The highs and lows of teaching.
My Comp 9 class has pretty much been slaving over their second essay and their first book report (since they have SSR that hour, I have instituted a mandatory book report every three weeks. I'm hoping that will motivate for SSR more). My College Comp class (more on them later) worked diligently editing their rough drafts. I catch myself smiling when I listen to them share their work. "I need help with my introduction," one writer says. "I really like the dialogue at the end, but your final paragraph just sounds thrown in there," another says. Even these comments are doing them justice. Had I not been reading their first themes in a blinding heat to get them done, I would have jotted a couple of their comments down.
But then, as usual, Jackass central, aka my Lit and Language 11 class, rolled around. I don't know if I have to resort to a seating chart to remedy some of their stupid behavior. I don't know if the deficiencies many received will help or not. I think it's just part of life that I have about 10 idiots in there that ruin it for the other 20. That's too bad.
Case in point - we reviewed Jeopardy style for today's monster Crucible test. As part of the review, I have some 'gag' gifts or what I call "Super Duper Prizes." Most went over great. But I gave a former football player of mine, who tends to be a pretty good kid (but after talking with some coaches - I see they are really concerned about the direction he is heading) a bottle of really cheap cologne that had been sitting in a drawer for quite some time. Everyone laughed and seemed to have a good time. Then part way through the discussion, the strong odor of cologne (after repeated warnings to not spray it) began to eminate through the room. That's when I lost it and ripped into them. Of course, both kids involved apologized, but only after I told them how not only was I disappointed in the way they have been acting but so far various members of the coaching staff (I was encouraged to voice this from one of the coaches).
Both kids came in to apologize after school. I should have laid on the guilt really thick, but I was so pissed I could hardly look at them and dismissed them quickly.
Why can't I ever have three really superb classes? I always have that one that drives me nuts. It's a curse, I guess.
******
I will likely have to deal with the fallout from my first round of essays in College Comp. I always have a few who like to dispute their grades. But my mantra from day one has been, "An "A" on an essay means you a writing an excellent freshman college level essay." I'm sure a few were disappointed in their essays. My resposne: write better. Conference with me and take my revisions comments and those of your classmates to heart. Don't write the thing the night before. Don't hesitate to share it with the class and get feedback.
Don't get me wrong. It is not like I had a bad bunch of essays. In fact, they were one of the strongest bunches I have ever read. But there were some little convention errors and formatting issues that dropped their scores. The voice and style were great. But I know that whether it's next year in AP or in college, they need to remedy some of those ticky-tacky issues. Time to fix them now.
But I truly enjoyed every single one.
I guess it is usually like this. Most of these kids have been straight A students and naturally gifted. So now they are asked (or pushed) to work harder than ever before. What got them by in the past with A's is just average now.
That's not always easy for them to learn. Plus, if all I ever do is just tell them their writing is good (and I do plenty of that), what good is that? I need to push them to develop their ideas more, develop a unique style, work to craft a very thoughtful yet discriptive piece, and inject their work with as much voice and personality as possible. That's not easily done.
But it is a helluva a lot better than having to scold some dumbass juniors for spraying cheap cologne when they were told not to. Note to self: quite trying to liven up and really teach that class. Cram them full of knowledge and work until they bend under the work load. I'm not proud of that. But it is how I have to survive. (Don't worry. I can't really teach like that for very long before I bend and buckle under the workload and think screw it, let's try something fun. And it usually bites me in the ass. That is the nature of this profession.)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Back for the Attack
Long time and no blog.
I really miss it, but I have not had time. I did no correcting over the weekend, so I really had to get some done this week. I just finished my Comp 9 essays. They were good. I was impressed. The kids wrote about some serious stuff – the death of a grandmother, being involved in a school shooting, having the opportunity to plow a field for the first time all on their own, and standing up to an adult for the first time. All interesting reading. It made for some good writing too. I’m still trying to figure our how to score an essay according to the six traits, but I’m working on that.
Now I turn my attention to my College Comp class. So far I’m three essays in, and they all have been excellent. This class is really sharp and they care about their writing.
The problem, though, that I’m running into is that I’m repeating myself. Well, I don’t know if I’d call it repetition, but I’ll try something out with my freshman, like this week I had them write about a pet peeve. It went over so well that I decided to chuck what I had planned for my College Comp class and have them write about their pet peeves. It went over even better with them. We actually had a full blown discussion. For my classes, that is rare. So I just got out of the way and let them discuss. I just tried to moderate things.
The best moments are when I model and learn right along with the students. As my College Comp students were compiling their list of pet peeves, I devised one. Here it is.
1. Country music.
2. People who use “like” every other word when talking.
3. Unflushed toilets (especially here in school) – that got a discussion going of epic proportions.
4. Cell phones
5. Babies in movie theaters.
Once we had our lists compiled, we went around the room sharing. The kids generated such great topics – people who scrape their fork on their teeth when eating, people who snap their gum, those who chew with their mouths open, Republicans (okay I added that one to get things stirred up again), excuses, slackers, cell phones ringing in theaters, people who dress their pets (my personal favorite), people who drink those trendy chocolate café latte coffees, preps, people who fish for compliments, those who cannot recognize when they are wrong, people who drag their feet, celebrities, reality TV, radio stations that don’t play music, people who feel free to change the radio when they are in someone else’s vehicle, profanity on bathroom walls . . . we could have gone on all day.
Today was a drafting day. I just hovered and listened. Can’t wait for the rough drafts tomorrow.
*******
After school yesterday I had to pick up some things. That meant the dreaded trip to Walmart (talk about a pet peeve). I’m like a moth drawn to a flame. I keep getting fried, but do I ever learn? No. This trip would not be any different.
I located a leash for Kozy and a chain. I grabbed dog food and a vent for the furnace. There were no exciting Legos, so I headed over to the grocery section. There I founded the new greatest inventions, Uncrustables from Smuckers (these are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made as hot pockets – perfect). I grabbed them from the freezer and headed for the check outs.
That’s when the trouble hit.
When discussion began a few years ago about the Walmart coming, we heard all about how customer service would be a high priority. They would have a wide selection. We would get in and out quickly. Low prices. Yadda yadda yadda.
What a crock.
As I ventured over to the checkouts, I realized that despite there being 20 checkouts, only five actually had people working them. That was compounded by the fact that a bus of old people had stopped and flooded the store. Each lane had at least 15 people waiting. The lines actually were so long that they had to curve to the side.
I just left my cart in the clothes section and headed for the door.
What a crock.
I should have known better. I swear when I day – and if I go south – hell is just going to be one never ending Walmart/country music concert/monster truck rally/hockey game.
Instead I headed home and went to our local – and expensive – super market. Yes, I paid more (and of course they didn’t have any of the things – other than bread – that I had in my car at Walmart), but I waiting in line for a grand total of four seconds, got to see Casey at his new job, got the five percent employee discount (a whopping 17 cents), and ended up seeing my brother and getting some documents regarding Dad’s land that I had to sign and send off anyway. Perfect. I would have still been waiting in line at Hellmart.
I really miss it, but I have not had time. I did no correcting over the weekend, so I really had to get some done this week. I just finished my Comp 9 essays. They were good. I was impressed. The kids wrote about some serious stuff – the death of a grandmother, being involved in a school shooting, having the opportunity to plow a field for the first time all on their own, and standing up to an adult for the first time. All interesting reading. It made for some good writing too. I’m still trying to figure our how to score an essay according to the six traits, but I’m working on that.
Now I turn my attention to my College Comp class. So far I’m three essays in, and they all have been excellent. This class is really sharp and they care about their writing.
The problem, though, that I’m running into is that I’m repeating myself. Well, I don’t know if I’d call it repetition, but I’ll try something out with my freshman, like this week I had them write about a pet peeve. It went over so well that I decided to chuck what I had planned for my College Comp class and have them write about their pet peeves. It went over even better with them. We actually had a full blown discussion. For my classes, that is rare. So I just got out of the way and let them discuss. I just tried to moderate things.
The best moments are when I model and learn right along with the students. As my College Comp students were compiling their list of pet peeves, I devised one. Here it is.
1. Country music.
2. People who use “like” every other word when talking.
3. Unflushed toilets (especially here in school) – that got a discussion going of epic proportions.
4. Cell phones
5. Babies in movie theaters.
Once we had our lists compiled, we went around the room sharing. The kids generated such great topics – people who scrape their fork on their teeth when eating, people who snap their gum, those who chew with their mouths open, Republicans (okay I added that one to get things stirred up again), excuses, slackers, cell phones ringing in theaters, people who dress their pets (my personal favorite), people who drink those trendy chocolate café latte coffees, preps, people who fish for compliments, those who cannot recognize when they are wrong, people who drag their feet, celebrities, reality TV, radio stations that don’t play music, people who feel free to change the radio when they are in someone else’s vehicle, profanity on bathroom walls . . . we could have gone on all day.
Today was a drafting day. I just hovered and listened. Can’t wait for the rough drafts tomorrow.
*******
After school yesterday I had to pick up some things. That meant the dreaded trip to Walmart (talk about a pet peeve). I’m like a moth drawn to a flame. I keep getting fried, but do I ever learn? No. This trip would not be any different.
I located a leash for Kozy and a chain. I grabbed dog food and a vent for the furnace. There were no exciting Legos, so I headed over to the grocery section. There I founded the new greatest inventions, Uncrustables from Smuckers (these are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made as hot pockets – perfect). I grabbed them from the freezer and headed for the check outs.
That’s when the trouble hit.
When discussion began a few years ago about the Walmart coming, we heard all about how customer service would be a high priority. They would have a wide selection. We would get in and out quickly. Low prices. Yadda yadda yadda.
What a crock.
As I ventured over to the checkouts, I realized that despite there being 20 checkouts, only five actually had people working them. That was compounded by the fact that a bus of old people had stopped and flooded the store. Each lane had at least 15 people waiting. The lines actually were so long that they had to curve to the side.
I just left my cart in the clothes section and headed for the door.
What a crock.
I should have known better. I swear when I day – and if I go south – hell is just going to be one never ending Walmart/country music concert/monster truck rally/hockey game.
Instead I headed home and went to our local – and expensive – super market. Yes, I paid more (and of course they didn’t have any of the things – other than bread – that I had in my car at Walmart), but I waiting in line for a grand total of four seconds, got to see Casey at his new job, got the five percent employee discount (a whopping 17 cents), and ended up seeing my brother and getting some documents regarding Dad’s land that I had to sign and send off anyway. Perfect. I would have still been waiting in line at Hellmart.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Pets
This story is why people have pets. Story taken from yahoo news (since the link button isn’t working on our computer). I have a colleague, Tom, who will find this quite interesting.
Dog saved by Marine coming to Calif.
By CHELSEA J. CARTER, Associated Press Writer
Fri Feb 22, 8:52 AM ET
It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war.
But what followed for Marine Maj. Brian Dennis and the mutt was a tale of friendship and loyalty that spanned miles and overcame long odds — one set to take a turn Friday with the anticipated arrival here of the Marine's best friend.
"This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, abuse ... is going to live the good life," Dennis told his family in an e-mail from Iraq.
The tale unfolded in October, a few months after Dennis deployed to Iraq from San Diego to work as part of the military team building infrastructure along the Syria-Iraq border and training Iraqi forces to take over.
Dennis, 36, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., had volunteered for the assignment. It was a departure from his role as a fighter pilot. He had seen the country from the air, but it was different on the ground.
Dennis wrote stories home about the reciprocal relationship that desert dogs, strays wandering outside border towns, had with Iraqis.
"The dogs get to eat the Iraqi scraps and have a home in the middle of the desert," he wrote in an e-mail. "The Iraqis get an incredible early warning system; these dogs hear anything approaching from miles away and go nuts and scramble to defend their territory."
While on patrol in the Anbar province, Dennis spotted what appeared to be a gray and white, male German shepherd-border collie mix. He named the dog Nubs after learning someone cut the ears off believing it would make the dog more aggressive and alert.
Within weeks, Nubs was greeting Dennis during routine patrol stops along border communities. The Marines fed him bits of their food and by November, the Marine and his unit were keeping an eye out for the dog, which routinely chased their Humvees when they departed.
Life on the run, however, was taking a toll on the dog. He had lost a tooth and been bitten in the neck. In late December, Dennis found Nubs near death in freezing temperatures. The dog had been stabbed with a screwdriver.
Dennis rubbed antibiotic creme on the wound and slept with Nubs to keep him warm.
"I really expected when I woke up for watch he would be dead," Dennis wrote. "Somehow he made it through the night."
Dennis thought he had seen the last of the dog days later when his squad headed back to its command post some 65 miles away. He couldn't take the dog with him and watched as it tried to follow the Humvees away from the border.
Two days later, while Dennis and a comrade were working on a Humvee, he looked up and saw the dog staring at him.
"Somehow that crazy damned dog tracked us," he wrote Jan. 9.
But the reunion was short lived. Military policy prohibits having pets in war zones, and Dennis was given four days to get the dog off the base or kill him.
The decision was easy: Nubs was going to San Diego. The logistics, though, were anything but easy.
With help from his Iraqi interpreter, Dennis managed to find a Jordanian veterinarian to get the care and paperwork needed to get the dog to the states. He also negotiated the red tape to get Nubs across the border into Jordan.
His family and close friends helped raise the $3,500 needed to get the dog from Amman, Jordan, to San Diego, said his mother, Marsha Cargo.
"I just can't believe it. Out there in the middle of nowhere these two find each other," Cargo said.
A colleague in San Diego agreed to care for the dog and have it trained until Dennis returns in March from Iraq.
"We anticipate a real steep learning curve for Nubs," Capt. Eric Sjoberg said. "We want him to learn to just be a dog."
For now, though, Dennis will settle for the knowledge that Nubs is finally safe — and waiting for his master to follow him.
******
Speaking of pets, Kristie, who went home sick after lunch yesterday, said she was trying to herd all of the pets into the basement so she could rest in peace without Einer bellowing to be fed, Mischa chasing Boo around, and Kozy and Joker lounging on the furniture.
She was able to round up everyone except Einer. “For a fat cat, he sure can move,” was how she phrased it.
Apparently, he was hiding under the dining room table. When Kristie stomped to force him out, he quickly ducked under our coffee table. Kristie stomped again to get him out of there, but he did a quick counter move and bolted up the stairs. Ha.
She chased after him. I can just see his large baby, well, kitten, fat swaying as he navigated the stairs. All with Kristie roaring after him. I guess he rounded the corner so quickly, he careened off the wall and dashed into the office.
Once he knew he was cornered, he pulled out his best weapon: he plopped down and rolled onto his back (a pose that most of the time we cannot resist. I mean who can resist the furry belly of 25 pound cat?).
It didn’t work.
He ended up in the basement.
But I have to admire his resourcefulness.
Dog saved by Marine coming to Calif.
By CHELSEA J. CARTER, Associated Press Writer
Fri Feb 22, 8:52 AM ET
It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war.
But what followed for Marine Maj. Brian Dennis and the mutt was a tale of friendship and loyalty that spanned miles and overcame long odds — one set to take a turn Friday with the anticipated arrival here of the Marine's best friend.
"This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, abuse ... is going to live the good life," Dennis told his family in an e-mail from Iraq.
The tale unfolded in October, a few months after Dennis deployed to Iraq from San Diego to work as part of the military team building infrastructure along the Syria-Iraq border and training Iraqi forces to take over.
Dennis, 36, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., had volunteered for the assignment. It was a departure from his role as a fighter pilot. He had seen the country from the air, but it was different on the ground.
Dennis wrote stories home about the reciprocal relationship that desert dogs, strays wandering outside border towns, had with Iraqis.
"The dogs get to eat the Iraqi scraps and have a home in the middle of the desert," he wrote in an e-mail. "The Iraqis get an incredible early warning system; these dogs hear anything approaching from miles away and go nuts and scramble to defend their territory."
While on patrol in the Anbar province, Dennis spotted what appeared to be a gray and white, male German shepherd-border collie mix. He named the dog Nubs after learning someone cut the ears off believing it would make the dog more aggressive and alert.
Within weeks, Nubs was greeting Dennis during routine patrol stops along border communities. The Marines fed him bits of their food and by November, the Marine and his unit were keeping an eye out for the dog, which routinely chased their Humvees when they departed.
Life on the run, however, was taking a toll on the dog. He had lost a tooth and been bitten in the neck. In late December, Dennis found Nubs near death in freezing temperatures. The dog had been stabbed with a screwdriver.
Dennis rubbed antibiotic creme on the wound and slept with Nubs to keep him warm.
"I really expected when I woke up for watch he would be dead," Dennis wrote. "Somehow he made it through the night."
Dennis thought he had seen the last of the dog days later when his squad headed back to its command post some 65 miles away. He couldn't take the dog with him and watched as it tried to follow the Humvees away from the border.
Two days later, while Dennis and a comrade were working on a Humvee, he looked up and saw the dog staring at him.
"Somehow that crazy damned dog tracked us," he wrote Jan. 9.
But the reunion was short lived. Military policy prohibits having pets in war zones, and Dennis was given four days to get the dog off the base or kill him.
The decision was easy: Nubs was going to San Diego. The logistics, though, were anything but easy.
With help from his Iraqi interpreter, Dennis managed to find a Jordanian veterinarian to get the care and paperwork needed to get the dog to the states. He also negotiated the red tape to get Nubs across the border into Jordan.
His family and close friends helped raise the $3,500 needed to get the dog from Amman, Jordan, to San Diego, said his mother, Marsha Cargo.
"I just can't believe it. Out there in the middle of nowhere these two find each other," Cargo said.
A colleague in San Diego agreed to care for the dog and have it trained until Dennis returns in March from Iraq.
"We anticipate a real steep learning curve for Nubs," Capt. Eric Sjoberg said. "We want him to learn to just be a dog."
For now, though, Dennis will settle for the knowledge that Nubs is finally safe — and waiting for his master to follow him.
******
Speaking of pets, Kristie, who went home sick after lunch yesterday, said she was trying to herd all of the pets into the basement so she could rest in peace without Einer bellowing to be fed, Mischa chasing Boo around, and Kozy and Joker lounging on the furniture.
She was able to round up everyone except Einer. “For a fat cat, he sure can move,” was how she phrased it.
Apparently, he was hiding under the dining room table. When Kristie stomped to force him out, he quickly ducked under our coffee table. Kristie stomped again to get him out of there, but he did a quick counter move and bolted up the stairs. Ha.
She chased after him. I can just see his large baby, well, kitten, fat swaying as he navigated the stairs. All with Kristie roaring after him. I guess he rounded the corner so quickly, he careened off the wall and dashed into the office.
Once he knew he was cornered, he pulled out his best weapon: he plopped down and rolled onto his back (a pose that most of the time we cannot resist. I mean who can resist the furry belly of 25 pound cat?).
It didn’t work.
He ended up in the basement.
But I have to admire his resourcefulness.
Pushing the Limit?
Some seniors had on shirts that looked like they said “08” (as in the class of ‘08) with the motto “Pushing the Limit.” But being clever students, if you looked closely, the shirt really read “.08.” Which gives an entirely new meaning to the phrase, “Pushing the Limit.”
Is this a big deal? I don’t know.
It’s always this time of the year when this kind of drama emerges.
I was not any different as a high school student. I began drinking the summer before my senior year and continued it throughout my senior year.
However, had I worn a shirt like that, I would have expected the consequences. First, had Mom discovered it, she would have thrown it away or forbade me to wear it.
Had my football coach, and assistant principal seen it, he would have called me a dumb ass and let me have it. Which is how I’ll handle any who wear it in my class today.
*****
I take that back. There was nothing clever about it. Apparently, there was a story on Channel One earlier this year talking about a class that pulled the same thing with their year book. Not only is it not clever anymore, but it is damn near plagiarism.
****
Now I’m devising my own slogans and shirts for this group of seniors. “08” “total number of hockey wins.” “08” - “Pushing the carts at Walmart.” “08” - “Welcome to McDonald's. May I take your order?” “08” “Here turkey, turkey” (insert obligatory derogatory remark about the turkey plant here).
But now I’m being just as juvenile as the seniors. But damn it’s fun.
At least they didn’t wear them when the reporter from WDAZ was here.
*****
A fellow teacher here, Mike, just had the coolest idea ever in class. He was discussing several key elements of culture, technology being one.
After discussing how technology impacts and, ultimately, changes our lives, the conversation eventually veered to cell phones. Mike quizzed his class on how many of them had cell phones . All but two raised their hands.
Then he got an idea (and this is what is so brilliant about it). He decided to have the first (annual?) Cell Phone Olympics.
He had four students in class text four other students in various class, one being in my College Comp class. Though we have a cell phone policy for class use, the reality is that students do not obey it and there is very little we can do about it (other than having a shelf system where students set their cell phones upon entering - or -- as I’m privately saving up for (along with some other teachers) to chip in and buy jamming software, which I’m told is illegal - safety reasons supposedly - but how isn’t school a safe environment?).
Mike informed me that my student was one of the final to respond to the text message she was sent. That didn’t offer much solace. Within two minutes, all four of his students had received texts from the students in the other classes. In fact, one student even called the student in his class . . . from the bathroom.
What can you do?
The kids will find a way. I’m with Mike. Instead of finding ways to combat a losing mission, why not embrace it and find a way to use it.
Before I retire, I have a feeling I will be getting my students’ papers strictly via computer and phone and ipod and whatever else looming on the horizon. Maybe they’ll just type them and be able to download them straight to my brain.
*****
On my way to work each morning I’ve been listening to podcasts devoted to education. For those of you who aren’t aware of it, itunes has a TON of podcasts concerned with education. One of my favorites is from PBS called “Education Podcast with John Merrow.” Each episode is only about 20 minutes. He focuses on some really interesting subjects, like NCLB, testing, underachieving schools, involving parents and the community in the education process, and so on. Right now I have 93 episodes to choose from. All for free too.
In addition to podcasts, I also really like itunesU. This is where universities can upload various podcasts and lectures and even videos for the general population to download onto their ipods/computers. Stanford has an excellent selection focusing on education. This morning I was listening to a round table discussion presented by Stanford entitled “Why Read Books?” Last night on the way home I decided to take a break from Vincent Price’s “The Price of Fear” Old Time Radio podcast and I listened to an analysis of Herbert Spencer’s famous essay “What Knowledge is of Most Worth?”
Art Ellis, from Seattle Pacific University, in analyzing Spencer’s essay, sketched out some of the historical background concerning knowledge and education during the industrial revolution. He talked about those in power moved away from an exclusive view of education to one that sought to educate the blue collar class. This lead to lecture series and forums around the country. Of course, it seems to me that this type of entertainment and education is dead in our popular culture. I thought of Robert Frost who used to travel the country reciting his poetry and offering his ideas on it. I thought too of my uncle Jim in Colorado who, along with several others, presented a lecture/presentation on Frost’s poetry to coincide with his birthday. It was a huge success.
But that is rare, or so it seems to me.
However, ipods and podcasts might have offered a way to revive lectures and forums. I’m already toying with the idea of creating podcasts for at least one class next year for students to download each week to help them prep for tests or themes.
But it need not stop there. Thanks to the podcast called “Learning in Hand: iPods” I now know I can take a Keynote presentation and save it as individual jpg files. Then I can have students download it right to their ipods, so they can then watch them right on their ipods -whenever and wherever they want. Of course, they won’t quite be as effective as the real thing in class, but it’s better than not getting the presentation at all.
****
What I find really interesting about this technological revolution we’re caught in right now is that it is different from the surge we experienced when I was in high school.
A few kids had computers. But they were the offspring of wealthy people, the lawyers kids, the banker’s kids, the CEO’s kids and so on.
However, that has totally changed today. Regardless of economic background, students have cell phones and ipods. As one of my peers pointed out, one of our students has a cell phone that can connect him to the internet. Yet, he cannot read.
The technology is here to stay. We have to use it and change our old ways.
Is this a big deal? I don’t know.
It’s always this time of the year when this kind of drama emerges.
I was not any different as a high school student. I began drinking the summer before my senior year and continued it throughout my senior year.
However, had I worn a shirt like that, I would have expected the consequences. First, had Mom discovered it, she would have thrown it away or forbade me to wear it.
Had my football coach, and assistant principal seen it, he would have called me a dumb ass and let me have it. Which is how I’ll handle any who wear it in my class today.
*****
I take that back. There was nothing clever about it. Apparently, there was a story on Channel One earlier this year talking about a class that pulled the same thing with their year book. Not only is it not clever anymore, but it is damn near plagiarism.
****
Now I’m devising my own slogans and shirts for this group of seniors. “08” “total number of hockey wins.” “08” - “Pushing the carts at Walmart.” “08” - “Welcome to McDonald's. May I take your order?” “08” “Here turkey, turkey” (insert obligatory derogatory remark about the turkey plant here).
But now I’m being just as juvenile as the seniors. But damn it’s fun.
At least they didn’t wear them when the reporter from WDAZ was here.
*****
A fellow teacher here, Mike, just had the coolest idea ever in class. He was discussing several key elements of culture, technology being one.
After discussing how technology impacts and, ultimately, changes our lives, the conversation eventually veered to cell phones. Mike quizzed his class on how many of them had cell phones . All but two raised their hands.
Then he got an idea (and this is what is so brilliant about it). He decided to have the first (annual?) Cell Phone Olympics.
He had four students in class text four other students in various class, one being in my College Comp class. Though we have a cell phone policy for class use, the reality is that students do not obey it and there is very little we can do about it (other than having a shelf system where students set their cell phones upon entering - or -- as I’m privately saving up for (along with some other teachers) to chip in and buy jamming software, which I’m told is illegal - safety reasons supposedly - but how isn’t school a safe environment?).
Mike informed me that my student was one of the final to respond to the text message she was sent. That didn’t offer much solace. Within two minutes, all four of his students had received texts from the students in the other classes. In fact, one student even called the student in his class . . . from the bathroom.
What can you do?
The kids will find a way. I’m with Mike. Instead of finding ways to combat a losing mission, why not embrace it and find a way to use it.
Before I retire, I have a feeling I will be getting my students’ papers strictly via computer and phone and ipod and whatever else looming on the horizon. Maybe they’ll just type them and be able to download them straight to my brain.
*****
On my way to work each morning I’ve been listening to podcasts devoted to education. For those of you who aren’t aware of it, itunes has a TON of podcasts concerned with education. One of my favorites is from PBS called “Education Podcast with John Merrow.” Each episode is only about 20 minutes. He focuses on some really interesting subjects, like NCLB, testing, underachieving schools, involving parents and the community in the education process, and so on. Right now I have 93 episodes to choose from. All for free too.
In addition to podcasts, I also really like itunesU. This is where universities can upload various podcasts and lectures and even videos for the general population to download onto their ipods/computers. Stanford has an excellent selection focusing on education. This morning I was listening to a round table discussion presented by Stanford entitled “Why Read Books?” Last night on the way home I decided to take a break from Vincent Price’s “The Price of Fear” Old Time Radio podcast and I listened to an analysis of Herbert Spencer’s famous essay “What Knowledge is of Most Worth?”
Art Ellis, from Seattle Pacific University, in analyzing Spencer’s essay, sketched out some of the historical background concerning knowledge and education during the industrial revolution. He talked about those in power moved away from an exclusive view of education to one that sought to educate the blue collar class. This lead to lecture series and forums around the country. Of course, it seems to me that this type of entertainment and education is dead in our popular culture. I thought of Robert Frost who used to travel the country reciting his poetry and offering his ideas on it. I thought too of my uncle Jim in Colorado who, along with several others, presented a lecture/presentation on Frost’s poetry to coincide with his birthday. It was a huge success.
But that is rare, or so it seems to me.
However, ipods and podcasts might have offered a way to revive lectures and forums. I’m already toying with the idea of creating podcasts for at least one class next year for students to download each week to help them prep for tests or themes.
But it need not stop there. Thanks to the podcast called “Learning in Hand: iPods” I now know I can take a Keynote presentation and save it as individual jpg files. Then I can have students download it right to their ipods, so they can then watch them right on their ipods -whenever and wherever they want. Of course, they won’t quite be as effective as the real thing in class, but it’s better than not getting the presentation at all.
****
What I find really interesting about this technological revolution we’re caught in right now is that it is different from the surge we experienced when I was in high school.
A few kids had computers. But they were the offspring of wealthy people, the lawyers kids, the banker’s kids, the CEO’s kids and so on.
However, that has totally changed today. Regardless of economic background, students have cell phones and ipods. As one of my peers pointed out, one of our students has a cell phone that can connect him to the internet. Yet, he cannot read.
The technology is here to stay. We have to use it and change our old ways.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thursday's Update
We had a staff meeting yesterday morning. The superintendent addressed us concerning the potential financial strait we face. I'm just glad our curriculum was updated last year. I feel sorry for the languages (who were up last year with us, but they had their renewal pushed back because of lack of funds) and the history department. But, then again, we got the same dire speech at a curriculum meeting, and we still got quite a bit of our requests.
Of course, what does this say about our education system? I don't know. When it comes to the economy, everything seems to be doom and gloom.
But the one area all sources point to when it comes to improving education is technology. And that ain't free. So how are we supposed to prepare our students for the 21st century when we have the budget of the 20th?
***********
Brandon Schwabb of WDAZ out of Grand Forks spent three days at our school last week for a feature called "Inside These Walls."
The first segment aired last night at ten.
Guess whose ugly mug was one of those featured?
Yep.
Me.
Oh boy.
I never thought that he'd bother to interview me. I was originally told it would focus on how education has changedi nthe 20 years Mr. Schwabb has been out of high school. I thought he'd focus on the technology, students, and issues they face. He did - for the most part. We had a lock down, so he could see how that worked. He talked to students. He visited classes with smartboards.
All the while I was giving anyone who was either dressed up or had an important class grief. "Oh, of course, they would come and film your class," I teased a few of the more innovative teachers. Or I'd spy a colleague dressed up and say, "Yeah, right. Why would he come to your class? At least, you dressed up for it."
I should have known better.
Our principal stopped by my room later to ask if I minded if he sat in on my College in the High School class. Why didn't I think he might be interested in that class in the first place? That is certainly a new change to schools in the last 20 years?
He was suppose to show up for class last Wednesday, but he didn't get their on time. Too bad. He missed a great session on reading and responding to the students essays.
He did show up when they were working on an analysis of a short story. So he didn't get to see them reading and discussing. He got to see them being obedient and quite.
Oh well.
Then he asked to interview me. I said he'd be better off talking to Kevin, one of my best writers from last semester, but I couldn't get ahold of him.
That meant he had to put my ugly mug on camera.
And out of all the hours of film he compiled, that was one he chose to feature last night.
I have a feeling I'm going to hear all about it.
Kristie was delighted. She came running down the stairs to tell me I had been on. I was helping KoKo with the dishes (since she saw the four Saw movies, she is terrified to be alone - of course, some of my childish pranks don't help her either). I can honestly say that Kristie enjoyed the episode more than me.
Schwabb did a phenomenal job. I just could have lived without having my face zoomed in on.
Of course, what does this say about our education system? I don't know. When it comes to the economy, everything seems to be doom and gloom.
But the one area all sources point to when it comes to improving education is technology. And that ain't free. So how are we supposed to prepare our students for the 21st century when we have the budget of the 20th?
***********
Brandon Schwabb of WDAZ out of Grand Forks spent three days at our school last week for a feature called "Inside These Walls."
The first segment aired last night at ten.
Guess whose ugly mug was one of those featured?
Yep.
Me.
Oh boy.
I never thought that he'd bother to interview me. I was originally told it would focus on how education has changedi nthe 20 years Mr. Schwabb has been out of high school. I thought he'd focus on the technology, students, and issues they face. He did - for the most part. We had a lock down, so he could see how that worked. He talked to students. He visited classes with smartboards.
All the while I was giving anyone who was either dressed up or had an important class grief. "Oh, of course, they would come and film your class," I teased a few of the more innovative teachers. Or I'd spy a colleague dressed up and say, "Yeah, right. Why would he come to your class? At least, you dressed up for it."
I should have known better.
Our principal stopped by my room later to ask if I minded if he sat in on my College in the High School class. Why didn't I think he might be interested in that class in the first place? That is certainly a new change to schools in the last 20 years?
He was suppose to show up for class last Wednesday, but he didn't get their on time. Too bad. He missed a great session on reading and responding to the students essays.
He did show up when they were working on an analysis of a short story. So he didn't get to see them reading and discussing. He got to see them being obedient and quite.
Oh well.
Then he asked to interview me. I said he'd be better off talking to Kevin, one of my best writers from last semester, but I couldn't get ahold of him.
That meant he had to put my ugly mug on camera.
And out of all the hours of film he compiled, that was one he chose to feature last night.
I have a feeling I'm going to hear all about it.
Kristie was delighted. She came running down the stairs to tell me I had been on. I was helping KoKo with the dishes (since she saw the four Saw movies, she is terrified to be alone - of course, some of my childish pranks don't help her either). I can honestly say that Kristie enjoyed the episode more than me.
Schwabb did a phenomenal job. I just could have lived without having my face zoomed in on.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
How about this cold?
I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring. Our winters always start to wear out their welcome for me around mid February, all of March, all of April, and even some May. Thanksgiving and Christmas are not the same without snow, but by this time of the year, I'm ready to the messiness of spring.
I copied these pictures from countrscribe's blog. At first I thought they were pictures of waves. Nope. Snow drifts.
Now I truly see how Beret, Per Hansa's wife, from Giants in the Earth can go insane from the plains. I think the very first part of the book refers to oceans of snow. I have a feeling she was looking at the very same thing that was captured in the photos above. Poor lady.
And, apparently, it happened often to pioneer wives. At one of our MNHS summer institutes Dyrud was telling us about some research he did concerning the area and the Norwegian settlers - just like Per Hansa and Beret. Apparently, records show how many women had nervous breakdowns or serious bouts with depression (not that they used those terms back then though) and had to be sent to institutions. This happened - in all instances - to coincide with the deep, dark months of winter. Their husbands could venture out to tend the livestock and cut firewood. However, the wives were confined to the house (or shack) nearly all hours of the day. This - no doubt - in addition to the flat prairie and terribly harsh winter months - contributed to their breakdowns.
Once the women were institutionalized - and taken away from the prairie - they began to improve. Their improvement has helped by the coming of spring and summer. Unfortunately, the women were deemed cured by late August or September. Just in time to return home for a month or two before winter hit and the cycle repeated itself all over again.
The longer this sub,sub zero weather lingers, the more I see Casey's rationale behind wanting to go to college in Florida.
I keep telling myself global warming will even things up for us - the coasts will flood and the weather will - well, maybe - warm. But we'll see. As I think about starting my car this morning, I am doubting all of this Inconvenient Truth stuff!
I copied these pictures from countrscribe's blog. At first I thought they were pictures of waves. Nope. Snow drifts.
Now I truly see how Beret, Per Hansa's wife, from Giants in the Earth can go insane from the plains. I think the very first part of the book refers to oceans of snow. I have a feeling she was looking at the very same thing that was captured in the photos above. Poor lady.
And, apparently, it happened often to pioneer wives. At one of our MNHS summer institutes Dyrud was telling us about some research he did concerning the area and the Norwegian settlers - just like Per Hansa and Beret. Apparently, records show how many women had nervous breakdowns or serious bouts with depression (not that they used those terms back then though) and had to be sent to institutions. This happened - in all instances - to coincide with the deep, dark months of winter. Their husbands could venture out to tend the livestock and cut firewood. However, the wives were confined to the house (or shack) nearly all hours of the day. This - no doubt - in addition to the flat prairie and terribly harsh winter months - contributed to their breakdowns.
Once the women were institutionalized - and taken away from the prairie - they began to improve. Their improvement has helped by the coming of spring and summer. Unfortunately, the women were deemed cured by late August or September. Just in time to return home for a month or two before winter hit and the cycle repeated itself all over again.
The longer this sub,sub zero weather lingers, the more I see Casey's rationale behind wanting to go to college in Florida.
I keep telling myself global warming will even things up for us - the coasts will flood and the weather will - well, maybe - warm. But we'll see. As I think about starting my car this morning, I am doubting all of this Inconvenient Truth stuff!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Parent/Teacher conferences
Twelve hours of conferences today. Well, really 90 minutes. The rest is open. I usually have a few walk in. Maybe I'll see 10 parents today. But they tend to be the parents of the excellent students, so the conference takes about 5 minutes: explain the class and then heap the praise on them about their son or daughter. It goes pretty quickly.
What else to do for the reamining ten hours or so? Clean my room, plan the next couple weeks, and catch up on some reading.
Unfortunately, KoKo has one of her final basketball games today, and I have to miss it.
Well, here's to hoping I can find a really good book. The Dante Club set the standard pretty high. I need to find another one to rival that.
What else to do for the reamining ten hours or so? Clean my room, plan the next couple weeks, and catch up on some reading.
Unfortunately, KoKo has one of her final basketball games today, and I have to miss it.
Well, here's to hoping I can find a really good book. The Dante Club set the standard pretty high. I need to find another one to rival that.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Random Thoughts at Mid Week
Sharon is filling in here at school for the final time, and since next to Kristie she is my most loyal reader, she advised me that I better get with it and get some new entries posted.
Well, here you go Sharon. Enjoy these before heading out on your trip to the southeast.
******
My Lit and Language 11 class and I have a love, hate relationship. Yesterday, they absolutely blew me away by wanting to read Act one of The Crucible. Kids volunteered to read, and it was great.
Today, many complained about having too much work (I love that), so I gave them time to finish their work from yesterday. Most worked very well. Then I notice two morons sitting in back who tend to do nothing (they even took it upon themselves to leave 10 minutes early one day while I was in the computer lab getting the grade printouts). I figure, sink or swim. I’m done yelling at you.
So I let them waste the hour. They will get zeroes on their assignments because they are due at the end of the hour, and they have done nothing.
I have been busy helping kids in the room and the computer lab. When I came in to my room, I noticed jackass number one in back had his cell phone out. My rule is if you have your cell phone out and use it, it is an automatic quiz for the entire class on whatever I happen to be thinking about. So we took a quick five question quiz on the solar system. I was only going to make it five questions, but as we got to question five, I noticed jack ass #2, who was sitting right next to jack ass #1, had her cell phone out and was texting. I mean how stupid do you have to be?
So I extended the quiz by another five points. What are these kids going to do out in the real world? I have eight words for them, “Welcome to McDonalds. May I take your order?”
*****
A colleague here is keeping me abreast of his frustrations with some of his students. Well, one in particular. Apparently, she asked to use the bathroom and spent what seemed like an inordinate amount of time in there, so he had someone check. Apparently, she was in there texting another girl back in the class! Why you would text them from the bathroom when you could just go back to class and talk to them is beyond me.
Incidents like this make me long for the days when I used to fret about kids passing notes back and forth. How much things have changed in a decade. No students had cell phones. Ipods were still in Steve Jobs’ laboratories. What will the landscape look like in another decade.
*****
I’ve decided I’ve been a little too harsh on my Lit and Language 11 class. Yes, they get off track easily and wear me out. But, for the most part, they aren’t bad kids. They might not be motivated to work really hard or even stay on task, but we make the most of it.
One thing that has worked best with them is just visiting them while they work. Yesterday, for example, I assigned a sequence chart for them to apply to the first act of The Crucible. As they worked on it in groups, I walked around charting their progress. My room happens to be particularly bad for static electricity, so I walked over to one of my former football players who was goofing off a bit, dragging my feet along the carpet all the way to get a good charge worked up. Then I gently tapped his ear – ZAP. He almost shot out of his chair.
“Stay on task, or I’ll zap you again!” I joked.
That worked better than me yelling at them ever could. So periodically I had to walk around and zap anyone not on task. Again, this worked amazingly. “See, you sparked that means you’re a witch. Time for the gallows,” I said trying to connect it to the foolish tests the citizens of Salem thought they could conduct to determine who was a witch and who was not.
Soon I had a dozen kids trying to shock each other. It would have made for a perfect science experiment But I had them laughing while finishing their work. With this class, that’s not always easily done.
Then while they were working on an assignment, I took my cell phone out of my pocket (we were having a new water heater installed, so I had it just in case something went wrong) and planted it on a student’s desk. My class rules state if I see A cell phone – it doesn’t have to belong to a student – there is an automatic quiz. When the student turned around and saw the cell phone sitting on his book he said, “What the?”
Those around him freaked out since a quiz was looming. “This isn’t mine, he said as he opened it up to see whose it was. When he saw my wife’s face on the screen, my prank was up.
“Quiz time,” I announced to a classful of groans and complaints.
“Hey, the rule says ‘if I see any cell phone. It could be mine or anyone’s.”
But I let them off the hook. They were relieved.
It was nice to have a little fun with this class instead of always beating my head against a wall trying ot keep them on track.
After school one of my Lit and Language 11 students, who was also a former football player of mine, stopped in right before parent-teacher conferences started. We spent fifteen minutes talking about the upcoming draft and the top college prospects. He was interested and open, voicing his opinion and arguing with me. If only he’d be like that in class more and not so lazy. But I wasn’t so different from him when I was junior. You just have to enjoy the opportunities to see them interesting and open about something – even if it isn’t the Salem witch trials.
******
On the plus side, this freshman composition class of mine is something else. I have most of them enjoying what they write. I don’t know how I did it, but I just have to keep it going. Maybe it’s because I make them laugh with my own stories or with my trials and errors as a student and writer. Whatever it is, they are hard workers.
We are writing a personal narrative on a rite of passage. We have discussed our own rites of passage. We have read examples of them (one of my favorite is called “A Girl Needs to Know How to Defend Herself”). To top things off, I showed the film The Sandlot which illustrates many rites of passage. The freshmen loved it. I mean they never said a word. I don’t know how long it has been without at least someone offering a snide comment or poking fun at some aspect of the film. It was to the point that I was doubting students’ ability to pay attention long enough to get through a movie anymore. Since this week is short because of conferences, I was trying to decide what to do with them since it’s not much time to develop a fully essay. While I was thinking about this, one student came in and asked if all rites of passage had to be positive. That got me thinking about another great rite of passage film, Stand By Me, which is a perfect contrast to The Sandlot.
I planned on showing it on Monday, but I noticed that the film is rated R. That means getting parent permissions slips. Today, I walked into class and asked for the slips. Then I was presented with a true first in my career: every student handed in their permission slip. I couldn’t believe it. I always thought the freshmen struggled to adjust to high school and all the work here compared to the middle school work load.
Now I’m starting to question that. Could it be that they do things right at the middle school and we mess them up here? So far this class is amazing me.
*****
I spent just about my entire Sunday reading essays from my College Comp class. They were quite good. The topic was to write about an important event or object from their lives. I was treated narratives on the death of a beloved family dog, sunfishing with one student’s grandfather, a sister attempting to get revenge on her brother by soaking him with a garden hose and then feeling remorse at the last second, another sister realizing that she is now culpable for what goes wrong in the house now that her two older brothers are gone and they cannot lie their way out of a predicament anymore, another student wrote about the first time he cried at a funeral. They were all good reading.
That doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot of work ahead of them, though. That was one reason the reading took so long. I really sank my teeth into the essays. In some cases, I wrote more on the essays than the students did themselves. I try to do this early, so they can learn what I’m looking for in their writing – depth, strong images, key details, dialogue and reflection, no tacked on introductions or conclusions, analysis . . .
Well, here you go Sharon. Enjoy these before heading out on your trip to the southeast.
******
My Lit and Language 11 class and I have a love, hate relationship. Yesterday, they absolutely blew me away by wanting to read Act one of The Crucible. Kids volunteered to read, and it was great.
Today, many complained about having too much work (I love that), so I gave them time to finish their work from yesterday. Most worked very well. Then I notice two morons sitting in back who tend to do nothing (they even took it upon themselves to leave 10 minutes early one day while I was in the computer lab getting the grade printouts). I figure, sink or swim. I’m done yelling at you.
So I let them waste the hour. They will get zeroes on their assignments because they are due at the end of the hour, and they have done nothing.
I have been busy helping kids in the room and the computer lab. When I came in to my room, I noticed jackass number one in back had his cell phone out. My rule is if you have your cell phone out and use it, it is an automatic quiz for the entire class on whatever I happen to be thinking about. So we took a quick five question quiz on the solar system. I was only going to make it five questions, but as we got to question five, I noticed jack ass #2, who was sitting right next to jack ass #1, had her cell phone out and was texting. I mean how stupid do you have to be?
So I extended the quiz by another five points. What are these kids going to do out in the real world? I have eight words for them, “Welcome to McDonalds. May I take your order?”
*****
A colleague here is keeping me abreast of his frustrations with some of his students. Well, one in particular. Apparently, she asked to use the bathroom and spent what seemed like an inordinate amount of time in there, so he had someone check. Apparently, she was in there texting another girl back in the class! Why you would text them from the bathroom when you could just go back to class and talk to them is beyond me.
Incidents like this make me long for the days when I used to fret about kids passing notes back and forth. How much things have changed in a decade. No students had cell phones. Ipods were still in Steve Jobs’ laboratories. What will the landscape look like in another decade.
*****
I’ve decided I’ve been a little too harsh on my Lit and Language 11 class. Yes, they get off track easily and wear me out. But, for the most part, they aren’t bad kids. They might not be motivated to work really hard or even stay on task, but we make the most of it.
One thing that has worked best with them is just visiting them while they work. Yesterday, for example, I assigned a sequence chart for them to apply to the first act of The Crucible. As they worked on it in groups, I walked around charting their progress. My room happens to be particularly bad for static electricity, so I walked over to one of my former football players who was goofing off a bit, dragging my feet along the carpet all the way to get a good charge worked up. Then I gently tapped his ear – ZAP. He almost shot out of his chair.
“Stay on task, or I’ll zap you again!” I joked.
That worked better than me yelling at them ever could. So periodically I had to walk around and zap anyone not on task. Again, this worked amazingly. “See, you sparked that means you’re a witch. Time for the gallows,” I said trying to connect it to the foolish tests the citizens of Salem thought they could conduct to determine who was a witch and who was not.
Soon I had a dozen kids trying to shock each other. It would have made for a perfect science experiment But I had them laughing while finishing their work. With this class, that’s not always easily done.
Then while they were working on an assignment, I took my cell phone out of my pocket (we were having a new water heater installed, so I had it just in case something went wrong) and planted it on a student’s desk. My class rules state if I see A cell phone – it doesn’t have to belong to a student – there is an automatic quiz. When the student turned around and saw the cell phone sitting on his book he said, “What the?”
Those around him freaked out since a quiz was looming. “This isn’t mine, he said as he opened it up to see whose it was. When he saw my wife’s face on the screen, my prank was up.
“Quiz time,” I announced to a classful of groans and complaints.
“Hey, the rule says ‘if I see any cell phone. It could be mine or anyone’s.”
But I let them off the hook. They were relieved.
It was nice to have a little fun with this class instead of always beating my head against a wall trying ot keep them on track.
After school one of my Lit and Language 11 students, who was also a former football player of mine, stopped in right before parent-teacher conferences started. We spent fifteen minutes talking about the upcoming draft and the top college prospects. He was interested and open, voicing his opinion and arguing with me. If only he’d be like that in class more and not so lazy. But I wasn’t so different from him when I was junior. You just have to enjoy the opportunities to see them interesting and open about something – even if it isn’t the Salem witch trials.
******
On the plus side, this freshman composition class of mine is something else. I have most of them enjoying what they write. I don’t know how I did it, but I just have to keep it going. Maybe it’s because I make them laugh with my own stories or with my trials and errors as a student and writer. Whatever it is, they are hard workers.
We are writing a personal narrative on a rite of passage. We have discussed our own rites of passage. We have read examples of them (one of my favorite is called “A Girl Needs to Know How to Defend Herself”). To top things off, I showed the film The Sandlot which illustrates many rites of passage. The freshmen loved it. I mean they never said a word. I don’t know how long it has been without at least someone offering a snide comment or poking fun at some aspect of the film. It was to the point that I was doubting students’ ability to pay attention long enough to get through a movie anymore. Since this week is short because of conferences, I was trying to decide what to do with them since it’s not much time to develop a fully essay. While I was thinking about this, one student came in and asked if all rites of passage had to be positive. That got me thinking about another great rite of passage film, Stand By Me, which is a perfect contrast to The Sandlot.
I planned on showing it on Monday, but I noticed that the film is rated R. That means getting parent permissions slips. Today, I walked into class and asked for the slips. Then I was presented with a true first in my career: every student handed in their permission slip. I couldn’t believe it. I always thought the freshmen struggled to adjust to high school and all the work here compared to the middle school work load.
Now I’m starting to question that. Could it be that they do things right at the middle school and we mess them up here? So far this class is amazing me.
*****
I spent just about my entire Sunday reading essays from my College Comp class. They were quite good. The topic was to write about an important event or object from their lives. I was treated narratives on the death of a beloved family dog, sunfishing with one student’s grandfather, a sister attempting to get revenge on her brother by soaking him with a garden hose and then feeling remorse at the last second, another sister realizing that she is now culpable for what goes wrong in the house now that her two older brothers are gone and they cannot lie their way out of a predicament anymore, another student wrote about the first time he cried at a funeral. They were all good reading.
That doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot of work ahead of them, though. That was one reason the reading took so long. I really sank my teeth into the essays. In some cases, I wrote more on the essays than the students did themselves. I try to do this early, so they can learn what I’m looking for in their writing – depth, strong images, key details, dialogue and reflection, no tacked on introductions or conclusions, analysis . . .
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Monday
Monday morning off and running.
Why are Mondays always so hectic. Wait. I guess that kind of goes for every morning.
Since I did nothing in terms of school work over the weekend, I’m scrambling this morning. I knew last week what I wanted to do today, but I still wish I had a little better handle on things.
Oh well, it’s working out. On Friday I told my Comp 9 class to bring in pictures to describe for their newest essay prompt. About half the class did. Of course, that means the other half forgot. Luckily, I planned for this. I reserved our library computer lab. The new Macs there have the application photobooth where the students can use a camera built right into the computer to take their pictures. Plus, the application comes with all kinds of special affects.
To say that it went over well is an understatement. The kids are going absolutely wild with it. It remains to be seen what kind of writing they generate, but getting them excited about the assignment is half the battle.
My freshmen have a loooong way to go in terms of becoming sound writers. But they are having fun – for now. The trick will be to keep them having fun while we start to revise and really craft their pieces.
******
Another great quote from The Dante Club – from a Harvard professor to Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes . . . “’We must work to understand our foreigners, Dr. Holmes. If we do not conform newcomers to our national character and bring them in willing subjection to our institutions, the multitudes of outside people will one day conform us.’” Given Mr. Pearl is writing this from a 21st Century perspective, we can see that he is clearly commenting, ironically, on our age now, when it does appear that we will have to conform to the outsiders way of life. Given some of the redneck talk Kristie used to here as office manager of a local farm supply store and some of the filth I hear out in the hallways, we could use some of that conformity!
******
I imagine that anyone who reads this blog and sees the yo-yo commentary on my classes must think of me as some Jekyll and Hyde type.
I do not disagree. As one of my colleagues once stated during our first year of teaching, “There are some days you can’t pay me enough to do this. Then there are others where I would gladly teach for free.”
Thankfully, through two blocks, today is one of those days where I’d gladly work for free.
My Comp 9 class had a blast with photobooth and writing their descriptions (we’ll see later today or tonight if they are any good or not). Then my College Comp class did a phenomenal job of peer editing and workshopping their papers. I wish I would have thought to record some of the comments they were giving each other. I decided to divide the class into groups of three. One would share their paper. One student would play the role of Simon from American Idol and offer pointed (but constructive) criticism. The other would play Paul and offer just praise. This should give them a balance.
I was amazed at how well this actually worked. “I was lost at this part . . . Change this word . . . I think you should expand this part some more . . . This is sad. It makes me want to cry . . . Use more imagery in here . . . This word is really throwing me off . . . Give the reader a better picture of what is going on . . .” These were just a few of their comments. I was amazed. It doesn’t sound like a lot. But when it comes from a group of high school juniors and seniors (and given my last semester class) the comments were pretty freakin’ amazing.
Now if I can just keep the magic act going for my last (and hardest) block. I’m going to give it my best shot.
Why are Mondays always so hectic. Wait. I guess that kind of goes for every morning.
Since I did nothing in terms of school work over the weekend, I’m scrambling this morning. I knew last week what I wanted to do today, but I still wish I had a little better handle on things.
Oh well, it’s working out. On Friday I told my Comp 9 class to bring in pictures to describe for their newest essay prompt. About half the class did. Of course, that means the other half forgot. Luckily, I planned for this. I reserved our library computer lab. The new Macs there have the application photobooth where the students can use a camera built right into the computer to take their pictures. Plus, the application comes with all kinds of special affects.
To say that it went over well is an understatement. The kids are going absolutely wild with it. It remains to be seen what kind of writing they generate, but getting them excited about the assignment is half the battle.
My freshmen have a loooong way to go in terms of becoming sound writers. But they are having fun – for now. The trick will be to keep them having fun while we start to revise and really craft their pieces.
******
Another great quote from The Dante Club – from a Harvard professor to Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes . . . “’We must work to understand our foreigners, Dr. Holmes. If we do not conform newcomers to our national character and bring them in willing subjection to our institutions, the multitudes of outside people will one day conform us.’” Given Mr. Pearl is writing this from a 21st Century perspective, we can see that he is clearly commenting, ironically, on our age now, when it does appear that we will have to conform to the outsiders way of life. Given some of the redneck talk Kristie used to here as office manager of a local farm supply store and some of the filth I hear out in the hallways, we could use some of that conformity!
******
I imagine that anyone who reads this blog and sees the yo-yo commentary on my classes must think of me as some Jekyll and Hyde type.
I do not disagree. As one of my colleagues once stated during our first year of teaching, “There are some days you can’t pay me enough to do this. Then there are others where I would gladly teach for free.”
Thankfully, through two blocks, today is one of those days where I’d gladly work for free.
My Comp 9 class had a blast with photobooth and writing their descriptions (we’ll see later today or tonight if they are any good or not). Then my College Comp class did a phenomenal job of peer editing and workshopping their papers. I wish I would have thought to record some of the comments they were giving each other. I decided to divide the class into groups of three. One would share their paper. One student would play the role of Simon from American Idol and offer pointed (but constructive) criticism. The other would play Paul and offer just praise. This should give them a balance.
I was amazed at how well this actually worked. “I was lost at this part . . . Change this word . . . I think you should expand this part some more . . . This is sad. It makes me want to cry . . . Use more imagery in here . . . This word is really throwing me off . . . Give the reader a better picture of what is going on . . .” These were just a few of their comments. I was amazed. It doesn’t sound like a lot. But when it comes from a group of high school juniors and seniors (and given my last semester class) the comments were pretty freakin’ amazing.
Now if I can just keep the magic act going for my last (and hardest) block. I’m going to give it my best shot.
Super Super Bowl
How can one escape the big game, especially when it was such a good one?
When I was growing up, nearly every SB was a complete blowout. Unless of course my Bengals were playing in it (two SB losses by a combined 12 points).
I always liked to think that either Joe Montana carving out my heart with his last minute 92 yard drive to take the lead from the Bengals with 34 seconds left back in
'88 was the best SB. But then in '91 the Bills and Giants put on an incredible show, ending with a Scott Norwood missed field goal as time expired was also a classic. The Patriots upset (as 17 point underdogs) of the Rams back in '01 was pretty great too. As was Denver's victory over Green Bay for Elway's first SB, despite it being his fourth appearance in a SB was another classic.
But this one, I think, tops them all.
I mean 100 million Americans watched the game. How many people are even in our country? The commercials are even big events (and they were all pretty terrible in my opinion).
But what a game.
Who would have thought the Giants (after absolutely getting destroyed by the Vikings at home in Novemeber/December) even had a chance against the perfect Patriots.
That's why they play the game.
Eli Manning put together maybe the greatest drive in SB history. It included a fourth down run by Brandon Jacobs to keep the drive alive. It included Asante Samuel picking Manning off, but he couldn't keep his feet in bounds. The Giants other running back, rookie Amad Bradshaw, had an incredible run which took about four Patriots to bring the diminutive runner down. Then it featured maybe one of the more incredible plays in SB history. Facing third down and five, Manning dropped back to pass. However, the Patriots were on him in a second. Somehow Manning, who has come under fire from the New York media almost ALL of this season for his poor decision making and slender frame, managed to escape the pocket without getting sacked. Then he heaved a pass deep downfield. If Manning's effort was incredible, so was that of David Tyree, who leaped up into the air to snag the high throw. At that same time, the Patriots' Rodney Harrison also arrived, attempting to swat the pass out of Tyree's outstretched arms. At one point, Tyree has the ball clutched to his helmet as he is crashing toward the ground. Somehow he maintains possession and keeps the ball from hitting the turf. First down. The next pass (I think) is to Plexico Burress for a TD. Game over.
But what a game! This could well be a defining moment for the youngest Manning, much like Elway's helicopter spin for a key first down when he claimed his first SB or like Montana's clutch, ice-water-in-his-veins 92 yard march to beat the Bengals.
What a game.
When I was growing up, nearly every SB was a complete blowout. Unless of course my Bengals were playing in it (two SB losses by a combined 12 points).
I always liked to think that either Joe Montana carving out my heart with his last minute 92 yard drive to take the lead from the Bengals with 34 seconds left back in
'88 was the best SB. But then in '91 the Bills and Giants put on an incredible show, ending with a Scott Norwood missed field goal as time expired was also a classic. The Patriots upset (as 17 point underdogs) of the Rams back in '01 was pretty great too. As was Denver's victory over Green Bay for Elway's first SB, despite it being his fourth appearance in a SB was another classic.
But this one, I think, tops them all.
I mean 100 million Americans watched the game. How many people are even in our country? The commercials are even big events (and they were all pretty terrible in my opinion).
But what a game.
Who would have thought the Giants (after absolutely getting destroyed by the Vikings at home in Novemeber/December) even had a chance against the perfect Patriots.
That's why they play the game.
Eli Manning put together maybe the greatest drive in SB history. It included a fourth down run by Brandon Jacobs to keep the drive alive. It included Asante Samuel picking Manning off, but he couldn't keep his feet in bounds. The Giants other running back, rookie Amad Bradshaw, had an incredible run which took about four Patriots to bring the diminutive runner down. Then it featured maybe one of the more incredible plays in SB history. Facing third down and five, Manning dropped back to pass. However, the Patriots were on him in a second. Somehow Manning, who has come under fire from the New York media almost ALL of this season for his poor decision making and slender frame, managed to escape the pocket without getting sacked. Then he heaved a pass deep downfield. If Manning's effort was incredible, so was that of David Tyree, who leaped up into the air to snag the high throw. At that same time, the Patriots' Rodney Harrison also arrived, attempting to swat the pass out of Tyree's outstretched arms. At one point, Tyree has the ball clutched to his helmet as he is crashing toward the ground. Somehow he maintains possession and keeps the ball from hitting the turf. First down. The next pass (I think) is to Plexico Burress for a TD. Game over.
But what a game! This could well be a defining moment for the youngest Manning, much like Elway's helicopter spin for a key first down when he claimed his first SB or like Montana's clutch, ice-water-in-his-veins 92 yard march to beat the Bengals.
What a game.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Sunday morning's random thoughts
The Super Bowl is today. On Friday there was talk of it throughout the entire school. Students asked me who I was pulling for (the Patriots, of course, since I'm hoping to see perfection. I also hope to have those old geezers of the 1972 Dolphins to finally shut up about being the greatest team ever. Never mind they played an incredibly easy schedule. And the Vikings had them beaten except for a stupid personal foul call that gave the Dolphins a first down and ended up allowing them to win). I just read on yahoo that this is by far the biggest day for Dominoes and Pizza Hut. Vegas is a nightmare I imagine.
All of this for one football game. Where do we ever see hysteria like this in the sporting world? The World Series? Please. Hockey? It is not even on a major network. Basketball? Interesting, but not nearly as big as the NFL.
At least this year we'll be able to watch the game. Last year I was working at school and made it home in time for the Colts' opening possession, of which I saw about five seconds before our cable went out. Now we have DirecTV and don't have to worry about that.
I think my highlight will be the new GI Joe trailer.
******
I'm 143 pages deep into The Dante Club. It reminds me of reading The Silence of the Lambs some 15 or 16 years ago. It is a combination of pure zeal as the story unfolds, but it is also a sense of frustration that inevitably the book must come to an end.
******
I gave one incomplete last semester. That student has one week left to make it up. But they won't. Of course, it was the student that I had to toss out of my class but was given every conceivable chance to make it up by both me and the administration. I would have had the student booted from the class. But that would have been too prudent. Instead they worked down in the counseling office (or so I assume, but I have my doubts they missed quite a bit of the time). Then they were put on an attendance contract (which I'm pretty sure was violated but nothing came of that). I also got zero work in from the student. How about putting them on a work contract? That would make more sense.
I truly want to see the kid pass. So I kept in touch with them and reminded them of their missing work. Nothing came in. Instead of failing them, I gave them an incomplete. But considering that no work has come in from this student for about a month now, I'm not optimistic.
Wouldn't it have been easier just to take my advice 13 weeks ago and drop the kids from the class? For once I can unabashedly say this: I was right.
I likely will have the student at the ALC this summer. I honestly was considering passing them (they were at around a 58% - 60% passes) just so I didn't have to deal with them at the ALC. But I just couldn't do it. Unlike here, the ALC has an attendance policy with some bite, so I might not have to deal with the student this summer at all.
The kid is nice enough. Troubled home life, in and out of trouble, bright but doesn't work hard enough, left on his own. . . you know the recipe.
I don't like to fail a kid, but when they don't deserve to pass - and then never make an effort even after you've given them the 1654th chance to pass, what can you do?
******
On the positive side of things, I have great new classes. Well, two out of three. My Comp 9 class is great. My College Comp classes are always great. My junior English class is hell on wheels (what do you expect with 33 kids), but I'll manage them. On Friday I took them down to our library's lab to work on Salem witchhunt trials savenger hunt. They really worked hard. So they have potential. Talk to me at the end of the week (we are starting The Crucuble) and I might have changed my tune.
All of this for one football game. Where do we ever see hysteria like this in the sporting world? The World Series? Please. Hockey? It is not even on a major network. Basketball? Interesting, but not nearly as big as the NFL.
At least this year we'll be able to watch the game. Last year I was working at school and made it home in time for the Colts' opening possession, of which I saw about five seconds before our cable went out. Now we have DirecTV and don't have to worry about that.
I think my highlight will be the new GI Joe trailer.
******
I'm 143 pages deep into The Dante Club. It reminds me of reading The Silence of the Lambs some 15 or 16 years ago. It is a combination of pure zeal as the story unfolds, but it is also a sense of frustration that inevitably the book must come to an end.
******
I gave one incomplete last semester. That student has one week left to make it up. But they won't. Of course, it was the student that I had to toss out of my class but was given every conceivable chance to make it up by both me and the administration. I would have had the student booted from the class. But that would have been too prudent. Instead they worked down in the counseling office (or so I assume, but I have my doubts they missed quite a bit of the time). Then they were put on an attendance contract (which I'm pretty sure was violated but nothing came of that). I also got zero work in from the student. How about putting them on a work contract? That would make more sense.
I truly want to see the kid pass. So I kept in touch with them and reminded them of their missing work. Nothing came in. Instead of failing them, I gave them an incomplete. But considering that no work has come in from this student for about a month now, I'm not optimistic.
Wouldn't it have been easier just to take my advice 13 weeks ago and drop the kids from the class? For once I can unabashedly say this: I was right.
I likely will have the student at the ALC this summer. I honestly was considering passing them (they were at around a 58% - 60% passes) just so I didn't have to deal with them at the ALC. But I just couldn't do it. Unlike here, the ALC has an attendance policy with some bite, so I might not have to deal with the student this summer at all.
The kid is nice enough. Troubled home life, in and out of trouble, bright but doesn't work hard enough, left on his own. . . you know the recipe.
I don't like to fail a kid, but when they don't deserve to pass - and then never make an effort even after you've given them the 1654th chance to pass, what can you do?
******
On the positive side of things, I have great new classes. Well, two out of three. My Comp 9 class is great. My College Comp classes are always great. My junior English class is hell on wheels (what do you expect with 33 kids), but I'll manage them. On Friday I took them down to our library's lab to work on Salem witchhunt trials savenger hunt. They really worked hard. So they have potential. Talk to me at the end of the week (we are starting The Crucuble) and I might have changed my tune.
Testing the limits
Kristie, Gail, and I spent Saturday shopping. One of our purchases was a cat 'perch.' We bought it in hopes of keeping the cats off our kitchen island. They jump up there and peer out the windows into the backyard. However, fur gets everywhere, and their claws aren't good for the island's once-nice surface.
The 'perch' is designed to rest on a window ledge with supports below that rest against the wall for added support. We bought it with modest hopes - I could list a dozen such purchases to remedy some negative trait of our animals, none of which ever worked.
The particular 'perch' we bought had a nice white shag surface. It also came with a little suction toy you could adhere to the window to entice the cats to use the perch. The only problem was that it was recommended for felines under 25 pounds. That wouldn't be a problem except for one word: Einstein. He's pushing 25 pounds easily. We figured Mischa and Boo combined don't weight near 15, so if we could keep Einstein off of it, we'd be fine.
Well, guess who loves the 'perch' the most? Check out the pics below.
Maybe he doesn't weigh as much as we thought. And he made quick work of the suction cup toy.
The 'perch' is designed to rest on a window ledge with supports below that rest against the wall for added support. We bought it with modest hopes - I could list a dozen such purchases to remedy some negative trait of our animals, none of which ever worked.
The particular 'perch' we bought had a nice white shag surface. It also came with a little suction toy you could adhere to the window to entice the cats to use the perch. The only problem was that it was recommended for felines under 25 pounds. That wouldn't be a problem except for one word: Einstein. He's pushing 25 pounds easily. We figured Mischa and Boo combined don't weight near 15, so if we could keep Einstein off of it, we'd be fine.
Well, guess who loves the 'perch' the most? Check out the pics below.
Maybe he doesn't weigh as much as we thought. And he made quick work of the suction cup toy.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Thursday's thoughts
“Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones.” Is there a more powerful sentence in all of American literature?
That line – and the final six words of that story – hit like an atomic bomb – “. . . and then they were upon her.”
Amazing what language can do isn’t it?
*****
First hour I get an email from one of our counselors actually asking me if one student, who missed at least 20 days first semester, could possible be given an incomplete in order to make up the work! Ha. Nice try. If I do that, what about the 5 kids who had perfect attendance? How would they feel?
I guess I had to play a bad guy. But then again, someone else has to play the bleeding heart.
*****
Smarter than a junior. Since my immense junior class didn’t really watch today’s video on the Salem witch trials as intently as I hoped, I gave a little quiz.
1. How old was the youngest girl accused? (four)
2. Why did she confess? (to be with her mother who was also accused)
3. What was Sarah Good’s curse against the judge who condemned her (he will choke on his own blood – and he did when died)
4. Why were no witches burned at the stake? (it was outlawed)
5. What were Giles Corey’s last words as he was ‘pressed’ to death (“More weight!”)
6. What happened to Tituba (she was sold back in to slavery to help pay court costs)
Bonus – here’s the scary part
A. What weighs more – a pound of gold or a pound of sand (sand – gold is weighed in Troy ounces and is less)
B. What state is Salem located in? (Massachusetts)
I cannot begin to tell you how many got that last bonus question wrong!!! So much for geography!
That line – and the final six words of that story – hit like an atomic bomb – “. . . and then they were upon her.”
Amazing what language can do isn’t it?
*****
First hour I get an email from one of our counselors actually asking me if one student, who missed at least 20 days first semester, could possible be given an incomplete in order to make up the work! Ha. Nice try. If I do that, what about the 5 kids who had perfect attendance? How would they feel?
I guess I had to play a bad guy. But then again, someone else has to play the bleeding heart.
*****
Smarter than a junior. Since my immense junior class didn’t really watch today’s video on the Salem witch trials as intently as I hoped, I gave a little quiz.
1. How old was the youngest girl accused? (four)
2. Why did she confess? (to be with her mother who was also accused)
3. What was Sarah Good’s curse against the judge who condemned her (he will choke on his own blood – and he did when died)
4. Why were no witches burned at the stake? (it was outlawed)
5. What were Giles Corey’s last words as he was ‘pressed’ to death (“More weight!”)
6. What happened to Tituba (she was sold back in to slavery to help pay court costs)
Bonus – here’s the scary part
A. What weighs more – a pound of gold or a pound of sand (sand – gold is weighed in Troy ounces and is less)
B. What state is Salem located in? (Massachusetts)
I cannot begin to tell you how many got that last bonus question wrong!!! So much for geography!
Too cute to pass up
While watching our new favorite show, The Office, Kozy leaped onto Casey's lap and snuggled up. I swear she thinks she is a lap dog. The picture was too cute to pass up.
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