Day 2 under a slightly communistic agency.

txchemteach — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:24:30 +0000

So I have a new name for my curriculum head. His name is Comrade x. Why comrade? Well today they announced the new curriculum and instruction as well as the new pacing guideline. We have a plan for every single day, week and month and we cannot deviate to far from the path. It is handed down to us from on high and we cannot question the wisdom or integrity of these documents. Next step: scripts then cameras to make sure we don’t deviate at all. This is called teacher proofing the curriculum, making the curriculum so safe that the teachers can never screw it up while at the same time making sure that almost every student will lose their freedom to ask questions. Is this a bit of an over exaggeration? Yep, but still. It does make it easier in some aspects but we will still teach how we want to and what we want to because our system of teaching does actually work.

The question still remains, what is the purpose of public school? If the purpose of public school is to help prepare our students for life then we should have our curriculum reflect that. We should off er students more classes in vocational tracts and mix in college prep work. There should be tracts that certify or take a huge chunk out of professional trades such as plumbing, electrician, beautician, cosmetology, and many others. By working with local businesses you could offer low cost/no cost interns while at the same time getting these students prepared for an actual job for those that do not want to or cannot go to college.

If instead the purpose of schools is to force students to go to college even if they are not ready then we are doing an excellent job doing that. We offer no vocational classes so for the students that graduate on the basic plan, they often become discouraged immediately or very soon after they start the 10th grade because that is when they can take less and less subjects that appeal to them.

If the purpose of education is to pass a multiple choice test then again we are doing a smash up bang up job. Oh well.

To do: Make an introduction quiz based on basic science knowledge for the first day of class. Input students into CPS E-Instruction and create said quiz. Revise and print off syllabuses for both classes. Format new materials into my online class. Put quizzes and tests from word into examview. Print off first day stuff. Start working out again and I think that is about it. If anybody is following see you tomorrow.

Hello world!

txchemteach — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:45:58 +0000

So this is my first blog in general and mostly this is just a diary to post random thoughts, ideas, and links to stuff that I find of interest. At times it may be confusing and other times it may be insulting. I really don’t care either way. So without further ado lets get started.

I teach in a urban school district and in case you couldn’t tell I teach chemistry and IPC. IPC is integrated chemistry and physics but the problem and the reason why I started this blog is to get my thoughts out of my head and into print so I can analyze them later. For IPC this year we are teaching to the TAKS test. TAKS stands for the Texas Assessment of knowledge and skills. In short it is a fifty five question multiple choice test that determines if a student can graduate from high school. For most students it is not a problem but for many, especially at the lower level, it is very difficult for them. I guess the questions that arise are is it an unfair test because of reasons x, y, and z, or is it totally expected that any student can take and pass a standardized test. I guess my argument against standardized testing is that it is not a fair judge of students achievement. What is a fair assessment? that is what I will talk about tommorow.

As for today, I learned that new standards will be in place this year and we have to completely redo our scope and sequence for both chemistry and IPC. Other than that nothing else really took place. I finished watching L word season 1 and will move onto season 2 probably tommorow.

To do: Make an introduction quiz based on basic science knowledge for the first day of class. Input students into CPS E-Instruction and create said quiz. Revise and print off syllabuses for both classes. Print off first day stuff. Start working out again and I think that is about it. If anybody is following see you tomorrow.

Txchemteach's Blog

Day 2 under a slightly communistic agency.

Hello world!