Comments on: The End is Near http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/ Just another blogs.parisisd.net weblog Fri, 18 May 2012 00:11:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.3-2.2.1 By: Denise http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-13 Denise Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:22:49 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-13 And you know how I love a good road trip! Maybe next summer after Natalie's wedding. Of course we'll expect you here for the wedding. Maybe that will be your first road trip back to Paris. And you know how I love a good road trip! Maybe next summer after Natalie’s wedding. Of course we’ll expect you here for the wedding. Maybe that will be your first road trip back to Paris.

]]> By: mmccuen http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-12 mmccuen Fri, 30 May 2008 13:31:49 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-12 I don't like to think about it, either. It seems so...final. Oh well. There are always road trips! I don’t like to think about it, either. It seems so…final. Oh well. There are always road trips!

]]> By: Denise http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-11 Denise Fri, 30 May 2008 01:47:01 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-11 How did I miss your blog? I have lots of catching up to do with it. You'll have to promise to set up a personal blog once you leave so that we can keep up with you. Dang...I still don't like to think about that... How did I miss your blog? I have lots of catching up to do with it. You’ll have to promise to set up a personal blog once you leave so that we can keep up with you. Dang…I still don’t like to think about that…

]]> By: mmccuen http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-10 mmccuen Thu, 01 May 2008 19:10:37 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-10 I have to agree that a periodic meeting would be better. I also got frustrated at everything we were supposed to be doing in addition to making time for Channel 1 and announcements. I also feel as you do that if we surveyed parents and students, the reality of the program's effectiveness would smack us in the face. Again, I really enjoyed my group and I think there is a lot of value in something like this, we just need to have planned it out better. I have to agree that a periodic meeting would be better. I also got frustrated at everything we were supposed to be doing in addition to making time for Channel 1 and announcements. I also feel as you do that if we surveyed parents and students, the reality of the program’s effectiveness would smack us in the face.

Again, I really enjoyed my group and I think there is a lot of value in something like this, we just need to have planned it out better.

]]> By: Tim http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-9 Tim Thu, 01 May 2008 18:49:05 +0000 http://blogs.parisisd.net/mmccuen/2008/04/27/the-end-is-near/#comment-9 I don't know whether mentoring will continue next year. It seems that new 4x4 graduation requirements will be moving us closer to an 8-period day, and if that happens, we probably won't find space for mentoring. If mentoring does survive, I hope some fundamental changes are made. I think it was successful only to the extent that individual mentor teachers, like yourself, worked to make it so. If we surveyed kids I bet we'd be met with a harsher sense of reality. Plus, if we surveyed parents, it would be bleaker, still. While I believe I earned the trust of my mentoring group, we didn't start that way, and that, to me, is the biggest obstacle. Just saying that "I'll be your personal advocate" doesn't cut it. Kids are way too skeptical. Now, if I were to start over, given the relationships I've developed with students in my group and given structure of things we need to accomplish in mentoring, we might have a chance to do something admirable. But to set aside 28 minutes a day to watch TV, pretend to hear announcements, distribute and collect papers and to "cool down" doesn't seem worthwhile (and I'm an advocate of mentoring/advisory periods). I've had a tremendously successful advisory class in the past but 1.) students shared common interests to begin with; 2.) we didn't meet on a daily basis -- it wasn't built into the schedule. Those are two changes I'd like to see. Regardless, we (staff and students) will miss you and I wish you well on your journey. I don’t know whether mentoring will continue next year. It seems that new 4×4 graduation requirements will be moving us closer to an 8-period day, and if that happens, we probably won’t find space for mentoring. If mentoring does survive, I hope some fundamental changes are made. I think it was successful only to the extent that individual mentor teachers, like yourself, worked to make it so. If we surveyed kids I bet we’d be met with a harsher sense of reality. Plus, if we surveyed parents, it would be bleaker, still. While I believe I earned the trust of my mentoring group, we didn’t start that way, and that, to me, is the biggest obstacle. Just saying that “I’ll be your personal advocate” doesn’t cut it. Kids are way too skeptical. Now, if I were to start over, given the relationships I’ve developed with students in my group and given structure of things we need to accomplish in mentoring, we might have a chance to do something admirable. But to set aside 28 minutes a day to watch TV, pretend to hear announcements, distribute and collect papers and to “cool down” doesn’t seem worthwhile (and I’m an advocate of mentoring/advisory periods). I’ve had a tremendously successful advisory class in the past but 1.) students shared common interests to begin with; 2.) we didn’t meet on a daily basis — it wasn’t built into the schedule. Those are two changes I’d like to see.
Regardless, we (staff and students) will miss you and I wish you well on your journey.

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