Monday, July 07, 2008

Heading to CAMT in the morning! Plus Teaching Update

I'll be attending CAMT until Friday in Dallas and hope to bring back a lot of useful material to use with my students. I'll be rooming with some other teachers from another district at Hotel Lawrence but the meetings will be at the Sheraton, formally the Adam's Mark. I am thankful the school district's professional development department is helping me attend this much needed math conference. Thank you Dr. H. and WISD!

I realized I hadn't given an update on my students with their 7th Math TAKS test. We made our number, however our school is still rated unacceptable by TEA standards. We didn't meet the standard in another subject/grade level. Even though TEA closed down two of the four schools who were in the same situation as my school, the strides our students made across the board in all other subject areas didn't warrant closing our middle school. Whew! The kids worked really hard. I had only four students get commended, but many were eight or less questions from getting commended. The end of the year was easy breezy because the kids were feeling "so smart" because of their successes. We ended the year on a great note! I did have more than I wanted who failed, but most were to be expected from being a couple of grades below level, poor attendance, behavior, and a sour taste in their mouthes about Math I just couldn't sweeten them up on. I tried my best, and only anticipate more improvement from them next year and years to come.

One of the sweetest memories I'll have from my babies was having a few of them tell me constantly at the beginning of the year, and throughout the year for that matter, that they hated math and didn't understand why they had to do it. Some of those very same students not only passed their math TAKS test, but came to me before school ended and said, "Miss Evans, I used to didn't like math, but I kinda like it now. Thank you."

Well, to add more good news, a few who were over-aged went to accelerated summer school and will be skipped up to the 9th grade, their right grade in the fall. You don't want to know how many over-aged students I had. I think it's an epidemic. Nonetheless, you keep on striving, never giving up.

Not because I intended it or planned it, but by timing beyond my control, I was offered a transfer back to the school I subbed 8th Math/Algebra 1 long term back in the fall of '06. I will not be a grade level math teacher, but primarily focusing on TAKS Math & Reading. It will be a challenging assignment as I will have 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, for both Math and Reading. My biggest concern is that since this is only my 2nd year teaching, I'll be struggling to build up my supplies without having to constantly "borrow" other teachers' supplies.

With that being said, I am doing what I put off doing last year, which is having an "on-line" teacher shower. I'm asking for anyone who wants to "donate" to my supply fund, to do so by either my email address, mymk1070 @ yahoo.com paypal account, or by sending donations directly to the teacher supply places in town The Learning Center. I also find plenty of manipulatives and supplies at Mardel, Office Max and of course Walmart/Sam's. I lived in each of these stores, mostly dreaming of supplies I wished I could buy for my classroom and the kids. I know I gave probably a whole paycheck easily to them last year, cause it was just necessary. I know it will be the same because I'm not "taking" over another teacher's position, with their Math and Reading supplies on the shelf. That very thought scares me. My principal assures me that I can use anything in the "math closet", but for those of you who are teachers, you know that having your "own" TI graphing calculator is not the same as a teacher as "checking" one out. So for those who would like to share in my on-line "teacher shower, please do. I appreciate any help and thank you in advance. Blessings and good night!






5 comments:

Vixen said...

Hi Maryee!

I can so relate to your struggles as I spent two years teaching high school chemistry before getting into healthcare. My students also didn't understand the need for chemistry but it was so rewarding to see the improvements in their grades by the end of the year. During my 2nd year I actually had students come to see me and say that they didn't like their physics class b/c they didn't have to study! They realized that I'd been preparing them for college and they knew that it was a lesson that they needed.

It's so disheartening to hear of schools closing b/c students aren't testing well. Closing the schools is not the answer and continuous testing isn't the answer either. The districts and U.S. Dept of Education need to provide the schools with the resources needed so that you as teachers can provide the kids with the best education that they can get.

I know that you will enjoy your "summer camp" as it's always helpful to get new ideas. Keep on doing what you're doing b/c for every student that tells you how much they like and value you, there are two that feel the same but are too "cool" to admit it! God bless!!!

Goodnapps said...

What an inspiring payoff!

Jenn said...

I am just now reading this post and I sooo wished I had known you were that close to me.. :) I work 10 mins from where you were. :( I will catch with you soon, I hope.

will pass this post on to the teachers I know. :)

Jenn

JUST Euphoria said...

hey mary thanks for the well wishes, today I had my retight with GiGi and she said hi in return she said she misses you and your sister and hopefully she will be able to see you guys at a meet and greet.

Maryee said...

Happy, Nappy, Free To Be Me,

Wow! You taught Chemistry. Now that's a champion's class to teach. I wish I would have taken more science and been more serious about the value of each class I took. I stress the value of education to all my students, because unfortunately some don't have parents at home who will for whatever reason. CAMT was fabulous! I learned so much and have been studying and looking over material I picked up and purchased from the seminars. It was definitely math overload, but I loved every minute of it!!!

Thanks again for "blessing me". I'll keep you posted on my endeavors.