A little background information: My job is temporary. I'm filling in for someone on medical leave. He has taught at this school his entire career, went to high school there (as did his wife and entire family), and his grandchildren now attend. He was the department chair and taught AP.
The now-most-senior teacher in our department stepped up to do AP and also took his other classes. I'm now teaching her classes. We're both experiencing the pressure of teaching classes we've never taught before. I've taught junior English but only one semester and in a totally different scenario. I'm somewhat familiar with their content but I have 6 foreign exchange students in one class and approx. 6 IEP students in another. Hello differentiation.
Anyway, we've both had a trip to Meltdown City this week...and it's only Wednesday! Fortunately for me, mine happened at home.
I'm very thankful for the third teacher in our department who is cool as a cucumber. I'm thankful for very understanding neighboring teachers. I'm thankful for my sister who offered her house for respite, as it's much closer to the school than my house.
I'm SO thankful for my fiance who has listened to me whine and cry for coming up on three weeks, all long-distance.
If you're a new teacher or an experienced teacher, I just want you to know...we understand!
Hang in there. Each day is a new day. Kids seem to like it when you change things up, so if a plan doesn't work, try a different one. It's exhausting but worth it.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Last week, in a moment of infinite wisdom, the SECOND-year teacher with whom I work said this:
"Last year I worked mostly in lesson plans rather than unit plans. This year I'm able to focus on whole units instead."
She did absolutely the right thing, I'm finding. If you're able to do unit plans as a first-year teacher, by all means, do it! Coordinate novels and topics with other subject areas (Soc. Studies seems to be the best fit) if you can do that too!
However, if you're not a superhero and are constantly having to make new decisions/plans to fit the students and the school (a la moi), focus your time and energy on dynamic, efficient lesson plans. Make sure you're differentiating, meeting a variety of standards, and keeping things interesting. School is no fun for the students (or us) if it's all business all the time.
This is so cliche, but try to discover the standards, not just cover them.
My goal for this week is to come up with my examples ahead of time, and not just try to do them on the fly. Being prepared is yes, a nightmare, but yes, very important.
Have a wonderful week, brave souls!
"Last year I worked mostly in lesson plans rather than unit plans. This year I'm able to focus on whole units instead."
She did absolutely the right thing, I'm finding. If you're able to do unit plans as a first-year teacher, by all means, do it! Coordinate novels and topics with other subject areas (Soc. Studies seems to be the best fit) if you can do that too!
However, if you're not a superhero and are constantly having to make new decisions/plans to fit the students and the school (a la moi), focus your time and energy on dynamic, efficient lesson plans. Make sure you're differentiating, meeting a variety of standards, and keeping things interesting. School is no fun for the students (or us) if it's all business all the time.
This is so cliche, but try to discover the standards, not just cover them.
My goal for this week is to come up with my examples ahead of time, and not just try to do them on the fly. Being prepared is yes, a nightmare, but yes, very important.
Have a wonderful week, brave souls!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Here we go....
Hello!
I'm a new teacher!
I'm actually filling in a medical leave, but it's my first "real" teaching job.
I teach English. Freshman and Juniors are my current charges.
I taught Juniors in student teaching, but it was a completely different ball game. My juniors there were nearly all the best in their class. Now I have the entire Junior class at a small rural school.
My students are not motivated by their grades. I'm guessing most of them want to graduate high school, but getting an A in my class is hardly their goal.
I'm searching for a way to motivate them for the 45 minutes each day I have them.
Not to mention the new RISE rubric here in IN is cramping my style. It's strange.
For example, I'm supposed to read the standards we're covering at the beginning of each class.
If my teachers had done that when I was in school, I'd have thought they were on drugs.
Seriously.
Anyway, that's me. I'm hoping to write approximately once a week to share problems, successes, ideas, and (hopefully) encouragement.
I know that for me this is going to be quite the test. I hope it will be one that I not only learn from, but pass.
xo
h
I'm a new teacher!
I'm actually filling in a medical leave, but it's my first "real" teaching job.
I teach English. Freshman and Juniors are my current charges.
I taught Juniors in student teaching, but it was a completely different ball game. My juniors there were nearly all the best in their class. Now I have the entire Junior class at a small rural school.
My students are not motivated by their grades. I'm guessing most of them want to graduate high school, but getting an A in my class is hardly their goal.
I'm searching for a way to motivate them for the 45 minutes each day I have them.
Not to mention the new RISE rubric here in IN is cramping my style. It's strange.
For example, I'm supposed to read the standards we're covering at the beginning of each class.
If my teachers had done that when I was in school, I'd have thought they were on drugs.
Seriously.
Anyway, that's me. I'm hoping to write approximately once a week to share problems, successes, ideas, and (hopefully) encouragement.
I know that for me this is going to be quite the test. I hope it will be one that I not only learn from, but pass.
xo
h
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