Teacher support Group

bluenote

Thanks, Fab50 - I never knew they existed. I'll go to Prevention tomorrow - need sleep now. :yawn: Goodnight, fellow teachers!

FabulousFifty

Hey, for anyone who weighs in on Sunday there is a forum that you could add to help you with accountability. It is called Sunday Successes. Check it out! I have been a bit obsessive about weighing and would end up sabotaging myself if I saw a slight upward fluctuation...due to salt, hormones or anything! I would just throw in the towel if I saw a little rise. No more of that for me. I am weighing in on Sundays only and it is working for me. Anyone want to join me? Today's weigh in shows a 1 lb loss which adds up to 8lbs since 12/30. Whew hooo! Come on, hop off that scale and join me for Sunday celebrations! Have a great week everybody!

LifesPilgrim

I like the idea of weighing in once a week!!!

aam_84

My work is doing a Biggest Loser challenge and we do weigh in wednesdays! IT is definatly a great motivator to stay on task...

LifesPilgrim

My school is currently running a fitness challenge that is sposored by one of our coaches. everyone is issued a pedometer and we tally our steps everyday for 8 weeks. Every Thursday we send our weekly totals so we can see how we are doing against our teammates and the other teams.

It's a lot of fun and brings a lot of awareness of fitness for a little while at least. I'm in second place for my team right now, and in the top ten overall.

If anyone wants more info, just let me know.

bluenote

I'd like more info, andersonkar. Thanks!

Our school is doing a pseudo-BL challenge, but I stayed away from it because I have SO much more than everyone to lose and what happens is I become the Poster Child for Weight Loss at my school. I hate that kind of attention.

LifesPilgrim

The first round of our state testing is DONE!!!! whooo hooo!!!

How is everyone else doing with all the crazy weather? Hope cabin fever isn't too bad.

LifesPilgrim

HHHEEEEELLLLOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Is anybody out there?????????

I'm getting lonely here!!! :frown:

lisawest

I'm here anderson!

Life is crazy. I was told at the beginning of February that I GET to host our league middle school music festival. Ummm, okay. But I was under the impression (from our league meeting back in SEPTEMBER!) that, because it is my first year here, another school was going to host the festival. Nothing like finding out with only 8 weeks to plan! I almost have all the judges lined up (something that I WOULD have done in November or December had I known!). Good thing I work well under pressure!:laugh:

LifesPilgrim

YEEAAHHH!! I'm not alone anymore :laugh:

Don't you just love being voluntold about things? Good luck with the festival!!!

I took over the school's yearbook and had one plan of action and was told a couple of weeks ago to do something else, so I totally sympathize with have to change everything or throw things together at the last minute.

Hope the weather and the testing season treats everyone well.

I miss talking to you guys.

CasperO

Me again,,, motorcycle instructor guy. Just got my schedule, and I'm teaching 18 classes this season. 13 weekends. Wow - busy busy.

LifesPilgrim

How does the weather affect your classes?

CasperO

We start in mid-april and teach through the spring/summer/fall and finish up in early october. I've been flurried on a couple of times, but that's about it. I'm in Ohio, not Minnesota.

We stop for lightning, otherwise we ride right through it all. Teaching newbies threshold braking in a monsoon - Woohoo!!! :laugh:

LifesPilgrim

I have a question: Has anyone else been harrassed by admin about FOLLOWING best practices in their classroom? It's happened to me twice in the past few weeks. :noway:

bluenote

Explain, anderson. I am not sure I know what you mean.

CasperO

"Best practices",,, currently recommended instructional techniques. In my business (teaching a motor-skill to adults) it's mostly about how we reinforce learning. "Student centered questions" to make the student engage the information and verbalize their personal experience using the new skill.

Have I been harassed by Admin? No. Have I been harassed by co-instructors? Oh heck yes. Lot of instructors out there still teaching the 1994 curriculum.

LifesPilgrim

I teach intenisve reading and read aloud to the kids for at least 10 min everyday. TONS of research from my master's classes on the benefits of interactive read alouds to low-level readers out there.

I was just told to stop reading the books and focus exclusively on test preparation.

Just a little upset right now.

CasperO

Are the kids following along in their books, or is it just story time? How is this "interactive"?

I take it Interactive read aloud is a recognized best practice for you business,,, but your supers want you to just teach the test? Well that sucks. Hmmm... It is what it is.

Can you do what I do when one of my trainers tells me to do something stupid? (Smile, and nod,,, and think to myself - "Yeah, sure, I'll do exactly what you say. Now why don't you leave the room" :laugh: ).

LifesPilgrim

Yeah, that's what I think also. I read to the kids and ask questions as we go along and really discuss the story. The kids love it, I guess in the end as long as I can justify what's best to myself andthe parents, then it's all good.

I have no intention of stopping. I have fought this battle once before and I'll do it again because I know I'm right and it really is best for the kids. Learning should not stop just because of testing.

sissy56

The thread's been cold for a few days, but testing's a-comin, time to get some support or give up. I vote for the support. I will not let the whims of administration, from Washington on down, affect my health, happiness, and future well-being. Anyone on board?

bluenote

Oh my goodness I am glad to hear your words, sissy. I am so damn stressed out this week from school pressure that I gained two pounds. Ugh. I refuse to let NCLB sabotage my great weight loss success!!!

Georg

We start testing this week - how about y'all?
And of course, rain is predicted. :grumble:

CasperO

I had my first motorcycle class of the season this past weekend.

I had a young woman in the class who was so nervous her hands started shaking when she started the bike. We were 20 minutes in, and she asked "I don't think this is for me - may I go?". I said "Sure, this is a class, not a jail. You can leave at any time. But I'd encourage you to stick around and see what happens next". She said no thanks, got in her car and left. Hmmm... Never seen that before. I've had people get upset or nervous and drop out of the class, but they usually get far enough to actually move a motorcycle. Very sad for her, sorry that happened.

OTOH there was another lady in the same class who was 67 years old. Last rode on a Harley KH in the early 70's. This newfangled "shifter on the left" thing messed her up, but otherwise she did very well.

Fun fun, and so it begins.

lisawest

!!!Warning! Long Rant!

I teach choir. About the only way to fail my class is to not sing, not sit up, and not turn in their "journals." Now, journal is a loose term. Each day we meet (twice a week), I put a question up on the board. Usually requiring minimal writing, it's just a quick review on something that we talked about last class time, or a question about their weekend, etc. (Just a little background info.)

I had call from a mother today. I truly dislike speaking with this mother. Everything I try to explain comes back to something that I have done wrong and THAT is why her son is failing. Today, I was told that he hasn't been turning in his journals because he got it in his head at the beginning of the school year that I was strict and THAT is why he won't do journals, sit up, or sing in my class. If I would just take the time to get to know him, he's a wonderful musician, writes his own songs, and a generally great kid. I respond with the fact that I have TRIED to chat with him and get to know him. Hard to do when everytime I ask any kind of question all I get is monosylables or grunts. The conversation continued it this vein. It was a VERY frustrating conversation. EVERYTHING was my fault. Nevermind that her child sits in the chair and smirks (my perception, maybe it's just a facial tic) at me, disrupts students around him (doesn't seem to matter where I sit him, he finds someone), and just is generally uncooperative. Also, please discount the fact that I have put together a special folder for him that I keep on my stand, I hand it to him everyday at the beginning of class along with blank paper and a pencil (so he can do that journal entry!), and I pick it back up from him everyday at the end of class. (Every other student is responsible for putting their music in their music slot in my music cabinets before and after class.)

I have done everything within my power to help this student. I read the questions out loud, and we talk about the answer. (Again, reviewing whatever concept it was) Because we do this, I do not grade the journals on whether they are right or wrong (why penalize the honest kids who didn't change their incorrect answer?), I give them participation points for these. The middle school lead teacher has been keeping this student in her room before school, during lunch and during seminar time to work on missing work. The student is missing work in many classes, not just mine!

Mom thinks that I should have the counselor meet with her child and myself so we can get to the bottom of why he doesn't like me. I told her I would pass her request on to the counselor. But I am sorry. I am not there to be their buddy. I want them to be comfortable around me, I want them to feel like they can talk to me, but I also expect them to respect the expectations in my classroom. Participation, with your best effort, in ALL activities is my #1 expectation. This student is NOT meeting this expectation. I have bent over backwards trying to help this student be able to meet this expectation, but I am out of ideas. I will talk to the counselor (who happens to be my BF's hubby), as well as the principal, and the middle school lead teacher. Maybe one of them will have other ideas.

Ok, thank you for reading. My rant is over. Back to your regularly scheduled programming!

Georg

Good luck. That's a tough one. Some parents just won't let their kids take responsibility. It's really too bad. their kids are the ones who miss out.
Hang in there.

hooah_mj

the year is so close to over...hang in there fellow teaches!

CasperO

!!!Warning! Long Rant! I teach choir. <<SNIP>>
Ok, thank you for reading. My rant is over. Back to your regularly scheduled programming!

The word for today is "Oppositional Defiant" - - - can you say "Oppositional Defiant"?

LifesPilgrim

Sorry I have been MIA for a while, but state testing, one school yearbook, one high school graduation, one Eagle Scout Court of Honor, one summer camp, and five pounds gained back, I'm finally back!

Whew!!!! What a spring. I am soooooooo ready for summer.

LifesPilgrim

Soundsto me likethe kid is playing Mom for the total fool that she is. I would document anything and everything related to this kid and keep in mind that Karma really exists, and move on to the kids that are worthwhile.

lisawest

!!!Warning! Long Rant! I teach choir. <<SNIP>>
Ok, thank you for reading. My rant is over. Back to your regularly scheduled programming!

The word for today is "Oppositional Defiant" - - - can you say "Oppositional Defiant"?

Thanks Casper! I can always count on one of your posts to make me laugh when I need it!:flowerforyou: I reported the conversation to my principal and the counselor today. They both agreed that I am doing MORE than is expected (especially since mom won't let him be tested for sped), and they basically told me to keep up the good work.

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement! I felt SOOO much better just getting it out of my head and written down. Now on to figuring out how to make one song fit 12 soloists! Now we're talking FUN!