Monthly Archives: April 2016

UBC CFE Day 5 (Friday)

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This morning, we decided that if the bus never stops where the bus stop is that we would wait where the bus stopped the last two days.  Of course this time the bus stopped exactly where we were.

To start the day we went to two English classes.  Both classes were of students the same age and were doing similar things in each class, however, the one difference between the two classes were that one was an IB class and the other was a regular English class.  Both classes had oral presentations, the IB class was presenting their oral exam practice for when they actually take their oral exam to send in to the IB officials.  The regular English class did an oral presentation on their school, life/vacations and hobbies.  It was interesting to see the how the classes were essentially teaching the same thing but the lessons were catered to two different demographics with two different end goals.

After watching the IB class, I think that it is a great idea to have an international standard of teaching and learning.  I have heard many stories about people who get their PHD in Medicine in places like China or India and their degree doesn’t mean anything without them taking another exam in Canada and the US.  I think that if there is an international standard, then there should be no problem transferring degrees across the world.

Another thing that we saw in the classrooms today was an interesting set up that could be extremely beneficial for student learning.

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As shown in the picture above, there are 4 colours of chairs that have their own individual tables and have the ability to roll around.  This is great for group work in the class, the teacher can create groups randomly by asking all people on same colour chairs to get together, or one of each colour to be in a group.  Another thing that we heard is that the tables can connect to make one big table once in a group too.  This will also help all the students that are hyperactive and have a need to constantly moving, this allows for movement within the class while staying seated and taking notes at the same time.  This is definitely something that I think Canadian schools should adopt.

UBC CFE Day 4 (Thursday)

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Today we had a busy day scheduled for us.  Our day started out as usual, waiting for the bus.  Yet again it did not stop at the bus stop, once again it stopped about 30 metres ahead of the bus stop, wonder if the bus will ever stop at the “right” place during our stay.

Today the classes we observed were a sustainability class, a 20th Century history, and a human science class, here’s what I learned in each class:

In Sustainability class, I found out about a great tool to use for teaching.  The app I found out about is slack.com.  With this app, a teacher can create a group for each class and hand out assignments and write announcements to the class without printing out anything.  Students can also use this app to post their homework as well as ask the teacher for help if he/she is online.  This app will help teachers by saving paper and ensure that students don’t lose homework/work sheets.  This will also give students the one on one help that they need outside of class.

In the 20th Century history class, I found out about another great tool for students to use during class to take notes.  The site is popplet.com.  With this site, students can write their own notes, create mind maps, insert images, even share/co-edit with a partner(s).  This site can also be used as a final project where the students add to it every unit and at the end add the teacher as an editor and he/she can mark it and add notes to it.  This helps students because they are actively engaged in the content in a way that they would be more interested in.

In the human science class I learned some classroom management tips.  The teacher of this class has a rule about electronics, each class, each students get one warning to put the phone away, after that warning is up, students have the choice of three punishments, extra homework, leave the class, or a predetermined punishment set at the beginning of the year by the class (in his class it was to bring snacks for the rest of the class the next day).  This could significantly lessen the non-academic use of electronics in class.  To implement this in my classes, I would go one step further and add a three strike rule where I take away their electronics after three strikes.  I would also lessen particular student’s chances by taking away chances if they abuse their electronics on a daily basis.

UBC CFE Day 3 (Wednesday)

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So today started out just as interesting as yesterday.  We left a little later because we knew where we were going, however once we got there a bus (not the one we are supposed to catch) pulled up and just parked in the middle of the lane, blocking our view from oncoming buses.  We had one person as a look out further up the road and one person getting ready to flag the bus down at the bus stop.  As mentioned in my previous blog post, the bus didn’t stop at the stop, instead, today it stopped about 30 metres before the bus stop.  We’ll see if the bus will make it right at the bus stop tomorrow.

Today was not a very productive day in terms of helping out around the school because of the vast amounts of events thrown for the senior students of the school.  There were teacher vs seniors soccer games, outdoor concerts and a big paint/water fight that happened.  It was interesting to see that they made graduation as big of a deal as in Canada.  Students go crazy and teachers host different events for the seniors.

UBC CFE Day 2 (Tuesday)

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Yesterday we learned something new… when a Mexican says a few blocks, it actually means less than a kilometre.  We were told to go 4 blocks in one direction to catch a bus to get to the school.  Afraid that we were going to miss the 6:12 bus, we woke up at 5:30 and headed out the door at 5:45.  After walking 10 minutes and not seeing the bus stop, we decided to turn around and go in the opposite direction.  After walking 12 minutes in the opposite direction, we finally found the place, it was literally 500m from the entrance of our apartment it was quite interesting.  On the way, we saw this gate that seemed very appropriate for us as we are on our CFE.

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The bus came 15 minutes late and the funny thing is that it doesn’t really stop at the bus stop, just approximately where it is.  It stopped to let on passengers about 10 metres past the bus stop, and here’s the kicker, it didn’t pull over, rather the driver flashed his blinkers and stopped in the middle of the road.  This is yet another story of how different our culture is to the Mexican culture.

At the school, we were introduced to various teachers and I met a Chinese teacher and we looked at each other funny wondering what another Chinese person was doing in Mexico.

The first teacher I observed was an English class, it was interesting because the teacher kept asking me for advice on grammar.  It was interesting for me because even though I speak English as my first language, I never realize how much slang we use in casual conversation, whereas here is was very proper English being taught.  What made it even more interesting was that English isn’t even the first language of many of the English teachers at the school.  Regardless, I was able to help in the class a little.  One thing that I taught the students was the difference of using “told” and “asked” when writing.  I explained that the implications are different, however using either is acceptable in written English.

Another class I observed was a literature class.  Even though the class was in Spanish, and the students were writing in Spanish, I was able to dedicate my time helping one student for the whole class.  He told me about his paper that he was writing and ran some ideas past me.  He then told me about another paper that he was expected to write about after the current paper was finished.  He asked me if I had read the poem “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe.  I told him that I had read it ages ago, but was willing to try and help him understand the poem.  So I pulled up a pdf online in English and asked him to pull up a Spanish copy for himself.  We went through the poem stanza by stanza and discussed what he thought Poe might have been saying.  Through his broken English, my almost non-existent Spanish, and our translation apps, we managed to get through one page and get some ideas flowing for him to think about.  This class showed me how valuable technology and smaller class sizes would be beneficial for classes with high ELL students.

UBC CFE Day 1 (Monday)

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So yesterday was an interesting day.  Those of us staying at the hotel congregated in the lobby eating breakfast and waiting for our bus.  Little did I know that I would be completely thrown out to fend myself (well with two colleagues) by the last half of the day.

Upon arriving to the main Mexico City campus of Technologique de Monterrey, we were introduced to all the organizers, coordinators and advisors that we would be in contact with for the duration of our stay.  Once our group of 10 dispersed into the four winds, I was ecstatic to start our journey in Santa Fe.  Maria Teresa (or Marie T) was very knowledgeable about the area that we would be working in and we learned about the everything from society and history in the short amount of time that we were in the van.  I was shocked and amazed at the amount of colour in the buildings and the fact that so many well-off families could live among poor families.

Once we arrived to the Santa Fe campus, I was blown away by how amazing the whole campus seemed, everything from the design to the size to the amazing view from the top floor.  After the tour, we went to where we would be staying…  In stark contrast to the school, it was the dingiest place that I have ever been in (and likely ever will be in).  This made me laugh a little inside, because this was similar to the whole idea of having a wealthy area amongst poor areas.

My roommates and I decided to make the best of the situation and planned out what we could do with what we were given.  We caught an Uber cab to the nearest Walmart, and bought various things that we thought we’d need for the apartment.  Between the three of us, we managed enough broken Spanish to get us home… We realized how comfortable we were in a large group of 8 people, and relying on the 1 or 2 people that were able to get by with their Spanish.  It will be interesting to see how this will play out once we are in the school setting observing and assisting.

International UBC Community Field Experience in Mexico

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Today was a great day of bonding with many of the other UBC teacher candidates that are stationed in Mexico.  We visited the Mexican Museum of Anthropology, the Castle Museum of History (in Chepultepec park), and the Metropolitan Cathedral.  I was very excited to see many of the artifacts and replicas.  I have no idea what I will be teaching at Monterrey Tech, however I know that if I teach some sort of social studies or history of Mexico, then I will have a little bit of exposure to their culture and history.

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(drawing of Pakal the Great as he was in his sarcophagus, an exhibit in the Museum of Anthropology)

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(My most proud shot of the courtyard at the Castle Museum of History)

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(Large crowds gather in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral for an outdoor concert)

Practicum weeks 9 & 10 thoughts

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These last two weeks have been a blur.  It was an emotional roller coaster where I knew I was going to pass my practicum, but I still had to work hard to make sure that I maintain the best reputation that I could.  These two weeks made me feel the most connected to my students and it was a bittersweet moment when we had to part ways.  I so moved that students who I thought were unreceptive to my teaching actually came up to me and started telling me how much they think I’m a good teacher, also other students who I knew enjoyed my lessons would come up to me and ask if there was any way I could stay and teach longer.  These comments made me feel like I had actually accomplished something in the time that I was with them.  I was even more moved when one girl who usually didn’t care in class came up to me and handed in all the homework that she had missed.

Another thing that made me burst with pride was when two students with IEPs got class average marks on the last unit test that I gave them.  This was probably the biggest accomplishment that I had this whole practicum.  One of the two students finished his test and said to me, “I’m surprised at how many questions I felt like I knew the answers to.”  This particular student got below 50% on all his previous unit tests with me, and then he suddenly had some sort of epiphany and the content stuck.  These two students with IEPs had also started gaining confidence to join in discussions and to answer questions out loud in class by the 5th or 6th week that I was with them.  I became so proud of them that every time I marked their work, I cheered every mark they got correct and  begged them in my head to get a decent mark.

This practicum has helped me grow in many dimensions.  I was able to connect with students on a personal level while still maintaining the structure, command and order that a classroom should have.  I found a balance between what I wanted to try, with what my SAs and FA wanted me to do, and what students wanted to do in class.  I cannot express my gratitude for all the mentorship that I got from different staff, not just my SAs, and also my appreciation for the students who accepted me as their teacher and learned from me.

Practicum week 8 thoughts

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For week 8 I was challenged to reflect on my practicum by my Faculty Advisor,  here were the questions to consider and my answers to them.  It definitely made me think about what I had actually achieved in the short amount of time that I was at McNair Secondary School

1.How have you contributed to the school community (what were you involved in outside of the classroom)?

I have contributed to the school community by guest judging in McNair’s singing competition, playing on the teacher’s lunch hour intramural sports team, and coaching and sponsoring the grade 8 boys’ volleyball team

2.Describe the different ways that you addressed diversity in the classroom (provided individualized instruction – adapted or modified- or helped students that needed additional support)?

In PE class, I did not need to address individualized instruction as all students were able to understand through my demonstrations, and all students with disabilities had their own personal Educational Assistants who would help them.

 In Socials class, I addressed diversity by teaching with different multimedia tools and using a variety of activities that accommodate different types of learning styles.  I additionally supported students by offering myself outside of class time (e.g. lunch time, after school), in these situations, I would sit down with students and guide them to appropriate answers for projects and assignments by asking guiding questions.  For in class work or test time, I allow students who need/ask for extra help to go to the learning resources room.

3.List some of the different assessment practices you used beyond tests, quizzes, and questioning.

Think-pair-share

K/W/L

Carousel activity

Jigsaw activity

4.Give some examples of how you used group work in your lessons.

Paired projects

Group presentations

Creating a “talk show”

Jigsaw activity

Carousel activity

5.Give some examples of interesting hooks that you used in class to capture the students’ interest (how did you motivate the class)?

Video clips relating to course content (e.g. instructional, skits, songs, movie clips)

Picture analysis

Quote analysis

Current events/interesting thought or video (unrelated to course content) of the day

6.Give some examples of innovative teaching practices and/or creative activities that you used to engage students in learning (aside from lecture, power point, question & answer, lab experiments)

Jeopardy review

Kahoot

Creating a talk show

Drawing comics

Writing short stories

Simulations

7.Describe a lesson that you are particularly proud of.  Why are you proud of this lesson and why do you feel it was so effective?

I was particularly proud of my simulation lesson of French culture and social classes before the rise of the French Revolution.  My simulation generated feelings similar to that of the actual people of the French society of that time.  I had students try to start an uprising on the people who were “wealthy” in the simulation.  The actual words said during the simulation were, “Can we start a Revolution and take their money from them…” I was pleased because I did not expect the feelings to actual rise up in this way, I just wanted them to get an appreciation and general idea of how different social classes felt.  This lesson was effective because in lessons after that, I could refer back to their feelings during the simulation to give them a more personal perspective on why different events happened the way they did during the French Revolution (e.g. why did certain people rise to power, why did the general public allow these people rise to power, what sort of things were promised to the general public that would sound appealing to agree to let these people rise to power, etc.)

8.What professional development activities have you participated in?

Professional development day at Cambie Secondary School

Collaboration day meetings

McNair staff meetings

Networking with veteran teachers from various schools and TOCs by sharing ideas and receiving practical advice

9.Is there any other information that you would like to share that would help me with your report?

All teachers and TOCs who observed my lessons have told me that I do a good job building strong relationships with my students.  Most students respect my authority and work hard to do well in my class.  Two out of the three classes that I taught were disappointed when they found out when I announced when I was leaving and specifically asked if I could stay longer.

Practicum week 7 thoughts

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This week I attempted to put my inquiry project to use and had both my PE 10 and PE 11/12 do an inventing games unit.  Over the span of four days, the students invented games that were very genius in nature and their peers seemed to have a lot of fun playing the different games.  Based on my observations, the grade 11/12s had no problem doing the unit, in fact they seemed to enjoy it because it gave them a lot of “free time”.  My grade 10 students on the other hand did what was required of them, but they seemed to be going through the motions.  I explained to them that this was the testing of a new concept of teaching and that most of my colleagues are also trying it out at their practicum schools.  At the end of the unit, I asked them for feedback and they all thought that it was not as enjoyable as actually playing traditional games.  Upon conferring with other colleagues, one had the exact same response from her grade 9s and a few others will report back once they have tried their inventing games units with their classes.

I think one problem that has been brought up before by other UBC BEd students and former BEd students is how much they disliked the amount of theory that the program teaches us about.  At the retail store that I work at, I get a lot of teachers as customers and they all say very similar things about the program.  I wonder if there is a way to actually take away theory and actually test things so that every year, the new teacher candidates will learn things that are not theoretical, and instead will learn things about what was tested by the previous year’s teacher candidates.  All the theoretical things taught to us seem so interesting, exciting and new to us, but to the students, it seems like we’re taking away their enjoyment of PE.  I believe that if we are to be true to our goal of developing life long activity in our students, we need to take away theory and use previous application experiences to guide our teaching methods.