Propp’s Propaganda

On A days I have the luxury of having my English 11 Honors class.  Today, each group presented their short story to the class.  I was immediately impressed with how much each group was able to grasp and discuss with each of their own stories.  What was really amazing was when the entire class started to discuss and ask questions right along with the group presenting.  I was so proud of them and my heart was just glowing.  This year has been a really rough start, but for an entire block, these students were engaged and really discussing literature. 

Teaching on the block is not my favorite thing and is something I need to get used to.  One aspect of this longer period is all of the paper work!  Our training suggested having three different activities during a period. So, to me that means having the students do something that they are then responsible for, something that they are turning in for a grade or a mark toward class participation.  Currently, I am drowning!  My head is no where near above water.  I am looking for organized teachers, and/ or teachers who teach on the block to share their secrets to being more successful in this area.

I have now transformed into a circus ring master instead of a teacher.  Running an 84 minute period is nothing short of exhausting.  I keep hearing my former principal in my head saying the teacher shouldn’t do all the work.  Well, that is ALL I am doing.  Our training for block scheduling recommended that we have at least 3 different activities planned during a class.  This is where I feel like a circus ring master.  We were encouraged to get the students up and moving during that time.  When I do that, students moan saying they are too tired, or complain that the new ginormous desks are too heavy to move around in a small group.

Keep in mind that only the English and science department are following a block schedule that meets with students every other day.  It is almost like a double whammy for teachers in these two departments because students dread the fact that they have to sit that long in ONLY those two classes, where as every other class is 48 minutes long.  I would dread it too!  Seeing students every other day is also a challenge for due dates of assignments, especially  for special education students who have extended time on written assignments and projects .  Even if we don’t see that student during the time that they have an extension, is it their responsibility to see me, or turn things in on their own? Yeah, right!  Also, if a student is absent, it is like they have missed two classes!  Missing school is going to be a challenge for some of our students who don’t regularly come to school.  Once they get back and realize how much they missed in science and English, might that lead students to give up?

Not only are we dealing with a new schedule, some of us anyway, we have a new computer program, a new grading program and our rooms are in disarray because construction of new heating units is not yet completed.  Text books, novels, dictionaries are all in boxes in the back of my room.  Where I normally have things placed in my room are displaced.  All of this just makes for a feeling of major confusion and disorganisation. I haven’t talked to any other teachers that have a schedule like ours.  Maybe you are out there.  If you have suggestions as to what I can do to make my class run smoother, I would love to hear them.

This weekend during a very brief moment of relaxation, I picked up the New York Teacher paper.  Inside, I found an article about Dora Fowler who started her sixth decade of teaching.  My first response was one of shock.  How has she survived in the teaching profession for so long?  She offers some really good advice to all of us in the teaching business.  I thought it was only  appropriate to reflect on her advice as another school year begins.  Ms. Fowler advises:

• Be a teacher first.  Students need someone to look up to, not a friend.
• Meet the parents.  Open House is just not good enough to meet our student’s parents.  They need to be involved and aware of what is going on in their child’s life at school.  This is an area I am sure all schools try to improve on.
• You can’t reach everyone.  Fowler states, that no matter how hard we may try, every student may not be reached.  She comments that we all should be proud of the students we do help.
• Don’t fear failure.  Fowler’s repeated phrase seems to be: “Get over it!”  We all make mistakes, lesson plans may not always go as planned, and trying different approaches in the classroom can be scary. “Get over it!”
• Mind your appearance.  Going to school dressed professionally is not just old fashioned but according to Fowler, it fosters respect.
• Learn to laugh.  In order to make it this long, Fowler says her sense of humor and the ability to laugh at herself and then move on  has been paramount.

Whew!  I made it!  I have read several blogs of teachers and their first day/week.  I am glad to know that teachers everywhere experience the same chaos that I have.  The weather here for my first two days was 90!  I am on the second floor of my building where the sun shines for the first five hours of the day!  Can you say sticky? 

The jury is still out on this block scheduling thing.  Our students are concerned about retention, bordom, limited passing time and packed lunch periods!  Block scheduling affects all of these areas.  My former principal always said that the students are the ones who should be working hard, not the teacher.  Well, this week facilitating 3 different activites per block period,  I was exhausted!  I know I worked harder. The students were clear about the fact that they were sure these 80 minute classes would be soooo boring.  However, get this, when I actually asked them to physically move, I heard groans!  I can’t win.

The block is superb for my Honors class and for my college senior class.  Both classes met and enjoyed discussing, looking deeper into litereature and working in groups.  For these students the 80 minutes works beautifully.

The two day week I had was certainly an eye opener.  I can only hope that as they days move along the students and I will all get used to lengthened classes.