****Please note this was originally written in April of this year - just re-posting:0) 

This past week I took over a grade 5 class.  The teacher has gone on maternity leave and I will be with these students until the end of the school year.  I feel very fortunate, as I have inherited a fabulous group of students.  I almost feel spoiled as I am used to junior high and high school students.  My students were welcoming, helpful and respectful.  Not once did someone roll his eyes at me – that is a novel concept.  What I am quickly learning about this age group is that my extensive vocabulary requires explanation.  Also, these students only have 10 years of background knowledge to draw from. 

            As part of my job, I must put the outcomes mandated by Alberta Education into child friendly language.  One concept that came up this week was that, “students will think critically.”  “What does ‘think critically’ mean?” a ten- year old asked me tentatively, no doubt anticipating an explanation that was beyond her grasp.  I was on the spot and had to think fast ( a trait that most teachers must possess – I am a work in progress).

            I was fortunate enough to take a Critical Thinking class at the University of Lethbridge.  This undergrad class provided me with a strong foundation of critical thinking, enabling me to teach my students to be critical thinkers.  Practicing critical thinking provides them with an entrepreneurial spirit, always digging, wanting to find more or better ways to arrive at conclusions.  The definition of critical thinking that I arrived at is that it is a way of thinking that is reflective, promotes further questioning, and helps you to arrive at a well-reasoned working conclusion for the issue at hand.  I need to memorize this definition, at the very least, it should be a poster in my classroom.  

            When I was put on the spot and asked about critical thinking I immediately thought about muddy waters.  I told my students that critical thinking was much like looking at the waters of a pond.  The water looks clear on the surface and we can't see that far.  But as we begin to question further, go below the surface of the water, we will see bugs and fish, snails, perhaps even some freshwater shrimp.  As we continue to question, and go deeper in the water, we come to the vegetation, then we come to the bottom of the pond, we dig deeper into the roots of the vegetation, the water becomes cloudy and it is hard to see.  As we question critically, sometimes we create more questions and it is hard to see our way to a clear answer.  Soon, as we reflect on the questions we have asked, we sit and think; the water stills, the silt returns to the bottom of the pond and soon the pond is clear again.  We now have a well reasoned, working conclusion for our issue.

            It is important for our students to be taught to think critically – which really means to question what they are learning.  In their learning environment, answers to questions are only a “Google search” away.  I need to teach students to think for themselves.  I am disappointed when a student only regurgitates information.  Gone is the day of purely memorizing information, we must be able to work with the information given and ask questions until we are satisfied, for the moment, until we can unearth new information for our questions.

            I hope my students question my teaching.  I am the first to admit I am not the foremost authority on everything.  I am not an authority on the Boreal Forest Region of Alberta – I have a good working knowledge however.  If a student asks a question that I don’t have an answer to, I tell them to look it up.  They go to the computer attached to the Smart Board and we all learn together.  I feel this is a valuable lesson to teach my students: 1) Always ask questions 2) Adults don’t have all the answers 3) We are always learning – even their teacher.

That’s My View From the 86th Pew, Michelle

Well apparently I can’t count, I said that my last post was for week 10, however this is week 10.  I am excited to share what I learnt this week.  This activity was a huge learning experience for me and my students and I would like to share it with you.

            In my grade four Science class we were wrapping up a unit called “Waste in Our World,” and as our final project I asked students to make a movie or trailer teaching other students in the school.  The science learning outcome 4.5.11: Identify actions that individuals and groups can take to minimize the production of wastes, to recycle or reuse wastes and to ensure the safe handling and disposal of wastes.  They were to use and iPad and the iMovie app for their creations.  This project as a whole was very successful but there were a few glitches.

1)      Planning:  we know as teachers that planning is paramount to ensure that our classes run smoothly.  I should have had students plan and write a script.  I happened to be away the second day of this project and that was the day that I wanted to check planning and scripts.  I should have insisted that the sub not hand out the iPads, hindsight is always 20/20.  Because the students were not fully planned they wandered without an end in sight as a result the project took twice as long as I had anticipated and planned for.

 

2)      Time for Project: This project should have only taken approximately three forty minute classes with two flex classes; just because that is how life goes.  This project took two and a half weeks to produce a two minute movie.  Honestly I feel that is a failing on my part. The students took advantage of the time I gave them.  In the future I will a strict timeline.

 

3)      Viewing Platform: I am not sure how I can get all of these movies that are on six different iPads to one central location and to allow for a screening.  FOIP is very strong and important to our school culture which prohibits me from showing their work on a larger platform.  Many students would like to share their work with their parents and I am unable to allow that.  I find the inability to share our work with a larger audience disappointing.

 

My students thoroughly enjoyed this project.  I liked that they could express their understanding in a manner other than pen and paper.  This activity allows for all students to participate and have an active role.  I will use this project again and I will be better planned.

That’s my view from the 86th pew, Michelle

KSA 1: I know that contextual variables affect teaching and learning.  I know how to analyse many variables at one time, and how to respond by making reasoned decisions about my teaching practice and my student’s learning.

As an educator, I struggle with different directives in my teaching.  The government directs me to cover x, y and z.  Parents have directives on how they feel the school, and ultimately me as a teacher, should be teaching their child.  The school division and my school have directives in the form of mission statements.  My students have directives in what they bring with them to my classroom, which may will either hinder or help their learning.  I have directives in how I feel I should teach.  I spent five years at university learning how to be the best educator I could be and I spent a lot of time contemplating what I want for my students; I have my own mission statement. 
            My educational mission statement is: “I believe in teaching life skills, in conjunction with the curriculum; in a safe, mutually respectful environment, reaching out to all modalities while employing effective classroom management.”  I thought long and hard about this statement.  I interviewed other teachers (before I became one) and asked them what their philosophy/mission statement was, sadly more often than not they were unable to answer my question.  That is one of the reasons I chose to spend a lot of time and thought on my mission statement.  Every successful business, sports team and even schools have a mission statement to use as their North Star; to direct them, explain simply what they stand for and are working towards.  That is the purpose of my mission statement.  It is my rudder when the stormy seas of the school year set in.  And right now I am in a squall.
            I have a great group of students.  They are approximately nine years old, some older and a few younger.  This year they have moved into grade four, which is moving up a division and that is a large step in the education world.  Grade one to three is described as “learn to read” and four and up is “read to learn.”  I am discovering that several of my children are struggling readers, I feel that it is my duty to do something about this.  Not only do I have struggling readers, but most of my students lack the ability to problem solve or resolve a conflict on their own.  My classroom is full of several very strong willed children, this trait will serve them well in their life, but they must also learn how to get along with others.  I find that most of my efforts on a daily basis are helping resolve conflicts and instructing my class on how to better co-exist.  This greatly reduces the instruction time I have for prescribed curriculum.
            I struggle with what I could be teaching them (life skills), what I  should be teaching them (prescribed curriculum), and as I reflect, what would the damages be if I do not give these students what they need right now?  As a great educator said the other day, “[Teaching] is about what your students need in that moment.”
            This moment my students need for me to recognize and honour their need to share every part of their day with me. I need to listen to their concerns and respond appropriately so that they understand an adult they trust is willing to hear them and help them.  My apologies to the powers that be, it looks as though I will not be getting to each and every outcome you have prescribed.  The important reason is; I need to teach my students to be responsible citizens and I feel that is more important in this moment in time.

That’s my view from the 86th pew. M.