3rd Quarter Crunch

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It's that time of year. Thought your seniors had senioritis before?

Oh no.


Now is the time that their true daydreaming, slacker tendencies make themselves known.

Thinking back to my own senior year (a short 6 years ago) I can recall football games, senior camp out, senior skip day, homecoming.... and not much about what I actually learned.

What I do remember are the great teachers that had an impact on my life, on my future and the amazing memories made on that campus. That great teacher is the kind of teacher that I hope I can be for some of these kids.

 I don't remember what my English teacher taught me, but she showed me how to work like a college student and helped me to love literature. I don't remember a bit about what my history teacher taught me, but his stories and blunt honesty will stick with me. My psychology teacher was strict but her kindness towards students who gave a damn was immense.

These three teachers in particular- Mrs. Gorski, Mr. O'Brien, and Mrs. Browning weren't especially unique in their teaching techniques. We read a lot in English, took notes in history, and read the book for psychology. It was the teachers themselves imparting the information and treating us like adults that made me want to make them proud.

Back to my students now-

How do I get them motivated that way?

As a student, I know I was different that the majority of the students I teach. I wanted to go to college and took harder classes because of it. I always completed my work and rarely missed school. My students work full-time. They miss schools constantly. They really don't like English or reading. They are mostly planning on technical schools, the military, or community college.

I want to need to find a way to make my subject relevant to their lives while still meeting benchmarks, Sunshine State Standards, and Marzano's ultimate decision that teachers have no mind of their own and need to be told how to do basic skills such as monitoring, scaffolding, and lesson planning.


The question is how?

I know I've learned a lot during this school year already...

1. Be prepared
2. Always have a back up lesson plan or idea.
3. If you're going to show a movie you better make it tie into the curriculum or be able to explain why you're showing A Bug's Life to your administrators.
4. Always ask administration before doing something questionable. Always.
5. Planning ahead is a good idea- planning Monday morning before the bell rings is realistic.
6. Lessons don't always go how you planned- some take much longer than you planned. Some are over before you even realize you have to find something else to do.
7. Students can tell when you care and will work accordingly.
8. Having other teachers to vent and laugh with is crucial. Don't get too busy to talk to them.
9. Make friends with the copy lady, media center people, attendance clerk, guidance.... They will all make your life easier if they like you.
10. Be honest with your students.


Can't wait to add more to that list!
And now, on to the lesson planning i've been putting off... Or maybe I'll wait 'til the morning.