smartboard

So I’m getting a smartboard next year.  I don’t know anything about them and have never even seen one being used.  My district is so awesome that only two people from our site were able to go to the training to see how to use the thing.  I’ve done some preliminary on-line research, and I see that there is more out there than I will ever be able to read.  However, I’m excited about spending a good part of my Summer free time looking for stuff and learning.  Anyone have specific resources you can point me toward that you love?  Math specific would be wonderful!

End of the Year Homework

Do you give homework at the end of the year? At what point do you stop? We’ve got 10 days left, but my students are not taking their final exam until next Thursday and Friday. I’m still teaching two sections out of the textbook and giving a quiz on Friday. However, when I assign homework at this point in the year, about 1/3 of the students do it. When it’s due during class, at least 2/3 of them complete it, but then we spend class time working on an assignment. Hmm…

Distinguished School

My school got the distinguished school award this year. Our D.O. is paying for all six of us who wrote the document to go to the celebration dinner on a school day. Is it terrible that I’m not sure if I want to go more because we won or more because I’m all for a free day away from the children two weeks from the end of the year?

Whose fault is that?

I’m a firm believer that 99% if things are going wrong in the classroom the fault belongs to me and not the kids. In my case, they are 12 and most of them did not come from a household where they are really shown how to respect authority and act appropriately in a classroom setting. I will not blame a bunch of kids when I choose to get angry and frustrated. During those times, I try to remember that God tells me to choose joy. However, from this time of the year until the end, it is HARD to be that teacher who keeps the kids engaged and working rather than talking and ignoring you. I can do it, but it’s exhausting, and sometimes I fail. Yesterday I hated what was on my lesson plan, so I impromptu made up a “new activity.” The kids talked throughout the whole thing, but I’d say 80% were totally engaged in doing the math and another 10% were sort of engaged 80% of the time. The other 10% was just not doing much, but that’s normal for them. I’m one of those teachers who is ok with noise if work is being accomplished. Sometimes I think that’s a weakness in my own teaching. So many of my teacher friends have near silent classrooms at all times. That’s just not my personality, nor do I have any idea how they do that! What do you do to keep your kids working at this point of the year?

Attitude

Sometimes I sling attitude without meaning to; other times, I am aware of it, but don’t stop it. When I’m unaware, the husband is really good about pointing it out to me in love. When I’m aware, I typically have an inward discussion with myself about why I should stop. Unfortunately, most of the time I don’t.

This rudeness typically comes out of me when things are not going as I expect or I feel that my time is not being best spent. With the end of the school year coming upon us, my mind is constantly racing about things I need to do. I’m very task oriented, so if things aren’t getting checked off of my to-do list, I do not approve of my activities. Regardless of what I think, it is not alright to be rude to people. So I’m going to try to stop it before it ever happens. Kind of the “check your attitude at the door” mentality.

Yesterday I went to two meetings and had attitude at both. I apologize to all of you at both of those meetings. Hopefully I’ll do better today.