Minimum F

     So, apparently this is a thing. My principal wants us to use this policy on all students. It's pretty much a policy that tells me, no matter what a student turns in, I have to give him at least a 50% on his assignment. They've also told me I have to go back and change all student grades from quarter one to at least a 50%.
     While I have heard positives for this. Every student that fails my class has deserved it.  I hold make up days, they can retake any test, turn in late assignments, and I'm in my class before school, after school, and even during lunch.
     I'm apparently supposed to have less than 15% of students fail my class. I work in an inner city school, and while I have a ton if great kids, I have my fair share of shit-heads.  Kids I've seen three or four times, kids that when I ask are they going to work today just blatantly tell me no, kids who come to class high and can barely keep their eyes open... I could go on and on. Telling me to have less than 15% is basically telling me to just pass kids, even if they aren't ready.
     This, ladies and gentlemen, is why Nevada is last in education. No one cares about the students. It's all a numbers game. Everything that was wonderful about our old principal is being flushed down the drain by the new one. He makes teachers feel inadequite, unwelcome, and unappreciated.
     While I understand giving kids a fair shot. Just giving them a free 50% isn't teaching them anything.  I wonder if I just did 10% of all that's expected of me, I would get at least 50% of my paycheck.

So, I've said it before but f$@!# teaching is hard

     So much to say and yet so little time.  I finally figured out this is an app, so that's an amazing upgrade in my ability to blog.  While I'm am technically not a first year teacher, I still feel like one.  
     Every year seems different.  This is officially my third year.  This is also the first year I've felt like f#!!!# teaching.  My administration sucks, my kids suck, my department sucks, & my school district sucks. I understand why teachers quit.  Honestly,  it's the environment.  I can take the pay,  the kids that don't care,  the parents that don't care,  but it's when everyone in the state (or so it feels like) doesn't care... it's a s#!+ show.
     *sigh* I'm just venting.  It will get better,  or so I hope.  It's also that time of year. Not the happy Christmas, holiday season shiz, it's this thing (which when I found out about it,  it did legitimately make me feel better) that teachers, maybe everyone,  go through. It's the few weeks before winter break (can I just call it Christmas break already?) Where a teacher and student are totally just done.
     I hope this is what's happening because I see problems with the new generation.... I don't know how to explain it other than they don't feel a need to remember anything or to even work towards anything.  Perhaps,  it is I turning into the old woman who can't understand the youth. All I know is by the time I entered 11th grade, I knew the parts of speech,  how to spell basic words, and how to bs my way through an essay. Hopefully this doubt passes and I can love what I do again.

P.S. I keep saying it, but I really want to keep this up. I may only be speaking to myself but it helps.

I Really Do Want To Do This

     So, this will just be a short post. I just wanted to give a brief synopsis of life so far. I've started teaching officially, it's seriously insane so far. The school I am at is definitely a challenge. It's located in the ghetto and a lot of the kids are hard to cope with. I do think I will be learning a lot about classroom management. Starting in the middle of the year was harder than I thought. Although I had it pretty well, my kids still has about five different teachers before me. This made discipline difficult to say the least. I still consider myself a first year teacher... Even though I've been at the school for an entire semester. It felt like it wasn't quite MY class. I seriously cannot wait to begin fresh next year and be able to set my own rules and boundaries. So many things will be different. I didn't realize how hard it was to be an authority figure. It is just so much easier to say "fuck it" and let the kids slide but, I know this is not good for the students. I hate to admit it, but when kids are sleeping or talking or on their phones it's almost easier to let them continue and ignore them than to deal with the fight. I really do have high hopes for next year though. I think being able to set the rules from the beginning will be a huge help. The teacher before me was seriously lax. I wish I had come in stronger and more confident. I don't really think my kids learned much this year; besides hyperbole, it seems to be the only thing they remember. This makes me feel mildly good about the semester... At least they learned  something.
     So much for this being short... Over the summer I hope to update more, perhaps even add in some lesson plans... There are a few I am very proud of! There really is nothing like two months of planning time (one needs some time off). Finally, I understand why teachers need time off, these last few weeks have been the most exhausting of my life. The kids are restless and I have nothing new for them, I can't add anything to the final, and we are all just punting down the days. Cheers to a whole new year, new curriculum, new staff, and a new last name! Time for bed.

It Has Only Been a Million Years...

     Sorry there has been such a gap in posts.  I have just been so busy! Who would have ever thought that *sarcastic eye roll*.  I finished my three week take-over that is required of me from the University.  It was the mix of ups and downs I thought it would be.  It's overwhelming and frustrating being a student teacher.  I don't really know how to explain it.  You're trying so hard to find out who you are going to be as a teacher while still trying to maintain a classroom environment someone else has set up.  The whole thing is a bit frustrating.  I cannot wait to have my own classroom, to make my own decisions, and to be able to implement classroom management as I see fit.  Well, that's enough complaining.  Overall I thought my takeover went REALLY well.  The students really enjoyed me teaching and have even requested I keep going or that I get a job at the school.  This makes me feel a bit cocky.  I was also observed by the administration and in the best news of all I GOT OFFERED A FULL TIME TEACHING JOB!!! AYAYAYAYAY! But, my joy ends there... unfortunately the university will not let me go until the end of the semester. They won't budge not one bit. This is seriously the most frustrating thing I have EVER been involved in.  The prospect of finally making money is right there and because the school is on this whole, fair is fair, kick the school had to find someone else to fill the position.  Again, another rant over.  Anyway, at least the prospect of getting a job offer has made me confident of my skills as a teacher.  Anyway, graduation in soon and I'm looking forward to walking. Hopefully this won't be the last post but just the first of many, many more!

It Has Begun!

     Sorry it's been so long... not like anyone is reading this but hey, sometime in the future someone may stumble upon this and be all, "whaaaaaat?!?! Why was there such a break between those two posts!?!? It was just getting good, man."  So the first week went without a hitch.  It was kind of boring just sitting there and doing a lot of nothing but I got to interact with the students a bit and also learn about about the beginning of the school year procedures. 
     The first day is really just making sure the right kids are in your class and seeing if students may have moved to a different district or state.  While we were doing that we had the kids fill out note cards with their names and some interesting facts (fave music, color, food, etc.).  My teacher uses these for disciplinary action so when she has a problem with a student she can write it on the back of the card and date it.  I thought this was a really cool simple way to keep track of that without all the mess. 
     The second day was really fun.  We made-up name game called 'snowball' (I found out later that this is a Kagan strategy, so go us). We had the students write two interesting facts about themselves on a half-sheet of paper (save all the trees!) and then crumple this into a 'snowball'.  We then had the students toss, and of course we explained how to toss and not shot-put the paper balls, around the room.  After about 5 or 6 minutes we had them toss the balls to the front of the room. We asked the students in the front rows to collect enough 'snowballs' for their row and pass them back.  Each student then opened their 'snowball' and took turns reading the facts that were written on them.  If their facts were on the 'snowball' they had to stand and introduce themselves.  This was such a better game than that memorization one where the teacher always ends up having to say every kids name at the end and the students really seemed to enjoy their 'snowball fight'.
     Other than that that things have been going pretty well.  We did discover we have one kid that does not speak English at all but we are working with him to try and help him learn the vocabulary he will need to succeed at school.  He is the sweetest boy on Earth and you can tell he feels ashamed he doesn't know English.  He even pretends to do his work and just fills up papers with scribbles.  It breaks my little heart :(  Hopefully he will continue to work with him and we can help him succeed!
     We've also decided when and what I'll be teaching so that's super exciting and I can't wait to delve into all that.  Learning a lot about the daily routine and all the changes in technology that we're going through. Easy Grade Pro online?!?! You mean I can enter grades from home?!?! AHHH exciting stuff for us lol.   Other than that there hasn't really been any problem with students but I'm sure their time to test me will come.

Short & Sweet

     This wont be long.  I finished my first week-ish of school and it was amazing!  The students weren't yet in class but it was so enjoyable to learn the down and dirty of what teachers do before the students get there.  I think student teaching is really going to be an eye opening experience.  This may be the only thing that actually teaches me about what a teacher goes through.  My other experiences through P1 and P2 were just not as inclusive.  I was only there twice a week and I barely taught. 
    I'm excited to be there on a full time basis but man this not getting paid part BLOWS.  I like to jokingly say we're on the Top Ramen budget. Monday is the first day with students and I am so excited! It's a lot of just paperwork and setting rules and all that jazz but it should be fun.  I finally have my own desk which will be nice.  I've got some things to decorate it and show off my personality as well as organizational tools.  My mentor teacher definitely has the organizational bug and I really hope to pick up that habit from her.
   I'm sure I will have a lot more to say after tomorrow.  Can't wait to see all my new little students! 

One Down, Eighty More to Go!

     That was basically me this morning.  I was so nervous to go to school.  I don't know why.  It wasn't like the students were there but it was an opportunity for me to be introduced to the entire staff and meet up with my mentor teacher. 
     Funny story though! So in the typical fashion of my college/department, when I went to meet with my teacher the reaction I got was well... lets just say it was not a pleasant greeting.  The site supervisor took me over to meet her and as soon as she mentioned that the teacher would have a student teacher she looked at us, aghast, and said "what are you talking about.  I don't have a student teacher.  I've never had a student teacher.  No one told me any such thing."  Talk about a warm welcome.  Well the site facilitator walked off and I tried my best to create small talk and to reassure my "mentor" (I use that word loosely with her) teacher that I won't be a hindrance to her.  She wasn't really having any of it, stuck in her ancient ways. Thankfully there is a FANTASTIC lead mentor teacher there who, as soon as she caught wind of the snafu, came to my aid.  I was immediately transfered to a different mentor teacher.
     My new mentor teacher seems really nice and a real go getter but I'm a bit hesitant about how things will go.  I don't say this because we don't get along or anything like that.  Rather, it's the fact that I had classes with this girl! She's only been teaching for two years now and THAT makes me nervous.  I don't know if in my second year of teaching you could consider me a star candidate to become a mentor.  I'm sure it will be a learning experience for the both of us but man I think it is going to be a challenge. 
     Today consisted mostly of faculty meetings where we learned of new policies, how many students will be enrolled, and the basics of the day to day.  Tomorrow we're going in to help our teachers set up their rooms and hopefully get to talk to them more. We are also set to go to the department meetings which should be enlightening. I'm excited for the first day with my new students!


P.S. I GOT 10th GRADERS!!! Too excited! I've never had students this young.