More Field Trip...

Losing Eth was really horrible… but then, to top it off, when we got back to class, Ra and Mik were sitting next to each other and Ra asked Mik to use his hand sanitizer and he said no, just a minute after I’d used some. The following conversation ensued…

Ra: Why won’t you let me use your hand sanitizer? You let Ms. G use it!
Mik: She’s the teacher.
Ra: She’s a BAD teacher.
Ms. G (me): Really? Ra you think I’m a bad teacher?
Ra: No, I guess you’re not a bad teacher, you’re just really boring when you talk.

I didn’t know what to say to that. I said, “I’m sorry you feel that way” but after such a challenging time on the field trip, it was really not what I needed to hear. Boring?!?! The last thing I want to be is boring!!! I don’t care if kids think I’m mean or tough or strict, but BORING!?! That’s the worst. There is nothing worse than a boring teacher. I really hope I am not one, but we talk a lot in class about listening to children – and perhaps I do need to spice it up a bit. I really don’t think I’m boring, I feel like I put on a total dog and pony show every time I am in front of them for anything - I try to put so much effort and excitement into my lessons! But if she really thinks that I'm boring, that’s a problem. Then again, knowing Ra, she does sometimes just say things to push people’s buttons.

There were some good parts of the day too, it wasn’t all bad. Els and Bra got in a fight, or rather, a misunderstanding, and I brought both of them over to the side together and asked for both sides of the story and they talked it out and apologized and shook hands. (Els had been frustrated that no one was listening to her when she was trying to talk, so she stamped on Bra's foot and walked away. We talked about better ways she could have dealt with her frustration and she apologized.) I felt like I did a good job mediating their little conflict. I also got to talk to Mik, who I’m doing my Child Study on, and I felt like I got to know him better after spending time with him outside of the classroom.

I am trying to find the good with the bad!

M School's Fourth Grade Class

Just wanted to share this great picture from our not so great field trip yesterday. :)

Field Trips Are Not Fun.

I remember thinking field trips were awesome when I was in elementary school. Guess what? They are not. They are horrible, traumatic, nerve-wracking experiences where you take 21 little kids out into the world and expect them to all stay together and be nice to each other and learn new things and have a good time.

I cannot even write about how awful today was. I mentioned last night that I had Dem and Eth in my group - Eth got lost. Of course. He is in la-la-land in class most of the time anyways... always in his own little world and very easily distracted. He turned a corner and wandered out of the exhibit - ("Do not leave the Pirate exhibit!!!" we told them at least 12 times) and ended up several exhibits further down the hall, where he was found 45 minutes later. After we'd alerted all museum security and done a full building lockdown. (And after I'd nearly had a heart attack)

When you are in charge of someone elses child who disappears in front of your eyes, a half hour is eternity. It was my fault, I should have been watching him more closely, but I seriously turned around for a minute to help Bra and Ken and when I looked back he was gone.

There were some good parts, and I'll write about those later, but right now I just can't even begin to talk about it.

Good Day

Today I got to lead part of a science lesson on erosion - it went really well! Everyone got into small groups, and Mrs. C and I handed out big color photos like this one to each group. The group had to compile a list of hypotheses of how the land features in the picture came to be - what caused them. The pictures were all really cool, and the kids had fun discussing them and sharing their ideas.

After each group had a chance with the pictures, we came back together as a big group and I led everyone in a discussion about the pictures. There were some great ideas - and some silly ones too - but overall I felt like it was really good. The kids were so surprised to see what ice and water and wind can do to the land. I was happy that they were so engaged and interested in what we were talking about - and I did my best to relate it back to things that are familiar to them. They may not have ever been to Glacier National Park and see the rock formations there, but they have seen that water freezing causes cracks in cement - we talked about how sidewalks and steps get worn away by freezing and how people drain pools and fountains in the winter to keep them from cracking.

Tomorrow is our field trip to The Franklin. :) We'll see how that goes. My group is Dem, Eth, Bra, and Ken... two boys, two girls. Dem and Eth are our two most off-task boys in the class, but they're also two of my favorites. And Bra and Ken are good friends and usually quiet and well behaved. Dem's dad is my co-leader, and I'm glad he's coming. Dem is just crazy about his dad, he talks about him all the time, and I know he'll be really happy having him along.

We're going especially to see the pirate exhibit... yarrrrrrr.

What's at Play in Recess Today

(Catchy title, I know. Thanks.)

So, I've been pondering the issue of recess. There was this article in the Post a few weeks ago: The Recess Regimen - District Schools Seek to Bring Order to Play Periods with Help of NonProfit
Really, do we need to "bring order" to play periods? Can't kids have ANY free time in their day anymore? My initial reaction to this is to feel a little disgusted - but maybe teaching kids to play in healthy active ways is an important component that elementary schools are missing. Kids really do spend too much time in front of the TV, the computer, etc. Maybe this will help them want to get outside more. And if the kids are enjoying this instructed play, then thats awesome - I'd like to see it in action.

And then I saw this in the Penn GSE weekly update: "HELP PROMOTE RECESS FITNESS AT A WEST PHILLY SCHOOL!
Join students, volunteers, and work study students in promoting interactive play and fitness during recess (11:00-1:00p.m.)" So I guess it's not just DC.

Is it really to the point that kids need to be instructed how to "play" at recess? Have the nation's children forgotten what to do with basketball hoops and rubber balls and tetherball courts? Do we really need to teach them four square and hopscotch and double dutch? Apparently we do. Thank you, Xbox.

On a totally different note (but still recess-related) I think that recess is crucial for kids. When I was in elementary school, we got 15 minutes of recess in the morning, around 10am, and then we got another 30 minutes of recess after our 20 minute lunch every afternoon. Plenty of time to run around, get our "wiggles" out, and so forth.

At M School, recess is all of 20 minutes each day, immediately before or after lunch, depending on your class schedule. They also get 1 hour of gym class each week. In my opinion, this is not enough playtime.

Often, Mrs. C keeps kids in for recess for misbehavior, or to finish their classwork or to do homework that they "forgot" to do the night before. As you can imagine, there are several kids who stay in over and over and over again. And, as you can also imagine, the kids that are kept in are the kids who MOST need to go and get some fresh air and exercise so that they can focus for the rest of the afternoon. I have noticed a marked differences in De's behavior if he is able to get out and RUN during recess - he comes back in after lunch much calmer and settles down to his afternoon work. When he is kept in, he is usually in a bad mood and extremely wiggly all afternoon - but honestly, who wouldnt be?

I don't think I agree with kids losing recess as a form of punishment, but when you only have so many hours in a day, and when kids dont do their homework, as a teacher, what else are you supposed to do? When else can you give detention? After school? I doubt many parents would be ok with that.

DC Teachers Left Behind

This is incredibly frustrating, but who can say they didn't see it coming? Contract negotiations between Michelle Rhee and the DC Teachers Union have been going on for 11 months now, and I'm proud of her for not backing down from doing what she thinks is right.

She's still going to get rid of the inept and incompetant teachers - but its really too bad for all the amazing, dedicated teachers in the District. They're not going to see those bonuses and pay raises that they so deserve. I'm angry for them, and I don't even work here yet! Here's this morning's article by Bill Turque of the Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/10/02/ST2008100201704.html

I was a little encouraged by the optimism in this op-ed in the Post, and wanted to include it as well. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100203463.html

Secretary Spellings Speaks at Harvard

Full text can be read here... http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/10/10012008.html


I thought this part was particularly important. Whether you like or dislike Spellings, the lack of public-school-educated, college-ready, low-income high school students is evidence of one of our countries most significant inequalities.

"Let me quote my friend, Harvard grad Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of Washington, D.C. Schools. She says that, "To respond… with anything but radical change … is an insult to the dignity, potential and creativity of our children."

Instead of blaming our kids, we need to start serving their needs—even if that makes a few grown-ups uncomfortable. Reform is never easy. And it's never finished.

That's why we need the support of the higher education community. You have major skin in this game. You pick up where K-12 schools leave off, paying the price with remedial coursework and lost opportunities.

Over the past three decades, our federal investment in higher education tripled. Yet college enrollment and attainment is virtually flat. In 1975, America was number one in college completion rates. In 2005, we were number 10.

Let me give you a more personal example. Last year, I sent back to the U.S. Treasury more than 500 million dollars in unused academic grants for low-income college students. Why? Because not enough had been offered or taken rigorous coursework in high school—coursework essential for college admission and success."

KIPP (sigh)

I went to an open house at KIPP Philadelphia tonight. Sigh. I love it.

KIPP is SO in line with my personal education philosophy and my goals for my own teaching. I want to teach like that, I want to inspire like that, I want to get results like that. They are doing AMAZING things with kids at ALL achievement levels, and there is such a family attitude among the teachers. They all care so much about making sure that none of their kids are failing.

KIPP is amazing. There's no doubt in my mind that it would be an incredible place to work, and I feel like I am cut out to be a KIPP teacher. I totally buy into their whole system.

I do, however, have a few concerns. Mainly...

1.) What about the kids who don't have parents that are proactive enough to put them in a program like KIPP? Or kids who don't win the KIPP lottery? There's a waitlist as long as my arm to get in there. What about the kids who are just getting by on their own in public school - there are a LOT of them. What about those kids?

2.) Most KIPP schools are currently running on a 5-8 model. They encourage every kid to see college in his or her future. I LOVE that. But, what happens when they leave KIPP? What about grades 9-12? And then, even if they do make it to college, I know from my work with Georgetown's Institute for College Preparation that getting in is just the beginning of the challenge. There need to be support structures all the way through for this to work, and I don't know that KIPP is all the way there.

3.) Is teaching for KIPP selling out? I am passionate about the importance of public school - its supposed to be the "great equalizer" and at this point, its not. I want to fight and work to make it better. I don't think abandoning ship is a good solution.

I suppose these are all things I'll continue to think about as I plan. I want to go back and visit KIPP again - I want to learn all that I can from what they are doing there (even if I am just going to go and apply it to my public school classroom next year...)

NCLB

I'm getting kind of tired of everyone always being so negative about No Child Left Behind.

I know there are many flaws in the program, especially in the cases of children who are English Language Learners (ELLs) and children with special needs. And there is no doubt that those flaws need to be fixed. But every time NCLB comes up in class, and it ALWAYS seems to come up in our Special Topics class, people just laugh about it and seem to write it off. The truth of it is, NCLB is the reality of our current educational system, and therefore we need to work WITH it. Complaining about how much it sucks really gets us nowhere, and I feel like people criticize and criticize without offering solutions. In my opinion, there are a lot of mistakes that teachers are making in handling NCLB, its not just the fault of the policy people in the Department of Ed.

I think that children should be given national standardized tests annually to determine how they are progressing. I like the accountability and the reliability of the data that (ideally) these tests provide. Scores should be evaluated for cohorts of children, and analyzed from one year to the next. If you look at the same group of children (a class of third graders for example) in 2007, then you should look at their scores again in 2008 and 2009 to see if they have improved. Granted, there are MANY ways to evaluate how a child is performing in school and whether or not he is learning - but on a national scale, a standardized test of basic skills is, in my opinion, the only realistic option.

It breaks my heart to see urban students in DC testing at such abyssmal rates, and then to see students in Northern Virginia, just a bridge away, testing so much higher. Children in DC are not dumber or lazier than children in Virginia. I feel angry and upset that DC children are not getting the same education. Public education in the United States is supposed to be the great equalizer, its supposed to give every child, regardless of race, location, and socioeconomic status, the foundation they need to succeed in life. It is clear that we are not providing that foundation.

I love it that M School, unlike so many others, uses standardized test scores very productively - the kids take the PSSAs and then at the beginning of the year, the teachers get lists of their incoming classes and breakdowns of how the kids scored. If I can see that Mi scored 89% in his reading comprehension questions, but only 20% on his open ended responses, then I can see that he's going to need some help with writing this year. Data is your friend. If you know the user name and password, its all there online for each school. Why don't more teachers use it? Obviously, children are infinitely more than their standardized test scores, but this data allows me to get a head start in knowing my kids strengths and weaknesses. If Mi doesn't increase his writing score the following year - then I would know that I didn't help him in the ways he needed. I would feel pretty sure that I'd failed him as a teacher.

Another complaint I feel like we keep talking about is how difficult it is for teachers to teach anything other than reading, writing, and math. I think that this arguement is complete crap. I know there are only so many hours in the day, and I know the math and literacy curriculum is intense, but each day there are SO many teachable moments to weave in history, geography, civics, biology, chemistry, physics, etc. It seems like a lot of teachers don't have the energy or expertise to do that - I don't want to be one of those teachers. Science is happening ALL THE TIME and it is a GREAT vehicle for learning writing and math and critical thinking. History is so crucial to understanding why things are going on in the books we read and in our world today. Plus, when curriculum is integrated, when themes loop back on each other and weave throughout all of the material, kids are able to retain SO much more of the information. It is contextualized, meaningful, and the kids see the value in what they're learning. It just takes more time, creativity, and flexibility to create a curriculum like this.

Maybe I'm naive. I'm not denying that I have a lot to learn about teaching and education. But I feel confident that if I teach my very best all year, if I work incredibly hard, if I don't give up on them, and I constantly encourage and push them to reach higher and achieve more, then I won't HAVE to "teach to the test" - they will walk in the door on test day feeling confident. They will know the material they needed to learn in fourth grade. I want my students to walk into the test without fear or anxiety - I want them to walk in and be like, " I am ON this! I am going to ACE this test!" And I think that attitude is mainly a result of good teaching, and of the atmosphere I create in my school and in my classroom. It is a basic skills test! If rich white kids in McLean, VA can pass it easily, then my kids in Anacostia sure as hell can too. And it is my responsibility and my job to make sure that they do.

I wish we did less complaining about NCLB and spent more time talking about ways to fix it and ways to use the data it provides in our favor. We are the next generation of leaders in education - and I really think that we can make things better for our nation's children. But we're not going to achieve that by whining every week about how much NCLB sucks.

Back to School Night

I just got back from Back to School Night - and it went REALLY well. Out of our class of 21 fourth graders, 15 of them had parents there. Wow!

I should preface this post with telling you that Wednesday was MUCH better than Tuesday. Mrs. C and I were much more on the same page, and I got to mark papers! They had a writing assignment for homework where they had to write six lines of dialogue using exciting speech verbs, proper quotation marks, etc. Some of them did a great job, and I'm not sure that some of them even read the assignment. I got to collect the papers, mark them (with LOTS of positive feedback in addition to my corrections, and in PURPLE instead of red) and gave them back. Then I got to go over them with everyone! Mrs. C let me lead the class in the Daily Edit (correcting two lines of dialogue written on the board) and I got to teach a mini lesson about the strengths and weaknesses I saw in their writing homework. I felt like they were really engaged and listening! I passed back their papers so they could see my comments and I asked them to come see me if they had any questions. Yay!

Everyone was better behaved, and Mrs. C was in a better mood, and Wednesday was an all around better day. Additionally, they did a Unit 1 math review (which I also graded) and even our kids who had big problems w the test did MUCH better... so that made me feel great. It is a wonderful feeling to see kids prove that they understand the material you've taught! I love giving good grades, I feel so proud of them (and particularly proud of our discouraged learners) when they really do well.

Anyways, Back to School night was great. There were so many parents there, and I got a chance to talk to almost everyone. De's dad was really sweet and assured us that he's been working on his handwriting and helping him to take the time to s-l-o-w down and do his work "carefully and completely." I think that De could improve a lot this year, he's really been working hard. Et's mom was there, and I have never seen a woman look so SAD. I don't know what is going on, but I think that maybe I understand a little better why Et has so many emotional problems after meeting her tonight.

I had a great talk with Cam's mom and dad - great people. Apparently they can't ever get him to stop reading. He reads ALL THE TIME, in the morning, at every meal, way past his bedtime, etc. No wonder Cam has such an amazing vocabulary! We're going to have him tested for the Mentally Gifted (MG) program at M School. Kal's mom and dad were there too (the ones who wrote the note about the "Proud to be an American" assignment) and I had a good talk with them - Kal is an amazing artist, and it was great for them to be able to see his work. They were so proud. They said they're working with him on talking less and focusing more. I hope that they do! He's a smart kid and he does great work on the rare occasion that he's on task.

Ra's mom wasn't there.