Tag: secondary

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Overbooked and stressed out: Are we doing our kids a disservice?

Every parent wants to raise confident, well rounded children. We want to give our children the growing up experience they deserve. So many parents want their children to play a sport, learn a musical instrument, be at the top of their class, and be involved in other school sponsored extra curricular activities. And while all of these activities are good things to want your child to be involved in, at what cost does that involvement come? Are we overbooking our children, causing them to be stressed out and too busy? 

There are many benefits to having your child involved in extra curricular activities. Those activities can teach children things that just can’t be taught as well in the classroom— things like how to be a good sport, being part of a team, and how to manage your time effectively. Friendships can form. Kids can learn to be disciplined and what it takes to improve at something. Music lessons can help students in their academic studies and can boost creativity. Martial arts can help kids learn self defense, respect, and determination. Extra curricular activities are also a great way to boost confidence in children and teens. They can see their hard work pay off and they can feel good about their accomplishments. 

But what happens when the extra “stuff” becomes too much? Parents want their children to be involved and to develop their talents, but it often comes at a cost. Kids need time to just be kids. They need time to decompress from their day, and need a chance to slow down. If they are overbooked with extra activities and responsibilities, those chances to slow down become few and far between. Oftentimes, we see academic success and progress suffering at the hand of too many extra curricular activities. Opportunities for non-extracurricular social interaction lessen. Sleep deprivation can come into play when students are so overbooked that they don’t get to their homework until late at night, which then can bleed into poor academic performance because their young brains are not functioning at full capacity when they are already tired and overworked, not to mention the toll that poor sleep habits have on cognitive function during the daytime. 

I am constantly in awe and disbelief at the teenagers in my neighborhood. They are all doing incredible things, and it is remarkable to see their talents bloom. That being said, I know it comes at a great cost. One girl a few houses down from me is a competitive dancer. After school most days of the week, she heads from school to home, just to turn around and head to the dance studio for the next few hours of her night. On Wednesdays, she finishes dance at 6:30, then promptly heads to her church congregation’s youth activity for the week, which usually lasts until 8-8:30. Once that is over, she can head home and do her homework and get some down time before heading to bed just to start it all over again the next morning. I’m exhausted just writing this! 

I don’t know if there are any easy solutions to this dilemma. What I do know is that young minds are precious and should be treated with care. It is essential to find a decent balance between being involved and being too involved. For some families, that may look like cutting out extra curricular activities all together. For others, it might mean cutting back on how many extra activities they are involved in, or maybe cutting back from participating in competitive teams and sticking only to school or city recreation teams. Some families may have magically figured out the perfect routine and balance that works for them (lucky!). 

Whatever the case may be, there is much to be considered when putting children and teens into extra curricular activities. There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. But one thing is certain: we need to be sure to look out for the well being of our rising generation, and need to make sure they are healthy and well!

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Why Teaching is a Good Idea: Part 2

In my last post, I talked about five reasons it’s a good idea to become a teacher. You can find that post here. Today, I’ll talk about five more reasons and hopefully convince a few of you that teaching really is the coolest job on the planet!

Reason #6: Students aren’t the only ones learning

One of the unexpected parts of teaching is that the teacher isn’t always the one instructing. Students can impart so much knowledge and wisdom to their teachers as well as to their fellow classmates. The kids you teach can contribute when they do research projects, writing assignments, or any other number of tasks. Students can also help their teachers translate modern slang terms— a somewhat silly, but helpful way they can teach their teachers. Students can share their opinions and viewpoints, giving teachers new ways to think about things. I remember having my students write a journal about how they felt about writing, and one student responded with, “I love to write because I can say more with my pen than I ever could with my mouth.” What a powerful thought! It has stuck with me for over ten years and I think about it often about the power of writing. Students really do have a unique way of teaching their teachers.

Reason #7: The schedule is family friendly

For parents who are also teachers, the schedule offers great opportunities for family time. For the most part, holidays and other days that teachers have off will coincide with days that students have off. Even the day to day schedule often falls in line (or at least very closely) with when kids start and end school. Summers off also allow teachers to spend time with their families, and, for some families, that extra time greatly decreases the need for childcare during the summer months. Teachers don’t have to work graveyard shifts, and their contract time is consistent, making it easy to plan for appointments and other responsibilities. 

Reason #8: A creative outlet 

One of my favorite parts of teaching was getting to use my creativity. It was so much fun planning lessons and activities that I knew my students would love. I got to decorate my classroom how I wanted. Rather than following a set script, I was able to teach in my own way. Obviously, there was a core curriculum I needed to stick to and teach, but for the most part, how I taught that material was up to me. 

Reason #9: A chance for continual learning

Because an educator’s license isn’t good forever, teachers have the chance to attend workshops, conferences, and classes to acquire the needed points to keep their licenses up to date. While this might seem like a dreaded part of teaching to some, it’s really not all that terrible. As educators, aren’t we always promoting the importance of learning? Aren’t we trying to instill in our students the idea that learning is positive and powerful and can take you so far in life? So why wouldn’t we want the same opportunity? The chance to continue your learning is such a privilege. The fact that teachers are pretty much required to attend these extra classes and conferences is actually a really cool thing. The needs of our students change over time, so our teaching practices should change over time, and one of the best ways to stay up to date with teaching practices that are helpful for today’s children is by continuing to learn and research. 

Reason #10: Fun is encouraged

I don’t know of a single student who enjoys sitting through a day at school that isn’t engaging and fun in some way. Students crave fun. I think it would also be safe to say that teachers need fun in their classrooms, too. I think so often we assume that the “fun” lessons are mainly for elementary grades. Having many years of experience teaching junior high aged students, I can assure you that older students also enjoy having fun at school! Teachers can, and should, find ways to incorporate fun into their lessons and activities. That’s not to say that every day has to be an all out fun fest from start to finish, because I just don’t know if that’s feasible. But there should be some amount of fun in every school day. 

I realize that teaching isn’t for everyone. I don’t think there is a single job on this planet that is for everyone. And that’s ok! Everyone has different skills, talents, abilities, preferences, dislikes, and interests that make them who they are.

Teaching, for me, has always been more than just a job. Sure there are long days filled with grading, planning, and paper work. But overall, it’s a job that is rewarding and filled with so much fun and happiness. The rising generation needs good, solid, trusted adults to help and guide them, and teaching is an incredible way to provide those adults. To teach is to change lives, and that’s a pretty amazing opportunity!

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Why Teaching is a Good Idea

Being a school teacher is a demanding and busy job. There are so many responsibilities and duties with which teachers are tasked. Lesson planning, classroom management, differentiation, test writing, assignment writing, and instruction are just a few. It’s a big job, with the potential to influence, for better or for worse, the lives and minds of today’s youth. Why would anyone want to do it? Why would you intentionally take on that kind of stress and pressure? There are, after all, innumerable other jobs to pick from. Why would anyone choose to be a teacher? It’s certainly not the money (though it would be amazing If teachers were actually compensated what they are truly worth!). Despite what some may think, there are actually really good, compelling reasons to become a teacher. Join me over the next couple of days as we talk about some of those reasons!

Reason #1: You have the chance to impact the rising generation

This is probably the number one reason that most teachers do what they do. Kids and teens spend a good chunk of their time at school. Teachers have the most amazing opportunity to use that time with students for good. One teacher I talked to said that she loves to teach her students to think critically and to think for themselves— what an incredible impact she is having on her students by teaching them a crucial skill that they will use the rest of their lives. So many students are not blessed with good home lives, and for many students, school is their safe place. It would be such a tragedy if teachers didn’t use their time wisely and didn’t create that safe space that so many students today need. Teachers have such an incredible responsibility and privilege to bless and influence the lives of today’s rising generation.

Reason #2: Kids of all ages are so much fun

No matter the age group you teach, there is the potential for so much fun to be had. Kids of all ages add so much variety and fun to life. I’m sure most teachers could write a book full of funny things they have heard or seen their students say or do. Teachers have a unique opportunity to interact with and develop relationships with their students. They can use those interactions to build up their students and encourage them to be their best selves.

Reason #3: Teaching can be a blast

Do you love math? Science? Grammar? Anxiety Egypt? Greek Mythology? Perfect! Teaching gives you a chance to share your passions. As you teach, you can use your knowledge and enthusiasm for a particular subject to engage students and open up a whole new world of exciting information. When you teach with passion for your subject, your students can feel it and will catch on to your excitement. 

Reason #4: Job Security

Teaching is one of those jobs that will always be needed. It’s not a job that will be phased out or done away with. People need formal education, and teachers provide that education. Sure, there may be times where a teaching job may not be open at the exact school you are wanting to work at, but there will always be teaching opportunities nearby. And in today’s economy, job security is an amazing thing to have!

Reason #5: Every day is different

Teaching is a lot of things, but one thing it isn’t is boring. Every day is a chance for a new adventure. For secondary teachers, even every class period is different. You can teach the same exact lesson for all seven class periods and have completely different class periods. It’s amazing! One day your students may be subdued and calm, while the next day they are full of enthusiasm and zest. You just never know, and that’s part of what makes teaching so much fun! If you love variety, teaching is definitely a good option for you.

Have I convinced you yet to become a teacher? Or maybe at least convinced you that it might be a good career choice? If not, that’s okay! My next post will give you five more reasons that teaching is the best job a person can have. See you next time!

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The Power of Music in the Classroom

My son, who is in third grade, just sat down to do his homework: completing a multiplication chart. I was headed downstairs to get my computer when I suddenly heard him burst into song. He was counting by two in the tune of “Yankee Doodle,” then proceeded to count by six to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down.” He continued this process, with a different little song for each row of his multiplication chart. He had it completed rather quickly, thanks to the help of these little songs. 

As he worked, I started thinking about how important and helpful music can be in the classroom. Music has this super neat ability to make information stick. It’s really pretty cool. I remember my 10th grade Biology teacher having us write our own songs to go along with the process of photosynthesis. Come test day, I flew through the questions as I sang my song in my head. I could even hear my classmates quietly muttering out their own songs as they worked their way through their tests. 

I recall a time when I was teaching junior high. I happened to be out in the hall during my prep period and could hear Mr. Hodges’ ninth grade Biology class walking down the hall chanting/singing a song he had made up about amino acids. It was catchy. No doubt those students remembered those amino acids for a long time to come.

For those of us old enough to remember “School House Rock,” I’m sure you are able to recall all sorts of facts about our government and such because of those songs. These seemingly silly songs helped kids remember important information. 

Today’s kids will likely never know the experience of having your teacher wheel the TV to the front of the room, put the VHS tape into the VCR, then push play. But they still have their own version of “School House Rock”-esque songs. You Tube has a plethora of songs designed to teach and help students retain information. Unlike older generations, kids today can watch it at school, then come home and be able to watch it again and again with the click of a button. 

Not only can infusing music with information be helpful, but simply playing music during work time can be helpful. My junior high English students practically lived for the days that I would allow them to bring their headphones to class so that they could listen to music of their choice while they completed assignments. I found this especially helpful on days when we were in the drafting and writing stages of essay or story writing. Students who were normally squirmy and disruptive were suddenly quiet, focused, and still. For students who didn’t have their own music-producing device, I would plug my phone in and turn on a quiet mix of songs that played through my classroom speaker system. Never did I have students work harder and quieter than I did during music days. It was magical!

Music is transformative. It has the power to do so many things for the human brain. It can calm, heal, bring peace, help release anger or frustration, and, as noted here, can have the power to bring things to memory. That’s pretty cool if you ask me. Music brings so much color to the classroom!

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Teacher to Admin: Mike’s Story

The administrative team in a school makes a big impact on the teachers and students in the building. Every administrator is different, and every administrator leads in a unique way. The role of a principal or assistant principal is to support, lead, and teach their students and teachers, among other things that would fall under these three categories. In order for an administrator to fully understand what their teachers need, I believe it is crucial that they have spent some time actually teaching in and managing their own classroom. It’s one of those “you don’t understand it until you’ve actually done it” kind of things. I had the chance to talk to Mike, a teacher-turned-administrator, and was able to get his insight on the shift from a classroom teacher to a vice principal. Let’s see what he had to say!

What grade(s) and subject(s) did you teach while you were in the classroom?

6-12

Social Studies – Utah History, U.S. History, Geography, World History, Government, History of Pop Culture, History of Food, Positive Psychology

Financial Literacy

Interior Design

Drama

I was also a school counselor for a year.

What is something you miss about being in the classroom on a daily basis?

The thing that I miss most about being in the classroom is the deeper, more individualized connection I was able to develop with students. I was able to see them on a regular basis, get to know them, understand what strengths they had and what needs they had.

What influenced your decision to leave the classroom and become an administrator?

I went into teaching to advocate and support students. I went into administration to advocate and support teachers. I realized if I could support teachers in a building, I could actually have a broader impact on the larger school population. I also had some situations where I felt like I wasn’t being supported by administrators and wanted to be part of the change. Furthermore, I’ve always been one who wants to learn systems from every angle. Experiencing the public school system from a teaching perspective is much different than experiencing it from an administrative perspective.

What is your favorite thing about being an admin?

My favorite thing about being an admin is problem solving. Every single day is different, and every day requires me to access different parts of my brain, my experiences, to come up with solutions to very unique problems. I step into the building with no idea what will happen that day, and that is exciting to me.

I also love watching them navigate “firsts”  on a regular basis. First locker, first break up, first death of a loved one, first failing grade, first passing grade, first solo in a concert, first place in a race, etc. Being able to help them navigate through these firsts is so rewarding.

What would you tell someone who is considering becoming an admin, but isn’t quite sure they want to make the switch?

I would tell them to make sure to cherish the time they have in the classroom. It’s one of those “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” situations. Classroom teaching is difficult, but there’s just something about it that you don’t quite get to experience once you leave it. You still get to interact with students as an administrator but it’s just different. I would also encourage them to ask if they can shadow an administrator for a week. I think it’s easy for a teacher to view administration as something that it’s actually not. I was completely blindsided by the amount and scope of work that I had to deal with as an administrator, and that’s partially because I have worked for some great administrators that made the job seem easy, even though it wasn’t.

What do you love most about the students you work with?

I am inspired on a daily basis by my student’s resiliency. The fact that students get up every morning, get on the bus, come to school (something many of them don’t love), and face many unknowns and challenges every single day is inspiring. Students have very little control over what is happening in the world around them, yet they still show up. Every. Single. Day. I have seen students experience some of the most horrific things one could imagine, and yet, there they are in 1st period, learning about the pythagorean theorem. I also see this resiliency watching them navigate “firsts”  on a regular basis. First locker, first break up, first death of a loved one, first failing grade, first passing grade, first solo in a concert, first place in a race, etc. Being able to help them navigate through these firsts is so rewarding.

What great insight; thanks, Mike! From his answers, you can tell what an excellent administrator Mike is. Administrators like Mike, who lead with kindness, understanding, and love, are the kind we need in schools today. Students face so many hard things in their lives, and school should be a place they can come and feel safe and taken care of by the teachers and administration at their schools. The next time you see the administrator of your own school or of your children’s school, take a minute and thank them for their hard work!

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Using Spooky Season in Your Instruction

Kids and holidays are such a fun combination. There is a certain magic that comes when you incorporate holidays into your lessons and activities in your classroom. Holiday activities take ordinary math into holiday math, and suddenly math is more fun! They take regular art time into holiday art time. Holidays can add such a fun element to classroom learning. 

With Halloween approaching, it seems fitting to share a few ideas of how to incorporate spooky season into your lessons. Holiday lessons can be used with any subject, and with any grade level. Secondary students might act like they are too cool and too old for holiday themed activities, but I would bet that most of them would still have fun with them. 

There are countless ways to add Halloween fun to your math lessons. For elementary grades, using worksheets that are color by number (with or without math equations) can be a great way to bring in the holiday. Rather than using math blocks or circle counters, using small Halloween themed figures like miniature pumpkins or ghosts, can be a fun way to make math more engaging during Halloween time. For secondary students, you might create story problems that are based on Halloween themes, or create an assignment where students must plan out a Halloween party and need to figure out all the costs.

In Language Arts classes, there are an abundance of halloween books and stories that can be used. Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson is a favorite picture book that students of all ages would enjoy. Another halloween favorite is The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams. And of course we can’t forget There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bat by Lucille Colandro! For secondary grades, there are a plethora of stories and books that are excellent to use for Halloween. One of my all time favorites to read with my eighth grade classes was “Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe. The suspense and mystery are the perfect level of “spooky” for junior high aged kids. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie is a fun mystery book to use for younger secondary students. For older secondary students, other works by Poe, Christie, and Bradbury, among others, can be used to add some holiday fun to learning. 

In art classes, students can create a haunted house from various mediums. In history classes, students can study the history behind Halloween and how traditions and celebrations have changed over time. In sewing classes, students can sew a pillow that is a Halloween shape. In cooking classes, students can bake pumpkin or bat shaped cookies. 

In preschool classes, students would enjoy playing with a Halloween themed sensory bin or listening to silly Halloween songs and rhymes. They might also enjoy using Halloween shaped cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of play-doh. 

The options are endless, but one thing is certain: mixing in some Halloween themed activities is a sure fire way to add some fun and excitement to your instruction!