Teacher support Group

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  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
    :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
    Oh my goodness!
    I just got home from an evening with my students' parents - I held a workshop to show them how they can help support their kids' education - & guess what?!
    :bigsmile:
    Out of 15 students, 9 had parents attending, a total of 16 assorted family members!
    wahooooo!!!!!!!!!
    (plus a few kids snuck in for the brownies!):blushing:
    I'm really pleased with the turnout.
    :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
  • Roguerivergirl
    Roguerivergirl Posts: 22 Member
    :happy:

    Great going. Glad to see more parents are interested in their kids. I hope this is the beginning of a trend.

    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • DMLinderman
    DMLinderman Posts: 5 Member
    Can I join you all? I teach SpEd at a local middle school. My schedule consists of 2 6th grade Resource class and 2 6th grade Inclusion classes. Each class is a different subject area which makes prep quite the challenge. Being an emotional eater doesn't help and I find myself having a hard time staying on track.
  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
    Sure. Welcome!
    :flowerforyou:
    I love to hear about what other schools & teachers are doing. It fascinates me when we see all the different ways we can think of to get the same job done.
    We had a professional development day Friday & we went to a nearby school to watch other teachers. It was interesting.
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    New friends are always welcome. How's school going for everyone so far?

    I still think I like the my new admin so far.
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Just had a VERY frustrating day due to non-supportive parents :explode: Won't go into details, but I know that you guys know how frustrating it can be- not everyone outside of the teaching world knows just *how* it can drain you and make you go from zero to 60 in 2 seconds flat. Parents don't want to do their job, but they're the first ones to criticize a teacher (or program director, in my case) when *we* do something "wrong" :grumble:

    Like I said, just blowing off steam without going into everything... and it's only Monday :sad:
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    Wow, that sounds like a great way to start off the week! Hope it gets better really quick for you.:flowerforyou:
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Today was much better, thankfully! Feels like it should be Friday already, though- I'm exhausted! :ohwell:
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    OK, after carefull consideration and trying a lot of different things, including the raffle, I have determined that my 8th graders are a bunch of horses' patoots.

    They have not turned in a single assignment in two weeks, and now things are disappearing from my desk. I'm thinking about "borrowing" things from them.

    I was supposed to take them to the media center tomorrow, but depending on who and how many, I may have them sit on their sorry butts tomorrow. Thank God its going to be short day.

    Guess I have a lot of phone calls to make tomorrow afternoon during my "training". It's online so I'll be listening intently in my room (yeah right).

    VERY open to any further suggestions.
  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
    anderson- That really stinks. I'm sure there's someone here who could inspire you.
    I was whining to the teacher who had my class last year & she cheerfully said they were the worst she'd ever had. :noway:
    Goodness. Maybe they aren't THAT bad. I think I'm making progress every other day. :laugh:
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    Latest update with my 8th graders:

    They didn't go to the library, but I was pleasently suprised at how well they worked on my alternate assignment. Maybe my calling in the AP after a pencil sharpener was thrown across the room at me did something.

    I am going to try a different book with them, hopefully they will find it a little more interesting. I guess I'll see. Still need to call a lot of parents because everyone of them is now failing my class. Everyone who has had this group of kids have said it's the worst one to come through our school in a long time.

    There's always tomorrow, and a three day weekend this week!!!! :happy:
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Everyone who has had this group of kids have said it's the worst one to come through our school in a long time.

    I had 5th graders two years ago that were *that* group that everyone said "if I got a group like that again I swear I would retire." :sad: I feel your pain! Hang in there... :flowerforyou:
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    While I'm thinking of it (and why I'm thinking of it at 11pm on a Friday is beyond me :laugh: guess my brain doesn't know how to get out of "work mode" :ohwell: )

    I am the director of an After School Program, currently applying for a grant so we can get funded again. One of the BIG pieces they're looking for is quality parent involvement (aka NOT the 'we'll have a pizza party at the end of the year and invite all the parents'). Anyone have any ideas for good, quality parent involvement activities for busy parents of middle schoolers? I have a few thoughts, but I'm always open to ideas... maybe something has worked well at your school?
  • lisawest
    lisawest Posts: 798 Member
    Hi all! I am a band and choir director for a very small school district. I teach 7th thru 12th graders. Pretty crazy hours. I've read several of the last posts.

    I noticed there was discussion on the President's speech. I'd like to chime in on that real quick. I liked his speech as a whole, but it kind of got on my nerves how he kept talking about "doctors and lawyers." As if those are the only professions worth going into. I know that some of the kids I've had over the last few years had no desire to be either of those. If he had gone into how important education is for plumbers, mechanics, etc., then a lot of those students would have stayed tuned in.

    Sorry, that's something that has stuck in my craw for awhile (obviously!). I don't mean to start a whole new rant, just needed to get that off my chest.

    Anyway, my band has never marched before, and the super and principal asked me to start a marching band this year. Tomorrow we are going to the Kansas State University Band Day. Early start, lots of walking, and hopefully lots of fun. My husband and I are packing a bag full of snacks (granola, fruit, etc.), so hopefully we won't totally blow it!

    Glad to join the group!
  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
    While I'm thinking of it (and why I'm thinking of it at 11pm on a Friday is beyond me :laugh: guess my brain doesn't know how to get out of "work mode" :ohwell: )

    I am the director of an After School Program, currently applying for a grant so we can get funded again. One of the BIG pieces they're looking for is quality parent involvement (aka NOT the 'we'll have a pizza party at the end of the year and invite all the parents'). Anyone have any ideas for good, quality parent involvement activities for busy parents of middle schoolers? I have a few thoughts, but I'm always open to ideas... maybe something has worked well at your school?

    I used to help plan our Afterschool program. We had parents with a variety of occupations & hobbies who came to talk to the kids. It was very popular. We had cop dads, a K9 cop unit, a carpenter who built little birdhouses for the kids to paint, one with a Native American background who brought his drummers, one who had a friend who owned a pet shop & brought some birds & guinea pigs.
    It was pretty cool. Many parents had contacts if they weren't able to come themselves. Some could come & read to kids or help with crafts.
    Middle school is a little trickier than elementary, though. Maybe career or hobby talks.
  • aythakay
    aythakay Posts: 26 Member
    I'd do it. The lounge food is killing me (and I'm the one who brought it today!)

    Right????!!! HELP! I work at a Greek Orthodox school so the food that shows up in the teachers lounge here is UN-believable. UGH!! I'll be doing great until I walk until I go into the lounge!!:noway:
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    While I'm thinking of it (and why I'm thinking of it at 11pm on a Friday is beyond me :laugh: guess my brain doesn't know how to get out of "work mode" :ohwell: )

    I am the director of an After School Program, currently applying for a grant so we can get funded again. One of the BIG pieces they're looking for is quality parent involvement (aka NOT the 'we'll have a pizza party at the end of the year and invite all the parents'). Anyone have any ideas for good, quality parent involvement activities for busy parents of middle schoolers? I have a few thoughts, but I'm always open to ideas... maybe something has worked well at your school?

    I used to help plan our Afterschool program. We had parents with a variety of occupations & hobbies who came to talk to the kids. It was very popular. We had cop dads, a K9 cop unit, a carpenter who built little birdhouses for the kids to paint, one with a Native American background who brought his drummers, one who had a friend who owned a pet shop & brought some birds & guinea pigs.
    It was pretty cool. Many parents had contacts if they weren't able to come themselves. Some could come & read to kids or help with crafts.
    Middle school is a little trickier than elementary, though. Maybe career or hobby talks.

    You're right!! Middle school is a little tricky to say the least! Suddenly, it's "not cool" to have your parents have anything at all to do with you (besides driving you everywhere you want to go, purchasing your clothes, and paying your cell phone bill, of course!) :laugh: Anyone ever read the book "I Hate You! Get Out of my Life! (But First Could you Drive me and Cheryl to the Mall?)" :noway:

    Anyhow, I appreciate your advice- I do have one dad that's a police officer, so I just might do a career talk, or even some kind of field trip/visit- depending on the job of course.

    Anyone ever write a big ol' grant before!?!?

    I feel like a little bit of all these things combined ----> :explode: :noway: :huh: :sad: :cry: :sick: :embarassed: :yawn:
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
    I won a $500 literacy grant last year. The biggest thing is don't be intimidated by them, they are not as hard to write as everyone seems to think.

    Give good background info about your school and student population. Then explain how the money will benefit the students, and how you plan to track the whole program.

    Mine took me about 2 hrs from scratch to write.
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    I won a $500 literacy grant last year. The biggest thing is don't be intimidated by them, they are not as hard to write as everyone seems to think.

    Give good background info about your school and student population. Then explain how the money will benefit the students, and how you plan to track the whole program.

    Mine took me about 2 hrs from scratch to write.

    This is HUGE- $300,000 to be exact. Already have about 60 or 70 hours in and not even close to being done :sad:
  • Roguerivergirl
    Roguerivergirl Posts: 22 Member
    I could use a little advice from the special ed teachers in the group. I teach high school math in a small school, only 7 teachers. The "new" special ed teacher ( she taught here before, but quit because she wasn't happy, then came back when she lost her job) is requiring me and the language arts teacher to attend nearly all the IEP meetings whether or not the students are in our classes. The previous special ed teachers didn't make this requirement. These meetings are held Monday afternoons, when no classes are held. The other teachers attend when the students are in their classes, otherwise they are free to use the time for prep.

    I am one of the few who enjoys attending these meetings when I know the student involved, because I can participate in the discussion and provide input. The problem lies with the students I don't know. The special ed teacher will ask me for an opinion, which I don't have, or advice, which I can't give. I often feel and sound like an inept teacher who doesn't care about the student.

    The question: What is the special ed teacher expecting from me? I have asked her over and over and the only answer I get is she needs my "expertise." She won't explain what that means.

    The language arts teacher and I tried to negotiate with this teacher last spring, so that we wouldn't have to attend so many meetings where we didn't know the student, but this year is business as usual. All the agreements we made were tossed out the window.

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