Pulling rabbits out of hat

Everyday is a small step forward for my non-reading student Jesse. I am using Language Experience Approach where I use guided reading of a high-content, low level book. Once I noticed that Jesse has memorized the book, I had him copy ALL the words in the book (it's really short) on the index cards and now I am using the words in the book as flashcards. He is used to memorizing the words as whole and is struggling with blending the sounds together.

Yesterday, I went to talk to the person who for 100K is supposed to make sure that the students like Jesse do not fall through the cracks. She was pretty dismissive, "Yes I know about Jesse." I tried very hard not to get mad, because I do not want to give her even a drop of power. I am kind of glad that CA is in the financial crunch, because this person is losing her job, which she is inept in doing anyway.

little milestones

My summer school group has a non-reader. I don't want to say disrespectful things about my fellow teachers, but it's pretty shameful that his previous teacher has done nothing to get this boy any additional help. Instead he placated the boy's grandmother by telling her the student was doing better. Like hell! This 9 year old who is already one year behind is going into 3rd grade not able to read "peg the red hen". I am trying to do the best I can by having him practice with a wonderful phonics, reading program online, but what he really needs is one-on-one instruction and i can work about 20 minutes a day. I cannot pair him with more advanced reader, because i'm afraid it would be really humiliating for him. The classroom is really small and it is obvious for everyone who is doing well and who is not. Perhaps I should pair him off with a girl from my 3rd grade who was where he is now in the beginning of the 2nd grade, but now eventhough she is seriously behind, she is able to read independently. But the question remains as to how can a teacher live with himself, knowing he did nothing to help this boy. This teacher is highly popular with students and parents, because he is Latino, young and peppy. Parents just drink his Cool-Aid and have no clue, how far behind their children are falling through crappy instruction. How can I be so sure he did nothing? We have a wonderful reading specialist who works with students who have learning disabilitities. The jerk of a lazy teacher could have asked her to see the struggling boy informally, as she would have. Meanwhile the lazy, yet charismatic teacher is on his way to becoming an administrator. Time to take a nap.

power of technology

I love new technology! This morning I used skype to video conference with my brother in SF. I remember when the ability to see loved ones who are far away on a computer monitor was the stuff of sci-fi novels. And here I am cooing to my little nephew, whom I can't wait to see once the school is over. My nephew has gray eyes, which is surprising when one looks at my immediate family. My father, brother and I all have brown eyes. My mom's eyes are hazel, but my aunts and uncle from both sides of the family are the blue eyed devils. Whatever I studied in a biology class regarding the genetics must be true.

Welcome to reality.

I am teaching an intersession class. While most students are on vacation, some attend school for 20 days, 4 hours per day to catch up. In my case my students are catching up on reading comprehension, reading fluency, ESL or all of the above. I have 20 students. 12 3rd graders and 8 2nd graders. One girl just arrived from Guatemala and speaks no English.

4 students are from the bilingual program. They are the prime example what happens when someone without formal SLA background is teaching bilingual class. Language arts were taught in Spanish and Math in English. While these students reading fluency in Spanish is way ahead of their English counterparts, they do not have even a rudimentary knowledge of English phonics. SH sound and CH sounds which are not differentiated in Spanish are the same to them. As a result they spell 'shop' as 'chop'. So I worked with them using explicit instruction and minimal pairs. While they can differentiate between the 2 sounds, they cannot produce them orally. I am going to spend this week on these sounds. In addition, "f" and "wh" sounds are also confused, not to mention, they have no clue about "th". Their teacher was a bilingual speaker and that's how he got the job. He does not have BCLAD or passed his Spanish A levels. These students are starkly different from another bilingual class taught by a qualified teacher. His students read in Spanish 1 grade above and in English on grade level.

I most enjoyed working with a girl from Guatemala. She is bright and enthusiastic.

One little 2nd grader has special needs. She can hardly read at the end of 2nd grade.

This is the most diverse intersession group I have ever taught.

M&M - Mother's day, Monday at work

Mother's Day was yesterday and I am so grateful I could call my mom and talk to her about things, even trivial matters. Thank god, the flowers arrived. I feel guilty living so far away from my mom. When I was younger, I could not wait to move out of my parent's house. Now I want to be able to see my mom more often.

My friend K's mom passed away in November and I know she was missing her mom, when she asked me to go for a hike yesterday. I felt guilty that I could call my mom and she couldn't. But I did not feel comfortable saying anything and she was very quiet during the hike. Now I feel that I should have said something. I read somewhere that we finally become adults when we are no longer anyone's child, when our parents pass.

At work today is a bit of pandemonium. Several people are getting laid off or are being displaced. I would not want to be in their shoes, looking for work in these economic times. Spring is in the air and the students are feeling it. They are running through the hallways like wild horses.

exhausted

got up at 6:30 this morning. somehow made to work at 7:00. miraculously had the daily plans ready by 7:30. then in the training session for the rest of the day. too many cheese turnovers from portos. whoever brought them in is evil. can't wait until the weekend.