Solution-Tree Conference - Phoenix

Last week I went to a conference in Phoenix, AZ with a few chums from work.  I did not want to go at all.  I have been dreading the day I would be forced out of my classroom to embark on a convention about Professional Learning Communities.  For those who don't know what PLCs are, it is basically a way for schools to change their culture from isolated teachers teaching in solitary confinement and moving toward schools acting as one whole for the benefit of the students.

They threw out research and statistics that the way we assess students, give grades, provide interventions, and play all of the games with students that have been evident in the United States since World War I are not working.  Instead of giving a letter grade based on a 100-point system, they move us towards  more standards based grading.  That means that we take the core curriculum and teach until each kid gets each point, or standard.  There is no failure admitted, just proficiency.

Well, I was really overwhelmed and had a stress headache all week wondering how I was going to change what I have done for my whole life as a student and my many four (4) years of teaching.  Ok, I'm flexible.  I can work with new ideas that work.  I got into the system hoping to change it anyway.  Fortunately, Solution-Tree and all of their authors have done all the research for us to give us a point from which to start.  So I have been designing some new assessment charts for the students to help me with their individual grading.

First, each student will get a chart/table that lists the curriculum for the quarter.  Then, I figured that I could track it sort of like they do in Boy Scouts.  When they feel they can pass off the requirement, they do.  If they fumble, they try again next week and on and on until they get it.  During that time we can work individually or get them the help they need until they get it.  This just might actually work!

When I get a chance to tweak my charts, I'll post them.  But until then, anyone can go to Solution-Tree online and get tons of information there.  I really do hope that their way for education will catch on.  It really is the best I've seen so far. 

Kids' Answers

On a recent test I tested the kids on commonly confused words like they're, there, and their, etc.  One pair of words was emigrate and immigrate.  A few answers from my Hispanic kids made me laugh.  (Spelling below has not been altered = direct quotes).

Kid #1 "Emigrate means liveing the Unid States and the other is coming to the united states."

Kid #2 "Emigrate: leaving your home country.  Immigrate: not a citizen."

Kid #3 "Emigrate - away from home country.  Immirate - taken away and put back to there country." 

Kid #4 "Emigrate = move to another country.  Immigrate = crossing the border Illegal"

Cute, huh?  I guess I'll have to go over those two again.  Emigrate is when you leave your home country and Immigrate means to enter into a new country

Class Blogs

If you would like to see what my students are doing for writing assignments online, go to pvmsroom211.blogspot.com. We just recently did a couple of writing assignments with A Midsummer Night's Dream.  It is fun and interesting to see 14-15 year old kids comment on a five-hundred year old play. 

Maslow's Hierarchy or Needs

Bloom's Taxonomy

Teacher

Teacher

My gift is
unnoticed in the present,
and never returned.

How'd I get Here!?

I started teaching in the fall of 2006 at an early college high school (charter school).  I was recently divorced and had an English Literature degree in my pocket.  It took me just one year to certify to teach and get a job.  I was so excited to start my new life as a single mom and a teacher.

I encountered some horrible political circumstances that first year, though.  The details are far behind me now, but at the end of that year I had secured a job in the next town over at a public high school and got to start over again! This move was wonderful because within six months I had met a wonderful man in my new town.  By my third year of teaching I was married with four kids (one of my own) and a third school.  I opened that school year at a middle school as ESL coordinator where I had to learn two new computer programs to run the class and  to learn and to follow intense state and federal laws not too much different than those of Special Ed. (paperwork!).

It was rough, but I am now on my 4th year of teaching and 2nd year in the same classroom.  (Whew!)  I'm lucky to have a job and a family who loves me.  What I think I need more of, though, is teacher talk.  I am taking master classes online that give me opportunities to talk teacher stuff, but I wanted a place to do that after those classes end.  I welcome any constructive comments that will help any teacher, including myself, with the challenges and successes of teaching.