Archive for the “Teaching Stories” Category

For those of us living in the West especially in Nevada and Arizona the Native American and South Western culture is a way of life or at least it was in my family’s life.   My parents were and still are Indian art fiends.  At the time I did not realize the significance that their love for this distinct culture would play in my later life or for my  students. 

Each year in mid to late fall we as a class cover our American Indian unit.  I didn’t realize how excited I was about the subject and how much anticipation I had built for it until my third year of teaching this same unit.  Many of our families have stair-step siblings. With our track scheduling every attempt is made to keep the families on the same track.  Thus the siblings share many of the same teachers and projects over the years.  It wasn’t until my third year with the subject matter that I realized how this little project had become something that was anticipated by the siblings of the following year’s class.  My parents had unknowingly bestowed a bigger gift upon us than I had realized. 

Since living in the Southwest territories we generally stick to studying the Western tribes.  Our unit always covers the basics such as the foods the tribes ate, the homes they built and lived in, the clothing styles they wore, the family unit style (maternal vs. paternal), and what type of tribe they were (hunting, gathering, farming, warring, or fishing).  Of course in whole group during the anticipatory set we cover some of the basic characteristics and qualities of a number of the Southwestern tribes but the fun comes when the students individually choose their desired tribe of study, groups are formed upon these choices. The groups work together to discover more about their tribe and as a group must later share and teach the rest of the class.

The groups must complete a written project board for the class museum walk, teach and demonstrate an art, whether that be a work of printed art, a dance, music, or some type of needlework representative of their tribe, and build an actual example of their tribal housing structure.  It is an involved project but the kids love it.  At the end of the project a test is given covering all of the information that the students have found during their research of their individual tribes.  Each year by the 2nd to 3rd day of whole group instruction the students are asking when they will get to start their group projects.  By the 2nd day of group work they are begging for more time to work and requesting to stay in at lunch and after school to work on their projects.  The first time this happened I thought I was hearing things.  I thought, “Are you crazy?  Its lunch time…go outside and play.  What’s wrong with you guys?” 

The first time I used this format was during my student teaching.  I was simply trying to wow my supervisor and that I did but something else happened as well.  What had started as a way to impress the “boss” wound up teaching me a few lessons.   If I put the effort forward to make the project important to me, it in turn made the project doubly important to the kids.  They took such interest and pride in their projects.  The second lesson I learned was not to make it too entertaining for your supervisor because he will come back every time you are teaching an American Indian lesson.  He only needed to see one lesson and he came back for 4 more!  That will teach me! 

I wish I could share more pictures of the kid’s projects with you all; unfortunately only one picture survived the move. 

One of the groups from my last semester decided they wanted their group to teach the entire class sand painting.  It turned out pretty cool and the class as a whole had a blast. 

Thanks to my mom and dad, thanks to my teaching supervisor, and especially thanks to my very special students who always remind me how much fun learning can be. 

With the holidays coming, test practice ramping up, and end of the trimester fast approaching I thought we were all in need of a good laugh.  After running into a very harried friend of mine who is completing her student teaching practicum, the thought was verified.  With that being sent I wanted to pass on a great email a music teacher friend had sent me.  Enjoy the laughs and don’t forget to give yourselves a break, after all we can only do so much in a day.  Have a great week!

The Five Stages of Teaching

Phase 1.  You are listening to jazz — Your first day at work is great. Your fellow teachers are wonderful, your classroom is cute, you love your students, and your principal is the best!

Phase 2. You are listening to pop music — After a while you are so busy that you are not sure if you’re coming or going anymore.

Phase 3.You are listening to heavy metal — This is what you feel like after ONE month.

Phase 4. You are listening to hip hop — You become bloated due to stress, you’re gaining weight due to lack of exercise because you are so tired and have so much school work to do when you get home, you feel sluggish and suffer from constipation. Your fellow teachers are too cheerful for your liking and the walls of your classroom are closing in. You have started thinking ‘WHATEVER’ about your principal.

Phase 5. You are listening to GANGSTA RAP — After more time passes, your eyes start to twitch, you forget what a ‘good hair day’ feels like as you just fall out of bed and load up on caffeine.

Phase. 6 You are listening to the voices in your head — You have a lock on your classroom door to keep people out, You wonder WHY you are even here in the first place and WHY did I become a teacher!

Laugh often, long and loud.
Laugh until you gasp for breath.
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh,
spend lots and lots of time with them

November 2008

While turning in my husband’s absentee ballot earlier last week I was confronted with an unexpected and exciting picture.  The entire board of elections building was surrounded and three parking lots were filled to capacity with people circling the lot like bees over a honey pot.  For the first time in my voting life I witnessed the fact that people were actually participating but more importantly they were excited to be participating in the voting process.  As Americans we have an inalienable right and duty to vote.  As many of us have heard from students and friends alike and we ourselves may have even stated, “Why should I vote?  My vote won’t count anyway. All votes count.

Which ever candidate you chose was a personal choice.  It isn’t about who won or who lost but the fact was that Americans’ cast their ballots with excitement and by the droves.  My mom and I chatted throughout the evening as the polls were closing about the process and how different her experience has been while casting her ballot as well.  She stated, “I am 65 years old and have voted in every primary and election since I was 18 years old and have never experienced such patriotism and excitement for the process as I have these past few weeks.”  Our country is badly in need of a change and for the 1st time in a long time people actually stood up and made their voices heard.  Let us hope that this passion continues. 

Either candidate would have brought change but only one could win the election. So congratulations to the winners of this week’s elections and may you continue to hold the favor of the people.  John F. Kennedy said it best, “We observe today not as a victory of party but as a celebration of freedom.”  The choice of the people voice was heard in this week’s election process.  Our founding fathers would be proud.  This week we made history.  Not only did this election have one of the highest voter turn outs ever but we elected the first man of mixed racial heritage to the presidency.   Some amazing events & changes have occurred this week.  America is an ever changing country, which in itself is what makes us one of the greatest countries in the world. 

Below you will find the information for The National Constitution Center.  I receive emails from them approximately once a month.  This site has been invaluable to me in many ways.  For those of you looking for a great center activity, you might want to take a look.  My students loved playing the educational games, which prompted some great class discussions.  Have fun and enjoy!  For those you who were curious but don’t have a lot of research time, I have listed the games that are currently being offered on the site.  These games are appropriate for students from 3rd grade through 12th grade.

The site address is www.constitutioncenter.org
From the complete, annotated Constitution, to a variety of games, podcasts and videos, the National Constitution Center’s online resources provide in-depth understanding of the Constitution and its relevance to citizens of every age.
Seize the Vote! Test your knowledge of voting rights and gain the right to participate in the ultimate act of citizenship for your characters!

Interactive Constitution The U.S. Constitution, including detailed explanations of the text is just a click away.

Citizenship Timeline This online experience highlights some of the key dates and events that mark more than 200 years of U.S. constitutional history.

Lincoln’s Crossroads What would you have done in Abraham Lincoln’s shoes? Uncover the decisions Abraham Lincoln made in the interactive game, Lincoln’s Crossroads.
Bill of Rights Game

Halloween is coming! Here in the Mid-West Halloween or All Hallows Eve is a big holiday. The kids in the neighborhood have been talking about the upcoming festivities for the past two months. Hayrides, corn field mazes, scarecrow making, pumpkin carving contests, pumpkin pie cooking contests, pumpkin crème cakes & pies in the grocery, yard decorating, haunted houses, and of course costume choices for the big day.

All of these festivities may seem common place to you Mid-Westerners or East Coasters but for a California transplant this is all beyond new and exciting. On the West Coast Halloween is really not a big holiday. Of course, the little kids still dress up and go trick-or-treating and there are a few haunted houses and parties but that is about it. October 31st in Nevada is Nevada Day, the day that Nevada became a recognized state in the Union. Thus in Las Vegas, Halloween takes a back seat to Nevada Day. The West has become shall we say, very politically correct; thus many of the joys of childhood as we older adults remember them have been lost. Keeping this in mind, I tell you the following story…..

One afternoon while living in California I was conversing with another teacher about the upcoming holiday and how bummed I was that we weren’t encouraged to celebrate the holiday in our classes. My buddy stated that the school didn‘t sanction it but that we had an East Coast parent, she wouldn’t say who, that was quite fond of the fun loving spirit of the holiday. I asked her what she meant, but she would say nothing more than wait and see. It would be worth it. She said that each year this parent seemed to outdo themselves and that this year was sure to be no different. I must say I was quite intrigued by this at the time but with everything else going on the conversation slipped my mind.

Halloween day arrived a few weeks later however the before mentioned conversation was no longer even a twinkle in my memory. All of my students filed into class, a few with masks and costumes for after school activities, but nothing too outrageous, and  actually not that unusual compared to any other day. We began the school day as any other and headed right into work on arithmetic.  In California it is still quite warm at the end of October so most of us leave our classroom doors open. About half way through the morning we heard what sounded like the cackling laugh of a witch. The students were way ahead of me on this one. We looked at each other and bolted for the doorways to see what in the world was going on. As we did we saw and heard the cackles of a green faced witch, cape billowing from her shoulders, carrying a little black Toto dog in the front basket of her bicycle as she was whooshing down our hallway screaming, “I’ll get you, my pretties! Ha Ha Ha Ha!!” The witch rode from hallway to hallway on the first pass through the school. On the second pass through, to the screams and applause of the children; the witch threw candy into the doorways of the classrooms and yelled “Happy Halloween!” By this point all of the kids were up and cheering the Wicked Witch of the East on. Of course, since one is not supposed to ride bicycles in the hallway, nor were we to be celebrating the holiday security was called to deal with the crazed and costumed bicycle riding witch. Our class was positioned at the end of the hall nearest the gate so we were able to see the Wicked Witch take flight out the gate yelling in a surprisingly deep voice, “Happy Halloween…you’ll never catch me!” and with that the witch was gone. Needless to say, the math lesson went by the way side.  Instead we broke into monster research teams and had a little fun with the rest of the day. My friend had kept her promise, it was a Halloween I will never forget. I hear there has been a different “frightening,“ visitor at the school each Halloween day for the past 5 years.

The crazy witch had disrupted the day but it was then that I remembered that it is up to each of us to keep the childish fun-loving nature of the holidays alive and well. It is part of our culture and past and thus by definition, a perfect history and social studies lesson.

Will there is a will, there is a way.

So go out, be silly. Decorate a pumpkin for your classroom. Have the kids practice their measuring techniques by making an actual pumpkin pie in class. Have them research past customs and “real” monsters of our times for group projects followed up with a museum walk occurring on the big day. Let the kids create scary Halloween stories then darken the room up and let them read them to the class. Study the numerous varieties of bats, their amazing capabilities, the effect they have on our environment, and play games using the facts the students collected and thought were “really cool.” Most of all have fun, enjoy the spirit of the day, and Happy All Hallows Eve to one and all!

Based on local values and cultural differences the policies and regulations vary from school to school and district to district but the issues seem to remain the same. Once we accept this fact and look outside of ourselves to the greater picture we might remember why we became teachers.  We wanted to make a difference. The system has worn us down. After years of hard work, we are tired. As the statement goes from our teens we have become “out of touch” with both our own dreams of change and the desires of our students.  It wasn’t that long ago that we were those students. 

My selfishness, and I suspect the selfishness and “pity me” attitude of a few of us was actually hindering the education of these little minds that we had taken an oath to build to their fullest potential.

We have great power as a group to work together. The strength of our group is built from both our similarities and our different perspectives as individuals.  If we wish to make a difference in our schools and the way they are run, we need to ban together and more importantly, stick together. Change can come from outside but at a great cost to our students and teachers.  We as teachers know the issues better than any other entity in the school system.  We witness it each and every day. We feel the same demands and difficulties with staff, students, and parents.  If we ban together not just as schools, but as districts we can ensure change at the local, state, and federal levels.  We teach our students that one person’s voice can make a difference; maybe it is time that we walk the walk and act upon these thoughts. 

Are we exhausted from life and our current work loads?  Yes. However we will  be far more exhausted if we stand by and idly watch as yet more inane testing is added or yet another new reading or math program is added in hopes of improving our schools test scores. Think back to when you first began teaching.  What was the thing that excited you so and why?  For me it was seeing the light bulb go on in students’ eyes when they got the concept form the lesson I had just taught.  What made the difference in my attitude by the third year in the public education system versus the first two years?  I had been indoctrinated into the system.  What was most important was no longer the kids love for exploration and fascination with the unknown.  It had become the test scores and the administration crap.  I had lost sight of my dream.  We must have these results by this time or the school will not be receiving the funding we need from the government.  Yes, we need guide lines but we also don’t need to break the spirit of both the students or their teachers.

 When are we as the “teaching professionals” going to make a stand?  We know what works with our students and our current testing regime is not it.  Take a moment and think back to your 1^st few years of teaching and marvel at the excitement (and exhaustion) it brings back.  Now what is standing in the way of this great feeling?  Yes, the current doctrine which has been proven not to work.  It is up to us to make the change.  Think about it, ask a friend, or even your students to do this same exercise and see how they feel.  We may be surprised to find they have become as apathetic as we have become.  Let’s bring the same concept of change being spoken of on our national political front back home, beginning with ourselves.  Change must start form within and I for one am stepping up to the plate.  One person can make a difference.  We are our students’ leaders.  It’s time to stop complaining and walk the walk. 

Sometimes we think we are so very different from one another.  We are all individuals. Then the alarm clock goes off and we must face the fact that we are actually very similar.  What makes us want to be different?  Why did I think my situation needed to be different from my fellow teacher in North Carolina?  It was rather ironic.  Why did I secretly wish that my problems with the school system and my daily trials with those challenging students would be different from the teachers I had broken bread with while visiting their school?  With this said, I was almost relieved to here that we shared so many commonalities. The dichotomy of the situation was almost humorous. 

In our culture it has been so ingrained that we are to be individuals first that we sometimes loose sight of the fact that we are all humans whose hearts all beat and pump the same color blood.  Why wouldn’t those working in the same profession share many of the same qualms?  Although we may have different perspectives and sometimes different values regarding these issues; our hopes, dreams, trials and tribulations are more common than we care to realize. 

When talking with other teachers over lunch at the school I was visiting, I came to the conclusion that despite all the differences in schools from district to district, many of our issues as teachers were the same.

During our lunch break a number of us were discussing some of these challenges.  As one gripe came up after another we began to chime in with nods and the “you are so right” replies.  We all agreed we would relish more behavioral parental support.  We lamented that our states of Ohio and Nevada are testing our students to death.  Some students are so burned out that the kids are simply making designs on their scan trons.  Nice creativity, but not good for our federal and state monies when the scores come in.  Of course, without dispute we agreed upon the fact that we worked far too many hours for the little pay that we receive.  It really is a sad fact that a man that simply holds a stop sign on the highway in a construction zone is remunerated at a higher wage than a certified teacher with 18 years or more of education. 

Did we find differences among our philosophies?  Sure. Were there disagreements on how to implement new programs?  Of course. Do we all want the best for our students and their families?  Most assuredly, yes. 

More on this subject to come.

Recently while visiting friends in Ohio I requested a class visitation at a small school in an affluent area of the NE region. I figured it would be a great chance to see how the school system ran in Ohio. I had come from large metropolis school districts. Would  schools in a smaller district have advantages or disadvantages I was not aware of?  Either way I was very curious, so off I went for my 1st day in a rural classroom.

The school was everything you would expect from a 60’s country setting. The facility was set on a small knoll, there were no fences (big change), and tons of grass & equipment for the children to romp & play on. Many of the parents were walking hand-in-hand with their children to school and it seemed as if all of the employees of the school knew each and every child and their parent on a first name basis. Wow!!! This was something special! Upon entering the school I received quite a welcome from the school secretary. She was a sweet-faced grandmotherly type who made me feel like I had just stepped into her living room. She directed me to my classroom of the day with my visitors pass and a promise that I could come to her if I needed anything at all. With that I stepped into a large room filled with tons of realia, manipulatives, children’s art work, and tiny little desks filled with miniature people. Their teacher was quite striking, tall, beautiful and in her mid 50’s. Both her gestures and her classroom management skills suggested she has been teaching for quite some time. I quickly found a seat in the back of the class until she was done making her morning announcements. Since this was 1st grade ,this morning discussion was on the weather, and how many days school had been in session, using counting sticks by 100, 10’s, and 1’s, a morning poem, turning in last night’s homework, saying the Pledge of Allegiance and the schedule for the day. Lastly, she introduced the stranger that had been lingering in the back of the class as a visiting teacher from Las Vegas. Boy, did the kids have lots of questions about that. I might as well have been from Mars. The teacher stated to the kids that I would be with them throughout the day so they would have plenty of time to learn about me. 
The students first period was Art, always a great way to start off any day. Paint, all the paper you can use, and freedom to draw anything only being graded by participation. That’s the way to go. The day continued with through math, computer lab, reading, writing and science uneventfully, but still entertaining and stimulating. Somewhere between reading and writing the scent of fresh baked cookies wafted down the hallway. Baking cookies in school?? What was this all about? Curiosity got the best of me just as the bell for lunch rang. We all lined up single file, walked down the hall, up the stairs, around the bend, and down the hall into the large table lined cafeteria following the scent of those amazing smelling cookies. It couldn’t be true. Could they possibly make these things on a regular basis??? After getting the kids settled in, I followed the teachers back to the kitchen; another shocking concept. The teachers actually ate the food as well? We all hovered back there over the oven picking up our hot, enticing smelling lunches. Another “Wow!”. There are cafeterias out there that actually cook their own meals and make their own menu?? Scarier yet, lunch tasted really good. You have to realize my students back in Vegas were eating frozen ham & cheese sandwiches for 4 months straight while our kitchen was being rebuilt. When I say frozen, I mean they were literally still frozen much of the time. Even after the renovation was complete, students and teachers still did not have freshly cooked meals. Food was brought from another school and then reheated.
At lunch the teachers and I discussed student progress, parent meetings, classroom management techniques, and of course our woes on these subjects. Of course there were many differences between my financially challenged school back in Las Vegas and this beautiful school here in Ohio but one thing did remain the same, the issues. Our vantage points might have been the different but what we were trying to achieve was the same.

The rest of the day was a blur of reading, a science experiment involving magnetic force, and the “hurry and get ready to go home” syndrome that all teachers face. At the end of the day I thanked my host teacher and her colleague next door for my very wonderful day with their students. They both said, “No, we must thank you.” I was a little taken aback for I had really done nothing except to assist were needed. I asked, “For what?” They said “For reminding us why we come to school each day.” “We have a wonderful school with amazing support from our student’s families. You come from such a difficult setting with so many challenges, little support, and yet you obviously love it and bring immense joy to your students. Thank you for reminding us that teaching is fun and a gift that only the lucky ones get to experience.” I was so stunned I had little to say except, a very small “You’re welcome.”
I had come to this school hoping to find a treasure and learn something of the region yet, without intending to, I had left these veteran teachers with a gift as well. It’s not about the experience or the amount of years you have been teaching. It is about the excitement you imbue into your content and the connection you make with your students. Thank you NE Ohio for a wonderful day with some amazing kids.

Teacher Gifts at HomeroomDirect.com

Homeroom® Teacher’s Blog is pleased to introduce you to Franki, our new contributing blogger.
In her own words:

“My name is Francesca Hutchins-Huff, Franki to my friends. I didn’t grow up with the desire to be a teacher. In a way, it happened by default. In my previous professional life I was a consultant for Texaco Refinery, teaching interpersonal skills to a diverse, international group of people. During a period of down-sizing, I went from there to working with the senior population, assisting them in understanding their medical benefits under the latest Medicare system, advising on living trusts, and most importantly, how to take their medical care into their own hands. Although this job was rewarding, there was no room for advancement. At the time I decided I would take some classes until something better came along. It did. I just didn’t know it at the time. I decided that I wanted to work with children. I took a leap of faith and I didn’t look back. 

For the past 4 years I have been teaching 1st and 3rd grades as well as middle school in Long Beach, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.  Since I began teaching, I got married, relocated to Ohio, and became a step-mom. Learning how to be a mother has been its own rewarding challenge. When I moved I also became a private tutor. Although classroom teaching and tutoring may seem very different, I could not say one has been more rewarding than the other, they are just different. Each day that I work in education I learn as much, if not more, from my students as they learn from me. The experience and the knowledge I gain from life, teaching and my interactions with others inside the classroom or out are an invaluable gift to me. As my grandfather used to say “If you don’t learn something new every day of your life, you might as well cash in your chips and go home because you just wasted a day.” That is my motto exactly.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts, insights and experiences in teaching and I look forward to hearing from you”

Great Gifts for Teachers

Do you have a story about being a teacher? We’d love to hear it. Please click on “Comments” below to share  your story with us.