TheApple

Teacher Discounts

Dorit Sasson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:17:00 -0800

Thought I’d share with you some exciting new teacher-friendly discounts! This was passed unto me by another educator so you know you are getting timely and updated information. It’s always great to share a support chain and create a resourceful community of teachers!

h3. Borders :

Borders announced that it has increased its educator discount from 20% to 25%. Now educators receive 25% off the list price of all books, music CDs, toys and games for classroom use. The discount also includes 10% off DVDs for classroom use each time they present their Borders Classroom Discount Card, which is available for free at all Borders and Waldenbooks stores nationwide. Pre-K through grade 12 teachers, home school educators and school librarians are all eligible to receive the special card.(Borders, Education Letter, September 30, 2009).

h3. Barnes & Noble:  

B&N recently announced that is expanded its Enhanced Educator Discount Program online. All Pre-K-12 educators can now benefit from 20 percent off list price of books, toys and games for classroom use at bn.com/educator.

B&N also launched a new section called B&N@School that provides easy access to the best educational tools for parents, teachers and librarians at Barnes & Noble stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com (bn.com/school) (Barnes & Noble Extends Programs, Products for Parents and Educators, Wireless News, August 20, 2009).

h3. Staples:

 Staples offers Teacher Bonus Season, new Copy & Print promotion. During back-to-school's Teacher Bonus Season, July 15 Sept. 15, every $1 Staples Teacher Rewards members spend will count as $2 toward earning rewards. New this year, Staples is also offering teachers a special Copy & Print promotion throughout the back-to-school season of 5 cent black and white copies of classroom materials (Staples Makes It Easy for New England-Area Educators on Teacher Appreciation Day,² Business Wire, August 20, 2009).

h3. Amazon.com :

Amazon.com launches Shop by Grade Store. While not a discount, Amazon.com, has launched a new tool for teachers. The Shop by Grade store at: www.amazon.com/schoolsupplies, features discounted school supplies sorted by grade for elementary, middle school, high school and college students (Go Back to School with Deals from Amazon.com, Business Wire, August 3, 2009).

Update 11/20/09

New H1N1 Children’s Book Available as Free Download

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:47:00 -0800

MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Educators, parents, and book lovers can get a free, exclusive look at a brand-new middle grade novel, Finn Reeder, Flu Fighter. Starting November 17, Stone Arch Books, a children's fiction publisher, has made the book available as a free download on its website www.capstonepub.com/promo/h1n1/. The book will be released in hardcover as part of Stone Arch’s spring 2010 collection in January. Stone Arch Books is an imprint of Capstone Publishers.

In Finn Reeder, Flu Fighter, 13-year old Finn is assigned to keep a journal for his English class. Little does he know that his journal will turn into a record of a major flu pandemic. Somehow, he survives infection, and as his school population dwindles, Finn faces down the school bully, draws comics, catches the principal ordering pizza, endures a string of bizarre substitute teachers, and even manages to study once in a while. By the time the month is over, he’s made it through the epidemic, gotten vaccinated, played the world’s strangest game of solo dodge ball, and – if he plays his cards right -- might even have found himself a girlfriend.

“Kids are curious and have real questions about H1N1. Our realistic and humorous story talks about the pandemic in a fresh new way, explaining the virus on a level kids can relate to and understand. It gives them facts without adding to their fears,” said Joan Berge, President of Capstone Publishers Fiction.

The book’s backmatter includes a glossary, further discussion questions, tips for staying healthy, and author and illustrator information. The free download offer is available until Jan. 1, 2010, at www.capstonepub.com/promo/h1n1/. Customers downloading the book can also register to receive 10% off of the hardcover edition once it’s available in January.

Download now.

This download is only available until January 1, 2010.

Should Teachers Be Able to Sell Lesson Plans for Cash?

Mrs. Mimi | TheApple.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:50:00 -0800

Oh friends! My heart is literally pounding for I am angry! Irritated! Astounded!

Today I am angry because I finally read the story from Sunday's New York Times (MASSIVE kitchen re-organizing took over my life this weekend....grueling and intense, but well worth it. I do heart an organized kitchen!!). Did you see this article? If you didn't, you can check it out here. It's the one questioning whether or not teachers should be allowed to sell their own lesson plans for profit or whether said lesson plans are actually property of the school. I'll give you a moment to read and for my heart to slow down. I think I'll have a seat (prior to now, you should have imagined me pacing and ranting) and put my head between my knees.

Ready? I'm feeling a little better now (thank you for asking). Where to begin? I think you can guess where Mrs. Mimi stands on this one! And while I encourage free debate in my comments, may I ask you to choose your words very carefully (VERY. CAREFULLY.) if you choose to comment (read: disagree with me) today.

Basically there are many, such as the fine people over at Teachers Pay Teachers (shout out to former NYC teachers....holla!), who believe that yes, this work and these ideas do indeed belong to the teacher. This is probably because these people recognize that most teachers (if not all teachers) create their lesson plans OUTSIDE of school and/or AFTER 3:00. They do this because there isn't even one single second of time during the day where they might be able to sit down and work out anything coherent...you know, 'cuz their days are filled with things like um, teaching, meeting after meeting after meeting, working with children who need extra help, frantically running to the photo copier, desperately trying to catch up on data collecting, or, you know, eating or peeing. JUST TO NAME A FEW.

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One d-bag quoted in the article (I am debating about whether or not to name him here because he IS named in the article....um, hi, target on your back much? But, have decided he doesn't even DESERVE naming here in my space - a TEACHER'S space. So we will call him Mr. D-Bag In A Suit since I feel there is no way he is not dry clean only...meaning, there is no way he has ever got down on a floor and worked with an actual child so why doesn't he keep his mouth SHUT!) said that he believes if the materials are created with school district resources that the school district should share in a portion of the profits.

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(cover your ears)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1) How many RESOURCES have teachers actually purchased themselves to be used in said district with said district children? Does the district ever worry about that?

2) I guess if a teacher is literally copying an already published lesson out of district purchased curriculum guide, than yes. But honestly, we are SO MUCH SMARTER THAN THAT! I've taken a gander at some of the materials offered and they appear to be original material with ideas original to the teacher.

3) If Mr. D-Bag In A Suit is so worried about equal compensation for the possible/alleged use of district resources, then is he also concerned with the equal compensation of teachers for their use of non-school time to create these lesson plans (also known as over time?) I mean, I had to punch a time clock (true story) reinforcing that I was only paid for the hours between 8 and 3 while also cementing the idea that I was perceived as a contractually bound unionized worker (whether I wanted to be or not), rather than a true professional. I'm sure true professionals, who are paid true professional wages, would have no problem with working after the children went home. However, we are not considered true professionals in the eyes of too many, are definitely not compensated as true professionals and therefore feel free to complain about suggestions made my douche bags implying that we should share profits made from intellectual property created on our own time. BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT?? WE MAY COMPLAIN ABOUT THE EXTRA HOURS BUT WE ALWAYS DO IT ANYWAY BECAUSE WE ARE FABULOUS! (I am aware that I have started yelling.) (Phew. Must take breath.)

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But while I'm all heated up, let's move onto another genius bit of commentary....a gem I found in the comments section of this article. An actual professor (of what I don't know) stated that teachers constantly complain about working 40 plus hours a week because evidently he thinks that teachers are the only ones who complain about their hours at work. I don't know about you, but I have heard plenty of people in plenty of careers bitch plenty about their lack of a work/life balance. This individual then moved on to state that teachers are desperate to be considered professionals but are unwilling to incur the obligations of true professionals. Um....exactly what does this guy think we SHOULD be doing that we are currently NOT doing? Because my plate always felt insanely full - both with teaching related tasks as well as the tasks of some of the lazy shmoes around me. Does this fool mean that I should be wearing more dry clean only clothing? Or is he going to rely on the old "you get summers off and therefore aren't a professional person" argument. NEWSFLASH ASSHAT - WE DID NOT ASK FOR/BEG/OR DECIDE TO HAVE SUMMERS OFF....IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FOREVER! (And if you, Mr. Professor, snap back with a witty retort such as "well, summers off are why you got into teaching in the first place", I shall have to slap you. Hard.)

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However, the article also includes the lovely story of a veteran teacher who gave thirty years of her life to this career. After putting her own original lesson plans up for sale, she was able to finally realize her dream of redoing her kitchen. A dream which a teacher's salary alone could not support. Now the lesson plan sales may not have paid for all of it, but that money certainly helped.

The article also includes the stories of several other current teachers many of whom use the extra funds to purchase materials for their classrooms or treats for their students. (Many of these materials are necessary for excellent instruction, yet were evidently not provided by the district with district funds. Just thought I'd point that out for Mr. DBIAS.) Yes, there are a few stories of teachers going out to dinner or (gasp!) making mortgage payments, but I think we can all agree that teachers deserve a few simple pleasures such as food and shelter, can't we?

There was also talk in the article of how charging for lesson plan ideas cheapens the field of teaching which thrives on the free exchange of ideas. I don't know about you, but when I was teaching, I gave away plenty of my own ideas to my colleagues (super or not) for free all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. Of course we don't charge to share with one another in the same building. However, having a market place where teachers can share and profit from their ideas with colleagues around the world whom they have never met is a totally different ball game. (In my opinion.) Yes, you can find resources for free or you can choose to spend a little money on them. To me, it's no different than going out and buying a book on reading comprehension to help beef up your instruction.

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There is the implication that such an exchange will encourage teachers to be lazy (I HATE that so many people assume we are lazy...what is THAT about?) and add no original thought to the work, basically poaching the ideas of others to make their job easier. First of all, too many school districts are purchasing scripted curriculum which rob teachers of the ability to think for themselves or cater instruction to their children so clearly, many school districts don't have a problem with teachers simply reading from a script. (I have a problem with this, but we'll save that for another day.) So to those school districts, I say "quit your bitching." To others who believe that too many teachers are simply hitting print and listlessly going through the motions....well, that makes me sad. That may be happening in some places, but resources such as TeachersPayTeachers did not create that problem. Yet, this line of thinking doesn't consider that many teachers are also using these resources as a starting point which they will adapt to their own style and the needs of their current students. Why reinvent the wheel? Why not benefit from the shared ideas of other professionals even if it is at a minimal financial cost? Is that any different than using a free lesson plan to jump start you thinking about a new unit? Or using a published book to change the way you teach? I don't think it is.

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What do you all think? I know that in Mrs. Mimi's new website (coming soon!!) there will definitely be a space for teachers to exchange ideas and lesson plans -some for free and some for profit. I think it's a way to acknowledge hard work and compensate excellent teachers for their contributions.

Schools Must Address Parents Who Drive Drunk

Victor Lana | TheApple.com — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:49:00 -0800

As an educator for over twenty-six years, I have always advocated that schools need to get involved in important issues like feeding the homeless, Live Aid and Band Aid, helping 9/11 victims’ families, supporting our veterans, and assisting those people hit hard by disasters like Hurricane Katrina. I have been reluctant to support schools dealing with what goes on in the home. For example, parents must not expect the school to help them deal with their children misbehaving at home. I think there should be clear lines drawn between what are parenting issues and what are school issues.

Schools should be there though to assist parents in parenting. There is always room for schools to hold meetings and forums for parents on a variety of issues, but these kinds of things are almost always voluntary. I have changed my mind in regard to this on one issue: parents who get drunk or high and drive with children in their cars. In this instance parents have crossed a line in which their parenting has become suspect; it is therefore not only the school’s right but duty to step in and make an effort to eliminate this horrendous behavior with mandatory measures.

Here in New York there seems to be a virtual epidemic of people driving drunk with children in their cars, so the concept of in loco parentis applies to these cases and gives schools every right to step in and take over parental responsibility in the face of such irresponsibility. Schools must take the lead in this necessary and compelling matter and put in place mandatory classes that parents have to attend or risk having their children suspended from school until they do attend the sessions.

I find it almost incredulous for me to press for something as stern and official as this because as a school principal and teacher I was always an advocate of parental rights; however, I am also a parent, and I cannot imagine a more grave situation than what has been happening this year. I honestly fear that your children and my children could be harmed by these inconsiderate people, even if we are driving sober on the other side of the road. The randomness of the occurrences and the horrific fatalities are proof that this is a real concern that must be addressed.

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There have been a few recent incidents that have made all parents take notice of this issue. The first occurred this summer when Long Island mother Diane Schuler drove the wrong way in a minivan on the Taconic Parkway, causing a crash that killed her young daughter, her three nieces, and herself (her son escaped with severe injuries). The accident also killed three men in the other car.

At first this seemed like just an unfortunate accident, but later on police issued a report that Ms. Schuler* was drunk and high on pot when she caused this crash. After being stunned by this accusation, many people’s feelings turned from sympathy to outrage over the recklessness of a mother who had been driving drunk with her children and other children in the car.

Then there is the case of Carmen Huertas*, who is charged with manslaughter for causing an accident that killed young Leandra Rosado and injured six other girls, including her own daughter. Huertas had a blood alcohol level of 0.132 when she crashed her car on the Henry Hudson Parkway. As little Leandra lay dying, it seems Huertas managed to pull her own daughter from the wreck.

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Finally there is Sheila Bethea*, who is suspected of smoking crack, doing heroin, and drinking alcohol before wrecking a minivan, killing two of her foster children and injuring five other children in the car, including her own biological child who is now in a medically induced coma with massive trauma. Bethea is charged with manslaughter, assault, and endangering the welfare of children. Of course, all the charges in the world, all the jail time, and all the outrage does nothing to bring back any of these innocents who lost their lives in such inexplicable, unnecessary, and unforgivable ways.

New York State Senator Tom Duane (D-Manhattan) is pressing for legislation that will make it a felony to drive drunk with children in the car. While this is a common sense legal reaction and should hopefully be passed as soon a possible, I believe it will do little to stop this slaughter of innocents by people who are caregivers and parents. These drivers were all parents who should have been well aware of their responsibilities before they stepped into those cars with precious cargo, but they were too impaired to drive and did not have enough sense or decency to stop themselves from driving.

This is why I advocate the school intervention that needs to be done as soon as possible. Districts all over this state and eventually the nation should adopt a no tolerance policy for parents who refuse to attend some kind of Safe Driver Training. This course should have multiple sessions that every parent must attend, and each session should include lecture, guest speakers, and experts to give information about the dangers of driving drunk, especially with kids in the car.

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I know that some people will take offense, calling this a draconian mandate, but I think the most important aspect of this is saving the lives of children. Some parents may even say something like “It’s them and not me,” but it still should be in effect for all parents. It does everyone good to experience this kind of thing as a community, and by sitting through sessions together we will hopefully look one another in the eye and realize the human factor in all this.

We parents have been given the ultimate gift in having children, but it is also the ultimate responsibility to be a safe and responsible parent. It reminds me of what my grandmother used to say, “Anyone can be a father or a mother, but that doesn’t make them a good parent. That takes work.” My Nana was absolutely right and I have followed that advice over the years as a parent. I have an absolute no alcohol policy when driving my car, even if my children are not with me. I do not drink if I am driving. Period. We need every parent and every person to start realizing that this is the only common sense policy for all drivers.

I know there is a history and a culture of drinking and driving in our society, but look where that has taken us. The numbers of people who die or are crippled every year because of drunk drivers are just staggering. In New York State alone, almost ten thousand people have died due to drunk driving incidents since 1982 (Alcohol Alert).

Even if we just multiply that by fifty states (understanding that some states’ statistics will be higher and some lower), that is more than all the military personnel who died in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan combined. I use those numbers because this indeed has to be seen as a war, with battles breaking out all across our country every day of the year. The only way to win this war is to get the enemy by the throat; in this case, it is the drunken driver. This mad man or woman must be stopped as quickly as any enemy or foreign combatant.

Most of us are rational and sensible people. None of us would take a loaded gun into a room full of people and start waving it around. “It could go off,” we would say. Well, every time a drunk person gets behind the wheel of a car, he or she is playing with a loaded gun, and this automotive Russian Roulette is not just endangering the driver’s life but the lives of those in his car and those people in other cars.

So I call on school districts to get something together and get it done soon. At the start of every school year, yes, every school year new and current parents should have to take some kind of course (or refresher course) that teaches the dangers of driving drunk, especially with children in the car. It is the only way we can be certain that the message gets sent home loud and clear.

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Will some people still get in the car drunk? Probably. Will some still drive drunk with their children in the car? No doubt some will; however, there has to be a way to save lives and this is a solid start. Many more things must come into play with awareness campaigns and posters placed in bars, restaurants, clubs, and catering halls across the nation. People giving house parties must also recognize the danger and act responsibly.

We as a nation of people and as parents have to act in loco parentis in this matter because there are times a father or a mother forgets how to be a good parent. There must be shame in this, there must be a slap in the face that wakes up even the drunkest of the drunk. Driving drunk with children in the car is an offense that may someday be classified as a felony, but as it stands now it is an act so reprehensible that it defies human understanding. Let’s promote awareness and save innocent lives. If we do not do something then we as a people and as parents are almost as guilty as those who elect to drink and drive.

* Author’s Note: At this time Ms. Schuler’s husband disputes the claims that his wife was drunk; Ms. Huertas has pleaded not guilty from her hospital bed, and Ms. Bethea has basically said she is guilty of driving under the influence. (NY Daily News)

Firing Teachers: Unfair Treatment or Justice?

Jill Hare | TheApple, Editor — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:13:00 -0800

In today's age of technology, it's hard to keep anything private. Technology is a great classroom tool, but this year, many teachers have found that it can also be used against them. Whether it's a comment in class, a video from a cell phone, or a social networking picture, everything seems to go viral. While most teachers err on the side of caution, some aren't sure where the line is when they cross it. What might be perfectly acceptable behavior in one school district may be grounds for firing in another.

Several recent news stories have students, parents and even teachers in an uproar.

Next Page: Teacher Fired in Georgia

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Ashley Payne: Borrow County, GA

Ashley Payne, a teacher in Georgia, was fired after a parent viewed and reported pictures from Payne's Facebook page. The contents of the pictures were not inappropriate, and were posted by Payne to share her European vacation with her friends and family.

FACTS:

1.In several of the pictures, Payne was holding beer mugs or glasses wine.

2. Payne does not friend students on Facebook.

3. There were other teachers from Payne's school in the photos, but only Payne was fired.

4. Payne is suing Barrow county schools to reclaim her position. The county has chosen not to comment in this situation.

Source: ABC News

Should Ashley Payne have been fired? Share your thoughts below.

Next Page: Teacher Fired in Kansas

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Ryan Haraughty: Prairie Village, KS

Haraughty, an eighth-grade science teacher for 10 years, was fired after a response to a student in class.

"Haraughty had drawn a picture of the United States and one of his students noticed that Florida was out of proportion. The student asked Haraughty about the error.

The teacher’s offhand response, which he said Monday he regretted, was: “Florida got excited.” Read the entire article here from the Kansas City Star.

From the board of education: "The termination of Mr. Haraughty’s contract was not based on one incident,” the statement read. “The decision was based on numerous incidents over an extended period of time.”

If documented evidence of prior inappropriate behavior was noted, then the question is whether the most recent incident required dismissal.

Haraughty went on to say, “I do not want this to impede their education. I love those kids to death,” he said.

Related Discussion: Quotes to Get Fired For

Next Page: Why Fired?

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Common Sense Things to Avoid

•Poking fun at a student's expense

•Adult jokes

•Sexually suggestive language

•Profanity

•Discriminating comments about gender or race

•Getting drunk in public

•Pictures that show partial nudity or adult behavior

Read more: 10 Things a Teacher Should Never Do

Firing Teachers for Behavior or Effectiveness?

One principal confessed to TheApple how hard it is to get rid of ineffective teachers. But in these recent news cases, it seems that firing took place almost immediately. It seems easier to prove misconduct than teacher quality.

What would the teaching profession be like if bad teaching was a crime that warranted fast action like unethical behavior?

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Discuss Now: What do you think a teacher should get fired for?

Secrets of School Communication Revealed

TheApple.com — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:21:00 -0800

What happens when communication breaks down? School life doesn't run smoothly. TheApple did some investigating, and we hope the results of our efforts will help educators, principals and parents communicate more effectively.

10 Things Your Students Won't Tell You

15 Confessions from Principals

10 Things Parents Don't Tell Teachers

Give Classroom Drama a Chance

Bernadette Simpson | TheApple.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:04:00 -0800

Drama: a word that used to terrify me, but in the past week has inspired me! Until completing a research project for one of my graduate courses, the thought of me having anything to do with drama beyond mere appreciation was unheard of. I was an extremely quiet and shy child and the thought of even speaking out in class was not one that put me at ease. Although I have outgrown most of my shyness, I never thought that I would ever perform or be able to use drama in my classroom. It was for this reason that I chose drama-based strategies as my research topic last semester. It was time for me to face my fears.

According to research, the use of drama is effective in language acquisition, especially for second language learners. An important part of learning a language is, of course, learning vocabulary and drama has been shown as an effective tool in teaching students the meaning of words. In the second week of school with my new fourth grade ESOL students, I realized that I had to do something to “pep up” my language arts class for it was a long two-hour stretch. My students needed to move; they needed a break from the reading, talking, listening, and writing we had been doing every day; they needed to practice their vocabulary, especially as several students were beginning language learners. As I reflected on this dilemma of how to get the students more involved in and more excited about the story we were reading, I remembered the easy-to-implement drama activities from my research project. I wondered why it had taken me so long to remember them, but no matter - I was keen to give it a try.

After our literature circle discussions came to an end, I decided it was time to give drama a chance in my classroom. The students had just been introduced to literature circles and had a very structured group discussion. I informed the students that we would be practicing our vocabulary words by acting them out or by acting out a short situation in which one of the words would be used. I modeled to them how I might act ‘anxious’ on an airplane that is about to deliver me to family members that I had not seen in awhile. They thought this was funny and were eager to act out their own words. I told them they could choose from the six words we discussed or from any other words in the story that they had learned as we read. They could use actions, speaking, or both. I have a high threshold for chaos when it comes to group work so I allowed the students to choose their own groups, to search for a word, and decide how they were going to present it to the class. I observed their preparation and gave advice or clarification when asked. When a group was a ready, I simply called out ‘freeze’ and all the students stopped their rehearsals to view the group that was ready. What came out of these students amazed and inspired me!

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The most memorable performance was one that two boys did for the word ‘vacant’. I was most impressed by this performance because as they choose their words most students avoided this word and I did not suggest it right away. A huge smile came across my face when Hussein and Sherif informed me that they would be performing ‘vacant’. When they were ready, everybody froze to watch. Despite a few glitches and glances at me for last-minute help on props, the boys pulled off a wonderful skit in which a hotel clerk informs a guest that there was indeed a vacant room in the hotel and that he was lucky because it was the last one. As I sat there applauding, another student walked up and spontaneously joined the performance. He became the next guest who unfortunately arrived a few minutes too late to get a vacant room. I was so impressed with this student’s ability to pick up on the situation and jump right in and continue the skit. As my students travel quite a bit, I realized that this skit was pulled from their own experience, and it was not one I had considered.

Perhaps those more involved with drama would not be as awed by what my students accomplished on this day. But for the first drama experience of this type for both the students and myself, I can say it was a successful activity. This was a class of mixed abilities and backgrounds who pulled together and worked successfully on a meaningful learning activity. I do not think they will forget the meaning of vacant or the feeling of success that came from these performances. And the students have inspired me and forced our class to a higher level of creativity and thinking. Who could ask for more? Not me. But more is what I got. The dramatic skits also allowed another means of assessment for me. When two girls performed the word ‘retire’ as ‘fired’, I was able to jump in right away and explain the differences in meaning. Without having been allowed to perform this word, it may have taken me longer to realize their misunderstanding. Another plus - all of the students successfully completed the vocabulary assessment at the end of the term. I am now much more than simply an appreciator of drama. I am a participant – an energized participant eagerly awaiting our next weekly vocabulary lesson!

Help! Student Teaching Trouble

Julia G. Thompson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:22:00 -0800

Dear Julia-

I am student teaching now. In college we learned many ways of designing lessons. The problem is the school I am student teaching at is very rigid in their lessons and utilize just a few books. These books come complete with LOTS of worksheets. Creativity is very limited as it is required that these text books are followed to the letter. Any suggestions? I want all the students to be engaged when I do begin doing lessons and I want to score well on my student teaching, but I am afraid that my university supervisor will be disappointed when she sees me only offering worksheets.

-MDC

Hi MDC,

Your situation is one faced by many student teachers. It is not always easy to reconcile the demands of education courses with the reality of the schools where student teachers are assigned to work. If you think about it, a conflict is probably inevitable. Colleges are often on the cutting edge of research and schools lag behind them because of the cumbersome process of implementation.

With that being said, I think you need to be open with your college supervisor. Share your concern and ask for advice. That supervisor will probably already have some idea of the issue that you describe and will be able to share ways for you to deal with it. I believe that as long as you are honest and open in your approach, you will have a good chance of at least making your awareness of the situation known.

In addition, I also think that you should tactfully discuss the issue with the school district personnel you are assigned to work with. While no one would appreciate you telling them what you believe they are doing wrong, most teachers are always on the lookout for new ideas and that may be the case for the teachers in your district. I would also advise you to be open-minded and respectful about the approach or philosophy that the school district has in place. Almost every approach in education has something good to offer if you look hard enough.

Keep in mind, too, that worksheets by themselves are not the problem. Skillfully presented and designed, a worksheet can encourage students to think critically and creatively. Look at the worksheets with an open-mind. What do they offer that is engaging? Appealing to multiple intelligences? Encouraging of deeper thinking? How can you capitalize on this?

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You can still offer opportunities for creative lessons in addition to the ones that this school district already has slated for students. Start small with very brief lessons until you gain control and confidence. Maybe a quick mini-lesson at the end or start of class or as a review of the information learned through a worksheet or as an activity that activates prior knowledge.

You are not alone as a student teacher. I am sure that many Apple members have had a similar experience. Readers, please feel free to jump in and offer MDC some advice. Was your student teaching experience similar to hers? What do you think she should do?

Good luck with your student teaching, MDC!

Julia

Laying Out a Teaching Legacy

Joel | TheApple.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how my friend Junior had posted on his blog calling for people to write about what kind of a legacy we wanted to leave. I have been thinking a whole lot over the past few months about my progression as a teacher, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to really flesh out some about what kinds of things I have been through.

I’ve sort of broken things down by year and I would be interested to know how many other teachers could say their progress as a teacher has been similar. Clearly I have not yet arrived, but I have learned a handful of things along the way, and it’s been an exciting (though challenging) journey. With all of these introductory formalities, here goes:

So I’ve been thinking a whole lot this summer and into this school year about how people will remember me. I recently had my 31st birthday and while I am still considered young in most eyes, it brought back memories of my first few years of teaching.

I remember distinctly a conversation I had with one of the veteran English teachers during my second year where I was lamenting how old the students made me feel. I made some pop culture reference and it was met with absolute silence. They weren’t even alive whenever the TV show aired. It hit me hard. She told me that I wasn’t old until I was 30. Well, that number came and went. Ha.

I also remember a conversation I had with my mentor teacher while I was student teaching. She told me that she didn’t even begin to feel like she had a clue how to teach until she started her 8th year. I heard that and went on my merry way thinking I had a clue.

Then my first year came and crashed into a brick wall. Yet it was still August. I continued holding my foot on the gas and driving into the metaphorical wall for the next year and a half until I was suddenly struck with a “new revelation” that I didn’t really have much of a clue. So I spent the remainder of the year asking questions like crazy from anyone and everyone I could possibly think of to ask questions to.

I started my third year in a brand new district and I really had much better control of the classroom management aspect of teaching. My students at the 6th grade knew what I expected them to do, and they knew that failure to do that would result is consequences. Things were much better as far as getting things accomplished, but I was still relying too heavily on fear and manipulation (oops, I mean extrinsic rewards).

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After that year, I thought I had a real clue. My beginners suffered the following year because I didn’t really do a whole lot of growing professionally. I just kind of coasted by the whole year and tried to see how much less work I could get away with doing while still keeping up a reasonable level of proficiency from the band. There were some students who didn’t participate, and there were some who didn’t follow directions well. I didn’t push myself too much, and I just tried to coerce or intimidate them into participating/behaving. If it worked, great. If not, then I inadvertently blamed them and left them behind. Of course I didn’t see it that way, but I think it could easily be argued that I in fact did do that.

My fifth year was quite a bit better in that I spent the summer before doing a lot of reading (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, The Total Money Makeover, Fish!). I approached the year with more of a customer-service type take, and really wanted to make the band experience better for the students. Not only in having fun and being able to play some cool music, but I really tried to reach out and bond with the students more.

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It paid off as I moved to the 7th & 8th grade campus the next year, so I got to move up with those 6th graders and ended up spending three years with them, guiding them on in their musical development. My sixth year was unique in that it started out more peaceful than anything I had ever experienced. Both of the band directors at the campus noticed that things were running remarkably smoothly throughout the whole year. Until…my co-worker had a stroke in December and was out for three weeks. My workload was immediately more than doubled as I not only had to take on his classload, but also had to deal with all of the administrative tasks that I had been doing as well as the ones he had been doing.

It was probably the most emotionally challenging three months of my life, but it presented some remarkably eye-opening teaching opportunities, as well as learning opportunities for me. My teaching after those three months will never again be like it was before those three months. I worked with both bands for most of the time, and when we went to UIL Concert & Sight Reading, both bands earned Sweepstakes ratings. That was a huge victory for the bands, as well as for me personally.

It was at this time, and especially after he came back and stress levels lowered, that I began to strive to move away from any sort of intimidation or power play in my teaching. It’s difficult, and I honestly do not believe I could be where I am at this point if I had not spent 3 1/2 years doing what I did. But now, I will never go back to that man. He scares me. It hurts me to realize that a lot of students remember that band director. If they walked into my rehearsals now, they would be amazed.

Then came my seventh year (and my fifth year in my current district). After the stroke year, I was burned out. Even during summer band before my seventh year, I was talking with some other teachers I saw up there and asking them if it was a bad sign that I just didn’t want to be there. I told them that it was my seventh year, and they said it was pretty much normal. So I persevered.

Throughout the entire school year, I experienced a whole bunch of emotional darkness (I never went to a doctor, but it probably bordered on depression). I felt as if I were simply watching my life on TV. When I went to visit my family on holidays, or when I went to San Antonio for conventions or whatever, I felt so detached from everything. That took a toll on my teaching no doubt. On top of that, a number of factors contributed to keep me from focusing on much of anything all year long. My band did well at contest, but I wasn’t aware enough to realize I should have changed the music. I was just going through the motions. As a result, my band did not do as well as I had hoped. We got 2s in Concert and 1s in Sight Reading. At times, I found myself reverting back to yelling a little bit, but things were by and large much better than they had been before.

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When the school year came to a close, I was ready to get out. I wanted to move. I wanted to get back closer to the Fort Worth area where my family lives. When I visited that area in mid-June, I went to my old church up there and talked with my pastor there. I also spent some good time with my parents and some friends. I came back home with a new vision for things. I was once again inspired to stay here and really push to make things better for the band program. Sometimes, you just need to get away for a little bit!

It was at this point that I made a few major decisions. I decided to quit the mariachi I had been playing with for over a year. I decided to begin leading worship at a different church here on Sunday mornings. I still attend Bible studies at my other church here on Wednesday nights, and both of the pastors are friends and we’ve played golf together some. I also began to travel out of town almost every weekend to just enjoy
spending time with friends and getting away while I have the chance to.

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So in July, the High School band director called me up and asked me if I wanted to teach marching fundamentals with the high school band some this year. We’d talked about it some before, but didn’t know if it would come to pass. I told him that I would love to. So I went up in the second week of July and began working some with the freshmen on basic fundamentals. That weekend, I went to San Antonio and watched the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps rehearse. I watched about five hours of rehearsal there. As I was watching, I was reminded of my drumcorps experience. Additionally, I took some notes.

In the entire five hours I watched, nobody yelled or addressed discipline problems.

• The directors did not waste the corps members’ time

• The brass did a TON of warm-up/fundamentals

• They stretched for the first hour

• 102 degree day; no complaints

• There were no comments about last night or other corps, the show was the focus

• Everyone had their own water bottle; water breaks were 5 minutes or less and happened every 15-25 minutes (usually during transitions)

• The director gave instructions once and the students responded

• No horns-up/horns-down commands were given, whatsoever (1 3, UP 2 3 4)

• After running each segment on the field, the Drum Major gave “Adjust” command

• No distractions; they practiced FOCUSED INTENSITY all over the place

A lot of these are things I have known, but our band hasn’t consistently done them since I came here five years ago. Now that I was given some opportunities to run things, I was able to implement a few of them and really focus on them. The fact that nobody yelled was huge to me. It impacted me in a way that I cannot really describe. That one fact has absolutely transformed everything that I have done since then.

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The following week, I spent a few hours with the drill instructors and drum majors. The cool thing about that is that my first class of beginners are now in 11th grade, and so most of the drill instructors (and most of the entire high school band) had me in 6th grade. I shared with them this exact list of observations and we talked about a few things. My real focus has been to be totally positive and controlled as I’m running rehearsals. After our time together, they seemed excited and happy about the direction I was going to begin taking things.

We started summer band about a week later, and every time I have the microphone to run marching fundamentals, I have been sure to point out lots of good things. I also don’t point out something wrong without providing a solution. Too often, I see student leaders and even adults telling people they aren’t doing something right, but they forget to tell them what to fix or how to fix it. As I’ve been working with the student leaders, I continue emphasizing that with them. I ask them “how many positive things did you say to your section today?” I’m honestly surprised at how often the answer has been 20 or more.

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It’s working!

I’ve had high school students come up to me and thank me for running the rehearsals the way I have been. All this to say, the change in my teaching style has become evident even to these kids who had me back in 6th grade a few years ago. That’s immensely satisfying to me.

So now what am I doing at the middle school? A whole lot of the same things. Somewhere last year, I found myself at the point where I would let the classes come in and warm up some on their own before we started class. When I got to the podium at the front of the room, they would all get quiet. It was the weirdest thing! I didn’t yell, I didn’t even give them the look. It just sort of happened. Until you’ve done that, you have no idea how calming it is! :)

So even now when I walk through the band hall when the top band is in class, a lot of the kids just start cheering. It’s honestly the weirdest thing I have ever seen. I don’t want it to stop! Not because I need the little ego boost that 12-15 year old give me for cheering, but because it means that they respect me and they actually like me as a teacher.

As I look back on where I came from, I feel sorry for the students I taught my first year. I have found some of them on Facebook, and ya know what? Even despite how bad I was, they still generally seem to have good memories from their middle school band years. They forgive my ineptitude and understand that I was just learning and trying to do the best I could.

This past weekend, I visited Fort Worth again and saw the middle school choir teacher who taught at the school where I student taught. She said that my mentor had talked with her recently about me and said that I was becoming a really great teacher. It’s amazing and humbling to hear this kind of stuff!

So why do I share all of this with you? It’s not to shine my own apple or make you think I’m all that great. I think more than anything, it’s to give you hope. No matter how good you are (or how good you think you are), you can get better. No matter how bad you are, kids are resilient and they will probably forgive you as long as you are trying to get better. If you would have asked me five years ago about what kind of legacy I would leave, the picture would have been quite bleak. Now, it seems much brighter. And the brightest days are yet to come!

30 Students Quoted: What a Perfect School Should Be

TheApple.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:01:00 -0700

Wonder what could get students excited about coming to school? Have you ever asked your students? One teacher posed the question to her class. Some of their responses are thoughtful and others are just plain funny. Find out what students think a perfect school should be.

30 Students Quoted:
What My Perfect School Would Be

30 Students Quoted: What a Perfect School Should Be

MissCal.Q.L8 | TheApple — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:01:00 -0700

I did a writing across the curriculum exercise where students described what their perfect school would be like. Some of the students had really good insights and I thought I would share my student quotes with you.

Quote #1

"My perfect school would be a night time school."

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Quote #2

"Kids will be given a laptop to do their homework, projects, and tests on."

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Quote #3

"Everywhere you walked to, you would see words of wisdom."

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Quote #4

"There would be no violence in my school except for the boxing and wrestling classes."

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Quote #5

"I would focus on the social side and still make them do work. Cheerleaders would have cheery attitudes and good minds."

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Quote #6

"Transportation in school would be in helicopters and the teachers would be driving them."

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Quote #7

"Teachers would discipline but at the same time educate and have fun doing it."

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Quote #8

"The kids would be of every race. No discrimination. Nobody would be left out."

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Quote #9

"I learn better in places I like."

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Quote #10

"My school would be mainly worried and focused on helping the kids succeed and make it through school, and we would always be willing to help the kids."

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Quote #11

"For math, we have Miss Miller, because she is awesome like that. Duh."

Quote #12

"There is a couple of hours for leaving and getting something to eat."

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Quote #13

"Classrooms would be pimped out. We could bring our phones in class and text…ipods too."

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Quote #14

"No classrooms- just free roaming."

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Quote #15

"Teachers would be laid back, but still be in control."

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Quote #16

"I would make sure that at breakfast time that we had chocolate pancakes and blueberry muffins…you could eat chocolate all day long."

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Quote #17

"All the teachers would be in good moods and nice."

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Quote #18

"The hours will be from 10:00AM to 3:00 P.M. The teachers have to be from 18 to 26 and they got to look good. Before we hire you, we got to go to the gym and the kids will judge you and see if you’re good enough."

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Quote #19

"The school would have good teachers, ones that want to actually teach and that would explain to the students when they don’t understand."

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Quote #20

"The only time you get wrote up would be for fighting or back talking a teacher."

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Quote #21

"We’d go outside and do more things, when it felt nice, and go on more trips and learn about fun things."

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Quote #22

"Students wouldn’t be so rude all the time."

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Quote #23

"They should have sports everybody likes but not just the old basic stuff like basketball."

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Quote #24

Dima Gavrysh / AP file

"I wish Subway could cater the school!"

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Quote #25

"My perfect school would only have better students and not immature animals running around like idiots in the hallway."

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Quote #26

"I think the whole student body shouldn’t suffer because one kid is stupid enough to screw stuff up."

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Quote #27

"Your classes will be classes that prepare you for the career you’d follow in after school."

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Quote #28

Caption: Photo by Kevork Djansezian / AP

"The principal of my class would be Flavor Flav; just because he would be really hype and always go around saying “Yeah Boy” to everyone."

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Quote #29

"I think students need to care about their education."

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Quote #30

"School would make people forget their problems at home and would make them feel peace and tranquility."

It made me sad to see how many of these things listed are things we say (as teachers) we are doing. All in all, if you look at these requests, almost all of them are perfectly reasonable and easily possible. They are asking for so little. Ok, so maybe I won't be driving to school in my helicopter to meet with Mr. Flav, but you get the idea. Why don't we ask the kids what will help them and then do it?

If we aren't going to change anything, then why do we ask?

Editor's Note: Use this activity as a writing assignment or journal assignment for students. If you want to learn more about what your students think but don't want to spend a lot of time on it, use this activity as a filler lesson when you only have a five minutes left at the end of class. Write answers on the board and discuss!

A Simple Blueprint for Stress Relief

Tom DeRosa | TheApple — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:17:00 -0700

It's been a while since I've talked about stress relief, but I have some new ideas that I think might help you if you're struggling at this point in the school year. What I'm proposing for you to try out, be it this weekend or during a weekday a mental health day, is to take your mind out of time.

Sometimes we seek to escape stress by distracting ourselves, spending money on literal escapes, or self-medicating. None of these actions solve the problem; when it's over, the stress returns. What I want you to try will give you a chance to reflect and hopefully recenter yourself. Ready? Let's begin.

Schedule nothing.

As I've always advocated, a day of true discovery and recovery will never come if you're running errands or scheduling anything at all. You're going to have plenty of nothing to do on your day of rest. This is essential for the success of Step 2.

Sleep in.

Turn any alarm off--I would suggest covering up or unplugging any clocks in your bedroom. Ask anyone in your home who might normally wake you to leave you be ahead of time. Keep your curtains drawn. The night before, go to bed whenever it feels comfortable, not an artificially scheduled time based on your normal routine.

Go watchless/clockless.

Teachers might be the last group of professionals still relying on watches all the time--there's an increasing trend among the young generations to forgo watches in favor of the clocks on their cell phone. This is a simple gesture but has an amazing affect in and of itself. Try it for today, and I guarantee you'll be looking for more opportunities to disconnect. This plan is about not planning, and most of us are so completely tied down to what the time tells us to do. As soon as you stop thinking about what time it is, you're free to think about what you want to do right now.

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Go completely analog.

The next logical step to not thinking about the time is to disconnect from the digital world that also keeps us in artificial cycles of thought. This means no cell phone, no Internet, no TV and so on today. Any one of these devices can immediately anchor you to your conventional routines and trigger stereotypes about what you're supposed to be doing at certain times of the day. You're actually supposed to be doing whatever you want to be doing, and completely disconnecting from everything else.

Go outside, and go forth!

At this point you should be starting to feel a disconnect from the limits we place on ourselves by way of time. Now you need to get out of the house and head somewhere that will help our mind disconnect from our normal places. Find the simplest way to get going, whatever that might be, and go. Your destination should be separate from and different than what you're used to. It's sort of a choose your own adventure, and what you choose to do with it is up to you. You might take this time to think, or to not think at all. It depends on what you need, and I think once you take the first four steps, you'll already know what that something (or nothing) might be.

The main idea here is to sever yourself from the things that tie you to your normal stresses: time and place. I think that whenever you manage to wander back home, there might be a few moments where you still don't care what time it is. And it will feel amazing.

Words Can Hurt

Pat Hensley — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:31:00 -0700

“The words that are chosen by a teacher carry so much meaning and power. I think we all forget just how much power we have. When a kid falls down in class and forgets homework, does poorly on a test, or even is the biggest thorn in our side, we have a choice to use words that beat them down or lift them up. Great teachers do not focus on beating kids down and putting them in their “place.” Great teachers lift kids up with their words and reveal to students that they can do what they previously thought was impossible. They find a way to give their kids wings.” -- Paul Bogush, Sticks and Stones

After reading this, it reminds me how powerful my words are and the impact they have on my students. Not only are my words important, but my tone of voice and my body language is also important. Students analyze everything teachers say and how they say it.

I remember when I was a student and a teacher complimented me, I was always looking for ways to tell if the words were sincere or if these were words that were said to every student. It was hard for me to accept a compliment because they were pretty rare when I was in school. It seemed that teachers saw their roles as being the Great Criticizer, not the Great Complimenter. I understood criticism because it was always explained to me that I would learn from my mistakes so criticism was a good thing. I was so used to criticism that I even expected it. When I was given a compliment, I waited for the other shoe to drop and the criticism to make an appearance. If it didn’t arrive, I was suspicious of the compliment. I felt that I must have missed the criticism which was probably included in the compliment somewhere. I wonder if my students feel the same way.

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How many teachers use encouraging words on a regular basis? I think teachers are even so used to criticizing that they don’t really know how to encourage. It has become a habit of pointing out the wrong things our students do that we forget to look for the good things and encourage them to do them. Finding the good things may be hard at first, but the more we do it, the easier it will become. Maybe if we encourage more often rather than criticizing, our students would be willing to take risks and try harder. I think it would be a good practice to try to find at least one positive thing to say about each student we teach.

I want to help my students find their wings and fly! Thanks for Paul for the reminder. I plan to try harder about watching my words and how I deliver them.

9 Keys to Teaching a Successful Lesson

Jill Hare | Editor, TheApple.com — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:09:00 -0700

1. Start With the Standards

Each teacher has a set of standards by grade level and subject that they are tasked to accomplish throughout the year. If you haven't committed them to memory, make sure you post them or have them ready for easy reference. These standards should guide everything you do.

Follow the wording of the standard closely to make sure you hit the target. While straying from the standard a bit may be okay, if you go too far off course, you'll loose valuable time.

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2. Plan for Outcomes, Not Activities

Think about what your students are required to learn. It's easy to fall into a pattern, especially at the elementary level, to plan activities rather than outcomes. Don't get caught up in activities associated with unit themes unless the activity really helps drive comprehension. Some activities require more preparation and time than they're worth. If at the end of a long (and even fun) activity your students aren't sure what they did, the activity needs to be rethought and reworked for the next year.

More Tips:

Action Doesn't Mean Production

6 Ways to Make Lessons Stick

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3. Plan Ahead

Last minute lesson success is rare, so take your time thinking about the big idea of the unit and how each class period or lesson fits together. Planning a lesson in advance can help teachers revisit their initial thoughts and maybe make changes that weren't foreseen in the first planning stages. Teachers should allow plenty of time to plan, gather supplies, literature and even technology necessary to carry out a successful lesson.

Tip:

15 Ways to Teachers to Get Organized

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4. Think Cross Curricular

The best teachers are the ones that don't teach a subject in isolation. Every lesson taught in school can relate and should relate to something students are doing in other areas of school. If teachers can connect student learning throughout the school day, students are more likely to retain information.

At a workshop I recently attended, a PE teacher told me how she had helped students understand pioneer times by setting up stations in the gym with activities similar to the labor activities (fetching water, etc) that pioneers did. It kept the students active and drove home a concept in another class.

Tip:

Cross Curricular Lessons

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5. Collaborate

Thinking cross curricular doesn't happen without collaboration. Many schools are realizing the power of collaboration by allowing more common planning time among grade level teachers. This effort can pay off big when students see how teachers work together and pieces of the puzzle start to fit into a bigger picture. If collaboration at your school isn't off to a roaring start, try working with at least one other teacher. Talk over your plans for lessons and see if you can offer each other ways to enhance existing lessons or activities.

Tip:

7 Tips to Make Collaborative Time Productive

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6. Real World Application

Students are more motivated to learn when they see how the knowledge they learn can be applied outside of the school building. If you're teaching a lesson on rock forms, don't just stop at naming and viewing rocks. Talk about what kinds of professions would do this and why it's useful. Studying Picasso in art class is great, but isn't it better to see a local artist paint and how she makes a living? If you don't have enough money or resources for field trips, there are plenty of virtual opportunities to bring real world application of concepts into your classroom.

Tip:

5 Best Virtual Field Trips

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7. Utilize the Technology Available

Classrooms these days are decked out with interactive white boards and computer stations. Don't plan your lesson around technology (unless that's your core goal), but make sure you explore the options that exist for complementing your lesson. Even the youngest of students are hooked into technology these days, so utilizing technology may make your lesson more memorable.

If you don't have a classroom full of technology, you can extend the lesson at home. Students can complete complimentary lessons on a home or library computer for extra practice and exploration.

More Tips:

Use the Technology Available to You

Top 10 Technology Tips for Teachers

5 Lesson Planning Tips for Incorporating Technology

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8. Have a Plan B

If you're trying out a new lesson, make sure you have another direction in mind if the lesson doesn't go as planned. The students may not be grasping your approach, or something could go ary, like a power outage, or a fire drill. Teachers are great at thinking quick, but expecting the unknown is a great way to insure your lesson is successful, no matter the circumstances.

Tip:
10 Things to Do When You Only Have 5 Minutes Left in Class

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9. LOVE Your Lesson

If you don't love the lesson you've created, then you won't be able to deliver it enthusiastically. If you're not psyched about a particular lesson, look back over it and see what's missing. What one element would help you get pumped up to teach it? The best teachers know how to craft lessons that not only inspire their students to learn, but create an environment of curiosity and excitement.

More Tips:

What Stephen Colbert Teachers Us About Effective Presentations

How to Be an Engaging Teacher

Is Your Classroom a Snooz-a-Palooz-a?

Links Referenced in This Article:

7 Tips to Make Collaborative Time Productive

Cross Curricular Lessons

15 Ways to Teachers to Get Organized

Action Doesn't Mean Production

6 Ways to Make Lessons Stick

5 Best Virtual Field Trips

Use the Technology Available to You

Top 10 Technology Tips for Teachers

5 Lesson Planning Tips for Incorporating Technology

10 Things to Do When You Only Have 5 Minutes Left in Class

What Stephen Colbert Teachers Us About Effective Presentations

How to Be an Engaging Teacher

Is Your Classroom a Snooz-a-Palooz-a?

Lesson Planning Tips for Different Student Levels

5 Ways to Join Forces With Colleagues

Julia G. Thompson — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:23:00 -0700

Some teachers have described their professional lives as lonely. They describe what it is like to go into their classroom full of young people and then not talk to another adult until lunch or the end of the day. While it is true that we spend our days in the company of children, it is more important than ever that we interact in a positive way with other educators.

With this in mind, below you will find five excerpts from The First-Year Teacher’s Checklist. Each excerpt deals with a specific aspect of learning to work well with other educators. In Professional Courtesy you will find useful reminders about the importance of professional behavior as you interact with others.

In Successful On-the-Job Communication Skills you can read some tips about how to communicate professionally with other educators as well as with the parents or guardians of your students.

Dealing with Difficult Colleagues offers advice about how to interact successfully with all of the personnel at your school (…and how to not be difficult yourself!)

You’ll learn how to extend your learning network by joining an Internet teacher forum. Four of the most popular ones are listed in Join Other Educators in Online Learning Communities.

Finally, with flu season already upon us, Work in Partnership with Substitute Teachers offers some practical tips for working well with the teachers who take your classes when you have to be absent.

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Professional Courtesy

Courtesy is the act of making the people around you feel comfortable. To accomplish this, you should learn as much as possible about the culture of your school and then adapt yourself to fit in. Follow these guidelines to make sure that all of your interactions with coworkers are as courteous as possible:

• Follow the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

• Pay attention to your personal grooming. Bad breath and unprofessional dress are both particularly noticeable in a school setting.

• Say “please” and “thank you.”

• Pay attention when others are talking. Listen carefully to make sure you understand the discussion.

• If you are not feeling well, do you best not to infect others: wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough, and stay home if you can.

• Respect others’ personal space and be careful not to borrow without permission.

• Be quick to publically celebrate the success of others, and, if you must criticize, do so privately.

• Pay attention in meetings. Don’t multitask, leave early, or carry on a side conversation. Remember to turn off your cell phone.

• Be sensitive to others’ feelings when discussing controversial topics such as politics, religion or cultural issues.

• Keep the noise level in your classroom low enough that other classrooms are not affected.

• Introduce yourself when you meet someone new.

• Be nice to everyone you meet.

Successful On-the-Job Communication Skills

Successful communication means much more than just talking things over with peers. It’s exchanging information in such a way that it can be easily understood. The guidelines below will help you develop these important skills:

General Guidelines

• It is respectful to address your coworkers by their title and last name in front of students.

• When you have to speak in front of a group, plan what you have to say so that you feel confident.

• Be sensitive to others’ time restrictions. If you see that someone is busy, don’t interrupt.

• Learn to pronounce and spell names correctly.

Written Communications and Emails

• Don’t use your school’s fax machine, supplies, or letterhead stationery for personal business.

• Don’t use jargon when simpler language would be more appropriate.

• Before sending out a group mailing, check with a supervisor.

• The emails you send using school computers are subject to review by other school employees. Send emails at school for professional reasons only.

• Be aware that an email can be forwarded to many other people with just a few clicks. Don’t email complaints or gossip.

• Respect the confidentiality of student information. Be careful how you identify students in emails.

• Readers will pay attention to your emails if they are concise, formatted well, and carefully edited.

• Consider whether the message could better be conveyed with a quick phone call or face-to-face conversation before you write an email.

Dealing with Difficult Colleagues

Because so much of a teacher’s energy is devoted to cultivating professional relationships, it is no surprise that many teachers report conflicts with colleagues as a major cause of work-related stress. Use the suggestions below to deal with difficult coworkers and avoid the stress that can accompany conflicts with your colleagues. (Be careful that you don’t become one of the difficult colleagues that so many of us dread!)

• Be clear about your professional beliefs and responsibilities. This will lend you confidence and make it harder for others to intimidate you.

• Avoid negative people because negative attitudes spread quickly. Associate with upbeat people who are focused on learning to be outstanding teachers instead.

• School can be extremely stressful at times. Don’t be surprised to see normally serene coworkers lose their cool under pressure.

• If you find yourself in a conflict, try these suggestions to resolve it:

o Instead of just reacting, respond by taking a problem-solving approach to try to work out a resolution.

o Think about how you may have contributed the problem instead of blaming the other person.

o Refuse to act in kind if the other person has been rude or uncooperative.

o Make sure that you are not overreacting or misreading the situation.

o Talk privately, but candidly, with the other person. Ask, “What can we do to change this?”

o Resist the urge to hash over the conflict with colleagues. Limit its negative impact by involving as few people as possible.

Next page: Join Other Educators in Online Learning Communities
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Join Other Educators in Online Learning Communities

In addition to helpful local teachers, you can connect with thousands of other educators by joining an online learning community where you can share new ideas, lesson plans, support, and inspiration twenty-four hours a day. You will find a brief description of some of the more popular learning communities in the list below.

• TheApple (www.theapple.com) Diverse groups, discussions, and forums make this site one of the most popular on the Internet. You can join groups, participate in discussions, read and respond to blogs, and much more.

• Teachers Network (teachersnetwork.org) Their “New Teachers Helpline,” staffed by experienced New York City teachers, guarantees a response to posted questions within 72 hours.

• Teacher Focus (www.teacherfocus.com) Meet colleagues, chat,
ask questions of experts, and browse thousands of articles posted by users.

• Teacher Lingo (teacherlingo.com) This blogging community connects readers with over 1,000 bloggers at “Teacher Blogs.”

Work in Partnership with Substitute Teachers

Although you may be one of the lucky ones who does not contract the dreaded flu this year, you should still prepare now just in case you do have to miss school. Below you will find suggestions to make it easier for a substitute teacher to maintain an orderly and productive classroom environment while you have to be absent.

Forming a successful partnership with substitute teachers creates a win-win situation for everyone involved; your sub will know what to do and your students will not lose valuable instruction time. To make this partnership work, put together a well-organized binder containing the following items:

• A phone number where you can be reached

• Class rolls with a pronunciation guide for student names

• A map of the school with exits and fire extinguishers marked

• Medical information for students with chronic illnesses such as asthma

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• Your daily class and duty schedule

• A photo seating chart. Take a photo of each student and attach it to a small self-sticking note. Put these in each grid of your chart and slip the entire chart into a page protector.

• Class rules and consequences

• Classroom procedures for daily routines such as lunch, restroom requests, fire drills and other emergencies

• A list of several activities that students can do if they finish early

• Copies of all necessary forms such as lunch or attendance counts

• Names and room numbers of helpful teachers

• Lesson plans that are specifically written for the sub and not just copied from your plan book:

o Plan independent written work that will be collected and graded.

o Photocopy, label, and organize all handouts. Don’t leave busy work.

o Avoid computer use, videos, media center visits, and activities involving scissors or other sharp tools.

Should Teachers Be Experts?

Pat Hensley — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:29:00 -0700

In Learner experts or Content experts? from Technology Teacher, fivbert begins by asking,

“Should teachers be Experts in Knowledge of their Subject Matter or Experts in How to Teach Students?”

and finishes by stating,

“Teachers should be facilitators of learning, Information Facilitators, not just Information Dispensers.”

This reminded me of the many times that my students thought (and expected) that I knew everything about anything. Many were shocked when I could look them in the eye and actually tell them that I didn’t know the answer. I also was quick to say that they asked a good question and that I was interested in knowing the answer so I would guide them towards finding the answer. Do you remember that old story about “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I always feel like that when I can show a student how to find an answer to their question.

I think it is important that students know that we aren’t experts. Some teachers have an ego problem (or maybe an inferiority complex?) and refuse to tell students they don’t know an answer.

Now after saying all that above, I believe that my answer to fivbert would be that we need both. Just like there are doctors who are general practitioners, there are other doctors who are specialists. If I need brain surgery, I would hope that I could find an “expert” in this field rather than just going to a “facilitator.” I am so glad to know that because there are so many different educators with different interests, students are able to have both.

I’m not saying that as educators we shouldn’t know what we are teaching or that everyone should be experts. I think teachers need to have basic knowledge about their subject area but wouldn’t it be great to be able to help individual students travel on different journeys in order to meet their needs. I think it is important for us to teach students how to learn as well as have the information we are giving them. By having basic information, they will be able to grow and move forward.

I also think if a student is interested in a specific subject, it is good that there are teachers who specialize in these subjects. These teachers will be the one who can quench a student’s thirst for more information about a topic and stimulate discussion and deeper thought. I see this as fine tuning a student’s education.

If educators who are facilitators and those who are experts work together to meet the needs of students, I believe students will be successful in life.

Related Discussions

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Confessions of a Principal

TheApple.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:31:00 -0700

Principal Confession #1:

Dear Parents: "I will not move your child from class to class until he finds a teacher he likes. Sometimes we have to deal with things we don't like- it's part of a larger life lesson."

Next page: Confession #2

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Principal Confession #2:

Dear Teachers: "All of our jobs are hard. The grass is not greener in another grade level or subject; we each have our challenges. Don't point fingers and complain. Influence what you can to make our school great."

Next page: Confession #3

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Principal Confession #3:

Dear Parents: "I, too, would like to get rid of Mr. or Mrs. Teacher, but he or she has tenure. I've gone through the process before, and after all the paperwork and the hearing and everything else, he or she will probably be reinstated and we'll be back where we started."

Next page: Confession #4

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Principal Confession #4:

Dear Teachers: "If you are unhappy and/or really do not like kids, what the hell are you doing here?"

Next page: Confession #5

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Principal Confession #5:

Dear Parents: "It is not OUR job to tell your kids what to do at home. That is YOUR job."

Next page: Confession#6

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Principal Confession #6:

Dear Teachers: "I know when you're really sick and when you're faking to take a day off. Word gets around school and someone is always eager to tell me. Stick to the truth or show up- both work for me."

Next page: Confession #7

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Principal Confession #7:

"I know who the great teachers are. Great teaching is not a secret- parents, kids and staff rave about great teaching. Teachers don't need to "toot" their own horns- others do it for them and I always hear about it loud and clear. Be humble AND a team player."

Next page: Confession #8

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Principal Confession #8:

Dear Teachers: "Remember that you have been given an enormous privilege to teach these kids everyday, so act like you appreciate it and take your job and your mission seriously."

Next page:Confession #9

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Principal Confession #9:

Dear Parents, Teachers & Students: "If you don't walk into my office respectfully, it's hard for me to want to drop everything to solve your situation."

Next page: Confession #10

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Principal Confession #10:

Dear Prospective Teachers: "Do not take this job just because you want Christmas & Easter vacations and summers off."

Next page: Confession #11

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Principal Confession #11:

Dear Teachers: "When I come observe your class, you should be nervous. The way you teach impacts my whole school. Don't get mad if you get a critical evaluation. Try to get better. Even the best teachers have room for improvement."

Next page: Confession #12

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Principal Confession #12:

Dear Job Hunting Teachers: "If you're hired, please be as enthusiastic (as you seem in your interview) for the rest of the year."

Next page: Confession #13

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Principal Confession #13:

Dear Parents: "Let my teachers do their jobs. They have been trained to be teachers and you haven't. Have a little faith that they know what they're doing, even if it isn't the way you would do it."

Next page: Confession #14

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Principal Confession #14:

Dear Teachers: "I don't have time to look at your activities on the internet, but parents and students do. Don't be careless enough to post an issue about your job at school on the internet. I don't go looking for bad information about you, but when it lands in my lap, it becomes my issue to handle."

Next page: Confession #15

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Principal Confession #15:

"I worry a lot about the success of my school. Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking about how I can improve learning and test scores so my school stays afloat financially and in the eyes of my critics. I worry about the kids falling through the cracks and dropping out. I worry about the safety of my students and wish I could afford a nurse full-time. I worry that I'm not doing enough to support my new teachers and that I'll lose a few really good ones at the end of the year. School is on my mind A LOT, and in the end that makes me worry that I'm not being fair to my family. I don't want to let anyone down. I take my job very seriously, so don't ever assume that I'm not doing all I can."

Is there something a principal has confided in you? Share below!

Other Articles in This Series:

10 Things Your Students Won't Tell You

10 Things Parents Don't Tell Teachers

15 Confessions from Principals

Jill Hare | Editor, TheApple.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

There's no question about it- principals have a tough job. They steer the school ship- hiring teachers, dealing with parents, and working with students. Their job is long and challenging because the big school decisions are theirs to make. Because the principal sets the tone for the school, they can't always say what they really want to. Several current principals confessed secrets, but I'm not telling who! What they have to say may be blunt or down right harsh, but in the end, the understanding it creates will help everyone involved.

15 Confessions from Principals: Read the list now>>

The Importance of Involving Parents

Pat Hensley — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:40:00 -0700

“Parents are universally accepted as a child’s first teacher. It’s intuitive, and we usually know it from our own experience. Schools that embrace this reality and recognize the important role parents play in their child’s education are better able to create curriculum and build relationships with parents that have a profound effect on a child’s journey through school.” David Flatley, Change.org

When I read this, I wanted to stand up and cheer. I am amazed when I talk to many teachers that they just don’t seem to understand the importance of parents as a way to be successful in the classroom. I want to scream, “Parents are on the same team! We work for the same goal! Hello, people but without the parents we would not have a job!”

When I teach my grad courses I always talk about the importance of communicating with the parents on a regular basis, developing a rapport, and getting to know the family. As I talk, I see their eyes glaze over and they tune me out. The ones that don’t tune me out are quick to give me all the excuses about why this can’t be done. I know it can because I did it for 30 years! I think the issue is more of not wanting to rather than not being able to.

I have mentioned this before and I will mention it again in future blog posts but the parents were a big part of my program. They gave me support and even guidance when it came to working with their child. Let’s face it, they know their child more than I do and know what works and what doesn’t at home, so why not apply a lot of the same principles in the classroom? Why do I want to reinvent the wheel? If there was problem, I felt proud when a parent was able to call me to discuss the problem rather than involving the administration and making the problem become a complicated situation. Usually between us, we were able to solve the problem.
I want to share a Facebook message from a parent of a student that I had many years ago. The student is now a preacher and recently went to Israel on a trip (I am so proud of him!). The parent wrote to me,

"Not meaning to be mushy but YOU made me stronger and YOU made my son .successful and strong....If he gets knocked down , he just gets up and keeps on going...
You not only taught him the three R's but YOU TAUGHT HIM HOW TO BE A SURVIVOR...and he is one!"

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(Thank you so much Jeanie! Your words mean the world to me and so does your family!)

I’m not sure this parent realizes how much she had taught me the years her son was in my class. She never gave up. She never gave up on her son or me. Whenever I talked to her, she was constantly telling me how much she appreciated me and giving me a pep talk when I was feeling discouraged. It was a joy to pick up the phone and talk to her about her son. It wasn’t always a bed of roses but I felt like I was not alone in her son’s struggle to learn. I’m hoping that he felt the same way because we attacked his learning problems with a team approach (the student, his mom, and I were a team and we were going to win!). My student sometimes got discouraged and so did I and so did his mom. Luckily all three of us didn’t get this way at the same time and we helped each other up during these times. This parent had so much faith in my ability to help her son learn and so much faith that her son would learn that I was determined not to let her down.

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All these teachers who are not making parents a major player in their classroom are really missing the boat. When you feel things are just not right in the classroom or as good as you know it should be, I wonder if you are involving the parents enough.

I have visited a number of charter schools and the ones I have been to seem to really involve the parents. One of them makes parent involvement a requirement in order for the student to attend that school. Obviously the administration and the faculty have a strong interaction with the parents and I have noticed that these charter schools seem to be very successful. I’m sure the parent factor is not the only reason for their success but I’m feel it plays a big part.

If you haven’t made parents a major player on your team, I suggest doing so right away. I know that they played a big part in my class being successful.

Rule-Free Teaching

Joel | TheApple.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:56:00 -0700

This year, we have done things quite a bit differently in our band classes. We have not spent any time really outlining classroom rules. In fact, we really have been operating on a rule-free teaching model. Earlier this week, I clarified my don’t talk to me policy. Beyond that though, we really haven’t gone over anything specifically. No lists of rules and consequences. No do this, don’t do this. It’s just been fairly smooth.
Of course from time to time, we have to elaborate on a few points (restroom passes, phone usage, etc.) but those are more policy type things. In fact, we have normally spent an entire class day going over the Band Handbook and passing it out to students and sending a copy home with them.

Not this year.

We came to realize that the school district doesn’t send employee handbooks or even student handbooks home any more. They do all of that stuff online. So we jumped on the bandwagon (so to speak). Our band handbook is on our band’s website and we sent home a signature page/information sheet. It’s worked out pretty flawlessly so far.

I get the sense that I may need to go over a few items from the handbook in class from time to time, but by and large, having it online saves us from printing 15 pages for 250 kids. It’s a huge savings. It also gives us more playing/learning name time with the students. It’s a win-win.

So how do we teach without rules?

Occasionally, I will address a minor behavioral concern with the students (ie. “It’s too loud, we can’t operate like this,” or “I can’t hear any answers if people don’t raise their hands.”). I sometimes outline consequences (ie. “Wow, that was a bad idea. Do it again and we’re calling your mom!” “If I hear you two talking again, we’re all gonna be spending lunch together!”). I find that by the time students get to middle school, they know full well how standard classroom rules work. They may need occasional reminders, but not too much.

School-wide rules

Another advantage is that our school has clearly defined school rules. These are posted in every classroom. I find that this is more than enough. We haven’t once discussed them, but the students know them.

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Simplicity

As much of a fan as I am of minimalism and simplicity, I have come to realize that my middle school students have six different classes. In the working world, that would be like having six different jobs each day with six different bosses, six different desks, six different sets of co-workers, six different sets of expectations and six different working environments. Why complicate the issue further by adding six different sets of rules and six different sets of consequences? Why not appeal to common-sense standards?

Previously I’ve used the rules:

Follow directions

Do nothing that interferes with the learning or the teaching in the class

Those wrap up everything I want the students to do. Beyond that, everything else is pretty much unnecessary.

So…

To the new teachers out there, how are your classroom rules working out for you? Do you find that your lists of rules helps? Do you find it difficult for even you to stick to your set of rules? I know I used to. Hang in there…keep trying things and analyzing their effectiveness!

TheApple

Teacher Discounts

New H1N1 Children’s Book Available as Free Download

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Should Teachers Be Able to Sell Lesson Plans for Cash?

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Related Links: 5 Non-School Jobs for Educators 10 Ways to Stretch a Teacher's Salary 50 Ways Teachers Can Save Money Tax Deductions for Teachers & All Educators

Schools Must Address Parents Who Drive Drunk

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Firing Teachers: Unfair Treatment or Justice?

Next Page: Teacher Fired in Georgia

Ashley Payne: Borrow County, GA

FACTS:

Should Ashley Payne have been fired? Share your thoughts below.

Next Page: Teacher Fired in Kansas

Ryan Haraughty: Prairie Village, KS

Next Page: Why Fired?

Common Sense Things to Avoid

•Poking fun at a student's expense •Adult jokes •Sexually suggestive language •Profanity •Discriminating comments about gender or race •Getting drunk in public •Pictures that show partial nudity or adult behavior Read more: 10 Things a Teacher Should Never Do

Firing Teachers for Behavior or Effectiveness?

Discuss Now: What do you think a teacher should get fired for?

Secrets of School Communication Revealed

What happens when communication breaks down? School life doesn't run smoothly. TheApple did some investigating, and we hope the results of our efforts will help educators, principals and parents communicate more effectively.

10 Things Your Students Won't Tell You 15 Confessions from Principals 10 Things Parents Don't Tell Teachers

Give Classroom Drama a Chance

Related Links: Should Teachers Be Entertainers? Classroom Management

Help! Student Teaching Trouble

Laying Out a Teaching Legacy

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It’s working!

30 Students Quoted: What a Perfect School Should Be

Wonder what could get students excited about coming to school? Have you ever asked your students? One teacher posed the question to her class. Some of their responses are thoughtful and others are just plain funny. Find out what students think a perfect school should be.

30 Students Quoted: What My Perfect School Would Be

30 Students Quoted: What a Perfect School Should Be

I did a writing across the curriculum exercise where students described what their perfect school would be like. Some of the students had really good insights and I thought I would share my student quotes with you.

Quote #1 "My perfect school would be a night time school."

Next page: Quote #2

Quote #2

"Kids will be given a laptop to do their homework, projects, and tests on."

Next page: Quote #3

Quote #3

"Everywhere you walked to, you would see words of wisdom."

Next page: Quote #4

Quote #4

"There would be no violence in my school except for the boxing and wrestling classes."

Next page: Quote #5

Quote #5

"I would focus on the social side and still make them do work. Cheerleaders would have cheery attitudes and good minds."

Next page: Quote #6

Quote #6

"Transportation in school would be in helicopters and the teachers would be driving them."

Next page: Quote #7

Quote #7

"Teachers would discipline but at the same time educate and have fun doing it."

Next page: Quote #8

Quote #8

"The kids would be of every race. No discrimination. Nobody would be left out."

Next page: Quote #9

Quote #9

"I learn better in places I like."

Next page: Quote #10

Quote #10

"My school would be mainly worried and focused on helping the kids succeed and make it through school, and we would always be willing to help the kids."

Next page: Quote #11

Quote #11

"For math, we have Miss Miller, because she is awesome like that. Duh."

Quote #12

"There is a couple of hours for leaving and getting something to eat."

Next page: Quote #13

Quote #13

"Classrooms would be pimped out. We could bring our phones in class and text…ipods too."

Next page: Quote #14

Quote #14

"No classrooms- just free roaming."

Next page: Quote #15

Quote #15

"Teachers would be laid back, but still be in control."

Related Links:

5 Non-School Jobs for Educators

10 Ways to Stretch a Teacher's Salary

50 Ways Teachers Can Save Money

Tax Deductions for Teachers & All Educators

•Poking fun at a student's expense

•Adult jokes

•Sexually suggestive language

•Profanity

•Discriminating comments about gender or race

•Getting drunk in public

•Pictures that show partial nudity or adult behavior

Read more: 10 Things a Teacher Should Never Do

10 Things Your Students Won't Tell You

15 Confessions from Principals

10 Things Parents Don't Tell Teachers

Related Links:

Should Teachers Be Entertainers?

Classroom Management

30 Students Quoted:
What My Perfect School Would Be

Quote #1

"My perfect school would be a night time school."

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