cartoons – Teaching The Outsiders (and more)

cartoons, Seventh Grade Behavior, testing

Whose Perfect Day?

mrC

The old-timers around here know that I have a test every Friday. There are several reasons for this: I like to teach to the test. If your test is good, it’s a good thing to teach to it. I usually work backwards from Friday’s test when I am planning for the week. This is part of […]

cartoons, Me

Illin’

mrC

I’ve been one of the walking dead for the past several days (it feels like a hangover–or, ahem, so I’m told– with a cough). I finally called in for a sub this morning. I forgot that practically every math teacher in the district was supposed to be at their version of our “benchmark scoring day.” […]

cartoons, oral reading, presentations, Rerun

Da dum…Da dum Da dum Da dum…Da dum…

mrC

I’m trying to phonetically represent the theme from Jaws. You know, the whole approaching shark thing. Da dum. The dreaded 120 Seconds is coming! It’s January, and time for my crew to publicly display their mad oral reading and public speaking skills. Da dum, Da dum, Da dum. “Has anyone ever peed their pants?” “No, […]

cartoons, Me, Pink Slips, Seventh Grade Behavior

Detention. Also: Alternative Careers III.

mrC

Joe B, one of my recent 120 Seconds presentation examples, has been feeling a bit sporty these days. I have him on what we call, “Perma-Detention.” “You keep coming in at break until I tell you to stop. And that won’t be any time soon, at the rate you’re going…looks like until AT LEAST the […]

cartoons, oral reading, presentations, Reading, Rerun

120 Seconds – The Two-Minute Book Report. (Remix)

mrC

This time (and next), it’s not quite a rerun. It’s more of a remix. Yeah, that’s it. Right now we’re in the midst (today was day 2) of our two-minute book reports. I posted about this last year about this time, so I’m going to use that previous post as the starting point, and embellish… […]

cartoons, Me

Big Hat

mrC

(more shameless self-promotion) During the summer, one has more time for hobbies and such. I’m not much of a traveler (except for Vegas); in the summer I usually do a lot of what they used to call, puttering around. I like to carve tiki heads out of palm fronds (sweet revenge for the puncture incident), […]

cartoons, Me

A True Blast from the Past (Vacation Filler)

mrC

Every time I smell a Sharpie, I flash back to the summer between seventh and eighth grade. I spent many an hour in my closet that summer with the smell of felt pens and burning hair. No, it’s not what you think. (What WERE you thinking, anyway?) That was the summer I dug out my […]

cartoons, Pink Slips

Alternative Careers (Pink Friday Special)

mrC

Even if you teach somewhere other than California, no doubt you’ve heard of the atrocity that is our state budget. If you teach in California, and you aren’t a 30+ year veteran, and/or you don’t teach in one of a handful of basic aid districts, you’re probably facing a pink slip. Today we were wearing […]

cartoons, oral reading, Seventh Grade Behavior, Tom Sawyer

Doodle Prank and Panic

mrC

Last Friday’s doodle theme was pranks. We don’t hit chapter nine in Tom Sawyer (the murder in the graveyard – where the plot finally begins) until tomorrow, so the book has mostly been the Pranks of Tom Sawyer. On Thursday we had talked about the part where Tom, after pelting Sid with dirt clods, chooses […]

cartoons, oral reading, presentations, Reading

It’s only 120 seconds. (Of terror. Also, more cartoons.)

mrC

I have always hated “book reports.” (Wait, I told my wife I would try to stop using that word.) I didn’t like writing them (took all the fun out of the book), I didn’t like reading them back when I thought I had to assign them. I don’t like the summarize kind, the analyze kind, […]

cartoons, CPS, RaffleKing, Teaching

Cartoon Fun II.

mrC

A “typical” period in Mr. Coward’s class in “pictures” Part II. After they have completed the warm up, we go over it. I use my wireless slate to circle the correct answers on the screen and write hints. I can also flip the pen over, and use the built-in laser pointer to emphasize (or annoy). […]

cartoons, CPS, Follow up, Teaching

Cartoon Fun! (Also: The Popple)

mrC

This cartooning for a living is hard work. I only have four (well really only three) panels done, and I’m already exhausted. Maybe it’s just Christmas. Anyway, here is Part One (minutes 1-6) of a typical day in Mr. Coward’s class, doodle stylie: As the kids come in, they know to take out their notebooks […]

cartoons, Mailbag, Teaching

A Typical Day – Part One (Mailbag IIa)

mrC

Another question I get a lot is: “What does a typical period in your class look like?” As all we teachers know, there is no such thing as a typical day. However, as I have said many times, middle-schoolers crave routine, so there IS a certain groove to my class. Mondays are for going over […]