"I love it when a plan comes together."
When you're a teacher, you usually end up with your average mix of types of students. A few good students, a few that need a little extra attention, a class joker, a tough guy or two, and those that you really have to work at.
But every now and then, a you get a good group. A group that when say something, BAM, they got it. You might have to re-explain one or two things, but they always "get it". And, if you're good, finish your food and say your prayers every night; you get not only a group that "get's it", but that also thanks you on their way out. Oh man, it feels SO good to hear that! A good one is, "Listen, thanks. I never understood it before, but now... it's like you've opened my eyes."
Makes you feel like you're walking on air.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Private information.
When you're the teacher, students always want your information (phone, e-mail, etc...). They want to be able to call you when they need/want to. To them, it's just a phone call or two, but they don't understand that I teach between 80 to 180 students each year. If each called me only twice, I'd have a call every day of the year. Although they always ask for my phone number, I always tell them to e-mail me. I also make a little joking comment about how many e-mails they can send me. "...about two, three if you're nice, four if you're sending me money."
I only give my phone number to students who are paying me for some service outside the classroom (consulting, private classes, etc..). But once in while, very rarely, I'll get a call from a student and have no idea how he/she got my number.
A student called me at home the other day to ask a question about class. "How'd he get my number?" was my first question. I thought maybe someone in the office unknowingly gave it to him. But then I remembered that this student had been in one of my other classes a while back, about a year ago. He had asked me about consulting on buying/setting-up a new computer, but never called me. Seems he kept it, and "filed" it.
Once, a long time ago, while doing an in-class example of something, I used my home address on the board. I did it without thinking. That weekend, as I was leaving my home, I saw one of my students sort of hanging around outside my building. I called her name, and she said "Oh, hi. You live here? I'm uh.. waiting for a friend who lives here." I asked which apartment she lived in (it was a small building and I knew a few tenants). She said "No, not in this building. Um.. she lives in that big one over there." (pointing to one down the block) Then she quickly changed the subject, and asked me a few computer questions and told me that she was going to buy a computer that day. She pulled out some ads and asked me what was the difference between a few circled specials, then left without waiting for her friend.
Later on I figured out what happened. She knew what building I lived in, but not what apartment. So she waited outside to "bump into" me and ask her questions. I asked about her friend (who lived "down the block"), and at first she had no idea what I was talking about. When she realized I caught her, she gave me a quick "Oh! Yeah! He's fine. He was sick. So I waited for nothing." Her friend must have been REAL sick, because the weekend I "bumped into" the student, her "friend" (the "he") was a "she". Hope I don't catch that.
Never, ever, ever, give a student your address or home number. He/she will call you or "bump into" you on your street.
When you're the teacher, students always want your information (phone, e-mail, etc...). They want to be able to call you when they need/want to. To them, it's just a phone call or two, but they don't understand that I teach between 80 to 180 students each year. If each called me only twice, I'd have a call every day of the year. Although they always ask for my phone number, I always tell them to e-mail me. I also make a little joking comment about how many e-mails they can send me. "...about two, three if you're nice, four if you're sending me money."
I only give my phone number to students who are paying me for some service outside the classroom (consulting, private classes, etc..). But once in while, very rarely, I'll get a call from a student and have no idea how he/she got my number.
A student called me at home the other day to ask a question about class. "How'd he get my number?" was my first question. I thought maybe someone in the office unknowingly gave it to him. But then I remembered that this student had been in one of my other classes a while back, about a year ago. He had asked me about consulting on buying/setting-up a new computer, but never called me. Seems he kept it, and "filed" it.
Once, a long time ago, while doing an in-class example of something, I used my home address on the board. I did it without thinking. That weekend, as I was leaving my home, I saw one of my students sort of hanging around outside my building. I called her name, and she said "Oh, hi. You live here? I'm uh.. waiting for a friend who lives here." I asked which apartment she lived in (it was a small building and I knew a few tenants). She said "No, not in this building. Um.. she lives in that big one over there." (pointing to one down the block) Then she quickly changed the subject, and asked me a few computer questions and told me that she was going to buy a computer that day. She pulled out some ads and asked me what was the difference between a few circled specials, then left without waiting for her friend.
Later on I figured out what happened. She knew what building I lived in, but not what apartment. So she waited outside to "bump into" me and ask her questions. I asked about her friend (who lived "down the block"), and at first she had no idea what I was talking about. When she realized I caught her, she gave me a quick "Oh! Yeah! He's fine. He was sick. So I waited for nothing." Her friend must have been REAL sick, because the weekend I "bumped into" the student, her "friend" (the "he") was a "she". Hope I don't catch that.
Never, ever, ever, give a student your address or home number. He/she will call you or "bump into" you on your street.
Friday, February 13, 2004
Did their brains shut down? Part II
Ok, so only "Tupac" came in the next day (she later called "Biggie" to say she should have come in and that "it was no big deal"). After talking to the director for about 15 minutes, she's allowed back into class. Later on (less than an hour and a half later), I catch her looking at porn! In Class! IN THE FRONT ROW! AND COMMENTING TO OTHER STUDENTS!! I'm just stunned, not because she's looking at porn, but because she JUST came back from the director's office and had to be "talked" to. If I was called to attention, I'd try to keep a low profile at least for the rest of that day.
So I tell her to close it, and that she knows better. I see her closing a couple of windows and turn my attention elsewhere. About 10 minutes later, another student walks by and says "Don't say I told you, but she's still looking at porn." Now, I'm just amazed. I tell her to close it, she tells me "I'm trying but they keep popping up. I have this software on my computer that allows me to replicate the students screen on my screen, so I can see what they're doing, and I connect to hers. I see that she's not closing windows, she still browsing. So tell her teacher (it wasn't my class), to check her computer. He goes over and says "My god, you're not supposed to be doing that in class! You know better. If this was a job, you'd have been fired." She claims she's trying but "they keep popping up". He says "Well, close them.", looks at his watch, and tells the class that they can leave for the day. Miraculously, she manages to close all of her windows in about 3 seconds and leaves. Yes, she was just BS'ing.
After she leaves, I go to check out her computer to make sure whatever site she was on, didn't set itself as the homepage. I notice that she had downloaded a program that promises to "erase all evidence of porn activity". I swear what do they think?
Ok, so only "Tupac" came in the next day (she later called "Biggie" to say she should have come in and that "it was no big deal"). After talking to the director for about 15 minutes, she's allowed back into class. Later on (less than an hour and a half later), I catch her looking at porn! In Class! IN THE FRONT ROW! AND COMMENTING TO OTHER STUDENTS!! I'm just stunned, not because she's looking at porn, but because she JUST came back from the director's office and had to be "talked" to. If I was called to attention, I'd try to keep a low profile at least for the rest of that day.
So I tell her to close it, and that she knows better. I see her closing a couple of windows and turn my attention elsewhere. About 10 minutes later, another student walks by and says "Don't say I told you, but she's still looking at porn." Now, I'm just amazed. I tell her to close it, she tells me "I'm trying but they keep popping up. I have this software on my computer that allows me to replicate the students screen on my screen, so I can see what they're doing, and I connect to hers. I see that she's not closing windows, she still browsing. So tell her teacher (it wasn't my class), to check her computer. He goes over and says "My god, you're not supposed to be doing that in class! You know better. If this was a job, you'd have been fired." She claims she's trying but "they keep popping up". He says "Well, close them.", looks at his watch, and tells the class that they can leave for the day. Miraculously, she manages to close all of her windows in about 3 seconds and leaves. Yes, she was just BS'ing.
After she leaves, I go to check out her computer to make sure whatever site she was on, didn't set itself as the homepage. I notice that she had downloaded a program that promises to "erase all evidence of porn activity". I swear what do they think?
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Did their brains shut down?
One of the main problems I have with people who do drugs is their judgment. Or rather, their lack of good judgment. Today I had two students, let's call them "Biggie and Tupac", come in for the last hour and a half of class. They just walked in like it was nothing. Biggie gave me a quick, guilty look, but otherwise they were joking and talking loud like there was nothing wrong. Nothing.
As they walked by me, I got a HUGE whiff of pot. I was so shocked that someone would come into a class smelling THAT strong of pot. Then Biggie calls me over (loudly) "HEY TEACHER! COME OVER HERE A MINUTE!" She had typed something (a few lines in a letter) and wanted me to see if it was needed anything else. It was missing a lot of information (who it's going to, HER name, what it was about, etc..) As I'm looking at it, I again got the whiff. I had to do something. I went to the office to ask if there was a standard way that I should handle this situation. I was told to send them students home, and have them speak to the "higher ups" tomorrow morning.
I first called Biggie out to the hallway. I told her that she reeked of marijuana, at which point she cut me off, laughing, to say she "didn't do anything" that she "was just in 'that environment' so it's okay." I told her that she couldn't stay, she restated that she didn't do anything. I told her that she can't bring that in this environment. She said ok, and that she'd leave.
Next up was Tupac. She took a different approach. She acted as if 1. she didn't know what I was talking about, and 2. she were a bit offended that I mentioned anything. It didn't faze me one bit. So, without accusing them of anything, I sent them home.
It just bothers me that they thought it would be alright to not only show up SUPER late, then to show up SUPER late, REEKING of marijuana, AND behaving like they did.
And they actually think they're two of the better students here.
One of the main problems I have with people who do drugs is their judgment. Or rather, their lack of good judgment. Today I had two students, let's call them "Biggie and Tupac", come in for the last hour and a half of class. They just walked in like it was nothing. Biggie gave me a quick, guilty look, but otherwise they were joking and talking loud like there was nothing wrong. Nothing.
As they walked by me, I got a HUGE whiff of pot. I was so shocked that someone would come into a class smelling THAT strong of pot. Then Biggie calls me over (loudly) "HEY TEACHER! COME OVER HERE A MINUTE!" She had typed something (a few lines in a letter) and wanted me to see if it was needed anything else. It was missing a lot of information (who it's going to, HER name, what it was about, etc..) As I'm looking at it, I again got the whiff. I had to do something. I went to the office to ask if there was a standard way that I should handle this situation. I was told to send them students home, and have them speak to the "higher ups" tomorrow morning.
I first called Biggie out to the hallway. I told her that she reeked of marijuana, at which point she cut me off, laughing, to say she "didn't do anything" that she "was just in 'that environment' so it's okay." I told her that she couldn't stay, she restated that she didn't do anything. I told her that she can't bring that in this environment. She said ok, and that she'd leave.
Next up was Tupac. She took a different approach. She acted as if 1. she didn't know what I was talking about, and 2. she were a bit offended that I mentioned anything. It didn't faze me one bit. So, without accusing them of anything, I sent them home.
It just bothers me that they thought it would be alright to not only show up SUPER late, then to show up SUPER late, REEKING of marijuana, AND behaving like they did.
And they actually think they're two of the better students here.
Monday, February 09, 2004
It's the lazy ones that get me.
I don't mind when a student doesn't understand something, even if I have to explain something four or five times. It's when a student makes no effort to pay attention, then blames people or things around her.
I have this one student, who I originally thought might be bright because she claimed to know a lot about computers (she didn't). She sometimes sits staring at to the front. Today, she was falling asleep in another teacher's class, so I nudged her to wake up, but she said she was bored. Mind you, she came in very late, missing half the class, and falls asleep within 10 minutes. She tells me that she's tired and that she was sleepy.
So she mostly sleeps through the other teacher's class. Then the next class, same thing. Here's comes the last class (mine), and she sleeps through more than half. Then when she realizes that she has to finish this work, she wakes up COMPLAINING about "all the stuff" that's keeping her from doing her work. "The computers not working right" and "The mouse is acting funny" and (my favorite) "You never taught us that". So I say "No, we taught this, you just didn't pay attention." We've been doing this work for a few days now, plus we did it in the first class, and the second class, and we just did it again. YOU sleep through it. And now I see you banging on the keyboard. That's your frustration messing you up, not the computer acting up."
Then she says "Ok, maybe I closed my eyes, but I didn't fall asleep. Can you just show me how to do this?" My reply was "No problem, I'll show you how to do it AGAIN, but you have to wait until I get over there. I have to help the people who had their hands up before you." She was upset, but what could she say? She was caught. As if I should drop everything for her because she suddenly decided it was important.
I don't mind when a student doesn't understand something, even if I have to explain something four or five times. It's when a student makes no effort to pay attention, then blames people or things around her.
I have this one student, who I originally thought might be bright because she claimed to know a lot about computers (she didn't). She sometimes sits staring at to the front. Today, she was falling asleep in another teacher's class, so I nudged her to wake up, but she said she was bored. Mind you, she came in very late, missing half the class, and falls asleep within 10 minutes. She tells me that she's tired and that she was sleepy.
So she mostly sleeps through the other teacher's class. Then the next class, same thing. Here's comes the last class (mine), and she sleeps through more than half. Then when she realizes that she has to finish this work, she wakes up COMPLAINING about "all the stuff" that's keeping her from doing her work. "The computers not working right" and "The mouse is acting funny" and (my favorite) "You never taught us that". So I say "No, we taught this, you just didn't pay attention." We've been doing this work for a few days now, plus we did it in the first class, and the second class, and we just did it again. YOU sleep through it. And now I see you banging on the keyboard. That's your frustration messing you up, not the computer acting up."
Then she says "Ok, maybe I closed my eyes, but I didn't fall asleep. Can you just show me how to do this?" My reply was "No problem, I'll show you how to do it AGAIN, but you have to wait until I get over there. I have to help the people who had their hands up before you." She was upset, but what could she say? She was caught. As if I should drop everything for her because she suddenly decided it was important.
Friday, February 06, 2004
Online identity.
When teaching Internet basics, I usually mention to my students that there are times they shouldn't use their real information (name, address, birthday, etc..) because they don't know who or how it'll be used. Suddenly, 85% of the class NEEDS to hide their information. ALL OF IT. They don't even want to use their real names. "I used my cousin's first name and my daughter's married last name, and I'm using my old address..." Some want to know "Can anyone see me now?", like they're being stalked.
And when I mention IP addresses and how they're unique... WHOA BOY! Suddenly everyone's paranoid. "Why do they allow that?", "Isn't that illegal?", "What happened to my right to anonymity?", "I don't want anyone knowing I'm online!", "Can't I hide that information?" So I'll ask if they block Caller ID. Most say they don't, it's just a phone number.. And I explain that it basically the same thing.
I usually explain how everything can be watched, that the important thing is to keep track of who you give your info to, and how they intend to use it.
When teaching Internet basics, I usually mention to my students that there are times they shouldn't use their real information (name, address, birthday, etc..) because they don't know who or how it'll be used. Suddenly, 85% of the class NEEDS to hide their information. ALL OF IT. They don't even want to use their real names. "I used my cousin's first name and my daughter's married last name, and I'm using my old address..." Some want to know "Can anyone see me now?", like they're being stalked.
And when I mention IP addresses and how they're unique... WHOA BOY! Suddenly everyone's paranoid. "Why do they allow that?", "Isn't that illegal?", "What happened to my right to anonymity?", "I don't want anyone knowing I'm online!", "Can't I hide that information?" So I'll ask if they block Caller ID. Most say they don't, it's just a phone number.. And I explain that it basically the same thing.
I usually explain how everything can be watched, that the important thing is to keep track of who you give your info to, and how they intend to use it.
Older people and the Internet.
The other night I taught a basics class on using the internet. A l ot of older people take this class because they have problems "getting it". Young people understand it immediately. While I like the idea of older people learning to use the internet, many times it's very difficult to teach them.
I had a student who was typing her information so slowly, that the site timed out. Then she had to redo it again, which timed out again. I had to do it for her. Another student was filling out the sign-up form, she typed in her password, and when asked to re-type her password ON THE NEXT LINE, she had already forgotten what it was. I recommended that she write it down in case she forgets. She said "No, how can I forget, it's my granddaughter's name." I was laughing inside, "..how can I forget.." She had JUST forgotten it from one line to the next!
The other night I taught a basics class on using the internet. A l ot of older people take this class because they have problems "getting it". Young people understand it immediately. While I like the idea of older people learning to use the internet, many times it's very difficult to teach them.
I had a student who was typing her information so slowly, that the site timed out. Then she had to redo it again, which timed out again. I had to do it for her. Another student was filling out the sign-up form, she typed in her password, and when asked to re-type her password ON THE NEXT LINE, she had already forgotten what it was. I recommended that she write it down in case she forgets. She said "No, how can I forget, it's my granddaughter's name." I was laughing inside, "..how can I forget.." She had JUST forgotten it from one line to the next!
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
"I think you tha' snitch."
If you read my Jan 27th post, "Appropriateness", you read about the student who was shopping online for dildoes during class. Well, seems a staff member mentioned something to her. So she sees me in the hallway, and says, in a joking manner, "I think you tha' snitch." I asked what she was talking about. She says "Nothing. I'm just playing." And later I overheard her wondering if I was the one who told on her. The other student told her that I wouldn't do that, and if I did, she shouldn't have been doing that in class anyway.
It was funny to be "tha' snitch". But for a second there, I thought she might jump me outside.
If you read my Jan 27th post, "Appropriateness", you read about the student who was shopping online for dildoes during class. Well, seems a staff member mentioned something to her. So she sees me in the hallway, and says, in a joking manner, "I think you tha' snitch." I asked what she was talking about. She says "Nothing. I'm just playing." And later I overheard her wondering if I was the one who told on her. The other student told her that I wouldn't do that, and if I did, she shouldn't have been doing that in class anyway.
It was funny to be "tha' snitch". But for a second there, I thought she might jump me outside.
Huh?
Question. Why is there a pair of panties (if it's one item, is it still "pair of panties"? anyway..) on the chair? One of my students got up to go down the hall. As I passed her chair, I noticed there was something there. A ball of navy blue material. "Oh, it's panties... HUH?!" I did a double take. "Yes, it IS a pair of panties!"
Now this brought up two questions (I know "only two?"), 1. Why was she carrying a pair of panties in her hand? and, 2. Why did she leave it there, where everyone could see it? I could see if she was flirting with someone and left them as some sort of signal, but.... Huh!? Doesn't she... Wha?! Why would she... Huh?! I just didn't get it. And I still don't.
Question. Why is there a pair of panties (if it's one item, is it still "pair of panties"? anyway..) on the chair? One of my students got up to go down the hall. As I passed her chair, I noticed there was something there. A ball of navy blue material. "Oh, it's panties... HUH?!" I did a double take. "Yes, it IS a pair of panties!"
Now this brought up two questions (I know "only two?"), 1. Why was she carrying a pair of panties in her hand? and, 2. Why did she leave it there, where everyone could see it? I could see if she was flirting with someone and left them as some sort of signal, but.... Huh!? Doesn't she... Wha?! Why would she... Huh?! I just didn't get it. And I still don't.
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