TCs:

Use the link below to download a template for your Teacher Candidate profile.  By reading your answers to these questions, your School Advisor and School Principals will get to know you before you’re in the school and join the staff.

Teacher Candidate Profile

Please answer the questions thoughtfully but keep it brief.  Your profile should be no more than 2 pages.

In addition to the questions, there is space at the top of the profile for:

• your contact information
• a recent photo (a head shot is best)
• a “Short Quote That Captures An Important Belief You Hold About Education”.  I’ve pasted a random sampling of quotes chosen by TCs in previous years:
  • “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being”  – Goethe
  • “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail!”
  • “The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea spark another”  – Marva Collins
  • “The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence. He inspires self-trust. He guides their eyes from himself to the spirit that quickens him. He will have no disciple” – Amos Bronson Alcott

Here’s a link to a site with quotes about teachers and teaching.  I’m sure there are many others.

The due date for this task is Friday, 2 October. This is a very firm deadline, as Shep and I will need to share your profile with your Sponsor Teacher and School Principals on Tuesday, 6 October.  Please email a copy of your completed TC Profile to both Shep (shep.alexander@ubc.ca) and I (lholbrook@sd43.bc.ca).

We were going to introduce this task in Monday’s sPortfolio seminar but, in the end, we decided to give you a head start on it by sending it out to you now via email.  You can find this information and the template on the blog, too.

If you have questions, please email Shep or I.

Cheers,
Lawrence

We’ve got an exciting day planned for Tuesday, 29 September.  It breaks down nicely into three parts.  Here’s the scoop:

PART 1: PRE-PRACTICUM PREP AND INFO GATHERING

We will meet from 10:00 am to NOON in PONDEROSA E 127.  Here’s a map if you need help finding the building.

During this time, we will:

• Gather Information on Your Practicum Preferences
• Highlight the Goals and Expectations of EDUC 315, the Tuesdays Practicum
• Discuss How to “Suck Out All the Marrow” of the Practicum Experience (with apologies to Thoreau)
• Stress the Importance of Professional Demeanour
• Share Tips for Classroom Observations
• Answer Any Burning Questions

PART 2: POTLUCK LUNCH

Your friendly neighbourhood Social Committee is taking the reins on this one.  Look for more details soon via Facebook or, perhaps, even old school face-to-face communication in class.

PART 3: THE UBC ROPES COURSE

We’ll hit the UBC Ropes Course from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm.  The experience promises to provide challenge, team building opportunities, and fun.   The cost is $25 per person.  Please bring cash on the day as we will pay when we arrive at the course.

Check out the facility’s website if you’d like to see some photos of course participants in action.  Also, you can view this clip of high schoolers at ropes course.  It’s different than the one we’ll visit, but the video should give you a sense of what you can expect:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_82Zr1qTp8[/youtube]

Background Information

Here is some information about the course and the philosophy that guides its operation:

The UBC Ropes Course is an entirely outdoor, forested facility located between Thunderbird Stadium and 16^th Ave.  We offer a variety of great programming…

We allow all members of the team to be as active in each activity as they choose to be.  Our “Challenge by Choice” philosophy allows each team member to choose their individual challenge for each initiative– we fully understand that not everyone has the same comfort level for various challenges.  Peer pressure will not be tolerated to coerce people into doing something they do not choose to do.  However we will ask for permission to encourage all team members.

The Supply List

Here is some important information about what and what NOT to bring to this outing:

Please be sure to bring the following things to the course:

1.   Signed waiver & medical history form – we will complete these on the morning of the event

2.   Snack and a water bottle — to keep energy levels high

3.   An extra sweater or jacket — It’s always 5^oC cooler in the shade of the trees

4.   Closed toe shoes — no sandals or flip flops

Optional items:

5.   Raincoat or poncho (not umbrellas) for wet days— we run rain or shine

6.   Gloves—hanging on to ropes can occasionally cause rope burn or blisters.  Mountain bike, weight lifting, or batting gloves are the best.  Something with grip, but that fits snugly.

7.   Camera – it’s great to have lasting memories of the day, but realize that taking photos will not always possible as you will need to be an active participant in the program.

Please DO NOT bring:

• MP3 players
• Valuables
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Narcotics
• Pets
• Garden gnomes (they creep me out!)

If you have questions, please check out this list of FAQs – UBC Ropes Course FAQs.  If you still have questions, please see Shep or I in class or drop us on email.

That’s all for now.

Cheers,

Lawrence

On Monday, 28 September 2009 the BC Field Trip Fair will be happening at the Fraser River Discover Centre in New Westminster from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm.  If you’re interested and can attend, please check the website – www.bcfieltrips.ca – for more information.  Pre-registration is required.

Cheers,

Lawrence

I’ve recently subscribed to the “Today’s Middle Level Educator” audio podcast and enjoyed the few episodes I’ve listened to thus far.  Here’s a description of the show from the NMSA (National Middle School Association) website:

“Today’s Middle Level Educator, a podcast series produced by National Middle School Association, is the place to hear conversations, interviews, and commentaries from middle level practitioners, leaders, and experts. Listen online or subscribe to the podcast and listen on your computer or MP3 player.”

Visit the podcast’s website (linked above) to subscribe via iTunes.

“Transitioning From Life As A College Student To Classroom Teacher” and “Thoughts on Pre-Service Preparation” are topics of recent podcasts.

On a completely unrelated note… if you’re a movie fan, you might want to subscribe to the Filmspotting audio podcast when you’re in iTunes.  It’s an hour or so per week of fun and informative move banter.

I always enjoy the Massacre Theatre part of the show in which the hosts – Adam Kempenaar and Matty Robinson – massacre a scene from a screenplay and listeners email in with their guesses as to which movie contains the scene that was butchered.  (Believe it or not, I was the Massacre Theatre winner in Episode #258 and I won a free DVD of my choice!).  Here’s a clip of the FS boys mangling a scene from Gladiator (someone has dubbed their voices over the original voice track):

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3N5BgU-1OY[/youtube]

Happy listening,

Lawrence

I know that, after seeing my speech, many of you are dying to get your hands on a copy of Rob Reiner’s cult classic film, This is Spinal Tap, a mockumentary about the world’s worst heavy metal band.

Here’s a clip from the film to whet your appetite for the viewing extravaganza that is Tap:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll7rWiY5obI[/youtube]

… and here’s one of the film’s trailers:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZbHagBNY98&feature=related[/youtube]

Don’t all run to Blockbuster at once now!

Rock on,

– Lawrence

Attention Middle Years photographers! Each week we will be selecting a new photo for our blog header from images taken by members of our cohort. The theme of the photograph should have something to do with being “in the middle”. Submit your photos to Shep and Lawrence by email and we will post them.