Today was a chance for the cohort to show off its creative side as it was the due date for the Artifact Speech Reflection Task.  The task was simple but not easy.  It involved 3 steps:

1. View the videotape of your Artifact Speech
2. Consider your strengths, challenges, and goals as a public speaker
3. Present that content in any format you see fit.

Giving you choices related to product and performance is a tenet of Differentiated Instruction and is responsive to your needs as a learner.  As Carol Ann Tomlinson writes in her book, Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design:

“Just as students differ in their preferred ways of taking in and processing information, so do they vary in the manner by which they best show what they have learned.  Some students need to “do”, whereas others thrive on oral explanations.  Some excel at visual representations; others are adept at writing.  To make valid inferences about learning, teachers need to allow students to work to their strengths.  A totally standardized, one-size-fits-all approach to classroom assessment may be efficient , but it is not “fair,” because any chosen format will favor some students and penalize others.”

On the whole, the completed assignments demonstrated a remarkable combination of thoughtful reflection and creative presentation.  The end products included such things as:

• Songs
• A set of “keys” to public speaking
• Models
• A poster
• A scrapbook
• An alphabet book
• A children’s story
• A universal law
• A set of drawings
• PowerPoint presentations
• A crossword puzzle

Thanks to all who presented their handiwork to the class.

To end class, we took some time to organize the upcoming Middle School Tours.  Here’s the tour info sheet if you need one:

Middle Years School Tours Information Sheet

That’s all for now.

– Lawrence

Not even a torrential downpour could dampen the spirits of the cohort today.  Here’s what shook down:

Pre-EDUC 315 Seminar

From 10:00 – NOON we took some time to think about EDUC 315, the Tuesdays practicum.  To that end, we:

• Gathered information on your Practicum Preferences
• Reviewed the goals of EDUC 315
• Outlined what you can expect from your School Advisor
• Role played scenarios related to professional demeanour in a school setting

Potluck Lunch

From NOON to 1:00 pm we enjoyed a wonderful potluck lunch.  Thanks to all who contributed.

Ropes Course

From 1:30 to 4:30 we engaged in activities at the UBC Ropes Course.  After breaking into two groups, we tackled several problem-solving & team-building games.  My group did the following:

• 3 Object Pass
• Toxic Waste
• Tanks
• Knot or Not a Knot?
• Wrist Twister

We finished the day with a high ropes element that involved walking along a set of swinging beams and tires.

As far as I could tell, the other group tackled the Crossing the Amazon game (I may have the name wrong but I know the activity involved sharks) and the Giant Ladder as their high ropes element.

Last year’s group of TCs completed write ups for the activities they did at the course and compiled them into a .doc file.  I’ve included it here for your reference.  Inside you’ll find the intstructions for some of the the actvities we participated in as well as the guidelines for a few others:

Ropes Course Games in 2008

We are interested in your thoughts on the Ropes Course experience and urge you to leave a comment on our Topics for Discussion page.  Thanks to those who’ve done so already.

Cheers,

Lawrence

Today, Shep presented a workshop on how to get started with your ePortfolio.  One key to the successful completion of this task is to start early and update often.  Shep likened the eFolio to a travel journal; better to write the journal as you visit each locale (over the course of your B.Ed year) than to try and write it upon your return home (during the summer in EDUC 480).

This link leads to resources that should prove very useful as you develop your ePortfolio – TEO HOME > RESOURCES > EPORTFOLIOS.

If you have questions related to your ePortfolio, please seek out this cohort’s eCoaches – Adam and Joe.

That’s all for now,

Lawrence