Non-Numbered Blog #1

Teaching my students in reading is not a strength.  In my opinion, that is not my subject area.  I do not need to do this, but the reading teacher does.  Perhaps I could help the students by reading them the question a couple of times.  I know some students at Desert Winds struggle in reading.  Perhaps I could recommend students to the Read 180 program or the next level up.  We have two reading teachers at Desert Winds.  Thus, I would definitely say this is a weakness, as I simply do not know how to teach these students those skills, for the most part.

For the common core standards, I have tried to implement elements of this into my teaching.  Despite the students knowing the answers, I ask them, why.  This is an extremely important question, as the common core standards and the PARCC expect students to know these answers.  However, I know the majority of Desert Winds is unlikely ready for common core.  In the other classes, there are online classes that have common core implemented, which is excellent.  However, I am unsure of how to implement them in my classes.  It is really good to look at the standards.  Unfortunately, however, I am very unfamiliar with curriculum at all, let alone with the common core.  Also, I do not know how to bring these students from a lower level (such as pre-algebra) up to the common core level.  I also get different answers as to what to teach the students.  My principal says to teach them the basics, and then at the professional development days for the TNT Program, they say to teach to the AIMS.  Thus, I do not have a clear direction for these students.  However, our school is testing the students in math, and they are putting all of the low-level students now in math.  However, I also have many who ONLY need to pass the AIMS to graduate, which is difficult.  It is really difficult to figure out how to differentiate instruction.

I absolutely need support in how to help these students.  Also, I need support in what to do to help the students I have who are in the computer lab, other than sitting down to help them or teach them in the middle of the computer lab.  Both of these ideas have been suggested; however, both are near impossible to do, realistically.  I also need someone to tell me how these students can "exit" my class, as this is also extremely confusing.