The Cornerstone Blog

December Classroom of the Month

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Mrs. Kazandjian's second grade classroom! This is the view from the entrance. She has students' desks set up in a square so she can easily see each person's face when they're in their chairs or seated on the rug.

Going around the room counter-clockwise, you'll see the corner where Mrs. Kazandjian teaches (word wall, calendar, Mountain Math, etc.).

This is the literacy center where both teacher materials and student-selected materials are stored.

Computer area. The teacher also keeps her overhead projector here when it's not in use.

Small group reading instruction area and more centers.

Students practice reading using the LeapPads.

Here's the front of the room. Students on this side of the square of desks are literally inches away from the teacher when she's teaching--perfect!

Mrs. Kazandjian's desk is right next to theirs. This makes it easy for her to keep an eye on everything that's happening in the room (if and when she ever gets to sit!) and also keeps all her teaching materials right up front where they're needed.

Want to submit your photos for Classroom of the Month? Email them to me! We'd love to see your ideas for arrangement and organization, especially if you have a small classroom or portable that presents a lot of challenges.

Where's the passion?

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:00 +0000

The Voice of San Diego reports on "a calculus class so crazy, it just might work." It's the class of Crawford High School teacher Jonathan Winn:

Picture Jim Carrey with a mathematics degree. Winn dons a furry hat and beats a drum to remind students of the steps in a problem. He shouts theatrically and chants questions, then shuts off the audience lights to talk about "finding the inner you." They talk openly about masculinity and otherness in the dim theater.

...He veers back into mathematics, writing some functions on the board. Textbooks call this the chain rule, but Winn avoids the phrase. He is gradually showing them how to separate the inner and outer parts of a complex function -- in mathspeak, finding the inner part is finding the "u." He came up with "the inner you" this summer while hiking alongside an Oregon river as a way to relate the abstract concepts of calculus back to things teens care about -- their sense of self -- and to teach them larger lessons about life. After they copy the functions down, Winn rings a small bell to refocus them.

"A lot of people will look at you and they will classify you based on the outside," Winn says. "They will say you're Asian. They will say you're African-American. They will say you're an English learner...So in mathematics there's also outside and inside." He walks them through a complicated function that has two layers, one acting on the other. The internal part is called the u. "What we're going to do today is take them apart and decide -- who's on the inside? What's on the inside?"
"Calculus?" someone guesses.

"Beyond calculus!"

"You," another says.

"It's you! It's u! We found u! You found u!" Winn shouts. The teens giggle. "You can't solve a problem until you find yourself."

The results, not surprisingly, are phenomenal. Calculus classes and the math honor society are outrageously popular at Crawford High, and student achievement is soaring in the classes that are taught following Winn's philosophy (which includes teaching fewer standards more deeply and relating math to real life). And of course, the kids love it. One student is quoted in the article as saying "It's hard not to get excited if he's that excited."

Not everyone is amused. Robert at The Core Knowledge Blog says:

"...another one of those wild, wacky yet oh-so-effective teacher stories, this one out of San Diego. I’m sure the guy is great, but I have to confess I’m getting as tired of attention-seeking behavior in teachers as I was of it in students."

I'm a bit tired of these tales myself. Jonathan Winn's over-the-top edge is exhausting just to read about. There's a crotchety old woman inside of me who's shaking her fist: Is this what it takes to engage kids these days? What happened to self-discipline and working hard because you value education? Must everything be entertaining for students to really tune in?

But underneath my cynicism, I envy Winn's enthusiasm for his subject matter and the time he devotes to preparing engaging, relevant lessons for his students. I wish I could grab a bass drum and bang out the steps to a math problem, but I value my own need for a quiet and orderly classroom over the needs of my students for dynamic and emotionally-resonating instruction. I'm often more concerned with covering material than letting children experience it themselves. And I'm usually too preoccupied in the evenings to let my mind dream of new ways to inspire students and help them explore their own curiosities.

I respect a teacher who values passion above all else, even if it's ultimately passion for passion's sake. Students need to be woken up inside, challenged, drawn out of their numbed states of mind, and engaged in something bigger than themselves.

Teachers do, too.

Note to Self

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:20:00 +0000

Nomination time!

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:15:00 +0000

It's time for the sixth annual Edublog Awards to honor the best education blogs on the web. With over 100 edublogs in my Google Reader, choosing just one for each category was a daunting task (especially for Best Teacher Blog, since there are so many excellent ones). It's also challenging to determine which site falls into which category (can a 30-something blogger qualify for a 'Lifetime Achievement' award?) and what to do about those outstanding sites that don't have a corresponding category (how about a 'Best Administrator Blog', for which there would be an obvious nominee?) After much deliberation, I've narrowed down my nominations as follows:

Best individual blog: Notes From the School Psychologist
Best individual tweeter: Angela Maiers
Best group blog: Hobo Teacher
Best new blog: Look at My Happy Rainbow!
Best teacher blog: Organized Chaos
Best educational tech support blog: The Blue Skunk Blog
Best educational use of video/visual: Musings From a Not-So-Master Teacher

Congrats to all nominees--I so appreciate the amazing content you produce and am grateful that you take the time to share it with us on the web.

Gratitude

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Friends, family, God...I am grateful for all these things, too (except maybe the fish, although you gotta admit that was super cute). My husband and I are having a wonderful Thanksgiving at my parent's house in Florida. Hope each of you are enjoying your time off to relax and reflect. Have some carbs for me.

Quick Checks for the End of a Lesson or Day

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:20:00 +0000

Do you ever wonder what students are taking away from your lessons? Do you question whether they're internalizing the concepts you've taught? Ending your lesson or school day with a 'quick check' is a fun way to help students retain what they've learned and help you determine what your kids will need the following day. Here are a few ideas that work with a wide range of grade levels:

Informal reflection questions: After you’ve taught your lesson, have students answer a reflection question with a partner or group. You can walk around to hear individual student responses and then call on a select few kids to share their answers with the class. I like to have kids discuss with their teams, and when they hear the bell or clicker sound, one volunteer from each team summarizes what the group talked about. Ideas for questions include:

-When will you use this strategy again to help as you ___ [read, add, etc.]?
-If we had a new student in our class, what would you tell him about __?
-When will you use ___ again when you're not in school?

3 Things Poster/Calendar: At the end of the day, have kids work in groups to brainstorm the three most important things they learned that day. Teams can then write their ideas on sticky notes to attach to a poster (or write directly on the poster). You can also use a large desktop-style calendar. This is a good way to help children differentiate between ‘important’ and ‘interesting’, which is a mistake they often make when identifying main ideas and supporting details. Encourage children to focus on the things that they will probably need to know later on. At the end of the month, talk about what you've learned. Bind the posters together to make a class Big Book. You can also choose the three most important things for the week and/or month and circle
them.

Learning Timeline: You can record important classroom events on adding machine paper (yes, they still sell it!) that is taped in a long strip across the wall. Each day, have the class discuss the most important things you’ve done or learned that day, and have a student volunteer write the date and activity on the tape, drawing an illustration to go along with it. You could already have the date written out for uniformity. The assessment value is in the class discussion, but the timeline itself will provide a record of student learning and help children see how they are acquiring new skills.

Exit Tickets: Also called ‘Your Ticket Out the Door’, these are small scraps of paper that students use to write what they’ve learned after a lesson. Children hand them to you when leaving for lunch, specials, or dismissal. You can change the exit ticket topics to fit the purpose of your lesson. Some prompts I've used include:

-How will you use addition to check your work from now on?
-Name the planets in order from the sun.
-How can you tell the difference between a square and a cube?
-Give one fact and one opinion about dogs.
-Name two things you will do differently in writing tomorrow after learning about capitalization.

These ideas are taken from my book The Cornerstone: Classroom Management That Makes Teaching More Effective, Efficient, and Enjoyable. I'm currently running a week-long Black Friday SALE that's starting today: free Priority Mail shipping. If you've bought a copy from me before and are purchasing this one as a Christmas present or other gift for a teacher you know, I'll refund five bucks of your total cost. Just let me know in the Instructions to Seller box (you can also specify a personal message to the recipient that you'd like me to write inside the book).

Works-For-Me Wednesday

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Third grade teacher Robin Huddlestone is in a tiny portable classroom with little room to spread out her desks. She likes her current arrangement, but had a huge problem with kids copying each other's answers and being unfocused during independent work times. She collected some old science fair displays that were hanging around the teacher's lounge and used them to create mini-dividers between the kids' desks. "It gives students the perfect amount of privacy without isolating them," she says. "They can still work cooperatively when needed, and for major projects, the boards can easily be lifted away."

Do you have an idea to submit for Works-For-Me Wednesday? Take a photo of something that's working in YOUR classroom (anything you've done to help organize or manage your classroom and/or improve instruction) and email it to angela [at] thecornerstoneforteachers [dot] com. I'd love to feature your idea here on an upcoming Wednesday!

Teacher lolcats get a reality check

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Ah, the lolcats go to skool, a much beloved and long neglected feature on this blog. Enjoy. (In case you missed them, you can check out administrator lolcats, parent-teacher conference lolcats, professional development lolcats, visiting district supervisor lolcats, and lolcats take a standardized test here.)

Pardon this interruption in our regularly-scheduled educational programming

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Veteran's Day. Another late night flight back to Fort Lauderdale. The young Hasidic mother next to me on the plane smiled at the wilting bouquet I was cradling carefully on my lap. "I can't believe you're traveling with flowers. The hassle...I'm not sure I'd bother."

I smiled back. "They were a surprise from my husband when we went out to dinner the other night. I just left him behind in New York, and couldn't bear to leave the flowers, too. I'm holding on to every piece of him that I can."

A tinge of sadness came over her face, and she fell silent. It was an awkward moment that I fully expected, and allowed. It occurs regularly when strangers and family and friends contemplate a couple being separated by 1,000 miles for more than three years.

What she didn't understand--what no one seems to understand, really--is the way the distance has distilled our relationship down to only the most critical parts, clearing away the superfluous clutter so that only the truest expression of love remains.

Finally I have the words to explain this.

Flying with flowers is the perfect embodiment of the bond in our long-distance marriage, an element of the purest form of its beauty, a tangible expression of how much every word and every gesture we share is filled with significance. The space between us has created a fragility making each exchange more precious. From the very beginning, we learned how to be fully present in the moments we share and never take the gift of companionship for granted. Our hours together have always been numbered. And we live our lives differently because of that.

To pity the inconvenience of our constant travel and the inevitable bouts of loneliness we experience is to miss the miracle of the love that has thrived, not despite but because of our circumstances. We have learned the true meaning of the word CHERISH. And now that our season of being apart is finally coming to an end, we can be certain that we know how to hold on. Every moment we are flying with flowers.

Your thoughts: how does parenthood affect the practice of educators?

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Every now and then, a student's parent will ask me if I have kids of my own. They always look a little disappointed when I reply "not yet", as if I don't understand their struggles as well as they'd hoped. I'm looking forward to starting a family soon with my husband, and I wonder a lot about how the experience of parenthood affects those who work in education.

Musings of this sort are what makes my personal learning network (PLN) so invaluable. What an amazing experience to be able to toss this question out via social media and get replies from educators all over the world. I started these conversations a month ago and allowed the initial responses to shape the way I pursued the topic later. I went to my Facebook fans and The Cornerstone yGroup first:

I received dozens of thought-provoking responses, most of which hit on at least one of four categories. Here are the main ways becoming a parent has affected the way these teachers view their students:

1) They have increased empathy toward parents AND students. Katrina Andres Murphy wrote: "I think I have more patience for individual personalities. My expectations are now more in line with their development. I also understand that this little person is the whole world to these parents. They are sending the best they have to school. They are not leaving the good ones at home. :-)"

2) They are less frustrated about students not completing homework. Many teachers who used to get angry when homework was repeatedly missing have a new understanding and don't let it bother them once they become parents themselves. Angela Rodriguez Gibson shared: "...I can see how homework might not get done. I understand not being able to miss work for conferences. I understand that everyone thinks their child is a genius and an angel. I also understand the frustrations of the school system."

3) They hold a new and deeper respect for individuality. J from the Cornerstone yGroup says: "Since becoming a parent, I've also learned that kids are who they are--even with the best parents in the world. Just because a child has issues (whatever they may be), does not necessarily mean it is due to poor parenting. At nearly 2 years, my child is super high energy, busy, into everything. I can't even imagine what he will be like in kindergarten!"

4) They develop a truer sense of the importance and ultimate mission of teachers. Marcella Martinez: "...Being a teacher and having your own kids in school you realize what kind of teacher u want for your kids. Now I try to be that teacher to my students."

So does being a parent make you a better teacher?

Cindy Rice Magruder says yes. "I think being a teacher has made me a better mother and vice versa. I am a better disciplinarian, more patient, and more understanding of those issues that kids may have at home. I am thankful everyday that I have that insight!! The children I work with often don't have a strong support system at home, so I feel like that motivates me to be a better mom and teacher to those kids!"

And Laura Jewell Qualley agrees: "...I have learned to relax about certain things, like homework that doesn't get done, and I am also much less critical of both parents and children in general. Parenting is hard, and working full time on top of it is often a crazy life. I think being a parent has made me a better teacher, and being a teacher has made me a better parent."

But not everyone feels that simultaneously playing the role of parent and teacher is beneficial. Heather Mason responded on Twitter with a link to a brutally honest post on her blog, Teacher in Transition. It's an interesting read about how parenthood may make you a better teacher, but the effect might not be reciprocal: "I want to be good at both. I know that it must be possible, but I just can’t seem to find the balance; the fulcrum keeps moving. Some days I am the better parent and falling behind as a teacher; others I am a better teacher but missing my kids in the process. I am always at the top of the see-saw waiting for the big drop."

What are the implications for teachers without kids of their own?

Developing a greater empathy for parents and a deeper understanding of children's individuality is an important goal for any teacher, and those of us without kids should start disciplining ourselves in this area now. A good place to start is by reading the smashing blow of humility that is cleared delivered by John Spencer on his blog as he concludes that with 3 kids of his own, he can no longer complain about parents: "Is it possible that the confusion and terror I feel about things like sickness [of a child] are what many parents feel about things like homework and grades and independent projects? Is it unreasonable for a parent to assume that the teacher should be more knowledgeable than the parents on issues of classroom management, assessment, instruction and motivation? Yet, I've seen many teachers who not only request, but demand that parents serve them and fix any potential problems. I'd be offended if the doctor called me in and said, 'Your child is sick. I want you to come up with some solutions at home and bring me back when he's well.'" [Be sure to read the post comments, especially the one by Teacherfish who shares a mortifying lesson about the demands of parenthood.]

What are the implications for policy makers and those in other out-of-classroom positions?

Melanie Williams Weber, a teacher and parent, shares "I've begun to notice more of the limitations of the school system. I see how much my kids (6 and 4) learn through natural interactions and how simplistic school learning standards are."

In some respects, aren't kids capable of learning so much more than what we're expecting them to learn? And in other respects, aren't we demanding too much of them? Parenthood clearly affects the way teachers teach. But does it affect the way educational change is created? I tossed this question out on Twitter:

It's that second question that I'm wondering most about now, and hoping to get more responses on. How did parenthood affect those who created the No Child Left Behind Act? Do any policy makers have young children or grandchildren who must be subjected to the culture of testing and obsessive accountability they've created, or are they bowing out with private schooling? Becoming a parent seems to produce deeper empathy and purpose in the lives of teachers. Is there any such effect or correlation with education policy makers?

What are YOUR thoughts on parenthood and education?

Book Review: Dinah Zike's Notebook Foldables

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:45:00 +0000

When I happened upon a display by some lady named Dinah Zike at a conference, my first thought was Holy cow, this is what I've been doing in my classroom for YEARS! Finally, someone's established the value of these activities and was smart enough to make some money off it!

As it turns out, I AM SERIOUSLY LATE, because Dinah is the guru of foldables: I tossed her name out on The Cornerstone yGroup and got rave responses; I discovered multiple discussions at the AtoZ Teacher Stuff forums including some info on free foldables; and I opened the supplemental resources for our district's new reading series and there she was again, partnering with McGraw-Hill! Clearly this woman is unstoppable.

A page from the foldables book included with our district's reading series.

In case you've been hiding under the same rock that's had me sheltered, foldables are multi-dimensional graphic organizers that can be used for skill reinforcement, practice, and/or information gathering. They're unique because they provide a kinesthetic tool for learning (which is extremely important for younger students and rather hard to incorporate when teaching abstract skills such as reading comprehension). The concept reminds me a bit of the Alternatives to Worksheets book and it's sequel, which have molded my teaching style more than any other resource book (remarkable, since I rarely meet anyone who's even heard of the series). Dinah Zike has a similar idea that is--dare I say?--even MORE effective in helping students organize and analyze information.

From "Notebook Foldables": the five tab vertical.

Dinah's reps have graciously allowed me a review copy of any book in her collection, which was tantamount to giving an empty plastic bag to a kid in a candy store and hollering "Fill 'er up!". After much deliberation, I settled on Notebook Foldables For Spirals, Binders, and Composition Books. It's designed for grades 4-college, but since I've already tried many of the ideas in the primary grade books, I thought this 'big kid' version could offer some unique ideas I could adapt for my third graders...and I was far from disappointed.

From "Notebook Foldables": layered notebook.

I really can't say enough good things about how engaging the foldables are for kids, and how effective they are in helping kids organize, comprehend, and retain information. I like to display one student's foldable on a bulletin board in the classroom, so when I ask questions months after a unit, the kids can reference it. I taught a habitats unit once in October and asked the kids about ocean ecosystems in February. No one remembered until I said, "Think about the foldable we did with blue paper: you drew fresh water ecosystems on one side and salt water on the other..." and immediately five hands went up. I pointed to the sample on the back wall, and eight more hands went up. That's how powerful these things are.

Freshwater/saltwater ecosystems foldable in blue (upper right-hand corner).

The Notebook Foldables book, like many others from Dinah, even came with a companion CD featuring printables. The Dinah-Might Adventures site has some free ideas which are also worth checking out.

Have you used foldables (from Dinah, or your own creation)? Any good ideas to share for graphic organizers, manipulatives, or worksheet alternatives?

Amusement, irony, and sarcasm in classrooms across the blogosphere...

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Teaching kindergarten is planning for Halloween 'academic games' and changing 29 children into costumes for a 20 minute party, solely for the amusement of her principal.

Hobo Teacher laments a colleague's use of "The Math Pimp" persona. I suggest announcing it over the P.A. system.

Mrs. Bluebird uncovers yet another reason to preview materials before passing them out to children...and it involves the male reproductive system.

Mrs. Chili writes a letter to her students' parents about laziness and apathy, and receives a single response.

John Spencer creates a video debunking the danger of "Denim Day". I would argue that certain teachers wearing certain jean styles could be, in fact, dangerous and may cause temporary blindness, but point taken.

The Bus Driver tries out some logical consequences for Puke Girl and Poop Boy.

Mystery Teacher poses for a school picture...and "the office" requests a re-take.

One of Tattle Teacher's students learns to shape up, or go back to Mexico and take care of the goats.

Sarah contemplates writing "See diploma. See resume." in lieu of filling out tedious lesson plan forms.

Mister Teacher spends a thrilling afternoon uncovering the reasons why his ESL kids don't understand elaborate word problems. Of course, if they couldn't define 'sum' two weeks prior, the outlook wasn't too bright.

Exposing NCLB and test-based accountability

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:30:00 +0000

The following is an excerpt from a comment (yes, just a comment) left by "Jane Doe" in response to an excellent post at Bridging Differences (follow the link to read the original post and the comment in its entirety). This is something every American citizen needs to understand about what's really happening with "accountability" in education. Big props to This Brazen Teacher and The Frustrated Teacher who are sharing this, as well. If you're already reading those blogs, skip this post; if you're not, follow immediately. Then spread the word about these lies:

A few of the many lies of NCLB, in no particular order:

We lie when we speak of proficiency as if it were an objective standard when really it is just a number guessed at by a dozen teachers at a meeting one weekend. And half of the teachers thought the number was far too low and half thought it was far too high.

We lie when we say that a high score on a minimum-skills NCLB test means a student is "Advanced" when really it only indicates that the child has mastered mediocrity. A perfectionist, perhaps. But well-educated? Not even close.

We lie when we say we need more data and expensive software to understand that a child who has not passed the third grade test will not pass the fourth grade test and a child who has not passed either will never catch up and will not graduate. We don't need more data to know what we already know. Giving the child the fifth grade test the next year doesn't count as an intervention.

We lie when we say that a "year's growth" is equal to moving from 50th percentile to 50th percentile when we know that the number of scaled score points between the two tests will change from year to year to year.

We lie when we restructure our for-profit education company as a not-for-profit company knowing that Arne Duncan will hand out innovation grants to districts who partner with not-for-profit companies.

We lie when we say that too many children are unprepared for college-level work and then tell schools to spend more time focusing on NCLB tests when we know that prepping for NCLB tests in no way prepares students for college-level work.

We lie when we pretend that the No Child Left Behind accountability system measures all children. As the Associated Press revealed long ago, NCLB has so many exclusions that millions of children are never counted.

We lie when we report NCLB test scores separated by race knowing it would be illegal to assign students to schools or programs using race.
We lie when we say a school is doing well when it failed to reach simple proficiency and failed to make AYP and only became a success when it had a third chance with a growth model which showed that it might be doing well at some point in the future. We lie when we say that an entire school district is a failure because some of its many schools are struggling. We are lying when we say that NCLB can accurately identify schools as a successful or failing.

We lie when we take a picture of a mentally challenged child pointing to the nickel and not the dime on a Friday afternoon because we need evidence of "applied number sense" for her NCLB portfolio, even though we know that by Monday morning she will have forgotten which is which.

We lie when we tell parents of mentally challenged children that we want them to get the best education so we will give them a small financial voucher to leave the public schools without telling them that removing their child from our rolls will help us to make AYP.

We lie when we keep very-high-functioning children in special education programs because they are the ones we intend to use when we decide whose test will be included in the 2% we are allowed to count under NCLB for our special education reporting.

We lie when we keep students who have learned to speak English in language learner programs because if they didn't take the language learner version of our NCLB test our scores might drop.

We lie when we say we have a system that can use test scores to identify highly-skilled teachers, but the same teachers don't show up as highly-skilled from one year to the next even when they are teaching the same level of students in the same school.

We lie when we say that we are measuring whether a student is on grade level (using proficiency), determine that some students are not on grade level, but then advance those students to the next grade when we have just said that they were not ready for the next grade -- grade after grade until the 8th grade student is still stuck at a 5th grade level. Even the proponents of NCLB testing aren't confident enough in the tests to use the data to make a decision that might have some real impact.

We lie when we say that we have a system of rating teachers that is more rigorous than the old principal evaluations, but somehow a far majority of teachers are always better than average and almost every teacher willing to participate gets a bonus check of some size.

We lie when we claim that tests are designed by large groups of educators when only one or two people will make the decision about which test items will be on an actual test.

We lie when we speak of impossible theoreticals as if they were facts. If the worst students had the best teachers for three years in a row, then those would not be the best teachers any longer. And two of three teachers would have left the school after the first year of the program.

We lie when we don't report that the statisticians asked about the validity of growth models were just given a multi-year million dollar grant to study their use, so they probably won't have a definitive answer until that money runs out.

We lie when we say that there are no bad teachers and no bad students and no bad parents. Some bad parents have bad students who even graduate and somehow become bad teachers and go on to sire bad students of their own. We should stop hiring bad teachers, right after we stop hiring racist cops and firefighters who turn out to be arsonists and computer programmers who just sit there in their cubicle surfing for porn. We should find out who claims to have the perfect system for hiring teachers and fire that liar.

We lie when we say that what was learned from NCLB was never known before NCLB, but that is understandable. Every generation believes that it invented sex. No wonder these young ed reformers and the recently converted think they are the first to use "data" or the first to document differences between groups. Please, read a book published before you were born. Talk to someone who doesn't own an iPhone. If you're not careful, you might just learn something.

We lie when we say that what gets measured gets done and then say that what doesn't get measured (history, science, the arts) is still getting done. Some people aren't very good at lying.

We lie when we say that we need to pursue what is in the best interests of the children and not the adults because the real goal of education has always been to create a healthy, productive, creative, civilized society and that has always been in the best interests of adults. Adults, the far majority of society, benefit more from having well-educated children than the children do. We lie when we criticize some adults for being motivated by self-interest while suggesting that we, ourselves, are above that. The best lies are the ones we tell ourselves, aren't they?

We lie when we say that test-based accountability using these deeply flawed measures is the best system we have because it implies that the system is good enough and we know that getting and using so much misleading or wrong information cannot improve education. Having more misleading data and powerful computers to allow us to get to the inaccurate information faster will not help. It can't, it hasn't, and it won't.

And that's the truth.

Read the rest here.

Call me Judge Judy Jr.

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Please? 'Cuz I really am obsessed with her show. My husband and I watch it faithfully (4 pm in both New York and Fort Lauderdale!), and we're convinced she is the solution to all the world's problems related to personal responsibility and integrity.

The show is of particular interest to me because being a judge is one of the many unofficial roles that teachers must play, especially when navigating the choppy waters of kids' interpersonal conflicts. Next time your students do some truth-twisting or rely on the tired "I ain't DO nothin!" as their standard line of defense, try out one of these Judge Judy-isms:

See? She even knows how to give 'the teacher look'!

"If you're telling the truth, you don't have to look over there while you think up what to say next. Look at ME when you're talking."

"Now you're making things up as you go along. Don't make it up as we go."

"That story doesn't make sense. And if it doesn't make sense, it's not true."

"So if I call ____ and ask whether s/he gave you permission to do that, s/he's going to agree with your story?" [Makes the call immediately.]

"Someone's not telling the truth here. It's either him or you. Which one of you is lying?"

"I am a human lie detector. I don't need a machine."

"You know how I can tell if a young person is lying? If her lips are moving."

Obviously, I'm being a bit tongue-in-cheek here. However, there are at LEAST four incidents every single day in which I have to determine which kid is being honest and who needs the Judge Judy truth-telling smackdown. I've actually used each of these lines with considerable success (except the last one, which I've never uttered in the interest of professionalism, and also because the kids wouldn't get it). Now imagine my success rate if I sat on an elevated platform and invested in a black robe and gavel...hmmm....

Breaking up is hard to do: the story of my love affair with Twitter

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:20:00 +0000

I can officially say that the thrill is gone. It's been a whirlwind romance this year:

Winter: Twitter became my latest social media crush when I joined somewhat hesistantly in January 2009. I promptly earned a social media blogging job because of my post about the experience (which certainly heightened my enthusiasm for the trendy platform) and made some amazing connections at the ASCD conference solely because of Twitter. Those first few months were a time of borderline obsession as I spent a disproportionate amount of time with the object of my affection.

Spring: I blogged regretfully about how few of my readers were on Twitter, but this very limitation caused me to discover hundreds of new and interesting people. By now, Twitter was my primary tool for sharing and uncovering important educational news: the infatuation was in full swing, and Twitter was always on my mind.

Summer: As the honeymoon drew to a close, the very qualities that once attracted me to Twitter now annoyed me to no end. Though my enthusiasm began to wain as I became disillusioned with Twitter's flaws, many of you all became tweeters during that time, so I stuck it out. Even my mom joined Twitter this summer. Twitter became that annoying guy who followed me around, and even through I wasn't really into him, he was too nice for me to ask him to knock it off.

Fall: Ugh. I'm now in that painful phase at the end of the relationship where I have to fake interest in anything Twitter has to say, and tuning out its incessant chatter is getting easier because my mind is so preoccupied with ways I can end the relationship without it being too traumatic. In a word, awkward.

I'm certainly not the only one falling out of love with Twitter. And I probably won't be the only one to hear the classic rebuttal from those still deeply infatuated: "The value of Twitter is in who you follow; if you don't like the system, it's because you don't follow the right people!" But for me, that's ridiculous. I follow only the people whose tweets are interesting, timely, funny, inspirational, or educational. Usually all of the above.

In fact, it's the awesomeness of my follow list that causes me to dislike Twitter. It's simply too difficult to have meaningful conversations and interactions with the people I respect.

When users toss out valuable questions like "How do you integrate technology into your homework assignments?", followers must respond in 140 characters or less. Tryng 2 figr out how 2 do this=ridic. time consum. &irritatng. Then searching for others' replies is nearly impossible in the cascading stream of random tweets. Heaven forbid you come into the conversation late and read a whole bunch of @ replies without even knowing the initial conversation starter. The whole @ system is infuriating, especially since you can only reply at a person and not their exact status. Sometimes people @ me about a tweet I sent twelve hours earlier and I have no idea what they're referencing or how it relates to my most recent tweet, until I finally figure out they're responding to an older message. If I can't remember what my own tweet was about, there's no way I'm going to remember someone else's when another follower @'s them about it the next day.

Twitter, for me, has become an endless stream of random bits of conversation that I simply don't have the energy to follow. And don't even get me started on the hassles of using the #. Seriously, is there not a better way?

There is certainly value for Twitter in the classroom--I don't disparage that (at least not in this post). And sure, Twitter is a great way to share links to interesting studies, stories, and research. I used to keep Tweetdeck open on the right side of my screen so new tweets would scroll by as I worked on other projects. I could discover dozens of interesting resources in mere minutes. But that just distracted me from the other work I was doing and prolonged my time online. So I started checking Twitter whenever my beloved Google Reader was empty and I felt like reading random information that other people found useful. That would be NEVER.

There is another object of my affection now. You guessed it. Facebook.

I've been two-timing Twitter since the beginning, as I joined Twitter the same month I created my Facebook fan page. Yet I have nearly three times as many Facebook fans as I do Twitter followers, which means I'm able to interact with considerably more educators on Facebook. There, I can pose a question, post a status update, or share a photo/video/link that's embedded right on the page. Fans can reply using multiple sentences with proper spelling in a coherent thread which is simple to read and respond to. Best of all, Facebook is an application that I can check in with a couple times a day for a few minutes at a time, have some meaningful interactions, and get on with my life. I'm able to read and enjoy every single message posted by my fans, people I'm fans of, and my friends.

As long as there are people who want to read my tweets (and evidently there are 400 of them), I'll login to Twitter once or twice a week to share some interesting links or insights. And I love being able to send messages to influential quasi-celebrities in education and Christian circles to let them know how much I enjoyed their latest book/speaking engagement/podcast. But since I rarely read what anyone else tweets anymore, it's become largely a one-way conversation, and that renders the whole thing silly and self-indulgent.

If and when Twitter finds a practical way to allow its users to converse, I'll jump back on the bandwagon. Until then, I'll spend the majority of my time courting my love that has (so far) stood the test of time. Facebook, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

What are your feelings about Twitter right now? Have you found a way to keep it relevant and useful? Or is there another form of social media that's stolen your heart?

I'm not actually late with posting these wedding photos...

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:00:00 +0000

…assuming you agree to pretend with me that sharing them on our three-month anniversary was the plan all along. Since most of you dear readers are educators, I am confident that you, too, have mastered the art of Creating Alternative Reasoning for the Purpose of Disguising Personal Screw-Ups, and you are immediately empathetic toward my little ruse. Surely you have used this strategy with your class on more than one occasion, a la “I’ve decided to push back the math test to Monday because I want to give you one more day to study” [and also because I forgot to have the copies run during my break due to excessive gossiping around the soda machine]. So without further ado, I present my extremely well-planned September posting of the long-awaited wedding pics. Happy third (month) anniversary to us!

But wait! There’s more! Several dozen more, actually, on my Facebook fan page, which you can view here.

September Classroom of the Month

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:15:00 +0000

Who doesn't love seeing how other teachers arrange and organize their classrooms? I'm starting a new series here on the blog which features a a photographic tour of a different classroom each month. I'm kicking off the series with some photos I took in my co-worker's room: Mrs. Robinson's second grade in Fort Lauderdale. I've always loved her organizational prowess and bright, stimulating learning environment. (The fire marshal, however, views things differently.)

The view from Mrs. Robinson's classroom door.

Love this desk arrangement: it's great for cooperative learning and shared materials, but still gives the kids plenty of space to work independently.

Classroom library.

Science area. Also, conveniently, the sink and bathroom area.

Here's where she teaches reading small groups.

More center areas.

Fabulous class-created bulletin board.

Mrs. Robinson does most of her instruction from this chair, with the students sitting at her feet. This kind of proximity control really helps kids stay focused.

And there's our first tour! If you'd like to have your classroom featured here (and trust me, there are thousands of teachers who would LOVE to see what you do!), email me the pics or a link to your photo stream. You can also view more classroom tours on my website.

Tattling, Telling, Bossing, and Helping

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:00:00 +0000

I think one of the most annoying things elementary-aged students do is complain about each other. Especially in the primary grades, students may tattle-tell dozens of times each day...and many of those instances occur during instruction, interrupting the flow of the lesson and interfering with learning.

This is a developmental issue, and there's no quick-fix answer. You've probably heard the old adage for helping kids discern whether or not going to a teacher with a problem is necessary: Tattling is when you're trying to get someone in trouble. Telling is when you're trying to help someone. This is a worthwhile explanation that can be modeled and practiced with kids. But I've found that little ones aren't very good at examining their own motives, especially when in the emotional throes of an unjust situation. And more importantly, I dislike having the teacher serve the central role in a problem's resolution.

What if a different type of classroom community was created, one in which students were shown how to help each other instead of how to tell a teacher to help? The following thoughts on the subject are excerpted from my book, The Cornerstone: Classroom Management That Makes Teaching More Effective, Efficient, and Enjoyable:

When children know how to effectively problem solve on their own, they won’t become frustrated and resort to telling the teacher. Sometimes it seems as though children could handle a situation independently, but tell on each other for the enjoyment of getting a peer in trouble. However, students often tattle because they are unsure about which situations concern them and which don’t. One minute teachers say, “Don’t just sit there, help her pick those crayons up!” and the next we say, “Do your work and let her take care of herself!” We say, “You knew he was writing those rude things on the cover of that book and you didn’t do anything?!” and then an hour later snap, “Worry about yourself—that doesn’t concern you!”

We must have clear expectations about how we want children to respond to rule and procedural infractions. I teach my kids to tell the person who’s breaking the rule BEFORE they tell me. For example, if a student says, “Jason’s on a game website instead of using the reading software,” I reply, “Did you tell him that’s against the rules?” If the child says no, I say, “Okay, go tell him. I’ll watch.” This almost always resolves the situation because the offending child is aware that I’m looking and responds appropriately. If the tattler says yes, she did tell the offender, then I say, “Okay, you’ve handled it the right way! Thank you!” and that’s the end of it. Sometimes the tattler will insist that the offender didn’t listen to her, so I say, “Go tell him again, and this time I’ll watch.” If that doesn’t resolve the situation, I call the offender over myself and talk with him.

Teaching kids how to respond to one another's corrections is also important. Children have a tendency to say things like, “Leave me alone” or “Mind your own business” if the teacher has sent mixed messages about listening to peers. I decided several years ago that I would send a consistent message to my students that they are in fact responsible for one another, because that’s the type of classroom community I want to create. “Worry about yourself” is a phrase that I try very hard not to use, and I expect the kids not to say those types of things, either. Instead, we talk about the difference between being bossy and being helpful:

“Being bossy is telling someone what YOU want them to do. Being helpful is telling them what the TEACHER needs them to do. Being bossy is saying, ‘You have to play the math game my way.’ Being helpful is saying, ‘We have to take turns rolling the dice the way Ms. Powell showed us.’

“When someone is trying to be helpful and remind you about a class rule, you need to say, ‘Okay’ or ‘Thanks.’ You should not get mad or argue with someone who tells you not to push in line, or that you shouldn’t be playing with a toy in your desk. Your friend is being helpful, because everyone in our room is responsible for following the rules. Remember: when you make good decisions and follow the rules, people won’t HAVE to tell you what to do, so if you want to be left alone, then do the right thing! If someone is trying to be bossy and tell you what THEY want you to do, then you need to say, ‘That’s not helpful’. The person should stop bothering you right away, and if they don’t, you can let me know.

“If you have a problem with someone not listening to you, you can tell me. I will watch you go back and talk to that person. If that doesn’t work, I will facilitate your problem solving. But you need to talk to each other before you talk to me.”

If you teach students how to help one another without being bossy, and how to respond appropriately when another child reminds them of a rule or tries to do social problem solving, you will encounter far less incidents of tattle-telling and see major breakthroughs in the level of self-sufficiency demonstrated in your classroom.

I just had this conversation with my new class a few days ago and had them do some role-playing (which they enjoyed almost too much: I think we're going to have to incorporate some Reader's Theater and other acting into the curriculum this year!). It really works in my classroom. How about you--what's your response to tattling? How do you help your students solve their problems independently?

What I'll miss when I leave classroom teaching

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:30:00 +0000

In case you didn't catch the news on my Facebook page a few weeks back, I WAS offered professional development work in New York! I've decided to continue teaching in Florida for the first half of this school year while my husband and I house hunt and take care of the other 3 million transitional tasks that arise when two people who live 1,000 miles apart decide to get married and start a life together in the same zip code. Yeah, it's as exhausting (and exhilarating) as it sounds.

School started for students in my district last week, and while those first few days were understandably hellacious and tiring, I've already grown quite attached to my class. These are some seriously lovable kids. Take this exchange today.

Me to class: "I've noticed that some of you use paper towels to wipe your mouths after getting a drink from the water fountain. The school district pays money for us to have those paper towels, and we use them all day long after washing our hands. I think it would save money and be better for the environment if we used less paper towels."

Blank stares and slow nods. I decide to elaborate.

Me: "I mean, we've got 21 kids in here. If everyone gets a drink four times a day, that's almost a hundred paper towels a day just for drinks, not even for hand drying. We could easily waste 500 paper towels a week!"

More nods. A hand goes up. This little friend has a deeply earnest expression on his face and a voice full of sincerity.

"Mrs. Watson [oh, how I love hearing my new last name!], I never thought I would be so lucky to have a teacher as smart as you. You are so good at math! How did you DO that just now?!"

Twenty-one heads nod in wide-eyed agreement.

You should have seen the looks on their faces when I explained that by the end of third grade, THEY will be able to solve math problems just like that using the multiplication and estimation skills I'll be teaching them.

As much as the responsibilities of classroom teaching sometimes drive me nuts...and as anxious as I am to move on to the next stage of my professional career...I will miss moments like the one my class shared today.

Why 'remain seated on the bus' is a rule, not a suggestion

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:24:00 +0000

Does it make me a bad teacher if I laughed uproariously?
Hat tip to The [Fabulous] Bus Driver at Tales From the School Bus.

Rethinking Homework (Review)

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Homework is almost universally hated: most teachers despise nagging and bribing students to do it then having to grade it when kids finally comply, parents hate being the 'homework police' for assignments they neither understand nor find valuable, and students would rather be doing, well, nearly anything else. I've changed my own homework practices repeatedly over the years, but I always feel like I could make my assignments more meaningful and my policies more relevant. It goes without saying that I was pleased to open my mailbox and find an advance copy of ASCD's summer release Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs by Cathy Vatterott. Also known as The Homework Lady, Dr. Vatterott is a world renowned advocate for homework reform and an expert on ingrained beliefs about the inherent "goodness" of homework.

Her book is divided into five sections, the first proving most interesting to me personally, as it explores "The Cult(ure) of Homework". Vatterott gives a brief and fascinating history of homework in America, then summarizes five largely unexamined intrinsic beliefs about homework. I found the most provocative belief to be that homework teaches responsibility:

Responsibility is often a code word for obedience. When we say we want students to be responsible, are we saying we want them to be obedient--to do what we want them to do when we want them to do it, to be mindless drones, blindly obedient to authority? One teacher said she thought not doing homework was a sign of disrespect for the teacher! When we say homework promotes self-discipline in students, does that mean being self-disciplined enough to do something they hate to do because its their duty?

More such introspective provocations are presented in the second section of the book, which explores homework in the context of the new family. Vatterott touches on the war between teachers and parents, exposing the tendency of teachers to perceive parents as incompetent or wimps when they don't insist their children complete homework accurately and expeditiously. She juxtaposes this with the parents' perception that teachers presume the right to control students' lives outside the classroom and dictate how time is spent in the home. (Ouch.) The author thoroughly explores the importance of balancing academics and family-chosen activities and includes the effects of economic diversity, then gives five realistic tips for re-negotiating the parent-school relationship. The homework surveys and checklists provided are helpful and ready to use.

Homework research and common sense--a duo that many fail to connect--are Vatterott's focus in the third section. She summarizes the findings of past and current homework research (which I was already familiar with), along with research limitations and common false conclusions that are unaligned with findings (which I was not familiar with). She points out the strong bias toward homework:

Both Cooper and Marzano, after stating that the research shows no benefit of homework for elementary students, nonetheless proceed to recommend homework for elementary students. Cooper claims it should be given for the purpose of developing good study habits and positive attitudes (a recommendation not backed by any research)...Both researchers have such clearly ingrained biases toward homework that they don't appear to see the disconnect between the research they are citing the recommendations they are making.

Vatterott then dives directly into a common sense look into the research (Ten Things Teachers Know About Learning) and points out the correlation between homework research and the commonly held philosophy of ten minutes per night per grade level. The author maintains that classroom teachers have valuable knowledge of what individual learners need and should not be slaves to the research: just because homework has not proven to be useful in many cases doesn't mean that teachers should abandon the concept.

So how then should teachers design effective homework practices? In the fourth section of the book, Vatterott discusses limitations of the old homework paradigm and how to shift to a new one, including guidelines for designing quality homework tasks, differentiating for student needs, and moving from grading homework to checking it through quality feedback. Her suggestions are surprisingly practical and relevant to the time-strapped and curriculum-inundated teacher, and in my own classroom, I've decided to immediately implement some of the ideas for helping students self-assess.

Vatterott uses the fifth and final section of the book to explore homework completion strategies and support programs. She gives many helpful tips on diagnosing completion problems and rectifying them through specific classroom strategies (including a critical look at both homework incentives and punishments). She then describes dozens of school-wide approaches to support students in completing homework, including programs that find time during the school day, curricular and scheduling options, and after-school arrangements.

I found myself resistant to most of these formalized 'homework support' programs due to my own bias: I believe homework SHOULD teach students self-discipline and responsibility, and resent the idea of using limited school time and resources to ensure students complete work I expect to be done independently. I bird-dog students all day long to make sure they complete the work necessary to succeed: homework is the only assignment for which they are required to be completely self-motivated. At what point do we stop trying to save students from themselves? If the assignments are high quality and the amount and type is developmentally appropriate, is it so unreasonable to expect students to consistently complete homework accurately and on time?

Vanderott directly confronts this traditional perception that students must prove themselves and their learning through homework:

When it comes to learning, it's not about finishing the work; it's about demonstrating learning. Can students prove that they know what they need to know? How can we determine how well they are learning, and how can we help them do better? If we can assess learning without all those homework assignments and the students have learned what we wanted them to learn, we don't need the homework! This is a hard pill to swallow if we believe students must do as they are told, and that not completing all homework is a sign of laziness and insubordination. But if we become so concerned that children have not been compliant, we lose sight of the role homework should play in learning. Focusing on enforcing our own power as teachers, we become afraid to trust students, afraid they're going to "get away with something"--so we sometimes resort to punitive solutions that backfire. Author and educational consultant Rick Wormelli raises an interesting point about homework. He asks, "Why do we expect 100% compliance in getting homework done on time? After all, we don't expect all students to get A's or to behave perfectly all the time."

To that end, Rethinking Homework is certainly an apt title. It's an informative read for anyone who questions the endless homework battle waged everyday between parents, teachers, and kids with no clear delineation of who is on which side. The author's approach is equally respectful and non-condescending toward all parties; homework is not the enemy, nor are any of its participants or perpetrators. Vatterott makes it clear: homework practices can be improved through concrete and attainable steps so that reasonable amounts and types of homework are used to enhance learning, allow student practice, provide feedback to the teacher, and instill confidence in students. The quest for change is certainly work, but as Vatterott argues, it is valuable and important work.

Beating Students Legally and Other News

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Hitting autistic students is apparently a valid intervention method: The use of corporal punishment is (still) legal in 20 states, and children with disabilities get a disproportionate share of the whippings. [The New York Times]

Harry Potter probably needed Prozac: J.K. Rowling's series paints an unrealistically blissful outcome for a child with a traumatic childhood, which may somehow underscore the need for educators to pay more attention to depression symptoms in young children. [The Early Ed Watch Blog]

Lingerie is a back-to-school staple: At least according to the state of Virginia's school supply tax holiday laws, which are geared toward helping merchants more than cash-strapped parents. [TLN's A Place at the Table]

A&E 'celebrates the public school teacher' by paying Tony Danza to act like one: Rather than filming a reality show about real teachers, a 10th grade English classroom will be taken over by the former "Who's the Boss?" star. [Yahoo TV, hat tip to A Truth Universally Acknowledged]

Paid training in how to post your Facebook status updates at school: Some districts are spending limited professional development resources to train teachers in basic internet skills. Assuming that taking a "Which Golden Girl Are You?" quiz is actually a skill. [The Tempered Radical]

True stories of classroom management gone wrong

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Here are some horrifically true tales of lessons learned the hard way, submitted by blog readers, Facebook fans, and Cornerstone yGroup members. Although some were edited for brevity, all of these events actually happened in a classroom somewhere (be glad it wasn't yours!). I hope these cautionary tales provide both education and entertainment as you gear up for the new school year!

Linda Simons said...: My very first year of teaching (A LONNNNNNNNNNNNG time ago) I was teaching in a Catholic school where we take the kids to service each morning. The first week of school I was getting my combination first/second grade class together for mass and realized we had a few minutes before we had to walk over to the church. So... not one to like to waste time I thought I would go ahead and allow some to share their "Show and Tell." One little boy brought in some handcuffs. I was so grateful when he told the story of how he got the handcuffs from his dad who was a police officer. Long story short he shared his "item" and them hooked them around his hands. We all gave him the glory he was looking for and I then asked him to remove them so we could get in line for church. After awhile of tugging and pulling on them he sheepishly said they were "stuck" I tried pulling on them and realized they were locked and asked him for the key. After a little time and a lot of "Oh No what do I do?" His dad was called, but he went with his very embarrassed first year teacher to mass handcuffed. Lesson learned: check out the "Show and Tell" before it is actually shared.

SmWonder00 said...

I spent the entire summer planning and organizing for my first year of teaching. I had all types of materials and ideas and back up ideas. I was lucky to get a great job in a great school teaching first grade. But a GREAT challenge lay ahead of me! One of my students was in a temporary wheelchair after a random accident. She was completely healed, but her leg muscles were not strong enough for her to walk. So she needed me to push her everywhere, put her in and take her out of the wheelchair and rearrange my room to accommodate a large wheelchair. Problem was: I’m a very small person and she was a very tall first grader. So while I was helping her or pushing her down the hall...what do you think the other kids were doing the first few weeks of school when I had intended to lay down clear expectations? That is something that is not taught in college...what to do with a child in a temporary wheelchair that is about the same size as you and needs extensive help the first week of school (and how to manage the other kids at the same time!). Lesson Learned: Be flexible...things won't always go as planned, but you can still make it work.

Glenda Dunson said...

I was "initiated" into my first year with a particularly unruly group of fourth graders. One day as they began arguing and fussing, I needed a moment of peace. I told them to put their heads on their desks for five minutes. I was very frustrated and let them know that if anyone spoke during the five minutes, I would reset the timer. Well, one little girl tried to get my attention a several times. Needless to say our five minutes ended up being closer to 15. When they finally were allowed to lift their heads, I hand happened to brush the front of my shirt with my hand. I was mortified to discover that I felt skin where my shirt should have been covering my stomach. The material from the bottom of my shirt had somehow gotten tucked under my bra and my stomach was showing! I was horrified! The girl who had been trying to get my attention saw my face and mouthed the words - "That's what I was trying to tell you." Lesson learned: Listen to the kids! Even if you have to discreetly take them aside or let them whisper in your ear. Their persistence is usually important.

Anonymous said...

This lesson learned was probably in my twelfth year of teaching in my third grade classroom. For science we were using the FOSS kits on Structures of Life. One of the main lessons was a crayfish unit. One morning upon entering the hallway to my classroom about 6:15 a.m. I see something up ahead on the floor. As I get closer I say to myself, "No way". There on the floor in the middle of the hallway was a dead crayfish. It had crawled out of the covered bin, walked out of my classroom down the hallway, and turned down another hallway only to meet its early death. I was a little freaked out wondering how that could have happened. Walked into my classroom to find 5 more of those critters had escaped and didn't make it. Upon looking at the bins they were still covered but there was an opening through the tagboard. Large enough to escape. ( I left that opening thinking they might need more oxygen.) I was so nervous and disappointed to explain to the students why we had 6 less crayfish to study. It was a very teachable moment for us all: Cover the tub of a crayfish bin completely and don't leave them on the floor.

Zuleika Maldonado said...

The first year I taught third grade was horrific! I had 29 students and the all the students with behavior issues. They fought and argued all day,at recess they really showed off and one of them even stole my cell phone! So, during a math lesson in measurement, students had to measure certain objects around the classroom. As I was bending down to help a group of kids, another student used a meter stick to measure the width of my buttocks!!! The kids were all laughing and I didn't know why. When I turned around I see him holding the ruler with two hands and about to measure again!! I stopped the lesson immediately, I was so embarrassed!!!! I was also very upset because I thought it was very disrespectful. However, I knew if I blew up it wouldn't be productive and the other kids were enjoying the lesson, so I kind of laughed it off and ask the little boy to keep that measurement to himself and that they had to measure objects not body parts. During the end of the day, I did have a class meeting and had a discussion on what happened during math time. I talked to this student afterschool and made a call home that night. His mom was embarrassed as well but told me that her son has a huge crush on me!! I was like oh boy...I'll have to keep that in mind in planning future lessons...lol.

Anonymous said...

My first experience with interesting behavior was my very first day of student teaching. After this experience I really wondered if I was doing the right thing!! I was with a teacher who had been teaching for many years, in fact she was close to retiring. She was awesome, very energetic and spent lots of time with lessons and everything. I learned a lot from her. We were in kindergarten and it was the first day of school. Kindergarten was only a half of day and this was the first session. The kids were sitting on the floor. The teacher was up front on a chair, she had a dress on. As she is trying to teach kindergarteners the proper way to sit on the floor for morning news. A little boy crawls up to the front of the room, crawls under her dress and says in a very loud voice, "I smell you!" I was horrified, the teacher was horrified and in total shock. She tried to get the little boy out of the middle of the group, which was really hard because he was stubborn. Eventually she got him back by me and I pretty much had to sit with him that day to keep in on track. The best thing that I can say about this experience is that I was NOT by myself. My cooperating teacher was wonderful through and I think because of how she handled the situation and helped me through it is what keep me going!

Patricia said...

During my internship I decided to make Oobleck with 4th graders in celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday. Oobleck is a Non-Newtonian fluid made out of cornstarch and water. It is also a HUGE mess when you don't have a whole day to spend on a science lesson. I gave thorough expectations, a thought guided workseeet, and I even made the activitiy into a contest to see which group of students could keep their floor area the cleanest. Needless to say all the students went crazy with Oobleck and the classroom floor was a mess. The students wanted to take their creations home so my supervising teacher and I spent time labeling zip loc bags with each student's name while they cleaned up their desk area. This took away from our discussion time but the students had fun. I, on the other hand, did not have much fun with the time I spent after school vacuuming so the custodian would not have to do it. I have learned some valuable lessons: 1) when it comes to messy science projects to split them into two or more days so there is time for instructions, comprehensive discussions, and clean up. 2) I also learned that putting newspaper not only ON TOP of the desk but on the floor would have been ideal too. 3) Oobleck is not meant to be taken home, it goes bad the next day and the parents were not happy with it when their child told them not to throw it down the sink because it would clog up the drain. =)

elainaann said...

I have only been teaching three years so I'm sure there is still a lot for me to learn in my teaching career. However, I've already learned a lot in these three years. One of my biggest lessons is about preparation. One evening I searched online all evening trying to figure out what we were going to do the following day. Things had changed big time with my lesson plans and I needed a great one day lesson. After much research, I finally found a great lab to do with my students. I even had all the materials that I needed in my classroom. I printed it off, ran copies the next morning, and got everything ready. The students got started and about half way through this not so clean lab, we realized it didn't work. I needed a specific kind of dirt. Go figure. With that and a few similar situations before, I learned always always do the lab before you have students to do. This allows you to work through all the kinks.

Anonymous said...

Over the years, I have come to realize a few very important lessons regarding field trips. One year, we had a dump of snow on the day that we were to go to the skating rink for a "fun skate" before Christmas break. The bus was only slightly late due to the snowfall, but parents started picking their students up early because of it. By the time we finally got to the rink (after the bus sliding a few times and getting caught behind other cars/trucks)we all took a grateful breath...only to find out that the rink had thought we weren't going to show and had sent their staff home. The kids did get to skate for a little while, but then we ended up calling the rest of the parents to come and get them (because the bus was stuck in a ditch). Needless to say, I learned to call ahead in unforseen weather, NOT go on a field trip in a snowstorm, and always pack snowboots just in case. The second lesson was learned when I asked for parent drivers for a field trip that would take about 45 minutes to get to. I had them all fill out a driver's record (as for the school policy) and gave them directions and specific instructions of where they were to meet me. I don't know what happened (I guess I should have really made sure that ALL the parents actually were listening), but one of the cars ended up stopping to get ice cream and gas (and being 30 minutes late for the trip) AND then got lost on the way back as well (due again to getting gas and a 'treat' for the kids in her car). Amazing to me since we were all travelling together on the way back....the funny thing is this happened another time as well (and then another time for the teacher the following year). Lesson learned: some parents should not be drivers for field trips, and others really need to have things clarified for them (or have you go with them). So, it's not always the kids that need the management, but the teacher and the parents as well.

Seawaters said...

Like one of the previous posters, I had a bad habit of NOT checking out the items for sharing during Show and Tell. Needless to say, I learned the hard way--one young girl brought a vibrator for sharing. Luckily, it was eventually noticed just before it was to go on public display. Now when an excited student comes up and wants to share his or her Show and Tell item, I will always oblige!

Jackie Richter said...

Don't bite off more than you can chew! This past year was my first year as a lead teacher with a new LA curriculum teaching 4 different grade levels. And then I volunteered to be the first teacher to use a Promethean Board. I LOVE the board, but I pushed myself to learn it and make interactive flipcharts with it for every lesson. All the while, I was making my lesson plans for 4 different grades and learning all the new curriculum. (I never taught middle school LA before.) Definitely a hard lesson to learn about pacing yourself! By the end of the year, I was exhausted. I will definitely NOT do that again.

John Spencer said...

I learned a few my first year: 1. Prep kids on field trips. Practice it ahead of time and never assume they'll do (or not do) anything. I had kids almost get hit when jaywalking. 2. Never place your phone in a reachable area for students. One 9-1-1 phone calls was enough for me. 3. Shift from grading to assessment and from individual assignments to larger projects. This way you spend more time giving meaningful feedback. 4. As dumb as this might sound, bring water. Drink it all day. I turn into a monster when I'm dehydrated.

Jan T. said...

I love using manipulatives for math. To minimize the time for kids to get their manipulatives and to be sure all are collected at the end of math, I put a set of manipulatives into a plastic bag for each child. Each ziplock bag is labeled with a student number, since student are given permanent numbers for the year. That system makes it easier to see if any manipulatives are missing, and to immediately identify which student is responsible for the missing materials. The system worked very well for a couple years. Then I had little Johnny. Johnny (obviously not his name) was ADHD like no child I'd ever seen. He was incredibly bright, but dedicated his life to making things "interesting" for those around him. On the first day I introduced the class to the ziplock bag system, everything seemed to go well - engaged, interested students making discoveries, all was good. Then, from behind me I heard a very loud bang and I jumped several feet off the floor. Well, not really, but it sure felt like it! Johnny had blown air into his empty ziplock bag, zipped it, and popped it. Ever since that day, I have always, without fail, punched a hole in every ziplock bag I gave my students. And it's the one lesson of unexpected complications that I always tell new teachers!

Anonymous said...

At the end of my first year of teaching 5th grade I noticed some boys arguing in line as we were entering the classroom. I pulled them aside and quickly learned that they had lost a $100 bill! Apparently one of the boys offered the other $100 to rent his brand new IPOD touch (worth ~$220). The boy quickly agreed, but then later changed his mind and quickly tried to shove the money in his pocket, but it fell out in the hallway as we were going to lunch. Knowing the imminent parental frustration that was about to occur I traveled with them to the office where I quickly learned unbeknownst to the boys that a fellow colleague had found it! Thank goodness. I could only imagine the parental reaction. Goes to show you never know what the day will toss at you.

C. Rowley said...

Using the bathroom as a teacher always seems like a privilege (especially when your planning period is towards the end of the day)! During my planning period my first year, I hustled to the restroom relieved to have the opportunity. Unfortunately, in my haste and attempt to "stay clean in a public restroom" the inevitable happened (granted I had also gained a few pounds)---my pants ripped! I tried to pull my shirt as far down my backside as possible on my way to my room. Thankfully, I used my sweater that I also keep on the back of my chair as a shield and tied it around my waist. Fortunately I only had one more class to teach before the end of the day. Despite being caught off-guard I didn't lose my cool, on the other hand, I had a new fashion accessory the rest of the day! Lesson learned: Always keep a sweater in the classroom, it does more than keep you warm on a cold day!

WideIEyedWonder said...

When I was in my first year of teaching I walked into a classroom where a lesson was already taking place and it was my job to help continue and co-teach. This particular lesson was on adjectives. The students were given sheets of paper (which I had cut out and copied in advance) with little adjective squares that they needed to cut out and then match to the picture that they best described. When I walked into the room one of my students yelled out, "Hey, Miss H, what does HORNY mean?!" I almost started in on a lecture about appropriate questions for class when I looked down at the sheet to see the word horny and the corresponding picture of a toad. My middle school teacher friends are constantly editing material for "appropriateness" (and students will take the most innocent things out of context these days) and I think we can all agree: I learned to preview everything that I give to the students, even the things that I get from other much more experienced teachers.

Gabrielle Healy from Ireland said...

I have too many to recall after ten years of teaching in a disadvantaged area of Dublin. However, these are my faves - 1. A little girl aged 5 telling the community police officer that her mammy also had handcuffs, but they were "pink and all fluffy"! 2. A little girl telling me she had a coldslaw on her lip and wouldn't believe me that that wasn't the proper word 3.Being in Ireland, our children make their Holy Communion in Second Class, when they are 7/8 years old. Every week, we take the classes over to Mass in the Church beside us. One year I had a child in my class with lots of special ed needs. He spent lots of time sitting beside me asking me questions through Mass and one day I was shushing him a lot because he was very loud....In the middle of the Gospel, he obviously has enough of me telling him to be quiet and ROARED out "Teacher, teacher, Is Jesus alive???". The rest of the congregation all turned agog while I nodded and smiled, eyes fixed firmly on Father Dave!! Lessons Learned - keep nodding and smiling, whatever happens. ;-)

peace in the classroom said...

As a first year teacher, you always tend to try things you've seen before without really knowing if they will work for you. In my first year, I came up with a list of classroom jobs with my first graders and assigned each child a job. They all drew pictures of their jobs which I pasted onto cute colorful envelopes and then I put the children's names on little popsicle sticks and place each stick in the child's job. It looked so cute and organized and community oriented. It was a disaster. The kids used our 5 minute weekly "job" time to fool around. When we had a need for sweeping or watering the plants, or even taking the attendance to the office, I found myself asking different, more capable, children to help than those on the jobs list. This caused children to get upset and say "it's not fair, that's my job" (even though said child had just misbehaved). Our classroom jobs became a negative thing. Also, the kids weren't really helping me, and we all know that without a TA or para in the room, we NEED help! Anyway, during my second year of teaching, we still made the list and the pictures of the classroom jobs together, but this time I didn't assign any names. I realized that I wanted all of the children to be able to do all of the jobs at some point. I wanted the classroom to run so smoothly and be so organized so that anyone could do any job. It works so much better for me. If I need someone to water the plants, I ask to see "who is excellent" which is a great motivator for the children. The kids also know that if they can't clean up safely, they can't help, end of story. I rarely have any problems with clean up or classroom organization anymore and the kids are a HUGE help to me. It has gotten to the point where sometimes they just help out without even being asked. It's great. Everyone always asks me how I manage it without a para or assistant. I always say that 25 little helpers is better than one big one. I sometimes actually feel bad for my student teachers when I have them because the students know what to do better than they do.

Brittany said...

After just completing my first year of teaching, I have learned MANY new things to do with classroom management. One of the most important being that if a student isn't sitting still in their seat doesn't mean that they aren't learning. I had a student in my class who I will never forget. The student was entertaining and always full of knowledge. This knowledge did not come to him while he was sitting still in his seat. He would often stand up, wander, lay down, and even spun circles from time to time. No matter what type of question was thrown at this student, he could answer it without a problem. He also could recall everything that was just said to the class. One of the funniest things this student enjoyed doing was making sounds into the fan in the classroom (no a/c). During a few times (thankfully not during lessons), he went to the fan and talked like Darth Vadar. Let me just say, he is one student I will not forget and a student who taught me to relax and enjoy what I was doing and to accept the individuality of each student!

Kelly Tenkely said...

My first year as a computer teacher a second grader (who I swear is Dennis the Mennace incarnate) came up to me before class and asked "Can I lick the chocolate off of my headphones?" Confused, I asked for clarification "why is there chocolate on your headphones?" He answered with a, "they were in my pocket." As if that should solve the mystery. "So can I lick the chocolate off?" I needed more clarification, "why do you have chocolate in your pocket?" Now he looked like a deer caught in the headlights: "Because I'm not allowed to eat chocolate, my mom says it makes me hyper. So I sneaked chocolate into my pocket and then when I need a little I stick my fingers in and lick the chocolate off. I forgot which pocket it was in and put my headphones in there so I didn't have to carry them down the hall. Now they have chocolate all over them and I want to lick it off." Lesson 1: There is always a perfectly reasonable explanation (in a child's mind) for any strange act they may commit. Lesson 2: Collect and hand out headphones, left to their own devices the headphones will be chewed on, stuffed into pockets, and licked after getting covered in melted chocolate. Lesson 3: know your audience, I had to be on my toes with this class!

Kelly said...

Okay, forgive me but after reading Brittany's comment I have to add one more lesson learned. I too had a student who could not sit still for anything. He was the biggest boy in my second grade class and constantly moving around, adjusting in his seat and rolling around on the floor. If you could get him to complete a task, you would find that he was one of the brightest students in the class. He needed to move to learn. I learned to let him move while I taught, it kept him focused on what I was teaching and not on trying to stay still. One day he was wearing those pants that button up both sides. I was teaching math and he was in the back of the classroom climbing on his seat and sliding down the back. The next time I looked up he was standing next to his seat with his pants around his ankles in his underwear! During his adjusting, the pants got caught on the chair and all the buttons unsnapped. He stood frozen until I gave him a wink and kept teaching. He quickly gathered his pants and hid behind my desk. None of the other kids had even noticed. After the lesson I went looking for him and found him trying to button the pants back up...it was not going well. I quickly helped him and wrote a note home to let mom know that although very comfortable, these were not ideal pants for her son.

Becky N, said...

This is going to sound terribly boring but I would say that the biggest lesson I have learned with classroom management is the management of paperwork and resources. I have to echo what you say, Angela, about running copies as far in advance of the lesson as possible. For me I always felt like I was chasing my tail (and wasting so much time) trying to get organized in the classroom without really knowing HOW to do it. So for example, not being able to find an overhead transparency several minutes into a literacy lesson = anxious teacher, bored kids. Not being able to find a parent's new cell phone number because I scribbled it on the back of an envelope then placed that envelope ...hmm...somewhere. Really it was the Cornerstone book that helped me with so much of this. I used to think that being organized meant putting papers in a neat pile on top of my desk. Whoever wins the book is a lucky person; it was one of my best investments. I'm about to take it off the shelf and dig-in again, to get ready for the new school year.

Sarah said...

Actions speak louder than words. So make sure your actions match your words! This is especially the case when you are trying to keep a straight face with discipline. ;) Case in point: I once had a kindergartner get in trouble for biting someone. He has high-functioning autism and his aide, his general ed. teacher and I all met with him in a small room off the main office. When I hung up the phone after informing his parents, I started to discuss with the kiddo what his dad had said. He didn't want to hear any of it, so he flattened himself out like a board (laying across his teacher's lap), closed his eyes, crossed his arms in the shape of an X across his chest, and stuck out his tongue. He was literally playing dead!! The sheer unexpectedness of this action (in all of its six-year-old wisdom and logic) was enough to make each of us turn away from him and laugh into our sleeves. Must... keep... a straight face... for discipline....

teachin' said...

I learned to be as specific as possible with directions and to think through rash promises before making them. I had a kid who loved to use the word gay as an insult. That drives me crazy, and my kids all know it - most of them adjust very quickly and stop using it (at least around me...), but not this one. One day, I got so fed up with him that I stopped him. I told him he could insult his friends if he wanted to (this was during lunch, and he was a former student at the time, so I was more lenient with language) but he could not use the word gay. Anything else, but not gay. I figured he'd go with stupid, or loser, or idiot - something not great, but at least not homophobic. Nope. Instead, he looked at his friend and called him a cocksucker (hope no one's offended by the language). Touche, my friend, touche. I'm a lot more careful now to think it through before I challenge a kid that way.

Melissa said...

Warning: not for those eating lunch. One lesson I learned this year (my 4th teaching) was something I didn't expect. I had taught 1st grade and one day Charlie came back from the bathroom with a problem. Apparently he had finished a #2 and while wiping, he had gotten poop on his hands, under his nails, and on his sleeve. Now, I have a very weak stomach and was not prepared for his proclamation of help needed in front of the entire class!

Michigan Mom said...

I made the mistake of not starting the year with any behavior management plan. I came from Michigan to Florida and in MI the kids just followed the rule in the classroom I was in my cooperating teaching set up a card system but never really introduced or used it with the kids. When I got my first teaching job in Broward county, FL I was in a very urban school. After about 3 weeks I was ready to quit because the kids were so out of control and at that point decided that I needed to implement a behavior plan but by then it was WAY too late. I suffered through a very long year with desks being throw, death threats, cussing, talking back, just to name a few. Lesson learned: Start the year with a firm behavior plan in place, though you can make minor adjustments it's something that has to start from day 1!

lagmom said...

I actually learned this during an observation of a teacher. On the first day in her classroom, I sat there very excited but soon found out that the class was out of control. One of the students got into trouble for not listening and was required to sit behind the teachers desk. He then proceeded to kick the trashcan across the entire length of the classroom and throw himself onto the floor. When the teacher called for the principal, she couldn't be found and the child was ignored for this behavior and never repremanded for his actions. Lesson learned: I saw the mistake that she made by ignoring him and letting it go. She later told me he caused a lot of trouble and wasn't worth the effort or the time she would spend on his consequence. I have learned that every child is worth a little extra effort and that keeping a classroom under control is worth all of the time in the world if your students behave and respect you.

Julie said...

During my student teaching I learned that push pins/thumbtacks should be kept hidden and out of sight. My teacher and I had some things thumbtacked to the wall near her desk. One day, a dear child got very angry and in his bullying went and took two pushpins from the wall and then proceeded to chase another student around the classroom. Yeah that was quite a day. From now on I'll use that tacky sticky stuff instead and keep the pushpins far far away.

janette said...

I was a pretty new teacher working with students with learning disabilities in a Maryland Public School. I had several groups going during reading/language arts time, so I sent the students who were finished their work early out into the hallway with this really cool "speak and spell". Some unsuspecting teachers walked by in time to hear some cuss words in a computerized voice. I was embarrassed, but my naive factor lessened on that day. I still find myself trusting some kids more than they probably deserve, but I guess it is just in my nature.

luckeyfrog said...: Almost every day, I was trying to get a particular student to simply do his work. One day early in student teaching, the Cooperating Teacher was absent and I was thrown "in charge." He didn't complete his morning work, and the consequence for that is to do it during recess. He refused to take the paper from me, and tried to go in for recess. When I followed him and offered to help him with the homework, he told me I wasn't allowed to be there (he knew I was new!). I replied that I was definitely allowed to be there, and that he would need to sit down and do his work. Instead, he ran out the door of the gym and into the boys' bathroom. I stood outside, talking to him and discussing that he could waste this recess in the bathroom, or he could come out and work on his homework so that he wouldn't have to do it during tomorrow's recess. He finally came out and worked on it with me, but it was a struggle. On the last day of student teaching, the students made a fuss about me going. I got about a thousand hugs from various kids throughout the day. I walked the class down for dismissal on the last day, and noticed this boy run to his mom and hug her legs tightly. She looked down, peered at his face, and looked back at me with surprise. "He's crying!" she mouthed. I went over and gave him another hug and told him I'd be back to visit, but it really stuck with me that this student, who was consistently a classroom management "problem," was the only student in all 26 to cry over me leaving on the last day. My Lesson: The attention you give students always matters. Even for the students who can be a big handful. Maybe especially for those students. I know when I teach this fall (as a 'real' teacher for the first time!), I'll remember this little boy and how important it is to always keep trying and stay positive about EVERY student.

Book give-away winner!

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:30:00 +0000

The problem with holding a contest is that I now have to pick a winner. With my early childhood ed background, I want EVERYONE to be a winner, especially since these stories and lessons learned were SO entertaining and informative.

So let's do this...while I can only afford to give away one book if I want to pay my mortgage this month, I CAN offer to pay the shipping costs on books for everyone who commented. So, if you want to buy a copy of the book, go through my website here and where the PayPal info reads "Instructions to Merchant", type "Free Shipping for Me Because I Left Such an Awesome Comment". Or something like that. When I process the book order, I'll refund the $5 Priority Mail shipping cost. You can do that anytime during the month of August, but please, no later than that, because it will drive me nuts to keep track of that discount indefinitely.

So without further ado...the best Classroom Management Lessons Learned the Hard Way:

3RD RUNNER UP: Teri Hamilton- Kansas City
I gotta credit Teri for the way she handled the situation, and transitioned seamlessly into a teachable moment on procedures for the whole class:

Last year I was happily teaching a small group in my procedure driven first grade class. I glanced up expecting to see my proud, independent first graders busily working away. Instead, what met my eyes was one of my boys SHAMPOOING with hand soap! Apparently, he had gotten glue in his hair and was 'taking care of it'. I quickly switched gears to whole group instruction on exactly how much is 'too much' hand soap while I rinsed his head -beauty shop style- in our classroom sink. The moral of this story: you can never have too many procedures. And NEVER turn your back on six year olds!

2ND RUNNER UP: Anonymous
Anon, I thought your reflections were really deep. You learned a lot from what could have just been a passing incident, and you worked to bring about positive change in your school:

A few years ago, our school had an open door policy, which meant parents could come to your class at anytime, no appointment, just show up. Bad, I know. One day it was Sherri's birthday (name changed) and her dad appeared at the door with a rectangular Barbie birthday cake. I was caught off guard, took the cake mainly so I could just resume teaching, and her dad left. Mind you, he brought NO OTHER SUPPLIES (e. g. napkins, plates, forks). I did not even have a knife to cut the cake with. Not wanting to disappoint the little birthday girl, I borrowed a plastic knife from a neighboring teacher and procured the school's "brown paper towels" so the kids would have somewhere to put their cake. Later on, we sang "Happy Birthday" and the birthday babe told me she wanted the piece in the middle with her name on it with Barbie next to it. I cut the cake and began traveling around with it, giving out pieces around the edges first. After about five kids got served, the cake became unbalanced and, to my horror, I DROPPED the entire thing on a little boy's head and jeans. Everyone gasped and my mouth dropped open, aghast at what I had done. I apologized profusely to everyone and began cleaning the boy up. After school, I immediately left and spent $17 on a cupcake "cake" to replace the one I had destroyed and spoke with Sherri's incensed mother, who did not readily forgive me, even after I tried to make amends. (BTW, I never heard anything from the little boy's mom. I guess she just washed him and his clothing and let it go. I love that!)

Lessons learned: Many! I approached the administration about the "open door" policy, and within a few months, major changes were in place that helped make our school better and safer. I was also instrumental in changing the birthday cake policy--no cakes, just cupcakes, treat bags, etc. I try not to "travel" around with anything that can tip over on kids; also, that it's okay to convey to my class my sorrow for the accident. I now try to extend patience to my own childrens' teachers, remembering this horrible disaster. I think even though it was such an embarrassing situation, I tried to teach my class that I am human, accidents happen, we should do our best to make amends, ask forgiveness, and finally to forgive ourselves.

1ST RUNNER UP: The Tabbs
The Tabbs gets a runner up for not only enduring this hilarious incident, but for pointing out two really important lessons that every teacher NEEDS to know:

My first year teaching I taught sixth grade. I had a student ask to use the restroom. He didn't have his hall pass book so I told him to have a seat. He did not appear to be in any dire need to go. A few minutes later, I was teaching and noticed a terrible smell. Several students around him were laughing. I thought he was just passing gas. I finally asked what was going on because the students were laughing so much. They pointed across the way at a girl's desk a few rows over. A strange-colored, gooey substance was on her desk chair. Never thinking about what it could be, I told her to get a paper towel and wipe it off. The laughter was still not stopping, but I pressed on and finished the lesson. Finally, class was dismissed and I pulled a very trustworthy student to the side and said, "Honey, what in the world was everyone laughing about?" She said, "______ pooped in his pants." I looked at her kind of strange and was quite at a loss for words. Then she continued, "She put his hands in his pants and flung it." My jaw dropped even further to the floor. I said, "Wait...so that stuff on ____'s chair was....poop? He put his hands in his pants and flung poop across two aisles?" She nodded. I looked in the trash at the paper towel she had thrown away and sure enough...poop. Thankfully the assistant principal's office was just down the hall and we were able to get the student up to the office quickly, although he was probably uncomfortable in more ways than one. All in all that day, I learned that sometimes, it's okay to make exceptions for restroom use. Sixth graders are not too old for accidents. And never ask a student to clean up anything that looks suspicious. Never.

AND THE WINNER OF "THE CORNERSTONE" BOOK IS: Emily
Emily wins the book because she explains how to teach a procedure that (I'm embarrassed to say) it has NEVER OCCURRED TO ME TO TEACH. Year after year, I struggle with this issue because I assume the kids know what cheating is. I tell them why it's wrong, yet I don't define it. As Emily proves, teachers really do need to clarify their precise expectations for everything, including this:

One lesson I have definitely learned over the years is to be specific when telling kids what "cheating" is. Before a test, I give my little speech, which has grown in length and detail because of certain experiences I have had. My speech goes something like this..."During the test, do not look at anyone else's paper or anything around the room. Do not write the answers down ahead of time in any way(pants, crayon boxes, desks, paper, being some of the surfaces on which students have written things such as spelling words ahead of time). Purposefully showing your paper to someone else is also cheating (as one of my star students allowed another student to copy the planets of the solar system off his paper and didn't realize that was wrong). You may not say the answers out loud, as that is also cheating (my first subbing experience I dismissed a child from the classroom for spelling the the spelling words aloud during the test). I want to know your answers and your answers only." I'm sure someone will come up with another unforseeable way to cheat this year, which will make one more line to my ever growing speech. ;)

So congrats to Emily, who should email me with her address (Angela at TheCornerstoneForTeachers dot com) so I can send her a copy of "The Cornerstone: Classroom Management That Makes Teaching More Effective, Efficient, and Enjoyable". And to the rest of my dear commenters, because you are so wise, I'll be sharing your classroom management lessons learned the hard way in an upcoming post. Thanks for sharing!

Embarrassing stories AND free stuff. Yep, this post has it all.

angela@TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com (Angela) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Most teachers enter the profession completely unprepared for all the complexities of running a classroom. I think at some point, we've all been faced with an unforseen challenge and wondered incredulously, Geez, I never knew I was supposed to plan for or anticipate this issue: how am I expected to have a solution for a problem I didn't know existed? Personally, I'm astounded by the sheer number of basic classroom management lessons I had to learn the hard way:

-Communicating effectively with parents requires a concerted effort and a much greater time investment than I'd assumed. Once I carefully scheduled eight parent conferences back-to-back and stayed at school until 6 pm (by myself--which was perhaps the dumbest part of the whole scenario) and was furious when every single parent was a no-show. Why the poor turn out? Because I'd scheduled the conferences two weeks prior and didn't know I needed to provide forty-seven notes, emails, and phone messages as a follow-up reminder. Now that I've learned to send notices via every form of communication except sky writing and smoke signals, my no-show rate has become much more reasonable.

-Letting third graders keep scissors in their desks is generally a bad idea. It took the following catastrophes for me to reach that conclusion: one child's impromptu trimming of her own bangs without the benefit of a mirror; a boy's decision to snip two braids off a girl's elaborate and expensive style that took five hours to create; and a third child's unexplainable propensity toward slicing the file folder centers I spent three weeks making. That was all in one semester. After that, I decided to keep the scissors in one communal area and distribute them only when needed (which was as infrequently as possible with that group, believe me). Even now, I still have to be extra cautious during scissor activities, and have a responsible kid do a scissor count after they've been collected. Failure to do so may result in some little sneakster using his scissors to either trim textbook page edges, sharpen pencils using the blade edge (!!), or carve the word 'fart' into his desktop.

-Photocopies MUST be made as far in advance as possible. There is nothing more disappointing than getting a brainstorm and working all evening on a fabulous activity for the next day's lesson, only to be stuck assigning something boring from the textbook because there's either no paper or all the copiers are down, AGAIN. I once had an amazing math activity with Halloween candy that I couldn't get copied for FIVE WEEKS. I busted out the worksheet on Valentine's Day and told the kids to replace the words black and orange with red and pink and change all the pumpkins into hearts. Needless to say, the kids weren't buying it. Although, since their behavior was top notch the whole day in anticipation of eating the candy afterward, all was not completely lost. And I picked out my Cinco de Mayo activities the following morning.

So tell me: what classroom management lesson did YOU learn the hard way? Your story can be short or long, funny or serious, embarrassing or matter-of-fact...just share the true tale of a mistake or misunderstanding you experienced while trying to manage a classroom.

Leave your story as a comment on this post. I'll select a winner on Wednesday, August 5th, and send out a free copy of my book The Cornerstone: Classroom Management That Makes Teaching More Effective, Efficient, and Enjoyable. Inside, I explain all the stuff I had to learn from trial and error--managing small groups, organizing materials, getting kids to follow basic procedures, handling test pressure--so that you can learn specific steps for creating the learning environment you've always wanted. It's a practical guide that will show you how to construct a self-running classroom that frees you to TEACH.

The book will ship via Priority Mail so the winner should have it in plenty of time to read before the new school year begins (unless you're in one of those schools that's already starting back, in which case, I can only offer you my deepest sympathy).

I'm looking forward to your stories! Thanks for sharing!