It's not the program, but how you use it

Questions about the merits or lack of them of Accelerated Reader surfaced again on our state's media specialist listserve this week. After all these years, the debate is still whether to use such programs or whether not to use them.

The discussion needs to be re-framed from yeah or nay, to how to use any tool well.

These have been my questions/guidleines about any reward-based reading program originally published in a 10-year-old column, Creating Fat Kids Who Don’t Like to Read:

1. Does my reading promotion program stress personal accomplishment and individual accomplishment? Do students have the ability to set their own reading goals? Can students at a variety of reading levels and abilities meet target goals or will only the very best readers be recognized? Are only set percentage of students recognized for their accomplishments or will all students who reach a goal be acknowledged?
2. Does my reading promotion program set goals that promote collaborative work? Are only individuals recognized for the amounts they have read, or can small groups or classes collaborate?
3. Is my reading promotion program only part of my total reading program? Do I still emphasize books, magazines and other reading materials that may not “count” in the promotional reading program? Are my students also reading books because of hearing exciting booktalks, listening to enthusiastic peer recommendations, and being given well-constructed classroom bibliographies tied to content areas?
4. Is my reading promotion program available to my students for only a limited duration during the school year? Do my students get the chance to read for the sake of reading after the promotion is over, to really experience the true, intrinsic rewards that come from being lost in a story or learning interesting facts? Have I tried to determine whether my program really leads to life-long reading behaviors?
5. Does my reading promotion program stay away from material rewards like food, stickers, or parties? Are students or groups recognized for meeting their goals through public announcements and certificates? If I have to give out some physical reward, is it at least a book? (Or low-fat, sugar-free!)

So, what are your ways to build an intrinsic love of reading through programs designed to stress the extrinsic rewards?

Greetings from snowy St. Charles, MO, and the METC conference. I am looking forward to seeing Meg Ormiston's keynote this morning. I hope the weather is good enough for people to attend. And for me to get home tonight!

10 Things I Wish I Knew As A First Year Teacher

This is in response to (a very flattering) request by Joel on his So You Want to Teach blog. He's asking for a list the 10 Things I Wish I Knew As a First Year Teacher.

Man, that was over 30 years ago now. I started as a high school English, speech and drama teacher in a small school district in Iowa in 1976. I was also the yearbook, newspaper, class play and speech contest adviser. My first year's salary was $7,800. We lived in a house that I would not put a dog in today. And I was a terrible teacher.

If I knew then what I know now...

1. Leave your ego at the door. I think I lost my temper at least once a day before I somehow learned not to take student remarks and actions personally and to actually be more mature than the kids I taught. Man, this was really hard. Prepare to be dissed. It comes with the job.

2. Admit ignorance or uncertainty. The best questions to discuss in class are the ones for which you really don't have a good answer.

3. Let the kids teach each other. Your goal should be for your students to do more and more and for you to do less and less.

4. Don't play gotcha on tests. Let kids know exactly what you expect them to know and be able to do. That way you are an ally in their success, not the enemy.

5. Some administrators are incompetent. Be subversive when it helps kids. Make at least one really good friend on the teaching staff with whom to commiserate.

6. The majority of parent complaints will come from extra curricular decisions. Give the school board member's kid the lead in the play. It's not a hill worth dying on.

7. You'll never be able to live on a single teaching salary. Get used to a second job and/or a summer job. Or marry for money.

8. If at first you don't succeed, try a different age group to teach. I didn't like teaching high school students. I loved teaching middle schoolers. I like teaching adults even better. I found elementary children fun, but sort of annoying. Sorry.

9. Lighten up on yourself. Teaching is a hell of lot harder than it looks. Practice will make you better, but never perfect.

10. Some kids will do well because of you; some will do well despite you. You won't reach every kid, but there will always be some kids who will benefit from knowing you. Have faith that you are doing good in the world.

I still get the urge to place a full-page ad in the town paper where I first taught, apologizing to everyone who may have had me as a teacher for the two years I was employed there.

I still might.

My first year school picture. Oh, as a teacher, not a kindergartner.

Advice to the computer-lorn

As Blue Skunk readers know, I sometimes get "advice to the computer/library-lorn e-mails. Being a guy,  I am always happy to provide a response. But you all can do better! So here is the letter:

Hello Mr. Johnson,

My name is Nancy ... and I am a 42 year old, 1st year teacher.....that says a lot right there doesn't it!?!

1 week before school I was given the 4-5-6th grade computer classes to teach.  I know very basic about computer and I know nothing on how to teach computer.  An example of how I feel about teaching computer......Let's say you sang in the choir during high school and I will even give you college choir.  Then one week before school started you were asked to teach music class ~ This is how I feel about teaching computer class.  I am an accomplished musician so I could easily go in and teach music and do a wonderful job but.....computer?  I have used a computer and I am familiar with Microsoft Office but that is my extent.

My question.....is there a book, a program, a curriculum available to the average computer person that would help them become an excellent computer TEACHER?

Thank you for your time and prayers (if you would be so kind)!  I can hardly wait to hear from you!!!

Blessings,

Nancy

Here is my response:

Hi Nancy,

First, please call me Doug.

I suspect that I will give you an answer you may not want to hear. Although I am sure they exist, I can’t recommend any specific textbook series or professional development book on computer skills. Teaching tech skills alone, without immediate application, is counter productive, IMHO. But that doesn’t help you.

This would be my plan:

• Find another district with a set of technology skills already written and use it as a starting point for the things you want your students to know and be able to do by the end of the term. You are always welcome to use our district’s.
  
• Next I would work with my classroom teachers to determine the units of study they will working on during the term. Develop projects related to those units that support. complement or extend the curricular objectives. Examples can be found here.
  
• With students, develop quality criteria for each project – a checklist or rubric.
• Thread Internet safety discussions throughout the class.
• Finally, make it your goal to learn along with the students. If you don’t know a program or know it well, then let the kids figure it out and teach it to you.

This may make an interesting question to post to my blog readers. They, I’m sure, will have more and better ideas than I’ve presented to you.

All the best,

Doug

And here is your chance to help Nancy out. Please leave any resources or advice she might be able to use.

I can use all the prayers and blessings I can get. Thanks!