Hello High School Teachers!

(How many of us (high school)are there on this forum, by the way? I get the feeling we're in the minority here....)

First 3 days: What I Did
Anyway, we started school on Wednesday, so I have now had my classes for a full three days. On Wednesday, I introduced the Class/Yes, Rules, Scoreboard and Teach/OK. I also had a brain model (thanks to our Anatomy & Physiology teacher) and gave them an overview of WHY I teach the way I do. And I squeezed a demo in for my content (Physics).(FYI....I teach 80 minute blocks.)

I also started a PowerPix wall, though I had to cover up a whiteboard to do it. I wasn't using it much, though, so I think it will be OK.

Thursday I taught them Teach/OK with the SWITCH and continued with content. And on Friday, I told them they could only score points on the SCOREBOARD if I got 100% participation for Teach/OK.

How It Went, or Mrs. Molnar Finally "Gets" the Leadership Thing
To summarize: This has been THE SMOOTHEST startup so far. (This will be my third year of teaching, my second with WBT). And I think it's because this year I'm implementing the class evaluation method from WBT. Even though I haven't officially "scored" myself yet (its only been 3 days), as I walk around the room, I'm focusing more, at least right now, on whether my kids are engaged, than I am on the content itself.

Although it's taken awhile to sink in, I think I finally understand what Coash B means when he says we have to "unite the class behind our leadership." I want my kids telling EACH OTHER to get-with-the-program so that NO ONE ends up with the extra homework... (In other words, follow MY agenda, not the trouble-maker who sits next to you).

So I'm really going to focus on MY leadership first. I am slowly implementing aspects of the Model WBT Classroom, but I have some doubts about using a "Super Improver Wall" at the high school level. It seems a bit childish. And it appears linked to SuperSpeed Math and Super1000 reading, which I don't really do in Physics....I did, however, ask my kids to write down a goal for themselves (in their own notebook) for the year (about anything) and said we would revisit it from time to time to see how they are progressing.

And, as I teach Science, I'm not sure about a Genius ladder for writing....I'll have to give that some thought. I'm thinking that, before our first writing assignment or lab, I might spend one day going over it, and my expectations for complete sentences in their writing. But really they should know how to write paragraphs by ninth grade! (AND they get explicit instruction all year in English)

No troublemakers Yet?

So here's the really suspicious thing....none of the usual cast of clowns, chatty-types, and other assorted "disruptors" have appeared yet. Could I be merely lucky? Could it be I've gotten them in order in just 3 days? (Maybe a combination?) And I'm not sure who the leaders are yet. There the usual few in each class who raise their hands to answer every question, and who, in turn, aren't afraid to raise their hands to ask insightful questions. But, is this leadership potential? If so, how do I get them to influence those around them to follow their lead?

Others tell me its early yet to tell, but in my (albeit limited) experience, I can usually tell in the first day or two who my problem-students will be....


Well, that's all for now, folks.
Let me know how your first few days are going!

- Jen

Wow, don't feel like your in the minority. We elementary teachers, middle school folks need to know that what you get down the line are ready, behaved and energetic students. Sounds like you got um. As for your usual suspects-hope they never arrive-ten finger wooooo for you.
Annette-

I also started a fresh year with WBT, and so far, so good! We have our scoreboard, we have our Class!Yes! down pat, we are doing Teach/OK! on a regular basis. And as far as having no "clowns"... I have one. In all 7 classes of Chemisry and ChemComm(lower level kids), I have... one. And what I have found is that because HE is the cause of the ONLY negative points in that whole class, I had to rescue him from the other kids when his antics caused them to give me a point on the scoreboard! Needless to say, he hasn't given me any "guff" since!

Those who would normally give me trouble are too dang busy trying to figure out what this crazy woman is going to do next to give me any grief at all. They are actively participating in class which means they are not "bored" with the subject. They are actively engaging with other students, which seems to meet at least part of their need to "socialize." They are are actually learning the content instead of filling out a stupid worksheet and/or listening to me talk. (No matter how entertaining I am, I can NOT compete with silly gestures and active learning!) Thus my theory is this: The methodology used in this learning style actively prevents misbehavior in class.

Suggestion: As you teach physics and are preparing for labs, use the "crazy professor reading game" to get them to read the labs beforehand. It has worked wonders for me on the two very simple labs I have done, and I KNOW the students have read the directions!

Have a great year, I know *I* am!