I keep hearing that this is The Age of Technology. True. More so now than ever before and not as much as it will be in a few years. We rely on computers for banking, socializing, shopping, and so much more. There isn't a day that I don't sit at my computer to accomplish a task or communicate with someone. I've read countless posts and articles about the things that will be obsolete in a few years thanks to the advancement of technology. I have to wonder ... will teachers become obsolete?

Will the need for a warm, breathing human in the classroom be replaced by online learning? All colleges offer online learning and many public schools incorporate one-to-one learning experiences for their students and provide personal devices for their student's use. Many elementary schools don't 'waste' their time teaching cursive handwriting since we are a print society living in the digital age. Most lessons require some form of technology and every school offers computer classes.  Books are read online, lessons are turned in online, and communication between teacher-student or teacher-parent is completed online.

 But what are we missing? Compassion. Dialogue. Social Skills. Understanding. Patience. Warmth. The human touch. The heart of teaching and the lessons learned from error.  The ability to communicate a solution or present a problem or simply ask someone how they are doing.  Education is being dumbed down to meet the basic skill of using a computer. Yes, someone who is  self-considered to be a computer idiot, just said that computer skills are basic. I realize that it takes intelligence to perform tasks on the computer. I realize that there are countless things that I do on my computer that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise, but I also realize that I am responsible for 'telling' my computer what to do. And, if I can do it, so can anyone else.

I would rather see kids learning how to use their brain to solve math problems than to rely on a calculator. I would rather see kids holding a book, rather than a device. I would rather see kids problem solving in groups than sending each other text messages. I want kids to read cursive and write in cursive so that the skill isn't lost. I want them to have the confidence to read a contract and sign it in their own handwriting.

We are racing towards the edge. Will we fall over the edge and let go of the things the world calls antiquated, but that we know are still good for our kids? Will we let spell checking programs replace spelling and sight words? Will we let audio books replace sounding out words and reading?  Will we allow calculators to replace mental math?  Will we sit back while teachers are being replaced by technology?

We wouldn't stand for it in a hospital. We would demand to speak to a human being, preferably one trained in medicine. And, how many times have you called to discuss a concern or billing question and gotten trapped in an automated system? We've all spent hours trying to talk to a human. We've all sent emails to a business that go ignored and unanswered.

So, are teachers becoming obsolete? I do agree that education is changing. But, I refuse to believe that technology can replace, with any success, a teacher. They just can't design a robot or device to match everything a teacher does or is. However, if they want to build one to take my place on the playground or in a meeting, I'm all for it!



                                 Triple Chocolate!
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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com










Teacher retention is becoming more and more of a problem. Recently, a good friend of mine asked an excellent question during a job interview. She asked the teacher sitting on the panel why he had stayed with the district for so long. The teacher's response spoke volumes (and made me want to apply for a position there!). He is allowed to teach. Wow! Every teacher's dream. Just let us teach. This cry has been heard around the globe for the last several years and it is getting louder.  Teachers want to teach. They want the freedom to teach. They want to be trusted to do what is best for their students. They don't want to participate in mindless, senseless, meaningless PD or try gimmicks that are here today and gone tomorrow. Teachers want to create and implement lessons that will reach their students. Challenge and engage them, if you want to use the correct buzz words. Teachers like to collaborate with others and develop curriculum that will help their students. They want to have good relationships with parents and build strong relationships with their students.

So, with those wants (needs actually) out there for everyone to read and hear, WHY does NO ONE listen?  Why is retention an ongoing problem? Many teachers are leaving the profession for greener pastures elsewhere or dreaming about the day that they can retire. It has nothing to do with losing the joy of teaching kids. It has everything to do with lack of discipline and tied hands, being unable to do what the classroom teacher knows is best. Having the joy of teaching sucked right out of you.  Some environments are downright toxic. It isn't healthy to stay and keep beating your head against a system that is more interested in politics than kids.  So.... they make the difficult decision to leave.

The end result is a school district flooded with new, inexperienced teachers with few veteran teachers left to mentor them.  The few veterans that are left are overburdened with responsibilities that other teachers are not yet ready to assume OR new teachers are handed responsibilities that overload them. Burn-out.

It isn't in every district. As I've mentioned before, I substitute in some unique situations. Charming, small schools that have little turnover. You would think with the lower pay and benefits teachers would be clambering to find another position in a larger district. Wrong. Teachers are content because there is discipline, they are listened to and appreciated, AND they are allowed to teach. Their creative side has freedom. You can't put a price tag on contentment. And, you can't put a price tag on good teachers!


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                                              additional, shameless advertising :)
Are you following my TpT store, Chocolate 4 Teachers ?
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Published!!! Just in time to spring test review. I'm also redoing (I like the word renovating) another test prep resource. Make test prep less stressful by downloading your copy today!

12 lessons for the low price of $5
               

Make sure you check out my Pinterest boards:   Chocolate 4 Teachers .
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P.S. This page is also a work in progress. I am tweaking it as I have time. I hope you like the new look. I was certainly ready for something fresh!






Privacy Policy
This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com


I had specific requirements for subs: 1. don't eat all the candy/food in my desk drawers 2. don't take my favorite pen and 3. don't tell my students that I am wrong. Pretty simple list. Nothing extravagant or demanding.  And, yes, I have had subs that ate everything they could find and take. And, I had to hide my pens because not just my favorite pen was taken, but all of them. This is maddening, but the worst is having my students tell me that the sub said I was wrong. Now, don't misunderstand. I am frequently wrong. I often leap before I look. I am not afraid of admitting to a mistake, but to have another adult tell my kids that I am wrong is not acceptable. Period.

Fast forward a few years. Now, I'm the sub. I traded in full time for semi-retirement. I find myself roaming the halls of my childhood, where I did my student teaching, and my first teaching job. Nostalgic. I love it. No parents. No papers to grade or lessons to write (unless there is something I can do to help the teacher). And, most importantly, NO MEETINGS!!!  I love the feeling of freedom as I leave the building. I have the joy of working with kids. I am able to interact with other educators, but I don't have all the responsibilities.

However, there is one thing (or two or three) that I keep in mind. Never eat the candy. Don't take the pens. And, above all, don't tell the kids that their teacher is wrong.   The first two are just a matter of common courtesy and decency. The last is a matter of respect. It is unfair, among many other things, for a sub to tell students that their teacher is wrong. Kids look up to their teachers and respect them. Subs don't have the right to undermine this relationship.  The relationship that a teacher has with his/her students is precious. An outsider shouldn't step into the classroom for a day and take over. A classroom is a teacher's sanctuary. It is their private, personal space. Their home away from home. A sub doesn't have to agree with all of the teacher's policies or like all of the decor. A sub may not be comfortable with classroom procedures or agree with the teacher's answers to a problem. But, it is not his/her place to redecorate and renovate the classroom or redirect the students.

A word of 'advice' to teachers and districts: Don't assume that all subs are simply people who need something to do or have a day off and need to supplement their income. Don't assume they are someone with no teaching experience. Get to know your subs. Find out what they have done or are doing. Find out what talents they have or areas that are their favorite to teach.  Nothing can be more irritating than a district to schedule PD for subs. PD about student engagement or executing the lesson or classroom management.  Some might benefit from this type of PD. I might even like a refresher course, but don't treat me like I've never set foot in a classroom. Don't talk down to me as if I can't understand what you are saying. Don't treat me like an idiot because I ask a question about procedures or locations. Don't ignore me when I am a guest in your school. Don't give me after school parent-pick-up or bus duties. I don't know what bus each child rides or what parent matches which child. This is a disaster waiting to happen.  Just offer me a smile and support.

Today, someone phrased it quite nicely. A good sub is a lifeline, a band-aid, a rubber band pulling it all together. A good sub allows me to take a sick day, take my child to the doctor, or attend a conference. Without a dependable substitute, being absent would be too difficult. I need someone that can pick up where I left off and offer instruction. I don't expect them to be perfect or to have endless knowledge in my area, but I do expect them to follow the instructions I leave. If a sub does this, they are great. They help me out when I'm in a tight spot.

And that is what I believe a substitute is- a helper in a tight spot. Someone that can come in and carry on when the teacher must be absent.  That is what I expected when I was a full-time teacher and it is what I strive to be now that the roles are reversed.  I love being thought of as a 'life-line' or 'helper'. That is my goal. I want to make the absence as painless as possible.

What do you look for in a substitute?




                                              Triple Chocolate!

Are you following my TpT store, Chocolate 4 Teachers ?
It is easy and it is free! It doesn't cost you anything to click on the green star by my name.
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Here are some snapshots of works in progress: Hopefully ready this week-end!  (If you click on the green star and follow, you'll know exactly when I publish them)

                                                                 

Make sure you check out my Pinterest boards:   Chocolate 4 Teachers .
And Facebook page: Chocolate 4 Teachers.
And, if you like them, then by all means, Share!

P.S. This page is also a work in progress. I am tweaking it as I have time. I hope you like the new look. I was certainly ready for something fresh!






Privacy Policy
This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com



Is Spring Break really necessary? You bet it is! In fact, more teachers than students are counting down the days to Spring Break! In my 'neck of the woods' Spring Break season is upon us. The robins are filling yards. Daffodils are popping up in unexpected places. Thunderstorms are rolling across night skies. Parks are filling up with laughing children and relaxed adults.

Why is Spring Break so important and so cherished?  Well... funny you should ask!

Spring Break is:
- a time to breath.
- a time to sleep in. No alarms, thank you very much!
- a time to see what the rest of the world is up to.
- a time to talk to family and friends. Reconnect.
- a time to wear your stay-at-home clothes.
- a time to buy groceries while it is still daylight.
- a time to eat sitting down.
- a time to finish a good book, see a movie, or catch up on a favorite program.
- a time to forget (yes, I said forget) school.
- my last mental vacation before the last semester.

Just try to take away my Spring Break and see how quickly my smile fades. See how quickly I become irritable and downright hostile.  Those complainers that argue that teachers shouldn't have a  week off with pay don't know that I've already worked multiple 70 hour weeks. They are probably the same people that think I don't deserve summers off (let's not even go there!).  Spring Break is a time honored tradition.  Time when I can be a kid again! So... is Spring Break necessary? Absolutely. If you want me to function at an optimum, sane, level of expertise... then definitely YES!

Enjoy!

                                    Triple Chocolate!

Follow my TpT store, Chocolate 4 Teachers to get the latest news on new products and product renovations. And , if you like free resources, following my store is a good way to hear about them first and hear about flash freebies and sales. Just click on the green star by my name! Easy!!


Have you taken a look at these March resources? Why not? Take a peek today!

Irish folktales, tall talesand legends!

March Folktales and Legends
And ... while you're at my shop, check out March Paired Reads!  4 fiction and non-fiction reading pairs + 30 task cards + printables =Super value !!!





Check out all of my Pinterest boards ... from teacher's stores to teacher's resources to quick meals for people on the go!   Chocolate 4 Teachers .
And, if you like my sarcastic sense of humor, check out my Facebook page.... (Yep! It's another chocolate!) Chocolate 4 Teachers.





Privacy Policy
This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

If I were Education Secretary I would......... Well, there is  a lot that I would do, but I've tried to narrow it down to five things.  Not that I would ever have the most remote chance of being the Education Secretary, but it is fun to dream. Right?

1. First, I would form a committee of real teachers. Teachers that are actually in the trenches. Teachers that qualify based on their merit, not on how they answer questions on an application or in an interview, and not based on the district where they teach. We need to give a voice to those who teach in small districts, as well as, notable districts. Bring everyone together so that the rural teacher could swap stories with the urban teacher. Everyone could learn from each other's experiences. And, what about those dedicated retired teachers? What about the paras? Include them too! Individuals that have dedicated themselves for decades need to have a voice. Even if they are presently retired. Put them all on the committee. And, while I'm dreaming, let's go big! The committee would be divided up into small groups so that time out of the classroom would be minimal. Then have a big expense paid conference in the summer. The best part? Actually listen to them and take their advice. Don't just pretend to listen. Let those years of expertise and experience speak. Wow! That would be refreshing.

My newest March Resource
2. Secondly, I would put the power back into the hands of each district. No more government regulations. Remove mandates put in place by people who've never taught a day in their lives and listen to the people that know their kids best. No more tying federal funds by compliance with something that just won't work in your district. No strings attached! Just a system of checks and balances that ensures that each district gets what they need (which isn't unnecessary advice from non-teachers) to provide the best possible education for their kids. And, the realization that this doesn't look the same in New York as it does in Georgia. Education isn't a one-size-fits-all fix. It is unique to each demographic.

3. Thirdly, put discipline back in schools. Let the trained, experienced adults run the school instead of the self-entitled adolescents. Kids need guidance and structure and nurturing. Not empowerment. Students need expectations for behavior, as well as, academics. The way I see it ... without discipline, academics will fail. Let me explain. I hated math. I was horrible at math. If I had not been expected to listen to the instruction and follow directions and complete my assignments, I would still be adding 2+2. I wouldn't have had the motivation, encouragement, or desire to complete a task that I hated. I would have taken a book to math class and read the hour away. I needed discipline enforced and modeled to help me succeed.

4. The fourth thing I would do is let teachers teach. If an administrator needs to monitor every move a teacher makes, read every email they write, and observe their class at least once a week, a hiring mistake has been made. Hire someone qualified and capable of doing their job. Make sure they are settled in, then ditch the micro-managing style, and leave them alone. A 'good' teacher doesn't need to create a  dog-and-pony-show for the principal's enjoyment. They are solid day after day. A 'good' administrator doesn't need to micro-manage to notice a problem. Problems have a way of reaching the surface. All an administrator needs to do is be available, be visible, and be attentive.

5. My fifth and final act would be the most popular. Cancel those meetings! Put it in an email requesting confirmation that it has been read. Done. Teacher received the information. Administrator has that confirmed. Precious time is not wasted. Win-Win! Everyone is happy. Limit meetings to PD days when teachers are on the contract clock. Let them use their before and after school time for planning, grading, preparing, and their families. Robbing them of their personal time is a job satisfaction killer.

That's what I would do if I were the Education Secretary. I'd turn things around. Put the education world in a spin. It needs it. Education has fallen victim to a governmental plan to fit all things education into a cookie cutter mold. Well.. it doesn't fit.  Time to break out of the mold and fix it.
               

                                   Triple Chocolate!

Follow my TpT store, Chocolate 4 Teachers to get the latest news on new products and product renovations. And , if you like free resources, following my store is a good way to hear about them first and hear about flash freebies and sales. Just click on the green star by my name! Easy!!
P.S. I have a free March writing prompt just added to the store this week.


Two of my favorite March resources!
Irish folktales, tall talesand legends!


March Folktales and Legends



Check out all of my Pinterest boards ... from teacher's stores to teacher's resources to quick meals for people on the go!   Chocolate 4 Teachers .
And, if you like my sarcastic sense of humor, check out my Facebook page.... (Yep! It's another chocolate!) Chocolate 4 Teachers.

**** Coming up..... a new look! Stay tuned! ***




Privacy Policy
This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com


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