Summer Summer Summer Time
This blog presents a good opportunity to type up my "field notes," and to try and relate them to technology. Today I sat in on Mr. B's bridge program English class for students just entering high school. They were an exceptionally quiet and intelligent bunch of kids, but their reading was very slow for ninth graders. I am really interested in using the web to find some resources on how to use more simply written pieces of great literature to teach-- instead of these somewhat maudlin (although sometimes effective) textbooks that are essentially full of children's stories. Today I saw all of the things I've been learning about come into play-- particularly the shyness of some of these students and the amazing benefits of positive reinforcement.
Mr. B was an excellent, experienced classroom manager and disciplinarian. He got silence and obedience from his students. I felt, though, that he wasn't as kind as he could have been. I believe that many veteran teachers have given up on a whole class of "bad" kids, but in 9th grade I think it's too early to give up! Teachers feel that they "know" how kids are and they're going to show them who's boss. But I saw that even in my three hours of observation, younger people have their own wisdom that is in so many ways superior to the intelligence we jaded grown-ups claim. Why not respect them for it and try to teach them what we know?
I've found out a wee bit more about technology at Truman; I noticed a Dell desktop in my classroom and also heard from Mr. B that he was planning to teach his students some word-processing skills. I think that there are two or three computer labs in the school and I know the teacher's lounge has some Macs. I've also hear the English dept. has 2 or three laptop projectors, but that's among almost 30 staff members. What I've been stewing over today is the issue of my students word-processing their papers. If they don't have computers, it's going to be so much more of a hassle for them to do it. I worry for them! I do feel like it's my responsibility as an Engligh teacher to give them some basics--e-mail for one, and Microsoft Word. So we'll see.
That's all for now.
Mr. B was an excellent, experienced classroom manager and disciplinarian. He got silence and obedience from his students. I felt, though, that he wasn't as kind as he could have been. I believe that many veteran teachers have given up on a whole class of "bad" kids, but in 9th grade I think it's too early to give up! Teachers feel that they "know" how kids are and they're going to show them who's boss. But I saw that even in my three hours of observation, younger people have their own wisdom that is in so many ways superior to the intelligence we jaded grown-ups claim. Why not respect them for it and try to teach them what we know?
I've found out a wee bit more about technology at Truman; I noticed a Dell desktop in my classroom and also heard from Mr. B that he was planning to teach his students some word-processing skills. I think that there are two or three computer labs in the school and I know the teacher's lounge has some Macs. I've also hear the English dept. has 2 or three laptop projectors, but that's among almost 30 staff members. What I've been stewing over today is the issue of my students word-processing their papers. If they don't have computers, it's going to be so much more of a hassle for them to do it. I worry for them! I do feel like it's my responsibility as an Engligh teacher to give them some basics--e-mail for one, and Microsoft Word. So we'll see.
That's all for now.
Labels: Teaching from the trenches
posted by SarahMarian at 11:01 AM
1 Comments:
Sarah,
Excellent thoughts, observations, and questions! I am glad you are sharing them here.
LBK
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