Oh goodness. I really have fallen off the face of the blogosphere, but I think that's because things are actually going, dare I say it, GREAT in my classes. I'm not needing work out as much on the blogosphere, even if there are tough days here and there.
Having (more) manageable class sizes, counselors using more discretion about what students are placed in a a foreign language class has made all the difference. I still have challenging students and large classes, but "normal" large and "normal" challenging. The fact that I have a Curriculum Principal that takes my concerns seriously has been a saving grace.
Things that are working well:
Class Stories
It IS getting easier to tell these stories and to power through them while maintaing student focus and attention. Here are a few ways I've better managed behavior during storytelling.
1. Have the students clear everything off of their desks before you start a story. Everything.
2. Always give a little refresher about the expectations for stories before starting. They've heard it now at least ten times in each of my classes, but I still go through the procedure anyways.
3. Have the students act out gestures for words as you tell the story. Or ask them to show you as you
tell the story. Example: "La niña busca su perro." Tell the class, "Show me busca." Simply moving around (even in their seats) can engage the hands-on learners.
4. Tell the narrative of the story first, then bring up an actor for the re-tell. The actors will be better prepared since they have heard the story once, and it makes the re-tell less boring for the students.
5. Give "problem" students or students that are easily bored because they are more advanced a task. You can have them tally the number of times a target word is used, stand up and act out a target word each time it is used, you can have them make a sound effect each time the word is used, you can have them draw the story for you, etc.
Reading Assessments
This is nothing new to many of you, but I started doing different things with my reading assessments. I have three sections of Spanish one and I started some playful competition when it comes to class-created stories. Often my reading assessment now involves students reading all three versions of the class-created story, comparing and contrasting the three stories, picking one to expand, picking one to summarize, etc. It's made my classes more interested in creating quality stories because they know that the other Spanish I sections will read their creation. The students also seem to enjoy the choice to expand or summarize whichever version they prefer.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
Update 2013
I've fallen off the blogging bandwagon! It's because I've been busy.
Here has what we've been up to in my classes:
1) Laughing so much more than last year!
The secret? New administration that listens to me when I recommend that students shouldn't be forced to take Spanish. I couldn't be happier that about 90% of my students actually asked to take Spanish and that 90% of them chose to be part of my class. In years previous, my class has been filled with students that needed to simply fill a hole in their schedule.
2) PQA'ing it up!
I am finally getting better at this! The secret? Being so over-the-top dramatic and making my questions as personalized as possible.
3) Running like a well-oiled machine!
How is this happening?! A couple reasons. I have an amazing, lovely, and Spanish-speaking teacher's aide this semester. She grades for me, organizes for me, and just generally makes me happy with her sweet smile and helpful attitude. Also, I am following Martina Bex's curriculum plan from www.martinabex.com. It is transforming the way I plan and teach. For now I am sticking to her curriculum, but it is giving me all sorts of ideas and inspiration for eventually creating my own lessons.
4) I'm treating teaching as a job rather than my life. Instead of saying to my husband, "I'm still at school," I've made a conscious effort to say, "I'm still at work." This is my day job. This is where I go each day to provide for myself and family. It's upped my sense of responsibility and lowered my expectation that teaching is some sort of "experience." It's a job, just like any other - sometimes pleasant, sometimes not.
Here has what we've been up to in my classes:
1) Laughing so much more than last year!
The secret? New administration that listens to me when I recommend that students shouldn't be forced to take Spanish. I couldn't be happier that about 90% of my students actually asked to take Spanish and that 90% of them chose to be part of my class. In years previous, my class has been filled with students that needed to simply fill a hole in their schedule.
2) PQA'ing it up!
I am finally getting better at this! The secret? Being so over-the-top dramatic and making my questions as personalized as possible.
3) Running like a well-oiled machine!
How is this happening?! A couple reasons. I have an amazing, lovely, and Spanish-speaking teacher's aide this semester. She grades for me, organizes for me, and just generally makes me happy with her sweet smile and helpful attitude. Also, I am following Martina Bex's curriculum plan from www.martinabex.com. It is transforming the way I plan and teach. For now I am sticking to her curriculum, but it is giving me all sorts of ideas and inspiration for eventually creating my own lessons.
4) I'm treating teaching as a job rather than my life. Instead of saying to my husband, "I'm still at school," I've made a conscious effort to say, "I'm still at work." This is my day job. This is where I go each day to provide for myself and family. It's upped my sense of responsibility and lowered my expectation that teaching is some sort of "experience." It's a job, just like any other - sometimes pleasant, sometimes not.
Monday, August 19, 2013
This Year I Want to Try...
I am back for another year of Spanish I and II! It's a decision I wrestled with all summer, but one that after a lot of time and thought, I knew was the choice to make.
I will commit to seeing this year through and I am hoping to make it to the other side with an improved perspective. It is a whole new year, after all.
I'm making a few small changes this year.
Planning
I'm planning using an online planning book. I can attach documents, share my planbook, copy and paste entire lesson plans, share my plan book with collegues, print it out for a sub...I am hoping that this will eliminate the "I made that quiz two weeks ago, WHERE is it?!" conundrum I seem to always find myself in.
Walking
I am going to walk outside, every day (unless its a total blizzard or -30 below). I will walk at home with my dog or during my lunch period at school. It's important that every day I get outside in the daylight. Every. Day.
Eating
I am going to try cooking larger amounts on Sunday to at least take care of the beginning of each week for lunches. Salmon with quinoa and roasted veggies is this week's brown bag contents.
Tertulia
Thursdays will be "Tertulia" in my room. Students can come in for extra help, to make up assessments, or to volunteer to help me. Students that attend four Tertulia sessions will receive 10 extra credit points per session. This hopefully will eliminate students randomly asking to make up assessments, and provide incentive to come in for studying.
Organization? Physical activity? Happy healthy food? More free time at lunch? Let's give it a try!
I will commit to seeing this year through and I am hoping to make it to the other side with an improved perspective. It is a whole new year, after all.
I'm making a few small changes this year.
Planning
I'm planning using an online planning book. I can attach documents, share my planbook, copy and paste entire lesson plans, share my plan book with collegues, print it out for a sub...I am hoping that this will eliminate the "I made that quiz two weeks ago, WHERE is it?!" conundrum I seem to always find myself in.
Walking
I am going to walk outside, every day (unless its a total blizzard or -30 below). I will walk at home with my dog or during my lunch period at school. It's important that every day I get outside in the daylight. Every. Day.
Eating
I am going to try cooking larger amounts on Sunday to at least take care of the beginning of each week for lunches. Salmon with quinoa and roasted veggies is this week's brown bag contents.
Tertulia
Thursdays will be "Tertulia" in my room. Students can come in for extra help, to make up assessments, or to volunteer to help me. Students that attend four Tertulia sessions will receive 10 extra credit points per session. This hopefully will eliminate students randomly asking to make up assessments, and provide incentive to come in for studying.
Organization? Physical activity? Happy healthy food? More free time at lunch? Let's give it a try!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Planning for the Future
I shouldn't have even done it. I don't know why I do this to myself.
I decided to log on to our system's online attendance records and take a peek at my class roster.
I instantly felt ill. The walls of my chest started tightening and I felt an intense need to shake the jittery, jello-like feeling that was crawling up both of my legs, through my stomach and inching toward my quickening pulse.
Fifty six students were enrolled in my first period class. My others are already in the high 30s. Everyone assures me, "Oh it won't stay that way. It can't." I know this. However. One day is all it takes to absolutely and completely destroy any sense of logic or classroom order. One day of mob chaos is all it takes to squash my authority. It won't stay at fifty six. Of course not. But you can't most certainly determine it will stay at 40. Oh yes. It most certainly will.
I'm devastated by what is happening to World Languages in high schools. It used to be that World Language classes were academic electives, classes geared towards college-bound students. I am not saying that I am "above" teaching students that are not college-bound. Certainly not. Many of my students not on the college-track are some of my most devoted students. But what I simply cannot do anymore is water down the curriculum more for students that didn't ask to be in Spanish, they were simply placed there due to a lack of funding for other electives. Electives cease to be electives is students are told, "this is the only open class." Their counselors promise them "it's a fun class" and a "great opportunity."
I am tired of being asked to be an entertainer to these mob classes of students that did not ask to take a foreign language. Instead of providing a challenging and worthwhile curriculum for the capable students that want to be there, I am forced to water down my course so that students can fill an empty slot in the schedules. Only about half of my students have the study skills necessary and desire to take my class seriously. And it's the half that doesn't want to be there that is a constant drain of my time and energy: having to re-write assignments to make them easier to understand, dealing with their constant behavioral disruptions and negative attitudes, grading their absolutely atrocious assessments that only confirm that they could care less about my class.
I am done. Burned out and ready to wave the white flag. I have taught my heart out, tried to design the most engaging lessons possible. I've ran my classroom with all of the proper classroom management tools in place. I've built relationships with students and you know what? I'm good at it. Really good at it. But I am sick of having to work this hard all the time, calculate every response, every transition, predict every bad-case scenario. People say, "be less of a perfectionist." They don't understand. To keep order in my classroom of 38+ kids, many with learning disorders and behavioral problems you have to be that on top of it. There is no other option unless you are willing to accept complete chaos and not care that the students aren't learning.
I am actively pursuing other options. I would like to stay within the education profession but I am open to major changes, and looking everywhere. This fall I am starting my librarian certification process and I hope that moving into a specialty position could improve my attitude about education.
I am fortunate to have a job. I am grateful that I can provide for myself and understand that I am fortunate. But I am very unhappy. The only way I can walk back into that school this fall is if I have a deep commitment to a different future and understanding that I will get out when an opportunity presents itself.
This was for so many years my dream - to teach Spanish, to get students excited about language and culture and traveling! Studying Spanish brought me so much joy and filled my life with so many exciting friendships and opportunities. To shelf this dream is devastating. But I think I understand it now. To be happy in my current job my dream would need to be inspiring reluctant and distressed youth.
So, while I am still mourning the loss of this dream, I am brightening my outlook by cultivating some new dreams. The idea of having to go through another year like last year is almost too much to think about - but I know I can do it, it won't last forever, and that I'm staying to provide for myself and my family. Something good will come, but it's going to take patience and self-preservation. I'll go on through the gauntlet, but I'm holding firm to the belief that this is not it, that I'll find something better.
I'm not asking that my career be the dream I originally conjured up in my hopeful, idealizing teen-aged brain. The rose-colored lenses are off, smashed, and been replaced with a vision of reality. I'm just hoping for something I can tolerate and grow with. It can be challenging and frustrating...all jobs are! I just need my new job to have a little more hope and joy.
It's going to be okay. This won't last forever and I'm excited for a future where I am happier and living a more balanced life.
I decided to log on to our system's online attendance records and take a peek at my class roster.
I instantly felt ill. The walls of my chest started tightening and I felt an intense need to shake the jittery, jello-like feeling that was crawling up both of my legs, through my stomach and inching toward my quickening pulse.
Fifty six students were enrolled in my first period class. My others are already in the high 30s. Everyone assures me, "Oh it won't stay that way. It can't." I know this. However. One day is all it takes to absolutely and completely destroy any sense of logic or classroom order. One day of mob chaos is all it takes to squash my authority. It won't stay at fifty six. Of course not. But you can't most certainly determine it will stay at 40. Oh yes. It most certainly will.
I'm devastated by what is happening to World Languages in high schools. It used to be that World Language classes were academic electives, classes geared towards college-bound students. I am not saying that I am "above" teaching students that are not college-bound. Certainly not. Many of my students not on the college-track are some of my most devoted students. But what I simply cannot do anymore is water down the curriculum more for students that didn't ask to be in Spanish, they were simply placed there due to a lack of funding for other electives. Electives cease to be electives is students are told, "this is the only open class." Their counselors promise them "it's a fun class" and a "great opportunity."
I am tired of being asked to be an entertainer to these mob classes of students that did not ask to take a foreign language. Instead of providing a challenging and worthwhile curriculum for the capable students that want to be there, I am forced to water down my course so that students can fill an empty slot in the schedules. Only about half of my students have the study skills necessary and desire to take my class seriously. And it's the half that doesn't want to be there that is a constant drain of my time and energy: having to re-write assignments to make them easier to understand, dealing with their constant behavioral disruptions and negative attitudes, grading their absolutely atrocious assessments that only confirm that they could care less about my class.
I am done. Burned out and ready to wave the white flag. I have taught my heart out, tried to design the most engaging lessons possible. I've ran my classroom with all of the proper classroom management tools in place. I've built relationships with students and you know what? I'm good at it. Really good at it. But I am sick of having to work this hard all the time, calculate every response, every transition, predict every bad-case scenario. People say, "be less of a perfectionist." They don't understand. To keep order in my classroom of 38+ kids, many with learning disorders and behavioral problems you have to be that on top of it. There is no other option unless you are willing to accept complete chaos and not care that the students aren't learning.
I am actively pursuing other options. I would like to stay within the education profession but I am open to major changes, and looking everywhere. This fall I am starting my librarian certification process and I hope that moving into a specialty position could improve my attitude about education.
I am fortunate to have a job. I am grateful that I can provide for myself and understand that I am fortunate. But I am very unhappy. The only way I can walk back into that school this fall is if I have a deep commitment to a different future and understanding that I will get out when an opportunity presents itself.
This was for so many years my dream - to teach Spanish, to get students excited about language and culture and traveling! Studying Spanish brought me so much joy and filled my life with so many exciting friendships and opportunities. To shelf this dream is devastating. But I think I understand it now. To be happy in my current job my dream would need to be inspiring reluctant and distressed youth.
So, while I am still mourning the loss of this dream, I am brightening my outlook by cultivating some new dreams. The idea of having to go through another year like last year is almost too much to think about - but I know I can do it, it won't last forever, and that I'm staying to provide for myself and my family. Something good will come, but it's going to take patience and self-preservation. I'll go on through the gauntlet, but I'm holding firm to the belief that this is not it, that I'll find something better.
I'm not asking that my career be the dream I originally conjured up in my hopeful, idealizing teen-aged brain. The rose-colored lenses are off, smashed, and been replaced with a vision of reality. I'm just hoping for something I can tolerate and grow with. It can be challenging and frustrating...all jobs are! I just need my new job to have a little more hope and joy.
It's going to be okay. This won't last forever and I'm excited for a future where I am happier and living a more balanced life.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Light and Dark
I feel helpless to combat
the incessant
testing, data
bubbles and numbers.
graphs
that determine funding
and teacher performance.
I was armed with creativity and enthusiasm!
But have since
been stripped.
By apathetic students.
Demanding parents.
Unprofessional colleagues.
Poor leadership.
I'm a light
that has gone out.
A few of the students and a few of the teachers
their lights are still burning...
But for how long?
Until the system teaches them
mediocrity?
reduces them to a test score?
I want to turn the light back on,
But I know how much it hurt.
How empty my dreams felt
that day the light went out.
I hope you know,
I see you.
Burning
Blazing with questions
On fire, blazing through every challenge and page!
Thank goodness you are here
In all this darkness.
You comfort me.
I am happy for the hope you bring me.
but also
Sad.
For you.
That you did not go to high school
at a different time, in a different place.
When you might have been surrounded by lights.
But you,
You will be stronger and tougher than I ever was.
Able to weather any storm.
Light conceived in light fears the dark
But light raised in darkness can never be extinguished.
the incessant
testing, data
bubbles and numbers.
graphs
that determine funding
and teacher performance.
I was armed with creativity and enthusiasm!
But have since
been stripped.
By apathetic students.
Demanding parents.
Unprofessional colleagues.
Poor leadership.
I'm a light
that has gone out.
A few of the students and a few of the teachers
their lights are still burning...
But for how long?
Until the system teaches them
mediocrity?
reduces them to a test score?
I want to turn the light back on,
But I know how much it hurt.
How empty my dreams felt
that day the light went out.
I hope you know,
I see you.
Burning
Blazing with questions
On fire, blazing through every challenge and page!
Thank goodness you are here
In all this darkness.
You comfort me.
I am happy for the hope you bring me.
but also
Sad.
For you.
That you did not go to high school
at a different time, in a different place.
When you might have been surrounded by lights.
But you,
You will be stronger and tougher than I ever was.
Able to weather any storm.
Light conceived in light fears the dark
But light raised in darkness can never be extinguished.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Dear Veteran Teacher
Dear Veteran Teacher,
At first I admired you from afar with a certain degree of trepidation. You are, after all, the real deal. You have a signature teacher lanyard, a well-loved coffee thermos, and a wall full of student photos that boast your staying power. You don't necessarily make this job look easy, but you move with confidence, and its obvious to a rookie like me that you are in control.
Despite the fact that you juggle all the responsibilities of a classroom, involve yourself in every school activity, are surrounded by mountains of papers, and answer to 150+ students daily, you've always made time for me.
You took the time to notice me, the new teacher so overwhelmed and stressed. You carved the time out of your already impossibly full schedule to introduce yourself and show that you care about my happiness and success.
We shared more than a workplace during my first years as an educator. You shared your lesson plans, your classroom management tips, and heard my every complaint, question, or doubt. You listened patiently to my frustrations and supported me in any way that you could.
Then there are all the little things you've done. You've brought me a piece of chocolate to cheer me up. You've watched my class on your prep period so I could run to the bathroom. You gave me a hug on the worst days, and a congratulatory smile on the good days. When I felt like giving up, you didn't give up on me.
And while you taught me the things it takes to be a good educator, above all things, you taught me what it means to be a good person.
Perhaps teaching is not for me, and that's okay. As young adults we are advised to pick a career and take the path that will get us there. We press on, jump through all the hoops, and finally, after perhaps years of hard work, we arrive. We work so hard to obtain the careers we desire, but where along the way do we work on becoming the people we want to be?
Knowing you has made me change the way I think. I'm less worried now about what I will achieve in the end, and more concerned about who I will be in the end. Will I be a great teacher? I will try. But more importantly, will I be generous? Will I be patient? Will I be kind?
It's perhaps the most important lesson I've ever been taught or ever will be taught.
Veteran Teacher, this is my letter of love and appreciation to you. Thank you so much for taking on one more student - me.
Gratefully,
The Newbie
At first I admired you from afar with a certain degree of trepidation. You are, after all, the real deal. You have a signature teacher lanyard, a well-loved coffee thermos, and a wall full of student photos that boast your staying power. You don't necessarily make this job look easy, but you move with confidence, and its obvious to a rookie like me that you are in control.
Despite the fact that you juggle all the responsibilities of a classroom, involve yourself in every school activity, are surrounded by mountains of papers, and answer to 150+ students daily, you've always made time for me.
You took the time to notice me, the new teacher so overwhelmed and stressed. You carved the time out of your already impossibly full schedule to introduce yourself and show that you care about my happiness and success.
We shared more than a workplace during my first years as an educator. You shared your lesson plans, your classroom management tips, and heard my every complaint, question, or doubt. You listened patiently to my frustrations and supported me in any way that you could.
Then there are all the little things you've done. You've brought me a piece of chocolate to cheer me up. You've watched my class on your prep period so I could run to the bathroom. You gave me a hug on the worst days, and a congratulatory smile on the good days. When I felt like giving up, you didn't give up on me.
And while you taught me the things it takes to be a good educator, above all things, you taught me what it means to be a good person.
Perhaps teaching is not for me, and that's okay. As young adults we are advised to pick a career and take the path that will get us there. We press on, jump through all the hoops, and finally, after perhaps years of hard work, we arrive. We work so hard to obtain the careers we desire, but where along the way do we work on becoming the people we want to be?
Knowing you has made me change the way I think. I'm less worried now about what I will achieve in the end, and more concerned about who I will be in the end. Will I be a great teacher? I will try. But more importantly, will I be generous? Will I be patient? Will I be kind?
It's perhaps the most important lesson I've ever been taught or ever will be taught.
Veteran Teacher, this is my letter of love and appreciation to you. Thank you so much for taking on one more student - me.
Gratefully,
The Newbie
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Let them do the talking!
At the start of the new quarter, I started feeling frustrated that my students could not carry on basic conversations in Spanish. My fifth hour class particularly sets me on edge because they are very smart, just lazy and prefer to chat in English and talk over me during PQA. So I decided to try a partner-based activity. It actually worked pretty well, I think because:
1) It was a break from the novel we've been heavily focusing on
2) It was a chance for them to be social and feel like they were having "real" Spanish conversations
3) I had just assigned them new table partners so they actually didn't know a lot about one another
Attached is the project requirements and some sample interview questions. I had the students doing a lot of question generation and mini interviews leading up to the day I handed out the project requirements.
What I liked about this assignment is that they took it a little more seriously because they were writing about someone other than themselves.
Appropriate for advanced level one, level two.
I'm going to post things on TpT from now on. Everything I create will be free until I create something really amazing and original. Stay tuned :)
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