Persuasive Essay

It has been a goal at our school that every department do 5 persuasive essays to help the students for the high school graduation test. And I have had my students doing that.

I have had two opportunities in the past month to utilize persuasive essays - apparently effectively. Unfortunately, I cannot use it as a teaching moment. At least, not on a large scale.

I have had two students have to appear in court where the outcome could have been jail. I have written letters, extolling the virtues I can find and asking that they be given another chance.

Not that I am awesome, but in each case, the student was given another chance. On an individual level, I have pointed out that my letter of recommendation was a persuasive essay and that it persuaded the judge to behave in a particular manner.

I wish I could use these as a broader example - but I will take what I can get. The individuals have seen the letters, know how I feel, and were told by the judge that the letter made a difference.

Six Word Saturday

Writing clarifies what's on your mind.

Learning about my kids

I made them write - well, only if they owe me work. This is quiz grade stuff that I am tired of trying to frag out of them. They still owe me enough math to justify this.

A page about them for each thing they owe me. And not everyone does. Some follow directions and do what they are supposed to when they are supposed to.

I learned about:
· A dead father
· A dead brother
· A dead mother
· Being sent to live with another family member because “I was bad.”
· Having to spend time away from school translating for a parent who doesn’t speak English and was in trouble
· Lots about jail time
· Being in foster care
· Stupid decisions made while in foster care that led to jail time

I may have to do more of this kind of activity - and do in next year earlier.

O Where o where can my students be?

I got a new student this week (of course on a day I am giving a test. Hi, welcome to my class - have a test [won't count against you]). Turns out he "misbehaved" and was kicked out of another school in our district 2 months ago - which means he has probably been in juvie jail.

Another student has not returned from short term expulsion - oops, he stole a car, is in real jail. Stole the car from family, so they don't want to bail him out. I see him drifting away.

I've lost three others to either juvie jail or real jail this year. Had my fifth kid drop out this week - going to get his GED.

On the positive side, one of my problem kids got probation instead of the hoosegow so I will have him for awhile. He was going to drop out at Christmas. Don't know if that is still the plan.

Jeesh - where are the limits?

Daniel is a special ed student who does not want to be at school but his mother will not let him drop out. So, he disrupts every class he is in, when he bothers to come. The teachers get lambasted for writing him up, and nothing, nothing, changes his behavior.

We met on him today and learned that while he was in his culinary arts craft a month ago, he turned the garbage disposal on seconds (seconds!!!!) after the teacher had had her hand in it retrieving a fork. This is an old school and there was no safety on the garbage disposal = it could have been catastrophic. It could have been a student.

Daniel says it was an accident. The expression on his face at the time told the teacher it was no accident.

This was reported - and nothing has been done. He is still in the class. He likes the class. There was no discussion, no reprimand, no punishment. Nada.

Can you say "accident waiting to happen?"

Where should the focus be?

Curmudgeon says: "When I compare students and programs, talk with ex-students, visit colleges and speak with professors and admissions, converse with tradesmen and businessmen, I find one thing across the board. Success in college, life and careers is correlated more closely with schools that stressed facts and knowledge first and then blended in communication, information, literacy and critical thinking skills. Any school that tried to do it the other way invariably and ultimately did a disservice to its students."

I am so tired of hearing that the way I was taught was wrong, that we need to investigate the math. The kids I teach do not do well that way. They so need the facts they have never been taught or held accountable for.

goals from above

We had a meeting yesterday where we were told that success is not perfection but is being better than average.

We are told this is to be our goal - to raise scores 2 or 3 points.

I think success is to push the envelope as much as you can to be better than you think you can be.