Polish Field
Sixth Graders
Of my six classes this year, four are with sixth graders. It's a whole other world. Of course, there's the issue of size: one girl I teach, a sweet and observant girl who quietly observes everything around her, barely comes up above my belly. She probably only weighs double her bookbag. I suggested that today as she waited in the hallway for her next class. She smiled and agreed. Most eighth-grade girls are getting close to their final height, and few of them don't at least reach a little past my shoulders.
They're also just a little more helpless. They're coming from elementary school where there's a lot more coddling, a lot more worrying. Hall passes are an entirely new thing. Having different classes with different teachers among different students each period is an entirely new thing. They have to adapt to the personalities, habits, and routines of six different teachers instead of just a main teacher and a couple of related arts teachers.
But most strikingly different from eighth graders is the pure sweetness some of them exhibit. One girl came up to me between classes, insisted on giving me a hug, and said, "I love you, Mr. S." The most you'd ever get out of an eighth grader is "I tolerate you."
Athens Street
A Little Adventure
The Boy's girlfriend informed him that her dad let her drive the car (with him in it, of course) from their neighborhood's clubhouse to their home.
"When can I go driving?" he pestered me. "After all, I'm the one who's obsessed with cars. R doesn't even care about cars, and she's already gotten to drive!"
So this evening, we went to an enormous abandoned (virtually) building's equally enormous parking lot to give him a chance to drive. He never applied the accelerator: it was nerve wracking enough just letting the car pull us along -- a surprise to the Boy.
His verdict: "This is better than any video game!"
Baseball Surprise
Greenville Water bought tickets for its employees to watch a Greenville Drive baseball game. It was all going along like a normal baseball game (hype man, mascot, etc.) and then it came time for the national anthem. The announce explained that the young lady who'd be singing it was already an accomplished artist, performing as Annie in Annie and several other leading roles. He explained that she would begin her studies shortly at Boston Conservatory and asked us to give a warm welcome to AW.
"AW?!" I exclaimed, turning to K. "She was my student!"
After she sang, of course, I spoke with her. We talked about how wonderful Boston is, how her fellow students from her class were doing, and then I told her, "You probably don't know this, but I'm not teaching at Hughes anymore."
"I know," she said with a grin. "Gossip travels fast at Greenville High."
New Year, New School, New Course
Athens Metro
Athens Street Walking to Victoria
First Day Back for Teachers
The first day back for teachers has been for the last several years a stressful experience. I don't like change that much. I especially don't like being told to change how I'm doing my job when I don't really feel my methods need such drastic improvement. I especially don't like being told to change how I'm doing my job when I am certain that not only will the new way be more labor-intensive but also the new methods will be less effective. Public education is always looking for the magic potion, the new method for this, that, or the other (or, more likely, this, that, and the other). We change essential questions to learning targets (which really is little more than changing an interrogative to a declarative) and think this is somehow going to make everything better.
Texting with teachers who are still at my old school, I mentioned that to day was the first time in years that I didn't walk into the building with a bit of trepidation about whatever changes the district might be imposing on us. We heard from several sources, "You're professionals. We hired you because we were convinced you could do the job and do it well. Just do your job." Another novel notion: "I trust you'll be planning your lessons because you're professionals. The format and level of detail of your plans is up to you."
It's strange being treated like a professional...
American Society
Polish Field
Sixth Graders
Of my six classes this year, four are with sixth graders. It's a whole other world. Of course, there's the issue of size: one girl I teach, a sweet and observant girl who quietly observes everything around her, barely comes up above my belly. She probably only weighs double her bookbag. I suggested that today as she waited in the hallway for her next class. She smiled and agreed. Most eighth-grade girls are getting close to their final height, and few of them don't at least reach a little past my shoulders.
They're also just a little more helpless. They're coming from elementary school where there's a lot more coddling, a lot more worrying. Hall passes are an entirely new thing. Having different classes with different teachers among different students each period is an entirely new thing. They have to adapt to the personalities, habits, and routines of six different teachers instead of just a main teacher and a couple of related arts teachers.
But most strikingly different from eighth graders is the pure sweetness some of them exhibit. One girl came up to me between classes, insisted on giving me a hug, and said, "I love you, Mr. S." The most you'd ever get out of an eighth grader is "I tolerate you."
Athens Street
A Little Adventure
The Boy's girlfriend informed him that her dad let her drive the car (with him in it, of course) from their neighborhood's clubhouse to their home.
"When can I go driving?" he pestered me. "After all, I'm the one who's obsessed with cars. R doesn't even care about cars, and she's already gotten to drive!"
So this evening, we went to an enormous abandoned (virtually) building's equally enormous parking lot to give him a chance to drive. He never applied the accelerator: it was nerve wracking enough just letting the car pull us along -- a surprise to the Boy.
His verdict: "This is better than any video game!"
Baseball Surprise
Greenville Water bought tickets for its employees to watch a Greenville Drive baseball game. It was all going along like a normal baseball game (hype man, mascot, etc.) and then it came time for the national anthem. The announce explained that the young lady who'd be singing it was already an accomplished artist, performing as Annie in Annie and several other leading roles. He explained that she would begin her studies shortly at Boston Conservatory and asked us to give a warm welcome to AW.
"AW?!" I exclaimed, turning to K. "She was my student!"
After she sang, of course, I spoke with her. We talked about how wonderful Boston is, how her fellow students from her class were doing, and then I told her, "You probably don't know this, but I'm not teaching at Hughes anymore."
"I know," she said with a grin. "Gossip travels fast at Greenville High."
New Year, New School, New Course
Athens Metro
Athens Street Walking to Victoria
First Day Back for Teachers
The first day back for teachers has been for the last several years a stressful experience. I don't like change that much. I especially don't like being told to change how I'm doing my job when I don't really feel my methods need such drastic improvement. I especially don't like being told to change how I'm doing my job when I am certain that not only will the new way be more labor-intensive but also the new methods will be less effective. Public education is always looking for the magic potion, the new method for this, that, or the other (or, more likely, this, that, and the other). We change essential questions to learning targets (which really is little more than changing an interrogative to a declarative) and think this is somehow going to make everything better.
Texting with teachers who are still at my old school, I mentioned that to day was the first time in years that I didn't walk into the building with a bit of trepidation about whatever changes the district might be imposing on us. We heard from several sources, "You're professionals. We hired you because we were convinced you could do the job and do it well. Just do your job." Another novel notion: "I trust you'll be planning your lessons because you're professionals. The format and level of detail of your plans is up to you."
It's strange being treated like a professional...