Farewell 2007

As this year comes to an end, I realize many things about teaching...Not everything they teach you in college is relevant to the "real" teaching world. Somethings you just have to "wing it".

Each week I reflect about my lesson plans and think how to best educate my students. I've learned that the provided pacing guides don't always go with how well my students are able to grasp a certain theme. Teaching is all about learning yourself...Learning what your students respond to...Learning how to inspire your students...Learning that it's okay if things don't go as you planned.

I welcome 2008! This begins the second half of this school year! Here's to teaching, but most of all to learning for ALL!

Blog posted by December writer Angela Steele, a 2nd grade teacher at Whitnel Elementary School in Lenoir, NC.

Christmas Chaos

It finally arrived...my first experience with the week before vacation! I was amazed at what I was able to get accomplished at such a chaotic time of year. Students are so willing to share their thoughts and memories of Christmas. I was truly blessed to hear how each child has and will celebrate the Christmas holiday. Each and every child is unique in what they experience...Just like teaching. Looking back at this week has already allowed me to see how easy it is to relate on such a common thing as a holiday. Through this common connection I was able to bring learning to real life. Learning about the real reason we put wreaths on our doors and how each ornament on a tree has a special meaning made learning fun for all.

I wish each and everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Blog posted by December writer Angela Steele, a 2nd grade teacher at Whitnel Elementary School in Lenoir, NC.

Bulletin Board

There is no doubt about it – Christmas is very near!! My second graders are so excited that they can hardly concentrate. We have started with several fun activities that they have thoroughly enjoyed. I have a bulletin board outside my classroom with a Christmas theme and the children and I have progressively decorated a tree. To begin with I completed the background and placed the tree in the center of the board. Each day last week, the children would make ornaments to place on the tree. Some of the ornaments looked like the old-fashioned lights with the big bulbs, others were the more traditional looking ornaments that they drew, colored and glittered. Finally at the top of the tree we added a bright star. My heart was overwhelmed when the children stepped back to look at its completion and one commented “look Mrs. Steele, we are the ornaments and that is you on top of the tree”. They never cease to amaze me!!

Blog posted by December writer Angela Steele, a 2nd grade teacher at Whitnel Elementary School in Lenoir, NC.

Mrs. Steele's Top 5

John has asked a very interesting question - “What are the five things they did not tell me in teacher Ed?” I am sure there are many more than five – but here are those that come to mind instantly:

They did not tell me how to deal with a 2nd grader having a total “meltdown” over a practice spelling test….. :-)
No one told me how to communicate with a parent when their child has done physical damage to a “large, metal,” bench on the playground. (not sure how this was possible)….. :-)
They forgot to tell me about what to expect when assigned to morning and afternoon bus duty…. :-)
On the very first day in the classroom – there was a mother who chose to stay in the classroom all day!!!! No one told me how intimidating this could be or how or if I was to include her in my daily plans…. :-)
No one told me how totally consumed I would be in anticipating from day to day what my classroom would be like (it often is the opposite of what I have anticipated)….. :-)


Thanks for asking! Hope you have a great weekend.

Blog posted by December writer Angela Steele, a 2nd grade teacher at Whitnel Elementary School in Lenoir, NC.

Greeting from Whitnel Elementary

Where has the past four months gone? As I reflect on them, there are many thoughts and emotions, I can hardly share them all with you – but, here is my attempt to take you inside my 2nd grade classroom at Whitnel Elementary School:

*There have been moments of frustration – having to teach even the simple task of how to read and follow directions. But without this skill the student’s progress could definitely be limited or squelched.

*Then there are those times when I am so excited to see the students have an
“ah-ha” moment, and that they finally get what we have been studying.

*Many days are filled with laughter - hearing them say something they have no idea what it means, telling silly jokes, or sharing an honest “at home” story.

*Inside my classroom I feel hopeful…many days you can almost see the wheels in their brains turning – trying to comprehend all that is being taught. It is awesome to think that what I am teaching will impact their lives forever.

*I suppose if I measured the strongest emotion or thought that I have experienced in the classroom it is “Love”. Seeing the student’s need for love, and being the one who can supply that need while they are at school, is very overwhelming. I sincerely want the students to do well…because I know their academic growth is the key to who they will become.

As my students learn, I, too, am learning and growing. Learning what works and what doesn’t and how to be the reflective practitioner! Hope you are having a great week – more details from my classroom will follow…


Blog posted by December writer Angela Steele, a 2nd grade teacher at Whitnel Elementary School in Lenoir, NC.

All Great Things must come to an end

Well guys we did it! We made it through the first full week back from a couple of non-full weeks and we SURVIVED! It was so funny to see some of the students practically dragging this morning! (they were just as tired as we were!)

The month has flown by; I hope that you have had several "good" days and that the stress of the holidays will not become to overwhelming. Some times just taking it one step or one day at a time is all we can do, but as long as we "keep moving forward" it'll be okay! :-) May you have a blessed and safe holiday season.

Blog posted by November writer Charlene Broadway, middle school music teacher in Johnston County.

Parent-Teacher relations

You'll find that you have some parents that are friendly and even kilter, and well others not quite so personable. This could go either way and the mention of "Parent conferences" could strike terror in the heart of any new teacher (or seasoned ones too)!
I wish that there could be more preparation of dealing with parents. I realize that it would be something hard to deal with at the collegiate level ( I only had one professor ever discuss and prepare us for parent conferences, and that was in a special education class). Maybe mentors could get together during mentor/mentee meetings and do some role playing of difficult and non difficult parents to help new teachers in this area. This could also be a great refresher for seasoned teachers alike!

Blog posted by November writer Charlene Broadway, middle school music teacher in Johnston County.

Is it really all about me?

This time of the year always seems to be a whirlwind. The kids are getting excited about the upcoming holidays (and sometimes a little too excited!!) Stress levels also begin to rise around the holidays. I must admit, I was looking forward to Thanksgiving break and having time "off". Even though I did not have to go into work per se and have to deal with children in the classroom setting, I still found myself working over the break - researching material for lessons, typing up presentation slides for my lecture(s), etc.

I realize that I am a workaholic, however I wish that I could make more time for myself (especially get back into a routine of going to my fitness center). I often pull ten-eleven hour days and have a few meetings after school that I attend in regards to my profession. And in a week or so, I'll have another after school obligation with a weekly after school show choir. Not that I am complaining, I just wish I could find a better balance of having a personal life vs. professional life. However, I have found that this year has been easier and with each passing year I will become a more "seasoned" teacher and hopefully have more "me-time" versus being "married" to my career.

Blog posted by November writer Charlene Broadway, middle school music teacher in Johnston County.

New Blogger for November

Greetings dear fellow educators!! I am in my second year as a middle school music teacher. This blog is typically for first year teachers, but I am still in the ILT stages. Last year had many ups and downs and many "broadening learning experiences." I had previously taught high school music in Virgina for a brief period of time and came back to NC. My work environment is a tremendous help to my over all well being! ~ I LOVE my job!
At my current school, we are constantly working on our professional development and becoming a professional learning community through a variety of ways. One example would be socratic seminars. Last month we read "High Five" which dealt with team building concerns. It is so great to work in an enviornment that we have communication and are willing to pull together! I am truly blessed to work with such great people!!! :-)
As educators we are always focusing on reflective practices. Yes, some days will be better than others but reflecting on the plus/deltas of the day will make our jobs easier! I am fortunate as an elective teacher that I have a two day rotation so that I can immediately reflect on each class and then "tweak" areas that may need adjustment.
I am looking forward to being your blogger for this month.

Blog posted by November writer Charlene Broadway, middle school music teacher in Johnston County.

A few new tricks, and lots of treats....

As I look back at this past month, I realize that, thanks to so many people, I am learning a host of new teaching tricks. Classroom management, organization, assessment strategies, every facet of teaching is so generously shared with me. It is wonderful to be able to work with individuals who are so gracious in sharing their ideas, tips and techniques, extra supplies, and copies! It brings a whole new meaning to "Trick or Treat".

Fortunately for me, I also have had many treats this month. The biggest has to be the love and support I received from my co-workers, who are truly my family here, after my latest health crisis. Nothing like having to take care of yourself, 1,000 miles from your family to make you realize who you can really count on! If I did not have the support of my "family" here, it would have been impossible to stay focused and teach.

Here's hoping that you also find joy and encouragement in all you do!

Blog posted by October writer Kate Behm, sixth grade teacher Carroll Middle School in Lumberton.

Relevant and Necessary

I have been struggling with making my "necessary" lessons relevant to my students. I feel so very far removed from my students' lives and experiences, that it makes it difficult to tailor the lessons to things that interest them. Don't get me wrong, I love to play video games, and I know that we all have the need to be loved and respected, but my students have such a very different life from the one I experienced growing up.

I do my best to talk to my students about what excites them, to find out what the new and "cool" things are, to ask them what music I should listen to, what all the cool people wear (you should see some of the cool new sneakers available--yeah, I know, no one left on the planet calls them sneakers anymore), but the reality is that I am older than some of their parents, and, in their eyes, even more ancient!

I do my best to show my kids how the math they are learning helps them both today, and will continue to help them in the future, as well as how much of how we teach and learn we owe to Socrates, but sometimes I feel as though I can't seem to help them make connections. I envy those teachers who have an easy knack for relating everything they teach to "real world" applications. I hope that this is a skill that I can learn, and that I become proficient in, too.

Wishing you all joy in your journey.

Blog posted by October writer Kate Behm, sixth grade teacher Carroll Middle School in Lumberton.

Sometimes it is all about me...

I had a revelation today. I need some "me" time--not just 5 or 10 minutes of TV time, or a quick look at a magazine in the doctor's office, but some serious "This is my time!" I don't think I am being selfish, as much as self-preserving. I'm sure moms and caregivers, and those who work as care providers also have experienced this. If my energy/soul/emotional well-being is a bucket, lately I have taken out so much from my bucket, without bothering to refill it with the things that I really take pleasure in. I think that I have, with the best of intentions, neglected to do the things that bring me joy, and make me feel happy and content, since the beginning of the school year. Then I just end up with me resentful and feeling unappreciated. So, today, I think I will read a few chapters from a book, make a card, and send an email or two. Maybe I will even go to bed early tonight, and leave some grading for tomorrow. Here's hoping that you find joy in all you do!

Blog posted by October writer Kate Behm, sixth grade teacher Carroll Middle School in Lumberton.

A new month, and a new blogger....

Isn't it amazing how teaching is cyclical? Good days follow bad, you build on what you taught previously, and then return to teach it again...and a new blogger replaces the old! I am a new teacher at Carroll Middle School, in Lumberton, NC. I teach a sixth grade, self-contained classroom of 25 wonderful students.

We have 12 sixth grade teachers, and 9 of us are new--new to CMS, new to NC, and new to teaching. It has been an amazing bonding experience for us--we rely on each other to get through the good and bad times. We are each other's support system, family, and friends. I have never had such a great team to work with, and am so grateful for all they do for me. I can only hope that other new teachers have the same good fortune to be able to ask all the stupid questions (I know, I know, but you and I know that some of them are stupid) you have, some of them several times, and have them answered with patience and laughter.

We have alot of challenges at CMS this year--a new team, to make AYP for the second year in a row, EOG's, creating a unified sixth grade that is consistent and tight knit, and bring our students up to the level they need to be for 7th grade. I think that those challenges are the same for all of us in education. However, we also have so many tremendous opportunities. We can do things that are not traditional, we never get told "We did it this way last year", or "We've never done it that way before", we all are committed to making this year memorable and significant for our students and ourselves, and we all love our jobs. One thing we all agree on at CMS is that life is too short to do something you hate for 70 hours a week--and that if you hate teaching, children, or if teaching is just a "job", you need to get out of the classroom!

We are all a little green, and still a little starry-eyed, but I know for me, the reality of teaching has begun to sink in. I work 15 hours a day, and most of my weekend is spent on preparing for the following week. I am heavily invested in vitamins and a great mattress, and love being able to go to bed early, and sleep late. I know what it is like, now, to cry when my students leave my class for the day because I am so frustrated and at my wits' end, and I know what it is like to feel depressed and a failure, because so many of my students did not pass a test that we spent an enormous (for me) amount of time preparing for.

Happily, I also know what it is like to be able to cry tears of joy, because a student chose to send a thank you letter to me, telling me I was his favorite teacher in the class (I laughed, too), and another sent me a thank you, telling me he was so glad that I moved all the way from Chicago to be his teacher. I also got to ride in a hot-air balloon at school, get recognized by my principal at a staff meeting for my enthusiasm (I was just being my usual kooky self), and have a variety of hysterical moments with my co-workers.

Here's hoping that everyone loves their job, has the support they need, and can find joy in their heart at the end of the day.

Blog posted by October writer Kate Behm, sixth grade teacher Carroll Middle School in Lumberton.

I made it through the first month of teaching. There's been good days and not so good days.

The good: great colleagues, non lunch duty weeks, kids making an effort, pay days, kids being quiet, getting my copies made and leaving before 5pm, staying organized

The bad: kids with no respect, kids who don't try, lunch duty weeks, standing out in the hot sun during bus duty, having to wing a lesson plan, pointless meetings/training sessions, grading, progress reports, kids slamming books on the floor, kids throwing bottles at the trash can

The biggest problem is discipline, bar none. I'm going to have to elicit the help of some veterans in this area, especially for my 4th period. The only other real negative thing I feel sometimes is being too routine about teaching. I want to be more creative but I realize that will come with experience and time.

Here's to the county commissioners and hoping they get us that local supplement increase soon...every dollar counts when you are a first year teacher in NC.

Blog posted by September writer Charles Detmar, spanish teacher Glenn High School in Kernersville

Progress reports...never have two words combined to make my day feel more broken. Let me say this...whoever designed NCWise was not thinking 'user friendly' when they conceived this program. Not to even mention that I had no proper training on the guts of it all, but I was literally scrambling to get my grades posted by 5pm Tuesday. Only thanks to the help of a couple kind colleagues was I able to do it. I dub thee 'NCStoopid'...

I felt bad when I saw some of my kids grades. The problem is that I haven't really given many grades so far. I don't assign homework every night, the first test didn't make it in time, one quiz and a couple of weekly participation grades, and that's all I had. Sure, I could have wore my brain cells into the ground trying to come up with all these graded assignments in two weeks time. Would it be beneficial to my overall mental stability? No.

I wish my room better represented a Spanish classroom. There's nothing really wrong with it now but it could use a couple $100 Staples gift cards. I feel like it's not setup to create the best possible learning environment, simply in terms of how many chairs I have and the limited amount of room with which to arrange them all. If I had it my way, I'd be smack in the middle of the room with the kids surrounding me...there'd be Los Lonely Boys playing each day as they entered the room...giant posters of far away places hanging on each wall...chips and salsa on Fridays...oh and one of those Smart Boards would be nice, too.

Something else has been nagging me lately. Oh yeah, sub plans. Haven't even had a chance to start on that yet. They'll be turned in when I can get to it. I'm not Superman, ya know?

Blog posted by September writer Charles Detmar, spanish teacher Glenn High School in Kernersville

Week two is over...

A major struggle in my classroom is striking a balance between being fair and being consistent. I have a set of rules but can I honestly be expected to enforce them all, 100% of the time? The kids eat a little candy, somebody keeps tapping on the desk, another one is secretly texting on their phone and all this while the two or three knuckleheads in the back corner continue to chat and giggle long after the 10th time I've politely asked them to be quiet so I can hear myself think.

My inexperience is showing and I know it. I want to be friendly because that's just the type of person I am, but I have to let them know that I'm won't tolerate certain behavior. I think some of the kids believe I'm all talk with nothing to back it up with. Somebody told me to make an example of just one of them and see what a difference it makes.

On a lighter note, I've been interweaving some geography and history into my lessons. It's good to break up the grammar and vocab with stuff like this, plus I enjoy these types of subjects. So if I can get even one kid thinking about something new and interesting for that day, then it makes the hardships partially worth while.

Blog posted by September writer Charles Detmar, spanish teacher Glenn High School in Kernersville

Well, I survived my first week of teaching. By survived I mean I haven't quit my job yet. I don't plan to either but it's been mentally and physically challenging for sure. Seeing that I came into this gig with absolutely no idea how to run a successful teaching enterprise, no clue how to manage 25 teenagers in one room, no idea how they would view me when I'm up there...I think I've done pretty well so far.

From what I have surmised thus far, the hard part of teaching is not the actual teaching. It's the discipline, planning, and organization that makes it rough. I had very little time from the first workday until the first day of classes to actually do any of the latter two. I've basically just had to chip away at that mountain little by little each day. I plan for tomorrow today and if I'm lucky, the day after that.

The discipline issue is a beast of it's own. The problem at Glenn is that, at least in the Spanish Dept., the previous year's program was less than stellar. This is what I've heard from various faculty and students. This translates to many of the Spanish II kids being lost, not having learned what they needed to in Spanish I. They also think that the foreign language classroom is for talking and goofing off. Spanish I kids are much better because I have no expectations of them as far as the subject knowledge goes...so this is where us new Spanish teachers can properly prepare them for level II.

The days are long, I often stay an extra hour and a half. I haven't even begun to think about substitute lesson plans, progress reports, or the myriad of other minutia that we are expected to keep up with on the administrative side. At the end of the day, it's supposed to be just me, the kids, and the classroom. The reality of teaching involves so much more though. In fact, I'd venture to say it's one of the most complex occupations on the planet. So whoever says, "Those who can't do, teach."...I say to you, "Those who've never taught, shut up."

Blog posted by September writer Charles Detmar, spanish teacher Glenn High School in Kernersville