Consistency is the best rule of all

I was reading an article about a new teacher changing her classroom rules midway through the semester. She gave several reasons for the changes, and most of them were not as a direct result of what she had done. The main reason behind the changes included communication, the principal did not clearly share with her what classroom management support system the school had, then when she did learn what the school has the principal failed to include the fact that level of intervention was restricted to the principal or vice-principal.

This is a wonderful lesson for a new teacher, I will know to ask those questions of my first principal, I think Kunai-gurl was correct in a classroom management model must be adjusted to the students you are teaching, but I think there must also be a level of consistency. The principal could be more consistent in sharing the school’s policies with a new teacher, and the new teacher must be consistent in how she provided management rules in their classroom. I spent many years as a basketball official, and game management was always a significant issue, the players did not seem to mind a foul called on them as long as the same foul was called for the same infraction by the other team. All the problems for officials happen when a foul on one team is not a foul on the other for the same infraction. As I move from being a pre-service teacher to a full time one, I hope I can continue the consistency I have learned and bring it into my classroom.

What a great way to simplify a difficult concept.

I was reading articles on standardized tests, and I found this one on NCLB, as a football fan, and a pre-service teacher, I just had to add it to my Blog. Thanks to Liz Ditz for sharing it.

Did you see NCLB–The Football Version?

Author Unknown

l. All teams must make the state playoffs, and all will win the championship. If a team does not win the championship, they will be on probation until they are the champions, and coaches will be held accountable.

2. All kids will be expected to have the same football skills at the same time and in the same conditions. No exceptions will be made for interest in football, a desire to perform athletically, or genetic abilities or disabilities. ALL KIDS WILL PLAY FOOTBALL AT A PROFICIENT LEVEL

3. Talented players will be asked to work out on their own without instruction. This is because the coaches will be using all their instructional time with the athletes who aren’t interested in football, have limited athletic ability, or whose parents don’t like football.

4. Games will be played year round, but statistics will only be kept in the 4th, 8th, and 11th games.

5. This will create a New Age of sports where every school is expected to have the same level of talent and all teams will reach the same minimal goals.

If no child gets ahead, then no child will be left behind.

How about a standard test for state legislators

I was reading Anne Davis’ article on High-stakes testing is one of our biggest obstacles to overcome!. I must say as a pre-service teacher I am concerned about the emphasis states are placing on test scores and not on the true quality of education, to evaluate a teacher on the test results of students is judging someone on a very small fraction of what they actually do. I think, in many cases, the willingness of courts to accept the opinion of a vocal misinformed parent over those of professional educators is a major part of the problem. I also think elected legislators who look at schools as cost centers, and not as necessary investments in the future of this country are also part of the big picture problem. What I have observed during my practicum is teachers are so much more than just educators. They are councilors, advisors, nurses, waiters, janitors, and almost any other job you can think of. I am looking forward to being all of these. The issue of standard tests being the only measure of the quality of education is one that must be addressed soon, the repercussions of failing to address the issue could potentially drive many great professionals out of teaching. What is a solution to the test issue? Is there a solution to this issue? These are questions out elected officials at the state level must answer.

We can only guess.

I find it very interesting as to how teachers talk about what classrooms will look-like in the 21st century. I was in school in the sixties and early seventies, and the difference between what was available then, and what is available now we all know about; we can track the changes between before home computers and after home computers. I was reading Jeanne Simpson's article on I want to be part of a 21st century school (http://mathmusings.blogspot.com/2006/11/i-want-to-be-part-of-21st-century.html.) I found it interesting because with technology advancing in leaps and bounds I wonder if we really know what a classroom will look like in 20 or 30 years. We are just beginning to touch what technology can do right now as schools ride the technology wave, where will they end up? Can we use science fiction to help us predict what may change? With computers becoming more prevalent, will textbooks become obsolete and just, as laptops are a requirement here will there be a laptop on every desk in a first grade class? Will holographic images of a historic site replace a field trip? Will keyboarding replace handwriting? What skills will be lost as technology advances? With all these unanswered questions, I am looking forward to becoming a full time professional teacher and teaching in a 21st century classroom.

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Thanks Bud

Bud the Teacher in his blog wants to hear from "Preservice" Teachers that are blogging about their experience. As a new blogger, I appreciate Bud helping develop the communication lines and enhancing the blog expereince. Beginning bloggers at times have difficutly finding thing to write. Bud's blog giving a starting point is a great idea. To see Bud's blog go to
http://budtheteacher.typepad.com/bud_the_teacher/2006/10/preservice_blog.html#comment-23558181

Vacuum of technology in today’s classroom: The Ripple effect.

I am a non-traditional Undergraduate at William & Mary; I am in my second of three semesters in the elementary education program. I large part of what I am learning deals with how to integrate technology into the classroom. My concern is how useful will this knowledge be when there are classrooms around the country that only have one computer in the classroom, and that is for the teacher to use. I have been a student off and on since JFK was President. I am amazed at how far technology has taken a classroom. The first “Computer” I saw in a classroom was just a glorified programmable calculator that took up an entire students desk. I doubt that schools out there have not advanced that far, but I know with budgeting issues that some school districts face, technology is a much lower priority.
The result of this priority is a no win situation for everyone involved. The school district with no computers has lower standardized test scores than any more technological advanced school around it. The teacher using chalk and board to teach misses so many opportunities to help students grow. Finally, the one who misses or looses the most is the student. When the student is forced to compete against their peers from other schools without the advantage of learning from and using technology on a regular basis, they are a more of a disadvantage than all but truly exceptional student could be expected to overcome.
I have the advantage of having grown up in a technologically repressed age, and going back to school at a university that stresses technology. The elementary school where I have been doing my practicum has also bought into the necessity of technology in the classroom. Every teacher I have spoken with has talked about how essential computer skills are for a competitive student. This elementary school begins working students with technology while they are in Kindergarten, and advance their knowledge through fifth grade, when they move up to middle school. During a recent “Technology Inventory,” I found technology being used in so many different ways, in almost every classroom, and by almost every teacher. I also found the best teachers are the ones that don’t just use technology to teach, they are the ones that allow their students to learn with technology. Instead of creating a slideshow and lecturing off that slide show, the teacher will allow the students to create the slideshow, present what they have learned and correct and errors.
As a pre-service teacher, it is hard not to get excited about the chance to get into my first teaching position where I can bring new technological insights to my students. It is also very difficult not to be terrified at the thought of teaching in a classroom with little or no technology available.

Follow your dream

Have you ever taken a chance? I mean a real risk? Take a big step outside your comfort range and do something you never thought you would or could do? I had an opportunity to go back to college after I was in my mid 40s. I was a terrible, lazy student in High School, and did not think I could handle college level work.
In 2001, the call center where I was working was shut down; I was forced to do a lot of reevaluating of who I was and what I wanted to do. I guess I had a huge dose of “mid life crisis” forced on me. Having Served in the Air Force, and retired with a minor disability, I had Veterans Administration benefits in addition to the G.I. Bill available to me. I was given an opportunity I thought had passed me by. I took a huge chance, stopped by the registrar's office for the college I had dreamed of attending when I was still in my late teens. During my visit with the Dean of Transfer Admissions, it did not look well. She told me she did not think I had done enough to get into that school. Not willing to give up on my dream that quickly, I asked, "What would I have to do to get in?" She replied, "Good Question." and gave me a list of about 25 to 30 things I could do to prepare myself for the school, she said I should start by taking classes at a community college, get good grades, keep working, and take some specific classes. Then come back in about a year and we could talk again. I followed her advice, did everything she wanted me to do, and called her a year later, made an appointment to visit her. This time, the results were different, after looking over everything I had done in that year, her response this time was, “It's time to apply.” I was beside myself I had worked so hard for a year and a half, to have the door opened like that was such an amazing feeling.
That was four years ago, I am now a senior at the college of my dreams, I found out even in my late 40s, I can do the work that is necessary to succeed at a major college, in fact, I have finished my Major work in History, and working on my second major in Elementary education. I have also finished my “General Education Requirements,” and my foreign language requirement. In fact, I will be graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Arts.
The moral is, never give up on your dreams, become a life long learner, it is an experience you will never regret.