Ron Berger

I'm  still hoping to join the previous post's discussion, but I just have to say...how can you NOT be inspired by that? How can we enact this in our school sites and the future?

 (provided we aren't able to find jobs at expeditionary schools--I already checked, and the only one in Mpls/St Paul isn't hiring, so I'm out of luck)

Whoo Blogs!

Hey dudes and dudettes!

I've been meaning to visit this blog for awhile now. So I was SO excited to play this Jeopardy game with my kiddos yesterday but they were overly excited and freakin' crazy! At the end of class, a lot of them ran around the hallway to my embarrassment. Ugh. Then, my next class, kids started throwing scissors at each other, running around, stomping on each other's backpacks, and other sorts of random craziness. I realized that it's not enough to say, "Stop that. Apologize. Be quiet."

Giving strikes and lunch detentions definitely work. But they go a long way if you actually have a deeper relationship with the kid. Then, you can use the "look" to shut them up in class.

I'm always inspired by my mentor teacher - she's a rockstar! I realize that a lot of the things I want to try (like more group roles!), she's already tried before. It's really important to know if the school climate is going to support the things you want to do.

I've had many moments where I ask myself if I really want to be doing urban education. It's trying to be an environment where some students are not motivated - not doing classwork or homework. It's commonplace to learn about a student's homelessness, abuse problems, rape, and run ins with the law. It's weird because it's like I expected to hear these things. So I feel simultaneously desensitized to and depressed about these sad stories. Reading the stories that Lily's students wrote about their drug-filled social lives and abusive relationships made me feel that something is backwards about the world we're living in.

It's energizing to be with students who want to learn and make me feel like an effective teacher by demonstrating growth. I sometimes get high on this feeling. It makes me want to go to a school where I will be valued by the majority of students...instead of feeling stepped on everyday by kids.

But we must stay inspired to stick with schools that need dedicated teachers like us! Why? I exactly don't know but I feel that we need to...even if that means going to teach at a suburban school first and returning to urban schools.

I'll be returning to the reasons why we should stay inspired. But toward what goal? I think we all have distinct goals. What are some of your goals for teaching? What are some reasons why you are here?

Julie Rocks and...Forcing IT!

Julie,

Thanks for kicking us off awesomely. and thanks for being a great colleague. I'll have a reply to your post soon, but, first I'll share what I started writing tonight on the T.  

"Forcing It"

The students of Cambridge and Boston are on to something. 

This uibiquitous phrase, bane of many teacher's existence, taps into a certain school culture zeitgeist that is quite worrisome: teachers doing things for no reason.

"Wow, Mr. Bonde, you're even forcing it about forcing it!"

Yes, indeed I am, but this is the less worrisome kind of 'force'--overdramatizing something (hopefully, if you are teaching, it is in order to get your point across).

But even this is a bit worrisome, because it is also overused, and students get tired of all your 'forces.'

So let's try again, and see if I can do it without forcing it...

Let's thank the children of Boston for using the word force, because what they could be saying is “bullshit.” The 'force' phenomenon is essentially a brilliant collective bullshit detector. 

I know why I've been struggling to post something here as a startup (aside from having the flu this weekend). Here I am trying to think of something like “Share your purpose for teaching” or “What's something valuable you've learned so far” which I was currently feeling, which would make it...forced.

I was thinking to “Stay Inspired” that this thing had to be “let's share everything that works” “let's talk about the cool speakers we saw” “what do you think of the recent policy being discussed in EdWeek?”

And of course it can be that, but after having a few drinks on Friday afternoon with some fellow TEPsters, I know that know that I'm going to need some shared bitching to get me through. And i'm going to need say, “I really blew that lesson” and somebody to say back, 'chill out, learn from it and move on' (or something more brilliant). Stay Inspired will remain the title to remind us, even when it is hard as hell and we are exhausted, it is because we care like hell. I could have maybe titled it “Let's Talk about Teaching... because it Matters” or something like that. But I like to think of "Stay Inspired" as not necessarily the theme of the blog, though to a certain extent it is, but more of a daily reminder. Whatever we need to talk about, talk about, just keep it in the back of your mind. Of course, as far as daily reminders go, I could have just have easily named it: "Don't Force it."

So, the trouble.

I posit that student teaching is, by nature, forcing it. 

But to continue writing anymore, quite honestly, would also be a force, because I just found out tomorrow is a SNOW DAY!

which is enough to remind me of the joys of teaching for another day...

(R.I.P John Updike)

Lunch Post: Other blogs

wow, I'm obsessed with this blogging thing. I added some education blogs at the bottom of the page. Back when I had time to read, I would check these religiously, hopefully they are still good blogs. Anybody have any other good ones I can add? Just let me know!

A few more things

1. I know nothing about blogging. So bear with me.

2. I have invited everyone from TEP '09 to be authors (meaning you can post), I'm glad to see it growing. We can expand beyond us if we desire. I haven't invited any professors but I'm happy to. (anyone can comment, of course)

3. I wanted to add Aaron's phrasing "continuing conversations" about teaching as a significant purpose for this blog. If all goes well, we can carry this on beyond this year.

4. I was asked about subscribing to the blog, I've added something to the bottom of the page for that. I hope it works.

5. Gavin people rock. Thanks for chatting with me this week. Key to Staying Inspired: Great Colleagues!

6. I haven't thought of a good kickoff topic post yet. If you have one, please go for it. But something will come up this weekend if not.

7. I'm clearly excited about this, so I'll probably be posting a bit obsessively at the beginning here. I apologize. A reminder (to me and everyone): this is not my blog, it is for all of us. 

Peace and Pieces of Pizza (from upper crust, of course)

This Blog...

Is for days like today, when things just don't go so well. When the kids are out of control, your lesson bombs, or just become overwhelmed by how much work it is to be a teacher.

And now, more specifically, in honor of Vicki...

The Purpose: To remind us why we love teaching

How we will acheive this goal:

-Sharing our reasons for teaching (purpose papers welcome! seriously!)

-Sharing when things go well, including sharing great lessons that others can use

-Asking for help, telling others when you are feeling overwhelmed (breakdown the isolation!)

-Sharing anything else we hear about that is going on in the education world that you find particularly cool, exciting, inspiring, etc.

-Other heretofore unseen ways that I know you all will come up with.

-And hopefully, maybe spreading the greatness of teaching and the power of education to others beyond TEP.

To quote Ms. Shannon Smith, "I forget how awesome everyone is."

Please, let's share our awesomeness.

Stay Inspired.

(and hey, feel free to be corny! like ending your posts with "Stay Inspired." The goal is to increase the TEP teacher smile count)

You have been invited

To post on this blog. I am at school right now so I'll explain more later. Shannon knows what this is...