Finally!

Not to knock anyone, but -- aw heck, no one I'm talking about will ever read this, so I'll knock and knock hard: there are some lousy, awful substitute teachers out there!  One of the reasons I got into this gig was the subs I saw (or didn't saw, many never bothered to show up for their assignments) at my sons' school. I thought Hey, I could do a better job than that!  I can hang out with kids, leave work in the afternoon, and have weekends and holidays off -- and no folding shirts!*

Not only could I do that, but I also knew I could teach those kids something, even if I had to make it up as I went along or simply read the text book with them, which was the reason they were there IN SCHOOL in the first place!  Some subs seem to think students never get to see movies at home or get to talk to their friends, poor things...

Anyway, the point of the post was to be "Finally" ...after volunteering, observations, college degree, waiting, pink slips and budget cuts, more volunteering and observations, I am finally able to be a Substitute at my sons' school.  It seems every district in the County had jobs for me but this one, and I was waaaaaaay down on the seniority list, but now I have had several jobs at various grade levels and should be able to work some on into July.

And my 3rd grader comes and eats lunch with me. : )


* I was a sales manager for Robinson's May/Macy's and have folded more shirts in a day than most people will in a lifetime... I am not proud of this fact, although I am a damn good shirt folder.

Pimp the Unshelved Website

I'm not a Librarian, but spend enough time paying late fees to them to appreciate the humorous situations in these comic strips, not to mention the great book suggestions every week...

check them out:  Unshelved

Armando Galarraga vs. Reggie Bush

One of those weeks when I wish I had a classroom or a team -- what a powerful lesson (not that I've worked out the details yet) on sportsmanship and doing the right thing: Galarraga, Jim Joyce, and the Perfect Game that wasn't vs. USC, Reggie, and the Heisman/National Title that are no longer...

playing telephone

I could not for the life of me figure out why this student had a U-shaped piece of pvc in her desk, and after telling her to put it away three times during the day I finally asked -- what are you doing with a U-shaped piece of pipe in your desk?!?!?

Then half the class ran over to a big cabinet drawer full of the white plastic mysteries, and showed me how they read to themselves holding the pipe like a telephone (although a much larger phone than any of these digital children have ever used!) -- their whispered voices went right into the pvc and around the bend to their ear so they could perfectly hear what and how they were reading. Amazing!

I certainly do not recommend using anything that has been attached underneath your sink, and I'm sure there are copyrighted name brand models in those educational supply catalogs, but this teacher had simply bought bright white 2" P-traps and let the kids start reading!

"Thank you for your idea"

How to Teach Math as a Social Activity | Edutopia

from the edutopia website

Roosevelt Franklin!

hmm... need to work on the sizing issues. Sorry.

Thanks to One Album a Day for this blast from the past!

One of those days...

I know they're just 6th graders, but do they have to be such... 6th graders?!?!?

I was looking forward today too -- the boys' school, Science and English periods, figurative language  (onomatopoeia! alliteration!) -- but it's so hard to teach while repeatedly saying "Shhhh!"

Be Less Helpful

Got in trouble last night for waking up with The Wife with a way too late in the evening "Hallelujah!" due to checking out Teacherninja's post of Dan Meyer's video on "How to Teach..." -- all evening I had been slightly nervous about starting a week-long job, but this got me all fired up!

I'm not a Math person and he lost me on the ski slopes, but I am totally into the "be less helpful" angle* and I consider my absolute number 1 priority as a teacher (and parent/coach/adult) to prepare students for what comes next for the rest of their lives: solving problems.  I don't consider not having all the correct answers penciled in on a workbook page or turning in a certain amount of homework assignments to be problems; more often than not I see students simply copying off others, filling in the answers during review, or completely tuning out the lesson and discussion until the quick 'n easy how do I jump through the next hoop solution is presented.  It looks like Dan Meyer's blog tackles similar issues, plus he and his shopping cart were on Good Morning America!

*My sons will recognize this in the form of one of my mantras: "Look it up!"

Reasons To Hire Me

where was I, number 7?

7.  Don't let my "visible experience" from point #6 mislead, I am not a doddering retiree embarking on a second career -- I'm still (relatively) young and (fairly) active.  We walk, hike, racquetball, skateboard, challenge any number of sons plus neighborhood children to basketball, football, or dodgeball, and spend a majority of the summer at the beach.  I feel an active, healthy lifestyle is beneficial on mental and scholarly levels and want my students to see me practicing what I preach -- eating fruit and veggies, getting outside and walking around during breaks, classroom stretching every once in a while to get our blood flowing... and on the middle school hoops, I can still dunk.

8. I am active in the community -- several different communities, actually.  We do Cub Scouts near home, sports near the former home, and the boys' school is in a separate part if town entirely.  I've coached Pop Warner football teams, taught Art lessons, made signs and hung banners, and picked up trash and folded chairs after many an event.  I remember hearing a teacher complain about seeing a student and family while grocery shopping, but I think it's so cool when I hear "Coach Joel!" or "Mr. Nauton!" and see one of my kids around town.  Although it's probably like the All-Star giving autographs, it gets old after a while...?

9.  I have three sons, one each in high/middle/elementary school. They were my inspiration for taking this leap, my encouragement and tutors during the return to school, and my connections as I enter the world of 8-15 year olds ("what is a justin beiber again?").  Mostly through the use of the word "no" I am able to stay in touch with the modern student's world, as in "No, you may not see that movie/watch that show/play that song one more time/wear your pants like that/have a girlfriend" etc, etc.  I also have a constant supply of book recommendations, pop culture questions, technology upgrade requests, and a captive audience when I want to experiment try out a new lesson plan or classroom behavior strategy.

Application Time!

I'm not sure what is worse: this line from a local school district:

"We received over 400 applications and only hired 10 new teachers."

...or the dreaded "Tell us about yourself" introduction letter?

I was never good at self-evaluations at work, either too critical or too much the braggart -- but "I really didn't do much of anything" won't get one a raise, and "This place would collapse into rubble without me" doesn't endear one to immediate supervisors.  Now I need to tell principals why they should hire me to work in one of their classrooms, and I'm out on the tightrope, balancing between the feeling that I have no idea what I'm doing and announcing myself as the second coming of Socrates.

So why should a principal hire me?  Let me count the ways...

1. I enjoy kids.  They amaze me when they learn, inspire me when they create, crack me up just by walking in the door and saying good morning.
2. I love learning.  Through reading, hearing, watching, doing -- even trying to do but messing things up can be some learning. I love learning about new things I've never heard of before and learning something new about things I thought I knew all about.  I love sharing the "Wow, that was cool!" moment with others when we learn together.
3. I think it is very important to set a good example, to walk the walk after (and sometimes during) talking the talk -- teachers/parents/adults should do the same things we tell children they should do, such as read a book, get out in the fresh air, visit a museum, make friends with a bully, sit up straight...
4. I enjoy what I do.  If we have to work or do a task, might as well do it with a smile, do it well, do it right the first time.  It sounds corny, but I cannot wait to have a job I am really going to look forward to going to each morning!
5. I know how to listen to and talk with a wide variety of people, even unhappy ones.  I was in retail sales for 20 years and have heard every complaint, excuse, and con in the book.  I will be able to efficiently communicate and cooperate with parents and co-workers, and be able to calmly handle any difficulties that might arise.
6. Speaking of years, I have lived a few more than most rookie teachers, which means not only do I have a bit of that distinguished, professorial gray, but I'm definitely in this job for life.  I plan on spending at least the next 30 years (just enough to pay off the student loans!) as a teacher.  It is who I am, it is what I want to do.
   

Europe Trip

Europe, here he comes!  Well, he will if he raises enough money in the next 8 months...

Right now I'm just looking for encouragement for his efforts and some ideas and suggestions, so maybe click on some of his links?   Thanks!

Piano Stairs and Bedazzled Battleships

These ideas cover life in general, but what an important concept for educators -- The Fun Theory promotes changing and rewarding positive behavior through this new-fangled concept called "fun" ...

I also remembered this fantastic blog that I used to read almost as a daily devotional, but somehow lost it in the shuffle (maybe 5 blogs + Facebook is too much?).  It's not only fascinating history connected to today's world/student, but it's also full of that "fun" stuff to engage and reinforce learning, such as creatively coloring battleships? I did not know about the dazzle method of camouflage, but now thanks to History is Elementary I do...