Ben Guest’s Blog

Links of the (mid)Week

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:22:45 -0700

And the first black president is... Warren Harding? Bonus: What if Bush were black?

Phil Donahue's War.

"I've killed a man," says Maxim publisher...

James Cameron on digital 3-D.

LeBron James profile (and Soulja Boy extra).

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Reply

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:38:42 -0700

Reply to Dave's comment and blog post:

Momo, 1) I don’t think your comments are particularly aggressive, or something to regret later. As long as you’ve known me, you know I love a good debate, so I take no offense at our difference of opinion (and on several of your points we do agree). The only part I think you will regret is that last paragraph. Whether you have taught for two years or twenty or zero, your beliefs are equally valid. Experience, of course, helps to inform beliefs, but it doesn’t alter the validity. 2) The parts of Michelle’s blog that I appreciate are, for the most part, different from the parts you most strongly disagree with. 3) The part of the blog that I was highlighting and that I, of course, agree with, is that you have to be strict to be successful at classroom management as a first-year teacher. I haven’t read Skinner so I have no idea if I subscribe to his philosophy. However, I wholeheartedly believe that people respond to incentives, positive and negative. In a classroom setting this means rewarding behavior that you want and punishing behavior you don’t. It’s going to take one hell of an argument, and a lot of data, to convince me otherwise. Michelle was making the point that some (many?) first-years have trouble with the idea of being strict and implementing rules and consequences. Further, Michelle was making the point that while it may seem harsh (key word is seem) it is not actually harsh. Having a well-ordered, safe, classroom with rules and procedures is a sign of caring about the students. I think she is exactly right about this. The main problem you have, I think, with this notion is that Michelle is asking the first-years to “put aside their conscience.” I don’t think this is accurate and I don’t see this reflected in her post. Again, the key word is “seems.” I don’t think Michelle is saying “put away your conscience.” I think she is saying, “examine the ideas of rules, rewards, and consequences before you dismiss them outright as unnecessarily harsh and/or demeaning.” 4) The stuff about chaotic and tragic lives and seeing more violence before school starts than some of the teachers have ever seen is hyperbole. I believe this is the main part you take issue with. You and Michelle can blog this out. 5) The part that I really like in Michelle’s post, and the point I was highlighting, is this: You'll be tempted to think, "I'll be the one who's different. I'll show them respect and they'll respect me for it. They'll want to please me because I'm the first person who's ever smiled at them and shown I care." You will be fresh meat. It won't happen. Michelle is exactly right about this. This happens every year with a few first-years…

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First Year

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:37:47 -0700

Great post by Michelle:

During summer school you'll be told to manage your classroom in a way that seems dehumanizing and demeaning. Do it. It won't seem necessary in your summer school class. Ignore that. Your students in your classrooms come from families that are chaotic and tragic beyond your wildest imagination. They see more violence and fear before they come to school some days than you've probably ever seen in your life. What they don't have is structure. They are in free fall in terms of self-regulation. They do not understand nuanced behavior. I know it seems demeaning, but these students need the structure that gives them an anchor.

You'll be tempted to think, "I'll be the one who's different. I'll show them respect and they'll respect me for it. They'll want to please me because I'm the first person who's ever smiled at them and shown I care." You will be fresh meat. It won't happen. Believe us.

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SmugMug

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:19:05 -0700

As you may or may not know MTC has its own SmugMug page. Lately, I've been exploring the options, including high-quality video. Here are some examples:

Crystal

Lightbox.

Slideshow.

Gallery.

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Links of the Week

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:18:41 -0700

Ben Guest has a silent classroom...

David Mamet on fight films.

Lincoln Chafee on George Bush.

Great profile of Ray Allen.

Teaching "Things Fall Apart" by first-year Anna Morrison.

Mind the (achievement) gap.

Spielberg and Lucas talk Indy.

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Portfolio Day 2008

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:07:07 -0700

Photos from Portfolio Day 2008 are up on the MTC SmugMug page.

MTC Class of 2006

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End

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:28:50 -0700

Ten ways the world could end, courtesy of TED. Transcript here.

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Portfolios

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:40:16 -0700

The Mississippi Teacher Corps Class of 2006 final portfolios are up...

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MAEP

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:54:45 -0700

MAEP, the basic funding formula for K-12 education in Mississippi, was fully funded today. Key quote: This is the first time lawmakers have fully funded MAEP, a complex formula that provides money to schools to meet midlevel performance goals, outside of a statewide election year. The program was put into state law in the 1990s.

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Apart

nobody@vox.com(Mississippi Teacher Corps) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:46:40 -0700

First-year Anna Morrison has a second published piece: The complaints began the moment I started passing out copies of the novel "Things Fall Apart" to the 17 and 18-year-olds of my English IV classroom. "What this book is?" moaned LaJohn, a big football player who always nabs a seat in the back of the room. J.T. was even more pointed when he turned to Tierra, shook his book in the air and said, "Man, she ain't gonna make us read this whole book!"

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