A New View of My Students

Okay for the most part my kids are good and I am proud of them. But today I had a rude awakening. My master teacher will leave the room on a regular basis. Today I noticed that each time this happens I tend to loose control of the classroom. I asked them why is it that when she is in the class they behave. The answer "She's our teacher and your just a student teacher." This was only muttered by a few students, but it still stung. I realized that I have yet to issue a referal. I have spoken privately to some of my problem students and they have changed their behavior, and not all of my students act out. I'm guessing I'm going to have to make an example out of one of them sometime soon. Probably tomorrow and I know which one it is. I've spoken to my master teacher about this and we've both agreed that if she steps in then the kids will loose respect for me. I don't really want to do a referal but I'm left with no choice. I think this is because it feels strange at my school. I feel like an outsider. I told my students that I have the power to send them out of class, but because this is a really nice neighborhood I wonder if parents will complain. I know I shouldn't worry about parents but because I got placed late in the semester I do worry. I also wonder if my late placement has made it difficult for some of the students to accept me.

off topic rant

Okay I have spent the last four hours trying to fix my Norton AntiVirus 2005 so that it will automatically run live update and the scheduled scans. Unfortunately because I have XP with SP2 it makes it difficult. Apparently I have to go in as an administrator in safe mode and do some configuration. I did this, but it didn't work. I looked on Symantec's website and for me to get immediate help I have to pay 30.00. I want to know why are they charging me extra to help set up the stupid program. I've had my computer for two years and had an older version of Norton and never had this problem. I only bought the newer version because something about compatibility and being unable to update my virus definitions even though I had paid for a new subscription. Ordinarily I can fix what's wrong with my computer, but today I just don't know what to do. I've uninstalled, reinstalled, added passwords, and changed passwords and nothing works. I'm beginning to wonder if this is another way for me to pay an extra forty dollars for something as simple as standing on my head. I have decided no more for tonight. I'll try and think of something tomorrow. In the mean time, I should cease procrastination and get to my homework, which I don't want to do. I just keep looking forward to next month when this semester is over, Star Wars comes out and I graduate.

Grammar

I keep reading that we are all in the same boat having to teach grammar, which to me is the most boring part of being an english teacher, and having a difficult time with it. So I keep searching on the internet and am open to any ideas. This is another grammar website that I found and I haven't had a chance to think and figure out what I can do with it but I figure maybe someone else can come up with ideas. http://nweb.pct.edu/homepage/staff/evavra/KISS.htm

Art and Technology

I think that technology helps in writing novels, plays and short stories. Those three creative processes need computers. I like writing on paper in my kitchen, but for something that is longer than twenty pages I use my computer. I like the messiness that I create on lined paper, but when it comes time to edit I like the neatness of computer paper. I guess i'm strange. With my writing process I will usually just start writing and when I hit a block I go and type up what I've written. Usually typing will help me to go back to the kitchen and write some more. I go back and forth like this the whole time. The only writing process that I think might be inhibitted by computers is poetry. Poetry, which I can't write, seems to be more creative and thoughtful, so I think the computer may hinder the process. I picture poets struggling over words and lines crossing out what they think doesn't work for something that may work and then returning back to their origial idea.

On to my week. This week has been pretty good. Although, yesterday my students were acting out. I spent too much time having to ask them for their attention. We were taking a spelling test and there was talking and walking around. This was unusual because my kids are usually well behaved. I almost made an example of a student by threatening to send him to the counselors office after that they quieted down. But then they started up again. We were supposed to finish watching a movie, but my master teacher stepped in and decided that we were going to continue working on grammar. The kids were upset but they had taken up thirty minutes of class time doing a spelling test.

We are still working on grammar and I have yet to figure out how to make it interesting. I search for lesson plans, but most lesson plans have to do with literature. I have found a few sites for grammar, but I think that they can best be used for mini-quizzes to check formastery. The one I like the most is http://www.dailygrammar.com/. This has the answers to all of the mini-lessons so I figure this is good way to test competency.

My first week of actually teaching

This has been the first week in which I have been actively teaching. Unfortunately it has been a passive experience for my kids. We have been working on grammar, which is not a fun subject, all week long. I have enjoyed being in front of the class, but I wish I had been able to work on something other than grammar. I know my kids are burned out about it, and this is something that we are going to focus on for the rest of the month. I think this is a passive experience because I stand in front of the class going over what the textbook says and we review the handout. They have time to work on the handout and we go over the answers together. For some of my kids, they seem to be working with the experience. Some of the kids will answer questions and will explain why they got that answer. On a couple of occassions they have proved me wrong and explained to me why my answer is wrong. I don't have a teacher's edition so I have to do the work myself. I have to say I have enjoyed being wrong, especially when a student explains to me why he thinks he is right and I see that he is. This lets me know that I must be doing a good job explaining because someone is paying attention.

Today I asked my students how many of them use IM. Almost all of them do and they encouraged me to do the same. They said they think that some things might be easier understood if they are taught on computers. I think this is true because in my class my kids have access to computers at home. They all text message because they all have cell phones. They think that it would be cool if I had a website that had links to things that I like and things that I think would help them to understand things in class.

My Voice

I looked at some of the posts that we were supposed to and I noticed that they were all able to be more honest about what they do in their classroom. The reason for this is because they are relatively annonymous. They are also able to have links to other blogs that talk about controversial subjects. Two of the blogs are very open about what goes on in their class and I think it is a good thing. First it gives them the chance to vent their frustration without the risk of censure. They don't have to worry about being told that what they are saying is wrong.

For my own voice, I guess all I can talk about is my classes and my students, but in a censured manner. I'm still amazed at how some of my students just recently suprised me by not writing how I thought they would. I expected to have the students who participate in class to be better writers, when in fact it turned out that the ones that I expected to be poor writers were pretty good. This taught me that I should judge my students by the work and not by a preconceived notion that if you particpate you must be a good student. The only other thing that I can talk about is my daughter. Since I have no life, you can tell by the fact that i'm writing this post on a Friday night during Spring Break, and she is currently my best, because I don't have time for friends, and my hot date, she is the most important person that I put up with.