Want to remember the Family Conferences

So, I want to post about some of my experiences with Family Conferences before I forget.

First of all, the student runs the show. They had work to show the parents, they had reflections on all of the work, and they had goals for the next report period. I acted as a scribe and took notes for the family as they discussed the good stuff and the areas needing improvement.

The majority of my 6th grade students goals were something about "will do all my homework." which is so typical of all students. If they do their homework, they learn the material. Although, I might go a week with no homework for my students and grade heavily on classwork. I just can't see if they understand material with homework that isn't complete or didn't get done because they just didn't do it.

Another item about the conferences is that all but one parent came for my students. I have one parent that still hasn't made it in, but I know has some meetings at school which she must attend, so family conference will be combined with these other meetings.

I could probably start a book on "What Parents should NEVER say to their children." The one thing that sticks with me from the conferences was the parent whose child is having trouble due to lying and stealing. The daughter has been mentioned in my blog before and is a self identified liar. I spoke very firmly with the student about her ability to change during this year and to control her words and her actions. Her mom, however, decided to tell her daughter that people that lie and steal in 6th grade, ... "grow up to be killers." I couldn't believe it. I talked very calmly and directly to the young girl and said that her mom was exaggerating and that young people who lie and steal, can grow up to lie and steal as adults. This young girl is so smart and has a lot of poise when she speaks. The last thing she needed was for her mom to tell her that she is a killer in her future. GEEZE! That is one I won't forget.

So Jeff was here for almost a week. I miss him. He starts his second semester Tomorrow and hopefully he'll be as successful as he was his first semester. Scott is here now and we will be celebrating his birthday with dinner out tonight. Woo Hoo! Oh... so I did see the windows at Lord & Taylor and at Macy's. Both are amazing! I love the city.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at Chris' house. I am hoping Athena's camera got some clearer pictures. Mine just aren't meeting my standard. Ugh.

PICTURES from 6th grade trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art

From our trip to the MET and playing afterward with the 6th grade students.

If only All days were like today

As a first year teacher, I knew it would take me quite some time to figure out this "teaching" stuff. I'm not saying that I've completely figured it out, but today I had another glimpse of what I want it to feel like more often. I had one class complaining a little bit that I was going too fast. I have a habit (not a terrible habit, but one I need to work on) of going slowly enough so that a snail can keep up with the rest of the runners in the marathon. I need to move along and have the slowest of students see me after class to get some of the support that they need. This was new territory for me and my class to move at a quicker pace. It actually suited the majority of my students. It felt good.

I also had two classes of 6th graders without an issue to be found. Not one student was rude, or disrespectful for the entire time we were together. Note.... we do block scheduling so I am with students for about 90 minutes per day 4 days per week. Its tough for them to all behave all of the time. Today... it happened. And, being the bright teacher that I am, I told the second class that the first class had done it, and I wondered if they could be just as good. They were great.

My favorite part of today was telling students that there are math problems that have not been proven and that there are $1 million dollar prizes for proving them. We got onto this subject because Goldbach's conjecture was mentioned in their textbook. So I talked about it and we took the time to see about 12 numbers that were even and greater than 2 where we could write them as a sum of two prime numbers. Wooooo Hooooo..... .I felt good being a math geek today. I would bet that the other math teachers have not seen presentations on this particular conjecture. I, on the other hand, have had close friends work on this proof.

I had parent teacher conferences this last week. I'll blog about them this weekend. Just know that I had all parents except one come for conferences. We strive for 100% attendance, and if the parents don't make it in, we go to the houses. Sweet!

BTW, Jeff is coming tomorrow. Friday we have a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to look at Egyptian "stuff." Jeff gets to help me!

Jeff is Home!

Jeff completed his first quarter at RIT. RIT's schedule consists of 4 quarters with the summer quarter being a cooperative or intern time for the students. So, he did really really well. I think he adjusted to college freshman year quite quickly and kept up with studies and homework.

Jeff's biggest complaint was that he was tired. His body still likes a full night of sleep and it isn't always to get that in a dorm room with 3 other boys.

I'm so proud of him. He's coming to NY City later this week and spending next weekend with me in the city. I hope he enjoys it. I know I'm looking forward to taking him to school with me. I think I'll give him an opportunity to tell my 7th grade students about how he had dozens of write ups in middle school. He wasn't the best of students in middle school. He didn't do his homework, he was a pain in the neck student to the teachers. Then he can tell them how he decided he wanted to do better and how he made it to be accepted into RIT and now is at college.

So.... off to a day in NY City where I'm going to go shopping a little bit. I need to start and do Christmas shopping.

I like Thursdays

So... Thursday is my busiest day of the week. I start it off by teaching 4 periods in a row, which is quite tough. But... the first two periods are with 7A, the class that I struggle the most with. It urns out that they acan be taught in the morning hours. I have less luck with that task in the afternoons, especially Friday's last two periods.

So today, I handled them all by myself. We did the coordinate plane, and plotted points. They were great! And, to top it all off, m principal came in during this time to observe me and the class. I couldn't have felt more proud. They were all working, and working hard. I felt amazing.

It is beginning to get colder in NYCity. It was 43 degrees this morning. I wore my mittens, but didn't really need to. I still haven't really turned my heat on in my apartment. I do cook once a day and that sometimes warms the apartment up tooooo much, so I have the window open right now.

I feel very busy still, but I feel like I can manage the work load. We have parent teacher conferences next week. I have kept up with the work on coordinating this very large adventure.

I'm going to go watch some Patriot football. Enjoy the weekend. Oh... Scott showed me how to get to the mall from my apartment. It's two buses and 15 minutes of a ride. Don't know if that was a smart thing to show me... We'll have to see. Although... now I can find the movie theaters too.

If you had been in my school today...

I saw 7th grade students moved to tears while they watched Barak Obama's acceptance speech. I hear the kids say things like, "I love this country." "See, we can be anything." I heard kids talking ALL day about the election. When we put up the Thank You list on the board, they insisted Obama be the first name written down. They also wanted McCain's name on the detention list. They asked everyone who they had voted for. They also were exctatic. They had stayed up until 3am in some cases to go out into the streets of Harlem to celebrate in a celebration that was most like New Years Eve. The city was amazing with the energy this morning as people got onto the subway.

I am so happy I was here to see and hear this excitement. Some of our students will be voting in 4 years. They know it, and they are already planning to vote for Barak Obama! wow!

Being In NY City during a Historic Moment

Yesterday Mr. Obama was elected the next president of the United States. I witnessed lines for voting that were 1 to 2 hour waits. I saw people snaked around city corners with people waiting to vote. I also saw the large parties in Harlem and Time Square that looked like New Years Eve celebrations.

So today I will make sure the students understand how and why the president elect needed 270 votes to win. It will be a lesson about finding a number of the whole.

The students will be excited. They've been asking my politics for weeks. They are very tuned into the political stage.

Video of CAS singing the School Song

Lyrics to song they are singing

When you're at C. A. S. you will achieve,
Your goals in math, science, and history.
We are the school that is right on the top
Higher and higher, we just can't be stopped

(chorus)
Community Action School!
Our colors are white and blue.
We're keepin' our eyes on the prize,
So you betta recognize!

(repeat chorus)

For service we go to help other schools
Help little shorties to follow the rules
We work with people both young and old.
The teachers are diamonds, the students are gold.

(chorus)

Halloween Part III

Halloween Part II

Halloween Pictures