Monday, March 23, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sneaky... Very Sneaky.
It seems like I only blinked and two weeks evaporated before I even had time to reflect on them. I really dove into planning my Voices in Holocaust Literature unit for the ELA 30-1's. I am passionate about the issues in this unit and more importantly, I want my students to be well prepared for their diploma exam. I am also wrapping up units with my Social 10-1'S and ELA 20-2's- both are completing major assignments.
I am a firm believer in formative assesment and have planned all of my units to be heavily formative with summative evaluation at the end after several peer-review or teacher-student workshops. I am paying for this now as I will be drowning in evaluation for the next two weeks. It seems like I spend every waking moment working on lesson planning or evaluation. This weekend I went to visit my girlfriend (the one whose grandmother is dying of brain cancer)and spent the whole time reading and commenting on student journals.I also went to visit my own grandmother and spent a lot of that time re-reading the novel I am teaching.
I just finished a round of anti-biotics to get over some inconvenient virus and I need to take better care of myself. I am well aware of the relationship between leisure time and mental/physical wellness but it doesn't change what I need to get done here or how many people I have to please. I want my students to feel that they are valued, I want their parents to believe I am teaching, and I want my mentor teacher to see creativity and know-how, and I want EVERYONE to see that I work hard. Yet every time I am temtped to become bitter about this "life-sucking" practicum I can't help but blame myself. Who I'm really trying to impress is me. I know I could rely more heavily on external resources but I instinctively opt for my own ideas. I want to find my own creative potential and offer my students personal and inspirational lessons.
What I need to do now is re-adjust my scales. I need to bring the priorities in my personal life back into balance. I need to curb my ambition for the sake of my health, my relationships, and the longevity of my career. I need to re-direct my energy towards integrating outside resources into my creative vision. I also need to take time to appreciate the small successes I am having. The students have matched my ambition with their own creativity and hard work and the results have been amazing.
I am a firm believer in formative assesment and have planned all of my units to be heavily formative with summative evaluation at the end after several peer-review or teacher-student workshops. I am paying for this now as I will be drowning in evaluation for the next two weeks. It seems like I spend every waking moment working on lesson planning or evaluation. This weekend I went to visit my girlfriend (the one whose grandmother is dying of brain cancer)and spent the whole time reading and commenting on student journals.I also went to visit my own grandmother and spent a lot of that time re-reading the novel I am teaching.
I just finished a round of anti-biotics to get over some inconvenient virus and I need to take better care of myself. I am well aware of the relationship between leisure time and mental/physical wellness but it doesn't change what I need to get done here or how many people I have to please. I want my students to feel that they are valued, I want their parents to believe I am teaching, and I want my mentor teacher to see creativity and know-how, and I want EVERYONE to see that I work hard. Yet every time I am temtped to become bitter about this "life-sucking" practicum I can't help but blame myself. Who I'm really trying to impress is me. I know I could rely more heavily on external resources but I instinctively opt for my own ideas. I want to find my own creative potential and offer my students personal and inspirational lessons.
What I need to do now is re-adjust my scales. I need to bring the priorities in my personal life back into balance. I need to curb my ambition for the sake of my health, my relationships, and the longevity of my career. I need to re-direct my energy towards integrating outside resources into my creative vision. I also need to take time to appreciate the small successes I am having. The students have matched my ambition with their own creativity and hard work and the results have been amazing.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Snow Day
In a rural community hell must literally freeze over before the buses are canceled. The first thing I do in the morning (other than uttering death threats at my alarm) is look out the window to see how early I'll need to leave to contend with mother nature. This morning I couldn't even see the front porch. By 9:00am I finally convinced myself to dig the car out (then get it stuck on the other side of the house). Tomorrow I expect pestilence or locusts.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Building Repoire
It seems I'm overdo for a seasonal plague so this week I'm having the headaches, sore throat, and upset stomach all in one convenient package. Also adding to my stress: my girlfriend's grandmother- a woman I have come to deeply admire-is succumbing to brain cancer after five battles with breast cancer. If the phrase "it never rains but it pours" hadn't already been coined somebody in Delburne would have thought it up in the past couple weeks. Beyond the tragedies immediate to our school (see Feb. 2009 posts) it seems that we- students and teachers alike- lug the gravity of our personal lives to school as well, be it a common cold, depression, or the knowledge that someone we love is suffering. The combined weight can be exhausting and I have become increasingly conscious of what helps me stay afloat. In the past two weeks I have laid the groundwork for meaningful relationships with many students. Sharing moments of humour, understanding, and success with my students has kept me motivated and optimistic about my practicum and life. I believe that at the end of the day the school should be a community of caring. We may be struggling in entirely different ways but teachers and students benefit equally from knowing that they have a community to count on when life gets heavy. I'd like to share some of the ways I have been building repoire with my students:
Share Experiences
My students began to connect with me when I shared personal stories and experiences- especially embarrassing ones. I had a ten minute lull at the end of my ELA 20-2 class earlier this week and decided to tell my students about my first experience in their small town. I had made a quick stop at the grocery store and in a rush hopped into my gold Ford Taurus and had my hands on the wheel before I realized the car wasn't mine! In fact, my (identical) car was parked right beside it. Why don't people lock their cars in this town?! The students thought this was hilarious and began to share stories of their own. This was my breakthrough with a group of students who were very hesitant to accept and respect me. Even students that have an issue with the teacher in me seem to like the "person" in me.
Recognize Individuals
My classroom is full of individuals, not generic students. I have hockey players, dancers, video gamers, and cowboys and they appreciate that I remember this. I'm making an effort to provide opportunities for my students to share who they are in class. I have started a "Canadian band of the day" ritual with my Social Studies 10-1 students. Every day we sample a couple of songs by a Canadian band that a student has done basic research on. Not only are we getting our recommended dose of Canadian content, but students have an opportunity to share their interests in music (and music is life for many students).
Have A Presence
I've learned more about my students from conversations in the hallway than in my classroom. Mornings before class, lunch hour, and my planning block have been precious opportunities for me to connect with students. Two simple phrases have dramatically changed my hallway experiences at DCHS. The first couple days of my practicum found me floating through the hallway surrounded by curious glances. I decided that I would confront students rather than leaving them to stare. "Good morning" and "how is your day going" have become habits for me. I get a burst of energy in the morning because I am greeted by my students.
Get Involved
My favorite teachers were the ones who showed up at my basketball games, dressed up for theme days, and support school fundraisers. A couple of my students have invited me (and reminded me repeatedly about) the senior boys' and girls' basketball games tomorrow night. This is another chance for me to find common ground with my students- I love basketball and I'm a vocal fan! I also made a point of bringing cash for the bake sale today. Just my luck- the cookies were sold out but I could tell that the students were excited to see me in line.
MY MOOD IN MUSIC: "Degausser" by Brand New
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Stumbling upon solutions.
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!
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!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
On The Fly
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
From despair comes...
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.
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.
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