Mentors, student-teachers team up in co-teaching classrooms

Millikin student teacher Michelle Brown gets help yelling out letters for a spelling activity with first-grade students Ya'Zair Jenkins, left, and Jasmine James during class at Franklin School in Decatur. Herald & Review/Stephen Haas

Classroom teachers and teacher candidates are partnering on a training model called "co-teaching," which allows the pair to share teaching duties. The teachers work as a team, and when one teacher is leading a lesson, the other is free to help students. Studies also have shown that students in co-teaching classrooms have higher test scores than their peers. Herald & Review (Decatur, Ill.)

As 2014 deadline approaches, teachers question fairness of NCLB

Some Illinois teachers say that requiring all students to meet federal standards on state tests by 2014 under No Child Left Behind is unfair. They say expecting students with special needs to score at the same level as academically gifted students is unrealistic and the pressure of testing has an effect on students and staff. "It's like telling a gym teacher to get all of his kids to run a mile between four and six minutes. It's not going to happen," one teacher says. The Courier News (Elgin, Ill.)

Wisconsin should look west for teacher-pay reform model

Wisconsin can use Denver's ProComp plan as a model as the state considers making changes to long-held policies on the way teachers are compensated, writes education columnist Alan J. Borsuk in this opinion article. While tying teacher pay to student achievement is still barred by Wisconsin state law, he writes that the Denver pay plan has led to more teacher collaboration, an increase in test scores and a greater willingness by teachers to go to high-needs schools. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

D.C. Council blasts Rhee for teacher layoffs

Washington, D.C., Council members said schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee ignored their instructions to trim summer-school funding to balance her budget. Instead, they said, she used the resulting money crunch as an opportunity to lay off hundreds of educators. Council members suggested Rhee violated the law by not cutting summer-school funding, to which Rhee said she was protecting students instead of staff. About 100 teaching jobs could have been saved by reducing the summer-school funding. The Washington Post

My friend, who's a Special Ed Coordinator in another school, told me that the Office of Special Ed is holding a seminar for them (not with the teachers) on how to be in win-win situations. Is this really thinking win-win? I believe that win-win is not taking advantage when it is understood that you are being trusted to act with honor, it seeks mutual benefit and is based on mutual respect. It is about bargaining fairly, and being open-minded and reasonable to all parties. It is about a sincere desire to find agreements that would be good for the kids and fair to teachers.

DC School Layoffs

- Rally Supports Laid-Off Ballou Teachers
On Friday, a group of former Ballou High School students …
- Union Files Suit Over Teacher Layoffs
More than 200 D.C. school teachers who were recently laid off …
- DC Teachers Want Answers About Layoffs
The bitter fight over teacher layoffs in D.C. schools is far …
- More Students Protest Teacher Layoffs
There were more protests Tuesday over the District's decision …
- D.C School Layoffs - Teacher's Union



President of the Washington Teachers Union George Parker joined…
- DC School Employees Threaten to Sue
Fired employees of McKinley Tech High school may consider legal…
- D.C. Schools Announce Teacher Cuts
A total of 388 jobs were cut from D.C. schools on Friday, and …
- Gray: DC School Layoffs Not Necessary
D.C. Council Chair Vincent Gray is now questioning the proposed…
- Layoffs Still Loom for D.C. Schools
No D.C. teachers have been laid off so far, but Mayor Adrian …
- D.C. Schools Layoffs Coming, But When?
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has warned parents and …
- D.C. Public Schools to Cut Teachers
D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee says budget cuts …

Should Helen Keller be played by an actress with disabilities?

This New York Times blog post looks at the controversy generated over a decision to award the lead role in an upcoming Broadway production about Helen Keller to Abigail Breslin, a well-known actress who does not share Keller's vision and hearing disabilities. The producer of the show said he wanted a star for the show to drive up ticket sales and may consider an understudy with disabilities. The New York Times/Arts Beat blog

NBCT with teaching in her blood is named top teacher in Delaware

Teacher of the year Mary Pinkston speaks Tuesday after Gov. Jack Markell presented.

National Board Certified Teacher and 17-year teaching veteran Mary Pinkston has been named Delaware's 2010 Teacher of the Year. "When you describe good teachers, they all have these adjectives: organized, prepared, dedicated and fair," Pinkston's principal said. "She has them all. She constantly relates the subject matter to the real world. You don't feel like you are in a math class." The News Journal (Wilmington, Del.)

D.C.'s Rhee acknowledges need for better communication with teachers

D.C. schools chief Michelle A. Rhee says she spoke to principals about communication, not teacher trust.

Washington, D.C., Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee is hoping to "regain the trust" of the district's teachers -- according to some who say Rhee acknowledged that she may have lost that trust when she laid off 266 educators this month. Rhee says she did not make that statement, which allegedly came during a monthly school leadership meeting. "What I said was that we needed to do a better job of making sure we were communicating effectively with our educators," she said. "There are a lot of distractions, and we have to remain focused on the task at hand." The Washington Post

Education Web site does not meet accessibility standards

Because it lacks special adaptive features like text-to-speech screen access or Braille technology for people with vision impairments, the Web site of the Department of Education -- USALearns.org -- does not meet federal accessibility standards for people with visual impairments, say advocates with the National Federation of the Blind. The organization recently filed a complaint with the department, which created the Web site to help people learn English grammar and vocabulary. Federal Computer Week

NBPTS launches series of reports highlighting effect of National Board Certified Teachers

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is launching a series of reports highlighting the effect of National Board Certified Teachers. The first report in the series is "Chicago, Illinois: Leveraging National Board Certification in a District-wide Human Capital Initiative." Read more

Duncan: Hawaii's furlough Fridays are a step in the wrong direction

Cutting learning time "is a step in the wrong direction" for Hawaii's schools, writes Education Secretary Arne Duncan in this column. Duncan argues that Hawaii's access to more than $500 million in federal education stimulus money should have allowed the state to find a better solution to tight budgets than its adoption of 17 teacher furlough days this year, which he writes is turning an economic crisis into an education crisis for the state's students. The Honolulu Advertiser

British educator who has dyslexia wins national teaching award

Mr Vickerman was warned that he had no future teaching children in schools

Edward Vickerman, an educator who is dyslexic, recently received a national teaching award in the U.K. Vickerman, who says he uses technology to help him communicate with his students, said, "I was told I could never be a teacher, so this award is for anyone like me who is dyslexic and wants to teach." The Independent (London)

Inclusion classes provide benefits to students in Tennessee district

This year, every middle school and high school in Tennessee's Knox County has at least one inclusion class -- where students of all abilities are taught together -- and many of the elementary schools have them as well. Thanks to federal stimulus money, the district has been able to provide professional development and in-class training for inclusion teachers. Teachers said they are sometimes short on planning time, but they are learning from each other. The Knoxville News-Sentinel (Tenn.)

American Teacher

American Teacher Mag

I was the cover for AFT American Teacher Magazine last month's (September) issue. A friend of mine found this pdf copy . Thanks to the AFT for tirelessly advocating for us educators!

Scholastic Best Special-Ed Blog

Digital Anthology The lowdown: Award-winning special-education teacher Maria Angala posts daily lessons and classroom videos.

Why We Love It:: There’s no hard-core pedagogy here—other than that determination can make all successful—but we get to see the kids’ creativity at work. And if you want something more theory-based, Angala keeps another blog at teachersol.blogspot.com.

Why She Loves Blogging: Says Angala, “Our social workers read the blog to understand my students’ inner feelings.”

Effective teachers see lessons from students' perspective

Effective teachers make their lessons meaningful and interesting by being aware of their students' point of view, writes Elizabeth Stein, a New York special-education teacher who is pursuing National Board Certification. To draw students into classroom lessons, Stein says, teachers should make the topic come alive, make lessons personal for students, connect lessons to real-life themes, engage students and provide them with individual feedback on their progress. Teacher Magazine (free registration)

National Board message from Sec. Duncan

Immediately after my third year of teaching I went through the National Board Certification process. It's been validated that "The National Board is part of a growing education-reform movement; it has produced many of the most outstanding and the most effective educators across the country and I dream of joining this cadre of accomplished educators in the nation. The National Research Council has confirmed that National Board Certification has a positive effect on student achievement, teacher retention, and professional development."

I am an effective educator now, a lot better than I was three years ago before I started this process because of the rigorous research and reflection focused on my instructional strategies and student achievement that was required of me by the National Board. My Master Educator can attest to this, she gave me stellar ratings on the most recent round of IMPACT evaluations. The results of my students’ state assessments were exemplary; two of them received advanced perfect scores in both reading and math despite their severe cognitive disability.

I encourage all my colleagues who want to retool and to take a step further professionally to take the National Board Certification. It was a very rewarding experience for me. The results are coming out in a couple of months from now. Did I make it? We'll see...

Coach and innovator in wheelchair sports is recognized by university

Courtesy Photo/ University of Illinois
Martin Morse stands with his wife Karen and sons Steven and Sam during the recent award ceremony.

Martin Morse, a longtime coach and mentor for athletes who use wheelchairs and an innovator in wheelchair-sports technology, was honored by the University of Illinois for his contributions. Morse, who is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, helped develop the prototype for the first aerodynamic racing wheelchair and was the first to introduce the sport of hand-cycling as a technique to maintain upper-body strength during the offseason. Wicked Local/Hanover, Mass.

Twitter Lessons in 140 Characters or Less

Some teachers are experimenting with the popular microblogging tool as an effective way of distributing assignments and engaging students in content and collaborative lessons. Education Week

Education News Parents Can Use

Archived Video Webcast

Originally broadcast live on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 (info from US Dep Ed Homepage)

On October’s special edition of Education News Parents Can Use, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan engaged teachers across the country in a town hall forum about what’s working and what’s not working in our nation’s schools. During the live program, Arne listened to comments from a studio audience comprised entirely of local teachers, and he responded to telephone calls and emails from across the country.

VIEW THE ARCHIVED VIDEO WEBCAST:

WindowsMedia RealMedia Captioned Version: WindowsMedia RealMedia

I was there last Tuesday (many thanks to the AFT, WTU and DCPS for sending me there) with other educators from DC, VA and MD! It was a great experience meeting the US Dep't of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and the Teaching Ambassadors of the US Dep't of Education. I have told many of my colleagues that aside from becoming a National Board Certified Teacher, my dream is to become a Teaching Ambasador. Is this a sign?

I will post a longer entry on this later!

D.C. considers revisions to law on developmental-disability services

City officials in Washington, D.C., have introduced the Developmental Disabilities Reform Act, a long-awaited update to the city's policies toward caring for and housing people with developmental disabilities. If approved, the bill would remove judicial oversight of disability services in the city. Other provisions of the bill include a preference for smaller residential homes over group facilities for people with disabilities and a streamlined grievance process for families to address problems with the system. The Washington Post

Technology helps NYC students with visual impairments

At the New York Institute for Special Education in the Bronx borough of New York City, students with visual impairments learn to use specialized technology to prepare for life in the workplace. The technology curriculum at the school includes devices that provide instant translations from Braille to print and back again, as well as other electronic Braille devices that provide students with access to computer software, e-mail and GPS. VIDEO: NY1 (New York City)

Duncan wants a "revolutionary change" in teacher training

Education Secretary Arne Duncan is calling for "revolutionary change" in college programs that train teachers for the classroom -- responsible for educating at least 80% of the country's teachers. In a speech prepared for delivery today, Duncan said that traditional teacher-preparation programs do not give educators enough classroom experience and do not guide them in using data properly. Officials are predicting about 1 million teaching vacancies over the next four years as veteran baby boomer teachers retire, and teacher training must become a priority, Duncan said. MSNBC/The Associated Press

Sense of smell helps children with sensory impairments communicate

Teachers at the Seashell Trust School in England are using the sense of smell to help empower students who cannot see and hear to make choices about food and activities, and to help give them a context for identifying their environment. The sensory program includes the use of plug-in scents -- lemon for Monday, lavender for Tuesday -- to help students recognize days of the week and laminated "smell cards" infused with environmental aromas to identify places such as the beach or the playground. The Times (London)

Wii games are used in therapies for children with disabilities

Teachers at an Oregon learning center have developed a program they are calling "Wii-hab," using Nintendo Wii technology to help children with disabilities improve motor skills and coordination. Students are motivated to play the system's games, and the technology helps teachers document their progress, said a district technology specialist. KVEW-TV (Kennewick, Wash.)

House calls can improve parental involvement, student grades

Some Massachusetts teachers are following a national trend of making house calls in an effort to improve teacher-parent relationships. Educators at schools that have implemented the visits -- which teachers are paid for -- say that parental involvement and student grades have gone up. The Boston Globe

S.C. NBCT is one of about 50 educators to receive Milken award

A South Carolina National Board Certified Teacher is one of about 50 educators nationwide to win the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize. Katherine Henderson, a high-school English teacher, is credited with recruiting a diverse group of students for Advanced Placement courses, and enrollment in her AP class has risen from 10 to 69. The Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.)

Educators are using iTunes U to help with lesson planning

Students have been using iTunes University to search, download and play educational content for several years, but some educators at the college level say they are using the site as a source for for homework assignments and classroom lessons. One educator called the site, which has about 200,000 education files, a "fantastic tool" that allows teachers to see how their colleagues are teaching a particular topic. eSchool News

Minnesota district to study whiteboard impact on student achievement

A Minnesota school district has received a $160,000 federal grant to compare the performance of students in classrooms with and without interactive whiteboards. "We want to find out whether it makes a big difference in student achievement, because it's a considerable investment," a district administrator said. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)

Inclusion kindergarten teacher is Connecticut's teacher of the year

Kristi Luetjen, who teaches an inclusion kindergarten class in West Hartford, Conn., was named the state's 2009 teacher of the year. Luetjen was praised for her ability to easily integrate students with and without special needs in her classroom. When observing her class, it is difficult to identify the children with special needs, said school Principal Nancy DePalma, who also remarked that Luetjen "does what she does with such humility that she makes it look effortless." The Hartford Courant (Conn.)

Rhee is reluctant to work with donors who could help schools

Private donors say they have been reluctant to give money to Washington, D.C., public schools because schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee will not reveal how money will be spent and because she has been cool to their efforts to build partnerships. Donors say they would be willing to help the cash-strapped school system but will need a more open relationship with Rhee, whose "go-it-alone" attitude has reportedly turned off many philanthropists, a Washington Post columnist writes. The Washington Post

I believe that we can make things better for the sake of the students that we all serve through collaboration and partnerships. Like Andrew Wolf in his article in Cornell Sun, I wish that this administration would not deny the teachers our right to participate in the process of reform where our voices and commitment are so deeply needed. Why can’t we all work together?

Parents are kept in the loop through teacher Web sites

Teachers in a Texas district are required to maintain Web sites where parents can access student grades, homework assignments, class projects and test dates online. Parents are e-mailed when the pages are updated, and teachers also share information with parents by giving access to student blogs, podcasts and electronic copies of lessons. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Texas)

Parents of my students are enjoying the wealth of class information and resources that we have in our class blog, they get to check on their kids' projects and homeworks too!

NBCT: D.C. layoffs did not consider teachers' skills

A National Board Certified Teacher who was among the 266 teachers and support staff laid off this month in Washington, D.C., says decisions were made without considering the "skills and talents" of those being let go. Marie Fonrose, who was one of only 39 NBCTs in D.C. public schools, said there was no established formula for deciding who to let go. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has said she laid off staff based on a broad formula in an attempt to close a budget gap. The Washington Post/D.C. Wire blog

I do not feel right about this. I feel that there is more to this than just teaching and learning best practices. Sadly, the kids are suffering in the classrooms because of all these chaos that's happening in our schools now :(

Collaboration & Support

I was cleaning up my inbox from my old email account when I saw my colleague's message below. It was dated months ago, was emailed to me after the Portfolio Party that I initiated to support the teachers who are doing DC CAS Alternate Assessments for their students. It was also my first time to do it and I needed support from them too. We had so much fun collaborating and sharing resources with each other.

*************

April 10, 2009

Dear Marisol,

Happy Easter! Thank you for initiating the Portfolio Party. It really benefitted me and the teachers who participated.

When I saw the resources and the amount of time it would take to implement the testing, I was indeed overwhelmed. I even got sick and I was not able to go to work for 2 days. What could I do to make this endeavor successful? Your email about the Portfolio Party came up. I was so excitted. Margareth was also very helpful in answering my questions; some of them were probably in the resource book, I was too tired to read.

The portfolio as you know was completed, checked, and submitted. The child's parents came to review it from page one to the end. Both were very pleased.

The Portfolio Party was indeed a blessing! Keep up the dynamic work of collaboration.

Love,

Renee

P.S. You might be interested to know that my student with the portfolio has become more eager for learning. He has been volunteering to attend my 30 minute tutoring program in place of his recess. He has not volunteered to participate before.

We were working on number patterns the other day. The pattern was 2, 12, 22, ____, 42. I had a group of five students that day in the tutoring program. Only my child with the portfolio got the answer. He said, "32." He jumped up and down for joy of getting the correct answer.

****************

Indeed, we can accomplish so much when we wok together!

My two students who took the DC CAS Alt scored advanced (got perfect scores in the state assessments both in Reading and in Math)! They were tested on grade level standards but I had to modify and give them accomodations to meet their needs as students with severe cognitive disability.

Interview 3

I. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND/SKILLS

1. After working with students who have special needs, do you feel a degree in Psychology should be mandatory to assist in dealing with the student?

With my graduate course in Clinical Psychology, it helped me a lot in dealing with my stress and coping with my students’ emotional burdens as well. It helped me become a good listener to the students and parents.

b. How would studying Psychology improve the relationship between student and pupil?

Everyday in the classroom, students are struggling with emotional pain and conflict. One compassionate moment of listening can let the child know he or she has been heard, that you care. It may indeed take less than ten seconds. And that student may remember the brief encounter for the rest of his life.

c. What is your response to a situation where students of your class begin to feel inferior, and allow their disabilities conquer their natural abilities?

I invest in building rapport with my students by listening to them when they don’t have serious problems. I acknowledge and validate their positive feelings as well as negative ones (“You’re really excited about making the team”; or “You must be very proud of your award”).

2. What is your personal philosophy on disciplining students that lack respect or misbehave on a consistent basis?

From experience, it is true that “they won’t care how much you know if they don’t know how much you care”. It doesn’t mean that you should try to be their buddy. It means treating each student with dignity and respect.

a. In what ways do you incorporate the importance of discipline in the classroom with the students?

I motivate my students to comply with rules and I state them in a positive way. Early in the year, I hold a class discussion on students’ rights in the classroom. I solicit ideas from my students as to what is right and which ought to be accorded all students. I focus the discussion on the responsibilities that must accompany any right.

b. From individual experience, do you think that it may be easier to maintain an orderly classroom with students in the special education program or in a “normal” school setting?

It doesn’t matter what kind of students you have, key is being sure that the rules and expectations are clear. Some teachers haven’t given much thought to what they do want but what they don’t want. Such negative focusing is inefficient. I do not assume that my students will correctly guess what I expect of them. I develop high expectations of my students, their academic performance, as well as their classroom conduct.

3. At what point in time do you feel as though you must put your career as a teacher on the back end and instead be more of a role model/ positive mentor for the child?

Always, my role as a teacher is to model best practices to my students, to inspire and motivate them to do what is right for them to succeed in life.

a. How do you cope with students that may come from unfortunate backgrounds? Or do not have parents that are active in their lives?

I treat them as my own child, we are a family in my classroom and we stand up for each other and do not let each other down. It does not matter to me where they come from; I welcome everyone with open arms.

Interview 2

I. HELPFUL EXPERIENCE

1. Can you describe the importance of having a strong relationship with the child and parent when it comes to teaching Special Education?

The odds of success are greater when schools and families make a team effort to help children get the most they can out of their educational opportunity.

2. How beneficial is it for you and the parents to be able to communicate well?

I gained so much from developing a constructive working relationship with my students’ parents and guardians. They offer a valuable role in my teaching success. They provide support, reinforcements and assistance for my academic and behavioral goals.

b. What are your methods in maintaining this core relationship with the child’s parents?

1) Before the school year begins, I send notes home to my students’ parents introducing myself and inviting them to become a part of the school community. 2) I send periodic notes to parents, recognizing their children’s positive achievements or behavior in my class. 3.) I occasionally call parents to communicate some good news about their child’s accomplishments. 4) I make home-visits to meet the family. 5) We have a class blog which posts all announcements, shout-outs, projects, lesson presentations, etc for students and parents…I have a lot more, these are just some.

2. How do you incorporate tactics of other surrounding teachers to your own style of teaching?

Yes, we always collaborate and share our strategies; I borrow a lot from them.

a. Do other teachers come to you as a source for advice on assisting them with students who may take longer in picking up the information?

Yes, that is actually my job as a special education teacher. I am a resource to the regular education teachers who are having struggling students in their classes. I help them modify students’ work, give them accommodations that they need to be successful in the classroom, and to give them strategies to differentiate their instruction to target the diverse learning styles of the students in their class. They are always open-minded. My class website has a wealth of resources for them that they find very useful.

b. Is it easier for you to conduct class with a strict plan, or by diverting away from the schedule and letting things happen as they come?

Each day I walk into my classroom, I know exactly what I expect to accomplish and how I am going to do it. My lesson plan is simply a sequential guide to how I plan to accomplish my instructional objectives or goals. I always modify and adjust according to the needs of my students.


3. One thing that I researched was that the majority of teachers instructing special education students use the IEP (Individualized Education Program), is this program always successful, or should another plan be implemented as technology continues to progress?

Yes, the child can be successful in his educational setting if the IEP is implemented appropriately. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education of a child with a disability. It describes an educational program that has been designed to meet the child’s unique needs. Each child who receives special education and related services must have an IEP.

c. Are you an avid user of the nationwide known IEP system?

Yes, everything is individualized for my students, designed according to their needs.

Interview 1

I was interviewed by a student from the University of Maryland last week. Here's the transcript:

The primary purpose of this interview is to interact and collect information from an instructor that is properly trained in the field of Special Education. From this interview, we hope to acquire knowledge about the different types of students placed in this special education programs, and how a certified teacher goes about handling his/her profession.

I. JOB DESCRIPTION

1. When you first became a special education teacher, how did you respond to not being able to teach directly from a teacher’s manual but instead had to correlate each lesson with the limitations and strengths of each student?

I'm ok with it. The Teacher’s Manual is just a guide, it is not the curriculum. My job is to reach and teach my students and make sure that they master the grade level learning standards that they need for the next level. One way to reach and teach them is to know their strengths and weaknesses using different formative and summative assessments. It gives me an idea on how to strategically create an effective lesson plan with that will help them easily master content.

b. How do you go about encouraging a student to realize his/her potential and not to allow the special program to deter them?

I have high expectations from my students. I encourage them to believe in themselves and to always focus on their goals. Because of their diagnosis, it would be more difficult and they will have to work harder than others but they can be successful just like others. I show them pictures and tell them stories of famous people with disabilities, like Helen Keller etc, who, despite their disabilities and limitations were able to succeed and inspire others to reach their maximum potential.

c. What are different strategies and techniques that you use to assist you in involving each student and making sure they comprehend the material?

I use a variety of effective teaching methods, strategies, and materials that work but the most important thing that I want to emphasize in teaching students with special needs is that we need to differentiate our instruction for their very diverse learning styles. We need to teach our students in the way that they learn. I challenge the “one size fits all” way of thinking in teaching students. All students are different and we need different strategies for different learners.


2. When working with students requiring special needs and attention, how do you make sure you are always being a source of help, but ultimately still challenging the students to maximize their full abilities?

From day one, I clarify my expectations with my students. I establish my hopes, expectations, rules, and routines. I encourage them to work independently and I allow time for them to practice the routines that helps get things done smoothly throughout the year. In communicating my hopes for my students, I say something like, “I don’t expect you to be perfect. I do hope you will strive for excellence and work to improve. We all will make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from those mistakes”.

a. Do many of your kids attempt to complete most tasks on their own to refute receiving help?

Yes, they try their best to finish the task correctly by collaborating with their peers and engaging in meaningful discussion with them about the lesson. I am just facilitating things for them. They have learned the routine already.

b. At what point in time do you just give up on a student and realize that they will not understand the assignment at hand?

I do not give up on my students, but I get frustrated at times. I know that it is my job to encourage students, inspire and motivate them when they are giving up. How can I do this if I am giving up on them? What frustrate me are parents who do not care and are not getting involved in educating their kids.


3. What are some ways you cope with students’ inner emotions, being that they are aware of the fact that they are enrolled into a different program than the “normal” students?

It is not uncommon for my students to turn to me for help in times of stress, disappointment, and loss. Almost everyday I am having the opportunity to respond to at least one student’s inner turmoil. I have a strong background in Clinical Psychology back home during my graduate school at the University of the Philippines. I have some high-yield; low-risk listening skills in my repertoire which helps me make a big difference in my students’ lives. I make sure to always have a compassionate moment set aside for my students each day.

a. Does it become stressful focusing on each child’s personal feelings?

No, it is a learning experience for me too.

b. Are there any tricks you’ve learned over time as far as being able to be emotionally available to the students at any given time?

Yes, the trick is to learn reflection of feelings. Reflection of feelings is a powerful tool that I learned as a compassionate teacher. It appears on the surface to be a simple skill. But it is very difficult to do well and genuinely. The aim is to practice reflections of feelings until they become reflexive, so that when I am sitting with a student in pain, I automatically respond with such a response.

See you at the rally!

...lift your chin and set your shoulders
plant your feet and take a brace

when it's vain to try to dodge it,
do the best that you can do

we may fail but we may conquer,
let's see it through! Edgar Guest, author of Don't Quit

Please come out and join us for the Rally for Respect in support of our DCPS educators students. I hope to see you there!

WHEN: Thursday, October 8 @ 4:30pm - 6pm
WHERE: Freedom Plaza 14th St & Pennsylvania Ave. NW

D.C. sues to take over group homes for people with mental disabilities

Officials in Washington, D.C., say that they have evidence of substantial and chronic problems -- including abuse and injury -- at two privately run group homes for people with mental disabilities and have filed court papers to take over operations. The nonprofit agency that operates the homes denied the allegations; it has been given 10 days to respond with a corrective-action plan. The Washington Post

Indiana woman with Down syndrome becomes advocacy leader

Jessica Green, who has Down syndrome, was recently named a member of the board of directors of the National Down Syndrome Congress. Green volunteers for Down Syndrome Indiana, writing a blog and putting together a Web-based newsletter for the organization. Green, of Indianapolis, encourages people with Down syndrome to "stand up for themselves," saying that "people with special challenges have much to share and much to give." The Indianapolis Star

DCPS IMPACT: first round

I just received my post observation ratings from my Master Educator (she was very professional, warm, and friendly) for my first cycle evaluations using the new teachers evaluation tool IMPACT. How did I do? I received all perfect scores 4.0 on all categories in the Teaching and Learning Framework except for one which is a 3.0. I will not give more details, but this was a perfect booster for me yesterday! I was still sick with fever, cough and colds (yes, still working) from last Friday's depression but after the conference I was in Cloud 9! Next round next week will be the administrator's turn to evaluate us. Will do my best to be on top of the game!

I feel confident and I am ready anytime they come in my classroom. What prepared me and made me the teacher that I am now? I am thankful that I am going through the National Board Certification process right now which strengthened my instructional skills and made me reflect on how I am doing as an educator and made me focus on helping my students achieve and maximize their potentials. I believe that this is what every teacher needs to become effective.

National Board Certification for teachers is part of a growing education-reform movement. It is the nation's way of developing, recognizing and retaining great teachers. The National Research Council has confirmed that National Board Certification has a positive effect on student achievement, teacher retention and professional development. Read more.

Michelle Rhee on RIF

Rally For Respect

Dear colleagues,

...stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, it's when things seem worst when you musn't quit!

Please come out and join us for the Rally for Respect, see attachments. I hope to see you there, I'm counting on you...

WHEN: Thursday, October 8 @ 4:30pm - 6pm
WHERE: Freedom Plaza 14th St & Pennsylvania Ave. NW

More Than 220 DC Teachers Lose Jobs
- Oct 02, 2009
By Bill Turque and Emma Brown In one of the most turbulent days in its recent history, the DC public schools system laid off more than 200 teachers Friday ... The Washington Post

I'm back!

Just letting my readers know that I still have my job :) I apologize that I haven't been blogging for almost two months because I had to make sure that I am doing what is expected of me as an effective educator more than a teacher blogger.

I was so devastated over the weekend about last Friday's RIF, I had one teacher very close to me (first year new teacher) laid off. We worked together in an inclusion setting, and I saw how he worked very hard to become a better teacher. What breaks my heart is that I saw his passion to make a difference with the kids. My heart was crushed when he told me and before he left all that I could tell him was "Don't stop believing... you are a making a difference, don't let anybody tell you otherwise" I am going to see him again, I know, because I saw that he is a potential teacher leader and he will not let this experience break his dream of becoming an accomplished educator. Passing by his empty classroom now just hurts me. Twelve people in my school received the termination letters last Friday, anyone could feel the intensity of devastation around the building. And I still had to do a presentation to citywide teachers with the WTU/AFT in the evening, did my best, and went well. The show must go on despite everything.

I am covering the big rally on Thursday here in my blog with some live video clips...at least I will try. I just received my new "toy" from Cisco, a Flip Ultra HD Camcorder another grant for my students. I started using it last week to document how my students are learning in my class, we are putting together their first advisory project and they are having fun recording themselves. Now, I want to see how I can use this to document this big event on Thursday's rally here in my blog.

Thanks for your emails asking how I am doing. Yes, I missed blogging. I have a lot more stories, I am learning a lot from my everyday experiences as a DCPS teacher going through a massive education reform. This too shall pass...