Are Parents Asking Too Much?

When a parent drops off a child to school, it is there impression that their child will be safe. They entrust their child with the respective School District. Well that's not always the case. Sometimes parents get calls that their child has been sent to ISS (In School Suspension) for two (2) days; sent home for three (3) days which is Out of School Suspension; or even been tasered. Who expects those calls? Surely, the parent is thinking "Where were the teachers?" "Where was Administration?" "Isn't that punishment too harsh?" Parents want their children to be safe while at school. School is sometimes there only place of safe haven.

Teachers prepare lessons. Teachers teach students. Teachers are nurses via tending to ailments. Teachers are counselors via listening to what is occurring at home. Teachers are ridiculed by society. Teachers are expected to stop fights endangering their own lives (even if it's at the elementary level). Teachers are reprimanded if they break up a fight (incorrectly or inappropriately) and if they don't break up the fight. Sounds like a Catch 22 situation to me. Are parents expecting too much? Are parents expecting for teachers to instill values in their children that they should have learned at home? Of course, school personnel teaches some values. Yet on the other hand, can a teacher talk to a child about fighting or bullying if the parent has a different value or no value at all?

Fighting at schools occurs at the elementary, middle, and High School levels. Fighting occurs amongst all walks of life. Sometimes, because you have students that have been taught "it's not good to fight" will intervene as a Safe School Ambassador and try to break up the fight. Sometimes they are successful. Sometimes, they are not. Noe Nino de Rivera , 17, did not have that outcome. Since it seems everyone is accountable when fights arise, the family of Noe Nino de Rivera is dealing with just this issue. Noe Nino de Rivera is said to have been trying to break UP the fight and wound up fighting for his life. Parents, could more have been done? Parents, should more have been done?

Are schools safe enough? Are teachers doing enough to ensure student safety? Are administrators doing enough for the student body? Are School Districts providing enough tools to ensure schools are not labelled unsafe? Parents, are you asking too much?

Teachers, Are You The Problem With Technology

Teachers must incorporate technology since students are 21st century learners. It's all teachers hear. "Be sure to utilize technology." "Lecture only won't cut it." "Where's your smartboard?" "How many computers are in your classroom for students to use?" Teachers hear it constantly. Educators are aware that technology is here. They even understand students prefer playing with technology over completing homework assignments and studying for tests.

On the other hand, if teachers are not prepared to utilize the technology in the classroom, then where is the value? Let's address some questions. Are teachers prepared to utilize it? Are they provided adequate introduction and training to the equipment? Do they have time to learn how to use it? Teachers, you must make time to engage in technology. Do not be afraid. Children want to be able to use it. Wanting students to be engaged requires changing the dates on those lesson plans, incorporating differentiated instruction, and meeting the needs of all those students in that classroom.

Repetitive professional development days, fear of facing the facts and future, and spending Winter Break, Thanksgiving Break, and Spring Break at home, shopping, etc, and not seeking ways to engage students is detrimental to a classroom. When teachers lack the necessary tools needed for success, should they be blamed for the reason students aren't effective 21st century learners?

Times Have Changed - Should Teachers?

It is evident that times have changed when it comes to education. Where has it changed you asked? In homework. In attire. In respect. In consequences. In parental involvement. Lack thereof or too much. The list goes on. Teachers became teachers years ago for obvious reasons. Why? They wanted to make a difference. Now, is that true today? Teachers are facing the same issues no matter the District. Here are some: -Students not doing homework -Students being disrespectful to teachers -Students not reaping consequences for their actions -Parents "holding up" children's actions -Parents absent from their children's lives -Parents expecting much more of a teacher -Drugs and weapons in school from elementary level on up I'm sure some are saying "Not my child! Not my child!" You could be right. It's not all but a vast number of students are apart of those changes. Everyday brings on new visions for teachers. They dont know what to expect from day to day. They may face an excessive amount of emails from parents. It may be another trip to the principal's office. It may be getting cursed out by the student. It may be another day of a student having no supplies. When does it end? How does it end? Times have changed. I can remember speaking with my aunt, Ruby Lee Thomas, some years ago and I asked, "Did you ever think you would be dealing with some of the issues you deal with when you went into teaching?" Her reply (replying sadly) "No." You have some teachers questioning their effectiveness. Teachers used to be able to call home and action was taken. Guess what? Action wasnt just taken at home, but at school, and church as well. Everybody was involved in raising a child. Not now. Times have changed. Who would even think of a child (elementary level) even thinking about USING profanity with a teacher? It's commonplace now. Discipline? Teachers cant do what they used to do. Times have changed.

Homework - Whose Fault Is it

Do you think a student needs to have Mathematics homework every single night? Do you think it's necessary for a student to study their notes every night and rework problems to get a grasp on the lesson? Can a student only listen in class and never practice and still "get it" and pass the class?  How much time should a student need to complete his Mathematics assignments? Teachers have to address these questions every year. Every year, you have students who do not do homework 3 out of the 5 school days in a week. When you ask why it hasnt been done, then you receive various reasons. " I forgot!" "I didn't write it down" "I did not understand it." "I just did not do it." " I did not feel like it." Teachers deal with these reasons daily. Is it fair? Is it fair to the teacher? Since we are teaching the 21st Century Learner, teachers are adapting their teaching styles. So when teachers post the work they actually did on class on their teacher website or a resource for the students to access and the work is not done, it's disheartening. Having this to occur over and over means something needs to be done. What do you do to ensure homework is turned in? Do you assign it everyday? As a parent, do you expect to see homework every day? As a parent, do you really believe, out of  7 classes your child attends that he does not have ANY homework! Surely, it should be evident that homework is being given. Parents, we need your help in this endeavor. Teachers cant solve this issue by themselves. Ask your students about homework. View their teacher websites. Attend Open Houses to see when he/she assigns homework or how the class is run. Email the teacher and see how your child is doing.
So when a student consistently fails to turn in homework, whose fault is it?

Flipping The Classroom - Are You Flipped Out About It!

What a concept! When I first heard of this concept, I truly loved it! It flipped the idea of a traditional classroom in which we teach the concept and attempt to ensure students have a comprehension of the concept. The idea of having students, in advance, go over what I will teach the following day! Really? Talk about preparation! That would mean that I would have more time for hands on activities, answering questions, peer tutoring, etc is what came to my mind. ( I now understand it's more than just that idea). So I signed up for a distance learning class and I enjoyed it.  I began digging into resources about this new concept that I found out folks were already doing it! Where had I been all this time! I never questioned whether I could do it. I am just ready TO do it!

Flipping a classroom is the way to go! I see less cost in transportation for the school and the parent. I know there would be more bandwith yet I see a student and teacher in a more relaxed atmosphere as well. Teachers still have to prepare and students must still learn. So just because he may not be at a desk or in a uniform by no means equates to him/her not learning. Being in a familiar environment and comfortable could actually be a plus for the student. My district, CCISD, already has teachers promoting this idea. Cant wait to see them in action. I think it would be a good idea, to begin with, having maybe 2 campuses per level (elementary, middle, and high school) piloting the process and reporting with the outcomes.  I would love to be apart of this pilot or community as it expands in CCISD, which is made up of almost 40,000 students and lead by Dr. Greg Smith, who was just named Superintendent of the Year, by Texas Association of School Boards. We have a large student body and our demographics are constantly changing. Adapting to the 21st Century Learner is super important. Having a cell phone in the classroom should be like having a textbook in the earlier teaching days. Straight lecture for a class period should be obsolete. Who can listen to someone talk that long. It's been reported that a student can listen to  someone speak (in minutes) equal to the student's age. So, if the student is 13 years old, he/she can listen for 13 minutes and then you know what happens!.....WOW! Imagine that! So what are you doing differently in your classroom!

There are many resources available when it comes to flipping your classroom. You can view Edmodo which has a Flip Share Group, the Flipped Learning Network, and more. There are many ideas to get you started and that truly helps! Don't be afraid to try something new. You won't know if IT works unless YOU work it!   Sophia, Khan Academy, pencasts, online projects, are more  tools available for your usage in trying out this new concept.

There are blogs about flipping the classroom. There are conferences in references to flipping your classroom. Your administrators know about it and may be willing to assist if you just ask. I did and my principal has spoken to me about this topic with eagerness. Check out  the above mentioned resources and more! Maybe you have a technology specialist at your school, seek his/her help! This concept is not just about the teacher, student, and school. Parents are an integral part of it as well because they want to ensure their child is learning. Inquire about districts that have tried this! I'm so ready to begin and see the outcomes with my students! Are you!

Insight Mobi 360

OMG! What a tool! Tired of your student not working in class? Tired of he/she pretending to do some work and the paper is blank? What about the one that  does not even have pencil and paper? Have you ever gotten the "deer in headlights" look? Do you have any students that just detest Mathematics? Well, a metamorphosis can occur! I have only been using the Mobi 360 for 2 wks  with my 8th Grade Mathematics students and ABSOLUTELY  LOVE IT ! It is a classroom instruction system  that guides instruction and assessment! The Insight 360 will be your  American Express card for school. You will not want to teach without it!

When I first used it with my students, they got excited because they saw the "clickers." They love using those remotes to input answers. I love their enthusiasm and I loved that they asked to use it again and not put it away! Every teacher loves this attitude. Well, as I begin to write a practice problem on the Mobi and advise them to evaluate it, I could see them actually making a sincere effort to get the answer. I used to write at the Mimeo, then walk around the room to see who is working. Now, I can write the problem on the Mobi  (including word problems) and save time by seeing who's working and how they are progressing as I actually write on the Mobi!. Well, you may say I do that already. Well even if I write on my Mobi at my desk, it tells me the student's name, remote number and whether he/she has the correct answer! So I can say "#12, try again okay!" or" #1 check out your addition", etc.  Immediate assessment is my kind of living in a Mathematics classroom.

Additionally, I can get reports to show how the class is doing indicating whether future teaching is needed on that concept or individual tutoring on a particular concept with certain students. I am all about using my time wisely! Performance summaries are AWESOME! I can even show the correct answer in a bar graph and show the other responses enabling me to immediately rectify a mistake being made by a few students. The results are an important tool for teachers!

I can even put a timer on the question which I did initially when I saw a couple of students taking extra time indicating whether or not they were done. It also enhanced my cooperative learning because there was more constructive talking amongst the tables which is peer tutoring at its best! Teachers, say hello to your little friend, the Mobi 360!

There is so much more than can be done with the Mobi 360! It's effortless to set up, has full interactive whiteboard capabilities, gives real time assessments/data, can use with any content, and more. There are simple tutorials to get you started today! I encourage you to check it out as soon as possible and remember, it's all about the 21st Century Learner!

Can a Teacher Truly Motivate a Student?

Homework is constantly turned in late. No homework is turned in at all. Mike takes 9 wks to get in an assignment. Johnny brings no pencil to Mathematics class. Belinda does not bring paper nor pen to Language Arts class. Jimmy never dresses out for PE. Billy says "they're not gonna fail me anyway!" Amy says "I will just go to Summer School." I am sure as a teacher you have heard it all before. I am sure you have heard it over and over again. I am also sure your principal has said "You have to motivate Johnny" or "what are you going to do to motivate Jimmy?" Teachers are expected to do alot day after day after day. The teacher can pull Johnny to the side and tell him how the situation looks and what's the best fit for him. He/she can guide him but the teacher doesn't go home with the student. Yes, the teacher spends much time with the student; however, the teacher is NOT the parent. What applies in the classroom may not apply at home. If you know like I know, the child will tell you that, as well. Is it helping the student to provide supplies for him/her constantly? Is it helping the student to allow him to turn in assignments late constantly? How is a teacher supposed to motivate a student that really doesn't like school or just is not motivated to be there because of their surroundings. The pressure is on for the teacher who wants the student to excel yet feels the pressure from Administration. It's alot to deal with from a teacher's standpoint! How do you feel? Talk back to me if you can!