Mark's 2nd Blog

November 16, 2009
Marks Blog/ Entry Two

INTRODUCTION

I n my last blog, I wrote how I found two social sites for teachers on the internet. One of them, EDTECH was quite useful to me however, the other one, Educational Cyber Playground, was not all that helpful. I decided to Google teacher’ social sites and see what results would be produced. I now have enough teachers’ social sites to last me my entire teaching career.

WEBSITES I HAVE JOINED

I decided to look into a website called TeachersCorner.net. which I am glad I did. Teachers Corner.net is a site for teachers to discuss about the various aspects of teaching through interactions with other teachers across the country as well as worldwide. They provide well-organized lesson plans, message boards, worksheets and resources for educators. This is the most complete website I have visited so far. The site also has available the following:
Guides on theme-based teaching with seasonal activities conducted by the website.
Resources for teachers that with tips, suggestions, forums and reference websites.
Newsletters and other types of publications.
ISSUES THAT WERE DISCUSSED

There is quite a variety of issues discussed on this site. What I really like about this site is that there is a place to talk about issues that are not relevant to teaching. There is also a place where a teacher can just vent. I feel these two locations are necessary on most sites I visited seeing how they weed out issues that are not really the main concerns of educators.

Issues that concern education that were discussed include How to gain control of the classroom without seeming like a tyrant, activities for ESL voice, teaching inclusion classes verses non-inclusive classes. As with Edtech, it seems there is only people asking for advice and then receiving advice from many people. It is different from in the way that ED tech gives advice about tech resources, software, projectors, where as Teachers Corner.net offers advice on the abstract part of teaching such as how to motivate math students, how to get kids to read, and the one I found most useful, how to deal with hallway passes.

For this posting, a teacher writes that he knows how to get away from the problem of students constantly asking to use the rest room. He states that he gives out 20 passes each semester and the student can use them as needed. If the student does not use all these passes, they can cash them in at the end for extra credit points. Sounds simple enough. However, the responses were questions like “can the passes be duplicated by the student?”, and “What if some kid is sick after all the passes have been used?” One even posted that in their district one can not give extra credit points for non-acedemic work.

Aside from those questions, I believe it is an excellent idea and I am going to try it out next semester. I will work the wrinkles out as they come.

QUESTIONS I POSED

I posed the question of what student teachers in NYC are doing when they get out seeing how there is a hiring freeze. How are they finding jobs or are they leaving the teaching industry. This is what I wrote:
Hello all,

I was just wondering if there are any NYC student teachers out there. My question is, since there is a hiring freeze in NYC, what is everyone doing about jobs. Are people leaving the city in search of teaching jobs, getting jobs as tutors, or leaving the teaching field until the freeze is over? Also, has anyone heard how long the freeze may last? I am graduating with my masters in December and my student teaching will be over as well so I am a little bit concerned

Thanks everyone.
mjanis

Up until now no one has responded.

RESPOND TO OTHERS QUESTIONS

I did respond to the guy with the hallway pass situation. I liked his advice and I will use it next semester. I think the others were getting to picky finding problems with his solution. I just wanted him to know that the kinks will work themselves out.

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR MY TEACHING

Like I said, I too have a big problem with kids fighting over the bathroom pass. Not only that, but they enter my room and immediately when the bell rings, they ask for the pass. I believe they meet their friends in the hallways for I don’t know what. One kid always asks me at the exact same time every day. I will be using the 20 passes a semester concept when I get my own class.

MY ADVICE

This site is the best I visited. Every thread is about a particular issues and no one seems to deviate from the issue. I highly recommend it.