My Teaching Experiences

Last week was a full week. On Wednesday I watched the ninth grade class third and fourth periods and led the entire class fifth period so that Andrew could get lunch for a third-period group that had won a contest. I had to use his laptop (a Mac) and the new projector - both pieces of technology that I was very unfamiliar with. I think my inexpertise was noticed by the students. They were helpful, though, reminding me of all the things I hadn't done yet and all the things I had done in the wrong order. Or, at least, they were trying to be helpful.

I also cried in eighth grade reading. I was reading aloud the part in The Outsiders where Johnny and Dally die. It was rough, but I had half expected to cry during that part.

Friday we did a Socratic seminar and the kids loved it. It was their first one of the year, so they got off to a slow start, but after awhile it was old hat and they fell right in to place with the discussing and arguing. Sixth period was the best of the three I witnessed. The students in that class are generally more active and talkative anyway, so this was just an opportunity for them to expand on that in an open environment. Seventh period talked and debated nearly as much as sixth; they took a long time involving the open chair, but once they did it was always full. Eighth period took a long time getting into the discussions. They kept trying to talk to me (I was leading the class) and became frustrated when I wouldn't answer them because I wasn't in the inner circle. One boy in the inner circle caught me by surprise. He is one of "those kids" - the one I hear teachers complaining about all the time (sometimes they mention him specifically). I have yet to have encountered problems with him in the classroom, but he has a behavioral specialist who follows him to all his classes and cues him when there's a problem. In the Socratic seminar, this student shone - far above the other students I saw all day. He demonstrated clear and unwaivering understanding of the text, asked thought-provoking questions and came up with more new ideas and possible solutions than anyone else. Afterwards I commended him on his performance and thanked him for doing such a great job. It makes me wonder if those teachers who complain about him allow him the opportunity to perform like that or if they would rather he sit quietly, droning on like the rest of their students...

My Teaching Experiences
I'm a graduate student at Boise State University just starting to work with the school districts. This no-frills blog is my account of my experiences in the school setting. Archives: January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007	Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Last week was a full week. On Wednesday I watched the ninth grade class third and fourth periods and led the entire class fifth period so that Andrew could get lunch for a third-period group that had won a contest. I had to use his laptop (a Mac) and the new projector - both pieces of technology that I was very unfamiliar with. I think my inexpertise was noticed by the students. They were helpful, though, reminding me of all the things I hadn't done yet and all the things I had done in the wrong order. Or, at least, they were trying to be helpful. I also cried in eighth grade reading. I was reading aloud the part in The Outsiders where Johnny and Dally die. It was rough, but I had half expected to cry during that part. Friday we did a Socratic seminar and the kids loved it. It was their first one of the year, so they got off to a slow start, but after awhile it was old hat and they fell right in to place with the discussing and arguing. Sixth period was the best of the three I witnessed. The students in that class are generally more active and talkative anyway, so this was just an opportunity for them to expand on that in an open environment. Seventh period talked and debated nearly as much as sixth; they took a long time involving the open chair, but once they did it was always full. Eighth period took a long time getting into the discussions. They kept trying to talk to me (I was leading the class) and became frustrated when I wouldn't answer them because I wasn't in the inner circle. One boy in the inner circle caught me by surprise. He is one of "those kids" - the one I hear teachers complaining about all the time (sometimes they mention him specifically). I have yet to have encountered problems with him in the classroom, but he has a behavioral specialist who follows him to all his classes and cues him when there's a problem. In the Socratic seminar, this student shone - far above the other students I saw all day. He demonstrated clear and unwaivering understanding of the text, asked thought-provoking questions and came up with more new ideas and possible solutions than anyone else. Afterwards I commended him on his performance and thanked him for doing such a great job. It makes me wonder if those teachers who complain about him allow him the opportunity to perform like that or if they would rather he sit quietly, droning on like the rest of their students...