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!
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