Reasons why I should be paid more (and be allowed to keep my National Board Stipend)

In the following week or so, these are the issues I had to deal with at work:

1) A student who is a potential gang member was expelled for threatening to stab another student in his math class. Said student was let back into school the next week (because he did not actually have a weapon) causing us to have to move the student who was threatened out of my class and into another.

2) I discovered that a group of girls in my class had essentially started a "fight" club and would meet to beat on one another in the restroom during their passing time. In addition, they would try to distract their math teacher, allowing them to do this in class as well. All of their parents are in denial that their "angels" would ever do such things, although the Vice-Principal has gathers a couple dozen witness reports from other students citing exactly what they were up to.

3) One member of the "fight club" group took things a bit too far, nearly strangling another member in the bathroom. I was the one who ended this fight and now the mother of the "strangled girl" is pressing charges against the other...completely ignoring that her own precious daughter had a very big part in the whole situation. Said mother is currently harassing me with emails, in attempts to now appear to be a caring parent who is involved with her daughter's schooling. I am guessing this is to prepare for when her and her daughter's character are in question during the hearing?

4) Oh, did I mention that the girl whose mother is pressing charges was suspended for 45 days for bringing a knife to school back in October? Yup, quite a model student.

5) Two boys in my class are now suspended for fighting before school. One of them ended up in the hospital with a broken arm. That mother is also pressing charges against the other boy, even though they were equally involved in the fight.

6) Because of all of the the suspensions, I was left with a class of only 21 students for two days last week. While it was nice, I am still expected to give these students the opportunity to make up any missed work. Oh, and I will also be judged on whether or not they pass the state test.

7) Tomorrow, I am getting a kid with major behavior issues in my class, because there were so many problems with the teacher of the class he was in. But don't worry, I am sure I can change his entire attitude even though his parents don't seem to make the effort.

8) Two girls that I have in my class forged notes as to get out of their Science class early and go home. One got out, the other note was caught by the office. They didn't seem to understand why this was a big deal.

9) Did you notice that I have even mentioned any challenges that have to do with actual "teaching?" This is because the actual teaching is the easy part.

10) I am still teaching amidst all of these problems. While all of this was occurring, we: Studied the Aztec and took a quiz (which every kid got an A or a B on), learned about the Literacy elements of theme and character, figured out strategies for reading non-fiction text, and used metacognition to think about reading.

With all of these challenges, I feel that I should definitely be allowed to keep my Board Stipend (which will probably cease to exist next year) as should other NBCT's. However, the "solution" currently in the works is to take away my stipend and add more kids to each class (since I am considered "highly qualified").

The question I have, and have pondered for a while is: When will we as a nation start holding parents more accountable? It is not my job to teach kids manners they should have learned at home. It seems like everybody thinks the schools are the way to handle any major problems with youth. Schools are where we try to change gangs, nutrition (school lunches), childhood obesity, family problems, friendship and social issues, and more...

Your kid is fat? Blame the school's and their "unhealthy lunches" and only "two trimesters of PE" without bothering to take a look at what they are eating at home and sheer number of hours they spend playing video games, rather than moving. Isn't it time to take a good hard look at why just turning to schools to solve all of our problems is NOT working.

All the pieces of the puzzle have to be in place to see any real change- Schools, parents, and the community. Right now, unless something changes, I have a real concern for the future of our county.

Although, maybe I can sue these parents for giving me wrinkles before I should have any?

The white hat trick

When I was in high school, there was this thing that my friends and I referred to as "the white hat trick." It was basically a theory that all guys looked better when wearing white hats (even better if they were backward).

Then, when the hats were removed, said boy could be completely average looking, or (gulp) ugly.

White hats, for some unknown reason, just caused the attractiveness of males to increase tenfold. Perhaps it was because they covered strange hair, an odd-shaped head, or a peculiar face (previously shaded by the hat).

Seriously. This theory tested to be true time and time again. In college, I discovered friends from other schools who also knew of "the white hat trick" and it's effectiveness to woo girls. It was being done all over the state...maybe even the country!

Alas, white hats went out of style when I was in college, replaced by a new trick...the "long hair trick" (I know, I am pretty clever with names).

In college, the "frat cut" finally went out of style and long hair became trendy. Long hair on guys showed that they were laid-back, carefree, and "different" (even though the majority of males thier age had the same style).

Instantly, men with longish hair were deemed to be more desirable and attractive.

Then, similar to the removal of the white hats, college boys might cut their locks for the summer- and reveal their true appearance. No longer could they hide behind their hair.

Today, the girls I teach site "skinny jeans" as a prerequisite for a boy to be "attractive" (perhaps a Beiber influence)? If a boy does not wear said jeans, he not considered cool by the female teenage population.

I sort of get the "white hats" and "long hair" as a way to hide who they really are...skinny jeans do not really fit this idea. Sorry guys. Nobody looks good in skinny jeans, even the Bieb. And they certainly do not hide anything either.

Maybe they will put away the skinny jeans when they learn of the "white hat trick" from their fathers?

I guess, the bottom line is, if we girls have make-up, push-up bras, and highlights, guys deserve to have some tricks of their own too?

Would you like socks and srunchie with those?

My first experience with a salesperson attempting to sell me additional items while making a purchase was at Nordstrom when I was nine.

I had finally saved up enough allowance and dog-sitting money to buy a new pair of Guess jeans (yes with zippers). As I counted out my money at the counter, the woman asked me, "would you like some slouch socks or a scrunchie with these?"

Caught off guard by this new (to me) sales approach, I mumbled, "yes" before realizing I only had enough for the stone-wash jeans. The scrunchie and socks would have to wait.

As I grew older, I realized this was a common tactic of sales people and I even practiced it myself while working in the student store in high school ("would you like a soda with your Otis Spunkmeyer cookies") as well as when I worked at Abercromie and Fitch ("perhaps some perfume with your ripped jeans?")

Usually, the items offered make "go" with the original purchase. However, I have noticed lately this is not always the case. See the following incident below:

Today, I decided a nice vanilla ice cream cone would really hit the spot after walking my dog. I cruised in the drive-thru and placed my order via the screen and waited for my total.

Instead the voice replied, "would you like some oatmeal to go with that?" Oatmeal? really? Not only does oatmeal NOT go with ice cream, but it was also three in the afternoon. Hardly oatmeal time.

"No thanks," I replied.

But the voice did not give up on me yet..." Would you like to try a large fry or a large soda with that?" Now I was just getting annoyed. If I wanted a large soda or large fries I would have ordered them. And again, neither really compliments a small ice cream cone.

Pulling up to the window, I retrieved my ice cream cone (sans oatmeal, fries, or a large soda) and drove off.

I did not go for the sales pitch, but my guess is many people do. My only objective is: if you are going to try to tag on additional purchases at least make sure they compliment the original.

Also, if I could go back to that day where I bought those Guess jeans, I wish I could have also purchased the slouch socks AND a scrunchie. Both of those go with the jeans much better than the oatmeal would have gone with my ice cream...

Not trendy?

For some reason, when something is trendy (or "on-trend" as Meaghan told me to say), I make an honest stab at trying to like it. This attempt usually fails miserably and I decide to stick with what I know and like. Maybe I am boring. Maybe I am not trendy. At least I am being me, and that is what matters, right?

List of my failures with pop culture:

1) Twilight. No, not the time of day. The books. The movies. Basically anything to do with this phenomenon. And yes, I did read the first book and could barely get through it. Worst writing ever. It sounded like how I teach my students to get rid of dead words. The author does not use "said" once. Not once. Really?

2) Skinny jeans...I just feel they make my legs look like pig legs. Half a dozen times, I have hit up the stores in pursuit of these jeans. I have tried both cheap and expensive ones- they looked equally disgusting. Big thighs, small ankles. Yuck. I did however buckle and go for a straight-leg option (necessary for tucking into boots).

3) Ballet-style flats. This is one trend I wish I could wear, but I need the heel height, and always feel I make others uncomfortable when wearing flat shoes.

4) scarves and long necklaces. Again, I really like both of these styles, but cannot seem to pull them off. Seeing others pulling together an outift with a big necklace inspires me to find one as well, but to no avail. Same with scarves. When I try to wear either, I look like a kid playing with my grandmothers costume jewelry, or they do not quite go with my outfit.

5) Most fantasy movies. My sister, Meaghan, will agree with me on this one. They just plain creep me out. The Never-Ending Story" is the worst (I became physically sick twice after viewing this one), followed by the "Lord of the Rings." The whole trilogy. For some odd reason though, I LOVE Harry Potter... go figure.

6) "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series. Everybody was raving about it, so I put my name on the (100 or so person long) hold list at the Edmond's library. Finally got it last week. Read the first 150 pages and am bored and am choosing to abandon the book.

7) Gingerbread lattes, pumpkin spice lattes, Eggnog lattes, or any other holiday flavor for that matter. Each year, I attempt to try one after the initial excitement that they are BACK for the season and decide (year after year) ...my plain, boring Vanilla is much tastier.

8) Napoleon Dynamite. Yes, I realize I am taking you back a bit, but remember how popular this movie was? Back in 04' (or something) I was stoked to see it playing at the movie theater in Queen Anne. It was going to be SOOO funny. I was wrong. This movie was just kind of dumb. And the worst part was that for years people quoted every line from it, wore "Vote for Pedro" t-shirts, and acted out that dance scene. Since most people seemed to think it was hilarious, it kind of made me wonder, "maybe I am just not that funny?"

9) Gin and Tonics/Vodka Soda. It seemed that sometime in my mid-twenties, most girls switched from beer to these beverages of choice. I of course would usually order my usual champagne, but became curious about these new more "adult" drinks. Were they really delicious? One night I bravely ordered a Vodka Soda with LOTS of lime (I hate gin and tonic, so that drink was out of the question). I took a ship. Not bad...but not good either. Then, each sip became worse than the last. It took me quite a while to get that sucker down, and I was left with an awful taste in my mouth. Also, the whole time, I wished I had ordered champagne or beer. Now I know better.

I realize this list sounds rather negative, but there were also many trends I did enjoy quite a bit (New Kids on the Block, overalls, colored jeans, tall boots, pea-coats, and embarrassingly... wearing REALLY flared jeans). Maybe not liking the current trends today means I am boring? Or maybe it just means that now I am not afraid to go against the trends and find what I really like to wear, read, and watch...

Exercise ADD?

For those of you who know me well, you know that I often try different "methods" of working out, sometimes even embarking on the latest trends. However, most of these methods do not last long. Soon, my ADHD tendencies kicks in and I become disinterested in the latest craze. This has been a pattern for quite some time.

In college, I decided that the elliptical was an interesting piece of equipment to try out. It was easy to, I could watch TV (usually Regis and Kelly) while moving on it, and it was even manageable hung-over! Diligently, each day, I would hit up the "REC" for an hour of fierce ellipticaling (I realize that this is a made-up verb). This clearly was not an effective work-out, as I was about 20 lbs heavier at WSU than I am now (although it also may have had something to do with the pizza and beer). Nevertheless, I have considered the elliptical and evil demon since...and have not set foot on that bad boy again.

After college, I realized it was time to get serious about my health and took up running which I used to do a great deal of in high school Cross-Country. Running was a wonderful release after a day of student-teaching, and began to run 5 days or so per week. After pounding the pavement for several months, I entered and ran in a 1/2 marathon, then another. Then...the boredom began to kick in. I did not really have the desire to run anymore 1/2 marathons nor a full one EVER. I still continued with running, but kept my eyes peeled for new ways to stay in shape.

HOT Yoga/Bikram Yoga was the next adventure in fitness for me. Living in Seattle at the time, Hot Yoga studios were nearly as abundant as Starbucks stores, so I had no problem finding one. By the way, the only real difference I noticed between Hot and Bikram was that in Bikram there is carpet on the floor, and people talk before class in Hot Yoga. This is not allowed during Bikram, unless you want to get the evil eye. In both Bikram and Hot, participants are lead through a series of poses in a hot (scorching hot) room. It is incredibly challenging, and I sometimes felt as though my skin and organs were on fire.

Yoga was great. For a while. When I had the new member specials. After that, things started to get pricey. Really pricey. Most studios did ofter monthly unlimited deals, and encouraged members to attend Yoga classes 4 or more days a week. There was no way I could do that as I began to grow tired of the classes. Each time, class is EXACTLY the same...and I mean exactly. The instructor leads the group through the same 26 poses each time. Not only that, but I also was sick of having to plan when I could eat (you get sick if you eat 2 hours or less prior), and making certain I had enough water. The last straw was when a man ripped one right in front of me during a class. I started laughing and was met with a scowl from the Yoga master, as she informed me that I should be so in tune with my own body that I should not have noticed. That was the last class I attended.

Zumba was another exercise trend I tried out last year. Lots of friends and co-workers were raving about it, so I decided to pop in after noticing a class going on at LA Fitness. I loved it, and did not even feel as though I was working out. I was dancing like I was in a club and felt as though the only way this class could be topped would be if I had a delicious cocktail in my hand!

This exhilaration was sort-lived when the classes became so crowded that I could not shake my tail feathers properly. My last Zumba class EVER entailed a verbal confrontation with a delightful young lady and her boyfriend who walked into class WAY late and kept shoving me and others around us to get a spot. Just like in Yoga, Zumba had a "last straw" for me as well. The previously mentioned boyfriend was literally right behind me with about 2 inches of space (very awkward while performing a hip-thrusting movement). After he accidentally ran right into my ass, I high-tailed it out of the aerobics room.

In late June, 2009 I began a new adventure in fitness, called "Crossfit" and am happy to report that I have yet to get bored and quit. This is due to the fact that Crossfit specializes in not specializing. This means that each day is a new workout and challenge, so it is perfect for those with a short attention span, such as myself. Basically, I get to do a little bit of everything ...running, gymnastics, lifting, and flexibility. Each day a different warm-up and WOD (workout of the day) is posted, and a trainer demonstrates the skills needed for the workout and checks to assure they are being executed correctly. WOD's are also modified as needed. Most WOD's are timed and it really does help a competitive person like myself to have a clock to race against.

Some people have asked if Crossfit is worth the price, since the membership is a bit more than a typical gym. The answer is easy: Crossfit is relatively cheap for group personal training when I began to compare prices for personal training sessions. And, it is really not much more per month than most global gyms. Plus, I am in much better shape than I have been from any other work-out. Past injuries and ailments have vanished, my running times are faster, and I have gained a great deal of strength and flexibility. Perhaps I have finally arrived at a fitness program that I will continue to stick with after so many failed attempts? I will keep you posted.

In case you want to try it out...

Here is the main crossfit site:

http://www.crossfit.com/

The site for my crossfit gym:

http://www.crossfitmukilteo.com/Home.html

Taylor Mali on what teachers make...this is funny!

Waiting for whom?

So, unless you live under a rock, you have mostly heard of or seen the new documentary, "Waiting for Superman." Now, as a disclaimer, I have yet to view the film. However, I have the show on Oprah about it, as well as reading myriad of articles/reviews around it.

Several of the ideology behind the movie I can agree with. There are teachers who have been teaching for too long and, well...suck. They should not be teaching, but can also not be fired. At least not very easily. We have all had these sorts of teachers in school. You know, the ones that fell asleep during class, simply assigned a chapter to read with question before plopping down behind their desk. Or maybe you had the token teacher. The one who would slip a bit of whiskey into his or her morning coffee. And, I agree...these teachers should be fired. But we all know that. Nothing new here.

Most teachers, however, work extremely hard and care deeply about their lessons and students. It is not as though people teach for the money.

The part of the movie that I highly disagree with is how much blame people seem to place on the schools, teachers, and administrators. Constantly, during the movie we (the United States of America) are compared to other countries. Countries who are (gasp) out-performing us. The people who bear the grunt of the blame for this? Teachers.

Where is the part where parents are held accountable for their children? Has it never occurred to ANYBODY that maybe in these other countries parents read to their children, teach them behavioral and social rules, help with homework (or at least provide a quiet place to study), and emphasize the importance of a good education? I am guessing that they do.

As a teacher, I witness the lack of parental support often. This is not only at the low-income school I work at now, but also in middle-upper class schools I have worked at in the past. Parents excuse their kids from school to go shopping or because they want to sleep-in, have their kids play video games after school, and don't seem to teach or emphasize respect or good behavior. Most kids today seem to think they will just "get" good jobs and don't understand that this takes hard work.

Last week, I had a new student in my room. After reading her "getting to know you" letter, I learned that when she is older, she would like to be a stripper. Apparently, her dad suggested this as a career. During this same day, I had two boys in the office for fighting before school, four kids absent, and three kids walk into class late. At a school slightly north of mine in Stanwood, Washington many students were discovered to be addicted to heroin. Heroin! And, it is the teachers faults our kids are not performing better than their peers in other countries?

Charter schools are focused on in "Superman" as the solution to all of the problems. I do not think that is the case. They are not the only solution, at least not in my opinion.

While I am sure some are well-run, I have heard of many that under-pay staff, do not give teachers time to plan, and do not provide the necessary support (such as para educators). You could not pay me enough money to teach from 7am or 7pm, which many of these schools have their staff doing. Nor would I want to have a cell phone that students could reach me on. I have a life, I am not a parent, and it is NOT my job to parent your kids.

Furthermore, the 5 kids featured in Superman do have the support at home. Their parents care enough to research and become aware of these great charter schools in their areas. They did not show the rest of the population. Those students whose parents are not involved. Where were they in this movie? They were not in it, probably because it would have taken the blame off of the teachers and placed some of it back where it belongs. With parents and the communities.

So, what is my solution you may ask? For starters, I think parents also need to be held accountable for their children's scores, if I am going to be. How this would work, I am not sure. Also, more programs are needed for preschool. Studies show that children in preschool preform better later on than those who do not attend. The attendance policies should be stricter. It is not a 10-year-old's fault if his parents are not waking them up for school. The parents should be held accountable.

Classes for parents offered through the schools could also help, as well as more counselors (including drug/alcohol counselors) for students. Many of these programs have been cut to fund more math training for teachers. I am pretty sure kids will start to perform better in math once their parents are there to support them and they are at school on-time. Everyday.

Schools in the inner-city are underfunded and often lack the necessary supplies and materials for their teachers. Because of this, many teachers are reluctant to teach in these areas. These are the areas where attendance if poor, their is a lack of parental involvement, and the turn-over rate in both students and staff can be extremely high. Finding a solution to this would help immensely.

In most of these countries the US is compared with, not all students are taught as if they are ALL going to college. In high school, they can decide which track they are on. One that is college-based, and the other, more vocational-based. The result is: more interest in the classes, higher graduation with USEFUL skills, and the better chance of finding a job and contributing to society. Perhaps we might like to try this system here?

I think there is a solution to the problems with education, and we can make improvements as a country. However, teachers and schools are not the only issue. Parents also need to be factored into the equation and need to be held accountable as well.