Popcorn Strategy

Critical Pedagogy

Another book on critical pedagogy: The Element by Ken Robinson

Assessment

Preparing/Planning for Teaching

Getting Useful Feedback from Students

Hot Writing Is Cool

I used this strategy while tutoring with a grade 8 student, and it was great! We chose phrases from books to used as prompts. The student said that he usually hates writing, but this "was cool."

Backwards Planning

What can differentiation focus on?

KWL charts & Metacognition

 

1st Class Ideas

In my Think Book for Language Arts last term, I created this mind map with ideas about the first class of the year:

How do you establish a safe, engaging learning environment?

Flashback to Week 1 of PDPP

Why Education?
During my first week in the PDPP, I created this mind map about why I started the Education program:

The Heart of a Teacher

The Heart of a Teacher by Parker J. Palmer is a poignant piece of writing that I plan on re-reading throughout my career. Since I love quotes, I will share a few that stuck with me:

• "Good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher."
• "The courage to teach is the courage to keep one's heart open in those very moments when the heart is asked to hold more than it is able..."
• "When we lose heart we need an understanding of our condition that will liberate us from that condition."

 

Reflection from September 8th, 2014:

During my journey from home to campus this morning, I saw some familiar faces smiling as they waved at passing cars. They were holding placards with slogans and statistics, some written by hand, and others printed onto corrugated plastic. These "Teachers Taking A Stand" were my high school teachers. These were men and women who have done so much for me: endless support, encouragement, inspiration, reference letters, and more. They taught me about Leadership, Biology, Chemistry, Science, Calculus... and those are just the course titles. They don't even come close to the life lessons and wisdom they bestowed onto me. Their humour, patience, dedication, and passion have helped me to become who I am today. They were standing up for the future of public education in this province. 

With all of that going through my head, I delayed my trip to campus and hopped off the bus to say hello and thank you to some of the most influential educators I've had in my life. They are rockstars of the profession, in my mind. Great educators, like these ones, can turn situations that are not ideal into teachable moments. If you don't like what's going on, how can you work to improve it? As always, they had words of encouragement for me:

• "You'll make a great elementary educator, but I hope you end up back at the high school."
• "Those kids are so lucky to have you."
• "I'm glad that we're not losing a bright, young educator over this."