Saturday, August 21, 2021

Education: Student Questions for Mr. B

 What is Mr. B's favorite thing to do in class?

I am most happy when students that I am working with achieve a learning breakthrough.

I also really like students giving each other compliments, when they are deep and meaningful (We do a compliment circle in our class once a week).

What stuff do you like?

You have probably already figured out that I like my dogs, music, tabletop games, and reading.   I also like acting (stage), watching movies, building models, and doing volunteer work in my community.

Do you have any allergies?

Yes, I am allergic to onions.  They give me stomach cramps - and other, nasty symptoms.

When did you start teaching?

There are a couple of different answers to that.   I was a swimming instructor when I was a teenager, and a peer coach when I was in the Army.   When I went to college I worked as a "teacher"/"counselor" at after school programs and summer camps, and taught elementary PE "specials" classes.  In the Air Force, I was a firearms safety instructor.

I also volunteered in elementary school literacy/reading programs.

I started teaching in the K-12 classroom in January of 2005, as a high school teacher.    I have taught every grade from Kinder to 12th grade, as well as adult students.   I taught at high schools and middle schools before becoming an elementary teacher   I first taught 4th grade as a student teacher in 2010, and havetaught seven 4th grade classes.   This is my first year teaching 3rd grade.

When is your birthday?

My birthday is the same as the birthday of one of my childhood heroes - a man I still admire.  His birthday is a national holiday.  I will share more clues to my birthday and age throughout the year.

Do you like being a teacher?

No, I don't "like" being a teacher - I love being a teacher.  I would not be a teacher if I didn't love it.  It is a hard job, takes a lot of time and energy, and there are bad days - but when there are good days, they are the greatest in the world.

How long were you in the military?

I started participating in ROTC two years before I enlisted in the Army Reserves, and then served in the Army, Army Reserves (again), Army National Guard, Air Force Reserves, Air National Guard, and Air Force over a period of almost 20 years.  During part of that time, I was a military spouse.

Have you done something really fun in your life?

Yes.  I have done a lot of fun and enjoyable things.  I try to do fun stuff as much as possible. I hope we have a lot of fun learning together this year.

What is your greatest fear?

My biggest fear is not being able to help my students when they really need help.

Did you do something really embarrassing?

All the time.   I make a lot of mistakes - because if you are learning and trying new things, you won't be perfect from the start.

Are you married?

I am not married.   I was married once, a long time ago, but made some mistakes, so it didn't last.  I would like to be married again, but only if I meet the right person.  I hope I learned from my mistakes the first time, and would do better if I get married again.

Do you have kids?

I do not have any kids of my own, just the ones I work with at school.   I think of my students as my kids, and care about them just as if they were my own. 

Why do you like Totoro so much?

Totoro is a creature in one of my favorite movies.  He is fat, loves nature, loves taking naps, and protects children.  He can also be super-loud when he needs to be.  I think he is a lot like me.  He is my "spirit animal".

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Social Commentary: What is Racism?

 What is racism?

The dictionary tells us that racism is:
"prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior."
and also:
"the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races."

Dr. King would probably say that racism is judging by the color of a person;s skin, rather than the content of their character.
But racism is more than just that.
Racism is thinking that skin color is the only thing that matters - that your skin color determines how you think, who you can be friends with, who you can vote for, who you can care about, and who you can love.

Racism is the inability to have empathy for another person - or see yourself in their place - no matter how alike you are, as long as your skin is a different color.

Racism is caring about some lives, but not others, based primarily (or solely) on skin color - and it doesn't make a difference whether it is black lives or white lives that matter to you, unless the lives of people of all colors matter to you.

Racism is not being able to see that some cops are bad, but most are good - and that bad cops kill and hurt people of every skin color while good cops protect and help people of every skin color.

Racism is the inability to see that Tamir Rice and Andy Lopez were both innocent kids killed by cops because they were playing with toy guns, and the cops didn't take a second or two to assess the situation before gunning them down.

Racism is the inability to see that both Philando Castille and Daniel Shaver were executed by police even though they were being compliant, and doing their best to follow complicated and contradictory police commands.

Racism is the inability to see that Jose Guerena and Breonna Taylor were both innocent people killed by police executing dangerous "no knock" warrants that should never have been issued.

Racism is the inability to realize that any of us might look out our bedroom window to see what was moving around in our yard at night, like Atatiana Jefferson did, and get shot by a poorly trained, trigger-happy cop.

Racism is the inability to realize that, no matter what color our skin is, there are neighborhoods where we would be treated just like Armaud Arbery or Stephanie Kuhen by vigilantes who didn't think we belonged there, simply because of our skin color.

Racism is a poison and a cancer. It diminishes us, and it spreads through hatred, through ignorance, through fear, and through divisiveness.

Worst of all, racism is a thing that is used to control us, and limit us, to keep us from working together to achieve our highest potential.

Monday, July 26, 2021

Education / Lesson Plan: Day One, First Lesson

Day one, first lesson: "Welcome students. My name is Mr. Baptist, but most of my students call me Mr. B. When I call on you today, and for the next week or so, please tell me your name, so I can learn it, and learn how to pronounce it."

"I only have one rule in my classroom. This is, of course, in addition to the school rules, and all the city, county, state, and federal laws. Do you guys think it is fair for me to expect you to be able to follow one rule?"
"What do you think the one rule - the most important rule - the rule that, if we all follow it, we don't need other rules - could be?"
"My one rule is this: while you are my students, you will behave like young ladies and gentlemen. That's it. That's the rule. We will have procedures for things like how to use the bathroom pass, where to turn papers in, and things like that, but this is the only actual rule I have for you. How does that sound?"
"Yes, it is important that we all agree on how a lady or gentleman behaves. I saw a movie once where one of the characters says that a lady or a gentleman always tries to make those around them feel comfortable and valued."
"What behavior word do we use at our school that fits that definition of how we should treat people?"
"That's right, 'respect' - the other words are all good behaviors, but respect is what sets a young lady or gentleman apart from just some boy or girl. We need to show respect for each other, the learning environment, the classroom, the school staff, our property, our classmates' property, our feelings, and our time. This is how we show that we respect ourselves - by being respectful of others."

Education: Help! Books needed!

 Please consider donating books (and other supplies) to my classroom.

I teach 4th grade in  a small city (population about 3k) in a rural county.  While we do have a library, there are no book stores in our county.

I believe in the "book flood" model of engaging students in reading.  Having a classroom library filled with engaging reading materials, and having class sets of books that my students can read along with me has allowed my past students to show excellent reading growth.  Please help me to continue that trend.

"If students have increased access to a diverse and abundant selection of books, they’ll be more likely to discover something they like and read more. And yet, many of our nation’s children lack access to books at home and have lackluster classroom libraries. Providing a bounty of books for students is called a Book Flood, and some experts say it’s the key to building literacy amongst students and instilling a lifelong joy of reading."   https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/book-flood-reading-literacy-strategies/

Why so much stuff?    My students arrive in my classroom with a wide range of reading levels, so I have to have things for studnets who are at grade level, above grade level, and also for those who struggle with grade level reaidng (or struggle with reading in English, or struggle with ANY reading).  I am also a huge believer in choice.   I want my students to have choices about what they read, and donors to have choices about what they donate.

Whole class "Read Aloud/Read Along" novels:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3NRJ2I8R7JRVE?ref_=wl_share


Other books and items:


https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/WNUJQCJ8LP08?ref_=wl_share


Nevada History and Tribal People's unit:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/H5FXBXMU37A4?ref_=wl_share


Illness and Diseases unit:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/287KGFH8D2O8C?ref_=wl_share


Volcano unit:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2LN7SETFTGBO?ref_=wl_share



Polar Exploration unit:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3GQMOKX1JY076?ref_=wl_share


Space Exploration unit:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1XUKAHKRK68G3?ref_=wl_share



Still more cool stuff I'd love for my students to have available:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/33DVC4CQIBWD6?ref_=wl_share