Recycling Papers

A veteran teacher once told me that you should collect everything, but not necessarily mark everything. He never did tell me what to do with the stuff I didn't mark.

Dealing with Unexpected Questions #1

The student rarely comes back with an answer unfortunately. I guess they never actually want to know the answer (or don't feel like working to get the answer)

Types of Teachers: MacGyver

It surprised me that the students used the term MacGyvering when I first demonstrated this. I didn't think they would know what the TV show was.

Teach, Mark, Sleep

Somewhere in there we fit in eating.

Is it True?

"Of course I alternate the answers so sometimes it really is all true or sometimes I'll do other patterns. Thus far none of my students have noticed."

Just Enough

One of my practicum supervisors told me that you know you've given enough homework when the students start complaining. It surprises my students sometimes as usually the homework in other classes gets piled on if they complain.

Teacher Hypocrisy

 
So we're always told at Pro-Ds that we shouldn't be teaching kids to use the tools of yesterday and instead teach them to use the tools of the future. Yet at all the schools I've been to, most teachers and admin do everything they can to get rid of the tools the students will be using once they are out there.

The Stair Master

Marking would be so much easier if teachers could mark this way. Thankfully (for the students, lol) we don't.

Desktop Clutter

I'm sometimes embarrassed by what students pick out on my computer desktop, but at the same time I'm quite impressed by their observational skills.

Like puppies, but not as cute

One of my practicum supervisors told me to treat my students like dogs and although I am uncomfortable treating my students like dogs, sometimes it is easier when they are trained like dogs.

Done at 3

In my observations the longer a teacher's been teaching, the quicker the teacher leaves the school.

Explosive Lesson

Being able to just randomly blow stuff up makes being a science teacher really great.

Cell Phones in My Class

Sometimes I feel bad for the electronic devices my students use. The students just don't seem to realize the potential of what they have.

Summer 'Vacation'

One day my summers will be full of fun and relaxation. Until then, back to work.

And we all fall down

Way better than listening to someone talk about literacy in the classroom or new strategies to make students read. Though how many teachers would sign up to study free fall hands on?

I'm teaching what?!

The teaching assignments that teachers get early on are really bizzare but sometimes you just take what you can get.

Call in the big guns

A lot of students were upset I wouldn't be teaching Physics next year because of the layoffs, seniority issues and so on.  So they came up with some ingenius ways of persuading the superintendant to keep me on staff.

Teacher Smash!

The students get even quieter if you throw a chair at one of them.

Down to the minute

New teachers are taught to prepare lessons like this but after the first week (sometimes sooner) these kinds of lessons tend to get thrown out.  Though some supervisors would prefer all teachers teach this way and stick to it.

Addicted

One of my professors mentioned to us that some teachers just need their fix before they do anything.