Retaught

I was really impressed with my students this week. The vast majority of them saw their individual data and then worked hard to master the objectives they had struggled with. I had several students who had mastered the objectives act as teachers or coaches to guide students through practice questions. By Friday, students were able to answer practice questions correctly and explain their answers in a logical way. I also realized the potential for using kids as teachers to develop confidence, leadership skills and investment--but also the coaching that they will need to do so effectively. I saw students getting frustrated when other students weren't listening to them or get overly bossy...I know they will be able to do it, especially because they like the role of teacher so much, but they will need some guidance.

We will see how well this really worked when they retake on Monday...

Reteach?

I am spending the evening with excel...entering assessment data. It is clear that objectives will need to be retaught. Luckily, I have planned each of these POs to be taught at least 2 times during the year...but this data is not pretty. Where I was hoping for us to push the few percentages over the 80% goal, we dropped considerably. It makes sense...expository text is often more difficult for students. However, I am disappointed in myself and my ability to invest my students in working hard to really grasp the material. I am proud that I am assessing and tracking and that I have data to KNOW where I have gone wrong so that I can go back and figure it out. I WILL figure it out. These kids WILL master these objectives...

I think we can, I think we can....

Today I am assessing expository texts. It is a beast of an assessment--I am assessing 5 performance objectives. I believe that my students are more invested in actually working hard on this assessment, and they know what that means. We have drilled and drilled reading carefully and completely. I am hopeful that they will improve their class averages from the last assessment. From how they have done on daily work, I believe they understand these concepts....think happy thoughts....

Oh, and I bought SMARTIES candy for each of them to remind them how smart they are. Hopefully they will be smart enough to realize that if they throw any candy or wrappers that they won't ever get candy again....


I'll update soon!

I lost one of my favorite students today. Mom said they are moving but they don't know where to. There was a look of fear in her face as she said this. She told me her daughter said she didn't want to leave. Right now, I feel like this is an opportunity lost. How long will it take her next teacher to see what a light she is? To see how hard she works, but also to realize how much help she needs to be brought up to grade level...to have the opportunities that she deserves? I realize now how much I have connected with so many of my students this year. Even as some push and push and push...I love and appreciate them. I believe that I am doing right by them.

Another student just didn't come back today and the other kids said she moved. This breaks my heart. The lives of my students are increasingly uncertain as the economy goes south. Some families may be making rent, but if their landlord can't pay the mortgage, what happens?

It is hard. It is real.

Possibility can be tiring

First question: does the new color hurt anyone's eyes? I like it and it seems very "Phoenix" to me, but I don't want to cause any headaches. Speaking of which, I passed out a handout printed on yellow paper last week (not on purpose, it was left in the copier) and one of my students told me that it gave her a headache. I think maybe she just didn't want to do the assignment...but I gave her the original that was on non-headache inducing paper. I think she was a little disappointed. I digress.

Right now I am weighing my desire to post with my desire to sleep. I'll compromise and post briefly. I want to share some of what is tiring me out.

The year is still going well. I am having a wonderful time with my kiddos. This year I am able to focus on my instruction a lot more because behavior is so much more under control. I have been thinking about my instruction a lot and how it is doing a lot of things that I want it to do. My students are, as a whole, mastering the knowledge and skills I am teaching them. Yay! I have identified where some of the gaps are and am working collaboratively with the reading specialist to fill in those gaps. I am working to get parent volunteers to help me pull off the intensive reading intervention that needs to happen for my struggling readers. These things are going well. I want to restate how AMAZING it is to have my classroom be a positive place for my kids and myself to be every day. I am happy to go to work every day. I respect my kids and genuinely enjoy them and they know this.

Yesterday and today I was privileged to attend Understanding by Design training. This is training on strategic backwards planning to increase student engagement and achievement. This is the model that TFA uses to train us--this is the way that I generally understand planning. However, the training the past two days pushed me in two main ways:
a) I realized that I AM backwards planning--planning with the end in mind. I identify standards that go together, figure out the knowledge and skills involved in the standards, create an assessment that measures the knowledge and skills and then plan from there. This is good. However, this is only the basic level. I am not actually pushing my students to higher levels of thinking--I am not actually backwards planning for higher levels of understanding. I am focusing on the level that is required by the standardized tests and then hoping that higher level thinking happens along the way. My assessments are NOT multiple and they are NOT varied and they assess knowledge and skills but NOT greater understanding.

Hmmmm....what does this MEAN?

This means that I am on the right track. I have a firm understanding of all the processes involved here. I have identified what is missing. I have the resources to begin to bring higher level thinking goals into my units. This will not happen overnight, but the important thing is that I am moving in the right direction.

now, for the second way the training pushed me
b) I am part of the Understanding by Design Leadership Cadre for my district. This is new. 15 people are being trained in UbD throughout the year and at the same time using the planning framework to plan how UbD will be implemented in the district. It is EXCITING to think of being part of an initiative that is being thought through and will be implemented strategically and that I actually believe will impact student achievement. It is also OVERWHELMING to think about all of the challenges to implementing it successfully. Instead of criticizing how my district doesn't implement anything consistenly, efficiently or effectively, I am stepping over to the other side and challenging myself to actually put my money where my mouth is (so to speak). Wow. This is scary. And exciting, especially given that in this cadre I am amoungst a group of passionate, effective and SMART teachers. We care about our district, schools, teachers and especially students. Its feels risky to think and believe that what we are doing might actually change things for our kids in a significant way. I have an understanding of my ability to change things for my kids within my classroom, but being part of change on a district level feels way different.

Being pushed in this way the past two days has been tiring, especially since I've been going back to school afterwards and have stayed til 7pm both days. You would think having someone else teach your class would mean less work. It doesn't! Its LOTS more. I also missed being with my kids. I was very pleased that they generally behaved well for the sub and that she would be happy to sub for me again. This means that I have trained them at least reasonably well :)

On that note, I'm going to sleep.

Two Words: Second Year

Yes. The second year of teaching has commenced. We are one progress report (five weeks in real people time) into the school year. I am continuing to enjoy a honeymoon period with my students, and also enjoying very much knowing what I am doing much more than last year. Now, that is not to say I am an expert, but this time around I am calm as I bumble my way through things. We started reading Bud, Not Buddy today and the kids seem to be really enjoying it. Even more exciting, I have a clear unit plan and know exactly which objectives I will teach with this book and how I will assess them! (that may not be as exciting to the non-teacher nerds who are reading).

My students are wonderful. I encourage everyone to come and visit my classroom and see how delightful they are. If anyone wants to send me used books or $ for my classroom library, as always I welcome it.

Personally, I am enjoying having a little more balance in my life...which is not to say that I didn't spend 12 hours at school today...but I am bringing much less work home and I am feeling purpose in the work that I am doing. I am spending time doing the outdoor things that I love.

On that note, I am off to the gym. My roomie and I are training for a half marathon at the end of October.

SOrry for the scattered nature of this post--my brain is a little shot my the end of the day!

Back to Life, Back to Reality...

I leave Eugene headed south today. I am supposed to be packing and getting my car ready right now. I better hurry with this post before Dad catches me! I will stay with my counsin, Joe and his wife Karen in San Jose tonight and then all the way to Phoenix tomorrow. When I get back I'll be moving apartments, moving classrooms and getting some planning in place before I start teaching in just two weeks! It'll be a busy two weeks but I anticipate a (hot) and happy return. A couple of friends are there already and the rest will be trickling in over the next week before our (mandatory) teach for america training next Saturday.

I am happy to report that I achieved my summer "big goal" of visiting 8 breweries while in Oregon this summer--the 8th occuring just yesterday. I also went to an Organic Brewers Festival in Portland. Success!