No More Pencils, No More Books...

Today is the last day of school!! I did it!!

Which means... the blogging with commence shortly.

Snow Day #4!

I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately. We had off yesterday for Presidents' Day, and today was our fourth snow day!! There wasn't really that much snow on the ground, but it was very nice to have a four-day weekend. Hopefully, we won't pay for this relaxation in June...

Follow-Up to Feb 3rd Obnoxiousness

Sycophantic When It Suits Her came to class on Friday much more subdued. She asked during class if we could talk, and I immediately promised to meet with her after class. (Note: I diffused another potential conflict on Friday with that same technique. In the middle of class, "Miss, I'm so pissed at you now". "Okay, let's talk about it later.")

After class, Sycophantic and I had a productive and mature conversation. She apologized for being rude but expressed her feeling that I single her out unfairly. I acknowledged that was probably the truth. I offered to do better in the future, to deal with disapproval and discipline in ways that were less abrasive and embarrassing to her. I did, however, explain that we teachers aren't perfect, and, just like our students, we sometimes act with a hot head before stopping to think about a more rational plan of action.

I was really impressed by the way she handled the conversation. Few of my students are able to advocate for themselves so assertively yet politely. (Give me more time on the test! I don't have time to do my homework, so don't be counting it in my grade.) Even fewer students apologize for their errors. I just think it's difficult for teenagers to do, especially when they know they are wrong to begin with. I'm really happy we had this conversation, because I'm now able to view Sycophantic in a much better light.

Then again, maybe she was just being sycophantic because it suited her.

Quote of the Day - November 23, 2010

Little Miss Negative: Miss, I'm tired of this hip-hop BS. Can you play Abbey Road?

Ever True

Heading up to Providence in an hour. Woohoo!!

Highlights - September 13, 2010

It's Day 3! Wow! I'm so energized!

Some highlights:

• I'm free 1st period. I was chilling out, enjoying the peace and solitude, when two girls timidly opened the door and said in unison, "Hey, Miss!" I didn't know the girls, but they knew exactly who I was. (That's what you get for being a second-year teacher. Woohoo!) They explained that, after two days of school, they hate their 1st period class. Could they hang out with me during first period? Flattered, I let them stay for a few minutes before I sent them on their way. Guess I'm the cool teacher now!
• My kids were all delighted and weirded out by my energy. I told them life is too short to move slowly.
• On that note, my kids in 6th period ganged up on me. One of them asked, "Miss, why you so happy all the time?" And from another student: "What's to be so happy about?" "Yeah, don't you know life sucks?" I'm going to have to work on them. They'll see it my way before long.
• 9th period is my smallest class. Yet it is somehow my most talkative. Jabber jabber jabber will you please be quiet okay miss jabber jabber jabber. Why can I control 34 kids but not 8?

Overall, today was a really great day. Content-wise, we're doing dull scientific method stuff for now, so I'm very excited to get started on legit environmental and forensics coursework.

Quote of the Day - September 7, 2010

I was delighted to see that Combustible But Awesome, one of my favorite biology students, is taking Forensic Science with me this year. At the end of class, she approached me...

Combustible But Awesome: Miss, you know how I am. I really want to be good this year. But those girls behind me keep talking while you're talking, and I can't stand it. I held it in all day today, but I don't know if I can last. They're pissing me off! I'm gonna explode! Make them stop, miss, please!

The Blog Is Back... And So Is School

Hi everyone! Welcome back! I took an unannounced summer vacation from blogging. I apologize for that; I'll try to do better in the future.

Anyhow, I am back in the front of the classroom and ready to begin blogging again. Already, I am very excited for this year to get underway. I remember my first day of school last year -- how jittery and awkward I was. My students knew that I was new immediately. I thought they were oh so perceptive, but I realize now how easy it was to see through my scripted lines and unfamiliarity with the school.

Fast forward one year. I was much less prepared for the first day of school, which was yesterday, in the sense that I had not planned out every minute of every period. However, I knew what I wanted to say and what points I wanted to emphasize. I was much more relaxed and genuinely content to meet my new students. The result? With few exceptions, my kids were well-behaved and excited to learn. Several of them explicitly stated that they were looking forward to my class.

I'm looking forward to teaching them.

What a difference a year makes.

She Did It!

You may remember my student who dropped out of school, but who returned after some reconsidering...

Well, she graduated! She did it! I watched her march across the stage with pride and accept her diploma. And now she intends to attend a 4-year university! I really hope she pulls through...

Future aside, I am really proud of her present accomplishments.

GRADUATION!

Today was the happiest and saddest day of my year. While we have three throw-away days to go, today truly marked the end of my first year of teaching. More importantly, my seniors, whom I have loved and nurtured and worked so hard for this year, graduated. My kids graduated! I was so proud of them as they stood on line and waited to process into the arena. When the valedictorian gave his speech, I nearly broke down (and I NEVER cry; even coming close is a major accomplishment for me). Their names were called, they flipped their tassels from right to left. They are my seniors... my graduates.

Focus on Positivity

Lately, I have noticed a deluge of news articles, opinion pieces, and blog posts about optimism, forgiveness, and making the most of life (and much of it related to dogs).

Some tidbits of wisdom...

...From Can Pets Improve Your Relationship?

-- Even when pets drive us crazy by wrecking the furniture or soiling the floor, we don't stay angry at them. Similarly, we shouldn't hold grudges with our friends and family.

-- Even on bad days, we greet our pets cheerfully. After all, they probably had nothing to do with why our day went wrong and therefore shouldn't bear the burden of our rotten mood....

...From Patrick Moburg's Lessons from a Dog

-- Always be curious about the world around you, especially when new people come into it.

-- Give and accept affection, freely and often.

...From Nick Kristof's most recent New York Times column, about dealing with a cancer scare

-- Spend more time with family.

-- Appreciate the world around you, despite its imperfection.

And I think so much of this relates to teaching...

Lesson #347 of Teaching: Kids Respond to Incentives

Incentive: If you guys are well-behaved throughout the entire lesson, we'll go downstairs to the bake sale at the end of class, and I'll buy you each a cookie.

The Result: Impeccably behaved classes. Active participation. 90% engagement. (It's almost June, and I still can't get every kid.) And so almost all of my students now understand niches and the competitive exclusion principle.

And they love me, because I bought them cookies. Added bonus.

Appreciate Your Teachers!

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Month (Wow, I had no idea we got a month of appreciation.), Bing is hosting a wonderful way for you to appreciate and remember your influential teachers: Tell a story about a teacher who played an important role in your life, and Bing will give you a $5 donation to use on Donors Choose, so that you can help other teachers.

Sounds amazing! Go do it! And tell your friends!

via GOOD

Weekday Warrior

So three of my smartest 10th graders stayed after class today to tell me how badly they want to go to schools like Brown and NYU, and could I help them come up with a step-by-step plan to get into those schools.

I was floored. Wow! My kids are going places!

One More Unit

I have one more unit to plan (ecology), and that's it for the entire year! I feel so close to being free! So close to no longer being a first-year teacher!

I can't believe how quickly time has passed....

Can't Stop Laughing at Verizon

This is about 3 years out of date, but I only just discovered it. And since it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen, I can't help posting it here...

Take that, Verizon!

via xkcd

A New Addition to the Smithsonian?

The AP US History teacher is taking his AP kids on a field trip to Washington, DC, in a few weeks. One student excitedly told me about the trip:

We're going to the Holocaust Museum and the Lincoln Memorial, and then we're going to the National Shops!

She's going to be sorely disappointed at finding out the National Mall is a large expanse of grass.

Famous... in Philadelphia

The Notebook, a wonderful blog about Philadelphia public schools, posted a link to my blog today! Wheee!

Floating

One of my favorite students, a senior, stopped coming to school right before spring break. I knew she had been suffering from a bad case of senioritis, but I didn't probe the matter... until she had missed so many days that she was given what is essentially "dropout" status. I emailed her -- no response. I called her home, using the phone number listed on her online school profile -- disconnected. I told one of my administrators about her, and he sent a team over to her house to investigate -- no outcome. I was at a loss. I figured I wouldn't see her in school again.

Then I realized I was being an idiot. While she doesn't have any close friends in her Environmental Science class, surely someone had to have her cell phone number. And, thank goodness, someone did.

She picked up the phone when I called her yesterday afternoon, although, when she heard my voice, she promptly burst into tears. I convinced her to let me take her to dinner later that evening. When we finally met up, she told me what was going on: She was overwhelmed with work and mildly depressed. She initially decided to deal with her anxiety and depression by staying in bed; this led to an even greater feeling of powerlessness, especially at the prospect of having to make up all the work she was now missing, until she decided to stop coming to school at all. It wasn't just high school that she was giving up on -- she also quit her job without warning, and she stopped returning her friends' phone calls.

I did my best to mix tough love and encouragement. I told her several times how stupid she was to drop out in the spring of her senior year. I told her she had better deal with being overwhelmed, because it is a pretty frequent life experience. I told her that nobody in the 21st century would respect a high school dropout. But I also told her over and over again how awesome she is, how much I missed seeing her every day, how I had made such an effort to track her down because I felt she was worth it.

We came up with a game plan for her to get back on track academically. I told her that she must start to seek out help when she needs it. She cried and cried and told me she didn't want to be a high school dropout.

She's coming to school today.

My New Favorite Quote

From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1999), by JK Rowling:

"It is our choices.... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."