Effective Teacher Day 1

Blog abandonment

This week was so draining. I don't want to drone on and on about how this week was a BEAST. You don't want to hear that. 

What I will say is this, no question this week built my faith. I have been working on building margin in my life. Even with this week beating me up I didn't get to my limits.  I know this week coming, I'm going to be pushed more than last week. Thankfully, I've already planned for it and I feel grace to do it. I can see that consistent on going improvement will yield huge results. 

To give balance I've found it really tough to plan/think LONG term about my lessons and class learning. I talked about in in my Avengers post aout making the lessons catchy to get the kids excited about the next lesson. I've had some success in my re-growing veggies lessons in science, but not so much in my other lessons. Just need to work on this for sure. 

I have an evaluation this week and I feel good about it. I picked up some great skills at a workshop a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, I've been kicking it hard so Monday will be the best teaching anyone has seen cause I've been doling out the best daily. 

Crossfit this week was strong. I didn't make it to Crossfit South Cobb everyday, but I was able to sneak into Basement Crossfit and keep my goals in line. I've been juicing well. It's not hard now at all. I'm down nearly 13 pounds. I hope to be able to plant our garden next week or the following week. 

Let's get at it. 

Let's create something new

I'd like to propose some crowd sourcing for a problem I have in my classroom. I've always thought that getting as many ideas would create the best solution to a problem. Feel free to post another blog, article or a reading that adds to the discussion and let's see what kind of solutions we get. Let the good ideas flow. 

Problem: Students aren't turing in weekly homework. 

Details: Every Monday the students get a homework sheet with the weekly homework outlined for them. They're asked to turn in the work on Friday. Notes home to parents don't get answered and phone calls have been less than responsive.  It makes no never mind in my book if homework is graded or just busy work it's value is the reinforcement of the skills taught in class. Keep in mind that of the 7-8 students that regularly do their homework 2 look like they did it on the bus on their way to school. 

Question: What would you do? How do you get students to put more effort into their weekly homework? Do your kids do homework? 

I have some ideas, but I'd love to get as many original ideas from you all as possible. By the way, my 1st grader does her homework gleefully. My wife and I check it and initial it every night. 

School year is great. I do have some other issues that I'd like to crowd source, but this one is probably the biggest waste of my time. 

Besides that we're in the midst of a fitness/eating challenge at Crossfit South Cobb. I got full intentions of winning and I'll keep you posted on the end results. 

Resolved the chart storage issue

I was able to get a good file system over the weekend. Thanks to this box and some spiffy folders I'm able to store a ton of charts and posters. This week I was able to reach in and grab some needed charts right on the spot. In the process I found a lot of charts I need to put up around the class. If anyone wants to come help me one day I'll stay at work late to finish. 

Conservative Christian Southern Black Tea Party Male Public school Teacher

I just wanted to see if I could get 100 views with that heading. Help me out, won't ya! How many more labels can I add?

Honestly, I keep politics out of my blog as much as I can.  I do have an opinion, just like you. Most of the time the armpit rule applies. I do think politics is a part of our lives and sadly it becomes more a part every day. However, there is so much about life here in America that unites us all. Most of the time I'd rather focus on the great things that make us Americans than the nasty underside which is American politics. 

Alright back to your work and don't forget to VOTE!

Don't play the game...play the man.

Everyday we play a game. Sometimes we're up. Sometimes we're down. No matter what we're in a game and we need to win. You have to know the defense and the offense, that's a given. But do you know the players better than they know themselves? 

 

A person once said "Don't play the game, play the man." In my case it's "play the children". I need to really, really dig down into the fine details of each of my students to raise them up to where they need to be. If I play the "class", I'm only going to reach 60% of them at best. Some way I'm going to do a better job of dealing with each student and each of their abilities so I can help raise up 100% of them. Like I've said this is an All Star class. They have a lot of talent and they're sharp. It's going to be tough, but so is getting beat down everyday. I just choose what hard job I'm going to do, cause I'M playing the children not the class. 

As a recap, my time frame analogy was spot on! For literacy, it worked like a charm. Now I need to improve my content. Thankfully, I do have the times down. Looking for a timer that I can set multiple times for, if anyone wants to suggest one. Next I'm going all in on my math times. Haven't had any feedback on it, but I'll get myself on a better schedule and time this week. By end of 1st 9 weeks I have the SuperLearner Central running like a well-oiled machine. 

I already have my lessons done and sent off for next week. I have my emergency sub plans done. I have my new BBoard ready. Just need the kiddos to work on their work to put up.  Not sure what I need to do to get the "authentic" student work quality up. I do models and I have them follow me, but they're just not that creative and imaginative. Wonder how to teach that. 

Crossfit South cobb will see my carcass tomorrow. Can't wait. Today's WOD was fun looking. I didn't get in there. No excuse will be given. I will be there tomorrow and I will have down that gallon of water to keep me hydrated. 

I figured it out!

Not to go on and on, but I really appreciate that God gives insight to those who are willing to ask for it. Allow me to explain. 

Today I was having a discussion about the Common Core "Literacy Block". This person let me know that what was seen during my segement of the block wasn't impressive. Ok. Continuing they explained what they were looking for. 

As I listened a light went off. We have been talking about doing the same thing, but we were going at it totally differently. 

I told them this story. When I was a child I was able to eat as much food as I wanted on my plate. The only requirement is that when my mom said dinner was over, I had to have a clean plate. I didn't matter what I ate first or last. All that mattered was being done when time was called.

I've always thought the Literacy block was like my childhood eating. I can do what I want to do, when I want to. I only have to ensure that I'm done when time is up. 

What they had described they were looking for was more this example. 

 I have to eat as much as I can from each compartment, but I only have so much time to do so. I can't jump all around the plate like I did when I was young. In this situation I have 15 minutes to eat my potato salad. I can finishe in less than 15, but I can't take more than that. Next I have 15 minutes to  eat my corn. Same thing, I can eat it in less time, but I can't go over and taking my time and eating it in 14 minutes would be ideal. This goes on until the Literacy block is over. If anything is left over it can be wrapped up and taken care of the next day.  

I say that was a divine revelation, because NO ONE has made that clear to me or to many of the other teachers. We've all been figuring it out. Since I wasn't clear WHAT I didn't know I wasn't able to ask for more help. I just knew that some segments were good. Others were horrid and I had to press through for 90 minutes. 

The name also adds to the confussion. I think of a block as a large "unit" of time that can be divided and sub-divided as I see if as long as all the parts of literacy get covered. Was I wrong or what? I really see how this is supposed to work and I can certianly hit the ground running faster tomorrow. 

In honor of this revelation I made a cafe tray anchor chart with the time slots for each part on it. Now if I could find a huge timer that allows me to set different alarms for different times I'd be GOLDEN! 

 

I Quit!

I year ago I read a book called "Quitter". The short premise of the book is that we as people are doing to much. We need to start quitting things that we're not going to be excellent at so we can focus in on those few things that make us stand out. *I never said I was a book reviewer. I just like books a lot

So this week I made a list of things I quit. 

I quit making sorry excuses for being lazy. 

Oh, yeah, not wanting to be original. I gave that up, too.

I quit giving myself permission to not be a really good teacher.

No reason to come to me with gossip. I quit that as well. 

Oh, you want me to bend over backwards to please you? Snap, I just quit that. 

I take my life far more seriously than I did a few years ago before I quit being a pitiful dad and husband. 

I quit beating myself up when I don't do something perfect. Hey, I'm moving aren't I? 

I quit NOT doing a budget. This flying by the seat of my pants is for the birds! Going back to doing a regular budget every month. 

I quit thinking that each of my students come fro backgrounds like mine or my own kids. They need a lot more TLC than I may require. 

Being that I have a house full of little girls, I quit focusing on the boys behavioral issues over the girls attention issues. 

Yeah, that yelling thing. I gave that up, too. 

I'm a contract employee with sarcasm, but I'm planning on dropping my 2 week off soon. 

I've almost finished reading and re reading Og Mandino's 10 scrolls from the Greatest Salesman in the World. Each day for a month I've read the small chapter 3 times. I'm on 8 and I have 2 more chapters to recite. It's been really helpful. Might start over again just because it's been such a habit. 

I also need to come up with a seriously fun activity for Friday. I want to tie in all the concepts we did this week and make it LIVE! Let me process that for a minute. 

Been at Crossfit South Cobb a lot more. The first part of the school year was beating me up, but I got in the habit and I was in there 4 times this week. I feel so much better and I think it's showing in my mental game. I have a lot more to do on my physical game, but my mind and heart are in the right place. 

 

What a great week!

This week has been great. I really, truly have been blessed with a fantastic group of kiddos. They don't do a lot of things right, but wow are they open to correction and redirection. 

Now, if I could get the guy I shave with everyday to really understand this literacy block I'd be golden! There's just a lot of moving parts to this new Common Core and just when I think I have an idea of how one part works I find I was looking at it wrong. I will say that my teammies are on it so I'm learning the fine art of begging for help. In all seriousness I'm gaining better understanding and it's starting to make sense. I need to dig through more teacher blogs to find ideas and resources. 

Next post I'm going to talk about the things I quit doing and some things I started. This is one. I'm going to have a Super Learner of the Week. My kids are so fabulous that it's only right to celebrate them. So this Friday I'm going to roll out a new award with my classroom jobs. This is going to be my 1st SL of the Week. I have some VERY helpful kids and if I could I'd give this out to 4 or 5 of them. This little guy is the best because he's been overly helpful with new kids coming to the class. I know he understands the class procedures and he shows them to others like an all star. He's mindful of his work and always puts in the time to make sure he's doing everything right. He doesn't do everything right, but he's making an effort and will correct himself when directed. He's really the epitome of a Super Learner to me.  And besides he's a snazzy dresser for 7!  Nevermind, he was moved from my room today with no explaination. SMH

 

 

If I string together enough little wins

Today was another W for "Super Learners Central". Taking the time on the front end to practice procedures is making me feel better about the time when we dive into the meat and potatoes of class. I also know that some of my kids aren't the strongest in every subject. I can see little signs that tell me where to work with each. But one thing is for sure they're all Super at doing these procedures so they at least have that win under their belt. 

The new classroom theme is...

Super Learners! 

 

Look up in the sky it's a kid! No it's a child. No it's a SUPER LEARNER! We excitedly want to and seek to learn new information to help strengthen our future choices. 

 

This came out WAY cooler than I thought it would. The kids that have seen my room have all flipped out about this side of the room. 

Last minute homework poster that turned out perfect. We'll use this to keep track of our homework. Or course no one will want to be the Joker and not turn in his/her work. 

Not Superhero related, but I like this birthday chart. I'm going to clip each childs name and date under the respective month of their birth. Got my class list late Friday so I didn't have time to do this. But I'll do it this week for sure. 

Wanted some more Brown superheroes. I wasn't as pleased with the final product. My character was too tall and I had to cut her feet off. Certainly will revisit this one, SOON. 

Now, I'm very pleased with the end result of this bboard. I can't wait to put some of my star and developing work up on it. The kids are going to flip out for sure. 

This lamp in my book center is SO busy. It's over the top for sure. Everyone who's seen it agrees, it's so bright it doesn't matter that there isn't a light bulb in it. *I put a bulb in it already. 

I'm very pleased with how this came out. Supes flying with a book in his hand is BOSS. No one saw that coming. 

This was the least creative board I've ever done. Kind of make my room set up like a mullett. Conservative in the front and a party in the back. Honestly I put all my mental energy into the classroom that I forgot about this board. I do have some things planned as soon as the students get some quality work turned in. 

I'm really proud of my minimalist posters. Kind of wish I could have done more. Not 100% sure I won't roll out some more later on this school year. Since I'm going to change my word wall location (think UP, REALLY high up) I will have some room to show case more student work later. 

Not the best pic of these fantastic curtains. They certainly tie the theme in and keep the room looking creative. Very well done and they block just enough light. 

My Hulk poster is good. It's not as overwhelming as I planned. Trust me if this theme helps draw my students in I've already planned to go 3D for everything next year. 

This didn't "look" like I intended. I had this image in my head and this isn't it. I'm going to have to hone my Cricut skills cause I could do better. Anyway, this is a game to help keep my class abiding by the procedure of looking forward when in line. When we line up I'll call "passwordP and give them a task. Give me a word with  4 letters that thats with an A or A 3 letter word that begins with T. I'll pull a name at random and if that student has an answer they'll get a point/treat/kudos of some kind. 

Composition books sliced in half, covered with newspaper comics and given a child's name. Going to use these as name tags when the students come to class Monday. Under common core they're supposed to write a lot so guess what they'll be doing with their composition books? 

I really, really like this one. It was a last minute project and the wind was at my back. Another shout out to my 2 girls. I had to use up the space and it certainly was a good use. Kind of wish I had put this on the other storage closet closer to the front of the class. 

My only staple. The only thing I've kept my entire teaching career. 4 simple rules. This year I'm focusing on procedures. I'm drilling and practicing procedures so that later I can shift gears and really pour the coals on the fire. I can't wait! 

 

I'm so geared up for this school year. I feel like I have a plan and I feel the plan can work. I know my mental game is on point and I'm ready to push this class of children well past where they think they can go. 3...2....1... here we go!