My local school district no longer has a summer reading list. While I think it's a shame, it's just as well since they hadn't updated the reading list for at least 20 years AND the teachers never discussed the assignments once school was back in session.
When my daughter was going into 11th grade she had to read The Scarlet Letter. She hated the book! As it turns out, so did her teacher. He assigned the book during the summer because he didn't want to teach it. This is very unfortunate. The reason I loved this book was because my teacher loved it. We cannot underestimate the power of our opinion on our students.
When I was working in Independent Schools, students not only had to read over the summer, they had to enter the class with a full essay -- typed and double-spaced, complete with quotes -- about the book. Students were expected to enter the class prepared to discuss the book.
Both scenarios seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Summer reading should be enjoyable, but it should also be meaningful.
I just applied to a job at Bronx High School for Science. Their summer reading requires students to keep a list of vocabulary words. Since vocabulary development is valuable in getting students college ready, this seems like a pretty good assignment. Further, all the students are reading the same book so they'll enter with a discussion starting point.
No doubt students need to do more reading, but if the assignment is not valued or too boring, none will get done. As teachers, we need to consider what our students can do while thinking about how to get them to willingly do the work. Assign good, contemporary books that are page turners and not too long. That way, even reluctant readers may give it a shot.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Young Teachers
It seems to me that schools want to hire young teachers and disregard more experienced teachers.
I would like to know exactly why.
Is it because young teachers are cheaper? If so, I would work for a first year teacher's salary.
Is it because young teachers don't question authority? If so, perhaps that's a reason some schools still struggle. It takes a team of educators to teach a child. If only one is allowed to apply his ideas, some children will be left behind.
Is it because young teachers relate to students better? If so, ask your colleagues who their favorite teacher was. I would be it was an older teacher, not a young one.
One question I never get asked on interviews is, "How well do you connect to students?" This despite research indicating that students in poorly performing schools want teachers who care.
Any teacher can care (or not). Young teachers do not have the market on that. And, one day, young teachers won't be young anymore.
I would like to know exactly why.
Is it because young teachers are cheaper? If so, I would work for a first year teacher's salary.
Is it because young teachers don't question authority? If so, perhaps that's a reason some schools still struggle. It takes a team of educators to teach a child. If only one is allowed to apply his ideas, some children will be left behind.
Is it because young teachers relate to students better? If so, ask your colleagues who their favorite teacher was. I would be it was an older teacher, not a young one.
One question I never get asked on interviews is, "How well do you connect to students?" This despite research indicating that students in poorly performing schools want teachers who care.
Any teacher can care (or not). Young teachers do not have the market on that. And, one day, young teachers won't be young anymore.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Analytical Thinking
This week students are taking the ELA tests. It's grueling for them and stressful for the teachers. As I was proctoring the exams, I began to consider what, exactly, could help these students.
Middle school, before the state tests became an annual event, is full of difficulties. Students have body changes, their hormones pull them off center, their friendships can undergo change as a result of these changes thereby creating self-doubt and the need to be popular. None of those things are part of what we test or measure for intelligence. Adding to the stress of change, middle school is where students are asked to move from rote thinking to critical, analytical reasoning. Sadly, some students, despite all the changes they are experiencing, are simply not ready to do the analytical thinking.
What's a teacher to do?
One of the lessons I teach helps students -- even those who are not quite developmentally ready to do analytical thinking -- think beyond what is in front of them.
Middle school students enjoy children's books. When a teacher reads one to them, they sit with rapt attention eager to hear more or to relive a favorite. I like to bring that feeling into the room. My favorite book to teach to middle school students is Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. I read the story to students and ask just two questions: What is the story about?
What does the story mean?
Even my less confident students can answer both questions. The lesson for me is that, given the correct lesson brought in at the correct level, all students can do the analytical thinking when presented with material they can easily comprehend. It has been my experience that when students see what analytical thinking is, they can apply those lessons beyond children's books.
Middle school, before the state tests became an annual event, is full of difficulties. Students have body changes, their hormones pull them off center, their friendships can undergo change as a result of these changes thereby creating self-doubt and the need to be popular. None of those things are part of what we test or measure for intelligence. Adding to the stress of change, middle school is where students are asked to move from rote thinking to critical, analytical reasoning. Sadly, some students, despite all the changes they are experiencing, are simply not ready to do the analytical thinking.
What's a teacher to do?
One of the lessons I teach helps students -- even those who are not quite developmentally ready to do analytical thinking -- think beyond what is in front of them.
Middle school students enjoy children's books. When a teacher reads one to them, they sit with rapt attention eager to hear more or to relive a favorite. I like to bring that feeling into the room. My favorite book to teach to middle school students is Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. I read the story to students and ask just two questions: What is the story about?
What does the story mean?
Even my less confident students can answer both questions. The lesson for me is that, given the correct lesson brought in at the correct level, all students can do the analytical thinking when presented with material they can easily comprehend. It has been my experience that when students see what analytical thinking is, they can apply those lessons beyond children's books.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Philosophy of Education
I have been asked a couple of times what my philosophy of education is. It would be so easy if I subscribed to one pure philosophy, but, like learning styles, there is not one belief to which I could wholeheartedly adhere.
My philosophy is this:
All students have the ability to learn. Regardless of learning style or ability, students have talents. While some talents do not necessarily translate to success in school, all students can do something well. If the student knows what talent he possesses, I believe the teacher should try to work with that talent. For example, if I have a student who is a pianist and I am teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, I could research famous pianists of the times (both when the book was written and when the book took place) and play that music at the beginning of class. While it doesn't help the student learn the themes of the book or offer lessons on characterization, it does make an effort to help a student become interested.
Teachers need to care. Students want someone who genuinely cares about them. Teachers should not be wooden people in the lives of their students. We are human. We make mistakes. We tell stories. We mean well. All of that makes up a good teacher. I like to tell stories. While my stories are related to the lesson I am teaching, I use them to get students interested. By telling stories of my life, I am modeling how students can relate their life events to the material at hand. So, even if I'm teaching sentence diagrams, I can get kids interested by telling how I had trouble with them when I was in 8th grade. And then tell them how when I was a first year teacher a parent suggested I teach sentence diagrams to her son to help him learn grammar. I was scared, but I tried it and my student learned grammar. I also show students I care when I use them as examples in the sentences I write for diagramming.
Students do not need to know a lesson's objective; students need to know how the lesson will apply to their lives. While my students have never celebrated lessons on grammar, I have been able to show them how the building blocks of language will serve them in any avenue of life. We need to communicate clearly to excel. Grammar is but a step on that path.
Teachers need to do their part. They need to come to class prepared and provide feedback in a reasonable period of time. Students should not have to wait a month to get a graded essay back. Students should know immediately if they are on track or not. I believe teachers need to look at the accuracy of homework -- even if we do not grade it -- to ascertain if the material is being learned. If students are having difficulty, the teacher should make him or herself available to the students.
Students need to do their part. I will work in an environment where students are not required to do homework; however, they must work in the classroom. Becoming a better reader takes practice. Becoming a better writer requires practice. Learning and mastering skills requires work.
Every project we assign should have a piece that requires reflection. All students should be taught how to reflect on the work they do. All teachers should have the opportunity to reflect on the work they do.
Good teachers are willing learners.
My philosophy is this:
All students have the ability to learn. Regardless of learning style or ability, students have talents. While some talents do not necessarily translate to success in school, all students can do something well. If the student knows what talent he possesses, I believe the teacher should try to work with that talent. For example, if I have a student who is a pianist and I am teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, I could research famous pianists of the times (both when the book was written and when the book took place) and play that music at the beginning of class. While it doesn't help the student learn the themes of the book or offer lessons on characterization, it does make an effort to help a student become interested.
Teachers need to care. Students want someone who genuinely cares about them. Teachers should not be wooden people in the lives of their students. We are human. We make mistakes. We tell stories. We mean well. All of that makes up a good teacher. I like to tell stories. While my stories are related to the lesson I am teaching, I use them to get students interested. By telling stories of my life, I am modeling how students can relate their life events to the material at hand. So, even if I'm teaching sentence diagrams, I can get kids interested by telling how I had trouble with them when I was in 8th grade. And then tell them how when I was a first year teacher a parent suggested I teach sentence diagrams to her son to help him learn grammar. I was scared, but I tried it and my student learned grammar. I also show students I care when I use them as examples in the sentences I write for diagramming.
Students do not need to know a lesson's objective; students need to know how the lesson will apply to their lives. While my students have never celebrated lessons on grammar, I have been able to show them how the building blocks of language will serve them in any avenue of life. We need to communicate clearly to excel. Grammar is but a step on that path.
Teachers need to do their part. They need to come to class prepared and provide feedback in a reasonable period of time. Students should not have to wait a month to get a graded essay back. Students should know immediately if they are on track or not. I believe teachers need to look at the accuracy of homework -- even if we do not grade it -- to ascertain if the material is being learned. If students are having difficulty, the teacher should make him or herself available to the students.
Students need to do their part. I will work in an environment where students are not required to do homework; however, they must work in the classroom. Becoming a better reader takes practice. Becoming a better writer requires practice. Learning and mastering skills requires work.
Every project we assign should have a piece that requires reflection. All students should be taught how to reflect on the work they do. All teachers should have the opportunity to reflect on the work they do.
Good teachers are willing learners.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The Three Rs
Back in the day middle school students pretty much studied the three Rs -- reading, writing and arithmetic.
I think maybe we need to get back to that if we are to grow.
As a middle school English teacher, the biggest issue for 7th and 8th grade writers is their ability or inability to do the analytical thinking necessary to do a good piece of writing. For the most part, this dividing line is a result of maturity in thinking, not a deficit in intelligence. By extension I think the same reasoning can be applied to all areas of learning in the early grades.
When my fourteen year old son was three, he attended a private school where he learned Spanish and French. While he did not study the grammatical structures of the languages, he was exposed to the sound of the language. The kids sang songs and could label things. Now that he is in 8th grade, my son has a much stronger talent in language than his sister who did not have the exposure he had. Exposing kids to more difficult features of learning is a good idea. Expecting them to understand the fine nuances of such learning seems over reaching.
I would like school reform to focus on those things that make kids prepared. They need a solid understanding of reading and writing and arithmetic before they can be expected to master the more difficult tasks. When students reach high school with a reading level below 6th grade, we are simply ensuring their failure. Let's give kids a chance. Keep learning at their level BEFORE we set them on the high school track.
Let kids read for enjoyment.
Let kids write some silly things -- poetry, letters and stories.
Let kids solidly understand their math facts so math can be fun when they arrive at the more analytical maths.
Give kids a chance.
I think maybe we need to get back to that if we are to grow.
As a middle school English teacher, the biggest issue for 7th and 8th grade writers is their ability or inability to do the analytical thinking necessary to do a good piece of writing. For the most part, this dividing line is a result of maturity in thinking, not a deficit in intelligence. By extension I think the same reasoning can be applied to all areas of learning in the early grades.
When my fourteen year old son was three, he attended a private school where he learned Spanish and French. While he did not study the grammatical structures of the languages, he was exposed to the sound of the language. The kids sang songs and could label things. Now that he is in 8th grade, my son has a much stronger talent in language than his sister who did not have the exposure he had. Exposing kids to more difficult features of learning is a good idea. Expecting them to understand the fine nuances of such learning seems over reaching.
I would like school reform to focus on those things that make kids prepared. They need a solid understanding of reading and writing and arithmetic before they can be expected to master the more difficult tasks. When students reach high school with a reading level below 6th grade, we are simply ensuring their failure. Let's give kids a chance. Keep learning at their level BEFORE we set them on the high school track.
Let kids read for enjoyment.
Let kids write some silly things -- poetry, letters and stories.
Let kids solidly understand their math facts so math can be fun when they arrive at the more analytical maths.
Give kids a chance.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Abolish homework?
In the December 17, 2012 New Yorker, Louis Menand writes about France's President having the power to abolish homework.
As a parent of a student who hates homework, I find it trying to stay on top of it for my son. As a teacher who tried to teach literature in a class where no one did homework, I found it trying to get anything done.
Where is the happy middle?
In Finland, "students there are assigned virtually no homework" and yet the country has the most successful educational system. South Korea, on the other hand, has the second most successful educational system yet it piles on the homework and their students are not happy. What can we learn from Finland????
With more excuses given for why students cannot do homework, I wonder why we don't investigate the methods of instruction used in Finland so our students can excel.
I am troubled that we seek methods of grading that allow students to pass a course without mastering the material. For example, grades are given (or not) for signed quizzes and tests. This is going on in my son's math class and I worry about his future. While I recognize that my son is not easy to teach, he is a test subject on why our educational system is having difficulty. He is a kid who doesn't ask questions, doesn't do homework or classwork, yet sits on the edge of passing. I think we can all agree that he is an at-risk student. However, since he doesn't meet the at-risk demographic, no real attention is given to his standing.
I would like to see data on why students are not doing well is subjects. Is it the test? Is it missing homework? Is it apathy? Is it a language barrier? Then, once this real information is gathered, I would like to see what can be done to help them. It's true that the state assessments have determined that my son cannot read informational text. I am concerned as both a parent and educator in why.
So, I come back to the idea of homework. My husband and I have requested that our son's teachers sign his planner (a pain, I know) so that we can stay on top of him and ensure that he does his work. It has been our experience that the homework given would help him learn. In fact, when he does the assigned work, his grades on tests improve. There -- a solid connection. However, that is what works for one student. He is a model for one type of child. What are we doing for those who do not improve even when they do the work? That's the data that we need to assess.
As a parent of a student who hates homework, I find it trying to stay on top of it for my son. As a teacher who tried to teach literature in a class where no one did homework, I found it trying to get anything done.
Where is the happy middle?
In Finland, "students there are assigned virtually no homework" and yet the country has the most successful educational system. South Korea, on the other hand, has the second most successful educational system yet it piles on the homework and their students are not happy. What can we learn from Finland????
With more excuses given for why students cannot do homework, I wonder why we don't investigate the methods of instruction used in Finland so our students can excel.
I am troubled that we seek methods of grading that allow students to pass a course without mastering the material. For example, grades are given (or not) for signed quizzes and tests. This is going on in my son's math class and I worry about his future. While I recognize that my son is not easy to teach, he is a test subject on why our educational system is having difficulty. He is a kid who doesn't ask questions, doesn't do homework or classwork, yet sits on the edge of passing. I think we can all agree that he is an at-risk student. However, since he doesn't meet the at-risk demographic, no real attention is given to his standing.
I would like to see data on why students are not doing well is subjects. Is it the test? Is it missing homework? Is it apathy? Is it a language barrier? Then, once this real information is gathered, I would like to see what can be done to help them. It's true that the state assessments have determined that my son cannot read informational text. I am concerned as both a parent and educator in why.
So, I come back to the idea of homework. My husband and I have requested that our son's teachers sign his planner (a pain, I know) so that we can stay on top of him and ensure that he does his work. It has been our experience that the homework given would help him learn. In fact, when he does the assigned work, his grades on tests improve. There -- a solid connection. However, that is what works for one student. He is a model for one type of child. What are we doing for those who do not improve even when they do the work? That's the data that we need to assess.
Monday, March 11, 2013
HVWP
I had the pleasure of attending a Saturday Seminar hosted by the Hudson Valley Writing Project. The topic was called Engaging Student Voices Through Digital Learning. It was wonderful and made me think of connecting to schools.
My daughter believes that when teachers attend any sort of professional development, they should have to present their findings to the school/department and then show how what was presented is being applied to the classroom. This is a great idea. Teachers need validation for the work they do. Often when teachers are given a chance to sit and chat about what they are doing, they can benefit from the insights of their co-workers. In this environment, even the most hesitant teacher can be urged to try something new.
So, what will I apply?
Edmodo - I learned about this in Clark County but didn't use it. The presenter on Saturday showed some great applications. The bottom line: I will reconsider this when I get back in the classroom. As a teacher I don't need to be at my classroom computer to upload information. It's also set up like a facebook page so students can communicate with my supervision (thus inappropriate comments can be nipped in the bud).
Digital Essays - this is something I would like to look into. It seems that the teacher provides pictures for the students, then the students use those pictures in various ways. Perhaps the teacher wants to ask students to include some vocabulary with the pictures. There is much to use here, it's just a matter of setting the lesson up correctly.
The bottom line? Technology is a great tool to get kids more connected to learning. However, if schools want teachers to make use of the technology, it would be best to provide support and dialog to enhance the lessons for all.
My daughter believes that when teachers attend any sort of professional development, they should have to present their findings to the school/department and then show how what was presented is being applied to the classroom. This is a great idea. Teachers need validation for the work they do. Often when teachers are given a chance to sit and chat about what they are doing, they can benefit from the insights of their co-workers. In this environment, even the most hesitant teacher can be urged to try something new.
So, what will I apply?
Edmodo - I learned about this in Clark County but didn't use it. The presenter on Saturday showed some great applications. The bottom line: I will reconsider this when I get back in the classroom. As a teacher I don't need to be at my classroom computer to upload information. It's also set up like a facebook page so students can communicate with my supervision (thus inappropriate comments can be nipped in the bud).
Digital Essays - this is something I would like to look into. It seems that the teacher provides pictures for the students, then the students use those pictures in various ways. Perhaps the teacher wants to ask students to include some vocabulary with the pictures. There is much to use here, it's just a matter of setting the lesson up correctly.
The bottom line? Technology is a great tool to get kids more connected to learning. However, if schools want teachers to make use of the technology, it would be best to provide support and dialog to enhance the lessons for all.
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