June 2011
26 posts
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“I’ve had librarians say to me, “People in my school don’t agree with...”
– David Levithan - Supporting Gay Teen Literature (via cake-light)
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Lessons from a 4th Grader: Purging things I don't... →
lessonsfroma4thgrader:
I wrote it for a class in college. We were supposed to create something that somehow defined “The Perfect Teacher.” I wrote this:
The Perfect Teacher
In Kindergarten, I learned how to share. That is really the only thing I remember.
In first grade, I was taught to be kind and not throw rocks…
Interesting, sad, and wonderful. It’s hard to define a perfect...
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Top 10 Myths About Introverts Debunked
Fear not, introverts! Finally, someone who understands you and wants others to understand you as well. You are intellectual and awesome, not shy and anti-social. :)
I took this from my friend’s blog. She is awesome and reviews books and important things in the world of books and authors. She’s also a librarian and keeps me informed of the best new books my students would probably...
WatchScott Westerfeld’s video of the crowd singing “Empire State of Mind” last night.
This is why I love New York. And Scott Westerfeld.
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17 Signs Your Classroom is Behind the Times →
world-shaker:
While I agree with most of these, some are entirely off-base. Here are two:
2.) For poster assignments, your students need glue, construction paper, and scissors… instead of using an online tool like Glogster.
3.) You still have chalk. Or a Dry Eraser.
BLASPHEMY.
Some are relevant. Some are a little ridiculous (a set of computers in EVERY classroom? PLEASE, show me...
“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of...”
– Judy Garland (via oh-so-coco)
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Teacher Dare Day Question: June 16, 2011
roughdrafts1:
What was the best or most memorable gift you ever received from a student?
For the first half of the 2010-2011 school year, I taught 8th grade English. When December came and I found out that the teacher I was filling in for was coming back, it was really tough to say goodbye. Since it was December, the students responded to the sad news with an amazing outpouring of gifts. TONS...
“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public...”
– Cyril Connolly (via writingadvice)
Help Hotlines
world-shaker:
mygift-is-mysong:
Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433
LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255
Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743
Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438
Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673
Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272
Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000
I will always reblog...
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A fabulous response to the crappy Wall Street... →
A couple days ago I posted my thoughts about a Wall Street Journal article that claimed contemporary young adult literature is too dark. This article does a great job explaining what the YA authors had to say in response to it.
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Why current literature for teens rocks, and why...
Confession: I joined Twitter a while ago because it was such a weird and awesome concept when it first started. I followed some friends and local people, but it was kind of boring after a while. While searching for new, interesting people to follow, I found a bunch of authors - specifically, young adult literature authors. Authors like Laurie Halse Anderson and Scott Westerfeld, both of whom...
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Dear English Speakers,
“Gay” is NOT a synonym for “bad” or “stupid” or “dumb” or anything else derogatory. Please stop using it that way. It’s offensive.
Thanks,
Gays and their friends
Your Assignment →
jrsdphotography:
Yes.
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Your best piece of advice to a beginning teacher?
I'm one myself, so I don't feel completely qualified to answer, but what I learned this year seems simple, but is so important: adapt and reflect.
Adapt: Be ready to change lesson plans on the spot, or have options planned if a lesson plan flops. Some lesson plans will go WAY better than expected, and others will fall flat. If you're naturally quick on your feet, then you've got a head start. If not, assume it will flop and have a back-up plan ready.
Reflect: When the lessons DO flop - make a note of that in your planner so that next year you remember and can adapt again, or just scratch it all together. Also, spend time daily or weekly to reflect on what went well in regards to classroom management as well as curriculum, and what needs to be adjusted. As a beginning teacher, we can only focus on a certain amount of things at once, which means some things will go by the wayside until next year. For example, this year I just couldn't remember to have my students tuck in their chairs and clean up the crap around their desks daily. We never got into a routine, and my room was just kind of messy all year. I later subbed for a teacher whose room was IMMACULATE, and next year, that will be one of my goals. But this year, I was focusing on my lessons and student behavior management. We can only do so much, so we just have to reflect and make improvements year by year. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, so be sure to be realistic about what you can accomplish in the beginning.
Oh, and also, find an ally who is willing to listen to you vent when you need to. You'll need to. : )
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Mockingjay
So I finally finished “Mockingjay” and therefore the Hunger Games trilogy. Can I just say … eck. The ending was not satisfying, in my opinion, and it’s been a while since I’ve been let down in that way.
HOWEVER. What Suzanne Collins does amazingly well is show how revolutions are messy. Many people die, and the people who survive focus so much on the people who died...
