Teacher Tuesday

I had a hard time figuring out what to write about today in regards to my classroom. I really wanted to report on an amazing scavenger hunt type activity that I put together for Spanish level 2, but I haven't polished that yet and need to wait a little longer.

But then I had lunch with my coworkers who were very aggravated and not so positive. It seemed to mirror how I get by the end of each school week. I start Mondays very motivated and positive and ready to make a difference in the lives of tons of kids. Then Tuesday I start to get a little tired. Wednesday I start to want to give up. Thursdays I actually do give up.

I don't want to be another typical whiney teacher, because there are countless things I love about my job. For example, nothing beats the moment a past student comes back and thanks you for making a difference in their journey, or tells you how much you have used the skills you taught in their daily lives. It really keeps us going. Also, I really like the "lightbulb" moment. That's the moment when a kid who has struggled with a concept for a while and you tried a new angle to explain and all of a sudden they get it, and they feel such self price that it's contagious.

But, what I am struggling with today is what we can actually hold the kids accountable for. Yes, these are teenagers we are talking about, and we all know that the teen years are a strange and challenging time. What really blurs the lines for me, is when to joke with students in order to make a connection, and when to draw the line. Even as a student was trying to bring up a serious point (about how they don't necessarily know when I am joking and when I am upset), he couldn't even discuss it with me seriously. There was just not any level of self reflection, only blame shifting.

So what I am struggling with in my classroom (and in our culture as a whole) is the lack of a "time and place" for professionalism. Our current students seem confused about what is an out of school joke/trend and what is appropriate for in the classroom. In turn, I struggle as the adult to be able to make connections with them while still maintaining a distance from the more inappropriate trends.

I've learned this year that what I view was too far across the line for school isn't the same as a lot of parents and even a lot of my coworkers.
Is a t-shirt that says "John did-er" instead of John Deer okay for a student to wear to school?
Even though girls can't really find longer shorts in the store, so we ban all shorts or how do we decide the line?
Why are students still arguing to wear hats in the classroom?
How can I give them homework using technology they relate to to see Spanish in their personal world, when lots of things they find online have inappropriate language?
Should I kid chewing tobacco during class be suspended?
Why not, since a kid smoking a cigarette in class would be?
How do you tell high school couples not to make out in the hallway when they see much more than that on prime time tv?
How can I ask them to use their phones in class for certain activities (again, in order to connect to what they're used to) but expect them to be able to manage themselves enough to actually work on the phone and not text, snap, tweet, post, etc?

The idea I am trying to pin point is, these students aren't horrible, aren't messed up...they are just exposed to so much more mature content than generations before were used to. Because of this, they have a low maturity mixed with a large knowledge of things they don't really understand. And since we have this type of student in school now, how do we manage this? What rules do we set? How do we connect with them, while still modeling how to appropriately behave in the work place?

If anyone out there has input, I would love to hear thoughts and suggestions.

This last class was a tough one for me and I am full of reflection in this Little Life.

Teach Tuesay

I had GRAND intentions last August about being very consistent with my teaching themed blog post. But NO surprise...teaching got in the way of blogging about teaching!!

Just to remind you, I took on several new theories of teaching this year: I went to a blended classroom model, mixing lots of flipped classroom techniques, real world applications, ditched the textbook, added as much technology opportunities as possible and went to a project based system. I have tried to implement more rubric based grading and lots of more opportunities to speak and hear and read Spanish.

Now, that was a short paragraph on paper but a VERY tall order in real life! I just told a student that I feel like I am only "5 minutes ahead of my lessons." With recreating the curriculum, constantly trying new activities, falling behind on the amount of grading I have with all those new assignments...I have just not been able to stop and think about what I am doing.

I am holding on to the hope that next year, once I have the packets typed and the curriculum laid out, that getting in and getting my hands dirty with the students, working with them non stop will be much easier. But for right now I am in the beta phase. Just totally experimenting, trying things by myself with no guidance or advice, making up all the worksheets and units the students get as well as making all the podcasts that go along with the new units. Just writing that makes me feel stressed.

So, anyway...as I am still putting all the puzzle pieces together in my classroom, I just wanted to do a quick list of things that have worked very well for me this year! These are activities, lessons, techniques, etc. that I have loved and my students have loved even more than me (if that's possible)!

1st Semester Home Runs:

• Baile Jueves. I found resources from a teacher doing something called "Baile Viernes" or "Dance Friday." I changed it to Dance Thursday because we are a 4 day week and most students LOVE the opportunity to dance and get up to move around. Some kids loath this activity and fight me every week, but I have two classes in particular that really get into it and I just focus on them and enjoy those 5 minutes each week! 
• Google Voice. For any teacher needing a way to speak with students one on one and possibly have it recorded, Google Voice has been amazing! For my Spanish classroom, I have the students call my "voicemail" number each week, listen to one question in Spanish and answer it  in a complete sentence or two. This allows me to check in with them on their fluency and pronunciation, and not have to waste an in class period calling them up one by one. Also, Google Voice let's you send a text message back to the student, so I give them feedback based on their performance on that assignment. 
• Storytelling. I am not a gung ho TPRS teacher, but I do see the fun and the benefits of storytelling with language students. I have been selecting one or two stories for each unit and dedicating one or two class periods to each story. The students love when I tell the story because I am goofy and act it out for them. Some classes I have asked students to act it out to check for understanding. Some of the stories are turned into videos on YouTube. I have not mastered the reading comprehension part (IE: do they write answers to questions, do we discuss, how do we ever get the point if they just miss something in the target language, etc) BUT these have been a very fun addition to my lessons!
• La Silla Caliente. I love doing the hot seat at the beginning of each class, and I think any classroom can benefit from this. I have the last person who walks through the door put on the hot seat, and they spend 2 or 3 minutes answering questions in Spanish from their classmates. This could serve any subject, because the class can come up with review questions about a text, current event questions, discussion questions...essentially they are making up assessment questions for the student in the hot seat to answer.
• A "Standing Teacher Desk." The more and more I got bogged down in making videos, typing curriculum, adding grades online, etc. the more and more I sat at my desk and the more and more my back and neck started hurting. It was just so easy to fall into this bad habit. BUT I recently ordered an adjustable laptop stand for my desk, that will reach a level of standing or be lower if I choose to sit. This maybe doesn't directly help my students, but it makes a fitter, happier teacher and maybe that helps them in the end too!

So, that's my list of things I love in the Classroom for now! 

Until next week, the classroom is crazy but progressing. I am trying in this Little Life.

Spanish 1 Infographic Syllabus

I jumped on the Pinterest band wagon and devoted some SERIOUS time to turning my class syllabus into a condensed, one page, info-graphic.

Yes...I adore the results and hope the students actually pay attention to it this year.

No...I am not happy that it isn't successfully saved online so I have some work to do to alter it for my Spanish 2 class.

Yes...I am very excited to hand these out the first day!

No...I will never get the hours and hours of my life back that I spent making this!

If you are thinking of making an infographic, make sure you have a COMFY chair and LOTS of free time to work!

Classroom Tour

I think I am feeling like a lot of teachers and I am struggling to love my work as much as I used to. There is a ton of pressure, lots of added responsibilities, there is less importance placed on education, the students are more difficult to engage...yadie yada ya.

I don't want to spend any time griping on the negatives of the job, because unlike lots of teachers I am truly dedicated to the job and will do whatever it takes to make this work! I am hoping to find a new energy in my classroom this year and really connect with my students. My 2015-2016 school year goal is to remember why I started teaching to begin with, and then get better from there!

I have been spending weeks thinking of ways to get more excited about getting back into the classroom. I am employing strategies like: building a much more fun wardrobe (cute clothes make me want to go somewhere to show them off), trying a new style of teaching and completely flipping my classroom, and also changing the physical decor. I am excited about some of the decorative changes I have made so far...and I think my classroom is *essentially* ready for students!

Here is a tour of what I have been working on for the last week in my room:

Let's start with my desk! The biggest change for this year!

I am working on more of a "paperless" and "minimalist" approach to my work. Paper and clutter on my desk is one of the biggest factors in my classroom stress, so I thought I would try to cut it out all together! I used to have a huge, L shaped desk and I took half of it out. Now I am left with this very small desk and hopefully I will be able to function with this and only this.
*Disclaimer: the other piece of the desk is in storage across the hallway. Nice and close if I break down, panic and need it for security!*

The view of my classroom while standing behind my desk. 

I love my B letter block and the tiny sugar skull! The black magnetic easel board is an old product from Creative Memories. An oldie, but a goodie! The containers holding my pencils and supplies are actually kitchen containers from Target! Cheap and multi-functional!

Right next to my desk, in the front, is my SmartBoard and I added this faux bulletin board.

I saw this idea on Pinterest (duh!) and had to copy it! It's just white butcher paper, but cute borders from Target. I added some of the paper flowers I got from Party City last year and some banner labels from Teachers Pay Teachers. The banners came out much smaller than I thought, so I will probably end up re-printing them bigger. They say "Espanol 1" on the left and "Espanol 2" on the right. The hanging folder pockets are also a bargain find from Target and I hope to use those for absent work, student documents, etc. I still love my little cart! An Ikea knock off, found at Sam's Club. Perfect for toting supplies with me from room to room, or letting students have access to my supplies (when I feel that generous).

A close-up of the banners...still want to re-do them. From Teachers Pay Teachers.

The entire classroom, when I am standing in front by my SmartBoard.

I am going to keep the students in rows and in pairs this year. I think that's the most effective seating arrangement for my teaching style as well as for my students. I wish I could make collaborative pods work, but it's just a recipe for disaster with my students chatting and distracting each other. I did angle the outside rows to help students engage with me and focus on the SmartBoard. 

New addition: my Meme wall. I just can't resist these funny, classroom related memes 

The students probably think I am a total nerd, but that's okay with me! I love the meme posters. The milk crates hold folders that have the unit packets, vocal flashcards for games as well as the scan tron sheets for my iPad app. The chair to the right of the table will not stay there long. That is my "Hot Seat" and my favorite classroom management tool! The students dread it, but that's what makes it effective! (More of Hot Seat later...)

Turn in trays and student supplies.

This year I moved the student shelf to the back, near the table with the milk crates. I thought keeping all of the "paper work" grouped together would help students. Also, it will encourage me to get more steps in having to walk all the way across the room, right? I found that little chalkboard sign at JoAnn's and am going to use it for no name papers (yes, believe me, no names really happen in high school!) I hot glued little white clothes pins on the bottom of the board and will just hang papers there when they come along.

Chalkboard quotes, pre-designed from Teachers Pay Teachers.

I was already missing all the colorful posters hanging around the room, so I threw in these chalkboard quotes to help brighten things up! Plus, if students are staring into the distance, at least they have a healthy dose of motivation staring back at them!

The Rules poster.

I found this idea on Pinterest as well and wanted to make my own because I thought the hashtags were funny next to each rule. I wanted something hanging that wasn't a "NO this" and "NO that" type of poster. I thought this was the perfect middle ground...we will see if it hits home with the kiddos when they come in! #keepingupwithteenagers

That's all the decor changes I have made so far in the room! There are some very small details I need to add still (table cloth and dry erase poster board), but for the most part the classroom is ready to be filled with eager students! Let's be real about the eager part...I will be lucky if they are awake the first week of school!

Let me know what you think of the room or if you have any suggestions! 

What are you changing in your classroom this year?

Things are gearing up in this Little Life!

End of the year.

This school year was actually the hardest year of my career. I am not sure what the main reason was: personal depression, unruly kids without consistent consequences, lack of support within our building, community issues being reflected within the school, exhaustion, having a one year old at home to worry about... I can't pinpoint the exact reason why this year was such a struggle.

But here I am, 18 days left, I think and I am finally reconnecting with my students. It feels so good! Some classes have big projects that are already done, Student Council only has the fun task of Teacher Appreciation Week left, and my Spanish classes are starting to wrap up and slow down. Of course we still have testing and assemblies and sports and tons of madness. But in the middle of that madness I've taken a couple of opportunities to talk to my students.

These aren't bad kids we are dealing with. They are good kids who haven't been raised the right way, haven't seen love modeled well, haven't experienced the safety net of a safe home environment. They are good kids who see too many bad things on TV, spend too many hours on Facebook and their phones, and have too many mature issues to deal with. I worry about them.

And, so, I've taken time out of my classes to just talk to them. Some kids have talked to me about their feelings of their own education system and how they think it should be different. Some kids have talked to me about working out and health and how they are taking control of their physical well being. Some kids have talked to me about Prom...and it drives me insane...but that's what they love and are excited for. Some Seniors are starting to talk to me about their fears for the future and the "what now" moment they are having. Some students have talked to me about struggles at home or with friends and I just keep telling them to push on, kill them with kindness, don't let the mistakes of others impact you.

I have been so angry this year with my students. Some have called me words I wouldn't even whisper or write on paper to repeat. Others have fought me every step of the way with being tardy, breaking rules, not studying, etc. Others simply don't do anything and tell their parents that I've lost their assignments...again.

But in the end, they are children. And bigger than that, they are confused children. They are young adults with an underdeveloped maturity and overactive imagination due to the influences they constantly receive from social media. They are kids who haven't been held to the consequences of their actions and that's not their faults. Can I really ask these students to parent themselves? To reflect on their behaviors and understand why they are wrong if no one else has taught them right and wrong?

This post might not make any sense, it's mostly just my end of the school year ramblings. But I just want to put it out there that the misbehaviors of our students aren't the teachers faults, aren't the students' faults...it's society's fault. It takes a village to raise them, right? And I am thinking that our village is failing them right now.

But despite the failures that our culture gives them, they are still good kids in the end. I love my students and they teach me more each year than I could ever hope to teach them.

Teaching is who I am, not what I do.

I realized this evening that teaching is a part of me as much as my brown eyes or my quirky sense of humor. It's not just something I do, it's something that lives deep down inside of me.

I spent the day with my family from out of town and I loved teaching the kiddos random things!! 

I taught my niece how to take better photos with her iPhone.

I taught both of the kids how to geocache.

And lastly I taught them how to use chopsticks at supper. 

It's just who I am in The Little Life.