Reflection s310 Monday 15 Nov
Another surprise teaching experience but this time I had 15 mins warning. This class has some challenging pupils. Absence is high, a couple of the pupils have behaviour and learning support and classroom management is a challenge at the best of times. Lets just say that I was delighted that my tutor did not choose this class for a crit although I have to admit I've become fond of them. In fact they are probably my favourites. On Monday we had the last of the Individual Talks for standard grade to try and winkle out of them. Three pupils had refused point blank to give an individual talk on both Thursday and Friday last week even though this means they would automatically get a seven. The HOD decided we had to try again. I'm glad i didn't have time to panic. I decided to make my aims about classroom management I have to get this sorted before I can teach them anything. I wrote objectives on a flip chart I stole from the staffroom. I couldn't use the blackboard because the inspectors were in. ( I know they are probably rubbish but they were the best I could manage in the circumstances.) Pupils
My secret behaviour objective was to get them to stop talking when the teacher needs to talk by using a bell or hand up alert. My secret secret objective was to get out without crying or loosing my temper.
I played Mozart on the laptop as they entered and was surprised that only one asked why we were having the boring music. Took register and introduced the objectives, said I wanted them to sit in groups of 2 or 3 to discuss why we do Individual Talks and what we don't like about them. I wanted some talking in groups as so far the talk has consisted of traded insults across the floor and in general the class sit as far apart from each other as possible. I also hoped that getting a chance to air their grievances together before their talk would prevent the 10 min argument we had had with each previous participant before getting a talk out of them. On the stolen flipchart I also had " clarity" and "relevance" with explanation of what these meant and three grades Very/ mostly /not much. I told them they would be assessing the talks. I wanted them to decide on these two measures how sucessful the talk was and to tell the speakers two things they liked about the talk and one thing the speaker could improve on next time. I then got two of them to toss a coin for who was up first (the third hadn't turned up yet) then asked them to "big it up" for A....... and as much to his surprise as mine he stood up, gave a four min talk on fishing graded 5. The comments from the class were supportive and valuable, B.. got up next and astounded us all and himself with 3 mins on his dog with great vocabulary, real expression and clarity and warmth about his subject. B is accompanied at all times by a learning/behaviour support teacher who looks ex marine and may be the only person in school actually bigger and more scary than B himself. He got a 4 next time he says he's going to prepare and get a 3!!!!!! some who didn't do a good job last week have decided they are going to do a lot better next time. C.. confined her general disgust at the whole proceedure to asking to go to the toilet, there was no desk banging, muttered insults at the teacher or shouting out about how crap and unfair it all was.
Behaviour was exemplary, the Hod who had been observing said i was a natural and that it had been great, the support assistant smiled warmly and said it would be great to see me in the department. I couldn't get my big head through the classroom door to get out.
I went immediatelt to S31 where in co -teaching I was totally and utterly rubbish. Embarassingly poor. Basic things like not explaining the task clearly, forgetting names not
being able to help the polish kid (oh how i wish i'd paid more attention in that lecture- i really didn't think it would affect me- I only know of one "immigrant"family in our town and they are 4th generation and therefore more local than me!) I thought in a local school I really wouldn't have to know much about supporting pupils with little English.
Then i went to the staff loo and threw up. I was sent home and stopped throwing up 5 hours later.
I've spent the last 3 years stalking medics in infectious diseases, respiratory medicine and GUM departments. I should be immune to every disease on earth but obviously some anerobe lurks in LocalAcademy and was just waiting to colonise my gut. Tuesday was spent sleeping it off.
This morning saw me back with s310 (observing not teaching) they were remarkably untransformed by my brilliant lesson. I then faced s31, I hope its just an overactive imagination that leads me to suspect the elite class have sussed me for the phoney I am. Do they know my degree is in medieval and modern history, that i dropped English at Higher Ordinary, i've never done a "cloze reading"and i have bad dreams about putting apostrophes in the wrong place on the board?
Next time will S310 be ready for me and my new fangled assertive discipline techniques? Will they string me up with the red patent leather double belt The only Visible Means Of Support has just informed me is hideous (glad he doesn't know he paid for it).
Tomorrow I have S1 last period on my own. They are my crit class. I'm doing a poetry unit with them. I'll have them for my first crit a week on Friday (not Thursday) as originally planned. I'm doing the first lesson tomorrow. I should be planning it instead of blogging this.........
Another surprise teaching experience but this time I had 15 mins warning. This class has some challenging pupils. Absence is high, a couple of the pupils have behaviour and learning support and classroom management is a challenge at the best of times. Lets just say that I was delighted that my tutor did not choose this class for a crit although I have to admit I've become fond of them. In fact they are probably my favourites. On Monday we had the last of the Individual Talks for standard grade to try and winkle out of them. Three pupils had refused point blank to give an individual talk on both Thursday and Friday last week even though this means they would automatically get a seven. The HOD decided we had to try again. I'm glad i didn't have time to panic. I decided to make my aims about classroom management I have to get this sorted before I can teach them anything. I wrote objectives on a flip chart I stole from the staffroom. I couldn't use the blackboard because the inspectors were in. ( I know they are probably rubbish but they were the best I could manage in the circumstances.) Pupils
- Will have learned 2 skills to help them improve their individual talks
- Will feel more confident in giving individual talks
My secret behaviour objective was to get them to stop talking when the teacher needs to talk by using a bell or hand up alert. My secret secret objective was to get out without crying or loosing my temper.
I played Mozart on the laptop as they entered and was surprised that only one asked why we were having the boring music. Took register and introduced the objectives, said I wanted them to sit in groups of 2 or 3 to discuss why we do Individual Talks and what we don't like about them. I wanted some talking in groups as so far the talk has consisted of traded insults across the floor and in general the class sit as far apart from each other as possible. I also hoped that getting a chance to air their grievances together before their talk would prevent the 10 min argument we had had with each previous participant before getting a talk out of them. On the stolen flipchart I also had " clarity" and "relevance" with explanation of what these meant and three grades Very/ mostly /not much. I told them they would be assessing the talks. I wanted them to decide on these two measures how sucessful the talk was and to tell the speakers two things they liked about the talk and one thing the speaker could improve on next time. I then got two of them to toss a coin for who was up first (the third hadn't turned up yet) then asked them to "big it up" for A....... and as much to his surprise as mine he stood up, gave a four min talk on fishing graded 5. The comments from the class were supportive and valuable, B.. got up next and astounded us all and himself with 3 mins on his dog with great vocabulary, real expression and clarity and warmth about his subject. B is accompanied at all times by a learning/behaviour support teacher who looks ex marine and may be the only person in school actually bigger and more scary than B himself. He got a 4 next time he says he's going to prepare and get a 3!!!!!! some who didn't do a good job last week have decided they are going to do a lot better next time. C.. confined her general disgust at the whole proceedure to asking to go to the toilet, there was no desk banging, muttered insults at the teacher or shouting out about how crap and unfair it all was.
Behaviour was exemplary, the Hod who had been observing said i was a natural and that it had been great, the support assistant smiled warmly and said it would be great to see me in the department. I couldn't get my big head through the classroom door to get out.
I went immediatelt to S31 where in co -teaching I was totally and utterly rubbish. Embarassingly poor. Basic things like not explaining the task clearly, forgetting names not
being able to help the polish kid (oh how i wish i'd paid more attention in that lecture- i really didn't think it would affect me- I only know of one "immigrant"family in our town and they are 4th generation and therefore more local than me!) I thought in a local school I really wouldn't have to know much about supporting pupils with little English.
Then i went to the staff loo and threw up. I was sent home and stopped throwing up 5 hours later.
I've spent the last 3 years stalking medics in infectious diseases, respiratory medicine and GUM departments. I should be immune to every disease on earth but obviously some anerobe lurks in LocalAcademy and was just waiting to colonise my gut. Tuesday was spent sleeping it off.
This morning saw me back with s310 (observing not teaching) they were remarkably untransformed by my brilliant lesson. I then faced s31, I hope its just an overactive imagination that leads me to suspect the elite class have sussed me for the phoney I am. Do they know my degree is in medieval and modern history, that i dropped English at Higher Ordinary, i've never done a "cloze reading"and i have bad dreams about putting apostrophes in the wrong place on the board?
Next time will S310 be ready for me and my new fangled assertive discipline techniques? Will they string me up with the red patent leather double belt The only Visible Means Of Support has just informed me is hideous (glad he doesn't know he paid for it).
Tomorrow I have S1 last period on my own. They are my crit class. I'm doing a poetry unit with them. I'll have them for my first crit a week on Friday (not Thursday) as originally planned. I'm doing the first lesson tomorrow. I should be planning it instead of blogging this.........
posted by willieloman at 8:48 pm
3 Comments:
OK so after my euphoria at signing on last time I can't remember how to sign on or my password so here goes....
Double red patent belt sounds fantstic! (do you have the shoes yet) - I am SO proud of you in class I am almost bursting & as to spending 5 hours throwing up if you are now half a stone lighter it was worth it - if not what a waste of time!?! (i'm sure you cleaned the cure for said bug away on your mamouth cleaning spree?)
Hi ya.
Sounds like you were thrown in at the deep end for the s310 class.
There are a couple of issues in you posting that I'm curious about and would appreciate hearing more about.
Firstly, why were you not able/allowed to use the chalkboard when the inspectors were in? Was there a special message on the board or have they been condemned as unsafe?
Secondly, as your self-appointed guardian of Learning Objectives/Outcomes I have to agree with you, they are rubbish. Perhaps you lesson allowed pupils to identify 2 skills they wished to improve/include in their talk. They will then demonstrate they can apply the 2 skills in the talk. I think you need to be more specific in the skills you identify as being important to Individual Talks. Once you decide what those skills are you can then start to think about teaching methods that allow you to describe them, illustrate them, have pupils perform them and then evaluate them.
The next question that arises from your LOs is: how do you make some one more confident? Is it that if you practice enough you'll become more confident or is there another method you have in mind? The follow-up is how do you measure the success of your lesson if confidence is an objective?
Lastly, you mention that you "dropped English at Higher Ordinary". What does that mean? Did you study it in 1st & 2nd year at University?
Anyway keep up the good work. I hope to read more about your exploits.
Hi Kenneth,
The board was full as two teachers use the classroom and both had 2 inspection visits that day. Its hard to get board room at the best of times and I couln't risk wiping anything off in case it was needed for an observed lesson later on.I didn't want to add to anyone's tension.
What about building confidence as an aim? I'm trying to keep the Curriculum for Excellence Ideals at the heart of my teaching.
I did study English in first and second year at university and could have ceratinly gone on to do it as a joint honours subject but the classes that interested me clashed with the ones i wanted to take in Medieval History. I chose history instead because I knew I would read the literature we would cover on my own but would need steering through centuries of med hist. I was lucky that my University had some of the world's best Medievalists at the time and I didn't want to miss them.
Hope this makes things clearer and as ever thanks for the support re learning objectives. Are the ones on the lesson plans I have just posted any better?
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