Critical Thinking
I was asked to define critical thinking as a journal prompt for my seminar class. It was an interesting question because this is one of my 3 paragons of teaching and at first I was at a loss of words to define it. The first thing that came to me was that the answer to a question isn’t immediately known. This came from my ‘how to teach problem solving’ class. I think I said this because when you are given a problem to solve and the method for solving it is already known, then solving it merely becomes an exercise rather than an activity. There is no curiosity or discovery involved when completing exercises.
I then expanded on that statement by saying that, given this problem, one has to sift through related information in order to develop a well reasoned explanation that leads to a reasonable conclusion. If anyone knows my background then it is apparent what inspired this definition. This is basically a corner stone to philosophical thought. If you think about it a typical mathematical problem and a philosophical problem have the same basic components. The only difference is that the math problem has a definitive answer. The path to each conclusion is much the same. In both cases, one must justify the answer or conclusion with reasonable evidence. In a math problem the reasonable evidence is seen in the strategy used to solve it and the process of implementing the strategy. Both types of problems have flaws which are uncovered by close scrutiny. These flaws are essentially the use of faulty logic. Both mathematics and philosophy are governed by the strict rational framework of logic. One might argue logic’s intimate relationship with physical reality but I can save that entry for a later date.
Active Learning
To gain an understanding I think a discussion on passive learning may be helpful. Passive learning usually occurs in a traditional classroom where lecture is the predominate instructional strategy. The class is strongly teacher directed which means that the teacher is seen (by the students) as the sole proprietor of all learnable information. Passive learning describes how students learn in this setting. They listen to information given orally which they either copy in their notes or try to memorize. Now, I am not saying this is a bad strategy. Depending on the teacher, I really like lectures. There is definitely something that appeals to me when I listen to someone that is knowledgeable and impassioned. The reason why passive learning is not desired in the classroom is because it is usually ineffective for most students. An atmosphere of passive learning is usually one in which does not inspire engagement in the content. Only students that bring motivation or interest to the table are able to engage.
So is active learning the opposite? I don’t really know. I know how I define it but who knows what kind of highfalutin language theorists use. To me active learning can almost be taken very literally where students play an active role in what they are learning. Taken to an extreme it defines curricula where students pursue their own interests within an educational framework. It is about autonomy and self-determination. A more realistic or even pragmatic definition might describe an atmosphere where students are more involved in the lessons. Instead of lessons where lecture drives the instruction, activities are planned that use analogies and other relationships to illustrate abstract concepts. I feign from using the phrase “real-world” examples because in mathematics, real-world examples or applications are not realistic at all and most realistic applications are far beyond any level of high school mathematics. Discussions, Socratic questioning, cooperative learning, differentiated instruction are just a few strategies that could be used to create an active learning classroom. The teacher tells less and intrigues more; it is getting students to learn through questioning and curiosity. The teacher stops teaching and starts guiding students through their education while being a model of a good learner.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Premature Lesson
Today, I was asked to teach a calculus lesson for another teacher. For the past few days we have been having a discussion on how to best present “area under the curve.” Being my favorite topic in all of mathematics, I agreed to teach it. The teacher was unsure how to connect the sigma notation with the sum of the areas of the rectangles. In fact, I was having trouble developing a method of breaking the concepts down to a level that these students would be able to understand. Earlier in the day I had a mathematical epiphany while taking a leak. I was having a problem relating i into the sigma notation. The solution was simple. The i represents which rectangle of which you are attempting to find the area in the summation.
I observed the class before and I knew some of the students. Since this is an AP Calculus class, the students were all highly motivated and easily engaged. They also like to have a lot of fun which made my job extremely easy (the classroom management part anyway). I was surprised that I was actually a little nervous right before I started the lesson but as soon as I started speaking I remembered how teaching felt over the summer and I immediately became acclimated. The lesson went very well and it was fun interacting with students who knew how to both have fun in the classroom but doing it while participating in the lesson.
A few criticisms:
In general, I have noticed that students in this school do not know how to take notes. Their teachers never required it so they never developed the habits. This calculus class was filled with intelligent students that didn’t know how to take good notes. I knew this going in and tried to implement a strategy. One thing I noticed while I taught in the summer is that when my notes on the board are organized and accurate, that has a direct positive effect on the students’ performance. The first step in teaching how to taking notes is to model good note taking behaviors and force the students to write what you write. I attempted to do this. I put together organized notes on my clipboard and intended to given them an example of good notes. The quality of my notes quickly degraded. One reason is because I need more chalkboard practice. Notes on loose-leaf don’t translate the same on a chalkboard. The other reason is the organic style in which I try to teach. You can’t always plan on how to reach different learning styles. Sometimes you need to think on your feet to be able to break a concept down. The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus is a complicated, multitiered concept that is difficult to see the big picture. Just because you can follow each step doesn’t mean you can see the whole thing when it’s complete. Throughout the lesson I needed to explain a step by making related notes. I so became disorganized. I gave good explanations and was able to relate ideas but I was unable to model good notes.
This topic is neat because you see so many different ideas (i.e. summations, limits, factoring, simplifying, graphs, etc) and building this extremely elegant math concept which eventually because a simple operation (integration). If you can’t neatly show these concepts flow together on the chalkboard, then the lesson is not nearly as effective as it could be. I need to keep this in mind. It is an easy tangible improvement that can be made with practice and reflection.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Leadership In The Classroom
If I could form a hierarchy from my educational philosophy, at the top would be critical thinking, ethics and leadership. I believe that the teacher plays a vital role in fostering these ideas in the classroom. Through modeling the teacher is able to develop good habits that form the foundation to a student’s intellect. Leadership is a difficult concept to model because of its inherent social nature. Group dynamics, physical atmosphere and even the very activity have very complex effects of the development of leadership roles. How can you model good leadership? Well it is obvious that there are some fairly evident leadership aspects of teaching. Trust and communication play a huge role in the classroom as also they do in groups. The teacher is the leader of a class. He must develop his learning community where its members are all oriented to a common goal of content mastery. A good leader also has an intuitive sense about what his team needs to be successful. Teachers must acquire this skill in order to meet the individual ability levels and learning styles of the students. I still am not sure if this is effective in developing leader in the classroom but it’s a start. The following is an idea that is the start of something that, I think has potential.
To work, a group activity has to have structure and, in my opinion, some quirkiness. It has to be developed through routines and procedures. When the teacher declares that it is time for a group activity, the students need to know what the procedure is. It has to be memorable to be effective. The following group activity model was designed to create an opportunity for leaders in the class to develop while also providing a light peer structured atmosphere for the students.
The idea is to have this be the default group activity model. Students will be placed in groups. These groups will stay the same for a period of time. For each group activity, there would always be a new group of leaders. Each group would be given a letter for its name but the military phonetic alphabet would be used. For example, the A group would be called Alpha. The leader for that group would be called Alpha leader. I think this has the right amount of quirkiness that the students would find enjoyable and easy to remember.
Each time the leaders would be chosen based on some criteria known only to me. It might be the highest scores on a recent test or the lowest scores. It might be the most improved students. Whichever reason, the ideas is to give everyone the opportunity to hold the position while also allowing some students to hold it more. It is these students who will become the leaders of the class. I would like to hear feedback about this idea. I don't know how I feel yet about some students getting more opportunities to hold the position. I could see an argument being that someone may want it but I might not feel that they are not a leader. This might affect their self efficacy and have negative effects on their performance.
Somehow, I would want leaders to be evaluated whether it is extra credit or an actual grade. It doesn't have to be this way but I want to establish some incentive for not only being a leader but also being a good leader. This also needs to be worked out.
So what would the leaders do? Well, like any good leader, they would be focused on the success of their group. In this case, learning a particular concept or completing an assignment would define the primary goal of the group as well as the leader. These would also be the objectives which would be assessed. The leaders would also be responsible for ensuring that their entire group understand all concepts. If not then they would assist the student, assign someone in their group to assist the student or make sure the student gets the appropriate help. The leaders would be responsible for delivering any directions given to them by the teacher.
These are just some thoughts but hopefully I can bring this together into something more concrete. I believe this is a good start on developing a more student directed classroom rather than a teacher directed on.
First Lesson Preview
Soon enough, I will be delivering my first lesson in the front of a class. The topic will be the first section of a chapter on exponential functions. This lesson will be a bit of an experiment and a good representation of what my philosophy explains. Many people look at the philosophies and theories of education as unpractical or even useless but what I think they don’t realize is that their applications are subtle at best. Good teachers, if one was to really analyze them, use these abstract concepts to create an effective learning environment. For example, a teacher that is authoritative but yet keeps a light atmosphere may do this because it’s his style but what he may not realize or ever think about is that his style creates an nonthreatening environment, which is a big idea in the theories. When I think about theories and philosophies I don’t think about how to create the ideal classroom; I try to look at my lesson and see the value in what I am doing. Outlining how your instructional strategies use theories allows you to see the value and then reflect on its benefit. To put it simply: We don’t take theories and philosophies and create a teaching technique. We reflect on our teaching technique and try to think about it in terms of the abstract concepts with a hope to improve.
I am not doing anything special or new in my first lesson but my explanation might be unique. Like I mentioned before, effective teachers seem to be able to pull mathematics out of the vacuum in which it is placed. This doesn’t mean saying, “I can figure out how much to tip a waiter by using this simple algebraic equation.” To me, this is a huge misconception that dominates mathematics education. I interpret “real world application” as taking a complicated concept like a function and presenting it to them in a different way than the text might explain it (e.g. drawing on the board of a machine that takes raw materials as its inputs and outputs something useful). This gives the abstract a more concrete nature which is easier understood by minds that haven’t developed certain capacities of thinking.
Exponential growth falls under this category.
So what I am going to try is the paper folding problem?
I will use an actual sheet of paper for this lesson.
How thick is a sheet of paper? t inches
If I fold it in half how thick? 2t inches
In half again? 4t inches
Again? 8t inches
I will then have students approximate the measurement. It should be around 1/8 of an inch.
How thick would it be if you could fold the paper 20 times in half? 50 times?
They will most likely guess a few inches where the answer is the size of the Liberty One building for 20 times and to the sun for 50 times.
This is a common activity but the value is extremely unappreciated.
One instruction strategy that I am interested in is Socratic questioning. This strategy is used to expose underlying assumptions of the target. Once they are exposed you then undermine what they think they know by proving their assumptions false. If done effectively, the surprise that occurs is enough to engage them in the concepts.
The sequence is the following: t 2t 4t 8t 16t 32t …
Factor out a t: 1 2 4 8 16 32 …
Some famous mathematician once said that mathematics is about pattern recognition. What is the pattern? The thickness doubles every time.
We could also say that the thickness t is doubled every time the paper is folded in half.
t x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x ….
If the paper is folded 5 times how thick is it?
t – no folds
2t – 1 fold – 2t
2(2t) – 2 folds – 2^2t
2(2(2t)) – 3 folds – 2^3t
2(2(2(2t))) – 4 folds – 2^4t
2(2(2(2(2t)))) – 5 folds – 2^5t – 32t – 32 sheets of paper
This introductory activity is about engagement and relationship. Some students may be able to look at a graph of an exponential function and understand that it grows very quickly but this activity illustrates it by using tangible examples.
I am not doing anything special or new in my first lesson but my explanation might be unique. Like I mentioned before, effective teachers seem to be able to pull mathematics out of the vacuum in which it is placed. This doesn’t mean saying, “I can figure out how much to tip a waiter by using this simple algebraic equation.” To me, this is a huge misconception that dominates mathematics education. I interpret “real world application” as taking a complicated concept like a function and presenting it to them in a different way than the text might explain it (e.g. drawing on the board of a machine that takes raw materials as its inputs and outputs something useful). This gives the abstract a more concrete nature which is easier understood by minds that haven’t developed certain capacities of thinking.
Exponential growth falls under this category.
So what I am going to try is the paper folding problem?
I will use an actual sheet of paper for this lesson.
How thick is a sheet of paper? t inches
If I fold it in half how thick? 2t inches
In half again? 4t inches
Again? 8t inches
I will then have students approximate the measurement. It should be around 1/8 of an inch.
How thick would it be if you could fold the paper 20 times in half? 50 times?
They will most likely guess a few inches where the answer is the size of the Liberty One building for 20 times and to the sun for 50 times.
This is a common activity but the value is extremely unappreciated.
One instruction strategy that I am interested in is Socratic questioning. This strategy is used to expose underlying assumptions of the target. Once they are exposed you then undermine what they think they know by proving their assumptions false. If done effectively, the surprise that occurs is enough to engage them in the concepts.
The sequence is the following: t 2t 4t 8t 16t 32t …
Factor out a t: 1 2 4 8 16 32 …
Some famous mathematician once said that mathematics is about pattern recognition. What is the pattern? The thickness doubles every time.
We could also say that the thickness t is doubled every time the paper is folded in half.
t x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x ….
If the paper is folded 5 times how thick is it?
t – no folds
2t – 1 fold – 2t
2(2t) – 2 folds – 2^2t
2(2(2t)) – 3 folds – 2^3t
2(2(2(2t))) – 4 folds – 2^4t
2(2(2(2(2t)))) – 5 folds – 2^5t – 32t – 32 sheets of paper
This introductory activity is about engagement and relationship. Some students may be able to look at a graph of an exponential function and understand that it grows very quickly but this activity illustrates it by using tangible examples.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Mr. Shilingo - Prompt #1
In my seminar class, I was given a journal prompt. I thought the topic might be appropriate to include in this blog. My professor basically wants to know who was my favorite teacher and why. I mentioned in the previous entry Mr. Shilingo, my high school physics teacher. That was one of my most enjoyable classes I have ever taken. I remember always being able to pay attention almost to the extent that he could be called captivating. As I try to remember why, I compare my self as a student back then to students that I am being exposed to. One thing that definitely sets me apart from students here is the level of curiosity I had. That is what appealed to me in that class. He was so knowledgeable and I was convinced that he knew his material very well. There is an important distinction to be made between some teachers. Some teachers know their class well. Some know their subject well. And some teachers are brilliant and have a well rounded perspective many of the arts and sciences. The latter teachers are the ones that inspire. They can take a subject and connect it to other subjects in a subtle way but a way which convinces the students to pay attention. Mr. Shilingo was such a teacher. However, just because I was captivated doesn’t mean he would be successful in an urban setting. Students here need something else. They can't get inspired because it seems like they don’t know how. They are missing something very essential for the foundation of the idea of “love of learning.” Maybe it is basic skills or discipline. Maybe its about expectations. Whatever the reason, being inspirational isn’t enough.
One thing I would criticize Mr. Shilingo for is his zero tolerance for students that don’t seem to be motivated. If you know me then you know I think students are left with the responsibility of choosing to be engaged but scolding an unmotivated student is not going to suddenly motivate them. It might make you feel better because you are venting about your frustration but it doesn’t work. I want to be as captivating as he was while also being able to control frustrations and figure out something that might positively affect students’ motivation.
One thing I would criticize Mr. Shilingo for is his zero tolerance for students that don’t seem to be motivated. If you know me then you know I think students are left with the responsibility of choosing to be engaged but scolding an unmotivated student is not going to suddenly motivate them. It might make you feel better because you are venting about your frustration but it doesn’t work. I want to be as captivating as he was while also being able to control frustrations and figure out something that might positively affect students’ motivation.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Observation #6
Algebra II
Poster on the wall: “Profanity is a public display of personal stupidity.”
The warm up is simply copying the homework from the board.
He recognizes students verbally that are engaged in each task.
5 people came in late.
They are pretty chatty. Speak out loud.
Solving by substitution.
Refused to allow someone 15 minutes late.
Teaching while students are copying notes.
While asking for the opposite operations, 3 students gave wrong answers to which he responded with verbal chastisement. I don’t think you have to be nurturing and fill your room with butterflies and flowers but if you want a successful community of learners, trust is a necessary key. I doesn’t seem like a good idea to ever scold a student because of a wrong answer. Don’t confront ability, confront responsibility. That’s kinda catchy.
The class was interrupted by someone at the door (assuming a staff member) that must have said that the student he refused entry earlier had to be admitted. He explained to the person that he shouldn’t have to stop class to accommodate students that come late. He then went on to say that this conversation was just a further disruption to the lesson. I agree to a certain point that interruptions of a lesson could inhibit the effectiveness of the lesson but by first refusing to open the door for the student created a disturbance in the class. Students were focusing on the student at the door. Then, this choice led to another lengthy interruption by a staff member. Rules are important but only when they are necessary.
One female student is taking an active role in paying a attention and taking notes but is constantly being disturbed by the male student in front of her. He frequently turns around and talks to her. I believe it is a sorry attempt at flirting. Not only do I want to throw a book at him, but I think the female student is about to punch him.
The phone rings which is someone that is calling about the previous student that he wouldn’t admit. This is now a longer interruption because he is once again explaining that interruptions are detrimental to the lesson, not realizing that he holds a bulk of the responsibility in these interruptions.
There are a few students that seem to enjoy shouting out answers. These students seem to get most of the focus. It is almost like he is coasting; taking the easy way by allowing his questions to get answered by students that are overtly enthusiastic. These students, although enthusiastic, give answers that are frequently wrong. It seems as though you should attempt to foster an environment where students have time to think about a question and then formulate an answer. This is a procedural issue.
This teacher reminds me of my favorite teacher in high school, Mr. Shilingo. He had the same quirky personality. He was very enthusiastic and seemed to be just as knowledge able. He had almost a zero tolerance disruption policy. He seems to make it work and I think he is actually a very good teacher.
Poster on the wall: “Profanity is a public display of personal stupidity.”
The warm up is simply copying the homework from the board.
He recognizes students verbally that are engaged in each task.
5 people came in late.
They are pretty chatty. Speak out loud.
Solving by substitution.
Refused to allow someone 15 minutes late.
Teaching while students are copying notes.
While asking for the opposite operations, 3 students gave wrong answers to which he responded with verbal chastisement. I don’t think you have to be nurturing and fill your room with butterflies and flowers but if you want a successful community of learners, trust is a necessary key. I doesn’t seem like a good idea to ever scold a student because of a wrong answer. Don’t confront ability, confront responsibility. That’s kinda catchy.
The class was interrupted by someone at the door (assuming a staff member) that must have said that the student he refused entry earlier had to be admitted. He explained to the person that he shouldn’t have to stop class to accommodate students that come late. He then went on to say that this conversation was just a further disruption to the lesson. I agree to a certain point that interruptions of a lesson could inhibit the effectiveness of the lesson but by first refusing to open the door for the student created a disturbance in the class. Students were focusing on the student at the door. Then, this choice led to another lengthy interruption by a staff member. Rules are important but only when they are necessary.
One female student is taking an active role in paying a attention and taking notes but is constantly being disturbed by the male student in front of her. He frequently turns around and talks to her. I believe it is a sorry attempt at flirting. Not only do I want to throw a book at him, but I think the female student is about to punch him.
The phone rings which is someone that is calling about the previous student that he wouldn’t admit. This is now a longer interruption because he is once again explaining that interruptions are detrimental to the lesson, not realizing that he holds a bulk of the responsibility in these interruptions.
There are a few students that seem to enjoy shouting out answers. These students seem to get most of the focus. It is almost like he is coasting; taking the easy way by allowing his questions to get answered by students that are overtly enthusiastic. These students, although enthusiastic, give answers that are frequently wrong. It seems as though you should attempt to foster an environment where students have time to think about a question and then formulate an answer. This is a procedural issue.
This teacher reminds me of my favorite teacher in high school, Mr. Shilingo. He had the same quirky personality. He was very enthusiastic and seemed to be just as knowledge able. He had almost a zero tolerance disruption policy. He seems to make it work and I think he is actually a very good teacher.
Observation #5
This was my first observation of my cooperating teacher.
The first 15 minutes of this class was also spent practicing for the PSSA exam. There was a huge difference between this class and the previous Algebra II class. Students were absolutely quiet during the quiz.
Class was started on time with clear directions.
His style wasn’t really textbook but it seems to work with the students. Not only is he able to sustain a light learning atmosphere with little disruption, he reaches most students.
He has a very teacher directed style with a lot of student interaction. He calls it “chalk and talk.” It’s a little different than a lecture and much more effective.
He is exemplifies someone who is friendly but not the student’s friend. He is able to joke with the students while maintaining a very authoritative manner. Given that I will eventually be teaching his classes, I have very satisfied with both his teaching style and the quality of his students. I wanted to try some different instructional strategies with them and the fact that he has developed good behavior habits in his classes will make my experience much more valuable.
The first 15 minutes of this class was also spent practicing for the PSSA exam. There was a huge difference between this class and the previous Algebra II class. Students were absolutely quiet during the quiz.
Class was started on time with clear directions.
His style wasn’t really textbook but it seems to work with the students. Not only is he able to sustain a light learning atmosphere with little disruption, he reaches most students.
He has a very teacher directed style with a lot of student interaction. He calls it “chalk and talk.” It’s a little different than a lecture and much more effective.
He is exemplifies someone who is friendly but not the student’s friend. He is able to joke with the students while maintaining a very authoritative manner. Given that I will eventually be teaching his classes, I have very satisfied with both his teaching style and the quality of his students. I wanted to try some different instructional strategies with them and the fact that he has developed good behavior habits in his classes will make my experience much more valuable.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Observation #4
This class was an algebra II class with a young energetic teacher.
12:31 PM - Bell Rings. Class Begins.
The first 15 minutes was spent completing a practice test for the PSSA (state assessment exam). From what I understand this is a mandatory part of the curriculum. The idea is that students fail at taking state exams because they don’t know how to take the tests. Now, I am not wild about concentrating on content but concentrating on how to take a test seems ridiculous.
From the start, I could tell that he was very friendly with his students, constantly joking and poking at them. The class atmosphere was light and jovial. His style seems to contain a lot of his personality which works. He counters his leniency with a loud and commanding voice.
During the quiz, students were talking almost as if it was group work. As far as I could tell there was no cheating just casual conversations. Not very realistic testing atmosphere.
He started by announcing the agenda for the period. The topic was the quadratic formula.
Allows obscenities.
There is a lot of chatter but many students seem to be engaged.
When the teacher confronts a student about behavior, the student laughs and jokes with the teacher. If this works for him, fine but if students don’t take your authority seriously then there is nothing you can do if it gets out of hand.
As he makes rounds helping students, others scream his name when they need help. There is no procedure for them to get attention.
Overall the class was effective given the abilities of the students. He seems to make this style work because of his personality. I think he is able to relate to the students while still retaining some authority.
12:31 PM - Bell Rings. Class Begins.
The first 15 minutes was spent completing a practice test for the PSSA (state assessment exam). From what I understand this is a mandatory part of the curriculum. The idea is that students fail at taking state exams because they don’t know how to take the tests. Now, I am not wild about concentrating on content but concentrating on how to take a test seems ridiculous.
From the start, I could tell that he was very friendly with his students, constantly joking and poking at them. The class atmosphere was light and jovial. His style seems to contain a lot of his personality which works. He counters his leniency with a loud and commanding voice.
During the quiz, students were talking almost as if it was group work. As far as I could tell there was no cheating just casual conversations. Not very realistic testing atmosphere.
He started by announcing the agenda for the period. The topic was the quadratic formula.
Allows obscenities.
There is a lot of chatter but many students seem to be engaged.
When the teacher confronts a student about behavior, the student laughs and jokes with the teacher. If this works for him, fine but if students don’t take your authority seriously then there is nothing you can do if it gets out of hand.
As he makes rounds helping students, others scream his name when they need help. There is no procedure for them to get attention.
Overall the class was effective given the abilities of the students. He seems to make this style work because of his personality. I think he is able to relate to the students while still retaining some authority.
Observation #3
This observation was a lot of fun. It should be filmed and sold as a tutorial about how not to teach. I have never even imagined a teacher this poor. It is a miracle he still has his job. This was a Geometry class which was probably comprised of mostly sophomores. One might have mistake this classroom as a zoo.
Before the bell rings students are literally running around and screaming.
11:34 AM - Bell rings. Class Begins.
11:44 – Teacher attempts to begin class.
A student walking past me utters in a not so quiet tone, “I’m impressed you still have your job.”
The warm-up begins.
There is a written objective on the board but it is never reviewed.
After being told multiple times to take his earphones out, a male student persists in listening to music. At first he tries to hide it with his hand but eventually pays no attention to the teacher’s requests to have them removed.
One student yells, “Shut the f*ck up!” No consequence.
The teacher then singles out and chastises a student about not completing an assignment. 15-20 seconds is utilized on this instructional strategy.
After another attempt by the teacher to get compliance from the student about his earphones, the student blatantly ignores each command. No consequence.
Across the room I can hear students talk in a surprisingly disrespectful manner about the teacher. I am sure he can hear them, at least I hope he can.
At this point, the teacher is merely talking to himself. No one from what I can tell is paying any attention. He calls students to answer questions while they have obscenity filled conversations. Students refuse to answer or cannot answer and he just continues on.
There are notes being passed all over the room.
After one female used an obscenity, the teacher responds, “A pretty girl and a foul mouth don’t go together.”
Student throws a paper ball at the teacher. No consequence.
12:26 – Students completely out of control. One student attempts to leave the class room while the teachers back is turned.
12:30 – Class ends.
The problem with this teacher is that he obviously tries to be a friend to the students. He is a lenient teacher that did not establish authority. If you don’t establish it at the beginning, you will lose control. Students are not your peers. Don’t try to be friends with them. Just be friendly.
Before the bell rings students are literally running around and screaming.
11:34 AM - Bell rings. Class Begins.
11:44 – Teacher attempts to begin class.
A student walking past me utters in a not so quiet tone, “I’m impressed you still have your job.”
The warm-up begins.
There is a written objective on the board but it is never reviewed.
After being told multiple times to take his earphones out, a male student persists in listening to music. At first he tries to hide it with his hand but eventually pays no attention to the teacher’s requests to have them removed.
One student yells, “Shut the f*ck up!” No consequence.
The teacher then singles out and chastises a student about not completing an assignment. 15-20 seconds is utilized on this instructional strategy.
After another attempt by the teacher to get compliance from the student about his earphones, the student blatantly ignores each command. No consequence.
Across the room I can hear students talk in a surprisingly disrespectful manner about the teacher. I am sure he can hear them, at least I hope he can.
At this point, the teacher is merely talking to himself. No one from what I can tell is paying any attention. He calls students to answer questions while they have obscenity filled conversations. Students refuse to answer or cannot answer and he just continues on.
There are notes being passed all over the room.
After one female used an obscenity, the teacher responds, “A pretty girl and a foul mouth don’t go together.”
Student throws a paper ball at the teacher. No consequence.
12:26 – Students completely out of control. One student attempts to leave the class room while the teachers back is turned.
12:30 – Class ends.
The problem with this teacher is that he obviously tries to be a friend to the students. He is a lenient teacher that did not establish authority. If you don’t establish it at the beginning, you will lose control. Students are not your peers. Don’t try to be friends with them. Just be friendly.
Observation #2
This was an Algebra I class with, presumably, an experienced teacher. She was 35-40 years old and had a thick eastern European accent. She really didn’t seem like a bad teacher but from what I observed, she struggles. From my one time observation I would say that because she is an authoritarian, students show very little respect and take no heed of any directive. The students were blatant with their disregard for her authority.
10:36 AM - Bell Rings. Class Begins.
She has a typical lesson plan: Objectives on the board and a warm-up.
Class on algebraic inequalities.
Many students not paying attention to her directions. One student is having a conversation on a cell phone.
2 students verbally disrespecting her after they arrived late. She calls security to remove them from the class.
10:43 – Checking homework.
When she answers questions, she has a tone of frustration which causes tension.
10:53 – Done checking homework.
Her accent makes it very difficult for me to understand her. Imagine what the students feel like.
When she calls on a student to give an answer, she usually finishes the answer. She seems to be rushing.
Reflection
It is important for students to reason through an problem and give their answer. If it is right try to highlight how they achieved it. If it is wrong either allow another student to assist or model the answer for them. This allows them to see how they should answer your questions.
11:05 – Students calm down. 3 students with their heads down. It seems that she is so boring that students no longer even have the energy to misbehave.
11:29 – Class ends.
10:36 AM - Bell Rings. Class Begins.
She has a typical lesson plan: Objectives on the board and a warm-up.
Class on algebraic inequalities.
Many students not paying attention to her directions. One student is having a conversation on a cell phone.
2 students verbally disrespecting her after they arrived late. She calls security to remove them from the class.
10:43 – Checking homework.
When she answers questions, she has a tone of frustration which causes tension.
10:53 – Done checking homework.
Her accent makes it very difficult for me to understand her. Imagine what the students feel like.
When she calls on a student to give an answer, she usually finishes the answer. She seems to be rushing.
Reflection
It is important for students to reason through an problem and give their answer. If it is right try to highlight how they achieved it. If it is wrong either allow another student to assist or model the answer for them. This allows them to see how they should answer your questions.
11:05 – Students calm down. 3 students with their heads down. It seems that she is so boring that students no longer even have the energy to misbehave.
11:29 – Class ends.
Observation #1
My first official day was spent observing other math teachers throughout the school. It was a fascinating experience, being exposed to great teachers and people I can’t bring myself to call teachers. Seven teachers with seven different styles of both teaching and classroom management ranged from order to chaos to ordered chaos. I observed many things; Things that they do well and things that if I do I would hope someone punches me in the kidney. I am not sure if I learned anything new but I definitely witnessed styles that are widely discussed in educational literature.
Observation #1
This was an Algebra I class with a first year teacher. I was surprised to learn that she had not student taught but that this was an internship that was necessary for certification. She is a young woman, with no experience, teaching freshman at an inner city Philadelphia high school. Given this, she really didn’t do that bad. She was definitely struggling but no more than I would be. Here is some of what I observed:
8:42 - Bell Rings
At the bell there were 9 people.
The students were told to continue working on whatever they were previously working on.
After one minute no specific task had yet been given. We learn that at the beginning of every class, students must be given specific directives. The quicker they get on task the easier it will be to introduce new material.
After 3 minutes only 2 people were doing anything on paper.
Shortly after I counted 16 people.
At 6 minutes, the warm-up material was being done by most of the students. This is when the warm-up should be completed.
The topic (from what I can infer) is Algebraic operations on inequalities.
When explaining the concepts she uses a lot of ambiguous language like “this” and “that.” “You are trying to figure out how to get rid of this.”
8:58 – One student is using and electronic device. Two students are talking loudly about basketball. The warm-up is still occurring.
A staff member (security?) enters the room and asks a student for an ID number and then told another student to take his hat off. This happens in the middle of a lesson.
9:13 – I am not sure what is supposed to be happening.
I noticed that she says the word "right" after just about every sentence. It is really bothering me.
One female student stands up and decides to walk around.
Refection
I believe people cannot construct new knowledge without having certain basic skills. We learn these basic skills from other people. As a teacher, if you expect your students to take information and then construct new knowledge you need to model both good behavior and effective academic practices. Specifically, if solving an algebraic equation, you need to model how you want them to write it, which steps you want them to complete, and how neat you want them to be. Once you create that routine for them then they will have those basic skills to organize their thoughts to facilitate critical thinking.
The teacher’s use of the chalkboard is poor. How can a teacher expect the students to keep a neat and organized notebook when the teacher is disorganized at the board?
9:23 – New material begins
Student throws a paper ball across the room, missing the trash can. No consequences.
9:35 – Students are done. No one is doing work anymore.
9:39 – Class ends.
This teacher really isn’t a bad teacher. I think the problem was that at the beginning she was unable to establish authority. Now that she is comfortable with being in the front of the classroom, it is too late. Students have a standard they will continue to follow. If something upsets their expectation, conflicts will surely arise. She will be fine next year.
Observation #1
This was an Algebra I class with a first year teacher. I was surprised to learn that she had not student taught but that this was an internship that was necessary for certification. She is a young woman, with no experience, teaching freshman at an inner city Philadelphia high school. Given this, she really didn’t do that bad. She was definitely struggling but no more than I would be. Here is some of what I observed:
8:42 - Bell Rings
At the bell there were 9 people.
The students were told to continue working on whatever they were previously working on.
After one minute no specific task had yet been given. We learn that at the beginning of every class, students must be given specific directives. The quicker they get on task the easier it will be to introduce new material.
After 3 minutes only 2 people were doing anything on paper.
Shortly after I counted 16 people.
At 6 minutes, the warm-up material was being done by most of the students. This is when the warm-up should be completed.
The topic (from what I can infer) is Algebraic operations on inequalities.
When explaining the concepts she uses a lot of ambiguous language like “this” and “that.” “You are trying to figure out how to get rid of this.”
8:58 – One student is using and electronic device. Two students are talking loudly about basketball. The warm-up is still occurring.
A staff member (security?) enters the room and asks a student for an ID number and then told another student to take his hat off. This happens in the middle of a lesson.
9:13 – I am not sure what is supposed to be happening.
I noticed that she says the word "right" after just about every sentence. It is really bothering me.
One female student stands up and decides to walk around.
Teacher: “sit down.”
Student: “I’m getting some paper.” Then she proceeds to ask the female sitting directly next to her for paper.
Refection
I believe people cannot construct new knowledge without having certain basic skills. We learn these basic skills from other people. As a teacher, if you expect your students to take information and then construct new knowledge you need to model both good behavior and effective academic practices. Specifically, if solving an algebraic equation, you need to model how you want them to write it, which steps you want them to complete, and how neat you want them to be. Once you create that routine for them then they will have those basic skills to organize their thoughts to facilitate critical thinking.
The teacher’s use of the chalkboard is poor. How can a teacher expect the students to keep a neat and organized notebook when the teacher is disorganized at the board?
9:23 – New material begins
Student throws a paper ball across the room, missing the trash can. No consequences.
9:35 – Students are done. No one is doing work anymore.
9:39 – Class ends.
This teacher really isn’t a bad teacher. I think the problem was that at the beginning she was unable to establish authority. Now that she is comfortable with being in the front of the classroom, it is too late. Students have a standard they will continue to follow. If something upsets their expectation, conflicts will surely arise. She will be fine next year.
First Impressions
My cooperating school is a typical inner city comprehensive high school.When someone mentions “inner city,” it is usually followed up by stereotypes of gangs, drugs and weapons. This is a terrible misconception as most inner city high schools are fairly tame but exist under the threat of drugs and violence. Because of these threats, many schools must implement drastic security measures to protect students and faculty. You should not judge a school based on what type of security measures students must be subject to as they enter the school. Being a typical inner city school, my school must suffer through other hardships that might not be comparable to drugs and violence but can be extremely detrimental to the learning environment. Lack of funds, a dearth of willing young teachers, seemingly jaded administration and a large population of poor under educated students. I am confident that these problems all have a solution but politics inhibit any real reform (more on that later).
The last two days were a series of unfortunate events that reinforced my initial presumptions of what this experience was going to be like. Thursday was supposed to be my first official day of student teaching; however because of miscommunication between student teaching coordinators at Temple and administration at the school, I was unable to start. The school did not receive my background clearances that I submitted to Temple because Temple was a little behind on their paperwork. This may be a boring entry to read but I write it because it shows the significance of the bureaucratic nightmare public education seems to be. This not only happened on Thursday but also Monday as well. I would wake up at 5:30 AM, drive thirty minutes, and arrive at the school at 7:30 AM only to be promptly turned away at around 8:00 AM. Who's to blame?
Here are the different perspectives:
A question: What would your demeanor be like towards a student teacher coming to your school? One would think that one would be very open and adopt a very helpful or welcoming demeanor. One would think. However, this assistant principal was just a little bit intimidating and dare I say, cold. Not only did I feel awkward being in a new place, not knowing what the heck I was doing but my initial exchanges with this person left me with such apprehension for my placement. At no point was I welcomed or greeted in a congenial manner. Her first statement was that I was not allowed to be in a classroom with students. As other staff arrived that held some interest in my being there she continued to make me feel less and less comfortable. As I turned to leave, she beckoned to me with a warm “Oh and by the way…” Hopeful, I turned and faced this cuddly person as she finished her goodbye, “…welcome to (hope rises) the Philadelphia school system.” It’s a good sign when people are that forthright with their bitterness.
That was the first day. On Monday, I actually was able to speak at some length with the math coordinator at the school and get some idea of what I will be doing. My first impression of her was fairly easy to establish. I could tell that she was passionate about her job (at least some aspects) and that she was probably pretty good at it. But she did not try to hide any bitterness she has for the administration or any other teachers. In fact, she held no qualms for speaking negatively to me about other teachers.
While we were walking down the hallway after we first met, she asked me why I wanted to be a teacher. Her tone was not of curiosity but of sarcasm because of a discussion we were having about school bureaucracy and other nuisances teachers must endure. I am on a positivity kick lately so I tried to turn the negative conversation around. I responded with, “There is nothing I would rather be doing.” Now, in her defense, I want to make clear that she is very well meaning and one of the good guys in education but her immediate response was a bit disconcerting. I was bombarded with a loud bellowing laugh like I was the headliner for some twisted educational comedy show. Not knowing how to respond and being somewhat speechless, I looked down and waited for her to change the subject, however, she continued her laugh concurrently repeating, “Just wait.”
I wish I could say that that was the last of what seems to me to be incredibly inappropriate outbursts, but it was not. While we were in her office, we were exchanging some background information about ourselves. I shared with her that I was a former computer engineer graduating from Drexel in 2005. Her look of surprise wasn’t unlike the usual responses from people when I tell them about my academic transition. So she asked, “Why would you ever want to get out of computer engineering?” I am assuming that her question was in regard to the assumption that the technology field is relatively lucrative to education. I answered honestly, “We don’t need more engineers; we need teachers.” People sometimes mistake me for Robin Williams. That’s how funny I am. All that I can say is that she enjoyed that answer.
I believe that she really didn’t intend to mock me in any way. She probably thinks I am a typical “idealistic teacher” that once in a classroom, I am going to get run over by a truck. I am not saying she is wrong but one thing I constantly try to do is envision myself in the classroom while simultaneously remembering how I felt in the classroom as a student, when I felt my worst. I think this gives me a good benchmark on what to expect from myself and from the students. I would agree with her that I am very idealistic about education but my approach is about pragmatism. She did reminded of a goal I used to have: “Never lose your idealism because it is what made you into what you are.”
The last two days were a series of unfortunate events that reinforced my initial presumptions of what this experience was going to be like. Thursday was supposed to be my first official day of student teaching; however because of miscommunication between student teaching coordinators at Temple and administration at the school, I was unable to start. The school did not receive my background clearances that I submitted to Temple because Temple was a little behind on their paperwork. This may be a boring entry to read but I write it because it shows the significance of the bureaucratic nightmare public education seems to be. This not only happened on Thursday but also Monday as well. I would wake up at 5:30 AM, drive thirty minutes, and arrive at the school at 7:30 AM only to be promptly turned away at around 8:00 AM. Who's to blame?
Here are the different perspectives:
The assistant principle, in a very matter of fact manner (I am being nice), said that she could not allow me to be in the classroom with students if she did not see my clearances. These clearances are for criminal backgrounds and child abuse histories. She said that she doesn’t feel comfortable with me interacting with students.
The Temple coordinator said that he spoke with the assistant principal and assumed that everything was set. After I described my second attempt at entering the school, he informed me, with a profound Machiavellian style, that people with power tend to enjoy enforcing said power. It was weird.
The math coordinator at the school said that the assistant principal was “very anal.” The way I see it is that the AP likes to follow protocol. There were many students whose paperwork was being processed during the first few days. I am assuming at other schools the powers that be used a little reasoning and decided that if Temple considers these student teachers to be worth of placement then they probably do not have any problems with their clearances. You might think that being annoyed with the AP is justified by I have other…issues with her.
A question: What would your demeanor be like towards a student teacher coming to your school? One would think that one would be very open and adopt a very helpful or welcoming demeanor. One would think. However, this assistant principal was just a little bit intimidating and dare I say, cold. Not only did I feel awkward being in a new place, not knowing what the heck I was doing but my initial exchanges with this person left me with such apprehension for my placement. At no point was I welcomed or greeted in a congenial manner. Her first statement was that I was not allowed to be in a classroom with students. As other staff arrived that held some interest in my being there she continued to make me feel less and less comfortable. As I turned to leave, she beckoned to me with a warm “Oh and by the way…” Hopeful, I turned and faced this cuddly person as she finished her goodbye, “…welcome to (hope rises) the Philadelphia school system.” It’s a good sign when people are that forthright with their bitterness.
That was the first day. On Monday, I actually was able to speak at some length with the math coordinator at the school and get some idea of what I will be doing. My first impression of her was fairly easy to establish. I could tell that she was passionate about her job (at least some aspects) and that she was probably pretty good at it. But she did not try to hide any bitterness she has for the administration or any other teachers. In fact, she held no qualms for speaking negatively to me about other teachers.
While we were walking down the hallway after we first met, she asked me why I wanted to be a teacher. Her tone was not of curiosity but of sarcasm because of a discussion we were having about school bureaucracy and other nuisances teachers must endure. I am on a positivity kick lately so I tried to turn the negative conversation around. I responded with, “There is nothing I would rather be doing.” Now, in her defense, I want to make clear that she is very well meaning and one of the good guys in education but her immediate response was a bit disconcerting. I was bombarded with a loud bellowing laugh like I was the headliner for some twisted educational comedy show. Not knowing how to respond and being somewhat speechless, I looked down and waited for her to change the subject, however, she continued her laugh concurrently repeating, “Just wait.”
I wish I could say that that was the last of what seems to me to be incredibly inappropriate outbursts, but it was not. While we were in her office, we were exchanging some background information about ourselves. I shared with her that I was a former computer engineer graduating from Drexel in 2005. Her look of surprise wasn’t unlike the usual responses from people when I tell them about my academic transition. So she asked, “Why would you ever want to get out of computer engineering?” I am assuming that her question was in regard to the assumption that the technology field is relatively lucrative to education. I answered honestly, “We don’t need more engineers; we need teachers.” People sometimes mistake me for Robin Williams. That’s how funny I am. All that I can say is that she enjoyed that answer.
I believe that she really didn’t intend to mock me in any way. She probably thinks I am a typical “idealistic teacher” that once in a classroom, I am going to get run over by a truck. I am not saying she is wrong but one thing I constantly try to do is envision myself in the classroom while simultaneously remembering how I felt in the classroom as a student, when I felt my worst. I think this gives me a good benchmark on what to expect from myself and from the students. I would agree with her that I am very idealistic about education but my approach is about pragmatism. She did reminded of a goal I used to have: “Never lose your idealism because it is what made you into what you are.”
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Introduction
This blog will be used in many different ways. Its main focus will be my observations and reflections of my student teaching experience, hence, the title. At times this will function as an outlet for my many thoughts and ideas within my first significant educational experience. From time to time, I may even vent my frustrations and disappointments of this experience and those people involved. This is by no means meant for entertainment but it is my attempt to illustrate, through my observations, what it is like for a new teacher struggling in a field little appreciated for its difficulty. This my attempt to document what I learn as I try to develop my own philosophy of education and individualized teaching style.
As an education student, part of our program is dedicated to student teaching which is basically an apprenticeship. For one semester, I will be shadowing whats called a cooperating teacher which is a teacher with more than three years of experience. During this time there is a period of observation after which I start to "take over" classes. This means I will be responsible for that class as if I were the actual teacher. Grading, classroom management, curriculum development and lesson plans are just a few of the functions a classroom teachers must master. This is not without any assistance. The cooperating teacher's role is to assist and evaluate throughout the process. Hopefully, this will prepare me for what I expect to be a fulfilling career choice.
Part of my reasoning for wanting to create a blog is that I want people to have access to my experiences. One of my fears is that this experience will destroy my idealism and motivation. I am in a rough school where, in my opinion, very little learning seems to occur. I want to be able to discuss this with others instead of allowing the negative experiences kill my idealism. I hope that when other people read this it will inspire them to think more about the importance of education and how difficult it is to teach in some environments.
As an education student, part of our program is dedicated to student teaching which is basically an apprenticeship. For one semester, I will be shadowing whats called a cooperating teacher which is a teacher with more than three years of experience. During this time there is a period of observation after which I start to "take over" classes. This means I will be responsible for that class as if I were the actual teacher. Grading, classroom management, curriculum development and lesson plans are just a few of the functions a classroom teachers must master. This is not without any assistance. The cooperating teacher's role is to assist and evaluate throughout the process. Hopefully, this will prepare me for what I expect to be a fulfilling career choice.
Part of my reasoning for wanting to create a blog is that I want people to have access to my experiences. One of my fears is that this experience will destroy my idealism and motivation. I am in a rough school where, in my opinion, very little learning seems to occur. I want to be able to discuss this with others instead of allowing the negative experiences kill my idealism. I hope that when other people read this it will inspire them to think more about the importance of education and how difficult it is to teach in some environments.
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