My only complaint is that this begins to make reformers sound like a unified group:

“Presumably, the deadlock will eventually be broken, and a “winner” will emerge. Either the education reformers will manage to take control of a critical mass of school districts, or they won’t. Before that happens, perhaps the various narratives and counter-narratives will decalcify and some actual debate will take place.”

Maybe the first step towards “decalification” is stopping using “reform” vs “traditional”. Do these terms really mean anything anymore? To make the debate real, we need to talk about actual groups and actual actions. Innovation is happing within and outside traditional structures, and referring to “reformers” taking control seems like a pretty large net to cast.

So, great post in light of the Cathy Black* craziness, but seems to fall into the same rut it rails against.

*in case you hadn’t heard

All I can say is that I hope this doesn’t stop.

This morning I woke up and watched a TED talk about technology to helped the paralyzed, which I chased down with an hour long video from the Teach for America Summit on improving STEM education in the nation.

On my bed stand is an issue of Scientific American Mind that talks about the neuroscience of day dreaming and the most recent issue of Popular Science, the 6th annual “How it works” issue.

On my floor are two books: Xenocide, the third book of the Ender’s Series (an award winning science fiction series) and the Mythbusters Science Fair book, that I picked up this week from our book fair.

And with the papers to grade and the lessons to plan on ideal gases that I will complete after this post, science has never been so infused into my life.

Long live the scientist inside us all.

Love letter to Albuquerque Schools

At our staff meeting one of my colleagues asked the principal, “So what’s going to happen Friday?” On the school’s calendar we have a furlough day (a day when everyone gets off and does not receive pay) scheduled for Friday, but the Superintendent made the decision to move the day to Monday so we have an extended Spring Break (not a bad choice). BUT, apparently there’s still a question as to whether or not it was an “official” furlough day, so school might be canceled Friday, or me might have a 60% day Friday, or AH!!

What does the administration say about this?

“You know…”

“what?”

“Just play it by ear.”

And that’s what I’ve been doing these past two days.
Yesterday, I was informed that my classroom would be used as the main site for packet pickup for teachers for the Writing Test a third of the school will be taking. Because my classroom is in use I officially had a mobile classroom day—every class is in a different room: no binders, no folders, no projectors, no power point, no clickers, no systems. Yikes!

I showed up today, and yes, my room was taken, but I also had to cover a class first block (my planning block). So frantically, I tried to make the copies for the day and enter in grades for the quarter. Someone copying an 8-page monster for 32 students backed up the one, working, teacher copier, but I managed. I think. And I made my way to the class I needed to cover.

God save the substitutes because covering a class is not easy. Students will test you.

“Can I get tissue?”
“There’s some on the table.” I made sure to know where the tissue was as I entered the classroom.
“That’s not enough.”
In my head I knew it was. She wanted to leave. Probably to go to another classroom sit down and talk with her friends. I knew. Didn’t have proof, but I knew.
“Okay. Write your name down and be back in 7 minutes.”
I said seven because it’s an odd number for students to hear. Usually, it’s 3minutes, but I say seven because 1) the students aren’t doing anything anyway and 2) I thought if I give them a little more time, they could see they’re friends and still make it back without protest.

Seven minutes passed and she didn’t come back.

An hour passed and her friend came into the classroom.
“I need to get Shalynda’s (Not her real name) personal stuff because she has a dismissal.”

Another lie. I assumed. Dismissals are always announced by the office, but students constantly use that excuse because teacher’s constantly accept the excuse. What’s her name again? The student repeated the name, and I checked the name with the one the student wrote down. She’s in the clear, but a follow up will be necessary.

Another hour passed with the class. Apparently, I’m not teaching second block today. Two students I let out stayed past after 7 minutes, and I had to talk with them.

They’re defense.

“I’m bored.”

I KNOW! Who isn’t stuck in this classroom? I didn’t say…

Behind the scenes, I completely understand why the administration is making these decisions.

Students in the halls = babies with a match = total chaos, which can’t be afforded when students are taking tests.

We went to lunch and the students implemented the “evade and hide” tactic. They know I don’t know who all of them are, so if they all split up, even though I said to stay together, there is no way I could get them all back to class. I wrote the student’s names down who came back to class, but I’m sure the ones that didn’t come will have little to no punishment for their actions.

We managed to switch to fourth block. Unfortunately, as my class and I made our way to my room the counselors were still using it. They recommended we go to the library for 10min and they’d call us when they’ve cleaned up. Ten minutes turned to 30min, 30min turned to an hour. I guess I just wasn’t supposed to teach today. By the time the counselors said we could come back we had one hour left of school.

I let my students make the decision. “Would you rather get ahead of the other classes by an hour and go back to class or just stay in the library.” 19 to 1 was in favor for staying the library. Some had taken the writing test, but most were held in classes all day, so doing nothing mentally exhausted them.

These days happen a few times a semester, and I’ve learned to “play it by ear”. I’m grateful for tomorrow—exhausted for today.