My uncle used to say that when he was a 5th grade teacher he would get enough cologne and aftershave every Christmas to last him a lifetime. When I started teaching it was not unusual to get 20+ gifts at Christmas from my 125 or so students. Now, I receive less than 10 gifts of any kind each holiday season. I’m not complaining; just making an observation about how traditions have changed. When my daughter was in school my wife and I would give each of her teachers a gift certificate, usually for $25, from some local store.

Many of the gifts I have received recently have been homemade; cookies, candy and the like. This year I have already received 2 bags of homemade candy and some chocolate covered pretzels--all delicious. As well, I received a rather nice holiday mug, a bottle of wine, and a gift certificate. The gift certificate was from a young lady who I had taught last year and her sister who I taught two years ago--it was for $100. The wine came from another young lady I taught last year for whom I had written a letter of recommendation.

Semester exams started today. I have two exams to give today--AP Chemistry and my Chemistry B class. The administration released the list of students who are not to take exams because they still owe tuition and I have 2 students (out of 22) in my Chemistry B class who will not be taking the exam on time, while everyone in AP Chemistry is cleared. There is 1 Honors Chemistry student (out of 80) who is on the list, but I don’t see her until Thursday.

I have 6 outside tutoring students I see, four of them on a regular basis. I have two scheduled for tonight and then I am finished with them until after break. Except for one family, my tutoring students usually don’t give me any kind of gift at the holidays. The one family who does is very generous.

After grading the Chemistry B exams I was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. The highest grade was 95% and the average was 79%, the lowest grade 61%. Only two students failed the exam, one of them failed the semester as well, and will have to take it over in summer school. He had almost 100 points in missing homework 2nd quarter. I informed him that the homework was still missing last week and told him that if he did it all before the exam I would give him partial credit. Needless to say, nothing was turned in.

The average on the AP Chemistry exam was in the mid 80’s, with three students doing so poorly that I feel they should drop the class. It is not my policy to force a student to drop because of poor grades, but if asked I would advise them to do so.

There are still three days of exams left until break. A much needed break I might add.

Just when you think that you can’t be surprised by as colleague’s weirdness, they surprise you again. I have written before about a colleague who often acts like he needs tin foil around his head so the government can’t read his thoughts. About a year or so ago he announced that there was going to be an armed revolution if the rich (who he hates without reserve) kept “messing” with the people. I wrote about how he scared me, somewhat, with his seemingly violent comments. I decided not to report the situation because I did not believe he really would lead an armed revolt, and he hadn’t repeated his threats to the students. He was an angry man, upset because a family member had lost her job in the economic downturn, convinced that the Republicans only cared about the wealthy.

I can hear him teach when I pop into the work room between our classrooms. On several occasions today I heard him going on about the government and/or military who are involved in something detrimental to the hoi polloi. What I couldn’t make out was exactly what was being perpetrated on us by the “man” until after school when he came into my classroom to share his theory with me.

He started by asking if I knew about some new, exciting, research by a scientist. I confessed I had heard nothing earth shattering recently and waited for him to continue. He told me that a reputable scientist recently discovered that we may all actually live in the matrix, and experiments were being designed to test this hypothesis. My first thought was that he was joking, but his tone and demeanor conveyed his seriousness concerning the matter. He then excused himself, telling me that he had soup from the cafeteria to bring home to his wife. There was a student still in the classroom who heard the exchange. After my colleague left, the student looked at me and asked if he was crazy. I laughed, then lied and told the young man that he was just kidding.

If you think about it, there are several recent surprising phenomenon that might be explained by the world being just a computer program: like, how exactly did President Obama get reelected, or why is “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” so popular? In fact, maybe the Chicago Cubs haven’t won a world series in 104 years because agent Smith is a White Sox fan. Come to think of it, the whole idea isn’t as crazy as it appears on the surface.
Just who do I talk to so I can be married to Giada de Laurentiis.

With the end of first quarter coming this week, I find myself more relaxed than last year at this time. My advanced placement students appear to work hard: keeping up with the faster pace I have set for them. My Honors Chemistry classes appear to be progressing: finally getting with the program after a slow start.

I am especially happy with my lower level Chemistry class. They have proven to be well behaved and willing to work hard, if not always consistently or successfully. It has been my observation that most of these “slower” students lack the self confidence that is standard in the honors children. They regularly seek confirmation that they are doing things correctly, need to have the simplest concept reinforced frequently, and require repeated reminders of what is due and when it is due. Many of them are fine in class, but the moment the bell rings and they leave the room, Chemistry is forgotten until they get their seats the next day. This is not due to laziness, but to a serious lack of focus. I worry about many of them. They seem to be well meaning but are significantly incompetent. Several are, in my mind, totally unemployable. I can’t imagine how they could hold down the most menial job for any length of time.

Some of these children have essentially failed at almost everything they have tried in school. They have been told they are slow, dumb, or lazy by many frustrated teachers who have been charged with their education. This frustration comes from unrealistic expectations by their teachers. I entered into this arrangement with very low expectations, generating work and assessments that are significantly more basic that I have ever used before. They don’t know the difference, except they are experiencing better than normal success. The premise is that success breeds more success while frustration breeds more frustration. My hope is that in the future they will develop the confidence to master more difficult work.

The key to making this method work is not to let the students know that you are modifying their work in any way. As far as they are concerned, they are doing the same work the regular classes are doing—they are just going through it more slowly. While I am careful not to compare the lower students to the regular or honors classes, when they make mistakes on their work I tell them not to worry—I say that the “honors” students make the same mistakes, and then re-teach the material.

Now it’s time to enjoy the rest of my Columbus Day vacation.

Today marks the beginning of the third full week of school and things are off to an uneventful start. My class schedule is similar to last year, except for my regular chemistry being replaced by a lower level class. At the end of last year we had two teachers retire. One was full time science and taught all the lower levels of chemistry while the other was both math and science, teaching three regular chemistry sections. With lower enrollment and several department members agreeing to teach an extra class for more pay, we were able to absorb all the sections without having to hire a replacement for either of the retirees. A huge benefit of this occurrence is that everyone in the department has their own room finally. I am free two periods of the day and my classroom is empty both. I no longer have to wander the halls of the school with my laptop looking for a place to work. As a result, my day is more relaxed and I am getting more work done. My lunchtime duty has also been changed. I no longer have duty in front of the cafeteria, but rather I guard a hall on the other end of the school. As a result I am bringing my own lunch and avoiding the cafeteria food. I have already seen an improvement in my blood sugar levels and general feeling of well being in the afternoon. The biggest surprise this year has been my lower level chemistry students. I asked to teach this section because the person teaching the other sections of this class did not want to work with the colleague assigned to be her partner. I had been scheduled for a regular chemistry class, but asked for the lower level classes in order to move the unwaned partner out, maintaining department harmony. My biggest fear was that these students would be discipline problems, making my life miserable for the year. Happily, they are very nice young men and women, even if not the intellectual equivalent of what I am used to. They will try to do whatever you ask them to do. While cooperative and well behaved, their lack of math ability is shocking. Let me give you an example. A problem on their homework asked them to change 2.00 x 10-4 from scientific notation to decimal form. One girls answer was 0.0002.00. That’s not a misprint—she put two decimal points in the answer. When I told her that that wasn’t allowed she stared at the paper like a dog looking at a wrist watch, and asked me if I was sure. With daily help and personal attention from me she steadily improved her homework grades until she finally passed the last assignment with a D-. The next day she took the exam and passed with a D+. The first exam for these students had an average of 81, with grades ranging from 97 to 70—everyone passing.

The first week of summer vacation has been restful and quiet. Monday I needed to be in school to finalize my grades and attend a morning meeting, but the rest of the week has been blessed vacation. My summer exercise routine consists of alternate days of biking and weight lifting in hopes of getting myself back in reasonable shape. But, while school is out, I have had to address several inquiries from parents and students. One of my best students emailed me earlier in the week to tell me that I recorded the wrong number of extra credit points on her 4th quarter grade sheet. I checked, and she was correct, but the added points did not change her grade--which was already an A+. I replied, teasing her about now getting an A++. The mother of another teacher’s student emailed me with a question about her daughter’s lost text book. Students must return their state text book before they are allowed to take their final exam. If the book is lost, it must be paid for or replaced with a used book in reasonable condition. I let the parent know there was a link on my teacher page to a site that sells used books. Several days later she contacted me again to let me know that the book had arrived and would be dropped off at the office for me. The teacher involved just retired and I volunteered to take care of his make-up exams so he could start his life of leisure. Another parent emailed to inform me that I had made a mistake in calculating her daughter’s final grade. I was informed that her daughter had an 84.2% average for the semester which should have resulted in a B-. Her grade had been reported as a C+. She requested that I either change the grade or get back to her with an explanation for what I had done. I checked her daughter’s grade and it did come out to an 84.2% when the 3rd quarter, 4th quarter, and Final Exam percentages were weighted properly and averaged. Unfortunately for the girl, final grades are not calculated using the percentage grades for each part--even though the grading program had reported that average on the students grade page--but rather, by using quality points assigned to each letter grade. The girl received a B for third quarter, B+ for 4th quarter, and failed the final exam. The B received 6 quality points, the B+ 6.8 quality points, and the F 0 points, for a total of 12.8. The minimum quality points for a semester grade of B- are 13.0. I explained this to the mother and she seemed to understand, but thought the method was unfair. I whole heartedly agree, straight percentages would be much more fair and valid, but I did not tell the parent. I did ask her to talk to assistant principal for academics to voice her concerns. To understand that using percentages would be a better way to determine semester grades requires an understanding of numbers--a skill which, sadly, many of the teachers in our building lack. The administration has left it up to the faculty to vote on how grades will be determined and my side gets outvoted by the innumerate each time. I believe that it is important that teachers do not complain to parents about the way things are done, so I publically tow the company line. If enough of the “quality point” people had to respond to parents who questioned the process things might change. I let the assistant principal know of her pending parent contact--she rolled her eyes and told me that she already had 5 other calls about the same thing. I also spoke to the registrar, who is in charge of report cards, about the situation. She is also well aware of the problem; responding to several parent s already. The present situation might be helped if she could block the reporting of % averages by the grading program, but I was informed that the program did not allow that. I refuse to let this ruin the start of my summer.

OOPSIE!

This week my comments concern an email I received through a “Department Directors” group to which I belong. It reads as follows: “Last week, our biology teachers began the evolution unit and on Friday, a student who practices being a Jehovah Witness came to school with a note from his mom saying he cannot participate in learning about evolution because he is a Jehovah Witness.” Most of the replies explained that the parents of students in this district or that had the option to opt-out of certain topics taught in school. These opt-out policies (OOP’s) are common in many public schools. According to the research I was able to do, the most common topics invoking the opt-out option are blood transfusions, diseases, and transplants, objected to by Christian Scientists who don’t believe in medical treatments, sex education, objected to by many religious conservatives who don’t want their children to know that people have sex, and evolution, objected to by those who hold to a literal translation of the Bible. When the policy includes an option related to the teachings of the evil Charles Darwin, it is referred to as an OPPSIE--opt-out option including evolution. I must admit that before I received this email and followed the links in the replies, I had no idea such silliness existed; although, I do approve of opting some students out of sex education--some gene pools should just end. Our state weighs in as follows: Sec. 27-23.5. Organ/tissue and blood donor and transplantation programs. Each school district that maintains grades 9 and 10 may include in its curriculum and teach to the students of either such grade one unit of instruction on organ/tissue and blood donor and transplantation programs. No student shall be required to take or participate in instruction on organ/tissue and blood donor and transplantation programs if a parent or guardian files written objection thereto on constitutional grounds, and refusal to take or participate in such instruction on those grounds shall not be reason for suspension or expulsion of a student or result in any academic penalty. For public schools that have a policy most read something like this: “No student shall be required to take or participate in instruction on XXX programs if a parent or guardian files written objection thereto on constitutional grounds.” I teach in a Catholic School. Catholics do not adhere to the literal translation of the Bible; consequently the whole concept of evolution is of little concern. We teach it now, in fact we have always taught evolution in Biology. I see no conflict. Periodically, a parent will want to meet with me as Department Chairman and try to get “Intelligent Design” included in our Biology curriculum. I always tell them that we do; telling them that evolution is God’s intelligent design. This usually causes a state of confusion, or invokes a mindless rage. In either case, I treat their ignorance with the contempt it deserves. Principals have always backed me up. I really have no problem with an OOP, though science teacher organizations are strongly opposed to them. The main objection being that a student who opts out of a topic like evolution has an incomplete educational experience, prevents the teacher from doing his/her job, and may also impact standardized test scores; but so does not paying attention in class, not doing homework, and being absent from school. More importantly--in my mind at least--it cripples a student’s ability to do advanced work in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics; making it unlikely they can ever become a doctor, nurse, engineer, or geologist. That being said, I would still allow parents to opt their children out of objectionable instruction, though I would like to see parents sued by their children later in life for compensation. If a parent can be successfully sued because a child was abused and needs therapy later in life, why not sue for compensation when remedial instruction is needed to make up for holes in your education caused by a parent’s poor decision?

And Now We Interrupt This Program For An Important Message

If you bother to ask teachers in our building, you will find out that many are quite disturbed and angry about the number of interruptions to their teaching time. In the last two weeks (10 class days) alone, my first period AP Chemistry class has been all but canceled by various interruptions on four separate occasions. The first time it was the day we returned from spring break when nine out of my twenty students took their “personal free day.” The PFD is given to students who raised their quota for the yearly fund drive. I have no real problem with this, except where it involves so many students that I am effectively forced to give a study hall instead of teach. The next day I had planned several important review problems, only to find out that the band members in first period were going to meet with the band directors for an important announcement. We were promised that they would only be 5-10 minutes late, and on time if an exam was scheduled, but none of my 11 band members arrived until 20 minutes into the period. One of the English teachers told me that he had an exam scheduled but his students were 20 minutes late as well. The band director has these students 5th period, but apparently the news could not wait until then. As it turns out, the news was important, but could easily have waited until his class, resulting in another unnecessary class interruption. Thursday of that week the third interruption to first period took place. Twice a year, all students who received a 4.0 GPA for the semester are honored in a ceremony before school. Invited parents and free teachers watch as each 4.0 student is called by name and given a certificate of achievement. The process usually begins at 7:30 and takes 20 minutes, returning students to their first period 5-10 minutes late. This year they got a late start; my 9 missing students not returning until 35 minutes into the period. The next Tuesday all the A.P. English Language students (14 of my 20 students) would miss the whole period for a “pre-administration meeting.” In the past I complained to the Guidance person in charge, suggesting this be done after school. I was told that this would interfere with their sports practice, which is apparently more important than my class time. Ironically, this year the A.P. Pre-administration conflicts with students being let out of class to set up for a performance of the school Musical for local grade school students. The powers that be deciding that the play was more important than pre-administration; class time being placed on the bottom rung importance ladder again. Some of my colleagues will never cease to vigorously complain when these regular interruptions occur. I have given up; realizing that my complaints about the need for more class time fall on deaf ears. While the administration would strongly deny this, what I do in class will never be valued as much as what other people do for the school.

Back Again

I haven’t written anything in my blog since November; not because I haven’t had anything to write about, but because I have been otherwise occupied. During the last two months, five of my high school classmates have passed away, one of them my college roommate.

He had been diagnosed with cancer in March of last year. Over his last 10 months we spoke on the phone every few weeks, and on three occasions we planned dinner, but each time he found himself too weak to attend. His body did not take well to the chemo and eventually it had to be discontinued. The last time we spoke was the day before we were to get together for a Christmas dinner at my home. He said his physical condition was such that he could no longer get out of bed. A week later, on Christmas day, his wife called and said that he was in intensive care; his organs failing fast. I went to the hospital that day to see him, but he was unconscious, a week later he passed away.

I have an email list of our class—supplied by the alumni office—and have used it to inform everyone of some event. I used it to try to get everyone to come to the last reunion, and to announce the death of a former teacher. When I sent out a message about his death I was shocked to find out through replies that four other classmates had died as well; all within about six weeks time. Needless to say, it is quite unsettling to be faced with the deaths of your friends, especially as many as this in a short time. Two of them passed away and were buried before I knew, but I was able to attend the wakes of the other three including my former roommate.

As far as school goes, we had a very successful open house for prospective students in early December, though the numbers at the entrance exam were a bit disappointing. On the bright side, the results of the exam indicate that the scores are up from last year, especially among the top students. All-in-all, our freshmen class next year should be about the same size as this year.

Semester exams went off without a hitch, and for the third year in a row I did not have any failures for the semester. After a somewhat restful Christmas break, the second semester began with a few changes in my class list. Friday we made it to mid-quarter.

My outside tutoring has been busy and I have been feeling the effects of long days, getting home after 8:00pm many times in recent weeks. I leave the house at about 6:30 am each morning. Last weekend I was so worn-out that I slept twelve hours Friday night, napped for four hours Saturday afternoon, and ten more hours Saturday night. I then spent eight hours Sunday grading papers and doing work for school. This weekend I have no school work to do so I am relaxing before another week of long days and late night tutoring sessions.

I have no interest in the Super Bowl beyond the numbers I got in the pool I joined. A batch of beef stew in the slow cooker today is awaiting my wife getting up after working last night at the hospital, and a possible visit from my daughter before she attends her super bowl party later.