Firstly, it is important to note that March 30th was the end of the third quarter, the last day before Spring Break, the end of my first five weeks, and theoretically my last day without my cooperating teacher, Marci.
Secondly, as a result of all the previously stated reasons, I have graded more papers, written more tests, and entered more grades than ever before during this week.
Thirdly, it is Saturday, March 31, and I have been successful. My tests were completed, graded, and entered into GradeQuick as well as all other assignments, which I had in my possession. Also important to note, I am still breathing. At times during the week, I seriously wondered. Katie and I were at Grafton over forty hours in 4 days. I have learned some important lessons, and I know now, without a doubt, that I am ready to teach in my own classroom. To use a cliche from Dirty Dancing and Green Day, I am having the time of my life.
Important Lessons Learned (this week):
1. For multiple choice tests in the same class, only make enough copies for the largest class, and let them share. There are fewer papers for me to find places for them to live, and I save a tree or two.
2. Do not put ScanTron forms anywhere near the edge of the desk (especially if students are not writing on the test). I didn't know what else to do about the ScanTron that I couldn't find (because I know the student turned it in), so I simply gave her all possible points on the multiple-choice section.
3. Assign point values for essays in such a way that the point value reflects more accurately students' knowledge. For instance on my Gulliver's Travels essay, I gave a 50 point essay, and I gave students' 10 points for simply writing which adventure they would go on and only 10 points for correctly identifying information on that place.
4. I need to remember that if students are familiar with information on multiple-choice questions (or even short answer or essays), it simply will not take them as long to finish the test. I should consider adding more questions.
5. I also need to include more higher level questions on my tests to be more in line with Bloom's Taxonomy and with Marci's tests.
6. It is important to be consistent with all students and with all directions I give. This week, I have problems with students' plagiarizing their outside reading. When I have my own class next year, I need to consider that students will look at SparkNotes or Wikipedia and try to find a way to show them that while I don't mind that they use them as references, I don't want them to cut and paste or cut and paste and change synonyms. Right now, I think that telling them to write a bibliography of everything that they look at would be a good idea.
7. I need to have firm rules about late work and stick to them. I was much more lenient this quarter than a) I should have been and b) I believe Marci would have been. I did this for two reasons: 1) I was not completely sure she would not let them turn in work late and 2) I'm still learning too, and I didn't want them to be penalized for something that is my fault.
8. Enter grades into GradeQuick as soon as they are graded, so I don't have a mammoth amount of work at the end of the quarter.
9. Even though teachers do not make a lot of money, I will never be as underpaid as I am now; however, I am getting paid by seeing that in my own way I am making a difference in my students' lives.
10. My final reflection for today is one that has culminated throughout the course of the five weeks but really impacted me this week in particular: Not much in life feels as good as believing that you have done a good job and that you have helped your students learn. When I got home on Friday, I took a nap (serious lack of sleep this week), and I dreamed about helping my students in class. I saw the looks on their faces that I have been seeing for the last week and half which is Ms. Owen believes in me, and I can do this. I have finally let myself be myself (or rather still the teacher myself but the one who can be humorous in class and still work, work, work while all the time caring about my students). My students drop by after school just to say hi. They invite me to their games, and they ask me how my day is going. I'm glad for a week off of getting up early and grading papers, but I know that I'll miss their bright faces. And, yes, I'm so excited that I would actually get paid for this one day because I'm loving doing it for free.
I also have to include Colleen's work of art from the seminar this week"What Teachers Make" by Taylor Mali. I'm still weepy when I think about what it means.
He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.
I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.
Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.
"I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says.
"Be honest. What do you make?"
And I wish he hadn't done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.
I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.
I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful
over and over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a *gosh-darn* difference! What about you?
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