I had a great time teaching at Juniata High School! It was a completely different experience than Central Mountain! I taught a lesson entitled "Understanding values, beliefs, character, and integrity" It was a pretty deep lesson...
I taught all day, and even after teaching 6 periods I felt less drained than one period for three days at Central Mountain. I had at least a dozen students that sat through the lesson two or three times. The students we're very smart they learned real fast to dig their papers out of the trash can or keep them folded nicely in their folder for all of the periods they had to sit through. One boy had four periods so he definitely understands values, beliefs, character, and integrity.
What was great to see was the leadership through out the classes, the students that had the lesson more than once stepped up to help give direction to the students around them.
This was the first time I could actually feel the enthusiasm in myself while teaching. The first period class was 26 freshman and they we're a little crazy, but it was fun, and after they left Mrs. Morgan said..."And your still smiling."
Some things I struggled with was determining what was when I had to much to cover in one period what do I keep and what do I leave out. Every period I made different decisions as to what I would keep and what I would leave out. Since there were so many students that were repeats I also tried to change up the instruction so it wasn't to boring for them, that was really hard. The power of proximity control is a pretty great thing! But I have on student that could care less how close you are. I was pretty much hanging over his desk trying to get closer and closer and he didn't care, I'll definitely remember him in the spring...
The objectives for the students and my objectives we're very different. My objectives were to get a feel for the different classes and how the students interacted with each other, how they learned, and what motivated them. I feel that I met my objectives and I think the students met their objectives as well.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Central Mountain Micro-Teaching
Day 1
I knew from the beginning that day one would be a success. I had a lengthy lesson that I thought would carry into day two and it would be fun and engaging. And it was fun and engaging and should have carried into day two, according to my learner satisfaction forms (LSF) my students felt that it was to much information for day 1.
I thought I built some rapport with the students and I was working on learning names and I though I was set up for three days of a fun teaching experience.
My lesson was on the color wheel. I found a video online from The Floral Design Institute with a very simple way to understand the color wheel. It all clicked in my head right after watching it because she did such a good job. At the end of her video she said email me and I will send you a small color wheel to keep in your design shop. So I did email her and asked for a color wheel for each of my students, to my surprise she actually sent me a small color wheel for each student along with two large color wheels! I was very excited. To teach the lessons I gave the students coloring pages the color wheels and as I taught the different color harmonies I had the students paint their pages using the harmonies learned. The students really enjoyed the activity and I felt that they learned the information.
Day 2
I came into class excited for the second day because I thought I had a fun activity planned and I knew some students names which I was excited about.
Day two was "the history of the cornucopia" there are two origins of the cornucopia and they are stories from Greek Mythology. I planned to split the class into four groups and have two groups perform a skit and two groups create some type of art work to depict the events of the story. Dr. Foster gave me the idea to make it mission impossible: split the class into four groups, give each group an envelope of their "mission" and give them an amount of time to complete it in. Ms. Hack had the art supplies for students creating a project and it just so happened that when the filing cabinet was locked and wouldn't open. So right before class I had to change plans all students were doing a skit. Turns out Dr. Foster's idea and Ms Hack's filing cabinet issues were my answered prayers for the day. If I had to tell all of the students they were doing a skit I would have had 23 girls all at once telling me they didn't want to do a skit, and if there we're two groups doing a project rather than a skit the other groups would have complained the whole time that it was unfair.
To make a long story short I had to play bad cop and make them do it anyway.
Day 3
It was time to make the cornucopias! What was suppose to be the most fun and they didn't get to do much. I started by giving them a quiz, the students weren't happy at all. They also took 20 minutes to do the quiz, I should have told them 10 minutes tops and they would hand it in whether they we're done or not. I had visited my local florist to get help in making the cornucopia, she made a display for me and I took pictures of her as she was making it and put a PowerPoint together to show the students. Some of the comments I received on my LSF was they wanted a demonstration... which is what I did in the PowerPoint. Regardless, they apparently didn't listen to a word I said. When we went to the shop I tried to tell them different things that would help but they didn't care to listen. And in reality there were only about 4 students that we're disrespectful, the rest of the students we're really great, but it only takes one to ruin an experience. Because of the time taken with the quiz and the PowerPoint they really only had enough time to gather their materials.
What I learned:
- Students really like hands on as long as they can stay in their seats and they hate anything that requires getting in front of the class, even though they have no problem being the one to talk all period, it's different when they're in their seat.
- Always address the need to know, because they will ask, Students will not do something if they can't see the purpose.
- Always give the students the amount of time they have to work on something, other wise they will take 10 minutes to do something that should have been done in 5.
- Nip bad behaviors in the but right away. As soon as they get away with it once, they think they can get away with it every time
- Learn the students names! Its much easier to facilitate a class when you know names, and it makes it more personal when you correct bad behavior and compliment good behavior.
- Show enthusiasm, when you're not the students think your mad and upset with them and they either cannot learn, they are afraid to volunteer answers, or they behave poorly to combat your attitude.
- Be thankful for the students at my cooperating center!
I knew from the beginning that day one would be a success. I had a lengthy lesson that I thought would carry into day two and it would be fun and engaging. And it was fun and engaging and should have carried into day two, according to my learner satisfaction forms (LSF) my students felt that it was to much information for day 1.
I thought I built some rapport with the students and I was working on learning names and I though I was set up for three days of a fun teaching experience.
My lesson was on the color wheel. I found a video online from The Floral Design Institute with a very simple way to understand the color wheel. It all clicked in my head right after watching it because she did such a good job. At the end of her video she said email me and I will send you a small color wheel to keep in your design shop. So I did email her and asked for a color wheel for each of my students, to my surprise she actually sent me a small color wheel for each student along with two large color wheels! I was very excited. To teach the lessons I gave the students coloring pages the color wheels and as I taught the different color harmonies I had the students paint their pages using the harmonies learned. The students really enjoyed the activity and I felt that they learned the information.
Day 2
I came into class excited for the second day because I thought I had a fun activity planned and I knew some students names which I was excited about.
Day two was "the history of the cornucopia" there are two origins of the cornucopia and they are stories from Greek Mythology. I planned to split the class into four groups and have two groups perform a skit and two groups create some type of art work to depict the events of the story. Dr. Foster gave me the idea to make it mission impossible: split the class into four groups, give each group an envelope of their "mission" and give them an amount of time to complete it in. Ms. Hack had the art supplies for students creating a project and it just so happened that when the filing cabinet was locked and wouldn't open. So right before class I had to change plans all students were doing a skit. Turns out Dr. Foster's idea and Ms Hack's filing cabinet issues were my answered prayers for the day. If I had to tell all of the students they were doing a skit I would have had 23 girls all at once telling me they didn't want to do a skit, and if there we're two groups doing a project rather than a skit the other groups would have complained the whole time that it was unfair.
To make a long story short I had to play bad cop and make them do it anyway.
Day 3
It was time to make the cornucopias! What was suppose to be the most fun and they didn't get to do much. I started by giving them a quiz, the students weren't happy at all. They also took 20 minutes to do the quiz, I should have told them 10 minutes tops and they would hand it in whether they we're done or not. I had visited my local florist to get help in making the cornucopia, she made a display for me and I took pictures of her as she was making it and put a PowerPoint together to show the students. Some of the comments I received on my LSF was they wanted a demonstration... which is what I did in the PowerPoint. Regardless, they apparently didn't listen to a word I said. When we went to the shop I tried to tell them different things that would help but they didn't care to listen. And in reality there were only about 4 students that we're disrespectful, the rest of the students we're really great, but it only takes one to ruin an experience. Because of the time taken with the quiz and the PowerPoint they really only had enough time to gather their materials.
What I learned:
- Students really like hands on as long as they can stay in their seats and they hate anything that requires getting in front of the class, even though they have no problem being the one to talk all period, it's different when they're in their seat.
- Always address the need to know, because they will ask, Students will not do something if they can't see the purpose.
- Always give the students the amount of time they have to work on something, other wise they will take 10 minutes to do something that should have been done in 5.
- Nip bad behaviors in the but right away. As soon as they get away with it once, they think they can get away with it every time
- Learn the students names! Its much easier to facilitate a class when you know names, and it makes it more personal when you correct bad behavior and compliment good behavior.
- Show enthusiasm, when you're not the students think your mad and upset with them and they either cannot learn, they are afraid to volunteer answers, or they behave poorly to combat your attitude.
- Be thankful for the students at my cooperating center!
Friday, November 15, 2013
Inquiry Based Lab Reflection
By far my best lab. Which is a big shocker given it was the most difficult. Dr. Foster gave an excellent model of IBI when teaching about the technique, and having the opportunity to watch it in action with Mr. Clark, and then having Mr. Clark put us through the ringer was a great experience. It all really helped things to click in my head. But I was still stuck on the idea that we needed to use the scientific method, the original model and the requirement of "a piece of scientific equipment" had me in that mindset, so I designed mine around it and it went just fine.
The root of my success was my content knowledge. I felt most comfortable with this lab because was very comfortable with the material.
One of the things stressed to us was that the students can have whatever they want but they needed to ask for it. To facilitate this I kept two items from the students until they asked for it.
1. The Salt
2. The Recipe for Ice Cream in a Bag
The question was "Does fat content affect the freezing point of milk?" I had an idea that it would, but I never had a chance to test it first myself so I was also anticipating the results, and it turns out that it does.
Like Mr. Clark had done, I first had the students brainstorm what they could measure with the items on the front table, and I then gave them a reading about the freezing point of milk. One thing I struggle with is remembering that people really are NOT psychic and can NOT read my mind. I always assume that because I'm thinking it people will just know. This is definitely need to work on. My thoughts were:
"The reading is about the freezing point of milk and I have heavy cream and skim milk on the front table, I'm basically spoon feeding them"
I wasn't.
They did get what I wanted to some degree but I formed the question for them which I planned on doing anyway.
Something that I really had to stress to the students was "what is frozen milk" and "utilize all of the materials on the front table!" Once again I assumed that they knew how to make ice cream in a bag but surprisingly they didn't so It was really exciting to watch them learn how!
I really enjoyed this lab because the learners were very engaged, so engaged that they forgot about their classroom management roles. Of course their is always room for improvement but I do feel pretty good about this one.
My biggest achievement with this lab was effectively utilizing PowerPoint, i am getting better at knowing how visual resources can amp my lessons!
Next Lab: Real Students at a Real School! Very excited =D
The root of my success was my content knowledge. I felt most comfortable with this lab because was very comfortable with the material.
One of the things stressed to us was that the students can have whatever they want but they needed to ask for it. To facilitate this I kept two items from the students until they asked for it.
1. The Salt
2. The Recipe for Ice Cream in a Bag
The question was "Does fat content affect the freezing point of milk?" I had an idea that it would, but I never had a chance to test it first myself so I was also anticipating the results, and it turns out that it does.
Like Mr. Clark had done, I first had the students brainstorm what they could measure with the items on the front table, and I then gave them a reading about the freezing point of milk. One thing I struggle with is remembering that people really are NOT psychic and can NOT read my mind. I always assume that because I'm thinking it people will just know. This is definitely need to work on. My thoughts were:
"The reading is about the freezing point of milk and I have heavy cream and skim milk on the front table, I'm basically spoon feeding them"
I wasn't.
They did get what I wanted to some degree but I formed the question for them which I planned on doing anyway.
Something that I really had to stress to the students was "what is frozen milk" and "utilize all of the materials on the front table!" Once again I assumed that they knew how to make ice cream in a bag but surprisingly they didn't so It was really exciting to watch them learn how!
I really enjoyed this lab because the learners were very engaged, so engaged that they forgot about their classroom management roles. Of course their is always room for improvement but I do feel pretty good about this one.
My biggest achievement with this lab was effectively utilizing PowerPoint, i am getting better at knowing how visual resources can amp my lessons!
Next Lab: Real Students at a Real School! Very excited =D
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