Longer school year coming?

Education chief favors longer school days, weeks and years

"It doesn't matter how poor, how tough the family background, socioeconomic challenges," Duncan said. "Where students have longer days, longer weeks, longer years -- that's making a difference."

Do you agree?

This reminds me of the documentary 2 Million Minutes.

Learning Targets Presentation

Today we did a school "Gallery Walk." Teachers used presentation poster boards and highlighted new ideas that they have been trying for Assessment for Learning and other new initiatives. At first, I was worried I'd be one of a handful of teachers to participate. But, we had over 30 people. It was really great to see all of the cool ideas people had and what they were doing in their classes.

This is my poster board:

You can see the poster board more clearly by clicking on it.

My topic was "Target Sheets." The basics behind them is that it is a "unit plan" or "game plan" for what we will learn in each chapter. I pass them out on the first day of the chapter and on the sheets they have objectives (targets), vocabulary words, "big ideas," quotes to understand and possible essay questions on them. I also include the 10 questions from the chapter that are due for homework.

Students have liked them because they have a clear plan on the first day about what they are learning. It gives them a chance to see the "whole" before we put the parts together. I have seen some students achieve a higher level of with them this year. At first, I was sure it would be too much work for me to do. But, I was wrong. It really didn't take that much more time.

Now I have them for next year as well and I'll be able to tweak and change them and hopefully make them better. The presentation went over pretty well and I also had my laptop there while I played our fall video for World History. It highlighted all the cool projects we did (like the castle project, rock art project, and religion
project).

During the morning we had tons of people walk through the library and check things out, including our superintendents. As I walked around I was really proud of my school and all the effort the faculty has undertaken to improve instruction and learning at our school. I am really lucky to work there.

5 Minute Unniversity

I am going to use this tomorrow in my ACP class as well. Love it!



The obvious message for my student is that teaching should not be about rote learning. There is more to learning and more ways to learn than memorization. Creativity is very important. Fostering the creativity within your curriculum is a challenge, but not one that a new teacher should shy away from just because it is hard work.

Killing Education - But, not so softly

I came across an article suggested by this blogger today: MsGeorgeMsEnglishTeacher at Blogspot

Killing Me Softly: No Child Left Behind
The President’s education plan is hurting students and teachers
By Jordan Sonnenblick -- School Library Journal, 5/1/2008

Very interesting view of a teacher turned author who left education. He says because of No Child Left Behind and the damage it is doing.

I see it a little differently in our district. Our state - Texas - has locked funding for school districts at 2004 levels. So that means that a district like ours which is growing in leaps and bounds is in debt. We have a 25 million dollar deficit in our budget for next year. So that means major changes are coming. Staff and administrative reductions. Elimination of a planning period. And possibly the elimination of some extra-curricular activities - like freshman sports.

It is frustrating to see things the way they are. But, our crazy legislature in Texas meets once every TWO YEARS! So they are very, very slow to get anything done. And they are most Republican... which is probably a bigger problem. It is my belief that many in power simply want to see the current system fail, blame teachers, and redo the system with vouchers for kids to attend any school (public, private and religious). Sad. Because what happens is the kids are the ones that lose out in all of this.

Hopefully we can continue to put pressure on people in Texas and get some kinds of solutions soon.

School of Distinction

This is pretty neat: AHS Given "School of Distinction" Award

Interesting.

We are lucky to teach at this school. Sometimes in the middle of the year when things are crazy you don't see it. But, you have to pinch yourself sometimes. The state of education as it is... we could easily be teaching in a 100 year building that is crumbling. We certainly are not.

Back & Avid-ized

I am back in Houston. And I am AVID-ized. The San Diego trip was INCREDIBLE. I'll write more later this weekend. I am absolutely exhausted right now. Plus, I want to go to the avidonline site and be sure my username and password works. I can't wait to get started on building my AVID classroom. I am a lucky person to have found this amazing group of people to work with. As an AVID Elective teacher with experience told me during the seminar, "AVID doesn't only change your student's lives... it will change yours." Another said, "The very best part of my educational career has centered around the impact my AVID class has had on my students. The relationships you build with those kids will be intense."

Can't wait!

Woody's Hat

Aidan in his "Woody Hat!" He loves that hat. We got it at the local (expensive) toy store and he loved it from the first moment he saw it. It is just like his pal Woody's hat.

This has been a really, really busy and crazy week. We are just about to finish the school year. Tomorrow finals begin. We finish up on Friday. Then I go in Saturday morning and finish up. We have to totally break down our rooms and move everything out since summer school will be in our rooms this year. That definitely sucks. I really put a lot of work into my room and it is superbly more enjoyable to build it at the beginning of the year compared to tearing it down at the end.

Today Norma and I showed our "Year in Review" videos to our classes. Mine was a :20 minute movie created in Windows Movie Maker. It is a huge video and there were TONS of pictures and music clips. The kids were really blown away. From the beginning of the assembly of the school to the last few weeks... it really got to some kids. One girl left the room with tears running down her cheeks and just mumbled, "It was... good."

I had to be careful not to lose it myself. It is really hard for me to say goodbye to these kids. It has been an incredible year and I am really going to miss them.

We have been interviewing for the past 3 weeks and finally have our AVID kids selected for next year. I am pumped about the freshman I have coming in. 29 kids. Should be a wonderful group. They will definitely be what I am focusing my summer on. In July I will be heading to San Diego for a week for the AVID Institute and will learn a lot more about the program. I have really enjoyed getting to know the other AVID classroom teacher and our AVID counselor over the past month. It is going to be great working with them. All three of us are just totally focused on these kids and working to get them into college. It is an amazing program and we have barely even started!

The school year ends this week. It is really HARD to believe!
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TOY Ring

On Thursday the school presented me with my Teacher of the Year ring in front of the faculty. It is really a great ring. I am proud to wear it.

Boy would my Dad have been proud of this. :)

Now that the whole district competition is over I have had more of a chance to enjoy things and just take a deep breath about the whole affair.

The past few nights I have been putting together my video for the year in review. It is a neat look back at all my students and the things we have done all year long. Norma started doing this a long time ago with Power Point. They were just simple pictures that she added to slides. Then we got fancy and added music. This year I am actually creating a video with a lot of music from all of the pictures in Windows Movie Maker. I have about 250 pictures and it should really be something. I can't wait to get it all finished. I will show it to my classes on the last days of school.

It is really amazing that the year is almost over! Where does the time go?



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TOY Thoughts

Today was my interview for District Teacher of the Year. I was a final four finalist. The interview was a half hour long and in front of a panel of 7 people from our district. Of the 4 high schools and 8 middle schools it was all down to me and three ladies from our area middle schools. I walked out feeling great about my performance in there. I do not believe I could have done any better.

For a few hours I thought I had a really great shot at actually winning. But, as the hours slipped by I knew the chances were getting more and more slim. They make the decision pretty quickly and I knew they would be calling the winner quickly. Tonight after the PTSA meeting, my principal informed me that I did not win.

I just got finished emailing our faculty and staff and thanking them for all of their support. It is a real load off of my shoulders. The entire process is great and a wonderful opportunity. It was amazing. But, it was also a ton of pressure. And I actually do have a pretty important job to do each day (other than write essays, do interviews and give speeches). It will be great to go to work tomorrow with a complete focus of my energy back on my kids again.

Tonight at the PTSA (parent, teachers, student association) meeting they honored me for TOY. It was really great. They invited Norma and Aidan as well. They had a wonderful cake, a poster, and a big present. Inside was an eagle puzzle for Aidan to play with, 3 Red Eagle T'shirts for each of us, a red AHS Eagle Hoodie Sweatshirt for me and two great collared shirts for Norma and I. There was a nice teacher themed stationary in the box. And they also gave me a ceramic eagle. All of this as a token of thanks for the work I have done this year.

It was extra special coming from the head of the PTSA because I had her daughter in class last year and we know each other well.

What a year it has been. We only have about 3 weeks left. Then summer! We are ready for the year to be over... but I don't know if I will ever experience anything like it in my career. I will always look back on the 2006-2007 school year with a lot of fondness. It was a neat ride.
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Final 4 - T.O.Y.

Today I found out that I am a finalist for the district Teacher of the Year. I will have an interview on Monday at 1:45 at the district office. I am the only high school teacher and the only male that will be interviewed. The other candidates teach middle school in math, english and computers.

It should be very interesting. The interview will last 30 minutes. They sent out the regional questions that I would need to answer in essay form, if I should win the district TOY and move on to regionals. It seems that they will be judging me on my ability to win at regionals. Here are the topics:

Teacher of the Year Topics
I. Professional Biography
What are the background, people and events that persuaded you to become a teacher? Describe your most significant contributions and accomplishments in education.
II. Educational History, Professional Development
A. List college and universities and post-graduate studies, with degrees earned and dates attended.
B. List history of teaching employment, with time periods, grade levels and subject areas.
C. List professional association memberships, offices held and other relevant activities.
D. List staff development leadership activity and leadership activity in the training of future teachers.
E. List awards and other recognition.
III. Community Involvement
Describe service-oriented involvement, such as volunteer work, civic and other group activities.
IV. Philosophy of Teaching
Describe your personal feelings about teaching, including your own ideas of what makes you an outstanding teacher. Describe the rewards you find in teaching. How are your beliefs about teaching demonstrated in your personal teaching style?
V. Education Issue and Trends
What do you consider to be the major issues in public education today? Address one, outlining possible causes, effects and resolutions.
VI. The Teaching Profession
What can you do to strengthen and improve the teaching profession? What is or should be the basis for accountability in the teaching profession?
VII. State Teacher of the Year
As the Teacher of the Year, you would become a spokesperson and representative of the profession. What would be your message? What would you communicate to your profession and to the general public?

So, I get to write 5 additional essays (already wrote two of these for district) if I should I win. Yikes. It would be wonderful to represent my school and distrit though. So who knows what will happen. I am taking this in stride as much as possible and enjoying the ride.
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Virginia Tech Tragedy

32 Shot Dead on Virginia Tech Campus
Witness survives by pretending to be dead

Today during 6th period when I was told about what had happened at Virginia Tech, I immediately got a headache. It was a real slamming one. Over the past week I have had nightmares about school shootings. They were brought on because I have been thinking so deeply about the essays I had to write for the Teacher of the Year competition in my district. My second essay focused on Columbine and what happened on that campus and how we are trying to avert that kind of disaster today through building strong relationships with students.
My Second Essay - School Violence as an Issue

Still I find myself tonight just scared to death that it could happen at any time on our campus. It would not be difficult to get guns onto our campus. I teach with my classroom door closed and locked. The only person allowed to answer the door is me. I joke about it sometimes when a student jumps up to open the door, "What are you doing? That could be a terrorist!" It's a half hearted attempt at comedy, but there is also truth in my comment. It is my first and most important job to secure the safety of my students at all costs. Nothing else is more important than returning kids home to their parents at the end of the day safe and sound.

The images of Virginia Tech today just haunt me. They scare me. But, they also challenge me to do whatever I can to keep my school and classroom a safe place. I wrote in my essay that I believe our Advisory program can be a strong force in keeping our school safe and building relationships with our students is the key to having a productive and safe environment. I am even more committed to my work on the Advisory Board for next year now.

Over the next few months of planning for the 2007-08 school year, I will be keeping Virginia Tech in my mind when planning for Advisory. It is the worst nightmare. But, in focusing on our most important job as educators, I believe it makes us stronger to deal with all the other smaller but potentially troubling tragedies that students go through each day. Having a strong advocate for the student is an important part of education today in a world where parents are more and more removed from their kids lives.
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Essays - DONE

Today I dropped off the essays and application for the Teacher of the Year contest with our district. I was so excited to finish and be done with them. But, I am also proud of the extra time I put in to make the essays meaningful. Hopefully they will represent our school well.

The essays are here if you want to check them out: Essay 1: Professional Biography & Essay 2: Education Issues and Trends

They were due on Monday, but I was finished and it was time to submit them and get them off my desk and out of my mind. The committee has a week with them to read and pick their top 3. Then they meet and will finalize a top 3 for the district and then bring those folks in and interview. If I get an interview, great. If not, I can sleep well knowing I gave it my best effort. It is kind of rough to think this is my one shot for the entire process. Like in the NFL, if you lose the conference championship game, there is always next year. But, with this Teacher of the Year stuff, I will be taking my name out of the hat now for the rest of my career. It is not right to deny one of our 200 faculty/staff the opportunity to win, if I already have. So I hope my one shot is a good one.

I was also interviewed via email by the local paper and they are going to put an article in there over the next couple of weeks. That was interesting. Had to send a picture and everything. What I realized is that I have very few photos of myself. And very few in professional attire. But, I guess I am always taking the pictures.

Next week is our state TAKS test or standardized testing. It will be a strange week for sure. Luckily the Social Studies test is on Friday and that will give me the week to help prep my students and remind them of the important things on the test.

This weekend we plan on just relaxing. I did not bring any work home to do. Lately we have been doing way too much work. Time for some relaxing and fun. Speaking of which, I am booting up the Xbox360 as I type!

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First Essay Just About in the Can

First essay for the Teacher of the Year competition is just about done...
You can read it here. This has been a terribly difficult process because of the space requirements of 1-inch margins, 12-inch font, and 2 pages. I probably am writing a 3 page essay and trying to squeeze all of that in to two is hard. But, I think it is probably as good as I can get it.

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My First TOY Essay - rough draft

I wanted to share this and get some feedback. Interestingly, I was told by many former Teachers of the Year to get help with the essays. But, they cautioned to be careful about who to ask. They said you might be upset with the changes some people suggest. I am a little different though. :) So throwing caution to the wind, I give you my first rough draft. Please let me know what you think.

*Professional Biography (Limit to two double-spaced pages) What are the background, people and events that persuaded you to become a teacher? Describe your most significant contributions and accomplishments in education.
The gritty blue collar towns of Western Pennsylvania were the laboratory for the development of what has made me a teacher. It was on the football fields at the base of the rolling hills where I developed discipline, a solid work ethic and determination. The coach’s whistle and the crowd’s roar forged these traits into my everyday life and motivated me to be a better student. Playing football in college was my goal but I learned a greater lesson: the classroom was a unique place where one could seek improvement far from the crowd roaring and coach’s cajoling.
My family moved often, ten times or more. I was a good athlete so that was my way to make friends in each new school. Math became difficult because of the shuffling curricula but the history book was always a familiar place for me. It was in social studies class that I learned a classroom can be an entertainer’s stage. A teacher that inspired me was Ray Edelman. He created an “experience” in the classroom. One day he combined and synchronized the media of film, slide projector, and cassette player to teach us about the assassinations of MLK, JFK, and RFK. I absorbed these kinds of techniques and could see myself inspiring others some day in the same way.
Each day I would come home to a house that was usually empty. My parents divorced when I was only four. My Mom worked many jobs and life at home was not always picture perfect. Money was short and so was food at times. School became a place I could depend upon. Teachers and coaches were there everyday and they were consistent. They looked past my family situation. I was a free lunch kid that was not a part of the 'in' crowd that wore the designer jeans of the 1980s. My teachers saw something special and unique in me. Education is a tool for societal and personal improvement. I see it this way because I have lived it myself.
My professional life has come full circle. After beginning my career as a sixth grade teacher and coach, I accepted a position at my middle school to be the Instructional Technology Specialist in 1997. The internet age was just beginning. The excitement of a career in technology led me to work long hours to study the craft of customer service in the realm of desktop and network computing. It was not long before I accepted a position outside of education. I won awards for my commitment to customer service while working in down town in Houston. My company was just a short walk from Enron on "Energy Row." I thank the Enron scandal for getting me back on to the path of being an educator. If not for the collapse of Enron and the massive downsizing of my company, Dynegy, I would still be working in technology. A switch back to education gave me the opportunity to change the lives of students, not hard drives. My new customer service skills helped me develop great relationships with my students and their parents. As a technologist turned teacher I was able to have a multi-media classroom experience that was “Ray Edelman-like." I sometimes wonder what he would have done with a PC, DVD player, projector and big screen!
A quote by Jackie Robinson best illustrates my desire to return to the classroom: "A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives." My most significant accomplishment is my leadership role with new teachers at Atascocita High School. Teaching is one of the most isolated professions on the planet. Organizing ways to bring new methods, inspiration and vital tips to my colleagues improves the entire school. I have been motivated by the passing of two history colleagues and one special student. These tragedies have taught me to reach out to those I come in contact with everyday and get to know people on a deeper level. Each day is an opportunity to learn from others and give of oneself.
In the spring of 2006 a terrible tragedy occurred. It made national news but struck close to home. A student in my first period class was bitten by a bat infected with rabies. Zach died very quickly after they realized what was wrong. Our entire school was in a state of shock. Seeing Zach's empty desk brought an overwhelming sense of sadness. Looking into the eyes of his classmates and friends brought tears. Throughout my life I have had to overcome in times like these. The experiences on the football field with more mundane disappointments, like losing a championship game, taught me to keep fighting. Just as my teachers were once a consistent force in my life, I knew that during the passing of our beloved friend and my student, it was my job to be there for the kids. It is now my turn to do for my students what teachers and coaches had always done for me.

It is still very much in rough draft form. I have had to be very careful not to get into too much. I only have two pages to work with. Much like a resume, the essays are an opportunity to get an interview. They will read the essays of the 15 finalists and then bring in three to five of us for interviews. I just need to get to the interview. Then I will feel like I have done enough to represent my school and give us a shot to have the district teacher of the year. Hopefully my essays will be enough to do that.
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My 2 TOY Essays

Today was a wild day. I spent my planning period (which is 90 minutes on Wednesdays) with our administrators, superintendants and members from a high school in Indiana that was visiting. It was nice to get to know them and see the wheels turning as they were looking at a lot of the things we are doing at AHS and trying to figure what they want to incorporate into their new school.

I guess it was a "Teacher of the Year" duty. I am finding out that there are a lot of those! Norma also emailed me today to say, "Hey, your picture is on the front page of the school website!" Great! This is getting silly now. :)

AHS School Website

The next phase of the Teacher of the Year competition is about to get moving. Tomorrow is our district seminar for the teachers that won on each campus. The seminar discusses tips on writing essays and interviewing. It is their hope to help out anyone that might have anxiety doing these things that will be necessary to keep moving through to district, region and state.

I am not at all concerned about it. In fact, I know there is such a slim chance of winning that I am just going to have fun with it. Tomorrow I will be looking forward to hearing the superintendent of schools talk with us. He is a pretty inspiring guy. Plus, one of my great teacher friends that won for the entire district two years ago will be giving tips on essay and interviewing. So it will be cool to see her talk as well.

Plus, it will just be neat to sit in the same room with all these great educators and consider myself lucky to be among them.

Here are the two essays I have to write:

*Professional Biography (Limit to two double-spaced pages) What are the background, people and events that persuaded you to become a teacher? Describe your most significant contributions and accomplishments in education.

*Education Issues and Trends (Limit to two double-spaced pages) What do you consider to be the major issues in public education today? Address one in depth, outlining possible causes, effects and resolutions.

They are due by Monday, April 16th. The first essay is pretty simple for me and I wrote one that is similar in the HEB Edcuational Excellence competition this year. But, question #2 is a bit of a tossup for me. Norma mentioned funding as a major issue, but I am no funding guru. She is right, but I think I should stick to educational topics. I would like to write an honest and realistic look at the new 3 R's (Rigor, Relevance, & Relationships) and what it will take for schools to really develop them. Our school is supposed to be developing them and I have seen some hurdles that educators face in trying to become a progressive, new-age school when the teachers are well versed in 'traditional' and old-school approaches.

Who knows what I will cook up, but I am far to competitive to just mail these in (so to speak). I'll post them as I work through and see if you guys can give me a little feedback. Thanks in advance. :)

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I Wish I Could Call My Dad...

Today was the last day of school before Spring Break. I went around asking everyone, "Are you ready for Spring Break?" Of course they would say, "YES!" My reply was, "I guess that's like asking someone if they like breathing?" :) We are all ready for a week away from work and the demands of school.

I was really happy to read in an email this afternoon that I was among the top 5 finalists for Teacher of the Year at my school. It was shocking actually. More shocking might have been that Norma wasn't in the top 5... because I am good only because I stole all of her great ideas!

In the email that the principal sent out, she included comments written by faculty, staff & students as their reasons for nominating the top 5. It was just a remarkable thing to read.

I knew that my students cared and appreciated my efforts in class. They tell me and I have asked them their opinion about the class and how things go. But, I had no idea that so many of my colleagues felt like this. I am just blown away by it.

Tonight I got really sad when I read over it again... I just wish I could pick up the phone and call my Dad to tell him. Or forward the email to him. It made me cry just from sheer frustration tonight. But, I decided to post the comments on my blog... not just for my Mom, Step-Mom and family to read... but for my Dad. He was always my most avid reader of this blog... and I know he still does read it - somewhere. I miss you Dad.

What teachers who nominated Mr. D. say…
“Wonderful, passionate teacher who is student-focused.”

“Dedicated not only to students but helping other staff members. Knowledge of many administrative type items. Very helpful on many levels.”

“David is the model teacher-the teacher we all wish we had in high school. He is positive, knowledgeable & makes learning a delight. Countless students have shared how much they love his class and as a co-worker, he is a delight to work with, a true team player, a great leader & he has a great educational philosophy.”

“I nominate David for TOY because…of who he is and everything he stands for. I believe David is a guiding force for AHS. He has, from day one, been an incredible asset for all but especially for teachers. For instance, many new teachers turn to him for guidance and instruction. Many oldies, like me, turn to him and utilize him as a sounding board. He has also provided the voice of reason for many house meetings. David has truly gone out of his way to help all AHS staff members including me. This year he gave up his time and volunteered to be the faculty coach for our Powder Puff football game just because I asked. And all of that just represents what he has done for us faculty and staff.
Although I am not in his classroom, I am sure that he is an excellent teacher. His students always seem to be engaged in active learning. The castle project he did with his students was a huge success. His students seemed eager to learn and eager to complete their task. In the end, the castles were magnificent and the students had a chance to showcase their wonderful work. I have personally spoken with many of his advisory students and they all absolutely love him. One of them even went so far as telling me that he would never want another advisory teacher because he likes Mr. D. so much
And on a personal note, I have known David and his family, Norma and Aidan, for many years. He is definitely an upstanding member of our community. More importantly he is a role model for AHS - not only for the students but for the staff as well.”

“He has done a lot for the new teachers this year. Many of them would go to him for advice and he is now setting up monthly meetings for the new teachers to meet with some veterans to get much needed support and advice. Of course, he has been my sounding board for years and years.
Dave uses technology more than any teacher that I know. He uses different methods and uses humor with all of the kids that he teaches. You could ask any of his kids and they would tell you that his jokes are corny but they help them to remember the information.
Many of my past kids have come to me saying how much they LOVE Mr. D. That just says it all. He pushes his kids really hard academically and they still love him.
He is a great team lead. We talk to each other about what we will be meeting about on Thursdays and he always has great ideas. His team is lucky to have him. He enjoys teaching and learning from his peers.
I can't say enough about him as a teacher! He is one dedicated guy. :)”

“He is an example of what every teacher should be: professional, well-prepared, knowledgeable, caring, friendly. He creates an atmosphere where kids want to learn and are able to learn. He goes above and beyond just teaching his class. He is on the advisory committee, the technology committee, sponsors the NHS, coached the junior powder-puff football team. Though we do not teach the same subject, he has sent me things that he has found that I could use in my Algebra classes. He is a person that I would be proud to say represented my school as the Teacher of the Year.”

“David is a leader – respected by students, faculty, staff, and administrators. What I have noticed most about him is his willingness to work on committees, participate in problem solving for the school, and take a leadership role with advisory. He has also been the leader in his department as far as collaborating with the librarians to develop research projects in the library that reflect authentic learning. I really believe he exemplifies the seven habits of mind and heart. He is a great model for adults as well as our young adults.”

“I nominate David for TOY because of…..His kindness and helpfulness, and he is always calm and positive.”

What students who nominated Mr. D. say…
“He not only cares about our knowledge of World History, but about our development as a citizen of this country, and a person as a whole.”
“He is a good man. Also he helps kids and adults. That’s why I vote for my teacher.”
“He is really funny and his class is really easy because he teaches good.”
“He is a great teacher and he can put things in a way we can understand.”
“He is an amazing, un-boring, loving teacher who gets everything done. I LOVE him.”
“He is extremely enthusiastic about teaching and unlike a lot of teachers, he cares about his students. He is always prepared and I always have fun in his class.”
“He does a very good job of teaching World History. He makes learning history fun and relates the events to everyday life. He inspires me to make something of my life, and has helped me to believe more in myself.”
“He actually teaches and is the best teacher I have.”
“He is a very smart man and knows what he is talking about in class. He is also funny and I always have a good time in his class.”
“He teaches the lesson at the same time he teaches current events in an interesting way.”
“He makes history fun and interesting which is almost impossible. He is also very enthusiastic about what he does and makes an extra effort to help students.”
“He has a good website. He teaches in a fun way. He also plays Halo which is pretty cool.”
“He is the inspiration to my morning to be positive. I also love the website! He’s the best.”
“I disliked history do much, but he makes everything interesting. He cares for his student so much.”
“He comes up with very interesting and creative ways of learning. He tries to help every student in every way possible.”
“He is just a great all around teacher who is always prepared and cares about his students.”
“He has awards for his students as well as a great updated website, excellent notes, and a sense of humor.”
“He is an awesome teacher. He loves what he does and it makes it so much easier to learn when the person actually wants to be there. I love all of his corny jokes and he makes it so much to learn history!”

Another reason that I post something so egotistical tonight is that I want my son to be able to read this someday. Maybe I am not around when he is older? (Heaven forbid) That's why I blog. I want him to know what was happening around him as he was growing up. I hope someday he reads this and is proud of his Dad.

Most people go to work everyday and never get to hear how much people they work with appreciate their efforts. That is just one reason (of many) I consider myself to be a lucky guy. And people wonder why I left corporate technology for the low-paying job of teacher!
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AVID Opportunity

Last Thursday at our Social Studies weekly team meeting my instructional coach mentioned a program that we are going to have at our school next year - AVID.

What AVID is...

*AVID is an acronym that stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination.
*AVID is an in-school academic support program for grades 5-12 that prepares students for college eligibility and success.
*AVID places academically average students in advanced classes.
*AVID levels the playing field for minority, rural, low-income and other students without a college-going tradition in their families.
*AVID is for all students, but it targets those in the academic middle.
*AVID is implemented schoolwide and districtwide.

What AVID isn't...

*AVID isn't a remedial program.
*AVID isn't a free ride.
*AVID isn't a niche program.
*AVID isn't a college outreach program.

At least that is what it says on their website. What AVID sounds like to me is a program that would have helped ME. When I was in high school I was in a single-parent family, low socio-economic situation, and neither of my parents had graduated (or even attended) college. This program helps those kinds of kids by giving them skills needed to succeed in the classroom.

After listening to my IC describe the program I was totally into it. I went to her afterwards to ask when the training was during the summer. It was during the week of June 30th! That's the week of my sister's wedding. Not negotiable. Along with my brother Terry, I am walking my sister down the isle. I am not going to miss that wedding. And it is in Pennsylvania. So it's not like I can just go on the weekend and then jet back to Dallas where the training was scheduled.

So I wrote the counselor that is going to be doing the program, our principals and my IC to explain how I might be uniquely qualified to work in this program because of my background. I explained how excited I was about this opportunity. My reply from the building principal was that he was "looking into an alternate training date" for us. That was really cool to realize that they actually wanted me for the program and that they would consider changing the date of the training for me. Of course, the training would be in San Diego... so maybe that's why they want to change? :)

Regardless, I think it would be a very cool opportunity. The program works like this: You have 20 kids in an AVID class that meets once a day. Next year the plan is for us to have 2 classes and 2 teachers teaching in the program. During AVID class the students are given tools to help them in their advanced college-prep classes. Tools like note taking, advanced writing prep, and opportunities in a small environment with peers like them to voice their opinion and work on discussion techniques. Then when these students are in their advanced classes they will feel capable of keeping up with classmates that may have home life advantages over them.

Personally I know the feelings a student goes through while in an honors or AP class as they wonder to themselves, "How am I going to compete with these kids?" It seemed that they had every advantage. I can only imagine how much easier it could have been to have those academic skills that AVID can provide.

It would be a wonderful opportunity to help kids that REALLY need it and would appreciate it. Public high schools are a strange place. There is a place for the gifted and a place for those with special needs. But, there is not a competent spot for the 'average' kid that needs special attention. These are the quiet kids that silently slide through their regular classes and get lost in a big school. AVID would be a great opportunity for them!

Plus, I look forward to learning some new things to use in all of my classes. Much of the AVID game plan revolves around the teacher being more of a facilitator. At this point, I am someone that facilitates from time to time on certain days. However, I am a very traditional teacher. I just use a lot of energy in the classroom, humor and prepare like a mad man to make my classes interesting. It would be great to see my students 'spark' a little more on their own.

As you can probably tell, I am really hoping to hear soon that I will be heading to San Diego to be a part of this program. I am keeping my fingers crossed.


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My Most Defining Moment in the Classroom

I have spent the past week stressing about the HEB Award for Excellence in Education that I have been nominated for. Tonight I put the finishing touches on my five essays that I had to write. I also re-created my resume. Sometimes I wonder if all this work is worth it? Well, to make it partially worth it, I want to share my first essay with any other educators that might be out there reading this blog.

So here it is:

Commitment
1. Describe your most defining moment in the classroom. What has being an educator taught you about yourself?

My most "defining" moment in the classroom was in January of 2005. During the previous semester a colleague informed me that he would be retiring due to health problems and asked me to move from my current World History level classes to take over his honors classes. I was humbled by the offer. It was my first semester back in the classroom after working as an information technologist. I knew I would have big shoes to fill in January.

The plan was that I would take over his classes to start the new semester. Things did not go according to plan. He had a massive heart attack and died during the holiday. When I heard the news I was simply shocked. The first day back to school would be the first day meeting my new students. It would be my job to deliver this tragic news to the students.

This was the first opportunity for me to deal with death in the classroom. For six periods I looked into welcoming, smiling sophomore faces, only to see their expressions change as I began to explain the news. The students knew the semester would bring change. They had their going away party for him to end the semester. They had no idea it would be the last time they saw him. The task of building a relationship with students on the top of sharing such terrible news was awfully hard. Each time that I broke the news to a group of students, I cried. There was no other way for me to do this. I had to be real with them.

Over the next year I would lose, in succession, my beloved mother-in-law, my grandmother, and my father. In the spring of 2006 another tragedy occurred. This time it made national news, but still struck close to home. A student in my first period class was bitten by a bat infected with rabies. Zach died very quickly after they realized what was wrong. Our entire school was in a state of shock. Seeing Zach's empty desk in my first period class brought an overwhelming sense of sadness. To cope, I leaned on the experience I gained during my most "defining" moment. The students needed me, again. Over the next week, I heard over and over in my classes, "Mr. D., you are the only teacher that will talk to us about Zach." In my most defining moment in the classroom, I learned that sometimes my students need more than a teacher. Sometimes they need a friend that understands the pain they are feeling.

Those were definitely the most difficult and defining moments in my teaching career.

I will share more of my essays later. It is now past time for me to be asleep.

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TGIF

I has been another pretty weird week for us.
First, Aidan has been sick with fever most of the week. Norma took Tue and Wed and this morning (during her planning time 1st period) off work to stay with him. He is feeling a lot better tonight, but he had no symptoms other than fever. 102 or so each time and it lasted a couple of days. We really started worrying. The Doc said he did not have anything wrong with him, other than just fighting off some kind of bug. :(

Wednesday I was not in school either. I did a presentation for "Advisory" -- it is our version of a glorified homeroom period. I have 19 kids in my Advisory, have them from freshman year through senior year, and we meet each day for 30 minutes. Monday and Wednesday are academic days. The kids have a quiet study and tutoring time while I bring the kids up and go over their grades. On Tuesday we do an "emotional development" lesson and Thursday is our clubs day. Norma and I sponsor 85 kids in the Video Game Club. Friday is social day. Tomorrow we will have a pizza party during Advisory to celebrate our first semester and the wonderful job the kids did academically.

Our Advisory leader was not able to make the convention and asked me to put together a slide show and presentation for Advisory. So I did. It went well. One of our great counselors went along to help out and she was awesome. We had a pretty good day. It was rewarding to work with other teachers from different districts and discuss problems that they have with their advisories. Plus, it was nice to show off our school a little. Sure, we have problems as a first year school, but it is a great place.

Then during the week I went to my teacher's mailbox down in the office and found an envelope from HEB - a local grocery chain in Texas. It was for the Excellence in Education Awards. Someone had nominated me. That was nice to see. I looked through a lot of teacher boxes to see if maybe everyone had gotten one! But, no the only one I saw was me. So that was neat. Then I opened the envelope to see all of the many things one would have to do to apply for this. 4 or 5 essays, letters from administrators, parents, students, and colleagues, & a resume. Pretty crazy. But, if I won I could get $10,000. So I decided it might be worth the effort. We'll see... I am a huge longshot. But, when I looked over the essays, I felt I had a good answer for all of them. Now it will just take me setting aside some time this weekend to work on all of it.

I think that is one of the reasons I am heading to bed early tonight. The week was exhausting with Aidan being sick (so stressful) and the presentation I gave at the University of Houston. It was a wild week. I am very glad that tomorrow is Friday! TGIF. :)
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The Week

What a busy and crazy week. We had a lot of weather problems all week long. In fact, Tuesday and Wednesday were a wreck at school. A student deceived the news stations in town by sending email and calling to tell them that our district did not have school on Tuesday due to the weather. News casts actually ran the report and many students did not come to school. It was wild.

From the Chronicle: Other districts that stayed open reported higher-than-usual absences. Humble ISD saw 23 percent of students out of class — about the same as the day before, when an e-mail hoax convinced some students class had been canceled.

The next day the cold and icy weather did come into town, but we had school. It was surprising because most districts around us canceled school. So that meant a little less than 1/2 of our students elected to stay home. Some students stayed home both days. It was a weird week.

Tonight Norma, Aidan and I went to Kingwood High School (our neighborhood school near our house) to see the Atascocita Girls Baskeball team play. Aidan and I had a good time running around through the school. Norma and I switched off watching him... he couldn't sit still in the stands long enough to watch much of the game, but he had fun running through the hallways.

It is amazing to think that Aidan will go to high school there someday down the road. He's so little now and only 2. I found myself imagining how things will be then when he is in high school. Who knows what we'll be dealing with in life then. But, hopefully he will be a happy young man and eager to enjoy his time there.

The school is really a dump. It's a wonderful school and highly rated for it's academics and athletics, but it is old and worn out. They are renovating it now and over the next 3 years it will basically be completely rebuilt. It needs it!

Tonight I am working on a presentation that I will be giving at the University of Houston for our Advisory program. The presentation is next week. I kind of got elected to do it, although I am no expert on Advisory. I will just do my best during the hour to explain what our Advisory program is like (it's a very glorified version of "homeroom" where we work to develop students social, emotion and academic development over a 4 year period. We have the same kids from fresh-senior year). Plus I will be using a photo movie with music and a powerpoint to try to give them an idea about how AHS does things. I showed the photo movie today to our Advisory coordinator and she said she cried watching it. So that made me feel pretty good and I think she got the point of what I was trying to convey. Advisory is all about the individual student needs and making relationships with the kids. :)

I am looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend at home with Norma and Aidan. It is going to be cold and rainy. Norma and I are finally going to catch up on 24 and watch some football on Sunday. A nice relaxing weekend! Whew.



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