Did you know that I have an online store for lesson plans? I'm working on a fresh approach to curriculum writing, an approach that aligns with the new Common Core State Standards. If you are a teacher, or if you have teacher friends, please share my site:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Geralyn-Magrady
There are two free documents. One focuses on the SeSSionS approach; the other focuses on the CCSS shifts and how SeSSionS addresses them. I hope to explore more ideas about each standard and post lesson plans and activities, individually as well as bundled. Comments and questions are always welcome. Thanks for your support!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Saturday, December 15, 2012
My heart is breaking.
I can't seem to get rid of this sick feeling. As I was going through my regular day, I had to stop so many times to wipe away tears; even sleep was tormented, and I am a bystander, a stranger. I can't possibly fathom the sorrow that dwells in the survivors' hearts.
Please know that as a parent, as a teacher, as a human being, I am deeply saddened by this event. My prayers are for the victims, their families, for our world.
I can't seem to get rid of this sick feeling. As I was going through my regular day, I had to stop so many times to wipe away tears; even sleep was tormented, and I am a bystander, a stranger. I can't possibly fathom the sorrow that dwells in the survivors' hearts.
Please know that as a parent, as a teacher, as a human being, I am deeply saddened by this event. My prayers are for the victims, their families, for our world.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Flippin' Pages
Someone commented on an earlier post about wanting to hear more about my dream-place, a little book store called, "Flippin' Pages." Well, that got my mind rolling, and here's the start of a new short story I'm writing, inspired by that comment. I'd love to hear what you think. Should I keep going with this?
Though she enjoyed at least one cup of joe each morning, she never dreamt of it, and yet, leasing the old coffeehouse in town was going to be a dream come true. At least that was the hope. The ambiance was completely different now with only a few exceptions. There was still a sitting area to the left of the door in the windowed alcove overlooking the street, but the metal chairs and small, round tables were replaced with reupholstered wing-chairs from the local Salvation Army with outdated magazines and journals from the library and barbershop perfectly splayed on a chipped coffee table donated by neighbors who couldn’t sell it at their last garage sale. The cash register remained at center behind the heavy mahogany counter. She couldn’t possibly have found a more tasteful furniture piece, and though it took up more room than she wanted, being three-sided and waist-high, it seemed to fit, and its outer shelves that used to house various mugs and coffee beans, now featured her recommended book collection, with self-written reviews on little placards placed beside each title, a time-consuming chore, but one she did with passion for a personal flare.
And then there was the al fresco mural, kept but nearly invisible. The scenery on the wall was completely obscured so that a patron could only catch a glimpse of a patch of leaves, a hidden fig, or a single sprawling vine, when removing a text from its nestled spot. Perhaps, the avid reader wouldn’t even notice the masterpiece at all. It was a shame, really, to conceal the tranquil creation of some unknown artist, but a bookstore needed shelves - lots of them, floor to ceiling, corner to corner - and with the limited space available, there was no choice but to blanket the artwork with a sturdy grid of hardy planks, mini scaffolds to hold and protect the weight of treasures, row after row.
Not long now, she thought, with a wide smile beneath her fingertips as she scanned the single room. Her index finger tapped on her lips to the beat of an Italian love song, its words she couldn’t comprehend, but the melody was soft and pleasing, like all of the tunes on the CD left behind by the former owner. She would turn it off, of course, when she finally opened the door for business, but it was the only selection she played while setting up the place, having downloaded all her music and selling all of her discs for the $150 advertisement bill:
FLIPPIN’ PAGES
Grand Opening this Saturday, May 2
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
A gently Used Book Store and Book Club meeting place
(Tutoring Services available)
Bring in five gently used books of any genre and get
ONE BOOK FREE
with your first purchase.
What’s taking him so long? she said out loud when noticing the battery-operated clock above the entrance. There was just one hour to go, and her husband had not yet returned from the bank where he was instructed to exchange two twenty-dollar bills for quarters and singles.
From the corner of her eye, she viewed the cubbies lining the picture window on the entry way’s right side. The glass declared “Flippin’ Pages,” etched in frosted letters, and she had cleaned it several times already, finding missed streaks each time, but the paper-towels were still sitting among the tutoring pamphlets and “how-to” books. She retrieved the roll and shook her head at herself. You really need more non-fiction. A couple of cookbooks, do-it-yourself house repair, writers’ manuals, sports-related digests, animal encyclopedias, atlases and map collections, history texts... but absolutely nothing for the gardener or traveler.
You’ll get there.
The well-shined knob clicked, and the wooden door creaked open. His presence startled her.
“I’ma come in. Yes,” he stated, not a question or request - a statement.
She wanted to say, “No. No you won’ta come in. Come back at ten,” but instead she accepted him cordially. “Of course, you can. Welcome.”
Though she enjoyed at least one cup of joe each morning, she never dreamt of it, and yet, leasing the old coffeehouse in town was going to be a dream come true. At least that was the hope. The ambiance was completely different now with only a few exceptions. There was still a sitting area to the left of the door in the windowed alcove overlooking the street, but the metal chairs and small, round tables were replaced with reupholstered wing-chairs from the local Salvation Army with outdated magazines and journals from the library and barbershop perfectly splayed on a chipped coffee table donated by neighbors who couldn’t sell it at their last garage sale. The cash register remained at center behind the heavy mahogany counter. She couldn’t possibly have found a more tasteful furniture piece, and though it took up more room than she wanted, being three-sided and waist-high, it seemed to fit, and its outer shelves that used to house various mugs and coffee beans, now featured her recommended book collection, with self-written reviews on little placards placed beside each title, a time-consuming chore, but one she did with passion for a personal flare.
And then there was the al fresco mural, kept but nearly invisible. The scenery on the wall was completely obscured so that a patron could only catch a glimpse of a patch of leaves, a hidden fig, or a single sprawling vine, when removing a text from its nestled spot. Perhaps, the avid reader wouldn’t even notice the masterpiece at all. It was a shame, really, to conceal the tranquil creation of some unknown artist, but a bookstore needed shelves - lots of them, floor to ceiling, corner to corner - and with the limited space available, there was no choice but to blanket the artwork with a sturdy grid of hardy planks, mini scaffolds to hold and protect the weight of treasures, row after row.
Not long now, she thought, with a wide smile beneath her fingertips as she scanned the single room. Her index finger tapped on her lips to the beat of an Italian love song, its words she couldn’t comprehend, but the melody was soft and pleasing, like all of the tunes on the CD left behind by the former owner. She would turn it off, of course, when she finally opened the door for business, but it was the only selection she played while setting up the place, having downloaded all her music and selling all of her discs for the $150 advertisement bill:
FLIPPIN’ PAGES
Grand Opening this Saturday, May 2
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
A gently Used Book Store and Book Club meeting place
(Tutoring Services available)
Bring in five gently used books of any genre and get
ONE BOOK FREE
with your first purchase.
What’s taking him so long? she said out loud when noticing the battery-operated clock above the entrance. There was just one hour to go, and her husband had not yet returned from the bank where he was instructed to exchange two twenty-dollar bills for quarters and singles.
From the corner of her eye, she viewed the cubbies lining the picture window on the entry way’s right side. The glass declared “Flippin’ Pages,” etched in frosted letters, and she had cleaned it several times already, finding missed streaks each time, but the paper-towels were still sitting among the tutoring pamphlets and “how-to” books. She retrieved the roll and shook her head at herself. You really need more non-fiction. A couple of cookbooks, do-it-yourself house repair, writers’ manuals, sports-related digests, animal encyclopedias, atlases and map collections, history texts... but absolutely nothing for the gardener or traveler.
You’ll get there.
The well-shined knob clicked, and the wooden door creaked open. His presence startled her.
“I’ma come in. Yes,” he stated, not a question or request - a statement.
She wanted to say, “No. No you won’ta come in. Come back at ten,” but instead she accepted him cordially. “Of course, you can. Welcome.”
Monday, September 10, 2012
The CPS Strike
To respond to a facebook post:
It's a lot more than money, and the way things are run is what I consider an atrocity. I, too, agree that kids should never have to suffer the consequences created by adults, but the students suffer under the conditions that are created by the higher ups, not the teachers. Let's get something straight from the very beginning. I do not teach in CPS. I do not even teach in the public school system. I presently teach at a Blue Ribbon private school where I have support from administration, colleagues, parents, and students. With Catholic schools, I probably work more hours for half the pay of most public school teachers, but I've been in these teachers' shoes, and I have educated myself on the present issues. I believe the teachers are fighting FOR the STUDENTS and FOR our PROFESSION. Being a teacher was once a noble profession, and the teachers were respected. Today, politicians are trying to make schools into businesses, teachers into paper-pushing robots, and students into data collecting numbers. Now THAT is what I call "abomination" (the term used on the facebook post that set my fingers typing).
To anyone who disagrees, I challenge you:
(1) get in the classroom and do your job
(2) stay after work to do all the paperwork necessary, attend meetings (because you are most likely on a handful of committees), deal with communication and grades
(3) go home to tend to your families and work another hour on schoolwork
(4) spend half of your evenings and weekends creating lesson plans that adhere to ever-changing standards (sorry, now called common core) and differentiated instruction and best practices and formative or summative assessments (just to name a few criteria)
(5) get back to school early to plan for the day
(6) prove your worth with more assessments and numbers, and on and on, because schools have become testing grounds, even with NCLB waivers
Do all of that with the following obstacles:
(1) overcrowding
(2) understaffed schools
(3) lack of supplies and resources
(4) disorganization and ego-centric leadership
(5) constant scrutiny and fear of losing one's job
(6) new rules and regulations that force teachers to update credentials based on continuously changing trends in education that cost money and more time to go back to school in the evenings and on weekends
And remember that you are more than a teacher because you may have to accept the following roles:
(1) social worker
(2) nurse
(3) parent
(4) disciplinarian
(5) mentor
(6) coach or sponsor
Okay, so there are going to be a lot of comments about the many professions where people work double-shifts and over-time, have to travel to meetings, etc. Don't get me wrong. My points are not made to compare responsibilities. They are being made because our whole society seems to have an opinion about the teaching profession, and that opinion is usually based on the absurd view that "teachers have the whole summer off, so why the hell are they complaining?" Since everyone has been in a classroom as a student, everyone thinks he/she knows what teaching is all about; therefore, everyone feels entitled to share ideas, and "the teacher" becomes a controversial job discussion. What most people don't realize is that teachers work EVERY DAY of EVERY WEEK during the school year, and although they have about ten weeks "off," many teachers are working part-time jobs to pay for advanced degrees and endorsements and attending classes themselves. In addition, most teachers spend several weeks prior to the start of a new school year in prep-mode for curriculum implementation and classroom organization and updating their Illinois State Board of Education credentials. Now, take into consideration the 50+ hour work-weeks during the school year, work-weeks that include the information from the lists above, and I get frustrated with the lack of support for teachers, as if we are money-hungry and self-centered (which, by the way, is the exact OPPOSITE of most teachers I know!), and it infuriates me that I feel the need to write this blog post as an explanation or a plea for understanding!
I'll be honest. I voted for Obama the first time, and I will vote for him again (because another choice could make matters even worse). However, I am EXTREMELY disappointed in the fact that the No Child Left Behind teach-to-a-test-for-accountablity fiasco wasn't eliminated in its entirety and replaced with an alternative that makes sense. President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan can pat themselves on the backs for granting state waivers, but Bush's NCLB took away all that was good about the teaching profession, and no one seems to have a plan about what to do next, except... keep testing, but don't worry about the label of "failure." What kind of alternative is that? It's still all about testing!
Don't think this essay is coming from a bitter and past-her-prime educator. Ask any student who ever sat in my classroom if I'm a passionate and capable teacher. Ask any parent of any of those students if I am dedicated and qualified. The answer they will give you is YES. I'm still enthusiastic and creative and constantly trying to find ways to reach EVERY one of my "kids." I'm writing this essay because I want to believe that things are going to get better for all school systems in the U.S. My hope is that the CPS teacher strike will enlighten this country about the issues being faced in the classroom. I hope teachers find the voice that has been stifled for YEARS. I hope they represent us with dignity and truth and bring back the justified respectability of so many educators.
So, if you think "kids out of school over money is an abomination," then stand up and back your teachers who would love nothing more than to be in the classroom with your kids, teaching effectively and creatively in a positive environment, under fair conditions, and with the resources and support YOUR KIDS DESERVE.
It's a lot more than money, and the way things are run is what I consider an atrocity. I, too, agree that kids should never have to suffer the consequences created by adults, but the students suffer under the conditions that are created by the higher ups, not the teachers. Let's get something straight from the very beginning. I do not teach in CPS. I do not even teach in the public school system. I presently teach at a Blue Ribbon private school where I have support from administration, colleagues, parents, and students. With Catholic schools, I probably work more hours for half the pay of most public school teachers, but I've been in these teachers' shoes, and I have educated myself on the present issues. I believe the teachers are fighting FOR the STUDENTS and FOR our PROFESSION. Being a teacher was once a noble profession, and the teachers were respected. Today, politicians are trying to make schools into businesses, teachers into paper-pushing robots, and students into data collecting numbers. Now THAT is what I call "abomination" (the term used on the facebook post that set my fingers typing).
To anyone who disagrees, I challenge you:
(1) get in the classroom and do your job
(2) stay after work to do all the paperwork necessary, attend meetings (because you are most likely on a handful of committees), deal with communication and grades
(3) go home to tend to your families and work another hour on schoolwork
(4) spend half of your evenings and weekends creating lesson plans that adhere to ever-changing standards (sorry, now called common core) and differentiated instruction and best practices and formative or summative assessments (just to name a few criteria)
(5) get back to school early to plan for the day
(6) prove your worth with more assessments and numbers, and on and on, because schools have become testing grounds, even with NCLB waivers
Do all of that with the following obstacles:
(1) overcrowding
(2) understaffed schools
(3) lack of supplies and resources
(4) disorganization and ego-centric leadership
(5) constant scrutiny and fear of losing one's job
(6) new rules and regulations that force teachers to update credentials based on continuously changing trends in education that cost money and more time to go back to school in the evenings and on weekends
And remember that you are more than a teacher because you may have to accept the following roles:
(1) social worker
(2) nurse
(3) parent
(4) disciplinarian
(5) mentor
(6) coach or sponsor
Okay, so there are going to be a lot of comments about the many professions where people work double-shifts and over-time, have to travel to meetings, etc. Don't get me wrong. My points are not made to compare responsibilities. They are being made because our whole society seems to have an opinion about the teaching profession, and that opinion is usually based on the absurd view that "teachers have the whole summer off, so why the hell are they complaining?" Since everyone has been in a classroom as a student, everyone thinks he/she knows what teaching is all about; therefore, everyone feels entitled to share ideas, and "the teacher" becomes a controversial job discussion. What most people don't realize is that teachers work EVERY DAY of EVERY WEEK during the school year, and although they have about ten weeks "off," many teachers are working part-time jobs to pay for advanced degrees and endorsements and attending classes themselves. In addition, most teachers spend several weeks prior to the start of a new school year in prep-mode for curriculum implementation and classroom organization and updating their Illinois State Board of Education credentials. Now, take into consideration the 50+ hour work-weeks during the school year, work-weeks that include the information from the lists above, and I get frustrated with the lack of support for teachers, as if we are money-hungry and self-centered (which, by the way, is the exact OPPOSITE of most teachers I know!), and it infuriates me that I feel the need to write this blog post as an explanation or a plea for understanding!
I'll be honest. I voted for Obama the first time, and I will vote for him again (because another choice could make matters even worse). However, I am EXTREMELY disappointed in the fact that the No Child Left Behind teach-to-a-test-for-accountablity fiasco wasn't eliminated in its entirety and replaced with an alternative that makes sense. President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan can pat themselves on the backs for granting state waivers, but Bush's NCLB took away all that was good about the teaching profession, and no one seems to have a plan about what to do next, except... keep testing, but don't worry about the label of "failure." What kind of alternative is that? It's still all about testing!
Don't think this essay is coming from a bitter and past-her-prime educator. Ask any student who ever sat in my classroom if I'm a passionate and capable teacher. Ask any parent of any of those students if I am dedicated and qualified. The answer they will give you is YES. I'm still enthusiastic and creative and constantly trying to find ways to reach EVERY one of my "kids." I'm writing this essay because I want to believe that things are going to get better for all school systems in the U.S. My hope is that the CPS teacher strike will enlighten this country about the issues being faced in the classroom. I hope teachers find the voice that has been stifled for YEARS. I hope they represent us with dignity and truth and bring back the justified respectability of so many educators.
So, if you think "kids out of school over money is an abomination," then stand up and back your teachers who would love nothing more than to be in the classroom with your kids, teaching effectively and creatively in a positive environment, under fair conditions, and with the resources and support YOUR KIDS DESERVE.
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