is it really a surprise?

Seems to me this is just more of the same parenting problems we see every day. Parents who are unable or unwilling to set and enforce limits for their kids.  Kids who want to tell the adults how it's going to be.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/us/new-digital-divide-seen-in-wasting-time-online.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1338466978-dK6/IDL/ahSiUMU5r02cbw&pagewanted=all

No More Whack-A-Mole: My Conversion to Collaborative Learning

No More Whack-A-Mole: My Conversion to Collaborative Learning

Some good ideas here.

I think any teacher would love to teach a group like this kid

He has written for the column before, and is saying nothing that I haven't said repeatedly over the years, but especially this year. When I say it, kids roll their eyes and announce that I'm "retarded" or "lame". My favorite is "childish", spoken at high volume by a student stomping his/her feet while walking across the room.All expert opinions, I suppose? A close second is "that don't make no damn sense!"

If I could have had one class populated with kids like this one, there would have been something to look farward to..
http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/05/14/a-call-for-students-to-be-more-responsible-for-their-learning/?cxntfid=blogs_get_schooled_blog

STAR Testing: The Farce Begins Anew | Teach4Real

Abso-bloody-lutely!!!

STAR Testing: The Farce Begins Anew | Teach4Real

No Impossible Demand Left Behind

Replace Cuomo with Deal, Bloomberg with your favorite local (elected) official, and this works pretty much anywhere:

No Impossible Demand Left Behind

Yong Zhao Interview: Will the Common Core Create World-Class Learners? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Yong Zhao Interview: Will the Common Core Create World-Class Learners? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Zhao hits it on the head, as usual. But is anyone listening?

It's not over

(written in late April)

Guess what?

School's not over.

I know we've finished our standardized testing, but school's not over.

We still have some work to do. School's not over.

There is still time to bring your average up, by doing all your work. School's not over.

We will not be watching movies for the next 3 weeks. School's not over.

You can't sit back and do nothing for the next 3 weeks. School's not over.

If you don't finish these assignments, you won't be happy with the final grade. School's not over.

Please don't insult my intelligence. I can read the calendar, and school's not over.

Spare us all the fairy tales about what some other teacher is doing for fun. School's not over.

I don't really care if you have early vacation plans. School's not over.

If all of this is a problem for you, please find some way to spend your time that doesn't involve yelling or swearing. School's not over, and that kind of behavior will get you into trouble.

Wasn't it Yogi Berra who said, “It ain't over till it's over”? Well, it ain't over. Yet.

So, that's what it takes

The quietest my students have been all year. Something actually held their attention. a video about teen crime. They were quiet (mostly), attentive (mostly), and engaged. Wish I'd known to whip this out months ago. Should have known they were waiting for me to introduce some role models.
Yes, I'm being sarcastic. It's a reflexive act these days, to preserve my sanity.

Confessions

Okay, I admit it. I'm a failure as an educator. It must be true, after all, the experts are telling me so: my students (who can't hear any instructions over the sound of their own conversation), their parents (who haven't tried to teach anything since potty training- maybe), my assistant principal (who has been out of the classroom long enough that she won't cross the threshold of my room). These are the experts, aren't they?

Bless me, for I have sinned. Let me count the ways:

I followed through on everything I said. At least, when not undermined by the powers that be.

I kept homework to a minimum. I gave you time to work on it in class. Terrible of me.

I created opportunities to work in groups. The nerve.

I offered projects with choices. So sorry.

I gave clear directions for assignments, and even put them on the board for the benefit of those who wouldn't hear what I said. Gosh, what was I thinking?

I set clear expectations, and held you to them. I had no right to do that.

I kept up with grades, to the best of my ability. It's a lot of work. I should have done something else.

I was honest with you. I never lied to you, not about your work or your behavior. I guess that was rude?

I enforced the rules of the school and the district. That's right, I didn't make up any of that shit.

I took all the abuse you dished out, even the second and third helpings. Thank you.

I never retaliated for childish things you said and did, even when I dearly wanted to.

I listened to you cussing and bit my tongue.

I looked at your work, gave it back to you for improvement, and checked it again.

I provided study guides for every test. Sorry about that.

I asked you to reflect on your progress and your studying. I should have done it for you, I guess.

When you didn't turn in your work, I allowed additional time to turn it in. What was I thinking?

When you still didn't turn in the work, I offered the chance to work on it after school. I shouldn't have.

When you plagiarized your work, I didn't record a grade of zero. How dare I?

When you came the day before grades were due, asking about getting your work in, I accepted it.

When you brought in missing work the day after grades were posted, I made the corrections.

When you tried to get out of class, I didn't let you. Who gave me that right?

When you lied to another teacher to get out of class, I sent you back. I should have let you lie.

I watched you talking rudely to your parents.

I watched you talking rudely to your classmates.

I watched you talking rudely to your teachers.

I stayed up late working on lessons and activities. My bad.

I stayed up late looking for new ideas. Definitely a screw up.

I stayed up late grading your papers. Huge mistake.

I listened to you insulting all of your teachers. I apologize.

I listened to your parents insulting all of your teachers. I apologize again.

I kept your parents informed about your progress. I should have let you take care of that.

I talked to you about changing your habit of not studying for tests. I was out of line.

When you picked a fight, I tried to keep your classmates out of harm's way. I shouldn't have done that.

When you were suspended, I dug up your work that you would miss so that you could still get credit.

When you were on academic probation, I gave you the assignments that were missing. Multiple times, even after you told me off, told the other teachers off, told the principal off, I still brought it to you.

I tried to be the authority figure in the room. I should have been your friend instead of your teacher. I should have given you everything you demanded, instead of setting limits and boundaries.

I guess you're right. I have no business in the classroom. After all, you are the expert, aren't you?

Feeling like a kid,

wishing for the end of the school year. So I can hopefully move on to someplace where they believe in supporting the faculty, instead of leaving teachers to face unruly students with no backup.
a student who's been referred twice has had no consequences. Another student who was late to class says he won't be serving his detention and was demanding to see an administrator. He walked out of the room without permision and I reported it to the office. Did anyone follow up? Of course not. That's ok. I'm keeping notes for the day when this inofrmation is needed. Probably soon, from the looks of things. It's sad that our kids think they've got it right and the rest of us old farts are wrong. It will be even sadder when they start their first job with this mindset.

So, what kind of relationship should this be?

I keep hearing about 'relationships' between students and teachers that turn into criminal cases. My students have made it abundantly clear they want no part of me, and that's okay. Friendship is not why I'm here. however, lately I dread goinf to work because of how hard it is to just get the job done. Lessons are prepared, materials are ready, and provided, and there is no equal consideration from students. Try to enforce some expectations, and it becomes a major issue. try to get some help, and end up twisting in the wind.

I'm tired of being the odd man out, and also tired of walking around with a target on my back. Between students who threaten to harm a teacher and those who actually try it, with absolutely no consequences, it's become impossible to give the simplest of directions with any expectation of follow-through on their part. I've tried to point out that when a student is out of control, and we request intervention, it creates a dangerous scene to be ignored. What happens if that student who needs an intervention turns physically aggressive? They already know help isn't coming, and they've figured out that they can get away with anything they want. Parents freely refuse to allow teacher discipline like detention and isolation on team. Mind you, these are steps in the school discipline plan, not stuff we pull out of thin air. Any wonder they also believe they can interfere with administrative action? So, after a couple of positively miserable and crazy weeks dealing with behavior in the absence of support from either parents or administrators, culminating in a student attempting to knock me over, I finally wrote a letter laying out my concerns. It's not something that was fun, or easy, to do, but after the doorway incident, it was time to document the problems. Sooner or later, one of us is going to be injured by a child, and there's no way TPTB should be able to say they didn't know there was a problem.

Well, at least there was a response. It took the form of an invitation to meet with the boss and discuss the issues, with assurance that we can find “solutions”. So, today, I got an earful about how if I just had a better 'relationship' with the students, it wouldn't be so difficult. The most specific advice to come out of it was 'there are things you can do' differently, but no examples were offered in spite of requests for such. We need to be more positive, more encouraging, get to know the kids and let them know us. I'm not sure why that excuses not following directions and completing assignments. I do know how much they roll their eyes anytime I mention a personal experience or connection to our curriculum topics. Is it any wonder one would withdraw from that and stop offering those personal tidbits? I'm also not convinced it absolves them of responsibility for cursing each other and us, nor for assault. But, apparently, if I can just be sufficiently warm and fuzzy, all will be well. So, I'll put on a smile and give it the old college try. We'll see how it turns out. However, it rankles that this is painted as being entirely on me as both cause and solution.

Here's what I'd like to know

How, exactly, is all of this nonsense enforced? Why can't all of us do something like this to ensure work completion, civilized behavior, and general responsibility? I've yet to teach in a school that can actually require kids to complete homework, much less keep their hands to themselves or take proper care of schoolbooks. 
And, if flaming hot chips are addictive, sign me up, for heaven's sake. I could maybe enjoy a legal buzz.

BTW, where's the research showing that this approach is effective? Double-blind and all that.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/chicago-high-school-makes-190000-student-fines-bad/story?id=15758891#.T0QLTvXX_3A

Knew it would happen eventually

Yesterday we dismissed early for parent conferences. Kids were rowdy, and occasionally downright rude. At dismissal, I opened the door, and was nearly knocked down by one child who had been particularly vocal and aggressive. It was only a matter of time, the way things have been going, and there's sure to be more of the same if changes aren't made.

supporting the home language

Or, as some phrase it, "heritage languages".
I've seen way too many instances of kids who were afraid to speak in school because of a clear message from teachers or administrators that their language was not welcome. I even had someone in my school's office (teasing, I hope. I chose to take it that way.) say that I shouldn't be speaking Spanish with a parent in front of others. I just smiled and told her I'd set the ACLU on her...
Here's a nice rundown for encouraging parents to use the family/native/heritage language at home with the kids. http://blog.languagelizard.com/2012/01/11/supporting-bilingualism-4-reasons-parents-should-speak-heritage-languages-at-home/

ever have one of those days?

Wow, you can really tell that the full moon is nearly upon us. Paper flying everywhere, noise level beyond reason, sore throat from trying to be heard, and the most ridiculous of demands.
My apology to a parent was sent to the boss, labeled as 'sarcastic'. Guess there's no point trying to keep folks informed.
In the middle of all this, I have a set of graded tests that need to be recorded in the online gradebook, and never got to them... tomorrow's another day, I guess.

Grading policies, part 1

Many years ago, when I averaged grades for progress reports, (we did it manually back then. At least i had the benefit of a calculator.) I realized that one of my middle school students had a very low average. I think it was a 17. He had turned in almost no work, and all I had to work with were two papers. I think one was classwork and the other was a quiz. Poor dear, this was my first encounter with the I-don't-give-a-shit attitude. I went right to my principal and asked for feedback. She asked only one question: Has the student had the opportunity to succeed?(her emphasis, not mine) Well, of course he'd had the opportunity; he hadn't missed a day of school, he'd had the same opportunity as his classmates. More, actually, since he was repeating the grade. So he was getting a SECOND opportunity to show what he was learning. But, he refused to lift a finger. I was confused by the principal's question, until she followed up with a barely veiled directive to record a grade no lower than, I think, 60.
I was stunned. Literally could not form words. Here was a kid not doing a thing for himself, and I should had him a grade. That bothered me. It bothered me even more when I sat down to finish progress reports, and saw that some of my struggling students had done their bery best and were earning.... (wait for it)....
63. or less. This seemed to me a slap in the face of students who had actually done something for themselves, were at least making an effort, and here was their 'reward'. Almost the same grade they could get by doing aboslutely nothing.
Well, here we are, many years later, and a school district in the southern part of this state has codified a grading policy (now they describe it as a proposal, but that's not what a lot of their teachers and parents understood last week) that requires students not receive zeros, and failed tests must be re-taken. So, I don't have to do the work till I'm damn well good and ready, and I don't have to study for the test until I've seen what's on it, then go home and study for the 'retake'. The newspaper item is below, followed by  many, many comments. Read 'em all. It ain't pretty. Also a couple of news links from the community in question:
http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/02/03/no-zeros-in-school-any-longer-but-arent-there-well-deserved-zeros/
http://valdostadailytimes.com/local/x2009900343/School-system-grades-policy-gets-national-exposure
http://valdostadailytimes.com/opinion/x1669710198/School-policy-fails-expectations

Am I being overly sensitive?

After being out for one day, I returned to my classroom to find it's been completely rearranged by the substitute, who also did not give my quiz. This was apparently sanctioned by the powers that be. I'm confused. Who gets to decide seating in my classroom, and why bother leaving assignments if they are considered optional? What the hell?

Update: apparently the written assignment (current in my curriculum, per the district map) was also treated as optional. Now I'm really confused. What is the purpose of spending time preparing assignments if they can be ignored?And don't let me get started on how the kids are behaving about this. I feel completely stomped on right now.

It's like a murder investigation on TV. Follow the money. Who benefits most from the crime?

http://www.educationnews.org/education-policy-and-politics/millions-of-dollars-made-from-teacher-evaluation-programs/

teacher "autonomy"

http://blog.masteryconnect.com/?p=330

So, where does this "autonomy" exist? I haven't seen the like in several years. And with parent trigger laws corpping up all over, there will soon be no autonomy. Getting an education will be more like ordering fast food. You know where that's gotten us.

Way to go, Matt Damon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFHJkvEwyhk.

Love it he pulls no punches and tells the 'journalists' exactly what he thinks. Didn't accomplish much, unfortunately