The “Curriculum

If you are lucky the curriculum will be written to include behavioral objectives. If not, rewriting them in forms of behavioral objectives including means of measuring accomplishment is the first step. The following is only one way this can be set up. It identifies the objective, provides individualization, collaboration, measures progress towards completion and final completion.

Each student has an index card (or on a spread sheet) upon which they are checked for each behavioral objective. I prefer the index card as they may be given the card, but if your school has or allows smart phones or ipads they would work too:

(Date, John Doe, Objective, Activity, %Completed, Completed, Comments).

I prefer using index cards and then entering completion in the grade book if required.

Eighth grade and above I give the students a list of all the objectives and allow them to choose the order of addressing them. I discuss and help them decide how they will demonstrate completion or proficiency. In addition I recommend they form a group who will be working on the same objective. I paper clip the index cards together for those working in a group together. During the class period I circulate among the individual students and groups providing guidance in achieving the objective so that I can evaluate percentage of completion or those completed. I explain that it is not a competition

If the school district requires a letter grade on the report card, we as a class decide how many objectives completed will translate to an “A”, “B”, “C” or “D”. There is no “F”. Some districts have a mandatory curriculum calendar so that if a student moves from one school to another he or she will be in the same place in the curriculum no matter which school they are attending. They then use standardized tests based on that calendar. If you find yourself in one of these districts you will pretty much need to disregard individualized instruction, collaboration, and measurement based on progress. If you are a seasoned experienced teacher, you might be able to use this method and then teach to the district test.

Sometimes you need to identify a district mandate as asinine and work around it. In one district the administrators went to a conference and heard about the use of “word walls” to teach vocabulary. They then mandated their use district wide k through 12. In this system there were ten words posted on the classroom wall per week and each day prescribed lessons were to be used to teach them. These lessons were to be identified in the teacher’s lesson plans. Money was spent to purchase nylon cloth “flags” with pockets where the words for the week were displayed. Part of the teachers evaluation would be on the appearance of word walls in their lesson plans and use of the flags in their classrooms.

A good system for elementary grades, maybe. A high school economics teacher pointed out that it would hardly work with his classes where there could be twenty new terms a week and there would not be enough time to implement this system and cover the curriculum. He was told there would be no exceptions. He put up his expensive nylon flag with each of ten of his vocabulary words in their slot. He left those same words up until he was observed. He taught those words as part of the lesson as directed. After the observation he displayed ten new words in their pockets on the brightly colored nylon flag till his next observation. Sometimes it is necessary to bend the rules in order to teach. Unfortunately that’s the way it is, and you will need to choose between teaching and doing what the administration dictates.

DAY 1 NEXT TIME

TEACHING FOR DUMMIES CONTINUED

So, as teacher as artist, you are perfecting your individual techniques. Don’t forget to explore other ones.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

Schools do not necessarily want teachers as artists. I would go so far as to say they hate them. School administrators would like you, as well as your students, to proceed in lock step. Success, they say, can only be obtained in one way. That way changes with the textbooks they have selected to match the tests the district and state have adopted. Currently in our state, the company who develops the tests is also the company that sells the course materials. Do you suppose there may be a conflict of interest?

School districts cannot even differentiate between teaching techniques that work with elementary students from those that work with high school students. I was talking with a high school teacher today who related the content of a mandatory in-service video. This video taught the technique of having students wear their vocabulary on head bands. Can you imagine high school students doing that? Can you imagine how many headbands students in biology or chemistry would have to wear?

Another favorite technique, supported by school districts, is the use of “Word Walls”. The teacher puts the vocabulary terms for the week on the classroom wall and then develop different techniques and games to facilitate the learning of these terms. This has merit in elementary school. However, in an Economics class, it would be silly when there are twenty to forty new terms a week.

Be aware that If you point out “the emperor has no clothes”, they will say that you are absolutely right. However, the principal will be evaluated on these techniques and so will you. What does one do?

BIFURCATE!

You must bifurcate. If you don’t do what the school district wants, they will either fire you, or you will have your contract non-renewed. (Non-renewal is how schools fire people without cause.) Don’t be shocked; it happens all the time. Reasons for non-renewal vary from not having word walls to organizing or supporting a teachers union. Administrators love non-renewals. They don’t have to have a reason to get rid of a teacher, and they don’t have to follow the union contract. This is why school districts prefer to give one hear contracts. This is also why they dislike tenure. Tenured teachers are protected by their contract and can only be dismissed for cause. The choice is yours; teach or follow their insanity.

How do you bifurcate?

First, keep your door closed.

Second, make a check list of the techniques and methodology you are to follow.

Third, be sure to have everything posted and visible that you are supposed to. I.e. “word walls”, “vocabulary head bands”, etc. (Be sure to use the buzzwords of the day. I know a teacher who was marked down on her evaluation because she had her Word Wall labeled as vocabulary.

Fourth, practice using these techniques with the students.

Fifth, always appear to support the new techniques. Make sure your administrator know that you are on board. In faculty meetings be supportive. At the very least don’t question the new methodology. Teachers who object to new methodologies are the ones who get monitored first and most often to see if they are in compliance,

NOW, close your door and teach your students with your best techniques that work with your students. When the administrator shows up, go into a dog and pony show with your students.

EXTRA CREDIT – During an evaluation, try to get the evaluator involved with the kids and lesson. Ask the evaluator to share experiences that would relate to the lesson. Ask the students if they have any questions for the evaluator. More about the evaluation process later.

Teaching…. continued

So, as teacher as artist, you are perfecting your individual techniques. Don’t forget to explore other ones.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

Schools do not necessarily want teachers as artists. I would go so far as to say they hate them. School administrators would like you, as well as your students, to proceed in lock step. Success, they say, can only be obtained in one way. By the way, that way changes with the textbooks they have selected which match the tests the district and state have adopted.

School districts cannot even differentiate between teaching techniques that work with elementary and then with high school students. I was talking with a high school teacher today who related an in-service video which extolled the technique of having students wear their vocabulary on head bands. Can you imagine high school students doing that? Can you imagine how many headbands students in biology or chemistry would have to wear? My favorite technique supported by my high school was the use of “Word Walls”. According to this technique you put your vocabulary terms for the week on your classroom wall and then develop different techniques and games to facilitate the learning of these term. This has merit in elementary school. However, in my Economics class, it is silly when you have twenty to forty new terms a week. If you point out that “the emperor has no clothes”, they will say that you are absolutely right. And, furthermore, they and you will be evaluated on these techniques.

What does one do?

BIFURCATE!

You must bifurcate. If you do not do, what they want, they will either fire you, or you will have your contract non-renewed. (Non-renewal is how schools fire people without cause.) Don’t be shocked; it happens all the time. Reasons for non-renewal vary from not having word walls to organizing or supporting a teachers union. Administrators love non-renewals. They don’t have to have a reason to get rid of a teacher. That is also why they prefer to give one hear contracts. That is also why they dislike tenure. The choice is yours; bifurcate and teach, or follow their insanity.

How do you bifurcate?

First, keep your door closed.

Second, make a check list of the techniques and methodology you are to follow. And, be sure to have everything posted you are supposed to. I.e. “word walls”, “fists of learning”, etc.

Third, practice using these techniques with the students. They will complain, but tell them they can do these things for a few days or every day for the rest of the course.

Fourth, always support the new techniques with your administrator, particularly in faculty meetings. At the very least don’t question the new methodology. (Remember that it is the squeeky hinge that gets the lube job.)

NOW, close your door and teach your students with your best techniques that work with your students. When the administrator shows up, go into the dog and pony show with your students.

to be continued.