Thank You!

I wanted to take a moment and thank all three facilitators and all of those that participated in the challenge.  It was great to have so many people making kind, supportive comments.  You are all awesome! 

One of the things I put that I want to work on more still is mentoring.  So, I met with the 7th grade language teacher in an effort to help her with behavior management issues.  At our school, because our students are so low, we have the writing part and reading part of the junior high split into two classes to give them double the dose.  I do the reading and this other young lady does the writing. I'm pretty sure she would prefer the reading part but she's fresh out of college and I'm older than dirt.  I spoke to her about how grammar is a more structured exercise and how starting off the first quarter next year for sure would help with discipline.  But I also said for this quarter while they are a little wilder it wouldn't hurt to throw more in.  They don't know their parts of speech yet so a little extra isn't going to hurt at all.  The problem I think is most colleges don't instruct English majors on how to teach grammar...so she may be at a bit of a loss.  I purchased some stuff a couple years back that I was going to use for bell ringers and I am going to give those to her and see if that helps a little.  We don't have textbooks in the junior high so it might help her out some.  I am going to keep trying to think of ways and for sure will come up with more this summer when time isn't a factor.

On a side note, when I was looking for my graphic up there I have to share that I got lost on Google with all the fun grammar graphics out there.  Heck I might suggest that to her...they had some funny ones she could make and hang on her walls.  I am such an English teacher nerd!

Day 20 Show off

I did some work this morning with Padlet. I hope this works. :/  I created two new photos to add to all of the ones I have used each day so far.  One had some of the things I learned during our trek through empowerment and the other has things I feel I should still work on.  Masterpieces are never finished, right?

Created with Padlet

Day 19 Self-empowering

Every year during the weeks leading up to our state test we have an educational "consultant" come evaluate us.  She started around 10 years ago because our school in the valley didn't get a passing "grade" on their test.  Even though the junior high has always done the best in the district, we still had the pleasure of her presence.  During this time, for the first time all year, our teaching isn't scripted for us and we get to determine what is taught.  Most of us try to get in as much reviewing as we can.

  The last few years over 90% of my reading students have passed the test.  But because of our esteemed consultant visiting each year, I often still feel like I'm a fraud and not doing a good job because I don't do things her way.  I will be honest, I don't drop what I am teaching and pull out a new lesson to show off for her like most do, but frankly I think it is more important to get my kids ready for what's ahead than putting on a show.  (And apparently what I'm doing is working)  But every year she complains about me. 

So for my self-empowering activity I am going to try something to erase all her negative criticism.  I'm also going to include my students in it.  I have students keep journals weekdays and I am going to start doing their Friday topics right along with them.  Each Friday I have them list 3 things they are proud of or good deeds they have done.  Since I am going to be doing it too I am going to share mine with them and let them share theirs if they want to.  Maybe if we all share our successes we will start believing in them.

Day 18 Helpful

I have a form I use after lesson's to get a feel of what my kiddos are thinking.  I don't always use it. For example, when we cover text structure for 4 weeks I pretty much know what they are going to say.  I have beat that horse to death and they are done hearing about it.  But I will give one after the Greek roots are done which will be the end of next week and at the end of the WWII unit.  I always give one at the end of the year and tell them grades are done and I won't read it until summer break so they can be brutally honest.  Some are and I take them to heart and come back each year working to improve.  They have great ideas sometimes and I'm game to try whatever works.  Below is a copy of my form I give out.

Day 17 Try Again

My "try again" is the projects I'm doing this quarter.  I decided to split them up.  We are reading Hana's Suitcase first which I would really call a novella and I thought a mini project for that would be a good start for them.  After that we delve into The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.  I am saving the bigger project for that novel and the short stories.  The picture above is going in my example suitcase.  I'm going to throw in a journal, stuffed animal, and some clothes.  I love the story from Hana's Suitcase where one teacher named Friedl Dicker-Brandeis took only art supplies in the one suitcase she was allowed.  She ran a sophisticated art program in Theresienstadt and used art as a way to help the traumatized children when they arrived there.  I have everything ready for my suitcase/box but need to find a box that will work.  Below is a copy of the assignment I'm giving them.

Remembering Children of the Holocaust project

This mini project is designed so you can express your understanding of the literature you read.  The project is a collage of the arts: visual, written, or tactile.  Read the criteria for each project below and select one.  Complete the project from the perspective of a child during WWII—walk a mile in their shoes, so to speak.  Think about some of the things you learned they went through and include those in your project.  Your goal is to show how the children changed as a result of the events and hardships they endured.

The purpose of this is to create a sort of memorial, a reminder to learn from our mistakes.  I must approve your ideas for the project before you can begin it.  If you are unsure of your goal, meet with me and I will help you get on the right track.  Only high quality work will be accepted.

Visual Arts

You may use any medium (charcoal, colored pencils, water color, markers, crayons, etc.) to create a piece of art based on one of the events that changed the child/children.  Pretend you are one of them.  Depict the horrors that went on, how they felt, how some survived etc. On a separate piece of paper (5x8) describe your picture and what you are illustrating. Tape it to the back of your paper.

Journal Writing

Create a journal from the view of a child during the war.  The journal must be dated and share the person’s thoughts and feelings based on events in the book.  Use descriptive details.  Imagine walking in the characters shoes or living his or her life.  Include at least one type of conflict: character vs. self, character vs. character, character vs. society, or character vs. nature.  Figurative language (simile, metaphor, and personification) is an effective tool for expressing your ideas in an original and heartfelt manner.  You should write several entries and be sure to carry the action on to the next day.  You may include doodling, illustrations, or poems as long as they are related to the events taking place in the journal.

Suitcase

Create a suitcase from cardboard or similar material.  Put your name or the name of a character from the story on the outside similar to how Hana did hers.  Then come up with 5 things you think they (or you) would need or like in the suitcase to make your travel to the concentration camp easier.  Once you have that, write up a brief description of what it is and why you chose it. (5x8 card) Think what life was like for them and what they might need or benefit from.  Don’t forget to check with me before you begin.

Below is my proposal for the project.  I understand that I need teacher approval before beginning the project.

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Student Signature                                                                           Date

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Teacher Signature                                                                             Date

Day 16 Fun

I am the official watcher today of two sets of students on their off testing time.  It took almost two weeks for us to finally understand the wacky schedule they came up with for testing weeks. ha ha ha  We were talking at our staff meeting on Friday how the kids love scary movies but most of them are R rated and I mentioned Poltergeist but wasn't sure of the rating.  Sure enough it was PG before there was a PG13.  We decided to show that on the breaks between testing.  It won't make them drowsy and since they like them so much they should have fun! I'm even throwing in some trivia for them during the intermission/bathroom break.   I don't mind it for the genre so fun should be had by all...I hope!