The Teacher's Thread

[Cobrabit]

I know there are many teachers amongst our rank. I encourage you to post your successes and struggles, so that we may all celebrate students and their achievements, along with providing any advice we can provide in assistance for a difficult situation for all. Should any parents and/or those in the general public wish to provide suggestions, so that we ALL can proceed to better help our children, I would appreciate that a modicum of patience and understanding be afforded to educators when you provide your thoughts, as we (educators) are doing our best with what we can in an effort to provide the BEST educational experiences for children given the circumstances we're provided. This is not meant as a political topic, as education is NOT political, but instead meant to be a sharing of ideas and best practices to better help the next generation through a global pandemic that WILL (not may) affect their growth.

As such, I suggest any educator that is willing, provide their "bio" and any additional information/expertise that may be useful to other educators or parents that are providing distance learning to their children and may be struggling.

 

[Cobrabit]

My bio:

- BS & MS in Mechanical Enginnering
- Currently on my 15th year as an educator
- Have taught every secondary mathematics course from Algebra 1 through AP Calculus, including dual-enrollment Trigonometry and Calculus
- 7+ years teaching dual-enrollment engineering courses for a program I helped to create in order to help high school students gain understanding and experience with engineering while earning additional college credits through mathematics and English, all free of charge for students
- Completed all required courses for principalship endorsement, awaiting final certification test and "internship hours", for which most will be accepted via being the coordinator of my current program, but still need experience with elementary and middle school administration. COVID has postponed my completion this far.
- Use Canvas and Zoom for the distance learning of my engineering students, so maybe we can help each other if issues arise.

 

[Cobrabit]

My program is currently 1.5 weeks into our semester, starting fully online, after initially planning for a hybrid approach (2 days in person & 3 days online), but local case increases lead to district plans changing prior to the year starting. I previously prepared and helped my math and English instructors prep for such a circumstance, as I did not think we'd actually begin the year in person due to case increases over the summer. I'm currently overseeing a program with 2 school systems and 6 high schools participating.

There has been some initial issues with students needing to obtain the college ID/login information for my canvas courses, since they "forgot" that information, but a quick upload of my personal lesson videos to a private YouTube channel and emailed assignments, helped those that procrastinated to get their logins still have the required information to complete assignments on time. Everyone has now gotten access to Canvas, so we should be good from here on out.

I was proud of a few students that used the Studio portion of Canvas to record themselves giving their presentation to submit for their second assignment, because they couldn't be present during a live zoom session. This is probably the biggest issue, as I cannot require students to attend live zoom sessions, since there may be multiple siblings/parents that are working from home and either don't have extra devices or internet bandwidth to support more than one at a time. Therefore, I provide prerecorded lesson videos (no more than 30 minutes each) and am available each day during the week for "office hours" during the timeframes students would be face to face previously. If they aren't able to meet then, they can send a message through Canvas, Remind, or email to see if I'm able to meet and discuss. With my own children at home, this has to be scheduled, since I'm helping them with their own work as well.

 

[RP-29]

I'm not a teacher, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express sometime in my life.

I volunteer coached private grade school athletics for seven years while my kids were of that age. One of my methods of teaching/coaching those kids (and my own kids) was to offer "why" when I instructed them to do something. Kids will respond better to instruction if they know in what ways what you're telling them to do will benefit them and others.

For example, when my daughter was in 7th grade I coached the 7th & 8th grade girls basketball team (by myself). We only had 7 girls on the team. Early in the season we played against a team that had 15 girls - they were able to sub their whole team out for rest at will. We had a lead at halftime, but were gassed by the end of the third quarter and ended up losing by double-digits because we simply ran out of juice. Knowing this would be a problem throughout the season, I needed to increase my team's endurance if we were going to compete for a championship. And knowing no girls are going to be excited about running a lot more during basketball practice, the following practice I told them all exactly why we lost that game and why they needed to run more. They responded very well to the objective and worked hard to build up their stamina throughout the season.

---

Regarding school curriculum, I have one big request of school administrators: focus more heavily on economics and financial education. A large percentage of your students are going to land a job after high school that does not need four years of English, math and science, but every single one of them needs to know how to manage their money and should understand how money flows through society (to optimally manage their money).

Way too many people in this country are absolutely clueless on how an economy functions. Way too many people in this country are eager to put their entire financial welfare up as collateral to get a loan with 100% interest for something they don't need.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

My bio:

- BS & MS in Mechanical Enginnering
- Currently on my 15th year as an educator
- Have taught every secondary mathematics course from Algebra 1 through AP Calculus, including dual-enrollment Trigonometry and Calculus
- 7+ years teaching dual-enrollment engineering courses for a program I helped to create in order to help high school students gain understanding and experience with engineering while earning additional college credits through mathematics and English, all free of charge for students
- Completed all required courses for principalship endorsement, awaiting final certification test and "internship hours", for which most will be accepted via being the coordinator of my current program, but still need experience with elementary and middle school administration. COVID has postponed my completion this far.
- Use Canvas and Zoom for the distance learning of my engineering students, so maybe we can help each other if issues arise.

jeeze, i only have a BS in ME and i put shit in space. you ever think about using your MS elsewhere?

kudos to you for teaching. my original path before i got sidetracked.

 

[Cobrabit]

jeeze, i only have a BS in ME and i put shit in space. you ever think about using your MS elsewhere?

kudos to you for teaching. my original path before i got sidetracked.

Teaching wasn't a thought in my mind when finishing my degrees. I had interviewed several times over the course of several months with a homeland security company that was set to expand to my hometown and told I had the position (supervisor over a group of analysts) and was just waiting for them to finish the building. Lo and behold, one week before I was set to start, they had to "freeze" all new hires indefinitely. Turned out, the company owner was bribing a California congressman who happened to be on committees handing out defense contracts, eventually going to jail. Company got sold and there was no expansion site.

Left without a job I had planned on for months, and all my eggs out into one basket, I needed a job. Sister-in-law was a teacher and thought I would be good at it, considering there was a math position open at the local high school. I figured I'd give it a shot and regroup for the following year. Got hired less than a week before school started and ended up loving it.

Fast forward 8 years and the opportunity to "use" my engineering degrees came along in starting my program that combines teaching high school with engineering. It's now been 7 years and while I could easily double my salary by revisiting engineering field work, I'm happy doing what I'm doing and can provide for what my family needs. Maybe not everything we'd want, but everything we need, plus some. Being able to spend additional time with my family outweighs the extra salary, at least for me.

 

[huskers1217]

I used to teach sunday school I think i got fired since i have refused to go back until this week....

 

[Cobrabit]

I'm not a teacher, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express sometime in my life.

I volunteer coached private grade school athletics for seven years while my kids were of that age. One of my methods of teaching/coaching those kids (and my own kids) was to offer "why" when I instructed them to do something. Kids will respond better to instruction if they know in what ways what you're telling them to do will benefit them and others.

For example, when my daughter was in 7th grade I coached the 7th & 8th grade girls basketball team (by myself). We only had 7 girls on the team. Early in the season we played against a team that had 15 girls - they were able to sub their whole team out for rest at will. We had a lead at halftime, but were gassed by the end of the third quarter and ended up losing by double-digits because we simply ran out of juice. Knowing this would be a problem throughout the season, I needed to increase my team's endurance if we were going to compete for a championship. And knowing no girls are going to be excited about running a lot more during basketball practice, the following practice I told them all exactly why we lost that game and why they needed to run more. They responded very well to the objective and worked hard to build up their stamina throughout the season.

---

Regarding school curriculum, I have one big request of school administrators: focus more heavily on economics and financial education. A large percentage of your students are going to land a job after high school that does not need four years of English, math and science, but every single one of them needs to know how to manage their money and should understand how money flows through society (to optimally manage their money).

Way too many people in this country are absolutely clueless on how an economy functions. Way too many people in this country are eager to put their entire financial welfare up as collateral to get a loan with 100% interest for something they don't need.

Nice point. I know there's been a recent financial course requirement for high school graduation in VA, but from what I gather from students, it's mostly an online course that is a breeze they don't learn much from. There's a Dollars and Sense program that gets high school students together on a field trip to essentially live play the board game Life. It may resonate with a few, but most have it go into one ear and out the other.

I do try to incorporate some financial/business discussion with my hands on engineering projects, but it isn't the primary focus. I'll look to see if there are opportunities to increase that information for future projects.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Teaching wasn't a thought in my mind when finishing my degrees. I had interviewed several times over the course of several months with a homeland security company that was set to expand to my hometown and told I had the position (supervisor over a group of analysts) and was just waiting for them to finish the building. Lo and behold, one week before I was set to start, they had to "freeze" all new hires indefinitely. Turned out, the company owner was bribing a California congressman who happened to be on committees handing out defense contracts, eventually going to jail. Company got sold and there was no expansion site.

Left without a job I had planned on for months, and all my eggs out into one basket, I needed a job. Sister-in-law was a teacher and thought I would be good at it, considering there was a math position open at the local high school. I figured I'd give it a shot and regroup for the following year. Got hired less than a week before school started and ended up loving it.

Fast forward 8 years and the opportunity to "use" my engineering degrees came along in starting my program that combines teaching high school with engineering. It's now been 7 years and while I could easily double my salary by revisiting engineering field work, I'm happy doing what I'm doing and can provide for what my family needs. Maybe not everything we'd want, but everything we need, plus some. Being able to spend additional time with my family outweighs the extra salary, at least for me.

Good for you. I lied my way into a position I was not qualified for on paper during the crisis in 2008.
It wasn't until I was getting the thorough background scrub for some work I was doing for the Department of energy (tubing sub assembly for a reactor) that they discovered I had in fact padded my resume. Turned out I was really good at what I was doing so they put me through school online ( and took me off the project of course).
I'm struggling my way through Materials Science as we speak, slow boat online again.
Now I wouldn't trade what I do for anything. Sometimes we fall into our intended paths by accident.

 

[Cobrabit]

Good for you. I lied my way into a position I was not qualified for on paper during the crisis in 2008.
It wasn't until I was getting the thorough background scrub for some work I was doing for the Department of energy (tubing sub assembly for a reactor) that they discovered I had in fact padded my resume. Turned out I was really good at what I was doing so they put me through school online ( and took me off the project of course).
I'm struggling my way through Materials Science as we speak, slow boat online again.
Now I wouldn't trade what I do for anything. Sometimes we fall into our intended paths by accident.

Your last line is similar to what I tell students, parents, and colleagues when they ask, "why are you a teacher?" I essentially " lucked out" in finding what I enjoy doing, while also finding fulfillment.

Are there times that I've considered leaving teaching for the money? Absolutely, especially when I was the only one working with a kid on the way. Made a decision to switch schools to teach closer to a city, with an extra hour of commuting and plans to eventually move that direction, so my wife may have found a job easier (art teacher), even though I took a pay cut doing so. We knew it would be more difficult, but the increased chance of a second income was a gamble we'd take. Turns out, my current opportunity came along that spring semester, with added income, and my wife was eventually offered an art position at my old school a couple years later while pregnant with number 2.

Things happen for a reason, but without my previous education/training, that opportunity wouldn't have been available. Luck is preparation coming to fruition.

 

[Rod Dangerfield]

I will be your preacher teacher, anything you have in mind!

 

[RP-29]

It's now been 7 years and while I could easily double my salary by revisiting engineering field work, I'm happy doing what I'm doing and can provide for what my family needs. Maybe not everything we'd want, but everything we need, plus some. Being able to spend additional time with my family outweighs the extra salary, at least for me.

You're a wise dude.

 

[RP-29]

(art teacher)

Your wife is an art teacher? Then I have an inquiry...

My daughter is starting her senior year of high school. She's a gifted artist who definitively wants to work in arts. She's good at pretty much every artistic project you throw at her and is pretty self-motivated. If you ask her right now which job she's most interested in, she'll tell you she wants to be involved in video game art & animation. I suspect that when she gets hands-on her focus might sway. Her current first choice of higher education is SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design).

As an art teacher, does your wife have any advice on art schools, building a portfolio or art-related grants & scholarships she should apply for?

 

[PeoplesChicken]

BA in Secondary Education & Comp Social Studies
M.Ed Educational Leadership
Certificate for Superintendent

Taught HS social studies for 3 years
Worked for the state dept for 10 years
School level administrator since 2013

 

[Cobrabit]

Your wife is an art teacher? Then I have an inquiry...

My daughter is starting her senior year of high school. She's a gifted artist who definitively wants to work in arts. She's good at pretty much every artistic project you throw at her and is pretty self-motivated. If you ask her right now which job she's most interested in, she'll tell you she wants to be involved in video game art & animation. I suspect that when she gets hands-on her focus might sway. Her current first choice of higher education is SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design).

As an art teacher, does your wife have any advice on art schools, building a portfolio or art-related grants & scholarships she should apply for?

I'll see if she has any suggestions. Is there a graphic design course at her high school? If not, there may be some local artists in your area that offer some similar add on courses outside of the school offerings and also a local source of advice. That is one of the courses my wife teaches and may be something your daughter should look into considering her career aspirations. If she hasn't started putting together a portfolio, she needs to start on that asap, because that's a lot of work i know at least.
'

 

[Cobrabit]

BA in Secondary Education & Comp Social Studies
M.Ed Educational Leadership
Certificate for Superintendent

Taught HS social studies for 3 years
Worked for the state dept for 10 years
School level administrator since 2013

As I mentioned I'm looking to finish my add on endorsement for administration, over the up to date mathematics endorsement, even though I don't use them currently. Figured administration courses would help in my role as program coordinator. Essentially, I'm the principal in the off site location and all administrative aspects that entails, save actual suspensions, as I'm not employed by the school systems. If there's a discipline issue, I provide my recommendation to building principals and they've always followed my recommendation. Other than skipping or leaving the location without permission, I haven't had any real issues. For that, I'm grateful to have a good group of kids.

With my young kids, I really don't want to transition to full administration in school systems with the extra dedication, plus I love my current position. However, it's always nice to have a back up qualification should I choose to change.

 

[Illustrious Potentate]

jeeze, i only have a BS in ME and i put shit in space. you ever think about using your MS elsewhere?

kudos to you for teaching. my original path before i got sidetracked.

My 77 year old grandpa with an 8th grade education machines parts for satellites. He took that up after selling the propane company he started and finding out he wasn’t cut out for retirement. My uncle owns the machine shop and is highly educated

 

[RP-29]

I'll see if she has any suggestions. Is there a graphic design course at her high school? If not, there may be some local artists in your area that offer some similar add on courses outside of the school offerings and also a local source of advice. That is one of the courses my wife teaches and may be something your daughter should look into considering her career aspirations. If she hasn't started putting together a portfolio, she needs to start on that asap, because that's a lot of work i know at least.
'

She's taken every art and graphics-related course the school offers. I'm a bit disconnected to non-school course availability, but it's certainly something to investigate. Thanks for the feedback.

She has started working on her portfolio, I'm just curious to know what art teachers prominently look for in portfolios - to ensure she's compiling it optimally.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

My 77 year old grandpa with an 8th grade education machines parts for satellites. He took that up after selling the propane company he started and finding out he wasn’t cut out for retirement. My uncle owns the machine shop and is highly educated

yup. i have guys out back i question if they can read, but they machine parts on our lathe. skill is skill.

 

[RP-29]

My 77 year old grandpa with an 8th grade education machines parts for satellites. He took that up after selling the propane company he started and finding out he wasn’t cut out for retirement. My uncle owns the machine shop and is highly educated

"educated" is a term that gets thrown around way too loosely.