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Showing posts with label Teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teaching. Show all posts
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
No teacher is an island
There's an adage among teachers that says that we will beg, borrow, or steal to get good lessons that work for our students. Of course, there are a few old battle-axes out there who don't share, but those are the ones who get stolen from. I really don't understand the attitude that says that they are the ones who developed that lesson, so it's only theirs to use. I mean, aren't we all playing for the same team? In the end, it's not about us as teachers. It's about our students, learning to be successful young adults who can think on their own two feet, so to speak.
There are two sides to the coin that is my job. I am THE high school science teacher at my school. I teach five courses -- 8th grade standard physical science, 8th grade honors physical science, 9th grade biology, 10th grade environmental science, and 11th grade chemistry. There is a senior physics class that is taught by one of our math teachers. He loves it, and, honey, he can HAVE it. I've never been a phan of physics. (Couldn't resist.)
On the one hand, I have a certain autonomy. I can pretty much do whatever I please in the way of teaching the lessons, providing, of course, that it's ethical and blah, blah, blah. There isn't really anyone standing over my shoulder, telling me that this lesson should be used for that topic because it's just better.
On the other side of the coin (sorry for the mixed metaphors) is the isolation. I'm in my third year at my school, and this is my third year to teach four of the courses. My method of operation is one of continual self-improvement. I want each year to be better than the year before, both in my classroom procedures and course content. I feel like this is the first year that I've really had my feet under me, with regards to the curriculum, and can begin making it better, instead of just using whatever comes with the curriculum. I should be able to add my own special flair to it... great activities, better labs, etc.
So, along with not having anyone telling me how NOT to do things, I don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of. There isn't anyone with more experience, whom I can consult about a lesson. I'd love to have someone available all the time -- someone whose brain I can pick on a regular basis about each lesson in all five of my courses. Someone who can advise me on how to make it BETTER this year. Someone to waaaaatch overrrrr meeeeee.... Oh, wait. My apologies to Gershwin. (Life should break into song more, though, don't you think?)
Next week, though, I'm going to the CAST conference (Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching). There will be over 400 vendors, each with freebies to hand out. I'm taking about eight 1.5 hour workshops over various topics that I should be able to use in my classroom almost immediately. I'm also taking one four-hour course on hazardous materials issues. I think this one will be the most valuable, since there weren't ANY classes offered for my science education degree on how to handle, store, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR all of the chemicals that we science teachers use on a regular basis. I really don't understand how we're supposed to learn all of that sort of thing. Talk about on-the-job training.
(Side note: When I got the job at my school, the chemical storage was in a metal cabinet that had been EATEN THROUGH on one side by the fumes from the improperly-stored acids. There were mercuric compounds that someone had ordered years ago. There were about 20 bottles of unmarked solutions. Did I have any training on what to do with all of this? NO. I'm still not really sure how to handle all of this stuff. I mean, I know the basics, so I just use the chemicals that I'm comfortable with. I think my chemistry students are missing out on some great stuff, though. Again, it would be nice if there were someone available for consult about this stuff.)
Anyway, the conference is right here in Austin, which means I'll be able to sleep in my own bed every night. It also means I can afford to go to it. What with my school being a private school, they don't have much money to go toward stuff like this. My principal is paying for my substitute for the two days I'll be out, so I don't have to use my personal days, but I have to pay for the actual conference myself. (She did say, however, that she's lobbying the board to provide $500 per teacher next year to take care of things like this.) Fortunately, this one's rather cheap -- $120, which includes a year-long membership in the association that puts on the conference, as well as three smaller ones.
The conference is Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week. One other cool thing -- we have the entire week of Thanksgiving off, so it sort of extends my holiday. ;)
The BEST part is that I don't have to steal anything. They're giving it all away!
Friday, November 2, 2007
Less stress, sort of
I have my lesson plans for all five classes done all the way up to Thanksgiving break! Woo!! We get the entire week off, so I'm really looking forward to the vacation.
We go to my grandparents' farm in western Oklahoma every year. They don't have internet, and my cell phone doesn't even get reception. Nothing to do but RELAX! Oh, and the EATING. Oh, my. It's positively sinful, the relaxing and the eating. The only interruption to the napping is the snacking. Well, usually, anyway. This year will be different for me.
I have to write a paper. Ewww. It's to get my teaching certificate through ACSI -- an international Christian schools association. I've had to get Biblical CEUs, too. Those were actually pretty interesting. I did some correspondence courses from Moody Bible, and I'm such a nerd that I loved studying them! :)
The OTHER part of the application process is that I have to write a six page paper over the/my philosophy of Christian education. I could talk forever about how I love my job and I believe that Christian education is, to quote our superintendent, a cultural necessity. But to write a SIX PAGE paper??? Eww.
Before I can write the paper, though, I have to "read" six books on Christian education. Five of them are required, and I "get" to pick the sixth one from a list. (Pardon me for not jumping for joy, but I'm afraid I might injure something, like my pride.) I've attempted to read one of the required books, and I was ready to pry my eyeballs out with a screwdriver by the end of the fifth page or so. I know it must be horribly boring, because I usually devour anything having to do with education or teaching. I'm very interested in and passionate about the subject. This first book, though? Ugh. Maybe I'll pull a teenage stunt -- read the first and last pages of each chapter and try to glean something from them... at least enough to slide a quote into the paper to show that I cracked the book.
Speaking of teenage stunts, please, for the love of all that is holy, do not ask me how long I've had to do this paper, or when it was due.
(P.S. The "read more" button isn't working just now, so don't click it. You can already see the entire post. Sorry!)
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Sunday School, Soapbox-Style
Our church had the annual men's retreat this weekend. Knight has taken a larger role in the men's ministry, and he was a key player in getting things organized. He approached me last week about teaching the High School Sunday school class this weekend so that the guy who was scheduled to teach it could go on the retreat. I believe his actual statement began with, "Now, I'm not asking you to do this yourself, but..."
A few years ago, before I got my current teaching job, I taught Jr. High Sunday school every week for about a year. Then, after I started teaching full-time again, I found it to be too much. My calling and the passion that God has given to me is definitely for teens, but my full-time ministry is my teaching at school. After a full week of "ministering" to teens, I wasn't able to love on them on Sundays. I found myself short on patience, as well as short on time to properly plan a lesson for them.
So last Sunday, the guy (who is not our youth pastor; he's just a normal guy, volunteering for the job) approached me and said something like, "So, you're teaching next week? You may need some help with those boys. They can be unruly."
I was like, "You do know you're speaking with a trained professional, here?" I didn't say that out loud, of course. But I was thinking it.
We both went to the youth pastor to let him know I was teaching. I talked with him for a few minutes about curriculum, and told him that I'd come up with something on my own. It's more authentic, and usually more effective, that way. Guess what he said?? "You might need some help in there. I'll call around and see if I can get one of the men who's not going on the retreat to sit in with you."
He called and left me a message on Friday just before he headed out to the retreat to let me know he'd contacted one of the men, and that he was willing to help me ride herd.
At this point, part of me is thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" The other part is thinking, "I know pride goeth before fall, but I've been doing this full time, everyday for seven years. How bad can it be?" I knew I couldn't send them to the principal's office, and I knew I needed a great lesson to hold their attention, but still. I'm a teacher. Born that way. I've mastered the body language. The Look (one eyebrow raised, saying "Excuse me?!?!?").
Saturday rolls around, and I've been mulling over what to teach all week. Still, I got zip. Lord, whatever I come up with has to come from You at this point. I got nuthin'. It's been a crazy week, and I know you know that, so I'm believing You'll come through.
My dad was on the retreat, too, so I invited Mom over for homemade vegetable soup for dinner on Saturday. On a whim, she'd bought a DVD of Christian stand-up comedians, and brought it over for us to watch. Jeff Allen was one of the comedians, and the first three minutes of his schtick is about his teenage son. It's not the same clip, but you can see something similar here.
It just galls me that the church that hired this guy thinks it's okay for him to stand up there and slam his son. I don't think it's okay for him to get paid to describe his son's antics with an attitude that says he (the son) is just a dumb, money-grubbing, self-centered, ungrateful jerk.
This is probably my biggest pet peeve. It's stereotyping. By a man who claims he's a Christian. And the whole group of church-goers in the room is laughing with him.
I didn't think it was funny.
So I decided to show it to the youth and see what they thought. Guess what? They didn't think it was funny, either. Sure, they laughed at first. But when we really got down to it, they admitted that they were offended. Some of them are angry that "society" sets such low standards for them, as if they (as a group) have nothing to contribute. So, basically, I contrasted Jeff Allen's portrayal of teens with God's portrayal.
He used young people. David. Daniel. Two of Paul's letters to Timothy are included in the Bible. The first 9 chapters of Proverbs are directed explicitly to young people. What does that say about what God thinks about young people? They're IMPORTANT. He has a plan for them NOW, TODAY. They don't have to wait until they "grow up" to determine God's plan for them.
I was pleased to report to the youth pastor this afternoon that the kids were GREAT. In fact, I told them what he had said, along with the guy who was supposed to be teaching, and THREE other people that morning. I asked them what they are doing to contribute to or bust out of the stereotype. I think it was a good discussion... several of them had ideas, and were honest about what they could change about themselves.
I know it was a great lesson, because it wasn't from me. Several of them came up to me afterward and thanked me for teaching. All I could say was that it wasn't me.
My dilemma now is whether or not I should say anything to the guy who was schedule to teach them. He spoke with Knight this morning, around the time I was teaching, and made some snide comment, wondering how I was doing because the kids could smell fear. Perpetuating the stereotype. I wish I could come up with a way to tell him that they're unruly for him because of how he thinks of them. It shows that he has low standards for them, but I wonder if he makes the connection between his actions and their reactions. That bugs me; I'm angry on their behalf. I don't know if it would do any good to approach him about it, though. Maybe someday.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Two nights in a row
The music worked AGAIN! Yay!
We had our graduation ceremony tonight. I'm so proud of our seniors. There were thirteen this year, and they are a very close-knit, uplifting group. (Keep in mind that this is only the fourth class that has graduated from our small, private school.) Next year, we should graduate 30. God is working in our school, and I am so blessed and humbled to be a part of it.
Our family is also celebrating with Beezneez today. She finished her nursing school and was pinned this afternoon. You go, girl!!! I'm sooooooooooooo happy for you!!
We'll also be celebrating with my other sister, Shorty, who is 17 and graduating a year early next week. She's making the other three of us look bad -- we all took four whole years to finish high school! I'm proud of her, too, though!!! In fact, she's staying with us this weekend while my parents are with Beezneez in Oklahoma.
That's it for tonight... I can feel the orange spreading over my body as I turn into a pumpkin. :P
Monday, May 14, 2007
They didn't study
The teacher in me finds these hilarious! Maybe you will, too.
I epecially love the one that says, "I wish I could give you marks for this!" I know that feeling.... The kids spend a bunch of time being "creative". If they would spend half that time doing some quality studying, they'd all ace my classes! LOL!
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