It is both shocking and exciting that I'm already half way through PSII! What, thirteen or so days of class to go? It is unbelievable how fast time can fly when you're so engaged and focused on the day-to-day tasks of teaching. Either way, it is comforting that with every week I've gained new insight into teaching, become aware of areas to continue to improve, and had positive and rewarding experiences with my students.
As I've discussed before, I have a lot to work on, and I know that as long as I teach, I will have professional development goals. My classroom management, differentiation and questioning skills are three areas in which I hope to continue to develop as the practicum progresses. Although a seating plan is certainly an option when attempting to improve proximity to struggling students, I still want to try a few more scanning and differentiation techniques. Simple tasks like having students paraphrase instructions can go a long way in ensuring understanding. Differentiating is certainly an essential and comprehensive aspect of teaching. Learning difficulties coupled with poor attendance makes keeping on top of student needs a significant challenge that requires a great deal of organization and careful record-keeping.
I think that my pacing has certainly improved with my 10-1s. Now that I know student abilities and work habits, I can set out basic chunks of time, and specifically approach/deal with certain students while the whole class works independently. With the 10-2s, however, my pacing requires a bit more development and thought. Some students simply have trouble completing tasks, others don't use their time wisely, while others have ample time to complete tasks. Within a 70 minute period, heavy short-term differentiation can be somewhat difficult, but as I continue to practice creating resources and learning tools like graphic organizers and handouts, I feel that students are being better equipped to work productively.
As I enter into the second half of the practicum, I intend to continue to try my best and use my time wisely in planning, marking, and completing administrative tasks. Balance is such an important aspect of staying well, and as I continue teaching, I'm becoming increasingly confident and comfortable in the high school setting. When I can be relaxed as I teach, I think learning comes more naturally for the students. It was neat to watch my TA teach a lesson today in 20-1. Again, with experience, her overall presence in the class was relaxed with just enough control to keep students on task. With each lesson, as long as I am comfortable with the material, I know where I want to go, and I have confident management, I can become less and less stressed about the "mechanics" of teaching English, and focus more and more on making the learning experience come alive.
By the end of the practicum, I hope to exceed expectations in all areas, but particularly improve in questioning and management. Luckily, my 10-1s are a great group. I have a few students with behavioural issues in my 10-2 class which I am still learning to deal with effectively. The balance between escalation and ignorance is a fine one, and I am continuing to explore the gray area of "picking battles".
All in all, I think that, if nothing else, I learn something new each day. Whether it is an "Aha" moment, a "never do that again" experience, or perhaps new ideas or resources from others, I will leave PSII with a new, more refined understanding of teaching high school English and teaching as a whole.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Entry #5: Reflections on Class-End and Practicum-Start
Wow! My title screams with awkward grammatical despair; oh well, I'm slowly exploring my use of the hyphen.
Though it seems like "forever ago", I'll start with what I thought of Integration Day and that blurry period in which is incessantly stressed about the ensuing practicum. For me, our formal Integration Day reiterated the "what-you-make-it" aspect of studying and pursuing education. So many teachers that I've spoken with have suggested the "born, not made" philosophy of teachers. While I nevertheless think that skills can certainly be attained and further developed, sometimes, I think that much of teaching is comfort and willingess to be yourself and relax. Even still, I'm undecided about what makes teachers, but I think that a lot of what is taught in our education courses necessitate for individual application and exploration. So often it is easy to complain about what we don't learn or what is dreadfully emphasized, but fail to take the task into our own hands of actually "playing with" the material we're given, rather than just memorizing it to fill in on a test. Integration is, in my opinion, the most important part of preparing to enter the classroom following weeks of theoretically-based coursework. For me, I think I had pretty much done my "integration-reflection" before we all met; at the same time, it was beneficial to share with others and sum-up what we had been doing for the last weeks.
I eventually started to enjoy planning my unit. As we had previously discussed, I found it difficult planning for a group of learners that I really had little knowledge about. How fast can they read? What are they interested in? What is actually important at this level? How many assignments? Do I need chapter questions? Quizzes? Even while I knew I'd have to change much of my planning, it was still nice to enter with a "plan of action". It was wonderful to work alongside Nicole C., as she planned a very similar unit, save for a different schedule. Bouncing ideas back and forth was a great way to further develop and mold my "stuff" into a workable unit of instruction.
I guess I can start easing "into the practicum", which is going so well. Again, as I've mentioned before, I have a difficulty with the fact that perfection is elusive and incredibly challenging to measure and attain in the field of education. Being a quasi-perfectionist, I sometimes find teaching painful, because as soon as I say, do or think something, I automatically reassess and wince at simple errors. Bittersweet, I suppose. However, with my practicum thus far, I have tried very hard to maintain a positive attitude that emphasizes growth, not perfection. Whether mentally, on paper, or in lesson reflections, I am developing a nice list of "next times...", and "ahas" for future experiences. Whether it is direction-giving, attention-getting, plot-disclosing, marking...the list goes on...I know that if nothing else, I am learning how to be a better teacher.
I am starting to really enjoy my students. Of course, there are a few that are challenging. When I was placed in the first grade for PSI, I was nervous. In piano and swimming lessons, I am fine with young students for short periods. I am patient when students have trouble understanding or doing new things; I am not, however, patient when students fail to try and are ummotivated. So, then, when I have come to discover that many tenth grade students are so similar to six-year-olds, I have a little less patience! At least the kids in grade one are cute and try their best! The fact that there is a lot of babysitting, catch-up and tag in high school somewhat came as a small surprize. It is ironic that it is more work for me than for the students that choose not to work. There is a lot of administrative work involved with record-keeping and such that is important. I want my students to be successful, but I also want them to have responsibility.
As you know, I really want to teach G+T, IB or AP; it came as a small surprize, then, that I thus far prefer my 10-2 class to my 10-1! They might be non-attenders, low-achievers, and students with behaviour issues, but they are engaging, relatively willing to participate and receptive! My 10-1s, while some are certainly wonderful, are much more hesitant to participate in class discussion, are more reluctant to perform exceptionally on work, and so on. I really need to find some tactics to get them highly motivated and excited. I want to authentically assess them, and want to avoid drowning them with chapter questions and chapter quizzes; however, some probably aren't reading, and can coast through novel studies by simply listening in class. I had my 10-1s bring character artefacts and write rationales, and probably half of the class directly referred to similar objects that I had suggested or topics that were somewhat heavily discussed in class. ...at least they're listening? haha. Unfortunately, I'm already four chapters behind, but will catch up next week. C'est la vie? I sort of regret giving my students my tentative calendar at the beginning; I hope they don't think I'm horrible if we're so off the map. Lesson learned.
Though I still love my alma mater, (Churchill), LCI is starting to grow on me. The English department is quite welcoming, and my TA gives great feedback and lots of assistance. I'm starting to help with National Honour Society next week, so I'm really excited about that. My friend Jory is a PSII in Drama, and is teaching a musical theatre unit in her Audition class, which I have the pleasure of accompanying in my Mod40 spare.
My 10-2s are starting a unit on Heroes. Though extrinsic rewards aren't always ideal, for these students, incentives like hat-wearing, cheesy prizes, and video clips and such are quite promising thus far. Planning my second unit next weekend was great after having had a week in 10-1 and watching the 10-2s. Knowing their attendance, their abilities and such made it much easier to structure a unit with a considerable amount breathing space. (This does, however, mean a lot of short-term planning along the way.) As I want to work on my own creative writing skills, I'm trying to write a short story with a subtle heroic element that will appeal to my students. My students can hopefully help me edit it, and perhaps inspire them to write their own. My biggest concern with my Heroes unit is my progressive approach to major assignments. There is a definite clash of concern with the 10-2 students, in that: a) they don't attend regularly; b) they generally need lots of chunking and small sequential steps in instruction. As such, when we write our final essay, we'll be writing one part per class. For the students that miss class, they will be at an unfortunate disadvantage. Even still, I hope that their attendance improves, or that my handouts and resources will serve effectively in "self-learning" if necessary.
Disclaimer: I'm clicking "publish" without editing or checking for errors.
Well, to conclude this somewhat all-over-the-place reflection, I was quite pleased with PSII. Again, the most important aspect for me is the application, which isn't easy. Considering so many aspects of teaching/learning all the time is a challenge when bombarded with myriad "to dos". Even in high school teachers wear many hats, and it can prove difficult to wear them all at once without dropping one or two. Weighing the importance of some issues is essential to "getting through" a day. As I start into the second week, I hope to improve my clarity of instruction, to better communicate with my students with disabilities and their aide, to more skilfully lead discussions about the novel, and to continue to increase my confidence and classroom management.
Though it seems like "forever ago", I'll start with what I thought of Integration Day and that blurry period in which is incessantly stressed about the ensuing practicum. For me, our formal Integration Day reiterated the "what-you-make-it" aspect of studying and pursuing education. So many teachers that I've spoken with have suggested the "born, not made" philosophy of teachers. While I nevertheless think that skills can certainly be attained and further developed, sometimes, I think that much of teaching is comfort and willingess to be yourself and relax. Even still, I'm undecided about what makes teachers, but I think that a lot of what is taught in our education courses necessitate for individual application and exploration. So often it is easy to complain about what we don't learn or what is dreadfully emphasized, but fail to take the task into our own hands of actually "playing with" the material we're given, rather than just memorizing it to fill in on a test. Integration is, in my opinion, the most important part of preparing to enter the classroom following weeks of theoretically-based coursework. For me, I think I had pretty much done my "integration-reflection" before we all met; at the same time, it was beneficial to share with others and sum-up what we had been doing for the last weeks.
I eventually started to enjoy planning my unit. As we had previously discussed, I found it difficult planning for a group of learners that I really had little knowledge about. How fast can they read? What are they interested in? What is actually important at this level? How many assignments? Do I need chapter questions? Quizzes? Even while I knew I'd have to change much of my planning, it was still nice to enter with a "plan of action". It was wonderful to work alongside Nicole C., as she planned a very similar unit, save for a different schedule. Bouncing ideas back and forth was a great way to further develop and mold my "stuff" into a workable unit of instruction.
I guess I can start easing "into the practicum", which is going so well. Again, as I've mentioned before, I have a difficulty with the fact that perfection is elusive and incredibly challenging to measure and attain in the field of education. Being a quasi-perfectionist, I sometimes find teaching painful, because as soon as I say, do or think something, I automatically reassess and wince at simple errors. Bittersweet, I suppose. However, with my practicum thus far, I have tried very hard to maintain a positive attitude that emphasizes growth, not perfection. Whether mentally, on paper, or in lesson reflections, I am developing a nice list of "next times...", and "ahas" for future experiences. Whether it is direction-giving, attention-getting, plot-disclosing, marking...the list goes on...I know that if nothing else, I am learning how to be a better teacher.
I am starting to really enjoy my students. Of course, there are a few that are challenging. When I was placed in the first grade for PSI, I was nervous. In piano and swimming lessons, I am fine with young students for short periods. I am patient when students have trouble understanding or doing new things; I am not, however, patient when students fail to try and are ummotivated. So, then, when I have come to discover that many tenth grade students are so similar to six-year-olds, I have a little less patience! At least the kids in grade one are cute and try their best! The fact that there is a lot of babysitting, catch-up and tag in high school somewhat came as a small surprize. It is ironic that it is more work for me than for the students that choose not to work. There is a lot of administrative work involved with record-keeping and such that is important. I want my students to be successful, but I also want them to have responsibility.
As you know, I really want to teach G+T, IB or AP; it came as a small surprize, then, that I thus far prefer my 10-2 class to my 10-1! They might be non-attenders, low-achievers, and students with behaviour issues, but they are engaging, relatively willing to participate and receptive! My 10-1s, while some are certainly wonderful, are much more hesitant to participate in class discussion, are more reluctant to perform exceptionally on work, and so on. I really need to find some tactics to get them highly motivated and excited. I want to authentically assess them, and want to avoid drowning them with chapter questions and chapter quizzes; however, some probably aren't reading, and can coast through novel studies by simply listening in class. I had my 10-1s bring character artefacts and write rationales, and probably half of the class directly referred to similar objects that I had suggested or topics that were somewhat heavily discussed in class. ...at least they're listening? haha. Unfortunately, I'm already four chapters behind, but will catch up next week. C'est la vie? I sort of regret giving my students my tentative calendar at the beginning; I hope they don't think I'm horrible if we're so off the map. Lesson learned.
Though I still love my alma mater, (Churchill), LCI is starting to grow on me. The English department is quite welcoming, and my TA gives great feedback and lots of assistance. I'm starting to help with National Honour Society next week, so I'm really excited about that. My friend Jory is a PSII in Drama, and is teaching a musical theatre unit in her Audition class, which I have the pleasure of accompanying in my Mod40 spare.
My 10-2s are starting a unit on Heroes. Though extrinsic rewards aren't always ideal, for these students, incentives like hat-wearing, cheesy prizes, and video clips and such are quite promising thus far. Planning my second unit next weekend was great after having had a week in 10-1 and watching the 10-2s. Knowing their attendance, their abilities and such made it much easier to structure a unit with a considerable amount breathing space. (This does, however, mean a lot of short-term planning along the way.) As I want to work on my own creative writing skills, I'm trying to write a short story with a subtle heroic element that will appeal to my students. My students can hopefully help me edit it, and perhaps inspire them to write their own. My biggest concern with my Heroes unit is my progressive approach to major assignments. There is a definite clash of concern with the 10-2 students, in that: a) they don't attend regularly; b) they generally need lots of chunking and small sequential steps in instruction. As such, when we write our final essay, we'll be writing one part per class. For the students that miss class, they will be at an unfortunate disadvantage. Even still, I hope that their attendance improves, or that my handouts and resources will serve effectively in "self-learning" if necessary.
Disclaimer: I'm clicking "publish" without editing or checking for errors.
Well, to conclude this somewhat all-over-the-place reflection, I was quite pleased with PSII. Again, the most important aspect for me is the application, which isn't easy. Considering so many aspects of teaching/learning all the time is a challenge when bombarded with myriad "to dos". Even in high school teachers wear many hats, and it can prove difficult to wear them all at once without dropping one or two. Weighing the importance of some issues is essential to "getting through" a day. As I start into the second week, I hope to improve my clarity of instruction, to better communicate with my students with disabilities and their aide, to more skilfully lead discussions about the novel, and to continue to increase my confidence and classroom management.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Entry #3: Teacher as Parrhesiast
In what ways are English teachers parrhesiasts?
Let's start with Wikipedia's initial definition: "in the classic discipline of rhetoric, parrhesia is a figure of speech described as: to speak candidly or to ask forgiveness for so speaking.
The term is borrowed from the Greek παρρησία (παν = all + ρησις / ρημα = utterance / speech) meaning literally 'to speak everything' and by extension, 'to speak freely', 'to speak boldly', 'boldness'.
I certainly think that teachers are most compelled and urged to develop critical thinking abilities in their students. Sure, social studies and the sciences warrant abstract thought and exploration; however, it tends to be predominantly in the English classroom that students are able to deeply question and evaluate perspectives, recognize disparate beliefs and values, and reflect on and further develop their own perceptions about the world around them.
English teachers, as we've discussed in C+I, are urged to actually confront less-than-superficial issues and concerns that are inevitable realities in our contemporary society. Through text analysis, personal reflection, and myriad other activities typical in an ELA context, teachers and students alike are faced with contentious, polemic and frankly often frightening realities. Though it can be incredibly difficult, especially for young teachers, it is so important to at least acknowledge such controversial issues, and to hopefully "attack" them head-on. For myself, having been researching for my Social Context presentation on Gender Issues in Education, I have found a good number of case studies dealing with gender issues in classrooms. It is evident that making effective decisions about controversial issues is easier said than done in some hectic, stressful and chaotic teaching situations. Knowing how to respond to student comments and actions, be they in journals, in grand discussion, or perhaps even in the hallway, can be horribly challenging for un-seasoned and veteran teachers alike. Even so, I really believe that it is the responsiblity of the English teacher to 'to speak freely' with boldness, whenever issues arise.
The suggestion that teachers should be parrhesiasts and simply speak boldly about any and everything, to me, is somewhat frightening. As I've discovered, with many discussions, class conversation can rapidly digress and sail into dangerous water. (Cheesy metaphor, I know). At this point, I know that I'd need to prepare and be proceed very gingerly with any sort of contentious debate or discussion. At the same time, as long as English teachers can consistently model good, appropriate behaviour, they can be exceptional role models to students, demonstrating how to question the status quo and how to debate or criticize both fictional and realistic issues. The ability to communicate effectively and articulately in any form is commendable not to mention incredibly useful, and students should see the strength of the power of the language arts as emulated by their teacher. I must admit that my best music teachers have been the acclaimed and exceptional performers themselves. While I have found that many teachers use the phrase, "If you can't do, teach", I resent and completely question it. English teachers need to "sell" literacy and the like, not through heavy marketing campaigns or overly fun content, but through their own enthusiasm as well as their skill in the craft, in using the language arts.
I'll admit that I'm rambling and have segued, meandered and such; however, I am a strong believer in the therapeutic rather than the assessment value of journalling and reflection. In Ed 2500, I absolutely despised journalling, mainly because it was so artificial and forced. As I've come to just write for my own purposes, it is obvious that I get so much more out of it. In some ways, my journal was my own personal therapist, of sorts. I intend to become an effective parrhesiast; however, at this point, I am going to first aim for being "real". Speaking candidly as a budding young teacher, in practicum no less, could be detrimental. At the same time though, I really think that the more genuine and "myself" I am when I teach, the more the candidness will show. There is a time and a place for being bold and speaking freely; when leading discussions, I hope to be purposeful but not biased. On the other hand, through the activities I direct, the projects I assign, and through a general focus to improve the critical thinking skills of my students, I can certainly attempt to aid students in the development of their own opinions, arguments, and ideas.
As Foucault suggests, "in parrhesia, the speaker uses his freedom and chooses frankness instead of persuasion, truth instead of falsehood or silence, the risk of death instead of life and security, criticism instead of flattery, and moral duty instead of self-interest and moral apathy". When put that way, I loved my teachers who "put it bluntly", admired the teachers and profs that spoke their mind and actually confronted issues that could easily be glossed over, and respected teachers that took a stance and gave sufficient explanations for their decisions. The criticism over flattery argument that Foucault raises is a bit questionable, but definitely worth exploring. As an English teacher, I think that getting down to the issue, especially with regard to content in texts and how these issues relate to our lives is essential. At the same time, though, straight-out criticism can be harsh and ineffective. Perhaps I'm thinking of actual teaching, and that need for constructive criticism; yet, either way, it is important that English teachers actually confront issues as they are raised to the best of their ability.
To sum, parrhesia is an interesting rhetorical form. In the English classroom, I think it certainly has relevance. English teachers help to equip students to analytically and critically assess the world around them. They are paramount in acting as strong role models, individuals that have an exceptional command of the English language, and can communicate well in many ways. As teachers, it is imperative that in the English classroom, we don't avoid issues that might frighten us. I have a feeling that English teachers can often better sift through difficult scenarios and concerns better than shoddy online blogs or even magazines. Teachers should attempt to develop strong rapport with their students, and should gain their respect. In such a role, a teacher can make a significant impact, and can positively influence lives. Who better to help students understand complex problems than English teachers? Even if we're not ultimately the best, at least we can show students how to handle awkward or scary issues with a critical eye, an open ear, and a willingness to evaluate and reflect on the realities that we face throughout our lives.
Let's start with Wikipedia's initial definition: "in the classic discipline of rhetoric, parrhesia is a figure of speech described as: to speak candidly or to ask forgiveness for so speaking.
The term is borrowed from the Greek παρρησία (παν = all + ρησις / ρημα = utterance / speech) meaning literally 'to speak everything' and by extension, 'to speak freely', 'to speak boldly', 'boldness'.
I certainly think that teachers are most compelled and urged to develop critical thinking abilities in their students. Sure, social studies and the sciences warrant abstract thought and exploration; however, it tends to be predominantly in the English classroom that students are able to deeply question and evaluate perspectives, recognize disparate beliefs and values, and reflect on and further develop their own perceptions about the world around them.
English teachers, as we've discussed in C+I, are urged to actually confront less-than-superficial issues and concerns that are inevitable realities in our contemporary society. Through text analysis, personal reflection, and myriad other activities typical in an ELA context, teachers and students alike are faced with contentious, polemic and frankly often frightening realities. Though it can be incredibly difficult, especially for young teachers, it is so important to at least acknowledge such controversial issues, and to hopefully "attack" them head-on. For myself, having been researching for my Social Context presentation on Gender Issues in Education, I have found a good number of case studies dealing with gender issues in classrooms. It is evident that making effective decisions about controversial issues is easier said than done in some hectic, stressful and chaotic teaching situations. Knowing how to respond to student comments and actions, be they in journals, in grand discussion, or perhaps even in the hallway, can be horribly challenging for un-seasoned and veteran teachers alike. Even so, I really believe that it is the responsiblity of the English teacher to 'to speak freely' with boldness, whenever issues arise.
The suggestion that teachers should be parrhesiasts and simply speak boldly about any and everything, to me, is somewhat frightening. As I've discovered, with many discussions, class conversation can rapidly digress and sail into dangerous water. (Cheesy metaphor, I know). At this point, I know that I'd need to prepare and be proceed very gingerly with any sort of contentious debate or discussion. At the same time, as long as English teachers can consistently model good, appropriate behaviour, they can be exceptional role models to students, demonstrating how to question the status quo and how to debate or criticize both fictional and realistic issues. The ability to communicate effectively and articulately in any form is commendable not to mention incredibly useful, and students should see the strength of the power of the language arts as emulated by their teacher. I must admit that my best music teachers have been the acclaimed and exceptional performers themselves. While I have found that many teachers use the phrase, "If you can't do, teach", I resent and completely question it. English teachers need to "sell" literacy and the like, not through heavy marketing campaigns or overly fun content, but through their own enthusiasm as well as their skill in the craft, in using the language arts.
I'll admit that I'm rambling and have segued, meandered and such; however, I am a strong believer in the therapeutic rather than the assessment value of journalling and reflection. In Ed 2500, I absolutely despised journalling, mainly because it was so artificial and forced. As I've come to just write for my own purposes, it is obvious that I get so much more out of it. In some ways, my journal was my own personal therapist, of sorts. I intend to become an effective parrhesiast; however, at this point, I am going to first aim for being "real". Speaking candidly as a budding young teacher, in practicum no less, could be detrimental. At the same time though, I really think that the more genuine and "myself" I am when I teach, the more the candidness will show. There is a time and a place for being bold and speaking freely; when leading discussions, I hope to be purposeful but not biased. On the other hand, through the activities I direct, the projects I assign, and through a general focus to improve the critical thinking skills of my students, I can certainly attempt to aid students in the development of their own opinions, arguments, and ideas.
As Foucault suggests, "in parrhesia, the speaker uses his freedom and chooses frankness instead of persuasion, truth instead of falsehood or silence, the risk of death instead of life and security, criticism instead of flattery, and moral duty instead of self-interest and moral apathy". When put that way, I loved my teachers who "put it bluntly", admired the teachers and profs that spoke their mind and actually confronted issues that could easily be glossed over, and respected teachers that took a stance and gave sufficient explanations for their decisions. The criticism over flattery argument that Foucault raises is a bit questionable, but definitely worth exploring. As an English teacher, I think that getting down to the issue, especially with regard to content in texts and how these issues relate to our lives is essential. At the same time, though, straight-out criticism can be harsh and ineffective. Perhaps I'm thinking of actual teaching, and that need for constructive criticism; yet, either way, it is important that English teachers actually confront issues as they are raised to the best of their ability.
To sum, parrhesia is an interesting rhetorical form. In the English classroom, I think it certainly has relevance. English teachers help to equip students to analytically and critically assess the world around them. They are paramount in acting as strong role models, individuals that have an exceptional command of the English language, and can communicate well in many ways. As teachers, it is imperative that in the English classroom, we don't avoid issues that might frighten us. I have a feeling that English teachers can often better sift through difficult scenarios and concerns better than shoddy online blogs or even magazines. Teachers should attempt to develop strong rapport with their students, and should gain their respect. In such a role, a teacher can make a significant impact, and can positively influence lives. Who better to help students understand complex problems than English teachers? Even if we're not ultimately the best, at least we can show students how to handle awkward or scary issues with a critical eye, an open ear, and a willingness to evaluate and reflect on the realities that we face throughout our lives.
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