Reading

One class is fairly bright and is small, so often we finish the lesson early.  Ideally we are supposed to keep them busy, "teach bell to bell" but what happens in a week.  Its JROTC uniform day.  The students are talking about "Hunger games" and the differences between the movie and book. Afterall a class room of girls, I have a _lot_ of _Hunger_Games_ fans.  I have never read the book entirely or watched the movie (okay I "watched" it on the screen of the guy next to me on the flight back from london), but I'm fairly familiar with it.  "You know the real horror is not that the children are killed, but that Capital City can make the children into killers."

A few students nod their heads at this and began talking.  "hey John and Melissa,naming the two JROTC students and then tugging my collar; we don't turn our kids into killers do we."  After a few seconds one of the original conversationists caught my context.

"The army doesn't kill people protests" Melissa.

"Sure it does, the job of the Military is to kill people and break things"

A few rounds, Melissa opins,  "the army protects people."

"sure it does, by killing the bad guys."

A few, including the other JROTC student caught on what I was saying.

The military's job is to kill the enemy of the state when ordered by the state.  Hopefully the state is wise and uses compassion and judgement when ordering these killings.

BTW I am a veteran, the wife, daughter, sister,  and grandaughter of veterans, along with the mother of a soldier. 

remediation

http://communitycollegespotlight.org/content/lepage-high-schools-should-fund-dev-ed_10214/

I am not sure.  I think something like this has been tried in the courts and the ruling was "the education was offerred, you did not take advantage of it."

national

In correspondence to  http://rightontheleftcoast.blogspot.com/2012/08/national-board-certification.html

Yea tis a who came first question.  I get my National, does the process make me a good teacher, or was I good teacher to begin with and national acknowledges this. 

It reminds me when I was in a Medieval reenactment group.  Being knighted does not give you the chivalric virtues, you already had them, we just acknowledge this.

Since I have a job at another school, settling in, getting used to new systems, colleagues, students; I am delaying plan to get my national until next year.  I think my statement of that at my interview helped me get the job.


I have three years to get this, jumping through hoops.  I will have no problem with the test. 

I will admit I do it, its not because of the prestige or being able to move.  It is, as my novice pointed out, 5,000 in 10 years.  That pays off my house.

(okay it is a little of the prestige, I can see it now at professional development "talk to my national certification").

A few years back I had some students who I refered to as the "harry potter" group.  The nickname got picked up by the other teachers and eventually I had to explain to the students why.  "well Harry has black hair,  Ron is always described as tall with long arms, Hermione is the smartest student.  Besides there are worse things than being compared to a group who save the world."  After that, they embraced that with style.  Now they are in college.  The girl had 70 thousand dollar plus scholarships last I heard.

Every now and then at a book shelve there is a grandmother looking at the HP books.  She's not sure, because it has witchcraft in it.  "look I say, magic is not what this series is about.  It is about friendship, loyalty, never giving up and love.  Children read this book not for the gore but because they like and need heroes."

There they are, together.


http://cdn.channel.aol.com/aolr/02-stone-harry-potter-400a112706.jpg

differences

When you come to my house, you will see books (lots of books), maybe a magazine, newspapers (local and WSJ), a dry wipe schedule and to do list and clocks prominent in kitchen and living room.

Go into the house of a poorly performing student.  No reading material, TV is on or possibly somebody is playing an x box.  Nothing about time management.

what do you mean?

Students ask if they can say *insert word"

"sure I say its all a matter of context"

Mary rode an ass to Bethlehem.
Be sure to cock the valve on the buret.
Do not prick your finger with the salpel.

union?

I live in a right to work state.  Since I teach in small schools, and have one on one contact with people in charge and see no reason for needing a voice.

It has been years since I have even been approached to join the union.  The last time was a general meeting which started as its key benefit they will pay for a lawyer if I get sued.  Somehow that does not seem  like a selling point.  That and the fact that they want over a hundred dollars a month.  No I do not think so.  I do not believe in my case that I will get benefits close to my cost.