A new curriculum?

At the edge of the world
Originally uploaded by Midnight-digital

Every day I am in my classroom teaching my students about various topics in Science and Math but I can't help but wonder why am I doing this? I am mandated by our provincial government to teach the prescribed curriculum but what does this really do for our students? I posted before about what I feel I am actually teaching my students and now I find myself still feeling that way. I recently came across Stephen Downes post on Things You Really Need To Learn and it got me thinking again about what I am really trying to do in my class every day. I recently became distracted and thus, overwhelmed in my role as a teacher as I have two brand new classes that I am teaching and I am busy trying to plan fun, engaging, exciting (perfect?) lessons to teach the new content. I have lost sight of what I am really trying to do which is to teach students how to teach themselves. After reading Mr. Downes post I may have to add a few more learning objectives. I am particularly drawn to the sections on predicting consequences, distinquishing truth from fiction, empathy, and how to live meaningfully (which requires, I think, to value yourself).
I think the ability to think ahead and foresee the imediate future is a valuable skill that is not demenstrated by many students not to mention many adults. I find science labs a great tool to emphasize and practice this skill. Unfortunately the students do not have the necessary background knowledge in science to do this with much success. Only the dedicated and self motivated students have the opportunity to practice this skill.
I am constantly encouraging my students to question things they read, see and hear. Unfortunately the era that our students are in requires little in the way of finding credible sources and instead emphasizes finding any resource the fastest to save time. Apparently if it is on the internet it must be true. I cringe at the idea of, "I'll just Google it".
I think the last two are one in the same. I think the ability to empathize leads to a person valuing others and consequently themself which allows them to live meaningfully. I understand that adolescence is the period in which a human being is trying to find out who they are and what they like/dislike and what they value. However, I really don't feel that the process of finding out who we are ever stops. So how do we motivate our students to think outside their box (i.e. cellphone, TV and shopping) to find out what life truly has to offer instead of them trying to get the next latest and greatest distraction in life. Unfortunately our youth are letting the good things in life blind them to the best things in life.
All this being said, it does not sound like my job got any easier.

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

First Semester of Teaching

- Guacamole Goalie - Flickr

Well, my first semester as "the teacher" has come to a close. Looking back it seems so long ago, but also, it feels like it has flown by. I remember feeling anxious, excited, and not knowing what to expect on day one. I didn't know what my students would think of me, if I could actually teach them what I was supposed to teach them, and if I could handle all that is required of being a full-time teacher. Well I guess sitting here writing this is a sign that I've made it...at least physically.
There were so many highlights I don't know where to begin. After my students and I got through the feeling out stage I found it a lot easier to loosen up a bit and be myself more of the time. Even though I only spent one semester with some of the grade 12's I found it really emotional when I saw them walk across the stage to receive their diploma. I am, by trade, a numbers and logic type person and what I realized is that teaching is more of an emotional occupation than a practical one. I've learned that it is the daily interactions with staff and students that enriches the teaching experience and makes what we do in the classroom meaningful.
I found it really challenging to adapt the way I interacted and taught different grade levels. For instance a grade 9 class versus a grade 12 class. One thing that was a must for any grade level is a sense of humor. No matter what type of student almost all of them could appreciate and relate to humor and having a sense that there teacher was just a "real" person just like them.
As I reflect back over the semester I don't think I could have asked for anything more. I have built incredible relationships with amazing staff and students, had so much fun along the way and best of all...I can't wait for the fall to do it all again!
I realize that my reflections may be modest compared to a seasoned veteran of 20 years but this is my starting point and I know there will be greater insights and revelations as I journey through the profession of teaching.

What's wrong with education today?

The semester is coming to a close and I am finding it hard to keep students motivated and interested in being in the class. So I was trying to think of a way to get my grade 12's to stay on task during the last few weeks of their final semester of high school. I decided to do something with a topic that I knew was important to them.

What is the purpose of high school?

I decided to raise the question, what is wrong with education today? Most of my students really took this question to hart as they all had serious accusations as to why education (the way it is now) is pointless, in their point of view.
How I sparked this little debate was by showing them a couple of videos I have as a favorites on Youtube. The videos are called "A vision of students today" by Mike Wesch and "Education Today and Tomorrow" by Dean Shareski.



I showed the students the video's and then posed this question; "Does our education system meet the needs of today's students?"

The students had plenty to say in their responses. The responses included such things as:

"Teachers are lazy and don't do a good job at motivating students to learn."

"Most of our classes are pointless, I will never use most of them once I leave high school."

"I don't have the option to study the things that I am interested in."

"I wish we could do things more practical and apply it to the real world."

"We should do things with more technology in all our classes."

"I think we should be able to specialize in the things that we like and not have to take the mandatory classes like math and English...when will I ever need to write and essay later in my life if I don't go to university?"

"School doesn't challenge me and I get bored and don't feel like doing any of the pointless assignments."

As you can see the students had a lot to say and we had to end the discussion early as we ran out of class time. Obviously the students were passionate about this topic and wanted to speak out. I could tell, as can you I'm sure, from their responses they were asking for more from their public education than they are receiving.

I decided to take this one step further for two reasons: 1) to give them an opportunity to speak out and let their feelings and opinions be heard and 2) to give myself an inside look at what it is exactly that students want today and how can I better adapt my teaching and influence change in the system to meet those needs.

I decided to add an assignment at the end of all this.

PROPOSAL TO REVAMP EDUCATION (HIGHSCHOOL)

Refer to the following youtube videos:
a) Education Today & Tomorrow
b) A Vision of Students today
c) 3 Steps for 21st Century Learning
d) School of the future

Requirements:

1) What subjects/content would be taught? (I.e. math, science, religion, politics, horseback riding??)

2) How would they be taught?
I.e. Setting: in a school, outside, multiple locations, others?? Resources: labs, computers, digital equipment?? Instruction: projects, lectures, experiments, research, work experience??

3) How would students be assessed? (How do you find out what the students know) i.e. exams, reports…??

Provide as much detail as possible when you answer these questions. You can present this in any format you chose, essay, PowerPoint, video, play, collage…be creative)

You will be marked on the following:

a) are all the questions answered
b) is there enough detail in your answers
c) are your answers practical

Be sure to reference any resources that you use.

The assignments will be coming in at the end of the semester, which is in about a week. I am eagerly anticipating what the students will come up with. I will have a follow up post to report on what the students hand in.

Should be interesting.

Redefining my role as Teacher

[... first rays of light]
Originally uploaded by Stefan Mendelsohn

As each day goes by I find myself thinking more and more about what my new role as a teacher is in this digital and technical world we call teaching. I have come to an early conclusion that my goal as a teacher is to teach students how to teach themselves. It doesn't matter if I am teaching Math, Physics, Drafting...fill in the blank, in the end students may remember a few things from the content but the bigger picture is; did I teach them something about themselves and about how they learn best?
I find I am focusing more on being a resource and providing valuable resources to my students that help them achieve success in the content and understanding about how to learn. I have discussion weekly in my classrooms with students about "what is the point of school"? Through our discussions I get the sense that students are frustrated with the way schools are set up and how "pointless" some classes are. They make the point, "when will I ever use this again in my life?" My comment is that true, you may never need some or most of what you learn in school, but the important thing is that you learn how to learn so that you can teach yourself anything that you will need to learn in your lifetime. Most of the content I learned in school I had to reteach to myself if I needed it in University or at a job. So to me, the bigger lesson, the bigger picture is; can I teach my students what their learning style is and can I provide resources to help them discover and take advantage of what their learning strengths are?
To me this simplifies my teaching and makes me a more efficient teacher because I know where I should be focusing my energy and time. I am sure this philosophy of teaching, I guess you could call it, will change and evolve as I embark on my teaching journey but I feel I am on to something more foundational and valuable than trying to convince kids to learn this because they have to if they want to graduate or because they may need this if they go to University. If there is a method to the madness then maybe the madness might just make sense and be worth something in the end.

Student cheating

Sitting Alone
Originally uploaded by naraekim0801

This past week I had my first experience with students cheating in my class. Four of my more "energetic" students thought it would be a good idea to hand in the same drawing assignment. How do I know it was the same assignment? Well the geometry that the students had to create had the exact same blatant errors on all the drawings and since they handed them in all at the exact same time it was pretty easy to recognize the pattern. It kind of shocked me. I always kind of expected at some point in my career that I would come across students trying to get away without doing the work, but it was still disappointing.
I chose to call all the students to my desk and explain the situation. They didn't really deny it or fight back. I gave them all zero on the assignment. They didn't seem to concerned with the consequences of their actions. I didn't know if further action should be taken, such as a phone call home, but I figured if my son or daughter did something like this at school I would want to know. I made the phone calls home and each parent was thankful for the call and one parent even asked if I could send the assignment home with the student so she could make her son still do the assignment even though he would not receive any marks for it.
As a result of this incident the students involved seem to take the class and myself more seriously. Also, this has provided me the opportunity to make contact with the home and start to develop a relationship with my students home life. It was a real positive experience speaking with the parents and I felt as though I had an ally on my side as I tried to show these students the right and wrong of their actions.
This experience has reinforced to me just how important parental/guardian involvement is to the success of a student.

Feeling guilty about "not" teaching

So my new job is teaching in a non-traditional subject...drafting/architecture. Coming from a math background this is new territory for me. I am used to alot of direct instruction and playing the "sage on the stage" bit (although I was working on eliminating that as much as possible). Now I find myself in the role of "guide at the side" and it is really uncomfortable. I feel like I am not doing my job or doing a good enough job because I feel like I am letting my students discover learning and figure it out on their own by doing "it" rather than having me show "it". It's ironic because in my other area of specialty this is exactly what I was trying so hard to accomplish, now I have it and it doesn't feel natural. I guess it goes to show that it is one thing for a teacher to preach about giving up control to the students and it is another to actually have that happen. As I get used to this new role I am trying to find ways to be as effective as possible in this style. I do feel it will benefit the students more in the long run, I just need to adjust. This area of content is really well suited to problem based learning and experiential learning which is also foreign to math teachers.
I am excited with the possibilities that this will bring and I am confident that the experience that I will gain will make me a much more effective teacher if I ever do have to return to the math classroom.

First teaching job

So I am officially a working teacher. Now I graduated in December, thus, I was a teacher but now I am actually about to get paid to be one. It's exciting, scary and really overwhelming all in one breath. This picture says it best. I am barely keeping my head above water and then I turn around and there is another wave of doubt, frustration and anxiety that must be overcome as I proceed down my journey of teaching. I wonder if this is where the term "sink or swim" comes into play?
I know these feelings will pass and it will just take some time to get into a new routine and get comfortable with what I am teaching and how everything operates. Before as an intern at least there was someone in the room with you, now I'm THE teacher...what have I got myself into? It all comes down to change. It's funny, we know nothing stays the same forever and that to grow and evolve we must face change and even seek it out, yet when it gets here we wonder if we will ever experience "normal" again. I think I read somewhere, or someone told me that the feelings of being uncomfortable and uneasy is a sign that we are growing and developing as a person. Well if that is the case, there is a whole lot of growing and developing going on with me right now. I liken it to the analogy of a rock tumbler. You throw the rough, unfinished and raw rock in, it gets tossed around a bit and shaken up and then out comes this lovely unrecognizable piece of wonder. Maybe that is what is happening here. I get thrown into an unfamiliar situation, forced to "sink or swim", and challenged to put to use that which I have been taught and that which I have not. My hope is that I come out the other side, first of all alive, and second a more confident, effective and relaxed teacher and person.
If it was easy, everyone would do it.

What's wrong with traditional math assessment?

Ever since my first experience as "the teacher" in a classroom I've always felt uncomfortable with the way we traditionally assess math. The traditional unit exam breeds last minute cramming and memorization of procedures and questions by the student. This is followed by an all to common brain dump of useless information (i.e. math content) about 10 seconds after they hand in their exam. There must be a better way. Now after reading a post from a student on Students 2.0 it seems as though some of the students feel the same way!

Students 2.0 via kwout

Could this be the sparks of something new burning in the future of teaching and assessing of mathematics?
Personally, as I went through my university career I learned that I would never memorize all the questions that could be asked or all the different scenario's that I could possibly encounter, but what I could do is understand the principles and key ideas underlying all the questions and thus be able to apply those understandings to whatever I faced on the exams. Ironically enough it took less time to study this way then it did when I tried to do one of every type of question I might face. This discovery didn't come until about my second year of university, which was preceded by my k-12 schooling, two years at a technology school, and a year of university classes...oh the wasted hours memorizing and agonizing over all the information to take in.
Now with this new found outlook and a desire in our students to want to be tested more meaningfully I feel the time is now for something new to develop. There is a difference between knowledge and understanding. Wiggins & McTighe have a great book out called, Understanding by Design, that explains this idea and how we can design our teaching and assessing to facilitate understanding. Closely related to this is the idea of Bloom's Taxonomy, which was published back in the 50's but wasn't very popular until recently. The idea is to get students to think about the content (no matter what it is) and to bend it, twist it, shape it, and make it fit into scenario's, contexts, and applications that differ from what they have seen it in before. Basically we are looking for the student to demonstrate the ability to transfer knowledge across into other areas or applications.
In math this may come about as problem solving, projects, presentations, or research into real life applications. I have found one great resource on the net that has a collection of great higher level mathematical thinking objectives involved in the assessment tasks. It was put together by Harvard graduates from 1993 to 2003 (a fairly credible source, don't you think?). Here is the link.
So as I make my way through this crazy world of teaching I learn from the past, refuse the status quo of the present, and anticipate change for the future of education.

Hired to teach?

So the high schools are writing finals this week, thus, me being a substitute, will probably be having the week "off". Being a recent grad and getting letters in the mail that have big sums of money owing on statements that come from the banks and various loan agencies is not a real happy thing. Plus, it is a balmy -45 degrees celcius today...not a real good start to the week. Then after lunch I get the call..."Hi Tyler, this is so and so at THE high school. We would like to offer you a full time teaching position for the second semester." As I try and sort through what has just been said to me the principle goes on to describe what comes next in the whole job offer process.
With a baby on the way and my wife due to go on maternity leave next week you could say, perfect timing. And now the sense of satisfaction as my child starts its life I can look it in the eyes and not feel like a dead-beat dad and actually support my family (wow, who would have known getting that University degree and racking up all that debt would have paid off so soon).
My issue is this. I am hired on full time for next semester. I will be teaching four classes in a school I have never been in, to kids I've never met, with staff I don't know and here's the kicker...I don't even know what the classes I am teaching are yet! I must have missed the how to teach a full load with no prep time class at university. The old sink or swim...ahhh isn't life grand. All I can say is I am grateful for the opportunity and hopefull that there will be some helpful people at the school I will be teaching at. Let the mayhem begin!