Thursday April 16th was a bad day.
I got the phone call I'd been preparing for but still wasn't ready for: Stanley, my beloved 10 year old Boston Terrier, has Stage IV lymphoma.
Traumatized and slightly shocked, I went home and got the letter I'd been preparing for but still wasn't ready for: Boston Public Schools is not renewing my contract for the 2009-2010 school year.
Since Stanley's cancer is more immediate, it has overwhelmed me this entire break. But he's on chemotherapy and has improved drastically. I am hoping that this is also the case with my employment status for next year!
Keep your fingers (and paws) crossed. For now, there are 43 days of school left in Term 4. We have a talent show coming up and I'm going to try giving my students a "final" for the first time ever.
There will be updates!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
MCAS. Need I say more?
We started MCAS today. Ugh!
I am so thankful Theatre is not a subject tested in MCAS. I am so thankful Theatre is something students look forward to BECAUSE it is not a subject tested in MCAS.
But that doesn't make MCAS week any easier on a non-MCAS subject teacher!
7th grade had their "Long Composition" this morning, I had them last block. CRAAAAZY! We got nothing accomplished. Thursday, Friday and next Monday all the kids are testing. I dread it so much. Last year they rioted throughout MCAS week. One teacher got trampled, there were a variety of injuries; teachers and students alike. Please, MCAS Gods! make this week easier than last year!
Pantomime...
The Pantomime Final has been nothing short of awesome for all my classes so far. My 8th graders really kicked some butt and I hope the kids this week can get something out of it.
While viewing them today, one 8th grader gave me an idea. He said, we should get to redo these and improve upon all the mistakes we made. That made me think: this year I'm going to try to give the kids a "semester final." What IF I let one of the options be to go back and take a previous performance and improve upon it?
I love the idea of doing this, because it encourages kids to focus on the process, but will they just get up there and do the exact same thing again (because they're lazy or don't really care)?
How can I make it seem challenging?
Moments like that one make teaching really really worth it---because I'm learning from them too.
Students...
On a side note, I have a few students I'm so worried about on a personal level. I feel helpless. More on this maybe, I don't know how much I can say without causing a problem. There is so much at school I feel like I can't discuss because it could come back and hurt me. I've heard enough blogging horror stories to know better.
I am so thankful Theatre is not a subject tested in MCAS. I am so thankful Theatre is something students look forward to BECAUSE it is not a subject tested in MCAS.
But that doesn't make MCAS week any easier on a non-MCAS subject teacher!
7th grade had their "Long Composition" this morning, I had them last block. CRAAAAZY! We got nothing accomplished. Thursday, Friday and next Monday all the kids are testing. I dread it so much. Last year they rioted throughout MCAS week. One teacher got trampled, there were a variety of injuries; teachers and students alike. Please, MCAS Gods! make this week easier than last year!
Pantomime...
The Pantomime Final has been nothing short of awesome for all my classes so far. My 8th graders really kicked some butt and I hope the kids this week can get something out of it.
While viewing them today, one 8th grader gave me an idea. He said, we should get to redo these and improve upon all the mistakes we made. That made me think: this year I'm going to try to give the kids a "semester final." What IF I let one of the options be to go back and take a previous performance and improve upon it?
I love the idea of doing this, because it encourages kids to focus on the process, but will they just get up there and do the exact same thing again (because they're lazy or don't really care)?
How can I make it seem challenging?
Moments like that one make teaching really really worth it---because I'm learning from them too.
Students...
On a side note, I have a few students I'm so worried about on a personal level. I feel helpless. More on this maybe, I don't know how much I can say without causing a problem. There is so much at school I feel like I can't discuss because it could come back and hurt me. I've heard enough blogging horror stories to know better.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Part 1: Man oh man!
In a previous blog I described part 1 of my 2 part pantomime unit as "ok."
This week, my students proved me wrong. Man oh man did they EVER! I would like to be able to post a video of some of the scenes. Maybe I'll figure that out some time.
The scenes are not particularly deep, there is no greater understanding of mankind revealed, but their willingness to trust one another, trust their classmates and try something so creative WAS revealed.
And I am thankful to be the teacher who gets to witness the unveiling.
Next week I am starting part 2 and am a little nervous now. How can we improve after doing so damn well?!
The students are getting grouped randomly too, based on a music selection. Which...I don't think they'll be too pleased with, but they need to get used to working in a variety of groupings.
Anyway, I've settled on the following musical selections:
Carmina Burana, Carl Orff
Bleeding Love, The Vitamin Quartet
Rescued! Silent Movie piano piece
Ride of the Valkyries, Wagner
Dawn of the Dead, can't remember the title!
This is Halloween, Marilyn Manson
and maybe...
Around the World, Daft Punk (it would replace one of the above songs)
If you know of any other great songs (preferably without words) that would accommodate story telling, please let me know! I'd love to have a repertoire of songs I can turn to.
This week, my students proved me wrong. Man oh man did they EVER! I would like to be able to post a video of some of the scenes. Maybe I'll figure that out some time.
The scenes are not particularly deep, there is no greater understanding of mankind revealed, but their willingness to trust one another, trust their classmates and try something so creative WAS revealed.
And I am thankful to be the teacher who gets to witness the unveiling.
Next week I am starting part 2 and am a little nervous now. How can we improve after doing so damn well?!
The students are getting grouped randomly too, based on a music selection. Which...I don't think they'll be too pleased with, but they need to get used to working in a variety of groupings.
Anyway, I've settled on the following musical selections:
Carmina Burana, Carl Orff
Bleeding Love, The Vitamin Quartet
Rescued! Silent Movie piano piece
Ride of the Valkyries, Wagner
Dawn of the Dead, can't remember the title!
This is Halloween, Marilyn Manson
and maybe...
Around the World, Daft Punk (it would replace one of the above songs)
If you know of any other great songs (preferably without words) that would accommodate story telling, please let me know! I'd love to have a repertoire of songs I can turn to.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Rule 5: No drugs/alcohol, violence or swearing in scenes!
Before I became a teacher I didn't even think to make that a classroom rule.
But, after my 1st year of discouraging lightly and my 2nd year of discouraging strongly I finally made it a rule last year.
To this day, it is a struggle I have with students who want to have guns or fights, pantomime smoking or drinking, or add "harmless" swear words into their scenes.
I know I'm right in enforcing my policy. And certainly there are exceptions to every rule. But I am tired of it! Every class, kids manipulating the rule: "but fighting isn't violence," or "what if we do this..."
I'm trying to teach them creativity and all they want to do is recreate the violence and drugs they see on tv, in the movies, on the streets, in their own homes.
When a group comes up with a scene that doesn't break Rule 5...man it is good! I wish they could see for themselves how sloppy and silly they look trying to create a fighting scene. Then, compare that to a clever and creative scene that follows the rules. Only time will show that...and thus the battle rages on!
I would love to get suggestions and advice to help deal with this!!!
But, after my 1st year of discouraging lightly and my 2nd year of discouraging strongly I finally made it a rule last year.
To this day, it is a struggle I have with students who want to have guns or fights, pantomime smoking or drinking, or add "harmless" swear words into their scenes.
I know I'm right in enforcing my policy. And certainly there are exceptions to every rule. But I am tired of it! Every class, kids manipulating the rule: "but fighting isn't violence," or "what if we do this..."
I'm trying to teach them creativity and all they want to do is recreate the violence and drugs they see on tv, in the movies, on the streets, in their own homes.
When a group comes up with a scene that doesn't break Rule 5...man it is good! I wish they could see for themselves how sloppy and silly they look trying to create a fighting scene. Then, compare that to a clever and creative scene that follows the rules. Only time will show that...and thus the battle rages on!
I would love to get suggestions and advice to help deal with this!!!
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