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
The goal of today’s lesson was for Shep and I to model what your “Me in a Bag” speech might look like. On a related note, here’s what it looks like to see “Austin Powers in a Nuthshell”:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKMK3XGO27k&feature=PlayList&p=609CE7386A283778&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=18[/youtube]
Now, where was I? Oh, yes “Me in a Bag” speech. To get in an artifcact mood, we engaged in an object transformation drama activity called “What is it?” with the help of a tie belonging to Shep’s dad. The instructions for this game as well as many others can be found in this PDF file:
Drama in the Classroom Activities
After the warm-up, both Shep and I presented our speeches. Your middle school students will find graphic organizers very useful and, in a continuing effort to model best practice, we organized our speeches using this outline:
You can use this format as well or you can tweak it to suit your personal presentation style.
The guidelines for this speech are as follows:
Next class we will discuss the criteria for your presentation, you will get a chance to rehearse, and we will break into two groups for the presentations.
Halfway through the lesson we headed across Main Mall to BIO 2000 for a Digital Tattoo lecture. Much food for thought was presented and you can explore some of the thought provoking ideas at the Digital Tattoo website.
Before I end this post I want to remind you that Shep and I set out a few guidelines for sending assignments via email to help us manage the paper chase. We ask that you please:
Take care and we’ll see you – artifacts and flash drive in hand – on Monday in Scarfe 204.
– Lawrence
After a few pieces of administrivia, we got down to business. Here’s all the update that’s fit to print:
Name/Ball Pass Challenge
In an effort to further connect names to faces (not to mention to get out of our seats, active, and have some fun!), we played took the Name / Ball Pass Challenge. The instructions are here – Name / Ball Pass Instructions. The goal is to call names, pass the ball, and beat a group-selected goal time. With the help of some clever suggestions for how to tackle the task, we managed to whittle our time for one cycle of the game from 54 seconds to 18. No small feat.
Teaching is…?
Next up, we took some time to explore metaphors for teaching by completing the sentence “Teaching is…”. Groups finished this sentence with ideas such as:
Then, we asked you to extend the metaphor and consider the question: “If teaching is…, then learning to teach means…”. There were countless interesting ideas shared in class. The goal here was to get you thinking about your conceptions of teacher education and, as time goes on, we’ll see how those ideas evolve as you venture through the teacher ed program.
When the metaphorical thinking had wrapped, Shep posed the big question that this program has you explore on that journey: Is teaching for me? With each class hopefully an answer to that question will come more clearly in focus.
The What and How of Teacher Ed
To wrap up, we asked you to consider exactly what sorts of things you wanted to get out of this professional program and how you wanted to learn those things. Shep and I gathered your thoughts – written in T-charts – and we will use that information to inform the creation of a course outline for this class – EDUC 316 – and EDUC 310, Principles of Teaching.
As class went on, I touched on two topics that might be of interest to you as you start working in your practicum classroom:
Random Reign of Terror Cards
Take a deck of playing cards and write the name of each student in your class on a card. Over the years, I have used my RROT cards for countless tasks. For example, they come in handy when you want to randomly:
Differentiated Instruction
When reporting out on their teaching metaphors, one group chose to present their thinking via a role play instead of an informal oral presentation. Allowing students to play with a variety of different modes of content presentation is one aspect of differentiated instruction. You can find out more about DI in many places. Here’s a primer on Differentiated Instruction at Wikipedia.
That’s all for now.
– Lawrence
After taking up a few burning questions and puzzling over some double booking issues related to the timetables of many students, we got down to business.
Administrivia:
My Job / Your Job
Next up, we worked in small groups to create some guidelines for student and instructor behaviour. The tool we used was a My Job / Your Job T-chart. Information on this strategy can be found on the Strategies page or here: My Job / Your Job. Shep is compiling the ideas generated in class and the completed chart will be revealed and discussed in an upcoming class.
Names and Introductions
Lastly we used a Partner Interview (the write up is here and on the Strategies page: Partner Interview) to have students share information about their names. Many interesting anecdotes were shared and the process served as an important step in the development of the cohort’s identity. Here’s the PowerPoint I used to support the story of my name:
I think that’s all for now. See you on Monday.
– 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.
Welcome to all students in the Middle Years cohort. Here’s what transpired in today’s orientation:
1. Administrivia & Instructor Introductions
We took attendance and gathered contact ifnormation. Then Shep and I introduced ourselves.
2. Perspectives on the Year
Shep noted some key points around how to get the most out of the program. One idea that stood out was to be proactive; seek out opportunities and make your voice heard.
3. Mixing It Up to Build Community
We did a getting to know you mixer that involved two teaching strategies – Spend-a-Buck and Corners (a modification of Four Corners). For more information on these strategies please see the Teaching Resources page. The activity involved the TCs choosing topics of interest – topics included social justice, health & wellness, and many others – and speaking with like minded classmates before reporting out to the whole group.
Here’s the PPT presentation we used to facilitate this activity:
Mixing It Up to Build Community PPT
4. Assignment #1: Factors That Influence How We Teach
As class wound down, we handed out the first task of year. By completing this assignment, we hope to gain some valuable insight into your background that should help us understand you as a student and find you the best possible practicum placement. The task is due on Momday, 14 September. You can submit it one of two ways:
Here’s a copy of the task handout:
09-10 Factors That Influence Task How We Teach
5. Name Information to Class Tomorrow
In preparation for tomorrow’s class, we asked you to dig up some information on your name (first name for sure and, possibly, your middle and surname) – who named you? why do you have the name you do? what is the meaning of your name?
In class tomorrow, we will be using this information to introduce one another to the cohort.
6. Bits & Pieces
‘Til next time.
Lawrence