Being a successful teacher

In Harry Wong's last couple chapters of his book, he discusses the differences between a worker and a leader. I really like how he explained some of these things, "A worker cares about time and money...A leader cares about enhancement and cooperation." He goes on to say that leaders are professionals, and that professional teachers are in charge of their class. Wong also says that "Leaders have control over their own live" because they choose their lifestyle. Something that I personally believe is a choice is happiness, so I believe that these two things relate with each other.

In my classroom, I will choose to be the leader and I will choose to be happy. Wong says, "A person's behavior will determine what choices that person will make." My behavior will eventually effect other people, so as long as I am able to keep choosing positivity, I will have a successful classroom.

Being an "enhancement person" will be another important factor to my happy and successful classroom. I will strive for greatness to help my students and other teachers around me.

Cooperative Learning

"Cooperative learning refers to a set of instructional techniques whereby students work in small, mixed-ability learning groups." It's important to incorporate cooperative learning within a classroom. It is an important part of building social skills within students. In its simplest form, cooperative learning looks like students working together in a group. Here are three ways I will encourage cooperative learning in my future classroom.

1. Dividing the classroom into groups
       I am a strong believer that students learn mainly from other students and building thoughts off of each other. Dividing a classroom up into groups will be a must in my classroom for this exact reason. Wong makes an important point, "cooperative groups should be heterogeneous in terms of ability, sex, ethnicity, and other personal characteristics." At the beginning of the year, my groups would be divided by sex, but as I learn the students educational level, the groups would change to ability. This way they are able to grow together and nurture each other's education without realizing it.

2.Stations will be an important part of my lesson plans
      When the student groups are doing stations most of their learning comes from each other. They are able to really help each other. I will do my best to help the students realize why station time is important to each of their growth. Wong says, "For cooperative learning to be successful, the students really have to believe that they are in it together and to care for each one another's learning."  I want my students to realize that they can make the difference for each other.

3. Group Projects
        Of course individual projects are important, they help show that each student clearly understand the assignment and objectives. But group projects are important too because they help improve social skills. When I put a group together, I will not just throw a group of students together. Each one will play a specific role and be expected to fufill it. It's important that each students take different turns playing different roles to understand the importance of different jobs. They'll also learn how to work with people that they might not even stand. It's an important fact of life that we need social skills to survive in the world. My students will have a basis of those skills when they leave my class.

There are many different ways to incorporate cooperative learning wishing a classroom. These are three ways that will be shown in my future classroom. It might stressful at first, and the kids may not want to work together, but eventually they will learn how it will help them.

Here are some links that have more information about cooperative learning:

http://www.behavioradvisor.com/CoopLearning.html

http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/cooperative/index.html

http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-cooperative-learning-in-the-classroom-strategies-benefits-definition.html

Tests

Tests are things that most people dread, especially students with test anxiety. Teachers should be sure not to use tests as a punishment. In Harry Wong's book, he says that the major reason for giving a test is to find out if students have accomplished the objectives of the assignment. Tests should be used to monitor and asses learning, and tests help show where students need corrective help.

When a teacher gives a test, it should not be a passage of time, need to put grades in the grade book, or a period to kill time. Each test should be written with a purpose to assess student's mastery of assignments. To write tests, teachers should be sure to make sure each question corresponds with an objective. Wong says, "The basis of every test is the objectives for each assignment."  It's important to keep questions based on the objectives so that students and teachers can monitor learning.

Tests are also important to see where a student might need help. Wong says, "If you do not correct and remediate, learning gets worse as the year progresses." Students need to master a topic before they move on to the next one, correcting will help see what went wrong, or help clear what was not understood. Teachers should not just give the test over again, but clarify the objectives and what is needed to be learned.

Tests might always be something students dread, but they need to realize it is only there to help them. Tests only can help improve a student's mastery. Teachers don't give grades, students earn grades.

Here are some links to give more info on testing:

http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/teaching-to-the-test/

http://m.wikihow.com/Make-Tests-Fun

http://www.uky.edu/~kdbrad2/EPE773R/StudentPapers/ConsumerBehavior.pdf

Don't cover, Uncover!

One thing that I have noticed in my site classroom is that students don't seem to ever do their homework! It seems like an impossible task to get them to accomplish assignments. As I read Harry Wong's First Days of School, I see that the students may not be doing their work because they do not completely the assignment. They also may not be working hard enough to comprehend the lesson.

An important thing for teachers to remember is that the student is responsible for the learning and achievement. Wong says, " The role of a teacher is not to COVER. The role of a teacher is UNCOVER" (pg 209). Take a minute and think about this. Teachers always say, "This week, we will cover..." It is important that we don't cover things, but we uncover the knowledge the students will gain. A teacher should simply lay out what the student's need to do and learn to have academic success and leave the learning and work to the students.

When teachers are creating their lesson plans, they should not ask, "What am I going to cover?" but instead, "What are my students going to learn?" If you plan your lesson plans on what you are going to cover, you will be the one doing all the work. If you plan your lesson with what your students will accomplish and know at the end of each lesson, your students will be more successful. Wong makes an important statement in his book, he says, "The person who does the work is the ONLY one who learns" (pg. 204). If teachers plan all their lessons to when their just the ones teaching, they are the only one getting work done. Teachers should have students do the work , so that the students learn and are able to achieve their goals.

Wong says, "If students know what they are to learn, you increase the chance they will learn." Focusing on objectives in the classroom make a difference in student achievement. Objectives help teachers and students alike.When objectives are clearly written, it tells students what needs to be accomplished and learned. When objectives are clearly written, it tells teachers what is to be taught.

 The goal of a test should be to see if the students mastered the assignment. Wong defines mastery as, "ability to use what has been comprehended." Students should be able to break down and explain what they learned. I think that it is important to test students so you can see their development in a subject.

The most important thing that I took away from this chapter is to plan with the end in mind and uncover what the students need to learn.

Effective Discipline Plan

In The First Days of School by Harry Wong, he states that teachers must have a discipline plan to succeed in the classroom. He even says, "If you do not have a plan, you are planning to fail." I strongly agree with this statement. When you don't have a plan, you resort to yelling and screaming, which gets no where with students. Having a set and stable discipline plan will help a class flow more smoothly.

Wong says that the basic structure of a discipline plan is made up of rules (expectations), consequences, and rewards (incentives). He sets a list in his book of things to do in setting up your discipline plan. Rules should be the base of the classroom and help the days flow. Consequences should be known as what the student chooses to accept if a rule is broken. This helps create student responsibility with the choice of following the rules. Rewards are what the student receives for appropriate behavior.

There is an argument that “the number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines.” I strongly agree with this. Like I said in my last post,about discipline, consistency is key. If the students don't have a strong foundation in the discipline plan that is set, they will wobble and shake within the rules causing discipline problems. Students need to have a set routine and procedures that they follow, they have to know what to expect day in and day out.

Welcoming to Class

When your students walk into your classroom, they already decide what the class will be like and how they will act in class. It's important to set up a positive classroom climate the minute students walk in. You want the students to know what is expected, but feel welcomed at the same time.

In Harry Wong's First Day of School, he makes really good point. He says, "People welcome people." I think is extremely important in welcoming students into the classroom. If the teacher is not at the door welcoming students into class, who (or even what) is? The door, the desk, the whiteboard, the assignment? These aren't pleasant things to be welcomed by. Teachers should make a point to stand at the door and welcome students in.

If a teacher is not at the door to greet and just stays at his/her desk until the bell rings, they'll be seen as "a monster from a dungeon." Class time is already torture for some students, why make it worse and be a monster that is only there for class time? A teacher should welcome at the door and give a friendly smile to not look like such a monster.

In the future, I will definitely take into account things that Wong suggests to do in his book. One of the suggestions that I really liked was taking roll at the door. This way I will be able to actually meet the person and try to put names and faces together better. I also liked how he said that all info they need should be on the board. This way there aren't as many questions to be asked and it is all laid out in front of the students.

On the first day of school, I will be sure to welcome my students in and create as positive of an environment as I can.

Classroom Management and Discipline

The words 'classroom management' seems like such a simple topic, right? All it means is how well the teacher can manage the classroom. But when it comes down to actual having a sense of a productive classroom management, it can be more difficult. Along with classroom management, discipline is a hard thing to get at a healthy and productive medium. I think the key to mastering both is consistency.

In the past, I have had teachers that seem really strict at the beginning of the year, but they start becoming loose with their rules and policies as the year goes on. As they loose their classroom management and discipline, they loose their students as well. When the teacher tries to wrangle up his/her students, he/she can become easily frustrated because they already let the reins go and students are running with no one guiding them.

I've also had teachers that weren't perfect, but they found what worked for their classroom in terms of management and disciple. They kept things consistent. The teacher would always have the same consequences for every level of actions. Her classroom procedures are always followed through the same way. These teachers that I had, I learned the most in. Consistency is key.

As a future, I will try different ways to manage my classroom each year until I realize what works best with me and my classroom. I will change as I see things needed, but my main goal is to be as consistent as I can be with my policies and discipline.

Of course there are other things that factor into creating good classroom management skills. Here's a site of tips for new teachers.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/classroom-management-tips-novice-teachers-rebecca-alber

If I Were Charge of the World...

If I were in charge of the world 

Netflix would be free,

There'd be no negativity,

And coffee would come in an IV

If I were in charge of the world,

There would be more time in a day,

More gentlemen to hold doors open for ladies,

And Friday would be changed to 'Friyay.'

If I were charge of the world, 

There would be food for all, 

People could pay with smiles,

And everybody would say 'y'all.'

If I was in charge of the world, 

Stars Hollow, Tree Hill, and Pawnee would actually be real,

There'd be adorable puppies everywhere,

And two Christmases a year.

If I were in charge of the world,

Dr. Pepper is something the doctor would recommend.

I would cancel school

And learn from world experiences.

Travel would be cheaper and love would be deeper.

Picture Book Month

 The month of November celebrates picture books! Seems like a weird concept, right? Why celebrate picture books? Most of the time, these books seems like just a simple form of entertainment for kids. But when looked at deeper, picture books provide many learning opportunities. Not only mental learning, but opportunities for emotional learning and human experiences.

 Students seem to relate with picture stories and take away lessons from them. Even if it's some simple topic such as being a friend, or even a lesson being learned about adding. Picture books are able to relate the stories to topics that students need to know.

Being in a middle school math classroom it makes harder to find books to relate to any lessons taught. I still remember being in middle school and my math teacher reading, Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi by Cindy Neuschwander. This book is a play on words of vocabulary used in math. I loved this book and I'll always be able to connect back to this story when I am using the circumference formula. In my future classroom, I can definitely see myself reading my students this book and coming up with worksheets or activities to go along with it. Neuschwander also has other books that could be used in the classroom and I am sure they are just as great as the last one.

As a future teacher, I'll be sure to include picture books in my lesson plans and in my classroom. They are just as important as other books. To me, picture books are the underrated classroom textbooks.

Below are links that use Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi, one is the reading of the book online and the other is different activities that could be used in lesson plans.

Reading of Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi

Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi Activities

A Teacher's Reputation

  When I got my class schedule for my junior year of high school, I scanned the list of names. Different thoughts ran across my mind as I read each name, "This teacher is really strict" or "Oh, this will be an easy class, the teacher is cool." I was already judging how the teachers would be and how I would act in their class based off of their reputation. 

  On the first day of school, I could tell some of the teachers with a "chill" reputation tried to be a little more strict. They would tell their class that they're "going to really enforce the rules this year," but there were still students whispering that she wouldn't be able to last the first six weeks. Eventually by the end of the first semester, most rules were thrown out the window, and the teacher's reputation stood.

   A teachers reputation will recede them throughout their teaching career. If students hear that you didn't enforce the rules or actually do any work in the class, then they won't follow any rules or do any work that you give. Students won't give you any respect if your reputation is bad.

  As a future teacher, I plan on maintaining and protecting my reputation by being the teacher I wish I had at that age. I want to be the teacher that is seen as fun and loving, but not a leader of a blow off class. I want to be the teacher that cares about the student's education and works to their fullest potential, but not the teacher that overwhelms students with work. Hopefully, I will be able to find a medium between the two and create a good reputation for my teaching career.

5 Resourceful Teaching Blogs!

This is a list of blogs that I found that look extremely useful and educational. I look forward to using these and many more throughout the year to help me this year on my new adventure!

1. Middle School Math Rules!
  This blog is ran by a 7th grade math teacher, who you can tell obviously loves her job! She has many resources posted and different activities that you can pull from. Not only does she post just her products, worksheets, and activities, but she also posts about classroom management, student engagement, and building relationships. This is a blog I can see my self going to all the time!

2. The Classy Teacher
   Ran by an elementary school teacher, this blog posts classroom management ideas, technology uses, and ideas on math and science assignments and activities. She also post things to help keep teachers organized, such as cute labels for folders, drawers, and calendars. I will use this blog, especially when it comes time to get organized.

3. Fast Times of a Middle School Math Teacher
  In this blog, ran by a middle school math teacher, there are many fun activities and lesson plan ideas to be taken from! The author posts stories and pictures of the activities done in class, and from the looks of it, it looks super fun! You can clearly tell that this teacher has a creative side that makes you feel inspired to do something more than just taking notes every day in class. I am excited to take one of these ideas and put my own twist to it for one of my own lessons!

4. Lessons From the Middle
  This blog is written by a middle school teacher who is very insightful. Her posts make you think and wonder about certain topics such as teacher inquiry. It is a blog that will help form you and discover who you are as a teacher. It will form thoughts about the education system and how you will fulfill you're role as a teacher.

5. Little Miss Middle School 
   This blog, ran by a middle school teacher, posts lesson ideas and interactive activities in math, science, literacy, and character education. Most of her ideas are based around holidays. So when time gets closer to specific holidays, this is a blog you will want to check out! She also posts cute things that teachers would like, such as t-shirt ideas. 

This Week at Sites...

   At sites, I am able to assist students with their class work and answer any questions they might have about their work.  I've noticed that most of the kids have the same exact difficulties in a certain area, such as rounding, mentally adding and subtracting, etc. These kinds of actions should be easily done for 7th graders even though they will have a few mistakes in mental math, it is natural. 7th graders should not still be counting on their fingers when adding 8 plus 7, it should for the most part come as second nature. 7th graders should know how to round, when you are having to take a day to teach about rounding to students, it will set them back from where they need to be in the material. All of their main difficulties are things that should have been mastered in the 4th-6th grade.

I remember being in the 5th grade and completing minute worksheets that had about 20 questions. These questions could be anything; addition, subtraction, multiplication, or even a mixture of all of them. These little tests helped me memorize simple problem, and it has helped me in the long run. Whenever I'm working out a long complicated problem, it's easier for me because I'm able to do quick operations because I have things memorized. In my future classroom, I will have these minute tests to help keep up the usage of these skills.

It is crucial in math to keep building on your skills. You can't teach something once or twice, test over it, and then move on. Bring the topic into the next topic you teach. For example, if the kids learned about rounding in one chapter, use rounding in problems in future topics and units to maintain and nurture that skill of rounding.

I'm taking in everything I notice at sites like a sponge, soaking up all the knowledge and skills I can to use in my future class room.

Top Ten Things I Wish I Knew My First Year of Teaching

The first year being in any teaching position is always hard, and looking back there are always things you wish you would've known before you started. After reading Love, Teach Blog, I decided to write my own list. This is my top ten list of things that I wish I had known! (Note: They are not in any specific order!)

1. Be nice, but firm.
Don't try to be buddies with the students and try to get them to listen to you at the same time. These two do not work together. I had to learn the perfection combination of kindness and firmness, in fact I am still trying to master it. It is so important to learn, it not only will help you in your classroom, but this structure will nurture the student's learning.

2. It's all okay!
If a lesson plan or your plans for the day don't go the way you expected to, it is okay! If the kids want to do a station a different way than set up, but they're still getting the concept, it's okay! If you have to take more time to go over something, it is okay! As long as students understand what you are teaching, then it will all be okay! Just breathe!

3. Know how to fix paper jams.
Knowing how to fix a paper jam has helped me tremendously! When you are in a rush and have to make a stack of copies in only a certain time, a paper jam is coming your way. It just seems to always happen that way. Knowing how to fix a paper jam in a quick amount of time helps! Other teachers will love when you are in the work room, but with great power comes great responsibility. If all the teachers know that you are amazing with the copy machine, they will always want you to help them! Be careful on who knows your secret power!

4. Don't be scared to ask for help!
If you are head over heels in work and are lost on what to do, don't be scared to ask for help! Don't be to proud to show your weaknesses. Asking for help may give you a new perspective or another teacher may have a better way to do something or do something you would have never thought of. Even if you don't need help, it will take you the extra mile just to get extra help.

5. Listen to criticism.
Asking other teachers for help could include asking them to point out things you are doing wrong or what you could do better. Listen to what they have to say! Everything that they tell you is valuable to your teaching career.

6. Don't take everything to heart. 
Some criticism can be very useful and constructive, other times other's words can be harsh and hurtful. Don't take it to heart! Learn how you can use it to make you better. Take the advice and make sure you do whatever it is to not make them not say it again. Use everything people say to your advantage in making you the best teacher you can be.

7. Perfection comes by time.
No one is perfect at anything they do the first time unless they're not human. You are going to make mistakes. I can't count the times I thought, "Well that was awful." I had to learn that perfection comes over time and that perfection may not even be reachable, but I can sure try to reach it. I learned to think, "There's only room for improvement."

8. Take the time to say, "Good Morning!" to everyone.
Don't be the person that nobody wants to see in the morning. Bring the sunshine into the school. Say good morning and smile to everyone. It will start everyone's day on a better note.

9. Find the quiet in the chaos.
There will always be moments of chaos in the classroom, learn to find the peaceful moments and savor them.

And finally,

10. Laugh!
Make your year and your student's year memorable. Laugh in the fun times. Laugh through all the mistakes. No matter if you think so or not, the end of the school year is approaching and it's coming quickly. Be able to laugh with your students and your colleagues. It will make the year more fun for all.

21st Century Teachers

I think it is important to have some form of technology used in the classroom to educate students. The use of technology teaches students that the phone in their hand is a learning tool rather than just something to play games, tweet, or post pictures with. When students are able to use technology for learning and find more uses for it, they use it more outside of school for learning purposes.

Teaching with technology can be hard, especially if you don't understand how to use it properly. Being a 21st teacher, you have to know more about the iPads/computers/or whatever you use, more than the students. This can be hard, as a teenager, I sometimes don't even know what I'm doing. Some days, you'll just have to learn as you go.

Using technology, students are able to learn in all their different learning styles. If students are visual learners, they can watch videos on whatever topic they need. Audio learners can listen to podcasts over a topic. There are apps that teachers can create games for interactive learners. All different learners are able to use technology for their advantage!

As a student who is being forced to use technology for school, some days I like it and some days I strongly dislike it. When I am able to actually use for what I need to and can accomplish my task stress-free, then I love it. When I am not able to turn in assignments because the iPad doesn't want to work with me, then I hate it. I think the way we have the students use the iPad and all the restrictions the school puts on them is frustrating and stressful for the students, especially when they are not able to do their work.

Overall, besides all the kinks, I think technology in the classroom is extremely useful. It shouldn't be overused to when students hate it though. The links below talk about technology in the classroom and what it takes to be a 21st century teacher.

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/15-characteristics-21st-century-teacher
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/technology-in-the-classroom/
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/technology-in-the-classroom

Where I Find The Treasure In Teaching...

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."

I find the treasure in teaching when I see the student's potential and I know that they will be able to break through it. Children have the world at their hands if they are given the right education and care. As a teacher, I believe it is my job to give the student the best education that they could get any where. I want each of my students to be successful in life and be able to be and do whatever they want to be or do. It's my job to help them get there and help each student realize their own potential as well. Helping my kids realize they can do anything they can set their mind to is where I find my treasure in teaching.

www.educatorsrising.org

Finding Your Marigold

In companion planting, Marigolds are planted with other plants to help and nurture their growth. They are good boosters for the plants, sharing and providing nutrients that other plants might need. Just as there are marigolds in a garden, there are marigolds in your school. These are teachers that help others grow as teachers. It is important to find your marigold and stay close to them.

Everybody's first year of teaching is a difficult year in one way or another, finding your marigold will help you stay positive and believe in yourself. Hopefully they can even rub off on you and you can adopt their positive attitude and thinking.

Just beware of  "walnut trees", teachers that are not good motivation or supporters. These are known as walnut trees because walnut trees damage and ruin other plants that it is planted by. These sort of teachers are the kinds that don't like kids, give loads of work to their kids for fun, hate the principal, teachers that count down days until retirement, etc. The teachers are poisonous, we should try our best to stay away from them. Their bad attitude can ruin your attitude towards teaching. The longer you stay around them, the more they ruin you.

I think this is super important for me to remember in my years of teaching, especially during my first few years. When I'm feeling down or on the edge of breaking down, I will go to my marigold who will bring me up and inspire me. This article also inspires me to want to be a marigold. It makes me want to try my hardest to not be a walnut tree in any way. I would suggest this article to all teachers to read, and hopefully they'll be inspired too.

http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/marigolds/

Welcome To My Blog!

Welcome to my Adventures in Education blog! This blog will not also be about just me learning about education, but journey in training in education as well. This will be my second year in this class. Last year, I was placed in a Kindergarten classroom, and I figured out that I am not made for that type of classroom. This year I am going to be in a middle school math class, and hopefully I will find a true passion for teaching. It is going to be an exciting year and I am ecstatic to share my thoughts and experiences!