Learning from Failure

NY Times Article

This article describes a prestigious NYC school. It seems to me that the headmaster has some interesting ideas.  Cancel AP classes for the high school?  Rethink the entrance exams for pre-K?  Teach kids character?  KIPP schools? Training them in fractions and algebra, but also perseverance and empathy? 

Character Traits as defined by wikipedia.

The article goes on to discuss the success or failure of KIPP students in 4-year colleges.  Further, it discusses Seligman's views of character development and its implementation at the swanky private school mentioned early in the article.

An interesting read.

Posted by: BB

The Montessori Mafia

http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2011/04/05/the-montessori-mafia/

An interesting article about fostering creativity.  Apparently there are a slew of the creative innovators, founders of both Google and Wikipedia, for instance, that were Montessori students before changing the world.  This article talks a good deal about the importance Montessori schools put on the students' interests.

Interested in observing at a Montessori Middle School?  Here are some in the Chicago Metro Area

http://www.chiaravalle.org/
http://www.nnms.org/
http://www.rpmschool.org/

If interested, here is a good summary of the Montessori Method.

Posted by: BB 

 

What to expect in middle school

As I was looking for something interesting to post I found a website that has some information basically for parents, but could also be helpful to any of us who haven't had expeirence with middle school students.

http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/10624-sixth-grade-academics-what-to-expect

This website has insight for  parents and what their child should expect in each content area. There is also a link for more middle school resources, which I think is very helpful as well!

http://www.schoolfamily.com/middle-school

Courtney O

These Kids Went All Out...

I was doing a little research on bullying and I ran into this video. It's a little long at just over 5 minutes but it's seriously impressive. These kids obviously worked really hard to get out a positive (and catchy) message! Go Long Branch Middle School!

Tougher Evaluations Could Force More Schools to Close

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/10/27/10mct_ilevaluations.h31.html

"After years of futility inside the classroom, Chicago Public Schools soon will adopt a more rigorous internal evaluation system that judges schools on how well they prepare students for college, a move that could lead to more school closings in the years ahead."

This article is an eye-opener (apparently) about how well CPS teachers and schools are performing, parents' reactions, and the potential consequences for education in Chicago

-DS

My Own Middle School Milestones

Here it is, the church/school where I spent my middle school years.  Holy Trinity in Bloomington Illinois.  

As I try to get in touch with my inner middle school student I took some time to reflect back on my own experience.  Here are some of the memories that stood out:

-One of the most unforgettable events was being "dumped" by all of my friends at the beginning of 7th grade.  In 5th and 6th grade I was a part of the popular crowd.  This crowd was as stereotypical as they come.  All of the girls were pretty, their families were wealthy, and their attitudes were snooty-to-the-max.  I spent the first two years of middle school begging my parents for things that they couldn't afford including things as outlandish as a country club membership and a spring break vacation to Destin, Florida.  While I tortured my parents at home, I was just as bad to my fellow classmates at school.  I would create exclusive clubs flaunt their existence as being the ultimate in cool and then refuse to let the other girls participate.  As we returned to school for 7th grade I got a taste of my own medicine.  Mysteriously my cool friends started giving me the stink eye and refusing to talk to me.  The only explanation I got from them is "We're not friends anymore."

-Then there is the more positive side to this sad middle school tale.  While sitting in Mr. Vogel's homeroom Amy Bartolo and Diane Swanson asked me, "Hey Sarah, what's up with Taylor and Bridget?  You haven't been hanging out with them lately."  I'm not sure why but this small inquiry  blossomed into a friendship that still holds strong to this day.  These girls noticed I was suddenly alone and reached out to me.  They didn't judge me or my mean girl actions of the past two years, they simply invited me into their world.  It turns out I felt much more comfortable with my new crowd.  I didn't have to pretend to be rich, I didn't have to wear make up, and best of all I didn't have to mean to my classmates in order to keep my street cred.  

-My number one most awkward memory: Most girls developed breasts, all girls bought a bra, I take off my shirt to change for P.E. and flash a bare flat chest.  When did this happen!?!  When I was the last bare chested 7th grader at HTGS I begged my mother to buy me a bra and all she said was "Why do you want to start wearing a bra?  You don't even need one."  Oh gee, thanks mom.  After a few weeks of wearing one of my t-shirts under my gym shirt to avoid flashing my classmates, my mom gave in and bought me some bras.

-One of the biggest changes to take place in middle school was my relationship with boys.  Where as before it was non existent, now I saw them and I desperately wanted them to see me.  Sixth grade was the year of the 3 week 'relationship.'  I'm not sure how it would happen, but somehow I would couple up with a boy.  We would pass notes in school and talk on the phone at night.  No dates, no intimacy and then after approximately 3 weeks the relationship would peacefully disband and we would both move on.

This self reflection has been helpful for me and I hope it has sparked some long forgotten memories for you as well.  If I ever enter another middle school classroom, this time as the teacher, I will make sure to channel these memories once again in order to empathize with the harsh reality that middle school can sometimes be.

-Middle School memories provided by: Sarah   

in the know

Adolescents love when you incorporate humor or pop culture into the lessons you teach.  It’s amazing how some students will gravitate to you when you show them you’re in the know about life.  Using humor or pop culture in lessons is all about making your lessons relevant to the students and their lives outside the classroom.  As I grow as a teacher I try to make my lessons relevant and show my students how what we are doing in the classroom is applicable to the world outside the classroom.

JOseph