Friday, April 26, 2019

Sub in Math Class

Today I am support a math class.  The students are all having private conversations and the sub can’t even share the information.  We are doing areas of circles.  He is explaining pie or 22/7.  The girls in the front of the classroom are very disrespectful sitting in alternative seating.  I have asked them to be quiet and they just mimic me.  Now the table in the middle is talking so loud I can hear every word in the back of the classroom.

I feel bad for the sub.  Perhaps he just doesn’t care.  He just writes the information down and asked them to write it down.  Now he is saying ‘sh, sh,’.  They are quiet now.  Everyone can take notes.  Two students to my right just got their computers out.  He is reminding them to write down the information to help them pass high school.  The sub teaches physics in summer school for all the people who fail. Another two students went up to get their computers.  One student did not write down any notes.  He says he just knows it.

There are many Fridays with subs in this math class. I hope they are learning. Their math text book is on the computer.  So a student moved so I won’t see his screen so I moved to.  He quickly switched to the math book instead of his game. Another student is just drawing after he received a 43% on his last test.  I can’t motivate him to write down the notes. One student is on cool math games and says he does not need to be doing work from his math book.  The girls in the row are just writing a note to a friend and doing it as a group being very loud.  I don’t know how anyone can get work done during this math class.              

I don’t know how to help students in this class!!  Any ideas?                                                                                                                              

Friday, April 5, 2019

Middle School 8th Grade English CLass

As I sit in the back of the room,  after offering to help students I observe what is going on.  One student is watching videos.  She turned her screen so I won’t notice her.  She wants to write a topic about herself.  But goes back to her video.  The young man sitting next to her is wearing a hood.  He appears to be the size of a high school student. He does not know what to write about either and has not picked a topic.

Another student is drawing.  I have asked him three times to pick a topic and he just shakes his head and draws some more.  Two students are having a secret conversation and he is on his third computer as they ‘don’t work’. Many students seems to be working. I took a picture but need to edit it to take out the face of a student.The room is silent but some students listen to music on the computer with their headphones.

The regular teacher is out but it is the same when the teacher is here.  It is quiet so at least you can think.  I wish the students would accept help and work.  The assignment is 1. Complete Steps 1 and 2 and begin Step 3 rewear.  Follow directions on Google Classroom document.

Friday, January 11, 2019

Middle School English

I am just the Ed Specialist helping out in an English class.  This students sit at their desks and write on the computer.  The teacher sits at his desk on his computer as well.  The assignments are listed on the white board in front of the class.  I have yet to find a student who wants any help.  Half way through the class, the teacher annouces to move to your partner and start writing your short story.  Students move and now there is more talking in the class.  Teacher is still sitting at his computer.  I have walked around a few times.  I have asked students to stop playing a game.  I get up again and now two students are playing a game instead of writing their story.  The teacher then shouts out who has not replied to the prompt in Google Classroom.  I still don’t understand the purpose to co-teaching.  I don’t feel helpful in the middle school classroom.

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Why Our Children Are So Bored at School

This was published May 16, 2016 and I can’t find more details about the OT who published this.

The author feels our students come to school emotionally unavailable for learning. I am having trouble with this keyboard as it is putting in periods whenever it feels like it..  I. Hope I can remember to correct all of this...

She feels children’s brains are affected by

1. Technology I have a 1st. Grade Student who does not want to be at school. Because he would rather be home playing Minecraft.  Now in second grade he cannot write well enough.  To read what he writes..   School. Is. Too. Boring for.  Him
.
2.. Kids are getting everything they want. When they want it. Parents are forgetting to teach delayed gratification. Students are used to getting what ever they want when they wanted it.


3. Kids rule.  The world. Students won’t eat the school lunch because they don’t like the food. Children are dictating how to parent them. Students arrive at school irritable, anxious and inattentive.

4.  Endless fun.  We have created a world with no dull moments. For our children.  “ This basic. Monotonous work that trains the brain to be workable and function under. ‘Boredom,,’. Which is the same ‘Muscle’ that is required to eventually be teachable at school.”

5.  Limited social interaction.  We are all so busy. We give out electronics to help our kids be busy and. Quiet.  Technology has replaced outdoor time.
Make Note — “The brain is just like a muscle that is trainable and re-trainable.  If you want. Your child. To be able to wait, you need to teach him patience.”

So you should...
1. Limit. Technology
2. Have family dinners, play board game, have family nights.
3.. Delay. Gratification — make them wait.

Avoid technology use. In cars and restaurants
Limit. Constant snacking.

Set limits

Develop chores for them to help you
Teach social skills.