Caring in the Classroom

I have to not include names to protect privacy but I had something happen yesterday in class that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling (none of the students described are pictured in this post). Trust me, that is a rare thing in teaching. My students in Biology were given a project that is new for me (I borrowed from a workshop I went to a couple of years ago at NABT in Denver). Each student is given a cutting from an African violet. They dip it in root hormone and then plant it in the pot they brought from home.

How its done

They created a bar graph on notebook paper. They are to record the growth every two weeks and to take a picture with ruler behind the leaf at the same interval.

If they keep these records along with some journal notes about its location amount of watering, conditions, etc and if there plant is still alive at the end of the nine weeks, they get a 100 test grade. Points are deducted at the rate of 10 per week if the records are not kept. If the plant is still living at the end of the second nine weeks and all records are kept, the student receives two 100s.

One of my students who always struggles a bit brought his pot happily (more or less) to class. As we were doing the ready,set,go (my version of do now or bellringer), he inadvertently knocked his clay pot on the floor, and it shattered into about eight pieces. Another student spontaneously got up gathered up all the pieces, took it to his table and asked if I had any glue so he could glue it back together. As we continued class and prepared for and planted the cuttings, he carefully glued the pot back together so it could receive a new plant. The fact that the students were of different social, academic and racial groups did not matter. What mattered was a pot was broken, and it needed repair. One student cared and it made all the difference.

First Annual Frog Races or the Jumping Frogs of Madison County

First, let me say, nothing is done small or halfway at the flagship school in the state.

My first annual frog race in my two physics classes was no exception. Students were to fold a card out of an index card with the handout provided (borrowed from gpb.org/chemistry-physics). Then each team was to measure the race track (I had put a piece of masking tape with s for start and another with f for finish) on each of seven lab tables. One class had 27 students! I published the actual measurements with significant figures on the web site (they used these numbers in their lab report to calculate per cent error). They were to measure and record the length of the track, the times for two time trials of each of the group member's frogs, and then to calculate the speed using the measured distance divided by the average of the two times.

I will let the videos speak for themselves. First, two that show the students working out their calculations.





First and Second Place winners in Third Block

First Place


Second Place

First, Second and Third Place Winners in Fourth Block


First


Second



Third

First Day of School Finally Arrived

Tickled Pink to be at MC

This shirt and tie were purchased four years ago (at a Magnet School Conference in Chattanooga at a very swanky Men's Shop) in anticipation of wearing on my first day of being a principal. I did not even take them out of the box until I finished my degree and passed my licensure exam. I never found the right calling to be a principal.

When I thought I had a physics job at Clinton, I decided to wear them to the interview. When I did not get that job, I thought I would never wear them again. I decided to break them in right at the Jungle. As is the tie, I am tickled pink to be here. Instead of a principal, I am a principle teacher maintaining the standard of excellence at The Madison Central.



This is my famous lab coat and my introduction. There is a longer version later.

There were two affirmations that I am in the right place at the right time. One came from one of my best ever students at Velma - when I told her the news about teaching at MC, she very perceptively said I am so glad you are in a place where you will be happy.
The other came in those anxious few moments before the students actually came to class for the first time. I was walking down the hall yesterday and saw a former student from Velma walking down the hall. This guy struggled in one of my classes my first year at Velma and he and his mother and I had many conferences. Eventually he hit his stride and passed the class with flying colors. He left Velma for better opportunities at MC (kind of like his teacher). When I asked how he was doing he said he was in one of my classes. How cool is that?

Finally I was able to get fresh cut roses from my garden to the two front office angels, the attendance gems, the tough love lieutenant general of the school and to her excellency (the paragon of principalship - I should know I have worked for eleven).

Stay tuned for great things to come, I am in my element.

Let me introduce myself