Open thread: the late great assignment

Query submitted for your approval: Do you accept late work from students? If so, how much, how often, and at what consequence?

What is your district policy on this?

Inquiring minds want to know....

Tuesday Musing 14: Cindy Lou or Grinch?

For your consideration: as we revel in an absolutely brilliant episode of Glee tonight, it seemed so apropos. Who is winning the fight for your holiday spirit right now? Are you feeling Cindy Lou Who, or are you feeling Grinchy?

I have been fighting the Grinch, but that show helped tilt the axis. How about you?

Tuesday Musing 13: the good, the bad, and the snowy

I saw a snowflake today. Did I mention I HAAAAAAAAATES snowflakes? But instantly all the kids were a-twitter with dreams of a Snow Day. And the students were pretty giddy, too.

So what about it? Are Snow Days a Good Thing? Or a they an evil plot by Mther Nature to force us to be in school in penance when the days are finally warm and beautiful?

Tuesday Musing 12: Gratitude

For your consideration: as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let's concentrate on those things, people, and places for which we are truly thankful.

I am thankful that I have a healthy family. I am thankful for the relationships I have with my students. I am thankful that I belong to a wonderful faith community and that I am employed doing something I love that also helps society.

What are you thankful for?

Tuesday Musing 11: Surveyitis

For your consideration: how many surveys are you asked to fill out by your administration per year? How are the results treated? We are asked to fill out surveys all the time at our little slice of heaven, and yet we rarely get feedback on the results, or, if we do, the results don't seem to jibe with what we recall being the general consensus among faculty members.

La Cornelius just got finished filling out one during her precious planning period that took 25 minutes and included over 100 questions--- and had no place to write comments on it, to boot. I got more and more annoyed the longer it took, and it was on computer and designed so that you couldn't see how long it really was.

Do the PTB care what you think??? Respond in the comment section, s'il vous plait.

Tuesday Musing 10: the cost of overwork

For your consideration: have you ever had to resort to a "mental health day" merely to allow yourself to catch up with rest --or, even worse, to catch up with grading? How often do you indulge the need?

Myself, I could certainly use one now. That extra hour of sleep this weekend was not even a drop in the bucket.

Share your thoughts in the comment section.

Tuesday Musing 9: the cost of suspensions

For your consideration: are out of school suspensions necessary? Are they overused?

I have heard of several school districts that have responded to the fact that the district loses money from the state for each student who is not physically present by drastically reducing the number and type of offenses that can merit out of school suspensions. Let me also note that all of the districts I have heard of that did this were distressed districts with high numbers of at-risk students and also a high rate of discipline problems.

What do you think?

Tuesday Musing #8: harassment policies

For your consideration: what is your district's policy on sexual harassment of GLBT students? How well is that policy enforced, if at all?

Our school district studiously avoids mentioning that we may have GLBT students in any sort of written policy, and has declined to include GLBT as a protected category of student, allegedly on the advice of attorneys, whatever that means.

Tuesday Musing 7: Parent conference follies

For your consideration: What is the craziest thing that has ever happened at parent teacher conferences for you?

Mine involved a mother, an elf costume, and a potential strangling of a staff member. Anyone got one?

Tuesday Musing Open Thread 6: Gag me with a spoon

Okay, so today I was looking at a kid's paper and there was a long, crusty booger on it. I nonchalantly got it off with a kleenex while inwardly suppressing a heave. So.... I'm gonna go there.

For your consideration: what is one of the grossest things with which you have had to deal as a teacher? Let's try to walk the line without actually inducing any technicolor yawns. Remember, euphemisms are our FRIENDS.

Tuesday Musing Open Thread 5: Beginning of School nightmares

For your consideration: Some of us are so tightly wound that our work life invades even our sleep time. What are some school-related dreams or nightmares that you have had? Mine come back even before the start of the actual school year for extra special torture.

Place your responses in the comment section!

Tuesday Musing Open Thread 4: Suggestions for new teachers

For your consideration: What is the most valuable advice you could share with a new teacher in your building?

This time of year, there are thousands of people across the country who have been hired for a new teaching job. Now is the time for us to come to their aid! Put your comments in the comment section!

Tuesday Musing Open Thread 3: Qualifications for hiring administrators

For your consideration, and as an extension of last week's question: If you were given the chance to revamp the hiring process in your school, what would be the top qualifications you would look for in administrators being hired to fill open positions? How do these compare with the qualifications that are currently in use by your school district?

Tuesday Musing Open Thread 2: Qualifications for hiring teachers

For your consideration: If you were given the chance to revamp the hiring process in your school, what would be the top qualifications you would look for in teachers being hired to fill open positions? How do these compare with the qualifications that are currently in use by your school district?

Let's discuss.

Tuesday Musing Open Thread 1: TFA

For your consideration: In the long term, what effect has Teach For America had on public schools? What effect do teachers from this program have upon a school while they are on staff? What effects have TFA alumni had upon education policy? Are these effects good or deleterious?

Not having had much contact with people in this program, I would appreciate some feedback. I may start this as a regular feature of my blog as a part of my own edification.

Open Thread: Disappointment or anger?

Which is worse: To be angry with someone, or to be disappointed in someone?

Lead me to the truth, friends.