PDS Visitors

On Thursday my PDS had some visitors in the hallways. RESA and the State Department were in the school observing because my PDS was named a focus school due to the gap in achievement in special education students and general education students. These visitors were observing the whole day and then they will take what they find and make suggestions for how the school can improve. I see how this can be helpful for my PDS but I also see how people could get the wrong impression of how our school is run. For example, we knew that these people were going to be in the building on Thursday; so everyone had the opportunity to plan "exciting" lessons, put art on the walls, and dress professionally. I think if they wanted a clear picture of how the school is really run, they should have come on a day in which the teachers didn't know what was going on. During the day we had people coming in and out to observe teacher and to interview students. Each grade level was required to meet in one specific room during their planning period. A representative came in to interview everyone. This person asked many questions about how my PDS is run and what teachers would like to see change. Many of the teacher expressed that they really do like the way things are run and that there is a good administration/teacher relationship. Everything was running smoothly until the topic of Special Education was brought up. Not everyone was "happy" about how inclusion is run in the 5th grade. However, everyone just pointed fingers at the special education teacher. I agree that the way this person does things isn't the greatest, but I also believe that if you do not like the way things are going then you should have a conversation about it. Instead, this particular teacher was thrown under the bus. I'm really nervous how this all "plays out". The RESA people are going to give a report to our administration and then they will give staff the information in November. I think that this is a good thing for my PDS but I just think they way people went about their concerns was not the most professional. If you aren't happy with something then I believe you should take proper steps in order to make the situation better. Throwing co-workers under the bus isn't the most appropriate way.

Lunch "Friend"

Today was an early release day at my PDS. This means that in fifth grade, the students rotate through all of their classes in the morning. Usually the students have three classes, then lunch and recess, and then a final class. On a normal day my homeroom is the last class. When my homeroom students arrived into the classroom for class today, I noticed that one student was not acting like herself. This student was quiet and seemed extremely upset. Before class began I asked her what was wrong. She explained to me that she did not do very well on her math exam, and earned a D. At this point I asked her what would help and she said that she needed a hug. I gave the student a hug, and she broke down crying. I then asked her if she would like to go to the restroom to clean herself up. She agreed and left the classroom. The special education teacher that was in our classroom told me that if I wanted to go talk with her I could use his classroom. I went out into the hallway with the student and asked her if she would like to go talk in the classroom with me; and she said yes. When we arrived in the classroom I found her some tissues and began asking her questions about the test she had failed. She explained to me that she had studied for the test, but since it was a timed test she just ran out of time. After a brief conversation, I found out that her next test was tomorrow. Then I asked if she would like me to practice some multiplication facts with her; she answered yes. She explained that she was upset and did not feel like being around people, so I asked if she would like to bring her lunch into the classroom and she wanted to! So at lunch time, I had a friend. At first, I thought this might be a little bit awkward for the both of us, but it was truly a great time! We just talked, and I learned so much about this particular student. She really opened up to me and I feel like I understand her so much more now that I had this opportunity. This made me think if I had the time to do this with each student, I may understand them so much more than I do now. I think that this student and I both have a new respect for each other; and I'm hoping this carries over into the classroom. If students see you as a real person, who cares, then I feel like they will be so much more likely to open up to you. I think that I learned something today from this student, something that I will truly never forget. All this student needed was someone to show that they cared; and today, that person got to be me!

Getting to know the students

Today we had a presentation in the afternoon, at 1:30. This is usually when we have our 4th period so my mentor teacher and I had just assumed that we would miss 4th period and have double time on Monday during skills (skills hasn't started yet). This morning the other teachers said that we would just have shortened periods making all four periods squeeze in before lunch. The teachers made a huge deal that students would not get recess in so they would have to have a shortened one and stay inside. Fourth period came and went and my class was ahead of schedule. My mentor teacher looked at me and said "wanna go outside for a long recess". Being that it was Friday and an extremely beautiful day we went out. Just by looking out onto the football field you could tell this was exat,y what they needed. Some girls asked if I would walk along the track with them so I agreed. I'm so happy I did this... The kids really opened up to me. You could tell they didn't see me as an intimidating teacher but just a friend who truly wanted to get to know them. Lasted today there was a misunderstanding with one of my students and the school counselor. After, I could tell the student was upset so I asked him what was wrong... After many try's the student would not yet me know. I finally told him that be could come to me no matter what, and whatever he said to me would always just stay with me. The student then opened up and let me know what was wrong. In both these cases I am so happy that my students feel comfortable around me, and I'm so glad I'm getting to know them. I think doing this outside the classroom will help the students respect me inside the classroom.

Riding Bus #99

For one of the "get to know your community" activities on the final rubric, I decided to take a ride on a school bus after school. I brought this idea up at our PDS collaboration meeting last week. The principals thought it was a great idea and said they would make all arrangements. They only question they had was what bus I wanted to ride. Before this meeting I had done some research and decided that I wanted to ride bus #99. This bus travels to the lower income area in Bridgeport and has many students with behavior issues who ride it. I told the administration that I would like to ride this particular us and everyone in the room literally laughed at me. They said that this bus was rough and they high discouraged it. I brought up the fact that this bus heads to the lower income area of our school. Everyone agreed that it would be good for me to see. So the assistant principal set it  and yesterday I rode bus 99! When I got on the bus the bus driver greeted each student and sat them down in seats. Then she told the kids the rules; sit in your seat, if you put down a window you need to put it up before you leave, no loud voices, and no food. After we went to the middle and high school and the bus driver did the same things; greeting them, seating them, and rules. The bus driver began her route and only had to talk to children about 5 times. As I was looking around the bus I did not see much misbehavior. As I looked out the window I was expecting to see horrible leaving conditions, because of what everyone warned me about. What I saw was apartment buildings, houses, and mobile homes. I was kind of confused as to why everyone was making it a huge deal. When I arrived back to the school my principal stopped and asked how it went and I told her exactly what I saw. She responded with "isn't that horrible?" I think I had to pick my jaw off the floor. To me, those weren't awful living conditions. This puzzled me all night. Finally it hit me. My PDS has an extremely high SES... So to the people that have never seen horrible living conditions apartments and mobile homes probably look terrible. It made me see how people really think in that school. I grew up in a low SES school and some of my classmates had no running water. I just think that to really see where students are living you have to go back through off the road to see the true conditions.