Primary Elementary Teachers Chatboard
http://teachers.net/mentors/primary_elementary/
Topic I Posted: How to be friendly with colleagues
Dates Spanning: 11/11/08 - 11/14/08
I have a few friends who are already teaching. When I am with them, and they are talking about teaching, it seems almost impossible to get a word in edgewise. Not only do they have a lot of teaching stories to tell but they also have a ton of gossip and complaints. This bothers me a lot. I have never been one to gossip (or complain much) and I don’t want to get sucked into those conversations. I don’t like the negativity. (Also, I know that gossip can only lead to trouble- and I don’t like drama!) However, I don’t want to appear as if I am snooty or antisocial because I do not participate in these types of conversations. I want to start my new career on the right foot. This is why I posted a new thread asking if anyone had any suggestions on how to be friendly with colleagues without disclosing too much personal information or appearing to be antisocial. I advised that I want to avoid gossip and be able to maintain a balanced, professional relationship with my future colleagues.
Responses to the Question I Posted:
One person stated that articulating such a goal is half the battle. He/she stated to be “warm” and I will be well-received. He/she also advised to “be uncomplaining” (since most others are) and to lend a listening ear to others’ complaints (but not gossip). This person explained that it is safe to be a good listener and that it’s easy to appear very social just by listening and laughing (at the appropriate moments) since there are so many other people who love to talk and/or dominate conversations. This person gave the most in depth response but a few other people suggested trying to stay positive- to refrain from complaining and to try to talk about positives of the day. One person recommended specifics such as talking about a good adult book, a movie I’ve seen, or a social event I’ve attended. Another person gave a caveat by advising to: “Watch what you say.” (I’m assuming this means, don’t gossip or be negative because you never know who you’re talking to or how it might end up affecting you!) On the other hand, another teacher stated that she has a different view. She explained that she was able to develop close relationships with her co-workers. She holds the belief that their expanded relationships caused their school relationships to improve. Unfortunately, this teacher did not offer any suggestions on building similar, close/strong relationships!
Useful Information for My Teaching Future:
After evaluating the responses to my post, I think the main idea is to remain positive- for myself and for the sake of others! In addition, while around my future colleagues, I will try to avoid gossip altogether- or at least not offer any additional input. I will also be a good listener and, when necessary, offer upbeat comments!
What I Would Tell Others When Joining a Teacher Listserv:
I would give others the most simple and logical suggestion: choose listservs that you have a genuine interest in- you might be surprised about what you can learn! People are very honest and usually very passionate about their opinions. There is a reason why people take part in these discussions- and (for most) the reason doesn’t appear to be boredom! Also, I think people like to talk about what they know or what they’ve learned. Being able to give a suggestion or some advice gives people a sense of satisfaction. Although there are some questionable responses, it is possible to weed through them. You can get a feel for who has a lot of experience (and who truly cares) just by assessing the information that is given- and how the person presents it (i.e. no grammar errors)! In addition, don’t be overwhelmed or disheartened by the negativity that you might come across. Unfortunately, a lot of people use the chatboards as a forum for venting rather than a forum for offering constructive criticism. All in all, listservs can be a great tool for teaching and learning- you just have to use them with the right attitude and take all comments with a grain of salt.
How the Experience Compared to My Expectations:
Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations about joining listservs because I had no previous knowledge about them! Now that I am familiar with how to use them, I’m definitely going to continue to use them through my career. I thought it was exciting to receive responses from strangers and I was really surprised (and thankful) that so many people took the time to answer! Actually, I thought- and still think- that it’s astonishing to see so many people take part in these discussions- especially knowing how little spare time teachers have! Additionally, it’s great to know that there is a safe place I can go to ask for advice and/or suggestions. I can remain anonymous all the while receiving many candid responses. (As a side note, it was interesting to see how varied people’s opinions can be! It just goes to show that even though we all have the same title (teacher), our different experiences shape and have a major effect on how we handle day-to-day matters.)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Seventh Post
Teachers.Net Gazette (November 2008: Vol 5 No 11)
"beginning-teachers"
Topic: “A Reflection of Me: Why My Students Disrespected Me”
Date: November 1, 2008
This past week, I received a listserv email with a link to the Teachers.net Gazette. I was immediately intrigued by the short column excerpt that was included in the email. In this column, Kioni Carter, who is currently a life coach and educational consultant, describes her teaching experiences with the “bottom class” at a Brooklyn elementary school in 2004.
What I like most about Carter’s writing is that it is a reflection. She doesn’t just describe the unruly students and the details of her memories; she reflects upon herself and explains how her thoughts, emotions, assumptions, attitudes, etc. impacted her students. Carter describes the thoughts that she had after her first day and the epiphanies she began to have over the next few weeks. She explains that she realized early on that most of her effort was focused on keeping the class under control because of the horror stories other teachers told about these particular students and because of her own assumptions about the students. Carter came to the conclusion that because these students had bad reputations, and there were few teachers who truly believed that they were capable of achieving success, the students learned to believe that they were unable to achieve- and acted on this belief! This insight caused Carter to “check herself.” She knew she would have to start seeing her students as valuable, smart, capable, etc. in order to make them believe that they were valuable, smart, capable, etc. Carter explains how she pointed out any and all success she recognized in her students to help build their self esteem and to encourage them to believe that they were competent. Eventually her students showed noticeable academic improvement and their behavioral problems became minimal.
Useful Information For My Teaching Future:
From my first semester in the Career Change program at St. John’s University, many of my professors have discussed the importance of self-reflection. Kioni Carter’s story epitomizes the value of self-reflection; it is obvious that her progress with her students was directly correlated with her self-reflection. I am learning that, as teachers, it is necessary to be aware of our thoughts, emotions, values, assumptions, prejudices, attitudes, etc. in order to give our students the best opportunity to improve and succeed. Understanding ourselves is crucial to understanding our students and their needs.
As a teacher, I will not only reflect on my learning experiences and what motivates me to teach, but I will also reflect on my hopes, values, perceptions, prejudices, etc. I will always try to be aware of myself so that I stay focused on what motivates me to teach, continuously monitor how effectively I am teaching, and make sure that I am not overlooking something or someone because of an unexamined prejudice.
"beginning-teachers"
Topic: “A Reflection of Me: Why My Students Disrespected Me”
Date: November 1, 2008
This past week, I received a listserv email with a link to the Teachers.net Gazette. I was immediately intrigued by the short column excerpt that was included in the email. In this column, Kioni Carter, who is currently a life coach and educational consultant, describes her teaching experiences with the “bottom class” at a Brooklyn elementary school in 2004.
What I like most about Carter’s writing is that it is a reflection. She doesn’t just describe the unruly students and the details of her memories; she reflects upon herself and explains how her thoughts, emotions, assumptions, attitudes, etc. impacted her students. Carter describes the thoughts that she had after her first day and the epiphanies she began to have over the next few weeks. She explains that she realized early on that most of her effort was focused on keeping the class under control because of the horror stories other teachers told about these particular students and because of her own assumptions about the students. Carter came to the conclusion that because these students had bad reputations, and there were few teachers who truly believed that they were capable of achieving success, the students learned to believe that they were unable to achieve- and acted on this belief! This insight caused Carter to “check herself.” She knew she would have to start seeing her students as valuable, smart, capable, etc. in order to make them believe that they were valuable, smart, capable, etc. Carter explains how she pointed out any and all success she recognized in her students to help build their self esteem and to encourage them to believe that they were competent. Eventually her students showed noticeable academic improvement and their behavioral problems became minimal.
Useful Information For My Teaching Future:
From my first semester in the Career Change program at St. John’s University, many of my professors have discussed the importance of self-reflection. Kioni Carter’s story epitomizes the value of self-reflection; it is obvious that her progress with her students was directly correlated with her self-reflection. I am learning that, as teachers, it is necessary to be aware of our thoughts, emotions, values, assumptions, prejudices, attitudes, etc. in order to give our students the best opportunity to improve and succeed. Understanding ourselves is crucial to understanding our students and their needs.
As a teacher, I will not only reflect on my learning experiences and what motivates me to teach, but I will also reflect on my hopes, values, perceptions, prejudices, etc. I will always try to be aware of myself so that I stay focused on what motivates me to teach, continuously monitor how effectively I am teaching, and make sure that I am not overlooking something or someone because of an unexamined prejudice.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sixth Post
Primary Elementary Teachers Chatboard
http://teachers.net/mentors/primary_elementary/
Topic I posted: Unexpected teaching experiences…
Dates Spanning: 11/05/08 - 11/11/08
I keep hearing and reading about how teachers experience things that they never expected to experience or were prepared to deal with. However, these comments are usually mixed in with other topics. Also, I noticed that the chatboards usually end up being a forum for teachers to vent instead of a forum to share encouraging issues. Therefore, I decided to start my own thread on the Primary Elementary Teachers Chatboard to specifically ask teachers about some of the positive/negative things they have experienced- but never would have expected to experience as a teacher.
Responses to the Question I Posted:
It was my intention to encourage teachers to really brainstorm about this topic alone. I hoped that when teachers posted, they each would have a few stories to share. That being said, I was flabbergasted not only by the amount of stories shared per response, but also by the amount of responses I received in less than a week! Apparently this was a hot topic to chat about because I received fourteen responses! All in all, the responses were great! I really enjoyed reading them. Although some of teachers described incidents that made me sad, most made me smile, laugh, and generally feel optimistic about the field of teaching.
Well, I guess I’ll start with some of the negative experiences so I can end this blog post on a positive note… I have to say, some stories were really shocking! For example, one teacher described having to deal with a parent who was on drugs and would constantly beg for money. (This story ended with the parent stealing the teacher’s money from her purse!) This particular post reminded another teacher of her experience with a parent who stole her purse during parent teacher conferences and then went on to steal the teacher’s identity! Other teachers explained how they never expected to experience so many children with problems such as ADHD, mild to moderate autism, etc. Some more common negative responses had to do with not expecting: to have such little time to complete the very long list of teacher responsibilities, to discover that other teachers can be catty and disloyal (all the while appearing to be loyal), that sometimes being a teacher also means being a parent, that administrative decisions are not always based on the students’ needs …the list goes on. One response, and unfortunately the last response, struck me hard and brought tears to my eyes because I wasn’t even expecting to read it. (It’s hard to imagine having to experience it.) This particular teacher wrote about how he never would have expected (and definitely was not prepared) to deal with the death of a student- or how to help his class. On a brighter note, I’m glad to say that a lot of the negative comments were also tinged with humor. For example, one person described not expecting how often six year olds need to use the bathroom and many teachers spoke about the private (and quite humorous) details that students reveal about their families.
Now on to the positive… I can’t quite call the positive responses “experiences” because most teachers didn’t give specific examples of positive, unexpected moments. Nevertheless, teachers still had many positive things to say about teaching. Many people gave negative (but often funny) examples but then ended their response to my post by noting that regardless of all the off-putting things and excessive stress, teaching is still the most rewarding job of all; that teachers have an opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child! Another teacher wrote that he/she thought it was wonderful that he/she could be teaching a future president, that his/her day is never the same, and that most parents respect and appreciate you. (I was relieved to hear the last comment!) Someone else said that children are funny and entertaining- and keep you young at heart. (This person also suggested taking the time to laugh with your students and to enjoy “the precious moments” that happen in the classroom- which really touched me!)
Useful Information for My Teaching Future:
The information that I received this week is extremely valuable to me for more than one reason. First of all, when I was reading the responses to my post, I could tell that teachers were really passionate about the things they wrote. I felt that some of their words were practically jumping off the page. I’ve come to the realization that whenever teachers are passionate about their input, the offered information is usually good- and worth the time to listen to or, in this case, read! Another reason why these responses are valuable to me is because they enabled me to conclude that no matter how many negative things I might experience as a teacher, I can be hopeful that the positive will outweigh the negative! There isn’t a negative experience that could outweigh the positive experience of impacting a child’s life. I’m assuming that this belief is what keeps teachers in the field of education. I will try to remember this when I start teaching and things get hectic or I feel overwhelmed!
I also decided that no matter how busy I am, I’m going to take the time to make notes on the unexpected, crazy, silly, sweet things children say and do! I want to be able to write a book so that others, outside of the field of education, can get a small taste of what teachers experience on a daily basis.
http://teachers.net/mentors/primary_elementary/
Topic I posted: Unexpected teaching experiences…
Dates Spanning: 11/05/08 - 11/11/08
I keep hearing and reading about how teachers experience things that they never expected to experience or were prepared to deal with. However, these comments are usually mixed in with other topics. Also, I noticed that the chatboards usually end up being a forum for teachers to vent instead of a forum to share encouraging issues. Therefore, I decided to start my own thread on the Primary Elementary Teachers Chatboard to specifically ask teachers about some of the positive/negative things they have experienced- but never would have expected to experience as a teacher.
Responses to the Question I Posted:
It was my intention to encourage teachers to really brainstorm about this topic alone. I hoped that when teachers posted, they each would have a few stories to share. That being said, I was flabbergasted not only by the amount of stories shared per response, but also by the amount of responses I received in less than a week! Apparently this was a hot topic to chat about because I received fourteen responses! All in all, the responses were great! I really enjoyed reading them. Although some of teachers described incidents that made me sad, most made me smile, laugh, and generally feel optimistic about the field of teaching.
Well, I guess I’ll start with some of the negative experiences so I can end this blog post on a positive note… I have to say, some stories were really shocking! For example, one teacher described having to deal with a parent who was on drugs and would constantly beg for money. (This story ended with the parent stealing the teacher’s money from her purse!) This particular post reminded another teacher of her experience with a parent who stole her purse during parent teacher conferences and then went on to steal the teacher’s identity! Other teachers explained how they never expected to experience so many children with problems such as ADHD, mild to moderate autism, etc. Some more common negative responses had to do with not expecting: to have such little time to complete the very long list of teacher responsibilities, to discover that other teachers can be catty and disloyal (all the while appearing to be loyal), that sometimes being a teacher also means being a parent, that administrative decisions are not always based on the students’ needs …the list goes on. One response, and unfortunately the last response, struck me hard and brought tears to my eyes because I wasn’t even expecting to read it. (It’s hard to imagine having to experience it.) This particular teacher wrote about how he never would have expected (and definitely was not prepared) to deal with the death of a student- or how to help his class. On a brighter note, I’m glad to say that a lot of the negative comments were also tinged with humor. For example, one person described not expecting how often six year olds need to use the bathroom and many teachers spoke about the private (and quite humorous) details that students reveal about their families.
Now on to the positive… I can’t quite call the positive responses “experiences” because most teachers didn’t give specific examples of positive, unexpected moments. Nevertheless, teachers still had many positive things to say about teaching. Many people gave negative (but often funny) examples but then ended their response to my post by noting that regardless of all the off-putting things and excessive stress, teaching is still the most rewarding job of all; that teachers have an opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child! Another teacher wrote that he/she thought it was wonderful that he/she could be teaching a future president, that his/her day is never the same, and that most parents respect and appreciate you. (I was relieved to hear the last comment!) Someone else said that children are funny and entertaining- and keep you young at heart. (This person also suggested taking the time to laugh with your students and to enjoy “the precious moments” that happen in the classroom- which really touched me!)
Useful Information for My Teaching Future:
The information that I received this week is extremely valuable to me for more than one reason. First of all, when I was reading the responses to my post, I could tell that teachers were really passionate about the things they wrote. I felt that some of their words were practically jumping off the page. I’ve come to the realization that whenever teachers are passionate about their input, the offered information is usually good- and worth the time to listen to or, in this case, read! Another reason why these responses are valuable to me is because they enabled me to conclude that no matter how many negative things I might experience as a teacher, I can be hopeful that the positive will outweigh the negative! There isn’t a negative experience that could outweigh the positive experience of impacting a child’s life. I’m assuming that this belief is what keeps teachers in the field of education. I will try to remember this when I start teaching and things get hectic or I feel overwhelmed!
I also decided that no matter how busy I am, I’m going to take the time to make notes on the unexpected, crazy, silly, sweet things children say and do! I want to be able to write a book so that others, outside of the field of education, can get a small taste of what teachers experience on a daily basis.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Fifth Post
Student Teachers Chatboard
http://teachers.net/mentors/student_teaching/posts.html
Topic: How to Prepare for Student Teaching
Dates Spanning: 10/29/08- 11/05/08
Responses to the Question I Posted:
Last week I started my own thread in the Student Teachers Chatboard and asked for suggestions on how to prepare for student teaching. I received three responses- one being Steve’s response which was already discussed in my last blog post. As opposed to Steve’s response (which more or less left me in the same state of mind that I was in prior to my post), the other two responses were quite helpful and encouraging!
One person, “New Teacher,” gave very thorough suggestions about how to begin and continue following through in a teaching career. The information he/she provided was quite detailed and obviously written based on experience. Even though this person calls himself/herself “New Teacher,” I can tell from this response alone that he/she has been paying attention and is becoming knowledgeable in the field of education quickly. He/she proposed more than common sense suggestions (i.e. “get enough sleep”); “New Teacher” offered ideas that I probably wouldn’t think to do prior to starting student teaching (and my first teaching job). For example, he/she suggested learning as much as I can about the school I will be in ahead of time- such as school demographics, the school’s mission statement, information about the principal and staff, the school’s overall goals, grade level goals, discipline policy, homework policy, rewards/incentives, etc. He/she also advised to learn as much as I can about classroom management ahead of time so that my student teaching time does not become all about getting the class under control- as it should be about teaching lessons and assessing progress. “New Teacher” highly recommended the book Setting Limits in the Classroom to brush up on classroom management procedures.
The other useful response came from “Cybrary Man.” He was nice enough to link me to his website which has a Student Teaching page! I explored many of the educational sites that “Cybrary Man” compiled on his website. He has links for all grade levels and subject areas to help student teachers/teachers prepare but I mainly reviewed the student teacher links. Most of the information on these particular student teacher websites is valuable and I noticed that there are some main tips that most sites provide. Some of these tips include: being on time, planning ahead, being flexible, befriending the office staff, being professional with fellow teachers, etc.
(I thanked all of the people who took time out of their day to respond to my post.)
Useful Information for My Teaching Future:
All in all, I learned that there is no way to be over-prepared for student teaching- or teaching in general! It is becoming clearer by the day that there is a lot involved in being a great teacher- but one major aspect of being a great teacher is to know and accept that teaching is a continual process. I’m always going to have to improve upon something; I’m always going to have to change this, tweak that- and generally grow as a person!
http://teachers.net/mentors/student_teaching/posts.html
Topic: How to Prepare for Student Teaching
Dates Spanning: 10/29/08- 11/05/08
Responses to the Question I Posted:
Last week I started my own thread in the Student Teachers Chatboard and asked for suggestions on how to prepare for student teaching. I received three responses- one being Steve’s response which was already discussed in my last blog post. As opposed to Steve’s response (which more or less left me in the same state of mind that I was in prior to my post), the other two responses were quite helpful and encouraging!
One person, “New Teacher,” gave very thorough suggestions about how to begin and continue following through in a teaching career. The information he/she provided was quite detailed and obviously written based on experience. Even though this person calls himself/herself “New Teacher,” I can tell from this response alone that he/she has been paying attention and is becoming knowledgeable in the field of education quickly. He/she proposed more than common sense suggestions (i.e. “get enough sleep”); “New Teacher” offered ideas that I probably wouldn’t think to do prior to starting student teaching (and my first teaching job). For example, he/she suggested learning as much as I can about the school I will be in ahead of time- such as school demographics, the school’s mission statement, information about the principal and staff, the school’s overall goals, grade level goals, discipline policy, homework policy, rewards/incentives, etc. He/she also advised to learn as much as I can about classroom management ahead of time so that my student teaching time does not become all about getting the class under control- as it should be about teaching lessons and assessing progress. “New Teacher” highly recommended the book Setting Limits in the Classroom to brush up on classroom management procedures.
The other useful response came from “Cybrary Man.” He was nice enough to link me to his website which has a Student Teaching page! I explored many of the educational sites that “Cybrary Man” compiled on his website. He has links for all grade levels and subject areas to help student teachers/teachers prepare but I mainly reviewed the student teacher links. Most of the information on these particular student teacher websites is valuable and I noticed that there are some main tips that most sites provide. Some of these tips include: being on time, planning ahead, being flexible, befriending the office staff, being professional with fellow teachers, etc.
(I thanked all of the people who took time out of their day to respond to my post.)
Useful Information for My Teaching Future:
All in all, I learned that there is no way to be over-prepared for student teaching- or teaching in general! It is becoming clearer by the day that there is a lot involved in being a great teacher- but one major aspect of being a great teacher is to know and accept that teaching is a continual process. I’m always going to have to improve upon something; I’m always going to have to change this, tweak that- and generally grow as a person!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Fourth Post
Student Teachers Chatboard
http://teachers.net/mentors/student_teaching/posts.html
Topic: Needs some words of wisdom- Need advice on CT
Dates Spanning: 10/23/08-10/29/08
Terri, a student teacher who is in her 9th week of student teaching, explained that she is feeling frustrated with her CT (cooperative teacher). Terri explained that there is a general lack of communication. From day one, Terri felt that the CT was not giving her feedback or guidance. (The CT didn’t even introduce Terri to the class.) Aside from the lack of guidance from the CT, Terri expressed other concerns. For example, the CT assumes that Terri knows how to do a lot of things (which she sometimes does not know), does not give Terri much freedom in the classroom, and treats her more like an assistant than a student teacher. Terri is also bothered by the fact that the CT changes a lot of things at the last minute causing Terri to feel out of the loop. Terri explained that every time she tries to speak with the CT, she is busy.
All of the people who responded to this post agreed that it is the CT’s responsibility to give a student teacher feedback and guidance. However, their advice on how to handle the situation varied slightly. One person, Jennifer, advised to make an appointment with the CT and to be prepared with some notes about some key concerns so as to stay on topic and avoid venting. Jennifer also advised to speak with the university supervisor. Another teacher, Sharon, expressed empathy for Terri because she had a similar negative experience in her first semester as a student teacher. Sharon explained that she spoke with her advisor and made sure that she was placed with a different CT in her next semester of student teaching. Her reason for handling the situation in that manner was because she didn’t want to let her negative student teaching experience with her first CT ruin her impression about the field of education. Sharon advised that she was able to be placed with a new CT in the second semester and had a wonderful learning experience. Similar to Jennifer, Sharon urged Terri to speak to her advisor. However, unlike Jennifer, Sharon did not mention speaking with the CT at all. Eric responded to Sharon’s post by stating that it might be better for Terri to stick it out with the current CT since she is already nine weeks into the semester. His suggestion for Terri was to strive to open the lines of communication with the CT. Eric proposed that Terri ask her CT out for coffee- away from the school setting- in order to discuss specific areas of concern. For example, Terri could explain that she wants feedback on her instruction, discipline, classroom management, etc. Eric also recommended setting up a time with the CT to obtain this feedback and discuss ways to improve.
Useful Information for My Teaching Future:
This post (and the responses to this post) made me realize how important it will be for me to communicate effectively with my CT from the start of the semester. I’m going to make a conscious effort, right away, to keep the lines of communication open so that I know what is expected of me and what/how I can improve. I learned from working in the business field that it is crucial to create a good rapport with supervisors, managers, co-workers, etc.- and I imagine that this is the case in the field of education as well. Having a good rapport with co-workers established a comfortable work environment and enabled me to quickly learn things (that might have taken me years to learn on my own) from others with more experience. I’m definitely going to take the knowledge that I gleaned in the business world (especially “people skills”), and apply as much of it as possible when I begin student teaching.
Question I Posted:
As I was reading through some of the older posts, I realized that many student teachers expressed a lot of the same concerns. Most had to do with communication issues with CT’s and self-doubt and/or anxiety in front of the class. After reading through 2 months of posts, I felt overwhelmed and nervous! I didn’t think that student teaching would be such an overwhelming experience. I guess you can say I was “blissfully ignorant” about student teaching before I looked at this chatboard! Since I’m going to be student teaching in the spring, I started my own thread and asked for suggestions on how to prepare. I stated that I know first impressions are key and that I would like to make a good first impression with my CT and with the students in the class. I also noted that I want to be able to get the most out of my teaching experience without stepping on anyone’s toes.
Response to My Post:
So far, I received one response to my post. Someone named Steve gave me a list of the top ten things I should do. Ironically, and going along with the theme of this particular blog post, number one and ten were “pray you get a good CT!” Steve also advised that I would know by the third day whether or not my CT is a good match and if he/she isn’t, I should ask for another placement. The other eight things included: clearing my schedule of everything else (apparently student teaching is quite time consuming), eating right, sleeping more than five hours per night, etc.
I’m not sure I learned too much more from this specific response; the person who posted didn’t really respond to the details of my post. Nonetheless, it seems as though most people will agree that the most important thing about student teaching (or the factor that will determine whether you have a positive or negative experience) is obtaining a CT who can fulfill his/her role as a CT!
http://teachers.net/mentors/student_teaching/posts.html
Topic: Needs some words of wisdom- Need advice on CT
Dates Spanning: 10/23/08-10/29/08
Terri, a student teacher who is in her 9th week of student teaching, explained that she is feeling frustrated with her CT (cooperative teacher). Terri explained that there is a general lack of communication. From day one, Terri felt that the CT was not giving her feedback or guidance. (The CT didn’t even introduce Terri to the class.) Aside from the lack of guidance from the CT, Terri expressed other concerns. For example, the CT assumes that Terri knows how to do a lot of things (which she sometimes does not know), does not give Terri much freedom in the classroom, and treats her more like an assistant than a student teacher. Terri is also bothered by the fact that the CT changes a lot of things at the last minute causing Terri to feel out of the loop. Terri explained that every time she tries to speak with the CT, she is busy.
All of the people who responded to this post agreed that it is the CT’s responsibility to give a student teacher feedback and guidance. However, their advice on how to handle the situation varied slightly. One person, Jennifer, advised to make an appointment with the CT and to be prepared with some notes about some key concerns so as to stay on topic and avoid venting. Jennifer also advised to speak with the university supervisor. Another teacher, Sharon, expressed empathy for Terri because she had a similar negative experience in her first semester as a student teacher. Sharon explained that she spoke with her advisor and made sure that she was placed with a different CT in her next semester of student teaching. Her reason for handling the situation in that manner was because she didn’t want to let her negative student teaching experience with her first CT ruin her impression about the field of education. Sharon advised that she was able to be placed with a new CT in the second semester and had a wonderful learning experience. Similar to Jennifer, Sharon urged Terri to speak to her advisor. However, unlike Jennifer, Sharon did not mention speaking with the CT at all. Eric responded to Sharon’s post by stating that it might be better for Terri to stick it out with the current CT since she is already nine weeks into the semester. His suggestion for Terri was to strive to open the lines of communication with the CT. Eric proposed that Terri ask her CT out for coffee- away from the school setting- in order to discuss specific areas of concern. For example, Terri could explain that she wants feedback on her instruction, discipline, classroom management, etc. Eric also recommended setting up a time with the CT to obtain this feedback and discuss ways to improve.
Useful Information for My Teaching Future:
This post (and the responses to this post) made me realize how important it will be for me to communicate effectively with my CT from the start of the semester. I’m going to make a conscious effort, right away, to keep the lines of communication open so that I know what is expected of me and what/how I can improve. I learned from working in the business field that it is crucial to create a good rapport with supervisors, managers, co-workers, etc.- and I imagine that this is the case in the field of education as well. Having a good rapport with co-workers established a comfortable work environment and enabled me to quickly learn things (that might have taken me years to learn on my own) from others with more experience. I’m definitely going to take the knowledge that I gleaned in the business world (especially “people skills”), and apply as much of it as possible when I begin student teaching.
Question I Posted:
As I was reading through some of the older posts, I realized that many student teachers expressed a lot of the same concerns. Most had to do with communication issues with CT’s and self-doubt and/or anxiety in front of the class. After reading through 2 months of posts, I felt overwhelmed and nervous! I didn’t think that student teaching would be such an overwhelming experience. I guess you can say I was “blissfully ignorant” about student teaching before I looked at this chatboard! Since I’m going to be student teaching in the spring, I started my own thread and asked for suggestions on how to prepare. I stated that I know first impressions are key and that I would like to make a good first impression with my CT and with the students in the class. I also noted that I want to be able to get the most out of my teaching experience without stepping on anyone’s toes.
Response to My Post:
So far, I received one response to my post. Someone named Steve gave me a list of the top ten things I should do. Ironically, and going along with the theme of this particular blog post, number one and ten were “pray you get a good CT!” Steve also advised that I would know by the third day whether or not my CT is a good match and if he/she isn’t, I should ask for another placement. The other eight things included: clearing my schedule of everything else (apparently student teaching is quite time consuming), eating right, sleeping more than five hours per night, etc.
I’m not sure I learned too much more from this specific response; the person who posted didn’t really respond to the details of my post. Nonetheless, it seems as though most people will agree that the most important thing about student teaching (or the factor that will determine whether you have a positive or negative experience) is obtaining a CT who can fulfill his/her role as a CT!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Third Post
Beginning Teachers Chatboard Bulletin
beginning-teachers@lists.teachers.net
Topic: “Student’s comments on a test paper”(topic posted by Chris)
Dates Spanning: 10/15/08-10/20/08
This topic was posted by a teacher, Chris, who gave a math quiz and discovered that one of his disruptive students wrote a note on the front of the quiz. The student did not answer any of the questions and noted that he “didn’t really learn” the information because the teacher “didn’t really teach it.” Chris explained that he gave the same quiz to two different classes and almost all of the students were able to answer the questions correctly. Furthermore, this particular student has been a problem since day one of the school year; he never completes classroom assignments and rarely completes his homework. (The student also steals things from Chris’ classroom.) Chris asked if he should bring the test paper down to the guidance department and set up an appointment with the student’s mother and/or father.
I was surprised to discover that the responses to this post were quite varied. I eventually came to the conclusion that the diverse responses must have to do with the fact that teachers have so many different experiences with students, administration, and parents. As teachers gain experience, they formulate opinions and do the best they can to determine how to handle current situations based on prior experience. For example, some teachers might have had problems dealing with administration and/or parents in the past and would now rather deal with a behavior problem one-on-one with the student. (In one particular teacher’s response to Chris’ post, she wrote that it is best to deal with the student first because as soon as a teacher involves guidance or parents, the teacher loses control. She also advised to make an effort to build a rapport with the misbehaving student and show him that Chris was concerned. If that failed, only then would she suggest involving guidance or the parents.) Others might have found that talking with students individually got them no where. (In another response, a teacher noted that if it were up to him, he would meet with guidance and the parents. He would make sure to print out all of the student’s grades and be prepared to show that the student was not completing his assignments. This teacher also advised that it would be better for Chris to express concern for the student’s grades than to focus on how disrespectful the student is in order to avoid a confrontational meeting.)
All things considered, there will never be two situations that are exactly alike. As a result of the fact that every student and surrounding situation is unique, teachers learn to handle behavior problems differently. Of course there are school rules and state laws that require teachers to report certain behaviors, but if a student is simply acting out, teachers mainly have to use their discretion. Nevertheless, I think it’s important to note that although the responses were different, more than one person recommended speaking with the misbehaving student and/or developing a relationship with him/her as the first step in handling the problem.
Some reflection and the reason why I posted a comment:
I’m not a teacher yet so I cannot judge other teachers on how they handle situations but I feel that because teaching is so demanding and there are so many things teachers have to worry about (learning how to teach well, learning how to manage a classroom and paperwork, knowing how to deal with administration/parents/students, dealing with the stress of standardized testing and teacher accountability, etc.) sometimes common sense and human perceptiveness goes out the window. In addition, I feel that teachers are under so much stress that they can forget the reason why they began teaching. (I make this comment based on the assumption that people decide to become teachers because they genuinely care about children and want to make a positive impact on their lives- academically and psychologically!)
As human beings in today’s world we do this all the time! Sometimes we get caught up and find ourselves prioritizing and/or making decisions based on routine rather than taking the time to think and listen to what our gut instincts tell us to do. So many of us are multi-tasking and juggling ten thoughts at one time and this prevents us from truly evaluating situations. I feel this is so unfortunate because we’re mindlessly going through our daily motions instead of truly living, learning, appreciating, etc.
Before we make a decision, especially one having to do with a student, doesn’t it make sense to gain as much information as possible about the student? As a teacher and a person, shouldn’t we care about all students and want to know what they are thinking, feeling, experiencing (whether they behave or not)? Shouldn’t we have a genuine interest in understanding what makes children act one way or another? Shouldn’t we be looking at our students as little teachers who can open our minds to things we never thought about or considered? I feel that it’s important to be aware of rules and to follow them, but I feel so many rules are created because we forget to use our common sense and to follow our hearts and minds. So, in a case where a child is acting out in class and not completing assignments, I feel our first step should be to start with the child. He/she holds the true answers to our problem. However, if we are not able to understand and get through to this child, then it is our job to get the assistance of others (guidance, parents, etc.).
Reflection on the comments posted, the teaching profession, and the general routines of our society prompted me to recommend that Chris speak with his disruptive student and to acknowledge that this child is not only a student; this child plays more than one role in life. It is important to be cognoscente of the fact that the student is a human being who plays many different roles because his roles/life outside of the classroom may be affecting his behavior in Chris’ class. (Please see the post for more details.)
beginning-teachers@lists.teachers.net
Topic: “Student’s comments on a test paper”(topic posted by Chris)
Dates Spanning: 10/15/08-10/20/08
This topic was posted by a teacher, Chris, who gave a math quiz and discovered that one of his disruptive students wrote a note on the front of the quiz. The student did not answer any of the questions and noted that he “didn’t really learn” the information because the teacher “didn’t really teach it.” Chris explained that he gave the same quiz to two different classes and almost all of the students were able to answer the questions correctly. Furthermore, this particular student has been a problem since day one of the school year; he never completes classroom assignments and rarely completes his homework. (The student also steals things from Chris’ classroom.) Chris asked if he should bring the test paper down to the guidance department and set up an appointment with the student’s mother and/or father.
I was surprised to discover that the responses to this post were quite varied. I eventually came to the conclusion that the diverse responses must have to do with the fact that teachers have so many different experiences with students, administration, and parents. As teachers gain experience, they formulate opinions and do the best they can to determine how to handle current situations based on prior experience. For example, some teachers might have had problems dealing with administration and/or parents in the past and would now rather deal with a behavior problem one-on-one with the student. (In one particular teacher’s response to Chris’ post, she wrote that it is best to deal with the student first because as soon as a teacher involves guidance or parents, the teacher loses control. She also advised to make an effort to build a rapport with the misbehaving student and show him that Chris was concerned. If that failed, only then would she suggest involving guidance or the parents.) Others might have found that talking with students individually got them no where. (In another response, a teacher noted that if it were up to him, he would meet with guidance and the parents. He would make sure to print out all of the student’s grades and be prepared to show that the student was not completing his assignments. This teacher also advised that it would be better for Chris to express concern for the student’s grades than to focus on how disrespectful the student is in order to avoid a confrontational meeting.)
All things considered, there will never be two situations that are exactly alike. As a result of the fact that every student and surrounding situation is unique, teachers learn to handle behavior problems differently. Of course there are school rules and state laws that require teachers to report certain behaviors, but if a student is simply acting out, teachers mainly have to use their discretion. Nevertheless, I think it’s important to note that although the responses were different, more than one person recommended speaking with the misbehaving student and/or developing a relationship with him/her as the first step in handling the problem.
Some reflection and the reason why I posted a comment:
I’m not a teacher yet so I cannot judge other teachers on how they handle situations but I feel that because teaching is so demanding and there are so many things teachers have to worry about (learning how to teach well, learning how to manage a classroom and paperwork, knowing how to deal with administration/parents/students, dealing with the stress of standardized testing and teacher accountability, etc.) sometimes common sense and human perceptiveness goes out the window. In addition, I feel that teachers are under so much stress that they can forget the reason why they began teaching. (I make this comment based on the assumption that people decide to become teachers because they genuinely care about children and want to make a positive impact on their lives- academically and psychologically!)
As human beings in today’s world we do this all the time! Sometimes we get caught up and find ourselves prioritizing and/or making decisions based on routine rather than taking the time to think and listen to what our gut instincts tell us to do. So many of us are multi-tasking and juggling ten thoughts at one time and this prevents us from truly evaluating situations. I feel this is so unfortunate because we’re mindlessly going through our daily motions instead of truly living, learning, appreciating, etc.
Before we make a decision, especially one having to do with a student, doesn’t it make sense to gain as much information as possible about the student? As a teacher and a person, shouldn’t we care about all students and want to know what they are thinking, feeling, experiencing (whether they behave or not)? Shouldn’t we have a genuine interest in understanding what makes children act one way or another? Shouldn’t we be looking at our students as little teachers who can open our minds to things we never thought about or considered? I feel that it’s important to be aware of rules and to follow them, but I feel so many rules are created because we forget to use our common sense and to follow our hearts and minds. So, in a case where a child is acting out in class and not completing assignments, I feel our first step should be to start with the child. He/she holds the true answers to our problem. However, if we are not able to understand and get through to this child, then it is our job to get the assistance of others (guidance, parents, etc.).
Reflection on the comments posted, the teaching profession, and the general routines of our society prompted me to recommend that Chris speak with his disruptive student and to acknowledge that this child is not only a student; this child plays more than one role in life. It is important to be cognoscente of the fact that the student is a human being who plays many different roles because his roles/life outside of the classroom may be affecting his behavior in Chris’ class. (Please see the post for more details.)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Second Post
Beginning Teachers Chatboard Bulletin
beginning-teachers@lists.teachers.net
Topic: “Is teaching different than what you had expected?”
(topic posted by Experienced)
Dates Spanning: 10/07/08-10/14/08
The topic was posted by a teacher who was curious about whether or not things had changed since he/she started. Apparently this teacher felt that college and student teaching did not adequately prepare him/her and was hoping that things were different today.
Unfortunately, and to my dismay, the responses were generally the same. Although the reasons as to why these particular students felt unprepared for “the real thing” were slightly different, the overall response to the posted question was: no, things have not changed!
Many teachers were overwhelmed and/or frustrated with the fact that they didn’t know how to manage the paperwork or that that the amount of paperwork eradicated their creativity. From reading the responses posted, it is my opinion that it might be beneficial for pre-service teachers to have at least one class on management. This management class should cover topics ranging from learning how to manage the paperwork that goes along with teaching to learning how to manage 20-30 children with different skills, backgrounds, personalities, etc..
Another teacher mentioned that as an elementary school teacher, you are also taking part in raising children because many children come to class with poor manners and/or poor social skills. This is why many young teachers, who do not have a lot of experience dealing with children, have difficulty managing their students. Therefore, teachers not only have to know how to teach children, they also have to know how to relate to them!
Question I Posed and the Response:
One particular teacher (JB) mentioned that he/she had a really tough first year and felt that he/she would have benefited from a class on behavior management. However, JB noted that he/she eventually figured out how to handle the students as the year went on and that when he/she went into his/her second year, he/she knew how he/she needed to begin the year.
I asked JB (and any other people who wanted to respond) if he/she could tell me some of the major things he/she learned in his/her first year and made an effort to change/implement in his/her second year. I was curious about this because, as mentioned in my previous blog post, I am concerned about being a first year teacher and figuring out how to manage my classroom.
JB advised that he/she learned to set the ground rules right away and to be very strict about them at first. From JB’s response, I learned that it’s okay to ease up later, but the important thing is not to be too lenient or “nice” in the beginning.
Some Reflection and Useful Information for my Teaching Future:
It seems as though no particular amount or type of training can completely prepare you for the day when you step foot in your very own classroom. If you think about it, no one can fully learn about any profession without actually doing the work. For example, you can read books about painting and watch the greatest artists paint, but until you put a paint brush to paper, you’ll never really learn to paint! No matter what the profession (or task) is, you have to get your hands dirty! Therefore, it’s probably best to take what you’ve learned from books and from people who are more experienced, and then make it work for you- in the best way you can for your circumstances.
It makes sense that I hear so many teachers say, “Oh gosh, my first year of teaching was all trial and error!” or “That worked last year, but not this year!” not only because we all need hands-on experience but also because there are so many variables involved in teaching- and as teachers, we are the first variable! What works for Mrs. Jones in her classroom, may not work for me because I have a different personality than Mrs. Jones! Moreover, I am aware that I will have to continually change aspects of how I teach because my students will never be the same year to year. Strategies that may keep my students motivated and happy in my first year may not work so well in subsequent years.
beginning-teachers@lists.teachers.net
Topic: “Is teaching different than what you had expected?”
(topic posted by Experienced)
Dates Spanning: 10/07/08-10/14/08
The topic was posted by a teacher who was curious about whether or not things had changed since he/she started. Apparently this teacher felt that college and student teaching did not adequately prepare him/her and was hoping that things were different today.
Unfortunately, and to my dismay, the responses were generally the same. Although the reasons as to why these particular students felt unprepared for “the real thing” were slightly different, the overall response to the posted question was: no, things have not changed!
Many teachers were overwhelmed and/or frustrated with the fact that they didn’t know how to manage the paperwork or that that the amount of paperwork eradicated their creativity. From reading the responses posted, it is my opinion that it might be beneficial for pre-service teachers to have at least one class on management. This management class should cover topics ranging from learning how to manage the paperwork that goes along with teaching to learning how to manage 20-30 children with different skills, backgrounds, personalities, etc..
Another teacher mentioned that as an elementary school teacher, you are also taking part in raising children because many children come to class with poor manners and/or poor social skills. This is why many young teachers, who do not have a lot of experience dealing with children, have difficulty managing their students. Therefore, teachers not only have to know how to teach children, they also have to know how to relate to them!
Question I Posed and the Response:
One particular teacher (JB) mentioned that he/she had a really tough first year and felt that he/she would have benefited from a class on behavior management. However, JB noted that he/she eventually figured out how to handle the students as the year went on and that when he/she went into his/her second year, he/she knew how he/she needed to begin the year.
I asked JB (and any other people who wanted to respond) if he/she could tell me some of the major things he/she learned in his/her first year and made an effort to change/implement in his/her second year. I was curious about this because, as mentioned in my previous blog post, I am concerned about being a first year teacher and figuring out how to manage my classroom.
JB advised that he/she learned to set the ground rules right away and to be very strict about them at first. From JB’s response, I learned that it’s okay to ease up later, but the important thing is not to be too lenient or “nice” in the beginning.
Some Reflection and Useful Information for my Teaching Future:
It seems as though no particular amount or type of training can completely prepare you for the day when you step foot in your very own classroom. If you think about it, no one can fully learn about any profession without actually doing the work. For example, you can read books about painting and watch the greatest artists paint, but until you put a paint brush to paper, you’ll never really learn to paint! No matter what the profession (or task) is, you have to get your hands dirty! Therefore, it’s probably best to take what you’ve learned from books and from people who are more experienced, and then make it work for you- in the best way you can for your circumstances.
It makes sense that I hear so many teachers say, “Oh gosh, my first year of teaching was all trial and error!” or “That worked last year, but not this year!” not only because we all need hands-on experience but also because there are so many variables involved in teaching- and as teachers, we are the first variable! What works for Mrs. Jones in her classroom, may not work for me because I have a different personality than Mrs. Jones! Moreover, I am aware that I will have to continually change aspects of how I teach because my students will never be the same year to year. Strategies that may keep my students motivated and happy in my first year may not work so well in subsequent years.
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