Classroom Observation # 8: February …

Classroom Observation # 8: February 27, 2008

Writing Prompt: What is your favorite episode of your favorite tv show?

Continue reading pp 262-266

Students file into the room. Announcements take place and pledge as students are still entering the room. JS takes roll. SR: Man it feels good in here. RM: This is the best it’s felt all year. JS: Well, I turned the blower off. TB: Oh, I could do that for you. All you have to do is flip the switch. Class agrees with TB. JS: How did you know that? AM: You forgot, we went to school here when we were in the seventh grade. We’ve always known how to turn the heat on and off. JS: Well, why didn’t anybody tell me how!?! AR: You mean you didn’t know? JS: Are you nuts!?! Of course I didn’t know. We’ve been freezing and burning up since day one and you’ve been holding out on me! BJ: We just thought you really wanted it that way. AR: Yeah, teachers are kind of weird about this climate stuff. JS: Not when I am sweating like a turkey on Thanksgiving one day and freezing to death the next! You thought I LIKED this?! Everyone laughs. JM: Well, at least we can all be comfortable now. JS: For goodness sake, if there is anything else you know that I need to know – just tell me. Jp raises his hand. JS: Not you, JP! Journals out! Class protests: But we got a delay. We are only in here for 16 minutes. Oh, give us a break, please! JS: Ooh, that is 16 minutes to write and read journals! Great! I didn’t think we were going to have ANY time. Time begins now. Students and JS write. Favorite tv shows include: The New Night Rider; Sponge Bob Square Pants, Survivor and a myrad of others.

I can’t believe my students knew about the heat blower! If Mrs. M hadn’t shown me it yesterday afternoon, we’d still be freezing and sweating. Are teachers really so climate controlling they thought I’d rather freeze and burn up than be comfortable? I love two hour delays. I’ve been sick all weekend and all week. I needed the break.

Classroom Observation # 8: February …

Classroom Observation # 8: February 27, 2008

Writing Prompt: What is your favorite episode of your favorite tv show?

Continue reading pp 262-266

Students file into the room. Announcements take place and pledge as students are still entering the room. JS takes roll. SR: Man it feels good in here. RM: This is the best it’s felt all year. JS: Well, I turned the blower off. TB: Oh, I could do that for you. All you have to do is flip the switch. Class agrees with TB. JS: How did you know that? AM: You forgot, we went to school here when we were in the seventh grade. We’ve always known how to turn the heat on and off. JS: Well, why didn’t anybody tell me how!?! AR: You mean you didn’t know? JS: Are you nuts!?! Of course I didn’t know. We’ve been freezing and burning up since day one and you’ve been holding out on me! BJ: We just thought you really wanted it that way. AR: Yeah, teachers are kind of weird about this climate stuff. JS: Not when I am sweating like a turkey on Thanksgiving one day and freezing to death the next! You thought I LIKED this?! Everyone laughs. JM: Well, at least we can all be comfortable now. JS: For goodness sake, if there is anything else you know that I need to know – just tell me. Jp raises his hand. JS: Not you, JP! Journals out! Class protests: But we got a delay. We are only in here for 16 minutes. Oh, give us a break, please! JS: Ooh, that is 16 minutes to write and read journals! Great! I didn’t think we were going to have ANY time. Time begins now. Students and JS write. Favorite tv shows include: The New Night Rider; Sponge Bob Square Pants, Survivor and a myrad of others.

I can’t believe my students knew about the heat blower! If Mrs. M hadn’t shown me it yesterday afternoon, we’d still be freezing and sweating. Are teachers really so climate controlling they thought I’d rather freeze and burn up than be comfortable? I love two hour delays. I’ve been sick all weekend and all week. I needed the break.

Classroom Observation #7: February 2…

Classroom Observation #7: February 25, 2008

Writing Prompt: What is the strangest thing you have ever done?

Oral Journal Reading

Quiz pp 256-262

Student enter room. JS is yelling at her computer and threatening to throw it out the window. KB: Can I help? JS: Yes, you can shoot this computer! Piece of crap! KB: Will you move back and let me look at it? JS: Oh, would you? I can’t get it to do anything. JS moves and KB takes her seat. KB: Oh, I see… Announcements and pledge. JS: KB is it safe to do attendance yet? KB: Um, I almost got it but you are going to have to restart your computer. See, the tech guy came in and overloaded your start up… JS’s eyes glaze over as KB begins speaking in a foreign tongue. KB grins: It’ll work in about five minutes. JS: Oh, you are the best! Remind me I owe you! KB: Anytime. And, by the way, if you need to get me out of gym today to come and work on it, I’d be glad to make the sacrifice. JS laughs with KB. BJ: Yeah, me too. JS: Guys take a break for a minute while I try to push attendance through. Today we are taking a journal grade, so if you don’t like today’s topic use this time to look back and find a journal you’d like to share with us. JS takes attendance. JS: Whew! Today, February 25, 2008 tell us what is the strangest thing you have ever done. CB: OOH! I like. JP: Oh yeah! NC 17. JS: Let me restate that: What is the strangest appropriate thing you have ever done? CW: You’re no fun. JS: Just remember that when you’re in Mrs. R’s class and you wish you still had me. Time begins now! Students and JS write. BEEP! JS: Today and tomorrow are mandatory share days. SW: How much is this worth? JS: Fifty points. BJ: Great! My grade needs it. CJ: I don’t get to drive until I get this grade up. Can I read both days? JS grins and shakes her head: But you do know what you can do to get your grade up – CJ joins in – do your classwork! And see me after school during tutoring. Any volunteers to go first? KW: I chose to write off topic. I wrote about sports team trading… JM: It’s too early to write. I’m sitting here starring at the overhead projector… RM: I will be in college in five years. I want to be a professional trumpet player or a gamer… JS: Gamer? RM: Gaming. Get paid for what I love to do. JS: OK? SR: Gaming is when game companies pay you to play their new games. You find the gliches and see what doesn’t work right. You get to see all the new games before they ever come out. CG: When I was little I had really bad dreams and I would sleep walk… SW: I hate jews. JS: What!? SW: I hate jews. JS: SW that is the most racist thing I ever heard you say! JP: Oh, that’s not racist. JS: Don’t give me that. How can you hate a whole group of people you don’t even know based on your ignorance?! If he said he hated black people you’d be up in arms. SW: But there are black people around here and not any jews. SR: A is a jew. RM: JM is a jew. JS: People, if you are going to say any type of a remark that could offend someone – skip it. And, SW if you continue to talk about this I’ll write you up. SW: But I don’t like them- JS: I don’t like close-minded racist teenagers but I’m not shouting it during journaling time. SW: Sorry… HR: I eat my fruit loops by color. I eat the blue ones first. JS: That’s all we have time for today. Your journals are getting really long. We may have to do three days of journal reading instead of two. Now, get out a half-sheet of paper. Number 1 to 5… Class takes quiz. JS: Let’s trade and grade. Everyone trade with the person in the row next to you. RM: Right or left? JS: Suprise me. Students say answers in response to the quiz. Students pass papers forward. RS: My dad is doing good. His surgery lasted seven and a half hours. He walked to the bathroom yesterday. He tries to talk but nothing comes out. JS: That is amazing! He is already up? Is your mom staying with him? RS: Yes. I’ll go back up on the weekend. JS: Who is staying with you now? RS: My aunt. I’m at her house. JS: Remember to keep me updated. I prayed for your dad’s recovery just this morning. RS: Thanks.

I hate computers. Not all computers, just the ones that won’t do what I want them to! I am always amazed at how computer savy my students are. It seems they can figure out anything. I was shocked at SW. He is generally one of the nicest students in my class. I never saw that remark coming. I found it especially shocking since we just read Night about the holocaust. I’m going to watch SW closely. This just seemed so out of his character. I think he may have a much deeper issue going on. Students love the trade and grade feature I sometimes use in class. They have instant feedback and any questions are clarified. I don’t do this with all assignments, but this was a low point and low stakes assignment. And, I wanted students to have a clear understanding when we continue the reading tomorrow.

Classroom Observation # 6: February …

Classroom Observation # 6: February 21, 2008

Writing prompt: Describe your worst scar.

OGT# 34 – Persuasion

Vocabulary worksheet – “AoCAWC”

Begin story, “And of Clay Are We Created” pp 256-266

Students file in at the tardy bell. Students stand around the room. JS: Where are you to be when the tardy bell rings? Students go to their seats. Announcements and pledge. JS takes roll during announcements. JS: Good morning. It seems everyone is worked up this morning. EE: I was hoping for a snow day. HR: I’m tired. I didn’t sleep this weekend. JM: I went to the ball game. JS: Who won? CW: WE did, of course. JS: Go tigers. Ok, journals out. Your prompt for today is- KK: Describe your worst scare. JS: No, KK. Describe your worst scar, not scare. Although that might be a good one. We’ll mark that down for another time. Time begins now. Students begin pulling at clothing articles and some even show their scars to others during writing time. JS writes along with the students just as she does everyday. BEEP! JS: Finish up. Anyone want to share? BJ: I was racing bikes with a friend. I swerved to block them because they were catching up with me. I flipped the bike and the handle bar went through my wrist. I had 12 stitches. SR: I was playing tag and tripped and fell. A metal peice cut my arm to the bone. I got 20 stitches. JS: Wow! It looks like it almost cut your arm off! RM: You should see his other arm. He has one on his arm and wrist too. SR: Yeah, but not as bad as this one. CQ: I’m reading an anonymous one. I cut my shin and exposed the bone while jumping on the trampeline. The cut was 7 inches long. JS: AW! Somebody fess up! I got to see that! KM: It’s AJ. I saw it before. AJ proudly shows his left shin to the class. AJ: I still don’t like trampelines now. HR: What is your worst scar, JS? JS: Well I got my worst scar when I had Trey. Remember how I’m always complaining about my hip because they dislocated it? Well, when the doctors did that it allowed Trey to come right then and a bunch of my skin tore. My doctor told me I had over 100 stitches. Class: Whoa! No way! How long did it take to stitch that? JS: I was in the operating room for over three hours. RF: Where were the stitches at? JS: Let’s just say you’ll never see my scar! JS: Let’s move on to an even more painful topic – the OGT! Class: Groan. JS: We are to write a speech that a principal would deliver to get people to vote for a school levy. JG: New school buildings! KK: More sports equipment! BJ: New teachers! KB: More computers and new labs! JP: When is the OGT? JS: About ten school days away. Great ideas guys. Now, what different audiences would our principal want to tell all this to? HR: Our parents! SC: The athletic booster parents. RM: Old people. They are always worried about us being smart. DD: Teachers at meetings. JS: Well done. We’ve all been here before in the last year, so I think we’ve got this one. HR: Do they really pick topics this boring? JS: Actually, if you went to ODE’s website you would find that very topic on one of the old tests. JP: This is so stupid. BJ: Yeah. Why do they make us do this? JS: Because some politician thinks testing you is a great way to make sure I am doing a good job teaching. KB: That makes no sense! JS: Exactly. JS hands out vocabulary worksheets as students talk among themselves. JS: Ok. Let’s get this done. Students continue to talk. JS: Everyone turn around and look at me. Students slowly turn around. Talking continues. JS: What did I just ask you to do? Talking still continues. JS: Be quiet. Talking continues. JS: Excuse me. Right now you are being rude. RUDE. Turn around, shut your mouths and keep them shut. JP: I’m going to tell my mom you told me to shut up. JS: Fine. SHUT UP! And I’m going to tell her that you aren’t smart enough to understand the term quiet and I think you need to define it about two hundred times for me. The class gets quiet. JS: Now to our worksheet. Class completes worksheet with students volunteering answers. JS: Get your textbooks out. Turn to page 256. We are going to see if we can find out the answers to our remaining questions. Any volunteers to read? HR: You read. JS: Anyone? No? Ok then. JS reads allowed to the students. Some students are not following along. Pausing, JS: I know the bell is about to ring. You need to read to page 262 for tomorrow and be prepared for a quiz up to that point. Ring! JS: Have a good evening!

I always wonder how honest I should be with my students. The whole scar thing is really personal. It doesn’t bother me to share it, yet I don’t to make my students uncomfortable. I’m always trying to read body language and watch expressions. When I taught in the prison everything was very real and we didn’t sugar-coat anything. No subject was taboo. Sometimes, my students seem so worldly – let’s face it some are doing things that I didn’t do until I was in my mid to late 20’s and somethings they do I’ll never do. Sometimes I begin to forget they are still kids. I try to be on guard for that. One of my students, DD, he “patrols” my conversations with the class; he says nothing embarrasses me. In a way I guess he is right. It gets frustrating having all the snow days and delays. It seems it only takes a little interuption to get the students out of the routine. Really, my students are great. And I am grateful that talking and being rude is the only thing they are doing. Yet, I hate the effort I have to expend getting them back into a routine. I find the students are as fed up with the OGT as I am. Even just today my administrator was reminding me I needed to push the OGT at them harder now than ever.

Classroom Observation # 5: February …

Classroom Observation # 5: February 19, 2008

Writing Prompt: I’m not sure…

OGT # 33 B – point of view

Article “Picture Power” by Frank Fornier

Students enter classroom. SR: We don’t have to worry about the heat today! JS: It’s FREEZING! TB: I don’t even want to open the window. Announcements and pledge. Students stand up for the pledge though only a few place their hands over their hearts or say the words. Mrs. S says the pledge with hand over her heart. JG: Do you know what RSV is? JS: I think it is a respiratory virus that babies can die from. LF: Oh my goodness! My little sister has that! JG: We’ve been fighting it at our house, too. JS: Did you enjoy your days off? Class cheers. BS: Yeah! CB: I cleaned my room. JP: Are you cold? You’ve still got your coat on. JS: Can I touch your arm? JP nods and JS touches his arm. JP: OUCH! You are cold! JS: Get out your journals! Anyone do anything good during your snow days? JP: JW broke his leg sledding. What did you do? JS: Nothing. Anything you do on a snow day is all good! Trey and I are fighting this respiratory virus though. ER: You never get over it! JS: Today’s prompt is ‘I’m not sure…’ Time begins now. Students write in journals. BEEP! Timer goes off. JS: Anyone want to share? JM: I’ll share. I’m not sure about EE because – well, never mind. I built a snowman. You may see his picture on myspace. KK makes shaddow puppets on the wall. JS appraoches KK from behind and makes shaddow rabbit ears over his head. Class laughs. KK’s shaddow dog eats JS’s rabbit ears. JS pats KK’s shoulder. EE: I’m going to read one of JP’s. JS: It’d better be appropriate. EE: It’s not. JP: What does it say? JS: Oh no. Don’t let him lead you that way. Right now you’re not in trouble. EE hands JP his journal. JS: Get out your notebooks for our OGT. Today you are going to write a letter. We are going back to the bear with the broken car window and the car owner and park ranger. Choose one and write a letter from their point of view to one of the remaining two. JS writes a letter on the board while students write in their notebooks. JS: Anyone want to share your letter? JM: I do! HR: Oh, let me go first. Mine is from the bear to the car owner. JM: Mine is from the bear to the ranger. JS: Did anyone write from another point of view other than the bear? CQ: I wrote from the camper’s point of view. The park ranger should take better care of his animals. CR: Did you write that? JS: Well, yall, I wrote it while you were writing. CR: No, did you write that yourself? You know, not copy it from anything. JS moves around the room pulling down the window shades. JS: Sure I wrote that myself, I couldn’t memorize that. CR: Wow. You write so good. You should really be a writer. JS: Thank you, CR. All brown-nosing is deeply appreciated. JG would you pull down the screen, please? JS turns off lights and JG pulls down screen. JS: If you remember, last time we made a list of questions before reading our article. Let’s look at those. JS puts questions on overhead projector. She reads through the questions and students give answers to ones they know from the article. JS logs answers as they go. JS: Good. We still have some questions that we will hopefully answer as we continue to read. JS begins to hand out article, “Picture Power.” AJ: Uh, we don’t have time. The bell is about to ring. JS: Really? Well, we’ll see how much we can read. CQ: The bell is late actually. It should have rang 50 seconds ago. JS begins to collect the articles after looking at the clock. She smiles at CW. RING! JS: See ya! Students file out. RS approaches JS. JS: How is your dad? RS: They do surgery on Friday. JS: Oh, I thought they were doing it last week. RS: No, they said it would be eight to ten hours long. Mom’s upset. JS: Long is good. If they can’t do anything to help him it will be short, like only an hour or two. With each hour that passes after the first hour, tell yourself that is that much more the doctors were able to do to help your dad. RS: I’ll have to tell that to my mom. She’s really upset that it is suppose to take so long. JS: Wait and tell her that after the second hour of surgery, ok? You don’t want your mom worrying about him coming out of surgery early on top of everything else. RS smiles at JS. JS: I’ll be praying for you all week. Take care of yourself.

I make my students stand for the pledge. They don’t have to say it, but they do have to stand. Students initally wanted to rebell about this at the beginning of the year. I simply told them that it wasn’t just the flag that they were standing for. They are standing and thanking every person who has fought for the right for them to NOT say the pledge. Strange, but the students seem to respect that logic. I always try to make a lap around the room and quickly talk to students as I’m prepping to begin. I like to be a little personal and let them know their outside life matters to me. Doing this impromptu share time creates a closeness within my first period class that no other period shares. I don’t deliberately not do this with my other classes, but once the first period is over we hit the ground running for the rest of the day. We also have about ten extra minutes in first period because of using it as a homeroom. EE and JP are “players.” Sometimes they end up in serious trouble. I try to point out to EE that he is responsible for his own actions and reading that journal will only get himself in trouble. I really have to stay on my toes with those two. Students are more willing to share their writing now that we journal everyday. Last year my students would never share their writing. Even I wouldn’t share my own writing very often. Journaling and sharing has opened a world up for me and the students. And, I find that we have good writers in our room and the students even learn from each other by listening to us read our writing. They see, or rather hear, good writing and they recognize poor writing. They are tougher on themselves about their own writing. I never had that before in my classroom. I always encourage “brown-nosing.” I’m constantly telling students they can catch more flies with honey than with lemon juice. I even go overboard once in a while and “bown-nose” my students. Students come to my classroom at the beginning of the year trying to bully and intimadate to get their way. By the end of the year they’ll all be telling me how beautiful I am to get out of the final exam! Answering the questions we know turns out to be a great review of the article. Students are now more precise in what they want to know and some have new questions. I love the article “Picture Power.” Frank Fournier simply tells about his time with Omayra and why it seemed so important for him to take her picture. It is a powerful article and ends up helping students to see outside their box. I always try to teach up to the bell. I just began this practice this year. Before, we’d end up with like a minute or two of free time before the bell would ring. By the end of the year we’d have ten minutes because there was a mentality that if we couldn’t finish it before the bell, then we shouldn’t start it. UGH. It was something that happened so slowly I wasn’t even aware of it until it was way out of hand. I am determined not to do that again.

Classroom Observation 4: February 11…

Classroom Observation 4: February 11, 2008

Writing Prompt: If you could pick anyone to be your parents, who would you pick?

OGT # 33 – point of view

Begin “Ill-Equipped Workers…” — Washington Post

Students enter classroom early and some argue over computer usage. Pledge and announcements. Mrs. S takes roll and announces for students to have their journals out and ready. JS: Good morning! Can you believe it is only 15 degrees outside? Burr. SR: My car wouldn’t start. KW: It’s too cold to go out on a day like this. JS: I agree. When it is below 20 we should have a delay. RM: You’d do anything for a delay. JS: You would be amazed how much housework I can get done in an hour! AM: I don’t want to get out of bed when it’s this cold out. C: Well, we are missing a bunch of people. It looks like they slept in. Can we have a free period? JS: Sure. In June. The class groans. JS: It’s Monday, February 11, 2008. Today’s topic is “If you could pick anyone to be your parents, who would you pick?” Time begins now. HR: This is a hard one, Mrs. S. JS: HR just write what you are thinking or feeling. Now just write! Beep! JS: Finish up. Anyone want to volunteer? CW: It is too cold outside to come to school…. HR: I love my parents. They are so good to me. I’d never want anyone else to be my parents. Class: Ahhh. That is so sweet! JS: You should read that to them for Valentine’s Day, HR. They would love it. HR: No, I’d never be able to read them my journal. JS: Well, maybe you could write it on the inside of a card for them. Being a parent is tough. I’m sure it would thrill them if they knew how much you love them. CQ: Now I feel awful. I picked BJ’s parents. JM: I picked HR’s. RM: My mom is single and I’d never leave her. She has worked too hard to keep me. SS: I like my parents but not when they complain about my friends. RS: I can’t read mine. Mrs. S don’t forget I’ll be going with dad to Columbus on Wednesday. JS: I won’t forget RS. I’m praying for you. I put you and your family on my church’s prayer list, but I didn’t tell your names. I hope you don’t mind. RS: Actually, Mrs. S I think my mom would want you mentioning our names right now. She’s really scared. JS: RS I bet you are really scared too. When my mom got cancer I thought I would die, I was so scared. Once the doctors gave us a plan of action I felt a little bit better about it though. I hope you come back next week feeling better about your situation. RS: Yeah. JS: You look like you haven’t been eating. RS nods. JS: Remember even though you feel like you have to take care of everyone right now, you must take care of yourself first. You aren’t going to do anyone any good if you go and get sick right now. Promise you’ll take care of yourself? RS nods. JS: Promise you’ll come talk to me anytime you feel like it? And remember, it is normal to feel helpless and insecure right now. OK? RS: Yeah, I’ll come and talk to you as soon as I get back next Monday. You know they said they are going to take out part of his tongue. JS: RS it is going to be a big change for you and your dad as well as your mom. RS: The doctor said that he won’t be able to work for about six months and they don’t know if he’ll be able to talk again. The class is silent. JS: Oh, RS. Your dad is always going to be the same dad to you no matter what happens after this operation. Don’t forget that. He will still love and be proud of his RS. He’ll still be at all your games. Right now the thought of you is what is keeping him going. It is what is giving him strength to face this. Don’t give up on him. Ok? DD: Yeah, man. We don’t care if your dad can’t talk. We’ll be right beside him in the stands to cheer for you when he can’t. RS wipes his eyes: Thanks. BJ: I like your dad. I hope he’s ok. Other students give the same sentiments. JS: You ok now? Can we go on? Remember anytime you want to talk we are all here. And if you need to hit something I’m always ready with a student I could suggest for a punching bag. RS smiles and nods. JS: You know, when we come together and talk about a problem that someone has and you listen attentively and offer advice and support – that is practicing social skills. Today several of you demonstrated that you can see beyond yourselves and have empathy for one of your peers. You guys have done an awesome job today and I’m very proud of you. I hope we can continue to give RS this type of support in the upcoming months. I’m proud of you guys. BJ and RM smile. Several students turn to RS and offer that he can text them anytime or call. RS smiles and looks at Mrs. S: I’m ok. JS: Good. Now we are able to concentrate, I want you to look at this picture. JS turns on the overhead projector. A picture of Omayra Sanchez is faded on the screen. JS goes around the room turning off the lights and closing the blinds. As the picture comes into view, many students begin responding: What is that? Who is that? JS lets students talk among themselves for about two minutes. JS: Ok, now that you have looked at the picture I want you to make a list. I want you to write what you want to know about this picture, what you wonder, what questions you may have. Take about five minutes to do this. Students begin writing and are intent on looking at the picture and making their lists. JP: What do I focus on? JS: Anything that you are unsure of, something you want to know more about. Something that catches your attention in the picture yet you don’t understand it. JP doesn’t respond. He is writing his list. Students pause periodically to study the picture and continue working on their lists. JS: Ok. We are going to make a list now. I want each of you to tell me one thing you question or wonder about the list. AM: What if we want to know the same thing as someone else? JS: I’d say we all have some common things we’d like to know. I figure we’ll cover those questions first and move on from there. Anyone want to go first? CW: Is it a boy or girl? JS writes the question on a transparency for the students to see. HR: What happened? Why is she there? Other students respond: Is he/she tied to the pole? Why are the eyes black? Where is she? Is she foreign? Is that a bucket and sheet behind him? Is she wearing an earring? Why are the fingers so swollen and white? Why did someone take this picture of her instead of helping her? Did anyone help her? Is she rescued? Was there a natural disaster? JA: Was this New Orleans? JS: No, but you are making great connections JA. you are trying to connect this picture with natural disasters that you are familiar with. Good job. Is she in a creek? Is she going to drown? Is that water or sewage she is in? How did she get there? How long has he been there? Why isn’t anyone helping her? Why does the water look so brown? How old is she? JS records all questions. The bell rings. Students respond: But we don’t know the answers yet! JS: Well, come back tomorrow and we’ll start to find out! Have a good day! Students leave. RS: Thanks Mrs. S. JS: Anytime RS. And take me up on my offer to talk. If you find yourself falling behind, come and see me ASAP. You are so smart, I don’t want you giving up and failing. Your dad would get pretty mad. RS: Yeah, he would. I’ll see you next Monday. Don’t forget me. JS: I won’t forget you, RS. I’ll pray for you and your family everyday. Remember you’re not alone. RS leaves the room.

I like the early morning banter with my students. This is actually a very likable class. We rarely have behavioral issues. The students seem to like a little idol chatter before beginning class. Several students, such as KW and Z have evening jobs. Often they use the morning to try to connect with me. It is important to them that I understand they are tired and they are doing their best. KW’s mom is divorced. KW doesn’t get support from his dad. It is very important to him to help out his mom. She has always allowed him to play football. He works all year and takes the season off. KW is more responsible than most adults I know. RS is a good kid and student. His dad was just diagnosed with oral cancer. His family is devastated. RS’s dad never smoked or drank. They can’t believe this is happening to their family. RS’s mom is barely able to manage. She is all but paralyzed by this prognosis. His dad’s cancer is stage 4. It won’t get any worse than this. As of this day, the doctors don’t know what kind of help they can give RS’s dad and the family. They are in shock and looking anywhere for hope. I worry about RS. He is the sweetheart who will put his needs behind everyone else’s. He isn’t the type of student who will cry for help… I’ll have to be very sensitive to his needs and pay particular attention to him in the upcoming months. I talk with RS about my own struggle with my mom’s cancer. I suggest he work out a few minutes each day to help him deal with the stress. RS is a quiet kid. I encourage him to be sure he tells us what he needs from us and that it is ok to do this. After all, we haven’t had a friend in need like this before; so we don’t know how to react. RS is working on being open with us. I’m proud of him. He is so mature and yet so young to have to deal with this. Yes, we did take up most of the period talking with RS. And I think it was time well spent. How can they learn if we don’t care about them? RS wouldn’t have been able to have made it through the class period without us talking with him. He needs us as much right now as his family needs him. I feel that though his parents love him deeply, they are so distraught right now that they are caught up in their own emotions. I don’t think they are able to give him much support. I have encouraged RS to talk with our guidance counselor whenever he feels like it, also. I do worry and pray for him. He is so young to face this. I hope the best for his family. The other students are so kind to him right now. I’m impressed at the compassion they are showing him. This could band our class together or break it apart. I hope this attitude toward RS continues. The questions about Omayra Sanchez are an activity to establish our purpose for reading. This is a new technique for me. I’ve never tried this before. I let the students talk about the picture among themselves for a few minutes before making them list their questions independently. I think this helped some students to begin questioning the “text” before them as they read the picture. I think today’s exercise was a success. I believe this will motivate students and give them a purpose when we begin reading our selections. Our class came up with about 25 questions. Not all will be answered with our reading. I’m hoping to encourage some students to research and go beyond our text to find out the answers. As we continue this unit I’ll see if this exercise was truly beneficial. I know their curiosity is peaked.

Observation 3

Observation 3: February 8, 2008

Computer Lab

Assignment: Students type final drafts to put in on a brochure in Microsoft Publisher

Bell rings. Students run for desks. Mrs. S and the class stand for the pledge.

Announcements follow and Mrs. S takes attendance.

RM: Are we going to the computer lab today?

SR: Yes! If you were here more you’d know that.

RM: I was here yesterday.

SR: You sure?

C: Are we going after announcements?

G: Are we going on lock down soon?

HR: Yeah, like if we are then you’ll need to do something about the missing window in the door.

JS: Oh, don’t worry. If we go on lockdown we’ll just stuff JP’s body in the whole.

C: Where is JP?

AH: He got ISAD today. He said he’d rather be there than here today anyway.

JS: Ok, everyone head across the hall to the computer lab, but before we go any questions?

LM: We just correct our drafts and put them in publisher like you showed us last week. Right?

JS: You got it! Any other questions? NO? Let’s go then.

In computer lab. Mrs. S stands at back of room grading papers.

MS: I can’t get logged on.

JS: Is your password changed? Try abc123.

MS: No. It doesn’t work.

JS: Anyone care to log MS on? C? Thanks!

Students begin logging on. For the first part of the class students make and save corrections to final drafts.

MG: Hey! This computer doesn’t have publisher!

MS: Let me see. Mrs. S, his computer doesn’t have publisher!

JS: MG see if the computers in the library have it. All the computers in here are full.

MG leaves the room for the library.

DD: Mrs. S, there is water dripping on my computer!

JS: DD, what are you talking about?

DD: My computer is getting wet! The ceiling is leaking.

BJ: Mine too.

JS: Ok guys, let’s move this row of computers back.

Students and Mrs. S move the row of computers out of the puddles forming from the ceiling.

JG: Can I print this?

JS: Yes, and remember to give me a copy.

MG: The library computer has it.

JS: Good, just come on over if you need anything. Tell Mrs. P thank you, too.

MG leaves for the library. S: My computer doesn’t have publisher either. Can I go to the library too?

Mrs. S nods at S. S leaves the room.

AR: I don’t know how to put this in publisher.

Mrs. S approaches AR’s computer: Well, first you have to OPEN publisher.

C: How do I know which brochure template to pick?

JS: Which template do you like?

LF: How do I copy and paste?

JS: Uhh, you copy and paste just like you normally would.

RM: I just can’t do this!

JS: RM do you get on myspace? Aren’t you the one who was bragging about getting around Bess? FIGURE IT OUT!

Students get quiet. None direct their questions to Mrs. S. After a few minutes students are moving about the computer lab to help each other. Mrs. S observes this. She smiles. Only does she now briefly help students, demanding when she does help them that they in turn show someone else.

JS: You’ve got about five minutes left. Save everything to your IHS drive and print out your drafts.

DING!

JS: Have a great day! Remember we will be in here again tomorrow.

Students exit the lab.

I’m relieved JP is in ISAD for today. My students need to do some serious work today. If JP wanted he could disrupt the entire lab.

I’m very fortunate that MG and S are good students I can trust to send to the library. I’m also lucky the librarian is willing to share her computers with us.

I can’t believe the ceiling is leaking on the computers! Ugh! I can just see the computers beginning to smoke in my mind. I wonder, just how long until our new school is built?

I got frustrated with the amounts of questions the students were asking. We had a demonstration on publisher earlier last week. I think most students think if they whine enough they will get out of doing the assignment. I wanted students to try to do this on their own. I was glad to see them helping each other. Tomorrow they will be more likely to remember what they did today.

I always think that if I am able to master something on the computer then so should the students. Usually they know more than I do.

I find any computer lab time frustrating for me. Our computer tech had just assured me that Publisher was indeed installed on every computer in the lab. I was disappointed some of the computers didn’t have the program. I actually dread coming back to the computer lab tomorrow. I hope the roof leak doesn’t get worse.

Observation 3: February

Observation 3: February 8, 2008

Computer Lab

Assignment: Students type final drafts to put in on a brochure in Microsoft Publisher

Bell rings. Students run for desks. Mrs. S and the class stand for the pledge. Announcements follow and Mrs. S takes attendance. RM: Are we going to the computer lab today? SR: Yes! If you were here more you’d know that. RM: I was here yesterday. SR: You sure? C: Are we going after announcements? G: Are we going on lock down soon? HR: Yeah, like if we are then you’ll need to do something about the missing window in the door. JS: Oh, don’t worry. If we go on lockdown we’ll just stuff JP’s body in the whole. C: Where is JP? AH: He got ISAD today. He said he’d rather be there than here today anyway. JS: Ok, everyone head across the hall to the computer lab, but before we go any questions? LM: We just correct our drafts and put them in publisher like you showed us last week. Right? JS: You got it! Any other questions? NO? Let’s go then. In computer lab. Mrs. S stands at back of room grading papers. MS: I can’t get logged on. JS: Is your password changed? Try abc123. MS: No. It doesn’t work. JS: Anyone care to log MS on? C? Thanks! Students begin logging on. For the first part of the class students make and save corrections to final drafts. MG: Hey! This computer doesn’t have publisher! MS: Let me see. Mrs. S, his computer doesn’t have publisher! JS: MG see if the computers in the library have it. All the computers in here are full. MG leaves the room for the library. DD: Mrs. S, there is water dripping on my computer! JS: DD, what are you talking about? DD: My computer is getting wet! The ceiling is leaking. BJ: Mine too. JS: Ok guys, let’s move this row of computers back. Students and Mrs. S move the row of computers out of the puddles forming from the ceiling. JG: Can I print this? JS: Yes, and remember to give me a copy. MG: The library computer has it. JS: Good, just come on over if you need anything. Tell Mrs. P thank you, too. MG leaves for the library. S: My computer doesn’t have publisher either. Can I go to the library too? Mrs. S nods at S. S leaves the room. AR: I don’t know how to put this in publisher. Mrs. S approaches AR’s computer: Well, first you have to OPEN publisher. C: How do I know which brochure template to pick? JS: Which template do you like? LF: How do I copy and paste? JS: Uhh, you copy and paste just like you normally would. RM: I just can’t do this! JS: RM do you get on myspace? Aren’t you the one who was bragging about getting around Bess? FIGURE IT OUT! Students get quiet. None direct their questions to Mrs. S. After a few minutes students are moving about the computer lab to help each other. Mrs. S observes this. She smiles. Only does she now briefly help students, demanding when she does help them that they in turn show someone else. JS: You’ve got about five minutes left. Save everything to your IHS drive and print out your drafts. DING! JS: Have a great day! Remember we will be in here again tomorrow. Students exit the lab.

I’m relieved JP is in ISAD for today. My students need to do some serious work today. If JP wanted he could disrupt the entire lab. I’m very fortunate that MG and S are good students I can trust to send to the library. I’m also lucky the librarian is willing to share her computers with us. I can’t believe the ceiling is leaking on the computers! Ugh! I can just see the computers beginning to smoke in my mind. I wonder, just how long until our new school is built? I got frustrated with the amounts of questions the students were asking. We had a demonstration on publisher earlier last week. I think most students think if they whine enough they will get out of doing the assignment. I wanted students to try to do this on their own. I was glad to see them helping each other. Tomorrow they will be more likely to remember what they did today. I always think that if I am able to master something on the computer then so should the students. Usually they know more than I do. I find any computer lab time frustrating for me. Our computer tech had just assured me that Publisher was indeed installed on every computer in the lab. I was disappointed some of the computers didn’t have the program. I actually dread coming back to the computer lab tomorrow. I hope the roof leak doesn’t get worse.

Observation 3: February

Observation 3: February 8, 2008

Computer Lab

Assignment: Students type final drafts to put in on a brochure in Microsoft Publisher

Bell rings. Students run for desks. Mrs. S and the class stand for the pledge. Announcements follow and Mrs. S takes attendance. RM: Are we going to the computer lab today? SR: Yes! If you were here more you’d know that. RM: I was here yesterday. SR: You sure? C: Are we going after announcements? G: Are we going on lock down soon? HR: Yeah, like if we are then you’ll need to do something about the missing window in the door. JS: Oh, don’t worry. If we go on lockdown we’ll just stuff JP’s body in the whole. C: Where is JP? AH: He got ISAD today. He said he’d rather be there than here today anyway. JS: Ok, everyone head across the hall to the computer lab, but before we go any questions? LM: We just correct our drafts and put them in publisher like you showed us last week. Right? JS: You got it! Any other questions? NO? Let’s go then. In computer lab. Mrs. S stands at back of room grading papers. MS: I can’t get logged on. JS: Is your password changed? Try abc123. MS: No. It doesn’t work. JS: Anyone care to log MS on? C? Thanks! Students begin logging on. For the first part of the class students make and save corrections to final drafts. MG: Hey! This computer doesn’t have publisher! MS: Let me see. Mrs. S, his computer doesn’t have publisher! JS: MG see if the computers in the library have it. All the computers in here are full. MG leaves the room for the library. DD: Mrs. S, there is water dripping on my computer! JS: DD, what are you talking about? DD: My computer is getting wet! The ceiling is leaking. BJ: Mine too. JS: Ok guys, let’s move this row of computers back. Students and Mrs. S move the row of computers out of the puddles forming from the ceiling. JG: Can I print this? JS: Yes, and remember to give me a copy. MG: The library computer has it. JS: Good, just come on over if you need anything. Tell Mrs. P thank you, too. MG leaves for the library. S: My computer doesn’t have publisher either. Can I go to the library too? Mrs. S nods at S. S leaves the room. AR: I don’t know how to put this in publisher. Mrs. S approaches AR’s computer: Well, first you have to OPEN publisher. C: How do I know which brochure template to pick? JS: Which template do you like? LF: How do I copy and paste? JS: Uhh, you copy and paste just like you normally would. RM: I just can’t do this! JS: RM do you get on myspace? Aren’t you the one who was bragging about getting around Bess? FIGURE IT OUT! Students get quiet. None direct their questions to Mrs. S. After a few minutes students are moving about the computer lab to help each other. Mrs. S observes this. She smiles. Only does she now briefly help students, demanding when she does help them that they in turn show someone else. JS: You’ve got about five minutes left. Save everything to your IHS drive and print out your drafts. DING! JS: Have a great day! Remember we will be in here again tomorrow. Students exit the lab.

I’m relieved JP is in ISAD for today. My students need to do some serious work today. If JP wanted he could disrupt the entire lab. I’m very fortunate that MG and S are good students I can trust to send to the library. I’m also lucky the librarian is willing to share her computers with us. I can’t believe the ceiling is leaking on the computers! Ugh! I can just see the computers beginning to smoke in my mind. I wonder, just how long until our new school is built? I got frustrated with the amounts of questions the students were asking. We had a demonstration on publisher earlier last week. I think most students think if they whine enough they will get out of doing the assignment. I wanted students to try to do this on their own. I was glad to see them helping each other. Tomorrow they will be more likely to remember what they did today. I always think that if I am able to master something on the computer then so should the students. Usually they know more than I do. I find any computer lab time frustrating for me. Our computer tech had just assured me that Publisher was indeed installed on every computer in the lab. I was disappointed some of the computers didn’t have the program. I actually dread coming back to the computer lab tomorrow. I hope the roof leak doesn’t get worse.

Classroom Observation

Classroom Observation 2: February 7, 2008

Writing Prompt: He started crying…

OGT #32 B – Point of View Continued

Citing sources within your paper

Worksheet: Progress Book III

JS: Good morning! Have a seat and listen to the announcements – they’re supposed to make an announcement about a meeting that I’m to attend. Somebody let me know when you hear it, ok? T and CT: Is ok if we go ahead and open one of the windows? It’s already hot in here. JS: Sure, it is hot already. Announcer: Please stand for the pledge. JS: Stand up people! Students stand. Some put hands on their hearts and say the pledge. Announcements take place and finish. The class is quiet. L: I didn’t hear any announcement about your meeting. JS: Me neither. Maybe they’ll announce it this afternoon. Ok, get your journals out. Anybody seen K this morning? K: Over here. JS: I just counted you absent and HR present. Good thing I asked before I submitted it. Tomorrow try being in your assigned seat. JS finishes taking roll. JS: Today is February 7, 2008. Remember during your writing time you should be WRITING and not talking. We all have time to share at the end. Today your prompt is… JP comes through the door and, taking the wrong seat, grins. JS: JP tardy slip? JP: Aw, come on. Cut me some slack. I don’t have to report tardy. JS: JP you know the rules. Go get your tardy slip. JP: YOU don’t have to make me get a tardy slip. JS: JP, yes I do. If I expect my bosses to back me up then I have to enforce their rules as well. JP: You just don’t like me. JS: My doing my job has nothing to do with whether I like you. Now get to the office. JS turns away from JP and to the front board where the topic is written. JS: Today’s topic is a student suggested topic: He started crying. Everyone ready? Time begins now. JP approaches JS who is already writing at her podium in front of the class. JP: Mrs. S – JS: I can’t hear you. I’m writing. JP leaves the room. The class is silent during the duration of writing time. Some students laugh quiet laughs as they write. Beep! JS: OK. Finish up. C, CQ, CT and others: Oh! Just a few more minutes! JS: You can finish up while others share. Any volunteers? CQ: I will in just a minute. K: I’ll go. Z: I’ll go too. JS: Ok. We have K at bat and Z up on deck. Any others? Volunteers raise their hands. JS: Alright, um, CW, and then AH. Anyone else we’ll get in a minute. OK K go. K: I was riding my bike when I hit a pothole and flew over the handle bars… K ends by showing the scar on his arm. Z: I cried when my girlfriend broke up with me… Girls in class: Oh! JS: Girls are suckers for the sensitive type Z. Keep it up! Z sits back in his seat and smiles. HR enters the room with a tardy slip in hand. CW: A was skateboarding when he did a fly boy and landed on his left leg. He cried when he realized his leg was broken… S: What is a fly boy? CW: You know, skater moves. SS: I don’t think he knows what it is. CW: Do to. CW begins gesturing with his arms the move. While others share, JP returns to the room and places a tardy slip on Mrs. S’s desk. JP: Are you happy now? JS: No, I’d rather you be here on time to write with us. JP: I’ll probably get in-school for a few days for this. JS: You promise? JP glares at JS. JS: I’m just teasing JP. I really hope you don’t get ISAD. JG: I hope he does. JS: Alright, get your notebooks out and lets continue our OGT practice. Students write four paragraphs on a given prompt each from a different point of view. AH: The owner of the car would be mad. I don’t think they’d worry about the bear. CQ: I’d worry about it eating me! SC: I think the park ranger would be more upset that this is making his park look unsafe because someone left food in their car. JS: Great connections guys! SS: I feel sorry for the bear! JS: Moving on now, you want to be sure you have your sources cited with in your paper today. If you still need someone to help you with your draft today is the day to have that done too. We’ll be in the computer lab beginning tomorrow. JP sit down and quit wandering the room. JP continues to walk around the room. JS watches him for a minute. JS: Do you need help with something JP? JP: I just don’t understand why you made me get a tardy. JS: It’s the rules. And just who got you the tardy? JP sits down. JS addresses the class: Today you are going to complete the worksheet Progress Book III. Many of you will need to know your grades from the first two quarters to do this. If you do not know your grades – JP sit down – I’ll be at my computer and will call you up one at a time to give them to you. JP: I don’t want to do this. This is stupid. JP walks over to AH. JS: JP sit down and don’t get up. JP sits down and immediately gets up. Looking directly at Mrs. S. JS: JP stay after class to sign your detention slip for being out of your assigned seat. JS sits at her desk and calls out students names one at a time. Students who don’t know their grades approach the desk. JG: JP you touch me one more time and I’ll deck you. JS: JP quit touching JG. That’s strike two. Get to work. JG are you ok? JG: Yes, but if he touches me again I will deck him. JS: JP, did you hear her? She does not want you to touch her. JP: I don’t know why I can’t touch her. JS: JP. We’ve already talked about this before. You have no right to touch ANYONE’S body unless they give you permission to. If you do touch her again it will be sexual harassment. JP: This sucks. JS: JP! JP: Alright. Students continue to be called to Mrs. S’s desk one at a time. JP approaches the desk. JP announces to the class: OH! KK got an 47 first quarter and a 59 last quarter. JS tries to cover the computer screen. JS: JP sit down! That is your third strike. Sorry, KK. KK: Oh, everyone knew anyway. I’ve never been good at English. JS: Still, JP had no right to look at your grades or to announce them. JP wanders the room. JS: JP sit down now! JP: I will in a minute. JS: JP you’re out. Get to Mr. L’s office NOW! JP: NO. JS: What? JP stands staring at Mrs. S. JS: You’re not going? JP: I’m sitting down now. JP continues to stand even after he has said this. JS: JP, I told you to sit down fifteen minutes ago and five times since. You don’t want to go to Mr. L? Fine, I’ll get him to come to you. Mrs. S leaves the room and slams the door behind her. JP had been following her to the door. When the door slammed the glass window fell out and busted everywhere. JP immediately sat down. The class bursts out laughing. Mrs. M from next door enters the room. Glass is everywhere. Everyone goes silent. Mrs. M: Where is Mrs. S? Students: She went to Mr. L. Mrs. CM and Mrs. P enter the room. Mrs. M picks up the glass pane and places it in the trash can. Mrs. M then leaves the room. The class stays quiet while Mrs. CM and Mrs. P remain. Meanwhile, Mrs. S has no idea the glass broke out of the door. She did cringe when the door slammed, she had forgotten about the windows causing the draft and slamming the door. Mr. L is on his way with Mrs. S to remove JP from class when Mrs. M comes running toward them. Mrs. M: Are you ok? JS: Oh, I’m fine. JP just refused to go to Mr. L’s and I am so mad. Mrs. M: YOU BROKE THE WINDOW OUT OF YOUR DOOR! JS: What?!! Mr. L laughs. Mrs. M: When you slammed your door the window fell out and busted everywhere. Didn’t you hear it? JS: Oh my gosh! I knew the door slammed – I forgot about the window being open, but I didn’t know the glass broke. The trio enter the room. Mrs. CM and Mrs. P: Are you alright? JS: I’m fine but so embarrassed. It was an accident, I didn’t know it broke! Mr. L: JP get your things and come with me. All exit room. The students burst out laughing: Wow! You must have really been mad! Mrs. M just picked the window up and put it in the trash. I can’t believe she didn’t cut herself! Gee you went all hulk on us! This was the best! JP sat down. He knew he was dead! Ding! The students milled out the door. CW: I know you didn’t mean to break it. R: Yeah, you forgot about T opening the window. AH: We knew it was going to fall out sometime that door slams all the time. HR: Yeah, but it was great that it happened in JP’s face! JS appears to be in shock and is red-faced.

I thought I was pulling a good one on the students this morning. I was giving them a reason to listen to the announcements. There was no meeting, but they didn’t know it. It gets hot in the classroom quite quickly. I have found if the boys are complaining about the heat it won’t be long before the rest of us are. It is school policy that anyone entering the classroom after the tardy bell during first period must report to the office. They receive a tardy slip. After 3 tardies they get detentions for showing up late. JP is quite a character. He thinks the rules should be for everyone else. He often tries to talk his way out of punishments. He is also famous for deciding to follow the rules once the punishment is given to him; therefore he feels the punishment should be forgiven. Two weeks ago Mr. L had to have a talk with JP about touching others. One of the others includes me. He grabbed my wrist. I talked to him about appropriate and inappropriate touching. JP just turned my words away. He said he should be able to touch anyone any time he wants to. This just suddenly started. Up until this point I only had minor issues with JP. The Progress Book III worksheet is designed to show students what grades they need to make in the remaining quarters to pass my class. Students know when they really need to get serious about their grades. I don’t want anyone being surprised they failed English 10 for the year. I’ve also found that some students will work harder and end up passing. The math department and guidance counselor helped me to come up with this assignment. I couldn’t figure it out on my own! I have a three strike and then you are out rule. You can get three detentions from me in a period. Each successive detention doubles your detention time. Once you have received the third detention and you continue to act up, you are removed from class and sent to our vice principal’s office. I’ve only sent one other student to him this year. I try not to send my problems to someone else, however there are times when I must. I find the JP issue quite a quandary. JP isn’t the type of student you can reason with. He is always blaming his actions on others. Some days you just have to let him get away with little things or else you spend all period trying to get him to behave. JP is impulsive and doesn’t care about anyone but himself. He often takes pleasure in disrupting the class. JP had me at the end of my rope. I admit, I didn’t care about the door slamming. Part of me even thought, “Good. Maybe JP will realize he is now in big trouble.” I was MORTIFIED to find out I’d busted out the window. My bosses were ok with it though. I’m not the first teacher to bust out a window this year. My students were really understanding. I think they realized how embarrassed I was. They tried to make me feel better about the whole thing.