Day 6 -10 hours
Yes, it was a very long day, and I'm tired.
This was the first of three days I am spending at a very cool (I don't feel comfortable naming the school) High School in western Pennsylvania with my brother. He teaches both 11regular (American Literature) and a College Writing class.
First I have to react to the school. It is AMAZING!!! They have everything! Including two or three gyms (the small one is the size of most schools gyms on long island), a swimming pool, televisions in every classroom over which they do announcements, a huge library that is so big most of the bookshelves are empty, and a rifle range. (Yes a rifle range... this is PA after all...)
Unfortunately the school is currently in a crisis. They have a several million dollar deficit for several reasons. All in all, they are looking to furlow (??) and to cut somee positions. They also have thing called PRAXIS which is a test that a teacher can take and suddenly be qualified for a new content area and be in the same position as someone who went to school 4 years for a teaching certificate in that area of study. The teachers aren't really appreciative of this, which I can't blame them for, but let me get off the teacher's union stuff and onto what happened in the classroom.
My brother teaches 4 periods in a row so it is pretty crazy. The students are reaching the end of their research papers so a draft was due. These drafts were reviewed and commented on by their peers. My brother had a two-sided sheet which had many questions they were suppose to answer about their peers' drafts. The first questions were all content based because that is the most relivant,but it went all the way through the paper to spelling and margin sizes. It was excessive, but it was more of a guide than something for them to stress over. During these periods, my brother used me as a tool. I got to circulate the room just like him and answer any questions. I answered lots of questions, most were pretty simple, but it was my first time in this position and I really enjoyed myself.
The college writing class was pretty basic. Their period is always in the computer room where they are currently working on a "how to" paper. I was to circulate the same way I did in the other classes, but they weren't as forthcoming. This class does have a class website at blogspot where they have to complete assignments. I'll insert the web addy when I get it.
The technology at the school is great. A student wasnt in class today so she couldn't physically bring in her draft to have her peers comment on it, but she sent it to my brother's school account and he was able to print it out and have students comment. She will get it back the follwoing day with feedback! Also, all the grades and lesson plans are done on the computer where they have a drop down box of standards. Parents can access their childrens' records in real-time including what homework assignments they missed then they can email the teacher to assk about them.
I'm just highly impressed and looking forward to tomorrow where I may get a chance to teach. I'm sure I'll have even more to say about that!!
This was the first of three days I am spending at a very cool (I don't feel comfortable naming the school) High School in western Pennsylvania with my brother. He teaches both 11regular (American Literature) and a College Writing class.
First I have to react to the school. It is AMAZING!!! They have everything! Including two or three gyms (the small one is the size of most schools gyms on long island), a swimming pool, televisions in every classroom over which they do announcements, a huge library that is so big most of the bookshelves are empty, and a rifle range. (Yes a rifle range... this is PA after all...)
Unfortunately the school is currently in a crisis. They have a several million dollar deficit for several reasons. All in all, they are looking to furlow (??) and to cut somee positions. They also have thing called PRAXIS which is a test that a teacher can take and suddenly be qualified for a new content area and be in the same position as someone who went to school 4 years for a teaching certificate in that area of study. The teachers aren't really appreciative of this, which I can't blame them for, but let me get off the teacher's union stuff and onto what happened in the classroom.
My brother teaches 4 periods in a row so it is pretty crazy. The students are reaching the end of their research papers so a draft was due. These drafts were reviewed and commented on by their peers. My brother had a two-sided sheet which had many questions they were suppose to answer about their peers' drafts. The first questions were all content based because that is the most relivant,but it went all the way through the paper to spelling and margin sizes. It was excessive, but it was more of a guide than something for them to stress over. During these periods, my brother used me as a tool. I got to circulate the room just like him and answer any questions. I answered lots of questions, most were pretty simple, but it was my first time in this position and I really enjoyed myself.
The college writing class was pretty basic. Their period is always in the computer room where they are currently working on a "how to" paper. I was to circulate the same way I did in the other classes, but they weren't as forthcoming. This class does have a class website at blogspot where they have to complete assignments. I'll insert the web addy when I get it.
The technology at the school is great. A student wasnt in class today so she couldn't physically bring in her draft to have her peers comment on it, but she sent it to my brother's school account and he was able to print it out and have students comment. She will get it back the follwoing day with feedback! Also, all the grades and lesson plans are done on the computer where they have a drop down box of standards. Parents can access their childrens' records in real-time including what homework assignments they missed then they can email the teacher to assk about them.
I'm just highly impressed and looking forward to tomorrow where I may get a chance to teach. I'm sure I'll have even more to say about that!!
posted by Sara Winterling | 3:37 PM
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