I was thinking to type out a note than can be copied and have blank spaces for info pertaining to the student specifically. When a student is tardy I would fill in name, date, students excuse for tardy and how many tarsiers have been counted for that student in that grading term. The student would need to have their parent sign the form and return it. I also already have in use a firm which is filled out when a student fails to return multiple papers requiring a student signature. The form list each unsigned form and date it was issued so the parent can be made aware.
If I had to sit around writing notes to every parent whose kid shows up late for class, I'd never get anything else done.
On 2/12/13, mc wrote: > I agree with you. If all is posted, the onus is on the parent to > check data. > > > On 2/12/13, Daniel Hanson wrote: >> Sounds like a lot of work. The parents at our school can check >> their child's attendance online. So, there is no need for >> written notification. Are you having to do written >> notification? Notes and stuff can easily be forged. At our >> school we have Tardy Contract forms the school provides once a >> student has reached their 4 tardy and it's in force in all >> their classes for the rest of the semester.
I have a paper due tomorrow in ap european.. it is supposed to be about how the french revolution was not a product of the enlightenment.. i dont know how to begin this paper because out of all my research, Ive found that it WAS a product of the enlightenent. so please help.
What seems to work is giving them a written assignment every day. Check their notebook or collect some sort of worksheet from them every day in class, not as homework. If they fail, you have a gradebook full of 0's to show those who accuse you unfairly failing the kids. Usually what happens is that after a couple of 0's, the slackers will at least make a half-hearted attempt to do the work sort of somewhat sometimes. I taught the supposed worst kids in a tough inner-city district and got all but one to pass for the year, if not for every marking period, using this method.
On a related topic, Vo-tech schools are now forms of gifted schools in my state. If you are a good student with a clean record, you can learn to fix cars or hair. A troublemaker does "calculus" and "physics" in a college prep program. I put these words in quotes because you can imagine how watered down these classes are
I get frustrated with the hand-holding and the spoon-feeding at times. It seems like we teachers care so much more and work so much more at getting them to graduate than the students acutally do. I wonder, sometimes, about what that diploma actually means anymore for some of them. At the same time, I am glad that I work in a school that won't just let a kid fail--he/she has to work really hard at it. Some of them do, LOL. And with so much of the school's "report card" hinging on graduation rate, we can't just give up on them. Plus, it wouldn't feel right to just quit on a kid, though I know they can be highly challenging! I know other schools have different situatons, but this is what we do.
I'm not a big fan of the comma... put me with Faulkner or e.e.cummings neither of whom used conventional punctuation. But yes, those who teach that a comma goes where you feel like taking a breath are not teaching it quite right.
I was actually taught 'when in doubt, leave it out' and so I have left out many commas over the years and former students come back to tell me they got marked down because they were missing commas in their papers. Which I regret and sincerely.
But did anyone else ever hear' when in doubt, leave it out' or was Mrs. Bright the only English teacher who said that??
never heard that. We were taught the 10 major rules. nfmOn 2/27/13, Sara wrote: > On 2/25/13, breathing isn't punctuating wrote: >> There is no doubt that comma usage is very confusing. It is >> confusing for adults, and it can be very confusing for >> students in k-12. There is one myth, however, that some >> teachers are teaching as a comma ‘rule.’ Every year, they >&...See MoreOn 2/27/13, Sara wrote: > On 2/25/13, breathing isn't punctuating wrote: >> There is no doubt that comma usage is very confusing. It is >> confusing for adults, and it can be very confusing for >> students in k-12. There is one myth, however, that some >> teachers are teaching as a comma ‘rule.’ Every year, they >> come to me and tell me that their elementary and middle >> school teachers taught them to "put a comma in the sentence >> when they take a breath." That is wrong. A writer uses a >> comma to indicate when one should take a breath; it is not >> placed in a sentence because one takes a breath. There is a >> difference. Do you have this problem? > > I'm not a big fan of the comma... put me with Faulkner or > e.e.cummings neither of whom used conventional punctuation. > But yes, those who teach that a comma goes where you feel like > taking a breath are not teaching it quite right. > > I was actually taught 'when in doubt, leave it out' and so I > have left out many commas over the years and former students > come back to tell me they got marked down because they were > missing commas in their papers. Which I regret and sincerely. > > But did anyone else ever hear' when in doubt, leave it out' or > was Mrs. Bright the only English teacher who said that??
Today I had planned on reviewing last week's chapter test, which on the average, students in Spanish I and II did not do well on. I didn't want to have the students do test corrections and be able to recuperate some (half) of the points the lost because they didn't know the answers in the first place. I had just done that on the previous chapter test and don't want the students to get to thinking that they will always be given that opportunity if they do poorly the first time on assessments.
So, today I created a PowerPoint, called on students to read questions, called on students to answer them, and explained why the answer was the correct one.
Here are some of the reactions:
- First period was fine with this activity, although it took up the majority of the period (50 questions on the test). (They are a great group of kids to start with in terms of motivation and behavior. Plus, they are just waking up since 1st period starts at 7:30 a.m.)
- In the next two classes, I had a few to a couple of students ask when passing back their tests that if they did the corrections on the test, would they get points for it. They didn't like my reply that we were going over the test answers so they could see why they missed those problems and so they would understand it better in preparation for the Unit benchmark test in a couple of weeks, when they would be tested over 3 chapters. They had a disinterested look on their face with that reason/response.
- Some students were laying their heads down or looking at electronic devices until I called on them to read or state their answer. Again, showing their disinterest in going over the answers.
Does it seem like to you that there are more students who are like this?
Yes, I know the setup for this type of activity isn't super engaging, but reviewing the answers and seeing why they got answers wrong is important, right?
As you probably could tell, I was a little disheartened by today's review, mainly because of the lack of interest of some of the students in reviewing the learning and improving it.
I'm not particularly looking for suggestions on how to structure this better, but those posts are definitely welcome, too.
Was this unusual? This could not have been the first chapter test you gave this year. Do your students normally do well on your chapter tests? That would be my question.If they normally do well, then this is just an exception. If not, then this was no different than any other test and then you're really asking a much larger question.
We live in an increasingly disengaged society - we've certainly gone through some unsettling years of late and in general, today's young people are disenchanted and discouraged.They've been raised in a time of instant gratification - get bored, flick the channel to another and another and another, fast food, can't wait for food or much else. We are an entitled society and it can't be surprising that kids are the same.
What outcome do you want? This is why we're told to and many teachers do try to entertain while they teach - they try to teach in an entertaining way. Americans are the most entertained people on the planet with a million television channels to watch, new movies coming out constantly - kids and adults alike look to be entertained.
A great deal has to do with the community in which your school is located.America's middle class is under strain to say the least and discouragment abounds. Did these kids want to take Spanish? Not everybody is well suited to studying a second language and many schools don't give kids a choice about taking a second language. I do try to make my classes fun and upbeat though it's hard to do that everyday but I think fewer and fewer kids are able to look ahead at the future in a positive way.
I've actually found in all my classes and I teach several subjects that going over a test is the worst - I don't do it anymore. The kids hate it, it's Boring they say. I tell them - come to me at study hall if you want to know why it was wrong. I will give retests but it's a completely different retest that though does retest the same skills. The outcome I want is that they learn the material. I won't give them namby pamby points for making corrections but I will give them an entirely new test on the same skills. I can't do that more than twice but here I find it gives them something to shoot for and it increases the probability that they will try again and do better the second time around. I myself don't learn everything the first time around, I'm not perfect and my learning style is one that needs some time to chew on things, try it and several times before I get it straight.
> Today I had planned on reviewing last week's chapter test, > which on the average, students in Spanish I and II did not > do well on. I didn't want to have the students do test > corrections and be able to recuperate some (half) of the > points the lost because they didn't know the answers in the > first place. I had just done that on the previous chapter > test and don't want the students to get to thinking that > they will always be given that opportunity if they do > poorly the first time on assessments. > > So, today I created a PowerPoint, called on students to > read questions, called on students to answer them, and > explained why the answer was the correct one. > > Here are some of the reactions: > > - First period was fine with this activity, although it > took up the majority of the period (50 questions on the > test). (They are a great group of kids to start with in > terms of motivation and behavior. Plus, they are just > waking up since 1st period starts at 7:30 a.m.) > > - In the next two classes, I had a few to a couple of > students ask when passing back their tests that if they did > the corrections on the test, would they get points for it. > They didn't like my reply that we were going over the test > answers so they could see why they missed those problems > and so they would understand it better in preparation for > the Unit benchmark test in a couple of weeks, when they > would be tested over 3 chapters. They had a disinterested > look on their face with that reason/response. > > - Some students were laying their heads down or looking at > electronic devices until I called on them to read or state > their answer. Again, showing their disinterest in going > over the answers. > > Does it seem like to you that there are more students who > are like this? > > Yes, I know the setup for this type of activity isn't super > engaging, but reviewing the answers and seeing why they got > answers wrong is important, right? > > As you probably could tell, I was a little disheartened by > today's review, mainly because of the lack of interest of > some of the students in reviewing the learning and > improving it. > > I'm not particularly looking for suggestions on how to > structure this better, but those posts are definitely > welcome, too. > > Thanks for listening.
If you are a high school math teacher and available for a 15-20 minute conversation on this subject, I would like to learn how you use technology in your classroom.
Does anyone have any information on what a remedial teacher does and if it something to consider over a regular teacher? There is an opening for a science remedial teacher in my area.
I had my hubby make one. It's not much but it at least last more than one year!
On 3/18/13, Yep...these are wonderful wrote: > On 3/18/13, this is what you need wrote: >> To prevent this from happening, there is a collector-protector sold >> by Calloway House. I found out about it years ago, and I just think >> it is a great idea. > > > I've seen a couple of homemade wooden versions with padlocks, but this > one should certainly suffice for all but the shadiest classes. > (LOL...as in, beware of the ruler-and-bubblegum trick when students are > desperate to copy the work of their unsuspecting schoolmates.) > > Nice to have the assignments automaticall arranged by class period, too. > Much easier than trying to stay on top of a single In box during a > frantic day.
Show a photograph to a child, and the youngster will point to it, trace its image, and respond with a variety of emotions. Show another to an adult, and you get a frown, a smile, or a gesture—rarely will you draw a blank. Then show a photo, or a series of photos, to people at any level, and you’ll have more responses than you can handle.
And how would some observers react to a simple photograph of fish? Here’s how Laura Pastuszek responded to the photograph she took when she taught English in South Korea during the summer of 2008. An adjunct professor at Towson University, Pastuszek currently teaches a course titled “Writing and Communications for Teachers.” [click below to read the rest]
If I had to sit around writing notes to every parent whose kid shows up late for class, I'd never get anything else done.
On 2/12/13, mc wrote: > I agree with you. If...See More