Classroom rules and Discipline Procedures

Watson, Angela. How to Create Class Rules. Retrieved from http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/free-resources/behavior-management/class-rules

Rader, Martha. Establishing Classroom Rules and Consequences. http://www.education.ne.gov/BMIT/pdf/EstablishingClassroomRulesandConsequences.pdf

The first article was interesting because it differentiates rules from procedures. The rule is the speed limit is 55 miles an hour, the procedure is to watch the speedometer and stay focused on the road in front of you. Procedures help you be successful at following the rule. Along with that, Angela Watson suggests to create goals instead of rules. Goals such as respect yourself and respect others. It frames rules in a positive light, and helps students reach them successfully. By creating a set of classroom goals together as a class, students are more invested in following those guidelines. Along with that, you must also choose logical consequences. Your district or school may have their own set of rules and consequences that they will expect you to use.

The second article points out the importance of using positive rules verses negative rules, and staying consistent with discipline and routines. She also includes 50 tips to motivating students and keeping them focused in the classroom. These tips help with classroom management, and hopefully helps avoid any misbehavior.

My classroom is very interesting because classroom rules are not posted any where. The students respect my cooperating teacher, and they also respect me. However, my teacher doesn't seem to have an issue with things like cell phones. I have been in classrooms where we have created the goals/rules together, and it seemed to help us be more involved and no doubt understanding what was expected of us.

As a teacher, any way that you can get students to invest a little bit more in their learning is a good thing. Instead of just reading a list of goals/rules on the first day of class, students are able to take time to think about what is in their best interest. Students care about the environment they are in, whether it's positive or negative, so if they have a say about classroom expectations, they can hope that others are just as invested in the learning as they are.

Flipped Classroom

Tucker, Bill. The Flipped Classroom. Winter 2012. Retrieved from http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20121_BTucker.pdf 

7 Things You Should Know About Flipped Classrooms. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf

This relatively "new" idea of a flipped classroom is a surprising and beneficial way to teach students. The idea is that students learn the lessons on their own time, outside of the classroom, typically via online work. They then bring their questions, homework and work collaboratively in the classroom. The concept for a flipped classroom started with chemistry teachers Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams in Colorado. They were having a hard time finding time to teach students who were absent, so they started recording and annotating lessons and posting them online. Students who were absent appreciated the ability to catch up, however, students who were present also liked the ability to re-watch the lessons.

I have never seen a flipped classroom in person, but from what I have read it seems to be an incredibly beneficial way to really work closely with students and their learning. I think by requiring students to come to class with a question or two, and checking their notes that they complete at home, you can encourage them to take a proactive role in their education. 

As a teacher, it may depend on the district that you are teaching in and how far you can implement this concept, but I truly believe flipped classrooms can totally change the system. However, we must make sure that flipping our classrooms does not make us lazy.  Students are able to benefit with more one on one time, and they have the ability to revisit the lessons that they are stuck on. 

Job Availability in Washington State

Research:
Ryan Weldon, Career Advisor: Arts, Letters, and Education
Career Services, EWU/EagleAxis
Find a Teaching Job! (Facebook page)
Spokaneschools.org

On my EagleAxis account, I have signed up for a "job email blast"and I receive emails when there are teaching opportunities posted. Although I haven't applied for any yet, it's reassuring to know that there are openings out there. There are not only jobs posted from all over the state, but also a few for teaching English abroad (South Korea and Japan). It's also really great for finding career/recruitment fairs and interviews.  The only unfortunate thing about it is that I receive emails for elementary jobs and teaching jobs outside my content area.

It's nice to know that there is hope for all of us. That we are not wasting our time attempting to get a degree that will not be used once we graduate. I've heard that teaching openings are rare to find, especially in certain areas. From what I could find, there aren't any full time teaching jobs currently open in District 81. So as long as you're willing to relocate, you can find something.

Depending on where we end up, we will be teaching a diverse set of students. The geographical and economic background of the area will determine what kind of students come through our classroom. It's important for us to consider that as we are looking for jobs.

WEST-E and NES Focus

PREP AND STUDYING

RESEARCH:

Pearson Education, INC. Washington Educator Skills Tests. http://www.west.nesinc.com/

According to the Washington Educator Skills Tests website, the English Language Arts WEST-E consists of approximately 110 multiple choice questions, and teacher candidates are given 2.5 hours to complete it. 25% of the test is reading process and comprehension, 30% is literature and language, 30% is writing process and applications and 15% is oral and visual communication. The website has a great .PDF break down of explaining what each section might consist of and how to best prepare. There are sample questions on the website for each endorsement area, and it is suggested that students try to work through each question carefully before referring to the answer key. There are 50 sample questions, each with a corresponding answer on the key. Though there are no explanations for answers that you get stuck on, there is at least a letter answer to view and compare.

National Evaluation Series http://www.nestest.com/Home.aspx

The NES is a computer-based test that consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. You are given three hours to complete it. The percentage breakdown is: 23% vocabulary and reading comprehension, 23% analyzing and interpreting literature, 19% conventions, composition, writing process and research, 23% modes of writing, and 12% oral and visual communication. The NES website has a full-length practice test that can be taken online, for $17.50. They have interactive study guides also, for $22.50. There is an eight-minute video that provides a general overview of test prep and strategies that you can watch for free.

EXPERIENCE:

I clearly have not had any experience with either of these tests, but I know many people who have taken the WEST-E. I’ve taken the WEST-B, but I’m nervous about both of these “final exams”. The NES seems very new and much more intense than the WEST-E, so I’m kind of concerned with the switch. By the time I need to take either one, the NES will be newly implemented which doesn’t give much time to develop test preparation, or see if it is even effective. Unfortunately, all of the test prep materials offered on the NES website come at a price.

APPLICATION:

I’m not sure how I would use this information in my personal classroom, but we are obviously able to benefit from it as teacher candidates. Passing either one of these tests will make us better teachers, which in turn helps us better our students. Students will clearly benefit from certified and well-trained teachers.

Learning Letter

First of all, I just need to state that this quarter has been the single most demanding quarters at Eastern. Nay, the most demanding quarter in my entire five collegiate years. With that being said, I don’t think I have ever learned as much, or grown as much as I have in the last few months. Between this course, English 193, Dr. Beth’s English 408, my social studies capstone, and my first quarter in the classroom, I had A LOT on my plate. There were points where I was seriously doing some inner exploration asking myself “can I actually do this?” I discovered that the answer is always yes.

I think my favorite part about this class was the book talks. I never really thought about being well versed in young adult books for the purpose of suggesting them to my future students. I discovered so many books that I want to read myself (apparently this John Green fellow is life-changing), and so many books that will touch reluctant readers. This will be extremely beneficial in my own classroom, and I hope to take our list with me.

The mini lessons were fun. Though it was difficult to create something that could be effective in 25 minutes, it helped me realize that sometimes that’s the only time frame you have. As a teacher, every minute counts, even if it’s just a short 25 minute lesson.

I don’t think I’m far enough removed from the end of the quarter to discuss the 3-week unit plan without wincing, but I’ll give it a shot. I had never written any TPA longer than a single lesson before, so this was terrifying. However, once it was completed, I realized that it’s possible for me to become a teacher. I was having doubts, and questioning my ability, but completing that unit plan was one of the most gratifying experiences I have had lately. It helped me realize that this whole “being a teacher” thing isn’t impossible, and even with the crazy unit writing and creating curriculum, it’s something I want to do. I don’t LOVE writing unit plans, but I now know that I CAN write a unit plan and that is a big deal.

The pedagogy text aspect of this class was the least amount of fun, but it was definitely beneficial. We were able to learn a lot about implementing discussion effectively in our classroom, social justice, and successful reading strategies. Some of the texts were extremely dense and hard to read, but even then they were teaching us SOMETHING.

            Like I said before, after this particular course, and this quarter as a whole, I don’t think I’ve ever been more confident in my ability to become a teacher. It’s still scary, and I know it will be difficult, but I know that I can do it. Thank you, Dr. Agriss, for pushing us. If I can make it through this quarter, two unit plans, a final book and my first quarter in the classroom, I can make it through anything. I am superwoman.

Cheers,

J

Elie Wiesel's Night

I have never read Night before, and I'm honestly shocked I've gone 23 years of my life without reading it. It was beautiful, heart wrenching, emotional, and hard to swallow. Never will I ever read any Holocaust text without being shocked to my very core. The fact that this is a true story, written by the man who survived the horrific events we have only read about, is so crazy to me. I absolutely loved it and completely despised it at the same time. It's not a story that was made up, in the creative mind of an author. It was a completely true, real life nightmare that millions of people didn't wake up from. I think it's a great text to use either instead of, or as an alternative to, The Diary of Anne Frank. Students could have the option to chose between the two texts. I honestly don't know how I would teach either of these texts because it is such a difficult subject, but I do know that it's possible. I went to the Holocaust workshop this weekend in Pullman, and learned some great things about how to effectively teach sensitive subjects like this one in the classroom. We just need to make sure that, as teachers, we are appropriately addressing a subject like the Holocaust, and supporting our students. It's a heavy topic that many will be struggling to grasp. Even outside of the classroom, this book could be suggested to students because, although it is incredibly sad and difficult to read, it is a powerful story about overcoming the odds and surviving one of the most atrocious acts of human evil in history. I cannot say it is one of my favorite books I have ever read, but it is definitely a great book. I'd like to think that I will try and incorporate it in my classroom at some point.  

READICIDE

I....I don't even know where to start when it comes to this book. In a little less than 150 pages, Kelly Gallagher had so many incredible things to say and points to make.

He defines "readicide" as "the systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices found in schools" (2). He argues that reading practices of today's classrooms are contributing to the death of reading. By teaching too much to the test, over/under teaching books, and limiting authentic reading experience are all contributing to this idea. On the surface, this idea is sort of appalling. Teachers and schools are failing to support reading? Isn't that like...one of their main jobs? But as the book continues, there's absolutely no doubt that this new word/idea is a very real thing and it has to stop.

It was shocking to me when Mr. Gallagher mentioned the students who didn't know "who" al Qaeda is/was, or the students who couldn't identify presidential candidates. When I was a senior in high school, my government/CWP teacher had nearly every friday set aside to do the same thing. We would walk into class, pick up a news paper, and spend the entire period summarizing 3-5 articles of our choosing. One had to be from the "world news" section, and the others could be our choice but from different sections. We didn't have a choice but to have at least SOME idea of what was going on in the world around us. Similarly, I really liked the idea of the Article-of-the-Week. It's a very simple, yet crucial activity that can help with battling readicide.

It's crazy to know that schools are so desperate for test scores, that they are willing to cheat their students out of a FULL, WELL ROUNDED education just to fib a little on their test scores. Bruce Fuller, professor of education and public policy at UC Berkley, found that schools "lower the bar and design tests that are highly sensitive to slight gains for low achieving students. Progress may be occurring, he notes, but not anywhere near the rate claimed in this report" (111). Emphasis needs to be on helping students achieve individually, not "making sure we aren't penalized for low test scores."

Finally, I loved the "101 books my reluctant readers love to read" list on page 119. I'd love to read some of them myself, even though I consider my self a very eager reader :)