Comments | brigidforest: Tech-rrific?

brigidforest

Tech-rrific?

Sep 19, 2008 15:58

I know I'm very often a complainer, but it's part of human nature that our most introspective moments are during a time of crisis. This week I have some good news though. It's been an average week with some ups and downs. My freshmen are for the most part awesome; my seniors not so much. It's difficult for kids to talk about Civil Rights, and I've ( Read more... )

Comments 9

jadesfire2 September 19 2008, 21:56:02 UTC

Dubois and Obama? But that's easy! It always boggles my mind when I run into somebody who can not make basic connections like this, but perhaps that's why I'm in the Lit department and they aren't.

Also, because you said Canada,I couldn't resist: http://xkcd.com/180/

brigidforest September 21 2008, 22:56:21 UTC

Yes, we're not good at making connections. It hurts our heads...

That comic was hilarious. And yes, oh yes, it's a lot work, but I bet nowhere near as hard as an American citizenship. After you've sailed that sea, the others are nothing but suburban lakes.

coathanger September 20 2008, 00:34:13 UTC

Hello beautiful ( ... )

brigidforest September 21 2008, 22:53:57 UTC

Oh, I am all about digital literacy. We're a 1:1 program with the freshmen and sophomores. It's going really well with the freshmen so far. I have a virtual white board, SmartBoard, and I don't know how I lived without it until now. I use it for everything. Also, all my presentations are through the computer using DyKnow. I tell my kids they have to learn a range of skills from visual, audio, technical, analytical, etc.

I'm sad at their disaffected attitude, you're right. I am supposed to be teaching the best of the best. This is a top private school with financial aid opportunities, and really, the only kids that truly matter to me are those financial aid cases because they are eager to take everything. I get that I'm supposed to inspire passion in them, but this is the first year when I actually feel like am doing just that. These group of kids are finally, not only strong but willing.

I think that it is because 9th grade is the hardest year with the toughest English curriculum. I am teaching them Sophocles' Antigone. The year ( ... )

coathanger September 23 2008, 12:24:17 UTC

Your school sounds amazing. Well the financial aid students anyway. I'm at a private school as well, only it's in a low-socio economic area so our student body is made up of the better behaved problem children.

I'm so jealous of your SmartBoard :p

I can't believe you're teaching year 9 English Sophocles. That is intense. I look at the year 9 English kids I had this year and it makes me quiver a bit to imagine them trying to tackle something like that (Aus is in the middle of a literacy crisis >.Then again my year 9 Drama students are doing Collage Drama and have come up with some of the most moving and inspirational pieces of drama that I have seen for some time. Half of the groups explored bullying and I was just blown away at how poignant and relative their work was ( ... )

brigidforest September 24 2008, 00:23:17 UTC

My job is to show them that they can all access Sophocles. Maybe the poetics will be lost on them, but if they can imagine the Skene or the Chorus entering the stage, I know they'll get something, whatever it is, out of it. I truly believe that my students are no smarter than those anywhere else. They just have tremendous resources, and to see some of them waste it away is heartbreaking really.

We had a student steal another student's identity, pose as them and harass people using that student's name. 3 Days suspension. We are teaching our future CEO's how to get away with white collar crime. It's preposterous.

You know, I think my students would have a hard time with issues like bullying. I think it would be difficult for them express themselves in a deeper manner on something that is so close to them. We've taught them how to detach themselves from reality, and we have sheltered. So your students have some pretty important strengths mine are still lacking.

It's lovely to share all this with someone. :)

noparody September 27 2008, 18:46:35 UTC

you are the kind of teacher I would die to have-i have had teachers like you before and it's what made learning and school such an attraction for me. It's teachers like you that make academics come to life

I don't know if I'd be able to do it right away-but I'm all about Canada if McCain/Palin rule. We really really need a change in this country. I'm so excited about Obama-he was here for the DNC you know.

i'm glad you're writing again.

brigidforest September 29 2008, 21:13:30 UTC

Thank you!

I'm excited about Obama too. I have rolls stickers to give out and some signs.

I try to be innovative in my teaching and make sure that they like at least some aspect of what we're doing.

How have you been?

noparody October 4 2008, 15:25:56 UTC

That's important-
It's irrelevant mostly to the political issues-but did you see obama's daughter correct him on television? That was awesome to me.

In general, i've been doing a lot better overall. This semester in particular has started out really badly-as soon as I handle one crisis another one comes up and it's taking a toll on me. But the difference is that I do have some support now instead of being completely isolated. It's still new and kinda scary for me to have friends and accept kindnesses from people-but it's nice too.