The 7-1 student- led teaching experiences were extremely successful. If one wanted to use statistics (knowing very well that liars can figure and figures can lie), about 95% of the students on Team 7-1 will see A’s or B’s in Social Studies for third trimester progress reports. Given the time of year we find ourselves, this is an astonishing number. All teaching groups met their 70% class average benchmark. Finally, all students who taught saw their overall grade on the teaching assignment at either an “A,” “B,” or “C” level with the lowest grade turning out to be a “C+.” These are very impressive indeed, given the scope, required planning, and sheer anxiety ridden nature of students teaching their colleagues. From an anecdotal plane, success was also evident. Many students developed a newly discovered notion of metacognition, in terms of being able to clearly define which environments best support their learning styles and adaptations. Students began to understand the difficulty of reaching all students within instruction of concepts. However, the most revealing aspect of this experience was how students understood the notion of teaching being synonymous with community. The most successful examples of student teaching were ones where all students were included into the learning process. Never have I been more forcefully confronted with the reality of how teaching is an inclusive process than when I bore witness to these successful forays into the realm of teaching and learning.
With the successful completion of such an experience, I offered a day after where students were asked to “intellectually graze.” I considered it a generous gift of “down time,” something which is rare in my class. As I walked around the room, I found it so interesting to simply observe how some of our students conducted themselves. Perusing through different parts of the textbook, engrossed in a silent reading work, or simply constructing different aspects of their reality, it was insightful and instructive to not directly instruct. There was something powerful, almost entrancing, about it. It served as the confirmation of how we, as educators, need to provide an intellectual kingdom of ideas constructed upon the firmament of student choice. This field of academic freedom is where all of our students will find meaning and direct construction of knowledge and understanding.
This brings us to where we are now. This past week has brought a great many moments of “smile” to my teaching and learning. To hear students break down which choice best fits them has proved that many of our students have evolved in their thought. It was a true moment to hear students indicate that “this is the best for me,” or “I know it’s going to be tough, but I want to take the challenge.” As we have concluded the first day of in class work, I have been able to experience the very best of our students who are immersed in primary sources, analyzing modes of economic growth, or tackling the works of Locke and Mill. There is a genuine sense of maturation, excitement, and evolution that has taken hold of many emerging scholars on 7-1. My only hope is that this continues throughout the tenure of the unit.
As many of you know, I didn’t have many positive memories of my undergraduate experience. I spent much of it roaming through three different colleges/ universities, in search of elusive ideals. (That search still continues today.) However, one of the most special memories had to be my Western Civilization class as a first year student at Kenyon College. The course was entitled “Integrated Program in Humane Studies,” and it covered the standard “Plato to Nato” curriculum. The course met three times a week in a lecture hall that was a throwback to Oxford. Yet, the most distinctive aspect of the course was the three hour seminar each Wednesday night. This consisted of fifteen students sitting around Professor Brint’s office while he led us through the text and ideas of the week. Some of my most poignant memories in a year replete with challenges were in those seminars discussing economics, freedom, the limits of choice, and the pain that seems to exist at the heart of consciousness. Good times, indeed. In attempting to replicate some of those seminar moments, next week will mark the start of the mini teaching seminars. I will be meeting with different groups on different days, and our conversation topics will range from Industrialization, freedom, primary source based history, Document Based Questions, as well as the theories of Locke and Mill. This will be exciting and worthy of our students’ energies.
Some red tape items. The homework pane on the left hand of the screen and on the calendar will be deliberately vague, as there are different assignments for each group of students. In order to gauge what student assignments are, I encourage all students to download this week’s and next week’s syllabus. I have given students a sequence for the next two weeks. This scope will allow students to plan their time accordingly in order to meet all deadlines and expectations. I will also be emailing out students’ Social Studies grades this weekend and will be delivering a hard copy of student trimester grades on Friday. The last extra credit assignment will be due on Monday, 4/21. Finally, please allow me a shameless self promotional plug. I will be amongst the featured teachers speaking about the Middle School concept in front of community stakeholders, in a forum sponsored by the Julian PTO. I invite all interested members to attend. (Yes, there will be a powerpoint show.)
As we engage within a quest filled with student choice, seminar breakouts, and challenging content, our nightingales sing once again.
Happy hunting!
Mr. Kannan
With the successful completion of such an experience, I offered a day after where students were asked to “intellectually graze.” I considered it a generous gift of “down time,” something which is rare in my class. As I walked around the room, I found it so interesting to simply observe how some of our students conducted themselves. Perusing through different parts of the textbook, engrossed in a silent reading work, or simply constructing different aspects of their reality, it was insightful and instructive to not directly instruct. There was something powerful, almost entrancing, about it. It served as the confirmation of how we, as educators, need to provide an intellectual kingdom of ideas constructed upon the firmament of student choice. This field of academic freedom is where all of our students will find meaning and direct construction of knowledge and understanding.
This brings us to where we are now. This past week has brought a great many moments of “smile” to my teaching and learning. To hear students break down which choice best fits them has proved that many of our students have evolved in their thought. It was a true moment to hear students indicate that “this is the best for me,” or “I know it’s going to be tough, but I want to take the challenge.” As we have concluded the first day of in class work, I have been able to experience the very best of our students who are immersed in primary sources, analyzing modes of economic growth, or tackling the works of Locke and Mill. There is a genuine sense of maturation, excitement, and evolution that has taken hold of many emerging scholars on 7-1. My only hope is that this continues throughout the tenure of the unit.
As many of you know, I didn’t have many positive memories of my undergraduate experience. I spent much of it roaming through three different colleges/ universities, in search of elusive ideals. (That search still continues today.) However, one of the most special memories had to be my Western Civilization class as a first year student at Kenyon College. The course was entitled “Integrated Program in Humane Studies,” and it covered the standard “Plato to Nato” curriculum. The course met three times a week in a lecture hall that was a throwback to Oxford. Yet, the most distinctive aspect of the course was the three hour seminar each Wednesday night. This consisted of fifteen students sitting around Professor Brint’s office while he led us through the text and ideas of the week. Some of my most poignant memories in a year replete with challenges were in those seminars discussing economics, freedom, the limits of choice, and the pain that seems to exist at the heart of consciousness. Good times, indeed. In attempting to replicate some of those seminar moments, next week will mark the start of the mini teaching seminars. I will be meeting with different groups on different days, and our conversation topics will range from Industrialization, freedom, primary source based history, Document Based Questions, as well as the theories of Locke and Mill. This will be exciting and worthy of our students’ energies.
Some red tape items. The homework pane on the left hand of the screen and on the calendar will be deliberately vague, as there are different assignments for each group of students. In order to gauge what student assignments are, I encourage all students to download this week’s and next week’s syllabus. I have given students a sequence for the next two weeks. This scope will allow students to plan their time accordingly in order to meet all deadlines and expectations. I will also be emailing out students’ Social Studies grades this weekend and will be delivering a hard copy of student trimester grades on Friday. The last extra credit assignment will be due on Monday, 4/21. Finally, please allow me a shameless self promotional plug. I will be amongst the featured teachers speaking about the Middle School concept in front of community stakeholders, in a forum sponsored by the Julian PTO. I invite all interested members to attend. (Yes, there will be a powerpoint show.)
As we engage within a quest filled with student choice, seminar breakouts, and challenging content, our nightingales sing once again.
Happy hunting!
Mr. Kannan
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