The Praxis of Pedagogy

So a lot of my kids in the 3rd period class were into the movie "Elizabeth" with Cate Blanchett. It's a testament to how good the movie is that my poor urban colored kids are into it. It's cool. I stop the movie and break down the fight between Catholics and Protestants and just explain palace intrigue.

I've assigned 1 week drawing projects in various classes and I realize that I have to give students at least 3 times in class to work on their project or they won't. I still have a lot of students that didn't turn in stuff. Assigning homework doesn't work out so well. I still assign homework every so often but mostly I try to do everything in class. Students just won't turn in their homework. So I have to try to set them up in as many situations that they can succeed but still be challenged. I think that I have to scaffold homework. Work up to it. The only thing that I regularly assign is metacognitive plans of action for passing tests. I count them as test points so I tell them to do it or not get test points. That still doesn't ensure 100% completion but a much higher %.

We got contracts at our school and it's a great thing, but I don't use it enough. I don't write student progress on their contracts enough and that is one of our best intervention strategies. We have to let our CTMs know what is going on with students.

So tomorrow morning I have to get up to get to a 8:30-5 class. AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
There's nothing good about this. The only silver lining will be that it will be done. I am going to be one burned out unhappy guy. I'm already having a problem with time management. I don't know what I'm going to do next.