PLC Conference Reflections - October 19, 2016

This week I did not complete any guest teaching assignments because I spent three days at the Solution Tree PLC institute.  It was fantastic.  We are just beginning our PLC work in our building.  This was a chance to learn from the experts and collaborate with a group of 5 teachers from my building.  The learning and experience overall was outstanding.

Mike Mattos gave evidence as to why the PLC and intervention process is so vital to students' success.  And how it is even more powerful than poverty.  The data and statistics reeled me in right away.  His real-life examples as to how it worked in the schools he was in made it seem possible.  I can imagine it working in our school too!

Anthony Muhammad reminded us that for PLC work to be successful, a culture must be cultivated in the building.  These were great points as we begin our work.  Yes, we have the collaborative time built in the schedule and the intervention time built in the schedule.  But do we have the culture created among our staff for it to be successful?  I think we need to step back and look at that piece.  How can we make it meaningful for all staff?  We need to combine the data Mattos gave us with the cultural aspects Muhammad explained to really make it work for our staff.

Spending time with my staff and seeing their reaction to the information was energizing.  Each of us had special "a-ha" moments and different things that we want to share with the whole staff.  We took time to collaborate and begin to plan future professional development sessions for our staff.  We talked big picture and long term, as well as must-do's and things that need to be done right now.  We even discussed how the rest of the staff may respond.  It is a long journey ahead of us, but I am confident in the team that I spent time with last week and know that they are strong.  They even took the opportunity to look in the mirror and share some personal conflicts that the conference brought to light.

Although I didn't make it into a classroom last week, I was still able to collaborate with teachers, learn about what their struggles are, and how they want to fix them.  I wouldn't change this experience at all.  I'm excited to take this work back to our whole staff and light the fire among them as well.

Personal Development - October 13, 2016

7th grade Personal Development was my challenge this week.  And it was a challenge!  This class had a lot of energy and a lot of personality.  My task was to lead a discussion on self-image and image gap.  This will then lead into their discussion of drugs and alcohol and why people turn to those to solve an image gap problem.  Ms. Chelf spent time with me going over the lesson and warning me that this is one of her most talkative and challenging classes of the day.  I wasn't worried...until the class began!

As the tardy bell rang, student came running in loudly and hitting each other on the back of the neck.  I used the opportunity to explain why that behavior was unacceptable and how it could be considered bullying.  The students didn't really seem to take my warning very seriously.  Some continued talking, some were making faces at other students, and some were trying to get the attention of their peers.  It was a pretty frustrating way to start class.

I began the lesson by writing a couple of questions on the board and I asked students to share their answers with an elbow partner.  The questions were what is "self-image" and what is your "ideal" self-image.  There were several good answers.  We settled on self-image as the way you see yourself and the ideal self-image is what you want yourself to be.  There were some differences on this, but eventually came to a conclusion.  Throughout this discussion, I had to redirect student behavior several times and ask students to be on task and not talking with others.  It was hard!  I had them start on their assignment and it quieted down for a few minutes.  Then we had to discuss, the behaviors started up again.  We did have some really good conversations with the students who were participating appropriately.  They shared that they wanted to be taller and not have braces.  And we talked about how to improve the things they didn't like about themselves.  It was a great discussion.

However, the behaviors in this class were what I walk away remembering.  This class was eye opening.  This is what our teachers have to deal with every day in many of their classes.  Ms. Chelf told me that some parents at conferences mentioned how their students come home and say that this particular class is terrible.  That is not the image we want our students and parents to have of NW!

So what can I do?  How can I help to support our teachers?  I'm not sure.  But I need to spend more time in classes to target the behaviors and figure out which students need an intervention.  I feel stressed because I know I need to do this, but finding the time is difficult.  I also need to continue this work and my conversations with teachers.  They need to know I recognize what they do and how hard their job is.  My teaching experience is at the high school level.  This class made me remember that teaching junior high students is one of the most difficult jobs in education!  I don't think I could do it every day!

PE - October 6, 2016

As I began to think about this week's guest teaching assignment, I remembered my own PE experiences.  And they  weren't good!  In high school, most of us tried to have a full schedule so we could get a PE waiver.  In junior high, it was awkward and everyone tried to do as little as possible.  And in elementary, it was just fun and games.  PE has changed over time with a focus on fitness and health  This is for the better.  Life skills is the best way to make it relevant and easy for all to see the importance.

I sat down with Mr. Kuepker and we discussed the plan for this week.  Students were in a tennis unit.  He modifies the game a bit in order to accommodate the large class size and give everyone a chance to participate.  Before beginning the tennis match, students are to warm up and the class has 8th grade leaders who are in charge of warm ups.  I enjoy tennis and was excited to get in the gym!

The first thing I noticed was the students' attitudes.  You can tell who really did not like to exercise and whose favorite class was PE,  I began with my guest teaching story and then the leaders began the warm ups.  They did an awesome job!  It was a perfect opportunity for me to see some of these students in a new light.  One student typically has a large number of behavior referrals.  He was an outstanding leader!  Students listened to him, he redirected students kindly, it was just great.  Somehow we need to get that behavior in every classroom.  How do we harness his preferences to make the rest of his day successful?  We need to recreate this environment and give this student the confidence to be a leader in each of his classrooms.  This was the most thought-provoking moment of this guest teaching experience.

When we went out to play tennis, the students complained that it was sprinkling.  They didn't argue about their teams or playing, but some dragged their feet or tried to hide out in the back.  Overall, most students were good sports and participated.  It is difficult with such large class sizes for all students to get involved and really play.  Not everyone worked up a sweat, but at least they all had the chance to practice hitting the ball.  For some students, this is the time of day they can relax, be themselves, and let off some steam.  For others, it can be stressful and embarrassing.  PE is unlike other classrooms and, again, I learned a lot from this experience!

Band - September 29, 2016

Before I begin to describe my band experience, I need to comment on something a teacher said to me.  It was an off-the-cuff comment and I don't think the teacher meant any harm by it.  However, it got me thinking about people's perceptions of this challenge I have given to myself.  The teacher said, "you think you can just walk in and teach anyone's class?"  No, I don't!  Part of this challenge is the collaboration and preparation.  I spend time each week meeting with the teacher, learning about where they are in the curriculum, and asking questions.  Then I take the lesson home with me and prepare.  I do homework, I listen, I gather more questions!  Then I meet with the teacher again.  It is all part of the experience for me.  I know I am not an expert and that each of these experiences is not going to be perfect.  But that is why it is intriguing for me.  I am thankful for the positive response I have gotten to my adventure and I look forward to working with all the teachers in our building.

This week I got to strike up the band!  I have had some music experience in my background.  In high school I played several different instruments and sang in the choir.  I went to a small school, so I was able to be a part of the show choir, jazz band, and many other activities as well.  So I felt pretty confident...until I stood in front of this large group!

I was able to work with Ms. Triplett before the lesson.  She explained about the pieces they were working on.  She wanted to increase the tempo and start working on dynamics.  I took the music home, practiced myself on the piano, and listened to the songs via the links Jane had sent me.  The day of my guest teaching I listened and practice my directing moves before I went in.

The students were so welcoming!  They were great listeners and willing participants.  Jane warmed them up and then we went to work.  We were able to speed up the march and it still sounded pretty good!  We examined where and why some sections of the music slowed down.  We talked about important techniques to remember when playing a fast-paced tune.  The other piece was equally good.  We didn't work on dynamics much, but it was fun.  The students wanted to play it at the fastest tempo, but they weren't quite ready when we tried it.  After class, the students thanked me for coming and seemed to have enjoyed the class,

This week's challenge was unique.  Directing the band and teaching a large, diverse class is so different from being in the classroom.  It takes different strategies and different preparation.  I learned a lot and I'm grateful to Ms. Triplett and her students for allowing me this opportunity.  It was fun!

PreAlgebra 8 - September 21, 2016

For the second week of this adventure, I was able to teach Mr. Ahern's PreAlgebra 8 class.  I am not a math person and it has always been my most difficult subject.  I am much more of a reading, writing, research, history person.  So this was definitely a challenge!  I met with Mr. Ahern last week to talk about which class I could cover.  He challenged me again with one of his sections that typically has some behavior issues to manage.  Now I had math and behavior to prepare for!  

The topic for the lesson was algebraic equations.  Mr. Ahern described the cover up method and gave me the assignment the students would have due that day as well as the assignment that would be given in class.  I took both home and did my homework for about an hour.  It took me awhile to remember how to get the answers.  Then I got rolling!  5x+6=31, x=5  These types of problems were the easy ones.  Then Mr. Ahern threw in some fractions, some word problems (application), and even absolute value!  I was sure to check in with him before class to go over my answers.  I missed a few, but Bill's re-teaching style helped me figure out what I was doing and reinforced my skills.

At the beginning of class, the students were disappointed that I was their teacher!  Bill had told them that a "math genius" was going to be guest teaching, so needless to say, I was a disappointment.  They did have several questions as to why I was doing this adventure.  I told them that I wanted to see what their classes were like, work more closely with students, and collaborate with the teachers.  Then we got started on the lesson.  We reviewed their homework and I told them about my struggles.  Students were happy to tell me what I did wrong and how to correct the problem.  Next we worked on the homework that would be due the next day.  Students got up in front of their peers to solve the equations.  They did a great job!

Some students didn't have their homework, some didn't have a pencil, some didn't have anything, and still others couldn't follow which problem we were working on.  This class had a wide range of abilities.  Some students were halfway through the homework and others were still on the first problem.  One girl couldn't get started on the most basic of the homework problems.  A few students tried to spend more time chatting than working.  My redirection seemed to help keep them on track, as did my proximity.

This was an exhausting class!  Not only was my math brain working, but my teacher brain was in high gear.  It was a great reminder of the multitasking teachers have to do each and every period of the day.  I appreciated Mr. Ahern giving me the chance to teach his class and work with his students.  It was a fun experience in my first math class in years!

Literacy - September 15, 2016

Today was my first opportunity for guest teaching!  I was able to spend time in Anah Austin's Literacy class 6th period.  Anah and I met the day before to review the lesson.  She explained to me that her classes read an "Article of the Week" each week.  It usually is about a hot topic or something relevant to current events.  After reading the article, students are expected to write an opinion paragraph about the topic using evidence from the article or other research.  Ms. Austin confessed that her students struggle with using evidence to support their opinions and then  finding reasons why that evidence backs up their opinion.  I was able to share that in my government classes, we had similar struggles.  I used to have students write an opinion paper based on a document based question.  Students would often be able to find evidence, but really had a hard time connecting the evidence to their thesis statement by using reasoning.

Ms. Austin created a lesson based around the topic of school uniforms - for or against.  She then provided evidence and reasons for both sides.  Students were to work in groups to sort the evidence and reasons by side (for or against) and then match the supporting reasons.  This activity would help them learn the difference between evidence and reasons and how they support a thesis statement.  She also informed me that she reads to her students every Thursday.  I was really excited to get in the classroom and thought this was a great lesson.  It gave me some freedom to introduce the topic, but was a fun, cooperative learning lesson.

I began the class by introducing myself and talking about why I wanted to embark on this guest teaching adventure.  Students thought it was a little strange, or maybe just surprising.  After taking attendance, I told them I would read for just a bit.  I asked them to tell me about the book they have been reading.  It is called Stuck in Neutral.  They did a wonderful job explaining it to me and I was able to finish a chapter.

Next I started to explain the day's activity.  I was met with a lot of resistance because on one of the classroom boards it said "SSR" and the students were determined to have a free reading day!  I convinced them that we were going to at least start this activity.  I introduced the topic of school uniforms and asked for some opinions.  Most students were against school uniforms, but there were a few who were in favor.  Those students in favor talked about how it would make their lives less stressful because they wouldn't have to worry about what to wear!  They also said that there wouldn't be conflict between those people with the "stylish", expensive clothes and those without.  The students against uniforms talked about losing their freedoms, uniforms are not usually nice looking, and religious beliefs should allow them to choose.  I thought both side presented really thoughtful arguments.  It was a great discussion with several different students participating.

Then I explained that if they were to write a paper about this topic, they would start with a thesis statement.  I asked if they knew what that was and they looked at me with blank faces!  I thought for sure Ms. Austin had talked about thesis statements since she discussed using evidence to support one.  (I later found out she just hadn't used that terminology.)  Students took some good guesses and some not as good - "you mean, like poop?!" (That student had thought I had said feces!)  I explained that a thesis statement is like your main idea statement and then they finally got it.  I explained the activity and they got to work.  The students were on task and working hard.  The time flew by and soon it was the end of the period.

I learned a lot this first week.  Students were very receptive to having me in class.  I enjoyed listening and having thoughtful conversations with the students.  I learned that I need to be specific in my language and directions.  I also learned I need to monitor the clock because we ran out of time to clean up.  I learned that there are many different facets to the Literacy class.  It isn't just reading books and talking about them.  There is a nonfiction piece to the curriculum, as well as a writing portion.

I really appreciate Ms. Austin and her class for being the guinea pigs!  It was a great way to kick off my adventure.  Next up - Mr. Ahern's PreAlgebra 8 class!

Here are a couple of photos from Ms. Austin's class.  They were working so hard!

September 2, 2016 - Intro

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/principal-teaches-every-class-in-school-1.11864830

Click on the link above for the inspiration for my year of guest teaching!

I saw this on social media and thought it was such a great idea.  I wanted to do it!  So here I am and I hope to blog each week about my adventures.

I want to guest teach for several reasons.  First, it is a great way to interact and meet all students.  I can see them in an academic setting and hopefully even work one on one with them.  I can see their daily struggles and triumphs.  I hope to have fun with them and learn with them.  And I want them to see me in a new and different way as well.  I am not an expert in every subject.  I'm afraid to go to Mr. Norton's algebra and geometry classes!  I don't know what I will do in art or industrial tech! And I barely speak any Spanish.  Students will be able to see me work hard and try to learn something new - just like them.

Second, I want to connect with our teachers and staff.  I know how hard they work each and every day.  I want teachers to know I believe that and recognize their efforts.  I also want to become more familiar with the curriculum in areas that are not my specialty.  I hope to work closely with teachers as they develop their lesson plans.

So, check this blog for weekly updates!  I hope to guest teach in my first classroom next week!