Reality 101: CEC's blog for new teachers

John: Being the Early Bird

I am not a morning person by any stretch. I have been a night owl for as long as I can remember. In college I could do all-nighters regularly, but waking up for an 8 a.m. class was impossible. My morning routine often consisted of staying in bed until the absolute last possible minute, rushing through the shower, throwing on the first outfit I came across and running out the door to get to work on time. I’m never late, but it certainly wasn’t a foundation built for a successful day.

I recently read an e-book by Laura Vanderkam called What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: A Short Guide to Making Over Your Mornings—and Life. The book was extremely helpful for me, and I highly recommend it if you are unsatisfied with your hectic morning routine. In the book she suggests three things that should be done before the rest of the world is awake: nurturing your career, nurturing your relationships and nurturing yourself. I have applied these three categories to my morning routine and have found them to be very beneficial.

John: Where’d All the Good People Go?

I think the Jack Johnson lyrics in the title for this post describe the state of teacher retention today. Twenty-five percent of beginning teachers leave after three years and 50 percent have left the field after five years. Think about that—25 percent of special education teachers spend less time in their “career” than they spent in college preparing for their career.

Even among the Reality 101 readers and writers, you can hear thoughts of changing professions. Reality 101 blogger Ellen wrote about it two years ago in her blog post. More recently, Charmelle posted about her struggles with burnout just four months ago. It is easy to list the problems: low pay, lack of administrator support, principals who don’t understand what we do, fellow teachers who don’t understand what we do, lack of resources, overcrowded classrooms, IEP caseloads that never end and dealing with parents—difficult parents, absent parents or students who are already parents. But, what can be done despite these issues to keep teachers in the field longer?

John: 2013 Convention Recap

Journeying to Mecca is an integral part of the Muslim religion. “Hajj” as it is called is one of the religion’s five pillars. Every year millions of people make this journey. Many Muslims consider this trip mandatory once in the lifetime of every believer. Likewise, Christians often consider traveling to the “Holy Land” to be a spiritually enriching experience that makes their faith become more alive.

Both of these trips are powerful for the participants. They are a time of spiritual renewal, connecting with other like-minded people and a chance to grow towards a goal.

At the risk of sounding hyperbolous, I guess what I am trying to say is that for special educators attending CEC’s Convention and Expo has a lot of similarities to these religious pilgrimages. The Convention gives participants a chance to be mentally renewed, connect with like-minded professionals and grow in our pursuit of educating students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.

John: I Have My Teaching Certificate, Now What? Part Two

As I mentioned in my last post, substituting can be a very beneficial way of making positive impressions at a school. Some teachers end up substituting as a last resort after a failed job search. If you are trying to get a full-time position, you need to make positive impressions with principals, secretaries and teachers. All of these parties can have a say in you receiving a full-time job.

I’m going to focus on how to make a good impression with the teacher you are substituting for because that’s what I know best. Some of the tips might sound like common sense, but they are all here because someone has violated them at some point while subbing in my classroom.

John: I Have my Teaching Certificate, Now What? Part One

I got an e-mail recently from someone looking for a teaching job. She was frustrated in her search and didn’t know where to begin. Many of the comments I get from readers of Reality 101 are from student teachers or college students, who are studying to become special education teachers. As the end of the semester approaches (can you believe it?!), I want to share some job search tips for teachers. 

Teaching is a unique profession in that the vast majority of hiring is done over a span of just a couple months. In most other professions, you can search just about any time of the year and find openings. For teachers, however, the months of January–May are your peak time. If I had to be more specific, I would say the months of March and April.

John: Behavior Management Update

Last semester I wrote about some issues I was having with behavior management. The problem was that I needed a system that gave me options for rewarding positive behavior and punishing negative behavior. The system also needed to be developmentally appropriate for the students in my class—many of whom already think that the occupational classes are “childish.”

Thanks to the input from many of you all, I developed a plan that I felt would be an improvement in all areas. I am sharing the plan I came up with so that it could possibly help some of you. Feel free to take and modify it!

John: The Benefits of Professional Development

What a weekend it was for me! I attended the South Carolina Council for Exceptional Children (SCCEC) Professional Development Conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C. After school on Thursday, I drove four hours through a deluge that would have impressed Noah. Not the beach weather I was hoping for.

Friday, started early with the President’s Award Breakfast, and then, the rest of the day was spent in breakout sessions. After attending several sessions, I closed out the day by presenting two separate technology sessions, “Apps for the Classroom” and “Social Media for Teachers.” I enjoyed the whole process from developing the presentations to following up with the participants after the presentations.

John: New Year, New Classes

I felt good coming into this year. I was teaching the same three classes I taught last semester, and I learned a ton from last semester. I had a new behavior plan I was ready to use. My long range plans were all finished last semester. I had begun developing individual lesson plans. My class sizes were smaller. I was better prepared. Even the grass was greener.

I said the class sizes were smaller, but one of them was much smaller. When I left last semester, I had five students enrolled in my third period class. For a high school class of students in non-diploma classes, I prefer 5-10 students. Any less and it seems too quiet. Any more and it gets to be too much to handle. Of my original five, I slowly began losing students, each for a different reason.

John: New Year's Resolutions

As 2012 rolls into 2013, now seems like a good time to make some resolutions for this year. One nice thing about teaching in a high school situation like mine is that all courses last only one semester. Last semester’s classes are done, and I get a fresh start with a new set of students. Without further ado, here are my 2013 resolutions.

Behavior management -- I'm determined to get behavior management under control this semester. Thanks to the feedback I received from many of you on an earlier post, I have devised a plan that I believe both positively reinforces positive behavior and punishes negative behavior. I introduced the plan to the students today and they seem to like it. I’ll keep you updated on the progress of the system, and if it works, I’ll share it with you to try!

John: Semester by Numbers

I decided to give a recap of the semester in numbers for my last post of the year.

1. Number of successful teacher evaluations completed. 
I passed my preliminary evaluation for my professional teaching certificate. I have to pass the final evaluation next semester to earn my professional teaching certificate.

2. Number of students arrested. 
While only two students have been officially arrested, sometimes I feel like a special education degree should be accompanied by a minor in criminal justice. I have learned more about the legal system this semester by trying to answer questions and help my students navigate the courts than I ever cared to.

Help Wanted, An Effective Behavior Management System for High School Students

If you are a fan of music from the late ‘70s, “I’m sending out an SOS. I’m sending out an SOS. I’m sending out…” You get the idea.

Here is the problem. Behavior management. Behavior management is a common struggle for new teachers and a common topic to come up in a teacher job interview.

My main problem is the largest of the three classes I teach. The 19 students are all very high functioning. AND LOUD. I don’t have disruptive outbursts or any of the extreme behaviors you hear horror stories about in college and that fellow Reality 101 blogger Kaylie experienced recently. I just have students that like to talk and talk loudly.

John: Self-Advocacy Topics and Tips, Part One

We used “the D word” a lot in one of my classes recently. No, not that one. For those teaching high school students with disabilities, the D word is “disability.” It’s one of those words that your students don’t like to hear. Recently, my district implemented a self-advocacy and disability awareness initiative. Part of the program was a survey given to students and parents to assess how much information stakeholders knew about a student’s disability. Surprisingly, the survey revealed that both students and parents knew very little about a student’s disability. Some parents even angrily denied having a student with a disability.

John: Teacher Evaluation Systems—The South Carolina Model

On Oct. 24th, I attended a meeting hosted by the South Carolina State Superintendent of Education. I was joined by more than 600 fellow special education and general education teachers. The topic of the meeting was teacher evaluation systems – one of the most hotly debated issues for teachers today. I have held off writing about this topic for a few reasons. First, I don’t like talking about issues that are political. Second, I wasn’t sure that it was an appropriate topic for Reality 101. Finally, I was too angry to have a rational discussion about it.

I decided now is a good time to write about this change for a couple reasons. First, I don’t think teacher evaluation is as much about politics as it is about education. Second, the more I think about the South Carolina plan, the more I can see real-life, everyday implications for the reality of a teacher as a result of the changes that are being proposed. Third, I have had time to review the proposed South Carolina plan in its entirety, listen to the explanation from the State Department of Education, and think reasonably and rationally about the topic.

John: Help! I’ve Fallen into Paperwork, and I Can’t Get Out!

Keeping paperwork organized is probably the biggest headache I have as a new teacher. In talking to many other teachers, experienced and new, I know I am not alone in the deluge of paperwork. I have been working on a system of practical ways to keep things organized and have found what I think is a pretty manageable system.

Of course, everyone is different, and I am continually tweaking my own system. Maybe something that I do will be helpful to you or get you thinking about an area you need a plan for that you have not thought of already.

John: Singing Lessons

One of my favorite lessons is coming up next week. I love using music in the classroom. The vast majority of my students are major fans of this genre. When I can, I like to incorporate the strong interest my students have for music into my lessons.

I went to a workshop last year on using music in the classroom and decided I wanted to use music to reinforce the material I was teaching. I was surprised by how many songs reference job skills in some way (strong work ethic, staying in school, supporting a family, being responsible, paying bills, etc.). While listening to my students talk about favorite songs, I found one that incorporates many of the skills we talk about regularly.

John: How to Dress for Success at School

It is spirit week at my school. Homecoming on Friday, music playing in the hallways between classes, pie eating contests, Ms. Homecoming Court, and more festivities make up the events of the week. For teachers, spirit week can either be a headache or a great way for your students to see you get out of your comfort zone. Assuming you choose the latter, you are going to do lots of dressing up each day.

I love clothes. My wife gives me a hard time about how much I enjoy shopping for clothes. Her rule is that whenever I spend money on clothes she gets to spend the same amount on her own. For my fellow fashion lovers going into the teaching profession, there are some pieces that need to be added to your wardrobe for your first year of teaching.

John: More Than a Journal

"I have to find someone to take my baby," I heard a teenage girl say as I was standing at my door for hall duty. I looked and saw a teenage girl just barely starting to show signs of pregnancy holding the hand of a boy who looked barely old enough to drive a car. I don't teach this student. I have never actually noticed her before, and I don't know her name. She is certainly not alone at my school as a teenager who is pregnant and taking classes, but there was something about what she said that struck me. High school is hard enough as it is. This girl's biggest concern is weightier than passing a geometry quiz or memorizing a few lines from Shakespeare.

John: Teaching-It Takes a Village

In my last post, I mentioned how my teaching situation lends its own set of challenges. I know every teaching situation is filled with its own nuances and difficulties so I wanted to mention some of the things that helped me through my first year of teaching and are helping me now in my second year. Hopefully, what has helped me can help you.

Last month, I participated in the South Carolina Council for Exceptional Children’s Leadership Training Institute. I was asked to sit on a panel and answer questions about the support that CEC has provided me as I transitioned from student to first year teacher and beyond. As those in attendance can attest, I can talk almost endlessly about how CEC has supported me as a teacher. From the Tool of the Week, which I mentioned in my last post to SmartBrief, Policy Insider, webinars, and many other resources, CEC has been the single biggest factor in my professional development since becoming a special educator.

John: Teacher, Job Coach, and Barista?

What a couple of weeks it has been! Inservice week is over, and I am finished with the first week of school. I haven’t said much about the classes I teach so let me tell you what I do.

My school has a four block schedule. I teach for three of them. Because I also coach soccer, I have my planning period during fourth period so that I can prepare for practice during that time. Right now I don’t have any coaching responsibilities during my planning period, but stay tuned during the spring semester to hear how juggling coaching, teaching, and spring IEP season is going.

John: Bullying Prevention-Are We Doing Enough?

During the week of inservice, I was very thankful for my principal’s sensitivity to our time and for not filling the week with frivolous meetings. We did have one important training meeting, however. All faculty at my school underwent training for a new program called the Olweus Bully Prevention Program.

The training was very eye-opening regarding the frequency and types of bullying that high school students experience. The program included a survey given to all students at my school last spring. To see the responses from actual students made the national statistics become very real. Because of my profession and passion, one of the statistics that stood out to me was that students with disabilities are at a greater risk of being a victim of bullying. As a teacher one of the most painful statistics to read was that only 26.7 percent of girls and 34.2 percent of boys thought that teachers “often” or “almost always” try to stop bullying.*

John: The Other Teaching Responsibilities

I have just completed the week of inservice at my school. I appreciated all of the uninterrupted time in my classroom to prepare my room and my materials for the upcoming year. I am excited about implementing many of the new ideas I have for my classes.

One new idea that my wife gave me is using desktops as dry erase boards. Who knew you could use dry erase markers on desktops and wipe them off easily with wet wipes? Call me easily amused, but I thought this little known secret was one of the coolest teacher tricks I had heard in a long time. I thought it must be too good to be true so I went to Google to see if the internet had any wisdom regarding dry erase markers and desktops. Come to find out, lots of people out there have successfully used dry erase markers on desktops. Still a little nervous about ruining my room’s desks, I drew a tiny dot on a desktop, and to my surprise, the dot wiped off easily! I now have all kinds of ideas for using dry erase markers in my class this year. I think students will love this idea because of the novelty it presents.

John: A Student’s Outlook on Going Back to School

I went to Wal-Mart recently and saw something that always makes me excited: school supplies. Fresh pencils, crisp notebooks, and brightly-colored folders always make me excited for a new school year. Students and parents eagerly scour the aisles with lists of school supplies required for each grade level. Kleenex® for all those snotty noses, disinfectant wipes for other messes, and of course, an apple for the teacher is all part of the back-to-school routine.

The beginning of the year can be the most exciting time of the school year for some students—and teachers. Sure, summer is ending, but the beginning of a new school year also means a fresh start. You have perfect grades in every class, you may have a new teacher (or new set of students), and you may even be moving up to middle school or high school! While the back-to-school time can be very exciting for students, it isn’t always exciting for some of them.

Meet CEC's New Bloggers for the 2012–13 School Year!

Charmelle, Danielle, Kaylie, Jerry, and John are special and gifted educators, and they're excited to share the ins and outs, the ups and downs of the coming school year.

Charmelle is an elementary special education teacher who is busy balancing work, graduate school, and family life with a 2-year-old.

Danielle was a high school mathematics teacher, but has now spent the summer excitedly preparing for her new role as a K–12 gifted and talented coordinator.

Jerry takes on special education as a second career—and he’s ready to tackle his first full year of teaching.

John, following in his mom’s footsteps, decided to become a teacher. After switching his major to special education, he’s never looked back.

Kaylie has found her calling as a middle school special education teacher and couldn’t be happier.

Stay tuned for another dynamic and inspiring year at Reality 101! They kick off their blogging next week--don't miss a post!