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chris - Hi! This is my first time - is there a topic that we are discussing?
LK - Mine too Chris. I thought it was about getting to know our students.
chris - LK - I teach 7th grade LA - What do you teach?
LK - That's a challenge for me. I'm starting a library/ media position. I see 1 1/2 schools about 750 kids a week
LK - Elementary
chris - WOW that is a lot of students to get to know!
LK - I was in the position for the last 3 months of the year. My goal for next year is to know more kids
chris - Is there a person who gives a presentation or do we just chat?
LK - I have no idea
Jules - Any new teachers on?
LK - I'm very new
Jules - Well I just finished my first year-and I loved it!
Blondie - I am new to my grade level
LK - What subject?
Jules - I teach language arts 7/8th grade
Blondie - 3rd grade
chris - Well, one suggestion would be that you could gett the class pictures or take pictures of the kids and keep them in a place where you could look at them when the teacher brings their class in.
Jules - Elementary is so cool
Christine - hi.
Blondie - I need new ideas to promote class "togetherness"
chris - Blondie - What did you teach before?
LK - I thought I could make a presentation on the use of the digital camera and then use it to make a current photo of each child
Jules - LK what do you/are you going to teach?
Blondie - kinder--they do not really snub each other
chris - Jules, I treach 7th grade Langauage Arts
Jules - Blondie, how about a class project?
Blondie - i had trouble with "groups" not wanting to let others in
chris - I have taught K, 2nd, and third before
LK - I'll be teaching library and media skills. k-5 in 1 1/2 schools.
Blondie - great but what
Jules - Chris! That's great! How long?
chris - Blondie - Have you heard of the tribes program
Jules - Blondie, how about an incentive program to promote group work?
Blondie - no ..would love to hear it!
Jules - LK, wow! That's so important.
Linda929 - Hello all - 8th grade language arts in Michigan here!
kd - is this elem & middle school
Linda929 - yes kd
kd - i'm lang arts 8th grade
Jules - Kd What part of Michigan?
Blondie - Chris --where can I find out about the tribes
LK - My challenge is to keep lessons short I only see the classes 1hour 10 each week.
Jules - Kd, I'm language arts 7, 8 too!
Linda929 - Hey christine! What's happening?
Christine - Not much, what grade do you teach?
kd - jules, Michigan?
Linda929 - Jules, I'm from Sturgis MI - and you?
Jules - Lk, Wow that's a challenge. What's your focus?
LK - Hastings MI for me
Jules - I was born in Detroit!
Linda929 - MI in the house!!!
Jules - Too much info, I know. :0)
kd - jules, which do you like better? 7 or 8
Jules - I'm actually in Florida now.
chris - Jules - This will be my 2nd year - Last year I also taught Math Skills and Computers, but this year I am only doing 7th grade Language Arts- it should require less planning time!
Linda929 - We just adopted new lang arts materials K-12 - the challenge is to try to "do it all"!
LK - Jules I teach library skills for 30 min then tech skills for the remaining time.
kd - so did we linda
Jules - Chris, I bet! This will be my second year as well. We both made it through our first year!
Linda929 - What series, kd?
kd - holt and you?
Linda929 - We settled on Holt Rinehart for lit and McDougal Littell for grammar
kd - me to jules!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jules - kd, I teach them both at once, so they're both kinda the same to me!
Linda929 - Awesome!!! What novels are you selecting?
kd - we did Holt for both
kd - wow jules that doesn't happen around here
Jules - kD, really?
kd - yeah we only have on grade per class
Jules - Florida does have a bad reputation for weird things in schools
kd - unless it is HS and they flunked
kd - did you guys feel like dancing when you finished that FIRST year???
Jules - It's kind of nice. I'll have the 7th graders that I taught last year again this year. I really get a chance to know them.
chris - Blondie - I don't have the book here a at home but basically you start the school year out having class meetings - everyone has the right to pass - The class rules do not allow put downs- Every Friday I would have a compliments and complaints session - they all wnt into a box - Usually by Friday they had forgotten gheir complaints - It was fun!
Linda929 - I can't remember kd - I'll be starting my 29th year on 8/19!
Jules - KD, I really enjoyed my first year. It was really scary because I'd had no practice. No internship or anything and that is really rare.
kd - last yr was a hard class and it was something else
Jules - Kd, how come?
kd - wow linda, congrats, what do u teach
LK - Chris that sounds like Teaching Chiildren to Care in the Responsive Class room
chris - KD - I was happy to have survived!! I did learn alot thourh!
kd - the class was exceptionally rough, exceptionally
LK - Or the Morning Meeting Book--We used both in my student teaching
Jules - Chris, what was the biggest surprise?
Linda929 - Thanks, kd! I teach 8th grade lang arts - previously (like 15 yrs ago!), I taught 1st then 4th then 5th grades. I like the 8th graders!
kd - i'm glad to hear it linda, when i say i teach 8th, i think people are about to tell me they are sorry
kd - for me that is
Linda929 - I get that all the time, kd!!
Jules - I get that too!
kd - i think i'll like this age group and try not to base 8th graders on that ROUGh group
Jules - Why do people treat us like we've given ourselves a death sentence? LOL
chris - I came up from elementary school - the kids are way different! This year I want to introduce more humor into my classroom - and try to make it more fun! I think I was a little intense this year - I had great classroom management but I was really weak on the fun!
Linda929 - I'm currently teaching 6th graders-headed for 7th in summer school - I REALLY prefer 8th graders!!
Jules - I like this age group a lot! They almost get it, you know?
kd - do u guys in MS post rules
Jules - Chris, I was a little too much fun, I need to tone down!
kd - really linda? i always think 6th will be my favorite if I ever get to a school with 6th as MS
chris - It is tough to find that middle ground isin't it!
Linda929 - I have very few rules - I think it's 'cause I'm afraid I'll forget what the rules are!!! Mostly, I expect them to listen during instructional time, and to be at least courteous to each other.
LK - Have a great summer. I'm off to put my daughter to bed.
Jules - Yeah! I would find myself joking one minute and then being super stern the next. That middle ground is tricky.
kd - they are so 5 yrs old one day and 40 the next
Linda929 - I have to scoot as well - MUCH to do before my son wants to return to the computer!! Nice chatting, all!!
chris - One of my friends said that it was the only job where you could go through all the emotions in one hour!
Jules - Agreed!
kd - do u guys post rules
Jules - When does school start up again for you guys?
kd - sabine and chris are u guys MS
kd - aug 14
Jules - I have rules set up in my classroom, is that what you mean?
chris - I didn't last year but I am going to this year. Last year I sent a letter out that the parents and the students had to sign to show they haad read the rules.
kd - well, do u have a poster or anything that lists them
Sabine - Hi folks. Yes, I am. I'll be starting my first year this August.
chris - I start Aug 14 also! It seems so early for me!
kd - i think i'm posting 4 or 5 then the consequences also
Jules - Sabine: You'll do great! Don't be too nervous!
Jules - The kids start the 12th for us. EARLY, EARLY!
kd - get this, i just found out about a job in the school corp i'm dying to get in
chris - Yesa, I am middle school!
Sabine - Thanks, I'll teach Language Arts, I just have to find a way to fit it all in together. I start August 5.
chris - It is a good idea not to post to many! I think will think carefully before I write mine up! One thing I know is that I am going to have to think carefully before I post them! I will have a rule about yone in the class including the TEACHER!
Jules - My rules are pretty simple, nothing fancy.
kd - what does the last part mean chris?
Jules - Be courteous to one another, raise your hand, be in your seat when the bell rings, etc.
chris - This is so slow that I don't see my message before it postss l-- That word was teaching respect
kd - mine too last yr i had a paper that the kids zoned out of on about rule 9
Sabine - Do you have any rules about respect? I would like to up something in about that.
kd - mine is respect everyone and everything
Jenn - I start my first year Aug 14!!
Jules - I put RESPECT on my wall, and then to the right of each letter explain-like an acrostic poem
kd - you'll learn a ton jenn but expect some rough times
chris - Jenn- What will you be teaching?
Jules - Jenn, what grade? You'll do great, Chris and I here just finished our first year!
Sabine - Me, too. Are you in middle school, Jenn?
Jenn - Does anyone have ideas on how to start teaching reading to 5/6th grd?
Jules - Fun times too, Jenn!
Jules - Well, maybe familiarize yourself with books in that reading level.
kd - i did too jules
chris - Actually, it wasn't my first year teaching - but it was my first year in Middle school
Jules - Yeah-all kinds of emotions and experiences-good, bad, sad, happy...
Jules - OOps! My mistake!
Sabine - Jen, do you have Wong's book the first days of school?
Jenn - Is there a web site to give me ideas? Do I start with simple lessons or jump into short stories?
Jules - That's a great one!
kd - you could do either
Jenn - Yes, I have Wong's.
kd - i'm not finished with it
kd - do u guys like it
Jules - Yeah, it's great!
felicia - any experienced 6th grade teachers?
kd - what did u teach b4 chris
kd - i'm 8th grade
Sabine - Yes, I found it full of good advice, simple things.
chris - I like to have reading groups. What I did was I got a couple of volunteers and had groups so that everyone got to read aloud -If possible - I would have them read the same book and then have a discussion about it
chris - I taught K, 2nd, and 3rd
kd - which do u like best
Jules - This year I read outloud to my kids, while they read silently sometimes, other times we took turns. We paused and reflected a lot!
Sabine - Has anyone tried reading/writing workshops?
chris - Jenn- there are a ton of lessons on the web - I just go to google.com and type llanguage arts lessons and the topic
chris - I got a great unit off the web on the Titanic!
kd - i'm not sure what people mean when they say reading/writing ws
kd - can someone explain?
chris - Microsft and Intel are to great sites to check out. You can subscribe to a newsletter and get all kinds of great ideas
Jules - It was really nice talking to you all! Have a great summer, and a great new school year!
chris - It is really hot here! How is the weather where youy are?
Jenn - I've used web lessons, just wasn't sure what to do my first 2-3 weeks.
Sabine - It's a concept where students write stories, memoirs, ect. Students are responsible for what they write. Teachers, students edit the writing.
kd - what is the reading part?
Sabine - It's in the upper 90's here.
chris - The first two weeks I would teach simple things and concentrate on having the students learn the rules and routines!
Jenn - Thanks, Chris. Just needed some idea.
Sabine - Students select the books that they want to read and write in a journal to the teacher. The teacher in turn writes to the students and gives them ideas to ponder about.
chris - If they don't get the rules and routines down - you will have trouble all year!
Jenn - I tend to be the quiet type so I will have to muster up some presence to set the tone.
kd - so they are 2 different workshops? not together right?
chris - I'm going to sign off and go for a late night swim to cool down! Have a great summer! It was fun chatting! Good luck to everyone!
Jenn - Thanks, bye. Have a nice swim.
Sabine - Yes, that's right. If y ou want to know more, Nancie Atwell has writttena book called In the Middle.
kd - ok i have that but haven't read it in 3 yrs
kd - i do those things but didn't know the titles
Sabine - My college advisor recommended it to me. How do they turn out?
kd - well my class was full of poor writers and basically just lazy
kd - the good students did fine the others didn't
kd - also, i teach a writing class
Sabine - I'm working in 8th grade low income students.
kd - a lot of mine are too
kd - is this going to be your 1st yr
Sabine - I'd like to try it to increase self esteem. I may want to publish them on a web page. Yes, this is my first year.
kd - put your foot down right away
Sabine - I'm planning to do that. I might even bring a cell phone to school to quickly phone parents if I need to.
kd - well it was nice chatting i have to run
Sally - How do you all have parent involvement and too much of it?
Sabine - Hi Sally. What grade do you teach.
Sally - I want parent support and really not so much parent involvement. My school has an open door policy.
Sabine - I had some parent involvement. You must teach a lower grade.
Sally - I teach 3rd
Sabine - That's difficult.
Sally - I had one parent that was there everyday from 8 to 3.
Sabine - I mean the open door policy.
Sally - I am an experience teacher, but still get nervous.
Sabine - Yuck. How did you handle it?
Sally - More and more schools are going for the open dorr polciy now.
Sally - It was not easy at all. I tried to give her a lot of stuff to do.
Sabine - did you have the parent help you out with a groupof students?
Sally - yes and individuals, but she was more of a hindrance than a help.
Sabine - It would be great if the person was great with kids. did she get her fill of teaching.
Sally - Sadly no! She was a mother that did not have a life! LOL
Sabine - Oh dear. Maybe you can have her correct lots of papers the next time she comes.
Sally - I want parents to volunteer, but at my discretion.
Sally - What grade do y ou teach and is it a public school?
Sally - Hi Melissa
melissa4/NJ - hello, am i interrupting?
Sally - NO, we werre talking about parent involvement in class.
Sabine - I am teaching 8th grade in a public school. This is my first year. 3rd grade would be my dream job. Maybe when the state economyis better. Not many school around here were hiring.
melissa4/NJ - i would prefer to eat parents as a snakc...lol
Sally - LOL
Sabine - Hi melissa
melissa4/NJ - hi
Sally - I would not have anything above 3rd grade.
Sally - I did teach 4th grade for awhile and it was okay.
melissa4/NJ - i am in 4th, and would never dream of anything lower
Sally - I really prefer 2nd grade
Sabine - I'm hoping in 8th grade things won't be that bad.
Sally - I hope so!
melissa4/NJ - my girl friend teachers 8th, and loves it, she really enjoys iy
Sally - Melissa, do yo have a lot of parent involvement?
Sabine - I was an assistant teacher in 2nd grade before I became a teacher. I loved it.
melissa4/NJ - finds that yyou can have real discussions with them, andn kinda rationnalize things
melissa4/NJ - II try to not get parents involved except for parties and trrips
Sabine - you guys are giving me hope.
Sally - I have no chooice. We have an open door policy.
melissa4/NJ - i am in a catholic school, so things are a little different
melissa4/NJ - i can hardle believe that i am starting my third year
Sally - I wanted to teach in a catholic school, but the pay sucks! LOL
melissa4/NJ - seems like yesterday that i was a newbie
Sally - I have been teaching for over 15 years.
melissa4/NJ - catholiic school pay does suck, but my hubby teaches in public so it makes it easier
Sally - Can't do it,if you were a single person.
melissa4/NJ - they are hoping to get us up to 80% of public pay within the next five years
Sabine - I have to go. Have a good year.
melissa4/NJ - if you are single and living with parents iit is ok, but that is about all
Sally - YEah, right!
melissa4/NJ - u2
Sally - Bye sabine
melissa4/NJ - lol, i did that ffor a year and a half before i got mar]ried
melissa4/NJ - my keyboard is sticking, sorrry
Sally - IT will be a cold day in H## before you will see a 80% raise
melissa4/NJ - well right now, we are about 60% of public
melissa4/NJ - so that is about 5% per year
melissa4/NJ - i icould make so much more going back to the corporate wo]rkplace
Sally - Thank god, you got a hubby in public
melissa4/NJ - tell me bout it
Sally - Yes, you could.
melissa4/NJ - hi sandra
Sally - what do you teach sandra?
sandra - I was wondering if anyone here knows a place on the web I could go to read some good articles to help me establish some learning stations (centers) in my room next year
melissa4/NJ - i can't believe the money that i left
sandra - hi I teach second grade
Sally - You must have gotten knocked out by the power of the Holy Spirit.
melissa4/NJ - lol
melissa4/NJ - i thhink so
melissa4/NJ - you know, i actually have a funnny story about that
Sally - I teach 3rd. Do you have a lot of parent involvement in your class or school?
shocker - I'm going to WSU next fall to study elem. education
shocker - hints the name
melissa4/NJ - from what i have been told, if you have an open door policy,, some of the best things to give parents is dedcorations for the hall ways, maybe asking if they can cut out different letters or patterns
shocker - what is the best grade to teach?
melissa4/NJ - i teach 4th, and love it
melissa4/NJ - i would go older, but not younger
Lisa4TX - depends what you like
Sally - Sandra, go to primary chatboard.. they have soem things on learning stations.
melissa4/NJ - i think the qquesstion iss what age are you most comfortable jjwith
Sally - Also, type in search engine.. Teaching is a work of the heart by Carolyn Gallagher
shocker - i was a tutor for a 6th grade class, 6th graders have attitudes
melissa4/NJ - i am sorry, my keys are sticking, so my letters are doubling
Lisa4TX - i agree- just depends on what you like to teach
Lisa4TX - 4th is great, but stressful
Sally - I prefer lower elementary vs. upper ele.
shocker - i'll start taking classes in the summer
melissa4/NJ - 4th is the attitudde starting point, 5th is the pushing point, 6-8 is hormones
Sally - 4th graders start to really have an attttude.
melissa4/NJ - but the lower you go, the more you need to do for them
Lisa4TX - though i had plenty of hormones in my class last year!
melissa4/NJ - lol, me too
shocker - and probably will be a para for one one the schools as well'
Sally - See you all!
Lisa4TX - i had a kid turn 11 one month into school
melissa4/NJ - but the attitude usually does not really start to bother you until the last marking period (at least me)
Lisa4TX - yeah, the attitudes at our school got awful around april
melissa4/NJ - right after spring break
shocker - i'm a senior in highschool, and some of the teachers aren't much older than I am
melissa4/NJ - nd the worst part was that spring break was so early
helo - where can I get help with visual basic?
Lisa4TX - plus our state testing was a month and a half before school got out
melissa4/NJ - my hubby gets mistaken as a student, and he is almost 30, he is a high school teacher
< melissa4/NJ - our testing was a week and a half before spring break
Lisa4TX - wow
melissa4/NJ - we are usually that early
shocker - my social studies class had to WSU para this year, and my teacher made them participate in activities
Lisa4TX - we have one in feb. the others in april
melissa4/NJ - you are 4th in public right?
Lisa4TX - yup
melissa4/NJ - i am 4th in catholic, we only do terra nova
melissa4/NJ - we can opt out of espa, and siniice they can not score corrreicty, i am ssaved for a whilel
Lisa4TX - must be nice
melissa4/NJ - jwow, this is really bad (keyboard)
shocker - dont worry I have a bad computer
melissa4/NJ - well i do not teach to the test, and myy kids did really well, i brought them all up, scores were horrible last year
melissa4/NJ - my computer is dead, and i am using a laptop, and i hate the keyboard
Lisa4TX - that's good. i'm going into my second year. i hate teaching to the test, but i was being watched to make sure my kids did as well as the rest, so i gave in
shocker - i have a computer and a card table in my apartment and that's all
melissa4/NJ - i am going iinto my third year
Lisa4TX - this year i am going to avoid test prep as much as possible
melissa4/NJ - i do test prep, you know so they knoww the language of the test
Lisa4TX - well we get totally new tests this year. so test prep will be a lot different
melissa4/NJ - mine did not knnow how to take a test this year
melissa4/NJ - my prep was teaching them how to take a test
shocker - do you use scantron tests
melissa4/NJ - no sicantrons for me
melissa4/NJ - i meant scantrons
Lisa4TX - not with kids this young
shocker - i cant stand taking tests w/them,I will never use them when I'm a teacher
Lisa4TX - i'm trying to learn the difference between test prep and teaching to the test
melissa4/NJ - it is hard enough for them to circle the answers, never mind teaching them how to use a scantron
Lisa4TX - our state test uses a scantron
melissa4/NJ - well basically test prep is giivinng them the know how to take a test
shocker - and you have to be "perfect" when you bubble the answers in
melissa4/NJ - teaching to the test is only teaching the material that they wwill find on the test andd then doing it over and over again
melissa4/NJ - i think scantrons should be outlawed...
shocker - as a student I hate them
melissa4/NJ - when you startedd teaching 4th, did you find that you expecteedd more than they icould give?
Lisa4TX - in some respects
Lisa4TX - my biggest mistake was assuming that they knew school rules and i didn't have to discuss them....
melissa4/NJ - i was thinking back to when we were that young and what was expected of us
melissa4/NJ - lol, me too
shocker - well I have to get going
Lisa4TX - me too, actually
melissa4/NJ - i have realized that i need to teach procedures more in the begining of school
melissa4/NJ - by shocker
melissa4/NJ - bye lisa
Lisa4TX - yeah...i'm learning a lot. rereading harry wong
