Education Short List

It’s so great when you’re in school and you not only understand what’s going on, but you’re learing the lessons and have no trouble getting the work done. It’s even more amazing when that feeling of comprehension lasts the entire time you’re in school – from first grade until the end of your Master’s Degree.

Realistically that isn’t not it goes for most people. Increasingly I’ve noticed how ‘Hitting the educational wall’ is becoming a more prominent problem. I have actually had a spike in the number of tutoring calls that I’ve received pertaining to this educational dilemma.

First let me explain the concept. ‘Hitting the Educational Wall’ refers to when a student isn’t having any difficulty learning. And is able to do the majority, if not all, of the work without having to take notes, show the steps, or spend more than 15 minutes prepping; and that they do not need additional support in any capacity. But then, either with a certain subject or a grade level, that isn’t the case any longer. Math homework takes longer, scienece doesn’t make sense anymore, or seventh grade everything is difficult. Thus ‘hitting the educational wall.’

Now all learning becomes difficult, and, depending on the age of the student – an interest in school declines significantly. This is why, during my tutoring consultations, I always ask a student when they first started noticing that school got harder. By being able to pinpoint the exact grade and subject where a learner stops learning, the teacher/tutor/family member can start to rebuild.

If you are noticing that, in a student in your home, talk to them and see when they feel they first started having problems. Once that can be determined, it becomes easier to understand what happened and why. Also, it’s important to understand that not all of school or learning is the problem, it’s that certain point when the student ‘Hit the educational wall’ that the learning stopped.

Bullying has been in the news more than usual these past few weeks; and for good reason. An Irish immigrant was bullied to death, so much that the girl who was being terrorized by her peers committed suicide because she just couldn’t take it anymore. Another girl, who was not allowed to attend her own prom, was set up to go to a fake one – all organized by her peers. She received, and still does, threats and slurs on a daily basis.

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~~~~I would like to be able to say to you that bullying is something new; but we all know it’s not. I’m also not going to make you spend a lot of time reading a log article about bullying. I do want to take a few minutes to discuss it from an educator’s perspective (something I feel has been lacking from the media lately) and then provide some resources that could be useful to all involved. I’ve been working on this article for a while, so I hope that you find it to be as comprehensive as I wish it to be.~~~~

When someone becomes a teacher, they go through mandatory trainings on how to best help their students in all situations, including bullying. However a training can’t prepare you to deal with every type of circumstance that can present itself to you where bullying is part of that problem. Furthermore, I feel there is a balance between overreacting and reacting too late. All good teachers want to see each of their students to be successful. And yes, no matter how ‘bad’ a child may be – if a teacher doesn’t find a reason to love the bullies too – then they lose out as well. Add to that, that everyone – EVERYONE – gets picked on at some point. No, it’s not fun or fair – but neither is life. I’m not advocating bullying – so hear me out. As a teacher, I want to protect and prepare my students for life. In the ‘real world’ each person is going to meet someone who is not nice to them, who doesn’t see the real value and beauty in them. If I can help a child to understand that, to not let that random person get to them, then I feel I have helped my student out. So, if there is an incident, that I, as a teacher, thinks isn’t a big deal – then I might use that as a lesson to help my student who has been teased. Obviously if it happens again, or repeated by another student – I will approach it differently. Plus, I always take the time to figure out what is motivating the bully to lash out at their classmate. Children can be cruel, so can adults. It’s my job as a teacher to nurture and care for each student. And, I am legally bound to be obligated to protect the rights and privacy of each student.

I just wish that some of the news articles would take these points into consideration before condemning a school or teacher for not doing enough.

Beyond that, it hurts me to see schools that aren’t protecting all of their kids. I wonder what happened to let situations like the ones I’ve read about get so out of hand. I have used all of the resources here to aid either myself or another educator in helping with bully situations. I truly hope it can help others too.

Here are several resources to help students, families, and educators with bullying

1. Loudmouth article, Educational Theatre group from the UK

http://www.loudmouth.co.uk/loudmouth-news.cfm?newsID=23

2. Teaching Tolerance

http://www.tolerance.org/activity/bullying-tips-students
http://www.tolerance.org/resource/bullied-teacher-bullied-student-how-recognize-bullying-cultu
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/bullying-guidelines-teachers

3. Bullying Organization

www.bullying.org

4. Ed.gov Pamphlet on how to deal with bullying in the classroom

http://www.edpubs.gov/Product_Detail.aspx?SearchTerm=ED001366B

5. Strategies For Bullying

http://www.amazon.com/McGraws-Life-Strategies-Dealing-Bullies/dp/1416974733

Here are recent news articles dealing with relevant bullying concerns:

1. Today Show –

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36191902/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36120659/ns/health-behavior/

2. Dr. Phil

http://drphil.com/shows/show/115

3. News about Constance McMillen

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2010/03/ellens_message_to_mississippi_student_constance_mcmillen_0324.php

4. Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-lamar/fake-prom-parents-despica_b_529590.html

5. Oprah Show – Two Kids Who Were Bullied to Death

http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Bullied-to-Death-Two-Devastated-Moms-Speak-Out_1

6. Portland, Oregon Bullying in Schools

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=123862305059786800

In the past two weeks there have been so many print articles and news stories about education that have gotten me fired up. Too many for me to take them one by one and present them to you. So here I have complied a few, with my added commentary, for you to peruse.

Evening News with Katie Couric — All teachers being fired from schools in Rhode Island

This story focused on a school district in Rhode Island that is planning on firing ALL of the teachers at one of its schools. The reason why? Not meeting NCLB standards and it gives them a chance to get approximately $2 million in national aid.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/23/eveningnews/main6236348.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;3

Video of Evening News Program

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6236440n&tag=related;photovideo

Firing All Teachers in Rhode Island School

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Longview Principal Fired for Funds

Very similar to the previous story, a principal is fired for low test scores and the hopes of millions in federal financial aid.
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Popular-Longview-principal-forced-to-quit-by-low-scores-84807537.html

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Oregon’s Online Education Choices

Since families, students and parents alike, are ‘fed up’ with the public school options, there is an increase in alternative school settings. One of the largest of those being online schools.
http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows/going-school-online/

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Oregon’s Failing Schools

Also from Oregon, the state releases the new data and research on the success rates of the public school system.
http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2010/01/report_oregon_fails_at_measuri.html

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Commentary on President’s Education Address

President Obama’s March 1st speech on Education
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/us/02obama.html

President Obama on Education, Specifically Commencement
http://www.whitehouse.gov/commencement

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All of these articles talk about education, how it’s failing, and how ‘we’ are going to make it better. And it frustrates me deeply. Firing a principal? Firing all of the teachers? NCLB? The whole point of school is to gain an education – TO LEARN. Test scores aren’t the only indicator of learning. And, each student and school operates under different circumstances. How is an all English speaking upper class school able to compare with an all English learning language school? It can’t. And for some reason we continue to treat them as the same. Until the playing field is equalled out, the schools will never be the same. And lots of children, teachers, and schools will get left behind. and forgotten.

It may not be the most PC thing to say, but here it is. Not everyone was meant to go to college. Some people are really happy not going to school or being in a big corporation. There are also lots of people who are self-made who never receive a high formal education. Unfortunately those percentages are decreasing, as the escalating pressure to receive an a degree (and now even an advanced degree) rises.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, that as society puts more demands on people to go to college for a Bachelor’s Degree, and a Master’s (even a Ph.D.) that the tuition for this amazing experience and education continues to rise as well. So, as more individuals feel the societal pressure to attend a university, there is an insurmountable pile of debt attached to that. Even though a person who goes to college may be doing so to increase their chances of getting a better paying job, it can be counteracted by the tens of thousands of dollars spent on their education. I am a perfect example of this, as I went to school for seven years to not be in education but to have the 90,000 debt associated with wanting to be an educator.

Here is an article I found that discusses the rising molehill of debt new graduates have to pay. And really, what do they have to show for it?

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2009/12/student_loan_debt_climbs_to_re.html

All too often articles and the news talk about how teachers aren’t getting the job done. Here, CNN has a Money article about jobs that don’t pay well enough for what the profession calls for. Are you surprised to know that teaching is on there? I wasn’t either.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/pf/0910/gallery.stressful_jobs/15.html

Okay, so you’ve gone through the whole process and now you are about to start your first day of subbing. Here are some pointers and tips to get you through the first day, as well as the others, without a snag.

1. Show up early
a. Most schools ask that you be there 30 minutes prior to the start of school. From my experience, it would be wise to be there at least 45 minutes early. You will appreciate that extra time to get settled. You also don’t know what surprises could be waiting for you (aka, morning duty) that would take away from your prep time.

2. Eat lunch in the teachers’ lounge
a. Although it may sound overwhelming to go into the ‘teachers’ lounge; it’s a smart move for your career as a substitute teacher. Here you will learn more about the teacher and class of students you are working with, You can ask questions, seek advice or assistance; but most importantly is this. By making yourself know to other educators and instructors – you will have a greater likelihood of getting on those teachers preferred substitute pick list.
b. If you are subbing in a school you are familiar with (live near, have children that go to school there, etc) make sure to keep all conversation on a professional course. You don’t want to engage in gossip; you never know who you could be talking to or about. Plus, you don’t want to ruin your chances of being asked to come back to the school.
c. Play Meet and Greet with all staff and faculty that you meet along the way. Make your presence known on the campus; these could be your future co-workers; but at least, for today, they are your guidance to a successful day.

3. Notes for you, Notes for the Teacher
a. This is the biggest portion for me, as an educator. By leaving detailed notes of what you accomplished and what happened today – you are helping me to then be able to flow seamlessly into the next day. But when I don’t know how the previous day went, I spend more time the next day, before each class, playing catch up.
b. Be sure to also take detailed notes for yourself. Mention the students you liked or didn’t; what you liked about the classroom, things that you would take away from the day and put into your own room. Make notes of the school environment, other teachers, principal and school staff. These are all valuable points to note, especially if you plan on being a teacher in the future.
c. On a side note, I spent 4 years substituting. So these pointers come from solid experience.

4. Remember It’s Not Your Room
a. Act like a guest in your best friend’s parent’s house. It may not be your taste, but it’s still someone’s home right now. Be respectful of the way it is laid out and set up. Realize too, that the teacher isn’t always aware of what you, as a new person, need in the room. Take your time to find books and paper; ask the students for assistance – or another teacher.

5. Bring some time filler activities
a. Find time during the day to play with the students, or offer free time
b. It’s been my experience that having a few extra activities that can fill empty time are always a plus. These activities have been successful for me. Play around the world with math flashcards, give extra recess, have quiet reading time, for younger kids read them a story, have them clean up the room for candy.
c. Teachers know that some lesson can run fast or be longer than they anticipated. But it’s easier for the classroom teacher to deal with that than it is for a substitute. For that reason, it’s good to have some time fillers.
d. You could use the ‘Caterpillar Game’ http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Caterpillar-Word-Game

6. Know Your Audience
a. These students sitting before you are excited to have you there; skeptical of what you are going to make the day like, and hoping to get away with things that their regular teacher wouldn’t let them.
b. Now to the reason why you are there – the students. Think back to when you were in school and how thrilled you were to have a substitute teacher. These students sitting in front of you are thinking exactly the same thing. Furthermore, these students’ main teacher knows exactly what their students are thinking too.
c. Keep in mind that you are there to teach, not to dictate. Don’t take an iron first approach; but don’t walk in wanting to be their best friend. If you want to make a career in education, or subbing, know that teacher recommendations – not student ones – are the ones that get you back in the classroom.

7. Bring Your Own Lunch
a. Kind of seems like a ‘duh’ but you would be surprised at how many people waste their lunch town scrambling to find something to eat. By already having your lunch, it allows to you eat and relax with the other educators. Plus you will have time to get prepared for the on-goings in the afternoon.

Remember to relax and breathe. It’s almost a guarantee that there will be a surprise the first day; and it’s almost as likely that no one but you will notice it. I really believe that subbing is a fantastic way to get into education. I learned more from my days as a sub on how to be a teacher than I did through the whole of my graduate school program.

Another blog that I like that discusses how to become a teacher and substitute teaching is Road to Teaching, http://roadtoteaching.com/

Far too often, when we as a society think of those who need to be encouraged to read we think of children. What about adults? A staggering majority of American adults do not read for leisure. Last week as I listened to NPR tell the story about a Philadelphia bookstore, Black and Nobel, I was encouraged to hear one of the female patrons state that it was because of this store, that she was reading more as an adult. That statement alone was enough of a reason for me to post this article.

Here’s the story from NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113781779

This is the actual bookstore’s website
http://www.blackandnobel.com/

How often do you read? For pleasure or work? Newspapers, stories about David Bowie, magazines, comic books, Harry Potter, Shakespeare’s Sonnets, etc.; these are all quality pieces of literature. Why not take the opportunity to read one?

Something new that I am going to be doing on this blog is to do website reviews. The title gives it away really, but it’s going to be going through the pros and cons of working with this site. If you ever have a recommendation for a site review, I’d be happy to look at it.

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Teachers Pay Teachers

Here is a really fantastic resource for educators, or previous instructors. I stumbled upon it about six months ago. I consider it to be like an Ebay for educators. They call it, “an open marketplace for teachers.” Basically you can post lessons, worksheets, any education-related tools on there. Then you decide if you want to sell them for a price or for free. For each item sold, you earn money.

The two things that I love about this forum is that, one – I can find reliable and tested products from real educators. And two, that I can show my wares and creations to other teachers to earn a little extra moola.

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Here is my profile on Teachers Pay Teachers

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Rosshalde-Pak-4

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

Hey Oregon! You’re lookin’ pretty spry for being 150.

All year long Oregon has been celebrating its Sesquicentennial, a landmark year, turning the big 1-5-0! If you haven’t had the time or chance to incorporate some state learning into your lessons, now’s your last chance. Below you will find several resources that take the guess work out of lesson making.

Happy Learning

OREGON 150 EDUCATION RESOURCE SITE
http://www.oregon150.org/education/

OREGON 150 HOME PAGE
http://www.oregon150.org/

OPB’S OREGON EXPERIENCE EDUCATION SITE
http://www.opb.org/programs/oregonexperience

OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S EDUCATION SITE
http://www.ohs.org/education/index.cfm

OREGON DEPT. OF EDUCATION, 150 RESOURCES
http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1680

OREGON DEPT. OF EDUCATION, 100th BIRTHDAY
http://www.ode.state.or.us/superintendent/priorities/centennial-resource-unit.pdf

OPB’S FAMILY AND TEACHER RESOURCE SITE
http://www.opb.org/kidsfamily/teachers/6/

TRAVEL OREGON – FREE TRAVEL GUIDES AND INFORMATION
http://www.traveloregon.com/Free-Travel-Guides.aspx

Oregon Department of Education
View and download “legacy curriculum” lesson plans from Oregon’s Virtual School District. Submitted by teachers across the state, these are classroom ready lessons to help your class commemorate the sesquicentennial.

Read Oregon’s Story of Statehood courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society!

Take Care of Oregon Days:
150 Projects and Educators’ Guide
Start planning your Take Care of Oregon Day projects by downloading our Service-Learning Project Planning Guide, or download 150 Project Ideas, complete with content standards, essential skills, and online resources for your classroom!

Youth Legacy Project
This sesquicentennial project is aimed at Oregon’s high school students- the state’s future leaders and decision-makers. The goal is to actively engage today’s youth to envision Oregon’s next 50 years and create a blueprint for realizing that vision. Click here to learn more, including lesson plans, a video, and symposium application!

Oregon University System
Sign up for college and university campus-based sesquicentennial events on the Oregon University System website.

Be sure to incorporate some fun, before Oregon is 151.