My Teaching Experiences

Thursday, one of my students said to me "Ms. H----, I've decided something recently."

"Oh, really?" I asked. "What have you decided?"

"I've decided that you should get a teaching job at Borah next year so that you can be my teacher again," she said. I thanked her and told her that was very sweet. Later, when I told K---- about it, I told her that that student is now obviously my favorite student.

But seriously, I feel a serious connection with the kids I'm working with. I've worried recently that I haven't made an impact with them in this short period of time. I've worried that I haven't taught them everything that I should have or that what I have done with them won't stick with them. But, hearing statements like that make a huge difference.

I realized that C----'s grade has been slipping so I gave him a list of everything he needed to make up with a note telling him that I know he isn't a D student because he is a good writer, he is not a behavior problem and he honestly knows everything going on in TKAM. When I gave him the work, I told him that he would do it and that he would do it this weekend. I told him not to blow it off. Monday, when he walked into the class, all he told me was "I did all my work this weekend." No hello, not his usual nod. Just that simple, complete sentence. I know it may be seen as favoritism, but I've been trying to give all the D and F students assignments for make-up work this week. I just needed to go one step further with this kid. I can't give up on him; I don't know what it is, but something drives me to work harder with him than other kids.

Looking at the grades going into the final week of classes, I'm not that impressed:

A 23
B 38
C 33
D 20
F 14

So, without trying, it's almost a perfect bell curve, with just over a quarter of my students (27%) not passing with at least a C. Interestingly enough, my worst class grade-wise right now is third period - not fifth period (the one with multiple IEP, 504 and ELL students) as K---- told me to expect. I'm interested to see how that changes over the next week as late work trickles in and the last few large graded items are entered into the system.

My Teaching Experiences
I'm a graduate student at Boise State University just starting to work with the school districts. This no-frills blog is my account of my experiences in the school setting. Archives: January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007	Tuesday, March 20, 2007 Thursday, one of my students said to me "Ms. H----, I've decided something recently." "Oh, really?" I asked. "What have you decided?" "I've decided that you should get a teaching job at Borah next year so that you can be my teacher again," she said. I thanked her and told her that was very sweet. Later, when I told K---- about it, I told her that that student is now obviously my favorite student. But seriously, I feel a serious connection with the kids I'm working with. I've worried recently that I haven't made an impact with them in this short period of time. I've worried that I haven't taught them everything that I should have or that what I have done with them won't stick with them. But, hearing statements like that make a huge difference. I realized that C----'s grade has been slipping so I gave him a list of everything he needed to make up with a note telling him that I know he isn't a D student because he is a good writer, he is not a behavior problem and he honestly knows everything going on in TKAM. When I gave him the work, I told him that he would do it and that he would do it this weekend. I told him not to blow it off. Monday, when he walked into the class, all he told me was "I did all my work this weekend." No hello, not his usual nod. Just that simple, complete sentence. I know it may be seen as favoritism, but I've been trying to give all the D and F students assignments for make-up work this week. I just needed to go one step further with this kid. I can't give up on him; I don't know what it is, but something drives me to work harder with him than other kids. Looking at the grades going into the final week of classes, I'm not that impressed: A 23 B 38 C 33 D 20 F 14 So, without trying, it's almost a perfect bell curve, with just over a quarter of my students (27%) not passing with at least a C. Interestingly enough, my worst class grade-wise right now is third period - not fifth period (the one with multiple IEP, 504 and ELL students) as K---- told me to expect. I'm interested to see how that changes over the next week as late work trickles in and the last few large graded items are entered into the system.