And so continues the debate about assigning students a zero for assignments that are never submitted. Over the last few years there has been a policy about avoiding zeros all together. Although the hounding, chasing, reminding and reprimanding of students who fail to hand in assignments can be tiring and stressful (for parents and teachers) there was one particular incident that made me laugh and gave me hope!
It was an end of unit culminating task for history and report card deadlines were looming. There were a few students that had not completed the task and I had been chasing them for weeks! On one particular day I pulled a very bright young boy, Chris, out of his math class to ask him if his project was done. Of course, not surprisingly, he said no. His expression conveyed the lack of interest and downright annoyance at being asked this yet again. I explained about his report card mark and how much weight this assignment held. I even threw in the inspirational bit about being proud of accomplishing something and persevering at something difficult. After hearing this for the umpteenth time he really didn't care and said, "Mrs. C, just give me a zero please. It would be easier to get a zero because I really don't want to do the assignment." I told him that that was not an option and I don't let my students give up. (However, I did leave out the part about not be able to enter a zero into my markbook.) I informed Chris that I would be calling his parents once again and I expected the assignment to be on my desk by Monday.
I called. No answer. As I listened to the answering machine I wondered about how much to say after the beep. "Hello, this is Mrs. C. I am calling to let you know that Chris still has one outstanding assignment. I spoke with him today and he has asked to receive a zero. I told him to have his assignment in by Monday. If you have any questions please call me at the school. Have a great day!"
Chris' mom called back but I was teaching so she left a message on my voice mail. I saved it for three years and listened to it at least once a week!
In a very cheerful, yet sarcastic tone she said the following:
"Good afternoon Mrs. C. I was surprised to hear from you, as when I awoke this morning I expected ZERO calls from the school. But still what a beautiful day outside, I was happy to see that unlike the forecast there was ZERO rainfall this morning. I bet it is hard when ZERO students are able to go outside for recess. I will be speaking with Chris this evening. This conversation will take place as soon as I get home and will interrupt his after school activities. I hope he isn't bothered by ZERO t.v. and ZERO video games. I assure you he will have his project in by Monday. Looks like he will be experiencing his new favourite number all weekend. Until his history is done to my standards he will have ZERO hockey, ZERO bike rides with his friends and ZERO dessert! Thank you so much for calling. I wish you a great rest of the day with ZERO problems."
I got the assignment on Monday.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Mommy's Little Secret
My mom was a teacher and you could count on hearing her say, "Out of the mouths of babes!" at least once a week. She loved coming home and telling funny stories about things her students did and said. I guess she would have blogged about it if blogs had been around during her teaching career. So here are a few stories for you mom!
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As most educators would tell you, comprehending what one reads is just as important as being able to decode words - if not more important. There are many strategies taught in the primary grades to help students understand what they are reading. Having students learn to infer or read between the lines is one such strategy. This was one of the strategies that my students would be working on during the early days of spring.
For primary aged students inferencing is quite abstract. Some get it while others struggle to figure out what it is they are suppose to be doing. During the first few lessons about this reading strategy I told them that it was like reading between the lines. We took a piece of text and wrote it on chart paper with double spacing. I explained that on the blank lines there was information that we can't see but we know is there. We read the text and used clues from the author's words and what we already knew about the subject to fill in the blank lines. I modeled and over the next few weeks the students practised with partners and became very good at inferring. I don't know if the success was due to the my teaching or because of the connection little Sally made during that first lesson.
The discussion went something like this:
Teacher: ... and so there are blank spaces that we as readers need to fill in... it is our job to add to the story or fill it up to make it better in our heads...
Sally: I think my mom inferences a lot with her doctor.
Teacher: Oh? I think you must be thinking of another word, Sally.
Sally: No... well yes, my mom calls it something else but it is the same I think.
Teacher: What does your mom call it?
Sally: She says she fills in her lines and it is, um, b...b.. bo something.
Teacher: (with a smile) Botox?
_____________________________________________________
It is funny how matter of fact children can be about subjects that might seem private to adults.
A few years later I was at a different school with a brand new set of grade 2 students. It was autumn and the school BBQ was only a few days away. The children were quite excited about the activities that were planned as well as showing off their classroom to their parents. I was also looking forward to meeting the moms and dads of my students.
As we lined up and awaited the recess bell I began to asks the students who was coming to the BBQ and if they were bringing someone special. Most kids said they were attending but there were a few who could not make it. All of them offered a reason.
I have a soccer game that night.
My mom just had a baby.
I don't really want to come.
My parents work shift work and I will be with my grandma.
My mom is getting Botox.
Seriously, I couldn't make this up!
______________________________________________________
As most educators would tell you, comprehending what one reads is just as important as being able to decode words - if not more important. There are many strategies taught in the primary grades to help students understand what they are reading. Having students learn to infer or read between the lines is one such strategy. This was one of the strategies that my students would be working on during the early days of spring.
For primary aged students inferencing is quite abstract. Some get it while others struggle to figure out what it is they are suppose to be doing. During the first few lessons about this reading strategy I told them that it was like reading between the lines. We took a piece of text and wrote it on chart paper with double spacing. I explained that on the blank lines there was information that we can't see but we know is there. We read the text and used clues from the author's words and what we already knew about the subject to fill in the blank lines. I modeled and over the next few weeks the students practised with partners and became very good at inferring. I don't know if the success was due to the my teaching or because of the connection little Sally made during that first lesson.
The discussion went something like this:
Teacher: ... and so there are blank spaces that we as readers need to fill in... it is our job to add to the story or fill it up to make it better in our heads...
Sally: I think my mom inferences a lot with her doctor.
Teacher: Oh? I think you must be thinking of another word, Sally.
Sally: No... well yes, my mom calls it something else but it is the same I think.
Teacher: What does your mom call it?
Sally: She says she fills in her lines and it is, um, b...b.. bo something.
Teacher: (with a smile) Botox?
_____________________________________________________
It is funny how matter of fact children can be about subjects that might seem private to adults.
A few years later I was at a different school with a brand new set of grade 2 students. It was autumn and the school BBQ was only a few days away. The children were quite excited about the activities that were planned as well as showing off their classroom to their parents. I was also looking forward to meeting the moms and dads of my students.
As we lined up and awaited the recess bell I began to asks the students who was coming to the BBQ and if they were bringing someone special. Most kids said they were attending but there were a few who could not make it. All of them offered a reason.
I have a soccer game that night.
My mom just had a baby.
I don't really want to come.
My parents work shift work and I will be with my grandma.
My mom is getting Botox.
Seriously, I couldn't make this up!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Getting together...
After completing my PGCE I returned to Canada and was offered a position teaching grade 2. I taught that grade for 4 years. Although there are many subject areas I enjoy teaching, the one subject that makes me smile is family life. The details of how babies are made are limited in grade 2 but there is enough information to turn those little ones into inquiring minds!
Now, I am a strong believer that if a child asks a question then they deserve an answer. However, the content of family life is always a little controversial and so it is best that a teacher doesn't go too far beyond the grade level curriculum.
During the third or fourth lesson on the parts of our bodies we began to talk about how the sperm and ovum meet in the uterus to create a baby. Some of the students were very interested others were more interested in the snow that started falling outside. As I looked out at the sea of innocent faces one little girl raised her hand and asked, "Um, how does the sperm get into the mommy's uterus if it is from the daddy?" For some reason this question got the attention of the snow watchers.
This wasn't part of the curriculum for a number of years! I attempted to explain that there are some things that they will have questions about that I was not really able to answer but they should ask their parents that question when they get home.
Now, every class has a creative mind who always wants to discover the answer to everything, in this class it was JJ. As the lesson proceeded to the growth of the baby, JJ was still thinking about how the sperm and the ovum get together. His hand shot up like a bullet, his eyes popped out and his expression was like he had discovered water on mars!
"Mrs. C! I know, I know how they get together!" he almost screamed, "The mommy and daddy go to bed at night and lie very close to each other; they have to touch sides." I wanted to stop him just in case but I was very curious. "So, when they both fall asleep the mommy's and daddy's sides split open like a zipper or something and then the sperm jump across like dolphins into the mommy's uterus!"
I would have breathed a sigh of relief but I was too busy holding back a giggle! "Very creative thinking JJ. You should ask you parents if that is how they made you."
Now, I am a strong believer that if a child asks a question then they deserve an answer. However, the content of family life is always a little controversial and so it is best that a teacher doesn't go too far beyond the grade level curriculum.
During the third or fourth lesson on the parts of our bodies we began to talk about how the sperm and ovum meet in the uterus to create a baby. Some of the students were very interested others were more interested in the snow that started falling outside. As I looked out at the sea of innocent faces one little girl raised her hand and asked, "Um, how does the sperm get into the mommy's uterus if it is from the daddy?" For some reason this question got the attention of the snow watchers.
This wasn't part of the curriculum for a number of years! I attempted to explain that there are some things that they will have questions about that I was not really able to answer but they should ask their parents that question when they get home.
Now, every class has a creative mind who always wants to discover the answer to everything, in this class it was JJ. As the lesson proceeded to the growth of the baby, JJ was still thinking about how the sperm and the ovum get together. His hand shot up like a bullet, his eyes popped out and his expression was like he had discovered water on mars!
"Mrs. C! I know, I know how they get together!" he almost screamed, "The mommy and daddy go to bed at night and lie very close to each other; they have to touch sides." I wanted to stop him just in case but I was very curious. "So, when they both fall asleep the mommy's and daddy's sides split open like a zipper or something and then the sperm jump across like dolphins into the mommy's uterus!"
I would have breathed a sigh of relief but I was too busy holding back a giggle! "Very creative thinking JJ. You should ask you parents if that is how they made you."
Sunday, January 30, 2011
A lesson in language...
Having lived my whole life in a small town in Canada I decided I would study abroad in Scotland and get my Post Graduate Certificate in Education. During all of my teaching placements I learned a little about classroom management, lesson planning and assessment. This I expected. I did not expect that I would be taught a thing or two about language!
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After finishing one of my first maths lessons in a P6/7 class, I assigned seat work for the students to complete. While walking around the class I was approached by one of the male students. He seemed a little shy and would not look me in the eye. "Miss," he said, "I have been told to try to be more prepared. I was wondering if you had a rubber I could borrow?" I stood thinking about how to respond to this boy when he then said, "I really don't want to make a mistake with you."
"Do you think this is an appropriate thing to ask a teacher?" I replied. It was at this moment when the classroom teacher walked by and passed him an eraser.
________________________________________________________
My first placement was in a nursery class. Those little munchkins are so adorable and you just never know what they will say or do!
It was a chilly fall morning when I welcomed the little ones in for the day. Each of them wanted to tell me a story as they entered. "Miss, I got a cut on my finger last night.", "Miss, today is my birthday and I need to go to the toilet." Sometimes I think that Jack Handy got his random thoughts from nursery aged kids.
It was the last little boy who walked through the door that taught me to think before I respond to anything. "Miss, I got new pants last night!" I nodded and smiled. "Would you like to see them, Miss?" Of course I responded positively and acted very excited to see them. He showed them to me. Now I know that in Scotland pants are called trousers and underwear are called pants.
_______________________________________________________
Ask a teacher what they love about teaching and you may be told a story about when a student who struggles finally makes a breakthrough and finds success and pride in their accomplishments. That is a great feeling! Well, at least until you tell that student where to stick their work!
During my third placement in a P3/4 classroom, I worked very closely with a young girl on her writing. The teacher had told me that she needed a lot of assistance with her writing assignments and she was unlikely to complete most tasks. We had set up small attainable goals and her quality and quantity of work began to improve.
One morning she was given a task that should have seemed a little daunting for her. I watched her struggle but she persevered and completed it to the best of her ability. From across the room I saw her face relax and then a smile spread across her face. I was proud of her and more importantly, she was proud of herself. She brought her work to me. I looked it over and smiled, "You did a great job on this! Go stick it in the bin and then you can get your lunch." Her smile was replaced with a look of confusion. I kept smiling and nodding to go ahead. She turned and began to walk toward the door slowly, turning to look back at me twice. Finally, she reached the door where there was a table with a plastic bin where work was submitted. Instead of placing her work in there she threw it in the garbage. Apparently, a garbage pail is called a bin!
________________________________________________________
After finishing one of my first maths lessons in a P6/7 class, I assigned seat work for the students to complete. While walking around the class I was approached by one of the male students. He seemed a little shy and would not look me in the eye. "Miss," he said, "I have been told to try to be more prepared. I was wondering if you had a rubber I could borrow?" I stood thinking about how to respond to this boy when he then said, "I really don't want to make a mistake with you."
"Do you think this is an appropriate thing to ask a teacher?" I replied. It was at this moment when the classroom teacher walked by and passed him an eraser.
________________________________________________________
My first placement was in a nursery class. Those little munchkins are so adorable and you just never know what they will say or do!
It was a chilly fall morning when I welcomed the little ones in for the day. Each of them wanted to tell me a story as they entered. "Miss, I got a cut on my finger last night.", "Miss, today is my birthday and I need to go to the toilet." Sometimes I think that Jack Handy got his random thoughts from nursery aged kids.
It was the last little boy who walked through the door that taught me to think before I respond to anything. "Miss, I got new pants last night!" I nodded and smiled. "Would you like to see them, Miss?" Of course I responded positively and acted very excited to see them. He showed them to me. Now I know that in Scotland pants are called trousers and underwear are called pants.
_______________________________________________________
Ask a teacher what they love about teaching and you may be told a story about when a student who struggles finally makes a breakthrough and finds success and pride in their accomplishments. That is a great feeling! Well, at least until you tell that student where to stick their work!
During my third placement in a P3/4 classroom, I worked very closely with a young girl on her writing. The teacher had told me that she needed a lot of assistance with her writing assignments and she was unlikely to complete most tasks. We had set up small attainable goals and her quality and quantity of work began to improve.
One morning she was given a task that should have seemed a little daunting for her. I watched her struggle but she persevered and completed it to the best of her ability. From across the room I saw her face relax and then a smile spread across her face. I was proud of her and more importantly, she was proud of herself. She brought her work to me. I looked it over and smiled, "You did a great job on this! Go stick it in the bin and then you can get your lunch." Her smile was replaced with a look of confusion. I kept smiling and nodding to go ahead. She turned and began to walk toward the door slowly, turning to look back at me twice. Finally, she reached the door where there was a table with a plastic bin where work was submitted. Instead of placing her work in there she threw it in the garbage. Apparently, a garbage pail is called a bin!
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