Spotlight on Drama?

"There's no business like show business,

There's no business I know.

Everything about it is appealing..."

In the four middle schools at which I've recently subbed, only one has a "drama class" elective. Some have "Art", some have "Instrumental Music". None have all three. What a shame. These are the ages that kids are beginning to blossom in their personalities and can be the most "dramatic" and expressive "artistically and/or musically". Instead in most of these schools they are scheduled to the minute and shuffled around to seven 50 minute periods with only the briefest of breaks in between. They are required to be there at the "crack of dawn" almost, when, as adolescents, their "juices" might get flowing alittle later.

That first period class is anywhere from 7:50AM to 8:05AM has them staggering in almost "zombie-like". They sit strictly divided on the floor of the double-sized drama room very quietly. As the day progresses, the groups of 35 plus warm up to each other and sit (on the floor) intermixed. They then are much more interactive and even confrontational (dramatically). It then becomes a challenge, as a teacher, (sub drama coach) just to get and keep their continued attention for more than 5 minutes. Fortunately I have a few "tricks" from my former "drama-coaching" days. I love to use and comment on their dramatic individualities and personalities. i.e. answering to the the roll call with a different verbal/nonverbal response from the previous student. doing verbal dexterity exercises for their upcoming "voice-over" skits (with mic) having them "give notes" to their peers that are positive and responsible.

The regular drama teacher was not sick but "paniced" with an upcoming "tech rehearsal" that the "Drama Club" (after school) wasn't really ready for. They had had to miss a week of school due to storms/damage to the local schools. She is a great, well loved drama teacher and each year strives to put on two "musicals" (Fall and Spring) ("Annie Jr. & Tom Sawyer") She does this...like a "business" and usually raises lots of money from it and before it. She involves lots of parents/volunteers and generates a ton of goodwill and PR for the school. However, yesterday I had to give her some time to "unload" to me about the lack of support from the school administration personnel. They won't even get her an in-tune piano, rented or bought. She raises the money and it has to go into the general fund. Athletics still takes presidence over all other extra curricular activities, then instrumental music. There is also an appalling lack of cooperation and team work among skill-related fellow teachers. i.e. music/art/ Lang. Arts They don't want their "classrooms messed up" or available "after hours".

First thing, over the all-school P.A. comes the Pledge of Allegiance, led by an "anonymous adult". Then comes the day's and week's announcements and promotions for "fund raisers" and contests etc. also done by an "anonymous adult". It all seems very hurried and business-like, not to "waste too much time" from first period. Where are the ASB student leaders and their enthusiasm? They could be coached on their "voice-over" mic skills by the drama teacher who, by the way, is teaching that very skill right now. Other Middle Schools in the area have that going at least. These formative years are so trying and hard for some kids socially and emotionally that it seems a no brainer to have them work on and practice these necessary skills with "room for goofing up" Screw the schedule! No wonder so many are hyper, up tight and increasingly hard to focus for more than 5 minutes. Reorganize the day to five or six periods that are slightly longer and allow time for more in depth, personality-developing activities and peer evaluation and coaching. They are more interested in that anyway. Scan-tron tests are quick and easy to grade, process and report on,(to the public) but what are they doing to our youth and our culture's future? RRR

Displaced Kinder

I was alittle excited yesterday because I was finally getting to go to an elementary school that I had missed so far. They had the jobs but always called too late to be do-able. This was an early call (5:AM) and it was a Kindergarten...piece of cake, right? Wrong. It was quite different and rather depressing and frustrating.

The buses arrive late at this outlying site and so school doesn't start until 9AM. I was supposed to be there at 8:20AM. I set out at 7:55AM and then realized, in my excitement, that I had forgotten my badge. You've got to have a badge nowdays to get on campus. Security is tight. So, having never worked there before, I wasn't quite sure of the best and fastest way to get there. I called them on my cell at 8:20 and said I was on my way, in the area and was I correct so far in my off ramps and streets. Yes, but it was very hard to hear. The parking lot was full so I had quite a walk to the office.

Here again the school was being "retro-fitted" and it was totally in the state of fenced-off construction, holes, dirt piles, noise, and kids and teachers routed around it all. My K room was the farthest away portable next to a big mound of filler dirt that a "bob-cat" (mini back hoe/scooper) was periodically moving throughout the day. We closed the door to no avail.

This was another AM/PM double K with two teachers. The AM teacher barely greeted me and not cordially, "Are you full or half-day?"

"Full."

"Well, I'm going on a field trip this morning with mine and your's don't arrive until 11:40."

"No problem, how can I help you now?"

She proceeded to give me some "seat work prep" for the upcoming Halloween themed days. (mostly stapling and folding) She told me my aide would arrive at 10AM and could further help me prepare for mine. There was a typed "lesson plan" but it was rather sketchy and incomplete. Then we got a phone call from the actual teacher I was replacing and she tried to fill in some of the gaps. Her real reason for calling was to get the phone numbers of certain kid's moms who she was going to have to reschedule for conferencing or tutoring. I noticed the remains of a subbing summary from the previous Tuesday. Yesterday, Wednesday, she had been there to take her PM's on the same field trip to the "Pumpkin Patch". The aide later told me she hoped she wasn't having problems with her new home and the recent firestorms or with financial restructuring. Her voice did sound a bit stressed on the phone.

I was having problems finding all the materials for what she wanted done and the aide wasn't able to help much either. Her desk was a mess and so much of what was suggested again was "paper/crayon/pencil" heavy. The aide said to wait until the other teacher came back from the field trip and ask her. That made me feel a bit better and so I proceeded to set up some "alternate plans" of my own just in case...good thing...

The other teacher came back and was very cool, almost hostile toward me, the plans, what I did etc. I'm guessing she was miffed at the other teacher for "abandoning her" and was taking it out on me and "my kids". Her responses were brief if not curt and dismissive. She went to lunch and I was left to my own devises with the "aide" (bilingual) doing workbook prep in the back. So I forged on ahead and did the best I could to follow the plan and when in doubt...add my own...interests, specialties...biases etc. This would be music(Eng./Espanol) and math/lang. games. i.e. We counted the "days of school" (now 41) with pennies, not tiny paper clips on a distant wall. We sang and played the "Magic Penny Song and Game". They loved it but some had trouble counting their actual pennies past "one". Relating counting to actual things in sequence was still a challenge...forget knowing their left from their right.

I asked for help explaining the "centers" which were called for in the lesson plan and got no involvement or help from the other teacher who was busy on the computer and the phone calling non-cooperative hispanic parents. They were ignoring or refusing notes coming home because they weren't in Spanish too. The non-Spanish-speaking principal had refused (as illegal) this dual way of trying to get their participation in the school. This is usually not a problem at the K level.

The kids wanted things to be like they always were with their real teacher but they weren't and I wasn't getting any help to make them so from the teacher or the aide. ie. switching centers procedure, when and how. So, I forged ahead again...making sure they all had the "Magic Penny" game and a souvenir penny. Then I went to the math table and helped read the directions to those left there. The other teacher was three feet away and couldn't care less what they did.

I realized I was spoiled with my other K class and how well those AM/PM teachers worked together and helped each other for the good of their mutual kids.

Necessity being the "father" of invention...I came up with an "Rr" song for the letter of the day after the story in the big book (I couldn't find) and my own grandson's book on dogs, and a puppet show with "Tuggles" the Drug Fighting Bear. (yes, drug ed at this level) His message today especially to those who remembered to bring their "shades" (sunglasses) "Shade out drugs" "Stop and Think" This kids bearly (pun intended) knew what the lesson was about so we did some other "Stop and Think" activities i.e. crossing the street "Stop, Think, Look left, look right, look left again" and balloon ball...Stop and think before you throw it to your friend (the name you called out) They loved it all. The aide had long since left and the "uninvolved co-teacher" continued to ignore us. She did stop long enough to find the drug stickers in her desk drawer so I could pass them out at the end of the day, instead, as the plan suggested, in the middle.

I then walked six kids to their buses on the other side of the campus and she, reluctantly stayed with the remaining to be picked up at the door. The bus scene was chaos and the "principal" changed her tone of voice when she saw I was a sub, just observing, and was "without a clue" as to what to do. There was, overall a lack of joy or care with all the adults I observed dealing with the kids. Must've been the stress of the fires and air quality. This district kept open this whole disaster week, their neighbor district closed the whole week.

When I got back to the room the other teacher had already started her tutoring. "We wear many hats here," was her quote. One student hadn't been picked up and was near tears.

"Has your student left yet?" I checked, nope still there.

"Shall I take her up to the office to have them call?"

"No, I'll handle it."

"Is there anything else I can do for you in my time remaining?"

"No, I can handle it." (as a whole group of older students were dumped on her to watch)

Too bad for her, she didn't know, they used to be my specialty. RRR

What was old...is new again.

This week I finally had the opportunity to work at this district's oldest school twice. Then I ended the week by working at its newest school. Comparisons and contrasts follow here.

First of all the setting for the oldest school was tree-lined and I mean big, old peppers. Beautiful. It is also on a divide city lane that is being widened. It was hard to park around the school what with all the drop off traffic and buses. First I was placed in a portable 1st grade. No problem except that the cooler weather had triggered the heater and it was too hot and humid in the room. I called for the custodian and we opened some windows until the district A/C men could be called. The other problem? was that this very neat and organized teacher had placed those plug-in room deodorizers all around the room and it was overwhelming at first...sort of a pine scent. Other than that, we had alot of fun with two switches AM and PM with other classes to make an effort at individualization. In the AM, I had two aides who came in and took small groups of 5 or 6 without a word to me about what or who. They seemed to know what they were doing. We did phonics analysis and primer reading together and I, for the first time, cracked out my "penlight" for highlighting the syllables, blends and sounds. It helped to focus these easily distractible 6 year olds. We also reinforced with mucho Espanol. I taught the rhymes I remembered for "la semana" etc.

This group also seemed very well adjusted to the program and knew/corrected me when I strayed creatively. They did like our song we made up, sang and memorized about the school. This is my signature move now at all the elementaries I attend/sub. This one was done to the tune of the "B-I-N-G-O" song with the name of the school spelled out. They loved it with the hand claps. We even had a scheduled P.E. i.e. run around the track for 10 mins. (I walked with them, "but teacher, you stay back there and watch us..." that would be no fun) Then the rest of the time on the new, jungle jim. I was impressed with this teacher's organization and use of chant for learning.

The next half day I was in the old wing of this old school. This was a much bigger room with a higher ceiling. This was a third grade and much more capable. I was warned about certain boy students but had no trouble and used their energy. One was a continuously sketching artist and gave me several drawings. This teacher, a L.A. mentor in the district, was very open to me doing my music and things and she had scheduled the weekly "music teacher" to come in for 40 mins. and work with their "flut-a-phones", actually small "recorders" in plastic bags. I was jazzed because I always bring mine in my uke case. Not to fast there...she, the "music teacher," had planned a "test" w/o names to see what they had retained about the "notation" of music. They hadn't learned the finger positions for more than 4 notes on the instruments and she was checking their comprehension/memory of "Every Good Boy Does Fine and F A C E" the lines and spaces of the treble cleft. She also wanted to know if they knew the whole note and the half note in writing, not in practice. She was very serious and emitted "no joy" in the process. She told me she had over 200 students in the district like this and went from class to class as a former "orchestra teacher" The kids were so disappointed they didn't get to play their tooters so after she left, we did. I played BINGO for them and they realized they hadn't learned those fingers yet. The music teacher was not open to any of my suggestions, which were few and in the form of questions. So my wish/dream that more music be taught in the schools again, was somehow tarnished and diminished with the introduction of her and her methods. Too bad.

Then, I finally got an invitation to the newest school (elementary) in the district, just opened this year. The floor plan was almost an exact copy of three other newer school in the district. However, this school had a big grass field on a lower level that the kids were actually allowed to use, even during recess. This first grade teacher was also testing and only needed me for half day. She lived in the area where the school was and was very enthusiastic about the school, the area etc. Her kids were darling and so helpful with the routines. They loved to tattle on each other and we worked on that, as ususal. What was new, unique and very educational about this teacher's regular routine was that so much of her early phonics and phonetics drill and trainings was not only chanted but "danced to" and "cheered to" The kids were really into it and taught me alot. The girls were better at it and took the lead. They also enjoyed helping me make up a new "School Song" for them to the tune of "This Land is Your Land". It just fit syllable-wise. This room, obviously had all the "modern conveniences" and computers, electronics etc. and yet she was going back to "kinesthetic learning modalities" Kudoes to her. I'd like to see more of this with this aged child. Muscle memory is so much a part of what we retain...even in Language Arts. RRR

Retro-Unfit Learning?

I had quite an active week subbing this last week. I worked 4 out of 5 days and the free day, Monday, I volunteered at my favorite Kindergarten class. By week's end I was really tired and it showed as I tried to manage a "Lang. Arts/Social Studies" post at a local Intermediate School. They were two groups of 30+ sixth graders in a school that responds to them like adolescent "Jr. Hi'ers" (so they act like it) and they are not using their "academic skills" at the 4th-5th grade level. It was very depressing to see what passes for "education" there nowdays.

I had avoided going to this school once before by declining a 1/2 class while the other half was on a field trip. Guess which half was staying behind. I'm not seeking those kind of challenges anymore. This was a Friday assignment and usually the kids are even higher on that day. Fortunately I got there early and talked with the teacher. He was making "lesson plans" on stickies. It wasn't going to be hard: the final weekly spelling test, a quiz on a chapter already read? and a drawing/labeling of ship from the story. Then we'd have some "fun free time"...yeah, right! There is always a few at this level that do their best to do as little as possible and annoy (one of the spelling words) everyone around them including me. They do this by arguing and contradicting almost everything that is suggested. "Do I have to do that?" (I just want to do the minimum) They say this in so many ways but first of all with their body language. It was as though they were performing an expected "role" for each other. Then there were attempted "kick me signs" and the throwing of trash bits and snatching books from each other. Oh, it is a challenge to just stay somewhat "civil" in combating all this so the majority can get their work done and actually be instructed on how to do it better.

Of course the condition of the room and the teacher's desks didn't help. They were a "big give away" as to what kind of room it was when I walked in. First of all, I unlocked and walked in the "back" door...which was a "no-no". "We don't use that door." Desks were blocking it in straight rows. The front "captain's" desk and big cushy leather chair were the teacher's mess...and I mean mess. Paper and debris all over it and not in real stacks either. Some piles were being corrected? and had a rock paper weight on it, on top of an overhead projector, on top of a chair. A box of colorer pencils were on the floor for the "art work" later. There was a thick layer of dust on the big TV and DVD player on a big viewing cart nearby. There were some faded posters around the walls of a motivational? nature and two bulletin boards in the back with "student work" (writings) from the recent past. The back desk was occupied with a new computer from which the teacher could access emails to 50% of the parents to warn them of grades coming home soon and assignments not turned in. He was unsuccessfully trying to see if he had had any responses from the 30 email he had sent the previous night. He didn't really apologize for the state of the room but simply said that they were, "overdue for a retro-fit" as many of the the old buildings were in this district. There was a small A/C unit in one of the windows. I had worked last week at a school that was going through the process (retro-fit)primarily for earthquake prep with fenced-off buildings, noise, const. mess and all classes in portables around the edge of the campus. He was looking forward to this and wasn't planning to do much until it happened.

This had to effect the student's? attitude toward learning and the importance of it and how it prepared them for the future job market. But when you are 12+ and "cool" you aren't looking that far ahead. You are asking if you can go to lunch early. Many didn't come with a pencil and just sat there proclaiming it. I guess they thought I was going to bring them one...wrong! Like they were doing me a favor to even try to do the assignment. So...once again...I had to get "grumpy" as I like to call it and raises my voice. I had worn my "Grumpy Dwarf Hat" just for this reminder. I told them it was to remind me not to get...G r u m p y. But good luck with that. What I did do was challenge the "civil members" of the two core classes that if they could think of the 7 names of the dwarves, I'd give them a "good report" big deal! Only one even tried at the end of the period. She got them all except "Dopey and Bashful".

The basic words for the weekly spelling test were on the "ou" "au" "oi" dipthongs. Is this 6th grade? We tried some "bee activity" by having each sequentially spell out a word one letter per person at a time. We almost went through the whole class before getting one right. They were just not used to paying attention to one thing that long. (the length of a spelled out word) Sad, I know. It is just not a "value" for them right now...so why are we trying to do it? The story from their reading/SS book was about an old "square-rigger" ship and a girl trying to survive as a crew member on it...again, not much interest. Drawing a ship with labels did appeal to some, especially the boys. One girl stole a better sketch from my desk and was copying it...I let her, but said, "Next time, ask when you take something from the teacher's desk."

They perked up a bit when I offered to play my CD of Ben Harper, former English student of mine. They hadn't really heard of him. They liked the album cover picture of his group, "The Innocent Criminals" One class even got to use the 20 Q's globe and that fascinated many. It was able to guess their subjects (nouns) "A Pit Bull" and "A Motocross(motorcycle)" In lines going to and from the room, they are so busy dis-ing each other that they have to be stopped and yelled at (whistled at) by the yard proctors dressed in bright green vests. They are used to getting tough, and talking that way too.

What are they really learning from all this regimentation and institutionalization at such an early age? Might is right? Threat is supreme? Class behavior is to push the limit and do as little as possible under duress? Is there a better way to "retro-fit" these future citizens of our illustrious society? I think there is, but we don't have the money or the means to do it. They respond to individual attention and electronic/computer learning. We need to make more of this kind of learning of Lang. Arts (English) and Math, non-social for them and non-performing for others. The majority would respond and are, even now, trying to respond. But it is ruined by the few who want to have the negative attention which may be all they are used to from home. It is a sad, blue, dismal, unfit future I'm afraid. I loaned the teacher a copy of my "Readers' Theater" plays of the the ancient Greeks and Romans i.e. "Prometheus Bound" etc. and he was interested too. Maybe these "actor/acter-outers" could get into these ancient themes, their "choruses" and learn from a previous civilization what happens to "iconoclasts" "rebels" and "sociopaths" that we still seem to have with us. Can we learn from History? RRR

Tessellating Learning

M. C. Escher is probably best known for his "tessellating art". Actually it occurs throughout Art History, ancient architecture, nature, modern art and computer graphics. This was the reason and subject of my latest "subbing" at a new,(for me) local middle school art class. My learning and theirs tessellated exponentially.

A tessellation or tiling of the plane is a collection of plane figures that fills the plane with no overlap and no gaps. The more intricate the compensating interconnections the more difficult to visualize and illustrate. This was the challenge for the day at three art classes for 8th and 9th graders. Many had made their initial "pattern templates" too complex for tessellation and they kept looking for familiar "figures" (flowers/animals/sea creatures etc.) and they were impossible to see, let alone tessellate. The K.I.S.S. rule applies here. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

The art teacher I was subbing for was hosting an on-campus inservice for other teachers from around the district in "Computer Graphics" and how to teach it to this age. Here the problem again is, too complex a software program for the antiquated computers that still reside at our schools. This is a continuing problem: technology can't slow down for our schools. The potential is there for exponential learning especially with something like tessellating. There are Math and Science connections aplenty. Historical and Religious ties are there too. I mentioned our recent vacation/tour to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey and the "tessellating art" on the walls in the form of "worship" since "graven images" are forbidden in Islam.

Most of the kids were "into it" as long as they could socialize as they "traced and colored". Several had trouble doing both at the same time (like chewing gum and walking at this age) Very few actual behavior problems or challenges; which were easily circumvented or "tessellated".

Two younger classes (5th-7th) had a DVD on Performance Art as in "STOMP, OUT LOUD". They were somewhat fascinated by it and filled out the response sheet with incomplete sentences, no capitals or periods. (come on, this is an Art Class) We had some "sponge time" so we experimented with some of our own "performance art" They enjoyed that...because it made rhythmic noise. We also "tessellated our hands" with some meshing gestures which was also enjoyed.

I met a Physical Science teacher in the teacher's lunchroom and he took my card and agreed to call me. I like this school so far. It has a better overall spirit with less heavy-handed retribution visible. This is an unfortunate reality at the other middle schools. I had a "year book class" and they were full of "school spirit" and ideas for the annual. We had less "dominance testing" or fake illness complaints or runs to the restroom. These are valid meaures at this level I'm afraid. The motivation to "fit in" and adapt is primary at this level and so metaphorically "tessellation" in their burgeoning lives. Can they do it and succeed academically and in life? RRR

Having A Ball?

Now that "Dancing with the Stars" is back on TV, I too feel like dancing and having a ball. These last two days have been just that at my favorite "subbing school". (if you don't count the bloody nose I got just sitting there)

Monday I was assigned to sub at the classroom where I usually volunteer. So...I thought, piece of cake, right? You would not believe how hard a kindergarten teacher works. You have to be on your toes (dancing?) You have to be quick to change direction and go with the moment. They come up and tug on your sleeve and have a comment, usually excitedly, that is totally off the subject. This is an all-day assignment with 40 kids. The first half starts at 7:50 AM but you are there at 7:15 preparing. There is your co-teacher who is responsible for her "PM" group of 20 little ones who come in at 10:40 with their backpacks full of homework and snacks. So there is an overlap of about 50 minutes where you have 40 little "squirmies" on a carpet squared off for 25 (each square is an alphabet letter/picture/color) Then the co-teacher attempts to teach this large group all about the calendar, colors, alphabet letters, and "news of the day" and still keep order and attention. She has me and an aide to do it but it is a constant retrieval of attention from the perripheral ones.

So I'm just getting going with my small group of six and the others are at their "centers" when I feel that unmistakeable nose running trickle and know I have a nose bleed. I have no kleenix and stride to the nearby office for it. None. Paper toweling will have to do. I'm now dripping "blood-borne pathegens" enroute. Kids are pointing. "Nothing's wrong," I assure them, "just a little nose bleed." Luckily there is the co-teacher and a parent so I can leave to the men's restroom and decorate that floor. I'm seriously considering going home or calling my wife to drive when I get it to subside enough to go back into the classroom with toilet paper sticking out of my nose hole. "Mr. B. what is that sticking out of your nose?" "Oh, just some TP." Needless to say, I was very cautious the rest of the day, especially with my breathing.

One of the kids had a birthday so we had his mother's bought cupcakes outside at recess. I gingerly picked up after the messy ones (most were not). After lots of "leg hugs" and sincere goodbyes I said, "Goodbye" to my 20 who had to be given directly to their waiting parents (in the shade, thank goodness) and then I got my lunch. The other teacher took over and I helped her, more or less as an aide. I had to stay until 2:45 so I cut out seatwork for the next day for the remainder of the time after the kids left. Mindless work but so intense with those precious little learners.

Tuesday I got the assignment off the website for a 2nd grade at my same favorite school. All Right! Maybe today I wouldn't bleed or have a leaky pen. This time I lucked out. The teacher was there and was pulling kids out to "pre-test"...she needed and got ($$) a sub to do this. On top of that, she had a "student teacher" so I just had to help her and observe. Another piece of cake, right? Well, maybe. This class had a "special student" who needed constant attention so he had his own teacher sitting right by him for 3 hours. I was assigned the 4th hour. Fun! I got him wrapped around my finger with lots of attention and praise. We did our assignments and then played games. He was happy and very good at it too. He didn't bother the student teacher or the kids the rest of the day. Earlier the class went to it's monthly, in-school library visit and he was all over the place during the story about Ben Franklin's inventions. Excellent library experience for most of the kids although they didn't have time to check out more than one book...have to keep to the schedule, especially if your are a student teacher. Here again, lots of "test practicing" in almost all assignments including the homework. Kids who came to me in small groups either wanted to get on with it or just "talk" (socialize and get to know the "sub with the guitar case"). We had "Team Teaching Swap" and my groups just wanted me to give them the "word-making cards" and let them copy them...no thinking, reasoning as to why certain blends and dipthongs made certain sounds (direct teaching, like I wanted to do) Two Hispanic girls glomed onto me and wanted to tease and "flirt"...they are 7 year old, 2nd graders. I had to walk away.

P.E. and our group of the 4 second grade classes was assigned to walk/run around the gigantic field. This is the one that I had never seen them use. There is a asphalt path around almost all of it and it is fenced off with high, sturdy iron-bar fences. There were two backstops but no base paths or marks. (seldom used) No soccer goals. Down at one end is the "primary/K yard" with a giant "toy" or obstacle course type jungle gym. Birds had taken residence so it must not be used on a regular basis either.

Afterschool I again had time so I started correcting the turned-in papers of the day and homework. No stamps, just happy faces with my marks. Soon four other 2nd grade teachers came in and they had a "grade-level" team meeting which was required on Tuesdays. I finished my papers with the student teacher and excused myself. I did hand out another "business card" to the next door teacher who said she needed a sub on the 17th. No problem. This morning, late (7:25AM) I got a desperate call from this same school secretary. I had to decline because I already had a job for today, half day at another school. Too bad...but I think I need a break with all this "dancing and ball-having". RRR

An Uneasy Age...to come?

Well, I survived my day in one of the "local institutions" but I'm not ready to repeat it anytime soon. I could've been working there again, today, in another math? class? but I declined. I'll continue to reject these assignments until I get one from this district in my area of expertise(?) i.e. Elementary, Primary, Music, Drama, Language Arts etc. Only one has been offered unofficially, on my cell phone, from a principal? looking for a "long-term sub-permanent teacher" and I'm not going to do that, as I have previously explained before for "sub money".

This was a ancient, central city school with original administration buildings and satellite portables. I was in one of them with an 8th grade "Math/Pre-Algebra" assignment. I thought I'd give it a try even though it has been a few years since I've even thought about Algebra. Well, no need to worry, these kids are still in chapter one and starting to process positive and negative integers, exponents and powers. (right down my alley with this blog's theme, right?) Well, not quite. My first period was "free" a conference period and, being a sub, I had no one to conference with. Two kids came by, one wanting double-sided tape from the "student store" to hang some dance posters and another wanted to buy/sell dance tickets, nope, all locked up.

The secretaries were very nice and polite, but a bit unprepared and had to duplicate all the papers/forms I needed to start a first time assignment. They also warned me that they may call and ask for me to "cover" a class during my free period in case they hadn't found a sub yet. I had to wait for the attendance office clerks until after 7:45AM since they didn't open until then. I got my 5 class lists for the day and noticed right away that four of them were duplicates. So, I was going to have two "core" groups for two 50 minute hours. Problem was, the lesson plans were very brief and didn't outline enough work or activities for all that time. The kids seemed to know that they had almost two hours to do 37 problems(#'s 38, 39 bonus word probs.) and a word search on money or candy and then they could "socialize or distract others". The first class was 32 strong and right away we had our "dominance testors, back-talkers/questioners, disrespectors, defiant ones who tried to take control and get the class off to a "yelling start" I had to give warnings and threaten to call the "dean of discipline" I started to write one kid up and walked toward the phone. There were a few, innocent, quiet, on-task students who seemed to be oblivious to all this reminstration and recalcitrance. They got on with their assignment and then read.

So Junior High, Middle School hasn't really changed for subs all that much. The other class was supposed to be the "leaders" of the school, the ASB Class. Virtually no assignment, a word search, 3 tried to take the "student store (on wheels) out for 1st lunch and came back 1/2 hr. later with minimal sales. Four other girls wanted to go out and sell dance tickets but they were no where to be found. Two went out to stick up dance posters. These folks seemed to go unnoticed by the campus security "sweepers"...out without a "note" or permissions - a big "no-no". The others asked to do their homework or read from other classes. OK. We had a break in the two hour cores where they wanted to go and get a drink, socialize and then I was told to "lock them out" if they didn't make it back by the bell. (I didn't)

I tried to establish a "connection" with the "cores" by showing them my latest CD by "Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals" (they didn't get the connection). I told them that when I taught 8th grade before, Ben was in my English class and he wrote well and did his homework. Now he writes all his songs for his group and sings and plays his "do-bro" (sp?) guitar. I used the "carrot" of his CD playing on a dusty, skipping classroom player and about the last 15 minutes we were able to play a song or two since all the papers were in. "Too slow...can I play my CD, I just happen to have in my backpack?" No. Then can I play it on my portable CD player with earphones I also just happen to have? Yes. I also told them about Mark McGuire, who I had taught in elementary. Very few, maybe two, knew of him or Ben. I showed them a news article from the current Times about a new company worth 1.5 million from a game they started to play in Middle School called "Flick it-Kick it" with little folded paper (leather now) triangles. Some knew about it and started to make them. OK. I showed them my "Balzac" an entrepeneur Middle Schooler girl invent and put on the internet and is now a millionaire. Basically just a cover for a big balloon you can then play with indoors. The second core group, much smaller and better behaved got to play with it in a form of "hush ball" (without the hush) One girl wanted to do dramatics the last half hour so we played "charades" They loved it. They had all finished their math assignment and word searches. Two guys volunteered to sweep and clean the whole classroom carpet, I think to get closer to certain girls etc. I had to move one guy who came in, sat in the back with his "girl" and continued to play with her hair. After I moved him, and had confrontational words, he was one of the first to get his assignment done.

The campus was so barren and uninviting with little shade, grass and not enough tables to sit and eat/hang out at. I hurriedly walked past them on my way to the similar staff room. I ate my usual "carried lunch" and talked with a "long-term sub" of math who warned me that they get worse after lunch...mine didn't. He was a frustrated real estate agent needing the $$. Enough said. Depressing conversation overall. My afternoon went better and I was able to help several students who raised their hands on the more difficult "word problems" ("we only have to do one out of the three, why not try them all?") I found many in this group didn't know how to do short division or the Volumn formula for a cube. In the morning class, we didn't get that far, most didn't want to know or didn't care if they got most of the second half of the assignment wrong...just turn it in. A quote from the lesson plan, "Absolutely no talking and no calculators" Yeah, right! They wanted and did push their desks together and share answers and calculators. I didn't fight it. I think what I would've done for the second half of the core class, after practice tests were turned in would be to have a "Rubric" on the board which capitalized on their wanting to get together and socialize and still teach/practice the subject. i.e. Create a group project to show/display the meaning of "Exponential powers" using art materials or dramatic skits. Little cubes or dots or people placed in an array to show "squared-ness". I started to correct the 1st core's papers and made an answer sheet but didn't get very far before my paid time was up. As I left, checked out, got my time card, turned in my attendance to the seated clerk who couldn't move, the principal was having trouble over the intercom getting all the regular teachers to attend a "celebration" for "improved attendance". (of students) Now, I can see why they are asking for subs for teachers the most on the system. These kids are in an "uneasy age" to try to work with in large groups...and it takes some pretty special and patient souls to continue to try it everyday. More power to them...exponential power. RxRxR