Teachers have feelings too!

So we're nearing the end of first semester. I think it's pretty amazing that the year has flown by in the fashion that it has. The little darlings that once charmed me are really starting to give me a run for money.

They've also gotten much more honest.

The other day one student told me he was bored with the vocabulary and he didn't feel like doing it anymore.

Another student that same day told me he felt it unreasonable to require someone to read outside of class, if we were already doing reading in class.

There's the occasional, "why are we doing this?" and the ""Do I really have to?"

The best came from a student just the other day, "Mrs. Jaeger, you're pretty cool, so why would you teach such a boring subject?"

I am convinced that our students think of their teachers as inhuman. Robots, trained to meet their academic needs and make their lives difficult. They certainly never consider that a teacher might have feelings just like them. We have feelings too! We also go grocery shopping, so get over it!

After a while you begin to feel a little unappreciated, thinking, "I'm sorry my class does not feel like a circus where you are always and immediately entertained."

Some sayings I've adopted since the beginning of the school year...

1. "Always assume it's for points."

2. "Do you know where you are? This is school. That's what we do here."

3. "Boredom is a state of mind, what does that say about you?"

4. "Forgetting your pencil is about as silly as forgetting to wear your pants to school."

5. "You must be kidding."

6. "You don't really need to go to the bathroom, you're just bored."

7. "Do you hear that? (Silence, kids look around, confused struggling to hear something.) That's what I want this time to sound like."

8. "Don't think I can't see you crouched behind the library shelf, I am aware, I am always aware!"

Oh teaching, you are a funny, funny profession.

On a more technological note, I am introducing Blackboard to all my students after the new year. Let you know how that goes. They recently got e-mail and they are loving sending meaningless messages. Each morning I pleasantly greeted by a student e-mail reading something like this:

whut up Mrs. Jeager (incorrectly spelled, even after all this time) youz tizzight. I hope we gets us a snowday, for shurzzz. pEEEEEEACe out!!!!!!!!!!!!

c ya girl.

We will be working on e-mail etiquette after the new year. :)

The teacher stare

So I had a thought the other night. I really want to have a thriving blog. I was reading the blogs of my fellow Fellows and I was really impressed by their thoughts and relieved to hear their similar frustrations and first year woes. I wish I could be more witty and interesting. I am going to try and jazz up these entries for my fan base, which might include two people who actually read this thing.

I am perfecting my teacher stare. You know the one that says, "I'll stand here an wait all day but really each second that ticks away means bigger trouble for you." It's Friday, MU football players came to talk about having heroes and goals, my kids are so wound up. They giggle and chase each other in the parking lot as they wait for me to open my trailer door. Oh boy, another crazy day.

I gave then a short story to read and a packet to complete. It was meant to keep them busy and productive while I set goals with each of them individually. They had three days in class to work. We read the story together aloud. There were still many kids who did not know there was a packet to complete or work to turn in today.

Thoughts race through my mind.

Hello, what did you think I was referring to all week every day?

Did you wonder what everyone else was so diligently working on?

Seriously? You're serious? This is what I am working with?

In sixth grade it's highly likely that half your class doesn't even have a pencil when they walk through your door- let alone a five page comprehension packet.

Logic and common sense may or may not have developed. They are overwhelmed any time you change their schedule even a little. Maybe next time they'll catch on to the fact that there's usually work to show for their efforts. Until then I give them the teacher stare when they tell me they had no idea there was a packet to complete.

Becoming Experts

Well Krista and I are creating a unit right now that will begin after Thanksgiving break. We're the Reading and Language Arts teachers on our team and our kids see us consecutively. We both were interested in multimedia presentations and needed to teach some nonfiction objectives so we've devised a plan to have our student work on one big project in both of our classes.

We're asking our kids to pick something and become an expert on it. We'll be teaching research skills as well as using the wireless lab to have them create multimedia presentation for their final oral presentation to the class. We'll keep you posted on their progress.

On a more personal note, I had the worst day of my teaching career last Friday. I am learning so much about myself by being in this profession. I am not a teacher so that kids like me, I am a teacher because I care about what's best for kids. Every day you've gotta let go of the natural desire to make people happy and do what is best for kids- even when kids are angry with you for doing so.

Monday is a new day. It's amazing how kids think teachers must not have any feelings.

Parent Teacher Conferences Have Been Survived!

Well, I successfully made it through parent teacher conferences and I am alive to talk about it! We had conferences late Thursday and all morning Friday. I am beginning to get over my parent phobia. They're not so bad and they often see you as a resource and trust your judgment. I guess I was afraid they would question my teaching, but I have grown to see that they really respect what you do for their kids and want to support you in the classroom! I used my projector for a fun welcome background and was able to show some parents my blackboard site via the big screen!

Tomorrow is my observation and evaluation from my building principal. I hope all goes well. I am doing something a little different so I guess we'll see...

Christmas Came Early...

I must tell you that my projector is finally installed and ready for technology magic. I created some slides in smart notebook to use for warm-ups tomorrow and can't wait for the big unveiling of this beautiful piece of technology on Monday.

Also have to play a DVD about the book fair and no longer need to lug the television out to my trailer since I can show it with my projector. Thank you Columbia Public Schools, this teacher won't let the dust settle in this new investment!!!!!

Hogwarts and Celebrations

This week is National Teen Read week and I am excited for the festivities to begin. I put my Leopard Reach to work asking them to be my promotions team for this event. They created a commercial and helped pick out the spirit day for Thursday. This Thursday we are dressing like our favorite book character. I am knitting a Gryffindor scarf because I am going to be Hermione Granger from the ever so popular Harry Potter series. I have found myself totally engrossed in my creation of this costume. I'll bring a camera and share the masterpieces next blog post.

On a more tech note I have introduced me class to Blackboard and they are eager to begin posting to the discussion board. They seemed excited when we were in the lab learning the site and since have asked questions about when they would be able to post again.

Gearing up!

Well, my blackboard site is official and I am taking my first hour to the computer lab on Thursday to learn how to access and post on it. Kerry Townsend has been helping me get the site all prepped and I've learned how to use flaming text to create a heading banner and added all kinds of features to the site. I even created a glossary of all our vocab terms so far. I don't think it'll be too difficult to manage, but we'll see once kids start using it. I'm hoping to reveal the URL at parent/teacher conferences so my parents can use it to check homework and obtain copies of assignment attachments.

I'm moving into the technology era!

My digital literacy class, which I feel has been so eye-opening in terms of learning how important multiliteracies are at this point in time, and has helped me discover new tools and forms of literacy to begin using in my classroom has really challenged me to take action in my classroom.

I'm trying not to take too much on this first year but I am really getting excited at some of the new possibilities I am learning about. This week's article for that class is all about fanfiction. This is a concept I became familiar with in an undergrad class. Apparently, if you visit fanficiton.net you will discover a whole world of literacy that a majority of the population doesn't even know exists. Fanfic, as it's called my it's inner circle of writers, is taking characters who already exist in another book or media and rewriting the story from new perspectives or your own prerogative. The article challenges teachers to think about how they can use this literary experience to build on in their own classrooms. The article also pointed out that students who author fanfic usually consider these writings their best work, better than what they write for the traditional classroom.

Type Gripes

So apparently it is a big no no to require students to type their final drafts. I am assigning my students a book review. These are sixth graders and were talking two well- written paragraphs. I was told from on high that I couldn't make it mandatory. I guess hand writing your final copy sets students up for success on the MAP test. What about for the rest of their lives? I can't remember the last time I sat down to draft a paper and hand wrote my thoughts. Word Processors are a tool that helps students write more clearly, professionally and aid in the revision process. I understand some kiddos don't own a computer but isn't that why there are hundreds of computers available for use in our building?

I have an issue with this, as you can tell from my rant. We're not preparing kids for the realities of technological literacies now and in the future! There kids are already familiar, they have a MySpace, IM account, and e-mail regularly. Why don't we tap into these arenas of literacy????

Speaking of kids and technology. Myghetto.com is a site that many of my students use as an e-mail server. I checked it out last night out of curiosity and am appalled! Who is helping these kids to be responsible users of the new technological age?

Blackboard Mania!

Well I have a blackboard site now. I am planning on using it with one of my classes for a threaded discussion board about their books. Kerry Townsend is coming Wednesday to show me how to operate it and I have been playing around getting things set up.

I took a survey of my first hour, also my highest functioning group, the majority have access to Internet at home and seem pretty tech comfortable. I will use the site for them as their reader's notebook entries rather than keeping the spiral bound one that everyone else has. I am requiring the kids to post three times a week and respond to at least 5 of their peers.

I think within a few weeks I might be introducing the site to the kids.

I have posted due dates on the calendar and made a glossary of all our vocabulary words.

I guess with tech you just need to take the plunge and try it. Can't wait around for the availability to increase or the access to get easier.

I'm feeling pretty excited!!

There's a dirty rumor floating around that Smithton is getting their projectors installed by Thanksgiving! If this is true I am elated. I figured it would be March or April....

How in the world does this work???

I am trying to figure out how to create a book blog that my kids can publish comments to. I can't use blogspot because they have to have a gmail account. Does anyone know how I can create this so that any e-mail account will work? Of technology, how I long to implement you if I could just understand you!!!!

Whew!!

Well I now officially have two weeks under my belt and everyday feel like I'm getting better at what I do. Making a break through with a student would be my celebration this week. One student who really hates reading has now shared a book with me and completed her memorable book jacket! I even called on her to share about our read aloud, Double Identity! Things are beginning to change for the two of us, I can feel it. She rolled her eyes when I handed her my encouraging note home, but found out later she showed it to other teachers on the team (nonchalantly, of course).

This job is incredible. Who knows what will happen!! Everyday there is the possibility to really care for some one's kid. That's exciting.

"Harry, we're really doing it!"

So school has started. I have children who ask millions of questions, many of which I have no idea how to answer. I feel overwhelmed and excited and already somewhat burdened with how I can bring the reader out of some of my struggling children. Been reading like it's my job (oh wait, it is), and soon discovering that there are so many things out there to try that I can't expect to get to them all.

At the new teacher orientation I watched a video on the increasing need for more technology and it moved me. Our world's a changin' and it's hard to admit that most of my students are coming to me with more technology experience than I can fathom. Watching elementary kids mastering their little palm pilots and smart boards and alpha readers was quite humbling.

Still working on getting a computer with Internet in the old classroom. Then, we conquer the world.

The quiet before the storm

I'm in my trailer, setting up my classroom listening to the radio and dreaming all the great things my students will do this year. I wonder how I am supposed to begin the planning process. Started looking into student blog sites for my little readers to use to discuss their books. Realizing how little I know about technology, trying not to become intimidated. Also wondering how in the world my great classroom blog will get off the ground with the single, lonely computer in my room. When will students have time to post if 25 of them are fighting over the one computer? I'm eager and overwhelmed and ready. Probably like most teachers in my novice position.

blogging is highly addictive

so as I worked on revamping this little site last night my husband and brother in law really started to get into it and ultimately signed up for their own blog. there is something appealing and addictive about publishing your thoughts somewhere for others to see and enjoy. thinking about this for my class, i hope my students become this involved in the process where they find the blog exciting and are eager to post their thoughts openly. something about technology is addicting. want proof? check out facebook.

technology dreams

So I've been hired to teach sixth grade Reading. It's my first year teaching and I am feeling nervous as I think about the summer of planning and dreaming that lies before me. I have grandiose visions of incorporating technology into my classroom curriculum. I want to have students blogging book responses and collaborating from their home computers. I hope that this format can engage them even deeper into their materials. Do I have any idea how to make this happen? No. But I am going to figure out a way to get those kids logged in and publishing their thoughts- that is something I am certain of.

Stay tuned for more of the sometimes hilarious adventures of a first year teacher...