I will not lie. This week was tough to get through.
I think that both students and teachers had a hard time getting back into the groove of academic life after our two week hiatus. My students were exceptionally chatty this week, especially the first two days.
My classes overall went very well. My grade 10 classes were my favourite of the week. I started my WWII unit with both classes and students are very engaged already. Its a topic that most students can find some interest in. I am excited to keep moving forward with this. I was observed by both my FA (formally) and my SA (informally) for the Introduction lesson of WWII. I must say that I was nervous with the outcome of the lesson as I was asking the kids to create a blind timeline of events for a topic we had not discussed yet. I was pleasantly surprised with both classes. Students seemed to really enjoy the activity. I asked for feedback from both classes, the majority of students enjoyed the exercise and found it useful to the beginning of the unit.
My grade 8s have been a test of classroom management this week. This class has been the most chatty during our first week back. The students asked for a new seating chart before Spring Break and I obliged them with one on Monday. Overall, I am happy with the placement of students and how we have reconfigured desks —I think we finally found a happy medium where all students can see the white board and I am not trapped in a corner. With the change of seats come a new amount of chatter. I am okay with it to a level but have often had to remind the students to keep the volume low. I am hoping that this coming week students will have less to talk about now that they are established in their new seating chart and school is truly back in full gear. My SA observed me in my class on Friday. It went very well. Students have just finished a mini-unit on Reformation and Martin Luther, it was productive and my SA witnessed our final class on the topic with a very thorough review of the material covered. I am happy with the students progress.
I did learn that religion is a very interesting topic for these students. During my lesson on Wednesday we often seemed to veer off track as students questioned a number of issues surrounding all world religions. While it was an informative discussion I am happy to have, it did not fit with my timeline so I had to cut it short. I wonder what students retained when they did their World Religion project in November when I was on the short practicum. A number of questions seemed as if students really did not understand the basics of some religions. This is obviously understandable as they are only 13 and religion is a complex issue, however It makes me think that having group projects where one set of students only focus’ on one topic is not overall great for the learning process of everyone. Just a thought I had…
My grade 9s have been my hardest workers. They have fallen right back into the work cycle and continue to impress me with their knowledge of New France. Their ability to recall information during daily reviews makes me believe they understand the content and are eager to learn. This coming week both my grade 9 classes will write a quiz on the topic as we prepare to study the Fur Trade and its implications on Canadian history next week.
I took my biggest risk with my grade 11s this week. I have formatted the class to have different lecture topics each class while students work at home on one research paper. I have chronologically began working my way from 1945 up to the present day. This week was focused on the late 60s and early 70s. On Friday I held a class on LGBTQ+ history. I started with Stonewall and ended with Bill C-38, Canada’s recognition of same-sex marriage equality in 2005. I used primary sources and an interactive lecture to facilitate the learning process. Students read a conservative newspaper article the week after Stonewall in 1969. It was littered with discriminatory language and condescending remarks directed at homosexuals. Students were asked to answer a serious of questions about the document as well as highlight any language they thought was offensive. It worked well. I took the advice from early in the week and had the article on a powerpoint as well as individual handouts for students. It made teaching it much easier with one large visual for the whole class to dissect. We discussed Harvey Milk, the AIDS epidemic and finally legalization of same-sex marriages in Canada. I decided to out myself to the class during this lecture. I thought it was necessary for both them and myself in order to have a truly authentic discussion about the topic. I wanted them to know that not only is this an important topic but it also holds a deep personal meaning to me. When students were dismissed I felt very happy with my decision to lead the class in the manner I did. I am used to students saying goodbye and thanking me when class is over at this point in the practicum. I do not expect it but it seems to be a trend, many students have very good manners. This class was different though. I had two different students come up to me and thank me for talking about the topic. Both students said they felt it was a necessary topic to cover and one that schools often only brush over. One of the students even said I was brave to come out to them. I did not do this lesson for me, it wasn’t and isn’t about me. It is about the students and their lives, their struggles, and their confidence regardless of sexuality or gender. I want to be a teacher because I believe I can make a difference. On Friday I felt like I made a difference and that makes me proud.
I am looking forward to the following week. With only 3 weeks left I am starting to wrap up my final units and prepare to hand classes back to my SAs. I am going to continue trying to have my students move around. Changing up desks and students was very rewarding last week, it brought new discussions and debates to the forefront. I wish I had been doing this earlier in the practicum. Now that I know I can get more out of students when they are in groups that do not just include their friends I will use the technique more.
Highlight of the week: My grade 11 LGBTQ+ class. Students were engaged and asking great questions regarding the topic. Having students come up and thank me after class nearly made me cry (I held strong). It was truly a moment that made this whole practicum and academic process seem completely worth it. I felt like I made a difference.
Goals for next week: More wait time for student attention in grade 8. Continued engagement of my grade 10s while we unwrap WWII with interactive lessons. And survive 🙂