Alfred Semester 2 Blog 5

Poverty has had an effect on my life. I went form a rich kid to one who ate a lot of squirrel when my mother remarried. I've used poverty as a motivator in my life. I don't want squirrel stew any more!

In my classroom I've seen kids think that they cannot escape poverty and that being poor makes them dumb. While there are some indicators that lower socio-economic status hinders growth, students has so many tools that students can use to gain a college or quality trade school post K-12 education. If a student can get free or reduced lunch they can get a grant. Junior Colleges are cheap but effective means of obtaining and quality education. Being a minority is a path to many scholarships as well

I often show student show goingt o a JC and then ASU they can make money going to college, if they live at home. Students do not need a Harvard degree to be successful. They just need the best education for their jobs. A UTI mechanic is going to make more than the monkey at Jiffy Lube!

Alfred Semester 2 Blog 4

I use assessments in different ways. At the beginning of the year I wrote large summative assessments. I've had to learn to use more, smaller, informal assessments to drive my instruction. I've learned if I wait until the end of the until to find out the students are learning, I am failing them. I don't know if they are learning.

I enjoying holding conversations with the students as they work on individual or group projects. A smile or nod is often enough to see if a student is grasping concepts. I also use plickers (plickers.com) for quick assessments as well.

Assessment is very important in K-12 education. It assures that teachers can modify and adjust their lessons to assure that students are working toward mastery. Teachers need to use a variety of assessment types--informal and formal to reach that mastery.

Alfred Semester 2 Blog 3

I have seen staff here at my school act very unprofessionally. I've had a teacher sexually harass multiple other teachers and students. It took months to get him removed. He also belittled students and slept during his periods.

I joke with my students and bring in modern slang and idioms into instruction. I know its easy to fall over the line and become "cool". I need to remember that I am the teacher. I often remember the Spanish word for teacher is Maestro or master. I need to lead and not be part of the pack.

Besides his behavior I am appalled at the lack of concern by administration and district HR. I was a manager for 20 years before I became a teacher. The lack of professionalism at the admin level is driving my decision to leave the district and find work elsewhere.

Alfred Semester 2 Blog 2

I was a victim of bullying as a young child. I was always big so I was not physically picked on by I was emotionally abused by other children. The kids used to call me "Jon, Jon the Leprechaun, went to school with nothing on." Looking back it seems silly but I used to get so angry I would cry and chase kids to said the limerick. Others joined in on the bullying due to my reaction. My mother gave me advice to ignore them and they would start picking on someone else. The next day I went to school but they continued to pick on me. I did not react but it hurt. I went home and screamed at her that it didn't work and they still were mean to me. She consoled me and said it would pass. It eventually did. The kids moved on to another target.

That always affected me so I hated bullies as I go older. I tended to beat up the bullies when they picked on others. I was big so it was easy for me. When I was 16 I moved to Utah and within a week I was suspended for knocking out two seniors who were picking on a severe SPED student. I don't like bullies....

As a teacher I have ending bullying in my grade. I go out to the lunch yard and watch the kids interactions, I prowl the halls during passing period and at the end of the day and stop bullying when I see it. The students, not just my eighth graders, see me as a safe place and come to me when they are being bullied. I then forward it to admin as needed. Many times, all it takes is a quiet word to the bully and it stops. My grade last year had many suspensions for physical and cyber bullying. There's only been one fight this year.

Alfred Semester 2 Blog post 1

What are my goals for this semester:

I have three goals for this semester. The first is to use and encourage the use of academic language in my classroom. The second is to create more active work for my students and third is to gain a better understanding of SPED paperwork.

I am receiving help from this from the cadre meetings and the master teacher at my school. Weblinks and links to resources on these goals would be appreciated.