First Year Teacher Needs Help

In HELP!!!!! New Teacher Wants To Regain Control from So You Want To Teach?, Joel asks for suggestions to the following dilemma:

“I am in my first year as a Special Education teacher. My class is out of control. Kids are yelling at each other. Nobody is focused on their work. I am yelling and screaming and they are talking back and yelling back at me. Everybody is trying to help me out. Some say I need to be more positive, some say I need to be stronger and more strict. I do not know what to do. As a group, they are against me. The situation is very confrontational. I can not stop them going crazy. The kids know it. They are going crazy but they do not care. Some kids even have a lot of fun of it. they want the class go crazy so I can get fired. Please help. I am seriously thinking resignation because I do not think I can turn the classroom around since I can not change the nature of some of the students.”

The two suggestions that I gave were:

One thing that worked for me was what I called “The Chain of Success” that involved paper chains. I told the class that I would put a check mark on the board each time they were so noisy I couldn’t teach or so rude that I couldn’t teach (etc). If they got less than a certain number of checks (don’t start off too strict because you want them to be successful but don’t start off to lenient or they won’t improve) on the board per hr. or class period, we would add a paper chain to the chain that began on the ceiling hanging down. When it reached the floor, the whole class would get a reward (homework pass, or educational movie or whatever you think the class would like). The kids started monitoring themselves so they could get a paper chain added. Be consistent though and don’t put a check up for the behavior on one day and not the next. Be clear about what positive behaviors you are looking for.

Also another thing that worked for me was to find something positive to say about a student and call home to brag on them. The next day, ask that student if the parents told them what you said and if not, tell that student what you said. Try to call the parents every two weeks to brag on them. If a student asks why you haven’t called home, ask that student to help you find something positive to tell the parents. The parents love this and brag on the student and then the student comes to class and tries harder. It breaks the negative cycle that they are used to.

You can also read Joel’s post to see what other comments were made. Do you have any suggestions you would give?

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'Aaahhh!!!'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29333334@N06/3796279865 by: Emergency Brake

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 6/4/10

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Teacher Training Videos – “These videos were created for teachers to help them to incorporate technology into their teaching. Just click and a video will open and take you through how to use that technology.”

National Body Challenge – Educators Toolkit

Trackclass – “TrackClass helps you get your school work organized. From reminders to notes to assignments and grades, you'll be on top of your studies!”

TeacherTube: Inclusion – great video on how a class included a student who had leukemia

GoogleLit Trip – “This site is an experiment in teaching great literature in a very different way. Using Google Earth, students discover where in the world the greatest road trip stories of all time took place... and so much more!”

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: Tools by Pat Hensley

Shoelaces for Teachers Campaign

I recently got an email from Laurie Murphy about the “Shoelaces for Teachers Campaign”. She writes the following message:

“Members of the Shoelaces for Teachers campaign are collecting shoelaces in honor of educators who work hard every day to help students to have a better future.  These teachers understand the true meaning of education and put the needs of students ahead of politics and savory sound-bites.  

However, teachers could not succeed if not for the support of the community.  Therefore, shoelaces are also being collected in honor of people who are speaking up on behalf of education-people who demand that teachers receive the support needed to do their job and who insist that public education remains adequately funded and available to all. They also understand that, while some aspects of education (such as creativity, independent thinking, engagement and compassion) cannot be easily measured, they represent some of education’s greatest achievements.

When combined, all of these shoelaces become a “virtual march” in the name of education. 

The string of collected shoelaces will be measured and revealed during the world premiere broadcast of the documentary "I Just Keep Going" on July 30, 2010 on Ustreamtv.  The stories of several of our honored teachers and supporters will be featured as part of this documentary.  

We would be honored to include a shoelace representing you and your ongoing efforts in our campaign.  We would also encourage you to submit other shoelaces on behalf of other educators who have made a difference in the lives of students or who have worked hard to improve our educational system.  We encourage you to write your name on the shoelace you submit (or on an enclosed piece of paper).  We also would ask that you submit the name of other people being honored, should you submit additional laces.

Shoelaces may be old, new, plain, or creatively decorated. That part is entirely up to you!

Shoelaces should be mailed to: Laurie Murphy, 6414 Foster Road, Sebring, FL 33875. 

The Shoelaces for Teachers Campaign is sponsored by the SOS Million Teacher March, an organization made of up teachers, parents, students, and other concerned citizens who are rallying together in support of education. To learn more about the Shoelaces for Teachers Campaign or the SOS Million Teacher March, please visit us at  www.sosmtm.com.  Should you have any questions or wish to discuss this further, feel free to contact me by telephone at (863) 386-4806 or by email at murphylauriet@gmail.com.”

So please send your shoelaces in!

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Every Child Is Creative (They Just Need a Little Help)

How many times have you heard the criticism, “He doesn’t have a creative bone in his body”? Have you ever wondered how it is that these supposed experts are able to make such a bold claim? Creativity, by its very nature, is difficult to define, categorize, or quantify because it is totally subjective. And yet, almost anyone can tell the difference between an idea that is inventive and one that has been done a million times. So while you may at first be stumped when it comes time to expand the young minds of your students and inspire them to innovate, you can start by taking a closer look at what motivates them (and you).
Every child is different. Their interests vary and it takes time to figure out what might motivate one or another. And while any curriculum requires that children learn certain things, the way you teach your lessons, and how you choose to engage your students in the subject matter, could have a huge effect on how much they learn and retain. If your goal is to get them thinking outside the box, the simplest way to start is by using some common sense. What are you really trying to teach students? What is at the heart of every lesson, from math and science to reading and writing? You want to prepare your students not only for their exams and for the next grade level, but also for life. All learning, at its core, is designed to help kids develop the knowledge and skills they will need to function beyond their schooling. So begin with practical applications

Are you teaching them about the Civil War? Have them take on the persona of members of the Union and the Confederacy, then discuss the problems they are facing with the war. This will allow them to get into the head space of another person, one whose challenges were vastly different from the ones they face today. Understanding history, from a personal perspective, will make it a lot more interesting and easy to remember. You’re also allowing them to express their own feelings and ideas through a character, a creative expression that will help them grow mentally and emotionally. You can also change up delivery methods for reports. Instead of having students write reports and read them to the class, they can create a video, a song, a blog, or represent their ideas pictorially. All of these activities will access and engage various areas of the brain, expanding their ability to think in different ways.

Another way to foster creativity is through a change of venue. While you may not have the resources to take your students on regular outings, you can still work outside the restrictions of a classroom. Move all the desks to the wall and have students sit in a circle for class discussions. Or take it outside when the weather is nice so kids can enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, and open space. If you’re studying the rotation of the planets, bring out some sidewalk chalk to mark the path that different planets will take. Then have the kids walk it out. They’re sure to appreciate the lesson a lot more when it involves multiple sensory inputs. Just be sure that every student gets involved.

Finally, get feedback. Go straight to the source and ask the kids what they like and dislike about different lessons. You can use their comments constructively to help you determine new and interesting ways to teach other lessons. Spicing up your class by trying something new, incorporating their interests, and allowing them to participate in the process is only going to improve their ability to navigate the world in creative ways. You want them to be flexible, innovative, and confident, so take the time to really listen to them. Everyone has the potential to be creative if their unique talents are adequately nurtured.

Alexis Montgomery is a content writer for Online Universities, where you can browse through various online degree programs to find a college that suits your needs.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Will Grayson, Will Grayson: A Book Review

I recently read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. It is young adult novel about two boys who have the same name and meet in real life. The story is told from each boy’s perspective and deals with teen relationships, homosexuality, and underage drinking.

Here is the review that I wrote on the Picnic Basket:

“I would have to rate this book 1 out of 5. In the area that I live in, I believe parents and school administrators would not allow this book in the school library. The sexual content and the language are too strong for students in this area. It also seemed to encourage underage drinking and fake IDs. I'm not sure that I would want my students reading this because it would bring up discussions that are not allowed in my classroom.”

I believe if this was in a school library, parents would definitely have a problem with this. I could see this becoming a huge headache for administrators. I know that these issues exist and are out there but I’m not sure I would want to discuss them in a classroom. I live in the conservative south and I don’t feel that the public would be very approving of this book in our schools.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).