the education of ali

what follows are the extra-ordinary adventures of a second year teacher.

[overpricedvodka]

The planet is about to self-destruct and nobody wants to listen to scientists.

I applaud Bill Nye for continuing to try, but this is the definition of an uphill battle.

I want to jump out of my skin at this level of ignorance.  I’m going to try to shape the rest of this post in such a way that each and every word won’t drip with disdain for the opposing side, but it is so difficult.  Climate change is the one argument where I can’t see the other side at all so it’s not easy to write about without using long strings of expletives.

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[educationofali-blog]

This is amazing.

[talesofan8thgradeteacher]

We have officially hit the full fledged "eighth grade-itis", flaming negative attitude part of the year.

Ohhhhh it’s going to be a long May.

[mrskaaay]

We have also hit that part. I am dealing with kids who won’t do their work (which I can handle) and a set of rumors that a girl on my team is banging half the school and another set of rumors that another girl on my team is pregnant. Oy vey. 

[educationofali-blog]

Oh 8th graders. I would really like to just gather them up at the beginning of the year and lock them in a room. Maybe they'll come out better people. Maybe not, but everyone else will have less of a headache.

[misskerryberry]

[my-name-is-really-neil-mcneil]

i’ve been waiting for this gif to come back for seven years

[educationofali-blog]

truth.

[itsokaytobesmart]

boop.

This man.

[sandandglass]

[msakiki]

damn

[lessonsinscience-blog]

[educationofali-blog]

I'm tired of snow days. I want to teach.

[educationofali-blog]

science "centers" or stations

So all of this snow has left my school with 12 days to make up.  My school has decided to lengthen the school day by one hour until the end of April.  About 10 minutes will be added to each period (I teach middle school & high school).  I'm happy with the choice, but our district is not pushing back the 9 weeks.  That means I have 3 weeks to complete 2 chapters for 8th grade science.  I usually spend 3 weeks on one.  I am thinking about using stations- I've thought of several options.  

1. 5 minute warm up together; 50 minutes in rotating stations (from 2-6); 5 minute wrap up

2. 30-40 minutes together (possibly split before & after the stations); 20-30 minutes in stations (2-3)

3. no stations at all but "folder stations"- students don't move but they have different colored folders.  At the rotation I set up the next activity for the whole class.

Ideas?

[ambedu]

My sixth graders currently use “claim, evidence and reasoning” on almost a daily basis in their science class. I am going to utilize this for my argumentative writing unit.

[educationofali-blog]

impliment for notebooks

[educationofali-blog]

M.I.A.- absence from the interwebs

hello tumblrverse.  i wrote about my absence on my blog at wordpress.  at the beginning of this school year i struggled with what to put where- tumblr, wordpress, pinterest, facebook... I think I've figured it out now.  SO, I shall be returning to tumblr!  i look forward to being part of the community again :)

http://educationofali.wordpress.com/2014/02/10/m-i-a-my-absence-from-the-interwebs/

[youtube-personalities]

Kid Presidents Pep Talk…

[gjmueller-deactivated20181226]

Going Hollywood in the Classroom

Project based-employment is a job that is centered around a single project. Freelancers and contractors are hired to complete the project along with the full-time workers at a business. After the project is over, the freelancers and contractors move on to other projects (they might actually be working on several at once) and the full timers stay where they are.

That’s not the old model of “everyone works for the company.” This is the Hollywood Model. In this model, someone has a vision for a project, a team is hired, work continues until the project is complete, and then everyone moves on to other projects. Technology is often the new workplace in the Hollywood Model. Managers function like movie directors with their talent being digital stars. The big question is, can we emulate this in the classroom?

image via flickr:CC | kahala

[educationofali-blog]

Bill Nye the Science Guy Gears Up for 'Dancing With the Stars'

Bill Nye is the next celebrity scientist to strut their stuff on the show "Dancing with the Stars"

My students we very excited to tell me about this today.  It was 7th period about 15 minutes to the bell.  Nothing else got done because I was just too excited to hear that Bill will be back on television.

Well.  Guess I have to start watching that.

[educationofali-blog]

Week 5 starts tomorrow and while I did have to break down and bring some grading home I am FULLY prepared for the coming week.  It took quite some time on Friday, but I really enjoyed this weekend.  I only spent an hour of actual grading and about 1.5-2 transferring grades into ActiveGrade.  Now that it's done everything should be smooth sailing.

My superintendent gave the go ahead so the school will be picking up the tab for my online gradebook- YES.  I'm so thankful to have an administration that supports me.  I know I'm very lucky.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

[moistowlettes]

[coledownlow-deactivated20131119]

I love this quote. I love this movie.

[aqueousserenade]

This scene impressed me so much when I first saw it. It still fills me with… idk something. I love it.

[roarkshop]

Still one of my favorite lines from a movie ever. 

[dimasdailies]

Visit Original Link

Who the FUCK was the God Damn GENIUS behind mixing Mumford and Sons and Ke$ha?!

Like.

Who gave you the right.

[inklins]

I thought it would sound horrible

Oh how wrong i was

[educationofali-blog]

How much weight do you give tests?

Tomorrow I'm giving my 8th graders their first test.  I've made two versions.  One that's separated by the type of question (multiple choice, completion, etc).  And one that is separated by learning objective (for standards based grading).  I keep wavering.  I want to have a fully sbg 8th grade science class.   

Currently I have grades set up as 70% objectives, 25% tests, and 5% participation (to account for science notebooks and odds and ends).  I'm thinking of changing it to 80+% objectives (including tests) and -20% for their science notebooks to make sure they do their assignments (even though I won't be grading them).    

Any advice from former/current sbg teachers? Or any other thinkers?