TDD Days From Worst To Best

TDD Days are Teacher Development Days, and the range of emotions that are stirred in teachers upon these days vary.  For me, I'm not a big fan regarding most TDD Days.  This opinion is not based on my current teaching position; instead it's based on the variety of teaching positions and schools I've worked with throughout my career in education.  Here's my ranking from worst to best.

WORST - By far, the worst development days are when some consultant or educational expert is hired to present information to the staff.  Teachers are just like their students when it comes to large group situations like this.  They grade papers, check their cell phones, work on lesson plans, etc...

SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE - Teacher selected development opportunities fall between worst and best.  Giving a teacher or a department of teachers flexibility to determine what he/she/they are most interested in exploring, most generally are productive with that time.  Teachers do generally appreciate common planning time to bounce ideas off of each other, determine pacing, or research student data.

SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE - Off-site presentations can be very rewarding.  I've been fortunate enough to attend the Illinois Technology Conference a couple of times, and I always leave that conference inspired to try some different things in my classroom.  At these type of large "conference gatherings" there are many topics to choose from, which gives someone a great chance to see a variety of topics in a short amount of time.  Other off-site presentations may include development opportunities on a smaller scale, perhaps only on one topic.  Our Regional Office of Education hosts smaller, single-topic opportunities that have sometimes been beneficial and other times not very worthwhile depending upon the presenter and the topic.

SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE - Teacher led development opportunities are better received that "consultant led".  Teachers are much more likely to participate and engage when a colleague or building staff member or administrator is leading a presentation.  And this type of teacher development is a lot cheaper than hiring a consultant.

BEST - In rare situations, teachers get the opportunity to go watch other teachers in the content area.  In my view, the best way to gain professional development is to view a really good teacher, pick his or her brain for ideas, and then steal the ideas that seem to work the best.

Give Them The Room To Explore And They Will Take Over

So this is the time of year that gets fun and rewarding.  I've worked all year to establish relationships with students and establish a classroom climate that all students realize is welcoming and accepting.  I've taken times to force students to participate; I've even bribed them with extra credit at times (which I'm perfectly okay with).

We are about a week into our novel reads, and I will be working harder and harder at doing less and less when it comes to class discussions.  I'm asking them to contribute to a "novel blog" I'm using through Google Classroom.  I'm backing off in my involvement in class discussions and letting the students dictate what they want to discuss.

AND IT'S JUST ABOUT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR!

It's part of the job, though.  My job, as I see it, is to get these students ready for college level dual credit ENG 101 and 102. When they leave, I want them more mature and more comfortable participants, so they can then feel comfortable in college coursework.

As crazy as it sounds, this time of the year is where I find out to what extent I've done a good job.  And I get to work with the student like this for about a month, then it's summer, and then next school year starts in August with a brand new group of immature squirrels to work with.

It's rewarding to watch them pick each other's brains and be accepting of each other's viewpoints even if there are differences.  They have learned to be patient and attentive listeners and not to be afraid of sharing an alternative or minority viewpoint.

The older I get, the more I try to appear that I'm not doing anything at all.  The students are working, I'm just monitoring and evaluating.  It's fun.

It's 3:20 a.m

So it's 3:20 a.m., and I can't fall back to sleep because my mind is occupied with tasks that still need to be completed with the yearbook.  Are all the ads placed, and have they been approved by the customers? Have all the photos been tagged, or better yet do we have all the students in the portrait sections to even be able to tag all the photos?  Are the "rescued spreads" progressing?

If there has been one constant "pain", it's been the yearbook.  I just haven't been able to create the culture that should exist.  I haven't been able to inspire the students to see the fun and creativity and joy in sharing the story of the school year.  Instead, the priority has been about getting A's for the course.  Instead, the priority has been with just getting it done because no one looks at anything but the pictures anyway.  Instead, the priority has been to do the least amount of work possible.

To be honest, that's not the case with each student.  There are bright spots, but they are the minority.  I wish I could package them up and somehow clone them and have a 15-20 motivated, excited, creative "worker bees" having a ball sharing the story of the school year.  We'd be as admired as the 3-Peat Music Department; be as respected as our dominant boys basketball, football, and softball programs; be as big as our FFA.  Heck, we might even be as fun and meaningful as FCA or NHS or Student Council.

It's now 3:31 a.m.

Next year there will be a new adviser.  Another faculty member reluctantly accepted the position, but now another faculty change may create an additional move.  Where will I be relocated so the new adviser can use Room NE10 and Lab NE10 A for a staff room?  Now that I think about it, there's going to have to be a new name for this blog! (perhaps a topic for the next 3:30 a.m. blogpost)

The change won't be easy.  The new adviser has no clue on the variety of skills needed to pull off the monster that is a yearbook and no clue on the amount of money involved.  I've tried to extend thoughts and ideas and information, but everyone is focused on finishing up their end of year stuff this year.

It will be over for me at the end of the school year, but yearbook won't stop.  Parents will already start filling out order forms for the 17-18 book over the summer.  Mrs. Workman will start loading a big manila envelop with order forms and checks.  The shipment of 16-17 books will arrive sometime in late July or early August, and the new adviser will have to be available to receive the shipment and check for damage and verify that the shipment is correct.  Then Mrs. Hasson will have to send out a message to students about pick up dates for the books.  Somewhere during the summer there might be an opportunity to attend a training session in Kansas City or perhaps closer to get the updates on the publishing program that is utilize or the latest trends in graphic design.

The books will be distributed soon after, and the handful of angry emails or phone calls will arrive with complaints about who didn't get in the book or the spreads that featured mistakes or misspelled names or words.  And the 17-18 book will begin with a discussion about strengths and weaknesses of the previous year's book and then work will start into the new theme.

I may be up at 3:43 a.m. again next year with a different set of thoughts upsetting my brain.  It won't be yearbook stuff, though.

I'm heading back to bed - hopefully a little less filled with worries.

Another Great Application of Google Classroom

I have a dentist appointment today, so I have a substitute teacher in my classroom.  Mrs. Clarke is fully capable as a sub, and she enjoys the kids and relates well.  The days of lesson plans for subs, though, changed radically with Google Classroom.

Now I can simply schedule an assignment in Google Classroom to magically appear on the students' stream when the class period begins.  And if I really wanted to, I could post a screencastify file into the assignment and present the lesson plan to the students myself.

The only issue is internet problems, which unfortunately have been an issue lately with our school's internet service provider.  To help deal with this potential problem, I did make paper copies of the assignment as a precaution.

Today, Mrs. Clarke will be able to use my sub folder for the class rosters and seating charts and take attendance.  Then it's pretty simple.  She'll instruct the students to log in to a Chromebook and complete today's assignments.  Plus, she will then be free to circulate the room to help students respond to the questions on the assignment or to just help keep students on task.

Thanks Mrs. Clarke and Google Classroom!

Tis The Season For Students Missing 7th Period!

From mid-April to the end of the school year, an event occurs as natural as the green grass and flowers and rain - excused absences.

Especially for students that participate in a variety of extra curricular clubs and sports, excused absences can accumulate up to 2-3 times per week, and 7th period is especially prone to absences.  In addition to those activities, there are also field trips and other classroom type things that students attend.  In other words, 7th period can be a mess!

One reason I wait until the end of the school year for our novel read is this onslaught of school activity excused absences.  Honestly, it can be frustrating, but it's also wonderful that our students get an opportunity to experience and participate in all of these events.  Google Classroom and email and shared Google Docs has been an AMAZING help to this issue.

One way I try to deal with all the absences is simply sharing my daily lesson agenda with students.  In this way, they can immediately access what was accomplished in class.  Also, assigning reading sections and analysis questions through Google Classroom allows students to complete assignments wherever they have access to a device and internet.  Finally, students can send off emails with questions and comments.

With a little bit of strategic planning of curriculum units and the use of modern technology, students can enjoy all of their experiences that take them out of the building and still keep up with their schoolwork as much as possible.

Have a great day!

JBiz

Novel Reads Offer Opportunities For Growth And Other Unfortunate Things

This week the English III students began Fahrenheit 451, while the Advanced English III students began The Ox-Bow Incident.  While social media and the internet has offered many technological advancements as resources for educators, included in that mix are "cheats" for students.  A quick search on the internet reveals an abundance of summaries, research papers, and analyses that offer students shortcuts to actually reading the novel.  "So Mr. Bizarri wants me to read this 200+ page novel for English class," a student might ask himself or herself.  "Ya right."

So as high school English teachers, how can we motivate students to avoid "the cheats"?  I know from my own personal survey of students, after we completed a novel read two years ago, less than 50% of the students reported that they actually had read all of the novel, and that number included advanced level students.  And in many cases, students have overloaded their academic, extra-curricular, and part-time work experiences so far that they honestly have very little time outside of class to dig in to a novel.

Here are some strategies I use that hopefully increases the number of students that read the entire book.

1) Divide the exploration of the book into manageable segments.  For example, for the advanced students, the assigned reading is going to be about 20-25 pages per set of comprehension and analysis questions.  I find this segmented reading is doable for even the busiest student, or the reluctant reader.

2) Create unique questions.  While it takes more of my time, I create the questions - some comprehension and some inference questions.  In this way, I hope questions are more appealing to students, and I also avoid the temptation of students discovering the internet source I used to find questions.

3) Include video clips.  Today's students are much more visual.  One student stated yesterday, "Mr. Bizarri, there are no pictures in this book."  And the student was correct, but if I can interject video clips of something related to the author or the book or the setting or something else, the students can have visual additions to the literature.

4) Give them the option of cheating.  I know this sounds crazy, but offer students the chance to use an internet resource.  I actually copy several copies of _____notes and make them available.  I tell the students, if they are going to avoid reading, then I might as well know what they are going to use.  I also inform students that I'm aware of film version(s) are available, but my questions always are derived from the text.

5) Give them more control.  Find ways to allow students the opportunity to lead discussions and analysis.  It's tempting as a teacher to try to steer students, but the experience is more genuine and enjoyable for students if they are allowed some freedom.

6) Vary the style of responses to allow for different expression styles.  Some students are very comfortable in large group discussions; others prefer small group discussions; still others are terrified of uttering one word out loud in class.  Find ways that all comfort levels can contribute at some point during the novel experience.

7) Enjoy the experience with them.  Kids are smart and fun if we let them.  They don't have to obtain every scholarly nugget of knowledge in order to improve their reading and analytical skills.  And if we will allow it, they give us teachers a chance to see perspectives and viewpoints that we didn't previously consider.

8) See if you can get others involved.  Can you get parents involved? How about other students in your school or in another school?  I really would like to use Google Hangouts to try some interactive experiences, but our school isn't ready for such technology just yet.  What could you do to make the experience even more authentic with an outside audience?

There you have it....even in the year 2017, we can attempt to have novel reads in English classes.  We just have to try some different things.  I hope one or more of these things might be helpful to you.

JBiz

There Is Room For All Of Us and Our Perspectives

Happy Good Friday to Christians.  I must admit that I'm not knowledgeable enough to share any wisdom on what this day means to differing religions, if anything at all.  But for Christians, the day is a is mixed with awful and "good".  The Bible explains that it was on this day of the year that Jesus Christ was crucified and killed, but that his death was for his followers.

I attend and am a member of a nearby Methodist church.  I appreciate being reminded of the important life lessons that are contained in the Bible including the lessons explained about the teachings and actions of Jesus Christ.  On the other hand, there are some things about the Bible that I question and from time-to-time find difficulty even comprehending.

I truly believe, though, in the concept of grace, while I also admit that I don't fully understand the power of grace.  It seems to be a concept that I am constantly searching out and attempting to wrap my brain around.  I suppose I can also admit that the idea of grace is why I attend church.

What I truly find wonderful and hopeful is that grace exists in all religions - at least most that I have received little tidbits of information about from time to time.  And I then truly believe that there is room for all of us to live side-by-side and co-exist peacefully, regardless of the differences that may appear in our level and characteristics of our faiths.

We are currently in the midst of very troubling times when news headlines include words such as Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, nuclear tests, and bombs nicknamed "Mother of All Bombs" that are dropped from cargo planes.  I hope that this Good Friday is not remembered for such weaponry designed to destroy one another; rather, I hope this Good Friday is remembered for the grace that we can offer one another.

Have a day full of grace that you receive and offer to others.

JBiz

Let's Turn The Diner (Or Mr. Dexter's Health Classroom) Into An Internet Cafe

I'm getting some upholstery work to the ole Dodge this morning, so with this nice beautiful day here in Rock Island, I walked from breakfast at the Coffee and Pancake House down a few blocks to Theo's Java Club.  After a bit of internet technology difficulties, we are now up and running.  And as I sit here there is a steady flow of customers getting their morning coffee and maybe a pastry or a breakfast item.  A group of four older folks are sitting at the middle table, a couple of girls at a side booth, and two gentlemen my age across from me in comfy chairs.  Its nice!

How about a spot like this in Edgington?  I like the idea.

There is just a general feeling that exists here of friendliness and conversation.  I purchased the unlimited refill coffee for $3.00, and I'm on my second cup.  I need this coffee to keep me awake after that chicken fried steak skillet (with toast and pancakes) that I thoroughly enjoyed for breakfast.

Having a "neighborhood" cafe is something that every community should have.  In Edgington, there is the RocketStop, which is similar in nature is some ways.  There are a few boots and tables where the locals can enjoy a cup of coffee or some cheese sticks.  The RocketStop, though, is more of a convenient store, which just has a different feel to it.

Here at Theo's, you can't purchase gas or a loaf of bread or even a gallon of milk.  On the other hand you can get a bagel, a Theo Latte, and even a lunch bit of a tuna melt for lunch.  (I won't be here long enough to try lunch; besides, the chicken fried steak skillet may last me all day.)  On the other hand, you can relax and write a blog post, listen to a podcast, or read the newspaper or a good book.  I don't see many bloggers or book readers at The RocketStop, but newspapers often are observed.

What about a place like this at RHS.  Instead of making Mr. Dexter's old health classroom a conference room, how about making it a coffee house.  The location is good - right next to the cafeteria.  We can have students be responsible for the whole business, and I will insist that the only energy drinks offered are coffee based!

Maybe this blog is the beginning of a movement?  Or maybe it's just me enjoying a little time in downtown Rock Island on a sunny, pretty April morning.

Enjoy your day today.

Sprinkle Bad With Good

Okay, my guess is I'm not alone when I didn't jump out of bed and shout to the world, "Yes, I get to go to the dentist today!"

In fact of all the things I would rather do today, going to the dentist is well down near the end.  And that's nothing against Riverside Dentistry and the staff there.  I fully know they are well caring and meaningful people and great professionals at their jobs.  But it's the dentist.

For me, for some reason, getting my teeth worked on - even just cleaned - is an effort of concentrated relaxation.  I could try to blame it on some negative experience with an evil dentist when I was a child.  I could try to blame it on the braces that my parents shelled out thousands of dollars for when I was in junior high - ugh the wires, the spacers, the regainers, the headgear!  While I could try to blame those things, I honestly just think that getting my teeth scraped, poked, polished, and drilled on just isn't my thing.

I've put off cleanings, and I know that I have probably at least two cavities that have to be filled because my hot morning coffee is touching sensitive nerves.  I know they wonderful staff is going to tell me what I should be doing differently with my teeth - last time they even attempted to show me how to more effectively brush my teeth and use floss.

So this is going to be a "you get what you pay for" experience.  So I will start up the Dodge upon completion of this here blog entry, and make the journey into Moline and get it over with.  After all, it is Spring Break!

I have decided, though, to make the trip more bearable by sprinkling in some good.  I need to pick up some things like socks, v-neck t-shirts, and I may look for a new pair of shoes.  I think I might even make a quick stop at the casino and see what $20.00 on the video poker machine might get me.  Then, I think I will pick up something good to cook on the grill today, since it's going to be a nice day.  And all of that hopefully is what I'll be concentrating while in the dentist chair!

So if you have to complete something that won't be pleasant today, sprinkle over the bad with something good.  The good stuff will be the stuff you can concentrate on while the bad is getting done!

Life Isn't About Stuff; It's About People

This morning Bruce White is going to install a portable generator for our home - a generator that my parents Jim and Cathy Bizarri helped provide for our family.  Sometime mid-morning, I'm going to go speak with Marcie Fuller, who helps staff our church during the day.  Later on my step-daughter Kenzie Harrison is going to cut my hair at the new salon she's working at in Aledo.  After that, I'm going to umpire a softball game at Sherrard that Jim Kalina assigned me.  I'll be working with Bob Glidden, and I'm not sure whether I'll umpire behind the plate or on the bases.

And that's just the current plan.  It's only 7:24 a.m., and who knows how many other people are going impact my day today.

My point with today's post is that our lives are about people.  Yes, we have amazing phones, televisions, automobiles, and lots of other "stuff" - wonderful technology and equipment that make life more comfortable and enjoyable.  The people in our lives, though, are what matter most.  And not because the help us, but because we all help each other.

For example, I'm going to help my parents Jim and Cathy with some little projects around their farm tomorrow.  I help Jim Kalina by helping him working softball games he assigns, and I'm going to help Bob be the best umpiring team we can be for the fresh/soph softball game, and hopefully together will help manage a safe, competitive game between Sherrard and Bureau Valley.

I'm pretty sure I won't be helping Bruce or Marcie or Kenzie today, but who knows about tomorrow or next week or sometime next month or next year?  We are in this together right?

And it's not about whether we are old or young; rich or poor; male or female; gay or straight; black, brown, or white; rural, suburban, or urban; Muslim or Christian; or whatever differences may exist between us.  We are people.

Aren't we here on earth for just a very short time?  Don't we have such an awesome opportunity to positively impact our lives together while we exist?

Have a great day with the people that will impact your day and the impact you will make on others today!

 

SPRING BREAK Has Arrived!

So of course the night before the first day of spring break I couldn't sleep.  Instead of fading off restfully into sleepyville, I was awake thinking of all the things I want to accomplish.  Eventually heading back out to the couch and watching reruns of Big Bang Theory did the trick, but it had to have been around 1:00 a.m. before I finally fell asleep.

But now it's spring break!  For me, it's not a warm tropical vacation spot.  For me it's around home completing some projects, at my folks completing projects, and probably some umpiring.  I did recently start using Google Keep, and I think my goal is likely to check a few things off of my Keep list each day of spring break.

While it may sound childish, I'm not afraid to admit that getting a few days off from the routine of the school year is a treat.  When we get back to school, it will be mid-April, and the dash will be on to complete the school year....sports, field trips, prom, graduation...the pace of the school year seems to multiply rapidly the closer the final day arrives.  So while I need to get things done this week, the pacing will be relaxed and flexible.

And one part of this week is walking the dogs each day.  So I'm cutting this entry short to take Kya and Sophie on a morning walk, then I'll check out that Google Keep list.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Teaching To The Test - To Be or Not To Be....That Is The Question!

Probably since the beginning of standardized assessments like the ACT and SAT, a debate has existed about "TEACHING TO THE TEST".  I'd like to explore this a bit with this blog....

Admission of Guilt

I must first admit that I work to "teach to the test".  Since I teach mostly juniors in English III and Advanced English III, I incorporate specific activities and practice events to introduce students to the testing they are going to experience during their 11th grade year.  Those assessments include 

• PSAT in October (preliminary SAT that is a "practice assessment" that is also an opportunity for the Merit Scholarship)
• ACCUPLACER in January (used by Black Hawk College as an entrance exam to enroll in English 101 & 102 and other dual credit courses offered at our school).
• SAT in April (a required assessment in Illinois for all 11th grade students that serves as a college and career readiness tool used by many post-secondary training path avenues for admission acceptance and scholarship opportunities.
• next year I'm also considering a brief tutorial experience for students be prepared for the ASVAB

To Be or Not To Be teaching to the test...the question at hand...

I've been accused of doing too much with test preparation.  I've also been told that performance on these tests don't matter to all students, so my work during my courses is going overboard.  And finally, I've been told that these tests really don't accurately measure student skills, so why bother?  It's one test on one day, and the results are not an accurate reflection of what all students can really do.

Those talking points have merit, right?

Here's What I Know 

• I know various post-secondary training paths (colleges, university, military, apprenticeships, technical schools) use standardized test scores as a guideline for acceptance into their programs.

• I know the colleges and universities offer scholarship opportunities for students who perform well on the SAT.  A higher score then, may mean money for the students and their families to be applied toward the students' post secondary path goals.

• I know that students will not be allowed to enroll in dual credit courses at Rockridge unless their performances meet the required cut scores.  Successful dual credit coursework means a jump start for students who will go on to pursue a two-year or four-year college/university training path.

• Research demonstrates that students that exhibit "readiness" by achieving college readiness benchmarks have  "75% likelihood of achieving at least a C in first semester of their introductory credit-bearing college courses."

• Research demonstrates a positive correlation between successful SAT performance and possessing the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to be placed in and succeed in post-secondary technical or career training programs.

SO.....

The information above, IN MY OPINION, trumps the talking points about teaching to the test that I sometimes hear from other educators.  The bottom line for me is that I do teach to the tests and I try to prepare my students for the tests because the results of those tests potentially have real value to my students and their families.

ONE STEP FURTHER...which may not be a popular step...

I truly believe that many teachers who criticize me for teaching to the test simply don't want to give the effort required to 

1) be an informed teacher about the assessments - they don't want to take the time and commit the effort to understanding the tests

2) revise their instructional practices and course content - they just want to keep doing what they have been doing in the past

3) don't feel that their course content area can have an impact - because they aren't teaching math or English, they can't contribute

MY HOPE

I think if teachers are just willing to take very small steps to be more informed and revise their instructional practices and course content, they soon realize that there really isn't much additional work.  And they will start to get excited about helping their students be better prepared.  And their students will appreciate their teachers' efforts - adding even more positive energy and culture to the classrooms and building.  And then more and more teachers will get on board and have an interest in contributing.

Here's a link that may be of interest.  Feel free to use it if you would like.

Link to a Presentation for RHS Teachers in Fall of 2016

Because We Want To Help Players That Want To Get Better

Meet Jessica Stice

Jessica is a sophomore at Rockridge and member of our Corn Belt Cagers club basketball team.  She wasn't on our initial list of potential players.  I had asked the varsity boys coaches of Rockridge and Sherrard to give me a list of players that might be interested in playing some basketball if they weren't participating in a spring sport.  (We really do encourage students to be multi-sport athletes, and we don't want to distract from school sport opportunities.)

So we started out our spring club season without Jessica.

Then she asked.  She asked if she could join the Cagers workouts.  I informed her that if she wanted to join us, she needed to know she wasn't going to get any special treatment from the coaches or the players.  She needed to know that we would coach her just like anyone else.

I didn't ask her why she asked.  I didn't ask her if she knew what she was getting herself into.  I didn't ask her if she thought she could handle it.  In my eyes, and in the eyes of our other coaches and our players, she meets all the criteria we are looking for - she's a basketball player that loves the game, wants to work hard, will attend our workouts and game days, and wants to improve her skills and her confidence.

So this isn't a human interest story.  You can make your own conclusions about Jessica.  For me it's just a blog post about a basketball player on our team.  If you'd like learn more about this player or other players in our group, check out our website.

2017 Corn Belt Cagers

My Path To Teaching

Recently I was asked by a student, "Mr. Bizarri, do you have any regrets becoming a teacher?"  I thought that was an awesome question, and I did pause to think for a bit.

I did answer the student truthfully and told him that from time-to-time I wonder how my life would be different had I chosen a different path.  On the other hand, I don't regret my eventual decision to become an English teacher.  My career goals didn't start that way though....

While in high school, I was really interested in Journalism.  I was on the school newspaper, part of the school yearbook staff, and I also worked for a weekly newspaper nearby - The Milan Mirror.  I enjoyed the thrill of being "Johnny On The Spot" and getting pictures and telling a story.  My boss Mr. Maynard was AWESOME.  He helped me and encouraged me and on deadline nights he would take me out for a milkshake to celebrate.  Eventually, I even had my own weekly column called Seen by Seventeen.  And that's how it started out in college too...I attended Augustana, and got a college work study job working for David Wrath in the Sports Information Office.  I helped with press releases and catalogs and programs and all the other materials that are produced.  In addition, I got a job working for the Quad City Times as a sports correspondent.  I was living the dream going to high school contests and being sent to complete other feature stories.  I also worked in the sports department on evenings taking in scores and information that would eventually be in the paper the next day.

My involvement in basketball at Augie got me interested in Athletic Training.  I had always loved sports and was intrigued and impressed by the role of athletic trainers.  Like many college students I my career goals seemed to switch before my eyes from sportswriter to athletic training.  That switch was short lived.  My Human Anatomy course with Dr. Tallitsch kicked my butt, and scurried out of the health sciences department with my "D" grade and never returned.

At the same time I was in college, I somehow got involved in coaching a youth basketball team.  I had a team of 5th-6th grade students from Rockridge, and a couple times a week I would practice with them and then we would play in the district league on the weekends.  That was the bug that led me down the path to a career in teaching.  I became obsessed with coaching.  I really enjoyed teaching skills and helping the young players improve and be successful.  At the time in the late 80's the only way to coach high school basketball was to be a teacher.  Coaches had to be certified teachers.

So while it was not exactly the correct way to make a decision, I embraced a role as a teacher because I wanted to coach.  My early interest in journalism and writing and communicating helped me to eventually select secondary English education as my major, and my career took flight.  After a little bump past Augie (Thank you Dr. Senne and Coach Jim Leix for those life lessons.), I finished up by Bachelor of Arts at Marycrest College.

Because I graduated in December, after graduation I completed one day of substitute teaching at Sherrard high school as a P.E.teacher.  Soon I was hired as a one-on-one special education aide at Andalusia Elementary.  Later that May I interviewed and was hired at Westmer Secondary School to teach junior high language arts and coach basketball and football.  Since then with only a brief hiatus away from education in the private sector on one occasion, I have been in education.

So now I'm back in RoomNE10 at Rockridge.  It's still okay to wonder what life would have been like as a sportswriter or athletic trainer, but I really enjoy my job as an English teacher.

Use Screencastify To Inform Parents and Have a Different Presentation Format

Screencastify is a simple Chromebook extension that basically records what the user is doing on his/her Chromebook.  I've included an example at the bottom, and in this example a student is using Screencastify to digitally present a slideshow (Google Slides).  In this specific example, students were assigned the task of sharing worst fit, best fit, and specific fit for the path they are considering after high school.

This technology is not difficult.  If I can do it in my classroom, anyone can do it.  It took me part of a class period to show students how to acquire the extension through the Chromestore, then I showed them a rough example clip of a screencastify file I had created, and then I turned them loose.

While I do think public speaking to a live audience is an awesome skill, I think this technology allows students to learn how to make presentations and tutorials that can then be digitally saved and used for later use.

I've actually used this technology with basketball video game files as well.  In this example, I played the video file of a scrimmage and then used Screencastify to express my thoughts as the scrimmage played.  In this way I could provide feedback on the players' performance that the players could view during their free time.

I also used this technology to send an informational message to parents.  While I could have just sent an email, I decided to speak directly to the parents through Screencastify and show them the assignment that students were working on.

I'm sure there are many other uses for this technology that can be used in the classroom, in business, and for personal uses.


Student Example of Using Screencastify to Present

Assignment Information for Students

Decision Making Chart

Assignment Information for Guest Presenters

Journal Writing May Not Always Be Academic, But It Is Healthy

I'm positive other teachers use journal writing in many different ways.  I suppose I use journal writing less for academic purposes and more for "soft skill" purposes.

When we journal write in RoomNE10, we have a few rules.

1) You must write for the entire 7-minute period.  Yes, even the teacher writes.  If you run out of things to say about a particular topic, you must quickly switch topics.  One of the objectives of the exercise is to keep the pen or pencil to the paper.  In the even of "mental constipation", you just write something like "I'm stuck and am not sure what to write."  Keep writing that until something new pops into your brain.

2) For the seven minutes, you must write coherent words, sentences, paragraphs, etc...  Doodling or random letters or repeating numbers doesn't count.

3) You may select the topic the teacher suggests, or you may write about anything else is on your mind.

4) You may use any language you like, but if you choose to share out loud for extra credit, you are prohibited from using profanity and must be in English language the rest of us can recognize.

5) Try to write in standard English usage, but no one will be graded on spelling, grammar, or word usages errors.

6) You may not write about any other student in class, but if you are upset with the teacher, tactful criticism is always allowed.

7) You may share for extra credit, but you must read ALL and ONLY what you write for extra credit.

8) As a mandatory reporter, I will be responsible if anything in a journal entry may be harmful to a student.


So our process (with those rules) is pretty simple.  I put seven minutes on the online countdown up on the white screen.  I then present students with two or three topics that are current event type things - usually controversial.  Sometimes I'll have a video or audio clip that might generate some thoughts.  I then have students place the date where they are about to begin and say, "Start".  After the timer ends, I tell students to finish up their thought, I share my entry, and then I ask students if they would like to share.  If they choose to share, I write their name in my journal and periodically award extra credit in their Lumen gradebook program - 10 points of homework points.

MORE THAN EDUCATIONAL

I find that students need an avenue of outward expression.  Seven minutes of writing and the chance to publicly air their thoughts or listen to someone else air their thoughts is very therapeutic.  Yes, the extra credit is a bribe.  I acknowledge that I'm trying to bribe the students to let their voice be heard by their peers, but this is something very scary for many students, so I am perfectly content throwing some extra credit their way.

At the end of the school year, students can keep their journals for memories or pitch them.  I keep their journals (notebooks) in the classroom in a filing cabinet, and no one else is allowed to have access to them.

As far as grades, students grade themselves according to a "rubric".  I tell them to grade their effort.  The link is what I use for students.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gJ4TDOCU5DDYqm1_2nuefBKRIjs81UPeIE2pLcE-sYc/edit

So the SAT is ONLY 2 Days Away

In RoomNE10, we have literally been preparing for this since Septemember, so I'm excited for the students.  Not all of them share this excitement, so here are some considerations.

• Now is NOT the time to panic.  Whether you have been preparing steadily for months or not, the SAT will arrive on April 5.  In order to perform your best, a positive, calm perspective is needed.  Say to yourself, "Jay, I know it's arriving, every other junior in Illinois is completing the SAT, and I will do my best."
• Make Wednesday, routine.  Avoid some really cool idea that some other student has found on the XYZ site on the internet.  No, drinking three energy drinks a day starting today will not boost your brain functioning.  No, sleeping with a dictionary under your pillow will not make a difference.  Today is Monday...do what you normally do on Monday.  Tomorrow is Tuesday...do what you normally do on Tuesday.  Wednesday is Wednesday...do what you normally do on Wednesday.
• UNLESS...normally on Wednesday you get up five minutes before you drive to school, eat nothing, and run to your first class in order to avoid being tardy.
• In that case....get up 30 minutes earlier, eat a light breakfast with a class of milk and perhaps a cup of coffee, and walk comfortably to your testing classroom.
• Double check to make sure you have everything you need - pencils, calculator, maybe a wrist watch to help keep time. 
• Get to your testing 10 minutes early.  Look around and feel comfortable in your surroundings.
• Accept the "butterflies" in your gut.  It's perfectly natural to be nervous.  Yes this is important, but this one test is not going to define you or your future.  It's going to define how you performed on this one day on a college entrance exam given the education and preparation that you have completed to this point of your life.  You are going to gain valuable information on your strengths and your weaknesses that will allow you to determine future academic goals that may be needed.
• Take a deep breath, listen and read all directions, manage your time effectively, feel confident in all the preparation you have completed individually as well as how your teachers and school have prepared you, and SMILE!  (It takes less energy to smile than to frown.)

AVOID

• Avoid staying up late cramming an SAT practice test into your evening.\
• Avoid getting up two hours early and consuming the meatlover's breakfast a the local cafe.
• Avoid rolling out of bed and taking the exam in your pajamas because you think you want to be comfortable.  I suggest actually "dressing up" a little like it's a "game day" for you sports folks; otherwise at least dress business casual to help yourself set your brain to be effective.
• Avoid going to bed three hours early in order to be "rested up".  This is just going to throw your mind and body into weirdness; you'll probably wake up around 3 a.m. and not be able to get back to sleep.
• Avoid giving up.  No matter how weary or uncertain or you may feel, do your best all the way through.  YOUR BEST IS ALWAYS GOOD ENOUGH.

Good luck students,

You are going to be relaxed, perform your best, and be great!

Mr. Bizarri