Friday, January 28, 2011
A big step
Yesterday the head of adult education visited our classroom to do a required observation. The lesson, a GED essay on what makes a good teacher, was great fun and went well. On her way out, I told her that I was not ready to retire, but was ready to give Family Literacy over to someone else. Today I told my immediate supervisor the same thing. He was very understanding and talked about not wanting to lose me and that there were many other ways to use me. He talked about a time of transition for Family Literacy. I really think this is what I want to do.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Our one room school house
Years ago a volunteer said our classroom reminded him of a one room school house. We do have a great variety of abilities and styles. Two new students in 2011 have many skills and a sense of enjoyment in learning. One whooped with delight when she remembered how to do long division today. The other has easily moved through decimals, fractions, and percents in a quick review. But another new student cannot tell you how many dimes are in a dollar or subtract 8 from 10 without using her fingers. And then there all those in the middle who have been with us for a few months and need constant review and reminders to use every strategy they have available to do their math problems. They can usually compute, but get stumped by any two or three step problems or any slightly different than the usual template.
We need to remember that Family Literacy exists for many reasons, not just the "I want to get a GED" reason. The first two students have the ability to pass the GED exam, but if they are like others, they will need encouragement to take that step. The second student can certainly improve in her basic skills, but maybe even more importantly, we can help her be a better teacher for her four year old. He is delayed in speech and socialization and can act out quite violently to others. We need to be a source of referrals for him and a source of support for her. So I will try to hang on to her just as much as the students who have the ability to achieve a GED.
And then all those in the middle are really my biggest challenge. How can I nudge them to get just those few extra points in order to pass the GED exam? I can't make them into great students, but I can help them open the doors to better employment and further education if they can just score a 410 in math instead of the failing 400!
We need to remember that Family Literacy exists for many reasons, not just the "I want to get a GED" reason. The first two students have the ability to pass the GED exam, but if they are like others, they will need encouragement to take that step. The second student can certainly improve in her basic skills, but maybe even more importantly, we can help her be a better teacher for her four year old. He is delayed in speech and socialization and can act out quite violently to others. We need to be a source of referrals for him and a source of support for her. So I will try to hang on to her just as much as the students who have the ability to achieve a GED.
And then all those in the middle are really my biggest challenge. How can I nudge them to get just those few extra points in order to pass the GED exam? I can't make them into great students, but I can help them open the doors to better employment and further education if they can just score a 410 in math instead of the failing 400!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Score: 2-1
I heard two stories that saddened me this week and one that pleased me. First the good; then the bad.
A, a former student, "friended" me on Facebook. She said she was doing great, had gotten her high school diploma (not sure what that means) and was enrolling in cosmetology school January 31. So that's the happy story--even if later that week she posted that there was crime tape all over her street. A resident had endangered his parents and was shot by the police in a stand-off.
T, another former student, posted on FB about her gratitude for her church and a woman in it. I responded by saying how happy I was to read her posting. Later in the week, a friend of hers who brought her to that church, told me that T had delivered her third child in the last month, a little girl, and had given it up for adoption. Three years ago we had been through this with her second child and she backed out of the adoption two days after delivery. I had assured her the previous time that God would not send her to hell for giving up a baby. I wish she had more self esteem than to get involved with these "baby daddies." The first father was shot and killed before the child was born; the second got out of jail and threatened her enough so that she called me and I brought her to the YWCA shelter. I know nothing about this father.
S dropped out of our class a few months ago and I never found out why. Her mother told me that she was now enrolled at IVY Tech. I mentioned the danger of getting student loans when you didn't have a GED. Her mother said that she thought she did have a loan because she was getting a car. I fear that enrolling in college and getting a loan is all a way of making easy money. If she doesn't pass the GED in six months, she will have to repay that money and will not be able to get another loan. I think. I'm not sure.
A, a former student, "friended" me on Facebook. She said she was doing great, had gotten her high school diploma (not sure what that means) and was enrolling in cosmetology school January 31. So that's the happy story--even if later that week she posted that there was crime tape all over her street. A resident had endangered his parents and was shot by the police in a stand-off.
T, another former student, posted on FB about her gratitude for her church and a woman in it. I responded by saying how happy I was to read her posting. Later in the week, a friend of hers who brought her to that church, told me that T had delivered her third child in the last month, a little girl, and had given it up for adoption. Three years ago we had been through this with her second child and she backed out of the adoption two days after delivery. I had assured her the previous time that God would not send her to hell for giving up a baby. I wish she had more self esteem than to get involved with these "baby daddies." The first father was shot and killed before the child was born; the second got out of jail and threatened her enough so that she called me and I brought her to the YWCA shelter. I know nothing about this father.
S dropped out of our class a few months ago and I never found out why. Her mother told me that she was now enrolled at IVY Tech. I mentioned the danger of getting student loans when you didn't have a GED. Her mother said that she thought she did have a loan because she was getting a car. I fear that enrolling in college and getting a loan is all a way of making easy money. If she doesn't pass the GED in six months, she will have to repay that money and will not be able to get another loan. I think. I'm not sure.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Another day off!
Last Thursday we could not have class because of a power outage scheduled for the 628 building (which never actually occurred!) Today there is no class because the roads in the city are not cleared enough for the buses to get through. Next week is MLK day and then a teacher record day. Our students need to be in class regularly! This is not good.
We are going to have lunch as a staff today and that is nice. We won't have to rush to get there or rush to get away. This is my twice postponed Christmas treat.
But I do realize that I need to be teaching. I just might not need to be teaching or administering Family Literacy. I would like to be in class today and that is a good sign.
We are going to have lunch as a staff today and that is nice. We won't have to rush to get there or rush to get away. This is my twice postponed Christmas treat.
But I do realize that I need to be teaching. I just might not need to be teaching or administering Family Literacy. I would like to be in class today and that is a good sign.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
One on one
My jury duty was canceled. And then at 5:15 I got a call from Housing Authority saying there would be no power in the child care rooms due to major construction in the area. I made many calls canceling staff, students, volunteer and buses. I went in to my classroom where there was power. I had plenty of projects I could do.
However, one new student was not given the message by her housemates and she showed up with her one year old. She worked so hard all morning and was so eager to keep working. Her baby alternately played, ate, and slept. The morning was worth it for her sake.
The irony--When I went to get a car seat so I could take her home, I turned on the lights in the child care room automatically. They went on! The power was never turned off. We could have had class.
However, one new student was not given the message by her housemates and she showed up with her one year old. She worked so hard all morning and was so eager to keep working. Her baby alternately played, ate, and slept. The morning was worth it for her sake.
The irony--When I went to get a car seat so I could take her home, I turned on the lights in the child care room automatically. They went on! The power was never turned off. We could have had class.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Little things make me happy
Yesterday was our first day back after the holidays. I didn't feel well and we had only five students show up. Today we also had only five students but I felt better and it was a good day. Two quite faithful students have been absent and have not called. I am concerned. One new student also is a no-show. So it seems to be a week of some uncertainty. Plus I have jury duty on Thursday for the first time ever. The students seem to know more than I do about jury selection--in one case, having watched it from "when my baby's daddy was on trial and it took two days to choose a jury." That must have been a serious offense.
So here are the little things that make me happy--and it may not seem like it takes much!
When I said one of my new year's resolutions was to sit in my rocking chair in the kitchen and just be there--to think and pray. T said "What was that vocabulary word we learned before Christmas?" It was "contemplate"--I'm glad she thought of it.
When D was doing map work, she saw "Madagascar". She said that some dude told her he was from Madagascar and she laughed at him and said that was a movie. Now she knows he wasn't kidding.
D and K both smiled today--and maybe even laughed. Part of the humor may have been the reaction when I talked to the bailiff on my cell phone. They asked what would happen if I didn't show up. I said I'd be in real trouble and as T said, "Jim will get a collect call from you" (from jail.)
Yesterday four out of five students could not draw a picture of 2 1/2 as requested on a textbook review page. Today we used pictures, notched rulers, and money. There were some "Ahs" as they got it--maybe. Yet a few still tried to draw 6 1/4 inches instead of 6/4. No wonder the processes are so hard to remember when there is so little concept as a foundation. Maybe I will repeat and extend this lesson when my supervisor comes to observe next week.
So here are the little things that make me happy--and it may not seem like it takes much!
When I said one of my new year's resolutions was to sit in my rocking chair in the kitchen and just be there--to think and pray. T said "What was that vocabulary word we learned before Christmas?" It was "contemplate"--I'm glad she thought of it.
When D was doing map work, she saw "Madagascar". She said that some dude told her he was from Madagascar and she laughed at him and said that was a movie. Now she knows he wasn't kidding.
D and K both smiled today--and maybe even laughed. Part of the humor may have been the reaction when I talked to the bailiff on my cell phone. They asked what would happen if I didn't show up. I said I'd be in real trouble and as T said, "Jim will get a collect call from you" (from jail.)
Yesterday four out of five students could not draw a picture of 2 1/2 as requested on a textbook review page. Today we used pictures, notched rulers, and money. There were some "Ahs" as they got it--maybe. Yet a few still tried to draw 6 1/4 inches instead of 6/4. No wonder the processes are so hard to remember when there is so little concept as a foundation. Maybe I will repeat and extend this lesson when my supervisor comes to observe next week.
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