Well.
I just looked at the time between my last post and now. That whole, "I will write an inspirational, motivational, engaging and uplifting post every single week!" promise seems to have gone right out the door.
I apologize for that.
I've learned something about the second year: just because you're out of the first year does not mean that the busy schedule dies down. On the contrary, I think the schedule has become more busy. I have one less prep from last year but I find myself flying up and down the stairs on multiple occasions every day, attending at least three more meetings a week, staying after school longer than last year and watching the pile of work-to-be-graded get bigger the second I make a dent.
We all knew this was what we were in for. And I am certainly not sorry that this is where my life is going. Because, once again, I am right where I need to be in classroom.
My only regret is that I completely missed the entire month of September. September is the quintessential month to define back-to-school, sharpened pencils and shiny apples. And I did a lot in the month of September. My students did even more.
So let me see what I can do to bring back the month of September for at least one little post...
1. The Crucible
I taught The Crucible for the first time last year. It is one of those classic pieces of literature that I had somehow missed reading in high school or college. I still don't know how I missed it, but the fact remains that it went missing in my formative foundational education. So in a way... I was right there with the students in the thick of it--figuring out how to teach it when I had never been taught its glory.
We managed it. I can at least say we managed it.
This year? We devoured it.
Between my regular classes and my Honors class, I have never seen such RAGE at the ending of a piece of literature. I didn't even have to do anything except let them read it and show some clips from Act III. Between character analysis, drawing our favorite scenes, deducing that Abigail Williams is the worst human being ever and trying to say Giles Corey's name right, they were completely there by the end.
I know they'll never admit it. But we teachers of English know when they have been captured by text. All it takes is one slamming of the textbook, frustrated groan or an irate, "Are you KIDDING ME?! That is NOT how it ends!!" to get me to sit back, smile smugly and say, "You got it."
I have always told my students that they do not need to love what we read. They can hate what we read. As long as they can explain their emotion and their reaction. That's all that matters to me.
Literature is a powerful entity that can provoke our deepest emotions. This is why I love teaching it. Something as old as the Salem Witch Trials still has relevance in our classrooms
2. Student Council
Some of you know that I became the newest of four Student Council Advisors this year. Once again, this is something that I completely missed as a high school student. I never had the desire to be a part of the elite leaders of the student body. Reflecting back, I believe that had to do with my innate distaste for how much they focused on the popular kids, football games and being perfect. I stuck to playing my cello moodily and re-reading Lord of the Flies during our graduation ceremony. It just wasn't me.
It was the biggest shock of my life last year when I was asked to consider taking on the 4th Student Council Advisor Position. What the heck did I know about promoting student leadership or strength when that was so not me in high school?
Apparently, I'm not the only one who felt this way as a high schooler. The only difference is that this generation is not afraid to step up and change it.
I recently sat down with my group of Student Council girls (my group is entirely made of girls--go Team Girl Squad!) and our Vice President led them in a discussion over what they wanted to do differently with Student Council once our Regional Conference and Homecoming were over. Thus launched a 40 minute, barely-take-a-breath discussion about how they wanted to revamp our school spirit by reaching out to those that are continuously missed. They spoke of the football team moreso with agitation in that it took away from our Jazz Band performing high ratings a few weekends ago or how the golf and tennis teams were completely overlooked for their national attention. They determined that we were not doing enough to recognize and celebrate the less celebrated in our school.
I listened and I took notes for them because there was no way I was going to interrupt one of the most passionate discussions I've ever watched students hold.
So we are in the process of putting these changes into place. Committees are going to be made after Homecoming. These committees are going to scatter across the school to find every student, group, team or accomplishment that doesn't get enough light and give them that light.
To date, this was the most excited I've felt about Student Council. I love watching students decide to make a change that they care about. And I feel we have the potential to do it.
It's inspiring.
3. Pep Rallies
So if you think I was all scornful and angsty to all things Student Council and school spirit when I was in high school, you can guess how I felt about Pep Rallies in high school. You guessed it: I brought a book and read, sometimes shooting a haughty look about me at all these "children" obsessed with something that wouldn't matter in 10 years.
It's 10 years later since I was a high schooler attending a Pep Rally. Guess what? They do matter.
Our new building principal this year has taken on an exceptional challenge: raise school spirit. He has done so by encouraging a new hashtag to use, send out updates on everything going well, encourage more interaction in the community, and bringing back the Pep Rally. And I don't mean just one Pep Rally; I mean a Pep Rally for every Friday Home Football Game.
When I first heard this, I was skeptical. I admit it, I scoffed a little. Okay, good luck with leaving the last 40 minutes of the school day to something no one cares about.
...okay, I was so wrong on so many levels because guess what? I love Pep Rallies now.
We walked into the gymnasium to loud music over the speakers. The marching band was in place, the cheerleaders on standby and the Student Council students ready for their 9 minute Pep Rally game.
The Marching Band rose in the bleachers and started playing the school song. The cheerleaders and Dance Team hit the floor.
It was then that the entire school paused and realized they didn't know the words to the school song. And suddenly, we wanted to know.
Since these Pep Rallies have begun, there has been a change in the school. Students suddenly check their grades a little more feverishly to make sure they qualify to go to a Pep Rally. People get more involved in cheering, singing and screaming. Students are quicker to stand when the school song is played. People seem a little more proud to be where they are every day.
Maybe it's the mob mentality, but they are suddenly FUN. I get sad now when I know our Friday will be Pep Rally-less. 15 year old me is scoffing. 25 year old me is dancing in the bleachers.
It's fun. And it makes me proud of where I am.
Where to Now?
There are a few things coming up in the beautiful month of October to be excited about. When I say excited, I mean mostly terrified but try to hide behind a small bit of excitement. Teaching is a career where you have to scare yourself completely by trying new things in order to see what will work best. So here are some new things on the horizon.
1. Writing.
I'm going to start something new tomorrow in all of my regular English III classes. Truth be told, I LOVE teaching novels and reading in general. I love asking questions and watching students get to the big moments of the text and make connections to their own lives. They all know an Abigail Williams in their lives and my Honors students are about to remember when they felt like Hester Prynne (The Scarlet Letter).
I have always struggled with teaching my students how to write.
Journal entries and formal writings? I always felt I could dance around them and just say, "Well... you wrote, and it's perfect because it is authentically you!" Because I'm terrified of teaching writing, I've decided to make it my strength this year.
Last week my Honors students went through an extensive Writer's Workshop activity in small groups. Tomorrow, my regular students embark on a two week argumentative essay over who's responsible for the death of John Proctor. This time: we are going to work together on every step. I'm going to break down the writing process as much as I can while still enhancing their natural abilities. We'll tackle all components of an argumentative essay together.
I plan to write in front of them, brainstorm with them, have them model their work off of each other and go through rounds of peer-editing. By the end, I hope we are all exhausted yet satisfied with the writing process.
Starting tomorrow, I am in this just as much as my students are in this and I expect I'll have my own argumentative essay. Here's hoping it works. And if not? We'll try again next year.
2. Parent Teacher Conferences
As crazy as it is, we are just about through the first quarter of the semester. That means Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up in a few weeks.
This. Scares me.
But the fact is... I survived last year. And had a decent experience each time. In our town, the parents always seem pleased to be on the side of the teachers and to want to work with us to help our students be as successful as possible. Some I will have met last year and others I'll meet for the first time. But once again, I will be paralyzed with fear for the first five minutes and then figure out my stride.
One thing I love about PTC is the schedule. We start on a Wednesday evening, spend all day Thursday doing conferences and then Friday morning wrapping up. Its gives us just enough time out of our classrooms to recharge but are still on point in that we must explain what is happening with our students.
It also gives the teachers an opportunity to see everyone in the building. Our school is huge and we don't often get a chance to see everyone. In this rare opportunity, we are all together, we can play Words with Friends with each other, bring each other snacks and have rolling chair races at the end. There is a glorious and rare sense of community during PTC. It gives us a chance to be ourselves with each other.
There are things I can always look forward to in the fear.
3. Speaking
The only time I truly feel comfortable speaking up and talking is in front of my students. They know I'm a huge goober and goofball. They accept me for who I am.
The world of professionals? I'm never sure.
But I've been trying to make some changes with that this year to get over the fear of just speaking up with my colleagues.
It's as simple as sitting in our lounge at lunch and enjoying the conversation around me. This year I chime in a little to show I am a human being with personality.
We have at least two teacher meetings a week. Slowly, I work up the words and the ideas in my mind before finally offering up an idea to the group. Half the time I overthink it and panic that I've come across as too verbose or full of myself. But at the very least, I'm speaking.
So this will be another ongoing process: working myself up every day to try and speak up in some way to some person other than my students. Because maybe--just maybe--I have some ideas that can help others or add to conversation.
So here we are. The first day of October having missed the month of September.
Here's to keeping up with writing a little more. This has been incredibly revitalizing.
Keep on teaching in your own way, my friends.
I just looked at the time between my last post and now. That whole, "I will write an inspirational, motivational, engaging and uplifting post every single week!" promise seems to have gone right out the door.
I apologize for that.
I've learned something about the second year: just because you're out of the first year does not mean that the busy schedule dies down. On the contrary, I think the schedule has become more busy. I have one less prep from last year but I find myself flying up and down the stairs on multiple occasions every day, attending at least three more meetings a week, staying after school longer than last year and watching the pile of work-to-be-graded get bigger the second I make a dent.
We all knew this was what we were in for. And I am certainly not sorry that this is where my life is going. Because, once again, I am right where I need to be in classroom.
My only regret is that I completely missed the entire month of September. September is the quintessential month to define back-to-school, sharpened pencils and shiny apples. And I did a lot in the month of September. My students did even more.
So let me see what I can do to bring back the month of September for at least one little post...
1. The Crucible
I taught The Crucible for the first time last year. It is one of those classic pieces of literature that I had somehow missed reading in high school or college. I still don't know how I missed it, but the fact remains that it went missing in my formative foundational education. So in a way... I was right there with the students in the thick of it--figuring out how to teach it when I had never been taught its glory.
We managed it. I can at least say we managed it.
This year? We devoured it.
Between my regular classes and my Honors class, I have never seen such RAGE at the ending of a piece of literature. I didn't even have to do anything except let them read it and show some clips from Act III. Between character analysis, drawing our favorite scenes, deducing that Abigail Williams is the worst human being ever and trying to say Giles Corey's name right, they were completely there by the end.
I know they'll never admit it. But we teachers of English know when they have been captured by text. All it takes is one slamming of the textbook, frustrated groan or an irate, "Are you KIDDING ME?! That is NOT how it ends!!" to get me to sit back, smile smugly and say, "You got it."
I have always told my students that they do not need to love what we read. They can hate what we read. As long as they can explain their emotion and their reaction. That's all that matters to me.
Literature is a powerful entity that can provoke our deepest emotions. This is why I love teaching it. Something as old as the Salem Witch Trials still has relevance in our classrooms
2. Student Council
Some of you know that I became the newest of four Student Council Advisors this year. Once again, this is something that I completely missed as a high school student. I never had the desire to be a part of the elite leaders of the student body. Reflecting back, I believe that had to do with my innate distaste for how much they focused on the popular kids, football games and being perfect. I stuck to playing my cello moodily and re-reading Lord of the Flies during our graduation ceremony. It just wasn't me.
It was the biggest shock of my life last year when I was asked to consider taking on the 4th Student Council Advisor Position. What the heck did I know about promoting student leadership or strength when that was so not me in high school?
Apparently, I'm not the only one who felt this way as a high schooler. The only difference is that this generation is not afraid to step up and change it.
I recently sat down with my group of Student Council girls (my group is entirely made of girls--go Team Girl Squad!) and our Vice President led them in a discussion over what they wanted to do differently with Student Council once our Regional Conference and Homecoming were over. Thus launched a 40 minute, barely-take-a-breath discussion about how they wanted to revamp our school spirit by reaching out to those that are continuously missed. They spoke of the football team moreso with agitation in that it took away from our Jazz Band performing high ratings a few weekends ago or how the golf and tennis teams were completely overlooked for their national attention. They determined that we were not doing enough to recognize and celebrate the less celebrated in our school.
I listened and I took notes for them because there was no way I was going to interrupt one of the most passionate discussions I've ever watched students hold.
So we are in the process of putting these changes into place. Committees are going to be made after Homecoming. These committees are going to scatter across the school to find every student, group, team or accomplishment that doesn't get enough light and give them that light.
To date, this was the most excited I've felt about Student Council. I love watching students decide to make a change that they care about. And I feel we have the potential to do it.
It's inspiring.
3. Pep Rallies
So if you think I was all scornful and angsty to all things Student Council and school spirit when I was in high school, you can guess how I felt about Pep Rallies in high school. You guessed it: I brought a book and read, sometimes shooting a haughty look about me at all these "children" obsessed with something that wouldn't matter in 10 years.
It's 10 years later since I was a high schooler attending a Pep Rally. Guess what? They do matter.
Our new building principal this year has taken on an exceptional challenge: raise school spirit. He has done so by encouraging a new hashtag to use, send out updates on everything going well, encourage more interaction in the community, and bringing back the Pep Rally. And I don't mean just one Pep Rally; I mean a Pep Rally for every Friday Home Football Game.
When I first heard this, I was skeptical. I admit it, I scoffed a little. Okay, good luck with leaving the last 40 minutes of the school day to something no one cares about.
...okay, I was so wrong on so many levels because guess what? I love Pep Rallies now.
We walked into the gymnasium to loud music over the speakers. The marching band was in place, the cheerleaders on standby and the Student Council students ready for their 9 minute Pep Rally game.
The Marching Band rose in the bleachers and started playing the school song. The cheerleaders and Dance Team hit the floor.
It was then that the entire school paused and realized they didn't know the words to the school song. And suddenly, we wanted to know.
Since these Pep Rallies have begun, there has been a change in the school. Students suddenly check their grades a little more feverishly to make sure they qualify to go to a Pep Rally. People get more involved in cheering, singing and screaming. Students are quicker to stand when the school song is played. People seem a little more proud to be where they are every day.
Maybe it's the mob mentality, but they are suddenly FUN. I get sad now when I know our Friday will be Pep Rally-less. 15 year old me is scoffing. 25 year old me is dancing in the bleachers.
It's fun. And it makes me proud of where I am.
Where to Now?
There are a few things coming up in the beautiful month of October to be excited about. When I say excited, I mean mostly terrified but try to hide behind a small bit of excitement. Teaching is a career where you have to scare yourself completely by trying new things in order to see what will work best. So here are some new things on the horizon.
1. Writing.
I'm going to start something new tomorrow in all of my regular English III classes. Truth be told, I LOVE teaching novels and reading in general. I love asking questions and watching students get to the big moments of the text and make connections to their own lives. They all know an Abigail Williams in their lives and my Honors students are about to remember when they felt like Hester Prynne (The Scarlet Letter).
I have always struggled with teaching my students how to write.
Journal entries and formal writings? I always felt I could dance around them and just say, "Well... you wrote, and it's perfect because it is authentically you!" Because I'm terrified of teaching writing, I've decided to make it my strength this year.
Last week my Honors students went through an extensive Writer's Workshop activity in small groups. Tomorrow, my regular students embark on a two week argumentative essay over who's responsible for the death of John Proctor. This time: we are going to work together on every step. I'm going to break down the writing process as much as I can while still enhancing their natural abilities. We'll tackle all components of an argumentative essay together.
I plan to write in front of them, brainstorm with them, have them model their work off of each other and go through rounds of peer-editing. By the end, I hope we are all exhausted yet satisfied with the writing process.
Starting tomorrow, I am in this just as much as my students are in this and I expect I'll have my own argumentative essay. Here's hoping it works. And if not? We'll try again next year.
2. Parent Teacher Conferences
As crazy as it is, we are just about through the first quarter of the semester. That means Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up in a few weeks.
This. Scares me.
But the fact is... I survived last year. And had a decent experience each time. In our town, the parents always seem pleased to be on the side of the teachers and to want to work with us to help our students be as successful as possible. Some I will have met last year and others I'll meet for the first time. But once again, I will be paralyzed with fear for the first five minutes and then figure out my stride.
One thing I love about PTC is the schedule. We start on a Wednesday evening, spend all day Thursday doing conferences and then Friday morning wrapping up. Its gives us just enough time out of our classrooms to recharge but are still on point in that we must explain what is happening with our students.
It also gives the teachers an opportunity to see everyone in the building. Our school is huge and we don't often get a chance to see everyone. In this rare opportunity, we are all together, we can play Words with Friends with each other, bring each other snacks and have rolling chair races at the end. There is a glorious and rare sense of community during PTC. It gives us a chance to be ourselves with each other.
There are things I can always look forward to in the fear.
3. Speaking
The only time I truly feel comfortable speaking up and talking is in front of my students. They know I'm a huge goober and goofball. They accept me for who I am.
The world of professionals? I'm never sure.
But I've been trying to make some changes with that this year to get over the fear of just speaking up with my colleagues.
It's as simple as sitting in our lounge at lunch and enjoying the conversation around me. This year I chime in a little to show I am a human being with personality.
We have at least two teacher meetings a week. Slowly, I work up the words and the ideas in my mind before finally offering up an idea to the group. Half the time I overthink it and panic that I've come across as too verbose or full of myself. But at the very least, I'm speaking.
So this will be another ongoing process: working myself up every day to try and speak up in some way to some person other than my students. Because maybe--just maybe--I have some ideas that can help others or add to conversation.
So here we are. The first day of October having missed the month of September.
Here's to keeping up with writing a little more. This has been incredibly revitalizing.
Keep on teaching in your own way, my friends.