I've found the best way to solve a problem is to step away from the immediate issue and leave my mind open to new possibilities as I stumble upon them. If you know me well enough you're thinking that this sounds a bit too happy-go-lucky for a control freak. Perhaps "stumbling" isn't the best word for my process. I use the same critical and creative processes I preach to my students to construct unique solutions out of the possibilities and inspirations I encounter every day. Here's an example:
On Thursday I was stressing about what I'd do the next day with Mr. Banks' ELA 20-2 (applied language arts) students while he was hosting another staff conference. I've mentioned in other posts that the 20-2's are a tough crowd. Earlier this week I'd had reasonable success reviewing story elements with them but they were expressely disinterested in "reading more stupid short stories". In fact, 10 minutes of independent reading is a miracle with some of these students! What I needed was a story that would actually engage the students and a way for them to analyze story elements with limited note taking (too many notes means an angry mob). By the end of the day I had brainstormed myself into a rut and left to take my sister to her drum lessons.
On the way home from drumming I was subjecting Tess to a tour of my Ipod when "The Mariner's Revenge Song" by The Decemberists came on. I proceeded to rant about how the song was really a story with background music when I had one of those brick to the head epiphanies. What better way to engage the students in a story?!! "The Mariner's Revenge Song" isn't pop music by any stretch but it features a Tim Burtonesque storyline and a toe tapping rhythm. I decided that I would print out the lyrics and have the students follow along while I played the song.
A close look at the lyrics revealed everything I was hoping for: some challenging vocabulary, fabulous imagery, and all six story elements were viable for discussion. I decided to add a visual element to the lesson as well. Instead of having students make notes I found sets of coloured highlighters they could use to colour code hints in the story that informed them of the important elements. Finally, I planned for the students to work on the vocabulary in groups and contribute their answers on the board- the busier they stay the better.
The lesson was a huge success. I even noticed some toes tapping as the 20-2's followed the song without a single complaint. Colour coding kept students more involved than the usual note taking and I could't believe the outcome. The 20-2's were making important connections that they wouldn't even touch in the previous lesson simply because they were engaged. I had a lot less trouble with classroom management because there were so many transitions in the lesson. I hadn't planned for this but between listening to the music, using the dictionaries, writing on the board, colour coding, and discussing, the students had few opportunities to complain or wander off task. There were a few discipline issues as usual, but at the end of this lesson I felt great about the students and my teaching.
Today's vocabulary lesson, courtesy of my ELA 20-2's:
Here's a dramatic adaptation of the song. The story has great curricular potential. I heard that The Decemberists were a Canadian band but it turns out they're from Portland Oregon. Definitely worth a listen!
Today flew by on an air of determination. The school community is absorbing their latest dose of tragedy (see 02/24/09 post) with resolve. Students and teachers are emotionally exhausted but they continue to strive for the sense of community that was so important to their late colleague- a trust fund is being set up and students will be invited to submit cards and donations.
Mr. Banks was busy hosting a staff development conference today and I was responsible for all three of his classes. My grade tens and twelves were fantastically co-operative as expected but it was the infamously stubborn grade elevens that made my day. I haven't had a lot of exposure to the elevens but my few interactions have been very frustrating. I was nervous about how they would respond to my authority without Mr. Banks nearby and was pleasantly surprised (read utterly shocked) by their co-operation today. I am drowning in self satisfaction as I type this: it wasn't a miracle, it was good planning!
As I mentioned, today was fast paced and I didn't have a lot of time to plan a lesson on story elements that Mr. Banks warned me about well in advance (read 20 minutes before the class started). I assumed that the elevens would be relatively familiar with story elements as they are a curricular mainstay from elementary school onward. Before I plunged them into a short story and paragraph response I decided that I would do an elements review. WELL. Blank stares all around! For this group every free moment is an opportunity to drift irreversibly off topic so I had to modify my lesson on the fly. I decided that we would do the assignment together so the students would have a chance to see and discuss story elements as they encountered them. I abandoned my theoretical approach and explained the elements in terms of video games and blockbuster movies. Some of the students drifted off but I chose not to nitpick and focused on keeping the lesson moving so I wouldn't lose the whole class. Results! The students were "slightly" engaged but the small victories eventually add up.
Conflict: Teacher (character) vs. Boredom Rising Action: Students don't connect with my lesson. Climax: I modify the lesson on the fly! Resolution: Students understand content and interact. Theme: A dynamic classroom requires a dynamic teacher.
I have been preparing a unit for my ELA 30-1 class on "voice... what is it and how do we use it?". We will be examining how authors project their voices through various textual and visual forms to share experiences and make social commentaries. To set a context for the unit Mr. Banks and I selected a variety of works adressing the Holocaust. This is not the topic of the evening but I wanted to acknowledge the uncanny parallels between the themes I will be exploring with my students and the present circumstances of their community. Delving into Holocaust literature will challenge the students to reflect on humanity's capacity for evil and suffering, hope and resillience. I am mourning the fact that these kids got a head start yesterday.
This is week two of my practicum at Delburne Centralized. It didn't take long to sense the strain of a small community being tugged at the seams. In the past couple years DCHS has been at the centre of several tragedies including two student fatalities and the passing of two parents. The teachers are emotionally exhuasted and bullying and depression have a strong presence amongst students. Sadly, yesterday brought the community to a new pinnacle of tragedy. Out of respect for those affected I will be brief about the details: on Monday DCHS lost a staff member, three students lost their mother, and a homicide investigation is underway.
I had no expectations for how today would unfold. In this profound darkness I am wide eyed and learning so much about hope and resillience. The staff and students assembled today and went through the motions with more grace than I could have imagined. I admire the honesty and humanity that DCHS staff are offering their students. I also admire the composure of my students and the dignity they contributed.
The gravity of all this has yet to set in for me and presumably many other staff and students. This will be a time of careful observation. Many of our students were already struggling with the weight of life and this could become a breaking point. The administration has been proactive in providing counselling for staff and students but my small town experience suggests that students and staff will be relying on personal relationships to get through this.
I am an observer more than a participant but this is an experience that I will not take for granted. I have a feeling that I will be the student and my students the teachers as we explore voices of suffering and resilience next month.
If “newb” is still a fashionable word it fits me in every sense. I am a student teacher completing my final practicum at a small k-12 school in rural Alberta. The more time I spend in the classroom the newer I feel to my profession. I am constantly amazed by the creativity and innovation of the teachers and students that I encounter.
I am very fortunate in having Mr. Stephen Banks and his partner in crime Mr. John Ferguson as mentors for my practicum. Banks and Ferguson are devoted to creating 21 century classrooms but what does this mean? I have decided to concentrate my practicum experience on exploring what it means to be a 21 century teacher and learner. I think that this is a wavelength I’ve been on for quite some time but without a full consciousness of the implications. In countless professional reflections I have noted technology as indispensable to authentic assessment, relevant lessons, and constructivist learning. That these reflections took place on paper attests to the fact that I am not walking the walk! I’m considering this blog my maiden voyage into the realm of 21 century learning. What an epically vague term… When Banks and Ferguson get on the topic they practically speak a different language! I’ve been gathering terms and concepts for further “deciphering”:
Archaic Terms New Literacy Web 2.0 “Open” learning, resources, conferencing, etc.
Resources To Explore Twitter Jing Voice Threads Ning Sites Wiki Sites Google Docs
“New Literacy” is perhaps the most crucial concept in 21 Century Learning. From what I understand the “new literacy” is a call for people to become both familiar and comfortable with the technology around us. This is especially important for teachers as we must equip our students for the media/technology rich world around them. New possibilities for communication are appearing daily and embracing them may empower our learners in ways previously unimaginable. I’m excited to join the conversation!
