16 posts tagged “teacher”
There are 70 guppies. I found 3 more the day after I moved the rest. I added 6 Glolight Tetras a week ago and they are doing fine too. Today, a school board member is donating a tarantula. I am beyond excitement. Best of all, TTFH, Princess, despises spiders.
I would post updsates to the room appearance, but it really does not look any differently. I am doing lesson plans for my FIVE classes, 1 of which is new this year and 1 of which was new last year so really has no curriculum yet as I designed the course, so I am busy.... meanwhile Princes TTFH is fluffing about making things look nice and hoping I am sure to scab the Biology lesson olans I will eventually have to create. I've put that class off till last for that very reason. She usually likes to have things done ahead, and it makes her crazy when I have procrastinated ( i have the first month roughed out on a little paper calendar but have not yet put it on the web) so she ends up doing her own.
It will be too noisy for me to do any work requiring thought today so no doubt the room will gert put together and I will have photos. In any case, I will have photos of the tarantula.
After 6 days, including yesterday with 3 kids doing much of the grunt work, here is my new classroom/physics lab:
And my desk, now in the back corner so that when kids aren't there I can work in privacy from the hall traffic and not have to look directly across the hall at Princess, TTFH:
Getting it all to fit was a project. Along the back wall to the left of the desk and then the adjacent window wall are 4 moveable cabinets with the physics equipment 4 groups ( I have 18 this year) will need for Physics, and an 8-foot table for each group. The aquarium, sans fish, is at the opposite corner of the room. It got fresh water yesterday and needs to cycle awhile before I move the guppies. I will move most of their current water with them so that will be helpful - but I think the filter pump that was in their new tank that we moved is shot, so I have the huge filter in their right now. I'll move the actual filter with them as that's where all the good bacteria are.
And the view from my window while sitting at my desk is not bad........ At least I'm not having to look at someone who irritates me while I am trying to work. And when I lock my door at night, she can't come steal my stuff.
I know that she was unwilling to give up her lab because she feels that it makes her look important to be in there. I know that it's just an insecurity thing, and I know that she will use it to make herself feel very important in the eyes of the kids. I only wish that the kids thought she was important. They truly don't like her. I'm sure that some of them learn something, but they sure don't learn to like science and they sure don't learn that they are good at it, even when they are.
On another note, the dissertation is getting there, too. It seems the more I run, the more motivsted I am to write. Interesting thought. I have a bit of data analysis to do before I go back to school today, and a bit of laundry to put away as well.
I sucked up and did it.
When I sought teacher certification in Washington, the PTB surveyed my Ohio professional certificate for any science and any math in grades 7-12, my Indiana cert for the same things, noted my National Board certificate, and promptly awarded me Washington's general science cert. This cert allows me to teach all the same stuff in WA that I taught in Ohio. The cert only says, though, "science." Washington also has individual certs for biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science which are apparently held in higer esteem than simply "science" whereas in Ohio,
"Comprehensive Science," which hasn't been issued for at least several years now, was the revered cert. The TFH has, over the years, alluded to the fact that her cert is better because it says science AND Earth Science. Additionally, although I was asked to sit on the committee to re-write the Physics teacher exam for Washington, it could not be added to my own certificate. Another member of the committee was admanat that he would never hire a teacher with onle "science" on their cert no matter what their transcript said or what their qualifications and experience and successin the subject were. So, I scurried off to the testing centers and took the stupid Praxis tests for biology, chemistry, and physics. And of course I passed them all, with excellent scores and have sent off my WA cert to have these 3 areas added and to have it renewed for the life of my renewed NBcert as well, so I'm good until June 2009 at which time I could retire. Yippee.
Now interestingly enough, should I move to another bordering state that shall remain nameless, there is no recoprocity. 47 states would honor this list of credentials, but not the state in which my spouse is currently living and working. I will have to go into most districts at 8 years experience, not 20, and with an initial 18 month certificate, and will take additional coursework. Nevernime that I already have 400+ quarter hours (190 or so are a BS degree) including 200+ graduate hours mostly in the sciences, I need MORE. And I will get to take the methods courses again, courses I have taught in 2 different states at 2 different state universities. Oh please.
I'm through venting now and will return to work on the dissertation, not that it will help my certification issues in this other state. Thanks for listening.
Garage sale finds:
1. Grocery sack full of yarn, not more than 2 skeins the same color. Some will be used at school and my mom scabbed some. $4.
2. 33 Star Wars pencils and one random Happy Halloween pencil, $0.50
I later went for a run with the new headphones and yes they DO stay in place and yes they DO sound lovely and my left ear still hurts from the stupid iPod ear buds that came with.
Today was beautiful and sunny and the mountain was out. There was a tiny bit of haze over the Cascades which the TV news attributed to the smoke from the California wildfires. Wow.
The iPod arrived yesterday. I charged it and put on 1244 songs, leaving something like 145 GB free. I ran for 45 minuter this morning and listened to maybe 12-13. I don't think I know 38756 more songs. So I'm downloading podcasts from MIT. I selected like 140 of them this morning and currently have 112 more to go. At that rate, I will be done by next week when I have to drive to a workshop thing each day.
Day 2 of the National Board facilitation for the school group. All 5 are working hard. The difficult part for me is that one of the candidates is TTFH (see posts from last fall and early 2006.) I know that I am supposed to want candidates to certify, but this person should have been coached out of the process this spring. Problem is that I tried, but since she doesn't listen to anyone, it was pointless. If by some fluke she DOES certify, the process will completely lack credibility with me and I will want to send my own certificate back. THe process will lose credibility in our district as everyone knows she is pitiful in the classroom.
The house is spotless. It's obvious that I am avoiding the dissertation. I thought a day off to make my surroundings clean and peaceful would help my concentration. I'm sure they will. once I make myself go back to that desk and start writing. I think my first steps tomorrow will be to clean off the desk and read some articles to add as citations to support a few points I made.
Here is my Friday, as posted to a support group for those trying to get a grip on their lives and time. I'd love to post the responses as so far I have gotten 2 very helpful posts, both suggesting that I got a lot more accomplished than I thought, but I am sure there are copyright issues. Here is the post:
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Advice with time, please. Inservice; no kids. Meetings (oh YAY!) Here was my plan:
1. Remove all materials from parts of chemical storage room so electrician can install electrical outlets as per email received late yesterday.
2. Set up new inbox system a la Frank
3. Lay out curriculum map for Biology; work 1 hour after meetings
4. Replace materials in storeroom after electricians finish
Actual day:
5:15 AM arrived at school to clean out an area of the chemical storage room so that electricians could install some outlets. Tons of stuff from cupboards in chem storage room moved to lab tables in classroom to accommodate expensive electrician
7:20 AM stopped cleaning and had coffee with a mentee
7:45 AM went to mandatory staff meeting; did not take any papers to grade because it's rude
10:25 AM meetings over
10:25-10:40 AM spoke briefly with a department member
10:40-10:50ish returned a container to the local florist
11-ish-11:50 had lunch at local hangout with teacher-friends
12:00 -1:20 department meeting to deal with decisions on curriculum mapping
1:20 called maintainence to see where electricians were; learned that they were out on an emergency and would arrive instead on Tuesday or Wednesday.
******* ARGH now stuff is all over lab and we have labs scheduled for Tuesday.
1:20-1:40 whined and drowned sorrows in a diet coke
1:40-2:30 began curriculum mapping of one of my courses
2:40 received email from 1 department member including her (incorrectly) completed curriculum map
2:45-ish principal stopped by to debrief department meeting
5:15 principal left
5:30 I go home, having crossed NOTHING off my closed list except the removal of materials which I now must stow somewhere in order that I and one other teacher may use the lab on Monday and Tuesday.
The time spent with my principal was needed. We rarely have any uninterrupted time to do any long-range planning or discuss staffing. She is new this year and is making a great effort to bring herself up to speed on the building climate and I have a lot of respect for her wanting to be certain that her decisions compliment our work in the building before she was hired.
How might I have averted any of this and actually accomplished something so that I will not be once again working all weekend? I'm always afraid that I will cut someone short when they need something and they will be offended.
drowning,
*
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What came from it all was a pretty good GTD-style brain dump. Two pages in the Mole. I know it's all supposed to be on pieces of paper but I just can't deal with another piece of paper anywhere. So now I will put all that dumped stuff into the latest beta of OmniFocus to see if I want to pre-order the final release. Then tomorrow I will go to school and get started on my new classroom - that will really and truly finally be organized.
My new twitter name will be Stardiverr1, if they ever get it working. My phone is verified there now, anyway. THe links on this page:
http://twitter.com/Stardiverr1
all point back here:
Sigh.
The teacher from hell at school has managed to get a lovely article about herself in the teeny local newspaper for attending a workshop at NASA, to collect data and teach a class that she doesn't teach. The article made her sound like superteacher, and pretty much implied that it was a wonder that NASA had actually been able to launch anything into space for the last few decades without her presence. The entire staff is in hysterics.
Int he meantime, the aquarium was awesome last night. I got 95 minutes in the shark tank and it was excellent. Got a pile more sand tiger teeth, too.
What a hell week, timewise. I wonder if this will ever end?
First day of school went really well, I guess. According to our new principal:
'Wow! What an awesome beginning. Thanks to all of you, this had to be one of the smoothest starts I’ve ever witnessed. Great Job! I appreciate the team effort. I’m looking forward to a great year with all of you. As some of our students might say, “You Rock!” '
My first period class is exceptionally quiet. 2nd period physics is fun, because I know all of them but the new girl and the exchange student. His name is Marco and of course he is now known as Marco Polo. 3rd period is ok, and 4th period Honors Biology is okay too. th period I have Intro Science. You figure it out. I have 3 autistic kids, 1 with Aspergers symdrome, 2 with behavior issues to the point of being behaviorally handicapped, and 5 more kids who are just generically special ed. Oh, and 12 kids who don't have anything noted as being an issue but either failed their freshman science class or were identified as being in need of a slow-moving, hands-on science class. At least the SPED teacher has given me her para for that period, so when one of the autistic kids blurts something that pissis off a SBH kid wnd the SBH kid leaps across the room to kill the autistic kid, I have an extra set of hands to help me pull them apart while my TA calls the cops. Yesterday, I only had one issue, with one of the SBH kids drawing a penis on the "#13" post-it that numbered his desk for seating chart purposes his desk after I called him on moving the numbers around to sit somewhere else. The kid will need to have a phone home episode today if he does not bring his homework, and I will relate this as well. All is of course documented. Argh.
The biology books and physics books (and chemistry and earth science) are not in yet. This is most likely due to their not having been ordered yet. We began the process to adipt new books last fall, and our assistant principal refused any help or input with the process. When our new principal arrived, she made one phone call and consulted our district operating policy and got us moving again, but not in time to have the paperwork done and to the school board for two considerations before we are allowed to place our order. The second board meeting is Thursday, so if they approve, the PO gets faxed Friday AM and IF the books are in stock we may have them by the end of next week. I already know that the physics and chem books are not in stock. We may have them by early October. And my physics laptops haven't been updated yet so this means that we essentially have nothing to do but things that I come up with. Thankfully I have an arsenal - but these kids expect more. And they deserve more.
I'm going now to go set up a demo for my ungrateful 5th period class and to get out a Fermi question exercise for my physics class. I slept maybe 4 hours last night, and I have aquarium tonight, so it will be a long day. Goodie.
Back at school all last week.
It was so good to see the kids coming in and out to get their schedules. They stopped by to visit, to tell me about their summers, to ask about what this next year might bring. This part, the kids, will be wonderful as always.
Our new principal is OK in my book. She's her own person, and that person has rubbed some staff the wrong way. I won't be judgmental until she personally pisses me off. I deal with administration by staying as far away as possible and choosing my confrontations carefully.
The new teacher in the department will be excellent. He's committed and learns quickly. He is looking to the leaders in the building, the teacher-leaders, for guidance and he listens to them. It will be good.
The textbook adoption process that we began last November was neglected by our assistant principal, and picked up again only after I badgered the new principal into action. She got the ball rolling once again, got us the correct procedure, but too late. The board adoption policy requires review at 2 board meetings, the second of which is the first week of school. Of course the textbook warehouse is OUT of books (I call daily to check), and so now our new books will arrive in early October. So, I got to tell my department to plan 5 weeks of text-less instruction and then we'll see. Of course they see this all as my fault. Argh.
The rest of my department continues on their path to make everyone's life hell but their own. I can't get them to see that it is NOT "us against the students." It is possible to start the year by giving the students the feeling that your mission is to help them, not set up a challenge that most will abandon before they even get started. It is not a competition to see who the kids like best. The easiest job I ever had was in a school where the teachers were great and the kids loved everyone. I want that again........ I've given about all I can to this current colleague. Most things I give to her are turned immediately into knives and used to stab me in the back. I don't know how much longer I can do this. I will stay on the high road and keep it up. It's just too exhausting to have to stay chronically defensive. There are much better uses of my energy. Sooner or later, won't this catch up to her?
What goes on at your building/district during the week before school actually starts? What does your district do to help you prepare for students?
