Hanging Out With College Teammates

One of the things I miss most from college is my 3 best friends that I played football with. We were known as the "Smashbrothers," and we practically did everything together. It was good for us to all be back in town for a Rhodes game. We hung out at the game, did a little partying, and chilled like we used to back in college. It was great to be at Rhodes homecoming with all of our old teammates. We all had the energy and enthusiasm as if we were going on the field to play ourselves. We also went bowling and to play pool. We laughed an joked--acting crazier than ever. Two of us are in graduate school, and the other two are still playing football. We were all sharing stories about how things are going with our lives and how we've all taken different paths since college.
More than anything, it was just good to feel like a college kid again. Although I'm not far removed from college, being a teacher quickly makes me feel old sometimes. I tend to forget that I was just in college 6 months ago! Nevertheless, we had a blast. And just like old times, the highlight of the weekend was just gaming out on the Xbox 360 and PS3. We played Madden and NCAA like we were freshman in Glassell Hall, haha. We would still argue, almost fight, and laugh over every play. This was a great way to get my mind off of teaching sound devices, tier groups, responses to interventions, or make-up work. This was probably the longest I'd gone without talking about teaching since the first of June. Not that I don't enjoy my job, but it was definitely therapeutic to not think about it and just chill with my boys. It was well needed. But before this, I always made sure to take at least one day a week and devote it to myself. I'm not inundated with grading or planning. I'm well-rested and excited about the new challenges my 7th graders will present me with. All of that said, I can't wait until we can all get back to Memphis and do it again though. We have to catch up on some gaming, partying, etc.....

A Day In The Life

Ok, so here's a day in the life of Coach King.....

I wake up at 5:30 a.m. Then, I lie there for a while and contemplate how much more time I could actually spend in the bed. After I debate with myself, I quickly realize that I've wasted that time with that internal conflict. Once I'm out of bed, I begin to get ready. I never have to iron or anything because that's my number one priority at night. Some people read, meditate, do yoga, or something else--I like to just sit and look at my closet for therapeutic time. Ok, back from the tangent.....Once I get ready I grab some tea, yogurt, a pop tart or banana nut bread. It helps me get started in the mornings. I try to get to school between 6:30-6:45. That way, I can still have some alone time in my classroom before I have to go to morning duty. I get my best thinking done in my classroom. I have morning duty in the main hallway, so I'm the guy who gets to remind the kids that they are back at school by checking uniforms and making them walk on the blue lines. They don't particularly like seeing me welcome them this way at 7:10 in the morning.
Homeroom starts at 7:30. We have silent sustained reading, so I spend that time working with the librarian on Accelerated Reader matters. 1st period starts at 8am and the day really gets started. I like that class, they work hard and I'm glad I can start the day with them. My 2nd period class is my honors class. They are actually one of my least favorite at times, but we get a lot of challenging work done. We have break/recess after 2nd period, and that's just a time for the kids to hang out and be themselves. 3rd period is the longest because it's the lunch period. The worst part about 3rd period is the fact that we go to LUNCH at 10:55am. Yes, that's too early for lunch...4th period seems like its the fastest period of the day. It literally zips by. Our kids go to activity period during 5th period. That's my planning period, where much planning doesn't get done. There's always a grade-level meeting, parent meeting, or a class to cover. When I actually have time to plan, I am trying to get things set in place for Track because I'm the head coach. 6th period finally rolls around at 2pm. It goes by rather slowly. Once 6th period is over, I have to hold a bus load group until 3:15. I'm finally done with duty at 3:30. So, I've now been at school for nine hours already. Then I stay until 4:30 or 5 doing work, grading, planning, or meeting. My day would extend until almost 7pm during football season. It's a long day, but I love the job. The only thing I'd rather be doing than teaching during that time is playing football...haha.

Chapter 3: Thoughts and Reflections

Every time there is a blog assignment dealing with Content Area Literacy, I always try to figure out a way to approach my classroom differently. Since I only teach reading, Literacy is the content area in my classroom. I know that all teachers might say this, but I think I have the hardest task--only because comprehension is so contextual. Reading comprehension is the foundation to success in all subject areas. The discussion in this chapter about how contextually dependent comprehension is made me reevaluate how things are going in my classroom. How do I scaffold my students’ acts of making meaning? How do I mold their thought processes? Can I actually do a mass overhaul that requires completely reprogramming them? This seems like a daunting, maybe impossible, task. I do think that I am slowly learning how to help my students though. I just wish time could slow down at this point.

            When reading Chapter 3, I immediately thought about Question and Answer Relationship (QAR). I think it is essential when a reader has a learning experience with a text. We spent a couple weeks on QAR in my class, but I think only a small number of my students understood the purpose of it. They did understand that the “Right There” questions are lower level, and are the ones they usually have no problems with. The “Think and Search,” “Author and You,” and “On Your Own” questions are the ones that we are still having big issues with. We did guided practices where I showed them how to identify these questions. Then, we went through question packets where they identified what type of question it was before they answered it. The main issue with QAR is the importance of prior knowledge. Most of my students have minimal prior knowledge. It’s so hard for them to make connections to the text because they don’t pick up on idiomatic language, cultural references, and functions of words. So, we aren’t really at the point where we can even say that we’re “Making Meaning” through the text. The author states on page 45 that, “Youth who can comprehend complex prose are better students in all the subject areas as compared with their peers who struggle to understand what they read.”

            I completely agree, and that statement makes perfect sense. Nevertheless, that is what’s holding my students back. This also has direct implications on the state test. 7^th Grade Language Arts is a state-tested subject. This means that my students will be exposed so Expository and Prose texts. They will do fine with expository texts, because they are straightforward and don’t require much inference. The prose narratives are the speed bumps. Students have to be “active” readers to be able to follow those texts. I’ve read some of the texts on the state practice exams—they are terse. I’ve been trying very hard to model active reading for my students, but I don’t think I’ve been very effective with it. We also read texts, then go back and talk through them, but that hasn’t been very effective either. Since I’m not modeling this well enough, I don’t know if my kids will be ready for the novels I want to teach next semester.

            I know that Chapter 3 discussed a lot more information, but the QAR really stuck out because it is something that I’ve taught and implemented in my classroom. Hopefully, we’ll find a way to expand their knowledge so that prose texts don’t seem so foreign and overwhelming. This is my task. This is my duty.

Freewrite = FOOTBALL TALK

My first season as a coach was more fun than I could imagine. I had the opportunity to start coaching in the summer—before school actually started. This was very beneficial because I was able to meet a bunch of kids before the school year started. Moreover, I was able to build relationships with the middle and high school coaches.

            I came in with only one expectation, and that was to work very, very hard. I knew that I would not get outworked in whatever capacity I was chosen to coach. Thankfully, I was able to come in and immediately insert my ideas about how things should be run. I had a chance to implement new workouts, practice drills, etc. The head coach was tremendously supportive as I learned how to coach.

            I was charged with the duty of being the offensive coordinator. I was definitely overwhelmed at first, but I quickly let my excitement outweigh the overwhelming feeling. All of this happened before school started. Once school started coaching became really tough for a while. I realized just how much time I wouldn’t have. I had to start planning my whole day, not just my lessons in the classroom. The practice situation compounded the stress. Since the old locker room at the middle school was being used as a classroom, we had to work out a way to use a locker room at the high school. Also, the middle school practice field was being installed, so we had to practice on the outfield of the high school softball field. My task at the end of school was to get all of the football players to my classroom, take them over to the high school, and then walk them back across the way to the high school softball field. Plus, I was the only coach out there for the first 45 minutes of practice because the other coaches drove buses. Nevertheless, I eventually settled into this role and practice proceeded smoothly.

            The season was a roller coaster!!! We started the season with a 35-0 home-opener loss. It was most disappointing. We absolutely laid an egg in the first game, and we didn’t seem to care about football at all. I wasn’t sure how the coach would react to our offense not scoring any points. The next game was away, and we lost 2-0. Yeah, we snapped the ball out of our own endzone. That means that the team that beat us didn’t have to touch the ball to score points and beat us. We were all disheartened. This was the second week in a row with “0” points. We were excited and confident about the next week. We battled hard in the first half and held the game to a 0-0 tie. Sadly, we came out and turned the ball over immediately in the second half. Gave up a big play for a touchdown, and eventually lost 14-0. At that point I was completely frustrated and beginning to question whether I should have been calling the plays. The coaches remained supportive, which was good. I wasn’t sleeping after losses, and I was taking the stress out on my students the day after the game.

            The next week was Homecoming. I knew we would be in great position to win against our rivals. We came out with a lot of energy, and it just felt like it was our night. The game was 0-0 all the way through regulation. We allowed them to score on the first play of overtime; then we allowed the subsequent conversion. So we held them scoreless for 32 minutes, but gave up a quick score in about 5 seconds. Then, we had our chance. We scored on third down and now it was time for the conversion. We were stopped two yards short, and homecoming ended just like that. I was devastated. I’d gotten up for the game like I was a student myself. I promised my boys after that game that I would do whatever it takes to make sure that we turned our season around. The next week we played an away game against a really, really good team. We came out and forced an interception and a fumble. Nevertheless, we couldn’t capitalize. We went into halftime down by only 8 points. We ended up losing the game 36-8. It was absolutely demoralizing. It seemed like we had found some fight, but we laid down in the second half. The coaching staff knew that the kids weren’t having fun at that point. But, we had to press on. Something happened between that Thursday night and that next Monday’s practice.

            Our kids found a new attitude. We were 0-5, but we didn’t practice like losers. There was still an excitement in the air because we had three home games left to finish the season. We prepared better than any other week. We came out and put up points in the first half, and played defense like madmen. It was a dominating victory; we won 24-22. We gave up a late touchdown, but I loved how we were able to close the game out. It was like we learned how to play a complete game, and win, in three days. I jumped higher than I ever jumped for a pass when I played. It was literally one of the happiest moments of my life. I told the boys to stay excited, and stay hungry; they did! We came out the next week, after fall break, and won the game 40-8. Utterly dominating! We got a chance to play a lot of 7^th graders, and the whole team had fun. It was a great win. But the boys knew that we still had to finish strong. Our last game was against a formidable opponent. We came out on fire, scoring on our first two drives. We went into halftime up by 16 points. We came out a bit lazy in the second half, but we held strong. We didn’t score again, but we ended up winning 24-14. We finished the season with a 3-game winning streak, after a 0-5 start. I couldn’t have been more proud. I didn’t know how emotionally invested I would get as a coach, but I’d go through all of the emotions again. I was pretty sad when the season was over. I’m already looking forward to spring workouts, then summer workouts, then next season. I can’t wait!!!

Reflections on Chapter 4 (Assessments of Literacy and Content Knowledge)

It is interesting to think about assessment as it relates to literacy growth and content learning. Since I teach reading, literacy and content learning seem to be very much intertwined. Although learning the objectives and competencies spelled out in the framework aren’t all related to literacy, literacy must be attained before we can think about mastering those things. It is so hard to really get into DOK 2 and 3 work because of the unbelievable amount of illiteracy. I want to have assessments that are centered around DOK 2 and 3-because that’s what they are most heavily tested on-but I still have to take time to work on letter sounds and phonetic blends. I feel like I’m assessing the students on their level, but still not benefiting them like I should because it doesn’t challenge them. Nevertheless, if I don’t include a good amount of those assessments all of the students would fail. So, this is the quandary I’ve found myself in after the first 9 weeks of school.

It almost seems that the heavy focus on the MCT2 has taken too much emphasis off of scholastic achievement and the grades the students make in their academic classes. I’m not going to say that they don’t matter, but I feel like a school year would be considered successful if a student scored “Advanced” on the MCT2 and made all “F’s” on their report cards. It has definitely affected student, teacher, and administration mindset when it comes to this issue.

My favorite part of chapter 4 was the discussion of Informal, Authentic Assessments of Students. I love when I have a great lesson with a good amount of guided practice, with about 15-20 minutes left for individual practice. Although the kids are turning the work in for a grade, I can walk around and give additional help. It really supports one of the critical characteristics discussed on page 96. “2. They are so closely related to instruction that assessment and instruction become virtually indistinguishable.” Essentially, I am teaching and explaining for the duration of the period, but I can go around and rephrase things based on certain students’ needs and clarify anything that is still cloudy or confusing. I think that I’m slowly getting better at interpreting data in an explicit and reflective manner-as admonished by the writers of the textbook. I can only get better at the diagnostic teaching through experience. Nevertheless, I am learning to read students (i.e. facial expressions, body language, unusual habits).

This goes right along with the observational assessment discussed on page 99. Figure 4.3 made me think about how many times I’ve seen these behaviors in my classroom already. I now see that they are avoidance techniques. Regretfully, I’ve not watched closely enough to address these behaviors and intervene. That will be my goal for the next 9 weeks. I want to be more observant; that keen observation will allow me to make the proper adjustments through informal assessments. This will ultimately help me put the students in a better position to excel on the formal assessments…..that will be on DOK 2 and 3 level, of course.

Has the Experience Been Easier or Harder Than You Thought?

            Coming into this school year, I was very confident about my ability to thrive in whatever situation I found myself in. I had some valuable experience doing volunteer work in Memphis City Schools, so I had already seen what it was like to deal with kids in a critical needs environment. Moreover, my experience at the MTC summer school was awesome. I was challenged there, but it was very necessary. Those 5 or 6 weeks in the MTC summer school were very formative in my development as a teacher. Because of those experiences, I was very confident about being a successful first year teacher.

            Armed with confidence, and a somewhat imposing presence, I stepped into Byhalia Middle School ready for anything. I wasn’t overly confident because I knew that I could be faced with a situation that I wasn’t quite ready for. My biggest asset was organization and consistency. With these two things, I could stop a lot of negative things from possibly happening. Actually, lot of situations have been preemptively squelched because of organization and consistency.

            That is why my experience so far has been a little easier than I thought it would be. I prepared myself for the worst so that only very few things might have a chance of overwhelming me. The kids are generally very respectful, and they have a pretty good work ethic. Like all schools, there are students who constantly misbehave and neglect academics, but I haven’t found those students to be particularly challenging. The hardest thing has been trying to develop character in my students. The basis of my class is discipline and hard work. I’ve been trying to convey to my students that neither of these requires them to be the smartest person in the world. If these character traits can be developed, then they will do just fine in my class, all of their other classes, and life. Everyday I tell them that the minute they stop working someone is outworking them and putting themselves in a position to capitalize on a major opportunity. This has taken some hard lessons, and patience, but I think most of my students are grasping the concept of what I’ve been preaching for this first month and a half.

            I think one of the things that skews first-year expectations is the forewarnings, admonitions, and horror stories from people who have taught already. While their experiences are very valuable, they can sometimes leave first years jaded before they even step into their own teaching situations. Some of my initial worries came as a result of the talks with second years and team teachers. There were a lot of “don’t forget,” “watch out,” and “you’ll see” conversations. Even reading some blogs and portfolios left me trying to figure out how people make it through the program if all of the reflections are negative and sad.

            I’m glad I put more stock into my personal evaluation of myself, because it allowed me to be very introspective and really understand myself before I could try to influence the lives of 140 7^th graders. My introspective approach and confidence put me in a position to feel like I could thrive at Byhalia Middle School. And right now, I feel like I am thriving here. I love my job, I am not stressed at all, and I look forward to coming to work everyday!

Is Mr. King Fair???

I thought it would be best to ask my 3^rd period class whether I was fair or not. Simply because that is the class who’s most behind, and the lowest achieving. Moreover, I’ve had to discipline that class way more than any of my other four. I was not surprised by the mix of “yes” and “no” responses. What was interesting was the explanations. I told them that a simple one-word response wouldn’t suffice, so they actually had to put some thought into it. What I got was a few impassioned responses; these struck a chord, and will continue to resonate throughout the year.

Student: NO!!! Because he’s mean, and makes us stand in the sun!

            This particular reference has a good story behind it. One day, 3^rd period decided that they didn’t want to come back from lunch in an orderly manner. So, they had to stand in the sun outside of 8^th grade hallway, quietly and in line, while the rest of 7^th and 8^th grade passed to and from lunch. We lost 25 minutes of class time and they had to complete and grade an assignment with the last 15 minutes of class. We haven’t had a problem since then.

Student: Yes! He’s not mean at all. He’s very nice if you don’t get on his nerves!

Student: Yes, because he treats everyone equally.

            This one meant a lot because I try as hard as possible to treat every student equally. I know this doesn’t happen nearly enough, but I’m glad they see that consequences and rewards are dolled out as equally as possible.

Student: Yes! Because he gives you chances and choices to do things the right way. It’s not his fault if you don’t take advantage of those chances.

            My class is built on student discipline and responsibility. I try to frame everything as a choice for them. That way, when we do have to have disciplinary interventions, they know it’s because they chose not to do the right thing. Also, they understand that their lack of achievement on tests/quizzes is based on them choosing not to study or participate in class.

Student: No, because he expects us to do stuff in a small amount of time. Yes, because he tries to get us to think faster and more critically.

Student (who had turned around tremendously): Yes he is, because he gives us things that’s right in our face. And everyday he tells us what we are going to do and what we need to do. He makes us write down everything that we are going to need. His tests are easy because he gives us notes to study.

            I am glad that one of the students who started out hating me, and being lazy, has realized why my class is structured the way it is.

Overall, I am pleased with the responses. They gave me some insight into how they feel about me. A lot of them said that I’m mean, which is fine. They’ll appreciate it in the long-run.

Auto Draft

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!

Freewrite: First Days in Byhalia.....

So.....

This is actually an eager post. I've spent the last two days at Byhalia Middle School working with the football team and getting my classroom together. It's been tiring, yet exhilarating, because all I see right now is POTENTIAL.

Football:

It has been interesting working with the football team so far. We have had 9 kids there working out in the mornings. I know you're thinking,"You can't play football with 9 kids," but that's all we have right now. For reasons out of the coaches' control, only 9 have really been coming all summer. It's a bit disheartening, until the ones who get up and come at 8 show how much they care about working hard and winning. Once we start workouts at 8 my excitement spikes as if we have 50 kids there. I was introduced to them, then we immediately got to work. They knew within the first 5 minutes that Coach King is a hard-worker, very tough, but very encouraging. They immediately showed me respect and we established a great rapport. Then, I got them on a leg circuit that we used to do in college....."Coach King, this hurts!" I smiled, told them it was ok for it to hurt, and immediately got them on the 2nd round of the circuit. 

We have been very efficient with time. We have maximized the effort and teaching levels. It's been great to see the excitement in the kids' eyes. I think that they are motivated by a new, young coach, who is going to work them and actually teach them some real fundamentals of football. It's been awesome for me so far. Apparently, there are around 35 kids on the team; we'll see once school starts, I guess. For now, we're going to work with what we have, build a strong foundation, and focus on the potential of this team.

Classroom:

Whew! I walked into a room with no air on, dust and cobwebs everywhere, and desks stacked in a jumble. I immediately thought: POTENTIAL! My initial thought was that this room is spacious, which is good, so I will have room to make this a great learning environment. I also knew that it would take a lot of time and effort to get things in order. I got dirtier cleaning up the classroom than I did working on the football field with the team. I was sweating and covered in dust. My iTunes kept me moving and motivated. I have made tremendous progress in two days, and I can't wait to have the finished product next week. I got my textbooks today, all 140. I'm still trying to figure out my organization plan and how things will work with my setup, but I know I'll find the best way to maximize potential and get optimal performance from the students. 

I met Mr. Lance, the school custodian, today. He said, "You look like a first-year teacher." I laughed and said, "Yes, sir. I am." I then proceeded to ask him if he had any advice..........He laughed, rather interestingly, and said, "GOOD LUCK!!!" We shared that laugh, and I knew from his reaction that this is gonna be harder than anything I've done in my life. I'm not discouraged, I'm excited and ready to take on this challenge. All I keep thinking of right now is Potential, Potential, Potential..........

DK

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

It's Over, It's Over, But It's Far From Over.....

I know way too many people here right now that I didn't know in May, who the heck are y'all? I swear it feels like the past couple months we been everywhere and back but, I'm gonna remember it all. What am I doin'? What am I doin'? Oh yeah, that's right, I'm doin' MTC, I'm doin' MTC. Livin' the teacher life right now man, and this is what I'm gonna do til it's over, til it's over.....but it's far from over!!!

That's how I feel about this MTC whirlwind experience. For the last two months, we have met and interacted with so many new people. In addition to that, we have been inundated with information, anecdotes, admonitions, warnings, and advice. That's why I feel like I've been everywhere and back. I'm not overwhelmed, but I definitely feel like I have signed on for a beast that I have no clue how to effectively defeat. 

Living this "teacher life" is pretty interesting. The fact that every meaningful conversation now includes me going off on some tangent about teaching is a sign that I am now a teacher. The jokes are about teaching, the horror stories are about teaching- everything is now related to teaching. It already at the point where other random events are somehow paralleled to teaching. I was watching a movie the other day and found myself comparing my classroom management to how a mayor ran his city. What? Really? I had to go do some push-ups to remind myself that there is more to DK than teaching.

Anyway, the major questions about summer training: What was helpful? What wasn't helpful? What questions do I still have? How do I feel?

What was helpful?

There were plenty of helpful things from the summer training. The most impactful thing from the beginning of the summer was the Deficit Model workshop with Buck. It was very important, and I think it made some of my classmates, who aren't aware of their own biases, more cognizant of deficit thinking and how it plagues kids in the schools like the ones we will be teaching at. 

The obvious thing was Summer School! Summer School was extremely eventful and helpful. I never found myself stressed during summer school. I was a bit frustrated a few times from some evaluations, but never stressed. I loved having a full classroom where I could really enforce rules and be a disciplinarian. I also enjoyed step club, although it was probably more frustrating than the actual classroom. Nevertheless, I learned a lot about myself, and I know that I made an impact on at least a few kids. 

Dr. Monroe's class was awesome. She is so excited about education. Her excitement was more than necessary because we had to go after we got back from summer school. She is very understanding and very encouraging. Her class was great.

What wasn't helpful?

ROLE PLAYS.....Although I understand the assumed practical relevance, the structure just wasn't helpful for me. Most of the scenarios seemed too unrealistic. I know that I don't have any classroom experience, but some of the role plays I went through were utterly ridiculous and most unhelpful.

What questions do I still have?

Well, I don't think I really have any questions left for those who have had a hand in my training this summer. My questions lie within myself. I am not doubting myself at all, but I have questions about how I will do things and how I will organize my life well enough to make sure that I can operate at an optimal level so that I can maximize the potential of my students in the classroom and on the field. Everything that lies ahead rests on me figuring myself out and getting myself together. 

How do I feel now?

I feel great. I am very confident in myself. I know that I will have some growing pains, but I think I am very prepared for this new challenge. It also helps that I will be in a very supportive environment with lots of MTC people around. I am ready to get to Byhalia Middle School and do great things. I am excited about coaching, and about teaching. It's going to be a whirlwind experience, but I feel confident that I will do more than survive.....I will thrive!!!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Reflections on "Coach Huff's" First Year

   Admittedly, receiving the assignment of reading a 2nd years' entire blog didn't incite any excitement or happy thoughts. My initial thought was, "this is absolutely ridiculous!" I really did not want to take the time to read someone's entire blog that covered a year of MTC experiences. Nevertheless, I was thankful for the assignment because I had a chance to gain perspective through the insightful and thoughtful reflections of "Coach Huff." 

   I chose to read Schuyler's blog because we are very similar in many ways. First of all, we played football in the same conference in college; we were actually rivals. Moreover, we are both in Byhalia, and will be coaching football. We have also had a few candid conversations about the realities of teaching, coaching, and everything else that entails being a part of MTC. I even found out, through reading his blog, that we are the same personality type. We are both ISTJ, which is quite interesting because we immediately related to each other. 

  I was pleasantly surprised to find that Schuyler didn't have a blog full of whining, complaining, and crying. It was refreshing to read about his experiences without all of the melodrama and "woe is me" that seems to plague some of the other 2nd year blogs. He spoke, very openly, of failures and successes, neither one seeming to be more important than the other. From that, I gathered that he kept himself very centered amidst all of the chaos and stress. I really hope to have that same kind of reaction for myself one year from now. 

  Being an athlete, and coach, Schuyler's reflections on his position as a coach were most compelling to me. Coaching immediately endears you to the students and the community. They see you in a different light, a more positive light, that makes them feel more comfortable with you. Now, with that coaching position, it is imperative to understand the amount of responsibility that comes with that. Schuyler said it best when he came to the realization that for some of the kids he serves as a father, brother, cousin, and friend. The impressive aspect of that realization was that it came well after football season when one of his players needed him more than ever one day in his science class. I already know that I am going to be seen as the "mean teacher. " That is something that I'll actually relish. Nevertheless, I know that I must find a way to build a rapport with the kids where a tremendous amount of respect, and trust, are ever-present in our interactions.

   So, reading Schuyler's reflections from a year in MTC were eye-opening, encouraging, and entertaining. I'm hoping to have him as my mentor for the year, as this will be a great way to continue learning as much as I can from him.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

DK On Video...2

Well, well, well.....DK still looks good on video, while teaching. 

I was definitely looking forward to this video because I probably had my best lesson of the summer that day. Friday, July 2, 2010 was a great day in the very brief teaching career of DK. I had a Jeopardy Review game planned for my lesson and I was looking forward to improving on my initial try at a class review game. I am alluding to my reflections from one of my earlier blogs when I talked about how my Jeopardy review for the first test was a failure. That was the one day when my classroom management wasn't up to par, and there was not nearly enough clear instruction to facilitate fun and learning at the same time. That being said, the review on July 2 was remarkably better in so many ways. 

First, I gave clear instructions. I communicated my expectations clearly. That established the right atmosphere for fun and productive work. They saw that I had an alternate assignment ready and they already know that "Mr. King doesn't play!" I already had roles chosen for students. I had a scorekeeper, and team captains. Plus, I told them who they would be teaming with instead of letting them just sit anywhere they wanted to. The actual Jeopardy powerpoint was better structured and the technical difficulties that plagued the first attempt were all but eliminated from this lesson. The kids had more fun because everyone had an equal opportunity to succeed, score points, and get a great review. I also did a better job of giving explanations and working through thought processes for some of the questions. The actual review component of the game was much more thorough. 

The most impressive part of the lesson was that I RAN THE ENTIRE REVIEW FROM A CHAIR!!!!!

Talk about classroom management!!! I'm pretty sure that I'm the only first year, maybe the only person all summer, who ran an entire lesson from a chair. Yes, I am very proud, and I am my biggest fan for this. I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment after this. Plus, I had a visitor, or two, come in and witness the greatness of DK at work. 

Nevertheless, the most exciting part of this lesson was that just about every kid was completely engaged in the review. That means that they were actively participating in retrieval of answers, teamwork, competition, and policing each other. It was definitely a proud moment for me. I felt like the kids were so ready for the test. The subsequent grades showed that the majority of the kids were very prepared; I know that I contributed to that. 

The video shows my confidence in myself and in my kids. I'm glad such a strong lesson was captured because it is tangible evidence of growth, maturity, and learning, on my part. 

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

DK On Video...

Well, I must say that, first of all, I look good on camera! No, really, I do. You can't go wrong with a purple bow-tie and cuff-links, right?

Unlike most of my classmates, I wasn't dreading watching myself on camera. I've felt confident and prepared since Day 1, so worry and nervousness never had a chance to settle in. I think I may try to video myself at least bi-weekly during the school year just to keep a constant evaluation log of myself. 

So, I actually had a chance to see my first 1 1/2 lessons on camera. Part of my very first lesson was taped at the end of someone else's video. That first lesson that was videoed halfway through was on "text structures." I taught about cause and effect, problem and solution, and comparison and contrast. My set was exciting and it really got the kids involved. Anytime you use Kobe and Lebron and talk about the NBA finals, you are sure to get a reaction from the kids. My first lesson, at least from what was videoed, was great. Hearing the stories of some first lessons failing miserably, I decided that I had to start off with a bang; I had to put myself in a position to start with confidence.

My first full video happened that next monday. I was now teaching a literature unit and going over plot structures. The lesson in particular was about "rising action." Not the most exciting lesson, but I think I managed. I thought I had energy, but the footage showed me that I really needed to work on being more energetic, and creating that feeling throughout the classroom with every kid. The lesson was very straight-forward and they seemed to grasp the concept. It was just very dry and lecture-like. I was happy with my classroom management, though. I was quick and consistent with consequences and the kids were attentive and very participatory. 

My biggest problem with the two lessons wasn't classroom management, movement around the classroom, or content knowledge. I was struggling with coming up with appropriate assessments that helped me accomplish the objectives I set. My formal and informal assessments left a lot to be desired, but I wasn't discouraged or worried because I knew that would come with time. My lessons have gotten considerably better in the past 4 weeks and I cannot wait for the opportunity to view my July video and compare and contrast my growth as a teacher.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

The Reluctant Disciplinarian.....

"The Reluctant Disciplinarian." My initial thoughts of this title were somewhat interesting, I guess. Although I heard this book was a fun read, I did not want to read it because I've never seen myself as a reluctant disciplinarian. If anything, I discipline my class too much (which really isn't possible). The information in the book was very useful, nonetheless. The anecdotal evidence was a great explanation of how dynamic the process of classroom management is. So far this summer, I haven't had any discipline issues. But the classroom environment is much more controlled because of the presence of other teachers and the overall consistency of the summer school staff. That will not be a luxury that I am allowed to enjoy once I have my own classroom. My class already understands that I don't play games with them and I am very consistent with doling out consequences. The advice in the book included a lot of information about "dressing the part." I totally agree with that because the students immediately see you as someone who is a professional and is at school to work and get things done. I think the most interesting aspect of the book was the talk about the "teacher persona." I am the king of stoicism at this point. The kids all say that "Mr. King is mean!" They don't say this because I do or say mean things; they say it because they cannot get a read on me. They know that I very rarely smile, and I am never hesitant with consequences. Nevertheless, I don't want to be seen as the unapproachable teacher. I want them to feel like they can come to me if they have a question about anything. That's why the author's quest to find a good balance, or as he stated, "his journey to being a human," really struck a chord with me. I'm not anticipating many discipline issues that are a result of my poor classroom management, what I am anticipating is a year-long trial and error exercise where I try to figure out how much of my personal self to invest into my students and the interactions we have.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Freewrite: STEP CLUB!!!

So, we had to sign up for a club to be a part of for the summer school. Step Club immediately piqued my interest because I stepped in high school. When I volunteered, I got a few looks from some people like, "Why is DK signing up for step club?" Yeah, the football and baseball player likes rhythm and step. I have to keep it versatile! Nevertheless, I was excited about step club. One of the biggest influences on my excitement was the cloud of skepticism that hovered over the step club. There were some who didn't want the step club to even happen this year. Our second-year teacher had to plead to get the step club for this summer. I, along with the other four teachers, drilled the steps in the Northgate Courtyard the day before summer school started so that everything would be put together when we presented it to the students. 

At the onset, we met some major opposition from the students. Apparently they signed up for step club thinking we could just dance or play around. This was a rude awakening for some because they thought they would have a free period. Being the only male teacher in the group, I took the position of being the "in-house police" for the club. That involved some detentions and punishments; I had to make sure that we established an atmosphere of work and respect. The next obstacle was the ridiculous amount of social referencing. All the students do is talk about how much of an individual they are, and then they always look around to see who's watching them, and what they think. The boys didn't want to seem "girly." And the girls were worried about how they looked in comparison to the other girls. Next, everybody said, "that's too hard!" "we can't learn that stuff!" It took about a week of serious prodding to break the kids' barriers down and show them that they can learn something new and look good while doing it. The kids finally began to learn the steps and gain confidence while doing it. They even began to start helping each other because they knew that there was a collective growth aspect to our club. Plus, they also had their Friday presentation looming and they did not want to embarass themselves. 

On Friday at the end of the second week, we took the kids out to the front of the school to step for all passers-by. They started slowly, but picked it up as more people stopped to watch because they did not want people to make jokes or talk about them. We brought them into the area by the lunchroom and they performed very well. The Photo Club took pictures and the kids felt great about themselves.

We are now learning new steps and implementing some fun things for our performance on Friday. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

The First Three Weeks of Summer School

Ahhh, the refreshing feeling of coming to school everyday! I was so excited to start summer school, like everyone else. But I was excited for a different reason. I've been clamoring for the opportunity to get back in the classroom and teach again. I hadn't had a chance to teach since the summer of '09; I taught 10th grade English, Public Speaking, and Leadership classes. My experiences last summer confirmed my passion for teaching, so I couldn't wait for my first piece of the action in a whole year! I knew this situation would be remarkably different from what I was used to, but I came in with an open mind; and after a couple of days, a HUMBLE HEART. The first couple days were consumed with testing, so they were pretty boring. Once I finally had the opportunity to see the second-years and the team teacher model, I got the gist of how things go in the MTC Summer School. 

My first lesson was pretty good, I think? I taught about text structures (cause and effect, comparison and contrast, problem and solution). I must say that it was a lot to try to cover in one lesson, especially my first one, but I felt like I did a good job. My biggest struggle dealt with teaching to the objective. I got a lot of feedback which included lots of suggestions for improvement, but wasn't bereft of positive reinforcement. I was glad to have some positives to counterbalance the negatives. 

My first formal evaluation was not very good, but it was definitely a learning experience. The comments I received were very helpful and really helped me focus on what I was lacking in the most. That day, my team teacher and I outlined what we would focus on for the rest of the summer. 1) I had to make sure I was gearing my lesson plan towards my objective. I learned that sometimes that means planning backwards so that my objectives and activities line-up. 2) I had to work on my assessment techniques so that I could really gauge what the students are understanding. Moreover, clear and effective assessment techniques would help me in making sure that my objectives were on point.

With a new focus in mind, I worked really hard to implement the new plan and prepare the best lessons I possibly could. For the second week, I took on the literature unit that focused on Plot Structure. This was a daunting task, but I feel like I rose to the occasion. I had my three best lessons, by far, on Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. I had a real sense of accomplishment at the end of that unit. My confidence was pretty high.....and then. 

I tried to play a review Jeopardy game on Friday. The class setup was not conducive to an effective game, but the kids were very involved. Even though the classroom management was my worst yet, I took solace in the fact that the kids were so competitive with an English review game. I felt like they were more than prepared for the test and the seemed to enjoy the game overall. I attempted to do a review game without it being modeled by an experienced teacher and that experience humbled me.

My goal going into the third week was to rebound from the review and teach more effective lessons. I feel great about my lessons on Simile/Metaphor, Author's Purpose to Inform/Persuade. My second formal evaluation was remarkably better and that was very encouraging. 

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Alternate Questioning Strategy

So, I had the opportunity to teach the literature unit this week. Instead of teaching the previously planned book, Alabama Moon, I decided to teach a short story entitled "Jell-O." My task was to teach plot structure. This included five major parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. With so much to cover in a week, I wanted to make sure that I devoted enough time to each plot structure before I employed the use of an alternate questioning strategy. Although I don't use cold-calling, I have been calling on the students who don't normally participate. I think I called on every student in the class during my lesson on Resolution on Thursday. I was happy with myself because I found a way to get everyone involved and still cover the material thoroughly. I decided earlier in the week that I wanted to use the "Muddiest Part of the Lesson" technique. Using this technique at the end of the unit would be good for both me and the students. This technique is good because students have to write down whatever was not clear for them in the past week on an index card. Immediate feedback is good for the students because it makes them feel like I care about their feelings and am willing to make changes so that the next lesson I teach can be better. Immediate feedback is good for me because I am so new at teaching that implementing recommendations from students so early in my training will make me more perceptive and sensitive to their particular needs as a series of lessons goes on. 

That being said, I did not get the response I was hoping for. Some of the students wrote down a few things, but the overall response was that everything was clear. Now, I could take this in two completely different ways. I could say, "DK is a ridiculously effective teacher already, and he has it figured out!" Probably not the case though. I think the students really wanted to just move on to the Jeopardy review game for the day. Despite the message from me that their suggestions would help me make sure that I am tailoring my lessons towards their needs, they simply put that everything was clear. It did make me feel good to see some students put that "everything was great." It made the time and effort put into lesson plans seem worthwhile because they really understood the information and enjoyed the periods that I taught this week. I think the best way to take this lack of information is this way: "DK needs to build a better rapport with the students so they feel very comfortable letting him know when they don't understand or want something to be done differently." If I look at it through this lens, then I can continue on the journey to build a strong bond with the kids. This perspective will keep me humbled and focused on what the kids get out of this experience. I will employ the use of the alternate questioning strategy again this summer. Hopefully, I'll have more of a response from the students, which will mean that I have found a way to make them more comfortable with me.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Delta Autumn: Warnings, Advice, and Admonitions

   Delta Autumn is a very interesting book because it provides a background that has helped shape my thinking about the total situation that I am about to get into. I initially balked at reading the book because I thought to myself, "I'm not teaching in the Delta!" I immediately saw the relevance once I started reading; we are all being placed in high-needs areas, which means that these problems plague all of the schools we are placed in. Although I had an idea of how challenging this experience could be before I came to Mississippi, I have gained a lot of perspective about what lies ahead. Delta Autumn will be a tool I use to try to prepare myself as much as possible, but I know that ultimate perspective and appreciation of this task will not come until I have first hand experience and total immersion in the academic and cultural community of Byhalia. Delta Autumn is a great supplement to all of the material I have read about teaching in Mississippi.

   The entire book is full of useful information and little nuggets of wisdom. Nevertheless, I was most interested in the chapter about teaching secondary English. Since I will be teaching English at Byhalia Middle School next year, this chapter piqued my interest the most. I had an opportunity to teach 10th grade English last summer at the Memphis Grizzlies Academy, and I thought that I had experienced the worst reading and grammar in America. Once I taught my first lesson in the Holly Springs summer school I realized that the reading and grammar skills of these Mississippi students were far worse. The operative word used in Delta Autumn is "abysmal." I was shocked and appalled at the lack of basic mechanics and the absolute misuse of some of the simplest functions of the English language. I was immediately oriented to how difficult it will be to teach English in this area. 

   The book gives warnings the types of errors that I will normally see when it comes to writing and composition. The students basically reproduce what they've seen and heard all of their lives. That said, it will be absolutely important that I acknowledge that and focus on setting small goals to work on one problem at a time. I must say that I think it will be extremely hard for me not to want to correct all aspects of their assignments. But, I understand that I will be introducing so much new material to them. Moreover, if I take the time to structure assignments where they understand exactly what I am looking for, then I can systematically, over time, cover as many aspects of the English language as possible. 

   The best advice from the teaching secondary English chapter was about varying the dominant voice in the classroom. "Be willing not to be the teacher once in a while." I know this will come once a certain atmosphere has been established and classroom management is under control, but I think this will be important for me. I like to run the show and really control all aspects of the classroom. I think that implementing this skill will be important in my development as a teacher and a person. The less I stress about control, the more I can focus on some of the finer components of teaching like creativity and differentiated instruction. Furthermore, I think that alternative teaching tools  will be very important while teaching English because the tasks of reading and writing will not seem so overwhelming. Change of pace and varied mediums will keep the students engaged and give them a sense of ownership and responsibility in the classroom.

   Delta Autumn is a great guide for first year teachers because it lends insight to the realities of teaching in Mississippi. It warns against trying to save the world or fix every problem with one lesson. It gives advice about how to keep yourself sane, how to inspire confidence in your students, and how to create a culture of success in your classroom. It also admonishes first year teachers not to take this responsibility lightly, or discount even the small victories. I am so excited about what is going to happen in my classroom for the rest of the summer and next school year. Delta Autumn will continue to be a book of reference and solace for me.....

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

My First Week in MTC

   Whenever a new opportunity is on the horizon I develop a set of expectations. Most of the time, those expectations are very wrong. The first week of MTC was different though. I expected for the other MTCers to friendly and supportive; and they were. It was great to find people of similar passion and motivation because there was an automatic sense of family and community. We established a great rapport from day one. That rapport made the first day jitters go away. I was so ready to start this new experience that I was not nervous at all. I was very excited about learning as much as I could because I knew that my opportunity to teach was coming so quickly. I learned so much in the first week. I already have a greater appreciation for classroom management plans and lesson plans. 

   Dr. Mullins shared a wealth of knowledge with us on the first day. Mississippi history is so rich and educational. Through Dr. Mullins' tour, I really got a lot of perspective. Moreover, I already felt like I was becoming a part of the North Mississippi and Delta communities. In addition, I really got a sense of the culture here at Ole Miss. Learning about the events that helped shape the university was eye-opening for me. James Meredith's story is particularly touching to me. Although I knew the story, hearing it again with much more detail really gave me insight into just how important his actions were. 

   My favorite part of the first week was the deficit model workshop with Buck. Growing up in a school system that is similar to the one I will be working in, I understood the effects of deficit thinking. The group scenarios were fun and informative because they forced us to identify our subconscious feelings. Moreover, they forced us to think critically about how to best handle what we are sure to be faced with during out first year of teaching. The question "Who Failed?" was stirring to me. First of all, I thought about how many ways failure can be operationally defined. Next, I thought about what was considered failure where I was from. Then, I thought about the factors that contributed to a student's, or a school's failure. So, I thought of a question; "If one fails, does everyone fail?" I think the answer to that question is yes. I want to make an impact at my school where everyone feels accountable for everyone. If that can be established, then I think that the amount of failure will go down and bring more success.

 

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Derek's Blog

This is my first blog.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Tips & Tricks

Write your first post

Tell us a little about yourself. How’s your day going? What brought you here? What’s something you’re really excited about? If you need a little inspiration, answer the Question of the Day. Or introduce yourself to the Vox community. Click on compose to write your first post.

Display your favorite music, movies and books

Show us what you’re enjoying. You can add your favorite music, movies and books to your Vox with just a few clicks. Under the My Vox menu, click on Organize to start adding media.

Find inspiration by exploring

See what other Voxers are blogging about by visiting the Explore page. Join the conversation by commenting, leaving a [this is good] or adding people to your Neighborhood.

Only you can see this post. You may delete it at any time.

Read and post comments