Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher
Posted by vet English teacher on 10/09/08
Never give them an assignment on weekends or holidays for a
start or over breaks. Tell them that's their family time and
if they want to do work over weekends, holidays or breaks -
read, read, read. Having said exactly that, no parent will
ever complain about the 'no homework' on weekends, holidays
and breaks. Give out a list of 'old classics' and you've
really covered your bases.
Never give another writing assignment until you've got the
first one graded. Tell them - you want to give each paper a
careful evaluation - that's what you're paid for - and that
it's a recommended policy by some Language Arts teachers not
to give more writing assignments until all others are back. (
it is - I just recommended it) And by the way - it's a good
practice too.
They're right- students should not grade other students papers
- that's a poor practice. The taxpayers are not paying for
Johnny's opinions on Susie's papers nor are they happy when
Susie sees that Johnny flunked the vocab test.
Meetings - ugh - usually a huge waste of time. Do you have a
laptop? Get one and pretend to be taking notes on the meeting
but instead do your planning.
You will gradually build up a 'bank' of lessons in your head -
things you can pull out of your head to fill days here and
there. Till then - never hesitate to declare a Friday "Poetry
Day" or 'Lyrics Day" or Spoken Word Day or any kind of writing
you can think of day and spend that day exploring. Get your
laptop connected to a projector in the ceiling - spend your
own money if you have to but once you're connected in that
way, you can call up poems, images, pictures of Emily
Dickinson - it's powerful.
'Letter Day' - print out some powerful letters all easily
found these days on the Internet - find Sullivan Ballou's
letter to his wife as he went off the Civil War. It takes a
class period to read and digest such a letter but it takes
much less planning than another lesson - and it's yet a very
powerful lesson because the writing is extraordinary.
Do you require outside reading? They should be prepared on
any day than to fill the day with telling about their books -
readers should exchange their thoughts with other readers. Do
they like their book - why? My kids love that day - they like
hearing what the others have chosen to read.
Post back if you want more.
What can I do to relive some of
> this stress?
>
> Michele
Posts on this thread, including this one
- 1st year 8th grade English teacher, 10/07/08, by Michele.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher, 10/07/08, by Jennifer .
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher, 10/07/08, by CindyinMO.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher, 10/07/08, by Michele.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher, 10/07/08, by Sonia Arias.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher Caught Ya Thread LINK, 10/08/08, by Cybrary Man.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher - Language Arts LINKS, 10/08/08, by Cybrary Man.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher, 10/08/08, by Ima Teacher.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher - grading, 10/08/08, by The issue is.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher, 10/09/08, by vet English teacher.
- Re: 1st year 8th grade English teacher Caught Ya Thread LINK, 10/09/08, by jennifer .
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