A "New" Beginning

The school year is nearing the half way point. I've given taken the recommendations of my superiors and tried them so far. I've been incredibly unhappy and dissatisfied with my job and the issues I'd been having with students. I told my principal that this could be my last year. I gave myself 5 years to determine whether I liked this position or not, so it was time to decide. After all, an unhappy teacher really doesn't make life that fun for the students.

Instead, I decided to buck the system and go back to what I do best: TEACH. For those who haven't seen the previous posts, I was asked to be more like another, much more experienced E/S Sci teacher. In doing so, I became what I would call the "worksheet king". Students came in, worked on assignments, turned them in and I corrected them...I didn't really teach much. This drove me absolutely nuts and created more discipline issues than ever before. I gave this up and started doing my own thing again. All is well again. I'm happy. Students are more responsive. Grades are improving. Discipline issues have fallen. I don't mind getting up to go to work. It's all become worthwhile again. I did keep the curriculum timing adjustments and am working on the same material at the same time as my counterpart, but I'm doing it my way!
I'm just sorry that I stuck with a bum steer for soooo long. I know that there is a fine line between being the 'sage on the stage', and allowing students to discover things, but I believe that giving students worksheets and having them work is far worse than actually teaching them. Allowing them to be confused for a little while before helping them makes them think and use what they’ve learned. Regurgitation of facts isn’t really that useful in the world, unless you’re Cliff Clavin(sp?). Keeping the students involved seems to make the discipline issues go away. Class is fun again. I'm happy again. All is right with the world.

I like to think that the students are learning more and have more of a tendency to become involved in some science field when they enjoy what they’re learning. I do agree that being an entertainer over being a teacher isn’t right either. At any rate, I’m happy to back to being me and actually enjoying my position.

I’m just finishing putting the finishing touches on my latest newsletter which is sent out to parents. Students earn bonus points if they read through it with their parents and get them to sign that they have read it. I know that some just sign, but the comments I get from many parents show that they are actually reading it. This issue deals with the natural resources unit that was cut from my curriculum this year. Hopefully it will make some difference in the student or parent behavior when it comes to our little oblate spheroid and the limited resources it contains.