Do Now: Despite what your administration says, you can “multitask” while proctoring the Regents. Try reading a book. Newspapers are unwieldy, but a book is small and compact. We don’t recommend texting on cell phones, but we do recommend strategic eye contact. That way your momentary glance lasts an eternity in the minds of the children; [...]
Entries from January 2009
January 28, 2009
Don’t be a Teetotaler
When I first started my teaching career, I was presented with two statistics that revealed what was to come with my tenure in New York: The first said that there was an achievement gap that resulted in my high school students graduating with, on average, an eighth grade reading level and the second said that, [...]
January 28, 2009
Day 91 AIM:What do I do with Regents Week?
Do Now: Sorry middle school teachers, this one is just for those of us who teach high schoolers and are blessed with the thing we call Regents Week. Basically, you just have to show up to work for the rest of this week. Grading is finished, no lessons to plan, and if a kid misbehaves [...]
January 27, 2009
Day 90 AIM: What, exactly, is Regents week?
Do Now: Check in with your school for the schedule of events. Chances are you have a proctoring assignment and, most likely, you’ll have to report to school at the normal time. But sometimes you get a late proctoring assignment and you’ll be able to sleep in. That’s always nice, especially after a long semester [...]
January 27, 2009
Power and Classroom Control
Teaching in the inner city is an eternal struggle for control of your classroom, an unending battle between good and evil. Allies can be found in fellow teachers, gladiators surviving to teach another day. Administrators can at times be worthy generals, unwavering in their consistent and true leadership. But face it, not everyone in power [...]
January 26, 2009
Day 89 AIM: How should I end the semester effectively?
Do Now: Congratulations! You are one day away from the midway point in the year. You’re faced with one last day, one last class, one last moment to truly inspire your students. And let’s be real: your students probably won’t remember 2/3rds of the information presented in your class. They probably don’t even remember what [...]
January 24, 2009
Tips for Saturday Grad School IV
Happy New Year, and welcome back to Thunder Dome, bitches. It’s January, it’s cold, and everybody is restless. We have a new year, a new president, and a whole new set of problems, and you have 99 other problems, but grad school shouldn’t be one. So take a load off, recharge your computer and mental [...]
January 23, 2009
Feed your Inner Book Worm
Head to Barnes and Nobles by Sunday January 25th and receive a nice teacher discount. And be sure to keep the receipt: teacher’s choice forms are due soon.
January 23, 2009
Day 88 AIM: How can I maintain my svelte physique during these winter months?
Do Now: Ah, the winter of our discontent. You try to stay in Spring Break shape, but you’re also a mammal. Remember that we’re biologically related to bears, and bears spend most of the autumn eating their fat asses fatter so they can sleep all winter long. And as long as we’d love to spend [...]
January 23, 2009
Curb your Enthusiasm
Recently, I wrote about the problems with tenure, with its unlimited job protection and intellectual stagnation that causes enthusiasm to wane like an oil lantern at its last drop. A discussion with a teacher today truly personified the damage that tenure can do to our students’ progress. Although some may still consider me naïve, and [...]
