Hasta la vista, CST!

Well, we're through with the CST for this year.  Four days of testing for almost two hours each day, followed by movies in my class ("Holes" and then Simpsons episodes) and crafts in others.  The boys were very serious about the test.  I think they really tried, and with a little shushing they stayed quiet until everyone finished.  The logistics were well handled by some of the support staff.  In general we all feel good about it.

Now we have to go back to work.  We're not really teaching when we're administering the test, so it's easy duty for the teachers.  Next week we may experience some degree of the "holding the lid down on a boiling pot" syndrome as we try to launch instruction for the final six weeks of school.  

I have a pretty ambitious plan for these final 6 weeks.  I regret that I haven't done a single small group project all year. This is an instructional model that I really believe in, but my difficulty managing student behaviors left me reluctant to try small group activities.  I think this was a mistake, and I'm determined to conclude the year with a project.  

The teacher for 7th grade girls and I have developed a project based on identifying a local neighborhood problem and developing solutions to that problem.  The end product will be some material advocating for the solution to the problem--a poster, essay, power-point, i-movie, or brochure--plus a written description of the problem and solution.  This project fits with our final writing domain, persuasion, and with the neighborhood theme I have used all year (neighborhood narratives, neighborhood news stories, etc.).  

I hope it's simple enough to accomplish even though I haven't really gotten them used to working in groups.  The local dimension should keep them interested, and they will also use the internet for some research.  Of course I want them to put everything on their pages on the YOKA server.

Anyway, I'm determined to end with a project.  I have been making a lot of plans for next year, although recently I have learned that I may not be returning due to my low seniority.  I want to return and teach 7th grade English again, but I guess I'm flexible, or maybe stoic, enough to accept whatever comes.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  

Meanwhile, hasta la vista CST!