So far summer has been productive

School has been out for 13 days and so far, I have been busy, busy, busy..... that's okay. Because I am getting paid for most of it.

Last week I made $310.00 for conducting training for the school district's secondary science teachers. I trained them on using the Pasco GLX Xplorer probes-- the pH, dissolved O2, and conductivity probes.

And this week I have been working with one other teacher in developing the school district's curriculum re-write for Biology. I have worked 8.5 hours and have made $212.50 so far. We have about another 8 hours left in developing the curriculum... so I will probably make another 200 dollars or so doing that.

So yay me!

Next week I will start classes again. I will be taking a biology course every day except Friday.

Then at then end of that course (end of June) I will be going to Lake Tahoe for an International Baccalaureate conference to learn about teaching IB Biology.

I am grateful that I am able to get this kind of work to keep me busy.

Teacher Competency

Fox4 News here in Dallas did an expose' on the failure rate of teachers on their professional competency exams.
It was pretty bad.
There are evidently some teachers in Dallas who have failed the exam for principal something like 40-50 times.

It's incredible.

Then Fox 4 posted links and spreadsheets so that you can look up your child's teacher to see whether or not they passed their tests.

However, no parent will be able to find mine unless they know my maiden name. So it will look to them like I am not on the list at all. (some will assume that means I never took the tests)

But I took the tests alright!

My personal opinion is a bit slanted, because I never studied for ANY of my teacher examinations. I just took them cold-turkey.
WHY?
I assumed that since I had a DEGREE in the field of science (specifically biology) that it HAD to be easy to take a test in that subject.....and I was right.
After studying a subject for 5 collegiate years and a few years in high school.... DUH!

I took the Professional Development test my first year of teaching. That is the only one I was worried about because the test gives you scenarios and situations, and after teaching in a classroom for a year, I could pretty much justify every answer A through D. LOL!!!!

The biology exam was a cinch. I was one of the first people finished with it and wondered if I should take the time to go back over the test.... but my head was pounding from lack of caffeine and I decided I would rather go to Burger King. So I turned it in without going over it and left all my peers behind. Turned out I didn't score as high as I thought I should... I got a 94 on the biology section and only a 90 on the professional development section.














Two years later, I was forced to take the science composite test in order to teach Physical Science. So I did. I took the test in the spring my second year to teach out of my certification (Physical Science). I didn't study at all. The night before another teacher said there were several equilibrium constant questions on the chemistry portion of the test... so I grabbed my old college chemistry study guide and looked over a few problems on my way to the test.
(I wouldn't call that studying)

(if you can't read it, it says that for the professional development test I made a 90% and the biology certification (secondary) I made a 94%)

I was the first person done with the test.

I scored highest in chemistry, which most of you who know me --- know that it is my most LOATHED subject.

I have attached my score reports here in an attempt to separate myself from the failing teachers..... A vindication of sorts.

(Chemistry = 98%, Earth Science = 71%, Physical Science = 96%, Biology = 89%, Physics = 89%)
Okay, my scores weren't that great (except for chemistry!!!)
The Earth Science score was in the basement.... a 71. BUT I have never taken any sort of earth science in my life to this day..... not in jr. high, not in high school, not in college.... SO THERE! A 71 isn't so bad is it?


So.... don't lump me in with the ones who can't pass the tests.

And don't generalize that teachers are incompetent.


Thank you, that is all.

I have frog juice under my nails.

That was random.


But on Friday that is just what happened. I had frog juice under my nails.

As a biology student, I was not exactly thrilled about dissecting animals. I couldn't stand the stink. In college, obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Biology, I still tried to avoid the "zoo" classes. Ick.

So when I became a teacher, I didn't really know how I would deal with dissections.
They were still icky.

Over the years, the icky-ness subsided. It is NOTHING now to grab a frog and pull its mouth open until I can cram a pipette down the glottis and squeeze to re-inflate the lungs.

"HE'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Miss, can we really make the frog come back to life?"

"No, you retard. He's dead. D-E-A-D. He's been dead for years. Read the bucket. It says, "1993". That frog ain't gonna breathe."
(I didn't really say that, but I thought it)

*******
One thing I learned years ago, was that my biology teachers did not know how to think out of the box. My specimens all stunk. I had to learn about the innards of animals with the stench of formalin.

So how do I do it differently?

I give all my animals bubble baths in lavender-smelling dish detergent, then give them several rinses. By the time the kids get them, the smell is so faint, they hardly notice.

DUH

*********
Ed sent me a link to a "news" article from "The Onion".
I read it, laughed and then moved on to read the "education" section of The Onion.
I found this article about dissecting frogs, and had to read it since that is what my students are also doing in class.
READ THE ARTICLE HERE:

Weird Kid Shines During Dissection Project