That was the question posed today by a student. First, let me set the scene (I can hear Estelle Getty as Sofia Petrillo on Golden Girls "Picture it!")
This is an inclusion class. Here, we call it 'collaborative', where I come into a class (actually a series of them, like running a relay) for half the period to support the content teacher in reaching the SWD. More on this model another time. Also, I've been a participant in a grant-funded project that aims to beef up teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in math and science. Some of the higher-ed folks involved in that have visited this class to observe me, so the kids know about it. They were impressed.
In this class, I arrive for the second half of the lesson. Today there was a test, and as kids finished up, they had instructions to start working on a project that was postponed from last week due to winter weather and heinous road conditions. So I come in, sit down at a student table, take out some stuff I need to work on, and use my mojo to keep an eye on the kids as they work and move around. Fast forward to me answering questions for two students, and a third one, sitting nearby, interrupts (as usual) and says loudly (as usual), "If you're so smart, why are you a teacher?" Before I can figure out how to respond (since I'm choking on my tongue at this point), my collab partner says, "Why would you ask something like that?" The student answers with "Well, I was just wondering why she's here when she's so smart?" Oooh-kaaay. Maybe the answer is that it's because I should have my head examined? Not sure how to take this. Should I be flattered, or insulted? Still don't know, after a couple of hours. It's good that the kid can recognize an intelligent (or maybe just educated) person, but, DAMN! Out of the mouths of babes, I guess.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Snow Day times 5!
In this part of the country, a winter storm struck last Sunday night. It was followed not by the usual warm weather that melts our snow quickly, but by days of FREEZING weather. Local authorities did not prepare adequately for these conditions, despite a week of warnings(?!), so roads have been a mess all week. No safe roads, no buses. No buses, no school. So I've been blessedly able to catch up on laundry, and even get a head start on readings and assignments for my online course. To the point where the articles are read and I have actual NOTES, instead of reading on the fly to respond to the questions for the week. It's kind of cool.
At least school officials had some sense and started announcing closings. On Sunday afternoon. When I got my first call, it hadn't even started snowing in my area- I was out shopping. The next day, the call came even earlier. For 5 days in a row, school was closed. That's pretty remarkable around here, barring a Category 5 hurricane (over 100 miles inland). What impressed me, however, was being notified THE DAY BEFORE.
Let me put this in perspective. Perhaps, in other parts of the country, it's not like this. Around here, when school is cancelled, the decision is typically made in the early hours of the morning. So, if the calling-tree doesn't work right (very common for people to 'forget' to call the next guy), you have no choice but to get up at the normal time and stare at the morning news, waiting for your district to be listed as 'closed' for that day. Then, you can go back to bed. If you can sleep. If you don't have school-age kids who are also up and hoping for an announcement. Some time back, there was even a district that made the decision AFTER buses started rolling. That means the elementary school kids had to be brought back home, since they are picked up earlier. It suggests a lack of consideration for the reality that the people affected by the decision may need some warning in order to re-organize their day.
Which is way I was impressed to get a call on Sunday afternoon. Even though I was thinking this would fizzle out, it was nice to be considered and notified in advance.
At least school officials had some sense and started announcing closings. On Sunday afternoon. When I got my first call, it hadn't even started snowing in my area- I was out shopping. The next day, the call came even earlier. For 5 days in a row, school was closed. That's pretty remarkable around here, barring a Category 5 hurricane (over 100 miles inland). What impressed me, however, was being notified THE DAY BEFORE.
Let me put this in perspective. Perhaps, in other parts of the country, it's not like this. Around here, when school is cancelled, the decision is typically made in the early hours of the morning. So, if the calling-tree doesn't work right (very common for people to 'forget' to call the next guy), you have no choice but to get up at the normal time and stare at the morning news, waiting for your district to be listed as 'closed' for that day. Then, you can go back to bed. If you can sleep. If you don't have school-age kids who are also up and hoping for an announcement. Some time back, there was even a district that made the decision AFTER buses started rolling. That means the elementary school kids had to be brought back home, since they are picked up earlier. It suggests a lack of consideration for the reality that the people affected by the decision may need some warning in order to re-organize their day.
Which is way I was impressed to get a call on Sunday afternoon. Even though I was thinking this would fizzle out, it was nice to be considered and notified in advance.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Work? day
Well, it was just as I feared. The whole day was taken up, and I didn't get to talk to my partners at all. In the afternoon, when the schedule said 'work in your rooms', I had a training session to prepare for what I'll be teaching in one of my classes. The upside? There was enough time to prepare materials so I can start right away.
I'm typing this at 3 am because my alarm rang at 1:46 instead of 6:15. Haven't even dozed since. Gonna be a great morning I'm sure.
I'm typing this at 3 am because my alarm rang at 1:46 instead of 6:15. Haven't even dozed since. Gonna be a great morning I'm sure.
Monday, January 03, 2011
New Year!
I left off 'Happy' because I'm reserving judgement as to whether this will be a happy one. I'm really not looking forward to going back to work, just because I know tomorrow will be full of meetings and wasted time. Students return the following day. All I really need (for me) is a couple of hours to organize my desk and get things ready to teach. Less, if I don't bother with the desk. Instead, I will spend the day in a strange purgatory. We'll see how productive it really is. For instance, will my planning group get any time to plan? Will I be able to meet with my collaborative partners (all 4 of them) to figure out a game plan, especially for the behavior issues? More likely, the time will be preplanned for us, because goodness knows we can't be trusted to determine for ourselves how to use the time. there's my snarky side coming out. That happens from time to time, especially right before and right after a waste-of-time meeting.
I've spent a nice chunk of my time during this holiday reading some of the books that seem to form the basis of the superintendent's new initiatives. So far, he's harped on 'professional learning communities'. Only thing is, the way he's describing it, it sounds like another meeting, with set agenda and (almost) predetermined outcomes. Progress monitoring and data collection also keep coming up in his communications.
My small class will have to decide once and for all which book they want to read next. I've offered 3 possibilities. It's only fair; I chose the first 2 books we read, and they choose the third. I've also told them why I'm offering these particular titles and which one I think would be good right now. We'll see how it goes.
I've spent a nice chunk of my time during this holiday reading some of the books that seem to form the basis of the superintendent's new initiatives. So far, he's harped on 'professional learning communities'. Only thing is, the way he's describing it, it sounds like another meeting, with set agenda and (almost) predetermined outcomes. Progress monitoring and data collection also keep coming up in his communications.
My small class will have to decide once and for all which book they want to read next. I've offered 3 possibilities. It's only fair; I chose the first 2 books we read, and they choose the third. I've also told them why I'm offering these particular titles and which one I think would be good right now. We'll see how it goes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)