Thursday, September 27, 2007
The First Test ::scared faces::
I gave a test this week. We studied on Monday, took it on Tuesday, and started on What is Life Wendesday. The test I gave was the best I’ve written yet, and the kids were as prepared as I could get them. The average score was 20 out of 30. Not very impressive, but in the past I would have gotten lower scores. The interactive notebooks have been amazing. To study, I went through their books with them and had them highlight in orange items that would be tested. Review sheet – done. I scored their books while they took the test. I got all but 1 class done in a day. Again, good. Work smarter, not harder.
The lesson yesterday asked the question What is Life? It turns out that most kids think fire and rain are alive. They grow and move don’t they? They have oxygen? They must be alive. Thank you K-6. The quote of the day came from Natalie V: “Are we animals? Yeah, we are…. mammoths!” Mammals, dear. I was also treated to a discussion about ethics at one table in my “slower” class. They were debating when a robot becomes “alive” per that movie with Will Smith – I Robot. I was impressed.
Today they are preparing solutions to see which will make some mystery materials come alive. Tomorrow they will see yeast react, seeds sprout, and sea monkeys swim around – All responding to a different environment.
When I said that this school was opposite my last I was very right. I love the kids here. The faculty… is another problem. I haven’t found myself connecting with anyone really. I’m lonely and Florida sick. To think I used to have people that dropped off encouraging notes, talked to me in the hall, never made fun of me, pranked me using students… Here they bad mouth everyone and are just jaded in general. Its enough to teach, why do we have to be backstabbers too? We want to be recognized as professionals yet all this happens (don’t get me started on unions). We want to be professionals yet we cling to blue collar work whines – “they don’t pay us enough!” “I’m going to leave at 3:15 no matter what!” “It doesn’t say that in my contract!” I’m torn. You have to be a member to survive, but it seems like they are the problem we need to be fighting.
The lesson yesterday asked the question What is Life? It turns out that most kids think fire and rain are alive. They grow and move don’t they? They have oxygen? They must be alive. Thank you K-6. The quote of the day came from Natalie V: “Are we animals? Yeah, we are…. mammoths!” Mammals, dear. I was also treated to a discussion about ethics at one table in my “slower” class. They were debating when a robot becomes “alive” per that movie with Will Smith – I Robot. I was impressed.
Today they are preparing solutions to see which will make some mystery materials come alive. Tomorrow they will see yeast react, seeds sprout, and sea monkeys swim around – All responding to a different environment.
When I said that this school was opposite my last I was very right. I love the kids here. The faculty… is another problem. I haven’t found myself connecting with anyone really. I’m lonely and Florida sick. To think I used to have people that dropped off encouraging notes, talked to me in the hall, never made fun of me, pranked me using students… Here they bad mouth everyone and are just jaded in general. Its enough to teach, why do we have to be backstabbers too? We want to be recognized as professionals yet all this happens (don’t get me started on unions). We want to be professionals yet we cling to blue collar work whines – “they don’t pay us enough!” “I’m going to leave at 3:15 no matter what!” “It doesn’t say that in my contract!” I’m torn. You have to be a member to survive, but it seems like they are the problem we need to be fighting.
Chicklette 5:54 PM
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