tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60272539049943554422024-02-07T18:00:17.215-08:00Many First Days of Schoolemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-16422482389765298232014-09-30T21:56:00.003-07:002014-09-30T21:57:07.980-07:00Fears, Revealed<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What would you do (as an educator) if you weren't afraid?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All people feel fear, but this prompt represents a more alarming issue with how teachers are seen in society. Teachers are too often silenced and placed into spaces of fear and toxicity. Sometimes their fears are not ones that revolve around their teaching craft and students - most of the time, the fear is around their job security, salary, and pressures from administration and parents. The job stigma that exists in teaching professions in our country further develop and strengthen our fears. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope to think that I am not held back by fears when it comes to working with my students. I want to collaborate and guide students in ways that they need in real time, not what adults need for their benchmarks, pacing guides, and political agendas. My fear lies in whether or not I am doing good by my students. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I want to reach them in a equitable and meaningful way and I want them to remember the experiences they have had with their classes. There isn't any one way for a teacher to know right away if they have succeeded in this...sometimes it takes time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are some thoughts I found from Siobhan Curious...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Identifying these fears was a major step in recovering from my burnout. As I unpacked them, I realized that I needed to change my conception of “good teaching,” I needed to confront classroom difficulties head-on, and I needed to let go of the fantasy that I’d one day walk into the classroom with total confidence that everything would go well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Fear is a part of any important work. We don’t need to get over it, but we may need to change our approach to it. In my next post, I’ll discuss one way I tried to deal with my fears: I got more training."</span></div>
emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-55578928110520961822014-09-29T21:20:00.001-07:002014-09-29T21:20:07.892-07:00Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes, Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousands Moments so Dear<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In midnights</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In sunsets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In inches</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In cups of coffee</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First year jitters</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">turn into anxiety</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">fear</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">uncertainty</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">failure</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">but in moments of failure</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">learning lives on</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">growing, succeeding, gaining courage</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">even in the face of hell</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">affirmed in my beliefs</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">found and lost a side of me</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I didn't even know I had</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Four years later, here is a poem I wrote during Emily Vizzo's amazing presentation at the SDAWP Fall Conference "Where Power Corrupts, Poetry Cleanses".</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The girl's on </span><span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">fire</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">don't take your eyes off her</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">some hate, some love</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">some flee, some play</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">burns it down</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">chills</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> hell</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">lights it up</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">mentally, physically</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">her heat finds all</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">faster, the intensity only rises</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">her blood is already thick</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">red, </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">she burns</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In laughter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In strife</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do you measure a year in a life?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How about love?</span>emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-91918638691277972292014-09-28T08:34:00.000-07:002014-09-28T08:34:05.828-07:00Collaborating on Online Resources on the Weekend using Technology25th: This weekend I had the honor of presenting at the San Diego Area Writing Project's Fall Conference 2014. I spoke about building and sustaining a writer's community. In building this, genuine and meaningful collaboration needs to exist between students. <div>
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26th 3 go-to online education resources:</div>
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Edmodo: The teaching team uses this for sharing PD resources.</div>
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Teaching Tolerance: Amazing resources and articles on equity and privilege.</div>
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Math Task Ideas: http://www.insidemathematics.org/common-core-resources/mathematical-content-standards/standards-by-grade/2nd-grade</div>
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27th Weekends or Holidays</div>
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<br />The days off are for a time of rest. However, most of the time I spend my time off still thinking and reflecting on my practice. I ask more questions of myself and set new goals for the upcoming week. In January, some of our weekends are also used for Saturday School - not the traditional kind. It's the type of Saturday School where you invite your students who would benefit the most from a small group (no more than 5) 3 hour instructional block. Our students actually whine to be a part of Saturday School when they are not invited. Saturdays - like this last one - are also spent being a part of professional development. I am a SDAWP fellow and teacher consultant apprentice. There are book club dates, conferences, pd, and other duties for the weekends. </div>
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28th Technology</div>
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Technology should enhance, extend, and challenge the process of learning. It is more than a tool because many modes of tech have the ability to push student thinking further. It can be used much in he same way as writing.</div>
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We use technology to learn more about something.</div>
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We use technology to share what we have learned.</div>
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Use it to demonstrate learning.</div>
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Use it to enhance the understanding of an intangible concept.</div>
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Use it to reach out to more resources.</div>
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emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-419978838263430132014-09-24T22:34:00.002-07:002014-09-24T22:34:32.205-07:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22nd</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Collaboration on our site is a necessity. As a staff we believe and agree to a few significant core values:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.sdgva.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=218087&type=d&pREC_ID=479392" target="_blank">SDGVA Core Principles</a></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Teaching for joy and justice begins with the non-negotiable belief that all students are capable of brilliance. Our duty as educators is to attempt to coax the brilliance out of students by building upon their strengths and personal lived experiences. – Linda Christensen</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Teaching is a noble profession. Teachers who are well informed and effective in their practice can be successful teachers of other teachers as well as partners in educational research, development, and implementation. Collectively, teacher-leaders are our greatest resource for educational reform. – National Writing Project</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Writing is essential to communication, learning, and citizenship. It is the currency of the new workplace and global economy. Writing helps us convey ideas, solve problems, and understand our changing world. Writing is a bridge to the future. –National Writing Project</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Service-Learning integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities. Students become actively contributing citizens and community members through the service they perform. – National Service-Learning Clearinghouse</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Resiliency is a characteristic of individuals that allows them to adapt, persevere, and succeed despite adversity. Administrators, teachers and families who work cohesively together to build a safe, nurturing school environment where everyone on site feels loved, respected, contributes positively and is challenged continuously by high expectations will overcome any obstacles in their way.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We will write the future!</span></li>
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<span style="color: #686767; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Together with these beliefs, we share ideas and offer emotional, physical, and pedagogical support to our teammates.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #686767; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Work Hard, Play Hard.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #686767; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">23rd</span></div>
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<span style="color: #686767; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Including the community means promoting students' self awareness of themselves, their families, neighborhoods, and world connections. Being receptive of families and inviting them as part of the school creates unity. Taking walking field trips to explore local establishments instills trust for students in their surrounding environment and provides spaces and opportunities for them to reach out to these communities. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #686767; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">24th</span></div>
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<span style="color: #686767; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The buzz has been around inquiry-based learning with the new Common Core State Standards and the New Generation Science Standards. I am most intrigued with inquiry based learning because I believe it is fascinating. It exists in all different forms and it allows room for imagination and creativity. The structure is in the foundation work and the conceptual understanding of topics. The imagination builds on these bases to form flexibly understanding and critical thinking. </span></div>
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emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-81158698907006049422014-09-21T21:02:00.002-07:002014-09-21T21:02:43.315-07:00Playing Catch Up18th Teachers are learners, Learners are teachers.<div>
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19th Metacognitive Reflection, ASC protocol, Self-Awareness Habitude</div>
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Self-Awareness means knowing yourself better than anybody else. It means examining yourself closely and honestly - being aware of your reactions, actions, learning. It means stepping back and looking at yourself, considering strengths, weaknesses, and all areas in between and feeling acceptance first, then empowerment to move forward.</div>
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20th Students have the choice to decide what to showcase in their portfolios. They are the designers of their file and make choices of the order or submissions in their portfolios. Students are welcome and encouraged to make these choices, but are required to also be able to provide an articulation of why they chose a particular piece to showcase.</div>
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21st Last year I had the opportunity to introduce my students to one of the best Hayao Miyazaki films, Totoro. I had grown up watching this film, my family owned the VHS in English, Chinese, and in Japanese. The students were exposed to a unfamiliar realm of movies, with a new idea of "action", and new world of characters. I loved showing them this film and will do a more in depth study of Miyazaki this year.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gt2_oxxuYjLQCqfCvhS0Wu0uex7EC1hWmuDHSxdwBb1hoHAnUF4CB8MQHKyf0dQQLodzpFssEw9_xkGx837AO1hdg9VGsuzUoHNkyiD3mORK25JNEtcQLl6bp-fuZh09Z2eE_UZ__5w4/s1600/BANNERMy-Neighbor-Totoro-my-neighbor-totoro-27648619-1024-768-670x242.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gt2_oxxuYjLQCqfCvhS0Wu0uex7EC1hWmuDHSxdwBb1hoHAnUF4CB8MQHKyf0dQQLodzpFssEw9_xkGx837AO1hdg9VGsuzUoHNkyiD3mORK25JNEtcQLl6bp-fuZh09Z2eE_UZ__5w4/s1600/BANNERMy-Neighbor-Totoro-my-neighbor-totoro-27648619-1024-768-670x242.png" height="115" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totoro - a Hayao Miyazaki Film</td></tr>
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emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-11187368632097429622014-09-17T18:32:00.004-07:002014-09-17T18:34:12.534-07:00The ChallengeThe challenges that beat against education revolve around teachers, families, communities, and students. Here are some articles I'd like to share to shed some light on some of the challenges I believe are the most detrimental to students if they are not faced.<br />
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The Case for Love in the Classroom<br />
<a href="http://www.tolerance.org/blog/case-love-classroom?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews" target="_blank">http://www.tolerance.org/blog/case-love-classroom?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews</a></div>
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Give the Kid a Pencil</div>
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<a href="http://www.tolerance.org/blog/give-kid-pencil?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews" target="_blank">http://www.tolerance.org/blog/give-kid-pencil?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews</a></div>
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Speaking Tolerance</div>
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<a href="http://www.tolerance.org/blog/speaking-tolerance?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews" target="_blank">http://www.tolerance.org/blog/speaking-tolerance?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews</a></div>
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When Teachers Romanticize Their Students' Poverty</div>
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<a href="http://m.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/07/nostalgia-in-social-advocacy/374309/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews" target="_blank">http://m.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/07/nostalgia-in-social-advocacy/374309/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews</a></div>
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emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-36940774856985691452014-09-16T14:54:00.002-07:002014-09-16T14:54:35.889-07:00KnowingA superpower to know.<br />
I'd like to know more about how my students' lives look out of school. It would be beneficial to know what their home lives and relationships feel and exist. I do believe that if I had more knowledge of how my students actually feel before and after school, it will help me plan and teach more accordingly. There are ways to get to know this information, but I do not think there is a way for me to deeply understand how they actually feel and go about their home lives. Questionnaires and phone calls have been one way I get to know families, but I want to know more.<br />
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Maybe home visits? maybe more family meet ups?<br />
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Until then, there's always the superpower to know.emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-22403107201753410612014-09-15T06:57:00.001-07:002014-09-15T06:58:00.567-07:00Teacher Resume in Threes<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Intensity</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">intensity with the field</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">intensity with rigor in learning tasks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">intensity with management</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Love</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">love with fierceness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">love everyday for every child</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">love for the field</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mindfulness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">mindfulness of students and their families</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">mindfulness of staff and our interconnectedness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">mindfulness of time, priorities, progress</span>emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-79443099070624578282014-09-15T06:54:00.003-07:002014-09-15T06:54:59.625-07:00Feedback and ProgressI had an great conversation with a friend of mine this weekend. She was a secondary English teacher. She was telling me about her experience and how she would not be able to live her life after work hours because she needed to provide meaningful and full feedback to all 100 of her high school students' essays.<br />
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It got me thinking about feedback and how it looks in my classroom.<br />
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Feedback for me means that students are aware of their strengths and their areas of growth in their work. Feedback exists for all content areas, but I'll speak to writing as it permeates through all of our content areas.<br />
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Feedback on writing means that students can identify their progress. It doesn't mean the very well known red-pen syndrome of marking every misspelled word or grammatically incorrect phrase. It means that students understand their work, understand what they are trying to communicate, and can identify where they could be more clear, concise, descriptive, etc.<br />
<br />During writer's workshop, I conference with my students at least twice a week on their work. It isn't a time for me to tear up their paper. It is a time for them to explain to me the direction of their piece and their decision for doing so. I can clarify, ask questions, point them in the direction of a mentor text, or I can direct them to another peer for feedback.<br />
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I do believe that feedback can look like this in any classroom of any age. I also know that it is impossible for me to "grade" every piece of writing a student produces in my class. They simply write so much that I cannot read all of it. I think there is something powerful for students to have written pieces they continue to work on privately rather than have me read through all pieces with feedback.emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-79804093406570049202014-09-15T06:48:00.003-07:002014-09-15T06:48:39.865-07:00EdTechGoogle Chromebooks<br />
iPads<br />
iTouches<br />
Google Drive<br />
Google Classroom<br />
Edmodo - Staff PD and for student use<br />
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I won't rank them, as I don't feel like I have explored each of these edtech tools equally. My goal is to utilize some of these tools more regularly this year. I also hope to combine sources and teach students how to use the technology as a whole rather than by each part. Students this year are going strong - started with Chromebooks on Day 1. They have interacted with our CBs everyday for the last 10 days of school and I hope that this will help them become more fluent with the use of these tools before I bring them to using the tools for deep learning.emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-30421841604699986492014-09-12T18:23:00.001-07:002014-09-12T18:23:19.550-07:00A Five Year PlanMy long term goal in teaching is to always be learning. Teaching is a thrill - ups, downs, all arounds, challenges, achievement, happiness, laughter, mistakes, failures, strengths, weaknesses. I want teaching to always be a part of my life that I love and struggle with. I believe that through struggle, you learn. You get better and you know more. I hope in five years, my teaching will reflect what my students need to grow and become globally aware citizens. I hope that I bend with them and that I have opportunities to train and learn how to best grow leaders and community members from my classes. In five years I hope to be more comfortable in my own skin. In my fourth year of teaching, I have progressed but I still feel like I could have a stronger foundation at my feet. I want to learn more about myself as an educator and see how that interacts and bridges to myself as a person. I'd like to think that I can reach out to the community and the school families more. I have built relationships but they can deepen.<br />
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In five years, my first class (kinders) will be entering high school. I'd like to know how they are doing and if they are thriving in their lives.emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-73477384669152178962014-09-11T20:59:00.001-07:002014-09-11T20:59:10.716-07:00Moments<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moments: small and fierce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A huge asset to this profession is that everyday is vastly different, yet the same. Here are a few special moments I love about my day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Sunrise Moment</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9242KPV1QfGXD_0lgIyY2Pz3zqDErirPIRc_76sojLISKiBYgfqKSZaKpbYAig5YNeOlh9mbskwUKkC7LIpIJmRuODO7MlAVs3JDlBvJqUH2xt3IhWexgLsi3ifle9_FWx-fAjZFZ7t5/s1600/963901_10101821601931954_1000281329_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9242KPV1QfGXD_0lgIyY2Pz3zqDErirPIRc_76sojLISKiBYgfqKSZaKpbYAig5YNeOlh9mbskwUKkC7LIpIJmRuODO7MlAVs3JDlBvJqUH2xt3IhWexgLsi3ifle9_FWx-fAjZFZ7t5/s1600/963901_10101821601931954_1000281329_o.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sunrise and the 1st Day of School 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When you get to school so early and prep prep prep. Coffee's warm, dark and cool, silence, and anticipation. And then you pull the blinds open to see the sun coming up on what will be another beautiful day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The New Moment</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgON13yCr7kUmJh-9uof5O3asyE1bbofMfySEtXzpffYaw6lC_PmevAZt4fg6-qsvzkt99_h_S2dSkB4fStwb3sX9myQDARyvpr_YsfShcAJX_afYluewVxRJXy8cs7K5Vhtiuy-UR5Duwb/s1600/1382328_10102234086050474_1117627657_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgON13yCr7kUmJh-9uof5O3asyE1bbofMfySEtXzpffYaw6lC_PmevAZt4fg6-qsvzkt99_h_S2dSkB4fStwb3sX9myQDARyvpr_YsfShcAJX_afYluewVxRJXy8cs7K5Vhtiuy-UR5Duwb/s1600/1382328_10102234086050474_1117627657_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mission Trails Visitor Center Library 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When you get to explore something or someplace new with your students. It is most powerful, having teachers and students learn hand in hand, trail by trail, mountain by mountain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Friends Moment</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs7YRh9xJCvo9XpggaCPOvtVOpljm1GcmT1fwEN91rQ6Tnw_CWISg03ZDXkIdTknuOFy_WphRYiX5U3P1LukLeeBpWUWgV_1I2Lcon5kcmKfPriMFMP4783a7kKSXSznhPiHjZsu0cROg/s1600/10455584_10102397865360424_6859078001996465467_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs7YRh9xJCvo9XpggaCPOvtVOpljm1GcmT1fwEN91rQ6Tnw_CWISg03ZDXkIdTknuOFy_WphRYiX5U3P1LukLeeBpWUWgV_1I2Lcon5kcmKfPriMFMP4783a7kKSXSznhPiHjZsu0cROg/s1600/10455584_10102397865360424_6859078001996465467_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lauren and I - my first SDGVA class is now in her current 4th grade class!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When you get to know others so well, with the most powerful shared experience of teaching. Making friendships based on trust, love, and kindness. </span></div>
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emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-52644531135149735632014-09-10T23:10:00.000-07:002014-09-10T23:10:06.716-07:005 to 1<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>5 Random Facts</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I once had a pet pig. His name was Hamlet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I stress bake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was a board diver.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Barista for five years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A friend of fifteen years, now is my fiance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>4 Bucket List Items</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Live in Europe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be a risktaker. In all parts of life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Take a backpacking trip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ph.D.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3 Hopes</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To always work where students come first.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To be an activist in the education and global field.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To retire feeling accomplished.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2 Moments</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I wish you could be my stepmom."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Target smells like porn."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1Wish</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm really not that intense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Really.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, seriously.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not intense. -_-</span>emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-60838305209837518172014-09-09T23:18:00.001-07:002014-09-10T22:59:44.605-07:00An Accomplishment: D.T.A student of mine last year was faced with past years of teachers telling him he would never learn to read appropriately. It has been a year, and no matter his DRA level or his reading standardized testing scores, the boy has learned to love to read. He reads all the time now, searching for more ways to tap into knowledge, add to his current knowledge, and to improve himself. His resiliency inspires me and I hope that I will continue to inspire him to love himself as a learner. A true learner, leader, and young advocate.emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-14540034544372485132014-09-08T22:30:00.002-07:002014-09-08T22:30:27.205-07:00A Drawer? A desk drawer? Do teachers have these? I had a hard time figuring out which cabinet or drawer to use. I don't have a teacher's desk, I prefer to roam the room throughout the day to check in with students. I sit at the kidney table when I'm alone - but there are no drawers to that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vey6l-aarQixkJDa4mzXmbQzK0Aw4NiUNrfq3P8z_dCMLfrN6QbawkVV-oA20BQpiwi2R7VOEcBiFKiZ6mQO1K7R0r9sJovN89pQ1XatfciLw78ZfTznHFRQCEC8wtAw-GBX0_8ssXnO/s1600/10659136_10102592936027244_6163111916451836407_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vey6l-aarQixkJDa4mzXmbQzK0Aw4NiUNrfq3P8z_dCMLfrN6QbawkVV-oA20BQpiwi2R7VOEcBiFKiZ6mQO1K7R0r9sJovN89pQ1XatfciLw78ZfTznHFRQCEC8wtAw-GBX0_8ssXnO/s1600/10659136_10102592936027244_6163111916451836407_n.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No teachers desk!</td></tr>
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Well, if I were to have a teacher's drawer, I'd like to think I'd have these items:<br /><br />
Snacks - for me and for students.<br />
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School supplies.<br />
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Handmade crafty gifts from students.<br />
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Bandaids.<br />
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Wipes - well, you know.<br />
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Cough drops.<br />
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Fidgets - tools for students who might need something to keep them focused.<br />
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My teacher's drawer will have items that my students could use. My room exists for my students, not for me. I'd imagine the teacher's drawer would very quickly become the student's drawer - just much more organized.<br />
<br />I'm curious to learn more about what other teachers' drawers look like!<br />
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<br />emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-12605848175849690382014-09-07T09:03:00.001-07:002014-09-07T09:17:12.471-07:00Colleagues of Inspiration<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some of my family and friends were not entirely convinced when I decided to pursue education and return to graduate school for my multiple subject teaching credential and my M.Ed. I believe they had good intentions in their hearts - they wanted what was best for me, they wanted me to end up with a job that had a high paying salary, they wanted me to pursue a larger goal, one with more opportunities for leadership, one that held more societal respect and ranking. I excelled in math and science in grade school, they wanted me to pursue a job with management, business, economics, healthcare.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJoOcJx2Ag82Kr-BdhL_L_5KqChGlRSnAUKqyvLmmkMVN2czO3cVBmANERFvGyudL385M2GXH5nDp5MBjJ6xUSzvw8AQKwofkNDgliggXlYSKYckBjM3S8Ed3SFnr0iUlieLDHTs4ZQlc/s1600/Inspiration-words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJoOcJx2Ag82Kr-BdhL_L_5KqChGlRSnAUKqyvLmmkMVN2czO3cVBmANERFvGyudL385M2GXH5nDp5MBjJ6xUSzvw8AQKwofkNDgliggXlYSKYckBjM3S8Ed3SFnr0iUlieLDHTs4ZQlc/s1600/Inspiration-words.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Walking into UCLA and being faced with a very turbulent, inspiring, and challenging experience with Teacher Education Program (TEP), I needed to find a support network of people who would support me. I needed friends, colleagues, and inspirations. I have had the honor of knowing, working, befriending, and loving some sensational individuals. Here are some of them:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkiefbgloY9_25XPpj9yTvn6dBcfS7w9jP_1rFthEiAG-WkLkqU6isVO0ipcGteCYhBQrYnph5Rn4Kb4xIh_3aZAiWO4BDqX-Rk6kRvSXy3kkWqoDQhNN7GBis7mWe_Xb0naHXVZSJJDf/s1600/6a00d83451d62469e201a73db8a7d7970d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkiefbgloY9_25XPpj9yTvn6dBcfS7w9jP_1rFthEiAG-WkLkqU6isVO0ipcGteCYhBQrYnph5Rn4Kb4xIh_3aZAiWO4BDqX-Rk6kRvSXy3kkWqoDQhNN7GBis7mWe_Xb0naHXVZSJJDf/s1600/6a00d83451d62469e201a73db8a7d7970d.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Christina</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A colleague and friend from TEP</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A teacher who thinks critically about education, she inspires me to think thoroughly about my own classroom. Her organization and planning leads to creative and innovative projects and class trips. She is an amazing friend, who supports me even with the miles we have in between each other now.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Jesse</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A colleague and friend from CEG (my first school site)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were teaching partners, kinder. That was a year I cannot forget - you can learn more about my experience there if you visit my<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxELhZ5PaSsvMXVYOFo2R0g2cjQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank"> Teacher Leadership paper</a>. I survived my first year of teaching with Jesse by my side. He was resilient and courageous, and never left me hanging. We supported each other in our first year of teaching and in many ways I believe Jesse has shaped the way I treat and care for my students.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Jamie, Laura, Kate, Jeni, Lauren, Jaclyn, Tyna, Aja, Christine, Cynthia</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All colleagues and great friends from my current school site, SDGVA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jamie, Laura, Kate, Jeni, Lauren, Jaclyn, Tyna, Aja, and Christine collectively saved me in 2012 when I joined the teaching team. Day to day, they demonstrated equity, love, rigor, resilience, and critical thinking for their students, families, and work professionalism. They took me into their teaching team and provided me with room to grow, to make the mistakes I make, and to talk me off ledges. They now support me in my journey to becoming a teacher leader, and they have become my best friends. Cynthia is my rock. We laugh, cry, get frustrated, and grow together at the site. A beautiful friendship with an amazing woman.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxmmyHTu-BxAHMpYj4RNk9p6vQs8llR9Uew6ROS9WZ3P_-GlHgO3jYUFbNJ-vk0Vy7TqP1gKh0PhS9GA-8-bxyYXzhCd8SPFcUkSwBWZkCqoYEBaTS5nRPfAoMpRrDWHVq2eS5usimyFl/s1600/inspiration-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxmmyHTu-BxAHMpYj4RNk9p6vQs8llR9Uew6ROS9WZ3P_-GlHgO3jYUFbNJ-vk0Vy7TqP1gKh0PhS9GA-8-bxyYXzhCd8SPFcUkSwBWZkCqoYEBaTS5nRPfAoMpRrDWHVq2eS5usimyFl/s1600/inspiration-4.png" height="400" width="343" /></a></div>
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emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-87300833310885277482014-09-06T20:07:00.003-07:002014-09-06T20:07:37.338-07:00Good Mentors and Teacher Leaders<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Say this three times fast.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Good teacher mentors mentor other teachers.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Good teacher mentors mentor other teachers.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Good teacher mentors mentor other teachers.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I think of good mentors, I think of the teacher leaders that exist at my school site. As a successful mentor, they lead out from their classrooms and help support other teacher leaders in the making. This summer, I was supported by my entire school site to complete the San Diego Area Writing Project (SDAWP)'s Summer Institute. The four weeks were packed with opportunities to challenge myself, learn from others, and begin my solid foundation of being a teacher leader. For the Summer Institute, I wrote a position paper on a topic that defines a significant part of the teacher life I pursue - Teacher Leadership.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">An excerpt:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-46339005-4e0e-ea92-df7e-7ea9061b5995"></span><br /></span>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher leaders are teachers who take their expertise outside of the classroom. We do not fear change, we invite it. We take steps to improve ourselves, knowing there is an infinite number of ways to be better. Teacher leaders work best together and promote professional development and growth. We plan and collaborate with principals and teachers, not just students. Teacher leader voices are </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">loud</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and most definitely heard.</span></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-46339005-4e0f-3157-2f0b-a06aa43b47cf" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Defeated by my experience at CEG, I became skeptical about schools and the role of the teacher. I proceeded with caution through the gates of San Diego Global Vision Academies (SDGVA), where I had accepted a second grade teaching position. This cautious concern would continue to ebb away with each step I take with SDGVA for this is where I discovered what it means to be a teacher leader. Teacher leaders were honored and raised carefully here, their craft improved and cultivated through professional development, teaching community, and whole site support. We were protected and nurtured through our interactions; consider this example.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-46339005-4e0f-781b-53a1-67883109d9b1" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our healthy professional development chatter buzzed rapidly through the room; the mentor cuts loudly over us with directions. We are critiquing our progress with Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) in math. I held my breath as the video cued up on screen. The first and third grade teachers huddled in anticipation of seeing my video of Zoey completing a subtraction problem. “Notice your strengths that you’ve been gaining in questioning and pay attention to where you may have interrupted the student’s thinking or closed off their inquiry with a closed ended question,” our mentor chimes. Now this was an environment in which I could learn, share, and flourish.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Excerpt from </span><span style="font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher Leaders: To Lead and Be Heard</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxELhZ5PaSsvMXVYOFo2R0g2cjQ/edit?usp=sharing</span></span></div>
emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-386935880786277332014-09-06T09:56:00.001-07:002014-09-06T09:56:28.740-07:00Welcome to Room 30!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptYP5FrITAMrIOLBNjBIbLdbgFTwJGBZMXoXLmtgqkQOq6mosrzPXPpZ0VMLFNQWtvR0h9kJ8EuBd6DtF7wCVeu8_4A0XsQ04tfF7pvwDDn8CNFcnA-5jvqfeLxo8b-gL74HMfuaM9O-J/s1600/IMG_20140905_134648889_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptYP5FrITAMrIOLBNjBIbLdbgFTwJGBZMXoXLmtgqkQOq6mosrzPXPpZ0VMLFNQWtvR0h9kJ8EuBd6DtF7wCVeu8_4A0XsQ04tfF7pvwDDn8CNFcnA-5jvqfeLxo8b-gL74HMfuaM9O-J/s1600/IMG_20140905_134648889_HDR.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First week of school is complete! A rocking one, I'd like to add! Here, one of my students is sharing out her biobag (a bag with three personal items that teach us about the student). Her peers are listening and will soon be jumping out of their seats to ask a question of our presenter. For the next few weeks, all my students will share a biobag. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I see: students engaged, students feeling empowered, students learning about each other, center spaces of learning, E-desk formation from Fred Jones, school schedule, classroom jobs, a math calendar, a mounted projector (YES!), a projector screen, doc cam, seat sacks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'd like to see more of: student created items, student work, more student collaboration, more team building activities, even more rigor in instruction, and more student use of technology.</span></div>
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Here are some more fun photos from my first week of school!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WOhcugXlrDTOD2vNwA6l2NJroRR-R11CxAJWy5wO3b-B6es28rezs0dykmd8SVkyvLiUQPfSWq-eEzL6nwsF_KCprtbzkXmCfmuq_HjNjba5m3F4cCvrOhkRPeYlnXH1W3P_B-XpLeTc/s1600/IMG_20140902_084429226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WOhcugXlrDTOD2vNwA6l2NJroRR-R11CxAJWy5wO3b-B6es28rezs0dykmd8SVkyvLiUQPfSWq-eEzL6nwsF_KCprtbzkXmCfmuq_HjNjba5m3F4cCvrOhkRPeYlnXH1W3P_B-XpLeTc/s1600/IMG_20140902_084429226.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students went around on the first day of school on a carousel walk.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xvRILlqIzophV3KdYhGxdMKEAdzJMmJFcaQ-FHGPrMZFoEp9WpuOrIXsZvemFxbdyKa2QWYMDyA6fUew9_aS09-wFB-8GdpBygKeGHZ9j6T8Po0asxIb9UGrCIojw5MwwWU70DPdUcbe/s1600/IMG_20140903_100115276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xvRILlqIzophV3KdYhGxdMKEAdzJMmJFcaQ-FHGPrMZFoEp9WpuOrIXsZvemFxbdyKa2QWYMDyA6fUew9_aS09-wFB-8GdpBygKeGHZ9j6T8Po0asxIb9UGrCIojw5MwwWU70DPdUcbe/s1600/IMG_20140903_100115276.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students started using Chromebooks on day 1. Logins successful!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfLI8FEyQ1nNMCLSnb2DxCfF_z8Xp4bDm6nAxr3bpqbmwOz1KYUqRsGBzvRbQgRGuOUj7QMrb_QAYrD41slL7C5VUj8YavFaKqVJNQfBUy5UtjGZyPHJ5C2jHf99_Bi26yD6MiVy_Bf0a/s1600/IMG_20140903_100135389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfLI8FEyQ1nNMCLSnb2DxCfF_z8Xp4bDm6nAxr3bpqbmwOz1KYUqRsGBzvRbQgRGuOUj7QMrb_QAYrD41slL7C5VUj8YavFaKqVJNQfBUy5UtjGZyPHJ5C2jHf99_Bi26yD6MiVy_Bf0a/s1600/IMG_20140903_100135389.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Center spaces around the room for literacy and math centers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmb7vR6bIB90J-UAaXjj9cnUeALavUmFunA1u1RJoqcJEhSEA9Hr2cIuYQJEiAFqQozjAz5CFXiFGKw8C9EOfUWIshDrFz5d5tw_fVCtpnntYaBED432YCUT9t27cM8TCgOIGe5ngzJDAc/s1600/IMG_20140905_141823207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmb7vR6bIB90J-UAaXjj9cnUeALavUmFunA1u1RJoqcJEhSEA9Hr2cIuYQJEiAFqQozjAz5CFXiFGKw8C9EOfUWIshDrFz5d5tw_fVCtpnntYaBED432YCUT9t27cM8TCgOIGe5ngzJDAc/s1600/IMG_20140905_141823207.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A whole lot of LOVE from our admin team throughout this week!</td></tr>
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<br />emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-83660311249249302852014-09-04T17:31:00.002-07:002014-09-04T17:32:20.952-07:00Saved.<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">why I love.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Teaching</span><br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">inspires me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">challenges me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">defines me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">betters me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">makes me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">teaches me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">knows me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am 11</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">driven, studious</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a monitored attitude,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">walking that predetermined path,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">sheltered and blinded from all that was left unseen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am 17</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">good head on the shoulders,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ready to jump,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ready to find out what I've been missing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am 20</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">this turning point,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">faced with questions with no answers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">running and falling,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">infinite high-walled mazes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am 22</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">teaching, teach, teacher</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">finally breathing fresh,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">new waters to swim in,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">treading carefully, learning the crash of the waves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">then the suffocation,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">friends into strangers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a lost soul in the urban landscape</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">but still, something so new</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hold on</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the water carries me away</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am 26</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">new friends,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">new knowledge,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">still breathing fresh,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">waters turbulent at times, but I know to hold out</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">teaching saved me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">with its buoyant hold,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I ride into all of it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the fog lifts</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and I see me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">teaching, teach, teacher</span><br />
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<br />emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-40091159975077744882014-09-03T18:31:00.001-07:002014-09-03T19:07:13.170-07:00Getting Off Task... Guilty!<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 21.993999481201172px; margin-bottom: 1.25em;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Day 3 Prompt: </strong>"Discuss one “observation” area that you would like to improve on for your teacher evaluation."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This prompt made me uncomfortable. Not completely sure why, but I believe it has to do with the tone I read this statement with. It made me think about teachers everywhere spending time, not with their teaching craft, lessons, or students, but with their worries about the next evaluation results. Be warned: I got off topic from this prompt (I hope this still counts as me staying on this 30-day challenge).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Teacher evaluations - necessary, but often misused or inaccurate. There are a wide variety of teacher evaluations that exist and they act as a significant influence on teacher life/performance/motivation. Three years ago, my teacher evaluation was a spreadsheet of numbers. Not numbers that measure my competence, use of technology, or teaching pedagogy, but numbers of my students' benchmark test scores. I was never seen as a teacher or a human, I was seen as a number generating machine. If you were a good machine with high numbers, you were ignored. If you were a poor machine with low numbers, you were excused. My teaching partner, a new teacher at the time, didn't make it past her first teacher evaluation - it was week 1. By week 2 I had a new partner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When the CEO of the charter stepped onto campus, a silent alarm was triggered in the form of a group text among the teachers. It always read, "BIG EAGLE HAS LANDED." And it always instilled a fresh coat of fear and anxiety.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 21.993999481201172px; margin-bottom: 1.25em;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not all teacher evals are created equally. Now I am visited so frequently by my admin that the students and I see it as part of a normal day. I am encouraged to act naturally and I am provided opportunities to create lessons that actually reach and engage my students. The eval comes in the form of a document, but it does not contain any student test scores. It contains a spectrum of development, a focus on progress, and a emphasis on teacher pedagogy and competence in multiple literacies. I feel like I am represented completely in my eval - strengths and areas of growth all included. My biggest goal for the year is to improve with my competence in technological literacies with my second graders. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What would it be like if all teachers could experience valuable and insightful evaluations? </span></div>
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emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-54162854132541652772014-09-02T20:28:00.007-07:002014-09-02T21:04:01.821-07:00September and a 30-Day Challenge <span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">OK.. I may be a day behind, but what the hell. I'm taking on this 30-day challenge!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">DAY 1</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">Goals:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To question the role of curriculum.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To question my role as the educator.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To have students generate questions that interest them.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To pursue those questions.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To tear down the "lady with the answer".</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To challenge myself to be more thoughtful.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To challenge my students to be more insightful.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To break limits.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To set goals.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To remember and honor the lights of El Milagro.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To tell my coworkers I love them.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To communicate.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To teach for justice.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To keep my mind on equity and privilege.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To be a role model.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To be a leader.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To be resilient.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To be gritty.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To be tough.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To be new.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">DAY 2</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">I am trying to transform the use of the Chromebooks in my classroom. I got my feet wet with the CBs last year, but played around with google drive and used it as a glorified notebook.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">What I need to do is find a way for the Chromebooks to be transformative and innovative. I want to use the CBs in a way that bring students together with collaboration rather than provide them with isolated computer literacy courses. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">Though I have looked through numerous apps or programs, I want to use CBs for research, questions, feedback, creations. Does anybody have any good ideas for using CBs in the classroom?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></span>emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-30165116720416857602013-09-04T20:26:00.003-07:002013-09-04T20:26:23.590-07:00Year Two: a Blur<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After the tumultuous Year 1, I felt hopeful and eager to begin Year Two at another school. I was offered the second grade teaching position at a charter school located in San Diego in the summer of 2012. I was welcomed by the open arms of my administration and the support of my teaching partners. I never worked so hard in my life. It probably explains why I didn't post any blog entries for an entire school year. To sum up my amazing second year, I wrote this poem:</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Family</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">it holds truth, love, and hard work up</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">sunsets and rises</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">handfuls of laughter, heartfuls of commitment</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">students first, teachers challenged</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">to be better, to be transformed</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">to put students first</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">classroom time ups and downs</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">all arounds</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">but always resulting at peace, at success</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">writing the future</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">lifelong learners</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">global commitment</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">pushing boundaries</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">creating student rebels to an</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">unfair education system</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">push push and push on</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">knowing that the times you trip</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">you'll be caught</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">not just by a hand, but many</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">deep breaths</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">deep thoughts</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">love</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">strength</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">belief</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">more love</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">my new family</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is now the beginning of Year Three. 2nd grade. New faces, new ideas, new connections.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope to keep you all updated with posts. So far, my new students have been growing steadily into a warm, loving family. We have been building our classroom community and learning how to "be" with each other. Two days down and I'm still wishing there were more hours in the day for me to spend with my students. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.</span>emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-7963882739350598502012-07-30T19:44:00.001-07:002012-07-30T19:44:57.498-07:00FreedomI write this post today as a free being. I have been caught in the haze that my former school has created and survived the culture of fear that all three of my principals have maintained. I decided not to write of the realities of the school throughout the year but I am proud to announce that I have sent in my formal resignation letter.<br />
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Clicking the "Send" button in my email has never felt so liberating, so exhilarating, or so peaceful. As soon as the letter was sent I felt a world of pressure and stress lift off my shoulders.<br />
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I no longer work for a school who doesn't put children first. I no longer work for a school who simply does not support their educators. I no longer work for a school who takes advantage of their eager, new first-year teachers. I no longer answer to administrators who claim that "social justice is bullshit".<br />
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I am free from it all. I am lifted with new hope and faith in my career decisions. It was risky to leave, yes, but it was more risky to stay and lose my entire belief in the education system. I did not want to lose the love I felt for teaching and my hope in the success of CA public school system.<br />
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I hope that my friends and colleagues who are remaining at the school find the beauty in being a teacher, continue to see the positive side of things, and most importantly - find a way to put their students first.<br />
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I will miss my students, my friends, and my dedicated colleagues - but I am proud of my decision and I hope the school finds a way to one day match their mission statement that claims to support the people and communities of underserved communities.<br />
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And to the administrator who claimed "social justice is bullshit", I have very little respect for your view on education, I do not understand your lack in dedication to children; and for the last and final time, I do not agree that "testing and data is all that matters".<br />
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Love,<br />
The new and refreshed Ms. Tsaiemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-14890773450864897552012-04-05T19:09:00.000-07:002012-04-05T19:09:27.074-07:00A Teacher's Bliss? Spring Break - No Doubt About It<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Spring Break</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One dance show. A sick Pumbaa for Hakuna Matata. 6 more online assessments. painting day. observation. more observation. one new principal. 23 parent conferences. one open house.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just a fraction of the fire-y hoops I had to jump through in order to reach the oasis that is Spring Break.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have spent the last 6 days hidden away from work folk and anyone shorter than 4 feet tall. I have been lounging and passing the time by cooking, baking, reading, working out, laughing, smiling, and asking myself difficult questions like "What kind of coffee shall I order today?" or "Hm, should I wake up at 10 AM or 12 PM?". I hope I forever remember the feeling that I am having during my first ever teacher spring break.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">School resumes on April 9th. No big breaks from here on out so it will be a hell of a push for me to carry myself through the year. Big upcoming events: btsa deadline, masters inquiry deadline, inquiry presentations, and THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">c a n t w a i t . </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Although I desperately needed a break from work, I spent some time this week at a good friend's school. She works as an intervention teacher and it was so blissful to see what a "normal" school does and how "normal" kinders work. I have really forgotten what that's like and it was like breathing clean air for the first time in a long time to see students that are curious about learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It served as hope and inspiration for me and the future of public school education. Thanks, friend!</span>emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027253904994355442.post-39283033942809580712012-02-12T22:23:00.000-08:002012-02-12T22:23:50.453-08:00Love is......eating breakfast with my students at 7 AM in the auditorium.<br />
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The school year is moving along rather quickly and things are going well with my students. They are growing as individuals and scholars and tackling the (insane) demands of the administration and school. Students love being with their peers, but the testing craze still creates a fog of anxiety and stress for my kids. I can only hope with my heart that they will not be turned off by school, that they won't grow to see that school = tests, and that they will learn to be an advocate for themselves and their education.<br />
<br />
Valentines Day is coming up and I can't wait for my kids to tell me what love is to them. I'll post their responses <3<br />
<br />
...having a dance party to hakuna matata after benchmark was over.emhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04655779485249478248noreply@blogger.com0