This week

I have just analyzed all the data for this week and I am frustrated with the fact that the directions given are not accurate on the assignment.  I specifically asked on the web conference where to find the quartiles and it was not in Appendix F.  I digress!  

I am having trouble with the whole logs and reflections, as Lamar has changed the format.  In my first class, we did not discuss the embedded log or the reflections.  I had started them this week and posted to TK20 and then it was changed again.  I have just decided to go with the form I have just been given and then if they change it again, I will update it then!

I am meeting with my site supervisor this week or next to discuss some things I am wanting to change on my internship plan.  I will check out what I can and cannot possibly do!  

Have a good week and it is my intent to not vent on here anymore! I apologize!  :-)

Research project

Well, my project was changed for me. I have spent about 24 hours on research for vertical alignment and now my principal cancels vertical alignment meetings. I can do it on my own if I want to, but then I have to find the teachers that would like to participate with the research. I am now thinking of tracking the discipline from elementary to middle school for our most troubled kids. If they were having issues on our campus, what happened in Middle School. This year we have a set discipline plan in place this year and watch to see if there is a change in the number of referrals, etc.
UGGGH So Tired of changes. Our campus cannot follow anything to completion. If a few people complain, then it is changed. It is so frustrating. It does not work in 1 meeting that we did not have time to prepare for.
Oh well, onward and upward.
Terri

Frustrations

I know this course is about balancing acts and getting things done in a pinch, but man the stress this year is crazy! Our campus is not better than last year. We started out a bit better, but quickly have fallen into the same old same old. I don't know how to help and make our campus better and still work on my project!
It is crazy! I hope all is going well. I am working on my vocabulary test for my campus vertical alignment.
See ya soon!
Terri

School Law

I have started my next class on the road to my masters!
We read about NCLB last week and this week the various cases about student expression and free speech.
NCLB..... hmmm I have never taught without the legislation, but I do know that each year more stuff is handed down to us. I am a 5th grade math/science teacher and the fact that my kids are in an SSI grade is hugely important. Since they took SSI out of 3rd grade reading, this puts our grade as the first time there is a stop-gap in place. Parents and students are extremely nervous and teachers are extremely stressed.
On our campus there is almost a zero retention policy, so when they get to us, I can have kids with 3 years gap in math. We have just started Tier II for math and that has left us with huge holes to fill every year. I get frustrated when the walk into my classroom and cannot do the work. It is not the kids that I am frustrated with, but the system. I have sent at least 4 kids onto middle school that are totally unprepared and are now failing because I was told that keeping them in 5th grade makes them at risk or dropping out. I have done the research and sending them to Middle school unprepared makes them pretty much a guaranteed drop out. If they cannot keep up, they will get retained at some point and the later they are retained, the more likely they are to drop out.
I am glad we are now implementing Tier II in math, but there has been VERY LITTLE training on it. I have been in the developmental stage of RTI before and it is a struggle to get all on board. I feel we are leaving many children behind even with federal law because there are so many loop holes to get around the retention points. Parents, principals (most likely guiding the process) and teachers can all say, "send them on " and off they go our next group of drop outs.

First meeting

We had our first vertical alignment meeting. I was a little bummed, because we have some teachers that are not wanting to be on board with the plan. They are supporting me in the assessments that I will be doing to see where they are in vocabulary development, but they don't necessarily see the need for alignment.
They were in a hurry to be done with the meeting. We did discuss our new math program, Investigation. It was a good conversation, so at least that was positive. I found a district that has a lot of vocabulary done and I am excited to be using that as a resource!
Have a good week!

Research

I can't believe I have almost survived the research class! It seems like a lot of work, but so very worth it. I knew this would be tough while teaching 50 5th graders, but it is helping me focus on my teaching as well. I realize that I have be "doing" action research in my classroom for a long time.
I have had many, many great mentors! it is the beginning of a long journey that I hope never ends! I know that I will hit snags in the road and it will become difficult at times, but right now I am ready to lead my first vertical alignment meeting and be done with it!

Have a great week all! I am working on the last assignment tonight and Saturday and I submit on Sunday morning after I proof read it, has worked so far!
See some of you in school law and I am so excited it is Dr. Abshire again!

Peace to all!

My revised action plan ---- I hope I fixed the lines on the posted version this time!

Action Research plan

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interactive Science/Math Notebooks

We used the science notebooks and modified it to math. When we have foldables, they go on their side.  The kids are doing very well with them.  They are more willing to do my side because I give them a few minutes to respond to the other information.
http://www.slideshare.net/arholder/interactive-science-notebook-full-version
http://interactive-notebooks.wikispaces.com/
If you type in Interactive Math Notebooks you will find it in Google.  Let me know if anybody needs more information.
:-)

Action Research Week 2

As I listened to all 3 of the videos for this week, I realized even more the importance of always learning.  In our profession, we cannot just wake up and teach.  There is research to be done, data to look at and methods of delivery to be addressed.
I teach 2 sections of math/science for 5th grade.  One section is a bilingual class, so I must look at the way I deliver instruction, as they are coming to me at a different learning level than my other class.  I teach both classes similarly, but I have to look at the vocabulary and hands on portion with the bilingual group.  They are a super smart group of kids, but their processing time takes a bit longer.  If I did not do some research and talk to my bilingual partner, I would not know that.  I would teach both classes and expect them to catch on.
I believe that we, as educators, must continue to learn or we will not be assisting our students and will actually hamper their development in the classroom!
Have a great week.

What I have learned about Action Research

I was just reading another blog and noted that another student had the same image of a "research" course as I had.  What a pleasant surprise to find that it is not what I thought.  I feel that action research is something that every good teacher/educator does in their classroom/building.  As a teacher, I look at the lessons that I have completed and ask myself, "is that the best I can do?" or "I saw a lot of blank looks on their faces, I have to fix that!"  I think that being reflective in your teaching or even personal life can be difficult, but necessary as we move on our journey.  We must continually look at ways to grow and action research is just another way to do that.
I believe that our campus is beginning to do this.  Our leadership team just read, Turn Around Schools: Creating Cultures of Universal Achievement, and we are implementing some of those strategies on our campus.  We have a very young team of teachers, most have taught 3-4 years and are 25 years old or younger, so we have had to address many issues.  Many of the veteran teachers, including myself, have had to step up into a mentoring role to assist our younger counterparts.   If we had not participated in both reflection and some action research, we would still have the same issues that were occurring in our 1st and 2nd year as a campus (our building is 4 years old).
In my opinion, our principal has led the way and that is the key for the process to work.  Administration has to set the tone and the example for it to work on a campus.

Educational Blogs

Educators can use blogs for many reasons.  One is to communicate with students some upcoming events or topics of study in class.  Another reason to blog is to allow students a way to respond to material covered in class or even take it beyond what was covered in class.
I went to a blogging GT update this summer and I created a blog for my class.  This week, in class, I am showing the students the blog site and including it in my weekly newsletter to parents so they have the opportunity to participate outside of class time.
This valuable technological tool also allows students to see that writing is important in the classroom and outside of the classroom.  It shows students that when we say you must write in the real world, do math in the real world and read in the real world, these are not just words, but reality.
Blogs are also an invaluable tool for parent communication.  In a world that is steep in technology, this is another tool at the hands of parents that are working more and less able to make phone calls or who have students that "forget" to give them their printed newsletter.