And that is the end of first practicum

I'm going to miss everybody....
 
Sorry I don't have any pictures to show of the artwork that I mentionned in previous posts.  Some examples are now hanging up in the hallway of the 2nd floor of Glenview P.S.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera.  Take my word for it: the final product was awesome.  Some students put more work into the project than others but it was a very rewarding experience for me to see a project through from beginning to end. 

I was able to go through RE and IR regular verbs with the students.  It's amazing how learning can be masked when you make a game out of it (3 teams, individuals conjugate the verb with the given subject, 2 points for a correct individual answer, 1 point with the help of the team; really everybody wins).  My goal is to teach French especially and I learned a lot.  I know that I don't like worksheets. It takes more time to plan but  I prefer it when students are interacting and teaching each other.  In the end, I want lessons to be fun.

Best moment of practicum: Today I heard a student sing the chorus to a French song that I used in a lesson 2 weeks ago.  As long as that student keeps on singing, I'm still at Glenview....

Responses during practicum:
Week 1: Winzie
Week 2: Lauren
Week 3: Emily
Week 4: Kelly

Back to Visual Arts this week

Well, I 've been in charge of teaching colour as one of the elements of art.  After going over: primary/secondary/tertiary/complementary colours, tints and shades, I made an Andy Warhol inspired art project where students are to demonstrate their knowledge of colour. 

Students were to create a symbol to represent themselves (to meet the criteria of understanding and interpreting symbols in the grade 7 art curriculum).  Symbols were to be copied four times.   Using pencil crayons, colours were to follow the following guidelines:

1.  the first symbol must be a primary colour
2.  the second symbol must be a secondary colour
3.  the third symbol must be a tertiary colour
4.  the colour outside must be the complementary colour of the symbol
5.  the fourth section must show a tint and a shade

As an extra rule, only primary colours, black and white can be used.  Thus, colours must be mixed.  

This week, everybody has been finishing their rough copy (I evaluate the colours for understanding of terms) and starting their good copy.  Hopefully, I'll be able to post some pictures of everybody's hard work next week when good copies come in.

Week 2

So, I've been teaching French this week.  I actually enjoy teaching grammar.  I've been teaching the conjugations of ER regular verbs in the present tense.  I've tried to be creative with the activities: ER verb flashcards, rock paper scissors using ER flashcards for DPA, ER verb sentences gallery walk and a fill in the ER verb activity using music.   I guess what I 've found most challenging is simplifying the material to the level of French of the students.  As creative as I want to be, I have to remember that there are limitations.  Still, I've enjoyed experimenting this week.

I'll be returning to Visual Arts next week.  I can't wait to see everybody's final product and I look forward to marking 90 art projects....  I've also signed up to help with the beginning of the school yearbook.  We'll see what that entails.

I hope you are enjoying your experience thus far.

Wow, anything can happen!

I've enjoyed my practicum so far. 

I've been teaching Visual Arts to 3 different classes and how different those classes can be.  I teach 2 classes in French and 1 class in English.  Apart from the language difference, there is a personality difference between the classes: quiet and reserved, loud and boisterous and something in between.  No matter the class, I've enjoyed wandering around the classroom and getting to know the students.  It has been quite the experience so far.

Tomorrow, my AT will be away and I'll get to work with a supply teacher.  We'll see how that goes.  I've learned that you definitely have to be flexible and be able to make changes as you go along as a teacher.  My AT is comparable to Superwoman the way that she's able to dodge problems and come up with solutions so quickly.  I am bewildered by it....

I guess the one thing that I'm trying to improve the most is my classroom management.  My AT has a bell (the kind that you find at the front desk in hotels) and that technique works very well for her.  I've been trying to carve out my own technique and I'm trying to implement the clapping technique.  With the loud and boisterous class especially, I can't seem to clap loud enough.  I'll keep working on it!  (I'll update next week.)

Have fun.  

Winter is coming

Remember to stay warm.  Try not to catch a cold.

Hello Everybody

I wish everbody a great practicum.