Back To School Preparations!!!

I have officially started my back-to-school prep, somewhat to the chagrin of other teachers, but hey - I'm nervous and I like being as planned as possible.  So far these preparations have just been collecting ideas, reading articles on Edutopia, looking at organization ideas on Pinterest and just reflecting on what I need to do to improve.  

I made to-do lists, which I actually couldn't take a screen shot of ALL of it! (As you can see, other has more written beneath).   I don't even have all that I want to have on the list yet.  

I know for sure that I want to improve my parent relationships this year; last year, as a first-year teacher, I really hadn't been expecting what happened after the fiasco of the first marking period, but it was a necessary experience to help me grow into a better, more professional teacher.  Therefore, I am going to make parent-contact sheets as an introduction to friendly relationships with parents and for a chance for them to be able to state their expectations of contact: how often, for example, and if there's anything they think I should know about their child.  I am also dedicating an ENTIRE SECTION in my binder to parent contacts... Last year, I had five folders for the papers I needed to collect, but that was it - everything else got shoved into binder pockets.  It got very cluttered quickly, which as someone who is kinda OCD with organization, made my day that much harder.  

My current puzzle is how to differentiate instruction for my one class, which shall have BOTH Latin 3 AND 4 students.  I have to decide if I am going to split class time, or teach everyone the same thing; if anyone experienced would like to provide some insight, please feel free to comment.  I am not sure how many students I have, but I don't think this year that I have that many (which does make me sad, but I was hired to build the program).  I was told to be a fun teacher, not a mega-intense teacher, by both my supervisor and my predecessor, so I need to find creative ways to differentiate without making it feel like Harvard (yet, of course, I must make it challenging and have standards!!!). 

Also, I had this very clever idea for student info... I found sheet protectors at Staples that were for baseball cards, and I discovered that half-index cards fit into those sleeves... I thought it could be a good 1st day activity to collect info on my students and keep a file in my binder.   The front I could collect student info; the back I can collect parent-contact info.  

Technology list is going to be a list of recommended resources (apps, websites) that my students can use while studying, translating, etc.  I had an idea to have them preview difficult, well-known texts by having them listen to it in Latin via a podcast (there are podcasts out there!!); Roman History can also be done in the same fashion (which is better than listening to me talk about it, maybe.  There are many resources on culture at least!)

I'm excited and terrified at the same time, but I am looking forward to the mentoring and support that I really need!  And also, I registered for my first grad course... Again, excited and terrified!!!

Prepping for September

Hey all! 

I'm excited (and terrified) for September! It will be my second year of teaching, but I'll be in a new school and teaching high school Latin.  This was my ultimate goal last year when I was searching for a job, so I have arrived doing my dream job!  If I do well, I'll know I have what it takes.  

Besides the fact that it's a new school, new classroom, new environment etc, I'm also nervous because I'm going back to school in the fall part-time.  I have one evening class on Wednesdays that involves a lot of preparation and will ultimately have me writing a paper I can turn into an article.  I've never been to grad school before (or paid grad school tuition prices!!!!), so I'm not sure what to expect.  I guess it'll be a good way to get my feet wet! 

In the meantime, I'm trying to bang out some planning/organization, both with just classroom set-up and my teacher binder as well as the content I'll be teaching. One class I'm worried about is the one class I have full of Latin 3/4 students.  I have never had a split-level class like that before, and I'm in a new school and it's my second year.  Ahhhh!  But I am excited... I've already got a lot of ideas, thanks to latinteach.com, edutopia, and Pinterest. 

Will blog more later!!!

Reflections After My First Year

I have done this blog some injustice, but teaching is a whirlwind experience!!!

In this post, I am going to reflect on some things that worked and some things that did NOT, and then what changes I am going to make for next year.  But first, let me just update you!

Updates

So I have been going on interviews looking for a full-time job, or at least one that has benefits, and after interviewing at 5 schools (I was called back everywhere I applied for demo lessons!), I was offered two positions. One I had to turn down because it turned out there were no benefits and it was rather far; the second one I accepted.  It's part-time, teaching three Latin classes only, but it carries benefits, a decent salary, and professional development!  I was accepted to an MAT program for teaching Latin in secondary schools, so I will receive reimbursement for my classes when I get a B or higher.  Everything is so exciting!  My new position will be in a public high school and I will finally have the full experience of being a teacher with mentoring, staff meetings, starting up clubs, etc.  I can't even tell you how EXCITED I am!!!!!

Reflections

Now here is the meat of my post.  Teaching is an art (ars, artis in Latin means "skill, art") and requires a lot of self-reflection to do it successfully.  I am happy to have the summer to break away from the frenzy of what is a regular class and to have the time to think: what have I as the teacher learned this year?  Here are some practical and philosophical things I've taken away from my first year of teaching: 

-Invest in a rolling backpack.  No, it's not stylish or cool, but you'll look like the rookie teacher you are if you try to carry everything.  Carrying everything from classroom to classroom made the experience much more onerous.  It's fine to carry some things, but if you carry a gigantic binder bursting full of EVERYTHING you need, plus books, plus your grade book, etc, you will be sad at the end of the day.  And without arms to open doors.  While people may help you inside the building, you're on your own when you get to the car and have no hands. 

-Related to point 1: Have a folder for every class, or even a separate binder.  Take only what you need at a time. 

-Create a folder solely for parental communication.  I kept everything, but it was not in a designated area. 

-Keep a website updated regularly with homework assignments and initials of students with missing work (I started doing this MP2 or MP3).  Parents need to know what is going on and they and the students need to know to check the website regularly.  Either that, or call home.  If you don't, and the student fails, you will hear from very concerned or even angry parents in a conference, and they WILL have their say.  This is ESPECIALLY important in the first marking period, and your communication will be more appreciated BEFORE the student fails more so than AFTER. 

-Don't take what parents say personally, even when the worst things come out. They are usually talking to you because they are worried about their child's future, not because they are angry with you or hate you or hate your subject.  Think about how you would feel in the parent's place.  Worry is a genuine emotion. Be diplomatic and listen to the legitimate concerns of the parent and give information kindly.  Make it a safe zone for the parent to have his or her say, and really listen!  Sometimes you do learn something about how to improve your pedagogy or about how to help the child.

-Converse with other teachers as much as possible.  Usually, I find I have a good instinct, but another teacher may offer me either validation or constructive criticism, or inform me of a policy I wasn't aware of (especially important for part-time teachers!).

-Revise how I carry out detention.  I made students write self-reflective essays for detention, but I think I need something more severe, or I need more structure. 

-Come up with some sort of age-appropriate signal to create silence in the classroom.  If you come home and you don't have a voice, you're doing something wrong.  This is where I should converse with other teachers and see how they keep order and see what I can use.  If you have to scream, you have to realize ya know what, screaming about Billy not sitting down is not worth destroying my vocal cords.  Sometimes silence is the best method I've used to get silence.  

-BE FLEXIBLE. You will be asked to do crazy, unexpected, unplanned things while physically present in a school that destroy almost any sense of order you possess. Just say yes unless it's unethical, obviously. Also, roll with the punches when there are crazy announcements, fire drills, and weird, rambling questions asked. 

-Students are inquisitive.  You don't have to know all the answers, and you don't have to answer EVERY question.  

-Even if students act out or disrespect you, they ALL are expecting YOU to be the adult in the room.  Don't disappoint them.

-Hope for the best, but do not be disappointed or take it personally when a student doesn't turn in work, come for extra help, etc.  You will never know the full story of why a student does poorly so do not judge any student based on his or her test scores.  

-BE PROFESSIONAL.  The students WILL respect you if you are the adult in the room even if they are kids!  It also helps to look professional, especially if you're younger.  Many of my students think I'm in my late 20s or early 30s.  Yes, they will try to guess your age. Don't reveal that you have no clue what's going on.  If you look like you have your act together and act like it, that will carry you very far.  If students ask if this is your first time teaching, dodge the bullet! Either say you've taught before (even if it's tutoring - don't tell them that) or just redirect the conversation. Remember: they are inquisitive.  

Do a google search on yourself, and change your name or privacy settings wherever your name pops up where you can.  You can bet they will look you up (did I mention they are inquisitive)?  Make sure your professional life does not become a nightmare because students found pictures of you from college on a public web search!  I use aliases on all of my social media.

-BE YOURSELF.  You can't be a robot!  They will love or hate you as you are, as will anyone else in life.   Your personal flair in the classroom is like the signature stamp of your art.  I love colors, referencing Tangled, Les Mis, "making it 'real'", doing Gangnam Style at the school dance (I actually did... The kids loved it), etc.  But that's me.  You will do different things because you are different!  The content is the content, but the delivery means EVERYTHING.  Show them why YOU LOVE your subject!  I love my subject so much it's part of who I am! 

-Always meet students in public places.  Never touch a student.  Never "friend" or text a student.  Always do things publicly and keep a record of meetings, or inform parents of meetings.  Accountability is everything and you want to prove that you are trustworthy.  If I close a door, I make sure to place myself in the room so that someone walking by could see that I and a student are there and what we're doing.  

-If you love weekends, you should plan to get your grading and planning done during the week when you're at the school.  It's the only way I have a weekend. I try to get everything graded and put up and updated the SAME DAY I get the work; otherwise, I will never see anyone again, which would destroy me as I am very social. 

-If you have a home base, keep extra copies of homework assignments in a file where students can take them.  Otherwise they depend on you to get everything.

-Save time!!  Come up with a system.  Taking attendance and returning papers and individually checking homework takes FOREVER.  You can lose 15 minutes just doing those things alone!  Have an attendance sheet passed around, use returning papers as an "exit" ticket, have them turn in their homework at that time, etc.  That's what I do.  Otherwise, there's nothing like inactivity to spark misbehavior.  Idle hands...

-Students will use the bathroom in your class.  In my school, they had a hand signal for this.  It will not be one or two.  It will be ten students at a time. And, students WILL tell you, "I never learned this - I was in the bathroom," and expect that to excuse them from knowing the material, no matter how much time you have spent on it.  I try the one student at a time method.  I saw also a sign-out sheet at one school, and I think that might work better.  It helps to add a REALLY EMBARRASSING hall pass to deter them from leaving.  I am still thinking of one.  

-Love all your students; loving them does not mean liking them.  There will be days when they will get on your nerves - yet, never stop that from believing in them, expecting the highest quality work, and hoping that they will use the knowledge they learned in your class to change the world.  They are the future and the future must be given support and love to grow and change the world positively.  Challenge yourself to rise above the petty everyday problems and look to the big picture.  Never forget why you entered the classroom.

-Try not to punch anyone who says teachers don't do anything. Remember those days when you had to create a presentation for class, take questions, and then have a panel ask questions on what you did?  Imagine doing that every day for nine months out of a year, and then having to see how well your audience remembered what you said.  And you have to be entertaining and relevant.  And take classes. And fill out paperwork.  That's the everyday life of a teacher.  They EARN what they make!  Teachers do a LOT of work at home on their own time and don't get paid to do it!  There are some nights that I don't get home until 5 or 6 after coming early to prepare for the day.  

-Be insanely organized or die.  Basically. I'm lucky to have an organized personality (that's how I've done so well with classical languages!).

-Be able to answer these questions: What do you do in your spare time?  What have you read lately?  People who interview you will expect you to answer something outside of teaching.  

-You do not have to break the bank to dress professionally.

-Get a MA in teaching.  It's worthwhile.  Do your student teaching. It's much easier to do it the traditional route because you ultimately have to do it anyway. 

-Be kind to yourself. You don't have many deadlines for paperwork, so if you have reached your breaking point, resolve to finish it tomorrow and break.  I like to go running... after a stressful day, I can't think and I often work through my lunch break and eat very little.  I go home, eat, and if I have enough time, I go running.  I don't kill myself for my job, because I value myself and work is a good that must be enjoyed (yes! Enjoyed) in moderation.  There will always be work to do.

-Be kind to your coworkers.  I left a note for one of the teachers one day because she had a very stressful day and was almost reduced to tears.  She really appreciated it.  

-Be kind to your kids.  The more work you give them, multiply that by 100 for yourself.  There's nothing wrong with giving them a break every now and then.

-USE RUBRICS.  These are lifesavers. If you don't have any, create them.  I created rubrics after watching a lecture via iTunes university on what to consider; afterwards, I had another teacher look it over.  They save you from major headaches.

-Go the extra mile and show up to your students' events: plays, exhibitions, concerts, graduations, inductions... No, you won't be paid to show up.  Think of yourself as a sideline parent.  Even older students depend on you. 

-Be consistent.

-On the first day of school, come prepared.  Explain why the subject is important and even cool to study!  Set up classroom management rules and boundaries.  Also, be prepared to answer the super practical, "What will we need for this class?" I didn't know how to answer this question the first week; now I know I want my students to have loose leaf paper, index cards, their textbook, and a folder for papers.  

-When you plan a project to be presented, make the groups as large as possible without being unruly if you want to spend maybe 1-2 days on presentations... I did individual projects this year and it was like the assignment that never ended since I teach one day a week.  We finished almost all of them within 1 marking period.

-Have clear deadlines, expectations, and assignments.  If there's room for a sliver of doubt, you will not get what you wanted. 

-Seniors have senioritis. It starts in 8th grade.

-Always be honest and upfront if you yourself make a mistake.  You are accountable to thousands of people at any given time - someone's going to find out.

-Be strict on homework and making up assessments.  I had students bringing in work (sometimes even MARKING PERIODS late) and expecting to boost their F to an A.  It was totally disrespectful; I felt I was being taken advantage of, and it was entirely not fair to anyone else.  Next year, if all assignments and assessments are not made up within the same WEEK, it's a irrevocable F.  This is to encourage student accountability AND to help my sanity.  Students who are absent must make up all work within the week they return.  No one is entitled to burden the teacher with extra work because he or she was lazy and didn't do the work when required.

This is BY NO MEANS the end of this list.  As I reflect on my teaching experience, I will continue to add to the list.  Here's one picture with a good quotation.  Happy Friday! :)

Interview!

I went for an interview today for a full-time Latin position in a high school, which is really exactly what I want. Here's to hoping I make it to round 2 for a demo lesson!

Paperwork

Now that one of my jobs has ended, I once again have the majority of the morning to myself. Since I don't know what to do with myself (what? I don't have to go teach, plan lessons, or grade papers in the same volume I used to have to do?), I've been getting my act together with the certification process I had started on back in the fall, before I took on the maternity leave position. Today, I *FINALLY* submitted the proper paperwork to get my substitute teaching license... I call it an accomplishment. I was going to mail my CE paperwork for my English certificate (I think everything is in there; I just want it IN), but I guess that will wait until Thursday. Thursday, I am also supposed to go and get more paperwork filled out for another job that I'm taking on at the school where I did the maternity leave position as a teacher's aide, but we'll see... The principal has been so busy she hasn't called the office where I need to go, which is kinda good because it gives me all this down time to get stuff for myself done. I've even been studying for my Latin certification exam, which I still need to schedule, but if these free days keep going, I'll be able to do that without a problem.

The one nagging thought in my mind (well, there's more than one, but this is one of them) is when I plan to go back to grad school. That is still a dream that has not yet been fulfilled, and teaching Latin and seeing the kids really get into Roman culture etc continually reminds me why I fell in love with classical languages in the first place. I do like teaching, and I think maybe with more time and experience I could really be good at this; however, my desire to think at levels that are far above the K-12 sphere is still unfulfilled. I know I want at least a masters degree in Classics, maybe a PhD; yet, my life is moving forward in ways that wouldn't be possible by going back to school for the subject I love. Financially, I really need to be working to support myself and help my family out; artistically, I really should be going back to school and crying over late night papers and translating until my eyes fall out. That's the stuff I really love; I miss the analysis over great works in the original language and exploring the literary and human depth of the classics. It's stuff I can't have in it's great fullness in a K-12 classroom, and to a certain extent, I'm okay with that because my students need to learn the basics before they can get to that point. I know what a profound impact my experience with Latin in high school had on me, and I can thank all three teachers who got me to this point; I think my job is worthwhile if I can have that same impact on another budding classicist, even if it means that sacrifice. I know some of my students have an interest in the subject and plan to keep going when they reach high school, and I hope they do. I guess the desire will continue to bother me for a little while longer before I give up and just go back.

8th Grade English Ended!

My last day was March 8. I LOVED everything about it - the teachers, the location, the students, the subject, etc. I accomplished so many things in that classroom. I got experience making modifications for IEP students and using the Smartboard; I also got practice using essential questions and I got familiar with common core standards. I feel like a success. My co-teacher said she loved working with me and that I have the teacher gift. The principal also loved what I did and how I tried to push the 8th grade to prepare for high school that she offered me a job as a teacher's aide since nothing else was available at the time.

Let me take this moment and take stock of what I've got for next year:

I have a couple of leads on Latin teacher jobs for next year. The charter school for whom I did the standards-based curriculum guide wants me as a Latin teacher; this other job I heard about through a Classics professor and it's in Skillman, part-time, but public high school, so more benefits and pay. If I liked it, I would relocate and teach down there. Already looks promising.

Right now:

1. Sylvan (4-5 days a week)
2. WyzAnt Latin tutoring (4 days a week, usually after Sylvan)
3. Catholic school 1 (Wednesday)
4. Catholic school 2 (haven't started yet, but would probably be 4 days a week plus any subbing they want me to do)

I do these regularly, but there are some extra things I do as well, like helping out a teacher in town, but she is moving (actually the reason for the vacancy at the charter school previously mentioned). My schedule is pretty full!

I am trying to get all my paperwork in order to find a full-time job for next year. While I like all my jobs individually, teaching requires a lot of energy; teaching in multiple places requires a LOT of energy. I have no time for myself or for other people. I spend a lot of time and I get paid an hourly rate; compared to some people, I am making not a bad bit of money, but because I live at home, I am saving that money. Nevertheless, I do a lot of work at home that I don't get compensated for: creating assessments, homework assignments, grading, emails, updating the website, etc. I don't mind it; however, I don't have a salary or my own benefits. It's worthwhile work and I like doing it, but I would be better investing my time and talent in ONE place, instead of having to supplement the income in other places. So, a full-time job is ideal!!

...

Some weeks are harder than others.

Bronchitis

Hi, all! I just want to say that as a teacher, it's your worst nightmare to be sick. Ever. I have a stack of paperwork as thick as one of the "Harry Potter" books and worse, it's all due Thursday. No worries, though - I'm only going to be getting the full load Wednesday night.

20 First-Year Teacher Tips

If anyone wants me to cover a specific topic, just let me know and I'll write a post! :) Today's post, I am dedicating to someone who reached out to me on Facebook and was asking about tips. I talk way too much, so I decided to make a blog post.

So, I'll preface this by saying the thing every professor of education ever says... There are so many unknowns and every situation is unique. There's no "one" answer to classroom problems; it depends on the personality of your class, the personality of the teacher, the situation, etc. With that said, I'm hoping to create a list of universals that can be individually applied, based on lessons I've learned during my first year teaching experience. I'm going to focus on what going to class doesn't teach you, so no Bloom's Taxonomy here.

Also know that my teaching experience is unique and has a set of challenges most teachers don't have (teaching at one school once a week and a second school four days a week). I have had to adapt and overcome these obstacles, or at least to make the obstacles more manageable.

1. Listen to advice of teachers. They have techniques and knowledge that have been practically applied.

2. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARENTS. Never have a parent coming to you asking, "Why didn't you tell me Johnny was getting a D?" or something like it as much as you can. It is never a pleasant conversation; no matter what Johnny did or didn't do to earn that grade, it will be seen as your fault. You have to be on top of your game from marking period one - having all the grades in on time, informing the parents well ahead of time. Otherwise, grades have a snowball effect - if one marking period is off, somehow, every marking period is off, one way or another.

If parents don't see you as working toward the success of your child, they will see you as an enemy. Make sure you have a good relationship with the parents. This was one of my *top* newbie errors. If you don't have clear communication, it will easily make your job extremely unpleasant. There have been days that I didn't think I'd make it to the end of another week. The other thing is this: sometimes, you have support. Most times, you're on your own.

If you do end up in a situation like this, always stay calm and listen to the parents. They are there out of concern for their child, not because they hate you. Always show appreciation for their input and for their concern and involvement, and always find something positive (and truthful) to say about their child. Be able to defend your position with paperwork. Always greet them with a smile and make them feel at ease before any meeting starts. Even the most intimidating meetings will have a positive outcome if you do these things.

Just remember, though: you are the teacher.

Meeting with parents is always enlightening. Everyone walks away learning something. It always has a positive outcome, even if it doesn't always make you feel good or stress-free. Always look for the positive.

3. Be organized. Know where you keep everything. Grade everything within one week of getting it, and then record the grade on paper and electronically. Know who's missing what and inform those students regularly. If it becomes a chronic issue, alert a parent. Parents can be a strong force and have the power to affect how a student performs and acts in your class.

4. Take the first day or week for setting up classroom management strategies and learning everyone's name. I have had fewer problems this year because I spent day one SOLELY on why we were learning and what I expected.

5. Come up with some hand signal or something that means "be quiet"/"pay attention" (in an age-appropriate way). There is no reason you should have to humiliate yourself and scream and lose your voice (or sound whiny) to quiet a room. Have some respect for your vocal cords - you already use them quite a bit in this profession, and even the best class will get cabin fever and start acting out. There have been many a day I have come home with a slightly sore throat.

6. Love your students, even when it's tough. I genuinely love my students because they are very unique. Sometimes, the uniqueness involves quirky behavior, for which you must continually correct them. Love doesn't mean "like". There are some days I don't like what they do, to me or to other students. I love them always because I always want the best for them - success, happiness; discovering how to be a good human being. ALWAYS AND UNCONDITIONALLY.

7. Be positive about work and be professional at all times. Social media is NOT the outlet for work stress, minor or major. If you have a problem, talk to that person like an adult. If that person is a student, talk to his or her parent. Never say anything you wouldn't want someone else to quote. Besides, no one cares if you complain, and everyone loves a cheerful giver.

8. Be confident. Fake it until you make it. Teaching is maybe 5% what you know and 95% being able to go with the flow and make executive decisions on the spot. The kids look to you to be an authority - you need to be that for them, no matter how imperfect you are. You're not God - you're the adult in the room. Be the leaf and go with the flow.

9. Be prepared to lose your weekends. Teaching is the only profession where it's expected that you work on your own time at home and not get paid for it, volunteer after school, go to staff meetings, and still go above and beyond for your job. I have spent many weekends lesson planning, grading, creating assignments, and trying to think of ways to make it all fun all at once - and I am working 4-5 part-time jobs and making a pittance. I don't even work full-time. You must LOVE what you do. At the same time, a certain amount of organization and time during the week helps decrease the amount you do on your days off. This job is more stressful than you expect, even if you're prepared. With that said, it won't kill you to have a weekend out if you need it to feel like a human being once in a while.

10. Know that you want to be a teacher BEFORE you enter the profession. Get some experience doing something minor scale first. Listen to the feedback you get. If it's very good, take it as a good sign and go from there. If not, truly consider changing careers - it's only going to get harder from there.

11. Focus on other people when you are not at work. This may just be me, but if someone asks me about teaching, I will destroy conversations because I can discuss it forever - and I'm a blabber mouth, so I might say good and bad. I made it a policy in my personal life NOT to talk about work unless I have to, or I have some short and entertaining/lighthearted tale to tell. I would rather hear about YOUR day than tell you about mine.

12. Be prepared to no longer be "cool". You may be young and vibrant and know all the latest bands etc, but the minute it comes out of your mouth, you are "old" and not cool. Be personable and relatable, but give up on cool. Remember: you're the adult in the room.

13. Avoid gossip and negative people.

14. Get to know your students and stay after school. I try very hard to give students EVERY chance to succeed, and I will do what it takes.

15. Dress professionally. How you dress is how people will treat you. If you dress as though you're a force to be reckoned with, and have an attitude to match, you will be treated as such. Plus, older students (and other teachers!) recognize a sweet outfit and they love it! Compliments always make the day go just a little more smoothly.

16. When you are burning out, realize that you are human, not a work machine, and respect your human needs. Lonely? Contact a friend. Sick? Sleep, take the time off. Stressed? Give yourself the weekend. Exercise. Whatever you like to do, make some time for. You are not a slave. You are a teacher. It is a lot of work, but you must be ready to face the classroom every day. The kids need it, you need it, everyone needs it. Be kind to you.

17. Use group work and projects, but use it wisely. This is one of those classroom management things... Everyone wants to be that teacher the kids love, but if you don't structure your activities right, everyone will be unhappy no matter how lovely you are. I find if I just do group work, someone never has their work done because he or she goofed off all class. I like using jigsaw groups, because everyone in the group has a purpose. Fun is fine, but it needs focus.

18. Use rubrics. It's great you assigned a project.... Not so great when you have 113 to grade and then don't know what to do with them all. Rubrics save SO MUCH TIME!!!!!! It also prevents the agony of "do I give this kid an A or a B+?" It also helps the kids understand your expectations so they can produce the best work possible - and that's what you want, right!?!

19. Familiarize with how your subject area is applied outside the classroom, and always look up research in your field (or know where to point curious kids). Kids have TONS of questions - some related to your lesson, some not, and others that are things you've never thought of. You can pick and choose the questions you answer - you want to maximize the time you have.

20. NEVER say or believe that your kids are "dumb" or "stupid" or "bad" or "can't learn" - intelligence is *not* the reason kids fail. I believe that 100% based on the data I've collected for two marking periods.

There is more I could say, but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. Again, I'll take requests for topics! For now, I've talked more than enough...

Teacher Humor

Michael Sloan, Classicist, Writes in Defense of Liberal Arts

As a teacher of the liberal arts, I am a firm believer that what is needed more today than ever is a liberal arts education. The modern world seems to ask its next generation to become a machine, able to compute on demand; I have nothing against other disciplines and I believe STEM is a fantastic thing and I think everyone interested, especially women, should pursue it. Nevertheless, without the humanities, a proper education is incomplete, and the idea that what it teaches are "unemployable" skills is erroneous and flawed. The humanities teach the next generation and future generations how to THINK, how to BE human, how to communicate effectively, share ideas, etc. These are incredibly necessary skills. They are not any less necessary or less important than "employable" and "practical" skills.

I came across this article on Twitter; it is not mine. I have posted the link to the original article.
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Original Article:

http://www.journalnow.com/opinion/columnists/article_35bf399c-7185-11e2-99e9-001a4bcf6878.html

Posted: Friday, February 8, 2013 12:00 am | Updated: 7:45 am, Fri Feb 8, 2013.

Wake Forest University

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s comments on national radio suggest that taxpayer dollars supporting women’s and gender studies and philosophy classes is wasted money. Those programs, along with many others perceived as academic pursuits “that have no chance of getting people jobs,” are headed for the fiscal chopping block. According to McCrory, liberal arts studies do not lead to employment. The problem is, he’s wrong.

In fact, 95 percent of survey respondents from Wake Forest University’s class of 2012 reported either being employed or in graduate school six months after graduation. Nearly 31 percent of them remain in North Carolina. If history and philosophy and classics majors can’t find success after college, how can a liberal arts university such as Wake Forest account for these numbers?

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently published its Job Outlook 2013 Survey, which identifies the core competencies employers seek in college graduates. These skills correspond very strongly with the content and skills acquired through a liberal arts education. The survey identifies communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking and organization. Communication, which includes the ability to listen to others and articulate one’s own thoughts, rated first in nine out of the last 10 years.

As a classics professor, I come to class every day preparing my students for good jobs, but perhaps more importantly, equipping them with the necessary tools for creative and broad thinking — the type of intellectual training that does not merely fill available jobs but creates new ones.

Classics, a field all too familiar with the chopping block — and the one I know best — is primarily the study of Greek and Latin languages and their literatures. In the classroom, students learn to translate Greek or Latin into spoken and/or written English. After conceptually organizing its wider historical context, they critically examine and interpret the material. Finally, they integrate the lessons with their own perceptions and observations. What we do every day, in every class, hones the very skills the NACE reports that employers want.

Let us not forget the lesson offered by Sophocles’ “Ajax,” a canonical work of the classics. Ajax, a mountain of a man, was a mighty hero with a limited set of skills, however, the burgeoning Greek democracy required a new type of hero: one who was articulate, creative and a good leader. Greece required people like Odysseus; the strength of Ajax was of lesser value, and his demise was tragic.

“Liberal arts” is a phrase taken from the Latin, artes liberales , which means “the skills of a free person.” Pursuing the liberal arts in depth broadens our moral and intellectual horizons. Should we be as narrow-minded as our immediate surroundings? No. We must explore the thoughts, deeds and actions of others who have come before us, so as to forge a broader road on which we all may travel with a greater sense of identity and promise for the future. Martin Luther King Jr. (religion), J.K. Rowling (classics), David Packard of HP (classics) and Condoleezza Rice (political science) became great not through narrow skill but liberal training. Do we not realize that job creation is the work of creative minds, wise leaders and broad thinkers? Do we seek to fill only those jobs that currently exist and effectively inhibit new avenues for greater job creation?
What the governor, who is himself a liberal arts graduate, proposes is not higher education but lower.

Classics and other disciplines in a liberal arts curriculum offer students a rare opportunity to listen to the minds of their ancestors, wrestle with profound questions and better understand human behavior. Global leaders recognize that students from a liberal arts environment emerge with nimble and adaptable minds trained to wrestle with complex ideas and discover innovative solutions — essential in our uncertain world. Why should North Carolina be any different? North Carolina citizens should hope Homer and Odysseus are not headed out to sea.
The governor’s assessment is wrong. Classics and other liberal arts studies help students develop skills that are transferable to the career opportunities of the 21st century. Industry and technology change quickly and, for the most part, humans do not.

In his interview with Bill Bennett, McCrory said, “If you want to take gender studies, that’s fine, go to a private school and take it. But I don’t want to subsidize that if that’s not going to get someone a job.”

Depriving students in North Carolina’s public university system the opportunity to develop employers’ sought-after skills is at best short-sighted, but in reality, counterproductive. We don’t need less study of the disciplines named and implied, we need more. A complex world requires versatile and visionary leaders. That’s why liberal arts programs have been — and will continue to be — the natural breeding ground for our future leaders.






Michael Sloan is an assistant professor of classical languages at Wake Forest University. The Journal welcomes original submissions for guest columns on local, regional and statewide topics. Essay length should not exceed 750 words. The writer should have some authority for writing about his or her subject. Our email address is: Letters@wsjournal.com. Essays may also be mailed to: The Readers’ Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Please include your name and address and a daytime telephone number.

© 2013 Winston-Salem Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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