It's funny, we were told all during the school year that we had to bring our student's ISAT percentile points up. I worked so hard with my Reading class and brought up my percentile points up, not the standard across the board 4 points but a whopping 12 percentile points. My CPS Teacher Report Card has me at 5 percentile points higher than the city's and yet I was told that my pedagogy was not to the curriculum of the school's.
Funny how my position (Did I mention I was just a few months away from being tenured?)was given to a favorite of the Principal who is not endorsed nor qualified to teach my subject. I really hate office politics. You work so hard to make something of your life. Over come obstacles just to be shown the door.
24 August 2010
2 Years???
Has it really been 2 years since my last post? It seems like an eternity. It was difficult posting during those years teaching on the southside as much of my time was filled with travel.
As of June 18th this year I seem to have an abundance of free time. Chicago laid off hundreds of teachers at the end of this past school year, I was one of them. I went from having a job I loved doing, health insurance, security for my family and a real chance at possibly owning my own home for the first time to unemployment, figuring out which bill I have to pay this month and which one I can put off to be sure to make rent this month.
I have worked full time since the age of 15. Often working 2 jobs at a time. This is the first time in 25 years I have not had at least one job. It is very frightening. I really wanted this last year of high school to be a good one for the boy. Filled with excitement, not anxiety.
Funny, I had just begun a savings program of my own at the beginning of this year. I was putting away into savings $150 a paycheck and $50 a paycheck into the boys saving account. It is that money we have been living off of. Funny, that was going to be the down payment money for a home of our own.
What a horrible time to be a teacher. God forbid if you are a new teacher in the city of Chicago.
As of June 18th this year I seem to have an abundance of free time. Chicago laid off hundreds of teachers at the end of this past school year, I was one of them. I went from having a job I loved doing, health insurance, security for my family and a real chance at possibly owning my own home for the first time to unemployment, figuring out which bill I have to pay this month and which one I can put off to be sure to make rent this month.
I have worked full time since the age of 15. Often working 2 jobs at a time. This is the first time in 25 years I have not had at least one job. It is very frightening. I really wanted this last year of high school to be a good one for the boy. Filled with excitement, not anxiety.
Funny, I had just begun a savings program of my own at the beginning of this year. I was putting away into savings $150 a paycheck and $50 a paycheck into the boys saving account. It is that money we have been living off of. Funny, that was going to be the down payment money for a home of our own.
What a horrible time to be a teacher. God forbid if you are a new teacher in the city of Chicago.
02 November 2008
My kid rocks!
My kid rocks! He decided to join the debate team this year at school. Yesterday and Friday were the first tournaments of the year for Chicago Public Schools. His school had 2 teams of 2 for the Junior Varsity section. His school walked away with 1st and 2nd place. My wonderful son walked away with 2nd place speaker! I went on Friday after work to see the first rounds but yesterday the kid was there all day from 7 am to when he came home at 8:30 pm. It was a long day but so worth it to him.
As he gets older he is such a marvel to me. We have always had a pretty close bond. The young man he is growing into makes me proud and more importantly, happy that he is someone I love being around. He is so incredibly intelligent and not afraid to use it. He marches to his own drum and could care less about fashion or fitting in. You can tell that he will become more intellectually stimulated once he begins university. High School is almost half over and his true intellectual exploration can begin.
Though he is way smarter than I was at that age, he and I are so much alike it is scary. I could not have asked for a better kid. I am just happy that he is mine.
As he gets older he is such a marvel to me. We have always had a pretty close bond. The young man he is growing into makes me proud and more importantly, happy that he is someone I love being around. He is so incredibly intelligent and not afraid to use it. He marches to his own drum and could care less about fashion or fitting in. You can tell that he will become more intellectually stimulated once he begins university. High School is almost half over and his true intellectual exploration can begin.
Though he is way smarter than I was at that age, he and I are so much alike it is scary. I could not have asked for a better kid. I am just happy that he is mine.
30 October 2008
Cheating is no big deal???
I've finally finished administering the Illinois State Constitution Exam this week. (A requirement to graduate 8th grade and move on to high school. Federal was administered in 7th grade) For all 4 sections I caught 8 cheaters. What really bothers me is how little the humility and shame was. I had one student ask right after I took away his cheat sheet, so when can I re-test? Anther girl was caught with several numbers written in her hand. When I asked her what they were she said she didn't know. So I proceeded to tell her all of the questions that the answers reflected. She actually wanted to argue with me and tell me she was taking notes during study group right before my class (even though she has Language Arts and the teacher would never allow a cram session during her class) and forgot the numbers were there. She thought the louder she got with me the less likely I would be to call her mother. Well, all of the cheaters got in school suspension and a zero for the test (worth 30% of their quarter grade). They will be able to retest next quarter.
At least the weather is beautiful. We have had 50 degree days and 30 degree nights. I am in heaven. I love fall and winter!
At least the weather is beautiful. We have had 50 degree days and 30 degree nights. I am in heaven. I love fall and winter!
14 September 2008
Welcome to Albany Park
I've also included the expressway that runs along the technology company my husband works for. This underpass is the exit you would take to get to his company.
Thought I'd share some photos from my neighborhood. I usually love living by the north branch of the Chicago River. This weekend is not one of those times. I am very lucky our building is on higher ground but the flooding has been so bad they have evacuated several blocks in my neighborhood. We exceeded rain fall, making records. We haven't seen this much rain since 1987, 21 years ago! We have a big leak in the ceiling of my son's room and the rain won't stop till tomorrow.
This is Foster Avenue! It was closed down yesterday! Foster is one of the busiest streets on the northside.
Keep your fingers crossed we won't have to evacuate!
I know I've always said I love the rain, but this is going a little overboard.
Thought I'd share some photos from my neighborhood. I usually love living by the north branch of the Chicago River. This weekend is not one of those times. I am very lucky our building is on higher ground but the flooding has been so bad they have evacuated several blocks in my neighborhood. We exceeded rain fall, making records. We haven't seen this much rain since 1987, 21 years ago! We have a big leak in the ceiling of my son's room and the rain won't stop till tomorrow.
This is Foster Avenue! It was closed down yesterday! Foster is one of the busiest streets on the northside.
Keep your fingers crossed we won't have to evacuate!
I know I've always said I love the rain, but this is going a little overboard.
06 September 2008
Counting the days
Things are much better than they were a week ago. My Grandmother is adjusting to her new facility. She seems smaller and more lost without my Grandfather but the facility is much better than the last place.
We have our reviews in two weeks. Our Principal wants to see us in action during Reading. I really wish it were during Social Science, my subject, but she wants to see Reading. After the review, we have our wonderful Fall break. Two whole weeks of recuperation.
Open House is next week and the Constitution Test is still a month worth of work away. I really need these kids to be ready soon. Or that parent will be breathing down my neck again. I may just test his son early. If I do, I have already stated to parents I am not doing re-tests for students who pass. Only for the students who have failed.
Nothing worse than a cold just as the weather gets cooler. I rarely get sick and this weekend I have been in bed with sinus congestion and a head flu. Hopefully the NyQuil will work it's magic by Monday.
We have our reviews in two weeks. Our Principal wants to see us in action during Reading. I really wish it were during Social Science, my subject, but she wants to see Reading. After the review, we have our wonderful Fall break. Two whole weeks of recuperation.
Open House is next week and the Constitution Test is still a month worth of work away. I really need these kids to be ready soon. Or that parent will be breathing down my neck again. I may just test his son early. If I do, I have already stated to parents I am not doing re-tests for students who pass. Only for the students who have failed.
Nothing worse than a cold just as the weather gets cooler. I rarely get sick and this weekend I have been in bed with sinus congestion and a head flu. Hopefully the NyQuil will work it's magic by Monday.
30 August 2008
A Day From Hell
Maybe it's because I am upset about putting my Grandmother in a facility this week because of her dementia, or maybe it is because the 1.5 hour drive everyday for the past year in bumper to bumper on the LSD (Lake Shore Drive) is burning me out, or the mountains of extra paperwork that no other CPS school does, or maybe it is just the heat in the school all summer long, but yesterday was my snapping day.
I was already not feeling the greatest because of my Grandmother and the family drama that is always a part of a large family (but that is for another posting) and wondering why I did not take a mental health day. As I was walking back to my classroom (on the 3rd floor) I saw 4 8th grade girls in the hallway. There should have been no students in the building (unless with a teacher) as it was lunch and recess time. I asked the girls where they were suppose to be and they took off running. These girls are in my class from hell 3 days a week. I took off after them. They got as far as the second floor landing and hid. I got them, brought them to the Math teacher, where they were suppose to be. I was really pissed. I told the Math teacher what happened. The girls started to protest and attempt to argue with me. I told them that I do not argue with children and to be quiet. As I attempted to continue talking to the Math teacher (my lunch now cold, still in my hands) the girls thought it would be a good idea to continue to get loud with me. I finally told the girl arguing the most to shut up. I HATE saying shut up. I think it is degrading and mean. I don't tell my son to shut up. He is 15 and could probably count on one hand me telling him to shut up. These girls were banned from lunch in the Math teachers room. I felt so crappy after that.
Flash forward to my second period after lunch. The one Special Ed boy who should be in a self-contained classroom was at his usual antics. From talking non-stop in line. It took 15 minutes before he would be quiet long enough for me to let them in for a quiz. As the class was taking the quiz he was quiet for all of 5 minutes then began making noise, talking loud to people and finally called another student a prick very loudly. That was my breaking point. I told him that language is not acceptable in the classroom. He wanted to start arguing with me that he said brick. (Oldest trick in the book, using another word that sounds like the curse word.) He would not stop talking, arguing, causing disruption, and I had enough. I usually have to keep this student with me for every class his homeroom has with me. I couldn't deal with the disrespect so I sent him to the Special Ed teacher. He wanted to argue with me some more and I told him to get the hell out of my classroom.
I hate that those types of things work with these students. I hate being mean. I hate getting angry. But when I have parents that I call regarding behavior get angry with you for calling about their kid talking too much or their sons making sure when they sit down that the waist of their pants in halfway down their leg and you have to constantly tell them to pull up their pants. It is so frustrating. There are only so many write-ups and phone calls that are not backed up with any real action in the office that you can take. Sure, the office will tell you to give detention in your classroom during lunch and recess, giving up your lunch to be in a room full of students who have the worst behavior in the class. It was just too much yesterday.
I am just so happy it is a 3 day weekend. I really need to just stay in bed.
I was already not feeling the greatest because of my Grandmother and the family drama that is always a part of a large family (but that is for another posting) and wondering why I did not take a mental health day. As I was walking back to my classroom (on the 3rd floor) I saw 4 8th grade girls in the hallway. There should have been no students in the building (unless with a teacher) as it was lunch and recess time. I asked the girls where they were suppose to be and they took off running. These girls are in my class from hell 3 days a week. I took off after them. They got as far as the second floor landing and hid. I got them, brought them to the Math teacher, where they were suppose to be. I was really pissed. I told the Math teacher what happened. The girls started to protest and attempt to argue with me. I told them that I do not argue with children and to be quiet. As I attempted to continue talking to the Math teacher (my lunch now cold, still in my hands) the girls thought it would be a good idea to continue to get loud with me. I finally told the girl arguing the most to shut up. I HATE saying shut up. I think it is degrading and mean. I don't tell my son to shut up. He is 15 and could probably count on one hand me telling him to shut up. These girls were banned from lunch in the Math teachers room. I felt so crappy after that.
Flash forward to my second period after lunch. The one Special Ed boy who should be in a self-contained classroom was at his usual antics. From talking non-stop in line. It took 15 minutes before he would be quiet long enough for me to let them in for a quiz. As the class was taking the quiz he was quiet for all of 5 minutes then began making noise, talking loud to people and finally called another student a prick very loudly. That was my breaking point. I told him that language is not acceptable in the classroom. He wanted to start arguing with me that he said brick. (Oldest trick in the book, using another word that sounds like the curse word.) He would not stop talking, arguing, causing disruption, and I had enough. I usually have to keep this student with me for every class his homeroom has with me. I couldn't deal with the disrespect so I sent him to the Special Ed teacher. He wanted to argue with me some more and I told him to get the hell out of my classroom.
I hate that those types of things work with these students. I hate being mean. I hate getting angry. But when I have parents that I call regarding behavior get angry with you for calling about their kid talking too much or their sons making sure when they sit down that the waist of their pants in halfway down their leg and you have to constantly tell them to pull up their pants. It is so frustrating. There are only so many write-ups and phone calls that are not backed up with any real action in the office that you can take. Sure, the office will tell you to give detention in your classroom during lunch and recess, giving up your lunch to be in a room full of students who have the worst behavior in the class. It was just too much yesterday.
I am just so happy it is a 3 day weekend. I really need to just stay in bed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)