The Cornerstone For Teachers

I don't always look forward to my parent-teacher conference night since it takes me away from my own children, but I always feel good afterwards. The parents of my students are hard-working and loving parents. It's good to connect with them, especially when working with over 100 students a day.

Amen!! Parent/teacher conferences are such a sweet time, especially if I am talking to Christian parents about how the Lord is working in their child's heart.

Oh, awesome, I'm so glad you figured out what the root cause was! It makes it SO much easier to find a solution. Yay! I'm excited for you AND her!

Yes, I was celebrating!!!! I tried my facebook last night at midnight to tell anyone who had not heard my screams, but fb was having technical difficulties. What a relief!!!!!Thanks again for your help. Glenda, NBCT 09 (MC Gen).

WOO-HOO! Go, Glenda! You totally earned it. :-)

I think many teachers feel that the grading system they're forced to use is unfair, overly subjective, disconnected from student promotion, and time-consuming. Maybe someone else will chime in here, but I think in general, giving report card grades is definitely a sore spot for many teachers.

my question is this... would you get a snake bite vaccine because there is a chance you might get bitten by a snake? i'm not causing trouble but enjoy this conversation....

Ah, Amanda, touche...I totally see your point. I don't think I would have gotten the vaccine if it hadn't been so convenient, and again, free. One of my friends was like, Angela, seriously, we have to get you off this FREE thing. ;-)

I'm sorry that happened. It sounds like your supervisor is saying you haven't drawn the boundaries between your personal and work lives, and you are internalizing the kids' issues. If you are laying awake at night on a regular basis worrying about how your students are being parented, I hate to tell ya, but s/he's probably right. It's very ... See Moredifficult to be concerned but detached, and it takes awhile to learn how. It took me 3-4 years of intermittently crying at home for my students before I finally learned to give my all at school, and let it go at 3:00; to learn how to do what I could then trust the sovereignty of God and allow Him to be responsible for those things I couldn't control. Hang in there, hon!!

Tell it! Kids are not clients; they're kids. There's too much consumerism directed their way already.

Yes, exactly, we don't need more consumerism in schools, and this business-speak reeks of it. Learning provider? Customer service workshops? Ugh. Too far.

I did Lucy Calkins at one school for 3 years--best. program. ever. BTW, I started reading the autobiographies today (most are still in the beginning phases) and they're REALLY creative! The kids are using all types of features real authors use. I'd share more, except for that pesky confidentiality thing...but even our video game lover has spun a good tale. Related to playing a videogame, but a good tale nonetheless. ;-)

Love Lucy Calkins! We just finished publishing our first piece/memior. I wish I had been teaching like that since the beginning...Such an amazing difference!

Thanks for chiming in there for Lori! I love that you did that. As for your situation...I am finding this to be the case in MANY classrooms: a few kids who wreck everything, and the rest of the class sweet but extremely needy. I don't have any pat answers for you, but it DOES help to focus on the fact that the majority of kids aren't monsters (... See Morethat can't be said for all classes!). Stay focused on what you're doing that IS working, and give yourself permission not to meet every need every day. It just isn't possible. The kids' biggest need to is to feel safe and loved in your classroom...if you are accomplishing that, you've done a lot. :-)

you must be an amazing teacher. I try to make my standard that we are working on apply to three levels that way i know that my ells and my highs and lows are getting something. Do your standards go accross grade levels. We have some in Az that are introduced in Kinder and then build all the way to fourth grade so you can have the same objective but at different levels. Maybe this will help