Professional Seminar - Inquiry Project

Assignment Two: Inquiry Project: Documented Pedagogical Travel Logs

Part Three: Teaching in an International Setting

            When I first found out I was accepted into the Teaching Across Boarders program (TAB) I was overly excited, as well as nervous to begin this new chapter in my teaching experience, as well as life. My nerves settled as I became aware that the education system in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories is the same as the Alberta Education system. Therefore, a sense of familiarity settled my nerves and aloud me to focus more on gaining valuable experience.

            Once I arrived in Yellowknife, I met with the principal at the public high school I would be doing my placement at (Sir John Franklin High School). This meeting outlined the expectations the school had for me, and highlighted the areas, and elements they were looking to focus on and help me improve through this experience. Additionally, we discussed the subjects that I was majoring in, as well as other teachables I have or other subject I was comfortable teaching. After I listed off the above, we settled on my schedule.  The school suggested that I try my hand at teaching subjects other than my major, physical education. I agreed that this would be beneficial, hence I began teaching Physical Education, Drama, Life Skills (Health), and English.

            Right off the bat I found that teaching a Physical Education class in a gymnasium is very different from teaching an English class, or a drama class. For instance, in the English class I found myself focusing on what and when to teach my students different elements in the curriculum. What I mean by this is that I struggled to organize my unit plans in the most beneficial way because I could not decide what I felt the most beneficial way actually was. When I was in high school I can remember my teachers breaking up our required subject matter and teaching it to us in sections. Therefore, the first month focused on poetry, month two revolved around short stories, month three on grammar, etc. However, after observing an English teacher for the first week of my placement I saw a very new approach. This teacher began every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday’s class reading a chapter of ‘The Catcher and the Rye’ to his class, he then would discuss the chapter and see what elements of short stories were evident, and touch on language and grammar. Then he would move on to continuing from where they left on in the poetry section. After half an hour of that (or once he finished up what he was teaching) he would move on to teach about sentence structure and punctuation to finish off the class. Accordingly, on Tuesday and Thursday the day would be similar, however focused on different elements. At first I questioned this method, however, I soon became conscious of the pros to this set up. After teaching on this way for over three months I realize that this style of teaching requires much organization, yet is very beneficial to many students. However, that’s not to say I never spent a whole class focusing on one area, because sometimes more time is needed to fully explain, examine, and understand a concept. What I learned from this though, is that just because I know and am comfortable with one way or style and it works, doesn’t mean that it is the best style for me. I am glad that I was pushed to try something new (that I was skeptical of) and in the end realized that it was a more practical and beneficial teaching style for me as an upcoming teacher.

            In addition to determining the right way and time to teach certain units, I also found myself questioning the amount of information I was giving my students. I am the type of individual who wants to set my students up for success, therefore, I feel giving them the information they need is important, as well as going over the topic thoroughly before setting them off to work alone. On the other hand, I want my students to be able to work through things on their own. I do not want to over explain things, and then have my students regurgitate the information on their assignment sheet and not really have ‘learned’ the information. Therefore, I began playing around with the amount of information and explanation I was giving my students, letting them work through and figure things out for themselves a little bit more. I found that this worked well for some students, as they showed more signs of understanding and progress on their test, however, was not beneficial for others. This is where I found that knowing your students and their needs comes in handy. There is always going to be students in your class which need to be challenged, yet on the other hand some are going to need a little more information and explanation before they can be successful on their own. This being said, it is important to find a balance, and alter your lesson to accommodate all individuals and their learning styles and rate. I began to give more limited information, therefore challenging those who needed to be challenged, yet providing more information and explanation later, in a different way, to those who needed it. Making it a win-win situation for all.

                        This TAB experience has also opened my eyes more to the different assessment techniques. This is not to say that I didn’t have a good grasp on different methods, and what works well in certain settings, what I mean I that I have come to realize how various classes differ and how this can effect your assessment of your students. For example, I am teaching three different Physical Education classes, all of which are the same grade level, yet all of which are very different in terms of skill, motivation, and previous knowledge. I am not able to use the same lesson plan for one class in the other two sue to these factors as it will not go over well, and it would be setting my students up for failure. Accordingly, I am not able to grade the students in these three classes in the same way. Allow me to explain myself: I grade my classes based on the five P’s: Participation (joining in the activity, your attitude, leadership), Punctuality (getting to class on time and ready to go), Prepared (you show up wearing appropriate physical education attire, and are ready to participate to the best of your ability), Proficiency (skill development – your trying hard and looking to improve your skills), and Positivity (you have a positive attitude in class and help others when needed). Each day you get a mark out of 5, if you do not meet my standards in one of these five categories, then you lose a mark for that category, and so on and so forth. Now, the difference in assessment between my classes is that my expectations are different for each of my classes thus making my assessment different for each class. This being said, I have also altered my lessons in order to play to each class’s strengths instead of just merely taking marks off of individuals for not meeting my standards.

On a similar note, I have become aware of the differences in assessing my English class, compared to my Life Skills/Health class. For instance my English students write many papers, and hand in various assignments and tests in which contribute to their final mark; whereas, my Life Skills/Health class engages in many discussions and debates, rarely doing assignments and never writing tests. Therefore, I assess both of these classes very differently. I use a rubric to mark everything my English class hands in and use the marks they get on these assignments to determine a percent depicting the leveling of learning and understanding each student is at. Alternatively, I grade my Life Skills/Health class on participation, attitude, and contribution classroom discussions, along with some marks on from assignments handed in. Through teaching various different subjects I have learned that it is necessary to grade and assess my students and classes in different ways in order to benefit these students and have them achieve success. Assessment is something in which many new teachers struggle with; however, I feel confident that my assessment techniques are appropriate and fair for the classes they pertain to.

            Having examined and discussed many aspects of assessment, classroom management, and curriculum, I would now like to focus on the event that has changed me as a teacher. Last week I was given the opportunity to bring all of the grade nine students to a Winter Culture Camp just outside of Dettah (a community about half an hour north of Yellowknife). I attended this camp three different days with three different groups of grade nine students. At the culture camp we learned how to set muskrat and beaver traps, check these traps, skin, clean, and cook a muskrat, ice fish and set a fishing net under the ice, clean and collect the fish from the fish net, clean, filet, and cook fish over a traditional fire, and of course went for both a dogsled and snowmobile ride as well! During my time at this camp I realized the importance that the Aboriginal culture has on everybody living in the North. Until now I was aware of the impact and importance it had in life, and the classroom for my aboriginal students; however, I never fully understood the significance it could make on my non-aboriginal students. By attending this camp I got to immerse myself into Dene and Metis culture, living and learning by their stories and traditions. This way of life has much to offer all individuals and is one in which would be of benefit to bring into any classroom. Not only was it amazing to watch, listen, and learn about this different culture and way of life; moreover, it was fascinating to see how involved and intrigued my students and myself were. This was a major eye opener for me, as I realized that these students learned and remembered more in this one day then they sometimes do in a week of classes. This is because they were exposed to stories, tales, and hands on experience in which they connected with and evidently relate to.

Through my placement thus far and attending this camp I have grown as a teacher and come to believe that there is always room for culture in the classroom, especially when teaching in a place such as the Northwest Territories. I am confidant in saying that I have grown as a teacher, learning helpful techniques and skills, which will aid me in my first few years as a new teacher. Moreover, I have become part of a community that has watched and assisted in my growth as a teacher. A community in which I will never forget!

Assignment Two: Inquiry Project: Documented Pedagogical Travel Logs (continued):

Part 2: The cultural and educational context of your TAB placement

       After completing my student teaching placements in Calgary I knew I was in for a treat when I was accepted to do an additional placement in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Throughout my time thus far teaching at Ecole Sir John Franklin High School in Yellowknife I have learned a lot. Before I get into the lessons learned and knowledge gained I feel as though a brief overview is required.

            I have been student teaching at a high school in Yellowknife for approximately two months now. The subjects I am teaching are Physical Education (my major), Drama, Health/Life Skills, and English. During my time in these classes I have been teaching full time, which means I plan and teach every lesson on the days I am in the school (2-4 times a week). Given that Physical Education is my major it is understandable that I felt the most comfortable in this area; however, I did not expect that I would be the most nervous to teach English. This is the area (subject) in which I have learned the most, mainly about myself. When I was first told I would be student teaching in a grade 11 English class I was excited; however the excitement soon turned into apprehension when I was told I would be teaching under the most respected English teacher in the Northwest Territories. Students alter their schedules, or wait an extra semester in order to take English with this teacher; naturally, I was nervous to teach under such a renowned teacher. Thankfully, after teaching my first lesson to this English class I breathed a sigh of relief as the lesson went very well and I received good feedback from the teacher himself. This put me at ease and allowed me to execute future lessons with ease and confidence.

            Although I remain to deliver my English lessons with ease and confidence, there are also lessons in which I continue to learn from this teacher and his class. For instance, on my first day I chose to strictly observe this notorious teacher and was amazed by what I saw. Seeing as I am a physical education major it is easy to see (when you first meet me) that I am loud, outgoing, and energetic, all of these characteristics I bring to my classroom. Therefore, my teaching style revolves around these characteristics and I tend to engage my students by trying new techniques, doing hands on activities and allow them to get creative while learning. Accordingly, it was very eye opening for me to observe how this English teacher managed his class and interacted with his students. The teacher is completely opposite of me and is very quite, stern, and teaches by the book. There is no horseplay, jokes, or games that take place in his class and his door closes as the bell rings. Being late is unheard of as he views it as disrespectful to him and your classmates as you disrupt everyone walking in late. I can say that I agree with majority of his methods, yet, I am unsure that I could successfully run my classroom this way. Observing him teach, along with teaching the same class my way, I have come to realize how important teaching style and classroom management are in running your classroom. These two key elements compliment each other and ultimately I have found that they can look very different depending on the teacher. I am glad that I was given this opportunity to better myself as a teacher. It is true what they say; teachers never stop learning.

            Additionally, through my placement I have learned how the atmosphere in which you teach can affect ones teaching style. For instance, I am a physical education major and am used to teaching in a large gymnasium in which I need to raise my voice to be heard and am used to a bit of chaos and noise. However, during this practicum I am also teaching English, health, and drama. Consequently, I have found it very different to switch between teaching in a gymnasium, a theater, and a classroom. I am more aware of voice projection, background noise, and space. Gaining a better understanding of these elements has improved my classroom management and altered my teaching style in a positive way. I look forward to continuing to perfect the transition involved with switching teaching environments and I am thankful for being given the opportunity to adjust and grow as a teacher.

            Accordingly, I am finding it unusual switching between physical education and other subjects because in the gymnasium when I am teaching physical education it’s a different environment in which noise, fun, and fooling around is excepted. On the other hand, these things are looked downed upon in the classroom. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to set rules and boundaries in all classes that outline what is appropriate for each classroom setting. I am still learning the best way to go about these changes, yet I am finding that for the most part it comes down to your teaching style and the respect you give and encourage from your students. I still have much to learn, but I am anxious to continue with this journey and come out a better teacher at the end. Along the same lines, I am also finding it different living in such a small community because I see my students after hours on a daily basis. For instance, I play in a competitive soccer league in which many of my high school students also play in. The problem that arises from this is that sometimes the students become too aggressive and allow their attitudes to get the best of them, getting them into trouble with the league and other teams. I find it hard to decipher whether I should continue to be a teacher figure on the court and treat them as I would if it was in the classroom; however, I find that some respect is loss when I attempt to ‘guide’ them outside of class time. Although there are only a handful of students that this problem arises with I am finding it hard to interact with students off school grounds when it is in a setting such as this. Additionally, I have run into the situation where I am eating or having a drink with friends at a pub and one of my students walks in. The drinking age in the Northwest Territories is 19 therefore these students clearly have fake I.D’s and I am stuck in a situation which makes me uncomfortable. Do I ask them to leave? Do I have the waitress kick them out? Or do I continue on with my meal like nothing is wrong? I struggle with these situations and after having numerous conversations with other teachers I have come to the conclusion that I will have to decide what to do depending on the situation.

            All in all I am very happy with my placement in Yellowknife, and I am pleased that I have been given the opportunity to learn and grow not only as a teacher but also as an individual. All the knowledge I have gained through this placement is leading me one step closer to becoming a great educator. I look forward to what the next few months will bring, and I will be sad when this experience comes to an end. 

         

Inquiry Project - Part One

Preparing for your TAB Experience

           Hello Everybody, My name is Gina Michel and I am currently completing my Education Degree. I have been accepted to do my last semester through the Teaching Across Boarders Program, which means I am to pack up and move to a new atmosphere to complete a practicum and online course work. I chose to do the TAB Program because I feel as though it is an opportunity that is too good to pass up. I am a hands-on person, therefore I learn best when I am in the classroom student teaching, which is another reason, why I chose to participate in this program.

            I decided to do my TAB placement in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. I understand that many people may question my choice seeing as I had the opportunity to do this placement over sea’s in a historically rich area, or near a beach; yet instead I decided to make my way to the great white north! There are a few reasons that led me to make this decision. The first being that I have family up north, consisting of my oldest sister whom just had my first baby nephew. This may not be a big enough reason for some individuals to freeze their butt off instead of laying on a beach every weekend, however, I am a very family oriented person and being close to my new nephew was a huge selling point for me. Secondly, I know and understand that finding a teaching job, that is the grade and subject area that I would enjoy most, may be a long journey in Alberta. Consequently, teaching jobs are more abundant in the north and seeing as I am open to working in the North I felt as though it is imperative for me to get my foot in the door and put my name out there. I am hoping that through doing this placement my name will be better recognized, ultimately leading me to obtaining a job right after graduating. Lastly, but certainly not least, I am a very outdoorsy person and enjoy an active lifestyle. Yellowknife is a very scenic place with many activities to keep you busy in the winter and summer months. For instance, in the winter many ‘Yellowknifers’ spend their free time snowmobiling, ice fishing, skiing, and snowshoeing. In the summer months, Yellowknife has to offer many beautiful hiking trails, camping grounds, and lakes to boat and fish on, as well as many great trails and parks. These are all things I enjoy doing on a daily basis, and things I look for when deciding on a place to settle down (not that I don’t enjoy sitting on a beach all day)!

            Once I got the news that I had been accepted to do my placement in Yellowknife, I needed to begin preparing for my move. The first thing I did was contact the school I would be teaching at and set up a meeting with them, as well as discussed dates in which they wanted me begin and finish student teaching. Once these dates were set I began my ‘to-do list’. Although there were numerous things on this list, surprisingly there were only a few major things, which needed to be taken care of. My major dilemma, believe it or not, was deciding whether or not to make the trek up North by land. The drive from Calgary to Yellowknife is roughly 24 hours, however, given the fact that the NT is going through what is known as ’24 hour darkness’ it is not ideal to drive early in the morning, or late at night, as it is very dark and unsafe in the winter conditions. This meant that I would have to split the drive into two long days of boring driving in a vehicle packed to the rim with all my belongings. It took a lot of convincing but in the end I felt that it would be easier if I had my vehicle with me, so I decided to experience the drive! Other items on my to-do list where finding my own accommodations. Seeing as I do have some family in Yellowknife, this was not a terrible task. I was taken in by family and am enjoying the coziness of my new temporary home!

            Although preparing for the move was a big task, preparing myself to teach in this new environment was more of a challenge. Yellowknife is a culturally rich city with many different religions, cultures, and languages. Meaning I have a lot of work cut out for myself. Not only am I going to have to spend time learning and understanding all aspects of a new environment, I also have to teach in subject areas I am not completely comfortable. During my placement I will be teaching high school Physical Education and Drama, as well as grade 10 Health/life skills and grade 11 Honors English. Although I am very comfortable teaching Phys. Ed, Drama, and Health; I am not so comfortable teaching Honors English under a teacher who is labeled “the best English teacher in the Northwest Territories”. Students are on waitlist every year to get into this teachers class, and let me tell you, he is an intimidating fellow! Aside from my nerves about this matter, I took the time and used many resources in order to plan accordingly to produce thorough lessons plans that speak to all cultures, learning levels, and learning styles. I can say, after a lot of hard work that I am happy and confident with the lesson plans that I have come up with. Additionally I am excited and anxious to see all that I will learn and gain from this experience!
      All in all I was very excited and well prepared for my move to Yellowknife. After being here for about a month I can honestly say I love it. The people are very social and nice, the scenery is gorgeous, and the commute to work is easy, however the weather is cold!!! The last month has been around -40 C! In the beginning I was not a fan of this weather, yet now I have become immune to it and it doesn’t seem to bother me. Another helpful thing is that the weather got a lot warmer this week and we were able to get outside and do some snowmobiling and skiing! I am looking forward to when the weather starts warming up for good and I am able to take my physical education classes snowshoeing and fun things as such! Thus far I am overjoyed that my placement has proven to be so great!