Let me begin by thanking God, my parents, and the teachers who let me read during class when I wasn't supposed to...I can read at a fairly good clip with a solid reading comprehension. Also a blessing (according to Sr. Marcia) is the fact that I can remember what I have read and to which article or class it belongs. While I have had quite a bit of reading this semseter, teachers are beginning to pick up ideas from across the articles now that we are nearing the end. I've heard some folk are wondering what I'm doing in my classes and coursework...the following paragraphs are for you.
I have been reading about new teacher induction for my teaching seminar course. I have to present a 25 article literature review since I am a practicing teacher. The classroom teachers will tape themselves and then evaluate their practice, plus they have to bring a clip to class for the whole group to offer evaluation. I think I'm okay with the literature review...I began with the success of new teacher mentoring programs and soon discovered that they were not truly successful in retaining new teachers, but a more complete program of induction was retaining teachers. So now I am trying to discover if there are any key pieces of an induction program that work better with new teachers. The trouble is there seems to be alot of folk on the induction bandwagon without anyone discovering what is pulling the wagon. It is interesting, but a great deal of the research uses the super hugemongous schools in California, Texas, Michigan, and on and on. Ah well...
My project for the Teacher as Leader course seems to be moving along well. After trying to research mission statements, I discovered that while most of the schools have written one there isn't any proof to show they make a difference (other than advertizing). Corporations are the only ones who have studied to see how to implement a mission statement to take it off the wall. My proposed project for the class is finding a way to put the SFCS claim of Gospel values into action in the classroom. I have some folk from O'G checking my plans and making great suggestions.
The research course needs some prayer. Yes, I get how to evaluate the way a study is done and why it is done, but those comparative number graphs a the end still make my head spin. I've decided to make Sr. Bernice my patron of research courses since she knew how to make the numbers do what she wanted in the bakery. The great news (sarcasm) is that my 6-week summer course is another research class.
Blessings,
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