The Public School Daily

Winter Break

2009-12-21T15:58:00.001-08:00

There will be no blog posts for awhile while I relax and enjoy my vacation. Check back in January.

Family Bonding at Dinnertime

2009-12-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

My granddaughter came into my room this evening while still chewing on a piece of meat from her dinner. She is allowed to roam around the house as she eats her dinner, and her parents are usually watching TV while they eat. My granddaughter is at the table (some of the time), and her parents are on the couch.

It used to bother me until I remembered that I was raised in the TV dinner era, and my brother, sister, and I always sat at the foot of my mother's bed and ate dinner from TV trays while watching Gilligan's Island. My mother may or may not have eaten with us. We all grew up emotionally stable (I think), but according to this video, eating together is an essential element of family bonding and contributes greatly to a child's success in school and in life.

Children & Learning:
Family Meals Are Hugely Important

Dealing with the Santa Dilemma

2009-12-14T18:50:00.000-08:00

I was reading an article this morning about the Santa dilemma; should you tell your children the truth or not? The article suggested that allowing a child to believe in Santa is a "rite of passage," and that they'll find out the truth soon enough from other children.. In other words, don't burst their bubble.

I had a conversation on a similar topic with a colleague last Friday. Her older child doesn't believe in Santa anymore and wants to inform his younger siblings. She asked for my advice since my daughter is now grown, and I can share the outcome of my decisions with her.

Because of my own upbringing, I decided to tell my daughter the truth about Santa from the start.I was raised to believe in Santa, and I can still remember how devastated I was when I learned the truth. I felt completely betrayed, hardened even. I thought to myself, "If my mother lied to me about something as important as Santa, what else has she lied to me about?" It turned out that the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny were just the beginning.

So, I decided to tell my daughter the truth from day one, and now she has decided to play the Santa game with her daughter. Maybe it just goes back and forth; if you were told the truth, you lie to your kids, and if you were lied to, you tell the truth to your kids.

I guess it has become a bigger dilemma than ever because of the economy. How do you tell your child that Santa is broke this Christmas? Should the bad economy be the springboard for telling your child the truth? Should you go into credit card debt just to keep the deception alive? Maybe a good solution would be to tell your children that Santa is "going green" and making homemade gifts this season.

One thing I will say is that the more you prolong telling your child the truth, the more damage you may do. I once had a third grader completely fall apart in class and convulse on the floor because one of her classmates blurted out, "Santa Clause isn't real!" and I didn't deny his claim when she asked me point blank. I simply shrugged my shoulders and told her to refer the issue to her parents. I mean, this child almost needed to see a therapist. Somewhere around 7-8 years old seems to be the time to delicately let your child in on the truth before the world abruptly foists it them without your knowledge...

Kids Educational Gifts: Part 7

2009-12-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight's focus is books in gift sets. If you know a child who loves books, gift sets are a wonderful idea. I remember getting a boxed set of books when I was eight years old, and it fired a love of books that has lasted a lifetime.

Baby's Box of Fun: A Karen Katz Lift-the-Flap Gift Set: Where Is Baby's Belly Button; Where Is Baby's Mommy?; Toes, Ears, & Nose
Bright Baby First Learning Box (Boxed Gift Set)
Brown Bear & Friends Board Book Gift Set
The Adventures of Tintin: Collector's Gift Set
The Eric Carle Mini Library: A Storybook Gift Set (The World of Eric Carle)
The World of Peter Rabbit Gift Box 1 (Books 1-12) (Potter)
Tractor Mac Three Book Gift Set
The Chronicles of Narnia Full-Color Gift Edition Box Set
The Secret of the Old Clock/The Hidden Staircase/The Bungalow Mystery/The Mystery at Lilac Inn/The Secret of Shadow Ranch/The Secret of Red Gate Farm (Nancy Drew, Book 1-6) (75th Anniversary Gift Set)
Chronicles for Young Readers Gift Set (Dragonlance: Dragonlance Chronicles)
Best Ever Paper Airplanes Book & Gift Set
How to Catch a Star: Star-Gazer Gift Set
Juggling Step-By-Step Book & Gift Set
Heroes of History Gift Set (6-10): Heroes of History (Displays and Gift Sets)
Roald Dahl Gift Set
Heroes of History for Young Readers Gift Set (1-4) (Displays and Gifts)
Charlotte's Web/Stuart Little Slipcase Gift Set
120 Sing Along Songs and Activities: 4CD/4 Booklet Gift Set (120 Songs & 120 Activities)

Wee Sing Nursery Rhymes and Lullabies Gift Set
The Hardy Boys Casefiles--Gift Set 2: #21 - Street Spies; #22 - Double Exposure; #23 - Disaster for Hire; #24 - Scene of the Crime; and #25 - The Borderline Case
Harry Potter Gift Edition Box Set: Four Volumes in Hardback
Thomas' Book and Toy Gift Set (Gift Sets)
Nature Crafts for Kids: 50 Fantastic Things to Make With Mother Nature's Help/Book & Kit Gift Set
EXPOSITORY READINGS IN ROMANS- THREE VOLUME SET (Volume one- God's Gospel an God's Righteousness, Volume Two- God' Gift and Our Response- Volume Three- God's Love and God's Children)
Disney Princess 6 Board Books & CD: Kindness Counts, Ariel Learns a Lesson, Cinderella's Good Manners, Snow White Makes a Change, Belle Helps Out, Sleeping Beauty Shares, Jasmine's Gift: A Learn Aloud Book with Learn Aloud and Musical Fun CD (Complete 7 Item Boxset, 2007 Edition)
My First Prayers Gift Box Set
SPECIAL CHILDREN'S GIFT: NEW SESAME STREET TEAM SESAME 3T LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT AND JEANS SET (WITH SESAME STREET'S ELMO)! **PLUS 6 FREE LITTLE GOLDEN BOOKS Featuring Walt Disney Pixar Cars, Heidi, Hansel And Gretel
Young Artist Bag of Books for Children
*Children 14-Book Gift Set:And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street/The Tooth Book/Green Eggs and Ham/Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?/One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish/The Foot Book/Fox In Socks/The Cat In The Hat Comes Back/Old Hat New Hat
God's Little Instruction Book for Kids Gift Set
**ALICE IN BIBLELAND STORYBOOK GIFT SET: 15 BOOKS + CARRYING CASE: The Story Of Prodigal Son/The Story of Good Samaritan/The Story of Baby Jesus/The Story of Baby Moses/The Story of the Lost Sheep/The Story of Noah/The Story of Jonah/The Story Exodus
The Mini Hardback Gift Box (Dr Seuss Miniature Editions)

Kids Educational Gifts: Part 6

2009-12-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

Tonight's post is all about creativity. I just decided to learn how to play the saxophone, an instrument my mother would never let me play, because she said that it would give me "buck teeth." My granddaughter just loves to listen to me as I practice the notes. Now, she wants to play an instrument as well!

Children also love creative play and using their imagination. Creative play promotes a wide variety of skills that support classroom instruction.

Crayola Create a Plate
Children's Playful Chef Deluxe Cooking Kit Set for Ages 3+
Children's Playful Chef Deluxe Cooking Kit for Ages 6+
Educational Holiday Gift Pirate Ship - Play Structures & Cottages
Educational Holiday Gift Teepee - Play Structures & Cottages

DeRosa by Bridgecraft Child Drum Set DRM 312 BLACK - For 3 to 5 yrs
Disney Tinkerbell 30" Child Sized Acoustic Guitar
Dean Playmate Mini Acoustic Guitar, 1/2-Size
Amigo 1/2 Size Classical Guitar for Kids or Children
J. Reynolds Mini Double Cutaway Electric Guitar Prelude Pack - Black
Hohner Toy Accordion- Red
Westwood WWCG32 1/2-size Classical Guitar with Bag and Strap
Basic Beat BB12B 12 Note Glockenspiel with Case
GP50 3-Piece Junior Child/Kids Drum Set with Sticks - Black (for 3 to 8 yrs)
New Pink Childs Wood Toy Grand Piano With Bench Kids Piano 30 Key
Traditional Spinet - Mahogany/Black, by Schoenhut
AB 30 Keys Baby Grand Piano - Black Color
Oscar Schmidt by Washburn OG1 3/4 Size Acoustic Guitar Combo with AB Gig Bag, Stand, and Strings - Flame Yellow Sunburst
First Act Discovery FG500 Lap Harp
Children's Bagpipe
Children's Songs - Guitar Chord Songbook
eMedia My Violin Kit - 1/4 size
The Disney Princess Collection (Recorder) - Recorder Fun! 3-Book Bonus Pack
Children's Glockenspiel Soprano, Diatonic
BeBoP Childs Rainbow Rhythm Percussion Set with a FREE CD & Songbook

Kids Educational Gifts: Part 5

2009-12-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Today's picks are for the budding scientist in the family. Star gazing and scientific inquiry are wonderful, educational family activities!

Celestron 44302 Handheld Digital Microscope
Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium
Celestron Accessory Kit
Orion SpaceProbe 130ST EQ Telescope
Orion StarBlast 4.5 Equatorial Reflector Telescope
Orion SpaceProbe 3 Altaz Reflector Telescope
Celestron 44306 Handheld Digital Microscope
Discovery Exclusive Sky & Land Telescope

Orion Observer 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope
Vega 600 Telescope
Vivitar Telescope with Tripod
Crystal Radio Kit
LeapFrog LeapPad Learning System - Pink
Orion SpaceProbe 130 EQ Reflector Telescope
Learning Journey Notebook Wizard- Bilingual
Orion Aristocrat 12x30mm Brass Hand Telescope

130-in-One Electronic Playground (MX906 Replaced by EP130 or EP-130)
Orion AstroView 120ST EQ Refractor Telescope
SUDOKU GAME PUZZL TIME/DATE/CLK TCHSCRN
Mirus Educational Schoolmate Convertible 8.9" Tablet Netbook - Silver (TARCT9XP)

Volcano Creator Kit

HP 35S Scientific Calculator
Insultabotz Toy Robot Kit
Fiber Optics Voice & Data Learning Kit
Solarscope Wooden Edition, Solarscope Wooden Solarscope Solar Observing Device

Kids Educational Gifts: Part 4

2009-12-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

Today's gift ideas focus on boxed sets of educational DVDs. I bought my granddaughter the "Your Baby Can Read" series and it really does work. She was reading real words in about five days. We would even write the words on plain paper to see if she would recognize them with different lettering, and she did.

There's a lot of different research out there about young children watching too much TV, but I believe that educational DVDs in small doses and with parental interaction are great. Get involved, sing the songs and dance with your child, and have a great time!

Kids Educational Gifts: Part 3

2009-12-03T19:14:00.000-08:00

Whether you know it or not, children love music, and believe it or not, they love classical music. I play classical music in my classroom whenever my students need to concentrate. These are children that normally listen to Hip Hop music, but they love the gentle and calming nature of classical music. If I forget to turn it on during their independent work, they'll remind me to do it. They call it their "concentration music."

Baby Einstein: Baby Mozart
Baby Einstein: Playtime Music Box
Baby Einstein:Baby Galileo
Baby Einstein: Sing and Play Music Collection
Baby Einstein: Music Box Orchestra
Baby Einstein: Music Box Orchestra
Baby Einstein: Baby Bach/Baby Beethoven
Baby Santa
Baby Vivaldi
Baby Beethoven
Baby Bach
Wake Up and Goodnight
The Mozart Effect Music for Children, Volume 1: Tune Up Your Mind
Green Eggs & Hamadeus
Baby Genius Classical Series: Bedtime Beethoven
Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music
Best of the IQ Builder
Brain Power
Mommy and Me: Mozart for Young Minds
Breakfast with Bach
Classics For Kids: Mozart For Toddlers

Kids Educational Gifts: Part 2

2009-12-01T19:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I focused on children who love video games. Tonight my focus is on children who love physical activities. These are unconventional toys and games that have an educational purpose disguised by fun. Many of these games are used in schools as a part of the educational program. Children love them!

Nursery Trampoline
Guidecraft Balance Beam
Small World Express Active Play Homerun Hitter
Wooden Ring Toss
3915TD THROW & TELL FLYNG DISC DTC3915TD
QB Power Plays Visual Football Training Kit - PeeWee Size
In/Out Ring Toss
SSG Catch-A-Color Comet
The River Set of 6 (SET)
Everrich EVC-0063 30 x 48 Inch Hopping Sacks - Set of 6
Everrich EVC-0095 Deluxe Rhythm Ribbon - 5 Meters
Everrich EVC-0095 Deluxe Rhythm Ribbon - 5 Meters
Money Clever Catch Ball (EA)
Balancing Egg (EA)
GoGo Roller (EA)
Elenco EDU-36749 Metal Detector With Beep Alert
Just Jump It EZ-RS Ez-Stepper-Yellow
Everrich EVM-0028 Foam Bowling Set - 12 Inch

Kids Educational Gifts: Part 1

2009-11-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

Do you know a child who loves music or art? Maybe you know a child who loves to investigate things, build things, or just sit outside and stare at the stars? If you know a child who loves these things, and loves video games too, then check out the fun, interactive games below. Video games in small doses can be a great way to build on critical skills while having fun. Children learn with out even realizing it, and they'll even beg you to play. These games can make wonderful Christmas gifts!

No Rest for the Weary

2009-11-24T19:09:00.000-08:00

So far on my vacation, I have read two books on writing, and I've done research on curriculum to teach African American studies. My principal told all us to relax and rejuvenate over the Thanksgiving Break, but if I do that, I won't be ready for when we return.

I didn't like my kids' last writing prompt, because they simply don't the structure of good writing. So, I began an internet search for a program to improve it. I found a great one that uses patterns to teach the parts of a well-written sentence, paragraph, and essay.

I've never seen a writing program like this before, and I can't wait to try it out when we return. Now, if I had simply relaxed, I wouldn't have found the program, and I'm quite sure that my principal will be glad I found it. So, my choice was to relax and be unprepared when we return, or do the work I never have time to do when we are in session. That's the life of a teacher!

Parent Conferences: Day 3

2009-11-21T18:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the final day of my parent conferences. I started at 7:30 a.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m., with fours hours of teaching in between.

After doing almost four hundred conferences over the years, I can pretty much guess the reasons for a child's difficulties in school. Parent conferences usually confirm my suspicions.

Here is an overview of yesterday's meetings.

Summer (the little girl I blogged about earlier) is a daddy's girl that he admits to indulging because he works long hours. She needs to be the center of attention at home and is the only girl. She thinks she should be the center of attention in classroom as well. Dad makes no apologies about his daughter's neurotic need for attention. We'll see if he feels the same way come middle and high school.
Taneisha is a wild child who is the daughter of two teachers. They have excused her behavior with psycho-babble, which sometimes happens with educated people. Taneisha has spent a lot of time on a high school campus with students attending continuation classes because she helps her mother at work.
Markus is good kid who struggles with writing and has no major familial issues, except that Dad went back to school and has less time to give his son. Markus is resentful.
Kristina is in outside tutoring and receives tutoring at school. She is beginning to blossom and increased her test scores by 20 points since the beginning of the school year. Her confidence is growing daily. This is the little girl whose previous teacher had given up on. She said that Kristina was just "low."
Aysia struggled in 2nd grade, but had never struggled before. Dad thinks it was the teacher's fault. She had a tremendous leap in her independent reading level since the beginning of the year; the highest in the class. She might make Honor Roll by the end of the trimester.
Duncan is copying his macho brother who thinks he doesn't have to listen. This was Mom's revelation, not mine. He missed Honor Roll because he didn't answer several questions on the end-of-trimester test. He wasn't listening when I reminded students to do so.
Richard is a Jehovah's Witness. Mom gave me a list of activities that are off limits for the holidays. Richard's mother is a single parent, but Richard seems to be very well-adjusted. It has been my experience that children raised in the Jehovah's Witness faith are very grounded.

There were still four teachers conferencing when I left at 4:45. The office staff all left at 2:00 with the principal's blessings. Several teachers asked to come on campus over the break to work in their rooms. I'll probably be one of them...

Parent Conferences: Day 2

2009-11-19T20:51:00.000-08:00

Today's conferences just ended at 7:30 p.m. I had a late phone conference with a parent who works late. I know that a lot of teachers insist on conferences in-person, but I don't attach that qualifier to the definition of a caring and involved parent.

I remember when my daughter was in school and it was time for parent conferences. I was a full-time student, and I worked a full-time job. It wasn't a job that provided paid time off. If I took off from work, I didn't make any money. Most of my daughter's teachers didn't offer any options outside of regular hours, so many times, I was unable to attend.

When I became a teacher, I vowed to make it as easy as possible for my parents to reach me. They all have my cell phone number, and a couple of them have called me at home just to touch bases or to follow up on a previous concern. The students know that their parents and I have an open pipeline of communication, and it makes a difference. My parents support me, I support my parents, and together we support our kids. My communication with my parents is on-going, so parent conferences are just a culmination of what we have previous discussed "on the fly." Here are today's highlights.

Marissa's mom requested a change to a phone conference to accommodate her work schedule. She is a single mother with an inflexible work schedule. We spoke during her lunch break. Marissa is boy crazy, and we need to get her focused. She doesn't have much contact with her father, and that's part of the reason she is so focused on the attention of other males. Not a good sign.
Jamal's doesn't read directions, and the content of his writing needs improvement. The rest of his grades are good. Mom thought I was talking about his penmanship when I mentioned the poor quality of his writing. I don't worry too much about penmanship; it's good content that I'm after. I have had students refuse to write because they were afraid of criticism about their penmanship. Once that pressure was removed, they wrote wonderful and amazing stories.
Jesus has a stay-at-home Mom who does everything for him. He has no chores and no responsibilities. He is a victim of "learned helplessness." His mother's whole life revolves around taking care of her children, but she is crippling him. I asked her if she was going to follow him around for the rest of his life and do everything for him. By the time we were finished, she was in tears and promised to back off and let Jesus grow up.
William's parents were a "no show." He made Honor Roll, so I guess they didn't feel the need for a conference.
Maria's mother revealed that her husband is emotionally abusive, and that is why her daughter is so quiet and shy. Maria witnessed much of the abuse and and sometimes hides behind her mother. Dad was kicked out of the house, but recently returned with promises of improved behavior. Both the translator and I are concerned for the family's safety.
Madison is a beautiful, blond little girl who was playing the "dumb blond" role until we had a little talk. It turns out that she has overheard a lot of "dumb blond" jokes at home, and was therefore full of self doubt. Both she and her mother were completely unaware of the connection. This was her first report card with no D's.
Justin is a scatter-brained daydreamer who is highly creative and has a penchant for the macabre . His parents are stressed out thinking that he will never amount to anything. I told them that he may be the next Steven King.
Cyril's Mom is an enabler and doesn't support Dad's discipline. Dad is putting his foot down on Cyril's grades, but is setting the bar too high. He expects Cyril to go from F's to A's overnight, which isn't practical and will only cause Cyril to give up. Cyril has anger issues because he is a "momma's boy" and Mom went back to work a few months ago. His emotions get in the way of his progress.
Neal's mother wanted an evening phone conference. I left a message and am awaiting a return call...She returned my call and was delighted to hear that Neal made Honor Roll for the first time. He is a disciplined, well-behaved, teachable child with excellent parental support. He always - and I mean always - does his homework, listens in class, and follows directions. Honor Roll was inevitable.

Parent Conferences: Day 1

2009-11-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

Actually, parent conferences are great fodder for blog posts. They are quite inspiring. Unlike many teachers, I love parent conferences. It's the one time when I get to sit down and really get to know my students. Parents share things about their children and how they behave at home - things I might not otherwise find out. I enjoy getting to know my kids as people, and I enjoy getting to know their parents.

I schedule long conferences, comparatively speaking. I don't know how you can truly discuss - in depth - a child's progress in just 15 minutes. There are so many factors that influence a child's success at school, and all of them need to be explored. I have completed 7 out of 8 conferences scheduled for today. Here is just a sampling of the topics that were discussed or the issues that were brought up.

Malcolm's father got the day wrong and didn't show up. He had requested an appointment time that wasn't even available, so I'm not surprised. Malcolm is a little out there too. Oh well...
Jimmy's mother had been told to give him Ritalin ever since Kindergarten, because he was "squirmy" and "hyper." He acts like a normal, energetic eight-year old boy as far as I'm concerned. He has been weaned off of Ritalin and the depressive nature of his personality has disappeared. He is bright, alert and doing well. Mom is amazed that I'm not complaining about his behavior.
Jeanette had struggled in math since Kindergarten. I discovered that her second grade teacher never did calendar activities, which are intended to teach the base ten model of our numbering system. After I filled in this critical missing link, her math scores are now consistently above 80%. Mom and Dad are thrilled.
Melissa's aunt and uncle were killed in a car accident just a few days ago. I'm surprised she was still in school, but her family has an incredible work ethic. She'll be out for the funerals for just one day. Dad was very emotional at the conference, but little Melissa seemed to be doing okay.
Lindsay doesn't pay attention in class and is boy crazy. She's always in the mix when it comes to classroom drama. Last week, she was caught drawing pictures of people's rear ends during a math lesson. Mom said that she got a serious paddling for that one. I smiled. I'm from the "spare the rod" generation.
Mark was a victim of the system and was returned to first grade. He was an excellent student in Kindergarten, but had an incompetent teacher in first grade. His teacher was in terrible pain from a neck injury, and he hated his job. He was often out sick and his substitute teachers weren't consistent. Most of the students in his class came out with minimal skills. Mark's second-grade teacher sent him back to first grade for another year. Mark is one of my best students.
Christina's father is concerned that she may be being molested by her mother's live-in boyfriend. Now, I have to keep a close eye on her, because teachers are mandated reporters of child abuse. She is quiet, withdrawn, and seems sad all of the time, so it is a concern.
I had a phone conference at 6:00 p.m. with Lenny's parents. He's a great kid who made Honor Roll. It was the easiest one of the day...

A Lesson from "Balloon Boy"

2009-11-16T19:25:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile. I have been buried in paperwork related to report cards. This week, I'll be buried in parent conferences, so blogging may be sketchy still. By the time I spend a half an hour discussing their children with thirty or more parents, all I want to do is come home and collapse.

I did want to blog a little tonight on the topic of honesty. I was watching the news yesterday, and I saw the story on the parents of the so-called "Balloon Boy" who plead guilty to a misdemeanor and felony for lying about the incident. I'm surprised they weren't charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, because they instructed their very young and impressionable son to lie about what happened. After being repeatedly questioned by the police and talk show hosts, the child finally caved and told the truth. The poor little thing is probably traumatized for life.

It seems that lying is trivialized more and more these days. Some parents don't see anything wrong with telling a "white lie" in front of their children when it is convenient to do so. They may even include their child in the deception, as in the case of Balloon Boy.

Perhaps popular culture sees nothing wrong with lying. However, I am happy to report that the legal system still sees things in black and white. Lying can get you thrown in prison; just ask Marion Jones, a variety of political figures, and the Balloon Boy's parents. Why would you want to send your child down that path?

To make my point, I once had a student who was low on classroom cash, because she had wasted her money all year long. It was time for our end-of-year party and auction, during which students would bid on items I had purchased. Well, rather than being told that having little or no money to bid was the price she would have to pay for wasting her money all year long, her uncle had her bring home one of my bills (it was play money, of course) and had her make copies of it. That's right, she made counterfeit bills! Fortunately, I was able to tell right away because her bills were much darker than mine. I had to confiscate the counterfeit bills, and I also had her suspended.

I know, you're probably saying, "But it wasn't her fault. She was mislead by a wayward relative." However, the public education system attempts to teach children about integrity and honesty. We hold assemblies on the topic and use programs that teach character education. Although this child was unduly influenced by an adult, I wanted to punish her for being a follower, because society will punish her for being a follower.

Every year, I have students who attempt to get out of a situation with a lie. Some forge a parent's signature on a failing test. Others steal something or hit someone and try to lie their way out of it. I once had a student steal half the candy out of my candy jar and give it to three accomplices; two from my class and one from another. When his parent was notified of the incident, all he received was a lecture. He didn't write a letter of apology. He didn't have to replace the candy. I don't even think he got grounded. This child had been in trouble since Kindergarten, and his parent still made light of his behavior. Where do you think he will end up in a few more years?

As for Balloon Boy, I hope his parents are thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed for what they did. I hope this poor little boy can escape the nickname "Balloon Boy" some day, and I hope he doesn't need therapy for the rest of his life.

Why We Need Prayer In Public Schools

2009-11-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

Every teacher has one, and it's one of the reasons I pray every morning on my way to work. I pray for wisdom. I pray for patience, and I pray that I don't smack this one kid in my class (just kidding).

That's right. I have one student who I really don't like, and it's a struggle every day to make sure that he doesn't feel my tension when I interact with him.

Even the other students seem to dislike this child. He is self-centered, a braggart, and seems to need constant attention. He turns every classroom discussion to something about himself, and refuses to let any other student have their moment in the spotlight.

If I ask another student to stop doing something, he will immediately do the same thing just to draw my attention back to him. He yells out answers, so other students don't have a chance to show what they know. To make matters worse, he decided to share with the class the trophy he won in a "cutest kid" contest a few years ago. Only a few of the students clapped at the end of the presentation. He doesn't have any real friends in class because the other students see him as an obnoxious brat - and so do I.

Here's what happened today. The kids all came in the classroom this morning, went straight to their seats and began "bell work", which are short lessons that keep the students busy while I take attendance, etc. "Zack" took his seat as well and never left his seat during this time.

After I had completed my morning chores, I asked two students to pass out paper for a test. The two students moved around the center of the room as they completed the task. When they were finished, I noticed a $10 bill lying on the carpet. It was a good 5-6 feet away from Zack and on the other side of his table.

When one of the other students noticed the bill and drew everyone's attention to it, Zack jumped out of his seat, climbed over his desk, and tackled another student who was bending over to pick it up. Zack insisted that the bill was his, even though it was several feet away from him and in an area of the classroom in which he had not previously been. On top of that, one of the students who passed out the paper noticed that he had lost the $10 bill his mother had given him for lunch. Using a little crime scene investigation, I determined that the bill couldn't have been Zack's because of where it was located, and there were witnesses to the fact that the other child also had a $10 bill.

Zack came unglued. He threw a complete temper tantrum to the point that I had to ask him to leave the classroom, stop my lesson, and call his parents. While leaving the room, he threw his textbook on the floor and was screaming and crying about how unfair I was. I got his father on the phone, and he confirmed that he had, in fact, given Zack $10 to spend at the school book fair. After about a 5 minute conversation with his father, Zack admitted that he had probably lost his $10 on the playground before school. All of this was going on while the rest of the class waited. Even after he hung up from his father, he continued to cry and convulse for another 10 minutes. I left him outside to do so and went back inside to carry on with my lesson.

The sad part is that I know why this child behaves as he does. I've already had a conversation with his mother about it. Both of his parents work long hours. Zack is taken to a daycare in the wee hours of the morning, taken to school by the daycare, stays in the after-school program, and finally goes home about 6:00 p.m. He sees very little of either of his parents, so this kid is simply starved for attention. His parents don't see a need - or a way - to adjust their schedules, so Zack continues to act out. I give him as much attention as I can without jeopardizing the needs of my other students, and I try to like him as much as possible, but it isn't easy.

Teachers are human, and no matter how hard we try, we aren't always going to like every student. We get frustrated, and we get angry, but through it all, we continue to maintain our composure and grin and bear it. We can't raise our voices, and we can't smack the kids. We have to think on our feet and come up with creative ways of dealing with the psychological issues of 20-30 children - all day long. That's what makes teaching one of the most stressful jobs there is. And that's why I pray. Amen.

Report Card Time

2009-11-05T20:23:00.001-08:00

There is definitely no harm intended, but I ran across this video on Youtube after doing a search for "report card." It's too funny!

Too Much Work to Do

2009-11-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

I have too many papers to grade tonight to do a quality blog post, so I'm just dropping you a line to say, "See you tomorrow."

Education Budget Cuts

2009-11-03T19:20:00.001-08:00

Well, the budget cuts are starting to take their toll in very interesting ways. Here are just a few.

The teachers received just $100 per classroom to buy supplies for 30 students. That's a minuscule amount of money for that many kids. We have already run out of writing paper and erasers, so we recently had to send home letters to parents asking for "donations" of supplies.

Our in-house copies have been limited to just a few hundred per month. This makes reteaching lessons almost impossible, because they need to be copied and completed immediately. We can't wait for a copy order to return from the print shop a week later.

Field trips have been limited to just one per class per year, unless the teachers figure out a way to raise more money through fundraising. The problem with fundraising is that we are constantly asking the same group of people for funds - the parents, who probably thought paying taxes was the biggest fundraiser of all.

Since buses cost upwards of $500 for a field trip, we are trying to invite guest speakers and hold assemblies instead. However, our district is so desperate for money and worried about liability that they now have a laundry list of legal requirements for vendors before they can set foot on our campuses. The red tape is so long that neither the parent-teacher organizations nor the teachers want to deal with it. Without support from these two groups, the school will come to a screeching halt, and the students won't participate in any enrichment activities.

The campus isn't as clean as it used to be either. Our classrooms are serviced only two days per week now. We try to make the students pick up as much as possible, but there are some things that require a vacuum cleaner. The windows are unwashed, there's trash in the flowerbeds, and the classified union doesn't want anyone to step on the custodians' toes and pick it up. So, the garbage lays there until the two custodians we still have have time to pick it up.

We have six computers in our computer lab that haven't worked for more than a month. We no longer have enough IT people to make it to all of the campuses to fix things. The students are having to double up, which is okay except when they're working on an individual project. Then, computer time becomes a scheduling nightmare.

Our School Librarian has been out repeatedly from illness, but there's no money in the budget for a substitute for him, so the students just don't go to the library when he's out. Some classes have been to the library only a few of times this year, and it's already the end of the first trimester.

I could go on, but it gets pretty depressing to think that things are only going to get worse, while through it all, we're expected to keep raising test scores. What a mess...

2009 World Series

2009-11-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

I'm relaxing and watching the World Series, so no blogging tonight. I love watching Derek Jeter play. I'll catch you tomorrow.

Hip Hop Multiplication: Do We Need A Parental Advisory?

2009-11-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Are these Hip Hop multiplication videos being used in your school, perhaps without your knowledge? Now I know that some of you will say, "They're harmless. They just teach the kids using the music they listen to anyway."

Well, according to my own personal poll of my students, this isn't the music they all listen to anyway - at least not anymore. I am pleased to say that I have not one student in my class who "sags" (wears pants hanging off their rear end), and most no longer listen to Hip Hop music. My male students no longer have the one and only aspiration of becoming a Rapper, basketball player, or football player. They want to become doctors, lawyers, biologists, and business owners.

It's not so much the background music that I object to; it is more the images of the angry-looking artists who wrote the music. Many of these artists made their millions by glorifying the gangster lifestyle that has so many of our youth now sitting in prison. From the comments I read on Youtube, this product is being used in classrooms across America, and the multiplication tables are taught as early as second grade.

I don't own the actual CD/DVD, so I would like to know from any of you who do own it whether these same images appear on the cover of the CD or are in the DVD. Do these videos need a real "Parental Advisory"? What do you think?

Dumbing Down America: Mass Media Programming

2009-10-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

This video speaks for itself.

NCLB: No Child Left Behind

2009-10-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Something happened this morning that I have been expecting for a long time. One of the most dedicated, learned, and valuable teachers I know broke down in tears. I cried with her, because we were both feeling the same pain.

No Child Left Behind has taken the joy out of my profession. I remember when I first started teaching, if anyone asked me if I enjoy what I do, my eyes would well up with tears. It was that emotional for me. I loved teaching so much that talking about it - and knowing that I have the power to change a child's life - made me cry.

Fast forward seven years and I find myself daydreaming about packing it all in and finding another profession. What happened? No Child Left Behind. The pressure that teachers are under to produce ever-increasing test scores in the midst of familial and administrative dysfunction, is chasing good teachers away. We just had a teacher, with seven years in, simply walk away mid year. She went out on stress leave and says she'll never come back to the classroom.

This morning, I walked in on another teacher from my school who was crying at her desk. This teacher is one of our district's Teacher Mentors. She is highly qualified, loves learning, and loves helping children succeed. Normally, she is a very outgoing and bubbly person, so I was shocked to see her huddled in a corner weeping. When she revealed to me what was bothering her, I began to cry as well.

Here's what happened...Under the guidelines of NCLB, you have goals for ethnic subgroups at your school. Even if your school meets its overall goal (an average) , if any of your subgroups don't meet the goal (specifically), you can become what's called a "PI School," which stands for Program Improvement. For example, let's say that you take a test that has three parts. In one of the parts, you score 100%, but in the other two parts, you score only 70% each. Your average score on the test would be 80% (240% divided by 3). If your goal was 80%, you've met that overall goal. However, you haven't met your goal in the last two sections of the test where you scored just 70%. It was your high score in the first part of the test that helped you meet your overall goal.

Now, let's say that instead of sections of a test, you have ethnic subgroups at your school. The scores of one ethnic group can make you meet your overall goal. However, there may be other ethnic subgroups who don't - and that's a problem. No matter how high your overall score may be, if you have subgroups not meeting the goal, you can become a Program Improvement School.

You might be saying, "Well, this is a good thing. All children need to be proficient in reading, writing, and arithmetic." The problem is that so much of what a teacher encounters is out of his or her control. We can't control home environment. We can't control how parents treat their children or how much attention they give them. We can't stop mothers from drinking or taking harmful drugs during pregnancy. We can't stop parents from divorcing and using their children as pawns in a battle of child support. We can't follow children home and make sure that they eat healthy foods that will feed their developing brains, get a good night's sleep, or make sure that their parents speak to them in complete sentences - or speak to them at all for that matter.

We can't force parents with a second-grade education to learn English, so they can help their children with their homework or conference with us without the need for a translator that the district can no longer afford. We can't keep the economy from melting down so children aren't torn from their homes in the middle of the school year and enter our classrooms frightened and disoriented. We can't control any of these things, and the children living in these conditions are often the same ones that fall into the aforementioned subgroup.

The pressure is tremendous, and when people are put under this kind of pressure, corruption is the inevitable result. Just because we're talking about school children, don't think the "business" of education is different from any other business. Our time and energy will be spent fixing the problem in our lagging subgroup, and if your child isn't a member of that group, they are to be ignored. That's right, this young and vibrant teacher was in tears because she had been instructed to ignore the needs of any children who are not from this specific ethnic group to make sure that we hit our goal for this year.

School districts, school sites, principals, and teachers are all under the gun. Becoming a "PI" schools carries with it consequences that no one wants, and those in power will do virtually anything to avoid it. A whole generation of children will suffer before we realize that scoring well on a standardized test does not equate to having a good, well-rounded education. Our creative, global thinkers are being lost in the shuffle, and those are the very children who may be the greatest resource we have for solving our nation's problems now and in the future.

Parents, you CAN make a difference. Learn how to deal with the educational bureaucracy in The Parent's Survival Guide to Public Education.

How Single Parents Affect the Brain

2009-10-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

Take a Virtual Tour of You and Me at ISeeMe.com!

I can't even comment on this article. It's that powerful. You need to read it for yourself. As a teacher, I see the impact of such children every day - especially the part about a child's ability to learn. I would love to read your opinion on this. If what the research has found is true, our country is in more trouble than I thought. The problem seems to be lack of attention and affection by two parents when a child is raised by just one parent - the mother. I wonder how step-parenting affects the scenario. Does a stepfather give the same amount of attention and love as a natural parent would?

Family Dinner Time: Is It Really That Important?

2009-10-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

I ate dinner sitting next to my brother an sister on the end of my mother's bed watching Gilligan's Island. My Mom ate dinner in another part of the house.

I am a member of the TV dinner age that grew up in the 60's. TV dinners were a lifesaver for my single, overworked mother, but according to this video, she was way off base. Did we suffer? Maybe...maybe not. What do you think?

Children & Learning:
Family Meals Are Hugely Important