Weekly Recap - Weeks 2 & 3

So, I'm going to combine my recaps for the second and third weeks of school into one post.  Week Two was doozy, only because it all ended with me spending the day in bed sick as a dog.  One would think that after seven years in education my immune system would be built up to withstand the back-to-school colds, but that was not the case for me this year.

Week Two was spent reinforcing the procedures of the course and teaching students that they are the masters of their education; they know what they are capable of doing, yet many have found themselves questioning their ability.  As we working on their first PBL unit of the year, many students wanted to double-check everything with me before moving on ... and I mean EVERYTHING!

It took me a moment to think back to when I was a freshmen in high school, and how I strove to reach the expectations of my Pre-AP teachers.  I was scared of somehow failing to achieve the grades that I had been accustomed to in middle school, and asking my teachers for guidance was tough.  I spent most of the past two weeks reassuring students that they were capable of creating amazing products, and that part of learning was failing at creating the perfect product the first go-around.  You should have seen their faces!  (It was a mixture of "how dare you!" looks with a touch a petrified expressions at the mere mention of "failure" ... in other words, PRICELESS!)

Week Three pushed back at me because the students were very straight-forward with their concerns regarding their groups ... several students were very blunt in stating that they were having a hard time working with their groups.  I allowed the students to pick their group members for this project because I wanted them to realize that sometimes working with friends requires you to be more straightforward with each other.  The honesty that many students showed their friends really stood out the most this week.

I'm truly beginning to see students taking ownership of their learning.  They are beginning to see that I'm here to guide them through the process, not to dictate every specific detail.  These freshmen are beginning to see the role that I will play in their education this year - one that includes many faces they may be reluctant to accept at times.

What amazes me is the honesty that students have regarding my teaching methods.  Many students felt that they could take advantage of my approach to classroom dynamics.  While my class may not feel as structured as many of my colleagues, I guarantee you that I have placed procedures and expectations within the minds of my students.  

By week three, I was experiencing situations where students began to realize that this course was much more demanding then they had expected because I was counting on them to take the time to figure out how they were going to accomplish various tasks.  Some students took this as a challenge and are slowly rising above it; unfortunately, there are others that are truly struggling.  

It's now come to the point in the year where I have to visit with students to discuss their commitment to their success and their future in the course.  While I dread having to discuss such difficult topics with students, I ultimately want them to succeed.  Therefore, I'm certain that I'll be providing with students with multiple options - from schedule changes, to structured success plans, to commitment contracts that will include A LOT of tutoring - because there is more than one path to success!

Setting the Bar High

Given that we've started a new school year, I find it fitting to share the goals that I have set for myself.  It is said that once you write down a task, you are more likely to complete that task.  So, here we go ...

Goal #1 - Make geography fun for my students!

When I think back to my first year of teaching, I cringe.  Due to state-mandated tests, my insecurities, and a plethora of additional factors, my classes really didn't get to enjoy the field of geography.  The fundamental workings of the class were so robotic - lecture, notes, quiz and assessment.  Occasionally, I found ways to embed materials that I acquired in my grad courses within the curriculum, but it was far and few between.

Each year that I've taught, I made changes to the way I approached the field of geography.  I began to love all the sub-fields as well as the connections of real-life examples to the classroom.  I was able to take more risks, and ultimately I found my rhythm.  I've been dancing to this uptempo beat since.  However, I feel that I need to make more of an effort to share this enthusiasm with my students.  So this year, I'm going to push myself to find new approaches to teaching geography and setting up my classroom...

I've taken my classroom design to another level by merely borrowing from the classrooms where students have the most fun - an elementary class!  I've set up zones in the classroom so students can focus on a specific goal - writing, creating, teaching, and personal reflection.  I look forward to sharing more in a couple of days (pics will be included).  I'm also looking forward to using an EdCamp style of learning with my students, creating tests that have students moving around, and ultimately developing a Community Outreach program for my students.

Goal #2 - Create a PBL-based geography curriculum model.

I sort of had a head start on this goal for the past of couple of years.  I've been creating various plans that would allow for this format, but I'm finally going to attempt it!  I love the way students eyes light up when they finally see that geography is all around them ... there is no way a student can leave my class asking, "When are we going to use geography in the future?"

My goal is to have students work on everything from designing/creating storm preparedness plans (including tested shelters), to an interactive retrospective of media and social movements, to green designed homes, to even creating food trucks.  All these inclusive projects have students collaborating in teams, critically thinking about various geographic themes, and ultimately presenting to adults aside from their teacher.

Goal #3 - Learn to listen ...

This is going to be one of the hardest goals to achieve this year.  I'm going to admit it right now, I'm the type of person that is listening solely for the purpose of being able to respond to someone.  I have difficulty "just listening."  It may be due to my inclination of wanting to help everyone, or maybe it's because I just love to talk.  However, I think that it's necessary for me to sit back and just listen to what people have to say.

Goal #4 - Take care of myself and enjoy the little things!

The demands of the teaching field can take a large toll on the well-being of any individual who makes the decisions to step in front of students and teach.  We become so immersed in planning, meetings, grades, and so much more, that we often feel overwhelmed.  I know that I've felt broken down several times because of the demanding nature of my path.

I'll admit it right now, I'm a workaholic ... I'm usually one of the first ones to arrive at school and one of the last ones to leave, but even when I leave, I find myself still thinking about my class.  I've annoyed my parents (who are both veteran teachers) with my continuous discussion of daily happenings to questions.  They've instituted "no talking about work" rules for when we eat or go out as a family.

It's about time that I learn to balance my work-life relationship.  I realize that I want to spend more time blogging/writing about various topics (education included, ha!), reading through the huge pile of books sitting beside my bed, volunteering more at my church, and just spending time with those that I love.  I really don't want to miss out all the things life has to offer outside of the four walls of a classroom/school.  Now, it's just a matter of being able to let go when I leave school.

Well ... here's to a new school year and the start of a new journey!

-A

Weekly Recap #1

The first week of classes is officially in the books!  This year's group of students have such an eclectic mix of personalities and skills (more so than ever) ... I can't wait until we get to uncover all of them throughout the term.  These students and I spent the first couple of days building up our classroom culture.  The students were able to share with me what they want out of the class and me (as their teacher) before I told discussed my expectations for them.  They were so honest with their responses - which ranged from fun to engaging, to someone who was willing to relate to them.  

My students' ability to be so frank the first day of school before they even knew me told me a lot about them.  Truthfully though, I had to tell them that it was okay to be honest with what they needed (even if it meant writing down something that went against their classmates).  The trust that we have begun this year's journey with means that I feel comfortable taking the several risks that I had hoped to try out this year ... I mean, you should have seen the Tech Academy's students' eyes light up when I told them that they were going to design scaled models of green-designed homes.  They are bright-eyed and full of wonder, and I intend to keep that sense of awe and wonder alive in our class!