What I Learned This Week

1.  It's Time for a Vacation

Students.  Teachers.  Administration.  We all need a break from one another.  For as much time as we had off in February, March is always a tough month.  No days off and the weather stinks, it is a hard month to slog through.  Lately, people are on edge.  I have noticed an increase in irritable students, sickness and just overall "blah"-ness.  Not to mention, this week, having days of clouds and rain have not helped to do us any favors.  Vacation is a week away and cannot come soon enough.

2.  Expect the Unexpected

My students are finishing up To Kill a Mockingbird, so I gave them a summative assessment on the end of the book Monday.  Typical for my sophomores, about 2/3 of them read the text.  But the ones that did seemed to love it.  After the assessment, we had small group discussions followed by a larger class discussion using the questions from the assessment as our guide.  Those who read were totally engrossed.  One girl made a wonderful observation/question, asking if Boo Radley could have potentially had autism or something to that effect.  It sparked a whole slew of others to jump in with "I was thinking that too."  Made for a great, impromptu look back at the text to see if we could find any clues to see if perhaps he did.

Although, many did not understand that it was Boo who killed Bob Ewell.  You win some, you lose some.

3.  Last Minute Pity

I try to have high, reasonable standards.  But with the last week of the quarter and grades looming, I have had the desperation come out this week.  It is both incredibly frustrating, but somewhat unexpected.  I had one student who is misplaced in the wrong level (which I have made clear since he joined my class in October) come and ask "what can I do to pass?"  When he then told me he did not read To Kill a Mockingbird (the frustrating part), I finally just asked him what did he expect.  Here is where he did the unexpected; he agreed with me that he didn't know what to do and that I really shouldn't do anything.  It was nice to see him take responsibility for his actions.  But now I am left with what to do.  On the one hand, he has done super little in my class.  On the other, he seems to show remorse and recognition of a job not done.  The plights of being a teacher....

What did you learn this week?

What I Learned from School This Week

1.  Be prepared.

We had MCAS this week which meant that I did not have my 4th period class.  So, naturally, I planned nothing for that class.  Well, Wednesday, admin decided to release the students back to class because so many of them finished.  What period did they come back?  4th.  I am always impressed by my improv skills because I tap danced my way through that 45 minutes.

2.  What happens in your classroom...never remains in your classroom.

Just be careful when giving advice to students.  When you say, "keep this between you and me," they hear, "Thanks for the advice.  I'll spread the word to everyone I know until someone inevitably hear the wrong thing and pisses them off and then they come to speak to you about something you never said. Have a good one, Mr. H!"

3.  Mini-lessons can be the best!

I did a lesson this week on developing claims from factoids.  I modified this lesson from my friend, Kelly Gallagher.  I provide the students with a factoid and they develop claims based on that fact.  For example, "The year the first woman was elected to the Senate: 1922."  Students would then try to infer from that piece of evidence and write claims based off of that.  Honestly, I did not think much of it.  Man, the kids had a great time doing it.  We'll see how it translates to their research projects.

Here's to the long weekend!

How to Find Good Professional Development

For those out there who have yet to enter the teaching field, let me tell you; there is no date more worse on your calendar than Professional Development.  They are my least favorite days of the year.  Why?  My district does a deplorable job of offering teachers useful, honest time to collaborate or to see a speaker and truly develop professionally.  To give you an idea of what ours have been this year, here is a quick rundown (its all from memory, so forgive any lapses):

1. How to create an email group
2. Setting up our online gradebook because they updated servers
3. How to handle the over-anxious student

That was about it folks.

Now, to be fair, my district is particularly bad at funding and holding these development sessions, but I know of others that are better.  But in case you are not in one of those places, here are a few tips on how to develop professionally as a teacher.

-- Attend conferences, specifically the NCTE and NEATE Conference

I go to the NEATE Conference in Mansfield every year.  It is a two day event (I usually can only afford 1 day) that has multiple workshops with a keynote speech during lunch.  It is awesome to sit in with active teachers sharing what they do on a regular basis.  I first discovered Google Docs here as well as the literary debates I hold in my classroom every year.  I knew and understood much of the Common Core before my colleagues from attending a few workshops the year it was the theme.  And I heard from Carol Jago and Eric Palmer, two very influential people in the field during the keynote speech.  I was unable to attend the larger NCTE Conference the year it was in Boston, but plan on going when it is in a drivable distance.

-- Join groups like NCTE and NEATE

Being a member of NEATE, I receive regular emails inviting me to workshops and events, many of which are free.  This past weekend, I spent my Saturday morning at Cambridge Ringe and Latin with Renee Shea and John Golden working on how to develop and teach synthesis to 9th and 10th grade students.  This time is invaluable and worth it, so make it.

-- Follow teachers on Twitter and pay attention for  chat sessions

Each week, AP Language teachers do a #APLangChat on Twitter.  A topic is provided and teachers discuss best practices.  Such a great resource and ways to make connections.

-- Become an AP teacher

I know what this looks like, but it is true.  The training I have received at the AP sessions has transformed my teaching.  Much of it has leaked into the rest of my classes.  Our school has been part of an AP grant for the last few years, so all of it has been paid for.  But if you are given the opportunity to become an AP teacher, take it.  You will not regret giving up a week in the summer for a lifetime of good development.

So those are some of my best ways to receive professional development when you do not get it in your own district.  What are some of your ways you develop professionally?  Leave some comments below.