I had a rough week. Sick for the past 2 weeks, I really just wanted to get through this work week. I was burned from meetings afterschool and every weekend there seemed to be some function going on.
But the week was especially rough because my Media Production class was slacking, the students’ attitudes were negative, and I was blowing the horn that they were out of line, out of focus, and not taking this class seriously.
Well, I tried a few things, from laying down the law (basically saying these are the assignments, and they had til x day to complete them), to making some counselor referrals, to trying to rearrange groups and seating charts.
None of this worked, and I spent Wednesday and Thursday evening sweating and stressing in bed, waking up to pee and contemplate about how I had failed and what I was going to try next.
Friday, I had an answer. Donuts. Fresh from Safeway. Two dozen. It was part of my idea to create a social time every Friday before we start class. Not only was this a time for them to get their sugar fix and do what they love to do most, talk. It was a time for me to relax and get to know them better. The way the semester has been going, the more we got deeper into the projects and tutorials, the less we actually talk. My role as a guide or coach gave way to the old traditional teacher. The class has lost its excitement, its meaning. The whole point of the Academy of Information Technology is to inspire students to achieve more by giving them something they love to do. Most of these students chose this academy. They should all be passing if not doing their best.
The rest of Friday’s class had a much more relaxed and focused tone. Students were on task, they were helping each other, and some of them almost finished their projects. I made my rounds to several individuals, gave them suggestions, and was overall, trying to be helpful. I was not barking orders, making speeches, trying to tidy up the way I presented my information. I was there, with my students, letting them show me their best.
Archive for category Education
Losing focus
Feb 27
Strange dreams
Jul 19
I woke up suddenly with some anger and slightly teary. I had a dream that I was away from my classes for some long time and I just went unexpectedly. The sub had told me earlier that he had set up these posts along the room for my students to throw paper balls as an engagement strategy. I couldn’t imagine what that was like over the phone, so I didn’t think anything of it.
When I walked into my classroom, it was transformed. I first heard the sound of thudding against these rows of planks that were set up in front of some desks in rows across the room. They looked like they were carefully installed.
I was so angry with the way the room looked that I started tearing them down with my bare hands. My students seemed scared, like I had ended some game or woke them up from a good dream. What I realized was that the students were sitting along the walls of the room, and where the installments were now was just empty space.
I approached the teacher and asked him what was behind his reasoning. He told me that they were meant to be an interactive tool to get students to participate and read in class. I blew up. I told him 1) if he was the teacher, he could do whatever he wanted, 2) what kind of long-term skills or habits is he fostering by having students hurl things against a wall?
I think that’s just about when I woke up.
Adobe Youth Voices Training
Jul 15
It’s been two days of Adobe Youth Voices training and I have to say it has not been this fun. I have participated in training for the past two years, the first time with Ellena Weldon at this San Francisco office, and last year with Doug Singer, who is also attending this year. But I must say this year is more focused, in-depth and geared toward the needs that our sites will be facing.
Yesterday we got a quick run-through the features of Photoshop, learning how the media can manipulate images and send messages to viewers, and we got the chance to create adbusters. There were a lot of resources introduced that we can use in our classes.
Today we got to produce or at least attempt to produce our first project in After Effects. We got a tour of the Adobe studio with its cool green corner where they shoot their educational videos. We had to write a story, design objects and backgrounds, and perform the live roles. My partner was Jeff from Balboa, and we did a story about how someone could walk streets like the Mission, and be so caught up in his/her technology that the person does not notice all the wonderful, dangerous, life-changing events happening in the moment. I really like the concept. And we put together all the elements, but we just didn’t have enough time to finish the AE project. But it made me believe this is the tool that our students would want to learn.
More on the training tomorrow.
Making long-term plans
Jul 10
For the next few days, I am working on a long-term plan for my professional career that will include the plans for Burton HS Journalism, the Academy of Information Technology, and the English Language Development program.
These three programs are very important to me, but to be realistic, I cannot optimally thrive in all three without giving up something somewhere. I am looking to build the Journalism program as my main focus and hopefully enfold the AoIT program into the broadcasting aspect of the news services of our school.
I am also excited about the partnerships with the Special Ed Department and taking on some colleagues in improving the ELD program at our school. Too long I have been operating on my own with all levels of English Language-learners. I am hoping I have a curriculum binder that can be shared and modified as the year progresses.
So I’ll fill you in on how the planning goes. The summer is going fast, so I had better play hard and work hard, and not waste a minute!
