Spreadsheet Assignment.

Here are three spreadsheet-based activities I reviewed:

1.  Fast Food Fun- http://www.wmburgweb.com/Resources/Lesson/index.htm

This website gives the instructions for a lesson assignment that would have a variety of valuable teaching tools and knowledge for the students.  It outlines an assignment in which the students research the nutritional data of a particular meal from a fast food restaurant and create an Excel spreadsheet featuring statistics based on the data.  The students would then look at the information collected and test it against healthy eating guidelines.  After testing their information against the guidelines, they would then analyze their own eating habits and come up with some possible solutions to perhaps change their food consumption.

I think that this activity would be very interesting in a Social Studies class, particularly in the area of sustainable food development and media literacy.  Most students have likely not investigated the nutritional facts of their favourite fast food restaurants before, so it may be an eye-opening experience for them to realize how unhealthy some of these foods can be.  You could tie this discovery in with discussing ways to eat more healthy- and one way can be looking into organic, local foods. That topic can also spread to a variety of other discussions, such as food production and the environmental impacts that accompany it.  This assignment would also be beneficial in terms of ICT skills, as the student would be working with Excel and developing their spreadsheet skills.

I am actually creating a unit plan at the moment on GMFs (Genetically-Modified Foods), so I think this could be another creative activity to add into the lesson; it would give the students a chance to examine their own eating habits and apply the knowledge given about food processing/production to their own lives.

2. Excel Workbook Files- http://www.internet4classrooms.com/technology_tutorials/excel_workbook_files_excel_topics_technology_tutorials.htm

 This website has a multitude of Excel lesson ideas to use in the classroom, as well as some practical tools for teachers- such as spreadsheets to use as sign-ins for attendance.  One tool I particularly enjoyed was a Review Bingo Template.  Following this template, teachers would enter short answers in 30 blocks and then print 32 bingo cards (4 to a sheet on 8 sheets).  The teacher would then distribute the bingo cards to the class and begin the review. 

This would be a fantastic review technique for any subject, because the teacher would simply enter the information into the template and create the review. It would also be a fun way to go over the study material as opposed to the traditional format of simply handing out study sheets and asking students if they have any questions.  Another way you could use the Bingo template would be to get the students to create the Bingo sheets; this would get the students to think about what they believe is the most important information they need to know.  You could also get the students to create a description/definition to go along with the words they choose for the Bingo sheets so they demonstrate a clear understanding of the concepts.

3. Spreadsheet Crossword Puzzles- http://www.catawba.k12.nc.us/pages/sites/edwebsites/computerskills/quizzes/spreadsheetcc.htm

This template would be a very fun activity to do in many subject areas, but I think it could be applied very effectively to an English class for essentially any topic within the curriculum. The teacher could get the students to create their own crossword, the questions for it, and the crossword itself using Excel.  For example: If the students were working on the Short Story Unit, one of their assignments could be to create a crossword using the definitions/terms they need to know.  After creating them, the students could exchange with their classmates, or even use the crosswords as a study tool.  The crossword could serve as both a chance for the students to practice their spreadsheet skills, as well as review and test their subject knowledge.

Some Food for Thought on a Saturday Night...

I wanted to post an idea my Social Studies prof discussed on Friday in class, mostly because I found it so incredibly interesting!

Before we launched into presentations, he gave a quick talk about the hypocrisy of using candy and grades to motivate students in the classroom.  He asked us to consider this: is that kind of material motivation really needed? Here is the one point he said that really stuck in my head:

“The idea that we have to lure people to learn suggests that learning isn’t a natural state.”

   He suggested that rather than motivation in material form, we should be recognizing and celebrating the good in all of our students- and that recognition will have an even greater effect on their desire and self-motivation to do well.  This idea has really intrigued me because I can certainly see his point of view: By recognizing all student achievement- even if it is something as simple as that student having a postive attitude in class- we can continue to make that student want to be in the classroom and want to keep learning.

   On the other hand, isn’t a huge part of development (at least in an educational aspect) based on positive/negative reinforcement that in turn teaches effective behavior? (Wow, I sound like our psychology textbook...)  And if we don’t have material means (such as grades) to motivate, how do we hold onto certain students who just dont have any self-motivation or desire to learn (at least in high school)?

Those are just a couple points for each side, I know there are more...so feel free to add your thoughts on the subject!

Technology Questions Answered!

Just thought I’d throw these up on the ol’ blog as well!

 

1. What pathway has been adopted at your school?

The pathway adopted at the school I was at most closely resembles the Digital Media Development pathway. The students have to take a mandatory 4-week computer course in Grade 8 to learn the basics of such programs as Word, Excel, and Photoshop.  After that, there is a range of courses they can take where they can learn more advanced forms of Digital Media in the areas of 2/3D animation, Photoshop, Web Design, and Video programs.  There is also two senior courses- Marketing 11/12 and Entrepreneurship 12- that focus on the business aspect of ICT, as well as a Programming 11/12 course for students wishing to expand their knowledge of computer programming.  All the courses, with the exception of the Computer 8 class, are electives.

 

2. What are the benefits of this model?

The major benefit of this model are the courses themselves- there is such a range of interesting topics being offered to the students. Not only can they become familiar with popular programs (such as Word) that they will likely use for the rest of their lives, but they can take it further.  They can learn more sophisticated techniques of digital video production, or learn marketing techniques that can be used in a business context.

 

3. What are the disadvantages?

A major disadvantage of this model (and ICT courses in general at this school) is that the school isn’t wireless yet- so students can only use the internet at designated times. Furthermore, there are only four computer labs and the computers range from 2-6 years old- which is fairly old in computer years!  Because the access and current technology isn’t there yet, I think students are hesitant to sign up for those elective courses- that makes it hard to actually run them.

 

4. What changes could be made to enhance dynamic, purposeful use of technology?

I talked to the head ICT teacher at the school and he showed me the Technology Proposal he created; the Proposal has 4 phases and is intended to take about 4 years to set up.  The purpose of the proposal is to address the gap in teaching technology.  The plan is to do it through teacher/technology professional development (this part has already begun, with all the teachers receiving personal laptops), the installation of fixed technology tools (as well as wireless internet), and the creation of mobile computing labs.  Eventually, the final goal is to invest in Netbooks that students can get in Grade 8 and pay off in a 5-year purchase plan.  The reason the Internet is coming so slowly to the school is that the district is leery about putting wireless into the school because of security reasons, but this teacher assured me that it could be made safe for all students to be online at school.  I think all these proposals could ultimately benefit the school by making ICT more accessible to everyone.

 

5. How would you describe the teachers’ and students’ attitudes, skills, and knowledge of ICT?

 I would say that the attitude of the teachers and students towards ICT at this point is a bit indifferent.  The students didn’t seem overly engaged or completely bored when I saw them in Computer classes, and I didn’t meet any teachers that were really gung ho to have new technology in their classrooms. They actually seemed quite content with overheads and a DVD player! I was there the day the teachers got their new laptops, and I told one particular teacher how much technology was being emphasized in our program, and asked if she was happy that new equipment was starting to come into the school.  Her response was that “it’s all well and good to learn those digital tools, but when there aren’t enough computers for each student- and we cant guarantee they have one at home- it makes it very difficult.” The ICT teacher told me that there is a wiki-esque program set up at the school for teachers to use/edit/share ideas, but only a few teachers actually use it.  There is only one class Moodle site set up, and it is for the senior classes taught by the head ICT teacher.  I can certainly see the side of the argument that technology isn’t prevalent enough to be fully used, but I also hope that when tools such as active whiteboards one day come into the school, the teachers will be eager to try them in their classrooms.

Student Questionnaire

As I said earlier, I ran a student questionnaire last week with an Engl 10H class.  It was actually the teacher who asked me if I’d like to do it- he thought it might be something useful to not only me, but also my fellow student-teachers (all of you awesome people!)  He said he’d leave the room, I’d go over what I wanted them to do, read out the questions while they wrote out responses, and then I’d collect them and go over them later on.  I made sure to emphasize (and the teacher wanted me to as well) that they were anonymous, so I wanted their honest opinions and answers.

The first three questions were about teachers, the fourth was about bullying (it came out pretty even on whether or not they thought bullying was a problem- but leaned slightly more to NO), and the fifth question asked them to list the last book they read. I’m happy to report that only two of them (out of 27) said they couldn’t remember/don’t read outside of school. 

Like I also said in an earlier post, I’m going to post the full list of the survey answers in an e-portfolio entry (then link it on here), but for the first 3 questions I asked, here are the top-rated answers:

1) What do teachers do (or have done) that you really like?

•  Show films that are relevant to the topic (17)

·        In-class discussions- both in partners and groups (11)

·        Mix up the activities (4)

2) What do teachers do (or have done) that you really dislike?

·        Making us present in front of the class (10)

·        Lecturing for the entire period (9)

·        Giving work at the end of the class- we would like time in class to do it (6)

3) What do you think makes a great teacher?

·        Having a sense of humour (9)

·        Diverse teaching techniques/methods (6)

·        Easily approachable (4)

·        Allows us to express ideas and doesn’t put them down (4)

·        Keeps monotonous questions to a minimum, and favouring discussions instead (4)

·        Being understanding of students (4)

·        Connect with students and cares about them (4)

Some of the popular points students raised weren’t surprising (watching movies, for example), but I liked how for the third question, many of the students touched on the same qualities we did when we brainstormed about what makes a good teacher on the first day of seminar.  That means that what we recognized as a good teacher is still relevant in schools today- so we should try very hard to become a teacher with those qualities as well!

And it's Over!

So it’s Thursday, and observation at Wellington is officially done. It’s a pretty nice feeling to know we can go back to the regular life routine on Monday, but I’m a bit sad to leave this school behind. I met some fantastic teachers, and they were kind enough to share tons of ideas and materials with me (including a rather hefty photocopy pile I am bringing home of Lord of the Flies and grammar lesson materials that one of the Engl 11 teachers so graciously gave to me for a block to go through!) I really enjoyed the students and the school community, so I’d love to be able to return here in April.

Some highlights this week…

• I forgot to mention this earlier, but I got to run a student questionnaire last week!  I did the questionnaire with an Engl 10H class, in which I read them five questions, they answered anonymously, then I went through all 27 responses and compiled them into some form of a results sheet.  I’m going to post my results document on my e-portfolio hopefully next week at some point to share, but just to give you a sense of what I was doing, here are the questions:

1) What do teachers do (or have done) in the classroom that you really like?

2) What do teachers do (or have done) in the classroom that you really dislike?

3) What do you think makes a great teacher?

4) Do you think bullying is a problem at Wellington? *

5) What was the last book you read?

* that question was originally supposed to be about the classroom setting, but I’d been reading so much about the gay teen bullying that’s been in the media spotlight recently that I was really interested to hear what the students thought!

• I attended the Parent/Teacher Conferences on Wednesday night! I asked the VP if I could just mill around and check out how the night is run, but I ended up being invited to sit with the Engl 8 teacher I’ve been shadowing this week and watched her run interviews for nearly two hours! It was really great to get to see that student/teacher dynamic when a new factor- parent- is thrown into the mix.  I really liked how the teacher not only gave feedback to the parents, but included the student in the discussion as to how they might improve their performance in the classroom.

• I got to teach a (brief) lesson on Sustainability to a SS 11 class today! I’m going to do another blog post where I discuss this in more detail, but I just wanted to mention that it was a great chance to jump into the waters and try it out.  I ended up being in front of the class for almost 40 minutes (I’ll get to that later), but I felt great! I’m really glad I took the teacher up on the offer because it was a great learning experience- I initially turned it down when he asked me on Tuesday last week.  Then again, it was my first day in the school and I could barely find my way around! I felt very confident today, and I’m glad I’ve got some solid feedback to work with.

Okay, it’s off to bed now- I’m going to an Educators against Racism Conference tomorrow at the Well, and then back to Victoria tomorrow night. Hope you all have a fantastic long weekend and see you on Monday:)

Sex Ed Class. Better known as, “Okay kids, just get your giggles out now and then we’ll get on with it!”

Just to be clear, I’m not blogging about getting to go to two Sex Ed. Classes just because I know you’ll all be jealous (heehee). It’s actually because I was so impressed by the teacher and the students.  When the teacher told me the Health and Career 9 class was just about to start their 3 or so days of Sex. Ed, I thought it would be a great chance to see how a teacher delivers this information to a group of 13-year olds with the constant comments/giggling. I remember doing this class in middle school, and that reaction seems to be part and parcel to the class- so I was interested to see how this teacher handled it.  I also thought that, despite our subject areas, we may be asked one day to teach this subject to our students- and to some people, the idea of going over private parts in detail to 30 Grade 9’s is a nightmare-ish concept. So I was hoping that I would get to see a teacher that made it look easy- even a bit fun.

The first day was going over male/female body parts, bodily functions that accompany puberty, condom use, and then anonymous Q&A’s at the end. The teacher did a fantastic job of getting through the material and handling every question with such a patient and relaxed (yet serious to the topics) attitude.  Rather than deliver the material to the students as if none of them had ever heard of these topics before, she gave them the information very honestly and was very open to any questions they had.  I think that by delivering it in this manner that respected the students, it in turn gained her more respect and willingness to participate from them. Rather than vilifying the topic (“You’d better NOT be having sex!”), she taught the information with a balance of caution and openness.  When I asked her afterwards how she taught it so effectively, she said that she tried to keep in mind that yes, they shouldn’t be having sex at this age,  but in reality- some of them are.

Surprisingly enough, I was really impressed by the students! That isn’t to say there wasn’t muffled laughter most of the time (and some of the anonymous questions fell into the category of ridiculous), but on the whole the students were attentive, gave thoughtful answers when asked, and successfully completed the assignments.  In Friday’s class, the students had to create Lovers Licenses (yep, like a drivers license)- where they had to write down the traits/qualifications/knowledge they thought someone ought to have before they start having sex. I looked at the cards after they had handed them in…and wow. For 13-years old, some of them were really thinking!  Some of the examples included: Current medical examinations, maturity, commitment, respect for their partner, at least 2 weeks of Sex. Ed classes, even a successful pass of a lie-detector test! The students really seemed to be engaged in the activity. 

This is not to say that all classes are going to be able to work so efficiently and maturely on this topic, but in this case I think all 30 students gained at least a bit more awareness about the bird and the bees.

Soapbox Fridays!

I just HAVE to share this idea- I love it! I sat in on a Comp Civ 12 class for the last two days of the school week, and I am inspired by this classroom (and the teacher- he’s fantastic!). It’s completely covered in posters, ranging from maps to newspaper clippings to student projects.  He has quotes chosen by the students- glued to coloured paper- hanging from the ceiling.  I don’t exactly know how to describe the seating arrangement, but if you’re sitting at the back, it looks like a big L with a little L in front of it on the left side and the opposite on the right- so that the teacher’s desk is in the centre.  On Fridays, the teacher’s desk becomes the soapbox and the students come up and present an issue to the class- then facilitate group discussion. Each student signs up for a date, then two present each Friday. They choose an issue, explain it, give some kind of thesis statement, and then pose questions to the class to facilitate debates. It’s AWESOME! The two topics I watched were vaccinations (the presenter argued against them) and gender equality (the speaker argued that females were starting to get higher rights than men) - both very heated topics! It was fantastic to watch the students get into these topics, as well as listen to the teacher pop in there with questions/comments as well. I had to get in there too- I just couldn’t help it! It was such a great way to get students not only aware of current/important issues, but also for them to practice public speaking- something that most of them will have to face outside of the high school walls (especially if they attend university!). I’m going to make sure I’m in this classroom on Thursday to watch one more…