IT’S MAY! IT’S MAY! IT’S THE….

“It ain’t over till it’s over.” — Yogi Berra

 

 

Like any good teaching lesson, there needs to be an end. The end lets the teacher and pupil know it’s over. Soon it will be time to evaluate the year’s teaching efforts.

Close! It has been a long journey. Now its near its finish. As with any trip, there were good moments and disappointing ones. Hopefully, this year’s adventure will be a memorable one. Some years are quickly put aside while others are years to relish. It’s a little early to appraise this year.

The voyage is not over. It is near an end but a good excursion needs a conclusion. May is the month to tie up loose ends and bring projects to an end. Summary and closing are the focus for activities for this month.

If the teacher is rushing to finish the curriculum, there is a problem. Next year, this teacher needs to review where the program fell apart. There are a number of reasons for failure to complete the curricular content. In too many cases, the curriculum needs a revision. Inexperienced teachers and some veterans become frustrated when the fault lies with the curriculum. Of course there are times that the teacher bears responsibility. Too much wasted hours watching videos or going off on irrelevant tangents can leave time short in May. There are times where the class needed more than usually reinforcement activities. Whatever the case, trying to cramp the last material into this time of year is fruitless. Pupils are not open to be cramped with any more. They are ready for the closing activities.

Mother’s Day activities fill many great creative activities. If you did plant the marigolds, now it’s payoff time. Suggest that the student’s bring in a cup or glass. (If its allowed, have kids chip in and buy a bunch of plain cups). Whatever, use the container and have the kids decorate the container. (This even works with secondary biology students).

Magnificent Social Studies Adventures
§ The first post card was issued in 1873. Do your pupils know what a post card is? Most will recognize an advertising piece of junk mail. Post cards also are collected as evidence of adventures on vacations. Less popular today as years ago but still a fun geography activity. Gather post cards from as many locations as possible and mark it on a world map.
§ The Empire State Building opened, 1931
>>What other tall building are there? What is the tallest today?
§ Captain John Smith landed at Jamestown, 1607
>>Pocahontas and the first settlement in new world.
>>What’s the true story?
§ The only Presidents born this month is Harry S. Truman on May 9, 1884 and John F. Kennedy on May 29, 1917.

Great Science Investigations
§ On May 14, Lewis & Clark’s expedition began in 1804. Observations of nature. Exploration as a adventure in science.

Monthly Math
§ Too late to begin something new! Review and piece together the material studied. A glimpse into how this year’s learning will carry them into the next year.

Language Arts
§ The yearbook project
>>What a great idea! Use this collaborate project to create an end of the year “yearbook.” Pictures, cartoons, stories, math, science, social studies and physical education events can be relived. The use of fine arts and language arts are incorporated into this creative fun end of the year culmination activity.

Fine Arts
§ First United States newspaper cartoon published in Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette in1754
§ Draw a cartoon or a good collaboration project. Especially as part of the “yearbook” project.

Physical Education
§ Babe Ruth hit his first and last home run in May (1915 and 1935). Great time to review baseball rules and even play a game outside. (Permission slips needed).

Do you know…

This is International Year of Astronomy 2009

Check it out at

http://www.astronomy2009.org/

April

 

Do not follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

This Month’s look for New Beginnings and lots of laughs (it is good for your health!)

Teacher Trash Talk

Spring Break has either just finished or will begin soon. Spring has stirred some restlessness in pupils. As the sun warms the day and the buds appear on many shrubs, thoughts of summer and the break from the classroom routine settles into both to pupils and teachers alike. Many schools administer some type of standardized testing or state testing during April. As much as many pupils seem to slough off the idea of testing, the stress of doing well or not doing poorly is a big factor.

Testing is worth a few words. Brighter pupils strive to do well. These highly motivated individuals stress themselves in their drive to do well. It is what makes them better students rather than just pupils. On the other hand, pupils who struggle with academics often cringe at the thought of testing of any kind. Older pupils see standardized tests as just another means of confirming their view of themselves- “I am dumb!”

The teacher needs to develop strategies to help their students and pupils cope with standardized testing. In far too many schools, specific time is expected to be spend teaching pupils to “take the test.” Administrators, politicians and anyone directly not involved with your pupils will push you to stress the importance of this testing to the school’s image, the state’s requirements, the value of real estate and the evaluation of the teacher. Oh Yes! Pupils will get something out it!

Opps! Sorry! I don’t want to get on my soapbox. It is pretty clear where I stand on standardized testing that is used for non-diagnostic purposes.

It’s spring! The flowers are pushing through the soil and the buds on the trees are bursting open. It is a time to feel good! Smile and be happy.

Among a wealth of great events for April are:

The 4th is School Librarian Day. Thank a librarian. Go to the library. Pupils should have a library card.
The 7th is No Homework Day. (See my upcoming post on Homework!)

Magnificent Social Studies Adventures
Presidential Birthdays:
<> Thomas Jefferson (April 13)
<> James Buchanan (April 23)
<> Ulysses S Grant (April 27)
<> James Monroe (April 28)

Great Science Investigations
<> Famous Apollo 13 mission occurred in 1970
<> Great tale of space exploration
<> Humans travel to Mars
<> Walk on Moon
<> Laws of motion
<> Gravity

<> Plant studies
<> Seed germination
<> Planting the home garden
<><> ® Could your school provide a small patch for a garden?

Monthly Math
<> Apollo 13 provides ample opportunity to discuss
<> Angles and prediction
<> Trigonometry
<> Effects of forces

Language Arts
<> April 23 William Shakespeare was born in1564.
<> He died on the same day, 52 years later, in 1616
<> Historical Fiction
<> Writing poems

Fine Arts
<> Still life
<> flowers

Physical Education
<> Get outside!!
<> Baseball rules

 

Explore the Web:

http://www.openeducation.net/
Great sight for articles about teaching. Not a resource.
http://scout.wisc.edu/About/subscribe.php
The Scout Report (Publication of the Internet Scout Project)
Sponsored by University of Wisconsin
Great site. Subscribe to weekly email. Lists of fantastic sites of interest.

March

Quote of Month:
Richard M. Nixon: “Always remember others may hate you but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself.”
This Month’s Theme: Spring and Diversity
Teacher Trash Talk:

Spring is always a great time. Fresh air and warm days! The sun is noticeably warmer. The spirit seems to be lifted. The gloom of January and February get blown away by the winds of March. The winds are the result of increased heating over cooler surfaces. “You gotta take the batter with the gooder!” Spring is in March or Awaits very soon in April. Many teachers look to travel during spring break! It is a great time!

The good side always has to have a tails side. With the first warm breezes of Spring comes the dreams of vacation, summer, warm days, picnics, and all those other things that usually offsets the hard work of school work. It’s “spring fever.” Teachers and students suffer.

It’s a good time to remember the basic rule of good teaching: Relevancy! Incorporate the conditions to your favor. Outdoor activities, such as collecting weather data, preparing a garden patch or even helping pick up the school campus area, are good reasons to take the pupils outside. Use what you do outside to incorporate what you do inside. Use weather data to make weather predictions. Create maps of garden patches or even the school campus. Organize into groups to do projects. Competition can have negative results but friendly competition is a good learning experience. Life is completive.
This Month’s Events

1-Congress authorized the creation of Yellow stone National Park, 1872

3-Star Spangled Banner adopted as National Anthem of the United States, 1931

5-The Boston Massacre took place, 1770

7-Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his telephone, 1876

11-Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone call, 1876

14-Physicist Albert Einstein was born in Ulf, Germany, 1879

15-Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassis, 44 B.C.

15-President Andrew Jackson was born, 1767

16-President James Madison was born, 1751

17-So Trick’s Day

18-President Grover Cleveland was born, 1837

27-First long distance telephone call made from Boston to New York, 1884

29-President John Tyler was born, 1790
Magnificent Social Studies Adventures

§ Reports on Presidents

§ Effects of The Telephone on Society

§ The Boston Massacre

§ The Star Span gel Banner

§ Julius Caesar

§ Conservation of natural resources (Yellow stone was established in 1872)

§ Society is a diverse mixture of cultures and peoples. (Everyone is Irish on So Pat’s Day)!
Great Science Investigations

§ Spring = Vernal Equinox

§ The “Tin Can” Telephone

§ E=mace

§ New ton’s Law of Motion

§ Weather projects are good (Wind measurement)
Monthly Math
§ Solving Equations

§ Einstein who corrected New ton’s work was born in 1879 and Newton died this month 1n 1727
Language Arts
§ “My Fair Lady” opened on stage in 1956 based on George Barnard Shaw’s Pygmalion

§ Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born in 1806

§ Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter published in 1850
Fine Arts

§ Broadway musicals My Fair Lady and Oklahoma opened

§ Johanna Sebastian Bach born in 1685

§ Art Project: Create own Monster (King Kong opened in 1933)

§ Create a kite to fly
Do you know… That each of us has an ancestry that becomes closer to each other as we trace our heritage back? It is amazing to discover who are related to as the doors of genetic roots are explored. (Make up a family tree that relates to people that you admire In history.)
Questions That hunt Answers: Who are You? Who am I? (Communication is a key to social relations. Part of a curriculum must address the social skills. Tolerance and acceptance comes with understanding which depends upon communication. Use the two questions of the month to have students randomly talk (diad) and interview each other. As pupils age, it is more difficult to talk about yourself. Begin with an activity that make them create an ancestry. I am… Ford, Dodge, Toyota, etc.. Or I am an tiger, snail, jellyfish.. It’s spring so make it fun)!

Explore the Web:
For K-8 check out:

http://www.funbrain.com/

February

Quote of Month:

“… we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.” President Barrack Obama, First Inaugural Address.

This Month’s Theme:

In this year of new hope, the election of a new President zooms to the forefront. Valentines and President’s Day are the two major holidays of the month. This is also Black History Month. What a great opportunity to bring the relevancy into the classroom. It is a newly elected President taking office. He is an African American with roots that extend to Africa and Ireland or England. Every four years (two years if you count the Congress) an American revolution happens. Without the shedding of blood, a new regime takes over control of our government. American can show their satisfaction at the ballot box. This year American has chosen an African American to lead our ship. This Month’s Theme calls for New Beginnings and Fresh Starts.

Teacher Trash Talk:

I hate February. It is the shortest month but it seems to go on forever. The road ahead seems so long. Spring break is still away off and Summer vacation is not even a glimmer on the horizon. In the Northern states, it cold and snowy. There’s the dreaded Valentine’s party! Candy and cake and kids making a mess. Kids are tired and they don’t want to do anything but grumble and complain. Forget homework. The days seem dark and gloomy. The kids are getting on the teacher’s nerves and on each other’s nerves. All I want to do is scream!

It just seems that bad! Think positive. Spring is almost here! This is a good month to move your teaching plan along. There few interruptions from the return in January until the spring break in March or April. This provides the opportunity to do long term learning projects. Its a great time to try out some integrated lessons if you have not tried any. The flow of lesson development is great during these few months. After the days begin to warm, the learning curve will begin to dip.

It is a good time for teachers to plan Spring adventures or Summer plans. It is important to avoid burnout at this point. Do some fun activities in school to help keep everyone focused and relaxed.

This Month’s Events:

• Valentines Day (February 14)
• Lincoln’s Birthday (February 12
• Washington’s Birthday (February 22)
• President’s day is the third Monday of the Month (usually a school Holiday)
• Mardi Gras (varies – February or March)
• February 4, 1902 Charles Lindbergh
• February 6, 1895 George Herman “Babe” Ruth
• February 7, 1812- Charles Dickens
• February 9, 1773- William Henry Harrison, 9th U.S. President (1841)
• February 11, 1847- Thomas Alva Edison, inventor of the light bulb
• February 12, 1809 – Abraham “Abe” Lincoln, 16th U.S. President (1861-1865)
• February 22, 1732 – George Washington, 1st U.S. President (1789-1797)

Subject Matter Topics

Magnificent Social Studies Adventures

Four Presidents were born

>William Henry Harrison
>Abraham “Abe” Lincoln (Bicentennial)
>George Washington
>Ronald Reagan

Queen Elizabeth II succeeded her Father George VI in 1952
First Public School in America opens
>Boston Latin School (1635)

Great Science Investigations
Great Astronomers
>Galileo Galilei
>Nicolaus Copernicus
§ First Woman Doctor to open practice in US
>Elizabeth Blackwell
§ Biology
>Charles Darwin

Language Arts
§ James Joyce
§ Charles Dickens
§ Sinclair Lewis
§ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Fine Arts
§ Two great painters were born this month:
>Grant Wood
>Norman Rockwell

Explore the Web:

Mathwire.com Great place for Elementary Math Activities

January

Quote of Month:
Thomas A. Edison who happened to have obtained patent for electric light bulb on January 20, 1880:
“If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”

Teacher Trash Talk:

After the long winter break, it is necessary to reestablish the routines. It is amazing how quickly pupils lose memory. This also affords the teacher who has had some control issues to get a new beginning. It usually does not take long before every one is back to the routine, Now begins the long haul to the next break. January to February to March to April. Some school districts have established set times for the Spring break while other schools hold to the Easter schedule. For the Northern tier of schools, cold and snowy days are not uncommon.

As much as it is important to clean the cobwebs from the brain, it is also a time to consider resolutions for up coming year. These should be considered in at least three levels: family, personal and work. Stop smoking, lose weight, spend more time with family, go out to dinner once a week- these are personal and family resolutions. BUT this blog is about teaching and that is work related. It is a good time to reflect on the past and how to build into the future. The past cannot be changed but the future is open for change. Experienced teachers reflect on some new approaches or a new textbook or a new course or a new committee. Beginning teachers will most probably spend time hoping for a fresh beginning. If the past was a nightmare or not living up to the expectations desired, here is the opportunity for a new start. Routine-Routine-Routine!! That is the name of a good teaching situation. Kids from K to 12 need routine. They need to know what to expect and what, when, where and how to succeed in this classroom. Communication is a skill that needs development. It is important not to spend too much time on school work. It is very important to enjoy a vacation.

This Month’s Highlight Events

• 1st
  Paul Revere was born in Boston, 1735
  Flag maker Betsy Ross was born in Philadelphia, 1752
  Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, 1863
• 7th
  The first presidential election was held, 1789
  President Millard Fillmore was born, 1800
• 10th
  President Richard M. Nixon was born, 1913
• 14th
  Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris formally, 1784
• 15th
  Martin Luther King, Jr., was born 1929 (19th this year)
• 26th
  Chinese/Lunar New Year (Year 4707 Cow)
• 29th
  President William McKinley born, 1843
• 30th
  President Franklin D. Roosevelt born, 1882

This month is:

Hot Tea Month
National Oatmeal Month
National Soup Month
National Blood Donor Month
(2nd Week) Letter Writing Week

Ideas for Subject Areas

Magnificent Social Studies Adventures

• January 20 Inauguration day
• Presidential Births:
  -January 7- Millard Fillmore
  -January 10- Richard Nixon
  -January 29- William McKinley
  -January 30- Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Major American Historical Events
  -Births of Paul Revere and Betsy Ross
  -First Presidential election
  -Treaty of Paris ending the American revolution ratified
  -Martin Luther King born January 15, celebrated on 19th this year
• Chinese or Lunar New Year on January 26
  -Year 4707, Year of the Cow

Great Science Investigations

=January is the middle of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the middle of Summer in the Southern Hemisphere
-Winter/Summer solstice, affects of tilt of Earth and Sun’s rays
=Winter meteorological measurements provide great interest in measuring temperature, air pressure, precipitation (type and amount), cloud types. Using this, predict the next day’s weather. Maintain a weather log and collect data.

Monthly Math

=Great time to integrate math work with science. Use data collected to make graphs and illustrate purpose of graphing.
-Convert temperatures from Fahrenheit to Celsius.
-Use graphs constructed to make predictions. Predict weather for next month.
(Old Farmers Almanac- uses historical weather data to predict year’s weather. (show a copy and compare predictions with actual events.)

Language Arts

=The second week of January is National Letter Writing Week.
-Types of letters
-It is Blood Donor month- letter appealing for blood donations
=Great month to integrate with Social Study events
-Reports on presidents, Paul Revere, Treaty of Paris, Emancipation Proclamation, Martin Luther King

Fine Arts

=Winter scenes to draw, black and water
=Mozart’s 302nd birthday this month, a little classical music

Physical Education

=Indoor exercise
=Basketball

Do you know…

That this the time of year that outdoor gardeners plan out gardens, order seeds and plan a calendar of indoor plantings.
§ A long term activity is to begin growing plants this month in the classroom. Each pupil can plant their own seeds and care for their plants. As age increases, activities, such as measuring height, weight, leaf growth can be collected as data. Graphing and data interpretation can be learned.

Questions That hunt Answers:

• What plants would be best to grow in a classroom?
  § This reader loved marigolds! In all grades, it can be a “Mother’s Day’s” project begun early. Depending on the plant chosen:
  • How long does seed planting to seed germination?
  • How long from germination to flower development?
  • What conditions are needed to cause flowering, if any?

Explore the Web:

Resources for the Presidential Inauguration

• http://www.presidential-inauguration.com/
• http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/pihtml/ (lib of Congress)
• http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Election_2008.shtml (USA.GOV)

December: Expectation and Hope

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier – not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

(In other words “Repetition is the mother of learning!” Or “If you don’t succeed the first time try. Try again.”)

This is probably the most difficult few weeks of the year for pupils and teachers. The excitement of the winter break begins to peak as the month moves on. Teachers and pupils are ready for a break! It’s a fgood time to get away from kids, teachers and the rigors of a schedule. Tempers tend to get short and in secondary school, fights are more common during this time of the year. Solid educational practices are ready needed at this time. The teacher who has “control” can ease up a little bit. But as the days near the break, the smile needs to go and the stern finger of rule must come out. This does not mean that teachers should revert to the days of September but rather the business face of the day before a holiday.

Testing have questionable results. Intelligent kids always do well because of their nature- highly motivated . The problem rests with the broader band of motivated, near motivated, unmotivated and anti-motivated. Each teacher needs to appraise their individual situation and decide the course of action. It is important to find activities that are meaningful and keeps the pupils busy.

FOR THE ROOKIE: This is the test time. Teachers set routines the first weeks of the school year. They reinforce the rules as the days pass. If routines are established, it is natural to ease up a bit. The month following the Thanksgiving break is the next big challenge. Kids get antsy, so do the teacher. Attention spans diminish and fuses tend to be shorter. The tendency is to “let up” as the days roll closer to the break. “Keep ‘em working!” the pro will tell you. Be careful of putting too much weight on the graded work. Be leery of parties. Get help from the veteran teachers. The holidays will provide the rest and regeneration needed to return. Don’t let up too soon.

And to all a Happy Holiday….

Month’s Events:

<> This is Human Rights Month A good chance to teach a little love and respect for self and others. Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus (12/1).
<> This is also the Holiday Month: Thanksgiving leads into December which celebrates Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa. It is a time of family and sharing and good feelings.

Dates to know:

On the 5th……….. The 8th President, Martin Van Buren, born
On the 7th……….. “A day that will live in infamy”
On the 16th………. Let’s have a Tea Party in Boston
On the 28th………. The 28th President, Woodrow Wilson, born
On the 29th………. The 17th President, Andrew Johnson, born

Occurrence This Month:

<> The Christ child is born in the year 0
<> A Christmas Carol is printed in the year 1843
<> Chewing Gum patented in the year 1869
<> Sherlock Holmes appears in print for 1st Time in the year 1887
<> Wright Brothers first flight is in the year 1903
<> First heart transplant is in the year 1967

Ideas for Subject Areas

Magnificent Social Studies Adventures

History of the Christmas tree
Candles of Hanukah
Origins of Kwanzaa

Great Science Investigations

The winter solstice
Snow Flakes

Math Marvels

Counting flakes

Degrees in Geometry (related to winter solstice)

Land of Language

Writing Tales of Scrooge and Tiny Tim and Christmas or Hanukah or Kwanzaa
Reading Sherlock Mysteries
Group project: Write a serial (cartoon, series of short tales, etc)

After Arts

Make paper snow flakes
Snowmen
Winter scenes

Body Works

Floor hockey
Elements of Basketball
Snow safety

Do you know…

Otzi has no living relatives.
its summer in New Zealand!
Romans celebrated Saturnalia in mid to late December.
Silent Night was first song on Christmas Eve 1818.
Beethoven was born this month.

Questions That hunt Answers…

Who is Otzi?
What is Saturnalia?
Who is St. Nicholas?
Why is the poinsettia so closely associated with Christmas?

Explore the Web:

A Math site: http://www.mathwire.com/
Social Studies sites: http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm
http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/hanukkah/hanukkah.htm

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher Conference are a part of the teachers job description. As a professional, it is the teacher’s role to maintain a line of communication between home and school. Late Fall is a time where Parent/Teacher Conferences become a prominent issue. Public or Private. Elementary or High School. College prep or vocational schools. It makes little difference, Parent/Teacher Conferences are a fact of life for the pre-collegial teacher. There are different types of conferences basically driven by how many people are involved and what is the purpose of the conference. This time of the year the school-sponsored Parent/Teacher Conference are prevalent. These formalized conferences are by far the most demanding and exhausting. But any conferences can be nerve racking. As the school formatted day of parent/teacher conferences arrived, chances are that the teacher has already had the opportunity to confer with several parents. Teachers or parents, administrators or counselors, special education personnel can request a conference at any time for any reason. There are common components to any Parent/Teacher Conference. Experienced veterans have learned the mechanics of a Parent/Teacher Conference. Most have learned the hard way. They made mistakes and paid dearly for it. It is the intent here to provide an opportunity for the experienced teacher to refresh what they already know and offer the rookie a few pointers.

Parent/Teacher Conference can be classified according to circumstance. The following is a list of types of Parent/Teacher Conferences. These are presented as a means of discussion.

 

The School Parent/Teacher Conferences

• • Initialed by administration on a school wide basis
  • Designed to offer a chance for parents and teacher to discuss the progress of pupil.
• The one-on-one conference
  • Initialed by teacher, administrator or parent
  • Usually to discuss an issue
  • The Phone call
    • Initialed by teacher or parent?
    • Variety reasons
  • The Informal Conference
    • Initialed by parent or teacher
    • Avoid school issue if possible
• The small group conference
  • Initialed by an administrator or counselor
  • Usually to discuss a common problem in situations where more than one teacher interacts with a pupil
  • The Special education Conference (usually referred to as a staffing)
    • Initialed by Special Education Department
    • To determine if a child needs special Education services or update an enrolled pupil.

 

THE SCHOOL PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES:

Each year the school organizes a Parent/Teacher Conference. In fact most schools have two conferences in the year as well as a “Back to School Night”. These conferences have a set structure. Teachers are in their classroom or, especially in secondary school, the gymnasium. The hours of the conference may be all day, late afternoon into evening or just late evening. Appointments can be made or parents can just roam in as they are available. In some cases, parents pick up report cards at a Parent/Teacher. conference. The difficulty with this conference is the volume of pupil information. Teachers can have 20 to 175 pupils. Preparing for the 20 isn’t too bad but it is difficult with 175. The key to success is to have a set routine to occupy the parents while you quickly access the pupils information. It is important to present the information without relying too much on the grade book. Appointments are much better than the random arrival. Teachers usually have no classes on Parent/Teacher Conference day. It is a rigorous and demanding day. Some school districts still require teachers to teach the school day and then host Parent/Teacher conferences until 9:00 in the evening. It is important to take a break every so often and move around. Too often the parents most wanted to be seen either do not show or arrive so late that the time is not enough to fully to discuss the problems.

THE ONE-ON-ONE CONFERENCE

Teacher initiated usually indicates a problem that needs to be addressed. The problem may be academic or behavioral. Parent initiated usually indicates a concern about something that the child is saying at home. Pupils tend to embellish things to explain away school problems. One of the most common calls comes from the parent who cannot understand why the teacher is not assigning homework. The parent goes on to say that the teacher told them that there was homework three nights out of the week. His grades are poor and he is doing poorly. When the teacher explains that there is homework assigned, the parent sometimes will shift to the argument that the teacher should have called the parent and informed her that her son is not doing his homework. The best way to avoid the issue is to have called home but sometimes mistakes can be made. The parent is right. The teacher should have called but the child not doing homework is a clear indication that a problem exists. The parent is partly at fault as well. It is best to say that a new approach on both parts is needed. The teacher should remind the parents of a rough guideline of homework assignments. The parent can then observe the work at home. When the teacher is concerned with an academic or behavior problem, parents can be helpful with identifying the problem. The teacher needs to be specific as to the identified problem: Grades on tests are very low. He seems distracted in class. He has difficulty discussing reading assignments. He talks out when the class is involved with a quiet activity. He appears to have a difficulty relating to authority figures. Teachers need to be careful not to express problems in demeaning terms or gross generalizations. THE PHONE CALL is a one-on-one but it is a quick convenient and effective means of identifying a problem. It is not good for a lot of problems or a major concern. No homework, talking out inappropriately, poor test grade, etc. THE INFORMAL CONFERENCE is a one-on-one as well. It however is the conference to avoid. Meeting a parent in a store or on the street or at a party, is not an appropriate place for a conference. Confidentiality is a concern. Approaching a parent in a public place to discuss a child’s school issue is unprofessional. A parent approaching the teacher can be a problem. In both cases, it is suggested that the teacher suggest a meeting time at school (the teacher’s office) where the child’s privacy can be maintained.

THE SMALL GROUP CONFERENCE

This conference involves a group of people and the parents. There are three kinds of Small Group Conferences: The counselor calls an academic summit with all a pupils teachers and the parents, the administrator organizes a meeting of teachers and parents to address behavior issues and the Special Education Conference which addresses issues involved in Learning Disabled pupils. These “staffings” are regulated by Federal, State and Local rules and laws. A staffing involves a special education teacher, the person running the meeting, a regular education teacher (sometimes more than one), a psychologist, social worker, nurse, academic counselor, school administrator, parents and pupil. Staffings, for obvious reasons, are confidential. Personal information is private should not be divulged or discussed outside the conference room. This is general principle for any conference. The information is privileged and like a doctor, lawyer or priest it should be kept confidential. The end product of a staffing is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The IEP spells out the skill that needs to be addressed. Activities that address the issue. And a timeline is often included. All teachers, regular and special Education, that interact with the pupil should be aware of the IEP. Knowledgeable parents will confront the teacher during a conference to ensure that the plan is in operation.

There is so much more to be said but at this point there is more than enough to digest. Years of teaching experience help to melt the occurrences of many parent/teacher experiences into providing excellent Parent/Teacher Conferences.!

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOVEMBER

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”

 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (32nd President of United States from 1933 to 1945).

November can be a challenge. The change in clocks in some parts of the country and the shortening of the daylight hours seem to add to the gloom of the month. November is the start of the sun-less days of approaching winter solstice. This is the fourth month of the school year. The kids, as well as the teachers, are looking for the Thanksgiving Day break. It is an escape from the routine of school, albeit a long weekend but it heralds the Christmas (opps, winter) break- a full two weeks of no kids- no teachers- and NO BELLS!. This is also the beginning of the holiday season. Emotions run high and low! Some kids have great expectations of the holidays and family relationships while others dread the holidays and family gatherings. It can be a very stressful period. A word to the wise: Be sure to pack your plans with lots of activities. The tendency for the inexperienced teacher is to let up a bit. More fights and conflicts seem to occur at this time and in the spring. Keep them busy!

The Chrysanthemum,also called mums, stands for optimism and cheerfulness. This month has World Kindness Day, where you can encourage your pupils to do a random act of kindness, and Family week (Thanksgiving Week). Family togetherness and acts of kindness are overt expressions of hope and love. Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the shredding of the old (symbolic with leaf loss) and the advent of the new in spring offer the ideas of hope and optimism. (Sites to check out www.nationalfamilyweek.org and www.actsofkindness.org/people/days.asp)

A few tidbits of interest that you might find useful in the classroom (Bulletin Boards, fun things, ideas to build lessons upon, etc):

• The United States Weather Bureau was established and began recording weather events in 1870.
• King Tut’s tomb was opened in 1922.
• The Louvre opened in Paris in 1793.
• Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” was published in 1859
• Mark Twain was born in 1835
• Five US Presidents were born:
  • James K. Polk
  • Warren G. Harding
  • James A Garfield
  • Franklin Pierce
  • Zachary Taylor

A few activities for you to adapt:

Social Studies

• Five US Presidents born
  • (another group project? Maybe this time: have each group thoroughly research their President. Then line groups in a row and ask questions common for each president, eg, birthday, year elected to office, most important piece of legislation passed, number of children, state lived in, etc. Make a fun activity but one that requires a team effort and work on topic.
  • One president died. John Fitzgerald Kennedy (35th President of the United States from 1960 to 1963) died at the hands of an assassin. The assassination of JFK brought the country to a standstill for several days.
  • How many presidents assassinated in office? Outside of office? How many died naturally? What Vice President replaced them? Did they get reelected?
• Veteran’s Day discussion or projects:
  • US Wars
  • Geography: War locations
  • Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• Thanksgiving
  • European Settlers
  • Native Americans
    • “National American Indian Heritage Month, Signed into law in 1990 by President Bush has been a source of inspiration for many American Indians and non-Indians and a platform to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures of this great country.” Source: www.indians.org
• American Education Week (Observed the full week prior to Thanksgiving.) see www.nea.org/aew

Science

• Once again weather can bring sifts to cold and snow
• Explore the weather records
• Formation of snow flakes
• Diseases to study
  • Diabetes
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Epilepsy
  • Deciduous trees losing leaves, weather changes, bird migration, animal hibernation, etc

Math

• Weather statistics (compare to baseball and good for reinforcement)
• Measure the size of a snow flake (integrate with science)
• Device a means of collecting snow flakes and then measuring them
• Measurement of leaves from the same tree (integrate with science)
  • Explain the variation in size
  • Do other living things exhibit variation

Language Arts

• American Education Week
• Essays on School or teachers or best day
• An act of Random Kindness
• Do an act of kindness for someone and then write a report on the person’s reaction
  • Read and report on Native American nations that lived in area or that may have encountered the first Europeans

Fine Arts

• Pumpkins
• Cornucopia
• Turkeys

Physical Education

• National Disease Month
  • Diabetes Month
  • Epilepsy Month
  • Alzheimer’s Disease Month

 

Sites to explore on a snowy day:

http://www.teach-nology.com/monthly/nov/ [lesson plans, ideas and worksheets]

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/ [You will need more than a single snow day]

October

Ralph Waldo Emerson said it:

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”

Home or School. All is in place. Routines are set. Classroom management plans are intact. The year trudges on. October is a great month! For teachers its the month of bees! This is a good month to test the classroom management plan.

Teachers have scoured the internet for plans and ideas for the month. Here are some ideas that may be of some use.

October is a month for exploration.

It’s Walk to school” Month
• “No Child Left Inside” is the theme
• Great opportunity for Physical Exercise- Walking as a leisure activity.
• Tie in with nature (observe change in leaves, birds, insects, collect leaves).
• Good reason to rationalize escape from NCLB drudgery and allow a little fun.
• Check out website: http://www.iwalktoschool.org/Earth

October 5-11 Fire Prevention Week
• Change your batteries
• Fire drills

October 12-18 Earth Science Week
• http://www.earthsciweek.org/
This site had ideas and lesson and activities

Columbus Day opens the idea of Exploration
• Social Studies projects galore this month
• List of explorers provide research opportunities for older aged pupils
Columbus, Erickson, DaGama, Magellian, Baboa, etc
• Geography (a loss elementary topic)
• Space and the ocean floor are the last frontiers to be explored. At least right now!

Great Science opportunities
• Autumnal Equinox, Change in leaf color, deciduous trees losing leaves, weather changes, bird migration, animal hibernation, etc

Baseball playoffs and World series
• Provide Physical education lessons
• Math: computing batting averages, ERA’s, and a host of other statistics

Halloween
• What great prospects for art and geometry in math.
• Reading and writing tales of horror.

There were six US presidents born this month. Great topics for group research work.
• John Adams
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Dwight Eisenhower
• Chester Arthur
• Rutherford Hayes
• James Carter

Do you know
…. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1798? Abraham Lincoln changed Thanksgiving Day in 1863 to the fourth Thursday of November where it has been celebrated since.
…. The first World Series was played on October 1, 1903. Boston won the series.
…. Orson Welles created a panic with his radio broadcast of World of Wars.

Interesting questions for October:

Did Leif Erickson discover America before Columbus?
What was the uses for Stonehedge?
What causes leaves to change color?

Sites to explore this month

J http://dww.ed.gov/index.cfm
J http://www.classroommanagement101.com/?hop=chaunna1

I Have Lost Control!

It is October! By now you know if you are in control. What do you do if you lost control? Regaining control is not easy but here’s a few suggestions for you try. It wouldn’t be easy and it wouldn’t be quick. After all you taught them to be the way they are in a month’s time. Be patient and remember they don’t hate you. You are just the enemy right now.

Regaining control requires a plan. Go home tonight with the idea that instead of nursing your headache and complaining about “these kids today,” pour yourself a good stiff drink. The choice is yours- wine, beer, whiskey, rum, tea, soda! Tell yourself you can do this! No more feeling sorry for yourself. You need confidence.

Make a quick analysis of problem areas. (You can’t just say everything and burst into tears)! Carefully consider each aspect of your overall classroom management program. It is not just the “discipline” concerns. Start with your routines. For example, how do you pupils enter the classroom and what is expected of them when they arrive? Do you have a bell ringer? A motivation activity? A series of instructions to follow to prepare for class? A surprise quiz announced with some clues to help prepare. If pupils are noisy from the start, most probably you have lost them from the beginning. Check all your routines. How can you improve them? What routines are working (Some are!)? Routine is necessary for classroom control.

The discipline plan is the overall conduct expectations. It is the rules and consequences in your classroom. If you have already made a set of rules and consequences, review them. I suggest no more than five rules to govern the classroom. There needs to be a hierarchal system of five consequences. And there needs to be individual and class rewards. Finally there needs to be system to keep track of pupils and their consequences. This discipline plan must be filled with expectation. It provides a plan that guarantees every child has an opportunity to learn without the disruption caused by a few. Most kids, hard to believe, really do want to learn. The discipline plan provides for that opportunity and you have to enforce that plan.

It is important to have a means of keeping track of the consequences for each pupil. Look around at different classrooms, you will see a range of schemes. Some have little trees for each kid with their name on it and three or four leaves on each. Leaves fall as a consequence is noted. Traffic signals with each child’s name with a marker moves from green to yellow to red! Easiest is a book card holder with kids name on it and index cards with the kids names on it. Three color cards, like the traffic signal, are markers of consequence level. Use a clip board with a class list and put a check mark next to the name each time a consequence is tagged. Use your imagination. Just be sure to diligently keep track. It is time consuming and a pain but with the effort you will discover it gets easier and easier. It also provides a basis for how you should start next year so that you wouldn’t have this problem again!

You have to be committed to your plan and you must follow through. If your consequence is a phone call home, you had better make that call! Do not make any threat unless you follow through with it. Be sure your consequences are sequential more punitive. Start with a warning and then a conference after class. (You can make it short but it clearly appears ominous to the class). The next level could be a note home or a call home. The finally consequence is a parent conference. Phone calls and conferences have definite impact on pupils. Parents, as much as they want communication, usually do not like phone calls and conferences. You need on emergency consequence. A student who is fighting, carrying a weapon, threatening another person, acting out of control must be removed- sent to the principal’s office.

Remember you must stick with your plan. What you say is the law. You can be as nice as you like outside the classroom but during class, you have a job to do. You are responsible to design a lesson plan, provide an opportunity for all pupils to learn, and to assess the work of your pupils.

A few reminders:

• Never, ever raise your voice
• Know each kids name! You should know them by now! You should able to look a kid in the eye and say their name.
• Follow through with any consequence (it is also a learning experience: cause/effect)
• Avoid confrontation in front of class. Ask pupil to come to the door or stand outside door while you stand at threshold. Now you have the advantage. He or she has lost her audience.
• Try not to rely on the principal’s office except in emergencies. (THINK: This is my classroom and not the principal’s. I must establish control not the principal).
• Be fair. What you expect of one expect of the other. (goose-gander).
• Expect the very best behavior from everyone.
• Avoid sarcasm! Kids just don’t get it.
• Don’t be cruel. Do not mock or make fun of someone. Do not join in a laugh that berates a pupil or another teacher.
• Be positive.
• No one said it was easy but once you are in control, it is a very satisfying job.

Kids do not hate you. They look to you for stability and order. Provide that for them.

Wow! I bet you are at your third or fourth drink! I hope its Friday! Now that you have a plan, how are you going to put it into action. The following are purely opinion. They may or may not work . You kind of have to decide what best fits your personality and how deeply committed you are to surviving for the year. Adapt what I say to fit your plan. No one can solve your problem. At least it will you a framework upon which to build.

If it were me:

1. Tomorrow I would write a lengthy assignment on the board . An assignment that they are expected to begin on it immediately and without talking. (Don’t worry about trying to teach. Survival requires that establish control). Stroll about reminding pupils to work on assignment. Have a checklist. Make notes. Kids will, of course, wonder what you are writing. NO SMILES NOW! Quietly say “I am calling home to offer a personal report to each parent.” Do raise your voice! I assure you word will get around. After five minutes or so, the class will be engrossed in their assignment. Now you can take the nitty-gritty: Take attendance, collect notes or lunch money or permission slips or whatever. Do not hide! Keep in the middle of your pupils. Walk around. Do not yell or scream or rant or rave- make it on you checklist and give them “the look.”
2. As the assignment is finished, you need another assignment to start on. Maybe math? Write a page number and the problems to be done. Collect the assignment as they finish. Give a time limit. “You have five minutes!” Call an end when the five minutes are up.
3. Teach the pupils how to quietly form a group of four or five. You assign the pupils. After explaining, ask them to move into their group. Tell them that the assignment is on the board (see below) and they should begin immediately. A grade will be given on how well the group works together based on completing the assignment in the time allowed. Again walk around. Compliment groups that working together. Help groups who are working very well with positive suggestions. Watch the time. Remind groups, not the whole class, that there are only five minutes left. Offer a reward (you could include that with the assignment on board). Candy, sucker, gum, sticker, homework pass, sit anywhere pass, “I can take a class period off to sit in back and read” pass, be the teacher for fifteen minutes pass make good rewards.
4. As the time nears, stand at front of class and watch to see what group and who cooperates in return to their seats. Remember your clip board- make notes!
5. Try to find a compliment to give. Joe’s group was the first to be in place followed by Mary’s group. Bobbie’s team seemed to work well exchanging ideas. Try to find something to be positive about. Even it’s the best dressed group was.
6. With the class, use a large poster to list your rules and consequences. One rule should be a catch all- Do what you are told the first time. Your first consequence should be a warning. Listen to suggestions. Remind them that any comments should be done by raising your hand. If they shout out, mark down and quietly remind them to raise their hands. Don’t go one too long. The outcome should be your five rules and consequences. Allow the pupils to think they belong to their thinking. Teacher’s can manipulate wording to fit the desired outcome. List several rewards. After 15-20 minutes, try to have your rules and consequences established. Inform the class that they made the rules and now you expect they will live by them.
7. It is time to move on. Proceed with your lesson plan. If you departmentalized or secondary school, its time for the next group. Be sure to keep track of rules and consequences.
8. Make the phone calls home as soon as possible. Start that day. The call can be quite simple. “Hello. I am so-and-so, your son’s teacher. We have been in school for a month and I just wanted to touch base with you and let you know that I am available Monday through Friday. If I am in class or a meeting, please leave a message and I will get back to you.” Important, you need something positive to say. “Billy is usually very polite and he has a charming smile. However, I have a concern about his shouting out in class. He is becoming a disruptive influence. I know if we work together, we can help Billy be the excellent student that he has the ability to be. I would appreciate if you could talk to Billy about the importance of classroom behavior and I will do the same on this end. Thanks so much for your help and I will contact you in a few weeks with an update.”
9. Once you start the phone calls, word will spread quickly! Start with the biggest pains! Make sure you call the cute kid who is a joy in class and compliment the parents. It will do you good as well as the parents. It also let’s the class know that a positive reward call can be made. I would try to make several phone calls a day. You can call during your prep period, after school or in the evening.

If you remember to keep track of behavior over a period of time, it will give you a better handle on kids and it will help maintain control. Remember that none of the records, checklists, index card comments, etc, are permanent. They are temporary and destroyed at the end of the school year. Legal stuff!!

Good luck and hang in there. If you need help or a pep talk, feel free to email me at:

mr.ms_teacher@yahoo.com

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