About two weeks ago my son, Joey, was assigned a research paper. He did not have a clue where to start. He said that in all his years at Analy High School no teacher taught him how to do a research paper. As much as I am reluctant to walk my students through all of the steps necessary for a good research paper, I am beginning one with my sophomores today. We have just finished reading Black Boy and I will let them choose topics that deal with civil rights or African American History. Today they will look at different kinds of references, touch on how to evaluate articles, and give them an overview of the process for the next two weeks.
It has made me think about writing a book on writing a research paper, something to do in my spare time. I visited a couple of book stores over the weekend and didn't find a satisfactory book. There are some good Internet sources such as http://www.aresearchguide.com/ and http://www.virtualsalt.com/. But book that gives a step by step process that would help a student like my son, would be the best.
Today I have put up a time line for the next two weeks. Today they will create a reference on an index card as a first step. The librarian will give them a little talk on different kinds of sources and they will come up with a tentative topic. On Thursday they must have their topic honed down, an extended bibliography by Monday, a typed outline by Tuesday, index cards filled out by Thursday and a first draft due the following Monday.
I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
California Schools in Disaster Mode
I have had this entire week off, then on Saturday, I had my first obligation to work, a five hour meeting with my union. Members come from all over Northern California to coordinate activities, report on committee progress and solve problems that administrations have forced upon us, "the workers".
In case you haven't noticed the future for education in California looks bleak even disastrous for students from kindergarten to final years of university with few prospects for improvement. California was first in the United States for education in 1978 and now it forty eight out of fifty (48th of 50 states). The spending per student in California is $2400 less than the average of spending per student in the United States. The neglect of education in California has been a steady slide from 1978 to now. Of course, I have an easy solution- tax the rich.
On a personal level, two very valuable classes that I taught at Analy High School were dropped because of funding cuts last year- Computer Skills. I will not spend too much time praising the value of my program, but many students have little or no access to computers at home. And how does one develop the skills to write a business letter, do a research paper, create a cogent presentation, or make oneself known on the the Internet without a demanding computer skills class?
So we, as a union just in this county, have planned many activities for March fourth.
Sonoma County Actions for March 4th
1. Half page ad in the Press Democrat (donations encouraged)
2. Get student input (perhaps leadership or writing slogans, making badges)
3. Diaster Drill- Under teacher supervision students will exit the building as if it is a fire or earthquake drill- a symbolic gesture to point out the disastrous state of California Schools.
4. Give out "Palm cards". Palm Cards have a little summary of what citizens can do to call attention to the situation.
5. Sign Petitions - Corporate Loopholes (possible the 55% passage on budget).
6. Take photos of your action and send 2 of them to Redwood council- our regional union chapter.
7. Wear your school colors and logos.
8. Put empty chairs in front of the school - one to match each person in the district pink slipped - classified, certificated and administrative. Color paper pink ( for "pink slips" or layoff notices) or black for the occasion.
9. Post your photos at Stand Up For Schools site sponsored by the California Teachers Association.
10. Start a countdown on Monday (ten days).
Our big action is to have a "disaster drill". In California the usual disasters are fire, flood and earthquake. We must do drills several times a year. We decided that to make a statement to the press and the central government in Sacramento we should stage a drill that signifies "Disaster for Education" in California. All students and teachers go out of their rooms and stand in a field to show that our schools are in a state of disaster.
Our superintendent prefers a much more conservative stand. We want to involve students, staff, administration and parents- really anyone who has a stake in the education of children from California. He does not want to do a disaster drill. I suggested that students for 20 minutes join hands outside the school to symbolize a protective stance for our school. He really should support us because he has the backing of his union and also the superintendent of Sonoma County schools (his boss).
We as teachers will join together with other teachers in our district to do a march to the central square in Sebastopol to protest the budget cuts. Even our conservative superintendent supports this move. And I expect that not only all of our teacher will join in this action but the clerical staff, administrators and any other employees of the district.
So, as I write in my blog late on a Sunday night, I realize that this message is for all members of the community who are interested in showing to the state and even the world, the desperate state of education in California. We must make some strong stand to captivate the press, agitate the public and shake the money interests in California. I know that kindergarten teachers to university professors join in this plea. Even out of state and out of country, the state of schools is an issue to pay attention to. There are two trends that contribute to the degeneration of schools, the present economic crisis and the movement to take monies away from public education.
As a last desperate addition, I will express my reason for retiring next year from my much loved teaching career. I have watched the down-slide of education funding in California. I have seen the class sizes continually increase. I have seen so many great programs be dropped. They even turn the heat off at noon in our school to save money. Summer schools and libraries are on the chopping block. I have seen hours cut for teachers, too many layoffs and librarians soon to be a vanishing species. I love my students and I love my job. And I would still love to continue to teach but not under the conditions that have squeezed every last concession.
I will forward this blog to everyone on my email list because I feel so passionately about these issues. My apologies if you do not understand it or if you have another opinion.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
The Babe Ruth Card
I have had a two week crash course in how to sell baseball cards. My father-in-law, Bill had a collection of 21 cards that belonged to his father. He made me the primo agent to put them out on the market and sell them. My preliminary research on ebay came up with a $10,000 price tag on a card that looked pretty much the same as the one that I had in my possession. Yet it has been difficult to produce research on the exact card because many were issued around the country under a variety of sponsorships.
The ten thousand dollar card was, of course, Babe Ruth. Let me flash back a month or so when Bill asked me to see what I could do with the card. There were 21 of them attached by glue to a very old backing. I told him that the first thing we must do is to get a professional to remove them from the backing. Fortunately we know a trained museum trained paper restorer. She carefully removed the cards from the backs and charged us a reasonable $325 or so.
I searched the Internet for people that I thought to be knowledgeable and reputable dealers. I found a straightforward website that gave a straightforward way to grade the cards. I scanned all of the cards and personally rated them according to the method recommended on the site. I sent the man an email with cards delineated and graded along with careful scans of both front and back of the cards. I wrote him a nice honest and friendly email. I heard nothing for a week, so I decided to call him. He answered me from Florida and said, "Oh, sorry that I have not gotten back to you. I was buying a $40,000 collection here." This sounded to me a little like bragging, although I checked his credentials and found that he graduated from a Catholic University. I threw this at him. "Oh, I looked into your history and saw that you went to a Catholic University..." He strangely replied, "Oh, it was Catholic in name only and actually, I have some problems with the way the new Catholicism is run..." The more he talked about this, the more wacko he sounded to me. He promised me that he would get back to me by Monday at the latest, and Monday is passed and gone.
On Monday, Valentine's Day, Bill was here for his son's (visiting from New Mexico) birthday party. We discussed my progress with the cards and I showed him the newly restored cards. He was very impressed. We both laughed about the possible $10,000 figure for the Babe Ruth card.
On Tuesday, I decided to do some more research. It was then I found a "Ruth" card on ebay listed for $20,000. I found that cards, to receive more, must be graded by a professional independent grader. I thought I found one local in Rohnert Park, but when I called a card shop in Rohnert Park, he told me that the place had been out of business for four years. But he wanted to see my cards.
Joe struck me as an honest man first. He enjoyed looking at the cards, but mostly our chat was informal. He said that he had a friend who had money who might be interested in the cards. "I'll get back to you on the weekend," he said. He called back the next day (three times) telling me that his friend, the well off tax lawyer wanted to meet with me and see the cards.
When I talked to Fred, the lawyer, on the phone he was friendly and unassuming. We talked on the phone. I could hear the excitement in his voice and, I was sure he was going to make me an offer. I called Bill and we decided on a price: $10,000 for the Ruth and $5000 for the rest of the cards.
I met Fred in his office in Rohnert Park. Just after we shook hands he took the folder and opened to see the cards. He took one out and held it carefully close to his eyes, then smelled it. He then spent about 15 minutes in non stop dialogue about the cards. "Don't mind me," he said, as carefully looked and smelled each card, "I talk to myself as do this." At first he was skeptical about the authenticity of the cards. They did not have that "old card smell" that he loved so much.
I asked him if he knew John Spalding, a well known figure, former sports writer and parent of Donna's high school friend. Of course, he knew John. They had done some transactions together. "John saw these?" he said. I explained that John had just talked to Bill about them briefly. He finally said that he decided that they were authentic. But the cards from the caramel company used thicker paper and the writing on the back was so much more sophisticated, but these certainly were one of a kind. "I can't believe the condition that these are in- just beautiful, perfect corners." Then he told me that these were cut, but beautiful and he suggested that I get them graded as I had intended to do. He said the quality was just not the same as the ones from the caramel company, but that somebody would be interested in buying them. After a long conversation about the cards, I shook hands and left. He asked me to keep in contact and tell him how the process goes.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Inpromptu Band
I have been relaxing this past week, a great feeling. They call it ski week, a week of no school somehow that has extended "Dead Presidents' Day" to new lengths. It will not happen next year.
As I relaxed at the computer in my basement nook, I heard Donna come in the door. "Didn't you hear the phone ring?" she said. "No," I answered. "I was listening to the radio." It would have make no difference for I had no transportation except foot to meet her. She had taken Joey to a gig fundraiser for Haiti Relief. Jesse had enlisted the help of several of his friends to play for a "Fat Tuesday" fundraiser. "They need a guitar player." She said. "All the friends of Jesse flaked out."
I grabbed my guitar, amps, charts and new "electro mando" and we headed for Santa Rosa. Two boys sat there waiting for the rest of the band. I set up and we started with "When the Saints...", then "Saint James Infirmary". when Huck showed up to play piano, then Autumn Leaves and on to standards. For 16 years old Jesse plays a awesome sax. Joey is always right on with the drumming. Huck has a great style on the keyboard, but a little on the slow side for my Django heart.
Huck and Jess played everything in different keys than I did. Alas, my brain worked overtime to get most of the right chords in there. I used some of my own charts and did some mental gyrations to transpose most of the tunes. Strangely the band sounded tight- at least this is what we heard from the enthusiastically grateful audience. Despite my diminishing "laryngitis voice" I attempted to sing Sentimental Journey. Miracle of all, it was a very fun gig for a good cause. I posited that we only played five songs, but Donna said that we were up there for an hour and a half.
We helped raise ( I don't know how much) for Haiti, but the organizer seemed pleased. Also I wss happy to play a gig with my little boy.
As I relaxed at the computer in my basement nook, I heard Donna come in the door. "Didn't you hear the phone ring?" she said. "No," I answered. "I was listening to the radio." It would have make no difference for I had no transportation except foot to meet her. She had taken Joey to a gig fundraiser for Haiti Relief. Jesse had enlisted the help of several of his friends to play for a "Fat Tuesday" fundraiser. "They need a guitar player." She said. "All the friends of Jesse flaked out."
I grabbed my guitar, amps, charts and new "electro mando" and we headed for Santa Rosa. Two boys sat there waiting for the rest of the band. I set up and we started with "When the Saints...", then "Saint James Infirmary". when Huck showed up to play piano, then Autumn Leaves and on to standards. For 16 years old Jesse plays a awesome sax. Joey is always right on with the drumming. Huck has a great style on the keyboard, but a little on the slow side for my Django heart.
Huck and Jess played everything in different keys than I did. Alas, my brain worked overtime to get most of the right chords in there. I used some of my own charts and did some mental gyrations to transpose most of the tunes. Strangely the band sounded tight- at least this is what we heard from the enthusiastically grateful audience. Despite my diminishing "laryngitis voice" I attempted to sing Sentimental Journey. Miracle of all, it was a very fun gig for a good cause. I posited that we only played five songs, but Donna said that we were up there for an hour and a half.
We helped raise ( I don't know how much) for Haiti, but the organizer seemed pleased. Also I wss happy to play a gig with my little boy.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Substitutes Beware
Yesterday I went to the MacWorld (Apple Show) at Moscone Center in San Francisco with my son. It necessitated having a substitute teacher in my sophomore classes. We have a totally automated sub service now and I chose my sub from a long list of names (a sign of the desperate job situation here) - none of which I knew. I chose a person whose name sounded familiar to me, but I did not know at all. She at least had a local phone number. I wrote her an email but never heard from her.
I took a long time to plan the lesson and unfortunately it was a day where students
On my way to school I saw Jeremy and asked him how things went. "They were messin' with her." was his answer.
"Hello, yes, Period 4 was difficult, many behaviors, too much noise and wisecracks, but not too bad. No real problems, and by the end of the class they were all being very cool. They helped each other with sentences. They were all demanding too much time to rehearse presentation and loud during presentations... extra slashes for talking during the presentations..."
I am ready to finish this entry. It is Sunday night. I have left my desk as it is, along with all of the negative comments about my students. Just to leave you with a message: Substitutes Beware. Perhaps I will finish this entry at another time.
I took a long time to plan the lesson and unfortunately it was a day where students
On my way to school I saw Jeremy and asked him how things went. "They were messin' with her." was his answer.
"Hello, yes, Period 4 was difficult, many behaviors, too much noise and wisecracks, but not too bad. No real problems, and by the end of the class they were all being very cool. They helped each other with sentences. They were all demanding too much time to rehearse presentation and loud during presentations... extra slashes for talking during the presentations..."
I am ready to finish this entry. It is Sunday night. I have left my desk as it is, along with all of the negative comments about my students. Just to leave you with a message: Substitutes Beware. Perhaps I will finish this entry at another time.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Administrative Hubris
Yesterday at the faculty meeting our principal, Chris, introduced the subject in the following way. "Maybe I shouldn't be bringing this up, but I noticed that a significant number of teachers are out on Thursday and Friday. And coming before the long ski week I can't help thinking that there are some people taking advantage of the situation. So if you have to go back and visit your sick Uncle John, I can understand that. And I know that you are not obligated to do this, but I would appreciate a heads up."
I am taking Thursday off to go to the Apple Show in San Francisco. Somehow in my head I started making justifications. I also felt angry at him that he was making such a request. When I got back to my room I fired off a quick email: Something like "For the record: I bought tickets for a show in the city back in October with no idea when ski week was. Also I intend to join my cousin from back East, his girlfriend and my son on Friday February 26 for a wine tasting."
I talked to Donna about his comment and about my email reaction. She says administrators are always trying to but in where they don't belong. "You work hard and they should respect that. They have a system of substitutes to take over when you are not there." She is right. Now I regret even writing this email. Yet I thought by sending it to him I might embarrass him a little by the detail of my answer. But in honesty I think that there is a little of "cover my ass". It is "cover my ass" when I do not need to cover my ass. I retire in June.
These negotiated days were hard fought by our union to get administration's nose out of our business. I know that he likes having a good relationship with the teachers, but his kind of comment destroy the trust and relationship. It is kind of a administrative knee-jerk reaction. As a principal, Chris gains from the sheer ineptitude of our last principal, but he will erode good will from making comments like this. It is less than professional.
I am taking Thursday off to go to the Apple Show in San Francisco. Somehow in my head I started making justifications. I also felt angry at him that he was making such a request. When I got back to my room I fired off a quick email: Something like "For the record: I bought tickets for a show in the city back in October with no idea when ski week was. Also I intend to join my cousin from back East, his girlfriend and my son on Friday February 26 for a wine tasting."
I talked to Donna about his comment and about my email reaction. She says administrators are always trying to but in where they don't belong. "You work hard and they should respect that. They have a system of substitutes to take over when you are not there." She is right. Now I regret even writing this email. Yet I thought by sending it to him I might embarrass him a little by the detail of my answer. But in honesty I think that there is a little of "cover my ass". It is "cover my ass" when I do not need to cover my ass. I retire in June.
These negotiated days were hard fought by our union to get administration's nose out of our business. I know that he likes having a good relationship with the teachers, but his kind of comment destroy the trust and relationship. It is kind of a administrative knee-jerk reaction. As a principal, Chris gains from the sheer ineptitude of our last principal, but he will erode good will from making comments like this. It is less than professional.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Counting the Days
On Saturday I purchase my round trip airplane ticket to Rome. I will travel by Portuguese Airlines to Portugal then arrive in Rome midday, Friday June 11th. I notified Bill and he and Maya will probably not arrive until the following Monday. It will give me time to visit Pompey and perhaps even a short jaunt to Napoli. I will spend four weeks in Italy with perhaps a week or so traveling to Slovenia and Vienna.
It will be semi- retirement for me. I hope to line up some kind of work. Who knows, maybe in Italy. The possible choices are many. On the extreme side my son and I were talking about creating a coffee stand for local festivals. On the more conventional side perhaps I'll teach a couple of classes at the community college. I am leaving my options open for other kinds of work too. I just need to revive my resume and get my Linked In account
It will be semi- retirement for me. I hope to line up some kind of work. Who knows, maybe in Italy. The possible choices are many. On the extreme side my son and I were talking about creating a coffee stand for local festivals. On the more conventional side perhaps I'll teach a couple of classes at the community college. I am leaving my options open for other kinds of work too. I just need to revive my resume and get my Linked In account
Monday, February 8, 2010
Huck's Party
HUB BUB for Haiti Link
As you may know my wife, Donna, is part of the Hubbub Club Band. One member, Huck, had a great party on Saturday night- to celebrate some kind of earth holiday. The alcohol supply was relatively small, which probably made for better music. Donna and Yana began with some Balkin singing then led several dances in Huck, relatively spacious living room. Then out came the horns and drums. There was momentary pause in the music and Donna says to me, "Get out your guitar and play something." Then the horns started again.
Then Joey and I decided to do our hit duet "Like a Rolling Stone." I wish I had this group singing with us at the concert we played last weekend. Everyone here sings the chorus at the tops of there voices. Then Joey followed with one of his pirate songs and the accordion. Huck got on the piano and played kind of a honky tonk one four five progression and I improvised a series of songs. Since we were still in one four five we sang, La Bamba, Twist and Shout and a few other. People said that they could actually hear me singing over the sousaphone.
Phyllis knows a lot of tunes from various lands. We played about a half dozen duets- from Mexican waltzes to Irish polkas. Phyllis has great energy. I look forward to a time where I have enough time to play in such a duet.
As you may know my wife, Donna, is part of the Hubbub Club Band. One member, Huck, had a great party on Saturday night- to celebrate some kind of earth holiday. The alcohol supply was relatively small, which probably made for better music. Donna and Yana began with some Balkin singing then led several dances in Huck, relatively spacious living room. Then out came the horns and drums. There was momentary pause in the music and Donna says to me, "Get out your guitar and play something." Then the horns started again.
Then Joey and I decided to do our hit duet "Like a Rolling Stone." I wish I had this group singing with us at the concert we played last weekend. Everyone here sings the chorus at the tops of there voices. Then Joey followed with one of his pirate songs and the accordion. Huck got on the piano and played kind of a honky tonk one four five progression and I improvised a series of songs. Since we were still in one four five we sang, La Bamba, Twist and Shout and a few other. People said that they could actually hear me singing over the sousaphone.
Phyllis knows a lot of tunes from various lands. We played about a half dozen duets- from Mexican waltzes to Irish polkas. Phyllis has great energy. I look forward to a time where I have enough time to play in such a duet.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Missing in Action (updated)
My third period history class- Am I complaining? I think that I am. I looked at my third period class today and eight people were gone- ostensibly for real reasons. I spent a good two hours of my preparation time today trying to track these students down.
The investigation begins. It is as if I do not have enough to do. Of course I expect that all of these students were not doing what they were suppose to be doing. I have a call into the biology teacher. He has a student teacher and he may tell me that he really does' know if Tanner arrived on not. Then I must try and track down his student teacher. Tanner is on a short leash now for a number of infractions, not only in my class but in others.
Here is the latest: as of 3:00 PM today.
*Tanner xxxxxx left at 9:30 to go to a biology test. Did he arrive? Did you release him? At 10:45 AM he is still gone.
Tanner gives me an argument about everything and his behavior is terrible. He is a nice kid, and has the ability to do well but has been crashing in all of his classes lately. I had a call into Roger, his biology teacher, and received the bad news that he never came to take a test.
Update: In class today Tanner actually said he went to Roger's room to make up a test. I don't think that Roger is suffering from Alzheimer's yet.
*Jordon xxxxxx at 9:45 AM said that she was ill and wanted to go to the nurse. Did she ever arrive? What time did she leave? At 10:45 AM she is still gone. Never arrived back. Jordon seems to always get sick in my class. She was doing abysmally then upon calling her parents, I have seen a sudden turn around. I suspect that she really did go to the nurse, but did she stay? I don't know. I must go to the nurse's office at lunch time.
Jordon comes into my room at 1:30 PM with a progress report she want me to sign. "What do you mean never coming back to class?"
She says, "I told you that I was going to the nurse."
I say, "Yea, and you never went to the nurse because I checked."
Jordon: "Well, I went to the library. I didn't feel good."
Me: "Why didn't you go to the nurse like you said you would."
Jordon:"I'm sorry."
Me: "I was just about to write you a referral. I'm calling your mother."
Jordon:(with tears in her eyes)"Oh, please don't call my mother. She will tell me that I can't see my sister this weekend. I'll do anything. I promise. I'll never do that again."
Me: "You bet you'll never do that again in my class. No, trips to the nurse, the library, the office or the bathroom for the rest of the year."
Jordon: "OK, that's fine. Thank you."
Ben xxxxxx left at 9:25 to go to his RSP room. Did he ever arrive? What time did he leave? At 10:30 AM he is still gone? Never arrived back. Ben spends an aweful lot of time in the RSP classroom. That is fine if he is actually doing work. The problem is that Ben's RSP teacher is on medical leave and he has a sub. I walked down to the special ed office. The doors were all open but there was nobody there. The verdict is still unknown. Update: Ben was not in class today.
*Briana xxxxxx, my aid left at 9:45 to show around a “shadow” from Ranch Cotati. Did she have such authorization? Did she ever arrive? What time did she leave? At 10:45 AM she is still gone. Never arrived back. I went to the vice principals' secretary and asked her if Briana had permission to give a tour of campus to this girl who showed up in my class. "Under no circumstances." said Denise in the VP office. Update: I am firing Briana as an aid. She admits she has a bad attitude.
*Jeff xxxxxx left at 9:45 on a call slip to the counselor. Did he ever arrive? What time did he leave? At 10:30 AM he is still gone? Never arrived back. I caught up with Jeff in the library last period with his English class. Because Jeff is doing very badly in all his classes we just had a student study team meeting with his parent, counselor and teachers.
I said to him: "Jeff, what happened? You never returned to class?"
Jeff: "I was seeing Ms. Carol." They never volunteer too much information.
Me: "You were there the whole period?"
Jeff: "Well, they let me out five minutes early and I had to get my book for the next class and blah, blah, blah..."
Me: "You know I'm going to check on this?"
Jeff: "Yea, I know."
Finally, I thought, "Here is a kid with a legitimate excuse."
I went to the counseling office and asked Ms. Carol if she had seen Jeff today.
"No, I haven't seen him at all."
Update: I went to the VP and told him the story. Jeff was called into the VP's office today.
Aaron xxxxxx asked to go to the bathroom. I haven’t seen him for an hour. Never arrived back. I went to see him in his video production class. He swore up and down that he wasn't gone to the bathroom for very long. I will keep a close eye on him from now on. But he slipped through this time.
*Katherine xxxxxx got a call slip. Did she ever arrive? What time did she leave? At 10:45 AM she is still gone? Never arrived back. Update: I told the VP about this situation. The VP called her in. She had the nerve to tell me, "Mr. Lynch, I told you that I was going to the bathroom." "But for the entire period, I replied. What does she take me for?
Those with stars are forbidden from leaving the class even for a bathroom break. They are forewarned and should take care of all needs before class. They have the option of taking a referral to the Vice Principal and some have both.
The investigation begins. It is as if I do not have enough to do. Of course I expect that all of these students were not doing what they were suppose to be doing. I have a call into the biology teacher. He has a student teacher and he may tell me that he really does' know if Tanner arrived on not. Then I must try and track down his student teacher. Tanner is on a short leash now for a number of infractions, not only in my class but in others.
Here is the latest: as of 3:00 PM today.
*Tanner xxxxxx left at 9:30 to go to a biology test. Did he arrive? Did you release him? At 10:45 AM he is still gone.
Tanner gives me an argument about everything and his behavior is terrible. He is a nice kid, and has the ability to do well but has been crashing in all of his classes lately. I had a call into Roger, his biology teacher, and received the bad news that he never came to take a test.
Update: In class today Tanner actually said he went to Roger's room to make up a test. I don't think that Roger is suffering from Alzheimer's yet.
*Jordon xxxxxx at 9:45 AM said that she was ill and wanted to go to the nurse. Did she ever arrive? What time did she leave? At 10:45 AM she is still gone. Never arrived back. Jordon seems to always get sick in my class. She was doing abysmally then upon calling her parents, I have seen a sudden turn around. I suspect that she really did go to the nurse, but did she stay? I don't know. I must go to the nurse's office at lunch time.
Jordon comes into my room at 1:30 PM with a progress report she want me to sign. "What do you mean never coming back to class?"
She says, "I told you that I was going to the nurse."
I say, "Yea, and you never went to the nurse because I checked."
Jordon: "Well, I went to the library. I didn't feel good."
Me: "Why didn't you go to the nurse like you said you would."
Jordon:"I'm sorry."
Me: "I was just about to write you a referral. I'm calling your mother."
Jordon:(with tears in her eyes)"Oh, please don't call my mother. She will tell me that I can't see my sister this weekend. I'll do anything. I promise. I'll never do that again."
Me: "You bet you'll never do that again in my class. No, trips to the nurse, the library, the office or the bathroom for the rest of the year."
Jordon: "OK, that's fine. Thank you."
Ben xxxxxx left at 9:25 to go to his RSP room. Did he ever arrive? What time did he leave? At 10:30 AM he is still gone? Never arrived back. Ben spends an aweful lot of time in the RSP classroom. That is fine if he is actually doing work. The problem is that Ben's RSP teacher is on medical leave and he has a sub. I walked down to the special ed office. The doors were all open but there was nobody there. The verdict is still unknown. Update: Ben was not in class today.
*Briana xxxxxx, my aid left at 9:45 to show around a “shadow” from Ranch Cotati. Did she have such authorization? Did she ever arrive? What time did she leave? At 10:45 AM she is still gone. Never arrived back. I went to the vice principals' secretary and asked her if Briana had permission to give a tour of campus to this girl who showed up in my class. "Under no circumstances." said Denise in the VP office. Update: I am firing Briana as an aid. She admits she has a bad attitude.
*Jeff xxxxxx left at 9:45 on a call slip to the counselor. Did he ever arrive? What time did he leave? At 10:30 AM he is still gone? Never arrived back. I caught up with Jeff in the library last period with his English class. Because Jeff is doing very badly in all his classes we just had a student study team meeting with his parent, counselor and teachers.
I said to him: "Jeff, what happened? You never returned to class?"
Jeff: "I was seeing Ms. Carol." They never volunteer too much information.
Me: "You were there the whole period?"
Jeff: "Well, they let me out five minutes early and I had to get my book for the next class and blah, blah, blah..."
Me: "You know I'm going to check on this?"
Jeff: "Yea, I know."
Finally, I thought, "Here is a kid with a legitimate excuse."
I went to the counseling office and asked Ms. Carol if she had seen Jeff today.
"No, I haven't seen him at all."
Update: I went to the VP and told him the story. Jeff was called into the VP's office today.
Aaron xxxxxx asked to go to the bathroom. I haven’t seen him for an hour. Never arrived back. I went to see him in his video production class. He swore up and down that he wasn't gone to the bathroom for very long. I will keep a close eye on him from now on. But he slipped through this time.
*Katherine xxxxxx got a call slip. Did she ever arrive? What time did she leave? At 10:45 AM she is still gone? Never arrived back. Update: I told the VP about this situation. The VP called her in. She had the nerve to tell me, "Mr. Lynch, I told you that I was going to the bathroom." "But for the entire period, I replied. What does she take me for?
Those with stars are forbidden from leaving the class even for a bathroom break. They are forewarned and should take care of all needs before class. They have the option of taking a referral to the Vice Principal and some have both.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
My Freshman
We were just finishing the Odyssey in both my freshman classes. They have really liked reading it, watching the film and discussing the story. I decided for a final activity that I would find pictures of all the gods and goddesses mentioned in the Odyssey and show them. Each would take one god or goddess, draw it and put in the relevant information. As simple as it sounds, they loved this. The boys were arguing about which god could beat which god. They just took the assignment and ran with it. Both groups are a joy to teach.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Grading
I begin by saying that I hate grading in school. By the time that students are in high school they have either become point hogs, or given up. We have trained them in this way all through school and university is little different. But I have become part of the system. Perhaps for lack of imagination I participate in the system. This is only an introduction to a related subject.
I thought that I set up the history class in such a way that all students could experience success. There are extra curricular parts of my class that involve no grading. From the beginning I said that I would tell stories of history by means of films and I would come up with a new idea every day- mostly from my book called Ideas. Students get their points by taking notes from the book. The book is also on line as well as sample tests. I actually use the sample tests on line. I have showed my students where the questions are so they can practice them until they are all correct. Most of their grade is the well taken notes and scores on the test.
As of today, progress report time for the third quarter there are 2 A's, 5 B's, 1 C, 5 D's and 9 F's. I find it disgrace. In a discussion with my class someone mentioned that they were too lazy to look up the questions. That was a moment of truth. I finally agreed to give them the questions ahead of time but not the choices or the answers.
As the first progress reports come, tensions are rising in my fourth period. Because it is a full class (33), and they as a group are not very well behaved, I have instituted my point system for good and bad behavior. Good behavior gets 10 points- easy. I take a point off for each bad behavior or five off for being late or ten off for a major infraction. One of my badly behaved students who usually get a fat zero for each day's bad behavior argues that I should not count behavior and that he really should have a "B". I argue that good behavior is fundemental to a good learning environment. I told him, "If you can come up with another behavior plan that will work to make you behave yourself in class, I will go for it."
I thought that I set up the history class in such a way that all students could experience success. There are extra curricular parts of my class that involve no grading. From the beginning I said that I would tell stories of history by means of films and I would come up with a new idea every day- mostly from my book called Ideas. Students get their points by taking notes from the book. The book is also on line as well as sample tests. I actually use the sample tests on line. I have showed my students where the questions are so they can practice them until they are all correct. Most of their grade is the well taken notes and scores on the test.
As of today, progress report time for the third quarter there are 2 A's, 5 B's, 1 C, 5 D's and 9 F's. I find it disgrace. In a discussion with my class someone mentioned that they were too lazy to look up the questions. That was a moment of truth. I finally agreed to give them the questions ahead of time but not the choices or the answers.
As the first progress reports come, tensions are rising in my fourth period. Because it is a full class (33), and they as a group are not very well behaved, I have instituted my point system for good and bad behavior. Good behavior gets 10 points- easy. I take a point off for each bad behavior or five off for being late or ten off for a major infraction. One of my badly behaved students who usually get a fat zero for each day's bad behavior argues that I should not count behavior and that he really should have a "B". I argue that good behavior is fundemental to a good learning environment. I told him, "If you can come up with another behavior plan that will work to make you behave yourself in class, I will go for it."
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Period 4
I have 33 sophomores in this class. Up until two days ago I had 31 desks. A student from my formerly difficult period 6 class was transferred to this period 4. Almost always everyone is there. There were a group who were elected as class leaders at the beginning of the year. About every other Tuesday they leave during Sustained silent reading time to go to a meeting. Frankly I am not really sure that they actually go to a meeting. They are the six of the most difficult kids in the class. Today a student came to me and told me that they were actually hanging out in the library and socializing. I emailed the vp on the issue. Actually this is the second time, I believe, that I emailed the vice principal.
This student also told me that one of these girls in bullying her. I also emailed the vice principal on this. Thirty three for me is just a little too many to have in a class. Perhaps the fact that they are sophomores makes them more difficult.
I have regressed to giving them checks for bad behavior. I have one angry badly behaved boy in the front who claims that he is not being graded on academics but on behavior. And I said if his behavior was good, he would have higher marks. He does not like this answer.
Then I have a group of chatty girls in the back, not obnoxious, but chatty. It is always the seating chart that I am tweaking. In this class it is hard to get it right. Someone is always near someone they shouldn't be. These are some of the things that make teaching hard.
This student also told me that one of these girls in bullying her. I also emailed the vice principal on this. Thirty three for me is just a little too many to have in a class. Perhaps the fact that they are sophomores makes them more difficult.
I have regressed to giving them checks for bad behavior. I have one angry badly behaved boy in the front who claims that he is not being graded on academics but on behavior. And I said if his behavior was good, he would have higher marks. He does not like this answer.
Then I have a group of chatty girls in the back, not obnoxious, but chatty. It is always the seating chart that I am tweaking. In this class it is hard to get it right. Someone is always near someone they shouldn't be. These are some of the things that make teaching hard.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Geekdom
I will relate my struggles with capturing the Internet on my new Mac Mini. Perhaps I have related this tale of unending woe before. We have wireless and have had it for years. Just a year ago I moved my little office into the back room in the basement. My Internet service was fine. Truckee moved back in about four months ago, hooked up some extra Internet connections. I, in the mean time, bought a new computer. First the service was weak. Now it is nonexistent.
I traveled to the Computer Recycling Center in Santa Rosa to try and find a solution. I learned several things. That a signal will not travel usually more than 50 feet, especially when there are walls and other obstructions in the way. I could make a "can-tenna", a device made from a tin can that could actually receive the wireless signal. Also with the right kind of modem, I could connect a device that would extend my Internet to this side of the house.
I purchased a few items- an older model airport, which I thought maybe I could daisy chain from airport near where the signal begins. Also I bought a wire router- a mistake. My service provider thought that the intermittent service might be a result of a worn out router. I should have known than to add another variable to the mix- another wireless device.
Having looked up on line the specs for the "can-tenna", I decided that I would try it only as a last resort. The next idea was to extend a 50 foot ethernet wire though the house, also a pain. My online research brought me to another antenna that plugs into the USB port of my computer. I will order it today. If anyone is interested, I'll keep you posted.
I traveled to the Computer Recycling Center in Santa Rosa to try and find a solution. I learned several things. That a signal will not travel usually more than 50 feet, especially when there are walls and other obstructions in the way. I could make a "can-tenna", a device made from a tin can that could actually receive the wireless signal. Also with the right kind of modem, I could connect a device that would extend my Internet to this side of the house.
I purchased a few items- an older model airport, which I thought maybe I could daisy chain from airport near where the signal begins. Also I bought a wire router- a mistake. My service provider thought that the intermittent service might be a result of a worn out router. I should have known than to add another variable to the mix- another wireless device.
Having looked up on line the specs for the "can-tenna", I decided that I would try it only as a last resort. The next idea was to extend a 50 foot ethernet wire though the house, also a pain. My online research brought me to another antenna that plugs into the USB port of my computer. I will order it today. If anyone is interested, I'll keep you posted.
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