Site Update

Sorry for the lack of posts as of late.  Classes have been very busy.  I will try to get more online later this week.

Chalk the Movie

I did not like the NBC show Teachers, although to be fair, I only watched a few minutes of it. I remember flipping through the channels and stopping long enough to see a teacher hit a golf ball into a classroom. That was enough for me. I know it was supposed to be a sitcom, but it was so over the top that I couldn't watch anymore. That said, I think that this movie looks great.

It's been described as a mix between The Office and real life (sorry, I can't find/remember the blog that I read that description from) and from the looks of this trailer, I can't wait until I can get it through Netflix.

The movie's official website is also good.

How Can I Harry Potter Civics?

While standing in line for Harry Potter last night (only an hour, the Wal-Mart wasn't party central like BN and Borders) I began to wonder how I could get that kind of attraction around the social sciences in the classroom.  If I taught something else I'd be thinking "How can I Harry Potter _____?"

It was amazing, people of all ages, lined up for a book.  I know it was the last one, but there has to be something more than just the conclusion of the story, as people have been lining up for these books for years.  It's a great story, and a realtively easy read (kids books), but there's something else there.  I want that something else for my classroom.

Evaluating Students Verbally

In my student teaching, I had provided feedback to students after speeches in front of the class.  Positives and things they could work on.  This was done verbally and gave immeidate feedback and showed the class what to do well and things to avoid.  

After sitting in class today and seeing a group evaluated, I am rethinking this approach.  The group did volunteer to be a model, and they did ok, but I was not very comfortable with the way this was done.  Maybe I'm more sensitive now, maybe I am tired, but this experience has really made me rethink the practice of verbal feedback.

Thing for me to keep in mind: I can give generalized feedback to the class if I see a trend developing.  By giving general feedback, it spreads thenevaluation, so it's not just on one student (or group).  This is not to say that positive feedback cannot be given to students.  The more warm and fuzzies the better I say.  More specific corrections can be given to the students or to the group individually, so as to spare the embarrassment.

My Sticky Note

Above my computer screen is a tiny sticky note that says "You've got to graduate first."  I wrote it late one night, and I'm a little iffy on the grammar, but it serves as a good reminder that I need to be working on classes instead of being perpetually lost in thoughts of next year.

Speaking of which... back to the text. 

The importance of being a student

Being a student during the summer is always a god thing because it reminds me what it's like to be out in the seats during a lesson.  I see the strengths and weaknesses of my professors, and realize things that I am glad I do, things I like, and things that I want to avoid.

Things I am glad I do: I set clear goals for each class and I work towards them.  I have sat through a few classes where the prof just talks and talks without a clear goal, and this is incredibly painful.  I can see now why my students just want to fade away if they don't really have a reason why they are there.

Things I really like: I like that one of my professors provides printouts of his slides.  This may not be applicable in a public school where printing and paper budgets are much tighter, but it's nice to have here.  I'll have to explore options of getting info into my student's hands, but in a budgetary and environmentally friendly way.

Things I want to avoid: Showing my students that I am frustrated with them.  I have a professor now who has been snapping at students who have questions.  This is completely unacceptable.