Buses Don’t Arrive That Soon After the Bell

February 29, 2008 in The Way It Were
Tags: bell, bus, catch, classroom, keep them after class, management, minute, student, student teaching, teacher, works

Never underestimate the power of having them stay after class. I’ve forgotten how much students hate that.
It’s the last period of the day, and my kids are out of control. Rather than continue yelling over their talking, I quietly announce that it’s wasting my time will cost them a minute after class. By the time [...]

Music is the First Thing to Get Cut

February 28, 2008 in Reading Response
Tags: alma mater, band, board, budget, choir, classroom, cuts, district, elementary, gilroy, high, home, letter, letter to the editor, middle, music, school

I received the following forwarded message, from my high school band director. As soon as I read it, it worried me:
This Thursday, the school board members will be seeking input and discussing a list of proposed budget cuts. On the list of proposed cuts for next year is all elementary music and 6th to 8th [...]

Where I Want to Work

February 27, 2008 in How to Get a Job, The Way It Were
Tags: hire, job, never give up, never surrender, pedagogy, philosophy, student, student teacher, teacher, teaching, work

There’s something to be said for our principal. He’s a shortish man with a mustache; he’d look a little like Super Mario if he wore red overalls and a matching hat.
Principal of an inner city high school with the highest dropout rate in the district, he showed us this video at the latest staff meeting.

Then [...]