Officers log Lt. Grier 17 Feb 2012

The crew and I, well, we knew it was a tough assignment.  We were used to tough.  We have scaled mountains together, climbed tress and hung from ropes.  We are a tough lot.  This was a new one, though, and no good sailor ever over estimates their past.  This time, well, this time we were to take the proud helm of the one of the classiest gals that ever carried a torpedo; the war-proud USS Pampinito.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pampanito_%28SS-383%29

We had a lot to live up to.  The graceful lady, in her day, carried the bravest and the best sailors ever to float in water.  We were ready, though.  Tired, after the long week of qualifications, the tests in maths, sciences, and history were grueling, but we were determined to persevere.  Many were uncertain why the study of the great words of the Bard were necessary to man the ship, but the officers were united and each sailor passed muster with the Queen's poet.  

There they were, the men of old; they smiled as we arrived.  So many of them, looking haggard, yet proud, their beards thick, their hats on askew, and, presumably, smelling of stale humanity.  They had just docked, and were leaving the boat to us.  Affectionately called a, "pigboat" because there was only one, unused shower; at the end of the cruise, well, let's just say at least everyone smelled the same.  

Clams at work

Our crew, under the capable and experienced leadership of Commander Pham, faced the long, fifteen hour ordeal in all the time honored ways sailors have since sailors have sailed the seas: some were calm, many were thoughtful, some filled every nook and cranny of silence with the verve and bravery of life, scoffing at the danger ahead.  

Slightly surprised to find that there was yet more training, after all the testing and training of the week before, the sailors staunchly formed their teams, chosen by Commander Pham, and organized into smaller units.  The other two officers led their units away for further training, and I proudly left with the select sailors, code name: Team Clam, chosen for my command.  

The illusive, dancing 5

Though everything on a submarine has be be done under the framework of teamwork, a little healthy competition never hurt anyone.  I was pleased with my unit -- they were well-chosen, a well-rounded group of seasoned crew, both brave and intelligent.  


Spirits were high and the energy level was bursting. Team Clam gave the instructors a merry chase, challenging their knowledge, and, at times, their patience.  Each clam taking a turn to shine during different exercises, the team work that keeps a sailor alive on a sub was a constant thread throughout.  




After a sundown orientation of the boat, mess was called at 20:00.  The crew dined on pizza and cookies while celebrating passing our last qualification round.  Finally, we were ready for the mission.  

A clam demonstrating station rotation stance

Each crew member was assigned a bunk, wisely chosen by Commander Pham, and barely a complaint was heard.  And then, we settled into our duties.  


Our XO, of course, watched over the whole crew while Cpt. McGillivray enticed those around her to play Bananagrams.  Lt. Ottoboni challenged a few of the crew to an arm-wrestling contest, demonstrating just a small reason why he deserves to lead.  


After ensuring that all were settled into their duties, I took my station in the crew's cabin, where a couple of the crew were stationed, and where I read Lord of the Flies, to prepare for my next assignment. 

Night watch passed successfully, with few sleeping casualties.  Some, exhausted from the physical exertion necessary to navigate a submarine, were unable to wake for their watch.  Still, fueled by hot chocolate, the crew stood watch in silence, some resorting to hand gestures and stifled giggles to communicate the necessary intelligence needed for, "Go Fish."   The last watch, The Clams, had the added benefit of seeing the sun rise over the water. 


At last, 07:00 arrived, and from the submarine emerged a cheerful crew.  Colors were displayed, mess was consumed and finally, one last time, units were assembled.  While waiting, several sailors broke the monotony by reciting Shakespeare.

  Though proud of the entire tired crew, I could not help a silent, "I knew it" when I learned that Team Clam earned the best scores in the friendly competition.  Congratulations, Team Clam, as well as all of those valiant sailors aboard the USS Pampanito,

Weren't these people children not long ago?

With a well-fed, fluffy white chicken staring at me from the front desk, I watched as one of my favorite teacher tricks played itself out.  I usually do this early in the year as it teaches me quite a lot about your children.  On one of the less interesting grammar concepts, I will challenge the whole class to earn a 100% in whatever manner they could, minus using me, or my answer book, as a resource.  Though they don't always need them, prizes make tasks more fun, so today's carrot was twenty minutes of game playing and popcorn scheduled for Friday.

 I love elegant solutions, and that is the reason I love doing this.  What seems on the surface to be just a different way to get some grammar done has a variety of things going on.  First, I find out how your kids work together.  I watch as one or two people take the leadership role and who follows along.  And who does not.  I watch as the new kids speak up and find their part in the group's goal.

Teachers know (or those who pay attention to research!) that kids learn far better from other kids than they do us. 

sigh

All that talking we think is so important is, but when they can hear it from each other, they actually remember it. 

double sigh.  

That means that any time I can get them to teach each other, in a controlled situation, I am doing more for them than just telling them myself.   

Hey, this isn't so bad.  All I have to do is set it up so I know that they are teaching each other the right thing and then I can rest my weary voice!  

Each group is unique, I find.  Your group was eager to get started.  One young lady was ready with her plan to organize the class well before I was ready to let them be on their own.  After about three minutes of sharing organizational ideas in a polite, one person at a time manner, they had their plan.

Great kindness comes out in these kinds of exercises.  When one student faltered, I saw two different people get up to go help.  And bravery.  To speak up and say, "I don't get it" takes guts.  When the two go together, children learn that good teammates will have your back when you need it. While all this serious learning is going on, the kids may not know it, but they are also learning how to find their place in a group; that a group needs leaders and followers, that each role is important and that sometimes the roles are fluid.  

Pretty big lessons for such a goofy looking batch of kids.

...or at least the chicken said so. 

Devious Teacher Tricks

I seem to collect blogs like a cake crumb collects ants.  All of them are important to me, but having several means that some are left unattended.  Since there is so much that is new for me this year, it seemed like a good time to update this one.  

Your kids are an endless delight to me.  I love to watch how they interact with each other and most of all, how they grow in their thinking.  Believe it or not, my first time in a classroom as a paid educator was in 1979 as a teacher's assistant in college.  I shared that little known fact with the 6th graders, and I watched one face as her brain did the math, and then the delightful change on her face when she figured out that I was old!  That look on her face was worth telling that little secret.  

In the few, cough, years that I have been teaching, I learned a few tricks.  Today I put one of my favorite ones into use during grammar.  The sixth graders have to memorize the 52 prepositions in the book.  Memorizing is rarely fun.  I give them a unscramble worksheet to complete, but tell them that, after working on it for about 15 minutes, I will give them the chance to do whatever it takes to ensure that the whole class earns 100% on the paper, and a promise of a reward serves as a carrot.  Then I sit back and watch the fun.  

Though this exercise helps them memorize their prepositions, it really is a cleverly designed plot for me to learn more about your kids.  I like working this way-- creative, controlled, chaos, I call it.  I step back and watch who sits by themselves, who is helpful, who will reach out to the shy one and quietly sit next to them to work and who steps up to organize the class to ensure the objective is reached.  Though they think it is just a fun way to finish a boring worksheet, I learn more about your children that way than I would in weeks of the teacher in the front style of teaching.  I can see already, that this 6th grade class is filled with personality, but also lovely people in their own right.  

It isn't just the sixth, grade, though.  I was talking to Ms. McGillivray today and we agreed that we have a very nice mix of kids this year.  Of course, she and I always seem to say that, but this year's group is delightful in itself.  I saw the 8th grade boys at lunch sitting with some 6th grade boys.  The 6th grade girls seem to move as a cohesive group from table to table.  There isn't room at one table for all of them, so, like an amoeba on a microscope slide, they separate into two tables, but still seem to be one.  The 7th graders have grown more confident over the summer, and the 8th graders are almost taller than me.  They have taken on an 8th grade maturity over the summer and I already miss them, because I know they will be ready to move on before it seems like we are ready to let them go. 

Homemade cookies

When I was in my sophomore year of college, I worked as a teacher's assistant at a highly regarded magnet school in San Diego. In the classroom were students from the wealthy area surrounding, as well as children who spent as much as two hours on a bus each day to go to this school. Among the memories of that assignment is the one of a small boy, in the 3rd grade, who wanted me to "wait for him," because he wanted to marry me. At Christmas time I learned about the surprising tradition of teacher gifts. That year, as best I can recall, I received a brooch, two coffee cups, one fancy soap, a Christmas tree ornament, and one very special gift, a roll of toilet paper given to me by a young girl who wanted to give me something, and that was all she could find in her house.

One of my mentors, early on, told the parents of her kindergarten students, that if they felt so inclined to give her gifts, she would like... and she gave them a list of things that the children would love to use in the classroom.

Smart lady.

Since then, gifts from children have included a wide range of nifty things-- from specially made boxes to lavish gift certificates, to chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. (It is hard to go wrong with chocolate.) Each and every gift created a memory for me.

This year, the wonderful parents of our school created a thoughtful set of delights for us to enjoy on Teacher Appreciation Week. The cupcakes, the snacks, the lunch, each treat gave me something to look forward to during the day and made my tummy happy. I loved that the treats were made with love and not overly expensive. But what got me were the cookies. Oh, my. The cookies.

In this day, when most people work far more than they would like to, made from scratch seems like a distant memory. Not quite like when I grew up, when the church ladies would have unacknowledged contests at the potluck to see whose plate was ready to be washed first, devoured by the eager community. Now we have Safeway, and Whole Foods, who do a fine job of making cookies... but they aren't homemade.

Cookies say, "I love you," and, "I baked this just for you." They represent toil and fond thoughts. Lasting only a few minutes, they are fleeting glimpses of heaven.

Thank you, all of you, for the lovely gifts you have sent, from trusting your child to my care, to the exquisite pieces of art, both handmade and purchased, to the chocolate and everything in between... but most of all, thank you for the cookies.

You will never thank me for this, but...

Since I have had the seventh graders in my class, I have seen an incredible transformation in them and their writing. They have matured beautifully and their writing has become quite sophisticated. Since they have mastered the paragraph essay form, I wanted to give them one more tool in their author's tool box. You may remember this tool from oh, so long ago, it is... The Five Paragraph Essay.

They groaned. They complained. They offered alternative activities. (They get bonus points for not just giving me a problem, but having a solution ready as well. At least they are trying for a win/win solution.)

Much to their dismay, despite their creative imploring, I stood my ground and preceded with the first essay assignment. Yes, that is right, they are doing two of these.

Like the title says, they may never think back and thank me for this. What they will do, instead, is be polished essay writers. Maybe, on one of those days that they have 45 minutes to write an essay for a test, there might be a glimmer of recognition for the trial and tribulation I put them through. Maybe.

Still, that isn't my goal. What I want for them, when they have to write on demand, with a deadline, is not to freeze up. I want them to have the edge that these tools will give them. When others are staring at the wall trying to come up with an angle, I want your children to be finishing their first paragraph. And if they do find they are freezing up and can't write, they will have several other tools in their tool box that they can rely on, so they can still do a fine job.

And sixth graders? Now that I know the seventh grade can take this on and do well, guess what. You're next. I can't wait to see what you can do next year!

Choices, choices, choices...

We are so richly blessed to live in an area with so many educational opportunities. I would imagine, if one is a parent, it often seems like all the more pressure to find that perfect place to spend one's extracurricular funds. With so many choices, how does a parent choose the right one for that child who needs academic help over the summer?

In my prodigious hopping about the educational scene on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, I have worked at, and encountered many of the various choices that are available to parents and students. Many of them I have extensive knowledge of, and some, just a passing one. With that, though, I have learned some things along the way that I can share with you as you start your search for that summer camp, tutoring or something in between for your child.

First and foremost, OOS tries to do its best to help parents out with this issue with its many summer camps. Whatever is needed for your child, we hope to answer that need as economically as we can. With teachers that you know, in a environment that is family oriented and familiar, OOS tries to meet as many needs of the students we serve as possible.

But for many of you, we can't fulfill all of your needs. So, for that, you might need some extra guidance. I will start from the most expensive to the least.

First, there is private tutoring. The cost of this can vary between $12 an hour (for the high school kid next door) to over $60 an hour. Those prices can add up quickly, and you want to know what you are looking for. A good tutor will give you information upfront. When I tutored, I gave a pre-assessment to find out what I needed to teach. That way, you, as the parents, can see the progress has been. Other methods might be a weekly check up of what the tutor has done and what progress has been made.

Dangers? Accountability is an issue-- in many cases you get what you pay for, but some of those $60 an hour folks may be willing, but out of their league in the subject matter.

Sylvan, Huntington, Kumon, and The Tutoring Club:
I know the most about Sylvan, because I ran the one in Cupertino on Stevens Creek. For one month that I ran it, it was the Sylvan with the largest revenue in all the Sylvan chain. Sylvan and the competitors run their highly successful, and expensive, programs based on filling gaps indicated in a series of tests given, usually at a cost, to the potential student. The student/teacher ratio is the key element, as well as the teacher/student connection. You pay for a lower student teacher ratio, but it al also been proven that the connection between the teacher and student is vital.

There is a huge difference in the pricing of these programs. Those topics that are dependent on higher order thinking skills, things like writing, reading, and logical math, like calculus, are far more dependent on teacher/ student interactions.

If I were a parent with a limited budget, I would look for a low cost program for those lower-order thinking skills like calculation. The higher on the ladder of thinking skills the topic, the more one needs to rely on a good teaching and the connection between the teacher and the student.