Burning Out Teachers

What can one do about a teacher they suspect is on the track to burn out?
1. Tell them they are working too hard.
2. Just let them go. There are teachers like that and that is their style. Take advantage of their efforts while they last.
3. Join in on their idealistic pursuits, perhaps relieving some burdens, but more critically energizing them by your explicit support.

If I were a principal . . .

For professional development I would send teams of teachers to museums.  I have found that every time I have visited a museum, of any kind, it has stimulated ideas for not only what I might do in my classroom-- but how I would like to work with a teacher from another discipline to produce a thematic unit.

This is an altazimuth theodolite housed at the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments at Harvard University.  This instrument provides a powerful nexus for an interdisciplinary unit of study between at least social studies, math and science.  

I'd find a way to get teachers into each other's classrooms.  Every time I have had the chance to watch another teacher I have found something I could use.

I would teach.  I would need to do it to stay informed about the conditions of the learning environment.

I would set the standard by modeling it.  I would do what I ask teachers to do.  I would show that it can be done.

Coalescence and Integration

There are several initiatives and issues brewing at school:  advisories, capstone, scheduling, pathways, etc.. I'm
starting to see how we could integrate these initiatives and others such as service learning and Professional Learning Communities.  Each program on its own is worthy but I believe there is
potential for unity and, dare I use a chemistry word, catalyzation--toward achieving the
mission of our school if we take a holistic approach by integrating these programs.

How That à Can Support This . . .	Schedule	Advisory	Capstone	PLC’s
Advisory	Give frequency and quantity of time required for a productive and effective program.	X	Provide   the achievable ultimate “in school” goal of the curriculum.
Capstone		Prepare for success as a senior in initial years by scaffolding skills required later.  Expose to a variety of career and college options.	X	Provide training and coordination venue for staff .
Pathways		Organize by career interest.	Coordinate student interests with capstone.	Means of grouping faculty.
School-wide Rubric Performance Evaluation and Tracking		Advisors and students track progress on performance standards.	This is the final exhibition of learning that shows mastery of learning expectations.	An opportunity to train and unify faculty in use of these rubrics.
PLC’s	Formally schedule collaborative time into the day.	Use the same faculty groupings to conduct PLC’s.		X
Service Learning	Flexibility to allow for big projects away from school and/or scheduling in a large block to accomplish this (beginning, middle or end of semesters?)	Integrate into the advisory curriculum.	Perhaps capstones will have a service component to them.  Students must find a way to impact society with their focused abilities.	Provides the adult leadership to enact large service projects.
Interdisciplinary Curricula	Match teacher schedules to allow for team/co-teaching.	Have school-wide or grade wide themes and essential questions for the year.  The combined learning of all advisory members from all of their coursework can be exhibited at the end of the year at an event answering the EQ.	By its nature it is an interdisciplinary course/project/endeavor.	Might be organized heterogeneously by discipline of faculty, could be the same as advisory/capstone grouping.

Another Form of Formative Assessment

Professor Breidenstein was quite brave.  She used a rubberstamp on us in graduate school.  I don't remember the validating term on it-- perhaps it was AWESOME!  But, even an old lady like myself was thrilled to receive the impression during our classwork.
Serendipitously, I had been collecting rubberstamps for the past several years.  Her example gave me permission to use my collection in my classes.  Generally, I use them during guided practice.  I circulate stamping off student correct work.  This way I get to see how students are solving problems and give needed correction.  The students receive a little reward for letting me get close to them.
Surprisingly, those who express the most joy in getting the images onto their papers are young men.

Are the Students Engaged?

Engaged Until Proven Un-engaged?

What are the indicators of engagement? Active physical participation?  Question asking and answering?  Of course in some measure the expected behavior depends on the lesson activity.  But even in an activity that involves manipulation of objects a student might fall into a reverie. Contemplation based upon the work at hand may be considered engagement of the highest order. Sizer, in fact, implored us to never disrupt this processing.

This becomes a particular problem when teachers are evaluated upon the engagement of their students. In my case, a percentage is reported via subjective scanning of the room.

Is it easier, fairer and more respectful of the complex varied endeavor of the students and the teacher to look for blatant disengagement?

Putting on makeup
Conversing off topic for more than a minute
General chaos
Defiance/refusal to work

When such clear behavior is observed then we might focus on how the teacher responds. Does she attempt to correct for it and if her interventions are unsuccessful how does she deal with it?

Teachers can't and should not force students. They can invite, provide opportunity and discipline. But, ultimately, it is the student's choice to be engaged (however that looks for them at the moment) or not. The question is-- is the teacher doing a reasonable job of offering engaging lessons and shepherding the students if necessary?




Sent from my iPhone

My Favorite Formative Assessment

If you were to do a walk-through of my classroom you would likely believe my favorit formative assessment to be Fist to Five. Multiple times during a period I will poll students on their performance and affective status. That process is quite explicit.  It would take an exceptionally insightful evaluator to identify my favorite form of formative assessment. It is listening. Yes, of course it is important to really hear what students are asking and what their questions convey about their understanding when they ask direct questions of the teacher. But, I'm talking about listening when those students don't think the teacher is listening. Sometimes just after I've set them to a cooperative task I duck into the chemistry prep room and sit at my desk at the door to the classroom. I just listen. I find out if they really know what they are supposed to do. I hear students explain concepts and guide others through procedures. It tells me about both types of students simultaneously. I usually don't even have to hide for them to reveal themselves. I have found there to be a perception unique to teenagers. They seem to believe that when they are speaking to another teen they are conversing in a language foreign to those over 20. It is amazing what they will say within my earshot or even when I am working adjacent to their lab station.

Six Year Shelf Life

Just as a teacher fully ripens, generally five years into teaching, she leaves the profession. Sure, we can investigate why this is so, remove obstacles and increase incentives to try to give teachers what they need in order to keep them in place. So far not so good in making a difference. What if we sidestep it completely? What I propose accepts that there are few quality teachers suited to lifelong career commitment to education. What I am about to suggest has the potential to improve teaching (or what is usually referred to as teacher quality) immediately and surely.
What if we really had principals? -principal teachers. Small teams of teachers serving the same groups of students is not a new idea. But what if they were led by a consummate teacher? One with a grasp on pedagogy. This mentor would teach but also train, supervise and cooperatively work with a cadre of recent college grads. Those young, bright and committed souls that have the energy, passion and vision to give it their all. And perhaps vitally, they have been untouched by the current archaic system. Let them work under the mentor for up to four years. Then they can decide to make a career change or become as their mentor. These mentors I would not only consider teacher leaders but replacements for graduate school programs and professors that prepare teachers. They should be of that caliber and serve that function in situ.