From the Other Side of the Desk

Today I discovered that cooperative learning groups is NOT the best method of instruction for a general Algebra 1 class at my high school. In my education classes at college we learned about cooperative learning groups and even practiced them ourselves as students. I found cooperative learning very enjoyable and a nice change of pace. So I thought today I would give my students that same experience. After all, the material was supposed to be review anyways. 

The learning target of the day was to represent data using different visual displays (aka graphs/charts). I divided students into groups of 3 and 4. In each group they were to create a poster about the visual display assigned to them--bar graph, histogram, line graph, circle graph, stem and leaf plot, and box-and-whisker plot. They were supposed to use the textbook to gather the information they needed for their poster. The poster was to have the name of the data display, an example of the data display, and the steps for creating the data display from the data given. On my lesson plan form, this looked like a great idea, but it was a failure.

It took fifteen minutes just to get students into groups, give directions, and pass out supplies. Each group had a poster maker, research specialist, and speakers to present. Half my groups got no further than the name of the data display. Many groups could not explain to me how to make the data display. I had students putting their heads on their desk not participating. I had students refusing to help and calling the students who were working bad names. I had pens being taken apart spilling ink all over desks. I had students hitting one another with books. . . *sigh* I tried to take preventative measures to all this. I made sure every student had an assigned task. I told them they were relying on each other to learn the material. I walked around monitoring group work and behavior.

Honestly, I'm not sure cooperative learning groups is worth the effort. If I do cooperative learning again I will make sure a) students are not creating something   b) students are not teaching each other the material   c) the desks are in organized, defined groups prior to class  d) there is enough time to complete the task. Maybe later in the school year when students have become use to the way my class functions we can begin to move towards cooperative learning groups. As of now, any group work will probably be related only to review games. If I was teaching Pre-Calculus or Calculus there is a different breed of student which would probably be able to handle cooperative learning groups, but in Algebra 1 it caused more damage than help.

From the other side of the desk . . . week #4

*Sigh* as much as I would like to say I'm loving teaching like Maria, I cannot. Today my 5th period class brought me to tears after the final bell for school rang. I must have spent half of the class period redirecting students, waiting for students to be quiet, and signing hall passes. I just don't know what to do anymore. I spent 10 minutes talking with them asking them how they would feel if they were in my shoes and what I could do to help them focus. I have students standing on two stacked chairs, students telling me they don't care if I give them detention, students purposely being out of their desks when the bell rings so they can be tardy,students sleeping, and students yelling that they hate math in class. Today I had to give a detention to a student who refused to do work and would not answer my questions therefore choosing the third consequence for misbehavior--detention. It broke my heart. Really, I probably should have give at least five more detentions, but I didn't have it in me. What do I do?

I hear from my administration and staff that I am young and a new teacher so the kids are just testing me, seeing how much they can get away with. I especially have problems with sophomore boys. So I guess I wait it out and try to be consistent in my discipline. I have no idea. I only hope that I soon gain their respect. I have had students tell me I should yell at them when I am mad, but I can't, I can only graciously smile because I want to represent Christ.

Enough of that though. Here are some comments from my students this week:

"You have more fashion than any teacher I have had." 

"Jordan said you were his future wife." 

"How are you doing as a person today?" (not as a teacher)

 "Math makes so much more sense when you teach it."

The best part of my week so far is that the girl I helped yesterday with her assignment spoke out to answer a question in math class for the first time today!

I just keep thinking . . . God has placed me here intentionally in these students lives for a reason. He will grant me the stamina, patience, and strength to get through to them.

I cannot even believe it. It is so surreal. I have actually taught one full week of school. And let me tell you, it does not feel like it has only been one week. The good news is, I love it! The very first day, I had a moment, so I texted my parents that I truly had the best job in the entire world.

Really though, there is nothing like going to school and being able to help mold and impact 170 students (yep, that's right, Miss Robertson has 170 students). And I never, ever, ever get bored. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

So on Monday, Salem Academy high school packed up all their stuff, and we headed for a retreat to Aldersgate. The name of the retreat was titled "Fall-In", and basically it is a time for students and staff to start off the year unified. The retreat gives us an opportunity to start off the year dedicated to the Lord, and boy was it a lot of fun. I was able to be the leader of a cabin of girls (all of which were my students except one), and we had a blast! Tuesday morning my alarm went off, and I pushed the snooze button a total of 8 times! The girls were shocked. They thought it was so hilarious that the teacher was the one pushing the snooze button. We had a good laugh about it.

Laughing. Oh. My. Soul. My 7th period class keeps me laughing constantly! Sometimes it is so hard to keep a strict face when the class is so funny. The class has 32 students in it, so it is a full class, and most of the class is filled with the male species. It is quite an adventure every time 7th period comes around. Today in 7th period, I had noticed that my students were having a hard time calling me Miss Robertson, and instead consistently call me Mrs. Robertson. So today, I told some of my football boys, "boys, my name is Miss Robertson, not Mrs.". One of the boys said, "sorry Miss Robertson, but you should really get married soon so we can call you Mrs. It just would be a lot easier for us." I just could not hold it in, and I started laughing so hard in class. Out entire class was laughing, and it took another good few minutes to get back on track. Those silly boys.

The first week of teaching has been great, but so tiring. I know there is such a long road ahead of me, but a good one that God has ready. I love my students so dearly, and know that each one of them has a special story that just adds to the dynamics of room 103.

First week of teaching out of the way forever? Check.

From the other side of the desk,
Maria

I had no idea what I was getting myself into teaching high school. Somehow I thought I would not have a lot of classroom management, but I was so so wrong! Already I have had to deal with students doing the following: tripping another student, slamming papers on desks, tattling on other students, calling other students names such as Cracker or Jew or Ginger, copycatting what I am saying, yawning louder than I'm talking, refusing to participate after being asked more than three times . . . the list goes on. Today I even had a student leave the class to go to the office because they were upset with me. There is so little respect for each other and authority among students, it makes keeping a positive environment very difficult. However, I am doing everything I can to keep my classroom a place of safety, structure, and respect.

On top of classroom management I have in the last week encountered numerous sad sad stories behind the students who sit in the desks of my classrooms. One girl openly admitted she could not get her parent letter signed because her mom was drunk all the time. This was no lie, this week she is at the Safe House in Salem. Sadly, the other students laughed after she said this. Another student told me today that she had never had a teacher sit down and help her with an assignment before. Another student is currently in the process of trying to be adopted out of a home she hasn't been living in for months.

These stories of students lives are why I teach, I want them to know that I care. It doesn't matter how disrespectful or talkative they are. I believe almost all misbehavior comes from an unmet need. This first year of teaching is going to be difficult. Yesterday, I was ready to give up, but I must rise to the challenge. God loves each and every one of my students, I must do the same. Through patience, respect, and care I hope to make a difference in these students lives. May God grant me an even bigger heart than I already have for my students and school.

Well I survived. One day down, 189 to go. My first day ever of teaching was long, a bit chaotic, and exciting. I started off my morning up at a K-8 school where I am teaching a class of 7th and 8th graders. I really had no idea how to get to the classroom I was teaching and I found myself walking a whole line of students to class. Thankfully, the teacher whose classroom I borrow was super helpful in answering my students questions and filling me in on how breakfast is served. The best part of the whole middle school experience was when one girl said to me, "I'm so glad you are pretty, I was really worried you would be an old, ugly lady!" As if looks and age make a teacher a good one, haha!

I was relieved when I was finally back down in the high school in my own room. My classes went pretty smoothly. Twice I was asked how old I was, some thought I was 19, others 24, I told them I was 27 and actually kept a straight face. Hopefully the Lord can forgive me for lying. When I asked students to share about something they did this summer I got a variety of answers that surprised me. One students told me an in depth story of how she agreed to let another girl full on punch her in the face and another story about how she moved in to this boy's house. I didn't really think those were the best stories so I kind of cut her off as politely as possible. It is interesting what some high schoolers do outside of class. . .

Of course every first day has to have a few things go wrong. Mine included finding out I had not emailed myself a powerpoint I thought I had which I was going to use to tell students about me. Also, there was a 30 minutes time block in which I had students and didn't know I was going to have any, so I had nothing planned. On the bright side, my very first day I am already improvising and being flexible. All students come tomorrow. I still feel very unprepared and I have a funny feeling I will be spending a lot of extra hours in my classroom these first few weeks.