October 1, 2008 at 9:28 pm (Blessings, Life, Teaching)
I don’t normally pass along stuff like this, but I have experienced Dave Ramsey’s teachings first hand and know how life changing they can be. Dave teaches a very disciplined strategy of budgeting, saving, and spending based on biblical principles.
If you are at all concerned about our country’s financial future, then you should read this, follow the instruction, and spread the word. Don’t worry…this is not a chain letter or petition sort of thing. This is merely exercising your democratic rights to voice your opinion.
Dave Ramsey’s 3 Steps to Change the Nation’s Future
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April 22, 2008 at 1:56 pm (Life, Randomness, Teaching)
Tags: Shift happens
A very interesting perspective on what the future holds…especially for future jobs and education. I can’t get it to allow me to embed the video, but you can visit the link.
Shift Happens
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January 25, 2008 at 4:17 pm (Teaching)
Tags: blogging, ELA, Fischbowl, literacy, Teaching, technology literacy
Recently my principal praised my efforts to increase achievement and integrate technology into the classroom. First, I hate being publicly praised. It makes me feel like the odd man out, like I’m doing something wrong in the eyes of the other teachers. Second, what I’m doing in my classroom (blogging) is something I’m surprised other teachers haven’t done already and what I would have done a long time ago had the resources been available. Third, I’m shocked and somewhat appalled at the comments made to me by other young teachers (with 5 years or less experience): How did you learn how to do that? I wish I knew how! You’re such an overachiever! Doesn’t that take a lot of your time? I’ll never be able to do that in my classroom. Fourth, glares from a handful of veteran teachers tell me that they are never going to use technology in their classrooms because they have never used it and they shouldn’t have to learn how now.
Why am I shocked? I’m shocked because these teachers are young, technology “literate” adults who should be interested in making content relevant. I’m shocked because these veteran teachers should want their students to learn and succeed. When did we stop learning? Afterall, isn’t it a love for learning that drove us to the teaching career? This post and this post sum up my frustration. Go check them out.
http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html
http://www.techlearning.com/blog/2007/09/oh_sir_you_are_too_kind.php
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January 22, 2008 at 3:56 pm (Teaching)
Tags: blogging, digital, digital literacy, ELA, English, Kylene Beers, literacy
As a high school student, I sat in a typical English classroom. Most of my teachers lectured, showed transparencies on the projector, assigned papers, and analyzed novels. We read and read and read. We learned a little bit of grammar. We completed the (now becoming arachaic) research project on an author of choice complete with a bibliography. Very little of what I learned in those English classes transferred into other courses or professions. I use those strategies now only because I teach English.
When I first began to teach, I taught using the same methods. My classes grew increasingly bored, restless, and disruptive as did I. I felt like I was teaching material that was useless. I sought out other methods thinking “Surely there has to be a way.”
After attending a summer course offered by Kylene Beers, I began to realize there IS another way. As a teacher, it was hard for me lose the notion that students should pay attention to me and learn just because I’m here. On more than one occasion I have used the line “Coming to school is the only thing you (the students) are required by law to day. All else is extracurricular.” I began to understand that if I were to reach my students I would have to reach them where they are as they are. And where are they? What are they doing on a daily basis. After surveying my current students I found out the following:
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84% text message HOURLY (if not by the minute).
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73% are members of a social networking site (Myspace, Facebook, etc) with 67% of these students logging in to these sites daily.
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85% participate in Instant Messaging (AIM, Yahoo, etc)
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38% blog either own a blog hosting site (WordPress, Blogger) or through a social networking site.
So what does this mean for me? It means that if Bobby Joe refuses to turn in his essay, it doesn’t mean he can’t write. I can assume that he texts and write material on the internet. If he writes there, why not for me? The answer (at least for me) is that he’s uninterested. My wonderful activity of rewriting a scene from To Kill a Mockingbird as a reporter seems forced and unoriginal to him. Analyzing Ernest Hemingway’s writing style seems pointless. While the skills necessary to complete these tasks are vital to Bobby Joe, the strategy and the media are outdated and irrelevant. Tasks must seem relevant and realistic to him.
I know that means that I must think completely outside the box. I know it means hours of preparation and forethought for each course. But if these kids learn to read, respond to each other, and acquire a literacy that will prepare them for a bright future, isn’t it worth it?
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October 17, 2007 at 10:38 pm (Teaching)
My 3rd period class eats 2nd lunch which means that we have 45 minutes of class, 30 minutes of lunch, and then the remaining 45 minutes of class. Oftentimes, students think they have enough time to leave during lunch, go to a local fast food place, pick up lunch and return to class without being late. Generally, they have more than enough time. I know they skip, but unless you’re willing to track them down and catch them in the act then they don’t get caught.
There’s one student in particular who has made some sly comments about his lunches and has even said that he’s been doing it for 4 years but has never gotten caught. Until yesterday.
After his class left for the day, I noticed a piece of paper on the floor. I picked it up and the receipt had the restaurant name at the top. As I continued to look, I noticed the time 12:48pm (during 2nd lunch) and the date Oct 16 (a school day). When I got to the bottom of the receipt, I started to laugh because I realized that this student had used his debit card to pay for his meal and the receipt still had his name on it.
Needless to say, he got busted. Maybe next time he won’t brag about not getting caught.
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October 11, 2007 at 2:08 pm (Life, Teaching)
I have taken on a challenge (extended by myself) to read at least one Young Adult novel per week. I really feel that if I’m going to encourage my students to read that I need to be reading the same kinds of books they are so that I can help guide their choices. After each book I read, I plan to do a short review of the novel to let you (and my students) know how good it is. Many adults don’t give YA novels enough credit…they are relatively short, have compact yet explosive plots, and characters that seem real. They are short enough to hold my attention span yet detailed enough to keep me interested. I have challenged myself, now I’m challenging you. I encourage you to read a book on occasion. Take a break from the TV and pick up a novel. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel unless you’re like me and stay up later than normal just so you can finish a novel. So, read and enjoy!
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October 10, 2007 at 5:14 pm (Teaching)
I started a new assignment for my honors students this year. They are to write blogs (or journals). I decided to have them do this after a huge push to expose our kids to “real world” literature. I think this is one of the best assignments I’ve ever had my kids do. I have been able to learn so much about them through their writing. Some of it has been HILARIOUS! For example:
“My dad has always told me that anything is possible. Well, I don’t believe it. I don’t believe that a homeless man can get a job at BiLo and live in a million dollar house!”
Anyway, there are tons of funny ones and some that have broken my heart. Sometimes I forget that these kids are so sensitive. It’s entries like the ones I’ve been reading that make me love my job!
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October 9, 2007 at 3:02 pm (Teaching)
Tags: Home
Welcome to my new home. I moved here to streamline my classroom site and my personal site into one host. Keep coming back for more!
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October 9, 2007 at 2:16 pm (Life, Teaching)
Well not in the physical sense, but in the “e” sense. I am moving my blog to a new site simply because I’m trying minimize the number of places I have to visit daily. Please set your bookmarks and keep visiting me at http://tatker.wordpress.com/. If you are a student then you can visit my classroom at http://littletonenglish.wordpress.com/.
On a side note, I personally prefer the layout of Blogger but WordPress has file hosting which I need for my classroom site. If Blogger changes, then I’ll be back!
See you later!
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October 2, 2007 at 10:36 am (Teaching)
“You can’t take my phone! My mom said that I’m supposed to call her whenever I have a seizure. And I need to call her soon!”
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