Can't Teach an Old Teacher New Tech

I am a member of the Language Arts department in my school. There are six other teachers in the department. All of them are female, and all of them are older than I am. In fact, aside from me, I would guess that the youngest is close to forty. The others are all older than my parents. This means they have a lot of teaching experience, and a lot of experience dealing with most other issues at a school. The one area in which I am considered the expert is technology.

They all know how to use email and our online attendance program. Where they have the most trouble is with the assessment tracking an analysis program we have, called Edusoft. Edusoft is a subscriber service that allows teachers to create scanable answer documents for tests, then scan those tests to be corrected and analyze the results in a thousand different ways. Our school has two scanners that can be used with the Edusoft program. One of them is housed in my classroom. So, I have teachers coming in throughout the day to scan their tests.

At first, only one other teacher in my department really knew how to use the program. (I learned at the school I was at last year.) So, each time someone would come in, they would ask me to show them how. And then, by the next time they had something to scan, they would have forgotten what to do, and I would have to show them again. Eventually, they mostly seemed to remember what to do, but still asked an occasional question. For example, one teacher still asks me each and every time she comes in whether the answer documents need to be face up or face down in the scanner tray.

So, it was just the occasional question, and I could keep working on whatever I was doing. Until the computer that the program is on contracted a virus. The tech guys from the district office came to clear it up, but the scanning program still is having issues. I have figured out the little tricks to make it work. I've explained my strategies to the other teachers, but they cannot seem to remember them, and each time it won't scan, they ask me what to do.

So, one day last week, I was showing one of the ladies again how to turn it off, switch off the scanner, turn the computer back on, switch the scanner back on and wait for the two to connect. When we turned the scanner back on, it started printing. There had been a print job pending, and the computer had been waiting to send it. We looked at it when it printed out, and it was the results of a test that one of the other Language Arts teachers had scanned. Then, it started printing again, it was another copy of the same results. We figured that when it hadn't printed out the first time, she must have hit print again. Then again... and again... and again... twenty-one times! Twenty-one copies of the exact same two-page results printed out!

I am no computer genius, especially compared to my husband. And I'll admit that in the past, I have probably been guilty of hitting print again if it didn't work the first time. Maybe someone who wasn't used to working with computers would think that doing it one or two more times might make it work even if it didn't the first two times. But twenty-one times! It didn't work at all the first twenty times, but apparently she thought, "Well maybe if I click on this picture of a printer again..."

Wardrobe Malfunction

I have never been esteemed for my fashion sense. And that's fine by me. In high school, I avoided the styles and brands that the popular girls were wearing. I wear clothing that appeals to my own personal aesthetic. Over the years, I have tweaked and updated my wardrobe to include items that fit my sense of style and help me look professional... I think.

But there is one aspect of attire that I have not yet mastered: dressing for the weather. I don't look at weather forecasts on TV or the internet. This is partly because they often seem to be wrong and partly because I just don't. I haven't worked it into my routine. So, I just sort of guess what the day's weather will be like. This guess is based mostly on the previous day's weather. This may work well in some parts of the world, and here in the Central Valley, it works pretty well during the summer. It can be unreliable, though, particularly during fall and spring.

For example, on a particular day, we had not had any rain here for a few weeks. The day prior to the day in question had been on the cool side, chilly even, but I would not qualify it as cold. So, when dressing for work that morning, I put on a sweater and did not bring a jacket. Well, it turned out to be rainy and windy all day, and I was wet and freezing.

Another example: it had been warming slowly but steadily for a few weeks, but then breezes picked up, and most of this week was cool but comfortable. So, yesterday morning, I picked out a long sleeve, black knit-top. There was no more wind. Yesterday was quite warm, and I was toasting.

For some people, not being dressed appropriately would not be a problem. I, on the other hand, have to encounter the weather several times a day. The school I work at is quite old. It has two original buildings and the rest are portables. Even the classrooms that are in actual buildings all open to the outside, without any halls. So, to go from any place to any other place on our campus, one needs to go outside. I usually go to the front office a couple of times a day. Once in a while, I go to the teacher's lounge for lunch. And at least once or twice a week, I go to another classroom to talk to or borrow something from another teacher. And every time I go somewhere, I have to go back outside to return to my room.

So, I don't really know what the answer is. I could let my husband pick out my clothes. He seems to be able to predict the weather better than I can. Though, he will wear a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops regardless of what it is like outside. If you have any suggestions to help me out, post a comment, and I will be grateful. This isn't an urgent need I have, but just something that I should figure out, so that I don't spend the next thirty years of my career being miserable.

Super Great News!

I received two good reports in one day.

It has been uncertain for quite some time as to who would be staying and who would be leaving next year. The confusion was caused by the California budget (or lack thereof). At first we weren't even sure if we were going to get paid this month. The State Comptroller sent the money, but anyone who filed their taxes early had to wait for their rebate so we could get a paycheck. After that was settled, we weren't sure if we were going to get funding next year for the class-size reduction which requires the district to employ so many teachers. Now that the state has a budget, the district has a budget, so they know what they can and can't afford. There will be lots of cuts next year, but no positions are being cut. Last night, the principal presented the names of temporary teachers to the board and made recommendations as to whether each should be re-elected for next year. All of his recommendations were approved, and I get to keep my job!

I posted previously about the upcoming testing season. It was upcoming then; now it just keeps coming. Today is the second half of the Language Arts writing proficiency #2. Last week seventh graders took the state writing test. This along with all future CST tests and test prep academies take place during homeroom, which is my reading improvement class. Some students had to be moved around so that each classroom would have either all seventh or all eighth graders. I was lucky enough to have all my students go to various locations, and I was a runner. It was announced today that we are going to keep these room assignments for all test prep academies and all CST tests this year. I don't have to plan for test preps. I don't have to be responsible for testing materials. I don't have to spend two or more straight hours with those students. I'm sure they're just as happy not to spend two straight hours with me.

I'm really not sure which new piece of information is more exciting.

Testing Time

It is here: testing time! The main portion of the CST's don't begin for us until the end of April, but we've got plenty others to keep us busy until then. On Thursday, my regular Language Arts students had a reading proficiency test. They take this test three times throughout the year (the exact same one, I don't know why) and have to pass it at least once. In two weeks, my reading improvement class has their third writing proficiency. They have four chances to pass, while the rest of the school only has three. Then, the next week, they have their third reading proficiency. Again, they have an extra chance over the students in regular Language Arts. That same week, Language Arts students are taking their second writing proficiency. The week after that, only seventh graders (which most of my reading improvement class are) have the STAR writing test. And from there it is only a few weeks until STAR testing for everyone.

Interspersed through all of this are four test prep academies for the whole school. This is when an extra period is added to the day and all are shortened by five minutes. That period comes between first and second and is used to prepare students for STAR testing in various ways. That means that on these four occasions I have my reading improvement students for two straight hours. We had our first academy yesterday. The students did not handle it well. First period went alright, and so did the academy. Our test prep assignment was to graph scores from the two previous years tests and set a goal for this year. The students were actually pretty involved even though it was difficult for most of them and I had to go around to each one after each step and reexplain it. But I let them use colored pencils to make their graph, so they all participated. The problem came when we got back to second period. The schedule had not been previously released to students, so it was a surprise to them that they had to stay with me for a whole other forty minutes. They were not happy about that, and by then, they were getting quite tired of working. Two of them just refused to do any work throughout that whole period. And I have three more of these to do in the next two months.

Back to Work

This week is our first week back from winter break. It has been a busy week. On Monday, we had a full-day in-service. Tuesday was the first day the kids came back. Wednesday, I had my support provider observe first period for BTSA (new teacher training) and district and county administrators observe second period as one of their semi-annual school walk-throughs. This afternoon we had a staff meeting. Tomorrow my support provider is observing first period again.

Happily, my RI class is doing a lot better. They still chat too much and pass notes, but they haven't been really rude or defiant. There hasn't been any cursing or fighting. I am not sure yet if it is because it's the first week back and they haven't gotten bored with school yet or if my new seating arrangement is actually working. It is my smallest class, and I have them spread out around the room as much as possible. I hope this will limit the amount of talking and their ability to annoy each other.

My regular Language Arts classes are still doing fine. I took them to the library on the first day back, so it was an easy day. In my afternoon class, I reviewed the library rules and told them to head over. I was the last one out of the classroom so I could lock the door behind me. As I was leaving, I saw one of the instructional aides walking by, so I talked to her for three or four minutes out in front of the library. When I went in, all of the students were sitting down at the tables and it was dead silent. They just watched me walk in and didn't say anything. I'm not sure if they were trying to be funny or if they thought I wanted them to do that. I just started laughing and said, "Don't you want to get books?" Then they got up and looked around at books, and I just stood there laughing at them. I thought it was hilarious, but maybe it was just one of those things where you had to be there.

Leap First. Ask Questions Later.

I'm not the only new employee in our small school this year. The administrators are both new in one way or another. Our principal was previously the school's assistant principal and this is his first year in the big chair. So a new assistant principal was brought on to fill his old position. They are both good people and have both been very helpful in dealing with my least fun students. There is an area, though, in which their inexperience shows.

They have ideas about activities and programs that they want for our school. Mostly good ideas. But they commit the whole school to these ideas as they pop into their heads. They don't ask any of the staff for their opinions or seem to do any actual planning until after they have decided to do it.

One example: Several months ago, the principal bought a reading program to use in tutoring. Then he asked if any Language Arts teachers would do it. None of the others would because they knew the program and knew that it helps with fluency only, and most of our students need more help with comprehension. He ended up convincing some sixth grade teachers to do it, because he'd already paid for it.

More recently, someone decided that since it is the holiday season, we should have a canned food drive. No one asked the staff if this would be a good idea or if we were willing to do it (which I would have been). It was not even announced at a staff meeting or via email. The first I ever learned of the canned food drive was when I read it in the student bulletin. It said that the drive was beginning that week and that boxes for donations would be in homeroom classes. No one provided me with a box. No one even told me I had better bring a box. It was just announced that I would have one.

These sorts of things keep happening. There must come a day when they will run out of ideas. Or so I hope.

Take Out the Trash Day

Okay, it has been almost a month since my last post. So, I figure I had better write something. Nothing terribly interesting has happened lately (or I should say nothing that I expect readers will find terribly interesting). I'm just going to write about several marginally interesting things and hope that they add up to a decent post.

My RI class had been getting worse than ever, so I sent a list of the worst offenders and some of their behaviors to the VP. She has been setting up conferences with the students, the parents, herself and myself. For a few of them the parents never showed up. One of them ended with the student being sent directly to Opportunity Room for at least 30 days, and another of the most heinous offenders has been put on a behavior contract. If he screws up at all in the next two weeks, he's going to Opportunity. So far, he has been working hard to keep out of trouble. We will see if he can keep it up. Even if he can't, though, he will be out of my class. So it's win-win for me.

And now for something completely different...

Last year during negotiations, the teachers' union agreed with the district to have weekly after school meetings for up to an hour and a half. (Let it be known for the record that I was not at this district last year and had no hand in this agreement.) The way that it was justified to them was that many of these would be grade level or department meetings, in which the teachers could discuss whatever they felt was important. They really should have gotten that in writing. In the five months of the first semester, there have only been four times available for department meetings. Each other week we have had to attend all staff meetings where information is unloaded on us from the site and district administrations. This week we had our fourth department meeting of the year. The English department at least had been anticipating it, as we have multiple district mandated tests that we needed to plan and discuss. Our principal sent out an email that morning, though. Just in case any of the departments didn't have anything else to talk about, he gave us a list of eleven different topics to discuss. One of these was "Grading (Many F's)" -exact words.

We had our staff Christmas dinner last night. It was at a train station-turned-restaurant in the next little town over. I had never been there before and it was a pretty nice dinner and a comfortable space. I made my husband come with me, even though he hates meeting new people. It turned out all right though. The principal bought a bottle of champagne for each table. It turned out at our table we were seated with a couple of Mormons who don't drink alcohol and two women who had each come by themselves and were driving. I was driving, and my husband doesn't like wine, so no one even had a sip of the bottle which they had already opened. So, that was a total waste. At least, from looking at the bottle, it didn't seem too expensive.

That's all I can think of that won't totally bore you. Hopefully, my job will get more interesting in the near future. Probably not, as we only have two weeks until winter break. Oh well, if it comes to it, I will just start making stuff up.

P.S. If you didn't get the title reference, you need to watch more West Wing.