The Classroom

I have been so busy over the last little while I can’t even think straight… but I have been learning and learning and oh how I’ve been learning. I’ve finally managed to just take some time, to lock myself away (thanks to Glen for the use of your office… even though you don’t know I’m in here…) and try to process everything.  Please excuse me if I ramble on a bit here – as I go on this magical mystery tour of thought I’m letting you come along for the ride… Read the rest of this entry »

Awards, grad, farewells, and celebrations. Every year these topics seem to come up for discussion in every staff room. Who should get what, what should the event look like, when can we find the time, where should it be held, why do we even bother, and how are we going to make it all work???

While not getting into the whole “should we or should we not give out awards” debate – I’d like to just give my two (or three) cents on the whole “grad” phenomena. Read the rest of this entry »

It happens to all of us… some how, some where, despite all your best efforts you feel like you let your students down.  Perhaps they don’t do well on a standardized test.  Maybe its the in ability for them to grasp a concept that you’ve spent months on.  Inevitably it’s going to happen.  One or more of our students are going to fall, despite our best efforts – and what will you do then? Read the rest of this entry »

I was just surfing the net, avoiding my real work when I came upon the strangest video… a beat boxing flautist.

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While talking to my student teacher about how to increase student by-in I made reference to the movie Dangerous Minds.  I’ve always loved how this movie is based on a true story, and how the original book is entitled “My Posse Don’t Do Homework”.  I’ve always thought of my class in that manner… My posse, my crew, my team.  Well having never actually READ the book, I decided to log on to my friendly internet book store and order it.  Sadly its no longer in print, but Louanne Johnson (the author) has written more books, her most recent being “Teaching Outside the box: how to grab your students by the brains”. Read the rest of this entry »