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.

Kaylie: Standardized Testing Week. Enough Said.

As I’ve explained before, all of my students participate in alternate assessments, which are called the TCAP-Alt Portfolio here in Tennessee. Those were completed and submitted in February. This week, however, is regular standardized TCAP testing at my school, and, although my students do not participate, I did not escape this week unaffected. 

I was selected by the school counselor and resource teacher to administer the TCAP to a student who receives testing accommodations. This particular student is allowed as many breaks as needed during testing, a separate setting and read-aloud. This means that he and I will be together in a small conference room where I will give him the test by reading each question and answer choice. With the read-aloud accommodation, you are also allowed to repeat as many questions and answers as necessary and as many times as necessary. 

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: 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.

Kaylie: The Best Laid Plans Sometimes Fail...

Describing myself as a planner is a strong understatement. There should probably be a diagnosis for the extent to which I meticulously outline as many areas of my life as possible. It all boils down to a desire for control and to be “hyper-responsible” (a term I once read in article that fits me perfectly). My life, however, has recently shifted into high-gear and left me without enough hours in the day to plan my every waking moment, but what frustrates me to no end is that I feel I now have more things that NEED to be planned than ever!

At school, I’m planning weekly lessons, IEPs and their associated meetings, and a presentation at an upcoming conference. I also have taken on a night job teaching an introductory special education course at a local college, which begins this week. Outside of work there’s Sunday school lessons, activities for the youth group, and, last but not least, a wedding. Wow, I really need to transition to the next paragraph before I have a nervous breakdown!

Jerry: First Day of School Excitement

While you are reading this today (Aug. 21), I am enjoying my first day of classes with my new students. My day began around 7:45 a.m. when they started exiting their buses and happily making their way into the school building for breakfast. Attendance has now been checked, the Pledge recited, and they have arrived in my classroom. We are learning about our daily routine and making preparations for our engaged learning. Before I move forward, however, I need to back up just a bit and tell you how I got to Aug. 21, 2012.

Last week was a fun week. As I have mentioned elsewhere, I was hired in to my current position with about 12 weeks remaining in the 2011-12 school year. Thus I really did not have to prepare a classroom for my students’ arrival; it was more like the students prepared for me. This year is different.

Kaylie: Establishing Strong Communication with Thy Fathers and Mothers

Typing this post is testimony that I survived the first week of school. I’ll give a brief Sports Center rundown of the highlights:

• Thrilled that my returning students quickly settled back into the classroom routine.
• Met seven amazing, full-of-personality sixth graders.
• Was informed that I will likely receive another student in the upcoming weeks along with an individual assistant for that student.
• Discovered I have an IEP to write for a student I’ve known for approximately four days.
• Had one of my students accidently activate the fire alarm in the cafeteria during lunchtime. 

Needless to say, I did not set my alarm clock on Saturday! Oh, and on a personal note, I got engaged this weekend! I’ve definitely been blessed with an exciting week!

Danielle: Summer Reading--It’s Not Just for Kids!

Knowing that I was starting a whole new position when I left school at the end of May, I had all these grand designs that I would do lots of planning and develop lots of ideas during summer break.  Reality set in a week later when I returned to start teaching summer school. I was teaching six different courses in a day—three at a time in the morning and three at a time in the afternoon. The resulting chaos isn’t relevant to this discussion, except (of course) for the honing of my differentiation skills (three courses in the same room will do that!), and the severe lack of planning for my new job as the K–12 gifted and talented coordinator my school. Sigh.

Jerry: Fear and Trepidation in Ohio

My first summer vacation is nearly finished, which means there are a lot of thoughts, emotions, and ideas fighting for space inside my head as the new school year approaches its commencement date.

I was hired as a moderate/intensive intervention specialist with about 12 weeks left in the 2011–12 school year to work with two students: a young man who has an autism spectrum disorder and a young Amish girl whose diagnosis is still a bit of a mystery. By the time the school year ended, I had picked up two more students: a female high school sophomore and a male kindergartener. I really had no time then to think about how I felt. I had a job. It was time to get busy.

Charmelle: Learning to Collaborate

As my summer vacation comes to a close, I anticipate returning to my classroom and my students for the upcoming school year. I have not just spent this time resting and relaxing, but reflecting. During my vacation, I examined some of the successes and challenges I faced through my first year as a special education teacher.

In my current position, I work as a resource teacher and support students with IEPs in the general education classrooms through co-teaching. The biggest challenge was collaboration with my colleagues in the general education classrooms. Of course, we could communicate with each other, but working together at times was difficult. It was hard for them to fully understand the benefit and purpose of my presence in the classroom, and I was often faced with the feeling that I was invading their territory or being viewed as an assistant, floating around the room to help out. Not, only was I the new teacher on the block, but now I wanted to be in their space and I was expected to teach with them.

Richard: One Down, Many More To Go

It seems as though a few days ago I was packing up my classroom, and yet I have just a few more weeks before pre-planning starts and school begins again. I am very excited for what next year holds. I have spent my break reading and immersing myself in education literature to find inspiration and ideas for next year. I have reflected on last year and have begun to develop goals for next year.

My first goal is to create an environment that approaches behavior proactively rather than reactive. I admit this is still a work in progress, but I want to eliminate the points/rewards programs that are so popular in EBD rooms. I plan to transition to teaching the behavior explicitly and holding my students to that standard regardless of if they are having a bad day or forgot their meds. I feel as though they need to learn now, when they have a safety net that those excuses and that mentality will not be there when they are older. I think this will take a significant effort and interfere with some instruction, however if my students cannot manage their behaviors, it won’t matter how well they grasp the content.

Jessica: Go With the Flow

Last week, due to the number of overnight field trips taking place (science camp and 8th grade graduation trip), I wound up subbing with third, fourth, and seventh graders.  At a small rural school, it’s sometimes hard to hire substitute teachers, and it’s also hard to be the substitute teacher at our school, particularly when it’s close to the end of the year and the students are restless. I willingly agreed, and even thought myself prepared.

All the students had research to do on their countries that they will be presenting for International Night this coming Thursday. Third and fourth graders had France; seventh had Egypt.

Richard: Where to Next?

As the year comes to an end, I have to review my students’ progress and determine if I want to recommend placement, advancement, or retention for next year. As I began this process as a novice, I looked over my school provided rubric to determine if my students met the criteria quantitatively. I went through and according to that rubric, everyone should move on to the next grade.

Something didn't feel right with that process, so I decided to confer with my paraprofessional on how she felt regarding student placement. We had a conversation on the qualitative growth of each student. We asked each other if the student matured sufficiently, if the level of work he or she was able to produce this year suggests success next year, and if we felt the student would be able to achieve success in the general curriculum standards, especially with the Common Core State Standards being rolled out next year.

Allisence: Testing Breaks the Classroom “Norm”

Having been back in the classroom a good two weeks now since returning from Denver, you’d think my students and I would have adjusted back to our normal schedule already, but what is normal, really?

Here’s a glimpse at our week right after the conference:

Monday: “Today you will take the Science/writing portion of the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) …”

Tuesday: “Today you will take Reading, Part 1 and Math, Part 1 of the AIMS…”

Wednesday: “Today is a half day so please rest your brain and don’t think about testing even though you’ve been testing the past two days and will test the next two days.”

Thursday: “Today you will take Reading, Part 2 and Math, Part 2 of the AIMS…”

Friday: “Today you will take Reading, Part 3 and Math, Part 3 of the AIMS…”

Theresa: From Convention to Classroom

I had been looking forward to the CEC 2012 Convention & Expo ever since I found out I was selected to be one of the Reality 101 Bloggers. When I arrived at the Denver Convention Center, I was a little bit overwhelmed. Looking through the Convention program, I found myself wishing I could be in more than one place at a time. I took an initial look through the program, and found some sessions that interested me. I went back a little later and narrowed my choices down. Before I knew it, I picked sessions based on two themes—vocabulary instruction and math instruction (two of my loves!).

Theresa: Dealing with Tough Issues

Here in Chicago we’ve been experiencing an extremely warm spring. We just finished off eight record days of over 80 degrees. The exceptionally warm weather has really brought about quite a bit of turmoil in the neighborhood where I teach. The gangs have been becoming more active and my students look at me worriedly every time they hear a police siren outside.

The warm weather has also brought something out in one of my more difficult students, Juan (pseudonym used), who I dedicated a whole blog entry to in December. Recently Juan’s behavior has been slowly spiraling out of control, but what happened this past week was unexpected.

Richard: Planning for Behavior

This past month has been a March Madness of IEPs at my school. We all try to hold IEP meetings during this month to review student progress and make schedule arrangements for next year.  I found myself called to LEA several IEP meetings with students of various disabilities that were having or have had a history of behavior problems. Being the EBD teacher and Positive Behavior Support Coordinator, I have been given the role of behavior specialist.  As I sat in on meetings I noticed a common theme; many teachers struggle with behaviors that appear complicated, but have a fairly simple resolution.  

Richard: Working with the End in Mind

This weekend my mother graduated from Kaplan University with her Associates degree. As I was basking in proudness of my mother, my mind wandered to my students. While my students are only in middle school, I have started working with them on at least thinking about what they may want to do when they graduate from high school.

We started the year off with year-long goals and recently worked on long-term goals. They use a great Web resource, www.gacollege411.org to take interest and personality tests that are supposed to help guide them down the right path, as well as to research careers and the steps needed to reach their dreams.

Richard: Student to Inmate and Back Again (Hopefully)

This past week was full of new experiences. One of my students, David (pseudonym used) got in to some trouble over the weekend with the local police and fire department. Long story short, he was unmedicated that day, angry over something that happened at school with a classmate, and decided to release his anger at home. 

When he was absent on Monday, I called home to make sure he was OK. When his mom reported that he would be back the next day, all was well. A few hours later, she sent me an e-mail saying he will be out for the week, with no explanation. I assumed he was sick and went to the doctor. The next day I get a note from our lead counselor telling me to pack his things and post his grades as he has been withdrawn on behalf of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. That day after work, I got a call from his mother letting me know that he may be out longer than a week, but was not sure how long. During our conversation I discovered that she was unaware that he had been withdrawn from school and the emotional saga that ensued was heartbreaking. I have talked to her every day this week to provide a shoulder to lean on. I feel as though even though he is not technically my student, he is still my student.

Richard: Are We There Yet?

Wow. My students, para, and I have made it through the first six weeks of school and now are on vacation (thank you, balanced calendar!). Time to pause and reflect on our work together thus far.

I began the school year with a two-week review of basics for each subject, then plunged into the curriculum. I now realize that wasn’t the best idea. Why not? Because as we get into the finer details of the curriculum, I am finding that either my review didn’t work, or the students never really knew the basics to begin with.

For example, I recently gave a short essay assignment: Write a one-page narrative. The results were disheartening, to say the least. I realized my students have little-to-no working knowledge of basic grammar or writing conventions. I see now that I should have done a pre-/post-test for the review and spent the following week or so doing remediation for those ever-so-important basic skills.

Theresa: New School Year, New Classroom

I remember a veteran teacher once telling me, “You know, teachers who are really good at cleaning up classrooms tend to get their classrooms changed a lot.”

That seems to be the case with me. Once again, it is time to set up my classroom for the year, and once again, I am moving to a new classroom. It seems that I am one of those teachers who is really good at turning an ugly classroom into a very functional and inviting space for my students.

I loved how big my first classroom was. There was so much space that my students could spread out and work or read without disturbing their peers. There were tons of extra desks and tables that made it really easy to designate spaces for centers and other classroom activities. Granted, the dingy carpet was held together by various layers of duct tape, but I did not mind. Some deodorizing spray, carpet squares, and throw pillows were all it took so you did not notice the carpet.

Richard: Where Did I Put My Cape?

What a first week! As a teacher in a self-contained classroom, I was aware that I would be teaching all the subjects to students in all grades, plus two elective courses. I was happy when I found out that I only had one eighth grader for one class, which meant I would only be teaching two grades for the majority of my day.

As the summer progressed, I decided to be proactive and begin lesson planning, which also helped me meet and build relationships with those need-to-know teachers who are the best of the best in their subjects.

Going into pre-planning, I felt assured that I was fully prepared and ready for my students. But by the end of day two, frustration consumed me. It was not the frustration that comes with setting up my first classroom or normal beginning-of-the-school-year stress. Rather, it was the sense that my school expected me to be Captain Planet.

Why Captain Planet? “Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! . . . By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!”

Allisence: Designing My Dream Classroom

There’s a story that during the Vietnam War, a certain prisoner survived the torture of being in a cell all alone for years by planning, in incredible detail, a dream house that he would build once he returned home. In his head, he knew exactly how many nails, how many 2x4s, and how many tiles he would need. When he got home, he built that house and, in terms of the materials he had estimated in his head, was only off by one plank of wood.

This summer, I’ve been pretending to have a smidgen of the ability that prisoner of war had and designed my dream classroom. I’ve planned out, in incredible detail, all the cute little students, where each table and desk will be, and the collaborative general educators I’m going to be working with next year.

Megan: New Year, New Beginnings

“Here’s to a new year and another chance to get it right.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

As a teacher, I feel like I get two New Year’s. Of course, every August full of anticipation and excitement. But the calendar also gives me a second chance in January, when my engine is usually not running at full steam. I welcome the opportunity to reflect and make a fresh start half-way through the school year.

I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. Rather than make a list of things I probably won’t follow through on past January 15 (like maintaining my gym membership or giving up “Jersey Shore”), I instead make a list of goals for myself. I don’t set start or end dates; I just hope to complete them by Dec. 31.

First up in 2011, I plan to heed some advice from my grandma. She once told me that you can spot a good mother when every one of her children thinks he or she is the favorite.

I am not a mother, but I think the same rule can be applied to teaching. So my goal this year is for all my students to think that they are my favorite. I’ll admit there are days I am at my wit’s end, but my job is to make sure they never sense that frustration. I’d like to never again hear them say, “No one loves me.” I want my students to feel loved and secure in my room, like they are indispensable to our classroom family.

Jennifer: Learners Seeing Learners

When I started my new job last fall, I needed to obtain a second credential in order to meet my students’ needs (well, and California’s…). I took one course on reading instruction, and the professor always emphasized the importance of students being able to “see themselves as readers.”

Day in and day out, I think about that as I encourage my students to read in groups, together as a class, and even when they work together using their various forms of communication to complete a task. Some of them are excellent readers, while others need consistent prompting. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out how in the world to get my struggling students to “see themselves as readers” when it takes so much motivation and encouragement to even get them to try to read.

I’ve realized that before they see themselves as readers, they need to see themselves as learners.

Jennifer: All-or-Nothing Teaching

When I first began teaching, I thought I would lose 15 pounds the first week. I figured I was getting enough exercise with all that moving around, so I put the gym off to the side and would only go when I could devote a full hour. Even if I had 30 minutes, I would just say “I’ll go when I can get a real workout” and again delay my gym date.

The result of my “all or nothing” attitude was actually an EXTRA 10 pounds by the end of the year. No joke. I am writing about this not to drum up support for my love of anything baked—especially  chocolate chip cookies—or in hopes of finding someone to commiserate with, but because I have recently found that the “all or nothing” approach that was so detrimental to my exercise habits has recently snuck its way into my teaching as well.

At the end of each week, I review the lessons that were planned and those that were never completed. I recently discovered that the list of lessons completed was much shorter than that of those waiting to be learned. At first I just thought it was because we move at a much slower pace . . . but I feel like that perspective essentially blames the students for how far we get. My students go at the pace that I set, move to the schedule I have put together. The problem was not in their learning needs, but rather in the fact that I would only teach certain subjects if we had at least a full 40 minutes to dedicate to them.

Kathy: Winter Blues

Let’s see, what to write? Well, it is February in Michigan. Those who live in Michigan would not need me to write anything more; they would just nod and know exactly what I meant. But for the rest of you, it’s grey . . . VERY grey, it’s cold, and it’s getting a little old!

My new semester has begun, which means new students. Our young adults (ages 18 to 26 with disabilities) are assigned to job sites typically for one semester at a time and switch to a different site every semester. Our students spend half the day on the job with a job coach (like me) and the other half at school taking classes that are geared toward independent living.

My group is In-House Custodial, fancy for “we stay at school and clean it.” I am assigned students who are new, are not ready to go out to other sites, or are difficult to place for one reason or another. I also take on stragglers who arrive at school late and have missed their ride to their normal job site.

Jennifer: A Byproduct of Budget Cuts

I have to admit, although I am overjoyed at my new job and absolutely love my work, the looming discussion of budget cuts is making me a nervous wreck. It has definitely affected me, not only in how much money I’ve been putting away lately and how much spending I have personally cut back on, but in the decisions I make for my class as well.

Last summer, I spoke with so many teachers who had gotten pink-slipped. They all had thousands and thousands of dollars’ worth of learning materials stored away in their garages—materials they had purchased themselves. Some of those teachers were unable to find jobs again or changed careers altogether; of the ones who were lucky enough to find new employment, some were unable to get the same placement or grade level as before and had to go out and buy all new stuff. Granted, most districts supply their teachers with money to help them supplement curriculum materials, but the budgets aren’t necessarily huge and sometimes teachers are forced to go way out of their way and wallet to get materials that their students really need.

Katie: Easing Transitions

With the new semester comes a new challenge: looming transitions. Next fall my students, both the children with autism and those without, will move on to another preschool program or to Kindergarten, depending on need (I wish we could keep them forever!).

This is a difficult transition for any family, I think. All parents want their children to thrive in their education and be prepared for their future. My goal is to assist all my parents in making the best decision for their child and family. Of course, having a child with an exceptionality makes this decision all the more challenging.

I want to make sure that I am doing all I can to provide parents with useful information and help guide them through the decision-making process. How best to do this? I’d like to ask all of you for guidance as I embark on my own decision-making process.

Katie: Plan. Plan. Plan.

Becoming the full-time lead teacher is a big change from being a part-time co-teacher. I have to plan the daily schedule and activities, plan what the children need to be learning, plan how they should be learning it, plan team meetings, plan student meetings, plan for Individualized Education Plans (IEP), plan interventions to help children meet their IEP goals—oh, and plan a time to eat lunch… This is typically the one forgotten most often.

I think the planning that I am struggling with most is the IEP/data collection. Last year, the lead teacher that I was with was responsible for making data sheets, combining all the data from each week, and developing a progress report and/or evaluation of children’s strengths and needs. All I had to do was show up, know the kids well (which really just required playing with them), and make a tally mark every once and while.

So much to do. . . .

By Barbara Baditoi

What needs to be accomplished during the first week of school?

• Conduct student observations and informal and formal assessments.
• Review the syllabus. Provide an outline of the first and second quarter.
• Lay the groundwork for the curriculum.
• Give state- and-district wide assessments, if required.
• Help students learn the layout of the building, including the cafeteria, office, clinic, school counselor, specialists’ rooms, etc.
• Establish classroom expectations, routines, rules, and consequences -- some of which are student generated.

Paperwork, Paperwork, and More Paperwork

By Barbara Baditoi

Although you are desperate to set up your room, the first week of school is often filled with meetings (staff and team meetings, IEP meetings, state- and division-mandated professional development, curriculum development). Other than required meetings and professional development, what do you need to focus on this week?

Reading the IEPs of your caseload students should be a priority; these snapshots help you plan the curriculum to meet IEP goals and objectives for the year. What is the percent of services your students receive? When are the IEPs due and do you need computer access to the IEP program or training on IEP forms? What about assistive technology? Do you have what you need, or should you visit with the AT or PT specialist? The IEPs will also help you determine the initial layout of your room or, if you are co-teaching, provide you with a task to complete with your co-teacher.

Writing a letter to parents is also a must during this first week of school. You can send it via e-mail or you can hand it to them when they bring their children to the open house activity at the end of the week. What do you want parents to know about you, and what do you want them to tell you about their child? If you will have a self-contained class or resource room, you might want to contact the parents by phone to allay some of their tension about the new year. High school teachers can create a document that highlights academic and social goals for the year; save room for the students to provide personal information.

Florida Dreamin’ and Slip-Slidin’ Into Summer

By Bill & Bobbie Donelson

OK, we said that we would only be there for you in May, but we just have to send out one last post in June to wish you well as you slip-slide into summer! We know that well-deserved vacations await you after a dedicated year of teaching. That’s why we live in sunny Florida year-round! We try to reinforce our own professional behavior with regular boating, dolphin watching, and manatee loving on the Indian River Lagoon. Our two wonderful wiener dogs, Max and Sweet Pea, also keep us sane.

Dr. Stephen Covey refers to this as “sharpening the saw.” We all need to take time for ourselves in order to relax, replenish our life energy, and tool up for new challenges. After a hectic time at work there is also nothing like a zany book of adventure from our favorite Florida author, Carl Hiaassen. Many a vacation has started by decompressing with one of his unique novels. Students love his new books, Hoot, Scat, and Flush as well!

Putting the Finishing Touches on 2008-09

By Bill & Bobbie Donelson

What a challenging year we have all had! Politics, economics, and histrionics have plagued society and touched the schools in many ways. Veteran teachers and school staff have seen cyclical issues such as educational funding woes impact school systems for years. However, we are particularly concerned about the impact this is having on new teachers.

New teachers are particularly vulnerable when there is talk of layoffs or restructuring. However, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed into law by President Obama on Feb.17, has saved jobs throughout the education sector. We hope that your job is secure and that the threat of such worries has not been a major burden to you this year.