Busy times at Gray Academy

Hey guys,

Back to the grind, and I am finally feeling somewhat challenged. My first practicum was always enjoyable and I didn't really ever have to work at being a teacher...it sort of came naturally.

But now I'm teaching grade 8s chemistry (grade 9 Atoms and Elements Unit) and it's a whole other story! These guys, especially the boys, couldn't stop talking if their lives depended on it. I learned more today about teaching than I learned all last practicum. I discovered that my natural strategy, of starting with information, and then showing them cool things (chosen so that they understand what they are looking at), will not work in junior high. I am resolved, in the future, to always start with a cool chemistry demonstration (I have an idea of what I'm going to do next class) and then providing the explanations and information. Also, I have to implement a classroom management strategy because I am having to repeat myself 5 times to people who did not pay attention the first time. Ultimately though, I would rather hook them on chemistry than have them understand minute technicalities that seemed so important to me before the class, so my expectations have to change to accomodate this.

So I'm not really frustrated by this result; I'm encouraged that things can really improve now that I have a plan to improve them.

Tomorrow I have a double period with them, and I start teaching grade 11 chemistry too (Organic Chemistry Unit), so it's just getting busier for me. I hope everything's going well for everyone else.

Chris

Day 3, block 2.

Hello there,

Just dropping a line to say I'm in math class, kinda bored. Substitute today so it's a work period. I am hoping to get involved in some extra-curricular stuff, I will keep everyone posted. Ice skating in Phys. Ed was fun, we played Green light, Red light, capture the flag, posts, and other fun games on the ice. I like all my students but once again names are tricky.

Hope you are all enjoying your first week back in your schools!!

Adios amigos,

Justin

March 3rd

Here is some final info from chad:

Chad Duffield



Hey cohort reps,

I hope this last week has not been too stressful as we winf down our classes for the year. I can't believe we're almost done!

Just a couple quick notes from today's council meeting:


1)There will be advance voting done on Friday for the UMSU elections. This emas that you can vote before we go away for practicum. The voting poles will be on the first floow of university center by the dental offices. If you need some more direction once in university center, swing by the UMSU office and they'll be happy to point you in the right direction.

2)Graffiti tickets are still available! They're five dollars in advance and seven dollars at the door.
In short, bring a white shirt, get a marker, practice our teaching writing together.
Let's pump this last social up!


That's really about it. If you would like a copy of the minutes I can certainly send you a copy.

Thanks for working so hard right until the end!
All the best in the last practicum block!


-Chad

News Letter From Chad Jan 6th 2011

Happy new year Cohort Reps!

Here are some announcements I have recieved for you to forward to your cohorts. please email me back and let me know when you have been able to deliver the news to your cohort -- just so I can be accountable.

I really appreciate your continued hard work, and I'm really stoked to get back to classes with you wonderful people.

Have a great night!


Go Canada Go!

Duff





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Hey there, external reps!

There are a few announcements to be delivered to students, preferably this week. They are as follows:

1. The annual Education Exposition (Ed Expo) is fast approaching, and in order to ensure the continued success of the event, the Ed Expo Coordinators require many volunteers. Volunteer sheets are posted by room 321, and we ask that students sign up listing their U of M email accounts only. Volunteers are needed from the afternoon of Sunday, January 30 to the evening of Wednesday, February 2. An all-volunteers meeting will be held on Friday, January 21 at lunch (room # to be posted on EdSC door).

2. The EdSC has managed to delay the vote by Faculty Council on the issue of the Dean's Honour List. As stated in the letter from Jason Athayde sent by email to all students during the last practicum block, a committee called CITEP is recommending that the requirement for standing on the Dean's Honour List be raised to a minimum GPA of 4.0 (up from 3.5). The EdSC advocates for an increase to a maximum of 3.8. CITEP is also calling for a change to graduation with distinction - instead of taking those with GPAs of 3.8 and above, they want to just take the top 10% of students. For a full copy of Jason Athayde's letter to students, please email edsc@cc.umanitoba.ca. The EdSC is asking that students email keepthehonourlist@gmail.com to express their opinions about these issues, which the EdSC hopes to use at the next Faculty Council meeting on January 31. (Cohort reps should especially send letters, as they are members of EdSC, and should then encourage their classmates to do the same.) These do not have to be lengthy letters, they can even just be quick statements, but please take the couple of minutes to send a response.

3. (For final-year students) More grad photo dates will be opening this Thursday (January 6). The link to the website for registration will be available through the faculty site, or you can use an info sheet (available at the student council office, room 320). The photo dates will be February 8-9 and March 1-4.

4. Tickets for the Faculty of Education Graduation Dinner and Dance will be available starting Tuesday, January 11. Tickets are $50 for the event, which will be held at the Delta Winnipeg on April 30, 2011. Those buying tickets will initally be limited to 2, to ensure that all graduates have a chance to buy tickets. Tables will seat 10, so students can have their names listed with friends if so arranged, as long as they inform us while purchasing the tickets.

5. There will be a resume-writing workshop, with one session on Tuesday, January 11, and one on Thursday, January 13. They will be held in room 200.

Please ensure that the cohort reps READ these announcements or at least make them orally to their classes, rather than just through email, because there seem to have been issues with students actually reading their email. Please ask them to put total emphasis on ALL FOUR items listed.

Thanks,


Jason

--
Jason M. J. Athayde
Senior Stick, Education Student Council
Faculty of Education
University of Manitoba

Hey everyone,


Thanks,


Jason

--
Jason M. J. Athayde
Senior Stick, Education Student Council
Faculty of Education
University of Manitoba

Last day of school, last post for now!

Wow...almost over. Faster than the blink of an eye it seems. And as always, after reading the responses here, David's experience seems to be the most similar to mine. I also have found that I won't be able to cover nearly as much as I had hoped in science. Despite scheduling everything in detail, I covered maybe 2/3 of what I wanted to do, mostly because my kids ask great questions that provide (I shudder when I hear this phrase) "teachable moments"...I'm not complaining about this at all, but to provide some balance, I had them postpone questions for about a class and a half, so I could teach what I needed to and get to the questions by email or in an optional lunchtime review class. Because although 1/2 of the questions are amazing, the other 1/2 are questions about things that I just haven't gotten to yet, questions that will have answers if I could just finish this goddamned lecture!!! (Not that I ever said such a thing out loud!) ;)

Like David, I have been doing math, even though I have exactly two courses of university math (calculus), not nearly enough for a minor - apparently science and math are frequently lumped together in high school teaching assignments, for some bizarre reason. This is not too hard in grade 7...we finished basic polynomial operations (addition, subtraction and multiplication...with exponents even), and dividing monomials (with multiple variables and exponents).

Getting the students' attention has been a bit of a challenge for me as well - they are quite talkative and easily distracted. I have been described as soft-spoken by my CT (in a good or neutral way I think) even though I often have to use my loud teacher voice to establish some order...I guess I am soft-spoken relative to most other teachers!

However, I find that my 7s are not so mark-focused; the 8s and 9s are moreso. I just gave a test which was really well-written except for about 6 people, half of whom failed, with the other half in the 60s and 70s. But even though they are highly competative students, the people with 60s and 70s were actually not concerned at all with their mark (which was somewhat shocking). I guess they expected to fail...?! And the people who failed readily admitted that they did not study enough.

I already knew that teaching was organising, re-organising and rethinking, but didn't think to express it that way, thanks David, succinctly put! I would add in "learning the material in very great detail"; to teach something well you have to know it well enough to understand the relationships within the hierarchy of knowledge. This is more applicable in the older grades, but a couple of my grade 7s have taken to asking the most incisive questions that cut right to the heart of a concept, exposing the layers of detail that flow from the not-too-broad strokes I've drawn, and it's good to have answers ready.

All-in-all, this environment (private school) has been a hugely positive experience for me, and I think the classes I have taught have benefitted from my presence. With 100% of graduates going on to university, I have found that Redekopp's First Law does not apply so much here: they are like me, to a first approximation. They value the knowledge I have shared enough to be sincerely curious about the places this knowledge leads. Since the school was a perfect fit to my skills, personality and desires, the assessments from my Faculty Advisor were uniformly positive and my Collaborating Teacher has been entrusting more and more to my control. I absolutely cannot wait for March!

I hope all's well with everyone else, and will see everyone soon!

~Chris

3rd assessment complete

Well. It's all but done for the first quarter of our two year program. I was assessed twice today, once with my grade 10's and then last class of the day with my 9's. They weren't the best classes in regards to everythings running smoothly, but they were a good representation of a tougher day and my capabilities in handling the classroom. Wednesday is my assessment of three classes and Friday is my final day with them, final run-throughs of Marriage of Figaro and Wind River Overture, with the principal as our guest audience, then onto Christmas Carols! It's been a great first experience, very tiring, tough, but a good look at what's ahead. I know for sure that I do NOT want a full time position for my first job, I'll have enough on my plate with half time.

Take care all, and I look forward to seeing you in the new year!

Cheers,
Joanne

EMAIL FROM CHAD (our stream Rep)

Hey Everyone! Finally caught up on the blog, good to read that there are mostly good and funny stories. How did you apology day go rob? Language is a huge problem in my school too...

Any ways here are the emails that were too large to put up on the face book group... I should have just put them up here in the first place as now they are kinda dated...
#1
Hello Cohort Reps!


I hope you've been having a great time in practicum so far... I know I can't believe it's almost half over already!

We just had a student council meeting a little while ago so there is some stuff to bring to your attention.The update pertains mostly to year two cohort reps, but there is something for everyone!


For year twos

Ed expo registration will begin December 4th and run until December 10th. Please tell your cohorts to check their u of m email on Thursday, Dec. 2nd. There will be a link/password emailed out to them so that they can register for the expo. Our Ed expo planners have done an excellent job getting an abundance of school divisions to come out, so let's make the most of it!

For everyone

There have been some break downs in communication from the student council to the cohorts themselves. As a way to make myself more accountable, I ask that you please email me back when you get emails form me, and once again when you forward information. This will help me know which cohorts are getting information, and which ones are sometimes missing it. After meeting all of you, I trust that you are all doing an excellent job; however it is important to establish a bit of a paper trail.


The next student council meeting will be on Thrusday Dec. 16th at 6:30pm. Of course, you're all invited to come! Last time I even scored some popcorn and tea!

Thank-you so much for continuing to do a great job even while being busy with practicum. I'm really looking forward to seeing you all again in the new year!

Of course, if you ever have any concerns from either your cohort or yourself, please feel free to get a hold of me any time.... if anything it'll make me feel wanted :P


Have a great week!

-duff
#2
To all Faculty of Education Students of the University of Manitoba:

The Faculty Council will be hearing and discussing two motions from the Committee on Initial Teacher Education Programs (CITEP) at their meeting on December 13, 2010. These motions concern amendments to the criteria for graduating with distinction and membership on the Dean's Honour Roll (DHL). This is not the first time the issue has arisen; in June, the Faculty Council passed a motion to abolish the DHL entirely, but fortunately, the Senate Committee on Instruction and Evaluation (SCIE) informed the faculty that such an act would violate University of Manitoba policy. Now CITEP has come up with two motions to address the "grade inflation" problem believed to be plaguing our faculty.

I ask that you read this email very carefully and thoroughly. I cannot stress, through this message, the importance of this issue, and thus it is up to you, the student, to read this message in its entirety.

The first motion that could be presented is one to increase the required grade point average (GPA) for the DHL, for any students admitted in September 2011 and beyond, from 3.5 to 4.0. The Education Student Council (ESC, officially) is against this. The students in this faculty have proven themselves to be highly intelligent, and we have a high caliber of students comprising our membership. This is evidenced by the fact that GPAs are weighted at 69% for admission to the faculty (with the written skills exercise, meant to reflect our ability to think critically, making the other 31%). Further, we are being taught by those who have received experience and instruction in teaching. Unlike many other faculties, where instructors may not necessarily want to teach (as they find their research to be more important), and are expected to teach classes of hundreds, the Faculty of Education hires those who have made teaching their life's work. According to CITEP, there is a problem with grade inflation because our grades are skewed to the high side, but this cannot be entirely due to some sort of false assignment of grades. With a high teacher quality coupled with an intellectually strong student body, I would see a normal curve in our grades as a cause for concern, not jubilation. In addition to this, 4.0 is a high GPA for the DHL. This would mean that any student with a B+ would have to offset it with an A+. Even great students have weaknesses, and excluding them from a much-deserved honour is not a solution to the problem that CITEP has perceived. As the present GPA required for this is 3.5, the ESC recommended a modest, more compromising increase, to 3.7, but this was ignored.

The second motion that may be presented to Faculty Council is one to adopt a stricter requirement for graduation with distinction. Currently, those whose GPA is greater than or equal to 3.8 may graduate with distinction. However, at this level, 43% of students tend to graduate with distinction - thus it is not really a distinction at all. Unfortunately, CITEP seems to want to overcompensate for this, and they would like to only take the top 10% of students for graduation with distinction. Again, the ESC disagrees with this proposal. In addition to all that was previously stated about the student excellence to be expected in our faculty, a 10% cutoff is a fluctuating bar. The lowest GPA to get the distinction would easily vary from year to year, and since students could not possibly be expected to know where they stand relative to all others, students would thus not know, until graduation, whether or not their efforts had allowed them to attain the honour of graduating with distinction. The ESC believes a firm bar should be set, perhaps one that gives 25% of students the honour, on average. The faculty should determine the GPA that would allow this, and adopt that as the new cutoff. However, it should not be any higher than 4.1. A GPA of 4.1 ensures that those who graduate with distinction have mainly As and A+s, at least one of the latter, and any lower marks are offset by even more excellent marks; this still marks excellence and a reason for distinction.

As Senior Stick of the Education Student Council, I sit on the Faculty Council. Normally, student members of Faculty Council are expected to excuse themselves from meetings that occur during practicum. However, with this issue arising, I will be present at the meeting, where I plan to garner support from faculty members to ensure that these motions do not pass. I am doing this because when the last motion was passed last school year (to abolish the DHL), a faculty member requested that the vote be postponed until student membership had been established on the council, but that was ignored.

My request to you, a student in the Faculty of Education, is to word your support for the ESC, against the motions from CITEP, in an email to a temporary account set up for this issue: keepthehonourlist@gmail.com. The email can be brief, perhaps just a few sentences; it could, alternately, be as long as this message, or perhaps even longer (if you need a means to occupy your time and wish to write an essay).

I plan to show every single letter of support to Faculty Council. As the next meeting of the council is on December 13, I ask that letters please be sent by December 10 at 10:00 pm. I understand that we are busy with practicum at present, but even a brief email to keepthehonourlist@gmail.com would bolster support. Please take the couple minutes to do this.

Thank you for reading this whole email, which I assume you have done if you are reading this particular sentence. I look forward to your responses.

Sincerely,


Jason Athayde
--
Jason M. J. Athayde
Senior Stick, Education Student Council
Faculty of Education
University of Manitoba

thats it, I'll keep every one up to date on further info on here.