Benefits of Book Study

I have been a part of the PLC book study group and I must say that I am enjoying it immensely. It is so interesting to read about what a PLC is supposed to be doing and compare it to what we are doing. I'm already trying as a PLC leader to implement some of the suggestions (like sharing positives at the beginnings of meetings and having a day to sort unit activities into keep, create, or toss categoreis) into my meetings. I am happy to see that the book is focusing on tangible suggestions rather than just talking philiosophically. I am hoping that next year I can start to shape the PLC into more of a action research based meeting rather than a curriculum writing meeting. But as we talk about constantly in our book studies, that means time to write curriculum outside of PLC. This is an interesting topic to struggle with and I am happy that we are getting the opportunity to think through the process of creating the PLC rather than simply being told what to do.

Is anyone else in a book study group? How is it going? What are you learning? What concepts do you struggle with?

Outside of the Classroom

Anybody have any strategies for EBD students? I actually don’t have any EBD students in the classroom setting, but I am a tennis coach and there is a player on the team who is EBD. There have been issues with this player listening and getting along with others.

Any suggestions that could transfer from the classroom onto the tennis court?

There's only so much in our control

As we look forward to next year, there is some anxiety about the different changes in some of our schools. Some schools are brand new like the 6th grade center (well--new staff, etc.) Others are shifting staff (Junior High East and West) and some elementary teachers are going here and there. A colleague gave me advice once that I will pass on. When I told her about changes and anxiety I felt about them at a school I was at, she asked me what it was that I could control. It made me think for a few minutes. There were a couple of things--I could control how I felt about the changes and what I could do--but not the changes themselves. It made me relax and feel a sense of "serenity"--What is that serenity prayer for 12 step programs? Grant me the serenity to accept the things that I can't change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
We can choose the anxiety we take on--and we can let go as well. We don't want to take on too much and just burn out. It's also important to take care of ourselves, and then we enjoy our jobs much more!

Summer Jitters

Is anyone starting to notice students sliding into summer mode? As I am observing students in the hall or in my classes, I am noticing students are starting to get more and more fidgety and are starting to lose their focus.

As the weather gets warmer and the students get more anxious to be out of school, in what ways do you all hope to keep your students focus on school?

Looking Forward

So the English 7 team just found out where we would be officially yesterday. Though we will all be in the building we want, only two of us will be teaching 7th grade next year. One person is moving to 8th and the other to 9th. It is very exciting for us to all still be in the same building, but I'm sure there will also be many growing pains as well. I am staying at the 7th grade level, which will be much easier than learning a new curriculum; however, it will still be an adjustment, planning with just two people, learning to coteach, and teaching curriculum to two other teachers at the new building. I am wondering how everyone is feeling about next year, whether or not you are moving buildings. Are you excited? Apprehensive?

I myself am very excited to have a second chance at Honors English 7. I like what I did this year and being able to adjust the independent research paper and continue to increase rigor while still using gradual release makes me look forward to next year. I am also excited to be coteaching, as the method has seemed to work well in the two 7th grade classes that used it this year. The idea of parallel teaching seems like a fantastic way for us to meet each student's need while still beign able to increase higher level thinking for the class as a whole.

I apprehensive about our two most experienced teachers leaving the department. Nate and I have experience and will do well together, but it does make me anxious to go it a little more alone. We are now the more experienced teachers, as the teachers from the other school will not have experience in the curriculum.

I am also nervous about how we will keep consistent curriculum with two buildings. How will we meet to make sure we are implementing our assessments in a common way? Will we meet in one school? And then how will we make time for that? I think perhaps meetings could be biweekly instead of weekly for PLC so that we could meet for a longer period of time, but weekly check ins do seem important. Any great ideas for how to have a PLC accross buildings?

Spring Break!

I feel very fortunate to have a spring break…and a week long one at that! I know not all teachers are so lucky, but what a great chance for us to recuperate and reenergize for the last bit of the school year. I am not going anywhere exciting, but am just looking forward to catching up on other stuff that I haven’t had time to do.

So I am just wondering what other people’s plans are for spring break? How do you plan on spending your time off?

7th Hour Blues

I have a group of some challenging boys in my 7^th hour class. There is a wide range of negative behaviors that occur such as excessive talking, not paying attention, blurting out, and lack of effort/motivation-, which leads to missing or incomplete assignments. I have talked with these students so many times I feel like a broken record…but nothing changes. I am working on contacting parents and having students come in for lunch, but I would like some other “in-class” strategies I could use to help change these behaviors. Any ideas?