Oct 3 - Oct 18
Clinical Experience for the weeks of October 3 – 18, 2006
Oct.3: 1:45-3 pm
I taught in Mrs. Swasey’s classroom today. I taught my PD lesson again to the other 6th grade class. I was very nervous, hoping that I really could improve on it from the last time I taught the lesson. I must have done something right, because students had so many questions and were so excited about studying astronomy. I believe I respected their prior knowledge and this is the reason they were so enthusiastic. They wanted to tell me what they knew and I was willing to listen. However, the questions were coming so fast and furious that I didn’t know how to direct the discussion. It was like I had unleashed a tidal wave after praying for rain. I got flustered and finally had to tell the students that we didn’t have time to answer all the questions. Had I been more experienced and in my own classroom, I wonder what would have happened. I certainly don’t want to dissuade students from asking questions, but how do I guide the questioning period toward the topic at hand? Questions are great, but I also want to have time for answers.
Oct. 4: 1:30-3 pm
From 1:30 – 2:30, I helped in Mrs. Seamons’ classroom. The students are working on planet books. They have to look on websites that Mrs. Seamons had previewed and find some information on each of the planets and the asteroid belt. Todd was observing that day and the students were very curious about who he was and what he was doing in the classroom. Once students had decided that he was okay, they were excited to share what they were learning. One boy in particular was so excited to show what he was doing and learning, I believe because Todd is an excellent listener and can ask leading questions to get students to share what they know. The teacher must play a listening role, if students are going to feel comfortable being involved.
At 2:30, Todd and I went to Mrs. Swasey’s room and I taught the 2nd part of the PD lesson. There was lots of confusion and noise as I was setting up the activity but I included more of the students as I explained what I was setting up. However, I think I could have engaged the students better if I had some thought provoking questions as the set-up was taking place. For example, how can we know if the stars move at night? Have any of you had experiences observing the night sky? What have you notice about the stars at different times of the year? And other questions like that. It’s just that when you are nervous anyway, these ideas don’t come until after the lesson is over and you can’t sleep at night thinking of all of the ways to improve. How do teachers get any sleep? Also, I noticed that if a student gave the answer that I wanted, I praised them and moved on with the lesson. I think it could have been more effective had I required students to give evidence for their answers, thus helping them vocalize their thinking process.
Oct. 5: 1:45-2:30 pm
The students were working on planet books again. It has been two weeks on the same project and some of the students are finding it difficult to stay on task. I asked Mrs. Seamons how she judges the length of a project. She responded that it takes longer at the beginning of the year because students are still trying to figure out how to manipulate the computers and what is expected of them. However, an assignment like this at the end of the year usually only takes about 2 or 3 days. I guess being able to judge appropriately takes experience, but I wonder if there is a way to know without the trial and error?
Oct. 10: 1:45-2:45 pm
The students viewed a video about the phases of the moon and then were allowed to ask questions. Mrs. Seamons also asked the students some questions. One student responded to a question accurately according to the video but was inaccurate according to reality. It spurred a question about why there are not eclipses every month. This brings up an issue about how good some of the information out there really is. I have to be so careful about getting good info to my students. With so much information out there, are there any easy ways to quickly assess the plethora of information? I know in some of my other classes, I’ve done searches for lesson plans and so forth. However, this takes time, a lot of time. If I teach 6 different classes everyday, will I have time to search for the best info? Are there strategies for collecting and cataloging useful information?
Oct. 11: 1:50-2:50 pm
Students worked on phases of the moon booklets. Each of the phases is represented on cards that the students will use for a game. There were lots of questions about how to name the phases and the moon’s placement on the card. I wondered if any of the students had paid attention during the instruction period. It hit home the importance of student exploration BEFORE formal instruction. I think the mind has to have time to think about information and develop questions before it is ready to retain that information, otherwise it is simply a collection of disassociated facts to be forgotten. It is possible to have time in the school year to explore all concepts before formal instruction? What would a classroom look like where the students were always exploring before the formal instruction was given? Would the students understand what was happening? If students are exploring a topic before a lecture is given, will the exploration always lead to the intended learning outcomes? This is such a foreign concept to me because I have had so few teachers that actually model this method. I’m having a difficult time visualizing teaching stoichiometry with exploration first.
Oct. 17: 1:30 – 3 pm
Students are continuing work on the phases of the moon activity. Students are allowed to work in small groups as long as they work quietly. I’m impressed with how well these students do their work. I think a lot of this has to do with Mrs. Seamons’ classroom management style, but also with the activities that she chooses or lets students choose. All the activities get the students thinking in some way or another and answering questions. Will I be able to recognize activities that engage students by the time I am finished with my education? Is this one of my intended learning outcomes?
Oct. 18: 1:30-2:30 pm
Students are finishing up their moon project. Those that have finished received a worksheet that is a guided reading project using the internet. Students have several activities to complete using different URL’s provided by Mrs. Seamons. At the PD meeting that afternoon I asked about assessment and how to assess these extra assignments. Mrs. Seamons said that she won’t grade this extra assignment, but allows those students that finished it to address the whole class and share what they learned doing the assignment. This way all of the students benefit from the extra assignments even though they didn’t all get to do it. What an awesome idea. I’ll try to incorporate something like this into my module.
Oct.3: 1:45-3 pm
I taught in Mrs. Swasey’s classroom today. I taught my PD lesson again to the other 6th grade class. I was very nervous, hoping that I really could improve on it from the last time I taught the lesson. I must have done something right, because students had so many questions and were so excited about studying astronomy. I believe I respected their prior knowledge and this is the reason they were so enthusiastic. They wanted to tell me what they knew and I was willing to listen. However, the questions were coming so fast and furious that I didn’t know how to direct the discussion. It was like I had unleashed a tidal wave after praying for rain. I got flustered and finally had to tell the students that we didn’t have time to answer all the questions. Had I been more experienced and in my own classroom, I wonder what would have happened. I certainly don’t want to dissuade students from asking questions, but how do I guide the questioning period toward the topic at hand? Questions are great, but I also want to have time for answers.
Oct. 4: 1:30-3 pm
From 1:30 – 2:30, I helped in Mrs. Seamons’ classroom. The students are working on planet books. They have to look on websites that Mrs. Seamons had previewed and find some information on each of the planets and the asteroid belt. Todd was observing that day and the students were very curious about who he was and what he was doing in the classroom. Once students had decided that he was okay, they were excited to share what they were learning. One boy in particular was so excited to show what he was doing and learning, I believe because Todd is an excellent listener and can ask leading questions to get students to share what they know. The teacher must play a listening role, if students are going to feel comfortable being involved.
At 2:30, Todd and I went to Mrs. Swasey’s room and I taught the 2nd part of the PD lesson. There was lots of confusion and noise as I was setting up the activity but I included more of the students as I explained what I was setting up. However, I think I could have engaged the students better if I had some thought provoking questions as the set-up was taking place. For example, how can we know if the stars move at night? Have any of you had experiences observing the night sky? What have you notice about the stars at different times of the year? And other questions like that. It’s just that when you are nervous anyway, these ideas don’t come until after the lesson is over and you can’t sleep at night thinking of all of the ways to improve. How do teachers get any sleep? Also, I noticed that if a student gave the answer that I wanted, I praised them and moved on with the lesson. I think it could have been more effective had I required students to give evidence for their answers, thus helping them vocalize their thinking process.
Oct. 5: 1:45-2:30 pm
The students were working on planet books again. It has been two weeks on the same project and some of the students are finding it difficult to stay on task. I asked Mrs. Seamons how she judges the length of a project. She responded that it takes longer at the beginning of the year because students are still trying to figure out how to manipulate the computers and what is expected of them. However, an assignment like this at the end of the year usually only takes about 2 or 3 days. I guess being able to judge appropriately takes experience, but I wonder if there is a way to know without the trial and error?
Oct. 10: 1:45-2:45 pm
The students viewed a video about the phases of the moon and then were allowed to ask questions. Mrs. Seamons also asked the students some questions. One student responded to a question accurately according to the video but was inaccurate according to reality. It spurred a question about why there are not eclipses every month. This brings up an issue about how good some of the information out there really is. I have to be so careful about getting good info to my students. With so much information out there, are there any easy ways to quickly assess the plethora of information? I know in some of my other classes, I’ve done searches for lesson plans and so forth. However, this takes time, a lot of time. If I teach 6 different classes everyday, will I have time to search for the best info? Are there strategies for collecting and cataloging useful information?
Oct. 11: 1:50-2:50 pm
Students worked on phases of the moon booklets. Each of the phases is represented on cards that the students will use for a game. There were lots of questions about how to name the phases and the moon’s placement on the card. I wondered if any of the students had paid attention during the instruction period. It hit home the importance of student exploration BEFORE formal instruction. I think the mind has to have time to think about information and develop questions before it is ready to retain that information, otherwise it is simply a collection of disassociated facts to be forgotten. It is possible to have time in the school year to explore all concepts before formal instruction? What would a classroom look like where the students were always exploring before the formal instruction was given? Would the students understand what was happening? If students are exploring a topic before a lecture is given, will the exploration always lead to the intended learning outcomes? This is such a foreign concept to me because I have had so few teachers that actually model this method. I’m having a difficult time visualizing teaching stoichiometry with exploration first.
Oct. 17: 1:30 – 3 pm
Students are continuing work on the phases of the moon activity. Students are allowed to work in small groups as long as they work quietly. I’m impressed with how well these students do their work. I think a lot of this has to do with Mrs. Seamons’ classroom management style, but also with the activities that she chooses or lets students choose. All the activities get the students thinking in some way or another and answering questions. Will I be able to recognize activities that engage students by the time I am finished with my education? Is this one of my intended learning outcomes?
Oct. 18: 1:30-2:30 pm
Students are finishing up their moon project. Those that have finished received a worksheet that is a guided reading project using the internet. Students have several activities to complete using different URL’s provided by Mrs. Seamons. At the PD meeting that afternoon I asked about assessment and how to assess these extra assignments. Mrs. Seamons said that she won’t grade this extra assignment, but allows those students that finished it to address the whole class and share what they learned doing the assignment. This way all of the students benefit from the extra assignments even though they didn’t all get to do it. What an awesome idea. I’ll try to incorporate something like this into my module.
posted by Anonymous | 2:25 PM
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