Amy Horn's Blog
Posted by Amy Horn
So, one of my many New Year's Resolutions was to improve my blogging. And it's not just the frequency or content but it's the process itself I want to work on. You see, blogging is an interesting concept to me--a concept I like in theory but am leary of in practice. Because in theory, when I blog, I should be sharing my ideas and thoughts and feelings and really, there is no right or wrong to it. That's that part I like. But in practice, when others read my blog, they will have their own reactions to my ideas and thoughts and feelings--at least I hope they will--and then it seems like my words might become right or wrong or offensive or intrusive or simply invalid. That's the part I don't like. So, I find myself censoring my blogs, planning my blogs, and organizing my blogs so that they're basically not blogs--they're informal articles.
That's why my goal is to work on how I blog as well as how long and how much I blog. We'll see if it gets easier with time or better or maybe just more natural. And eventually, instead of trying to come up with clever concluding sentences for my blogs, I'll be able to end the blog when it's time to end the blog--in other words, when I'm out of thoughts.
I'm out.
Posted by Amy Horn
My latest article, Alternative Assessments, came out of guilt. As I was randomly passing out papers that we were going to grade in class, one of my students told me that when he grew up, he was going to invent a machine that graded papers for teachers. And not the scan-tron thing that we use, he said. A machine that grades all papers, so that kids wouldn't have to in class, is what he was going to invent.
I told him that he would be a billionaire.
I really never meant to be that teacher who has students trade papers and grade them in class. When I took all of my methods classes years ago, I remember how evil I thought those teachers were and how lazy. Strong words but I think I really thought that way. Then reality set in when I got my own classroom and I realized that every day was not going to be a dog and pony show with a lesson that just oozed excitement and every assignment was not going to be graded by me. Over the years I've had classroom aides (paraprofessionals), older student helpers, community volunteers, and of course, kids in class grade papers. We certainly don't grade papers in class every day, but we generally grade papers in class at least once a week.
Maybe twice.
But it dawned on me that day when my student told me about his brilliant invention, that if I'm grading papers in class twice a week and other teachers on my team are also grading papers in class on an average of twice a week, our students are grading papers ten times each week.
I would want a machine, too.
So, I am going to make more of an effort to be conscious of how often and what we're grading in class and then to implement different forms of assessment where and when I can. That way, the guilt of grading papers in class can be lifted and reserved for any number of the other things I mess up on a daily basis.
Posted by Amy Horn
Three months into the school year and it seems a lot easier to name all of the things at school for which I'm not grateful as opposed to all of the things for which I am. A lot of my colleagues seem to feel the same way. The promise of the new and exciting school year—“This time I’m going to get it right”—has long since passed and the countdown to winter break is underway for many of us. Some of the same old problems and complaints have crept up again, along with some new ones, as well. The list of gripes is long and the sound of groans is strong right now...which is why it’s the perfect time to get a grip and realize it’s really not that bad.
Really, it’s not.
And when I truly think about it, I have so much for which I am grateful within my school building, let alone my real life. I could go on and on when I take the time to reflect but here are just a few fabulous facets for which I say thank you: team and personal planning periods back to back , each and every day; a beautiful, two-year old building; my own classroom where I can lock myself away when I see fit; working with a team of teachers who truly are friends, as well; Breakfast Club every Friday morning; a principal who gives us as much freedom and trust as possible; parents who appreciate our efforts...and the list certainly doesn’t end there. Of course, there are things that I don’t like and personalities that drive me crazy, but hey, that’s life. And when I stop to smell the coffee in the lounge or taste the treats that the foods & nutrition kids made for me, I realize life is really good.
Really, it is.
Posted by Amy Horn
In my latest article, Report Cards for Teachers, I introduced the idea of having students assess their teachers--giving teacher report cards. I really do think it's one of the most valuable tools as far as authentic evaluation. The kids are the ones who see us every day, rain or shine, mistakes and all. And as we know, kids can be brutally honest. But for the most part, I still find myself to be my harshest critic.
That's why I think it's ridiculous that I still get a twinge of anxiety--well, nervous actually--when I know my principal is popping in the room for an evaluation. I'm a veteran teacher, an old pro. I know what I'm doing. I know what my students are doing. I even know why we're doing what we're doing. So, why am I still nervous when he walks in the room? Granted, it's gotten much better over the years; and ten minutes into the lesson, it really is as if he's not sitting at my desk--unless of course, the overhead doesn't work, I'm short copies of the assignment, or my cellphone rings from inside my desk. All of those things have been known to happen from time to time in my classroom; luckily, my principal was never present for any of them. But he was there the time one of my team members, J, ran into my room, plastered himself across the front wall, and made some hilarious comment to the kids. J made a much quieter and quicker exit after he caught my principal's eyes across the crowded room. I finished the lesson like a champ and even got commended on my evaluation for dealing with unexpected interruptions. Life happens. I know that and so does my principal. Each day, each class, and each lesson don't always go exactly according to plan. And given the fact that he's in my room for 42 minutes, he views his assessment as just one small snapshot in the huge scrapbook that makes up the year.
The moral of my story is take feedback for what it is--feedback--whether it's from your students, your colleagues, or your principals. I've heard that some people even accept it from their spouses. Regardless of who's delivering the message, know that it is just meant to be a tool to tell you all the excellent things you're doing and all the good things you can make even better. Evaluations are just one piece of the pie; sometimes the piece is great and sometimes you could do without. And next time, the piece might be the best you've ever had.
Posted by Amy Horn
Although my latest article, Classroom Organization, is all about getting organized in the classroom, I failed to mention the area of my classroom that is the least organized-my desk! Every year I promise to keep it neat and clean and free from clutter; yet, every year I still end up with "stacks" by the end of September and they simply get rearranged, replaced, and relocated until June. After really thinking about why my desk is destined for disarray each year, I decided it's because I have continually tried to organize and arrange my desk according to what I think it should look like and how I want it to appear. Obviously, that approach hasn't worked.
So, this year will be different. I am organizing my desk this year so that it works for me and in a way that will actually allow me to keep it clutter-free and somewhat functional! For one thing, I'm not buying the big desk calendar that many other teachers seem to have placed smack-dab in the middle of their desks with important meetings, reminders, and dates noted. I have bought a desk calendar every year, and I think I stop recording important items after our first two in-service days every August. If my husband is lucky, his birthday gets a bid on it, too. But other than that, it's just a waste of money and space-for me that is. Instead, I'm going to use the calendar that I bought from an animal rescue organization which hangs on my wall and I look at every morning. It's off of my desk, it's nothing new I need to buy, and it's as user-friendly as can be.
The calendar is just the start. I'm getting rid of the paper trays, stacked 5 high, and using a swiveling-office-supply-and- file-holder-thing instead (I think they created something like it on The Apprentice many seasons ago). My phone and computer are going in one corner and my lessons for the day in another. The list goes on, but you get the picture. I'm changing it up to meet my needs and make it easy for me to go to my desk, find something on it quickly, and heck, maybe even do work at it.
I have complete confidence that the way in which I organize my desk this year will be the best way yet--not that there won't be any stacks but hopefully not as many. And if it doesn't turn out to be as great as I thought, there's always that table in the front of my room where I can sit and get away from that messy, teacher's desk.
