calling all teachers (or anyone else :))

RubesMom · 08-13-2008, 04:25 PM

I'm bumping this up so it doesn't get forgotten. I have a feeling once school starts, it'll be a pretty happenin' thread.
When do people start? I'm starting two classes on Aug. 19, a few the week of Aug. 25, and another sometime in September. I kind of like the idea of getting back into things slowly. It allows me time to adjust.

allison · 08-13-2008, 06:40 PM

Hey Rube

I start the 25th. I've been in this week setting up my classroom... it's hard when I kind of just shoved stuff everywhere at the end of June... lol.

I had a new idea about homework. This is more for elementary teachers I guess:

Each day, the students who have all of their HW complete get to put their name in a raffle and on Friday I choose for some sort of special priviledge... like lunch with me or free HW pass, etc.

I'll let you know how it works out

RubesMom · 08-13-2008, 07:39 PM

Allison,
I think that sounds like a great idea! I don't think I could use it at my level, but maybe I could modify it somehow. Anyway, I think it would definitely work for elementary!

RubesMom · 08-18-2008, 07:32 PM

How's school goin', everyone?

allison · 08-18-2008, 07:35 PM

Haven't started yet! My classroom is all set up (well almost lol). I'm working on lesson plans. I'm looking for good ideas, sites, etc. for kids about the candidates for the upcoming presidential election.

How bout you rube?

RubesMom · 08-19-2008, 12:02 PM

That's a good idea, Allison. I should do something like that with my international students; it would be a great cultural learning experience for them. The problem is that I just don't get politics sometimes--I probably wouldn't be the best person to teach it to them!
Anyway, I start two of my classes today--on eis at 12:30 and the other is at 2. Just going over the syllabus, schedule, doing brief introductions, and giving assessments to make sure that they have been placed into the right class!
I totally agree with what someone said earlier about establishing rapport, but I find I have to set boundaries first. I don't know if it's me personally or if it's being at the university level, but if I don't immediately make it clear what I expect, then all sorts of problems arise-- people missing class or coming late, not doing homework, expecting me to accept latework which is something I usually don't do. I tend to be a hardass the first couple of weeks, then I chill out once they get it into their heads that I mean what I say. I used to try it the other way around, but students would try to take advantage of me and then it was very difficult to undo what had already been done, if that makes any sense. And maybe part of it is being young (and students usually think I am younger than I really am). If they see me as their 'friend', it's more difficult to set boundaries and get the students to respect them.
Anyway, that's the end of my rant! I think it actually helped me get mentally prepared for the first day!

allison · 08-19-2008, 12:07 PM

OMG I know what you mean about looking young! I'm 4'10" and 90 pounds... I have to be a total hardbutt too the first few weeks!

When I was in college I loved the professors that used to set boundaries right away. It meant that the lazy people couldn;t get away with crap while the rest of us worked hard.

I know what you mean about teaching politics. I feel the same way. Obviously at the
5th grade level it's very basic. I could understand how it would be hard with adults.

Back to the grind tomorrow!!!! Is it June yet????

FilleBelle · 08-19-2008, 01:46 PM

Haha, you thought when I said "relationship" that I meant "friendly relationship!" I absolutely am not my students' friends. The relationship I establish is very firmly that of teacher and student. Still, I find it better to spend the first day in getting to know each other and the classroom rather than in spewing out rules and regulations. Students learn rules just as easily through demonstration as they do through lecture and every teacher is giving a lecture about his or her rules on the first day of class. If I wait a few days, I'm the only one talking about rules and classroom procedures, so I know I have more of their brain power dedicated to the conversation.

I am also young (25) and look younger. Even more strange, I teach at the high school from which I graduated!

allison · 08-20-2008, 09:51 PM

First full day today with just teachers...UGH!!!!! I'm soooo not ready... where did my summer go???

Is it June yet? lol

RubesMom · 09-04-2008, 08:04 PM

Okay, by now I guess everyone's semesters or school years are well under way.
I'm teaching English as a Second Language at the university level, but I'm also doing some teacher training for 10 English teachers from Korea. They teach differently over there--- they focus a lot on reading and grammar and not so much on the speaking and communicative types of activities. So... I'm trying to show them some of the fun things I do with my students so they can take it back to Korea in February.
I do this activity called 3 Adjectives. I put the students into 2 teams. I hand out a list of personality adjectives, such as lazy, interesting, outgoing, shy, curious, etc. and I tell each student to choose 3 that they feel describe them and write them on a piece of paper. They hand me their adjectives and I write each group of 3 adjectives on the board, like this:
a) curious, intelligent, shy
b) messy, outgoing, lazy
c) crazy, funloving, curious

I write one team's adjectives like that on one side of the board and I do the other team's on the other side. Then each team must talk and figure out which person from the other team corresponds with which set of adjectives. I give them maybe 10 minutes to do this and come up wiht a final list. They must come to a consensus. Then I have each team tell who they THINK each group of adjectives goes with, and then the opposite team members fess up and tell whether they were right or wrong.

This is good for reviewing vocabulary about personality adjectives, and the students have fun doing it.

allison · 09-04-2008, 08:11 PM

What a great idea...I LOVE that activity!!! I am so doing that tomorrow!

What a great thing you are doing training those teachers!
My class is awesome this year.. I am having a really good time so far!

Only thing is that I am EXHAUSTED!!!!!

RubesMom · 09-04-2008, 08:17 PM

Awesome! I'll be interested to hear how it turns out.
I'm glad you're having a good time so far. I am too.

jbray01 · 09-08-2008, 11:35 AM

thats so cool that there are so many college profs here..

i would love to be a prof and teach philosophy or brit lit or something...

i'm just too lazy to go get my phd!! haha sounds like great credentials to be a prof!!

allison · 09-08-2008, 07:04 PM

lol... you will do it when the time is right for you

BTW Rubes...haven't tried that activity yet... been super slammed, but I will let you know when I do!

syrinx · 09-08-2008, 09:53 PM

i am a 7th grader and personally an over achiever and i think that those kind of games are stupid i think that day should be for kids talking and catching up on their summers.

allison · 09-08-2008, 09:56 PM

Luckily I teach 5th grade

RubesMom · 09-09-2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syrinx

i am a 7th grader and personally an over achiever and i think that those kind of games are stupid i think that day should be for kids talking and catching up on their summers.

What kinds of games are you referring to? It seems to me that you have not thoroughly read this thread and are not familiar with my teaching situation and explanations for why I do what I do in my classroom.
As mentioned earlier, many of these games are used on the first or second day for that purpose--catching up, getting to know each other, or learning something new about a person beyond the usual what's your major or what's your favorite color.
In my field, it's immensely important to do activities that teach or reinforce a skill in a way that simulates real-world interaction. So while some of the activities I do in my classroom may seem like 'stupid' games, my students are learning and practicing their language skills while also having fun.

Since you are an over-achiever, I suggest you read a thread more thoroughly before putting something down, and if you still don't like some of the ideas, try to express so in a more intelligent way, ie, above and beyond simply saying "that's stupid".

Quote:

Originally Posted by allison

Luckily I teach 5th grade

Allison, if that was meant the way I think it was meant, then I'm with you, only I am glad I teach mostly full-grown adults.

allison · 09-09-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RubesMom

What kinds of games are you referring to? It seems to me that you have not thoroughly read this thread and are not familiar with my teaching situation and explanations for why I do what I do in my classroom.
As mentioned earlier, many of these games are used on the first or second day for that purpose--catching up, getting to know each other, or learning something new about a person beyond the usual what's your major or what's your favorite color.
In my field, it's immensely important to do activities that teach or reinforce a skill in a way that simulates real-world interaction. So while some of the activities I do in my classroom may seem like 'stupid' games, my students are learning and practicing their language skills while also having fun.

Since you are an over-achiever, I suggest you read a thread more thoroughly before putting something down, and if you still don't like some of the ideas, try to express so in a more intelligent way, ie, above and beyond simply saying "that's stupid".

Allison, if that was meant the way I think it was meant, then I'm with you, only I am glad I teach mostly full-grown adults.

No, I'm pretty sure how she meant it was the way you took it, too. I just refuse to argue with 12-13 year olds when I've spent the entire day with 10-11 year olds who would not have dared showed that kind of disrespect

Anywayyyyyy... how's your week going?

RubesMom · 09-09-2008, 08:12 PM

Oh, I actually meant what YOU said, Allison, about luckily teaching fifth graders, but I think we are on the same page.
Fifth graders are still pretty cute, and adults for the most part have their heads on straight, it's those inbetweeners who one day want to be treated like an adult and the next day want to act like a child. I contemplated NOT arguing with the 13 year old, but since she's an overachiever, I figured she could handle it.

FilleBelle · 09-09-2008, 09:20 PM

Seventh graders are "too cool" (read "too insecure") for games. By the time syrinx hits high school, s/he will be comfortable enough to enjoy stupid games again. My 10th graders go gaga for anything that involves a fun-sized candy bar as a prize!

I started last Thursday and all has been fine and dandy so far. Thanks to California's budget cuts, everyone's class sizes increased. I had huge classes last year, though, so I'm not feeling it quite as much as some of my colleagues. Still, with 41 kids in each of my 5 classes, it's going to be a bummer grading essays.