Teacher World

Now that school has started for most districts throughout the United States, and the rest will be starting soon, I thought I’d address all of the teachers out there and express my best wishes to you for a wonderfully satisfying and highly productive school year.

This is my general wish for all of you, but I have some specific hopes and dreams for all of us which I would like to share with you. (Be advised that some of these might be in my list simply to bring a smile to your face.)

In regards to your student population, I wish…
* For your room to be comprised of students who eagerly await every morsel of information you lovingly feed them
* That said students can’t wait to tear into the work you assign for them and always turn their impeccably completed assignments in on time
* That each day begins with a sea of radiant faces and ends with a chorus of grateful goodbyes
* For every eye in the room to routinely focus exactly where you want them to at all times
* That your students learn respect and compassion from your good example and therefore are accepting of each other’s differences and never, ever tease or bully a fellow student
* And that no matter how tired or frustrated you may get, your precious students will know exactly how to make you feel that all of your hard work is worth it.

As far as your students’ parents, I wish…
* That they will trust you to take the best care of their children
* For any communication you have with your students’ parents to always be supportive and positive
* That they will always confer with you first before they automatically assume that their child is telling them the whole story about every given situation that occurs at school
* That occasionally, a parent might surprise you with a card, a grateful email, or maybe even lunch from your favorite local restaurant
* That they are actively involved in their child’s education without giving them all the answers on their homework
* That they understand that academics trump sports

And my wishes for you during the financially challenging times that lay ahead…
* That your pay does not decrease while your contributions for benefits and health care increase
* That your class size does not grow disproportionally to the dimensions of your classroom
* That your position remains permanent in spite of hopefully-temporary district changes
* That your benefits are not cut, and you can still retire when you planned to and not a year or more later
* That we are able to vote down any bills which threaten collective bargaining
* For your districts’ future school levies to pass by a huge majority

And, last but not least, I wish that all of your students pass their state achievement tests this year because we all know that means we are awesome teachers, right?

All kidding aside, we all know we face a precarious future in education. I truly wish you a wonderful year, and would love to hear from you along the way. Let us know how your district is dealing with budget cuts and how your school is holding up. We need to stick together and find comfort in spite of our struggles and share some laughter through each other’s stories.

Here’s to a wonderful 2011-2012 school year!

Teacher-World's Blog parents, school, school budget cuts, students, teachers

I wanted to follow up my earlier blog this morning concerning the survey done by the American Osteopathic Association. (You might want to go back and read my previous blog to understand why I am delving a little deeper into the sensitive subject of cyberbullying.) My goal with this blog is to speak directly to parents as I share some important information for them from the Cyberbullying Research Center.

 “What is the Cyberbullying Research Center?” you might ask. According to their website, “The Cyberbullying Research Center is dedicated to providing up-to-date information about the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of cyberbullying among adolescents.” It is a great resource for both parents and teachers to enable us to better read the warning signs of cyberbullying as well as providing insightful advice regarding what to do when it is suspected.

With your indulgence, in this blog, I will primarily be addressing parents regarding what I learned from this report, and my next blog will address teachers and schools.

If you are a parent, you might be asking, “How will I know if my child is the victim of cyberbullying unless he tells me he is?”

According to this report, there are warning signs which should set off some signals for you. If your child suddenly stops using their computer or cell phone, or is nervous or jumpy when they receive a text or email, they may be victims of cyberbullying. Cyberbullied teens may also appear uneasy about going to school or even about going outside, may be angry, depressed, or frustrated after using their cell phone or computer, may be uncommunicative about what they are doing on their cell phone or computer, or may begin to withdraw from their friends and family.

Some of you might be saying, “I know my child isn’t being cyberbullied, but I suspect they may be cyberbullies. Are there any signs I should be looking for?”

Yes, according to this report, there are signs to look for. Kids involved in cyberbullying may quickly switch screens or close programs when you are near, get excessively upset if their computer or cell phone privileges are revoked or restricted, go out of their way to avoid discussing what they are doing on their cell phone or computer, or have multiple online accounts or an account that isn’t even theirs.

According to the report, “…if a youth acts in ways that are inconsistent with their usual behavior when using these communication devices, it’s time to find out why.”

Okay, so parents, let’s say that you have observed some of the first set of behaviors I described from this report, and you are beginning to suspect that your child is being cyberbullied. What do you do?

First, the report states the obvious; make certain that your child knows that they have your unconditional support, and that they are safe and secure. Convey the clear message, through both words and actions, that you want the cyberbullying to stop as much as they do. Work together, asking for their perspective and input, to develop a course of action that is agreeable to both of you.

If you feel it is necessary to involve the school, explain to your child that it is important to set up a meeting with the principal or a teacher that your child trusts in order to make the school aware of the cyberbullying. If you feel that it would be beneficial, you may want to contact the father or mother of the guilty party to make them aware of the situation and garner their support in your efforts to stop the cyberbullying. Other suggested contacts are the Internet Service Provider, Cell Phone Service Provider or Content Provider to investigate the issue or to have them remove any offensive material. Most importantly, if any physical threats were made or you have knowledge that a crime might have been committed, the police must be involved.

The bottom line is this, “Victims of cyberbullying (and the bystanders who observe it) must know for sure that the adults who they tell will intervene rationally and logically, and not make the situation worse.”

Now, what if you are a parent who discovers that your child is a cyberbully; what do you do?

The report says to first have a conversation in which you communicate how their behavior affects their victim. Make sure they understand that they are causing real pain and harm. Consequences should be firmly applied based on the seriousness of the incident and whether your child truly understands the pain that their actions triggered. Obviously, if the behavior continues after this first confrontation, consequences need to be tougher.

What about those incidents where the cyberbullying was particularly severe? It may be time to install tracking or filtering software on your child’s computer, or remove all technology privileges for a length of time. And keep checking your child’s Internet and cell phone activities to make certain that they have learned to behave responsively with regard to technology devices.

The report makes some valuable suggestions for educating children early on about the appropriate behavior when they are online. It suggests that parents devise an “Internet Use Contract” as well as a “Cell Phone Use Contract” which reflect those positive morals and values that are taught in your home regarding how we treat others. The contracts should make it clear what is acceptable behavior and what is not when using these devices.

Now, here is something I love; both the child and the parent must agree to the terms of these contracts, and the contracts should be posted in a visible place. Violations to the contracts should be met with immediate consequences appropriate to the offense.

Finally, the report emphasizes the necessity of monitoring your child’s activities, especially in the beginning, when they are online. It suggests informal monitoring by being an active participant in their online activities or through monitoring software. Keep those lines of communication open and honest so that they know they can come to you if something unpleasant or distressing occurs when they are interacting on either their computer or cell phone.

Set the tone early and consistently about appropriate behavior online and on cell phones. Be ready to teach and reteach what is allowed, and lead by example. If your children see you using your computer and cell phone responsibly and respectfully, they are more likely to take your lead.

Above all, be watchful, be open, and be aware of what your kids are doing on their computers and cell phones. Being proactive may keep you from having to be reactive.

Bullying, Teacher-World's Blog cyberbullying, Cyberbullying Research Center, parents

I am probably going to make some parents angry with this blog, but I feel the need to spew, so here goes!

Today was a challenging day, and it began with a parent’s phone message regarding her child and the mean things other students are doing to him. In the message, she announced that, yet again, she went directly to our principal by emailing her about the current complaint. Now, let me give you a little background information which will make it clear to you why this sets me off.

This is a parent who we receive regular phone calls, letters, or emails from regarding her son and these vague accusations regarding how mean our students are to him. Upon occasion, we have followed up on minor disagreements he has had with other students, but they have been minor, and he is often guilty of the same behavior he is quick to fault others for.

There are three adults in our co-teaching classroom most of the day. We have never witnessed any of the more horrendous actions described by her son to his mother. In fact, we have discovered through our investigations of these reported incidents that most of the time, the events that have been described to her have been flat out untrue, and her son has admitted as much to us. When she has been told that he is not being honest about what is going on, she continues to believe him and complain about our unwillingness to deal with the students she claims are involved. Usually, her disbelief is followed with a threat to “take it higher”.

What her son has learned is that he can get drama going if he goes home and tells his mother things that have happened in school, real or otherwise, and he has learned to love that drama. He rarely tells us about his issues with other students before he goes home, which would give us the opportunity to deal with them if they are true. He would rather run home and get his mother postal so that she goes off on his teachers and his principal.

I have given you this background information regarding my day to explain why I feel the need to spew tonight. In fact, I was going to blog about something else tonight, but I felt compelled to write this blog specifically to parents. So, I’m sorry if I make you mad, but here goes!

Listen to your children when they come home with their school stories with love but with a bit of skepticism, because kids have a way of telling these stories from their own perspective, often leaving valuable pieces of the story out, especially if those pieces might incriminate themselves. Question them carefully and rationally refraining from judging the situation until you are able to gather more information, and let them know that you will be in touch with their teacher but in a POSITIVE way to try to find out all of the facts. When you contact the teacher, do it in a way that is open to the whole story, understanding that your child is human and maybe left out some of the best parts. Give the teacher the benefit of the doubt and handle the situation with respect. Finally, NEVER go to the principal before trying to work out the problem directly with the teacher. Only resort to that option if your concerns are not met.

Thank you for letting me unload. It was good therapy for me, and I needed that!

Teacher-World's Blog communication, parents, teachers

Finally, here is some really good news for teachers from an Associated Press-Stanford University Poll on education. At a time when teachers are accustomed to being blamed for all that is wrong with education from poor graduation rates to low test scores, this new survey finally points to something those of us in education have tried to say for a long time. According to this survey, 68 percent of adults believe that parents are more to blame for what ails the U.S. education system than teachers, school administrators, or teachers unions. Are people starting to see what is so obvious to those of us in education? It’s about time!

This AP-Stanford Poll in education was conducted by interviews on landline and cellular phones in September with 1,001 adults nationwide. The problems children and parents face tend to be growing and these problems are affecting school performance. For example:

* Many children are hungry, and several studies have linked poor nutrition to problems with concentration, lower standardized test scores, and more absentee issues.
* Many children need help with their homework but their parents are working so hard to make ends meet that they have no time to help with homework.
* Some children face violence at home making it hard to concentrate in school.
* Children under two who have been exposed to too much television seem to take longer to develop language skills according to researchers at the University of Washington.
* According to Attendance Counts, an advocacy group, attendance is a huge issue: One in ten kindergarten and first-grade students miss a month of school every year. This can put them behind other students for years. Additionally they report that by ninth grade, missing 20 percent of school is a better predictor of student dropout rate than test scores.

Do any of these studies surprise those of us in education? Those of us who are considered veteran teachers have witnessed these changes first-hand and the effect they have had on the educational process. But it is heartening to see that parents are beginning to see the connection between society’s struggles and the struggles we face educating our children as a result.

Other heartening news from this survey? Three-fourths of those polled said that the education provided in their local schools was excellent or good, and 55 percent feel that their children are receiving a better education than they received. Additionally, most felt that their children’s school is effectively preparing students for college or for the work force.

I, for one, am encouraged to see surveys like this. This is the kind of message that needs to be told to a nation that is so quick to criticize and blame teachers for the problems in education. The most serious problems we face in education today can be traced back to our societal issues. How about we turn those around instead of the schools?

Changes in Teaching, Teacher-World's Blog Associated Press-Stanford University Poll, parents, teachers

I would like you teachers to consider the following dilemma: how involved are you willing to get at this time of year in whether your students believe in Santa Claus or not? Let me share a true story that causes me to pose this question to you today.

I have a student in my fifth-grade class who, according to her mother, still believes in Santa Claus. Now, by fifth grade, most students have abandoned their earlier beliefs about the existence of Santa Claus. It is a rarity to find a student at this grade level who still believes in the guy in the red coat and pants, with the full white beard, and the sleigh full of presents. Most of them have come to the conclusion by the time they hit my grade that Santa is really their parents, and as long as the presents keep coming in every year, they are okay with that. But, at this time of year, it is often a focus of conversation and conjecture amongst students.

So, imagine my surprise when I received a phone call from a parent whose daughter came home from school very upset due to another student in my classroom asking her if she believed and indicating that he did not. Okay, now I know this is a difficult time for parents because most of us love creating that magic for our children and enjoy their excitement almost as much as they do. I’m not sure who is most upset when our child’s innocent beliefs are shattered, but for this mom, it was pretty clear she could not cope with this situation and was pretty panicked over how it would change Christmas if her daughter stopped believing.

So, what were her demands, because they most certainly were stated as such? First, she wanted me to talk to the student who had laid the groundwork for doubt in her daughter’s eyes. Second, she strongly suggested that I sit down with her daughter and reassure her that there was a Santa. I must confess that this was a first for me. In all my years of teaching, I have never been asked to intervene in a Santa-Claus-loss-of-faith moment, and I was very unwilling to do so now. I had no problem speaking calmly to the student who opened this conversation and reinforce the need to keep our opinions to ourselves when we are talking to someone who still believes. But, I am not this girl’s parent, and I refuse to be forced into a position that should clearly be handled by a parent. So, I talked to the other student, but I ignored the outrageous request to parent this woman’s child.

Teachers are being forced more and more to take on parental roles with their students, and I have done so often when that role is not being filled at home. But I draw the line when it comes to pushing Santa Claus on fifth-graders. Forgive me, Santa, but this is just not my job!

Teacher-World's Blog Christmas, parents, Santa Claus, students, teachers

From time to time I have told you that I will share some of my morning readings with you when they are exceptionally uplifting or thought-provoking. A recent reading from God’s Little Devotional Journal for Women was so wonderful that I felt I needed to share it with you. I am not trying to push my religious beliefs on you. This reading is ideal for everyone to read no matter what your religious beliefs might be. So here goes…

“Our lives are that moment when the perfume hangs in the air before dissipating. We’ve only a mist of a lifetime, and then it will be spent. While our souls will live eternally, our opportunities on this earth to love and laugh with people will be gone before we can fully appreciate it.

So we need to breathe deeply and live fully and thank wholeheartedly and kiss passionately and hug warmly and love without reserve. We need to have babies and train pets and smell good food and laugh with friends. We need to cry freely and dance sometimes and sing whenever we have the chance. We will only have a moment here, and then it will be gone. Looking ahead, it seems like a lifetime, but looking back, it’s just the blink of an eye.”

How many times do we look back and ask ourselves where the time has gone? We live our lives looking forward to what is going to make us happy instead of focusing on what makes us happy right now. My hope for all of us is that we can begin to live for each day and be content in the living. As parents and teachers, we need to teach children to live this way as well. Life truly is fleeting, so let us live today with passion and joy. In the process, we may learn how to be sincerely thankful.

Teacher-World's Blog inspirational words, parents, teachers

With Thanksgiving looming, we all begin to count our blessings and enumerate what we are thankful for. Most of us probably list our families, our health, our friends. But I can’t help but also think of my job and all of the things I have to be grateful for this year professionally.

I am grateful for my co-teacher and my paraprofessional. I am so fortunate to have hard-working but easy-going adults to work with. Our personalities blend beautifully and effortlessly. We have never had a disagreement or even a difference of opinion. We appreciate each other and come in to work each day with a great attitude and with plenty of enthusiasm. The atmosphere is positive and cooperative, and our students see this and react accordingly. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to work with these two ladies and can’t imagine working any other way at this point.

I am grateful that I am able to teach in a co-teaching classroom, and that we are really getting it right this year. We are using the techniques we learned in our training classes and have found them to be very effective. We have dabbled with acting as we teach, and our students love it. In one of our conferences, the parents told us how much their daughter enjoys it when we act things out. They commented upon how rare it was to see teachers get into teaching as we do. We are just hams enough that we love being a little silly and entertaining our students whenever we can. As a result, we are working hard, but we are having a great time doing it.

I am grateful that we have a wonderful group of students this year, especially since this is the first time we have tried a self-contained co-teaching classroom. I can’t imagine if we had kids who were discipline problems when they are in your classroom all day except for specials. So, how lucky we are to have a group of students who are respectful of each other, willing to help each other, and so sweet! They aren’t perfect, but pretty darn close, and we are exceedingly grateful for that.

I am grateful for my other coworkers. We have, in my opinion, an exceptional staff comprised of truly caring teachers and aides. And we generally coexist very peacefully. Oh, from time to time there is a minor skirmish or two, but they are usually settled quickly and life goes on as normal. I am grateful that due to our hard work, we have been acknowledged as a school of excellence and distinction. I just wish that it didn’t take test scores to make that determination.

In general, I am grateful for our parents. For the most part, we have very involved and concerned parents who work diligently and in tandem with our school. We have many parents who volunteer their time to come and help teachers or to work with students to review concepts such as math facts. These parents help our school run more smoothly.

The year is young, but I feel so very grateful for the bountiful blessings I have experienced already, and look forward to what is to come. I hope all of you who are reading this have been as blessed as I have been. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Teacher-World's Blog co-teaching, parents, students, Thanksgiving

A very interesting study performed by a University of Maryland researcher, Sandra L. Hofferth, reveals that preteen children who spend a lot of time on the computer actually seem to do better on achievement tests. Additionally, there appear to be greater benefits for girls and black boys. At face value, it is pretty interesting stuff as it seems just the opposite of what we would expect.

Hofferth published her results in the journal Child Development, stating that, “Generally, adolescent achievement and adjustment showed benefits from the use of the computer, and it didn’t have to be studying. It could be playing games,” because, computer use, “involves problem-solving. It involves reading; it involves communication, and these are skills that help children.” 

According to her research, girls who were spending more time on the computer saw a point improvement in their achievement test scores for math and reading, while African-American boys who spent increased time on the computer improved their reading scores by four points. Another positive effect, Hofferth claims was these same white girls were less likely to be withdrawn when they played on the computer. Children spend time in a variety of different ways on the computer, from messaging, studying and surfing Web sites, social networking, to playing games, but Hofferth noted that the biggest increase in computer activity in young children is the time spent playing computer games.

Now, all of this sounds great at first read, but shouldn’t we also factor in the negative effects of increased computer use by young children? Things like lack of exercise which can lead to child obesity (an issue which is certainly on the rise in America). Young children spend so much time on the computer or video games that they rarely play outside and get fresh air. What about the loss of family time and family activities? What about the lost art of reading a good book instead of vegging on the computer? It is the opinion of many of us in the teaching profession that this highly visual world that young children wrap themselves in makes it difficult for them to focus on activities which are less visually stimulating, thus making some school activities more challenging for them.

I hope if parents read this study, that they weigh very carefully what is to be gained by more computer time. As a parent I would need to ask myself very carefully if one to four points improvement on achievement tests is more important than my children having well-balanced lives filled with family and social activities and regular physical activities for their general health. And whether I would rather see them zoned out in front of a computer screen or curled up with a good book. It is all about priorities, and frankly I would rather raise well-rounded, well-adjusted, socially stimulated and involved children than encouraging more computer time in the hopes that they gain a point or two on tests I don’t even agree with.

state achievement tests, Teacher-World's Blog child obesity, computers, parents, Sandra L. Hofferth, state achievement tests

I learned a valuable lesson yesterday about the internet. Oh, the internet! We all love to use it; to surf it, email, shop, chat, Skype, blog, Facebook, etc. My guess is that most of us rely upon using the internet daily for numerous purposes, as do I. It’s a blessing, but I learned yesterday that it can also be a curse.

We have a parent who is very difficult to deal with. We receive regular letters, phone calls, and emails from her in regards to her son. Frankly, it becomes quite tiresome as most of what she contacts us about are trivial matters and have nothing whatsoever to do with academics. One of her most passionate issues is particularly ridiculous, and when she was unable to get us to budge on this issue, she emailed our principal. He replied to her email by saying he would discuss the issue with us and get back to her, and he forwarded her email and his reply to us. My co-teacher and I are so weary of dealing with this same issue over and over that when we separately responded to the email, we both released some of our frustration over these ongoing, trivial attacks.

Having had my say, I thought nothing more about it until the next morning while getting ready for work. In a moment which I can only compare to being hit by a lightning bolt, the terrible realization struck me that when I sent my email message barreling back through cyber space, I clicked “Reply All”. As my heart beat faster and a terrible palsy hit my extremities, I realized that this mother would not only see our principal’s reply but my co-teacher’s and mine as well. Now, ours were not terrible, but in the hands of an already irate parent, it would be incredible ammunition. All I could think was that I had not only damaged my career but my co-teacher’s as well. I was literally sick with a lethal combination of fear and remorse. The rest of the morning dragged by. I reread our replies and orchestrated my defense for my superiors.

I broke all previous records for early arrival to work, and finally was able to reach my co-teacher by phone. With heavy heart, I confessed to my stupidity. Imagine my surprise when she confessed to clicking on “Reply All” as well! She told me to pull up the emails again and double check who they were sent to as she remembered checking that first and recalled that the mother was not a recipient. Miracle of miracles! We were both safe. My job no longer on the line, I felt a lightness I had been convinced that I would never feel again.

Now, here’s the lesson I learned and pass along to you: I will always respond professionally to any emails I receive through work, even if I am sure that they will only be read by those I work with. One mis-click could cost us dearly as teachers when responding to parents in any way. So, words to live by: Think before you click!

Teacher-World's Blog emails, internet, parents, professionalism, teachers

Well, I have to apologize. In one of my recent blogs about bullying, I made the prediction that if school systems didn’t tighten up their policy and follow through regarding the handling of bullying there was sure to be a lawsuit in the future. Now, I should have Googled “school systems sued for bullying” before I wrote that blog. I’m sorry I didn’t do my homework beforehand, but I did so over the weekend and the news is frightening. Many school systems are already under the gun and facing lawsuits right now. Lesson learned. Google first. Blog later. I will try to make it up to you by blogging about some of the lawsuits out there over the next several blogs. Hopefully, you will forgive my lack of prior research as I fill you in on some of these upcoming cases. I will start with two cases from my home state, Ohio.

Two years ago, in Mentor, Ohio, Sladjana Vidovic, a 16-year old student who had attended Mentor High School, committed suicide by hanging herself by tying a rope around her neck, the other end around a bed post, and jumping out of her bedroom window. She was found by her sister, Suzana, as her body hung over their front lawn. What precipitated this young girl’s suicide? She explained in a note that she had been tormented daily at her school, where she was made fun of for her native Croatian accent, called names like “Slutty Jana” or “Slut-Jana-Vagina”, had food thrown at her, was pushed down the stairs by a boy, and hit in the face with a water bottle by a girl. According to her sister, Sladjana had also received phone calls late at night telling her to go back to Croatia, and that she would be found dead in the morning.

Sladjana’s parents asked the school numerous times to intervene on behalf of their daughter and were assured that the school would take care of the situation. Eventually, Sladjana withdrew from Mentor and a week before she killed herself, she enrolled in an online school in an attempt to escape the bullying. After her suicide, the distraught parents tried to obtain a copy of her records reporting the bullying incidents but were told by school officials that her records were destroyed during a switch to computers. Sounds a little fishy, doesn’t it? The parents decided in August to sue the school system.

A second lawsuit was filed on behalf of Eric Mohat who is described as a flamboyantly loud freshman who was perceived as gay by his fellow classmates because he liked to wear pink, was a lead soprano in the choir, and enjoyed being randomly silly. Because of his behavior and his interests, he was bullied  for his supposed sexual preferences. He had his books knocked out of his hands, was flicked in the head by kids, called homo, faggot, and queer on a regular basis, and even bullied in math class. On March 29, 2007, he shot himself. In April 2009, Eric’s family sued the school district, the principal, the superintendent, and his math teacher. 

Both of these families are claiming that their children were bullied to death and that the Mentor school district did nothing to stop it even though they were made aware of the situation. As parents ourselves can we blame them?

Certainly trying to control bullying in our schools is very difficult, but we owe it to families like these to provide a safe environment for students to learn and grow. My heart goes out to these families, and they are not alone. I will continue to report to you on other cases like these because the more we refuse to ignore bullying, the greater the hope of ending these kinds of tragedies in the future.

Bullying, Teacher-World's Blog administrators, Bullying, parents, school districts, teachers, teen suicide