly as well as the RP staff has.

• Have as extensive of an editing chain as possible. 

• Reward kids with dinners or movie nights or something at my house. It's important they see me out of school and they take time to relax and enjoy a job well done.

• Encourage positive peer pressure and student responsibility within the staff, so that kids feel they can and should speak up when something is not right.

• Goals.... and keeping them in focus and bringing them up constantly. Otherwise they're pointless.

• Deadline charts are awesome. Update them daily.

• Because the book will have a video and Web element, I want three people to go to every story. One photographer, and one team of a writer and videographer. Each "staff writer" (non-editor) on my staff will be a writer and videographer. Each video story will go through the same chain a written story would have to, except instead of a copy editor I will have a video editor.

• Recycle all that paper!

I know Anna and I have talked about more, but that's all I've got right now. :)

Clickers

I have been interested in “clickers,” or student response systems, for a while but have never read about them much or had the opportunity to see them in use. So for this assignment, I read an article on the NEA Web site, “Clickers and Classroom Dynamics” by Derek Bruff. The purpose of clickers is for students to engage in in-class polls or quizzes. A teacher presents a multiple-choice question, and students all submit their responses via the clicker. Then, software on the teacher’s computer will analyze the students’ answers and produce a chart. This is an easy, pressure-free way to do checks for understanding, and based on students’ answers, a teacher knows whether to move on or cover certain material again. The article discussed other, more advanced uses for the clickers. For instance, a professor at Harvard made famous “peer instruction.” If students were asked a question, like mentioned previously, and a significant number answered incorrectly, they would take a few minutes to discuss the question in small groups and then resubmit their answers. Often, the second answer was correct. I like the fact that students submit their answer semi-anonymously (other students don’t know what they answered), and that it gives all students a chance to participate easily. The article also gives suggestions on ways to use the clickers to ask more high-level thinking skills questions, such as giving an example of an ethical dilemma, then asking students to identify the classical ethical philosophy that went with it. This would be easy in a science class, as you could give an example of something happening due to one of Newton’s laws and then ask which one it is.

There are several systems for clickers, but the one I looked up was the iClicker, but you had to get a quote for the price for them. I did some Google searching, however, and found that several universities offered a FAQ section for courses that used clickers, and most quoted the price as $45-$50 per remote, and Amazon had some for around $30 used. That price does not include the teacher’s receiver or the software, however, so it seems to me this basic piece of technology may cost more than it’s worth for small, K-12 classrooms where a teacher could simply take a closed-eyes vote and count them herself.

Bruff, D. (n.d.). Clickers and classroom dynamics. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/34690.htm.

The Digital Divide

The first article, “The Digital Divide: Where We Are” on Edutopia, was written in 2002. I wonder what in this article would be irrelevant or different now. Seven years is a LONG time in Technology Land. The statistics, I’m pretty sure, would be different, though I bet the concern would be the same, maybe even more so today because a hugely (in my opinion) increased dependency on the Internet. This article came out before Facebook, for goodness’ sake. :) I couldn't tell when the second article, “Three Dimensions of Racism and the Digital Divide in Education,” was written; the latest research mentioned was from 2002. However, I would imagine the argument is still valid, especially because it is based on systematic racism, which hasn't changed much, though I would also imagine that along with race, SES and geographic location also plays a large role.

I asked for volunteers to discuss technology with me at the end of the first hour I was subbing for Thursday. In my discussion with a black, female senior from Junction City High School, I discovered that there may be a discrepancy within some of the statistics: we were talking about difficulties in using technology, and she said sometimes at home it was difficult to find a wireless connection for her laptop. In asking more questions, she does not have a wireless network in her apartment; rather, she uses other connections she can find within her apartment complex.

The interesting thing is when I asked about how she and I would use technology differently, her response dealt with me as a college student and her as a high school student: she thought I probably got my homework done before I played games like TextTwist (a game we discovered we both loved). I am only four years older, so I think she assumed age didn’t affect what we do. I don’t think it occurred to her that there might be a difference between myself as a white woman and her as a black woman, even during my puzzlement at her trying to find wireless connections for her laptop. When asked, she thought maybe I would be able to get the Internet easier, though she recognized the idea of the “poor college student.” I told her all the wireless connections at my complex (and most that I knew of) had a pass key because people too many people using them would slow them down. She also talked about the frustration of updates and how often you have to re-learn how to use things, like Internet Explorer. (Take heart, older folks, we feel it too!)

Mainly her use of technology, when I asked, dealt with her cell phone and texting her mom when she was at work, using her laptop for gaming at home, and using the laptops from the mobile labs in class for typing papers and other classwork. She mostly enjoys using the entertainment side of technology, especially when it comes to using her mp3 player and games online. She also said she uses e-mail to communicate with family in Texas, but she was different from many young people in that she doesn’t use the computer much for its social networks, due in part to the fact she can’t access them at school, like Facebook, which she uses mostly for games. I asked if she used technology well at school, for classes, and there seemed to be a different definition for her when it came to technology at school vs. at home. This echoes the ideas in the second article about “Gaps in Pedagogical Access.” I don’t know everything teachers use technology for, but I know that this teenager seemed to equate technology with word processing.

Her most interesting comments dealt with advice for me as a teacher. She told me that no matter what, kids will find a way around the site blockers, so make sure I have students sit facing away from my desk to watch them, rather than having to get up and stand over their shoulder to check on them. She also encouraged me to let kids use their iPods when working on work during class; she likes it because it keeps class quieter and more kids get their work done that way. She also told me about a recent leadership conference she went to, where they discussed how much of a “crutch” technology, especially their cell phones, are, and they talked about how much face time they lose with people when they depend on texting for conversation. She even confessed to me that she texts people who are across the room from her.

Overall, it seemed as if this particular student did not think much of the digital divide. Not having their own Internet connection was just how they did it. Technology at school is basic at best, it seems, and though many teachers have smart boards, often they seem to be used most for projection screens.

Some thoughts on subbing

So. I've been subbing now for a little over a month (making twice as much as I did as a janitor at Bramlage and working half as much!), and I've got some reflections.

1. There is power in learning a kid's name. If only ALL the teachers left seating charts...
2. Speaking of things ALL teachers should leave, I like teaching. So teachers should not leave movies, and teachers should DEFINITELY NOT leave a movie without a note-taking guide or questions to answer. Boring!!
3. Kids like it when you trust them (and leave them alone to do work at their pace), but they expect you to be strict with them when they break your trust. If you aren't, they lose all respect for you.
4. Talking with other teachers can be helpful... and it can be poison. Teachers can be productive and talk about actual solutions or reasons for problem kids, but they can be just the opposite and gossip and share "horror" stories.

That's all for now. I'm subbing as we speak, though a friend of mine is the student teacher and is in charge of all the lessons today. Then, during seminar sometime, we have a pep rally. Woot. (Not really... mass chaos.)

The Tragic Fate of the Comma

In honor of National Punctuation Day, September 24, Grammar Girl (maybe you have heard of her?) invited her listeners/readers to enter a Punctuation contest. The challenge:

"Send an ode to your favorite punctuation mark to punctuation@quickanddirtytips.com. The week of the 24th, we'll feature the best entries as the tip-of-day in this e-mail newsletter, and one entry may be chosen to be the Grammar Girl podcast on September 24. 100- to 200-word entries will be considered for the newsletter. 600- to 700-word entries will be considered for the podcast. Multiple entries are allowed, and "ode" is just a guideline. As long as the piece is about punctuation, it can take any form. Please do not send attachments. Paste your text or image into the body of the e-mail. I can't wait to read your entries!"

Here's mine. *coughs, clears throat*









The Tragic Fate of the Comma

No one knows where you belong,
And I wonder, dear Comma,
Do you?

Before the conjunction in a compound sentence,
After an introductory clause, phrase, or word,
With an appositive,
Between two or more coordinating adjectives,
To separate nonessential clauses, phrases, or words in the middle of a sentence,
In dates,
Before the conjunction in a list of three or more items,
Just to name a few.

But wait.
The last one’s got an exception.
And the others have big words.
What’s an appositive? A nonessential clause?
Who will take the time to remember them?
Who, besides the English teachers, will care?

Looked down upon as confusing and in the way, many will ignore you.
In our fast-paced world, you just slow us down, anyway.

Alas, Comma, you are doomed to spend your days at the feet of words,
Tragically misunderstood,
When all you want is rest for your reader,
A simple pause.

While your twin frolics around above,
Showing possession and even daring to take the place of letters,

We implore you, nay, we beg you to stay
For if you don’t, you shall become 
Dare I say it? 
An apostrophe.

This blog is under construction.

It is dedicated to my experiences as a new teacher.

Right now, though I've graduated last May with my B.S. in secondary education, I'm still in school as a full-time graduate student in curriculum and instruction. I am in the classroom, however, as a substitute teacher in the Geary County (Junction City/Ft. Riley) middle and high schools. So I'll be adding to it occasionally, but not often. Not unless something really wacky happens, or I do something cool with SJEA (K-State's Student Journalism Education Association, of which I am the co-president).

(You can check out an overview of the club and a schedule here.)

Until then, leave me a note, or share your favorite teaching memory or something. Something to keep me inspired to continue pursuing teaching would be cool. :)