The Florida Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct

                                             Code of Ethics

 I will openly admit that the heading of this post is not the most engaging and attention Th as to rival some of the headliners of the nations' papers, but honestly it is a critical part of my final assignment and I must show my instructor as well as my future employers that I understand the code of ethics and principles of professional standards and the degree of harm a teacher can do by violating these statutes of the Florida law.  It's worth investigating and it's worth certainly worth reviewing.  The law is in place to protect everyone and the Florida educational system goes to great lengths to ensure each employee has a copy of the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct in his or her hands before they are contracted into employment.  The only way I have seen the Code of Ethics presented, and the only way I could think to review the information here is to review individual case studies of Florida Teachers who have committed violations of the Code of Ethics and have been released from employment and disgraced by their actions, but before I begin, the entire Code of Ethics document can be viewed at The Florida Department of Education website.   

     The first example I will share is of a Florida educator who violated the Principles of Professional Conduct's section 3 article F that no educator may "intentionally violate or deny a student's legal rights."  The case study I am bringing forward is a small article published by PETA where a teacher forced an animal dissection project on a student who was knowledgeable of the law and claimed her right to opt out of the project.  This case occurred in 2011 in Fort Naples, Florida and the school did not hesitate to remove the teacher from the school and put a firmly worded letter of warning in her personnel file as well as require her to attend specialized training in order to be more sensitive to her student's needs.  Although the consequences for this case are relatively mild, it also shows that something as small as a student exercising his or her right to opt out of an assignment is considered a legal consideration for a professional.  It can not be overlooked.  Article F of the Principles of Professional Conduct is vaguely worded enough to incorporate a multitude of legal meanings.  The PETA news article can be found on the PETA website. 

     The second example I will share is of a Florida educator who violated the Principles of Professional Conduct's section 3 article A that every educator must "make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student's mental and/or physical health and/or safety."  Not only that, but she violated section 3 article E which states that no educator may "intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement."  The teacher in this scenario worked in Ocala as an elementary school teacher and was fired from the Marion County school system in 2013 for embarrassing and physically abusing a 10 year old autistic student for approximately an hour inside of her classroom because he refused to obey her command to sit in time-out.  The details that are reviewed in the account are embarrassing and an outrage.  The full news article can be found at Ocala.com  
I included this example to show how multiple offenses will compound a case and lead to severe consequences for the educator.

     The third example I will share is of a Florida educator who is believed to have violated the Principles of Professional Conduct, but it is still in question if any of the principles had been technically violated.  The story is connected with the controversial topic of Facebook profiles and the freedom of speech that a teacher is entitled to.  The teacher had previously been a role model of his school and had received the title 'Teacher of the Year'.  He had been teaching for over 26 years and all the same was removed from his position pending investigation because of a simple Facebook comment he made.  Because of the negative connotations seemingly implied by a comment he made on homosexual marriage including some very pointed words of it being a 'sin' in his opinion, his post was enough to spark an investigation into the matter in regards to allegations of a violation of the Code of Ethics.  I would say as a starting point that section 4 article A which states that every educator must "take reasonable precautions to distinguish between personal views and those of any educational institution or organization with which the individual is affiliated."  I could imagine that someone could see his comment as reflecting poorly on the school that hired him to be an objective, rational, and a socially responsible representative of the school.  It could further affect a student's level of comfort experienced in the school if that student was aware of the comment.  It is a teacher's public responsibility to remain unbiased, especially on controversial issues.  This story took place in 2011 and was so explosive for the time that it actually caught the attention of CNN and became national news.  The full news article can be found on  CNN online. 

     To conclude, although these three examples are representative of violations of separate articles of the Code of Ethics, they are all quality examples of how quick a school system will act to ensure that the Code of Ethics is being upheld and to punish those who don't follow the Code of Ethics in practice, despite being aware of the requirements demanded of them.  Every educator must seriously consider these guidelines.  As my instructor is quick to say, they are common sense, but if you fail to observe them there will be quick and severe punishment up to and including termination.  It's that simple.

The structure of an effective classroom.

                                    Classroom Structure

A model classroom has many factors that work cohesively together to promote student success.  When these factors are orchestrated professionally there is a proven exponential impact.  For this post I will discuss the basics of the structure of a classroom that are noted to make a difference in student interaction and efficiency.  Structure is not my word in particular, but it is a word used quite often in my classes and online in the field, so I decided to adopt it.  For my own purposes, when I say structure, unless otherwise stated, I mean the orderliness and function of the room and the atmosphere that it creates.  My instructor has made an explicit point to emphasize orderliness in the classroom.  She promotes the expectation that professionals remain organized and aware of how to best utilize a space so that it reduces the stress felt by both the teacher and the students.  Although she isn't associated with the work of literature I will pull from for this post, she definitely stands in agreement, almost to a tee, with the author and shares points of view on virtually every topic.

     The author is named Fred Jones and he has developed a lovely PDF file that is very concise, complete with rubrics, illustrations, and examples of what an effective classroom does and does not look like.  It is certainly worth a glance through.  I will be spending the remainder of this post on his work because I believe it is a great place to start. 

Step #1: He demands that the physical environment is clean and orderly and that every learning tool on hand is "proactively managed".  He states that in order to be effective you need to start the day with a clean floor and clean countertops and desks.  Anything atop the tables and countertops needs to have a purpose for current use.  He states that the books in the bookshelves need to be organized with the spines facing out.  The room needs to smell clean and be well lit, in a word, be inviting.  He also stresses the importance of having plenty of student work displayed in prominent view of anyone entering the classroom.

Non-examples he provides are of a teacher's desk piled high with papers, folders, and notebooks; a bookshelf with an overstocked bin of mish-mash and random items shoved haphazardly in a corner; gum and used pencils and tangled cords, which are actually trip hazards, cluttering the floors.  These things are eye sores that no principal or parent wants to see and can create discomfort in students.  It gives the impression that the teacher does not care.

Step #2: He demands that there be no exception, that at all points in time teachers and students should be able to move about the classroom freely and safely with jackets, backpacks and desks arranged thoughtfully.  He states that backpacks and jackets need to be in an organized central location and that once a seating arrangement has been agreed upon, the seats need to be arranged accordingly with equal spacing and space for traffic to move through. 

Non examples he provides are two student desks in a corner with books and jackets piled up with no clear purpose besides being a catch-all.  He also shows a picture of a half dozen computers and broken earphones and draping cords dumped in a corner, going to waste when they could be utilized by students.  Once again, 
definitely not what administration would want to see and a disservice to students who could benefit from the technology if it were to be put to proper use.

Step #3: He demands that every work area has instructions and a procedure for use, the ability to house materials needed ahead of time, and also have a checkout system in place for materials needed.  He also reminds us that computer time needs to be scheduled and dedicated to a specific purpose.  These simple organizational tricks will give you and your students confidence 
when they are working independently.  Most importantly it will ensure that they stay productive. 

He only provided one dismal non-example for step #3 and it illustrates all on its own what a ineffective work area looks like.  It's an extremely messy computer station with CDs and papers, a stapler, and what looks like a calculator all blocking the students from reaching the keyboards.  There's a materials cart in front of the station that serves no function. There are more scattered cables and a box on the floor near where the students feet would be.  There are small plastic figurines standing on top of one of the monitors.  It's ugly.  No one would feel welcome in that place.  I could guarantee there would be someone feeling as though they should volunteer to clean it up for the teacher out of pity.  That is never a position to be in if you desire to be considered a competent instructor. 

     These three steps are the bare basics of what it takes to create an effective environment in the classroom.  It's what every student needs in order to function appropriately in a classroom.  Fred Jones goes deeper into other aspects that can help teachers deliver an even deeper sense of contentment for the students in their care which would take too long to cover for this assignment.  His PDF is available, and accessible by simply clicking here.

Classroom Management Systems

                                  Classroom Management

 One of the concepts highly stressed at the University of Central Florida in the education department is the concept that as a teacher visits several schools and interviews with potential principals, it's important to turn the tables and find out what you want to know about the school.  An interview should go both ways, so prepare by having some questions for the interviewer.  One of the main considerations mentioned is to compare your own teaching philosophies to that of the school's philosophies.  To do that, you need to be knowledgeable about classroom management systems and what they should look like.  You need to define yourself by what you value in classroom conduct and how you feel you can help your students most.  You need to find your own personal style of teaching and begin to implement it.  There are several, but for now, let's consider two systems worth mentioning.  PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) and UDL (Universal Design for Learning) are two mainstream systems often discussed by educators in the Orlando area.  From my experience, most schools make it apparent what system they operate off of to the point where the majority of the students can in fact tell you what the system entails.

     PBIS is a school wide system for influencing positive behavior among the students.  From the principal to the teachers and all library and cafeteria staff, the system is expected to be adhered to and to be consistently represented throughout school property.  It is to be modeled and reinforced.  PBIS is a tiered system where there is a standard instructional method for all students called the universal level.  This part of the program, when properly upheld will influence, potentially, 85% of the student population to adhere to the expectations of the school.  This level includes teacher modeling, structured rules and routines, rewards and consequences associated with behavior, and even time in the day incorporating talks about behavior into the curriculum.  On tier II 10-15% of students benefit from small groups of students meeting together to discuss strategies on how to deal with situations such as anger management and self management (being off-task and disruptive) so that they will continue to strive for better behavior in the classroom.  At tier III only 5-7% of students will need services beyond small groups.  At tier III students begin to be considered for learning disabilities and undergo behavior monitoring by professionals to assess trends and try to pinpoint what is causing misbehavior as well as determine intervention strategies. All of this information and more can be found on the APA website.  Another resource that I found helpful as a quick overview of the Positive Behavior Support system is PBIS.org's 8 page guide  which covers all aspects of PBS at a glance and can be a quick reference for beginning teachers and interns.

     The UDL approach focuses less on behavior modification, but on classroom modification to fit every need.  It focuses on the principle that if we make arrangements to meet the need of someone with a disability or restriction, everyone benefits in ways not even intended by the original designer.  An example is how curbs that dip to allow access to the sidewalk by wheelchairs have now been utilized by people with baby carriages and people pushing or pulling any type of cart.  The same concept holds true for education.  The key concepts in the UDL model are equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.  In short, if you can consider each one of your students' special needs in preparation of a school activity then you can make it available and enjoyable for everyone and you can validate them all as individuals.  It is important to not simply utilize this approach, but to share it with your students as well.  Ensure that you have a classroom climate that celebrates diversity.  Emphasize the importance of communication between teacher and students.  Give students a choice in how they will learn the lesson and how they will show competency,  Give students feedback early, before an assignment is due to ensure that they understand exactly what is required of them.  Choose to provide captions with any video shown to the class.  By taking simple steps to give students freedom in their own education you are aiming to ensure that everyone gains knowledge equally.  For more information on the UDL method visit the University of Washington and their very thorough explanation including resources, videos, and programs that center around UDL.

     After reviewing the information given about these two unique classroom management systems, it is easy to say that both have positive qualities and both systems could be effective in a classroom setting.  That being said, they are very different.  They each work in different ways to meet different needs.  As I wrote my first draft of this post, I had convinced myself that there was virtually no way these two systems could work together because I felt that they focused on different issues and worked towards opposing goals, but then my instructor prompted me to look deeper, and sure enough, she was right.  It took me a while, but I found a very rare video of a school that has found away to include both systems in their school and shows how it's positively impacted all of their students.  The school is Maple Wood Elementary School in New Hampshire.  If you'd like to view it before finishing, here is a short, 13 minute video of Tasya's Story.
Enjoy.

Sunshine State Standards vs the Common Core Standards.

     Standards..... that magical word that is so encompassing of the whole of education in our modern era.  It's certainly a hot topic both where I am studying and where I am speaking to current teachers in the schools.  Everyone I've spoken to on any level has told me about the emphasis on teaching to the standards that has taken hold at every school in the county.  I can only speak for my area, but it's a big deal to the teachers I know.  They tell me their whole job hangs on how well they are able to teach to the standards and how well their class does overall on the standards tests.  As someone who has only been pursuing an education degree for around a year, it's honestly been a lot coming at me very quickly.  Simply through making mock lesson plans and experimenting with implementing standards have I begun to be familiar with all of the expectations.  Not only is it a lot to cover in the classroom, but it's a lot to prepare for daily, and the content is more concentrated than our previous standards used to be.  
     
     At the same point I understand the need to have national standards.  I am an example of how a lack of national standards held me back.  I started school in Connecticut and continued there for my first 4 years of school.  For the 5th grade my family moved to Florida and I was ahead for my age (by Florida standards) in all of my classes but was not advanced forward into the next grade and I was not placed in a gifted program.  As a result of the standards not being closely aligned I feel that I was not properly challenged again until the beginning of the 9th grade.  I feel that I lost years of my academic career because the standards were not aligned to promote me adequately.  

     As I started my own research online on how to adopt common core standards in my future classroom and how to evaluate resources for content I turned to a website called TeacherChannel.org and did a simple search for common core standards to see what was available.  After watching a few videos I came across a video on a program called the Equip Rubric that was developed for use by teachers to gauge how well a lesson or unit aligns with the common core standards.  This rubric can be used by individual teachers to review the content they will use in the classroom or there are lesson plans on a separate website that have been evaluated by a panel of professionals that have been judged exemplary and can be used freely in the classroom.  To see the video please visit Strengthening Lessons for the Common Core on TeacherChannel.org.  It only runs for 6 minutes and it is a good glimpse into what an effective teacher should look for in his or her lesson plans.   

     As I continued to investigate further into the Equip Rubric program I found the website Achieve.org which is affiliated with the Equip Rubric Program.  I was very impressed with their objective statement which was elegantly worded.  Their objective has two main points.  The first is to increase the supply of high quality lessons and units aligned to the CCSS that are available to elementary, middle, and high school teachers as soon as possible.  The second is to build the capacity of educators to evaluate and improve the quality of instructional materials for use in their classrooms and schools.  If you have a lesson plan or unit that you would like to submit for review by the panels, this is the place to do it.  There is a tab for submitting material as well as instructions and guidelines on this site as well.  This site also has training materials and grade level examples of what common core lesson plans should look like.  This website appears to be an excellent resource and is one that I plan on visiting again in the future.  If you would like to visit the website, click on this link to access all features of the program.  Achieve.org.

     To take my own understanding one step deeper I reviewed a lesson that I had attempted myself as a class project for my Classroom Management course.  I had chosen to focus on a second grade standard of teaching point of view in a storyline.  Both the lesson plan that I had used and the lesson plan that the panel had reviewed had both come from CPALMS.org which gave me confidence in the plan I had chosen right from the start.  As I read on I found that many of the elements that I had used, which I had developed while studying at the University of Central Florida, were also components of the exemplary lesson plan.  Use of the scale system as well as use of a graphic organizer and written prompt for a summative assessment were used in both lessons.  Emphasis on illustrations was present in both lessons.  An understanding of thoughts and feelings and how they influence actions were expected of students in both lesson plans.  By giving the lesson a little more time (3 hours total) and by incorporating more standards that the one standard I was going for, the lesson plan became exemplary.  It also had very many accommodations for EL/ESE students.  If you would like to take a look at the exemplary lesson, here is a link to that specific lesson, based on 3rd grade standards.  
3rd grade, point of view lesson plan aligned with standards

     As a bonus link for anyone interested, I found this website informative for those who are still beginning embracing common core standards,  It covers what the previous Florida standards were before our new Common Core set and the differences between the two grade level to grade level.  For a glimpse of the changes head to Excel In Ed

Differentiated Instruction.

Differentiated Instruction

     One of the best features of running a blog is being part of  a community and being able to join the conversation of what other bloggers are posting.  To begin research on differentiated instruction I wanted to bring in the thoughts of other bloggers who are better established and know more about the topic at hand than I.  John McCarthy is an Education Consultant and an Advocate for Student Voice in Learning.  Roughly one year ago he wrote a blog post about ways that teachers can easily plan for diverse learners.  He broke it down into 3 simple steps/concepts to implement into your lesson plan preparation.  The key is to connect content, process, and product uniquely for each learner.  Students each bring their own readiness (or level of knowledge), their own interests, and their own skills and abilities or 'learning profile'.  

     He says an easy way to differentiate content is to switch up the delivery of the content.  Read, watch, lecture, and organize information, utilizing the different learning styles to incorporate every learner.  

     Next, to differentiate process, it is as simple as scheduling in enough time for the students to each have a chance to discuss and evaluate what they have learned.  It is a good tool to help students discover what they understand or need further clarification on and it's an opportunity for teachers to do formative assessment and decide for themselves what their pupils know through observation.  He recommends a processing activity for every 30 minutes of direct instruction.  

     The third and final step is to differentiate product.  In other words, give the students several options on how to show what they have learned.  When the student has an option to choose and give preference to an assignment they will be more motivated and more confident to complete the assignment.  

     I found this article very helpful and easy to digest.  For someone just starting out and looking for a few simple tools to start out their classroom with, this guide is more practical than, say, reading a book on the topic or attending a workshop.  It's meant as a starting point to better differentiated instruction.  If you'd like to read the full article click on the link below.  

John McCarthy's Blog on Edutopia

     For more ideas on how to give your students more involvement and choice in classroom activities, follow the 5 steps that another educational blogger from Edutopia, Rebecca Alber, posted roughly a year ago on her own blog.  She openly suggests that you admit to your class every so often, "I don't know.", and move forward from that point with the whole class on board to spontaneous, unplanned learning.  In places where there's wiggle room, let the students choose the content and work learning goals into content as it arises.  Poll the classroom to show where interests and knowledge is already present to better formulate an educational strategy.  To read the whole article follow this link.

Rebecca Alber's Blog on Edutopia

     One quality video I found on a separate website is Carol Tomlinson's video on beginning differentiated instruction.  She also attempts to break down differentiated instruction so that new teachers do not feel so overwhelmed.  She encourages beginning teachers that the experience is a marathon, not a sprint and to slowly begin adapting and integrating the differentiated approach.  She suggests to start simply by observing and informally pre-assessing students to intentionally note what they might need from you as you proceed with the lesson.  As you become more comfortable with each new technique, build on what you've already accomplished and continue to advance each year.  Follow the link here,

Suggestions on how to begin differentiated instruction

     I will keep my eye out for any more resources and will edit this post as often as possible to offer more information.

Thankful for so many opportunities.

(Blows dust off of this blog!!) Way to go me! I get really excited about this project and then I drop it like a hot potato.  Not very professional.  Not entirely intentional though.  Although the pressure of what I had on my plate was starting to build, I made it through, but I got really busy between then and now and I couldn't afford the time to invest in new posts.  It's been 3 months since I've posted, but thankfully I have another school project involving blogs to spark some interest and renew my commitment to making some firm statements about my views on teaching and the level of education I am receiving before entering the workplace.  So much has happened since I last posted that I will use this post as an update before I get too project heavy.  First off, I made Deans List for Spring and ended up with a 3.71 entering GPA for my major.  I ended up with one B and that was for my Mathematics class and it was close to an A anyway.  My final project was a big success and it secured my A for my technology class. 

 Only two weeks after the end of the semester I went back into school for an intensive 6 week Summer course which was brutal (work wise) but my teacher was so nice and I can't wait to work with her again further on in my degree.  I ended up with an A for that class as well.  I'm just wrapping up with an optional Summer Research Academy program which will give me an extra credit (free!!) on my transcript and will look really good on a resume.  I also got help on producing both a professional and academic resume as well as putting together a timeline for when everything should fall into place, making the plan a little more manageable.  Now, as I said, I am taking yet another 6 week course and going to finish up the Summer with another crack at the General Knowledge test which is a requirement for graduation.  It sounds like a lot, but I'm pacing myself with work.  Public school is out so I have my part time retail position and that's it.  I'm still finding time to enjoy my summer, no worries.  On a side note, the month long assignment I had finished on a great note and I feel like it counts to my credit.  Some of my seniors were even really sad to say bye.  Two of them walked out the door the last day saying, 'We love you miss.'.  I ended up getting so attached too.  I will miss them as well.  It's going to be hard starting out teaching.  I will miss each and every one of my little ones as much as I will wish them the best.  

On a more neutral note, I will be getting more experience with service learning as well as actually being able to see myself on video tape teaching.  We're also very excited to pilot this new program called TeachLive which is a simulation that UCF created to help new teachers develop interpersonal skills with their students and help walk us through parent teacher conferences.  Another project I am attempting for school is my very first Literature Review which is a small compiling of related, and very current research material to give an overview of current knowledge of a small subject.  Ironically it is tied in with TeachLive and how researchers are  using it to study the affects of teacher hand and head gestures in the classroom and how to improve that communication within the virtual classroom.

As I said in the heading, I am so thankful for so many amazing opportunities.  This summer has been a gateway to making very good contacts and gaining knowledge that will truly help me in the future.  I am back now, and as I gain knowledge or get inspired I will post. 

Doesn't it just inspire you?

     I came across this story while browsing Facebook of all places, and I just dropped what I was doing and came on here.  If I were to do an interview for this blog so far, I would do it on Harold Ekeh, an amazingly driven 17 year old who has grades that were so competitive that it got him into all eight Ivy League universities, plus MIT and John Hopkins University.  =-O.  I've had high dreams and aspirations before, but wow, how do you do that?!  He's also an immigrant from Nigeria.  To transition cultures, potentially learn a new language, and fully grasp the American dream at such a young age is such an incredible achievement.  My hat is off to him completely.  I'd love to see good things come to him.  I'd love to see more American children have that ambition as well, instead of taking the easy road.

     Check out the stats on this kid, GPA of 100.5 and SAT scores of 2270 out of 2400.  The article published about him also states that he was a semi-finalist in the national Intel Science Talent Search.  He was one of only 300 students nationwide who got selected for it.  The top winners for that event receives a $150,000 scholarship for their achievements.  He had  a 1 in 300 chance of getting that kind of money at 17.  In the interview he stated that he is interested in attending Yale University.  His extra-curricular achievements go on and on as well.  He plays the drums, leads a church choir, and is involved in a mentor program to get other promising students into America's best schools. 

     To his credit, as well, he is described as being warm and humble.  His quote at the end of the article makes me glow, "I don't see it as an accomplishment for me.  I see it as an accomplishment for my community.  I hope it inspires the younger generation, not just in Elmont, but overall.".  I will absolutely use this article in my Speech class tomorrow.  It might be a little late for my high school children to get into Yale, but they can do their best at whichever university or trade school that they decide to go to.  They can achieve their own best.  

     This blog has to be short because I have an appointment in an hour, but if you would like to see more information about this exceptional young man that I am so thrilled for, please visit
 http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/07/accepted-all-ivy-schools/25402601/

Under Pressure. =-/

     The song Under Pressure is playing through my head right now as if it were my pulse.  I have not posted this whole weekend because I have not been myself, very tense for several reasons.  My spouse helps to center me and I'm grateful for that.  Today being Easter Sunday has also helped, so I feel I am finally ready to unload all this weight.  This week I feel like I've been having to live up to some large expectations, not the least of which, my own, and it's taken it's toll.  I feel that I am in this predicament in order to share my testimony and some helpful advice for others walking in the same shoes.  Let's help each other through, shall we? 
=-D.  

Expectation #1, be a good spouse and caregiver and juggle the two roles in perfect sync along with other obligations, despite being in extraordinary circumstances.  My mother in law is out of town and has entrusted the survival of our whole household in these hands of mine.  With her out of town there are 4 of us.  I take 5 classes at UCF, work 20 hours per week, try to make time for my own parents, and help to raise a 7 year old, as well as for this week try to keep the house in order, which is normally her thing.  She has a lot of faith in me that I will be the future mother figure of the house, but she has old school values and she believes that it is the woman's job to cook and clean aside from having a professional life.  So she feels I should also be able to take the lead in that capacity and she's expecting me to have held up my responsibilities while she's gone.  I have not even begun.  Friday I came home exhausted from the change in schedule and Saturday I worked a full 10 hr day.  Today was all about church and family and celebration and left no time for tidying up.  In fact Easter debris is still scattered downstairs from our amazing indoor Easter egg hunt.  Tomorrow I'll be out of the house all day with school and then that will leave me with part of Tuesday to devote to chores.  I haven't cooked a decent meal yet.  Hardly exemplary, but I really don't have the time to do it right.  I'll just have to humbly admit that the task was too much.  That's just how it is.

     Expectation #2 is my own.  I have made myself a goal of sustaining my 4 A's for the rest of the semester.  I am so very close.  Under a month left now.  But I have to admit, I especially want an A on my final project for my Technology class.  I know that a completed lesson plan, spiffy and shiny, will look amazing in a portfolio and I want to do my best.  This is my chance to show what I've learned.  It's important, and as the submission deadline comes closer, I get more and more worked up.  I have a general idea of what I want, but I sort of have some kind of writers block.  I'm a little stuck despite having good advice.  I'm my own worst critic.  Just gotta shake it off.  It'll all be over very shortly.

     Expectation #3 is I want to really do a good job at this semi-permanent substituting position.  Here is where I am super critical.  I am really sweating not being accepted by the children.  Friday, there was one boy that was being exceptionally stubborn and despite having a paper and a pencil was refusing to do the assignment.  I ended up calling the dean on him and he really didn't give me a good vibe the whole time, because I was making him work.  I just hope either he or some other student doesn't turn on me and convince his or her mom to cause a scene at the school just to get me out of the class.  I know I have as much weight in the school right now as a piece of paper.  I feel like I am super replaceable still and I'm sure that's what that fight for tenure on a real teaching job will feel like too.  This feels like a mini tenure here.  I feel like if I can make it through a second week without dropping the ball I'll be doing okay for myself, but those loose cannons scare me.  Despite me knowing I did the right thing there's still a lot of anxiety.

     One of the top 10 tips on WebMD is to de-stress with music.  I agree.  Pumped up music can help, but so can relaxing instrumentals.  Pick your type and schedule a therapy session.

     Another is to be grateful.  Being grateful helped me through today.  I need to be grateful for the success I've had so far.  My Pastor is really good at reminding me of that.  She always tells me how proud she is of me, like her own daughter.  I really do accomplish a lot and I'm thankful for the talents I do have, even if I'm not a perfect housekeeper.  

In a related article from WebMD, some stress busting foods are complex carbs like oatmeal and whole grain bread (things that I don't naturally enjoy eating ironically), oranges, and large amounts of black tea.  

For more stress tips, here is the article I consulted, http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/blissing-out-10-relaxation-techniques-reduce-stress-spot.  Please be well.  Your life is what you make of it.  Invest in yourself regularly. =-D

SPEECH Therapy (play on words)

     Here I am again, early morning blogger, thoughts jumbling around in my head already, and I've just got to get them out.  I had such an amazing teaching experience yesterday.  This is one of the experiences that I feel I will draw on for years to come.  I know I said that I would write a part 2 to motivashion, and I will, but this is really a blog worthy post, I promise, and I will get back to that topic probably the next time I am on.  So the story is, I was substituting for the first time at a high school yesterday and I was very nervous about the type of day that I would have.  So many substitutes have warned me about needing to take guts of steel to an assignment at a high school.  It is not for the faint of heart, they say.  To top it off I wasn't given any details about the job, it simply said vacant position.  What the??  What does that imply??  

     It turns out, it's a Speech class that had gone horribly wrong.  The poor children were waiting on a class to be renovated so they could have a place of their own (and they're very close to completion on that), so they were having to rove around the campus, borrowing classrooms week after week and having no physical stability.  As if that wasn't sad enough, their permanent teacher had left a considerable amount of time ago and they had been with substitute after substitute for a good chunk of the year. The children were very tired of the lack of stability and were desperate for some new life.  This fledgling teacher made an IMPACT yesterday, and it felt so good, and it's landed me a recurring substitute position two days a week for potentially 3 weeks with the same class.  It's going to be so nice for me, and for them, to actually see something grow.  

     Substituting's nice because if you have a challenging class that is beyond your ability, you can walk out that door at the end of the day and never have to take it on again, and it's not your responsibility if those children learn anything that year.  However, permanent, or semi-permanent teaching is a very rich experience.  You bond with the children.  You engage them.  You inspire them.  You see them change before your very eyes.  It's something I want so bad. Today I'll be with the same students and we'll be taking our rough ideas for a 5 minute speech on self ambition/identity and developing a formal outline for it.  The children will learn actual speech skills FROM ME!!  I am so excited.  This will make them more prepared/less nervous to present to me on NEXT THURSDAY (!!!) when I return as their substitute again.  =-D.  

     I absolutely want to do this.  My children were awesome in class yesterday despite their circumstances.  They really opened up to me about their dreams and their goals and their passions.  I got some incredible speech ideas out of them.  One girl wanted to be a neo-natal nurse, delivering babies, so she could experience the miracle of life and be a part of a family's first moment together.  One girl said she wanted to be a teacher, and my heart swelled.  One boy said he wanted to write about his love for poetry, which is very bold, and how his mother had inspired him to write through her own poetry, and that now he is inspiring others.  One young lady wanted to be a cosmetologist because although some people might not see the beauty in themselves, she sees the beauty in all people and would like to make a difference in the way they perceive themselves.  Other children loved to travel.  Another was into space science and wanted to write about that.  Still another student had transferred from Kenya and wanted to talk about his love for soccer.  I was just blown away over and over again.  I have to leave for work  in a half an hour and I am so excited.  

    On top of sharing such an inspiring story, I want to share that there is a teachable moment in this.  You want to know more about your students and how you can help them, personal narrative and one on one time went a long way.  I only shared the really upbeat, stellar dreams of my students, the flip side was it helped some of the students cope with traumatic events of their past.  Divorce, backstabbing, and poverty were among the really gritty topics that came up yesterday and I was able to allow this assignment to be a therapy.  No lie, it felt like the Freedom Writers movie.  I have the utmost hope for today.  It felt so good telling those students yesterday, don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow to help you.  To quote a song, 'Something tells me, I'm into something good.'.  =-D 

Motivashion (Motivation)

     I hope you having an incredible morning!  Oh, I am just full of motivation this morning!  =-D.  Not really.  I am actually using emotional dissemblance to portray what an excessively motivated person would sound like so early in the morning.  I better get used to doing that.  As a teacher, you've got to fake it some days.  Today is the day that school starts back in session, so I was suddenly awoken at 5:30 am by the substitute office call system.  I had just read an article yesterday about motivation, and it was very interesting, so I decided I would be motivated enough to leave my bed, come on here, and share with you before the thoughts left my head.  By the way, the funky spelling of motivation in the title comes from an old cartoon favorite, Norbert from Angry Beavers.  When ever he had a word that ended in -tion he would say it in a fancy cool way, because he was a cool cat.

     So, to begin with, the article was an education article that they were passing out at a future teacher resource center on campus.  I had some time between classes so I sat down to read it.  There were two things that it said that where really profound truths, almost stinging, that need to be passed on in order to promote good teaching.  1) No matter what they believe, no teacher can truly provide motivation externally.  Motivation has to come from within the student, and that student needs to decide for his or herself what will motivate them and under what circumstances.  2)  Some teachers strive to improve 'motivation' in the classroom, when what they're really aiming for is COMPLIANCE.  Wow!!  Those are two traps that I never want to fall into.  I have already experienced some students that are very hard to motivate, especially in the 5th and 6th grade levels.  You can't get angry with them.  You don't really want to leave them behind and not teach them anything, but what do you do if they are not willing to learn?  Possibly this will be a two part blog.  First let's start with what not to do.

     I completely agree with the author with point number 1, on the fact that motivation has to be internal.  It has to come from inside the student.  You can wave the carrot all you want, we all have our indignant moments, where no matter what, no one can get us to budge out of our poor habits.  For me, it's working out.  I am the flabbiest, out of shape, unhealthy positive role model.  If I could change one thing about myself, it would be that.  I have no motivation what-so-ever to lose weight.  Despite having the desire, finding the motivation is something completely separate.  I've set personal goals.  I've competed in challenges.  I've given myself rewards for good behavior.  I've used the accountability method.  They're all good motivators for the moment, but the success is short lived and I inevitably return to my unhealthy habits.  

     My father on the other hand has Type 2 Diabetes, and after working himself fully into an unhealthy state and even then not having the self control to beat back Diabetes to the point where he's now on insulin, he has finally, within the last 3 years, found the motivation within himself to lose the weight.  He's slimmed all over his body by walking ritualistically and has even lost stomach fat, which is so hard to lose.  He's healthier than he's been in the last decade or so.  Case in point being, although it's tough, sometimes you're wasting time and energy fretting over a child, in your classroom, or in your life, who has little to no motivation to learn.  Sometimes it has to get to sink or swim in order to get them to find that blast of motivation.  Let them decide when the timing is right.  You can give them the tools, but they have to decide when to use them.  

     As for point number 2, motivation versus compliance, I have to agree, I have seen it in the classrooms and it is a very negative thing.  Motivation does need encouragement, that is true.  Two venues I see that are really good at true motivation are churches and pre-schools.  Both places adopt the philosophy that when you enter the classroom, you genuinely want to learn, and what you learn will help you and make you better, stronger, and smarter.  Both places rely heavily on modeling.  There is always a caring and sympathetic leader who can say, I only expect your best, don't try to over-extend yourself or live up to a standard.  Be who you are.  Both places rely heavily on creating a welcoming atmosphere.  The best churches and the best pre-schools go out of the way to welcome the student and make sure that the student is instantly initiated into the community.  One final thing that I see is that both churches and pre-schools rely on task assignment.  Those who have been with the program longer and feel that they have something to offer can be assigned a special role in which they can contribute back into the learning experience.  That is true motivation.

    Compliance, makes me cringe.  Compliance has no place in the classroom.  Compliance is that negative, overbearing force that we've probably all felt on the job somewhere.  Compliance is a force that is over your control.  It's like a magnetic pull that says YOU ARE POWERLESS TO RESIST.  It's a power trip, basically.  You are not giving the child a choice to participate. You will ultimately fail.  No one likes that pressure.  Not only that, but if you succeed in asserting your will over the student, what have you accomplished?  You have taken away their will and their ambition.  They didn't do it of their own accord, they did it because you made them.  So think before you become a tyrant in the classroom.  These are children not servants, and we are caregivers not overlords.  Dial it down a notch.  That's the difference between being authoritarian and authoritative.

     I am definitely stopping here.  Congrats if you made it this far.  I am hoping someone out there can be a witness( as in you agree)!! I know I did some preaching just now, but honestly, these are some truths that need to be heard by a lot of American teachers.  I hope these words do not fall on deaf ears.  We should all try our hardest to be as engaging as possible with our students and know how to motivate them correctly.  Since this is a two parter I will give the name of the article and how to get it with the next post.  It's now time for me to get my own little one off to school. =-D

The 6 BIG reasons I love Big Hero 6 ( as a future educator )

     I was inspired to write this post today after seeing how much my family truly enjoyed watching Big Hero 6 as a group just a few hours ago as part of our Spring Break bonding time.  I'm usually the sappy sort and I am a big kid at heart, so it came as no surprise to me that I enjoyed the movie for my sake, and this was also not my first time seeing the movie.  For my boyfriend and his younger brother, this was the first time they had ever seen the movie.  We have a large family that's always active so getting out to the movies all together sometimes doesn't happen, but we were all very excited to see it.  As the movie played not a word was spoken and you could sense the emotion in the air.  Both boys loved it, and everyone agreed that they got choked up at the end of the movie.  More than that, everyone had a hero that they could relate to and put themselves in the shoes of that character.  Aside from the emotional quality of the film, I see so much worth in the story in the form of educational benefit.  These little sponges (children) that sit down to watch the movie are informing themselves on several topics related to science and personal relations.  So I have decided to list 6 reasons that I would love to see Big Hero 6 shown in classrooms and at the very least inside the homes of the students of my future school.

1) Big Hero 6 promotes creativity and lifelong dreams of producing the next big advancement that society sees, whether it be in robotics or not.  I have seen children in the schools be so inspired by Baymax himself.  One day, in an art class that I substituted for, we were working with clay and one of the students sculpted him out of the modeling clay pretty accurately.  I encouraged him to pursue the arts at least on an academic level because perhaps claymation won't be phased out completely by computer animation and he will be able to use his clay work in a motion picture.  For another child, the tool might be robotics and from fiction can come reality.  From space travel to cell phones, it all started as a dream.  We might have our own Baymax in the future.  It's not too far fetched with these wild dreamers that we have.

2) It promote interpersonal connections.  It teaches children that they need friends.  Even before they became the team that they were in the end of the movie, the 5 friends simply bonded over a shared love of science.  There are many opportunities for children to find shared interests and potentially learn how to work collaboratively or to just form friendships with classmates.  When huge events happen in our lives, particularly sad ones, it is incredibly beneficial to have a support network.  If children learn that early on and do not leave themselves in a vulnerable position by isolating themselves from peers, there might not be so many cases of depression or anxiety in the teen years.  In my Developmental Psychology class we're focusing on coping strategies this week.  It is so sad to hear how many teenage girls in particular suffer from depression which could be avoided altogether or at least managed by developing the right coping skills.  Like Baymax says, we all need physical reassurance from time to time.  We all need to talk it out.  That's what friends are for.

3) The movie is so rich in knowledge of bodily science.  It delves into topics such as neuroscience, blood type, nutrition (in the credits), safety procedures, and properties of energy.  If you can capture the attention of children and blow the door wide open on a whole new world of information that they might not have even thought would interest them before, you can develop a love of learning in them.  They can learn, not just because you tell them that they have to, but because they want to.  If we want our children to possess the same desire to learn as the children from competing nations, we have to plant that seed.

4) The level of morality that this movie shows is off the charts.  Disney is known for it's morality, but they really put it all out there on this one.  Hiro does not have the highest moral fiber in the beginning, cheating and lying, sneaking around, and overall just having no values.  It's clearly because of a lack of structure.  The only two parental figures in his life are too young to have it all figured out and too busy with their own lives to ensure that he's being productive in his, but to become the hero that he needs to be, he needs to grow up, put his talents to use, and stop thinking so selfishly.  The team helps him with his his aggression issues and with any luck in a future sequel he will mature further and become the leader he is so ill-equipped to be at age 14ish, despite his overly large intellect.  I will impress you now and mention that he is probably a good example of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence.  He might be 'gifted' in his understanding of science, but that in no way gives him superior moral reasoning.

5) It is a safe and welcome exposure to loss and grief.  Let's be real for a moment.  Sadly, children even as young as 5 or 6, and I know this from experience, can suffer loss and feel grief in a deep way.  Some of the very children who watched the movie opening day might have been dealing with a sadness of a loved one's passing that just wouldn't go away.  They probably instantly related to Hiro and felt his pain as he experienced loss, but then possibly got a small amount of closure with the movie coming to an end.  We all felt for Hiro.  We've all felt that pain, but in time there is a hope of closure.  The movie is a very good portrayal of grief and positive ways to cope with it and negative ways to cope with it.

6) In a nut shell, Big Hero 6 is a great family movie.  Any activity or movie that brings the family unit together and promotes bonding is something very worthwhile in my opinion.  I am a fan of extra credit and I feel that it is something I will utilize a lot in my teaching.  I would make it an extra credit assignment to go home and watch Big Hero 6 with the family.  Why not...families are too busy for each other these days and most would gladly take the opportunity to carve out some family time and watch a family movie with their loved ones.  

If you, or someone you know, has not seen the movie, don't waste another second.  Rent, download, or stream Big Hero 6 today. =-D

Stay TOONED

     As the title infers, today's blog will be a childish romp through the world of cartoon comics, or funnies, as they used to call them as I was growing up.  Reading the Sunday comics every weekend as we ate a late morning breakfast was a time honored childhood tradition in my family, and one that I would love to share with my own children someday as an early form of literacy, should the opportunity still be present even 5 years from now.  Unfortunately with newspapers, in general, becoming obsolete...comics have similarly fallen out of fashion.  I have a dear personal friend, who, just a decade and a half ago, was dreaming of a career in illustration.  He is a Charles Schulz enthusiast who believes in the value of the hard work that was put into the 'classics' of the comic age.  The Peanuts are headed for a re-vamp with a new CGI movie, and thank goodness the holiday specials have not slipped in ratings, but the comic strip doesn't seem to be bridging the gap into the new millennium, at least in my experience.  Well, enter a NEW HOPE, Toondoo.com.  

     Toondoo is a do-it-yourself comic creator with easy controls and clip art graphics that you can 'flip', re-size, and otherwise personalize and combine to make your own simple strip.  I experimented with this program tonight and I had a blast.  This is definitely something I would use in the beginning of the school year as an ice breaker.  I would show the students some home made comics that portray children's riddles and have a good laugh to get started on the right foot.  Later on in the year the children could use the program to create their own simple comics.  The children will be proud to show off their work and it will promote literacy throughout the classroom as we read the comics together.  I am so happy that this website exists.  Laughing is such a positive and healthy thing.  It sheds calories, boosts moods, and creates bonds between individuals.  Also, I've watched children read many times, and I have observed that children are most motivated to read when there are laughs in store.  I've seen children move through a full length book that was rip-roaringly hilarious and turn and around and read it again because they truly enjoyed it and it kept their attention.  I feel that the same can be attained through this program.

     So if you have any young minds in your life that you feel are in need of some 'traditional literary education', CARTOONS!!! =-D, sign up for a free account with Toondoo and discover the illustrator in you.  Here is a strip that I created.

  

Say Hello To My Little Friend ( Simon the Dog )

     I am on a roll this day of Thursday March 26th, 2015.  I am on to my second project of the evening for my potentially uber successful start up blog, investing while I have the time.  I am Supergirling it up with 5 classes this semester, 20 hours per week of work normally, and helping to raise a 7 year old. Quite a lot on my plate. I will survive.  The reason for this entry in particular is that my Technology professor has introduced us to such an incredibly cute website that is very user friendly, and, as part of our grade has insisted that we each take a turn at making one of our own, so it is time for me to introduce, Simon, my strangely large, strangely Brittish, Alaskan Malamute puppy, who, even stranger still, has an incredible vocabulary and is wise beyond his years (even in dog years). 

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=11216967&height=267&width=200

     I created him in the company of my little cutie pie Zhane.  He is the 7 year old I help to raise.  This program is kid tested and approved.  He had so much fun helping me to create Simon and he says the only thing he wishes they would change about the site was that he wants the dogs to be able to have costumes.  He enjoyed playing with the voice controls and making the lips smaller and bigger.  He changed the color of the hair several times.  The excitement was definitely there.  Zhane is very creative and spends hours working on Mine Craft and Mii Maker on his Nintendo DS so he is familiar with avatar making. When he heard that this was part of my homework, he couldn't wait to help.  

     In my own reflections on the activity, I would say, it is a fun little novelty.  It does have practical application in the classroom as sort of a digital stamp of sorts.  It comes equipped with a permalink and the children can use it on any website or activity that they are working with as their personal image.  Since it is so easily accessible, I feel I would send it home with them as an easy homework or extra credit assignment.  I don't feel it's something I would invest classroom time in, but I feel it would sweeten the pot for the students if I told them that after they finish an assignment, instead of signing their name, they could stamp it with their own avatar just to change it up.  I could be a CoolCatTeacher too. =-D.

By the way, if you would like to create your own little avatar, or heck, your own little brood of avatars, FREE is the buzzword.  Just browse Voki.com   and set up a complimentary account.  Have at it.  Do it now.

A Blogger's favorite Blogger

      It's been all semester in the making, but at long last, my first blog post is up and running due to some personal time I have taken this week in honor of Osceola County, FL's Spring Break.  What a fun little project to keep me occupied.  I am an Elementary Education student at the University of Central Florida and it has been suggested to me and to my fellow students that we endeavor to develop a voice in digital media beginning immediately.  It is important for us to exercise our technological fluency and become immersed in the culture to make ourselves more marketable in our future careers.  So, are you interested in what I have to say?  How about we start with whose blog I read.  I checked out quite a few when looking for a model to follow, however, Vicki Davis, aka the Cool Cat Teacher, is the full package in my opinion.  When looking for inspiration on layout and style components, as well as when looking for hot button issues, I will turn to her first.  What do I like about her blog, you ask?...

     She blogs almost every day, but she keeps it short and sweet.  For me there is no bigger turn off in blogs than being hooked in by a super catchy title and then wasting the next half an hour suffering through an overly lengthy explanation of a topic that could have been summed up in a brief paragraph.  It's nice that she blogs almost every day because you know that you are getting the freshest high quality news.  Other people obviously approve because she's won EdTech's 2012 and 2013 Top Blogger title.  She has also been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, and on NPR talk radio.  She is truly a professional and deserves the recognition.

I also like the wide range of topics that she's covered in her blog.  Scrolling through, I saw that recently she had a talk session with a Mr. Chandler Bolt.  She spoke about his book with him and how part of the money received is actually going to fund outreach work in Africa.  In another post she recommends physical fitness hardware and software that can motivate adults especially and make exercise more entertaining, whether it is by exercising with friends, running from Zombies, or viewing fitness videos from celebrity trainers.  We all love Jillian Michaels, ya know.  Finally she wrote about her own personal feelings towards the implementation of technology in the classrooms.  I have seen the pros and cons of technology in the classroom and I agree with her that in many public schools, technology is being used improperly and not to it's best benefit.  In general, Mrs. Davis is a very broad spectrum writer and doesn't limit herself to only one topic.

Lastly I love that she's so real with her postings.  She's a real teacher and a real mother and she writes from that standpoint.  She sympathizes with the reader and doesn't live in the ideal world, she lives in the real world just like you and me.  She appears to have a humble and witty personality and seems like someone that I would definitely get along with.  I am going to be a budding teacher in a matter of years and I am already helping to raise a 7 year old boy.  I can use all of the compassion and advice I can get before I'm in up to my eyeballs with responsibility.  Being a working woman, especially being a working mom is quite like having two full time jobs, one of which being underpaid and one of which being unpaid all together. =-/.  It takes a helping of patience and love and determination to hold it all together.  I hope to be someone other teachers and moms can relate to just Mrs. Davis.    

If you would like to check her out, you can find her at http://www.coolcatteacher.com/.  Thanks for taking a moment to share in my first post on my first ever (future) teacher blog.  =-D