If its FREE its for ME!

ENTRY 2--
My dads motto growing up was always... "If it's free... its for me!"
The older I get the more like him I become. Yikes.
I have been spending countless hours researching and scanning articles for my AR.
Here's a great resource on STUDENT MOTIVATION...

"Hooked on Learning--The Roots of Motivation in the Classroom" by Alfie Kohn. Chapter 11
Punished by Rewards: the trouble with gold stars, incentive plans, A's, praise, and other bribes.

This author and chapter really got me thinking about what is was that I wanted from my students.
What my expectations were of them and for them. So many times in the classroom I was literally standing on my head, doing a dance, the dog and pony show, whatever just to get them to perform. This author has made me stop and think... should I really be doing this? No. I should challenge students and plan activities and opportunities for them to work together so they can motivate themselves. Intrinsically. 

Current Acronynms...

Current Acronyms  in THE ZONE...
YMCA, AR, and MCA!

YMCA--is an initiative that I started for myself. Do you ever wonder why do never do anything for myself? Well I had been wondering that for awhile and I decided its time to STOP going in so early to work and start going to the gym in the mornings! The results (after the initial shock of the 4:45 am alarm clock wore off) have been great. I feel so much more relaxed and happy at school. Its funny that DOING LESS can actually be BETTER for kids!  

MCA III's--As a life science teacher of 10th grade biology students its up to ME to check, re-check... teach and re-teach the items on the hit list. I know what your thinking... well who's really going to know if I don't... and the simple answer is--I will! I have to be able to look at myself in the mirror at night and know that I did all I could. And most days... I do. I am NEVER really satisfied and continue to strive to re-invent the wheel it seems but that is the life of a teacher from one year to the next! Change, change, change.

AR--"and ACTION!" (RESEARCH) that is!
That's right folks you guessed it... I am currently getting my MASTERS in TEACHING and LEARNING.
Just when I was sure I was doing "something" right... I enter my MA program only to learn that it ALL needs constant UPDATES. Nothing is ever really "done!" Who knew? So what is my AR you ask??
Well my AR is a silly question I posed wondering: How will allowing (forcing) my low achieving students to re-do summative tests/projects affect their overall engagement in class? So far I have learned a few things: 1. That is a stupid question. Who really thought that I could get the lowest of the low to RE take or do a test? Are you nuts? They didn't want to take it in the first place!! Ahhhh. 2. It is REALLY hard to train myself to COLLECT DATA during class. You would think that forgetting to take attendance on an hourly basis for NINE years would have helped me learn this lesson... but no... not me. Anyway I have had to set up an a clipboard with my lecture/lesson notes the data sheet or it is a lost cause. So... there it is. A stupid question with very little data. Not much to reflect on. As a very last statement that I need to be very careful that I do not repeat this AR mistake again next year for the REAL DEAL!

About Me!

ENTRY 1--ABOUT ME:

Hello there.  I’m 9 years into my career as a middle and high school science teacher and the mother of a two-year old so… each day I learn many new things! My mentor teacher told me during my first week of school... "Young lady: it takes you 5 years to figure out what you are supposed to be teaching, and another 5 years to get good at it. So come talk to me in 10 years if you still don't know what your doing!" I've decided... nine years in... he may have been onto something! I continuly feel like... do I really know what I'm doing? The better question now is...do I have to?

In this blog I’ll be talking to you live from the inter-workings of my mind—a constantly moving fast track of decisions, ideas, modifications, and reflections. I tell my students… you never know what might be happening in "THE ZONE" and "ZONING OUT" is nearly impossible due to my extrovertedness and endless energy.

I strive to teach kids to think. Mostly to think about LIFE SCIENCE, but other things slip in there from time to time. I am passionate about continual change and learning how we learn! This coming year I intend to focus on using an inquiry, hands-on approach to cover content standards. I am interested to know how using an interactive style of note-taking and lab activities may impact student learning. I want my students to think scientifically and to act on their ideas and impulses. I will be giving them opportunities to test, to try… to wonder both why and how! Please… tune in and whatever you do... avoid ZONING OUT!