The EndGame

As we approach the final 5 weeks of this school year, I am reminded of several items.

First, finish strong.  This is the time of year to try new and fresh ideas in your classroom.  This work is usually what the students will remember next year.  Once upon a time, we would spend 2 weeks allowing the students to create a business, and then actually open it.

Year after year, 8th graders would come tell me how much fun they had with the business project.  They never mention the Alamo, or the explorers, or oil, or the Great Depression.  As I write this, I am almost tempted to put together a plan for a business project.  I just haven't found the trust with this group to do so.

Which leads me to my next thought:  trust.  It has been in short supply with this group.  As an overall group, we recognized the issues with these students last year as 6th graders.  They had an inordinate number of fights, and quite frankly were impossible to corral.  Our fears have been mostly realized this year as other behaviors have shown us this group is very immature.  We just haven't seen the growth we have seen in previous groups.

Finally, I did learn I just cannot afford to be rude to my students.  Middle schoolers just cannot get out of their own way, so being rude seems like second nature to those of us at the receiving end, but it's just not in their nature.  We have to nurture politeness, sometimes very firmly (read:  sternly) but we can accomplish many lessons here.

That has been my biggest regret over the past few years.  I had a vision for our school, but somehow it never gained a foothold.  I had some administrative support, but everything takes a backseat to academics in our setting.  I just regret we couldn't work in some life lessons for our students to consider life outside this setting.  Next year, we don't even have a shot at this non-curricular plan since our entire schedule is being turned upside down.

And, on we go, already planning for next August when our kids need us in the here and now.


Peace 

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"No amount of money has ever bought a second of time."
-Avengers

Lessons with a student teacher

I have taken on the responsibility of working with a student teacher.  So far, so good.  Some caveats.

First, let go of your classes.  We become so attached to our students, even with all their quirks and annoyances, that we forget to share them.  We indeed own our students for a school year.  With a student teacher, I've had to let go of them.  In all honesty, I have been pleasantly surprised how our relationships have grown.  We all kinda own a stake in this new teacher, and it's been fun.

Second, step back and take inventory of your own effect in the classroom.  I have had time to realize I had so many dreams for my classes this year, and then the business of the year gets in the way.  Certainly, having one of my real life kids getting married only added to the madness.  But, we're through all that, and now I can remember some of the things I had planned for this year.  My students and this new teacher will surely benefit as we move forward.

Finally, I had my formal observation last week.  It went really well.  I was very pleased with what admin saw.  And as much as I hate hubris, I'm starting to become more and more confident in my methodology.  I'm not perfect, but I hope all new teachers realize how important their own confidence will serve them as they progress in this profession.

It's been a very trying year for so many of us.  But, I've never worked with a better overall group of teachers.  Our students are incredibly lucky to have these folks as their teachers.  I've even luckier to be working with them.

Peace

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"I'm surrounded by nothing but great people. I've been blessed with that, so really, I have no choice but to be an all-around good person."
-Tim Duncan

I sat in my classroom yesterday, listening as the students in the last class of the school year screamed lyrics in unison to their favorite songs.  It was an interesting moment to see what motivates 7th graders. 

I think the music was a definite motivational factor.  But, the singing and screaming was done by 4 girls who quite frankly just did not get along at the beginning of the year.  And yet, there they were, singing together at the top of their lungs for each song they chose from an endless playlist.

I'm sure I rolled my eyes a few times, but they laughed at me when I pretended to enjoy the beat.  Dancing is not my forte, but I enjoyed their good-natured ribbing when I caught myself jamming along.

Then, it occurred to me last night.  Our students get to see 8 different rock stars everyday during the school year.

Like in the picture above, our students might see U2 in their fully involved showmanship and technology.  Or, they might see Bob Seger simply sit up front and play his songs for himself and for us to enjoy.  They might see Huey Lewis on a hot sweaty night in Helotes.  They might see Chris Stapleton from the floor of the AT&T Center as he sings about life.

What all musical artists have in common is how they connect to their audiences.  And isn't that exactly what teachers have in common with each other?

The simple fact is this:  I work with some true rock stars.  5 years ago, I never thought I would be here writing about this particular middle school in this way.  We have some of the most challenging students and circumstances in our district.  The numbers simply do not lie.

And yet, from our administrators on down, we have embraced this population.  It's not for everyone.  We see lots of teacher turnover each year.  But, that's okay.  I know certain teachers are brought here for a reason, and they leave for others. 

I recognize this school and this year for what it was.  And, I will use it next year to again work at  being a rock star for my students and colleagues alike.

What an honor.  What a privilege.  What a blessing.

Peace

"The problems of today will soon be buried by the sand of time."
-Chinese Proverb

Enough is enough.

Granted, I pretty much let the above picture happen on purpose.  However, upon closer inspection, it is quite evident my students are losing the desire/ability to maintain their classroom notebooks.  As I think back over this school year, I am not surprised at all.

First, my students started off the year fairly well.  They maintained their class notebooks and I was happy the year was off to such a positive start.

Eventually, the wheels came off the binders.  Students moved classes, or somehow lost work.  Mostly, we all lost interest.  I'm just as guilty.  Blame me the most.  I didn't grade work and return it in a timely manner.  The work wasn't all that interesting.  There were no consequences for poorly maintained binders.  The list is lengthy. 

Most of all, maintaining a class binder just isn't a real-world life skill.  If I am trying to teach organization, then surely there are better ways to do so.

Recently, I came across an idea where each class will have one binder for their warmups, and then separate binders for the various units we are teaching.  Students will access those  binders when they need a handout, or notes, or other assigned work.  It sounds messy, but definitely might change the classroom management dynamic.

Those shelves up there could be gone forever if I figure out how to pull this off.

But, wait, that's not all  you get.

I also will have a cell phone hotel near my door so students can check in their devices when entering class.  The most common complaint we have heard this year is the overwhelming distraction created by our 7th graders phones.  I know other schools have plans in place, and I understand our school will also act in unison in helping our students focus on our tasks and not their devices.

I think I have found a novel way to elicit student responses about their learning.  I have found some hold manual typewriters.  Where once my computers sat will be a spot with these old typewriters.  I'll assign a student daily to type out what the class has learned, or to respond to a prompt.

I can't wait for next year.

Peace

"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice."
-T.S. Eliot

Now, about my title

After our Spring Break, we hit a very challenging time of the year.  

We have the dreaded STAAR tests, along with EOC testing for our brightest students.  As I write this, we are in between rounds of testing.  We now have 6 weeks of school remaining, and this is where we find it best to schedule our most engaging activities.

So, here is why you shouldn't dislike Texas History.

Cotton, Cattle, and Conflict.

Post Civil War Texas provided yet another era of opportunity for those brave enough to take on the challenges.  Land was plentiful and cheap,  Native Texas attacks were also plentiful, and very costly. The open range was filled with longhorn cattle, practically free for the taking.  So, claim your land, hire some ornery cowboys, and start finding cattle to take to market.  Selling cattle at market is like tapping into America's demand for beef.  

And then, there's cotton.  Dry land farming provides yet more opportunity to make a living tapping into America's new found love for cotton clothing.  Just survive the various cycles in the weather and don't produce too much or the price goes down when supply outstrips demand.  Basic economics 101.

Galveston 1900

The deadliest natural disaster in American history wiped out the Wall Street of the West.  Galveston was the up and coming financial capital on the new frontier.  Problem was they placed it on a low-lying barrier island with only limited access to the mainland.  Combine that with the emerging science now known as Meteorology, and it all spells disaster.  6,000 people killed as the entire island was completely inundated by a Category 5 hurricane.  This was an entirely preventable loss of life for many reasons.  Try not to be affected by the destruction of the island orphanage.

The new fangled contraption called the movie camera brings a whole new angle to History.  Just as people saw war in new ways thanks to Matthew Brady, so will they experience the Galveston Hurricane thanks to one Thomas Edison.

Wings

Did you know the first film to win the Best Picture Oscar was filmed right here in San Antonio?  It is a fascinating movie about the first battles fought in the sky.  Fair warning:  this film actually has some risque moments.

The Grapes of Wrath

Combine bad luck with even more bad luck, and probably throw in some bad luck for good measure and what do you get?  The hardest of hard times.  It was a perfect storm for Texans on the High Plains:  drought and over farming; a stock market collapse amid post war trauma.  Surely, the great American Dream was alive and well.  You just had to survive the Dust Bowl.  What we have here is a bit of science coupled with sheer bad luck and economic turmoil.  It was not the best time to be alive, but I have relatives who not only survived it, but simply wouldn't be the amazingly awesome aunts and uncles they are today.  They know they can survive anything.  And, by the way, don't ever let anyone from the Great Depression ever see you throw anything away.  

So, there you have it.  Time permitting, we have to teach about World War II and Civil Rights and Economics and Government.  

Choose wisely.

Peace

"The nation which destroys its soil, destroys itself"

-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Civil War Menu

I had a lot of fun setting this up. I kept the art work to a minimum since we just finished a project about the causes of the Civil War.

I made a poster of this rubric, and then made small copies for my students to use as a cover page for their chosen projects.

Tic-Tac-Toe

Pick 3 in a row and complete.

Should Texas Secede?	Map of the Civil War	Create a timeline of Civil War battles and events.
It’s All Wrong	Newspaper article:  Texas Secedes!!! Or Civil War Battles handout This one is required.	Create a Civil War crossword puzzle or word search
Civil War calendar	Famous Last Words	Abolitionist Hall of Fame

How much are my students learning from a project?   

Well, let's find out.

I created a Civil War Tic-Tac-Toe menu.  Since we just got done with an art project about the causes of the war, I left major art work off this menu.  

Students had the choice of creating a map of the Civil War, a newspaper article about Secession, a medal to honor an Abolitionist, or a timeline of events.  They could also choose to proofread a statement about Missouri Statehood, or could consider what their last words would say about themselves.

I thought I created a bunch of fun activities with instructions to match.  Aside from the word search they could create, or the timeline, everything else was brand new.

Then, a TeachThought email appeared one day last week, and turned my thinking upside down.  What were they learning, I mean, actually learning?  And how do they demonstrate it?

For me, it was a simple fix.  Assign a mandatory, and short, essay.  In it, the student will describe what they learned from the projects they chose.  While many students will protest the writing element, I didn't place a minimum length on this.  Some wrote full page explanations, some wrote half a page.

The expectations were the same:

Paragraph 1 - tell me which projects you chose

Paragraphs 2-4 - describe each project

Paragraph 5 - Conclusion.

Keeping the essay as simple as possible is key here.  Some students naturally describe their work, while other struggle to explain what they learned.

No matter, I'll keep looking for ways for my students to explain their learning.