As for the ultimate product, I plan to embed visual work created by hand into a prezi which will add more content and commentary. We'll see how this works out. Wish me luck!
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Summative Project Pre-Thinking
I've been mining my data (i.e. reflections for this class), circling words and phrases like rich silence, presence, natural, comfortable, confident, etc. These themes come as no surprise to me. My journey in this class has been a mission to "locate and understand the self" (Palmer) in relationship to my teaching. Whether or not I've done that is much more difficult to discern. I continue seeking and reflecting even as we speak.
For my summative project I would like to return to the concentric circle imagery I created for my visual metaphor during week 4. I think this was one of my most powerful moments over the course of this class and I'm beginning to see ways in which it encompasses the whole. Very much in the nebulous stages right now, I'm envisioning this merging with my educational lineage "tree" somehow, which originally took the form of chakras emerging from a lotus. I see the two metaphors merging together like rings of a tree, which makes more sense to me than placing my influences and revelations on branches. In my mind, I am the tree and they are part of my core, adding layers, radiating outward with the passage of time. After reflecting on the lineage I created at the beginning of the semester, I don't think I will make many changes to it except to include my students and myself as notable teachers and reorganize it according to this new visualization.
As for the ultimate product, I plan to embed visual work created by hand into a prezi which will add more content and commentary. We'll see how this works out. Wish me luck!
As for the ultimate product, I plan to embed visual work created by hand into a prezi which will add more content and commentary. We'll see how this works out. Wish me luck!
Addressing the Week 11 assignment
So, I never quite completed the week 11 assignment as planned. I was really struggling to figure out how to fit the experience I designed into the few days of classes I have left with my students. It just wasn't really working out, so I decided to reflect instead on the Lectio Divina I led with peers in Kathy's research class this past Wednesday.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Week 12 Peer Responses
To Adair:
You know, your students probably do know you better than you think. One of my goals for this class was to figure out how to be more like "myself" when teaching rather than feeling like I'm getting into character. It really feels wrong to me to do the "teacher-talk" as I call it. You hear these little catch phrases and patterns of speech in so many classrooms and sometimes I pick up on them just from observing teachers I admire. But it's really important for me to find a way to be natural with my students. When I reflect on the educational lineage I made at the beginning of the semester, the one thing all the teachers on it had in common was that their distinct and authentic personalities were evident and present. Their teaching styles were VASTLY different. I don't know if this is right or not, but I would say, reflect on how and when and with whom you use sarcasm. Ask yourself if you know when and how to be sincere as well. And don't be a two dimensional cut-out of yourself because your students DO know you, or at least, I think they want to. To me - and this is just me - teachers with distinct personalities have been more important than those who do everything "right".
To SLamme:
I love this lesson! Would you mind if I adapted it? This Fall I will be designing an arts program for Rainbow House, a shelter for abused/homeless children. (It's intense, I know) One of the challenges is that the population is constantly fluctuating. Some kids are there for a few days, others a few months, so we will never know if we will have the same kids from one week to the next. Also, the age range is REALLY broad, so I need to prepare experiences that can be adapted for early childhood through teens. I want to make these experiences meaningful...not just craft night. I know this is a touch challenge, but I feel like this idea could really work. Plus, who wouldn't love the song! If you have any suggestions for how to condense this unit into chunks that can stand alone, I would be very interested. Just a fabulous lesson!
You know, your students probably do know you better than you think. One of my goals for this class was to figure out how to be more like "myself" when teaching rather than feeling like I'm getting into character. It really feels wrong to me to do the "teacher-talk" as I call it. You hear these little catch phrases and patterns of speech in so many classrooms and sometimes I pick up on them just from observing teachers I admire. But it's really important for me to find a way to be natural with my students. When I reflect on the educational lineage I made at the beginning of the semester, the one thing all the teachers on it had in common was that their distinct and authentic personalities were evident and present. Their teaching styles were VASTLY different. I don't know if this is right or not, but I would say, reflect on how and when and with whom you use sarcasm. Ask yourself if you know when and how to be sincere as well. And don't be a two dimensional cut-out of yourself because your students DO know you, or at least, I think they want to. To me - and this is just me - teachers with distinct personalities have been more important than those who do everything "right".
To SLamme:
I love this lesson! Would you mind if I adapted it? This Fall I will be designing an arts program for Rainbow House, a shelter for abused/homeless children. (It's intense, I know) One of the challenges is that the population is constantly fluctuating. Some kids are there for a few days, others a few months, so we will never know if we will have the same kids from one week to the next. Also, the age range is REALLY broad, so I need to prepare experiences that can be adapted for early childhood through teens. I want to make these experiences meaningful...not just craft night. I know this is a touch challenge, but I feel like this idea could really work. Plus, who wouldn't love the song! If you have any suggestions for how to condense this unit into chunks that can stand alone, I would be very interested. Just a fabulous lesson!
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Week 12: Marzano and Video 2
Marzano Chapter 6:
This chapter is short and to the point. There are a number of ways that teachers can observe and learn from each other's teaching and doing so has been proven to improve student achievement and teacher satisfaction. We can, and should, learn from each other. Seems self-evident to me. I learn almost as much from watching other teachers as I do from teaching myself. If I didn't have any strategies or goals for self reflection, I think learning by watching others would be the most important learning opportunity available.
Prethinking:
I'm hoping to find myself more comfortable in my own skin this time. Last time I think I was a little nervous and the lesson itself did not go that well.
Since then, I feel more comfortable with the group of students I'm teaching. I feel like we have started to develop a rhythm and way of being. It has taken a while. Homeschooled children are not all that used to the routine of a classroom. It takes a while to simply establish a basic understanding and group culture; much longer than I expected or have ever experienced. I also seem to have finally gotten a better sense of what interests them. Before, I was just grasping at straws and I think my lack of confidence in some of the lessons showed.
My goals for this class were to be more inside myself and in the moment when teaching and to speak with an authentic voice. In the last few weeks, I have certainly felt more like myself, but we will see if it comes through when I watch the video.
Video Review:
For the video, I used a different group of students because the timing just worked out that way. I wanted to capture my introduction to a lesson on Nick Cave and wearable art with my 3rd-5th grade group.
As I showed them some videos and guided them through a presentation, I sat with them around a big table, which made me feel more comfortable, and the whole thing, more conversational. I hadn't really thought about that ahead of time, but looking back, it just felt right. Immediately, the students were excited by Nick Cave's work as we watched a video of people dancing around in sounds suits. There was lots of laughter and "whoa, cools". So we were off to a good start. Then I asked them to think about the word "fashion". What comes to mind? I knew this would be an interesting discussion because this group of kids is very "earthy" and not very into pop culture and trends. They said things like, "expensive", ridiculous", "wasteful", and "shallow".
The discussion was going pretty much how I wanted it to go, but here I noticed something about my questioning strategies. I think I ask too many leading questions like "Do you think what you wear can say something about who you are, what you like, or what you do?" The nature of this question automatically implies the answer I want. A better way to ask it might have been "How do you think what we wear reveals information about who we are, what we like, or what we do, if, indeed, it does at all?" Followed by "why do you think we use clothing in this way" and "is this a good thing or a bad thing?" We ended up getting there anyway because this group has a lot of opinions and they feel pretty comfortable expressing them, but in a more reluctant group, the way I posed the question could have led to a dead end.
Next, we started talking about costumes. I asked them if any of them had ever worn a costume. Of course, they all had, for Halloween, in theatrical productions, and just for fun. I asked them "What was that like, to wear a costume? How did it feel?" This was a better questioning strategy. It opened up the floor for them to tell personal stories about costumes they really liked and why.
All in all, the discussion was really rich and led us right up to the activity in a nice seamless way. Win! Comparing my own "performance" to last time in terms of my goals to be more authentic and in the moment, I so see growth. I appeared (and in truth, felt) much more comfortable this time. This could be because I felt more confident in the lesson I had planned. It could have something to do with the fact that this group is just a little easier to handle and engage. I'm sure the fact that I am now several months into the program and have bonded more with the students factors in as well. But I definitely noticed that I put more emphasis on their ideas and experiences than on information or instructions this time. I think that becomes easier to do as you get to know your students, but I think it's also easier (for me at least) with a slightly older crowd. Perhaps the younger students are just my weak area. Through reflection, I've come to realize, I don't enjoy the minutia of behaviour management and I also have a much harder time figuring out what will interests and excites them. I still haven't found a way to be my authentic self with the little ones. It feels very much like a performance or an affectation that I adopt with them. I'm not sure if this is something that will ever change. I think some people are just better suited to different age groups and I get the least amount of satisfaction out of working with very young children. My enjoyment and satisfaction increases exponentially the more independent and self actualizing my students become, as does my ability to "be myself". But this is an entirely different tangent. Even though the little ones may never be my strongest area, I still have to work on finding the part of myself that can connect with them. It helps me to observe others and I'm fortunate to have some very talented peers in my midst.
I can honestly say that this class has helped me shift my focus away from extraneous circumstances and the behaviour of my students and on to myself, the one element in the mix over which I actually have control. I've realized how unproductive and draining it is to lay blame on all these outside factors, knowing there is probably little we can do to change it. Our students' home lives, limited budgets, constricting curriculum and assessment expectations, etc, etc,...I'm not saying we can't make any difference in these areas or that we should ignore them, but the one area where we can make immediate changes and the most profound impact is within ourselves.
This chapter is short and to the point. There are a number of ways that teachers can observe and learn from each other's teaching and doing so has been proven to improve student achievement and teacher satisfaction. We can, and should, learn from each other. Seems self-evident to me. I learn almost as much from watching other teachers as I do from teaching myself. If I didn't have any strategies or goals for self reflection, I think learning by watching others would be the most important learning opportunity available.
Prethinking:
I'm hoping to find myself more comfortable in my own skin this time. Last time I think I was a little nervous and the lesson itself did not go that well.
Since then, I feel more comfortable with the group of students I'm teaching. I feel like we have started to develop a rhythm and way of being. It has taken a while. Homeschooled children are not all that used to the routine of a classroom. It takes a while to simply establish a basic understanding and group culture; much longer than I expected or have ever experienced. I also seem to have finally gotten a better sense of what interests them. Before, I was just grasping at straws and I think my lack of confidence in some of the lessons showed.
My goals for this class were to be more inside myself and in the moment when teaching and to speak with an authentic voice. In the last few weeks, I have certainly felt more like myself, but we will see if it comes through when I watch the video.
Video Review:
For the video, I used a different group of students because the timing just worked out that way. I wanted to capture my introduction to a lesson on Nick Cave and wearable art with my 3rd-5th grade group.
As I showed them some videos and guided them through a presentation, I sat with them around a big table, which made me feel more comfortable, and the whole thing, more conversational. I hadn't really thought about that ahead of time, but looking back, it just felt right. Immediately, the students were excited by Nick Cave's work as we watched a video of people dancing around in sounds suits. There was lots of laughter and "whoa, cools". So we were off to a good start. Then I asked them to think about the word "fashion". What comes to mind? I knew this would be an interesting discussion because this group of kids is very "earthy" and not very into pop culture and trends. They said things like, "expensive", ridiculous", "wasteful", and "shallow".
The discussion was going pretty much how I wanted it to go, but here I noticed something about my questioning strategies. I think I ask too many leading questions like "Do you think what you wear can say something about who you are, what you like, or what you do?" The nature of this question automatically implies the answer I want. A better way to ask it might have been "How do you think what we wear reveals information about who we are, what we like, or what we do, if, indeed, it does at all?" Followed by "why do you think we use clothing in this way" and "is this a good thing or a bad thing?" We ended up getting there anyway because this group has a lot of opinions and they feel pretty comfortable expressing them, but in a more reluctant group, the way I posed the question could have led to a dead end.
Next, we started talking about costumes. I asked them if any of them had ever worn a costume. Of course, they all had, for Halloween, in theatrical productions, and just for fun. I asked them "What was that like, to wear a costume? How did it feel?" This was a better questioning strategy. It opened up the floor for them to tell personal stories about costumes they really liked and why.
All in all, the discussion was really rich and led us right up to the activity in a nice seamless way. Win! Comparing my own "performance" to last time in terms of my goals to be more authentic and in the moment, I so see growth. I appeared (and in truth, felt) much more comfortable this time. This could be because I felt more confident in the lesson I had planned. It could have something to do with the fact that this group is just a little easier to handle and engage. I'm sure the fact that I am now several months into the program and have bonded more with the students factors in as well. But I definitely noticed that I put more emphasis on their ideas and experiences than on information or instructions this time. I think that becomes easier to do as you get to know your students, but I think it's also easier (for me at least) with a slightly older crowd. Perhaps the younger students are just my weak area. Through reflection, I've come to realize, I don't enjoy the minutia of behaviour management and I also have a much harder time figuring out what will interests and excites them. I still haven't found a way to be my authentic self with the little ones. It feels very much like a performance or an affectation that I adopt with them. I'm not sure if this is something that will ever change. I think some people are just better suited to different age groups and I get the least amount of satisfaction out of working with very young children. My enjoyment and satisfaction increases exponentially the more independent and self actualizing my students become, as does my ability to "be myself". But this is an entirely different tangent. Even though the little ones may never be my strongest area, I still have to work on finding the part of myself that can connect with them. It helps me to observe others and I'm fortunate to have some very talented peers in my midst.
I can honestly say that this class has helped me shift my focus away from extraneous circumstances and the behaviour of my students and on to myself, the one element in the mix over which I actually have control. I've realized how unproductive and draining it is to lay blame on all these outside factors, knowing there is probably little we can do to change it. Our students' home lives, limited budgets, constricting curriculum and assessment expectations, etc, etc,...I'm not saying we can't make any difference in these areas or that we should ignore them, but the one area where we can make immediate changes and the most profound impact is within ourselves.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Week 9 Peer Responses
To Kelly:
Hey Kelly, in response to your question "what exactly has to be done to create an environment where all our students feel comfortable enough to speak their truth?", I think the first step is that we have to model courage and speak truth ourselves. Like the author said, we have to make ourselves vulnerable. This is a really scary thought, especially in our most challenging classroom situations. I think, when things start to go baldy with a lesson or in terms of classroom behavior, our instinct is to exercise MORE control and authority. When things aren't going as we want them to, that's when we feel the most vulnerable already. So it takes a lot of courage to speak honestly in times like that. But maybe, if we do, students will respond to our open-heartedness with understanding.
Congrats on your award, by the way! So interesting, though, how even positive labels can limit and burden us. I know how you feel. But you're right...just keep doing what you do. Obviously, somebody noticed.
To Slamme:
Firstly, I will definitely be checking out those resources for dealing with underachievers. I have one who has been wreaking havoc on my flow all semester and I have got to figure out what to do about it.
I also found this week's reading to be a little "out there" at times, which is saying quite a bit because I hang around some pretty "out there" people. Maybe I'm even a little "out there" myself, but there were a few points I had trouble with. However, I realized several days later that other parts were still lingering with me, especially as I people watched. Looking around in crowded restaurants, I found myself thinking about everyone's need to feel understood and accepted somewhere. I felt more aware of the knowledge that every individual is an ocean of experience...that their reality is just as vast as mine. I felt more connected and empathetic for people than I usually do in the moment to moment. So, corny as the reading was at times, I feel grateful that it reminded me of some truths that I had been neglecting.
Hey Kelly, in response to your question "what exactly has to be done to create an environment where all our students feel comfortable enough to speak their truth?", I think the first step is that we have to model courage and speak truth ourselves. Like the author said, we have to make ourselves vulnerable. This is a really scary thought, especially in our most challenging classroom situations. I think, when things start to go baldy with a lesson or in terms of classroom behavior, our instinct is to exercise MORE control and authority. When things aren't going as we want them to, that's when we feel the most vulnerable already. So it takes a lot of courage to speak honestly in times like that. But maybe, if we do, students will respond to our open-heartedness with understanding.
Congrats on your award, by the way! So interesting, though, how even positive labels can limit and burden us. I know how you feel. But you're right...just keep doing what you do. Obviously, somebody noticed.
To Slamme:
Firstly, I will definitely be checking out those resources for dealing with underachievers. I have one who has been wreaking havoc on my flow all semester and I have got to figure out what to do about it.
I also found this week's reading to be a little "out there" at times, which is saying quite a bit because I hang around some pretty "out there" people. Maybe I'm even a little "out there" myself, but there were a few points I had trouble with. However, I realized several days later that other parts were still lingering with me, especially as I people watched. Looking around in crowded restaurants, I found myself thinking about everyone's need to feel understood and accepted somewhere. I felt more aware of the knowledge that every individual is an ocean of experience...that their reality is just as vast as mine. I felt more connected and empathetic for people than I usually do in the moment to moment. So, corny as the reading was at times, I feel grateful that it reminded me of some truths that I had been neglecting.
Week 8 Peer Responses
Firstly, I have really loved looking at everyone's portraits. Such a talented group of artists! I gave my compliments to several people, but here are the more significant comments.
Secondly, sorry I'm so far behind in my responses. I really am inspired by all of you. Little by little, I'm clawing my way out of the trenches. I plan to be caught up soon!
To Katie:
The eyes! Your facial expression is so inviting, and just as you were going for, a little amused. I absolutely love this piece and envy your painting style. It is such a delightful contrast to my own methodical, neutral- obsessed subtlety. It's so lively, just as I imagine you are as a teacher!
To Michelle R. :
Secondly, sorry I'm so far behind in my responses. I really am inspired by all of you. Little by little, I'm clawing my way out of the trenches. I plan to be caught up soon!
To Katie:
The eyes! Your facial expression is so inviting, and just as you were going for, a little amused. I absolutely love this piece and envy your painting style. It is such a delightful contrast to my own methodical, neutral- obsessed subtlety. It's so lively, just as I imagine you are as a teacher!
To Michelle R. :
Week 10: Loving the Questions
Right away I felt much more connected to this chapter than the last. Perhaps I was just feeling more open minded, but this time, the author articulated many of my own thoughts and theories throughout the chapter and offered some better, more practical (I think) exercises on how to introduce inquiry based learning in the classroom. In the first few pages, Uhl talks about our negative associations with questions - the fear, anxiety, and even humiliation that the idea of questioning can evoke. These are feelings I think I've mostly overcome since the days of my "because I said so", Catholic school childhood. However, I did have to stop and ask myself, do I use questions as weapons? Have I used questions to disadvantage, discredit, or disengage people? Not my students so much, because I don't often find myself locked in a heated debate with 3rd graders, but I do feel like I have used questions this way in my other relationships. Questions are powerful tools, but every tool can be a weapon depending on how you wield it.
When I reached the section on what makes a good questions, I felt like Uhl was reading my mind. Just before reading this section I stopped to follow a line of thinking and reflect in my journal. I had just written/drawn a pyramid describing my own hierarchy of questioning, placing the "who, what, when , where, and which" questions at the bottom, given that these are all concrete questions with "factual" answers. They are not interpretive, but simply help us to gather the data. I placed "how" above these, and consider it the question of cause and effect. In my view "how" is about relationships that exist in the data collected by the concrete questions. Finally, at the top is "why". And just like Uhl, I defined "why" as the question of meaning. I have long had a theory that the ability to contemplate "why" is what makes human beings distinct as a species. It was reassuring to read that I am not the only one who has contemplated this and that perhaps my musings aren't just nuts. The enigmatic thing about "why" is that it holds more ambiguity than clarity. It leads to more questions than answers. It sheds light on those things which are decidedly subjective, and yet, it is the most powerful tool we have in the quest for truth. I love "why". It is my reason for being who I am.
In my fantasy middle/high school, I think "inquiry" would be a core course unto itself. In it, students would learn what good questions look like, how to ask them, how to listen, and how to follow a line of questioning to a satisfying conclusion. Perhaps by their junior or senior year of high school "inquiry" would start to look more like "research". By then, students would be thinking metacognitively about their own questions, searching for patterns and relationships in/between their thinking and the thinking of other thinkers; looking for what really excites and intrigues them and pinpointing the questions that remain persistently unanswered. Every class would have a "wonder wall" and every student, a "what-if" journal. I could go on and on, but just image what that could do to prepare students for college, a satisfying career, and/or a future as a life-long learner.
I think there's no doubt, I always have, still do, and always will, love the questions!
Question Based Lesson
I was really intrigued by several of the explorations. I can imagine using any one of them in the classroom. It would be simple enough to try the 50 questions method for generating questions through observation, utilizing the gallery as our setting. Since we have a brand new show opening this week, this might be a perfectly timed opportunity. I would probably scale it back to 20 questions for my students. Why? Because I think the idea of the number 50 would freak them out a bit, even though I'm pretty sure they could do it. I just don't want them to freeze up right at the start. Obviously, they can write more than 20 questions if they can think of them. After a brief discussion about what makes a "juicy" question, I might ask each of them to choose their 3 juiciest. Then, as a group, we would visit each piece and entertain the 3 questions chosen by the observer. With a typical class size, this would take forever, but because I only have 3-5 students in each of my classes, I think this would be totally doable.
Entertaining "why". Like VTS, this kind of viewing experience sends the message that there isn't just one right answer when it comes to art. In fact, the viewers interpretation and experience is just as, maybe more important than the artist's original intention. Why? Meaning is not fixed. It is not a dead thing trapped within a frame. The meaning is in us, the viewer. I believe that is valid and is real. Allowing them to generate the questions as well as entertain them as a group underscores this message all the more. What I'm not sure about is how or if I would spin that experience directly into an art-making activity. Thoughts?
When I reached the section on what makes a good questions, I felt like Uhl was reading my mind. Just before reading this section I stopped to follow a line of thinking and reflect in my journal. I had just written/drawn a pyramid describing my own hierarchy of questioning, placing the "who, what, when , where, and which" questions at the bottom, given that these are all concrete questions with "factual" answers. They are not interpretive, but simply help us to gather the data. I placed "how" above these, and consider it the question of cause and effect. In my view "how" is about relationships that exist in the data collected by the concrete questions. Finally, at the top is "why". And just like Uhl, I defined "why" as the question of meaning. I have long had a theory that the ability to contemplate "why" is what makes human beings distinct as a species. It was reassuring to read that I am not the only one who has contemplated this and that perhaps my musings aren't just nuts. The enigmatic thing about "why" is that it holds more ambiguity than clarity. It leads to more questions than answers. It sheds light on those things which are decidedly subjective, and yet, it is the most powerful tool we have in the quest for truth. I love "why". It is my reason for being who I am.
In my fantasy middle/high school, I think "inquiry" would be a core course unto itself. In it, students would learn what good questions look like, how to ask them, how to listen, and how to follow a line of questioning to a satisfying conclusion. Perhaps by their junior or senior year of high school "inquiry" would start to look more like "research". By then, students would be thinking metacognitively about their own questions, searching for patterns and relationships in/between their thinking and the thinking of other thinkers; looking for what really excites and intrigues them and pinpointing the questions that remain persistently unanswered. Every class would have a "wonder wall" and every student, a "what-if" journal. I could go on and on, but just image what that could do to prepare students for college, a satisfying career, and/or a future as a life-long learner.
I think there's no doubt, I always have, still do, and always will, love the questions!
Question Based Lesson
I was really intrigued by several of the explorations. I can imagine using any one of them in the classroom. It would be simple enough to try the 50 questions method for generating questions through observation, utilizing the gallery as our setting. Since we have a brand new show opening this week, this might be a perfectly timed opportunity. I would probably scale it back to 20 questions for my students. Why? Because I think the idea of the number 50 would freak them out a bit, even though I'm pretty sure they could do it. I just don't want them to freeze up right at the start. Obviously, they can write more than 20 questions if they can think of them. After a brief discussion about what makes a "juicy" question, I might ask each of them to choose their 3 juiciest. Then, as a group, we would visit each piece and entertain the 3 questions chosen by the observer. With a typical class size, this would take forever, but because I only have 3-5 students in each of my classes, I think this would be totally doable.
Entertaining "why". Like VTS, this kind of viewing experience sends the message that there isn't just one right answer when it comes to art. In fact, the viewers interpretation and experience is just as, maybe more important than the artist's original intention. Why? Meaning is not fixed. It is not a dead thing trapped within a frame. The meaning is in us, the viewer. I believe that is valid and is real. Allowing them to generate the questions as well as entertain them as a group underscores this message all the more. What I'm not sure about is how or if I would spin that experience directly into an art-making activity. Thoughts?
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Week 9: On Teaching as if Life Matters
I must admit, my initial response to this reading was not 100% full buy-in to the author's point of view. That being said, I do recognize that there is a great deal of truth and value presented here as well. This is not my first introduction to the theory of non-violent communication and over the years I have tried to incorporate certain aspects of it into my own ways of being and communicating. Using "I" statements rather than accusatory "you" statements can be very effective in disarming conflict, and just generally practicing empathy and trying to understand the other person with a genuine heart is invaluable to the self and to relationships. However, I do start to take issue at the point where the theory almost seems to insinuate that we should have no expectations of one another. At least, it seems like some might interpret it that way and have known those who have. The author offers the example of the student who continually dozes off in his classes. Now, I can agree that as reflective teachers, as reflective humans, it is worthwhile to ask ourselves what role we play in this scenario. Is there anything we can learn from this? None of us wants to be a boring lecturer. However, I cannot agree that falling asleep in class is an admirable (or even acceptable for a college student) behavior. Someday, when this student's boss is delivering a "boring" report and he's tired because his sick kid was keeping him up all night, it may be understandable that he is tempted to doze off, but it will not likely be considered acceptable. This is an inconsiderate and disrespectful behavior for an adult and is not likely to be well received in a professional environment or any other relational situation he may find himself in. If his physical condition of fatigue had reached such severity, the mature and respectful thing to do would simply be to politely excuse oneself from the situation. The compassionate and empathetic response on the part of the teacher or boss would be to relate to this person and grant them the excuse. It seems to me that when it comes to what students get out of school, the curriculum content is just the tip of the iceberg. Just as important are the life-skills one acquires such as how to cooperate with others, how to manage your time and personal materials responsibly, and, not least of all, how to persevere when something becomes challenging, tedious, or even boring. To lend another example, no one likes standing in line at the license bureau. It's boring. Yet, that will not hold up as an excuse for not getting your vehicle registered. And don't expect the clerk behind the counter to take responsibility for making your experience more entertaining. That being said, I would ABSOLUTELY and ALWAYS encourage my students, or anyone else for that matter, to ask why we do things this way and might there be a better way of obtaining our driver's license renewals and vehicle registrations. By no means do I suggest that we have to accept the status quo, but in life, in fact, we will have to do things that are hard, tedious, and/or uninteresting. While I believe that giving students some autonomy and the power of choice in their education can help them to feel ownership and investment in the learning process, if we don't create any boundaries and behave as if any choice is acceptable, we risk enabling our students to simply choose the path of least resistance. I'm sure I'm kind-of ranting by now, and I think I feel more strongly about this at the moment because I currently have a group of homeschool students who haven't been exposed to the structure of a more traditional school environment (or have experienced something like it to varying degrees). I'm beginning to develop strong opinions around the concept of home schooling, in general, and frankly, I'm not convinced it's the best option for most families. One of my students, in particular, has real issues with self efficacy and discipline. He told me last week, in the course of casual conversation, that he basically spent an entire year sleeping and playing video games. I was rather taken aback by this statement and I think I replied by asking, "Well aren't your parents teaching you? What kinds of things do you do?" To which he replied, "No. Not really. If something is too hard and I just don't want to do it I just become really annoying until eventually they give up." I mean, wow. Now I realize this is not really his fault. But what am I supposed to do with a kid who is intentionally disruptive in class, frequently rude to me and the other students, and shows very little enthusiasm or interest in anything we attempt to do (despite the fact that I've tried to tailor my plans according to his interests in an attempt to engage him), who has learned that any time something feels remotely challenging to him he can just get away with not trying. As a reflective teacher, how do I enter into this scenario? What is my role?
Getting back to the reading...some of the the author's strategies felt a little hokey to me and I just think I wouldn't feel authentic using some of them, thought I can identify the value at their core. The "declaring presence" exercise, for example, wouldn't really feel natural or comfortable for me, but I do like the idea of some kind of ritual which calls the group to presence, perhaps in not such a literal or direct way. For example, in the Waldorf classroom the teacher will often light a candle to signify an important moment. I could see something like this working for me. I also really latched on to the idea of "council" and the Bohmian Dialogue. I will definitely be researching these a little more thoroughly.
To entertain the question of what lies beyond teacher...what might I call myself instead? Seeker? Provocateur? Ringleader? Sparkplug? Really, we're just people. People who get excited about things and hope others will too.
I love the mission statement, "Namaste", that was mentioned in the text for two reasons....one, it encompasses so much in just one word, and two, most of the students would have to ask about it in order to understand what it means. Lately my mantra has been "learning through, not about". I'm not sure if this is a mission statement, but it pretty well sums up my teaching philosophy.
I know that in order for there to me more truth speaking in my classroom I have to make myself more vulnerable. I think this is perhaps harder for a young teacher. You are just trying to get things right, hoping everything will go smoothly. You already feel vulnerable as it is. I suppose this is something you do in little windows. You see an opening and you take it rather than blowing the doors wide open.
Getting back to the reading...some of the the author's strategies felt a little hokey to me and I just think I wouldn't feel authentic using some of them, thought I can identify the value at their core. The "declaring presence" exercise, for example, wouldn't really feel natural or comfortable for me, but I do like the idea of some kind of ritual which calls the group to presence, perhaps in not such a literal or direct way. For example, in the Waldorf classroom the teacher will often light a candle to signify an important moment. I could see something like this working for me. I also really latched on to the idea of "council" and the Bohmian Dialogue. I will definitely be researching these a little more thoroughly.
To entertain the question of what lies beyond teacher...what might I call myself instead? Seeker? Provocateur? Ringleader? Sparkplug? Really, we're just people. People who get excited about things and hope others will too.
I love the mission statement, "Namaste", that was mentioned in the text for two reasons....one, it encompasses so much in just one word, and two, most of the students would have to ask about it in order to understand what it means. Lately my mantra has been "learning through, not about". I'm not sure if this is a mission statement, but it pretty well sums up my teaching philosophy.
I know that in order for there to me more truth speaking in my classroom I have to make myself more vulnerable. I think this is perhaps harder for a young teacher. You are just trying to get things right, hoping everything will go smoothly. You already feel vulnerable as it is. I suppose this is something you do in little windows. You see an opening and you take it rather than blowing the doors wide open.
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On another note, I totally identify with the feeling of running into a wall because my 2D skills don't live up to my ambition. It would all be so much easier if I could just draw or paint what's in my head, all quick-like, you know how some people do. Instead, I have to do all this problem solving to try to figure it out and work within the parameters of my skills. Way to stay with the process. The result is really lovely.