A job is a job is a job...an interview is an interview is an... oh whatever!

Yesterday I interviewed at my school for an opening as an English teacher. I still don't have a license in my state but since I'm supposed to go to school and take those 6 hours to have my teacher certificate by Christmas, I was a perfect candidate.

My principal said he was going to do "due diligence"- he wanted to interview everyone and follow all the proper protocols so he could pitch to our Superintendent that everyone wanted me for the job.

So I interviewed with him as well as the other 3 core teachers with whom I'd be working with daily. I did pretty well in the interview- my principal told me later I did very well and stayed true to what I believed and presented well to the committee.

I was going to know by tomorrow if I got the job.

My principal called me tonight and I didn't get the job. The Super said she will NOT get an emergency certificate for anyone if there is a qualified candidate. She will not me a break. My principal felt like crap but it was the way it was. He said he really wants to see me get a certificate and he and the committee found a way to get a job as soon as I was certified and as soon as one was open.

I dunno.

It's disappointing. even an old principal called the Super on my behalf to no avail. I've worked for this woman for 3 years and can't catch a break. Apparently, she told my principal she would love to see me teach but I need to prove I want it by getting my certificate.

It must be nice for her to sit and make these rules and choices. She makes about $70k a year; she can say that but she must not care nor realize that to go to school I need money but to have enough money I need a job. Catch-22.

Shot down again.

I could bitch and moan but it doesn't matter anymore.

Maggie

A professional growth opportunity AND a vacation of sorts!

I get summer vacay a week early! Goooooo me!

I have an opportunity to work at a special camp for high school kids who are into journalism. I'll get to help teach, in workshop style, journalism writing, elements of layout and design, and use of photos and graphics in yearbooks or newspapers. My minor is actually Journalism, so I'm excited to use it in another way. This is going to be great!

I get to actually teach!

I get to miss work for a week but it still get paid- we're calling it professional development!

It's a fabulous addition to my resume!

I get to be in a very cool college town for a whole week and can explore, and will have time to myself to do whatever- read, shop, research. I love that there's play time built in!

I can make professional connections in education and in the world of news media.

I get to work with kids who are INTERESTED in writing/ journalism/ photography and who are usually good students.

I'm excited. I head out on July 9! Whoot-whoot!

mags

Teacher whine

All along I've said it doesn't matter if we don't have the summers off at our school. We went to year around classes and this is the first summer we've gone. I've been a big proponent at school, in public and even here on my blog about why this isn't a big deal and teachers should get over it, and just adjust like the rest of the working world who don't get a paid 3 month break.

Okay- I am wrong. I am so wrong. I hate that i have to get up in the mornings and go to work when my teacher friends can stay home and play. I hate it. I want to stay home and play! Oh yeah, I know I always worked in the summers but I knew I had the option to MOT work if I didn't want to. It sucks! I was wrong wrong wrong!

Maybe it's mental for me? My body is programmed to have time off and now that I don't I find it hard to get up in the morning and hard to sleep at night. I dread going to work. I don't necessarily dread my job but I dread the getting up and going through the motions.

I want to stay home and play. I'd craft and quilt and read read read!

Drat, I want my summers off, unlike the rest of the non- teaching world. Blah me!

Mags

The Big Jerk

We have a new English teacher. Well, sorta new. We had a new teacher at the beginning of the year because the former one went on adoptive leave. she's off this entire 2011-2012 school year. The first temp. replacement was here for about 4 months and then she left. She was offered a full time permanent position and who could pass that up? not her. It was also a huge pay increase for her, and teaching special education, which is her passion. We miss her. She was really good with out style of kids.

The principal and I thought that maybe I could get a temp teaching license and take the last 2 classes I need to get certified in this state (to teach). However, he later came to me and said I couldn't be hired because the Superintendent wanted someone with a license now. He thought that sucked and said he was sorry but at least he let me know up front. Amazingly enough, the Superintendent had a friend who needed a job and he happened to be an English teacher. Gee, what a coincidence!

This current guy- let's call him Jerk English Teacher- allegedly had experience with our kids, having worked at a juvenile justice school facility before. He's all cocky and full of himself. He's former military. he's very right wing, conservative, a know it all. He's... a jerk. He has ZERO classroom control or management. More kids during the course of a day either walk out of his classes or get kicked out or get in some sort of trouble. He's belligerent and aggressive with the kids. He doesn't seem to care if they bully each other and he's even made bullying comments to the kids. I do NOT like him at all. Most of the other teachers don't either. And I know that some administrators in our school don't. And I won't tell how I know this fact; I just do.

Because he's an English teacher, he brings his classes to the library once a week, for about 20 minutes each period. These are the most miserable 20 minutes of each period of my entire week. I try and have some structure in the library and get no support and backup. He lets the kids do whatever they want, and sometimes he even changes MY rules. Dude, is in MY library, in MY territory and he undermines me. That really ticks me off. I don't like it. I would never go into his classroom and do that to him.

I have to ask myself, though, is a confrontation with him really worth it. He's only here until the end of June, then the teacher on adoptive leave will be back- and she's amazing! Is he really worth my time or effort? I'm not sure. I'm pretty unpleasant to him at this point and I really don't care how that makes me look. We and I bumped heads the day he made fun a kid; I basically open fired on him in front of his class so they would know bullying was wrong and then I discussed the situation with my Principal who then met with the Jerk English teacher; the bullying seemed to stop, or at least in my presence. But the unruliness of his class is not fun. I thought about telling him that since he can't control the boys, then his classes are not welcome in the library until he he can. I dunno.

I just know that the next time he makes some sexist, conservative, smart arsed comment to me or near me, I might just not be my normal mild-mannered librarian self. I am open to suggestions.

In need of anger management,
Mags

Lotta discounts

One thing that's super cool about being a teacher are all the awesome discounts I seem to be getting lately. Not on awesome stuff like plane tickets, but on things like office supplies and books and at Walgreens.

I have a wallet full of cards that get a teacher discount at Half Price books, Walgreens, Jo Ann Fabric, Staples and at Barnes and Noble. I had to show me teacher ID and then fill out a little form at all these places and they give me a discount card that I can show every time I go to one of these places. Then I get a discount from anywhere from 10%-20% off most everything in their stores.

The cool thing is that it doesn't seem to matter what I buy. Seriously. I can buy deodorant at Walgreens and BAM discount. It doesn't even have to be on teaching supplies. Same with all the other places.

I think it's a nice perk. I think of all the money I spend out of my own pocket for school stuff. My photographer friend's husband said he wanted receipts for 1 school year of all the money she spent for her classroom. She's an English and the school journalism teacher- and she has one remedial HS group of kids. He kept receipts for 3 months and when she hit a thousand bucks he threw a huge fit. Uh, yeah. But she said after he got over the shock of it, she reminded him it could be a provable tax deduction. Personally I don't think that made him very happy. I can easily see how she spent that much. I was always buying folders, paper, highlighters, pens, anything that I thought could be a learning and organizational tool for kids. Paints, markers, poster board... It's just the pitfall of being a teacher so I think it's nice that some businesses want to reward people for choosing this asinine profession.

I wonder if there are more companies that offer discounts that I don't know about?

Sorta makes me want to go shopping!

Mags

History Lesson

I don't understand they way states Department of Educations want history taught. I have students who can regurgitate the details of Plymouth Rock but they've never heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis. WTF?!?

Kids get taught, starting in first grade, about the history of the United States, started with Pilgrims. It's basic, I know, but they get Pilgrims, Plymouth Rock, Squanto and Maze. They learn about Ben Franklin and George Washington. They learn about the Civil War and slavery and Abe Lincoln.

Then each year, they start all over with the same basic information. Obviously the themes, principles and thinking increases but it's the same historic events over and over again. Teachers usually only get as far as the civil war or maybe the Depression before the end of the school year. In my state, at grade 6, the focus changes to World History so they learn about the ancient civilizations, and the Bering Strait and Mesopotamia. They get geography in grade 7 here (Do you know how many countries end in 'stan'?) Then in 8th grade it's back to US history, all the way back to the beginning and again, ending around the Depression, or if the teacher doesn't show any movies they might actually get a very brief overview of WWI. I find that Depressing. And it doesn't get much better in high school history classes, either. There the students think they have a reference of the 1960s because they've heard music from that era and because of marijuana references. They sort of know MLKJ is a black dude who did something that gave them a day off in January. When I hear this crap, I want to cry.

Our kids don't know anything about the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict, JFK, the Berlin wall going up, the Berlin Wall going down, Hitler, Nazis, MLKJ, RFK... the list goes on and on. I flip through the history book and it actually goes all the way up to Obama's inauguration. Then why the hell can't we cut back on the "old" history the kids have heard annually and skip to things that happened in 1900 forward? I have students who don't know who JFK even is, let alone that he was assassinated or the youngest president to be elected (at that time) or the idea of Camelot or that he was the first Catholic or the famous picture of John-John under his desk... I realize all that might not be IMPORTANT history, but it's still history.

We are raising a generation of kids who have no idea what happened in this country after the Civil War. Some kids think the Civil Rights movement happened in the Civil War, not having a clue that there was racism in the 1960s. Gee... Hell, most of my students don't really "remember" 9/11. I'm sickened and appalled. I don't understand. Why don't we want to continue to make sure students know ALL the history of this country, not just how it was founded? I think that it's important but let me tell ya... I think there's a few important things that happened in the 20th century that might bear teaching. Maybe. Just one or 2...

Other than the fact that we are raising a generation of stupid kids, I firmly agree with George Santayana who said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." How can they remember what they've never been taught?

Maybe I should be a history teacher instead...
Maggie

Gimme a classroom, anywhere

I've missed teaching and I decided I'm not good at in between. What I mean by this is that if I'm going to work in a school I need to be a teacher, in my own classroom. Working in the library is AWESOME and I love it, but I love teaching more. Working the school library is like being a diabetic in charge of a bakery.

I had to laugh because a good friend of mine spent a day at a conference and one of the workshops she went to was all about teaching literature. As I listened to all the cool ideas she learned, I thought,"Ive done that" or "I do that" or "Hmmm, I've always done it that way." And the one workshop she attended that I could most relate to was taught by a 35 year veteran teacher who's been in AP classes since the beginning. And I did all the same things she did. SHE gets to be a conference leader and lauded for her awesome ideas and I can't set foot in a classroom because I don't have the right, damn license, which is so NOT fair. (And as we all know that I know, life isn't fair but it still sucks.)

So I've been looking around for teaching jobs again wondering where I can go. And I found a very credible source and company that puts Americans, Brits and Aussies in international schools to teach English. And I found that I qualify to work for this organization. And I learned of several openings, the one I am most interested in is located in Kenya. Yes, as in Africa. And no I don't care about heat or lack of air conditioning or bugs.

This is an amazing opportunity. This is chance to teach as well as have an adventure. This is what I always wanted- to save the world and this might be my way to finally do it. This is a way to give back. It's a way to be in a classroom. It's a way to help others, to share the love of language and words and books. It's a way to deal with some of my political ideology and thoughts on American Greed Mentality (uhhh, I'm gonna try to NOT get on a 1% soap box). This is something I want to do.

It does pay. It does provide health insurance.

I applied. Now I wait. Who knows- it might or mightn't happen but either way I had the guts to toss my name in the ring and we'll see what happens.

This time next year I might be blogging from Africa. Hmmmm, I might have to come up with a new blog name...

Maggie

The end is near

I have 4 days of summer vacation left.

I'm so NOT ready to go back yet. I LOVE my job but I LOVE summer vacay.

I'm selfish, I know. I think it's because I know it will be the last time I have a break this long. I'm going to start hitting the resume/ job hunting thing again, hard. I need to make $30k or more, and get some benefits. And anything job-wise in the real world does not let a person have a month of vacation.

Ugh, back to school Aug. 1.

Yea.

Pouting,
Maggie

I hate deadlines

Remember I told you about the English teacher here at Alcatraz who adopted a baby at the end of the last school year? I covered her classes for 10 days? Well, she decided to take the entire next school year off, which I think is awesome for her! Between her maternity leave, her personal and sick time and the Family Leave Act will allow her to take the whole year off and still ensure she has a job come 2012-2013 school year. Though as most of us know, she probably will NOT come back if everything works out.

So when she made this announcement, my principal came to me and filled me in. Then we and I started bombarding the DOE office in my state to see if he could get me a teaching license so I could have the job. Recently, here in my State we've changed lots of rules, making it easier to be a teacher. Well, easier on paper anyway. The reality is that nothing is available on line except information and you need to speak to a real human being to get anything done. And apparently Real Human Beings at the DOE do not return phone messages nor do they answer emails.

My principal and I called together. We had all my information in front of us and could read them what they need or FAX it or even USPS mail it. We got a voice mail and the message said it would be answered within 5 business days. He then sent an email. On the 6th business day, we both called again and got voice mails and we also sent emails.

In the meantime, an add is running and 22 people apply for the job. I start a campaign and call every day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. My principal finally gets a hold of someone. She said she would pass the information on to the right person. She had only worked for the DOE for a week. She must've not gotten the memo that she's not to answer her phone.

A week later we have to call her back and find out that she did, indeed, pass the information via email to the right person. She forwarded the email to us. She also verbally said that when she talked to the right person, she was told I would probably get a temp. certificate that's good for one year. That's all we needed, but we needed it in writing.

So we continue calling and email and never get a response.

Anyone who knows anything about education, knows that as a summer winds down, the administration is eager to take their summer vacations. We'd been pursuing this for about three weeks and they had to do something. We start school on Aug. 1 and most folks have the entire month of July off so....

Yeah, because no one at the DOE will call or email back, I lost the opportunity to cover that teaching job for a year. That so sucks. Beyond sucks.

My principal felt bad about it but it was a committee decision to hire someone else. They all felt bad that it wasn't me. I understand the situation but it doesn't mean I like it. My principal also said I should continue to pursue it because he knows the other English teacher in our building is looking for a new job. He also knows that since the maternity leave is a temp job for a year, the candidate who was hired could choose to not work the entire time and it could come open again.

I said I was going to drive down to the State and sit there until someone helped me or until they threw me our had me arrested. Apparently that's all we can do to get the government to work. I wish I had connections. I don't but man do I wish I did.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Maggie

Robin Hoods they are not!

Because of all the change in our building, weird stuff was going on from Christmas to now- weird stuff with our TEACHERS!

When the teachers who were re-assigned to other buildings found out about their impending moves, it was like they gave up. They started cleaning their classrooms back in January and stopped teaching. They took everything off the walls, gave stuff away, cleaned stuff out and boxed stuff up. (at one point, in our copy room, the storage closet of paper had 35 cases of paper in it and all the boxes had been taken and the paper just stacked on the floor.) WTF?!?

I also wanted to point out that the teachers tried to make the library a catch all for all the crap they didn't want and I finally got to the point where I said "no" and it really stunned people. HA! I don't want their crap!

So not only did it seem that educating students halted in these rooms, but so did good manners and commons sense, and following laws. I couldn't believe the stuff teachers were taking with them, that they claimed was "theirs". I don't think our administrators have any idea what belonged to the school, the corporation or the teachers. (those of us who knew what was happening told different administrators and I think in the end, the admin. felt it was easier to let stuff go than fight it, I guess) Digital cameras left the building, along with tons of books, a lat top, a printer, a card reader, among other things. Like they can't get new stuff from their new schools? They're so bitter they have to take stuff? They can justify it because why again?

I find it very sad about how teachers felt the need to steal from our school. Who knows what will be there when school starts again in August?

And what are we trying to teach our delinquent, criminal students? Apparently they rubbed off on the teachers rather than the other way around!

Mags

Flies like a butterfly, stings like a bee...

As you have figured out by now, I work in a school part of a non-lock down, juvenile prison facility. We have a school and a residential living facility.

And about six weeks ago one of our teachers got punched in the face. She's a little bit of a thing and she was trying to break up a fight between two big guys and she got socked in the face. It was an accident and could've happened to anyone in that situation. She got hit hard enough to be taken to the ER and got stitches. No concussion, no need for facial reconstruction surgery, just a really good black eye and some stitches- 5 of them. She missed school for about 3 weeks.

According to her story at the time, it was an accident. The boys in the fight said it was as did ALL of the students in that classroom.

But it's turned into a bog damn, drama.

If I was in the situation and was stupid enough to step between to big teens boys who were set to pound each other, then I would understand it was an accident and be back at school in a day or two.

I would not show weakness and miss three weeks.

These boys did not go after her with the intent to hurt her. Actually, when questioned later the boys didn't even know she was hurt.

The boys are expelled from our school. They are now doing on line learning. One kid was sent to boys' prison school. The other one is still at our facility awaiting a decision from his county.

We are all trained to handle these situations. But every single person in the trainings are told if we- the staff- know we can't stop the fight, are out numbered or if the kids are bigger, then wait for help. It doesn't matter if you are male or female, those are the rules of thumb. She weighs in at about 90 pounds and there were two of them and one of her. She just got caught in the middle of the foray.

I feel like this was made into a HUGE ordeal. It could happen to any teacher at any school in the world. Kids fight. Adults who try and break it up can get hurt. It is what it is. It doesn't make it worse because it was at our facility.

I hate the drama created by this.

I've taught in three "regular" public schools and I feel safer at Alcatraz than I did at any of the others. We have two "emergency response teams" if we have a problem. One can be there in less than 30 seconds. No public high school I know has this. I remember when I was at a middle school last year and a kid was screaming and swearing in the hallway and all the teachers locked doors and called administration for help, it was about 5 minutes because our principal was in the high school NEXT DOOR at a meeting.

More than likely our kids won't come to school armed unlike regular high schools where kids can carry in a fire arm in a back pack. Columbine mean anything to anyone?

We are trained through a nationally recognized program which trains people to handle crisis in a therapy setting. Not only are we trained with this 5 days program, we are kept updated on this training 3-4 times a year. Any other public high school teachers get this?

Sometimes I think adults can't see the forest for the trees.

Maggie

Random Tuesday musings

Just because I love Johnny Depp doesn't mean I want to sit through Rango.

I'm almost 40 and I have zits on my forehead. A complete "you've got to be kidding" moment.

I wish I could wear a pencil skirt.

Gwyneth Paltrow is amazing, and I enjoy her in everything, including Glee!

I downloaded the Boggle app on my phone and I'm becoming addicted. I was thinking that tomorrow's lunch at school is disgusting so I was going to just sit in my library and play Boggle. I might need therapy.

There's a barber shop where the stylists dress like a Hooter's waitress to cut hair. The walls are covered in huge flat screen tvs that play sports over and over. The haircuts are about $30. You've got to be kidding- again.

Alcatraz is going to an all year round school schedule the next school year. So much for summers off- which I think is a GOOD thing. I'll let you know the details as they are forthcoming.

Randomly yours,
Maggie

Deja vu

I started my school year filling in for an English teacher who was on maternity leave.

I was asked yesterday to sub for her today. And tomorrow. And Monday. (I'll explain in a later post about why she's not here at the moment. I have to think about how to word that post so no one around can accidentally stumble on it and find me. That would be bad.)

She had a different sub for the last five days. In that last five days that sub has written more than 40 demerits, has kicked kids out of the classroom, had 2 separate altercations with two different kids, and has cut their daily behavior points excessively. I'm actually being sent in to get things back under control.

Oh. My. God. I'm not a terminator; quite the opposite, actually. They want me because I am NOT a terminator. I'm... rainbows and bunnies--- with a twist of perky.

My administration decided it would be in the best interest of the students and the school to close the library for an indefinite period of time so I could come to the rescue in this class.

I'm flattered. I think.

Seriously, there's the possibility that I could just finish the rest of the year, back in that classroom.

Bust as for today... Today I subbed. The classroom teacher sent NO lesson plans so I winged it (or is it "wang it"?). I won't bore you with the details but suffice it to say I had a good day.

Number of demerits I wrote today= 0
Number of students I kicked out of class=0
Number of points I cut=o
Number of student altercations= 0
The looks on the faces of the fellow teachers who thought I, too, would fail= priceless

Let's hope I can have a repeat performance tomorrow.

Maggie

Song of the moment for me:

Be careful what you wish for

I've really wanted a work study student in the library. We have a few spots on campus where students can work and after I begged and pleaded, the library was added to the list. I was given a student. She's supposed to work for me three periods a day.

This is where the title comes into play. I should've be careful what I wish for. Or maybe I should be much more specific in what I wish for.

See, I wanted someone who could put books away, straighten shelves, cover books, help with inventory, put the shelves in alphabetical/ Dewey order, make bulletin boards, and do some desk top publishing to promote library activities. This was my dream person.

What I got was a girl who is special education and very low functioning. One reason she's at our facility is that she couldn't function in a regular school setting, and her parents don't want her. While this is a heart breaking story, and it is, this is the person they assigned to WORK IN THE LIBRARY. This is not a good fit.

She worked with me for a week. She is a very sweet child. I don't think she would harm a fly. She is certainly not a troublemaker. But she is very, very slow. And she doesn't really read very well. She can't do complex tasks. I saw this was not going to work well but I tried. At the end of the week when the Work study director and I met with her, we asked what the most difficult task was she was given. She said that straightening shelves. people, straightening the shelves is the easiest thing I have to do in the library!

No one knew how low functioning she was when she came to our school so no one can really be blamed. The problem is we have nowhere else to put her. Most of the work study jobs are independent and I think she would be better as part of a team, where she would have other people to keep her on task, keep her motivated and for her to follow what they do.

I like her and I feel bad that after a week and a half, it isn't working. I just can't afford to stand next to her to show her the steps over and over again. This isn't me being mean and not wanting to work with special ed- ah, contrary since that's what I did for the last year and a half in education. And I like working with special ed. kids. This is just an a bad fit job for this particular child.

We think we might have some other choices rather than a work study for her. But if she's pulled from the library, I won't be assigned another person. All the kids in the program have been placed. Drat!

I had such great plans! Ah, maybe next semester!

Maggie

Absolutely abhorrent comment

Princess does rub some people the wrong way. As teachers, we all have students who we just don't like. As people we all have to interact with other people we just don't like. Okay. That being said...

Wait, I need to make one more clarification. In the 10 years I've been in education I have said the following things to either a family member, friend or a colleague:

• "Oh well, I try not to worry about him since he'll end up in prison as some point."
• "Oh well, I try not to worry about her since she'll end up serving my McFries someday."
• "I can' wait for that bully to meet someone who'll kick his butt."

Yes, I've said these things. However, I think there's a line a teacher can cross and the science teacher made a comment to a table full of teachers at lunch today that went way beyond crossing.

The science teacher and Princess hate each other. It goes both ways and it's no secret. Science teacher sits down and starts complaining about how rotten the kids are this week. I'm sitting and eating and not speaking. I was in a hurry because I had stuff to do and I don't like sitting with those people, either.

He goes on with with rant, complaining about one kid then another. He gets to Princess. I figure I'll just shut up because I know they hate each other and teacher's need to vent, and just because I'm her mentor/ pseudo mom/ potential foster mom that I need to let him speak. Then when he speaks I think he should be struck dead by lightening.

He actually said, "I can't wait for about 3 years when [Princess] is living in a trailer park with her squally brats and her husband. No wait her boyfriend because who's gonna want to marry that mouth? And he beats the crap out of her. I can't wait because she deserves it."

He. said. that. He's a teacher and he said that.

I picked up my tray, my coat, pushed in my chair and walked away. I didn't stomp, slam, say anything, or make a scene. I wanted to say, "So, how often do you beat your wife?"

I can't believe an educator would say that about a student. I have said some crappy things, yes, but NEVER something like that. Does it make me feel worse and more angry because it's Princess? Oh hellszyeah! But I just can't believe a person who would work in a place like Alcatraz, who has to be there because it's a calling practically, should think like this, let alone even say anything this, this, this... sick, this wrong.

I was about sick. I never want to be anywhere near him again. I'm appalled.

And to think, that jerk has tenure.

Maggie

Numb3rs

Since I've started this new job.... oh, hang on a minute. For those of you keeping track or need a score card, since I've returned from the Wild West 23 months ago, I've:

• been a substitute teacher
• been a special ed. aide on a 1 year contract only, due to grant funding which ran out- for a junior high school
  
• scooped ice cream
• been an insurance telemarketer
• taught summer school at Alcatraz
• filled a 7 week maternity leave as an English teacher at Alcatraz
• part time photographer assistant (I shoot jobs as the assignments are available)
• am a part time receptionist on weekends at Alcatraz
  

NOW I work at a high school as a special education aide. This is the job I am talking about in this post.

As I was saying, since I started THIS job, one class I've been assigned to is an Algebra I class; actually I'm in the class two periods a day with different kids, obviously, but same teacher and same lecture each day. I should point out that I do not have a sterling math background.

When I was in 8th grade I took one semester of pre-algebra and failed. Then when I was in 9th grade I took one semester of Algebra I and failed so I took the rest of the year as pre- algebra and barely passed. In my sophomore year, I took Algebra I and got a D-. In my junior year I took Geometry I and got a D- and I think it was because I cried most days and the teacher felt sorry for me. (And didn't ever want me in his class again!) My college math career wasn't much better. I took a "History of Math" and managed a C. Then I took Chem I, and earned a C. I also took Physics I and received a D-... again, more crying and more Professors not wanting me back again. So in my life, I have been "math-disabled" as well as "math-phobic."

So you can imagine my fear when I was told I was assigned to Algebra I. Twice a day. To HELP kids learn it. OMG! I go to class, I take copious notes, I do the homework... yes, I actually DO the homework, even though I have an answer key. I ask questions and I even go for "homework" help. I mean, please...! I'm assigned there to help my students. What good am I if I can't help anyone? It cracks me up (and makes me feel like a dolt) when the kid next to me, that I'm supposed to be helping, by the way, looks over at my work, and points out my errors and tells me, "You're doing it wrong!"

All that being said, I now have a confession. And Bragger, no I told you so-s, please! I am actually liking it. I like the thought process. I like the solutions. I like puzzling it out. I like that something I've not understood for 25 years is suddenly making sense. I like getting the right answer. I like that there is a right answer. I like the absoluteness of the math. I like KNOWING, and I like knowing I can do it. I'm slow and I have to do all the steps, but I. can. do. it!!!!!! Ok, when it comes to story problems, I'm still as helpless as I was when I was 15 years old. But I can find the slope intersects, the y-intercept. I can solve proportions and set them up. I can solve semi-complex equations with at least 2 variables. I can also do all this with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and integers. I can graph. I can solve for X. I understand and can use "rise over run". I am liking it.

I think I like it because it's the only thing I do during the course of the day that actually makes me think, that lets me flex my brain muscle, that lets me think.

And because I am NOT a "math" person, I have other non math people asking me to explain stuff. Yes, they ask ME to explain Algebra. I'll give you a moment to get yourselves under control. Go ahead... I'll wait.

I was explaining to two girls who are taking Algebra I for the third time. And when I explain it, they get it. I told them to think of negative numbers as money or as of pairs of shoes they are trading. I told them to remember that the sun rises so rise is on top of the fraction and run goes on the bottom. I told them to graph the points in two colors so they can SEE the math.

The math teacher said I would have an A- in his class right now if I was taking it for credit, and he laughed. But I think the man was serious. Sometimes I get so caught up in learning it, I raise my hand to give an answer and the kids laugh. Ooops! I wish I could replace that high school math grade on my transcript, dang it! Mac wanted to know why I didn't learn this 2 years ago when he was taking math and struggling along; he thought he could've passed with a higher grade!

I can't believe it either. Me & math. Who knew? I know! I don't lie. I just am shocked! It's just... weird. Math. Wow.

With age comes wisdom... finally!
Mags

Mine is the unpopular educator opinion

Or is it?

I'm going to go against the grain and say I think some (well, most really) kids who have a special education label should be back in separate classrooms. So shoot me.

There are exceptions to the rule so I hope people hear me out on this.

In the last two years that I've worked with kids who are 'special education' (and I'm an aide who works with them specifically and directly each day) and when I was in the Wild West I had "special ed" kids in my regular classroom. The majority of the kids I worked with should have have been 'inclusion-ed' or 'mainstreamed' back into regular classes, but they are.

The kids who are 'special ed' either have a medical reason, a learning disability that has been documented through testing, or a psychological reason. Kids can be special education because of Turrets, OCD, visual impairments, ADD, ADHD, autism, developmental delay, etc. These kids are then given an "individual education plan (IEP)" that makes accommodations for them in the regular classroom. For example, one popular accommodation is having a test or quiz read aloud or having the test modified (having 3 choices instead of 4 on a multiple choice test). Something else schools do is place an aide in the classroom to help the kids, keeping them on track, providing them extra attention, helping them take notes and just provide extra services to the kids according to the needs of the IEP.

Sometimes these plans work fine for the kids. Sometimes these accommodations are enough and special ed. kids can have success in a typical classroom.

BUT, in mist cases and instances I've seen there is no success. These kids are floundering and struggling. They don't have the capability to keep up. It could be because of the ADD or because the kids have an 'emotional disability'. It could be because the kids who struggle so much with just regular reading (they aren't reading at grade level or have poor reading comprehension) they can't do most of the classwork. They could be embarrassed to have an aide and don't want to use the services. There are lots of things in play here but most of the time these kids are struggling in class and don't do well.

I think it would be okay to have the kids in a separate classroom to have science, social studies and language arts. I think they could also come there for math, but often times many special education kids struggle with anything reading related but are great in math. I think it's not fair to the kids. They need to be able to feel successful and having them inclusion is not helping.

I have one senior girl who is reading at a third grade level. She struggles in all her classes and is failing everything except for PE and home economics. No wonder she struggles- she can't freakin' read. There are lots of kids like this. If a student decides to NOT be on a diploma track but would go on a completion track, the kids can take no math and no English and take "life skills math" and "life skills English." They can take shop and study hall and Home Ec. and music. They don't need social studies or science.

It may be old school thinking and I do know all the logic and reasoning and "educated" reasons for going to an inclusion route for special education students, but I. don't. think. it. works. There was nothing wrong with licensed teachers teaching the special education students at a level in which they could learn.

And if I'm frustrated, think how the kids must feel.

Maggie

New school, new job... again

I started my new job today, at my new school. I thought I was going to be a special education aide in another junior high, but when I got there, the schedule had been changed so I could help as many students in English as possible. So, I'm in a 9th, 7th, 10th and 11 grade English classes, in 2 algebra classes (Oh Lord help us ALL!), and I oversee a structured study hall class. It's a long full day, but I do like it.

I do feel like I was sort of tossed in. I got there this morning and the principal handed me keys, assigned me a password for the computer and took me to my room and that was it. One of the special ed. teachers handed my my schedule and showed me my desk. That, my friends, was my welcome. Better than at the special ed. job I had last year, but still, a "tossed to the wolves" sort of feeling. Oh, one teacher did introduce me to my classroom teachers at the start of each period.

I like the students and the faculty seemed nice. Students showed me where the bathroom, the library, and the copy room were located. I still am not sure where the teacher's lounge or the cafeteria are. My I can find those tomorrow?

One thing that super impressed me is the structure of the special ed. study hall I have to oversee. There is a reasonable rule list and the kids follow it. There was no question about it. Something else I was impressed with is that not one kid asked me or any other adult for a pen or pencil all day long. And I watched to see if someone was just blowing off work because they didn't have something to write with and no one was. Kids were fairly polite to their teachers and each other. Homework was collect and most students turn it in. All around, I can tell there's a different sort of school climate and culture and it's impressive. After last year's experience with the crazy 8th graders that I did grow to love, this is quite the change. Maybe these kids are just better medicated?

Something else that I loved was the materials I was presented. I was given a three ring binder for each of my classes. Inside each were copies of lecture notes, daily agendas for that class, handouts, and anything else the teacher passed out this year like class rules or policies. There are all hole punched and in date order. I have a kids of kids in each class, highlighted on a seating chart, with a list of their accommodations. Wow. Just.... wow. Either these people are REALLY on top of things, which for all intrinsic purposes they appear to be, or they are really trying to make a good impression- and they did.

To top it all off, I had keys, a faculty parking pass, a photo ID, a voice mail box that was set up, and a working email with login before I left the building today. I don't think I've ever worked for any place, a school or business, that has been this organized. The only thing that didn't happen was my named wasn't on my mailbox. Since a sub had been there for the first 7 weeks, her name was on it, but I was told that would be fixed by tomorrow.

So, not a bad start.

Now if the kids are as accommodating, then it should be perfect! Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

Maggie

Color Blind

I had a white kid rapping in my class where white kids are in the minority. He was rapping and the black kids were laughing and joking with him. He was taking it with a smile and it was all good. It was really bad rapping but he was trying and he was funny.

It was all good....until...

One of the black kids said, "Man dat wuz so bad, go ta da back o' da bus."

The white kid, laughing and joking, said, "Man you're at the back of the bus."

Dead silence and 3 black guys stood up and were ready to kill the white kid. What the white boy meant, as he's trying to explain and backing away from the three large black boys who were gearing up to rip him apart, was that all the black kids picked seats in the back of the room and they sit there together, as a "presence."

I see the trouble and run to stand in front of the white boy and throw my arms wide in front of him and say, at the top of my lungs with a smile on my face, "Stop! You can't hit a fat, old white woman with glasses!"

The black guys stopped dead in their tracks and just started laughing. Then they listened to ME explain what the white kid meant and then they all said things like, "we cool. It's all good."

Holy crap. I thought I was going to have a new Rodney King in reverse happening.

For whatever reason I seem to have a good relationship with the black boys. One day I asked one of them to "shake his dreads" at me and he did and laughed because he constantly hears music in his head and his head is always bopping to some imaginary music. Once I asked one of them if I could touch his 'fro to see if it felt like cotton candy and he let me, and howled with laughter.

Once, a kid was complaining and griping and I finally told him to be quiet. I was rather loud and emphatic. He then asked me if I had a problem with him because he's black. I clutched my chest and feigned a look of surprise and staggered around, saying, "Oh. My. Goodness! Really? You are? You're black? No way! I don't believe you. You're lying! You are so not black!" By the time I get done with all that, he's rolling with giggles.

I'll miss those guys. And what's sad is that when those kids go back home, most of them will go back to what they were doing: drugs, booze, pills, gangs, guns, stealing cars, robbing folks, and worse... and will probably be killed in a gang related crime. That breaks my heart.

Maggie

They can surprise me

Teaching at Alcatraz and that first period class has challenged me in ways that have made me question teaching. While they haven't made me cry in class or out, they make me yell, bitch, whine, bemoan and have a lot of hate. I TALK about that class in lots of negative ways. And they've made me question whether or not I should be a high school teacher.

I've bitched about that period of students so much Mac told me this:

"Hey mom? You know those moments where you meet those gangster thug kids, chain the doors to the school shut and a bunch of kids re-write the school song into a cool soul filled song and you use bad-ass karate moves on them and they get all impressed and fill your cabinet with their journals full of personal stories and raise money to meet the Jew saver lady and then there's a big Prom and they sing 'To Ms O, With Love'?* Well, mom, THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE ALL THE KIDS AT ALCATRAZ ARE CRIMINALS!!!!!!!!! Never forget they can't be inspired and they don't care and you can't save 'em."

Can we say "ouch?" What sucks the most is that he's right, to a certain extent. He's brutally right but, in a weird sort of way.

But then there are moments like today. Those perfect moments in teaching...

I have a class that has 14 students. Of this group, 2 are white, 2 are Hispanic, and 10 are African- American. Thirteen of these students are 'hard core.' there are 11 boys and 3 girls and I wouldn't want to mess with the females, either. Bad asses. They come from ghettos, are gang bangers, and are seriously... like no other kids I've met. Boys and girls alike are just gansta. I'm not being racist but I don't know how to explain it other than every Black person in a gangsta movie you've seen are these kids. The kids and I speak a different language sometimes. They educate me, for sure.

So, how do I reach these kids? Well... leave it to me to be unconventional. One thing I've done to get some buy in is to let them write some raps over some text material. We've been doing this for two weeks, with the incentive they could make their own education rap album. It had to stay on topic about the subject, and it had to be classroom appropriate.

Today was the first big day of recording. They rapped and dropped a beat and spit that out. (this means they beat a rhythm on tables and drums while saying the rap). I was so impressed I almost cried. We set up a sound studio and a stage and microphone with headphones and they did their thing, all taking turns and cheering for each other. It was the coolest thing I think I've ever seen.

In my other class... the kids really got into Beowulf and instead of writing a paper, they got to write their own Beowulf movie script and we're filming it. Today is day 1 of filming and these kids were awesome. They did their narrations and the battle between Grendel and Beowulf. And since they know they can't be "violent" and "fight" even in a pretend way because of Alcatraz rules, they were creative. The battle between Beowulf and Grendel non- violent, you say? How can that be, you may ask? Well.... a thumb war of course. Yes, they painted 2 thumbs, one as an epic hero and the other as a monster and did battle...

So no, while Mac might be right, I may not be a Joe Clark, Luanne Johnson, Erin Gruwell, or even a Mr. Thackery*... but I AM Ms [O'Sullivan], and today I had my teach on. And more importantly, I had students who had their learn on. I had students who cared! That's what I'm talkin' about!

Maggie

*Movies referenced are Lean on Me, Dangerous Minds, Freedom Writers, To Sir With Love