Wednesday, August 19, 2009

What isn't working

I know that I need to do goals and then assessment, and I didn't do that because I didn't realize this was a unit until I was teaching it. And then I did the unit, I need to assess it, I didn't have a main point or maybe I did, I don't know how to write the assessment, I am falling into a trap of being one of these stupid kinds of outdated teachers who just asks questions on content that they can memorize.

I can't test them without having them have seen the syllabus with the expectations for grading and without organizing them, their binders, and Edline with them.

I don't know how to introduce the students to using supplies, taking responsibility in my classroom, or even organizing their binders because I don't know how to get quiet for long enough to do it without fighting them.

I don't know how to frame a conversation on goals so that they will generate what they want to learn this year.

I don't know how to talk about rules/expectations. Actually I do but any time I start they feel like it's cheesy and I can't take myself seriously enough to get it done.

I feel like I am doing too much work because students aren't even taking responsibility for things like putting the desks back where they were when they came in. I don't know how to teach that.

I feel pressured because I am supposed to have the syllabus and expectations/rules and also the goals all done by next Wednesday because that's the day we have open house with parents. I am also supposed to have started my next unit by then so it doesn't get broken up between the Chagim, and in between I haven't done any of this, I still have to do all the logistics for them which means I'm working too hard for no reason since they are in 7th or 8th grade, they do badly with the small set of procedures I have taught them, and I have to give a test on this badly deigned unit that I have taught without planning.

I don't know how to teach a lesson on procedures. All these people saying "just teach it" or "model it" isn't working for me. I feel stupid, they feel talked down to, and I can't seem to do it.

I don't think I have enough time to do all of these things and get them into a lesson when it takes 30 minutes to get quiet and when I don't have enough time to do anything while I endlessly wait for quiet.

We can't use the quiet signal anymore, so that reduces me back to shouting. I can't seem to keep up with any expectations in order to keep the students feeling safe without feeling talked down to, and doing anything at this point is all about how loud I can yell. I hate that I'm becoming a monster that is exactly the kind of teacher I don't want to be.

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