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jt - i'm a beginning teacher from Florida
jt - where's everybody from?
Belle - same here-I'm social studies
jt - it seems like i've been teaching for awhile now. I guess you can say I'm on my on the job training. have you guys started yet?
Belle - next week!
jt - good luck!!!
jt - i teach 9th and 10th graders. how about you?
Belle - thanks-what do you teach?
Belle - 11th-American history
jt - i teach biology to 9th & Integrated Science to 10th
Samantha - Hello...I'm starting my first year as a high school math teacher.
jt - welcome to the club
Belle - you're from Florida too, right Samantha?
jt - has anyone actually taught in high school prior to now?
Belle - only as an intern and through Junior Achievement for me
y_not_teach - hey everyone
jt - hi y_not_teach
Belle - hello y
y_not_teach - hey jt
Samantha - No...I'm in northern Va.
y_not_teach - hey belle
y_not_teach - ny hs teachers in here
jt - what grade and subject do you teach y?
y_not_teach - mainly sophmore geometry
Belle - I thought the numbers in ( ) told location. Suppose I'll be wrong once in awhile . .lol
jt - samantha is a math teacher as well..
y_not_teach - hey samantha
jt - i had my baptism by fire this week
y_not_teach - what do you teach
Samantha - hi
jt - bio 9th and integrated sci 10th
y_not_teach - jt mine isn't until the 37th
Samantha - I'll be teaching calculus, alg II, and integrated algera/geometry.
Belle - how do you like it so far, jt?
y_not_teach - sorry 27th
y_not_teach - Samantha you are the person I am looking for
Belle - that's quite a load, Samantha
jt - i enjoy it okey and it's everything i've been told it would be, i mean, how the kids are
Belle - Did you have an internship before now?
jt - no, but i ta'd in college
y_not_teach - Hey Samantha a have I have a question for you
y_not_teach - How do you decorate your room
y_not_teach - BTW I am a HS teacher in IL, chicago
Samantha - ok..that's a good question. This will be my first year at the high school level. I taught 8th grade the past 3 years, and mainly decorated with posters. I have a few with math formulas and a few others that are based on character ed.
y_not_teach - cool
jt - y, i also decorated my room the same way. i'm the only bio teacher in the school w/o an aquarium
Samantha - I always used to decorate a bulletin board at the middle school, but I'm not sure what to do this year w/ high school.
y_not_teach - this is my first year and I want to make it a "not" math room
y_not_teach - want to include art posters and quotes and not limit it to math
y_not_teach - I know I am dumb
y_not_teach - jt so sorry
Samantha - what subject do you teach?
jt - y, about what?
y_not_teach - I really don
y_not_teach - have bulletin boards
Belle - I've seen many HS teachers also use bulletin boards-display student work, school rules, interesting articles, etc
y_not_teach - Geometry
y_not_teach - jt about the aquarium deficiency
Samantha - Last year I had the kids create 3-D solids and decorate them. I hung them from the cieling. It looked pretty cool, but artistic too.
Belle - I think it's good not to limit decor to your subject matter. HS kids want to see the teacher as a real person. Decorate as would make the room pleasing to you. I'm even including some posters of my favorite bands!
jt - y, it's okey. i promised myself i'll get one before the end of the year, if I last that long.
y_not_teach - Thanks samantha
Samantha - Sure...goodluck!
y_not_teach - belle, what are some of your favorite bands
jt - Belle, I'm from brevard cty. and you?
educatorang - What do you all think about using music in the classroom?
Belle - TOOL, Alice in Chains, Pink Floyd, along those lines
Belle - I'm in the Daytona area
y_not_teach - Belle cool bands
jt - i got hired at the Florida Teach in Orlando back in June
Belle - Where is Brevard city?
y_not_teach - Brevard city? where is that?
Samantha - What kind of disciplinary consequences do you all use at the HS level? detention, etc?
Belle - I'm illiterate out of Volusia county, sorry jt
jt - it's Brevard county, the melbourne and beaches area
y_not_teach - hey ed
Belle - miles from Daytona?
jt - Samantha, yes, you should give detention but be careful cause you have to supervise the kid on your time, sometimes
Belle - Thanks, y, just noticed!
y_not_teach - Samantha, I won't know about discipline until tomorrow
jt - about 60 mi
jt - i have kids in two of my classes that were in summer school this year and 2 that actually got kicked out of summer school.
Belle - Samantha, when do you begin teaching?
Samantha - Sept 7...the day after Labor day.
jt - the biggest problem you will have in high school especially the lower grades are just talking and complaining about too much work.
Belle - My district is pretty discipline specific in the teachers' manual-I don't know if you had the chance to look at yours yet
jt - we do, too. it's really zero tolerance
Samantha - I'm sure we have a policy...I just haven't been introduced to it as of yet.
Belle - I guess so-kicked out of summer school, yipes!
Samantha - My school last year had some discipline issues, so that is one of my main concerns.
Belle - The school itself had issues? What kinds?
jt - most schools will have those because of the age group. 90% of the kids though, do want to learn, they just don't know how to act right for us
Samantha - There were a lot of things that didn't get addressed as they should have.
y_not_teach - see you all later
y_not_teach - hope to talk to you all soon
jt - where are you from and what do you teach?
Belle - We all know that follow-through and consistency are keys to effective discipline (especially if you have children yourself). Just make sure you don't fall folly like the school. Be tough.
Samantha - Thanks...that's good advice.
Belle - Did you have a plan for your middle schoolers? You could start there and build, making it more age appropriate
jt - bye guys. i start early tomorrow. good luck to you all and hope to chat with you again later.
Belle - bye jt-good luck!
jt - thanks, belle
Samantha - Yes...I generally started with parent contact and progressed to lunch detention and after school detention. The problem was that of things went beyond that step, the school often let things slide.
Ariel - I'm glad to see you are al talking about discipline issues. That's exactly what I need to talk about. I have one more day left of teaching a six week summer program. I was teaching 5th grade(Sorry. I know this meeting is for secondary, but I really needed to talk) I almost broke down in tears today
Belle - probably shouldn't start with parents for HS-immediate enemy you will make of the student
Samantha - Any more words of wisdom?
Belle - Why were you so down, Ariel? Tomorrow's the last day!
Belle - funny-you're a more experienced teacher than myself. I wish I had answeres for my own questios!
Belle - what made you change from middle to high school?
Ariel - I really wanted to end on a positive note. My boys were terrors today. A lot of complaining about everything and rebellion and pushing limits. This was my first lead teacher position and I feel like I was too soft and a pushover and right now am feeling like a failure. I had two boys who were extremely difficult behaviorly and I am not happy with how I worked with them. They basically walked all over me.
Samantha - I'm eager to teach the higher math. I was getting a little bored with pre-algebra. Plus, middle school students can be VERY challenging!
Ariel - Hope you all don't mind that I'm here as a 5th grade teacher.
Belle - Not at all, Ariel!
Samantha - Ariel, we all have days like that!
Ariel - Thanks for listening. It feels good to vent.
Samantha - I've had my share of teary days!
Ariel - How long have you both been teaching?
Belle - I had one as an intern where I ripped my dress right along the seam of my rear area and didn't notice-the class giggled all the way to the end and two girls politely pointed it out when the bell rang.
Samantha - this will be my 4th year.
Belle - This will be my first year in my own classroom.
Ariel - Belle, what grade?
Belle - hi garf
garf/sped/ga - hi
Belle - 11th-American history
Samantha - One simple thing that helped me my first year was to list the days activities on the chalkboard each day. It sounds simple, but it really did make a difference. The kids were more calm if they knew what to expect.
Belle - that's a good idea.
Samantha - Well, I'm going for now...goodluck everyone!
Belle - Will you be teaching the regular term, Ariel?
Ariel - I'm still in school full-time. I'm thinking of trying to tutor out of my home.
Belle - Are you majoring in education? If so, when would you do your internship?
Ariel - I was an assistant teacher in early childhood for many years and recently returned to school. I am an ed/english major, but won't do an internship for another year. I want to teach middle school language arts.
Belle - cool! I was just wondering because if you were entering internship soon it might be frustrating to tutor at the same time
Ariel - I'm really thinking that I want to work with older students, maybe even high school, but I don't have the experience.
Ariel - Hi Tina
Belle - if you have time you could volunteer in a high school to see if you like it
Belle - I'm certified 6-12 and couldn't decide because middle schoolers can be so sweet and you can do cool projects with them but there is more content depth with high schoolers.
Ariel - That's a good idea. I'm not great in the disciplining area and am thinking there is less of that in High School. Am I right?
Belle - I think in HS, like all grades, it's best to prevent problems rather than discipline. I'm rather fond of Harry Wong's book
Ariel - Hi leaf. Glad you are here. I just discovered this site and am loving it( I know you from last night)
akaivyleaf - Hi Belle
akaivyleaf - Yes Ariel, I remember. How are things with you today? Glad you like this site, I'm addicted.
Ariel - I had a rough day. What is Harry Wong's book?
Ariel - How are you today, leaf?
lynnie - Hi everyone! I like Harry Wong's book, too, but what else to you have to suggest for students who talk constantly?? I've done the walking over to their desk or stopping my lecture and looking at them until they stop, but it seems like I'm doing that a lot for a couple of students. (I just started teaching HS last week).
Belle - It's called "The First Days of School" and it's my bible for the classroom
Belle - lynnie, do you have assigned seating? Perhaps you should separate the worst offenders.
Ariel - Thanks. I wrote in down. I can use all the help I can get!
Belle - Wong also has a feature article on this website
lynnie - "The First Days of School" is an excellent resource for classroom management. I'm using his ideas for cooperative learning, too, but it seems like I need to teach some students a little more about how to work with a group and how to work until the job is done instead of expecting very specific, detailed directions. I think some are not used to that. Most did really well, though. Anyway, I did not have assigned seating yet but I did just place my students into small groups of 3 or 4, with varying abilities and separating those who talk to each other too much. I'm going to have them stay in these groups. It worked a lot better, but I think some will continue to talk no matter who they're next to.
Belle - I had a mentor teacher who was incredibly effective and took a "killing with kindness" approach. He might say something like "The class and myself are distracted by your talking.(pregnant pause creates discomfort, light smile) Please stop now.
Ariel - I'm interested. How do I find it?
lynnie - You can click on the link to Harry Wong's articles on the home page of teachers.net. It also will have an archive of past articles.
Ariel - Thanks. I'm going to check it out tonight.
Belle - kinda sleepy y'all. . . good luck and I hope to chat again soon!
Ariel - I's gotten so out of hand with my boys that they will talk to each other when I am talking to the group and not even stop when I call attention to it or say I will wait for them to be quiet.
lynnie - I'd better go, too-- have a few more things to plan out for tomorrow! Bye and good luck with all of your teaching jobs!
Ariel - Lynnie, what grade do you teach? Bye Belle, nice chatting.
Ariel - Bye lynnie. I guess i'm all alone here
lynnie - I just started teaching American Sign Language; I have all grades 9-12. I realized today that my class that seems to have the most problems has about 1/2 freshmen. The other classes are more like 1/3 or less freshmen. I think that makes a big difference.
Ariel - Good observation. Are you working in a special ed setting?
lynnie - No, it's not special ed. It's offered as a foreign language-- they're regular ed. high school students, 9-12 taking the class as an elective or as a foreign language credit.
Gracee - Hi Does any one teach sev/profound students
Ann HS/WA - Are you a new HS teacher, Jules?
Jules - I'm HS English and in my second year. We start classes next Wed.
Ann HS/WA - What grades - 10-12, 9-12?
Jules - I still feel pretty new, though I know almost all my students. I have grades 9, 11, and 12 newspaper and a dual enrollment composition
Ann HS/WA - Pretty full for 2nd year!!!
Jules - How about you Ann?
Ann HS/WA - An old teacher - teach HS US History, World History, and Law
Ann HS/WA - Ariel, are you still here?
Ann HS/WA - I am also the mentor coordinator for our secondary program, Jules.
Jules - I love history, and it's so relevant to literature that I am trying to do some cross curricular stuff with our Social Studies teacher this year
Ann HS/WA - Did you have newspaper last year, Jules?
Ann HS/WA - Great! An American studies type program?
Ann HS/WA - Ariel, what do you teach?
Ann HS/WA - And you Lisa?
Jules - Well, right now we're both working w/ dual enrollment, so I hope to work with writing skills and history, maybe rhetoric. This is my second year of newspaper, but this year we are going hi-tech, so it's all new to me
Ariel - I'm a full-time ed/english major(returned to school after 10 years). I have been teaching 5th grade in a summer program. It ends tomorrow. And you?
Ann HS/WA - How did you do it last year?
Ann HS/WA - Ariel, history and law- not new- an old mentor teacher.
Jules - Ariel, I went back to schoool and got my MSED and certification in English after being out for several years also. It's a lot of work!
Ann HS/WA - Many papers to grade in English.
Ann HS/WA - When will you complete certification, Ariel?
Jules - I guess, but if we teach them to read their own work with a critical eye, then the grading becomes much easier.
Ann HS/WA - You are correct, do you all use the 6 Trait model?
Ariel - I stillhave 3 years to go. It's a long haul. Jules, how long have you been teaching?
Jules - That's where my ed. failed me, I am not terribly familiar w/ teaching models. I feel that I learned my way of teaching from the great English professors that taught me. If they used the 6 trait model, then I probably used it w/out even knowing it.
Jules - Ariel, I am in my second year. It took me three years going PT to finish my degree. I love teaching HS, though.
Ann HS/WA - HS is a lot of fun.
Ann HS/WA - What states are you from, Ariel and Jules?
Jules - Missouri.
Ariel - I'mfrom NYC-moved recently to NJ. You?
Jules - small town (600) in the NW part of the state
Ann HS/WA - The state of Washington - is it still dreadfully hot back there?
Ann HS/WA - How many kids in your school, Jules?
Jules - Beautiful weather this week, but yes it has been hot!
Jules - have about 200 7-12
Ariel - Thanks for asking about the heat. It was miserable, but it has cooled off. Jules, how do you like small town life. We are thinking of moving to Upstate NY-smalltown.
Ann HS/WA - That is quite a load! We teach on a 4X4 block schedule - kids have 4 90 minute classes a day.
Jules - It is a hard place to teach the multicultural aspects of education, but the kids are generally good-natured and responsive to adults that show an interest in their lives
Ann HS/WA - On this type of block schedule, we see 3 classes, 30-34 in each
Ariel - Ann, how do you like teaching block schedule?Is it effective?
Jules - Our school has toyed w/ the idea of block scheduling, but still have 8 periods, 45 minutes long. Intersted in hearing how it works
Ann HS/WA - For some classes, yes- perfect for activity (performance based) clssrooms. For sequential learning (music, math) it is not so great.
jmbalaya - hi guys saw u all talking about blocks...i think it's ok for some classes but not for others...overall i think if i had to choose block i would want semesters versus years...kids can't keep track of the days off
jmbalaya - i teach chem...it's not so fun with the blocks...my singlets do much better
Ann HS/WA - We don't switch days, jmbalaya - classes are over at the semester.
Jules - Jmbalaya, where and what grades to you teach?
jmbalaya - ya that's our problems the 9th and 10th graders don't even pretend to do hw...they use the blocks as an excuse...i teach in va...10-12 just depends on who's taking chem
Ann HS/WA - What about labs, jmb - isn't the block schedule better for those?
Jules - Any advise on using films effectively in class?
Jules - Sometimes I wonder if it's better just to show clips or the whole film.
Ann HS/WA - Preview them - stop them frequently for points you wish them to pay attention to.
Ann HS/WA - The whole film watching becomes more entertainment.
jmbalaya - it's a bit better with labs...but from what i've seen it's more effective for content in singlets...i would prefer a floating block so that labs would be doable in a larger time slot
Ann HS/WA - Phone is ringing, must go.
Jules - Yes! I thought so, but I remember watching entire films and didn't know any other way, though I did limit the number of films to 1 or 2 the entire year.
jmbalaya - we lose a month to testing at the end of the year too, so that complicates things
Jules - Jmbalaya, we also lost an entire month to testing. Wow what a pain!
Jules - Ariel--what grades do you want to teach?
Jules - where and what do you teach
Ariel - Jules, i'm still undecided about if I want to teach middle school or high school
Jules - There are so many great home school curriculums out there that it is now a real option. I feel lucky that my children have a great private school they can attend
Jules - I teach in a public school. The only private school is pre-8 and I teach 9-12.
Ariel - Jules, my passion is writing. Why do you think HS is the way to go for writing?
Jules - Well, teaching writng skill begins in Middle school, but refining what one writes comes with maturity. I teach a dual enrollment composition class, and it is both horrifying to teach someone who can't write, but amazing to teach a student that you can also call a "writer."
Ariel - I was only in Atlanta for one year and then returned home to NYC. This was over ten years ago. Liked Atlanta, but Emory was not a good fit for me. I also believe that writing habits start at an early age. I worked with kindergrten and it was exciting to see emerging literacy. However, I am drawn to working at a higher level. I love literature for the Middle schoolers.
Jules - yes writing and reading go hand in hand. I guess I just prefer the beauty of a fabulous paper and noticed a great difference between my 10th graders and my 12 graders. The conversation's been great, but the hubby is expecting a phone call and we're on one line. Good luck ivy and ariel. I too have usedx the rewriting the ending. it works great in class. The later it gets, the worse my typing. Good night.
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