My hope to document my work week teaching on this blog hasn't really materialized as I thought it would. I wanted to get more into thought process and philosophy than I have, but the reality of the work week is that often I am in auto-pilot. Much of what I do is intuitive and I am almost always doing several things at once, so that every second of my day is spent juggling.
First quarter progress reports were due on Tuesday. Last Thursday I had a dozen kids failing my photo 1 classes. After collecting data on all my students last week, I began working with my failing ESL kids to get them a translator to help get them caught up first. I informed case managers of my failing special needs students that were going to need modifications, then I worked one on with the rest of the failing kids to try to get them caught up this week. By today, I only had 3 failing students. These dependent learners, who might be a quarter of my students, take up more than half my time. The goal is to get them to a place that they can work independently or at least with other students to keep up, but I've learned most of them will need my constant prodding all semester in order to pass. I tend to push hard during grading periods, then ease up for a bit. Last year I learned to keep a list of dependent learner who are easily disengaged for various reasons by side at all times to try to keep up a more consistent push, but it's hard, especially when students are absent a lot.
This week I wrote emails to all of my parents introducing myself, explaining my google classrooms and how I grade. I invited everyone to parent teacher conferences in November and to an informational meeting next week for people interested in going to Europe with the department in July. I only received one parent reply (out of 125 emails) but it was a really good one. I ordered a new monitor for my yearbook workstation and installed it today. I turned in receipts from all the purchases I made in September, deposited funds from ads for the paper, and sent artwork to print to put on display in the art lab. I created new presentations for two classes and updated the school's announcements displays several times. I sent out surveys to my students, to get feedback on how things are going.
I am in computer labs all day for the first time in my career which I am enjoying. My morning classes are in the art lab teaching illustration and photography, then I run to the photo-lab for 4th hour yearbook. I have lunch and prep time before teaching yearbook again. My 2 yearbook classes spend about 1/2 their time away from the computers, planning or collaborating. The yearbook classes are made up of almost all seniors, most are athletes or very involved in the school with clubs. They are very fun kids to work with but I have to be very organized to make sure all that needs to get done is getting done. Each class has 5 groups of 5 kids working on different sections or aspects of the yearbook. Each group has different deadlines. I often spend my evenings at home prepping for yearbook as it is the class I am still working out the curriculum for, especially with having 2 classes. I find myself needing to create more work for them. I like the work, but it is work.
I am hoping to be more consistent about writing out the things I do and of course, I'd love to add in all the funny stories that happen. Those seem to be forgotten by the time I get home. There are days that are filled with laughter. I remember the laughter but not always what it was that made me laugh!