A Guiding Star:Tips for Teachers #2

Team Work is the BEST Way to Work!

Another major contributor to my success this year was being part of a wonderful team.  The team I was a part of should be a model for others to follow, and I say that not because I am a part of that team, but because it is the truth.


My team and I always joke about working "smart," not "hard."  Over the year we met frequently to plan lessons, shared the workload in terms of copies, and were consistent in delivery.  While we all have very different styles of teaching, each student got the same material across 8th grade.  By sharing the work load and planing together we took a challenging and time-consuming component out of teaching and could actually focus on the "teaching" part of being a teacher.  As a result, this year was super smooth.  My challenges this year were never about the "what" in teaching, just the "who" ;-).


The "who" part I discuss in an earlier post, however, part of that challenge was aided in working with my team.  It almost became like a group counseling session for me because I could discuss issues that were coming up in the class and together we were able to come up with solutions.  I was also able to receive encouragement and positive feedback in our meetings.  No matter how a student behaved, I make a mean powerpoint (lol) and that seriously made me feel like a day wasn't a total flop! :-)


The best part of working on a team is that it allows for the opportunity for your strengths to be recognized, shared, and appreciated.  We all have strengths and weaknesses, and each of my teammates have wonderful strengths that I don't have.  Working together, I was able to grow stronger as a teacher because I became better in those areas where I am not naturally strong.


If you are a control freak (which, let's face it, some of us are), you will have to relinquish your control over everything in order to be a good teammate.  That takes a lot of trust in other people, which may be the first step for you.


While you may want to keep hold of the reins on your crazy train, the numbers speak for themselves.  My team and I were consistently the #1 scorers in the district (and that is ALL of our classes, not just one teacher's).  More importantly, we were the most content and stress-free because we did not need to slave after work hours to produce quality lessons. I did not have to stay hours after work hours ONCE!  My first year here, and not once was I here late!!! That is a victory in itself, which is made even grander by the fact that our 8th graders learned SO much!


At a Title I  school we have many battles, but being part of a tight-knit team really helped these kids be more successful.  Our team had precision rotations that targeted student needs and we were all so consistent with delivery that these kids had strategies for reading ingrained on their brains!  We worked smart to help build the students up, and you cannot even imagine the smiles on these kids faces when they passed their standardized tests for the first time... ever!


Say what you will on standardized testing, although I'll leave my two-bits for another post, students, and I mean ALL students, even the ones who pretend not to care, look at those scores and are disappointed when they see "Below Average."  In ANY language or culture, being below standard is not a good thing, and when you are ALWAYS below average, it affects your perception of your self and future you believe are capable of attaining.


Students who, at the beginning of the year, said they were "too stupid" to go to college, now believe in that dream all because they passed their standardized test for the first time.  At the end of 8th grade these students will decide what path they will take as they enter into high school.  Some will choose to fall into a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol because they have already given up, and some will move toward higher education all because they realized that it is possible to make it to college.


I am happy to have been a part of a team that contributed in challenging students to do better, work harder, and mold brighter futures for themselves.  Team work is the best type of work, not just for a teacher, but for the students.  After all, isn't that the reason we are all here... for the betterment of the lives of students?!?!  If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the kids, because they NEED teachers to be on their game so that they can be ready for the future.

A Guiding Star: Tips for Teachers #1

The Importance of Having A Mentor Teacher

One of the best "gold nuggets" of wisdom I can give to a teacher, newbie or not, is to get a mentor!

 Seriously!!! 

 One of the things I am constantly working on is getting the courage to ask others for help.  Asking for help is just not comfortable or enjoyable for me.  I have always felt that if I have to ask for help, then I have already failed. Luckily for me, the school that I work at required all new hires, regardless of experience to get a mentor or "buddy." This was permission to ask for help! Yay!

Having a mentor was probably the biggest contributor to my success this year. When struggling with figuring out my identity as a teacher (i.e. how to discipline and interact with students), my mentor was extremely influential.  I remember a particularly trying week where I was at my wits end, and she told me, "Don't give students permission to make you have a bad day."

You see, what I was doing, is putting the successes and failures of the students on my shoulders.  In actuality, I am a small part of the equation that results in the success or failure of a student.  At the end of the day, the majority of the responsibility was on the student.

After this realization, I began sharing with students that they are a powerful force in their lives.  They alone decide how far they will go, how well they will do.  I am simply a helping hand in their journey  towards success, if they choose to reach for it.

When struggling with discipline, my mentor was also able to suggest powerful books to read, such as Ruby Paine's, "A Framework for Understanding Poverty."  This book gave key insight into interacting with the type of students I work with.  I learned the importance of consistency.  When working with students whose lives are always fluctuating, whether it is the tendency of many of them to move around, or the instability of their parents' jobs, it is vital that they can depend on me to be consistent.

I cannot waver for a single moment.  If I say there are consequences for talking out of turn, then there WILL be consequences, not just the first few times, but EVERY time.

I also learned from my mentor to set boundaries, both emotional and in terms of time.  I cannot be a student's friend, I am their leader, adviser, teacher, and mentor, but I am not a buddy.  If my hours available are Monday and Wednesday until 4:30pm, then they can see me during those times to make up work, and not the Friday before grades are due.  Work is a PART of me, not the WHOLE, and being told by my mentor to make sure that I have free time was a relief!  I learned that it is vital to balance work and life, and work should NOT get the majority.

Some of you may be shaking you heads at the fact that I am unwilling to sacrifice my personal time and sanity for the sake of a student, and I can understand.  But like my mentor explained to me, y'all are on burnout road. 

Balance is key.  Consistency is key.  Having someone who is wiser than you is key.  Take it from me, reaching out for help was the best thing I did all year.

If you are interested in reading Ruby Paine's book, click the link below:

The Future Is.... NOW!

Computer-Based testing Strategies in ELAR

Strategies for test-taking are one of the most important things we can teach our students.  It is the knife to the hunter; the wrench to the handyman.  If standardized testing is the dragon, strategies is the sword we arm our kiddos with to take down the beast!

This year a "new" test form (or "beast")  has emerged; the computer-based test!  The most terrifying component was that the strategies we previously had were designed for paper-based tests.  

For the students, it was like encountering a "new world" beast with "old-world" weapons, and not enough time to figure out how to take the beast down.

So what did I do?  

I created a set of computer-based testing strategies for students to use, of course, that link the bridge between the paper and the keyboard.  There is a graphic organizer that goes along with the strategies also (see below), that is a helpful companion.  I will add the strategies below, however, keep in mind that these, like anything in this world, will evolve.  The strategies grow and change with the test, so I will do my best to keep any alterations and improvements posted.  

If I use my imagination, I can easily foresee ALL testing moving towards the computer format.  I mean, why not?  It's convenient, earth-friendly, and ideally, more efficient.  However, the future is now, and the time to think about computer-based test strategies is upon us.  If you would like a copy of the graphic organizer, would like more information, or even have a suggestion, please comment.  The goal of a teacher is to educate students, not just the kiddos in one's own class, so I am happy to help in any way I can;-)

Reading Strategies for Computer- Based Testing 

1.      Get comfortable and get your space in order.

a.       Locate your computer, computer mouse, scrap paper and pencil.

2.      When you log on to take the test, ask yourself: “What tools will help me be a better test taker?”

a.       Your test tools include: a highlighter, eraser, pencil, note pad and an X to cross out answers you think might be wrong.

b.      Your Accessibility Panel includes:      

                                                              i.      Text to speech: where you can have the questions read to you out loud by the computer

                                                            ii.      Zoom: if you need the screen bigger

                                                          iii.      Color and Contrast: if you think you could read better if the screen was a different color or was brighter or darker.

                                                          iv.      Place marker: a bar that helps to keep your place as you read

3.      Take a deep breath.

a.       It is easy to rush through computer tests, so breathe deep, take your time, and do not rush.

4.      Make a prediction:  highlight the title of the passage using your highlighting tool at the top of your screen and look at any pictures that may be included. 

a.       Write the title of your passage on the line in your graphic organizer.

b.      Make a prediction on your graphic organizer what you think the passage will be about.

c.       Decide whether you think the passage is fiction or non-fiction

5.       Read through ALL the questions before you read the passage.

a.       Use your highlighter tool to highlight your KWIQ words as you read.

b.      Using your graphic organizer, number the questions and write down your KWIQ words.

c.       If the question specifies a certain paragraph, write that down!

6.      Read the passage

a.       As you read the passage, highlight the parts of the passage that answer your questions or refer to your KWIQ words.

b.      If you can, answer the questions as you read the passage.

c.       When you are done reading the passage, answer the remaining questions.

                                                              i.      ALWAYS flip back to the passage to find text evidence to support your answer.

d.      If you can eliminate an answer use your X tool to cross out that answer.

e.       If you think an answer choice might be correct, use your pencil tool and draw a + sign by the answer.

f.       Read through ALL answer choices before you click on the bubble.  Sometimes there are two possible answers, but you have to pick the BEST answer.

7.      Paired Passages

a.       Use the same strategies as you would with any passage.

b.      Read only ONE passage at a time.  Answer the questions for that passage.

c.       Read the other passage. Answer the questions for that passage.

d.      Then, answer the crossover questions using the same process of elimination.

Graphic Organizer: