I can't believe there are only 10 days left of school!
The kids are getting restless. This week the 8th graders have been going on field trips and have their prom this Friday.
I gave my 7th graders their end-of-year exam. My advanced class averaged a 70%, many of them showed improvement from the beginning of the year. For the next few lesson I get to teach "Human Growth and Development," which includes substance abuse and sex ed.
I started a photo-blog that I will update more often with shorter posts here: catalinahidalgo.tumblr.com.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Kids say the darnest things
"Miss, why are your legs more tan than your face?"
That's what I get for wearing a skirt.
---
*Student wraps a one-dollar bill into what looks like a ring*
*Student gets down on one knee*
"Miss, will you marry me?"
My response: "Go away. I can write you up for harassment. Plus you're too young. And a dollar bill? Seriously? At least try with the rings from the candy machines."
"Ok Miss, I'll try again tomorrow."
---
Two old men who were building inspectors came in during my homeroom. Boys were running around, trying to throw paper balls. I was at the door handing out a form for everyone when this was happening. I turn around, see the commotion and run after the boys. I stop them and start yelling at them. The two old men who were inspecing my lab equipment on the other side of the room couldn't believe that I was bitching at these kids.
They just stare at me. I smile and say, "Can you tell I love my job?" And they just start laughing. I've come to a point where I just have no shame and will rip a new one into any of these kids in front of another adult.
---
Cops came to frisk all of my students for a "random" search of weapons and drugs. Nothing was found but I felt really uncomfortable. They also totally interrupted my lesson, which pissed me off.
---
Some of my students really show how much they care about me. Myra asks about how I'm mentally and emotionally doing every other day and shes only 12 years old. She says she's concerned about me because I seem like I'm stressed. She's such an insightful, smart and caring girl. I am amazed everyday.
---
I work out at the gym at the school. All of the girls on the basketball team like to see me run and lift weights. They don't understand why I do it because I'm already "skinny." I try to explain that exercise is important for everyone. I also tell them that I need to get stronger in case I really do need to fight and they just laugh. Even though my last name is Hidalgo I'm still a "white girl" to the black kids.
---
I found out that one of my favorite students has been living with her dad who recently got out of jail (he was there for 10 years). She told me he was the reason she came to school with a black eye a few weeks ago. That was the only time I have seen her bruised. I talked to the counselor about it and they are keeping an eye on her and her brother.
---
FCAT is over and all my 8th graders are wild. They pretty much think "F*** Class After Test." Great. Why don't they give end of year tests? School doesn't end until June 7th so I'm stuck with this attitude for 5 more weeks.
That's what I get for wearing a skirt.
---
*Student wraps a one-dollar bill into what looks like a ring*
*Student gets down on one knee*
"Miss, will you marry me?"
My response: "Go away. I can write you up for harassment. Plus you're too young. And a dollar bill? Seriously? At least try with the rings from the candy machines."
"Ok Miss, I'll try again tomorrow."
---
Two old men who were building inspectors came in during my homeroom. Boys were running around, trying to throw paper balls. I was at the door handing out a form for everyone when this was happening. I turn around, see the commotion and run after the boys. I stop them and start yelling at them. The two old men who were inspecing my lab equipment on the other side of the room couldn't believe that I was bitching at these kids.
They just stare at me. I smile and say, "Can you tell I love my job?" And they just start laughing. I've come to a point where I just have no shame and will rip a new one into any of these kids in front of another adult.
---
Cops came to frisk all of my students for a "random" search of weapons and drugs. Nothing was found but I felt really uncomfortable. They also totally interrupted my lesson, which pissed me off.
---
Some of my students really show how much they care about me. Myra asks about how I'm mentally and emotionally doing every other day and shes only 12 years old. She says she's concerned about me because I seem like I'm stressed. She's such an insightful, smart and caring girl. I am amazed everyday.
---
I work out at the gym at the school. All of the girls on the basketball team like to see me run and lift weights. They don't understand why I do it because I'm already "skinny." I try to explain that exercise is important for everyone. I also tell them that I need to get stronger in case I really do need to fight and they just laugh. Even though my last name is Hidalgo I'm still a "white girl" to the black kids.
---
I found out that one of my favorite students has been living with her dad who recently got out of jail (he was there for 10 years). She told me he was the reason she came to school with a black eye a few weeks ago. That was the only time I have seen her bruised. I talked to the counselor about it and they are keeping an eye on her and her brother.
---
FCAT is over and all my 8th graders are wild. They pretty much think "F*** Class After Test." Great. Why don't they give end of year tests? School doesn't end until June 7th so I'm stuck with this attitude for 5 more weeks.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Tracking Student Data
Teach for America heavily focuses on tracking student data. Before the school year started, all TFA first-year corps members sat through many sessions about creating a vision and goal for our students. Traditionally, teachers have held an “80% mastery” goal for students to work towards on a final test. I myself incorporated this into my classroom vision/goal at the beginning of the year when I had only 7th graders. After the first nine weeks, half of my classes switched to 8th grade and I still kept this “80% goal.” Throughout the year I have kept two excel files that track my 7th and 8th grade students toward this “80% mastery” goal.
I use quotations because I don’t completely agree with how I’ve been guided to track my students. Student test data is messy, complicated, and tricky. My first issue is that it’s all about test scores. Granted, if a student has a true understanding of the material he/she should be able to score well on a test. But standardized tests don’t accommodate individual learning needs. Some don’t test well, and some could have had a bad day/night before the day, affecting their score. Another issue I have had with tracking is that I am not sure if the tests I am giving to my students are truly aligned or truly “fair” to what they need to know.
How do I know what they need to know? Well, the FCAT of course. That’s another issue that I must hold back from expressing my livid frustration. I teach to the Science FCAT because my students’ achievement is based on their success on this test they take in 8th grade. In theory it makes sense: a child goes to school to learn certain concepts and skills, and we must assess their progress to make sure they are learning. It becomes a problem when all of that weight falls on one test.
I want to cry when I look at my data. I see the low scores and want to kick and scream, “What am I doing wrong???” There are about 7 days until the FCAT and I am really worried that only a few of my 8th graders will pass the FCAT. Mind you, in order to pass the FCAT they have to get 60% of the questions correct. WAIT A SECOND; I thought my “mastery goal” was 80%? Well, it is, and this is where reality and expectations do not meet.
Let me outline the things that bother me about my science teaching experience, from a student data perspective:
1. The Science FCAT is purely multiple-choice. No math, no free-response, no real rigor.
2. If there was real rigor, my students really would have no hope because they struggle on the current FCAT-style questions.
3. FCAT is scored on a 1-5 scale, with 3 considered okay to pass. In order to get a 3, a student has to score only a 60%.
4. A “mastery goal” is 80%.
5. I don’t understand how certain students have scored low on certain concepts when I have heard them explain to me their understanding during class activities, labs, and on written assignments.
As a teacher, you more-or-less know who is following along with the content and should pass on to the next grade level to learn more. Standardized tests serve a great purpose to quantify it, but it’s not complete. One thing I really should have done is track growth, not mastery. Now, TFA is all about making “transformation changes,” changes that are so out of this world that you can really turn around a person’s life. Their thinking is that through setting a very high bar (e.g. 80% mastery), a teacher can make this transformational change. I understand that. But it is not working for me. I would rather track my students’ growth from where they started than naively say “Yes, you will score 80% on the end of year test,” even though you came into my classroom on a 2nd grade reading level with a learning disability and emotional-behavioral problems. You just can’t do that.
And although a teacher needs to set high expectations for all students, high expectations are not one-size-fits all. I have one advanced 7th grade science class and then I have one 7th grade class at the other extreme: many English Language Learners, on an individualized learning plan or have very low-IQs. In my advanced class, I expect that they will go through the material quicker, answer harder questions, and average an 80% on the unit tests (which they have!). In my troubled class, I can’t expect that. I have to break down the lectures at a slower pace, I have to incorporate more reading strategies, have more visuals, and make the tests a little easier because if not, the students get frustrated and give up. Maybe one day those students could get to that advanced 7th grade level, but it can’t happen overnight. Is that already lowering my expectation?
I use quotations because I don’t completely agree with how I’ve been guided to track my students. Student test data is messy, complicated, and tricky. My first issue is that it’s all about test scores. Granted, if a student has a true understanding of the material he/she should be able to score well on a test. But standardized tests don’t accommodate individual learning needs. Some don’t test well, and some could have had a bad day/night before the day, affecting their score. Another issue I have had with tracking is that I am not sure if the tests I am giving to my students are truly aligned or truly “fair” to what they need to know.
How do I know what they need to know? Well, the FCAT of course. That’s another issue that I must hold back from expressing my livid frustration. I teach to the Science FCAT because my students’ achievement is based on their success on this test they take in 8th grade. In theory it makes sense: a child goes to school to learn certain concepts and skills, and we must assess their progress to make sure they are learning. It becomes a problem when all of that weight falls on one test.
I want to cry when I look at my data. I see the low scores and want to kick and scream, “What am I doing wrong???” There are about 7 days until the FCAT and I am really worried that only a few of my 8th graders will pass the FCAT. Mind you, in order to pass the FCAT they have to get 60% of the questions correct. WAIT A SECOND; I thought my “mastery goal” was 80%? Well, it is, and this is where reality and expectations do not meet.
Let me outline the things that bother me about my science teaching experience, from a student data perspective:
1. The Science FCAT is purely multiple-choice. No math, no free-response, no real rigor.
2. If there was real rigor, my students really would have no hope because they struggle on the current FCAT-style questions.
3. FCAT is scored on a 1-5 scale, with 3 considered okay to pass. In order to get a 3, a student has to score only a 60%.
4. A “mastery goal” is 80%.
5. I don’t understand how certain students have scored low on certain concepts when I have heard them explain to me their understanding during class activities, labs, and on written assignments.
As a teacher, you more-or-less know who is following along with the content and should pass on to the next grade level to learn more. Standardized tests serve a great purpose to quantify it, but it’s not complete. One thing I really should have done is track growth, not mastery. Now, TFA is all about making “transformation changes,” changes that are so out of this world that you can really turn around a person’s life. Their thinking is that through setting a very high bar (e.g. 80% mastery), a teacher can make this transformational change. I understand that. But it is not working for me. I would rather track my students’ growth from where they started than naively say “Yes, you will score 80% on the end of year test,” even though you came into my classroom on a 2nd grade reading level with a learning disability and emotional-behavioral problems. You just can’t do that.
And although a teacher needs to set high expectations for all students, high expectations are not one-size-fits all. I have one advanced 7th grade science class and then I have one 7th grade class at the other extreme: many English Language Learners, on an individualized learning plan or have very low-IQs. In my advanced class, I expect that they will go through the material quicker, answer harder questions, and average an 80% on the unit tests (which they have!). In my troubled class, I can’t expect that. I have to break down the lectures at a slower pace, I have to incorporate more reading strategies, have more visuals, and make the tests a little easier because if not, the students get frustrated and give up. Maybe one day those students could get to that advanced 7th grade level, but it can’t happen overnight. Is that already lowering my expectation?
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Costa Rica
I went to Costa Rica for spring break. It was the best decision I've made in 2012 thus far. I haven't traveled out of the country since I went abroad my junior year in 2010 and was really excited to venture off to somewhere I've never been. I spent most of my time in Monteverde, which is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world: The Monteverde Cloud Forest. It was SO cool. I went hiking, did zip lining, walked on hanging bridges and took a coffee tour. Some pictures:
I also went to another town called Arenal/La Fortuna to visit a volcano and enjoy the hot springs.
Although this was my vacation, I kept on thinking back to how this whole trip relates to my work as a science teacher. During one of the hiking trips we had a tour who was really knowledgeable about the biodiversity of the area and I loved how he mentioned concepts that I taught in class! I'm about 3/4 through my first year as a science teacher and I really have covered a lot of topics.
- Heat and temperature
- Energy (kinetic, potential, mechanical, etc)
- Sound waves, light waves
- Electromagnetic Radiation
- The Rock Cycle
- Plate Tectonics
- Earth's Geological History
- Evolution
- The Universe (Star's life cycle, solar system)
- Genetics
- Body Systems
- Cell Structure
- Ecology (food chains, webs, ecosystems, symbiosis)
And those are just the topics that come to mind at the moment. It's crazy! What's crazier is that the FCAT (Florida Comprehension Assessment Test) that all students must take is in 16 school days... Only 8th graders take a Science FCAT, but all students have to take Reading and Math. So right now the entire school is in a crunch mode to get these kids prepared for the test.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
My 6th Period Quotes
On getting things from the floor:
Me: "Jairo, can you get that pencil near your foot?"Jairo: *Stares*
Me: "C'mon, I don't want to get down."
Jairo: *Stares, giggles* Good, you shouldn't want to get down while you're doing your job *winks*
Me: -_- Just get me the pencil.
---
On frog reproduction:
Me: "So the female lays her eggs near water and the male releases his sperm so that fertilization occurs."
Student 1: So this happens outside the body??
Me: "Yes, this is NOT like humans."
Student 2: So there's no intercourse?
Me: "No. NOT like humans."
Student 1: "That's BORING!"
Me: "If you're looking to frog reproduction for some excitement, I'm sorry for you."
---
On genetics:
Me: "Okay, here is a picture (of my family). Please write down why you think the people in the picture are related."
Students yelling out: "You look like your mom! How old is your sister? You look so young! How old were you in that picture?"
Me: Alright guys, enough, I just wanted to get the conversation started on the genes we get from our parents.
*The class settles down, students start writing.*
A girl in my class: Daaaang, her dad is fiiiiine!
Me: Excuse me?! Please don't talk about my dad that way.
---
That was just in one day. I swear I could die laughing in that class. It's a terrible thing. Somehow they also have the highest science scores out of all my classes. More quotes to come.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Frogs and love
Yesterday and today I taught a frog dissection lesson for my 8th grade Double Dose Science Class.
It was pretty awesome. Not perfect, but awesome. My students were engaged, interested and eager. Although we couldn't finish the lab, they learned about dissection, frog anatomy and organ functions. Many took pictures, friended me on facebook and shared the pictures with me.
I sincerely love many of my students. There are moments that put me in a state of euphoria that make the hectic teaching days so worth it. I have a student who asks almost everyday if he can skip either his P.E. class or his math recovery class to be in my science class. Another girl asked to get out of her elective class so that she could be in my class doing experiments. Today one student thanked me for a "B" he received on his progress report. I told him, "Don't thank me, I don't give grades, you earn them." He replied, "I get it, but STILL you are the teacher leading me to get the information." When I think about that I get tears in my eyes.
As crazy as these middle schoolers are, and as mean as some of them can be, there are beautiful moments that happen once in a while that really make me happy. Sure I get stressed out sometimes; I can lose my voice sometimes; and sometimes I feel like what I'm doing is not making a difference. But I know that at the end of the day I'm giving it my all so that my students will walk away with more knowledge and thinking ability than when they walked into my classroom.
It was pretty awesome. Not perfect, but awesome. My students were engaged, interested and eager. Although we couldn't finish the lab, they learned about dissection, frog anatomy and organ functions. Many took pictures, friended me on facebook and shared the pictures with me.
I sincerely love many of my students. There are moments that put me in a state of euphoria that make the hectic teaching days so worth it. I have a student who asks almost everyday if he can skip either his P.E. class or his math recovery class to be in my science class. Another girl asked to get out of her elective class so that she could be in my class doing experiments. Today one student thanked me for a "B" he received on his progress report. I told him, "Don't thank me, I don't give grades, you earn them." He replied, "I get it, but STILL you are the teacher leading me to get the information." When I think about that I get tears in my eyes.
As crazy as these middle schoolers are, and as mean as some of them can be, there are beautiful moments that happen once in a while that really make me happy. Sure I get stressed out sometimes; I can lose my voice sometimes; and sometimes I feel like what I'm doing is not making a difference. But I know that at the end of the day I'm giving it my all so that my students will walk away with more knowledge and thinking ability than when they walked into my classroom.
Monday, February 6, 2012
The Best Way to Start off the New Year
Lab Title: The Best Way to Start off the New Year
Problem Statement: What is the best way for a 1st year science teacher to start off the new year after almost 2 quarters of teaching?
Hypothesis: IF I backwards plan, following the behavioral management cycle, hold high expectations for my students, and do whatever it takes to make science interesting and fun THEN my students will learn and achieve.
Materials: Teacher, student, lots of paper, science text book, detention slips, and my running shoes.
Procedures:
1. Lesson plan with the GOAL in mind.
2. Wear a suit with Nike Sneakers and act mean. Students like tough teachers with swag. (Yes, I gave up on heels and now stick to Nikes and Sperrys and sometimes flats).
3. Do whatever it takes to ensure that your lesson and experiment go according to plan. Even if that means you have to pick up dirt from the school's courtyard. (No joke, that's my reality. I was digging up dirt on my first day back because it was the only thing from my list of materials that I didn't have and was not about to go BUY dirt when I could get it for free.)
Independent Variables: The topics I have to teach and the material students need to learn
Dependent Variables: Everything else
Observations and Analysis: One day a student realized (by looking at my class points system where I list all my classes and their points for good behavior) that I have NO planning period. He asks, "Ms. Hidalgo, you don't get a break?!" I told him: No, my life sucks. He just stared at me for like 5 seconds and says: "No it doesn't, you're a pretty, young lady!" I stared at him back, said "Uhh ok Charles," and continued to pass back graded work. I wanted to smile but have to act tough. I like my students sometimes.
I also have been teaching math during Saturday school. It's not too bad; I get more "practice" teaching, get a little extra cash, and get to spend more time with students in a more intimate setting (there are usually 6-7 students in a class) so it's really nice giving more one-on-one attention to help these students learn and understand math.
Overall though I can't tell if I'm improving. I can't tell how much my students are retaining. I enjoy my job on most days but I always feel like there is so much more I could be doing. I feel like I suck at teaching sometimes and like I am not making a huge difference. I feel like I am slaving away to a problem that cannot be solved. It's really tough.
I am probably going to apply for a Masters in Education on Leadership and Social Change. Classes would start in May at the University of Miami. But we'll see, nothing is final yet. The deadline is at the end of February.
There are some days where I really love what I do. Last week I had a great lesson/lab activity for my 8th graders on homeostasis. One person in each group jump roped for 2 minute intervals for 4 trials and the rest of the group measured things like heart rate, temperature, blood pressure and perspiration levels to see how the body changes with exercise. Sounds very basic, but it was a very cool and fun activity where they walked away understanding how the body regulates itself to keep cool. My students were enjoying the class, engaged in the work and learning. During the last 5 minutes I did a little jump roping competition with two other students but "lost." It was a great way to end the day.
There are other days where I feel so helpless. The students took another interim assessment made by the county to see their progress and they are making really small gains. Overall the 8th graders scored an average of 41% on the science test... which is higher than the 35% they got two months ago but still its SO low. It's heartbreaking how low these students are in reading and math, which of course affects science because science is mostly reading.
I wish I could just SEE and experience what works in these types of schools. It wouldn't be fair to observe a teacher in a charter or prep school because the demographics are pretty different. But I know there are transformative teachers out there who can turn around student achievement in low-income schools. One of my biggest criticisms of TFA is the lack of preparation for what I would be up against. It's not hard planning or thoroughly understanding the content for middle school science. It's not even that hard controlling the classroom if you have the right attitude and mindset. What IS hard is teaching in a way that is REALLY going to change these students' lives.
How should I present the information so that they are engaged? What are the best methods to have these students RETAIN the information? They understand when I explain, but they don't retain it and I don't know why. They can spit out facts but they can't APPLY the facts to answer higher order thinking questions.
Conclusion: So much more work needs to be done.
Problem Statement: What is the best way for a 1st year science teacher to start off the new year after almost 2 quarters of teaching?
Hypothesis: IF I backwards plan, following the behavioral management cycle, hold high expectations for my students, and do whatever it takes to make science interesting and fun THEN my students will learn and achieve.
Materials: Teacher, student, lots of paper, science text book, detention slips, and my running shoes.
Procedures:
1. Lesson plan with the GOAL in mind.
2. Wear a suit with Nike Sneakers and act mean. Students like tough teachers with swag. (Yes, I gave up on heels and now stick to Nikes and Sperrys and sometimes flats).
3. Do whatever it takes to ensure that your lesson and experiment go according to plan. Even if that means you have to pick up dirt from the school's courtyard. (No joke, that's my reality. I was digging up dirt on my first day back because it was the only thing from my list of materials that I didn't have and was not about to go BUY dirt when I could get it for free.)
Independent Variables: The topics I have to teach and the material students need to learn
Dependent Variables: Everything else
Observations and Analysis: One day a student realized (by looking at my class points system where I list all my classes and their points for good behavior) that I have NO planning period. He asks, "Ms. Hidalgo, you don't get a break?!" I told him: No, my life sucks. He just stared at me for like 5 seconds and says: "No it doesn't, you're a pretty, young lady!" I stared at him back, said "Uhh ok Charles," and continued to pass back graded work. I wanted to smile but have to act tough. I like my students sometimes.
I also have been teaching math during Saturday school. It's not too bad; I get more "practice" teaching, get a little extra cash, and get to spend more time with students in a more intimate setting (there are usually 6-7 students in a class) so it's really nice giving more one-on-one attention to help these students learn and understand math.
Overall though I can't tell if I'm improving. I can't tell how much my students are retaining. I enjoy my job on most days but I always feel like there is so much more I could be doing. I feel like I suck at teaching sometimes and like I am not making a huge difference. I feel like I am slaving away to a problem that cannot be solved. It's really tough.
I am probably going to apply for a Masters in Education on Leadership and Social Change. Classes would start in May at the University of Miami. But we'll see, nothing is final yet. The deadline is at the end of February.
There are some days where I really love what I do. Last week I had a great lesson/lab activity for my 8th graders on homeostasis. One person in each group jump roped for 2 minute intervals for 4 trials and the rest of the group measured things like heart rate, temperature, blood pressure and perspiration levels to see how the body changes with exercise. Sounds very basic, but it was a very cool and fun activity where they walked away understanding how the body regulates itself to keep cool. My students were enjoying the class, engaged in the work and learning. During the last 5 minutes I did a little jump roping competition with two other students but "lost." It was a great way to end the day.
There are other days where I feel so helpless. The students took another interim assessment made by the county to see their progress and they are making really small gains. Overall the 8th graders scored an average of 41% on the science test... which is higher than the 35% they got two months ago but still its SO low. It's heartbreaking how low these students are in reading and math, which of course affects science because science is mostly reading.
I wish I could just SEE and experience what works in these types of schools. It wouldn't be fair to observe a teacher in a charter or prep school because the demographics are pretty different. But I know there are transformative teachers out there who can turn around student achievement in low-income schools. One of my biggest criticisms of TFA is the lack of preparation for what I would be up against. It's not hard planning or thoroughly understanding the content for middle school science. It's not even that hard controlling the classroom if you have the right attitude and mindset. What IS hard is teaching in a way that is REALLY going to change these students' lives.
How should I present the information so that they are engaged? What are the best methods to have these students RETAIN the information? They understand when I explain, but they don't retain it and I don't know why. They can spit out facts but they can't APPLY the facts to answer higher order thinking questions.
Conclusion: So much more work needs to be done.
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