4 posts tagged “required”

*Required

Which one of these pictures isn’t real?

Note: I am aware that this looks a little egotistical and self-centered.  That is not intended.  If it was, I would not look like an un-showered, tired wreck of a person.  Thanks to Abe for the idea to utilize my MacBook.  Along those lines, thanks also to Mr. and Mrs. Morgan Freeman.

*Required

I am out of creative juices so be aware that this post will not be very entertaining.  Honestly, I am just not in the mood to blog, but I will anyways.  If I was in the mood, here is how I'd do it.

Stuff I liked:

I originally picked up this book thinking that it would be practically useless.  After all, I've heard a lot about teaching from every different angle it seems--my mom, my brother, my second-years.  There was definitely some good advice from this teacher.  I don't intend to yell and scream for the silence and I hope I do not pick up students' desks in anger.  I also appreciated the advice he gave about the teacher personae.  His section on "the teacher look" corroborated the advice given by every second-year so far.  Lastly, the section about his student's death is an eye-opener and make you realize that events like those do not just affect other students, but also the teachers. Overall, the idea that this teacher became such a success in the classroom is reassuring.  I plan on following at least some of his advice which I hope helps me next year.

Also, he had one of the most creative classes I have ever heard about.  The "We Will Rock You" chant sounds awesome.  I might give my class tickets if they are smart enough to come up with something as creative.

Stuff i didn't like:

This book repeats so much of the stuff that I have been told so far that it was just like I was going through the motions again.  I think I have a better idea of what to expect than he did before I joined this program.  I could be wrong, but I hope that helps me.  I did look at the Teach For America program while I was in college, but I found that the people I talked with were  kind of arrogant and  self-congratulatory.  I also got that feeling about the author.  Yes, it's great that he was a successful teacher.  So he had to write a book about it?  Good for him, I guess.  Maybe I'm in a bad mood (i.e., not a blogging mood) or something.

A little bit of blogging about the pictures in the book (by request):

Apparently inner-city Los Angeles is the most diverse place on earth.  I really hope the cover is an exaggeration.  I kind of want to cut out the paper-dolls.

The End.

*Required

So I am very limited in my questioning strategies this summer.  Our class, as everyone knows, only has one kid.  I really wanted to try the "cold call" strategy.  NOPE.  Can't do it.  Why?  Because it doesn't work with one kid.  I also thought about employing the "concept tasks" strategy.  NOPE.  Can't do it.  Why?  Because it doesn't work with one kid.  After these two discouraging efforts I turned to the "muddiest part of the lecture" technique.  NOPE.  Can't do it because my kid doesn't show up for class.

Lucky for me, I have used the extra strategy that Dr. Monroe gave us for class--"lower level questions that build up to higher thinking questions" strategy.  Kind of wordy.  For this post, however, we'll go with the simplified "LLQTBUTHTQ" strategy (or, if you would consent, the "Patrick has one kid in his class" strategy).  I will admit, the LLQTBUTHTQ strategy was very difficult for me.  I do not necessarily like starting with the most basic steps.  Instead, I immediately try to connect historical events.  I thought this was a strength of my history degree, but I was waaaaayy wrong.  Don't get me wrong, my student is smart, but I do need to improve on this method.

This past week I taught a lesson on Herbert Hoover's response to the Great Depression and I tried to begin by asking what my student thought conditions were like in the GD, who he would have blamed, who he tought Americans blamed, how they would respond etc.  Besides being tired and ready to end the school day, my student (remember, it's just ONE) went along with the questioning strategy as we built up to the larger picture which included various aspects of Hoover's programs and response to the declining economy.  By the end of the class, I tried to get him thinking about the difference in policies between the GOP and Dems that was apparent at the time and how it affected the responses of Hoover and FDR.  That sounds like a HTQ, doesn't it?  He seemed to be able to work in the direction that I think he needed to during the class even though he was zoning out by the end of the period.

For summer school at least, the LLQTBUTHTQ strategy seems to work.  I certainly need to work on it myself...I think I can help my student more by doing so.  Happy Friday...

*Required post

I am ready to get in a classroom and teach somebody.  That's where I'm at right now after a week of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.  I know, I still have a lot to learn and the rest of the summer to learn it, but I pretty anxious about this teaching thing. 

Outside of the main challenges such as not knowing what it'll be like and the possibility of sucking at it, the thing I'm most concerned about is learning to teach when there is only ONE kid signed up for the class.  That may change, but seriously--one kid?  I definitely don't want more kids to have failed the class to get the numbers up, but I am worried about that.  I think that will make me more nervous than a classroom full of kids.  What if he/she fails our class?  That's a ZERO PERCENT pass rate.  On the flip side, if he/she passes, we'll be batting a thousand.  All I can do is my best and "bring my 'A' game" as Molly would say.

Everyone out here in Oxford has been wonderful and the transition has been pretty easy.  It helps that I am somewhat familiar with the area (I think I've told everyone about my sister and they are sick of it) so I can get around pretty easily.  Other than that, I couldn't have asked to be here with a better group of people.  I truly expected to come in and find the first and second years hanging in completely separate groups which would be forced to intermingle and talk about teaching stuff.  It was definitely the opposite and everyone has been helpful, inviting, and cool about everything.  The first years are all tolerable so no problems there.  I think we have a really good group of people.  I'm looking forward to teaching with the North Panola first years I have met.

I really need to take the time to thank Austin for the farm trip yesterday which was a blast.  Ryan, Jake, Abe, and I loaded up the car for Holly Springs and, after some confusion over an old man on a porch, we met up with everyone.  The day would be too long to recount, but thanks, Austin.

Also, I should probably thank all the second years, especially Molly, Chimaobi, and Rob, who have been teaching me how to teach U.S. History.

Disappointment of the week:  Braves baseball.  What the hell, Mississippi?  How come you don't get the Braves on TV?  Not that it matters because we suck and can't beat the Phillies.