First, the title of
this blog and its contents must be read with a whining voice. Now let the
whining commence:
1. I am an ELL (English Language Learner)
teacher in the state of Arizona. In Arizona ELL students must be taught in
English only. Even though, all research shows that if one is a fluent speaker,
reader and writer in one’s native language, one can then learn a second
language much more quickly.
2. Also in Arizona ELL teachers must teach the
“four-hour block” which includes an hour of reading, writing and grammar and a
half hour of vocabulary and conversation. Vocabulary must be a separate entity;
one can’t frontload vocabulary before a lesson, which would make sense. There
are six and a half hours in a school day. Two hour of that six and a half hours
is taken up by lunch, electives, and breakfast in the classroom. This leaves
exactly four hours to teach a four-hour block. I am sure the reader is thinking
the time works out perfectly, but please notices that there is no math, science
or social studies in the four-hour block. Supposedly, science and social
studies can be integrated into reading. But, what about math? Math isn’t
important, not in the eyes of the Arizona Department of Education.
3. The State Department is coming to make sure
we are in compliance with all of the established rules of ELL classrooms.
Apparently, the State Department doesn’t come into the classrooms and watch how
one teaches, mainly, the only thing that is checked is the mounds of paper
work. It is important that all the tees are crossed not that the students are
getting a good education. Lesson plans are closely scrutinized but not for
well-planned lessons. Lesson plans are scrutinized for correctly coded and
written content standards, content objectives, ELP standards, and language
objectives. I just spent two hours writing and correctly coding all my
standards and objectives for my reading lesson plans. I still have to do my
speaking and listening, vocabulary, grammar, writing, math, and science plans
to do. It doesn’t matter if there isn’t any time to teach math and science in
the four-hour block we still have to have correctly coded standards and
objectives. If I could use the time I spent on correctly coding, wording and
writing my content and language standards and objectives towards actually
planning lessons, I would have some untouchable first best instruction.
4. I wish teachers would enforce school rules.
I’ve been fighting this one for 35 years. It doesn’t matter if a teacher doesn’t
agree with a rule, follow it and expect students to follow it also. I have said
this before but I do believe that sometimes I am the only thing that stands
between civilized society and complete and utter chaos. I am a rule follower
and I expect my students to follow the rules. Many always ask why my students
behave so well? My answer is simple, I expect them to follow ALL the rules
whether they like them or not.
5. When will I stop being forced to attend
professional development that I have seen so many times before? It might be because
I have taught for thirty-five years and education recycles ideas about every
five years but I am over professional development. I might puke if, one more
time:
·
I see
the teaching and learning cycle, Bloom’s Taxonomy, how to write objectives or
Kagan Structures.
·
I get a
binder filled with papers that I’ve read a million times already. (Although, I
have collected enough over the years to furnish my classes with binders.)
·
I am
given an agenda with times that are never followed.
·
A
presenter reads a PowerPoint presentation to me.
·
I have
to “stand up, hand up, pair up”
·
I have
to sit through a presentation on how to use technology, when all the technology
in my classroom either doesn’t work or isn’t there.
·
I am
given another “new” form and way for deconstructing standards.
6. I JUST WANT TO TEACH!
My
principal asked me to work with a group of teachers that wanted to revamp their
behavior management structure. I did not do Kagen Structures with them or give
them a binder! We did have a “whine” and cheese party. I gave them pieces of
paper with wine glasses printed on them and asked them to write their “whines”
on the wine glasses: one whine per glass because one should never mix one’s
wines or whines. Then we went through the whines and put them into two piles:
what we have control over and what we don’t have control over. We threw the “no
control over” whines in the trash. Finally, as we did our revamping work we
found, we matched up “cheese”, solutions, to our “whines”.
It’s
time I practiced what I preach. I have no control over the State Department and
its demands of the ELL classroom teachers. I’ll continue to spend weekends
writing lesson plans while everyone else watches T.V., goes to the movies,
plays golf or has lunch with friends. Although, someone did ask me what would
happen if I didn’t do what I am suppose to do? I answered maybe I won’t be
“allowed” to teach ELL anymore. Mmmmmm, there’s an idea.
I
also, don’t have control over what other teachers do. I will continue to expect
my students to follow all school rules. Other teachers will continue to comment
on the behavior of my students. And I will continue to say it is because I
expect them to follow school rules.
Again,
I don’t have control over professional development. I will continue to attend
these presentations, bob my head up and down and smile.
Well,
all of my “whines” I don’t have control over. That does it! I better stop
whining! But I do have control over, “I just want to teach”. No matter what, I
love my job. I love to watch when a student finally gets it. I love to watch
them become passionate readers. I love it when my students catch on and laugh
at my stupid jokes. I love it when they beg me to read more of a book. I even
love talking to the same student, about the same thing, for the ten thousandth
time. I’ve loved my job for thirty-five years and if I were in charge, I’d love
it for another thirty-five years.
Paco’s
Perspective
I
love when Auntie Caren shares her wine with me, especially, the reds!
The
Flip Side
Dogs
love cheese and I heard you say I am a dog, therefore, I infer I love
cheese. How’s that for an
inference with evidence? Now, I would like to try some cheese to prove this
theory.
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