Handout: Announcement from the ita:CTA/nea

IUSD got announcements regarding the budget cuts and how it would affect IUSD. I'll be typing it out verbatin. Here is what the handout says:

CALIFORNIA BUDGET CRISIS!
HOW IT AFFECTS IRVINE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Source: http://newsflash.iusd.org/2011/04/budget-notebook-budget-goes-from-bad-to-worse-for-california%e2%80%99s-schools/

Potential of $9 - $22 Million in IUSD Budget Cuts Next year!

"IUSD, along with other districts across the state, had been anticipating another hit of around $330 per student for the fiscal year that begins July 1, amounting to a loss of $8.9 million locally. But there are rumblings now that the state may try to reduce education spending by $825 per student, which would be a loss of more than $22 million for Irvine."
- Superintendent Gwen E. Gross, Ph.D.

Impact of a School Year Cut from 183 Days to 160 Days!
23 Furlough Days!

"A 160-day school year in IUSD, for example, would save about $20 million through the implementation of 23 furlough days, resulting in an across-the-board pay cut of more than 10 percent."
- Superintendent Gwen E. Gross, Ph.D.

• Imagine... "What instructional programs may get cut?"
• Furlough days mean ALL schools are closed!
• Shorter school years = less instructional material covered

What Can We Each Do???

Contact your state legistlator and tell them to support the Tax Extension.

3 easy steps:

1. Go to this Site: http://capwiz.com/nea/ca/issues/alert/?alterid=31012506
2. Scroll down and enter your information (takes 2 minutes!)
3. Click send -- and be proud of yourself for standing up for education!

Spread the word! Tell your neighbors!

UPDATES: Long-term subbing, THINK Together, and Edjoin applications

First off, I've been long-term subbing at UNI High School for almost five weeks now. We're currently going to finish up a Financial Planning Program unit which involves completing an entire workbook that the original teacher left behind as sub plans. To make sure things don't get too repititious, I make sure to spend a few days every now and then reading short stories or articles from Upfront or Scope Scholastic magazines and having them write a journal to prepare to class discussions. All this only makes me more frustrated that I still don't have a classroom of my own. No worries though. A mentor of mine told me to keep doing what I'm doing (subbing, tutoring, mentoring), because that shows the passion within me to not go into another profession.



I have a final update with the THINK Together position of Summer Program Leader where I would be able to teach a classroom of about 30 students using a curriculum that will be provided. In the end, even though I was one of the applicants considered for the job, I was not able to get it due to something I thought was mediocre (but completely understandable and I will explain why). I was not able to get the job because I was not able to attend one of the pre-employment exams (testing us on basic English, math, and writing skills). The reason was because all of the the available dates and times were when I was preoccupied with my long-term substitute position. They were all on weekdays around noon. I contacted them asking if there could be any sort of exception (i.e. please take a look at my resume, I am highly qualified and I don't mind the $11/hour). I even asked if they could set another date, hopefully on Wednesday after 2 pm because UNI High School ends early on Wednesdays. If that doesn't work, I asked if there's a possible chance of a take-home exam. Nope, nothing, no exceptions whatsoever. When I thought about it, I did try my best in obtaining that Summer Program Leader position, but at the same time, I knew they had to be consistent with their employment process. If they made an exception for me, then they would have to make exceptions for everyone else. I wasn't about to give up though. I still wanted to be a part of time, but at the same time, can't be employed by them; therefore, I emailed them to see if I could volunteer as an instructional assistant for free (not working all 4-5 hours though but 2-3 hours per day is good). That way, I get what I wanted all along (to be in a classroom helping students even if it's for free) and they can get a highly-qualified volunteer. Still waiting for their response though.

As for the EDJOIN.ORG applications, no school has contacted me yet for an interview (I was hoping a few did because in the Letter of Introduction, I kindly asked for a courtesy interview). So far, only a couple Alliance of College Ready Public Schools declined my application. Still waiting on the others. I practically applied to every position I thought possible (i.e. History, Social Science, Social Studies, Humanities, etc). It all came out to be 34 job applications. I'm even one of the annoying ones who applied to job postings that specifically stated "In-District Employees Only" (the Santa Ana Unified School District postings).

Here are all the new teaching positions I applied to on Edjoin.org:

• Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools: Christine O'Donovan Middle Academy - English/Social Science Core Teacher (6th grade)
• Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools: Stern Math and Science School - History Teacher (U.S./AP U.S.)
• Options for Youth - Los Angeles County - Small Group Instructor-English Language Arts (SGI) San Gabriel Center
• New Millennium Secondary School - Social Studies Teacher
• Los Angeles Education Partnership (Formerly Urban Education Partnership) - Social Studies Instructional Coach
• Los Angeles Leadership Academy - 7th - 8th Grade Language Arts
• Los Angeles Leadership Academy - 7th and 8th Grade English Language Arts
• Los Angeles Leadership Academy - 7th - 8th Grade Social Studies
• College Preparatory Middle School - Teacher - Social Science
• Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools: Alliance Teachnology Math Science High School - World History/AP European
• Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools: Alliance Teachnology Math Science High School - US History/AP US History
• Santa Ana Unified: Spurgeon- In District Employees Only - Social Science 6th - 8th Grade
• Santa Ana Unified: Alternative Education - In District Employees Only - Social Science
• Santa Ana Unified: Lorin Griset - In District Employees Only - Social Science
• Santa Ana Unified: Century - In District Employees Only - Social Science 9th -12th Grade
• Santa Ana Unified: Godinez High School - In District Employees Only - Science 9th -12th Grade
• Santa Ana Unified: Valley - In District Employees Only - Social Science 9th -12th Grade
• Rowland Unified (Rowland H.S.) - Social Science Teacher
• Orange County High School of the Arts - Social Science
• New Los Angeles Charter School - Middle School Humanities Teacher
• Patty Gould via Email (Lynwood Unified???) - 7th - 8th Grade Social Studies
• Westerly School - Humanities Position

Wish me luck!

My first OCUSD application on Edjoin.

There was actually a History position for Irvine Unified (which is extremely rare). It definitely goes against all my morals and such but I decided to apply for it. Doesn't matter as much though since it was near the end of the application deadline and they really do only look at the first half of applicants since the number of applicants are too demanding. I really need to pay the bills and need the medical benefits, so I'll try it out.

• Irvine Unified Social Science - 9-12th grade
  http://www.iusd.org/

It was the first application where I had to answer open-ended supplementary questions:

***We would like you to recall an important teaching, teaching related, or human relations incident that involved you and one or more persons. The situation may be actual or fictitious, but it should have meaning for you from a human relations standpoint. It is more helpful if you describe the thoughts and feelings of yourself and the other individuals involved rather than attempt to objectively describe the situation.

1. Describe the situation as it occurred.
During the time I was student teaching, I was in the middle of a lecture. I spent a lot of time preparing the lesson in advance trying to make it engaging. I believe the lesson was about the Black Death (bubonic plague) where I actually had a fictional story (taken from a storybook) involving the Black Death. They were to then complete a worksheet incorporating the Black Death story and Icons of Depth and Complexity. One of my male students was disrupting the classroom dynamics by being obnoxiously loud, not paying attention to the task at hand, and not taking notes from the lecture.

2. What did you do in that particular situation?
First, I tried proximity, going near his desk and giving him a pencil to give him a nonverbal warning that he should be taking notes or following along on the reading (we all read together). Second warning was a verbal warning, making sure to make it personal by whispering to him I expected of him (so he would not be embarrassed). The last and final warning was a verbal warning. When he ended up not listening, I gave him a detention with me after school (which was good in a sense because he never finished his research paper on the Religious Crusades which was required by the school). I spent the time going over the Black Death story with him and well as get him to complete his research paper.

3. How did you feel about the situation while you were experiencing it?
I was very frustrated because many of the other students seemed to be enjoying it (it was the bubonic plague after all). Even though I made sure the story was accessible (at an appropriate lexile score), that one male student did not seem interested and it made me wonder whether he understood the story or not, because if he didn't understand the story, that might be one of the reasons why he was misbehaving in class.  

4. How do you feel about the situation now?
I feel that maybe I could have handled it better and quicker. I did give him multiple warnings and everytime I gave him a warning it would interrupt the class time and discussion. At the same time, I am glad I gave him detention because it allowed me assist him one-on-one, which helped dramatically. Not only was he able to complete the current worksheet, but he also was able to complete writing the final written draft of the research paper on the Religious Crusades with my help and supervision. I always have to remember though that it was just him and me. If there were more students in detention, the result might not have been the same and I would have to adjust accordingly.  

***Please complete the following questions.

1. Briefly discuss your attitudes, beliefs and interest in education. 
The education system nowadays, in my honest opinion, is failing our students when it comes to preparation within a global community. There is less emphasis on developing critical thinking skills and more emphasis on "teaching to the test." The priority that standardized tests receive is a result of that. It does not allow teachers to be creative, teaching at their own pace what they believe would benefit their students. In addition, other subjects have all-together been forgotten (i.e. electives, social sciences within some districts, etc.). Everything seems to be revolving around Language Arts and Mathematics, which indeed, are very important, but the education of our students should not be limited to just those two. We highly value the aspect of diversity within the country whether it is diversity with opinions, religions, ethnic makeup, so when it comes to education, the diversity of subjects offered and given credibility should also be practiced. I see this especially with Social Science in certain districts where History has been offered as an elective, giving students a chance to take two periods in Language Arts and two periods in Mathematics to help prepare them for the standardized tests. One of my theories regarding why history is not perceived as important would be most teachers teach it the traditional way where it is mainly memorization and regurgitation. Most school districts do not understand that history can now be taught a non-traditional way (the method I have learned in my methodologies class in the credential program). The non-traditional approach to teaching history includes teaching students to recognize bias within written pieces (offer them written history in different perspectives). This way, they are taught to question the reliability of what they are reading (who wrote it, what was their job, what was their intention of writing it, etc.). In addition, offer them primary sources to analyze. When using any sort of textual evidence (primary or secondary), be sure to incorporate the icons of depth and complexities (i.e. change over time, patterns, multiple points of views, across the disciplines, cause and effect, main idea, etc.). Also, literacy within the history classroom is extremely important because everything taught within the textbook is content-based meaning the students are required to have sufficient reading comprehension skills. Not only does reading comprehension have to do with it, but being able to write essays is a significant feature in the non-traditional classroom. To get a sense of understanding, I always make sure to have one document-based question essay writing at the end of each unit. Being able to analyze primary sources and incorporate the content they have learned into one written essay will give me a sense where my students are and if they are improving throughout the school year. Essay writing, if taught correctly, will engage students in the writing process. They have to be taught that every essay is their opinion of what the prompt asks for; their opinion just has to be backed up with evidence, logic and reason in an academic manner. In the end, it still represents what they want to say about the subject, not what the subject expects them to say. When teaching essay writing, it is always best to teach them how to develop paragraphs first with a topic sentence and supporting sentences. I am always sure to teach them transition words to help their essays flow. Once they are comfortable with writing the paragraph, they are ready to learn how to write an essay (introduction, thesis, supporting paragraphs, conclusion). Of course, this writing process will require a lot of scaffolding, modeling, supervising, revision, but learning how to write an essay can be a powerful motivator once the students get comfortable with it. All these techniques--literacy within the classroom, document-based questions, primary vs. secondary sources, incorporating the icons of depth and complexity--all show how the Social Sciences are important and how they can teach the critical thinking skills our youth need to know to compete in the real world. As for student success, I believe in the "Triangle Rule of Success"--school, parents, and community (non-profit organizations, businesses, government). If all these factors are involved in the child's education, it would make a dramatic difference in their future success. We would need all three to be the most efficient. 

2. How do you as the classroom teacher work to ensure success for each student? Please include any other information you think would be helpful to us in considering you for employment such as additional work experience, activities, accomplishments, honors, etc.
I believe in the saying "Students should not be expected to understand the lesson plan; instead, the lesson plan is expected to understand the students." It is a given fact that every student/classroom is different and that they all learn differently. As a result, I always make sure to make each lesson accessible to all the students even if that includes adjusting the original lesson plan, as long as the objective stays the same. If the lesson plan fits the needs of the students, there is a higher chance the objective will be met as well as less occurrence of challenging behaviors. I would have to say that student teaching in Santa Ana as well as long-term subbing twice at University High School taught me a lot when it comes to creating lesson plans the students would enjoy and learn. These experiences also allowed me to practice in preventing and managing challenging behavior among students and creating my own "discipline style." I define success as improvement in a reasonable amount of time and at an efficient pace. For example, if a student is in the 7th grade but reading at a 3rd grade level, I am not going to expect the student to begin reading at a 7th grade level after a few months of teaching the student. Instead, I make sure to have attainable goals/expectations for the students. Instead of catching up to 7th grade reading ability, I would make sure he caught up to 5th grade reading capability within 1/2 the academic year. Then the rest of the academic year would be to set the goal to be 7th or 8th grade reading level by the end of the academic year. The classroom environment is also another important factor in ensuring the succcess of each student. The classroom should be a safe haven for student learning. This includes the seating arrangement and postings on the wall.

Edjoin -- Three more on my list.

I am still continuing to apply to LAUSD since that is my main goal, but the whole rejection letter situation is sort of getting my hopes up. I finally decided to apply for Irvine Unified. I only have two more years until my credential expires. :(

• College-Ready Public Schools : College-Ready Middle Academy #7
  Social Science Teacher
  http://www.laalliance.org/
• Soledad Enrichment Action Charter School
  English and Social Science Teacher
  http://www.seacharter.net/
• Birmingham Community Charter High School  History Teacher
  http://www.birminghamcharter.com/