Final Thoughts

Today, I graduated from college. Thinking about this last entry on my blog from the position of a college graduate reminded me of all the teachers that helped me get to this place.

I still remember the name, face and personality of every teacher I have had since kindergarten--they didn't just teach me how to read or how to do calculus, they had a lasting impression on my life.

As an encouragement to teachers out there at all age ranges--your work matters, and students will always remember you.

Making Choices

Now that you've aced all your interviews, offers start coming in. The real fun begins.

I'll be honest, when choosing which college to attend, I didn't visit all the colleges, compare their programs online, make spreadsheets or call the offices to get answers to the tough questions. Duke just felt right. In the last 2 years, I've been giving tours to prospective students and their families; one of my favorite stories, as the students are listing off their other options and what they're looking for in a college, is how I never visited Duke during high school; I hadn't even stepped foot on East Campus (where all the freshmen live) until move-in day. As far as the tangibles went, i knew Duke had them, but i hadn't really encountered any of its strengths firsthand. Having finished my last final exam this week, I can honestly say that I never had a second thought, not in four full years of papers, exams, classes, professors, friends and experiences.

Interestingly enough, the same sort of thing happened when i made my choice to study abroad last summer. I talked to one of my professors who was from the U.K., I asked him where he might know someone who would be willing to have a free research assistant for the summer, and I ended up in Edinburgh. A year later, I still miss Scotland every day, and can't wait to have the means to return!

And now, another big decision: which job to take? I don't have a "gut" feeling this time, so i'm stuck calling the offices, asking questions, making spreadsheets and researching the cost of living. From all my mulling, i have a few questions one might like to keep in mind:

• Location: Where will you be working? Is the cost of living something you can afford on the salary you've been offered? Will you be able to find roommates? Do you know safe places to live in the area?
  
• Quality of Life: Will you have enough money for a gym membership or to save for a vacation? Are you content with the ratio of work-hours to salary? Will you have satisfying benefits?
  
• Job: Does this position provide the professional development you're looking for? Does it move you toward your career goals? Can you stand your potential coworkers? Is the office vibe/philosophy something you can live with?

The Perfect Prom?

Ah, high school prom. Is their anything more romantic during those four years than a night of evening gowns, tuxedos and loud music?

Some schools are beginning to think that while their may not be anything more lovely, their may be something much safer and more cost-effective.

A local school in my area has changed their prom from its traditional Saturday night slot, to a mid-week time. In this school's case, prom will be held on a Wednesday night. The prom committee claims that the food prices and banquet hall rental fees on a weekend in the posh suburban area near the school are outrageous. Switching prom to a less-busy time, like a weeknight, brings down the rental and food prices by more than half. In addition, schools claim that far fewer after-prom parties occur, since students have to be in class at 7:30 the next morning. The school also claims that fewer students drink for the same reason that they forgo the house parties. Again, in the very unfortunate event that teens chose to drink and drive, they will have far fewer drunks on the road to contend with.

What's your opinion on this new prom idea? Will it catch on? Does it ruin what is supposed to be a magical night earned by the upper-classmen? Or, is it smart - a good way to keep easily-tempted teens out of trouble? Let me know... post a comment. I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

If you need a cheer-up, follow up!

Some times you just don't get the job you thought you wanted--the job your skill set matched perfectly and whose mission meld so well with your own that you couldn't imagine yourself any where else.

After the crisis of identity when you wonder if you have absolutely no handle on who you really are and what you want, pick yourself up and call the other jobs that you had moved to the back burner.

Yesterday, after I ended up not being offered the job I had been so excited about for weeks, I started making calls. At worst, they could have told me that the positions had been filled, in which case I could stop thinking about them and throw them out (creating more space on my hypothetical stove for new recipes that were waiting in my inbox). At best (and thankfully, this is what happened), they told me they were glad I called and were hoping to meet with me one more time. Yesterday ended with 2 more interviews scheduled (and -2 papers finished which happen to be due tomorrow--yes, i'm procrastinating again).

Following up with job opportunities that you haven't heard from in awhile remind the employer that you exist and are still interested, and hopefully, it reminds *you* that you are a capable, desirable potential employee.

Test Taking Skills

Well, it’s that time of year again… final exams - whether you are still in school or teaching in one – are upon us.

Take a break from studying and jot down your answers to this quiz, which I borrowed from Grace Fleming, a famed teacher, speaker and writer. The good news – it's just 10 questions, their are no right or wrong answers, and none of it affects your GPA.


Study Skills Assessment Tool
From Grace Fleming

Discover Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Good study skills can make a big difference in your school performance. Even if you find a particular subject difficult to understand, you will find that being organized and knowing how to tap in to your natural strengths can add valuable points to your scores.

Use the assessment tool below to determine your score. Mark each topic with a score from 1 to 5, with 5 meaning "strongly agree" and 1 meaning "strongly disagree."
1 (low) <-------------> (high) 5


1. I have a specific study space.
Score _____
Students are different. Some need a completely quiet room free from interruptions when they study, but others actually study better listening to quiet music in the background or taking several breaks. Either way, you should establish a regular time and place for studying. Take the time to assess your real needs and establish a clear routine.

2. I know my best learning style.
Score _____
Do you learn better by seeing, hearing, or acting out the information you receive? In other words, are you a mostly visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? Actually, everybody learns by mixture of methods, but one method or type is usually dominant in each person. By determining your dominant learning style you can improve your memory and your grades.

3. I use a student planner.
Score _____
"The paper was due today?"
We've all been there at some point. Somehow, that assignment due date just slipped right up on us without our noticing. That is why organizational skills are so important to school performance. Who can afford to score a big fat "0" on a paper, just because we got lazy and didn't pay attention to the due date? By using a student planner, you can avoid costly mistakes like this!

4. I maintain healthy sleep habits.
Score _____
According to a study by sleep expert Mary Carskadon, PhD, teens should receive more than nine hours of sleep every night. That's a great thought, but is it possible? Think about it--do you ever sleep that long?

5. I always eat breakfast.
Score _____
If you're facing an important test, this might be a good time to change your eating habits. Studies have shown that eating a good breakfast can actually enhance your performance on a test. One study in particular shows that "Breakfast consumption has a short-term effect in improving selected learning skills, especially work memory."

6. I use color to stay organized.
Score _____
When you organize your homework, you can improve your study habits and your grades. One way to do this is to use color-coded supplies, like folders, highlighters, stickers, and flags of various colors. Simply assign a certain color for each specific class, and stick to the rules you establish!

7. I have a handle on procrastination.
Score _____
Do you procrastinate? Most of us put things off from time to time, like studying for a test or starting on lengthy research papers. But giving in to diversions can really hurt us in the long run. Do you recognize the signs of procrastination?

8. I remember my homework every day.
Score _____
I left my homework at home! How many times have you said this? It's a terrible feeling to know you're going to get a failing grade on homework after you actually did the work. It seems so unfair! There are ways to prevent this dilemma and others, but you must be willing to prepare ahead of time to save yourself from future headaches.

9. I study for every test.
Score _____
Believe it or not, some students never study before a test. Do you study effectively for every test? If you're looking for a good way to study, try this tip: Next time you're facing a big exam, try concentrating on essay topics. Essay questions are based on themes and overall ideas. Teachers like to use essay questions because they give students the opportunity to express everything they've learned over the weeks or months, using their own words. Essay test answers reveal more than the bare facts, though. When submitting essay answers, students are expected to cover lots of information in an organized, sensible manner.

10. I'm always prepared for test days.
Score _____
The key to battling test-day jitters is thorough preparation! But full preparation means more than knowing the test material. It's important to prepare your mind and body for the experience of working under pressure.


Now add up all your scores for a total. How did you do?
A total score of 30-50: You have very strong study skills. Congratulations! You know your strengths and use them! You also have great organization skills.
A total score of 20-29: You use some of your strengths, but you could improve your performance by sharpening some of your skills!
Below 20: You may not be performing up to your true potential! By learning to get organized, or by learning more about your personal learning style, you could improve your grades!

Remembering Virginia Tech

Today, we are all Hokies

more interviews...

Now it's out of my hands. On Thursday morning, I had my third and last interview for this particular education-support job that I've fallen in love with over the last few weeks.
This one wasn't as warm & fuzzy as my earlier experiences. She asked tough questions like (get a pen & paper--take these down and think about them!):

"Talk about a time you failed"

"Tell me about a time you received really harsh feedback"

"This is a rigorous job; do you think you can handle it?"

Of course, the moment i hung up the phone, i thought of brilliant ways to handle all those questions (just not when we were actually talking...). A friend of mine who is familiar with this company's particular process assured me they were "throw away" questions--just to see how people react to being asked tough questions like that. I still think it's not a bad idea to have some answers ready!

I'll find out by Friday (having an offer under my belt would definitely make me feel better about giving advice about interviews!)

making history

Last weekend, I was in Williamsburg (as my last post mentioned). There, I remembered how much i loved history. When i was little and we visited Colonial Williamsburg, I dressed up in colonial garb and wore my green raincoat as a cape. I immersed myself in the old world.
Revisiting my childhood haunt reminded me that history isn't boring. For the last few years in college, dry lectures and never-ending reading assignments have jaded my inquisitive mind, at least when it comes to history.
I'm afraid this disenchantment with the world that came before started in high school--in my American History course. My teacher became so bogged down by forcing tables and lists and chronologies in our heads that we all lost sight of the wonder of progress and the value of respect.
So many of the facts I remember about American History didn't come from textbooks or teachers at all, but from my addiction to historical fiction novels. They even came in handy while studying the Amish in my U.S. Religion class this semester. Reading for pleasure in elementary and high school is another way of promoting just the learning-in-disguise that Rachel is talking about. When you get caught up in the story, you don't realize that you're learning about Amish social customs or the make up of the colonial militia; it's only when questions come up on tests or in papers that you remember facts you never thought you knew.
Reading is really one of the most valuable skills to teach a student.

Phone Interviews

In our ever-more-global society, often initial interviews for jobs will take place over the phone. I had one such 90-minute interview on Tuesday morning. Phone interviews are a doubled edged sword; you can look @ your resume and at relevant materials to form your answers, but the interviewer can't put a face with your name at all, which means your personality has a harder time shining through.
I dreaded the "60-90 minute interview" scheduled for 10:30 am; I had no idea what we could find to talk about for an hour and half, let alone the fact that i *hate* phone conversations.
It turned out to be a pretty typical interview set up for this particular company (it's in the education field, but i wouldn't be teaching in a classroom--i'd have more of a support role): lots of questions about the exact steps I took to solve a problem or accomplish a long-range task. It's helpful to keep a copy of your resume handy when you're conversing with potential employers--they probably have a copy in front of them too. This interviewer had also sent a few website links to look over before the interview--i had them open in my browser, which helped when she asked more specific questions testing my knowledge of the position and the mission of the company.
Though phone interviewers allow for a degree of comfort in that you can have some pretty obvious cheat sheets around, it by no means divests you of the duty to prepare by reviewing any links or materials sent before the phone conversation, and it always helps to keep that list of skills or accomplishments close at hand (those 2 or 3 things that you want the interviewer to remember about you that are especially strong and unique).

This is my weekend off from job-searching; i'm indulging my American-history-buff side and heading to Williamsburg! Up next week, i think Rachel has some big plans for the blog...

Where In the World - Finally!

Forsyth Park & Fountain - Savannah's Gem

I hope that you enjoyed seeing the sites with me this past week, as much as I enjoyed showing you around.

You probably didn't even realize how much you were learning. That's our job, sometimes - us teachers - to disguise learning. One of the most effective ways is with a field-trip. With tighter budgets, both for school districts and families, these educational get-aways are becoming less and less common.

Don't let it discourage you though. Get creative! When you can't take your students on a field-trip, bring it to them. That's what I did for all of you last week. I took you with me, to... SAVANNAH, Georgia!

Whether you are an aspiring elementary, history, art, geography, math or English teacher, I hope you found some sort of inspiration. Grab your camera and bring Somewhere, Educational back to your classroom.

Please share your stories of favorite (or disastrous) field-trips, or similar experiences to what I've described this week, by commenting on this post!

Want to see more of Savannah? I highly recommend either of the following sites, which both provide great information about the city, its events, history, accomodations and much more:

1. http://www.savannah-visit.com/

2. http://www.savannah.com/

Where In the World

So, did you guess it? Before I give it away, here's a little run-down of the answers to the clues and pictures. If you haven't already made your guess, these answers might help you make sense of everything.

Monday - today's picture is of the beautiful, but mysterious, Mercer House. The house has hosted many parties attended by the city's socialites, a few fundraisers and, oh yeah, a murder! That very event inspired the book, and movie of the same title, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

Tuesday - this famous cemetery is where many of the city's most notorious residents are laid to rest. It was also disturbed when the Union army camped on its interred during a march through the South in the Civil War. The Union army made a mockery of the city's famous, and ordinary, citizens by knocking over tombstones in order to set-up tents. They also took their swords to many of the markers, changing dates of death, birth, names and epitaphs. When the area was cleaned up after the war, it was impossible to tell where the scattered grave markers belonged. They were carefully placed along the walls in order to continue to pay homage to the graves they once stood watch over.





Wednesday - some of the city's streets, alleys and avenues are made of tabby. Tabby is the affectionate local-name for a street-paving material made of cement and crushed oyster shells. Since the city is surrounded by rivers, lakes and oceans, oyster shells are abundant. In addition to convenience, in the right light, the tabby gives off an opulent, translucent sparkle under foot.





Thursday - SCAD is the acronym for the city's art school. Once a year it hosts a wonderful art contest featuring creations in sidewalk chalk. Visitors can see everything from reproductions of famous pieces to student-inspired memorials to one-of-a-kind originals.





Friday - Though the city is home to many famous restaurants, such as the historical The Pirate House, (where it is said that Robert Louis Stevenson got his inspiration for "Treasure Island") and Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House, Friday's picture shows what is probably its most-famous, at least as of late. The Lady & Sons is the flagship eatery of Paula Deen, one of the city's most beloved daughters. Her Southern hospitality, and "down-home cookin'," has been the cornerstone of her establishment since it opened. Many tourists opt to go on one of several trolley tours that take her fans past all of the city-sites related to her.








So, does any of that help? Know the answer yet? Before I tell you, there's just one more thing...

Where in the World - Friday

So this clue all but gives it away, if you are resourceful enough to piece together the information that you can find in the picture. Hope you have enjoyed this week's hunt. I'll let you know just where I've been, and who guessed correctly, when I've recovered from my jet lag, on Monday.

Business-teachers, this one's for you!

Clue No. 5:

This is the claim to fame for a self-made Southern entrepreneur,

in the city that now gives her, her own trolley tour!

Respond with your guesses...

Where in the World - Thursday

Are the clues and pictures starting to lead you anywhere? Any good guesses yet? Well, today's picture should be very informative, once you get what all the buzz is about.

Today's clue is dedicated to the art teacher!

Clue No. 4:

It's a festival of sidewalk chalk art held once a year,

and should give you an idea of the place that I am near!

Respond by guessing...

Where in the World - Wednesday

This is a real "pearl" of a place, the city I'm in. It's lovely and peaceful and full of romance. Today's clue is probably the most difficult of them all. I know, I said that they'd get easier throughout the week, but let's face it - no one is up for this kind of a challenge on Monday.

Today's clue is dedicated to the geography teacher.

Clue No. 3:

You should see this place, it's not too shabby,

And look at the streets made of tabby!

Enter your best guess, by commenting below!

Where in the World - Tuesday

Think you've seen this place before? It's no ordinary cemetery. Something very eerie took place here. If you know where it is... respond below!

For all of the history teacher's out there - here's your challenge!

Clue No. 2:

This cemetery has grave markers up on a wall,

But, just who, made them fall?

Post your guesses by commenting below...

Where in the World - Monday

I'm on vacation this week, far from the great, but still thawing-out, state of Michigan. See if you can guess where I am. I'll be sending you pictures and a clue everyday this week. The clues might help you to figure out the pictures. Hopefully, the clues will get easier and easier as the week goes on.

Today's first clue is in homage to all of the English teacher's out there.

Clue No. 1:

A novel and a movie were made out of the events that transpired in me.

See if you can guess where I might be.

Respond with your guesses...

Math Month

April is Math Awareness Month.
Here are some ideas on how to make math more fun. For your math lesson plan:

- Take it outdoors
- Take it to the bank
- Take it overseas
- Take it to Pisa
- Take it out to dinner
- Take it to the mall
- Take it across the Iditarod

Miss Guided

Perfecting my procrastination skills this afternoon, I stumbled upon a new ABC show, "Miss Guided."

A young woman returns to the site of her high school glory days (the typical, braces-clad, eye-glass wearing, awkward teen) as the guidance counselor. I've only watched the first episode, and while it's supremely mediocre as a television series, its plot lines are simple and sweet; it reminded me of the Q&A post awhile back--how important guidance counselors are to the healthful functioning of a school.

If you're interested (or perfecting your own procrastination skills), catch it Thursdays @ 8pm (or Fridays online at abc.com)

Public Schooling

At the public high school I attended, classes like economics, or financial principles, weren’t available. The deepest that we were allowed to delve into the financial world was “Basics of Accounting.” Sad to say, the more people I talk to, the more I believe that it is a national trend, and not just specific to my high school.

When I hit college and took the basic economics classes – you know them, micro- and macro- economics – I was blown away! Why didn’t I know any of this stuff earlier? The principles behind the stock market, the idea behind inflation and the dollar value, and so much more basic knowledge that I should have been equipped with! At the least, it certainly would have furthered my comprehension of the Great Depression and its resulting banking policies.

So, with all of the economic changes being proposed in today’s world, I started thinking. I wonder how many people can really understand what the president is proposing with his Fed program changes. How many really know what is happening with the value of the dollar and inflation or the stock market? With all of the millions of dollars paid out to authors explaining basic money-handling concepts, it is apparent that the public really wants to understand this better.

I think it’s time to re-think our curriculum. Are public schools trying to graduate kids so that they can go right to work or do we want to improve their choices for the rest of their lives?

Job Conferences

I'm in DC for the weekend for a private school placement firm's conference. As a Religion major, my job options--especially in teaching--are pretty self-selective. Day Schools aren't interested, and since i haven't gotten the right papers signed, most Catholic schools won't look my way either. Unfortunately, having graduated from a conservative fundamentalist Christian high school, I don't really want to go that direction either.
But today, I fell in love. Have you ever had one of those interviews that made you want to scream, "just give me the job, I can promise you I'll be fabulous!"? That happened today. My 3:30pm interview (my last of the day) was with an all-girls, 4-12, Episcopal school. For me, it was the perfect storm of teaching style, mission, gender-make up and belief.
After weeks of cover letters and luke-warm phone call responses, I struck gold today. I remembered why I wanted to be a teacher and how much I enjoy it.

This day was not only a much-needed inspiration in the often dull and exhausting life of job-searching, I was also able to hone some job-conference-attending skills, which I now share with you:

(1) Think of 2 or 3 experiences or skills you have the dovetail with their mission statement or something unique you see in the job description (I zeroed in on "interfaith" and "student-focused pedagogy"; offering my experience as a religion columnist and a tutor as examples of how fabulously I embodied their ideals).

(2) Do not underestimate the power of closing your eyes and leaning your head back for 10 minutes (i found a great seat near the bathrooms that allowed for un-observed snoozing).

Take A Break...

Food for Thought

I read an article by Dr. Sears that said that bananas are excellent brain-food. They enrich the brain with nutrition required for brain stimulation and growth.

So, here's a favorite recipe for a favorite food: banana pudding! It's easy enough for those busy with careers to make in a flash, and convenient enough for college students living the dorm life to throw together for friends.

Take a break from studying and eat your bananas!


Uncooked Banana Pudding
Submitted on www.allrecipes.com by Leanne


Ingredients:

8 ounces of sour cream
1 (8 ounce) container of frozen whipped topping (i.e., CoolWhip), thawed
1 (5 ounce) package of instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups whole milk
1 (16 ounce) package of vanilla wafers
4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced


Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Stir well.
2. Once combined, fold in the bananas.
3. In the bottom of a bowl (preferably glass) place a layer of vanilla wafers. Pour some of the pudding mixture on top. Top with wafers and repeat the layering process until all of the pudding mixture is used.
4. Top with whole or crushed vanilla wafers.
5. Refrigerate until served. Enjoy!

Fire Drills, Tornado Drills... Now Intruder Drills...

An article in the New York Times today exposes a sad sign of the times. Teachers are now being trained in lock-down drills, in procedures to bus kids home in the middle of the day, and even how to respond to media who could flock to the school in the event of an.... event.

Q & A

Question: I am considering a career in school counseling but I am having trouble finding programs in my area. How do I find them and determine which is the best for me?
- Kasey of Hull, Massachusetts


Answer: School counselors usually have to complete a graduate (or master’s) program in order to become certified to start working. These standards vary from state to state, with California among the most lenient, requiring only an undergraduate’s degree. You can check on your state’s guidelines here.

National associations also help to keep standards high by requiring that all counselors belonging to them (which include a great percentage of those currently employed) hold master’s degrees and a minimum number of logged hours of personal experience or apprenticeship. Some of the most revered are American School Counselor Association, National Board for School Counselors, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

CACREP has a list of campuses with counseling programs that have earned accreditation, some of which even include online and distance-learning formats. Check out that list of programs here. Be sure to visit the website for programs that have lost accredited standing. If you have some time before beginning your degree, check out the list of programs currently vying for accreditation.

Sometimes the best knowledge comes from someone already employed in the field. Contact a school and ask to speak to the guidance counselor. You will probably find that they are more than willing to help. That’s the kind it takes for the job!

Best of luck!


Think I’ve missed something that could help Kasey? Share your knowledge. Post a comment.

Inspiration

In the spirit of senioritis (from which i am suffering mightily), I thought my readers would appreciate a few film suggestions that might just inspire you enough to writer a cover letter for one of your teaching opportunities after the end titles... or make another bag of popcorn and pop in another...

(1) Freedom Writers (McDreamy--you can't go wrong)

(2) Matilda

(3) School of Rock

(4) Dead Poet's Society

(5) Mr. Holland's Opus

(6) Mona Lisa Smile

(7) Sister Act 2

My list makes me realize that music teachers are disproportionately represented. Anyone have good films for physics/science/math teachers?

It’s Easy Bein’ Green: The Environmentally-Friendly Classroom

In the spirit of St. Patty’s Day let’s talk green. Share these tips with fellow teachers and you’ll be blessed with the gift of insightful gab, without even having to kiss the blarney stone!

• Get out!
  -Leave the classroom and get today’s “indoor generation” outside!
  -Take students outside for more than just experiments that apply to natural science courses. Consider taking your students outside for reading time, stretching exercises and more.
  -Always take advantage of pleasant weather by opening windows to let fresh air in.
  -Grow some creative energy: reawaken the senses by inviting students to turn their desks to face windows. They will see the sun, trees or lawns instead of concrete walls.
  

• Bring the outdoors in…
  -Decorate your classrooms with aquariums, plants, terrariums and more!
  -Don’t stop there! Bring snow and icicles inside during the winter in tubs or coolers for examination.
  -Research and teach your students about the early versions of tools that they may use in today’s classroom and how they were found in nature. For example, an art teacher may find it inspires students to use “natural paints” made from leaves, mud and flowers for their next creation.
  

• Eat green!
  -So many kids these days don’t connect the food they eat with the farms that grow it. Help students to understand their local environment by teaching them about seasonal fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers. Consider sharing your favorite recipes for seasonal fruits and veggies with them or taking a field trip to a local nursery, farm or farmer’s market. They will gain a first-hand appreciation for farming and land conservation practices.
  -Encourage students and parents to pack lunches in re-usable dishes instead of disposable products. For older students, help them to motivate fellow students in other classes to do the same by creating awareness bulletin boards or posters from recycled paper.
  
  
• Teach about nature…
  -Help students to start a compost pile on school grounds.
  -Start a gardening club for recreation or competition!
  -Nearly every subject in school has been influenced by nature. Think about how you can incorporate the changing seasons or other natural elements in everything that you teach. Ask students how the weather has impacted historical events, scientific discoveries and the role it plays in the literature they read!

• Do your part!
  -Allow kids to submit papers and homework in electronic formats to cut back on paper.
  -Don’t mandate the research papers be accompanied by paper copies of the sources that were used. Allow electronic copies or do your own investigating from bibliographic information provided by students.
  -Partner with fellow teachers to help kids cut back on overlapping supplies. For example, students can be encouraged to purchase a day planner at the beginning of the school year and teachers can offer a syllabus on a chalkboard, email or overhead projector that can be entered into the day planner instead of handing out countless paper copies.
  -Encourage students to work with pencils with graphite that can be renewed instead of one-use pencils. Do you part by setting a good example.
  -Reward students who come up with environmentally-friendly solutions and approaches.
  
  

Students learn best from teachers who are passionate about what they do. So remember to keep green thinking at the forefront of your classroom by always asking yourself and your students, “Is this the smartest, or greenest, way to do this?”

Laugh Today

Traveling Job

Education, being a teacher, isn't the most glamorous job on the market--but that's not why we teach. We teach because we love children or we happen to be great communicators or we really wanted to be able to take summers off.

My latest crazy idea: Teach in Croatia.

Teaching in Croatia sounds pretty glam to me. I was fortunate enough to visit this up-and-coming country while studying abroad last summer; i fell in love with the landscape and the vibe of the seaside cities. When I realized that trips to Europe may be very very very far in the future on the salary I anticipate, I remembered that I (and YOU) have a very valuable asset: We are native English speakers.

www.eslemployment.com offers up-to-date requests for ESL teachers around the globe--you can search by country or region; this site tracks both school teaching jobs and private tutoring, from Berlitz to the upper-class Turkish family.

The awesome thing about these jobs is that you don't have to commit to a permanent move abroad, most programs are 9-24 months long--enough to get a flavor of the country and invest in the community, but you won't forget what a Big Mac tastes like!

How It All Relates

Sometimes life throws us a curveball. We face things that we just didn’t want to deal with. Maybe you start the day in perfect health, intent on the task at hand, and end up taking the proverbial nail to the finger. Perhaps someone retaliates when it is not fair. Still, maybe you suffer a loss but are spared something bigger.



Post II: Food Poisoning
Without even knowing it I learned a big lesson. I couldn’t help the girl that needed cheering up, but I knew someone that could. I helped her (and with no credit to myself, since I didn’t know that was what I was doing at the time) by turning over the problem to someone who could help and who had answers. Teaching is like that. Sometimes we don’t have all of the answers or simply aren’t the right person for the job. The best teacher will remember that she can’t solve everything herself. Bottom line: ask for help when you need to.


Post III: It’s All Fun and Games, Until It Involves a Nail Gun
We all live life differently and at varying paces. Some friends of the same age may be settled down with families, further into their careers or working on post-graduate degrees already. Like my brother-in-law in the story we don’t all get to play at the same time. He had to finish up his job and he was dedicated to it. Still, even with the best intentions, crummy things happen sometimes. While they can certainly throw us for a loop they shouldn’t ever knock us off course. We have to finish the race, no matter how bumpy the road. Bottom line: dedication and adversity are important in every part of life.


Post IV: What a Wreck
Above all, don’t forget to count your blessings when things seem their worse. Sometimes we loose a job, fail a class or just have a stressful day with unrelenting students. There is a silver lining. Sometimes you just have to step out of the situation, get out of the car, and look at the bigger picture to find it. Bottom line: we are bigger than our troubles, so count your blessings.

**quick interruption for a new tip!**

I hate to break up my collegue's week of stories (i'm really excited for the last installment--what on earth these have to do with education??), but I wanted to share a quick tip I stumbled upon this morning...

I'm spending my spring break in a coffee shop writing cover letters for schools all over the country. I'm a pro @ cut-and-paste. Now, I thought of another way to steal ideas (legally) to make one's job easier: THE MISSION STATEMENT. Use it as a sort of outline--make a list of the key words or concepts and mold your letter around them. Highlight experiences that align well with their buzz words.

Some recent examples have included a school that emphasized the importance of community service, a school that prides itself on adjusting curriculum to each student's needs, and a school that makes leadership "an integral part" of each student's experience. Most schools might be the same in execution, but if they realize you've taken the time to really learn about what drives their education, you'll be worth that second look.

Part IV: What A Wreck

Driving to meet some friends for dinner, I saw a horrible wreck. It’s one of those things that maybe you see a half-dozen times in your life and it never gets any more familiar.

A garbage truck ran a red light smashing into the side of a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Jeep was demolished from behind the driver’s door. It looked as if a giant hand had picked up a toy made of Silly Putty and twisted it at its center. The back half of the vehicle was so distorted that it was completely unrecognizable.

Outside of the car sat a woman on the ground. She was weeping. The sight of her crying so hard made my stomach turn. My first thoughts went to whom and how many were in the back seat.

Her tears, though, were for who was not in the back seat – her children. She was so relieved that she hadn’t picked them up yet. So overjoyed, looking at her totaled car, that she was spared the horror of their certain deaths had it been ten minutes later, that she couldn’t contain her emotions.

Watching her over the next few minutes, it was apparent that the car, which was beautiful and at most two years old, meant nothing to her as she considered again and again in her mind the alternative to the situation. If the garbage truck ran the light just three seconds earlier, she would be under its front wheels. Three seconds later, she would have avoided it altogether. Ten minutes later, it would have claimed her offspring. The car, the only thing injured in the whole event, had absolutely no value to her at this moment. She only thought of what mattered most.



Check Out Thursday’s Post for…
Part V: It’s All Relative (How These Events Really Relate to Education)

Part III: It's All Fun and Games, Until It Involves a Nail Gun

Note: This is a gross story. You’ve been warned.


A group of my family and friends gathered, while my brother-in-law finished up the rough-framing of a room in a basement.

We were all making up for lost time, eating pizza and laughing so loudly that our voices boomed in the bare, underground room. My brother-in-law tried to join in the fun, but had to concentrate on quickly finishing up his work so that he could join us. As he measured, cut and nailed, we reminisced.

Suddenly, we heard a groan. It was one of those sounds that one instantly recognizes.

It wasn’t a scream. It wasn’t a cry. It was subtle and quiet, but as loud to the human ear as a jackhammer. The groan was common and instinctually we all knew what it meant.

Pain – absolute and deep – pain.

Never have heads turned so quickly in one direction.

Standing there, leaning against the last board that he’d nailed in place, my brother-in-law’s normally deep-olive-complexioned face was ghastly empty and pale. Glancing over, we could see that his pinky finger was stuck to the same board, by a nail from the pneumatic nail gun that hung in his other hand. A little trickle of blood slowly spilt down over his knuckle and made its way to his elbow, falling off onto the concrete floor before it reached its destination.

Most amazingly, the nail didn’t go through his finger. It actually ricocheted off a knot in the board and came out the side to find his fingernail. Punching a hole the size of a rough nail through the cuticle and flesh of his pinky finger, the nail did little more than hang his finger on the board, not actually holding it with any permanence.

It was within the same hour that he returned to work, finishing what he had started. The basement framing was completed with that same afternoon. His finger, though it remained sore and bled for quite a while, has already begun to heal quite well, though the fingernail will be forever damaged.




Check Out Wednesday’s Post for…
Part IV: What A Wreck

Check Out Thursday’s Post for…
Part V: It’s All Relative (How These Events Really Relate to Education)

Part II – Food Poisoning

Part II – Food Poisoning


I tried to do something nice this week. I went to the store to pick up balloons and a card for someone in my life that was feeling a little down. I pulled into the parking lot of the strip mall with a smile on my face, knowing how happy my little good deed was going to make someone else. I parked my car and opened the driver’s side door only to blurt out in total disgust, “Oh! Gross!” at what I saw on the car next to me.

Unfortunately, the owner of the vehicle was also walking up to it, just at that very moment. Whatever good deed points I had hoped to earn were taken away with that single comment overheard.

“Thanks,” the young teenage girl sarcastically remarked.

Already not in her good favor, I just went ahead and pried, “What happened?”

“Well,” she started, “I guess that I deserved it. I wasn’t a very good friend.”

I stared, not able to take my eyes off of the little white car.

“I think that can be said of both parties involved.” I observed, staring at the car.

“No, it was my fault. I was the bad friend.” She continued to tell me all about her terrible week, and the disappointing things she had done to a dear friend, standing right there in the parking lot next to her car that was now drawing stares from a number of people walking through the lot. I tried to offer some advice but felt that I hadn’t succeeded. At the end of the conversation, she thanked me and I wished her well. She began to walk into the grocery store while I headed off to the party supply store.

Inside, the clerk inquired about the car parked next to mine, saying that she could see us talking through the oversized windows that lined the front of the store. I told her that the girl was having a rough time with friends. “High school girl stuff, ya’ know? Sounds like she’s had a rough few days.” The clerk smiled sympathetically and I walked out the door, balloons in hand. I decided to head next door to the coffee shop before wrapping up my shopping trip.

Leaving the café, as I approached our vehicles, side by side, I saw three balloons floating up from the side-view mirror. I walked around the adjacent car, covered from front to back in rotting food – Spaghetti O’s, bologna, peanut butter and jelly open-faced sandwiches, French toast, ketchup, mustard, eggs, cupcakes, you name it – that were not only stinking, but had also completely froze to the vehicle. I noticed a little card attached to the balloon bouquet. “Hope your day looks brighter.” I looked up to see the clerk from the party supply store quickly stepping through the door of her store, not looking back.



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Check Out Tuesday’s Post for…
Part III: It’s All Fun and Games, Until it Involves a Nail Gun…

Check Out Wednesday’s Post for…
Part IV: What A Wreck

Check Out Thursday’s Post for…
Part V: It’s All Relative (How These Events Really Relate to Education)

Part I: The Week

Part I – The Week

Since starting this blog, I have come to look at my world in a whole new way. Every day I take in everything that happens to me and think to myself, “Is there any possible way that I could relate this to education for my blog?” Most of the time, I try to draw parallels and fail after several absurd attempts.

This week though, so much has happened that I’d like to share it all with you. And, in the interest of your time, I’ll let you have it in installments. So, stay tuned.

Free Stuff for Teachers

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, right? But, how about a free poster detailing animal-friendly dissection alternatives?

Teachers can get all sorts of things for free, if they know where to look. Check out this website for links to free educational materials including books, posters and magazines.

Need something that isn't on the freebie list? Go here. The site iloveschools.com matches donors to teachers based upon what a good citizen is willing to donate and what a teacher needs for his or her classroom. Office Max sponsors a similar program. Details can be found at http://www.adoptaclassroom.com/. Check both programs out now. It never hurts to ask, right? So start wishing.

Many companies, like Staples, have incentive programs designed to help the purchases made by teachers add up to savings. You can earn points for your school while receiving special offers from the office supply chain. Register here.

Here’s another tip. When planning a field trip always ask if the teacher is given free admission. Often times, if you ask before your group’s arrival, the answer will be yes. Sometimes, museums, zoos and the like, will even offer a teacher free admission when they are not visiting on school business. Check with your local attractions. You may be able to head out to the zoo with friends on a summer afternoon and pay nothing.

Almost all museums have information on their website which can make planning your field trip and follow-up teaching time much easier. For example, check out the fantastic links on the website for Chicago’s Field Museum. Look up museums and galleries in your area to see if they offer such planning tools and seminars.



Know of a freebie? Please share it by commenting on this article.

Why I wanted to go to an all-boys school:

In my co-educational, private, Protestant Christian junior high school, the rumor often circulated that if a girl's parents paid twice the normal tuition, she could attend the all-boys Jesuit high school in our city, whose claim to fame was being the 4th-ranked school in the state.
Both of my brothers ended up attending St. John's Jesuit High School, but there was no comparable option academically for a girl in my particular area of the rural Midwest.

Leaving aside the obvious variable of a Jesuit education versus other private or public school options--how much did my brothers gain by graduating from a single-sex high school?

The New York Times published an article today about single-sex education systems in public schools; their effectiveness is proven not only on paper but in students' observable behavior day-to-day. This exhaustive 8-page article follows the transformation of a public junior high school in Alabama through one Dr. Sax's program for single-sex education success. His theory hinges on the biological differences in men's and women's (read: boys' and girls') brains and development. Boys don't hear as well; girls use more colors when drawing. Everything from teaching methods to classroom decor can be adjusted to better suit a particular sex. Of course there are opponents to this theory--they don't challenge the existence of difference, but the effect it should have on a school's teaching philosophy. Many fear that separating the sexes results in issues with social development and self-image.

What does this mean for educators who don't have the power to choose whether or not their classroom is single sex? It bears keeping in mind that girls and boys do learn differently--just as different personality types learn differently. Some children may be oral learners rather than visual learners, some may focus better in the afternoon than the morning. All these factors play in to what I've established (in my admittedly limited experience in the education field) as my teaching philosophy: adjust lessons to meet the student's needs.

A five-year-old girl that i tutored for a year had trouble writing from left to right--as a left-handed student, she figured she should be able to see what she was writing while she wrote. Her after-school care provider thought she had a learning disability and foisted her on me. After talking with my mom, I found that Kamrie had the same problem i did when i was 5--we lefties just don't naturally fit into the right-handed world. By using arrows and encouraging her with colored pencils and stickers (feeding her art habit), I coaxed her into conformity.