Jesse came to my classroom today. The students were very interested in him, and assumed he was my son. That was cute, since I don't think of him as a son.
I had a good day, but tomorrow is Halloween, and the students are a little nutty ths week because of it. So tomorrow the school has an assembly last period with a crazy hat parade! It should be fun.
JESSE and I went out with HANNA from school. She teaches science in the room next door to me. We had Chinese. Jesse ordered Drunken noodles with Tofu.... that was a dish I would eat again! I had scallops and shrimp in garlic sauce that was great.
JESSE is with another friend tonight and he and I will catch up tomorrow and Saturday!
I miss Ithaca College and Home.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Excuse for being Absent
One young man told me today that he was absent yesterday because it was raining out. I thought that was an interesting excuse. I find a lack of ability to reason deeply in some of my student. It's as thought they haven't been taught to argue with valid points. They argue with emotions.
The other interesting moment was when a student wouldn't change his seat, and chose to not take an exam because he didn't want to move. Weird kids at times!
The other interesting moment was when a student wouldn't change his seat, and chose to not take an exam because he didn't want to move. Weird kids at times!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A different Week
One of the most difficult students in my tough class has transferred out of our school. The classroom has changed completely. Note that one other student was out for two days this week (the one who wouldn't acknowledge my existence). With both of these students out of the class, I have fallen in love all over again with this class. I find them to be willing to please and eager to please.
I also did a mini-project with my 6h grade students. I talked about one of my college classmates SUZ. The assignment talked about her bike and build trip across the country. The kids had to use some information I gave them to figure out distances, rates, and time traveled.
JENNY is here visiting JESSE this weekend. It's interesting that Jesse and I haven't needed to turn the heat on in the apartment. It's warm in the apartment. I live in a middle floor and have people on both sides of the apartment. So it's been cold enough to see my breath in the morning, but I haven't needed to turn on the heat. I think we are quite comfortable still. However... riding the train in the winter will be interesting. I live where the train is above ground for over 1/2 hour of my commute. This means that everytime they open the doors, my legs get cold. I need to get some leggings. I wear a skirt to work everyday. My legs get cold. Or.... I change the train ritual I ride and take the L train instead of M to 3. I'd be warmer.... we'll see how cold it gets here.
I also did a mini-project with my 6h grade students. I talked about one of my college classmates SUZ. The assignment talked about her bike and build trip across the country. The kids had to use some information I gave them to figure out distances, rates, and time traveled.
JENNY is here visiting JESSE this weekend. It's interesting that Jesse and I haven't needed to turn the heat on in the apartment. It's warm in the apartment. I live in a middle floor and have people on both sides of the apartment. So it's been cold enough to see my breath in the morning, but I haven't needed to turn on the heat. I think we are quite comfortable still. However... riding the train in the winter will be interesting. I live where the train is above ground for over 1/2 hour of my commute. This means that everytime they open the doors, my legs get cold. I need to get some leggings. I wear a skirt to work everyday. My legs get cold. Or.... I change the train ritual I ride and take the L train instead of M to 3. I'd be warmer.... we'll see how cold it gets here.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Teaching is the life for me.
I am really happy to report that I love teaching here in NY City. I have an excellent administration, I have good colleagues and I have amazing students. I enjoy my days so much. That isn’t to say that every day is perfect…. HA! Far from it.
I have a student who wouldn’t acknowledge my existence for about four or 5 class days. He would defy any direction I gave him. He was sent out of my room 4 days in a row. It is hard to teach a student who isn’t in the room. His mom was called in, we met with him and his mom. He was honest with the Assistant principal that he wouldn’t respond to me and wouldn’t do what I asked. He has a long back story and has some emotional baggage that he hasn’t worked thru in his 13 short years of life.
So on Thursday, he started to raise his hand in class and when I asked him if I could help him, he asked me to check his work. That one moment where he didn’t ignore me helped me to put my toe in the crack of the door he had just opened. I hope to keep this door open for him and me. I called his mom that afternoon and told her that I was proud of her son and that she deserved to hear that he had had a successful day in math class. Again on Friday, he was kind and courteous to me. I even spoke with him one on one and told him I saw a difference these last two days in his self control. Maybe … Maybe…. He’ll have a good week next week.
I have been accepted by my students in so many ways. One piece of evidence of my acceptance is that the girls want me to do the “Harlem shake.” I see them dance and move their shoulders and won’t even pretend that I would do this, but the simple request that they want me to do it with them, says that they accept me. They like to laugh with me and are very kind with their compliments to me. They frequently tell me I look nice or that they like my shoes. It seems trivial, but in an environment where I’m still learning the rules and language, these moments are assuredly an acceptance of me into their circle of trusted adults.
The math is going well also. I have taught my 7th grade class why multiplying a negative times a negative equals a positive. I did it while teaching some geography of cities or places on our planet that are cold. We demonstrated that each city’s temperature dropped 5 degrees as fall set in. We represented that decrease in temperature with a -5. We did that to 4 cities. Then global warming came along and TOOK AWAY the -5 degrees from each of the cities. It turned out that the temperature went up when we took away -5 degrees and if we took away 4 times then (-4) (-5) = 20. That was a successful lesson. I know because I had many students having that great mathematical moment called the “Ah-Ha Moment.”
So these students can learn and they want to learn. They can be lazy, but if I compliment the hard working students, the rest of the class craves the attention and public praise and try hard to receive it from me. My praise is genuine and warm. The students want to hear good things about themselves. I’m trying to do that more and more each day.
I have a student who wouldn’t acknowledge my existence for about four or 5 class days. He would defy any direction I gave him. He was sent out of my room 4 days in a row. It is hard to teach a student who isn’t in the room. His mom was called in, we met with him and his mom. He was honest with the Assistant principal that he wouldn’t respond to me and wouldn’t do what I asked. He has a long back story and has some emotional baggage that he hasn’t worked thru in his 13 short years of life.
So on Thursday, he started to raise his hand in class and when I asked him if I could help him, he asked me to check his work. That one moment where he didn’t ignore me helped me to put my toe in the crack of the door he had just opened. I hope to keep this door open for him and me. I called his mom that afternoon and told her that I was proud of her son and that she deserved to hear that he had had a successful day in math class. Again on Friday, he was kind and courteous to me. I even spoke with him one on one and told him I saw a difference these last two days in his self control. Maybe … Maybe…. He’ll have a good week next week.
I have been accepted by my students in so many ways. One piece of evidence of my acceptance is that the girls want me to do the “Harlem shake.” I see them dance and move their shoulders and won’t even pretend that I would do this, but the simple request that they want me to do it with them, says that they accept me. They like to laugh with me and are very kind with their compliments to me. They frequently tell me I look nice or that they like my shoes. It seems trivial, but in an environment where I’m still learning the rules and language, these moments are assuredly an acceptance of me into their circle of trusted adults.
The math is going well also. I have taught my 7th grade class why multiplying a negative times a negative equals a positive. I did it while teaching some geography of cities or places on our planet that are cold. We demonstrated that each city’s temperature dropped 5 degrees as fall set in. We represented that decrease in temperature with a -5. We did that to 4 cities. Then global warming came along and TOOK AWAY the -5 degrees from each of the cities. It turned out that the temperature went up when we took away -5 degrees and if we took away 4 times then (-4) (-5) = 20. That was a successful lesson. I know because I had many students having that great mathematical moment called the “Ah-Ha Moment.”
So these students can learn and they want to learn. They can be lazy, but if I compliment the hard working students, the rest of the class craves the attention and public praise and try hard to receive it from me. My praise is genuine and warm. The students want to hear good things about themselves. I’m trying to do that more and more each day.
From Oct 6
Written 10/6
It’s early Monday morning and I’m nearly ready for work. Jesse is sleeping on the floor in the living room. I hope I haven’t woken him to the point that he can’t fall back to sleep. Today will be interesting. I wasn’t in my classrooms on Friday because of a visit to another school to look at CTT models. Collaborative Teaching. I understand that my students were NOT on their best behavior with a substitute. I felt that I had done everything I could by providing a seating chart, clear instructions, plenty of work, and had spoken to my class about their behavior.
Needless to say, I am disappointed in them right now. So, we’ll see how today goes. I have the week planned out already, and I’ve made the exam for the 7th grade class for Friday already. It’s so much easier to teach when the exam is written. 7th grade is reviewing Order of Operations. It’s a difficult concept, and we work on it all year long. Then they will be working on positive and negative numbers and their operations.
My 6th grade classes are working on solving single step equations with one unknown. We have evaluated expressions to the point that over 80% of my students are completely bored with it. Now to challenge them and to maybe bring along some of the others that are lost.
I researched a lot of things over the weekend to help me teach these topics. Hopefully, my research pays off and I’m more prepared for their insecurities and questions.
It’s early Monday morning and I’m nearly ready for work. Jesse is sleeping on the floor in the living room. I hope I haven’t woken him to the point that he can’t fall back to sleep. Today will be interesting. I wasn’t in my classrooms on Friday because of a visit to another school to look at CTT models. Collaborative Teaching. I understand that my students were NOT on their best behavior with a substitute. I felt that I had done everything I could by providing a seating chart, clear instructions, plenty of work, and had spoken to my class about their behavior.
Needless to say, I am disappointed in them right now. So, we’ll see how today goes. I have the week planned out already, and I’ve made the exam for the 7th grade class for Friday already. It’s so much easier to teach when the exam is written. 7th grade is reviewing Order of Operations. It’s a difficult concept, and we work on it all year long. Then they will be working on positive and negative numbers and their operations.
My 6th grade classes are working on solving single step equations with one unknown. We have evaluated expressions to the point that over 80% of my students are completely bored with it. Now to challenge them and to maybe bring along some of the others that are lost.
I researched a lot of things over the weekend to help me teach these topics. Hopefully, my research pays off and I’m more prepared for their insecurities and questions.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
2 days off this week
I was off yesterday and today. I worked on Monday and then I work tomorrow. On Friday, I go to another school for some Professional Development. On Saturday, Jesse moves in and then on Monday I get to see a fellow fellow from NYCTF.
So as for teaching stories. I have one boy who I continue to send out or give detention. I wrote an email to his mom, and told her that one of the infractions her son had was to pretend to hold a joint up to his lips. He pinched his first finger and thumb together and put them to his lips in a smoking movement and facial. Of course, his mom tells me he knows nothing of drugs and that I shouldn't assume he was pretending to smoke a joint. I didn't reply back, but if her son doesn't know about drugs, then my question to her is, "Why not?" he should know about drugs at 13 years old from his mom's instruction as to the dangers of drugs, especially marijuana. So, she can be critical of my assumption as to what he was mimicking, but I know she is being naive. This young man just needs to settle down
I had another student write a note that started, "Dear Life, I hate my life. I hate my school." It went on to call me a vulgar term along with my assistant teacher in this class. She got in school suspension for the infraction. She is the same girl I called Pasha in a previous post and she had stolen from a fellow classmate. She really has some issues she needs to work through as a pre-teen girl. Her mom is real supportive and she frequently comes up and hugs me, but this is just a tough child to figure out.
I went home for the weekend. JEFF was home. I am so happy I saw him. I felt like I just wanted to hug him over and over and over. OMG... It was so good to go home. I enjoyed the leaves on the trees. I visited so many people, we went to Mom and Dad's house Saturday morning for Coffee. Then Donavan came over (Walt's step-son)and he visited. Then Athena, Mark and Leah came to my house so that I could meet Leah, my new Great-Niece. She was a sweety pie. I loved having her at my house. She is a happy girl and is just perfect in all the ways a baby should be perfect! Then mom and dad came to my house.
When they left people were coming for dinner. We had Randy and Giorgi, Joanna and kids all over for dinner. I made Macaroni Roma. It's a family recipe that I love to make because it takes so long to make. Then they all left. Slept in my own bed.
Sunday morning Jeff, Scott, and I went to Ithaca to see DREW, KATE, ALANA, MATT, and MIKE. OMG we had a wonderful breakfast. Thank you Drew... just you wait. I loved hearing about IC life and the math classes and professors.
Scott and I came back to the city. We then went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday. We saw some of the most amazing art, and we were in a little hurry because we only had about 3 hours. The VanGogh paintings just bring me to tears. Those and the Georges Seurat and the Jackson Pollack paintings were amazing. We saw some Andy Warhol, and Picasso. We spent some time in the hall with Roman and Greek statues. there were several students there drawing what they were seeing.
There is a suggested admission there, so we paid $15 for the two of us. Perfect. We had a great couple of days. I slept the one night for 12 hours. I think I was exhausted.
So as for teaching stories. I have one boy who I continue to send out or give detention. I wrote an email to his mom, and told her that one of the infractions her son had was to pretend to hold a joint up to his lips. He pinched his first finger and thumb together and put them to his lips in a smoking movement and facial. Of course, his mom tells me he knows nothing of drugs and that I shouldn't assume he was pretending to smoke a joint. I didn't reply back, but if her son doesn't know about drugs, then my question to her is, "Why not?" he should know about drugs at 13 years old from his mom's instruction as to the dangers of drugs, especially marijuana. So, she can be critical of my assumption as to what he was mimicking, but I know she is being naive. This young man just needs to settle down
I had another student write a note that started, "Dear Life, I hate my life. I hate my school." It went on to call me a vulgar term along with my assistant teacher in this class. She got in school suspension for the infraction. She is the same girl I called Pasha in a previous post and she had stolen from a fellow classmate. She really has some issues she needs to work through as a pre-teen girl. Her mom is real supportive and she frequently comes up and hugs me, but this is just a tough child to figure out.
I went home for the weekend. JEFF was home. I am so happy I saw him. I felt like I just wanted to hug him over and over and over. OMG... It was so good to go home. I enjoyed the leaves on the trees. I visited so many people, we went to Mom and Dad's house Saturday morning for Coffee. Then Donavan came over (Walt's step-son)and he visited. Then Athena, Mark and Leah came to my house so that I could meet Leah, my new Great-Niece. She was a sweety pie. I loved having her at my house. She is a happy girl and is just perfect in all the ways a baby should be perfect! Then mom and dad came to my house.
When they left people were coming for dinner. We had Randy and Giorgi, Joanna and kids all over for dinner. I made Macaroni Roma. It's a family recipe that I love to make because it takes so long to make. Then they all left. Slept in my own bed.
Sunday morning Jeff, Scott, and I went to Ithaca to see DREW, KATE, ALANA, MATT, and MIKE. OMG we had a wonderful breakfast. Thank you Drew... just you wait. I loved hearing about IC life and the math classes and professors.
Scott and I came back to the city. We then went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday. We saw some of the most amazing art, and we were in a little hurry because we only had about 3 hours. The VanGogh paintings just bring me to tears. Those and the Georges Seurat and the Jackson Pollack paintings were amazing. We saw some Andy Warhol, and Picasso. We spent some time in the hall with Roman and Greek statues. there were several students there drawing what they were seeing.
There is a suggested admission there, so we paid $15 for the two of us. Perfect. We had a great couple of days. I slept the one night for 12 hours. I think I was exhausted.
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