First Year Teacher
Friday, March 12, 2004
I had a really good day today.
It was one of those days where I am reminded that Teach for America is right on a lot of what they say about how to teach. It is hard to be a good TFA teacher in your first year, but now that I have my kids solidly under control, I have started using some of their tactics and it seems to be working...much to my delight.
I implemented a process for them to be able to pass their end of grade tests. I have been serious stress case about these tests. But the process is really working! They are taking these small testlets and they get to chart their progress on a graph in their notebook. I also chart the class average on a big chart in the classroom. They are ranked against the other periods I teach. So it is now competitive. I also today added a bonus of the first class to get to 100% on all of their objectives gets a pizza party. I thought that was too contrived for them and expected them to say "Whatever. I can just buy pizza." But they went nuts and now they are asking to take even more of these testlets and begging me to hold afterschool help sessions. Wow.
So I feel good about that. I also feel like the weather is changing and it seems to be bringing with it more thoughts of the fact that this time in North Carolina is ending. I definately feel like I have started the process of disconnecting from here. I am talking a little more with friends in the Bay, trying to get job leads, etc. I still don't know about my transfer, but I guess I am just going to go with the flow. It is a sad time, in a way, but exciting, too. There is always that mixture when leaving one place and the people there to head to another. ¶ 4:59 PM
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It was one of those days where I am reminded that Teach for America is right on a lot of what they say about how to teach. It is hard to be a good TFA teacher in your first year, but now that I have my kids solidly under control, I have started using some of their tactics and it seems to be working...much to my delight.
I implemented a process for them to be able to pass their end of grade tests. I have been serious stress case about these tests. But the process is really working! They are taking these small testlets and they get to chart their progress on a graph in their notebook. I also chart the class average on a big chart in the classroom. They are ranked against the other periods I teach. So it is now competitive. I also today added a bonus of the first class to get to 100% on all of their objectives gets a pizza party. I thought that was too contrived for them and expected them to say "Whatever. I can just buy pizza." But they went nuts and now they are asking to take even more of these testlets and begging me to hold afterschool help sessions. Wow.
So I feel good about that. I also feel like the weather is changing and it seems to be bringing with it more thoughts of the fact that this time in North Carolina is ending. I definately feel like I have started the process of disconnecting from here. I am talking a little more with friends in the Bay, trying to get job leads, etc. I still don't know about my transfer, but I guess I am just going to go with the flow. It is a sad time, in a way, but exciting, too. There is always that mixture when leaving one place and the people there to head to another. ¶ 4:59 PM
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Okay. The car is safetly running (knocking on wood so hard it hurts) and I am home. Broke, broke, broke but here. And I got to have a really fantastic and nostalgic trip on the mighty Greyhound Bus Line! I saw a woman vomit out the side of her car as I was waiting at a stop in Raleigh. The man that was in the driver's side was yelling, "That is so nasty! That is SO nasty! Oh my God! That is SO NASTY!" I got a very clear impression that whatever it was that was making her vomit somehow had something to do with him.
At this pukey destination, I also got to fight with AT&T about my new wireless service. Apparently, because I upgraded my phone, my own house is now roaming. I found this out when I got my near $300.00 bill. While I was talking to the woman on the phone, I thought about how frustrated I usually am when I deal with business', so I decided to try a new tactic. I lied, lied, lied. The woman told me that she had kids in school in North Carolina, so I decided a teacher wasn't impressive enough and told her that I was an "educational consultant" and that the reason that I had a Bay Area number, but my bill goes to Oregon, and most of my calls come from North Carolina is that I travel all the time looking at schools and making recommendations.
She seemed very impressed and I sounded so much older and more professional than I really am. For the first time ever, I didn't get any hassle and the charges were taken away and everything! I got nothing but deference. It was amazing.
I have now decided to lie every minute. What could go wrong? ¶ 2:58 PM
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At this pukey destination, I also got to fight with AT&T about my new wireless service. Apparently, because I upgraded my phone, my own house is now roaming. I found this out when I got my near $300.00 bill. While I was talking to the woman on the phone, I thought about how frustrated I usually am when I deal with business', so I decided to try a new tactic. I lied, lied, lied. The woman told me that she had kids in school in North Carolina, so I decided a teacher wasn't impressive enough and told her that I was an "educational consultant" and that the reason that I had a Bay Area number, but my bill goes to Oregon, and most of my calls come from North Carolina is that I travel all the time looking at schools and making recommendations.
She seemed very impressed and I sounded so much older and more professional than I really am. For the first time ever, I didn't get any hassle and the charges were taken away and everything! I got nothing but deference. It was amazing.
I have now decided to lie every minute. What could go wrong? ¶ 2:58 PM
Monday, March 08, 2004
My car died.
Yes, blog fans, it is true. The drama of my bad car luck continues.
This story would have been much more interesting if I had written of it when it was at the height of the drama. But I was crying too much, then, and couldn't write.
So, now, I will tell you that the timing belt broke. So the last of the pre-buy inspection repairs have been completed. This is a very expensive car and I haven't come close to paying it off, yet. Ummm.
There has been much Me-Break-Down-Drama about the dying of the car. Though many of you know that I rarely cry unless punched right in the face, the waterworks have come to town. I believe that age is making me soft. All the crying over Baby Story was, perhaps, practice. Cause I have no qualms, apparently, about boo-hooing to whomever is near me, lately. Not the worst thing that could have happened to me, I know.
So tomorrow I am off to pick up little Goldie from her doctor. I do get to miss school for the occasion. That pleases me greatly. ¶ 5:46 PM
Yes, blog fans, it is true. The drama of my bad car luck continues.
This story would have been much more interesting if I had written of it when it was at the height of the drama. But I was crying too much, then, and couldn't write.
So, now, I will tell you that the timing belt broke. So the last of the pre-buy inspection repairs have been completed. This is a very expensive car and I haven't come close to paying it off, yet. Ummm.
There has been much Me-Break-Down-Drama about the dying of the car. Though many of you know that I rarely cry unless punched right in the face, the waterworks have come to town. I believe that age is making me soft. All the crying over Baby Story was, perhaps, practice. Cause I have no qualms, apparently, about boo-hooing to whomever is near me, lately. Not the worst thing that could have happened to me, I know.
So tomorrow I am off to pick up little Goldie from her doctor. I do get to miss school for the occasion. That pleases me greatly. ¶ 5:46 PM
