Teacher Stress

Did you know that teaching is the 16^th most stressful jobs, behind 911 operators, paramedics, and marines?  You can go to shareranks to see the list of the 20 most stressful jobs. 

http://www.faqs.org/shareranks/2776,20-most-stressful-jobs

I knew that teaching was stressful, but I didn’t realize that it was in the same league as some of these other high stress occupations.  Okay, my body probably knew it, but mentally I didn’t know. During the day, teachers can play many different roles: nurse, babysitter, counselor, administrator, parental doormat, referee, and maybe, even an educator. In addition, teachers have before school meetings, lunchtime meetings, and afternoon meetings.  And I’m not even going to mention the obnoxious amounts of paperwork.  With all this, it is no surprise that many teachers burnout.  The National Center for Education Statistics states that nearly half of all teachers quit during their first five years.  I’ve heard countless comments (even the one’s in my own head) of how tired teachers are, and how we can’t wait until the break comes.

So, how do we combat teacher burn and make improvements to our attitude and viewpoint of education?  I’ve done a bit of research and here are 5 ways veteran teachers have endured this profession.

1.  Ask for help:  Get parent volunteers or our community partners to help you with some of the things in the classroom.  I know it is probably easier to do it yourself because you have to train someone else and that takes time.  But in the long haul, it will relieve you of some of the stress.  Colleen Gallagher, on her TeachingHeart website (http://www.teachingheart.net/parenthelpers.html), gives some great suggestions on how to use volunteer help in the classroom.  She suggests that parent volunteers could help students with editing their writing during writing workshop, or listen to students practice their oral reading.  Adult volunteers can even help with technology projects by scanning or saving student work  and organizing digital photos. With a little planning and time investment, your parent volunteers can take a load off of your plate.

2.   Try to Leave Your Work At Work:  I used to take gobs and gobs of papers home to correct.  I would stay up late just correcting the 30+ essays, tests, homework assignments, and projects.  This created a great deal of stress because I was tired at school and I was neglecting my loved ones at home.  Then, I realized that I was working harder than the students were.  So, I streamlined the classwork and homework.  I also taught students how to be critical evaluators of their own work.  They learned more from this, and produced higher quality work.  I still take some work home, but it is much less and less often. 

3.  Take Time for Yourself or Have a Hobby:  As teachers, we need to give ourselves permission to have fun.  Get a pedicure.  Watch a silly movie.  Go on a date night with your significant other.  Forget about the papers that need to be graded, and do something for yourself.  Get a hobby too. Spend some time each day on this hobby to take your mind away from teaching.  It will keep you sane and relieve stress.

4.  Don’t Let the Little Things Bother You:  I can be a real perfectionist.  But many times, I need to step back and say, “It doesn’t need to be perfectly straight. Is any one but me really going to care if the border on that bulletin board is crooked?” Some things that don't fall into the teaching and learning category just may not be worth the time, trouble, and effort.   So, let’s put aside our guilt, obsessiveness, and compulsive behavior and go back to what is essential.

5.  Think Positive and Remember Why We Became Teachers:  There are many annoyances in this profession, like an overloaded bureaucracy, an unsupportive parent, or a disruptive student.  But we need to remember that they cannot affect our feelings unless we let them.  We are in control of our emotions, and when we stay positive, things work out for the better.  Also, we need to remind ourselves of why we became teachers.  When we realize that we became teachers because we wanted to make a difference in the lives of children, then enduring the daily stresses of an educator becomes more bearable. 

Have a relaxing and enjoyable Fall Intersession!  You are greatly appreciated!

Thanks for stopping by.

Kelly, Melissa. "Dealing With End of the Year Stress - Avoiding Teacher Burnout." Secondary School Education - Education and Teaching. Web. 01 Oct. 2010. <http://712educators.about.com/cs/testingstress/a/stress_2.htm>.

Lewis, Beth. "Teacher Burnout - Avoiding Teacher Burnout with Stress Management Tips." Elementary Education - Lesson Plans and Teaching Strategies for Elementary School Teachers. Web. 01 Oct. 2010. <http://k6educators.about.com/cs/helpforteachers/a/avoidburnout.htm>.

Easy Bibliography

I recently participated in a webinar about the Common Core Standards and Assessments.  From this, I heard that in the Writing standards, there will be a heavy emphasis on research, as early as kindergarten.  Students will be expected to write arguments and support explanations.  They will be expected to supply reasoning and information from other sources.  So, students will need to learn the importance of citing sources and how to create bibliography. 

3 Reasons Why Students Need to Cite Sources

1.     Best Way to Avoid Plagiarism:  Common knowledge does not need to be cited.  However, when doing extensive research, students may not know what is considered common knowledge.  Therefore, students should provide a Works Cited page to prevent being accused of plagiarism.

2.     Proves the Writers as Credible:  Sometimes, readers of student research may doubt the validity of the information.  To add authority or credibility, student researchers provide bibliography to support their explanations.  Including a list of expert opinions supporting the research makes the student research more reliable.

3.     Allows Readers to Look at the Sources:  By providing bibliography, student researchers allow their readers to verify the information themselves.  In addition, if readers wanted more information on the topic, they can consult the bibliography list.

How to Create Bibliography Easily  

For me, teaching children how to create a bibliography list is a daunting task.  There are so many different formats for the variety of sources.  I can’t remember them all.  So, I taught the students what information is needed and where to find it.  Then, I referred them to the website, EasyBib.  “EasyBib is an automated bibliography composer for students that formats bibliographies/works cited lists in APA, MLA and Chicago format.”  EasyBib is a free access website using MLA style.  It formats an entire Works Cited page and can be saved for later.  It automatically alphabetizes and formats the entries using the correct indents, punctuation, and line spacing.  It provides a blank template for students to input the correct information or it has an autocite feature that aids students in providing the correct information.  Students can also add annotations to each sources to create an annotated bibliography page.  

http://www.easybib.com/  

EasyBib: Free Bibliography Maker - MLA, APA, Chicago Citation Styles. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. .

Try it.  It is very easy. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for stopping by.

Glogster

In Tribe 5, one of our "actions" is to share educational websites and applications with the rest of the tribe members.  Susan shared a cool site called GlogsterEDU.   Website:  http://edu.glogster.com/


Usually, we have students create presentations on the large poster boards.  GlogsterEDU is a site that allows students to create these same presentations digitally.  Glogs are online multimedia posters.  These posters are now digital, motivating and very visually exciting.  Students can create digital posters for book reviews, topic exploration or any other demonstration of learning using video, graphics, text, and much more.


Last weekend, Melissa asked for another technology project.  I thought it was a perfect time for she and I to play with GlogsterEDU.  So, again, we chose a topic and planned everything on paper first.  Here is her glog on oceans and continents.
http://lauramyb005.edu.glogster.com/oceanscontinents/


Then, I decided to make one for myself because I am taking a class on Singapore Math.  It was my way of taking notes and helping me to remember what I did.
http://lauramyb005.edu.glogster.com/model-drawing/


Try GlogsterEDU.  It is a lot of fun.  I can help you organize one for your class.


Have a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping by.

Singapore Math Sprints

Last school year, a bunch of us went to a training on Singapore Math.  The term "Singapore Math" refers to the math curriculum in the country of Singapore, developed by their Ministry of Education.  The curriculum is taught in a logical, step-by-step manner that builds on the students' prior knowledge and skills.  Singapore Math follows Jerome Bruner's approach of concrete to pictorial to abstract.  Problem solving is the heart of the Singapore curriculum.  Place value, mental math, and computation are reinforced through problem solving.  Problem solving is more than just word problems in Singapore.

The Goals of Mathematics (in Singapore) are:
1) Develop a positive attitude about mathematics.  Teachers, students, and parents are encouraged to speak positively about math.
2) Develop the mathematics language.
3) Develop number sense.  The emphasis on knowing the math facts is the same as the importance of knowing sight words in reading.  Children should know the facts so well that they can look at numbers and "decompose" them.
4)  Develop confidence in mathematics.

Math facts sprints are used to develop number sense.  Sprints are an approach to drill which makes it into a exciting learning event.  Here is a video of a grade 2 class doing their math sprints.  I especially like how the students recite the facts forward and backward.  Also, this strategy can be done with addition and subtraction.  Start at a number, like 6, and add 4 each time.  So, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, etc.  Then, go backwards.  Really works on the students' mental math.

If you are in school, you can not see the video.  Please view it at home.  It is really good.

Thanks for stopping by.

My Daughter's Keynote

(If you are in school, you can not see the video.  So go to this link:  http://pserve1.pre.k12.hi.us/users/laurabrown/weblog/d3474/My_Daughters_Keynote.html

Can only access from PRE.)

Melissa made this keynote slideshow on Saturday in 4 hours.  It all started when she said she was bored.  I was awaiting the start of the Little League baseball game.  So, to keep her occupied, I told her to make a Keynote on the computer.  She said she didn't know how.  So, we first made a plan.  She picked her topic, and on scratch paper, we storyboarded her presentation.  Then, I had her draw her arrays using Kidspiration.  Since she already knew how to use Kidspiration, I let her do it on her own.  She created the four pictures in about 45 minutes.

Then, Little League Baseball started and I wanted to watch the game.  So, I quickly gave her a tutorial on how to make the Keynote slides.  I told her to select the white slides first, and we will add the background later.  I taught her the basics of choosing a slide, and typing in the information from her storyboard.  I also showed her how to drop the pictures onto her slides.  She made all the slides by herself as we watched the baseball game.

By the fourth inning, the Little Leaguers from Waipio were winning 7-0, so I started to pay more attention to what Melissa was doing.  I showed her how to choose a background theme for her slideshow.  It took her awhile to decide which background she wanted.  Later, I taught her how to add transitions to each slide.  After showing her how to do the first one, she was able to do the rest by herself.

She finished her Keynote about the same time as Waipio scored their 10th run.  We were all jumping for joy!  We cheered because the Waipio boys won, Melissa cheered because she was done.  It had taken her about 3 hours to complete the Keynote slideshow, but I wasn't done with her yet.

I taught Melissa how to use Garageband to create her own music.  This one took a little more one-to-one.  I had to teach her about music, like tempo, beats, and keys.  Together, we created a short song that she liked.  We added this song to her Keynote.  We saved it as a QuickTime movie.

Melissa created this short video in less than 4 hours.  I didn't teach her everything there is to know about a Keynote.  So, later, when she feels inspired again, I will teach how to add builds and voice, and possibly make her video into a podcast.

You can teach your students using this same process (minus the baseball game, of course.)  I've used this same process with my students several times.  The key is planning.  Make sure your students storyboard their ideas first, even before they touch the computer.  Making Keynote presentations are fun.  Take time to do it with your students.  It only takes 4-5 class periods.  I'll gladly help.  Just let me know.  Thanks for stopping by.

Building Relationships

I was very surprised by our school's WE SURVEY score, in which the students responded that our teachers do not know what their interests are.  So, here is my blog about building relationships.  

An important part of the Rigor Relevance framework is Relationships.  Because humans are naturally social beings, the development of positive relationships between teachers and students is essential to learning.  One way to build these relationships and move to a more student-centered learning community is through a strategy known as Community Circle. This idea is adapted from the popular book called Tribes by Jeanne Gibbs.

Why Community Circle

Building relationships is a deliberate process that the teacher facilitates over time.  It begins by creating inclusion for every person in the learning community. Community Circle could help establish that inclusion by setting the tone for respectful learning and establishing a climate of trust.  Community Circle motivates children by addressing their need to feel a sense of importance and belonging, as well as the need to have fun.  When Community Circle is held at specific times of the day or week, it creates a repetition of many ordinary moments of respectful interaction, which enables some extraordinary moments.  Finally, Community Circle merges social, emotional and intellectual learning.

Consider holding Community Circle daily, weekly or biweekly, depending on your needs and preferences. Some school years, you may have a particularly delicate classroom environment that needs extra attention, and daily Community Circle. Other years, getting together every other week may be enough.

Budget approximately 10-15 minutes for each Community Circle session at approximately the same time on the pre-determined day.

The Community Circle Agenda

As a group, sit in a circle on the ground and stick to the Tribes Agreements, which are:

·  Appreciation of Others (i.e. no put-downs)

·  Listen Attentively

·  Mutual Respect

·  Right to Pass and Participate

Additionally, designate a special gesture to keep things under control. For example, when the teacher raises her hand, everyone else raises their hand and stops talking. You may want to make this gesture different from the attention signal you use during the rest of the day.

At each class meeting, announce a different prompt or format for sharing. The Tribes book offers a wealth of ideas for this purpose. For instance, it is effective to go around the circle and finish sentences, such as:

                   “Something that I enjoy doing after school is …”

                   "One thing I like about our classroom is...."

                   "I'm grateful that...."

                   "One good thing that happened to me recently is...."

                   "I wish...."

                   "I'm bigger than a ______. I'm smaller than a ________."

                   "I hope that...."

Fifteen minutes per week is a small investment to make in order to strengthen the bonds between you and your students. Students sense that their opinions, dreams, and insights are valued and treated with respect. It also gives them a chance to practice their listening, speaking, and interpersonal skills.

Try it in your classroom. See how it works for you!

Amazing Race

I hope all of you had a wonderful time competing in our Amazing Race.  I especially enjoyed watching all of you building positive relationship with each other.  What I didn't expect was the competitive spirit amongst all of you.  Who knew PRE teachers could be so competitive?  Despite all that, I heard lots of laughter, appreciations, and sounds of high fives.

Before I go on with the current Team Standings, I would like to appreciate Laureen for suggesting we take our festivities off-campus.  She really wanted it to be a celebration of our efforts, and I am grateful that she made it all possible for us to truly celebrate our accomplishments.

So, for our Amazing Race, each team received 100 points for each destination, plus the number of points for your team's average bowling score.

Okay, now for the results . . . drum roll, please.

Team	#1	#2	#3	#4	#5	Bowling	Total Points
Pupu Party	100	100	100	100	100	75.7	575.7
He-Man & She-Ras	100	100	100	100	100	94.6	594.6
PRE All-Stars	100	100	100	100	100	69	569
Kung Fu Ghettopandas	100	100	100	100	100	91.25	591.25
Nacho Amigos	100	100	100	100	100	70.5	570.5
Six Pack Attack	100	100	100	100	100	77.2	577.2
Vintage Spice	100	100	100	100	100	63.3	563.3

So CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM HE-MAN & SHE-RAS!  They are currently in first place.  A close second is Kung Fu Ghettopandas, and third place is Six Pack Attack.

Thank you to everyone for participating.  But wait . . . this is not the end.  We have planned other fun challenges for you teams.  Stay Tuned!