Homework Make-up Sessions

We, like many others, are battling how to deal with students not completing HW.  In my opinion, this is a behavioral issue and should be dealt with as such.  With this philosophy in mind, our school implemented a Lunch-time HW make-up session.

The Rule:

1)   A student missing HW was assigned to the lunch make-up session beginning the next day.  Student’s name was entered in a Google Share document with missing assignment

2)   If student turned the work in the next morning, he/she was removed from make-up session.

3)   Make-up sessions took place each day in same location.  Students were to pick up their lunch and report to the make-up session and complete HW.

The Problems:

1)   Students took too long to get their lunch resulting in minimal time to work on HW.  The time was unproductive.

2)   Upper classman turned it into a social time bringing along friends who weren’t in the make-up session.

3)   Teachers didn’t have time to take students off the make-up session list and there was a lot of running around at the beginning of lunch to get names taken off.

4)   It became a burden on homeroom teachers to keep track of students in the make-up session.

We disbanded the HW club because it wasn’t working well.  So, many teachers are still trying to find a way to encourage the students to do their HW.  Many teachers resort back to giving “0”s or reduced grades for late or missing work. 

I think a Friday afternoon session from 15:00 to 18:00.  Sometimes I wonder whether the school should get hard-core and inform parents that if their student is missing any work when Friday afternoon arrives, they will be required to stay at school and work on their missing work.  The parents will be responsible for finding a way for the student to get home.  I wonder if that would be enough of a hindrance for students? 

What do grades mean? An argument for SBG.

A parent came to one of our math teachers a couple of years ago and asked, “My son has the highest average in the class so why doesn’t he have an ‘A’?”  Why is it that people seem to think there has to be an “A” student in the class?  Would these same parents be satisfied if every student in the class had an “A”?

What if not one student is achieving the expectations in terms of the standards? Then, no one should have an “A”.  However, what if every student has met the standards? Then everyone should have an “A”. 

What does an “A” mean anyway?  For many parents, it seems that an accumulation of “A”s increases the chances of entry into college.  I don’t know if they care about what the “A” itself means.  Does it mean their child, having earned an “A” in Science can apply the scientific method and design and conduct experiments on his own as a senior in high school?  Or does it mean he tried his best to master those skills but still can’t really meet the standard but he turned in all his HW, was attentive in class and was a generally compliant student?  If it is the latter, is he truly prepared for college and the next step in life?  Many parents just want to know what their child needs to do in order to “get an ‘A’”.  Usually parents expect that if their child works hard and turns in all the HW, that the child should “get an ‘A’”, regardless of whether the child actually has met the standards of learning.

Are those the standards these parents wish to apply to all students of any type of learning?  Do they want to sit in an airplane with a pilot who just tried really hard in pilot school but hasn’t actually mastered the standards of flying a plane?

Extended Essay: An element of the IB that IS worth it!

This holiday, in addition to grading IAs, I also graded a couple of biology extended essays (EE) that students at our school are submitting for their IB diploma.  I took a similar approach to that approach of grading the IAs in carefully combing the assessment criteria for the EE.  I read through the examiner statements from last year and applied that guidance towards evaluating these essays.  I like the freedom of being able to provide more feedback on an EE, as compared to the IA. In some ways that makes the EE a more meaningful learning experience than the IA, at least in the Group IV Sciences.  I am happy to realize that even if these students make no changes to their EEs, they will “pass” this portion of their diploma.  However, I hope they take the suggestions to push themselves to submit excellent rather than good/mediocre work.

I sit again with the perspective of both parent and teacher as I read through the EEs.   My daughter is submitting an EE in English while my son is one of the two students submitting a biology EE.  As a teacher I am convinced of the “worthiness” of the EE endeavor.  The process of completing the EE does, indeed, as the IB suggests, “promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity” (IB Extended Essay Guide).  I am truly impressed by the creativity and intellectual discovery that both biology EEs generated.  As projects they were both outright interesting and engaging to guide and follow as the students progressed.  Reading the final products was truly enjoyable.  The students have something to be proud of. 

As a parent, I’m grateful that my own children are part of this experience.  Already, having had a vacation week for my children to catch up on the IB diploma obligations, things in our household have settled down a bit.  The stress levels are residing.  Additional crunch times lie ahead to I continue to withhold final judgment until the last exam in May has been written. 

Tonight, however, my yo-yo experience with the IB has swung up again and I am enjoying the great aspects that this program has to offer.  Namely, tonight I am appreciating the process of the extended essay.

Assessing Internal Assessments

I have spent several hours this Crocus holiday grading internal assessments (IA) from both my Year 1 and my Year 2 students.  I am somewhat comforted in seeing that the Year 2 students do, indeed, have more depth in their reports than the Year 1 students.  So I know improvement is eminent with the first year students.  However, there is still so much lacking with the senior reports that I’m concerned whether they’ll pull it together by our final March 6th deadline.  Some of them simply need to redo an experiment or, at a minimum, rework their Data Collection and Processing (DCP) and Conclusions and Evaluations (CE). 

I spent some time on the ibo.org site looking at the subject reports from last year, with a focus on IA.  This proved exceedingly valuable.  I recommend this practice to all new teachers.  There are some concrete suggestions for things teachers should be looking out for in the IAs their students are preparing.  I even copied the list of reasons why papers were marked down in 2013 and sent the list to my Year 2 students.  I advised them to look at each item on the list against their own write-ups before submitting it to me.  We’ll see if it helps.

With the year one students I completed essentially a joint construction with them on the Effect of hydrogen peroxide substrate concentration on leaf extract catalase activity.  Even with all the joint work, there are a lot of misconceptions and omissions.  I’ve used the IB rubric to assess their work.  They’ll have an opportunity to fix their mistakes, hopefully leading to stronger experimental process next time.

This is my 3rd year teaching IB.  The students are definitely becoming progressively more prepared as they experience the science program at our school from MS and HS that has IB standards as a goal.  Additionally, I am becoming a stronger teacher as I do more PD in the IB area and as I become more familiar, through experience, with the IB criteria.  I remain an advocate of the IB Science standards and am happy to see that with the changes in Group IV for 2016, these standards will be more clearly defined for new teachers.

Different Hats: Teacher, Parent, Colleague

At a school basketball game I long to be "just" a Mom. However, I'm still a teacher. The friends I sit with are either parents of my students, colleagues or both!  That's what it is like at a small school. So what do we talk about? Usually we focus on the game and talk about parenting things. We also talk about trips to taken or we share "that is so Dutch" stories. Occasionally, however, we tread on topics I'd prefer to steer clear of, for example how a friend’s child is doing in school. I don't mind if it is about her child in my class but I really dislike when the conversation wanders to other classes and other colleagues. I already see my colleagues from both sides of the fence: they are my colleagues and they are the teachers of my children. That's a fine line to walk, especially when, in a faculty meeting, one of my children makes it on to the "students of concern" list. I try to make it really clear when I am wearing my "teacher" hat and when I am wearing my "parent" hat. I'll even preface my comments with "I'm speaking as teacher" or "I'm speaking as Mom".  A colleague with whom one of my children conflicted and who often raised my child's name in meetings told me that he was really impressed with how I managed both hats and that I never made anyone uncomfortable with the double role.  So, I think I'm doing a fairly decent job in juggling my hats. In any case, recently, at a basketball game, a parent asked a question about a teacher in seeking advice how to approach this teacher in a parent teacher conference. I diplomatically began a response when another colleague/parent turned around and with venom unleashed a tirade against this teacher. I was shocked and uncomfortable. The conversation was about a colleague of mine who I respect as a very dedicated teacher.  She cares about the students and seeks to make wise and "right " choices as a teacher.  I attempted to advocate for my colleague without offending parents and other colleagues court-side. Another fine line to walk.  I think that even if I agree with other parents, as a parent, I still have the obligation, as a colleague, to speak with respect and support of my fellow colleagues.  Of course, it is good practice in all areas of life to speak respectfully of others, otherwise, just remain silent.

Caught in the Middle: A Teacher's Time

"That's not my problem" she exclaims as we watch the boys run down the basketball court.

I’m somewhat confused by what my friend and fellow parent means.  After shouting, “rebound” to our team, I try to argue my colleague’s case.  "Well, in her mind she doesn't feel she should have to look at or answer emails after her 'work day' late at night or on the weekends"

I am attending the game as a parent but often I end up fielding questions as a teacher, as is the case right now.  We clap and cheer some more as my friend continues, “Well, that’s a teacher’s job.  That’s what she signed up for."

I turn my eyes to the court to mask that fact that I'm stunned to realize during this staccato exchange that some parents expect teachers to be available 24/7, to respond to every email regardless of when it was sent.

 My colleague had approached me about this very situation earlier in the week.  She had told her students in class that she would postpone the test and allow them more time to prepare for the exam if they communicated this need to her.  She claims to have told the students they needed to decide that day.  Well, the next night a student wrote her at 9:30 p.m. asking for an extension.  She read the email the next morning only an hour before the scheduled test. She felt the request had been made unreasonably late.  She felt it wasn’t fair to postpone for this one student while the others sat the exam.  She also realized it would require writing a second test on short notice.  She was torn but in the end decided to not grant the student an extension.  Though I probably would have made a different decision, I understood her view. 

 As I listen to this parent’s plea during the basketball game, I also see her point.  However, I am a little "put out" at the expectation that teachers are expected to dedicate their entire lives to their jobs.  It’s one thing that we already do that by default.  We care about the students, we try to plan engaging and well thought out lessons, we seek fair assessment, and we want to be up-to-date.  As a result, we spend a ridiculous amount of non-work hours at our jobs.  I do so because I enjoy what I do and I sincerely care about the quality of education I deliver.  My income does not reflect my education level, the thought I give, nor the time I sacrifice. Suddenly, it feels different, even painful to think that what I do is expected.  I think if it is expected, then it should be compensated for.  Would this parent be willing to pay double the tuition for her child to attend the school?  In the States, would taxpayers be willing to pay higher taxes to have their teachers paid according to what they really give to the educational system?  Somehow, I think not.

 In any case, I’m glad that I have the clause clearly written on my website “I am happy to answer all of your questions.  Remember if you have a question, someone else might have a similar concern.  I will answer emails as quickly as possible, however it could take me up to 24 hours to respond, due to my duties.”  I feel like I should have the option of not checking my emails when I am involved with my family at home or attending to my personal needs and wants in the evenings and weekends.  It has been confirmed to me that for sure as teachers we have to be exceedingly clear in our communications and expectations.  We must leave no room for interpretation for students or parents.

Why do we have school vacations?

We currently have a week off of school for Crocus Vacation. I’ve googled every combination of “crocus”, “Vacation”, “holiday”, “school” that I can think of but do not understand what this vacation is really supposed to be for.  It makes me reflect on the more general question what are school vacations for?  Do students benefit from a break?  I’m not convinced they do academically.  At international schools world-wide students are whisked away by their families to all sorts of interesting corners of the world during school vacations.  From the Netherlands just this week I know of students headed to Dubai, Sweden, France, Cuba, Curacao, Prague, Russia, London, Paris, Morocco, Thailand etc. Often they leave school 1-3 days before the vacation, missing out on classwork, assignments, and even assessments.  So, in a sense they trade schooling for traveling.  But traveling can be educational too.  Some teachers also use the time to travel, especially the younger ones without families. Though I thoroughly enjoy my days as a teacher and I sincerely love the students, I still find myself looking forward to the days off.  I also have been known to occasionally use vacation time to see the world.  However, the reality is that I simply relish a week of no schedule, no alarm clocks and the ability to do what I want when I want.  For example, this morning I went on a 5K run at eight in the morning.  Later I walked the same loop with a friend. It felt like such a day of luxury.  Additionally, I am grateful for extra hours to do some needed planning, research, and grading.  The break in the school routine does energize me and refresh my enthusiasm.  So, regardless the purpose of vacations, they do benefit me!

The Biology Bus, Holiday Labs, and the Emergency Fire Blanket

It is the Crocus Vacation but several students have requested that we have a lab day so they can work on their internal assessments.  Two of the six students happen to be my own so, of course, I drive them in with me.  Another student is from our neighborhood and another lives on the way.  So, because we are part of a very small school with a family environment, we pick everyone up and I’m feeling very much like I’m driving “The Biology Bus” on the way to the school. Two other students meet us at the school.

We all enter the chilled classroom and within minutes there is a buzz of activity as everyone sets up his or her lab.  I am happy to be there with them and once again feed on their energy and enthusiasm.  The environment is considerably more relaxed considering that it’s a holiday week.  At one point the students whip out some marshmallows and roast them over a Bunsen burner while they are waiting on their experiments.  OK.  It’s a bit “on the edge” but I let it slide as they are so responsible and they’re working hard on their experiments.  I turn back to my work.

Suddenly, I hear an urgent, “Mom…..Mom…..Mom, what do we do about this fire” from behind me.   I swivel around in my chair to view my son with his outstretched hands motioning to a gigantic flame on the lab bench. The flame is spreading across the bench, enveloping the gas and electrical outlets.  I have the immediate thought, “This is a huge fire that we might not be able to contain”.  I push the thoughts of requiring the fire department aside as I do what initially needs to happen.  The students have, wisely, already turned off the gas.  It is an alcohol fire (spontaneous combustion of ethanol) and we opt for the fire blanket rather than the CO2 fire extinguisher.  Together we unfold the blanket and drape it over the monstrous flames.  We press down on the blanket and feel the heat beneath.  My son lifts a corner and observes flames licking at the blankets’ edge.  “Don’t lift it.  Don’t lift it,” he advises.  So, we let the blanket do its work of smothering the fire.  An awful stench fills the room, the result of the melted rubber tubing connecting the Bunsen burner to the gas outlet.  Near the blanket, a bottle of methylene blue sits strangely deformed from the heat it’s been exposed to.  It’s a surreal moment as I look at the aftermath of the event and the relief replacing the shocked looks on my students’ faces.

I learn that a student had taken his experiment from the fume hood (!-what !) to the Bunsen Burner, attempted to pour the alcohol into a larger beaker, experienced the spontaneous combustion of the alcohol as it was being poured, and proceeded to drop the beaker.  The result was the rapid spreading and growth of the flame.

Fortunately, all are safe, no major damage has occurred, and we are able to easily erupt into laughter as the students reenact the near disaster, my son’s persistent summoning of me, and my apparent slow-motion response. 

The students finish up their experiments and clean up the lab while I collect the turtle and his supplies to come home with me for the school break.  We work together to place the chairs on the tabletops with hopes that the cleaners will do a more thorough cleaning of the floor. The students perform a final check on ongoing experiments.  I turn off the lights and we exit the Biology room, the 3rd floor, and the school itself.  The magic school bus then begins its ride home, dropping students off at their destinations and wishing them a happy holiday.

IB Internal Assessment (IA) - The positive

“It’s rising!  It’s rising!”  The gleeful shouts come from the chemical room.  Students in my classroom start laughing as they realize that Carl’s experiment is finally working for him.  He’s been trouble shooting this for days.  He’s made catalase beads with cucumber, with the intent of measuring the effect of pH on cucumber catalase activity on hydrogen peroxide.  Gail has set up a unique gas collecting system to measure the effect of salt on CO2 production by yeast.  She also has been struggling for days with her experiment.  Shortly she exclaims with glee, “It’s working!  It’s working!”.  Then, a loud “Oh NO!” followed by a crash and the overflowing of liquid at another lab bench.  Students hustle to help clean up the mess.  Simultaneous to this action, Barb checks on the growth of her wheat, “This is perfect….look at this!” as she reaches for the ruler.  Another student has just put her Daphnia under the microscope to determine how to measure the heartbeat. She summons the other students over and exclamations of “That is SO COOL” echo as each student intently peers through the optical lens on the microscope.  The energy in the classroom is palpable.  Despite darkness pressing against the lab windows, within the classroom there is warmth, comradery, and excitement.  It is a Friday evening but students are finding pleasure in their work.  I, personally, am energized by their enthusiasm and their hope for reasonable results. They are working independently on self-designed experiments.  They all have five values for their independent variables.  They all have unique designs.  The first step is underway.  Let’s hope excellent data collection /processing and thorough conclusions/evaluations follow. This is internal assessment at its best.  

Time for Assessment - on the student's time

The 6th graders studied the images and considered the questions and began furiously writing on their tests.  I could hear the rhythms of pencils being repeatedly lifted and pressed to the desk, resulting in a soft drumming disseminating throughout my classroom.  It was comforting.  The class was turning the page, eagerly moving ahead to analyzing and graphing data.  However, one boy, John, remained processing question one.  He was just as intent as the others but not making the same progress.

After about 40 minutes, the second to last student finished the test and pulled out her Kindle.  Upon completion students were to leave the test on their desk and quietly take out a book to read or peruse the National Geographic magazines in my room while waiting for the rest of the class to finish.  My goal is for each student to have a fair amount of time and a fair environment to finish the test.   A student should not feel rushed just because others are done with the exam.  I want each assessment to be a fair opportunity for a student to show me what he can do and what he knows, not how fast he can demonstrate these achievements. 

So, there we sat. And sat.  And sat.  John continued to plod along.  It was excruciating.  The students kept looking at the clock and then at me.  They were anxious to get on with the experiment I had planned.  As was I.  But, we waited.  And waited. And waited.  At one point, John stood up with a smile on his face, extending his test to me.  I was thrilled that he was only a about ten minutes behind the others.   Abruptly he exclaimed, “Oh wait” and plopped down to erase his entire graph!  I wanted to cry out, “No, just turn it in!” 

Finally, data graphed and all blanks filled, his test was finished.  At first I questioned my decision to make the entire class wait.  However, especially later when holding his assessed test in my hand, I realized how valuable the evidence was.  Here was a student who I’ve suspected needs some learning support.  I have other observations and signs of his need, but this was real proof.

Now, how do we get the parents to agree?

Valentine's Day

Roses by the dozens sit in buckets on my classroom tables.  The student counsel sold roses all week and I ended up buying a ridiculous amount.  Initially, I purchased for my family members, some close friends, and my fellow science colleagues.  However, the student counsel had so many roses left over that I ended up buying even more just to support “the cause”.   After all, I have two children on the counsel and all the remaining student counsel members are my students.  I just couldn’t resist them.  So now I can spread Valentine’s Day cheer to my neighbors when I go home tonight.

It’s 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening.  My classroom is finally emptying itself of students who have been here all afternoon working on their self-designed experiments, internal assessments (IAs), for their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.  While many test tubes, Erlenmeyer flasks, the foaming yeast, the elodea and other supplies have been carefully cleaned or disposed of, other ongoing experiments remain.  There are two plant projects under the fluorescent lights, a sprout project on the lab bench, Daphnia awaiting their caffeine experiment, and a cucumber prepared for an osmosis experiment.

I check my email as I’m waiting for the students to finish up.  There is an email from the IB with the announcement that I have been appointed to be an IB examiner.  That’s a nice piece of news at the end of the day.

My students claim to be “almost done” so I water my plants and tend to my turtle and the fish.  I tidy up around my desk and pack up my bag.  I notify my husband and youngest son that we’re finally about ready to go.  We gather up our coats and bags and all those roses.  It takes three of us to lug the flowers downstairs.  We wave to the cleaners who are the last ones in the building and exit out into the dark and rainy night.

Today was an 11-hour day at the school.  IB Meetings, an Open House, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Basket Ball Games, and IA’s meant I spent between ten and fourteen hours each day at the school this week. Needless to say, it’s been a long week.  How will I celebrate Valentine’s Day?  With a quiet movie night at home.  However, tomorrow I’ll have a Sushi Dinner with my husband.

HW not complete? Clean the lab.

The task was to read another’s blog and then comment on it.  So, what to do with the students who hadn’t written or published their blog posts? My colleague and I were somewhat in a quandary over this.  It seems a reward to allow them to work on it in class. It’s futile to give them a “0” because then they miss out on the opportunity of joining the blogging community of our classrooms.  Finally, after some deliberation, we hauled in the cleaning cart loaded with mops, brooms, chemicals, gloves, paper towels, rags, and sponges.  Both of our labs need a thorough cleaning.  So, whoever hadn’t published the assignment was pulled from the class and joined me in another room.  As the consequences gradually made it to their consciousness, suddenly the small group came alive with cries, “But I’ve done the assignment”.  So, I told them if they could publish it and link their url to the Google Share document in two minutes, I’d let them return to their peers. What a flurry of activity ensued and sure enough, within two minutes every blog site in the class was up and running!  Well, our lab space still needs a good cleaning but I’ll gladly put up with that in exchange for having 100% student participation in our class blogging community! 

Student Blogging, Community, and Unexpected Results

All of my research on student blogging inspired me to insist that students read each other’s blogs and comment on them with the intent of generating discussion.  What a fascinating reaction ensued.

There are the students who had eagerly tackled their blog assignments with thorough reflections and embedded photos, videos, and hyperlinks.  They enthusiastically logged on to their computers to peruse the other blogs and make comments.  They are asking for ideas on questions and thoughts that might generate discussion.  “Can we add additional links within our comments” one student asks.  A teacher’s dream is unfolding as students come up with bigger and better ideas than I had originally envisioned for the blogging experience.

One teenage boy slowly morphs from his usual slumped posture, chin in hands, dulled and bored expression to an erect position with fingers tense on the keyboard and eyes glancing around at the other screens.  He is a minimalist.  His post barely addressed the prompts.  No photos.  No extras. No links.  The absolute minimum.  However, as he comprehended the fact that someone was going to be evaluating and commenting on his blog, he became very alert and queried, “Can we still edit our own blog post?”

“Of course” I coolly respond.  Inwardly I’m rejoicing (and performing summersaults) at the thought of this minimalist wanting to improve his post. 

The last ten minutes of classroom dedicated allowing the students to reflect and comment on another’s post fills the air energy.  The bell rings for lunch and no one moves.  Almost reluctantly they stop what they’re doing, pack up and head for the door.  Several say “thank you” as they exit.  I’m thinking, “Student Blogging: Best Idea Ever”

Student Blogging and Scoring Points

So, for our Science Fair project this year we’ve decided to have students blog about their progress and what they are learning. I spent a ridiculous amount of time searching different ways to incorporate students’ blogging into the classroom.  I perused blogging rubrics ad nauseam.  I read countless reviews of different blogging sites and I searched every possible free blogging site. 

Finally, I settled on using blogger.com, especially since all of my students have Google accounts and I can easily link each student’s blog site to my web site.  Knowing my time was limited in the classroom as far as helping the students set up their blog sites and posting a first blog, I decided to do a screen share podcast to explain everything to them.  Hahaha – well, several hours later I had a 3-minute screen shared podcast on setting up the blog site and 2-minute one on posting the first blog. 

Following the Chasing Ice movie, I explained the plan with blogging to the students.  They seemed remotely interested.  Then I referred them to my web site for the podcasts on setting up the blog.    With the remaining minute of class a few of the students checked to make sure they could view the videos.  One exclaimed, “Did you make this yourself?”  When I answered in the affirmative their faces lit up with huge smiles, “That’s cool”, they said.  It was clear that they felt honored because I had created a podcast for them.  My attempt to be tech-savvy apparently scored some points with my students.

Tonight, after a long day I decided, with scepticism, to take a look at the web sites and the students' first blog posts.  I am SO IMPRESSED!  It is always amazing how quickly students latch onto a media that will give them voice. The sites are already personalized in appearance and the blog posts are full of detailed reflection, imbedded photos and video clips (all properly referenced!), and are generally interesting and creative.  I suddenly am really looking forward to perusing their posts as they get underway with their science fair projects!

"Chasing Ice", Global Warming, and Teenagers

To launch our Science Fair project on Global Warming we showed the 9th and 10th graders the film "Chasing Ice".  I could see their eyes glaze over when I used the word “documentary” to prep them for the experience.

However, that film is so captivating right from the beginning that they were instantly engaged.  Occasionally I’d scan the room to study their expressions as we were watching and their eyes seemed to never leave the screen.  I’ve seen it already three times and am still amazed myself watching it again. 

James Balog is an incredible human being with a passion for something meaningful.  The students clearly caught the idea of what that man is all about and were impressed.  His journey, determination, and work are inspiring.   The photography is stunning and absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.   I highly recommend the film to everyone.  Additionally, the message that comes about from the photographical evidence is undeniable and definitely convincing. 

Later a student said to me, “That movie was SO AMAZING” as her face lit up with the pure excitement of sharing appreciation and discovery.  There is something so wonderful about having moments of equality with students in the shared joy of science.

"Chasing Ice"  for teenagers preparing for a unit on Global Warming?  Definitely a win.

Is the IB worth it: A perspective from one who is both IB teacher and mom of two IB students.

Is the IB worth it: A perspective from one who is both IB teacher and mom of two IB students.

I currently have two children who are in their final year of the IB program.  We are 3 months away from the IB exams.  They are actively working on Internal Assessments (IA) for History, English, Science, as well as their Extended Essays and Theory of Knowledge essays.  The math IA is, thankfully, complete.  There has been so much stress and anxiety in my house for the last five months that it has become almost unbearable.  And, it leads me to actively question, “Is the IB worth it?”

I currently am an IB Biology teacher and an advocate of the IB program.  I believe in and endeavor to guide my students in the IB learner profile (IB learners strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, reflective).  I think it is a globally minded, well rounded, and balanced curriculum.  It is also rigorous and truly prepares students for academic university life.  I have had countless students return to tell me how grateful they are for their IB education and how prepared they were for college.  As a teacher I’ve never really questioned the IB program.

However, now I stand in different shoes and am reflecting on what the IB means to our family:

The IB program dictates family vacations or rather, NOT taking family vacations.

The IB program directs social events and weekend activities or rather NOT having social events or fun activities on the weekend.

If your children are relatively intelligent and willing to work hard, they’ll still struggle in the IB program causing stress that reverberates throughout the family structure.

If your children decide to “have a life” – or “be balanced”, as heralded important in the IB learner profile – by joining a sports team, they will become unmanageably swamped by juggling the sports schedule and the work load generated by the IB program. 

Because the workload is so intense, there will be times when they simply must choose to miss a deadline or two resulting in concerned teachers and the building up of the workload.

They spend hours and hours each on homework, limiting themselves to about 5 hours (sometimes less) of sleep a night, including weekends as well.  As a parent I straggle into bed late at night fully aware that my children are toiling away on a math assignment in one room and a history assignment in another room.

I feel guilty about the Biology work they have been assigned by me; however, I know there is no other way.

They show me their progress with blood-shot eyes and carry on.

Then starts the cycle of teachers constantly being on their case about deadlines.   The teachers begin to question your children’s dedication to schoolwork; unaware of how much time the students are actually putting in.  I know, because I’m one of those teachers!

Oh, and then there are the meaningful service hours they need to complete, document, and reflect on.

Then, ultimate deadlines with threats of "no diploma" appear and loom overhead.  Teachers have no choice, I know, because IAs must be mailed in to the IB by certain deadlines and teachers need time to assess them first.  I’m currently worried I won’t have enough time with the Biology IAs to fairly assess them before the mailing date.

More sleep deprivation.

High stress levels.

Tears.  Anger. Fear of failure.

Is it worth it?  I’m not sure.  I’ll have to see this through and revaluate next fall when it is behind us and my children are fully immersed in college life with the anxieties and stresses of IB in the distant past.

IB students and Sports

Today I attended basketball games in Antwerp, Belgium.  I watched our HS boys and girls play against teams from Dusseldorf and Antwerp.  The competition was tough and the games were exciting.  There were IB students on both teams.

I know how much work they all have due next week.  The seniors, in particular, have their History IA due on Friday.  They need to have all their data collected for the Science IAs by the end of the week.  Right around the corner their TOK and Extended Essays are due.  It is overwhelming for me to even think about.  Yet, there they are, playing basketball all day!

To make matters worse, the referees show up nearly an hour late because they were misinformed of the starting time.  Thus, added time to this sports event automatically gets tacked on.  That’s one hour less of studying time!  Of course, they’ll be exhausted after this day of travel (one hour each way) and two intense games so they’ll probably take a rest or nap when arriving home.  There is more time deducted from IB studies!

There is no physical way possible for these students to complete everything this weekend.  So, the assignments will drag into next week and as additional work is piled upon them, some things will simply need to be postponed.  They have to make a decision of priorities. 

The debate rages on year after year as we watch the beleaguered, exhausted, red-eyed, stressed, overwhelmed year 2 IB students drag themselves through this “crunch time” of due dates.  As they trudge off to after school team sport practices and prepare for evening or weekend games, something seems to always cry out within us IB teachers, “They should not be doing sports!”  It just seems like too much and it takes away from their studies and from producing exceptional work.

However, as I watch them play today, I embrace their energy.  I hear their grunting and expressions of struggle in a difficult game.  Their faces glisten with moisture. Their sweat permeates the room.  I observe determination.  I feel victory and defeat.  I sense satisfaction and triumph.  They are experiencing life.  They are building and growing in important ways.  I see comrades.  I see friends.  I see a support system.  I see connections that will last a lifetime.

So, even though I regularly question whether IB students should play on sports teams, in the end, I will advocate for the continued practice of allowing them to play.

National Warm Sweater Day - Going Green!

I was surprised by the cheers and raised fists at my announcement.  Why are students excited about the school being cold on Friday and about being requested to “dress warmly”?  That was yesterday.

Today was National “Greenchoice Warm Sweater Day” in the Netherlands.  In honor of this day we lowered/turned off the heat in the secondary school.   By 7:30 a.m. I had been in each classroom on the 3rd floor and turned all the heaters to “off” or “1” (the lowest possible setting).  By 8:00 I could already feel a slight chill in the air.  Students came properly prepared with extra clothing layers, sweaters and hoodies and didn’t complain all day.  Rather, I heard the phrase, “It’s not bad at all” or “If this is what ‘Going Green’ feels like then bring it on”

Our Going Green Group wants to reduce the carbon footprint of the school by 5% this year.  Our first event was the garbage audit (students are still working out a proposal based on those results).  Today’s event will enable us to compare the gas usage to that of a day when the heaters were running full blast.  We will be able to measure the difference in energy consumed when making a greener choice.  Our gas and electricity usage runs through a meter that is interfaced with a computer program.  Through this “portal” we can view our gas and electricity usage on monthly, daily, and even hourly basis.  I’m quite excited to see the graph from today as it compares to other days (there is a 24 hour lag time).

According to the Greenchoice Warm Sweater Day web site, for every degree the temperature is lowered, energy usage decreases by 7%.  It seems like turning down our heaters during cold months will be an obvious way to reduce our carbon footprint, save energy, and lower costs at the school.  It is amazing how "easy" it was to endure.  Staff and students were happy and content all day.  My room was probably the coldest (as it always is) since I'm at the end of a hallway and two of my walls are a row of windows.  Thank you icelandic woollen sweater!

Another rather unexpected bonus to our Going Green initiative is the unity and sense of purpose it seems to be creating among students and staff.  Go Green!

National Green Choice Warm Sweater Day

 This coming Friday, February 7, 2014 is National Green Choice Warm Sweater Day (“Greenchoice Warme Truiendag”).  You can check out the website (it's in Dutch).

In honor of the Kyoto Protocol this national event is scheduled each year in the Netherlands.  The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty binding all industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Let’s join the Netherlands this Friday by wearing an extra layer of clothing,  turning down our heaters and thereby reducing our energy usage by 7% for every degree Celsius we lower the heat.

Achieving Balance

Lesson Planning.  Unit Planning.  Curriculum Review.  Going Green Initiative.  Differentiation for HS, SL, and HL students in my IB Biology class, Internal Assessments, Staff Meetings, Science Dept. Meetings, Managing the research expedition to South Africa, Juggling parent emails, helping students with missing work, Lab Planning, Lab Preparing, Lab cleanup, developing IMYC curriculum with rubrics and assessment, Standards based Grading focus group --- oh, and grading.  Actually, this isn’t even a comprehensive list.

Last semester I found myself powering up my computer right after dinner and working through the evening and night until at least midnight.  Then I was at the school at 7 a.m. the next day.  My job had officially consumed me.  I had given up my life.  As a teacher, that is the easiest thing to let happen, as the demands are endless.  Of course, this is probably true of any job.

Well, I decided this was no longer in the best interest of my family, my students, or me.  I mean, who wants a tired, burned out wife, mother or teacher?  And I was headed down that path.  So, this January I turned over a new leaf.  I have committed myself to my life.  How have I kept this resolution?  Well, I started this blog for one and am committed to writing each night.  I do not work at home until I have had dinner with my family and played a game with my youngest son.  I make sure to have a one on one discussion with both of my teenagers each day.  I started Dutch lessons again on Tuesday afternoons after school.  This Friday begins a regular after school practice session with our staff choir which I have decided to join.  I am so much happier.  I love my life again.  And, I am STILL getting all those things done in the first paragraph.  I was just reviewing my schedule for this week and realized I signed up to make Chinese dumplings in celebration of he Chinese New Year last week.  I am really looking forward to that!  I am so glad I have little perks in life to keep my work as a teacher balanced.