Day 3

Ok. Today was an interesting and mentally tiring day. I was at school from 9 am to 8 pm. With only one hour break for lunch. Teacher's college isn't difficult so far, but I feel like there is so much information to sponge up, I don't know how I'll possibly get it all recorded so that I can actually use it in my classroom, and it is a lot of work. Lots of assignments and lots of readings and lots of lesson plans and assessment plans etc. It is a very different type of learning. Its learning how people learn, and how we can accommodate that as teachers.

I like it. It is right up my alley. All the things that these professors say are brilliant and I can't wait to use their ideas.... after all, they say teaching is an art of stealing and sharing :), but the cool thing about these classes is that it triggers your brain with different ideas and strategies to do things. I feel like I have a brilliant idea every 2 minutes these days and I struggle to get everything down so that I can remember it all for my first year of teaching!!!!! It is so exciting.

Here are some of the highlights of what I learnt today:

1. How often do we as teachers allot priviledge to certain students because of our assumptions? For example, is it an assumption that every student has the time and resource and support to complete homework after the school day? Is it an assumption that school for them is their number one priority, and are we giving priviledge and power to those students who DO have those resources and support by patting them on the back and giving them a gold star?

2. Do we focus too much on teacher-centred instruction and not enough on COMMUNITY based instruction that include the students in the teaching process and include the teachers in the learning process?

3. How can we use standardized testing to evaluate and assess one's progress and knowledge? Lorenzo gave us a brilliant example of a standardized test in the states and the results in Harlem. The question for small students was "What colour are bananas?". The overwhelming majority of students answered "brown" and the evaluators of the test were about to mark it wrong until one smart smart man (in my opinion) who grew up in Harlem and now still lives and teaches there said "How do we mark that wrong?". This is what students' experiences are. By the time those lovely yellow bananas reach us in Harlem, they ARE brown and so that is what these students' experience and therefore reflect on. How can we mark an experience wrong?

4. We watched a video on the Seattle Pike Place Fish Market and their "Fish Philosophy". I am going to show this to all my students ... it's all about choosing your attitude and making what you may hate doing, into something fun. Check it out, I am sure it's on YOUTUBE.

5. We also watched a video called "Did you Know?" on youtube about how things have changed over the past years. It is just basically an opener for any class to get students' brains warmed up and get them to start thinking about educating themselves.

6. I also learned a little trick to get students' participating in classroom discussions, especially if they are shy. So that they can participate in looking like the 'go to students', they can put their hand up for whatever they want. If their fist is closed, the teacher won't call on them, because it means they don't know the answer. If their palm is open and fingers are spread, then the teacher WILL call on them because then it means they DO know the answer. This is all to create an inclusive feel. This should only be told to the really shy student in the class. If everyone knows this rule, clearly it won't work. It is just for that student who needs just a little bit more attention and reassurance from the teacher. I think it's brilliant, for the right student of course.

That's all for tonight. But again, I am going to bed with an amazing amount of information in my head. I am getting nervous to start my teaching blocks. Or even do my micro-lesson in front of my peers. Often it is harder to teach in front of your peers than it is your student. There is more judgement involved.

Anyway, I'm off.

ADIOS!

Day 2

Ok. So today was a good day as well.

We started off the day analyzing an article we had to read by Kincheloe. All about having to be self-aware and know your true identity as a teacher so that you can be aware of the assumptions and biases you are making towards your students. Doing this will enable us to recognize the differences between all and allow us to aid our students in finding their own identity. It is the idea that teacher education is already sort of inside of us, that the way we are as a teacher is pre-determined by our persona, rather than our schooling. Very interesting discussion again led by Lorenzo... AMAZING PROF!

Then we went to a guest lecture done by Dr. Clinton (a child brain researcher). She gave us insights as to how the adolescent mind and brain works and how we as teachers need to be more understanding of the type of brains we are dealing with. We need to use the knowledge she has given us in order to connect and relate to our students so that they felt they are being felt. Also an interesting lecture, AND she had a scottish accent and was a hoot which was a bonus!

Then there was lunch . . . sat with Claire squared and Alisha.

The afternoon was pretty boring, we did some professionalism activities and then got tours of the libraries and computer labs. Then I hung out with Emma and Claire before our "Teacher candidate liaison meeting" AKA student council. I met a lot of new people there... and I think it will be a good way to get involved!!!

All in all, it was a good day at school and I learned quite a bit. If anyone has the opportunity to read anything by Kincheloe, they should. Amazing theories, which may be more difficult to put in practice, but at least the idea is out there!

Signing off until Tuesday now!

Day 1

"You've chosen a very challenging vocation . . . if you do it right"

"Teaching cannot be about the how. If we obsess about the HOW then we will become technodroid teachers"


"If I can't make a certain subject matter 'fun', am I bad teacher?"


So today was my first day of teacher's college and these were some of the things that my professor said today that grabbed my attention. What was it like? It was like having a bunch of Emily's in one class. No one was deathly shy, everyone talked and volunteered, everyone spoke with enthusiasm and conviction. It was a riot. I really really like my one professor Lorenzo. Ann is awesome as well, but she didn't speak as much today. Lorenzo has such an engaging way of speaking. On top of that he has such insightful ideas on pedagogy and the world. I am really excited to learn from him and all the others which seem so great. Brock has rocked my socks so far. They are soooo welcoming, accommodating and helpful. They make it easy for the student, which is a rarity these days in the university systems. 


I now know exactly why U of T didn't work out for me. This is a much better fit. I think I will really enjoy my time here :). My mom always says that everything happens for a reason and it is really hard to remember that in a time of disappointment, but it is really the truth. 

I am excited for tomorrow. We have a guest speaker coming in tomorrow and we have an assembly (how cool is that! an assembly in post grad work!) with ALL of the teacher candidates for the Intermediate/Senior section. There are some really great people in my cohort group, I am excited to get to know them all better. Of course there are only about 4 men to the 20 women there are, but that's ok... not looking in that area anyway ;). There is girl named Claire that I think I will get along really well with. And a girl named Katy who talked to me right off the bat.

Tomorrow will be a good day.

I just miss my boy tonight :(.