Antero Garcia, an English teacher at Manual Arts High, writes:
Recently, our school installed several security cameras around campus. Our school’s safety committee has reported that these cameras have caught acts of vandalism and theft. The request of parents for several years, the security cameras are an addition at Manual Arts that is not without controversy; most students say they disapprove of being constantly watched or at least the possibility of being watched.
Somewhat inspired by dialogue with my students about the security cameras, I decided to try an experiment in my classroom. Every day, I have asked a student in my class to videotape all of the class interaction. Armed with a couple of Flip video camcorders (They only record for 60 minutes, which means we need two per class.), a student captures every conversation, discussion, and misstep I might make in my class on a daily basis. I chose the Flip cameras because of their simplicity: power, play, record, and zoom are pretty much the extent of the buttons on the camera –- I’ve never needed to show students how to use the cameras.
The experiment is public: I told the students they would be taped (and got parental consent), that the tapes would not be shared outside of the classroom, and that students did not have to be taped if they were uncomfortable. Students absent from class are encouraged to review the previous day’s lesson as the files are always available.
There are two things that are most interesting to me, as the teacher, about this experiment:
The students interested in taping the class have often been the students who are least engaged with my lessons in the past –- students sneaking peaks at cell phones, talking with friends, or going on extended restroom breaks. Instead, each day one of these students is actively focused on following the action of the class, capturing how the class interacts and ensuring that the entire lesson is faithfully recorded.
Read more Warning, Little Brother in the classroom »
Wendy Gorton, a teacher at Hancock Park Elementary School in Los Angeles, is traveling this summer on a series of programs. She'll be sharing what she's doing and learning here:
 Wendy Gorton, left, takes water quality data in the Bahamas.
It's that time of year where the rest of the world wakes up at 6 a.m., but students and teachers alike lay blissfully in bed until roused naturally; maybe an itch, or to catch "The Price is Right" on TV. While many of us are teaching summer school for extra money, allow me to show you that summertime also beckons with plenty of professional development opportunities.
This summer, I'm a Traveling Teacher, flitting about the world in a series of trips and assignments. I'm currently in the Bahamas on an Earthwatch Research Expedition, will travel to Australia with National Geographic and end my traveling summer as a National Park Ranger at Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah.
Read more Teacher hits the beach -- and it's work »
Antero Garcia, a teacher at Manual Arts High School, writes:
In case you haven’t visited before, Manual Arts is a big school. There are thousands of students on our campus each day, shuffling through the year on a three-track schedule. Similarly, there are lots of teachers filling classrooms, doing their best every single day. The only slight snag in the entire scenario is that there isn’t enough room for every teacher to have his or her own classroom. I’ll be one of several teachers who will be “roving” or traveling from one classroom to another throughout the school day.
Although traveling from classroom to classroom isn’t necessarily the ideal teaching situation, I’ll admit that I don’t mind it that much. Sure, I don’t have my own desk, my own bookshelf, or even a lot of board or wall space for student work. However, I can often use these drawbacks as excuses to pillage and plunder the resources of my oh-too-kind hosts. In actuality, the classrooms I’m teaching in this year are all members of the same Small Learning Community -- sharing students and teaching themes allows me to share common resources within the community. I’m also privy to the innovative and exciting lessons taking place in other teachers’ classrooms. Sure, I may need to hustle a bit faster to get to my classroom on time (just like the students), but at least I can see something interesting when I get there.
Read more Tale of a homeless teacher »
L. A. schools Supt. David L. Brewer said this week he would "kick some ass" to improve schools if the school board would give him political cover, which would include standing up to employee unions who might resist reforms.
The comment came at a public but hard-to-reach meeting Thursday on the 24th floor of school district headquarters. The meeting's topic was the governance of the school district, and the discussion gravitated toward giving school principals real power over their budget -- along with demanding real accountability for results.
The room happened to be weighted with administrators -- even a representative from the League of Women Voters was a retired principal. There was broad agreement on a need to decentralize the district.
UCLA Professor William Ouchi offered the New York City schools as an example of progress through focusing on principals. These unchained administrators have used their new authority to reduce the number of students each teacher must handle per day, he said, because that tactic raises student achievement.
The strategy would be impeded in Los Angeles, because of union work rules and because the district bureaucracy largely controls how schools are staffed, Ouchi and others said.
Brewer, a retired admiral, echoed the strong leader theory as something that worked in the Navy.
"The captain of a ship is a god," he said. "I want the principals to be captains of their ships....Then I found out about all the union issues," which, he added, revolve around wrong priorities.
Read more L.A. schools chief wants principals to have more authority »
Tim Schlosser, who just finished his second year as a teacher at Southeast Middle School, writes:
June brought my second year of teaching to an end. I faced a complicated conundrum: how to process my experience of 180 school days with over 180 students and lend it meaning. Depending on my mood, it seems that I can take a number of different perspectives on the year:
1) The Relativist: It was much better than my first year. Nowhere near the number of discipline problems, more of my kids were positive about my classes, and the school year didn’t leave me feeling like I’d just been run down by an 18-wheeler (maybe just a Prius).
2) The Reasonable Pessimist: The year did not meet my high expectations for it. A few students failed my class throughout the entire year, never putting forth even the minimal effort necessary to rise above the sixty-percent mark. I should have been able to motivate those students to at least try.
Read more A young teacher reflects on his year »
What do science teachers do when you're on vacation? Consider the Iron Science Teacher competitions at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Science teacher contestants are given 10 minutes and a secret ingredient to concoct a science activity that can be used in class. The summer contests take place at noon on Fridays -- June 27, July 11 and July 18.  From left, Kelly Foshee from Arkadelphia, Ark., and Bree Barnett from Pleasanton compete in a past Iron Science Teacher. Their secret ingredient was paint. Parodying the cult Japanese TV program "Iron Chef," the Exploratorium's Iron Science Teacher showcases Bay Area science teachers as they build experiments around a given "secret ingredient" — an everyday item such as a paper-towel tube, a straw or a soda can.
Astrophysicist Linda Shore, director of the Exploratorium Teacher Institute and host of the competition, says, "We try to show we can do science with anything. We show teachers how to use low-tech materials to illustrate classic principles of science and math."
As contestant Don Rathjen says, "This helps teachers teach the $10 million state science standards on a $10 budget."
After building the gizmos, the teachers have a few minutes to explain what they are and the scientific principles they demonstrate. Judging is done on a less scientific basis, using what Shore refers to as "the clap-o-meter" — audience applause as measured by the human ear.
If you can't get to the Exploratorium, you can watch the competitions here.
-- Mary MacVean
Photos by Amy Snyder, the Exploratorium
Los Angeles Unified elementary school teachers have had a tough time this week dealing with the district's computerized grading system.
Administrators at Lockhurst Elementary have advised teachers to fill in grades and comments by hand, if necessary, said Rod Wylie, who teaches third grade at the Woodland Hills campus.
"It just frosts me that this is happening now," Wylie said. "It's a real inconvenience to do it by hand. We used to, but it seems like wasted time when the technology is available to input and print."
"The culprit was an old system working at capacity and the lingering effects of a probable virus infestation," said Tony Tortorice, chief information officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The system, set to be replaced in the fall of 2010, was a popular step forward in the 1980s, Tortorice said. It works best when teachers access it from school sites. When thousands of teachers enter data from home, however, the system can grind to a standstill, he said.
"The aftereffects of a computer virus made things worse last week. This virus had been hijacking district computers to send e-mails elsewhere, which exacerbated the traffic jam caused by teachers putting in grades. The virus gained entry on computers whose virus software had not been set to update automatically."
-- Howard Blume
Parent Dan Chasek contributes these photos he took today at Kester Avenue/Kester Magnet Elementary School in Sherman Oaks. He writes: "Its time to rethink Prop. 13 when we're 46th in the nation in per pupil spending. Our future deserves better than 46th place."
-- Mitchell Landsberg
 
These photos were sent to us by Louis Debarraicua, who teaches English at Vista Middle School, which is in Panorama City but is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. They were taken in front of Vista and Noble Elementary School, which is across the street. Debarraicua identified the soaring sign-waver as Julie Husid, 23, a first-year teacher who teaches sixth grade math and science.
--Mitchell Landsberg
Antero Garcia, an English teacher at Manual Arts High, writes:
Last week, Supt. Brewer called me. He urged me not to be a part of the one-hour job action on Friday -- that, although the budget cuts are a significant challenge for LAUSD teachers and students, not teaching for an hour will not send the right message to California legislators. That being said, you can expect to see me on the picket line on Friday.
United with parents and many students interested in exercising their political agency, the one-hour job action sends a message that, as a committed classroom teacher, the budget cuts and their impact on my classroom, my school and my community are not acceptable. These cuts (and even the money being spent by the superintendent challenging this protest) will further galvanize a school that’s already stretched to its limit.
As students ask candidly about the purpose of the UTLA action, “One Hour’s Pay for the Kids of L.A.,” I’m impressed by their determination to be a part of the line, rally with teachers and help get parents informed.
And while I know that some teachers at my school are skeptical, I know that many others will be there supportive and enthused. I am curious about what others –- educators and non-educators alike –- think about UTLA’s action.
The L.A. Unified school board plans to file a temporary restraining order today or Thursday to try and stop the teacher demonstration planned for Friday morning.
United Teachers Los Angeles members plan to not report for their first hour of work and instead protest proposed state budget cuts in front of their schools, leaving students to be supervised by aides and administrators.
The district is also awaiting the Public Employment Relations Board's official ruling for why they declined to file an injunction on behalf of L.A. Unified to stop the demonstration.
-Jason Song
Susan Holmes of Pasadena came across one of her grandfather's fifth grade report cards from a Long Beach elementary school. The year: 1902.
It reveals that Floyd Peterson was a good student (99% in writing  and 100% in "diligence"), and that his class had a maximum of 23 students, but that wasn't what caught our attention. On the back of the report card, which seems to have been a common California form, are listed the state's "Legal Points" for parents. They might not be so much different from what you'd find in student handbooks today, but a) nobody reads those, and b) you aren't likely to find such clear, concise English in any school district form these days.
Here's Rule No. 1: "Every pupil is expected to attend school punctually and regularly; to conform to the regulations of the school, and to obey promptly all directions of the teachers; to observe good order and propriety of deportment; to be diligent in study, respectful to teachers, and kind and obliging to school mates; to refrain entirely from the use of profane and vulgar language, and to be clean and neat in person and clothing."
Next rule:
"Every teacher in the public schools must hold the pupils to a strict account for their conduct on the way to or from school, on the play ground, or during recess; suspend, for good cause, any pupil from the school, and report such suspension to the Board of School Trustees for review."
And -- teachers unions take note -- here's the last rule:
"Any parent, guardian, or other person who shall insult or abuse any teacher in the presence of the school, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and be liable to a fine of not less than ten dollars nor exceeding one hundred dollars."
That, of course, was big money in those days. Apparently, though, it was OK to insult teachers outside "the presence of the school."
--Mitchell Landsberg
Antero Garcia, an English teacher at Manual Arts High, writes: As I continue to receive criticism and skepticism over teaching about graffiti in my class, I thought I would try something a bit different to provide some insight into the kinds of activities that take place in my class. I am pulling back the curtain, lifting the veil, and giving you an all-access hall pass to become a participant in Mr. Garcia’s Graffiti 101.
No, I won’t be collecting homework and I won’t be making calls home. However, I am inviting you to follow along with my class. At the beginning of each week, I’ll post a key activity that my 11th graders will do in class. I’ll include some of the major questions students will be asked, their reading assignments, the lesson’s learning objectives, as well as any other resources you may be inclined to investigate. You’re encouraged to partake in this digital class, offer insights or questions, and engage in the kinds of critical dialogue that are so crucial for learning.
That being said, I need to make it clear that I am not endorsing any kind of illegal activity. To the many who have pointed it out, I am fully aware that some graffiti is illegal. I am also aware that it is something that some of my students place a lot of value on. I’m hoping that, as a community of students (and online as adults) we can use graffiti as a means of mastering the expected skills within a high school English class.
Pre-Teaching Activity
My students return from vacation next week and our official assignment will be made available at that time. However, for all of you anxious overachievers, let’s begin with a standard teaching activity. You’ll need a piece of paper and a pencil -- I’ll wait until you’re ready. Now, what we’re going to create is a KWL chart: create three page-length columns on your paper labeled: Know, Wants to Know, and Learned.
In the left, “Know,” column write down all the facts you know about graffiti. In the middle column write down any concepts you want to learn about graffiti and any questions you have. At the end of May, you’ll revisit this chart and write down what you learned or any remaining questions you have. Looking over past comments about this project, I think there is a lot of frustration and anger toward graffiti –- particularly gang graffiti.
However, this is an opportunity to think more open-mindedly about graffiti –- what do you really know about it? (Hint: Not all graffiti is made by gangs.) Where are the gaps in your cultural knowledge?
Read more Welcome to Graffiti 101 »
What's a Teacher of the Year certificate worth? Apparently, not enough to guarantee a job. The Orange County Register writes today about an honored teacher, Holly Wiseman of the Capistrano Unified district, who has received a reduction in force notice.
Principal Ed Neely at Bergeson Elementary says, "The mood here is blue." And Wiseman says she may turn to a nursing career.
-- Mary MacVean
How's this for arithmetic? Twenty-two teachers and staff members, five months, more than 300 pounds. The numbers come from Whitko Middle School in Larwill, Ind., where, writes USA Today, the employees inspired one another to lose weight.
Like many workplaces, there's often free food available at schools, one of the teachers says. USA Today has impressive before-and-after photos of four of the participants.
In education news closer to home, John Muir High School in Pasadena wants to turn itself around, The Times' Seema Mehta writes. One big step: All teachers and staff have to reapply for their jobs. Read the whole story. At left, a meeting to discuss the state of Muir.
-- Mary MacVean
Photo: Stefano Palter / For the Los Angeles Times
Antero Garcia, an English teacher at Manual Arts High, writes:
In response to recent conversations with other teachers as well as some recent comments on this blog, I wanted to address the issue of student behavior in the classroom. Contrary to popular belief, students today are not the problem. They are not some deformed, mutant version of the angelic students of yesteryear. Similarly, the kids in my neighborhood are just like the kids in your neighborhood. Sure, there may be differences in the music they listen to, the country of origin and various cultural practices, but the bottom line is that they are kids.
When people ask me what it’s like teaching students in South Los Angeles, my response is always the same: “Kids are kids.” I hear too often that the students are not conditioned or socialized for the classroom. This always sounds backwards to me. Are my students rebellious, goofy, mischievous, conniving, hormone-bursting jerks? Sometimes. But aren’t all teenagers?
When it comes to student learning and student behavior, I approach problems in my class -– be it with students not understanding or students not acting as I anticipated -– with an it’s-not-you-it's-me mentality. One of the common traits shared by the teachers I admire is their flexibility. Adapting lessons and finding the ways to interest and provoke students to continue to learn make up the kind of teaching strategy that is only gained with experience and a willingness to take risks.
Ultimately, the biggest change in recent years has had to do with youth culture. In my next post, I plan to look at how I see youth culture and today’s educational system villainizing today’s generation of inner-city students. In the meantime, what are your thoughts about today’s “unsocialized students”?
The Daily News writes today about an audit of high school graduation rates from L.A. Unified schools. "With the current school climate and instructional quality, a significant proportion of the students who enter the ninth grade in 2012 ... will not only fail to meet college eligibility, but will also fail to graduate from high school," the paper quotes the report as saying.
The New York Times writes today about Shakira Brown, a young teacher in New York, who is going to Antarctica on a trip sponsored by the National Science Foundation. "I'm tired of having a bunch of white people running around doing science," says Stephen F. Pekar, the Queens College professor organizing the trip. Read the story.
-- Mary MacVean
Antero Garcia, an English teacher at Manual Arts High, writes:
I want to come clean about something that has bothered me since I started to teach: Veteran teachers get a bad rap.
And now comes the rather difficult part, explaining why this bad rap exists. I will generalize to best illustrate the point. The reason younger teachers are usually suspect of their veteran counterparts has nothing to do with actually seeing these teachers at work. Instead, it has to do with their sense of cynicism and skeptical disregard for proposed change.
As a corollary, most new teachers approach the school system as idealistically as you could possibly imagine. Wet behind the ears, a few too many feel-good-teacher-films under their belt, newer teachers are here to change the world. We are a brash generation of know-it-alls, and we are ever ready to fix all the problems that no one has fixed before! It’s this inexperienced naivete that is at the heart of the bad rap.
After a meeting one day, a veteran teacher said to me, “I was like you once.” We newbies don’t yet know what it feels like to have decades of attempted reform fail, to see the achievement gap widen, year after year. I was both confused and flattered by the remark. Somewhere along the way, school staff stopped viewing us as “teachers,” and we became either (in with) the new or (out with) the old.
Read more Bridging the veteran-and-new-teacher divide »
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