Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Difference between "doing the work" and learning

I'm not sure how to help these students in the Bookend view the "work" in the Middle School reading class as something other than just another "to do" item on their already too long list of things they have to complete. They are all so stressed as it is - and keep asking what the due dates are for all the different assignments, as in "if I can just finish all these @#$#@ tasks, then I'll be done with class." In reality, they'll never be done in the true sense of the word; teaching is a process of learning how forever. It's like their own students who view each assignment as a task to finish rather than a vehicle through which they can learn something. And how do I convince them that there IS something to learn from the assessment assignment, or the book club discussion, or the instructional reflection? Maybe the question I need to ask is "Is there something to learn from each of these?" Truth be told, I eliminated a couple of assignments from the ones I usually use in this class - what would they do if I hadn't? Maybe, in the end, it will take getting finished with this semester and having the luxury of time to reflect on our work together - but maybe not.

I started class tonight with Q & A about the assessment assignment and the learning cycle class they had with Leigh and Jamie. The discussion about the assessment assignment took so much longer than I had expected - I wonder if they recognize the irony of my frustration with questions asked that had been answered earlier in the semester -- better yet, do I recognize the irony of their frustration with me? By the time we began the vocabulary topic, half the class was almost asleep and the other half just wanted to "get it over." I hate having class so late in the day when they've already put in a full day and are so bone weary they could fall asleep at the drop of a hat.

I used to think that the READ 867 [middle school reading] class was the perfect class to take along with student teaching, but I'm not sure anymore. READ gets kind of lost among all the flotsam and jetsam of student teaching, observations, and other courses. And, of course, there is that old notion that whatever I'm teaching is more important than anything else they have to do. The truth is, though, that the one thing my MAT was missing was a literacy course. So, how could I decrease the stress on the students in 867, but maintain a level of engagement that would ensure that they learn? Maybe if I had NOT done Book Clubs - I actually debated on that, and decided that reading and discussing a professional book was something they needed to do - and the books they've chosen are great books [they stand in for a textbook, and are much more interesting to read than a textbook]. Maybe it's just the time of the semester that has us all freaking out.

We are so far behind - because of the stupid weather! But I can't try to make it all up during "call back" days - I'll just have to decide what to eliminate, and every night the list to eliminate grows exponentially -- Well, it's late and I'm still tired from the red-eye flight home. Think I'll pack it in and try again tomorrow to think through this.

5 comments:

Niseridd said...

I have to agree with you view on the timing of the READ class. As a student not in the bookend class, I feel like the "discovery" of the learnIng cycle should be the first thing we learn. It helps put all the strategies in perspective. I took a few classes last semester and even those, looking back, seem to make more sense after the things I have learned so far in READ. The learning cycle is a basic planning tool to use to get ready for any lesson. If we wait to learn that portion while we are student teaching, it would be like building a car from scratch and then being told the wheels need to be round to make it work or using gas ti make the engine run. It would be hard to go back and fit it in when it should be the first step in the design. I hope the bookend students do not get overwhelmed with all the other and lose the benefit of this class!
Denise

Katie Hughes said...

I also agree that the timing could be better! As one of the students with a full load and student teaching, I feel like Im going backwards with some of the content in relation to where I am at this point in the program. I have NO doubt that what I am learning in READ will help me as a teacher; however, I've got to get to that point. That point is what we are all obsessed with this close to finishing. I feel like, or better yet know, it will all sink in when I get the time to reflect on the wonderful material that we have been through. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to teach us, the bookend class!!! I was embarrassed leaving class last Tuesday for the way the class behaved. This is all just my opinion and you, Dr. Gillis, may have felt nothing; but I know how I would have felt trying to teach a group as tired as we are appearing as if we just don’t care and want to go home. I want you to know that, yes, although the assignments may be more things added to my “to do” list that seems to be very overwhelming, I am an adult in Grad School and nothing good comes easy. Thank you for your time, efforts and expertise.

mathnmiddle said...

I want to apologize for our behavior too. We all are tired these days, and yes we appear to be only looking towards the prize at the end. Our prize of course is the right to teach, and the job to go along with that right of course. I enjoy the READ class and the discussions we have, I know what we learn in your class we will be able to use in our own classrooms. I for one have already used the Frayer model for holding my students thinking about the vocabulary they are responsible for. I can see the importance of using such a tool to get the students interactively engaged in learning. I have always heard that the more senses you can get involved the more students are likely to learn and retain. Also the Frayer method is an easy prep, and yields great rewards. All the things we cover in our class with you may never be used by everyone. As we teach students over the years there is no doubt in my mind that we will use the tools that we feel work best for us, or that work best for a specific situation. As teachers we must be able to adapt, and have a toolbox full and ready to go when a situation calls. Student teaching is very demanding, and yes when I get home all I want to do is crash. I cannot crash because there is too much to do here at the end. There is too much due. So, I pick myself up and carry on. I enjoyed doing the SCLA assignment; it gave me an opportunity to see what it was like to access students on what they should already know. It gave me an opportunity to see their thinking, or lack of in order that I might correct there misunderstandings as well as lack of mathematical understanding. Please don’t let us discourage you. I’m sure this is not the first time students have cause you frustration. I know that someday, I am sure to face it as well. When I do, I’ll pick myself back up and carry on.

JulieMarlowe said...

I would hasten to say that the frustration of the original post likely hasn't decreased as we are nearing the end of the sememster. I have enjoyed the read class. Thankfully my course schedule is light this semester and my cooperating teacher is awesome. I am not as overwhelmed as many in my cohort. But, I have struggled in this class with trying to unravel what we supposed to do and learn. I think the snow days and other issues have thrown a wrench in the system, and I have not been able to make mental order of what we are doing, when and why. I relate it to "schema." Often in class I am not sure what file to put the information I am learning and it seems to just rattle around. That's probably the blank expression you see. I have learned quite a bit this semester and have enjoyed class. I am just often trying to correctly file away info for later use.

Adam Smith said...

It's hard to pack so much knowledge and material into such a small block of time. I think as grad students, we should be able to handle the work. We may feel overwhelmed now, but I'm sure we'll appreciate all the information dispensed to us...especially in READ class. This class helps me better understand things I hear in other classes but kind of glossed over. It's great to start to feel like I can use Bloom's to apply these strategies I'm learning. Now if I can just learn which startegies I can modify and which ones can't be changed, I'll be even better off...