Teaching

[DeltaBetaAGD]

Originally posted by trojangal


Cons: 45 minute drive every day back and forth, they won't k now until late this week early next week,


Advice, please!

WOW! I can totally see your dilema. I have been teaching for about 5 years now and drive over an hour each way in LA traffic. I could deal with a lot of cons rather than having the traffic. Teaching all day, working in your classroom after school and then sitting in traffic is miserable. In addition, being 45 minutes from home is never good in time of a family emergency, etc.

BUT if you feel as though choice #2 is better fit for you and worth the drive then take the chance! It is cutting it close to the new school year...I am sure you begin before we do!

Good luck!!! It will all work out for the best...

[JenMarie]

Originally posted by BirthaBlue4
Well, it would help if you've worked on the yearbook staff before. Otherwise, knowledge about publishing, publishing software (we used Adobe PageMaker) and photography, layout, etc.

I was an editor in high school. And I've got the design, printing and publishing thing down.

But I do remember that my yearbook teacher was also my English teacher... so maybe Carolina has a point.

[BirthaBlue4]

Originally posted by JenMarie
But I do remember that my yearbook teacher was also my English teacher... so maybe Carolina has a point.

Oh yeah...he sure was LOL. I forgot.

[DolphinChicaDDD]

Big fat bump


So, I'm having an issue with my kids. I'm 99% sure one of them gems stole my test book (ya know, the tests that come with the textbook so the teacher doesn't have to make one up). I wasn't planning on using them anyway, execpt for maybe to take a few questions. But I've very dissapointed and upset and furious at the same time that a 7th grader would steal the test book the less than 5 min they were unsupervisied by me (during the change of classes when I have to stand outside in the hall is the only time I'm not in the room with them or the door isn't locked).

I think whats bothering me as well, is I'm only 99% sure. There are doubles of every other book (ie, lab exercises, overheads, review pages, etc) except for that one. And I'm pretty sure that I was gonna throw the old one out this summer cause I got a brand new one but I kept the old one for some reason.

What makes me think one class did it, though, is that 2 classes I made the announcement to were visiably upset and reacted to the statement. One class stared blankly at me and didn't bat an eye or have anything to say. So that just seems odd.

Anyone else have things go missing? How did you get them back? Anyone ever hear of a class not having a reaction before?

I talked to my mentor and some other teachers at lunch about it, but I just figured I post here to see what some other thoughts are. I get to sit down with my VP tomorrow and discuss it.

[trojangal]

Bummer situation...I've had stuff taken out of my classroom before as well, but usually managed to recover it.

At my school, we used what was called the Truth Log. We handed it out, when there was an incident, and we asked the students to write on the Truth log what they saw/heard/did. The nice thing about this is it's done anonymously...they don't put their names on it, and you usually find out the truth about what happened. Most of the time you'll have those few students who know what was going on tell you about it anonymously.

Second---you can discuss with your students the issue of ownership. Ask them how they would feel if you went to their locker or took something out of their bookbag. How would they feel? What would they expect you to do? Then explain that those books cost the school a lot of money---and that the person who took it, if they don't return it, would have to pay for a new TE, which can cost well over $100.

Third, let them know that taking the book for the answers is cheating and academic dishonesty. Tell them what the consequences are in your school for that---by reading the penalty out of the school handbook.

Good luck, and hope this helps.

[wrigley]

Could you give an assignment where the kids get to make up their own test questions for the next test? If the questions turned in by any student look like the test questions could be from a book, he or she could tell you who has it.

You have the newer edition. Was there much of a difference between the stolen book and the book you have?

[OUlioness01]

Originally posted by JenMarie
I have a question:

What kind of credential do you need to teach yearbook? One of the school districts here had a job opening and I've thought off and on about maybe teaching yearbook (or graphic design) to high school students. Is there just a general subject credential or would art be more appropriate?

yearbook is usually taught by someone certified in english (journalism). you still need to have a teaching license.

[KATwoman]

Hello teachers,
I have just started giving English classes at a Spanish elementary school. I'm with children from 2 years old to sixth graders. The most difficult age for me is the 1st and 2nd grade.

First, I find it very difficult to maintain discipline in the classroom. What do you all do to call attention and keep everyone on task?

Second, in one class I have a seven year old who doen't want to listen, do work, or anything. I think he is capable, I have tried giving him a special leadership roll in order for him to give him some positive attention but it wasn't effective. I need some intermediate steps between "Okay, time to pay attention" and "Go to see the director!!"

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[alphaxikt]

Buy the book "How to Be an Effective Teacher: The First Days of School" by Harry Wong and Rosemary Wong. It's amazing - it was a required text for summer semester in my Masters in Teaching program, and several teachers at the middle school where I am student teaching swear by Harry. It's pretty much like the bible of classroom management, and it is definitely applicable to any age of students (although I think it is probably best for elementary/middle school ages). Plus, the book is very readable, clearly divided into sections, and fairly cheap (only ~$20 at Barnes and Noble or Borders).

Harry has a pretty wholistic style of classroom management strategies, and lots of ways to create a classroom environment that prevents a lot of "discipline" problems before they start. For example, instead of setting "rules" and punishing students who break them, teach students classroom procedures.

A related Harry-ism "A rule is a DARE to be broken whereas a procedure is not. A procedure is a DO, a step to be learned."

Good luck!

[DolphinChicaDDD]

I bought Harry Wong's book as well. Overall, I enjoyed it and have implemented many of his ideas in my class. Since you are dealing with the 1st and 2nd graders, I think the book would be excellent for you. I haven't been able to use all of the ideas because I just didn't think they would work in 7/8th grade.

Even with my 7/8th grade, I bought a bike bell that has the most annoying pitch to it. So if it gets too loud, I ring the bell. Everyone shudders and stops what they are doing immediatly.

[ZTAMich]

The First 6 Weeks of School
and The Morning Meeting Book 2 excellent books in a series of 4 that have really helped at our school. I have even modified some of the suggestions to fit my Pre-K classroom. Other teachers in higher up grades have found the MM is a great way to form a classroom community.

[UofISigKap]

Wow! We all do such similar things. I have the bell also, and it's loud and obnoxious. Kids go silent pretty quickly. I also own the First 100 Days of school. Some of my friends used the First 6 Weeks. Both are great resources and offer ideas that are simple to implement.

This is my fourth year teaching. Finally things are starting to seem more seemless, and I can do more challenging things and offer variety to the levels. It didn't help that I switched grades after my second year. Last year was like starting all over again from scratch. Granted it was only a switch from third to fourth grade, but still. A move is still a move to a whole new set of plans/tests/lessons...

My motto this year is "if I can have someone else do it...(ie: parents, students) then it's less for me to do." I have freed up a ton of time for myself this way and everyone else feels more involved. I even have my students write the articles for our bi-weekly newsletter. They write, I type, and we're done! Time for yourself is key to keeping yourself from going INSANE!!

[TriDeltaGal]

Originally posted by alphaxikt
Buy the book "How to Be an Effective Teacher: The First Days of School" by Harry Wong and Rosemary Wong.

Ahh! I LOVE this book! My mom is a teacher and this was one of the first things she bought me when I got into my teaching credential programs; I definitely plan to implement some of his strategies in my own classroom.

[alphaxikt]

Originally posted by TriDeltaGal
Ahh! I LOVE this book! My mom is a teacher and this was one of the first things she bought me when I got into my teaching credential programs; I definitely plan to implement some of his strategies in my own classroom.

Yeah, have you seen the Harry Wong motivational videos? They're hilarious... He's a very animated man. Some of the people in my grad program had an unofficial party to watch them - our professors think we are nuts...

[KATwoman]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. It will take me a while to get the books but in the meantime I looked at some of Wong's articles I found on the internet and have planned tomorrow's procedures and activities so that my students know what they need to be doing at any given moment. I'm still not sure what to do if my seven year old student continues rebelling in spite of the procedures. But I do feel more relaxed about tomorrow knowing I'm going to get my students ready to start learning.

KATwoman