Versatility of an Idea

Amazingly malleable things, ideas are. Beautiful really.

Just completed finishing touches on my modified lesson plan. The IEP I was given was for a gifted student.

This assignment made me very happy. Making modifications as a teacher really shows your ability to adapt, to be creative, and to be fun in the way you tailor to specific needs, all the while enhancing the experience of everyone in your class.

Also, I was amazed how versatile an idea can be. The lesson I used was originally thought up by me while working in a workplace essentials level grade nine/ten class. (Sidenote, my FAVOURITE class to work with).

And yet, with some modifications, changes, I was able to make that lesson into not only a lesson that would be enjoyable and beneficial to an ACADEMIC class, but to modify it further for a gifted student

(Pats self on the back)

Joking. Sort of. I just love it. I think it works too, so thats exciting.

Guess we will see!

Trickery, Tomfoolery etc. Why?

Ok. Rant time.

Trying to help a young lady who is a friend of my cousin. She is in first year chemistry and struggling with it. As a chemistry major and an aspiring teacher, I'm a logical choice to help. But thinking back, and looking at QCARD confirms it, I did terrible in first year Chemistry.

Wait, what?

I know right? And its not like I was the stereotypical first year student. I didn't party much, and I did go to class, even paid attention! Much of the material was similar to that of grade 12 chemistry (where I nearly had the highest mark in the school).

So what gives?

Multiple. Choice. Tests.

First year classes are full of them. I have no particular problem with multiple choice (most of the time). It allows you to assess knowledge/understanding quickly and over a wide range.

But the way it was done in Chem 112 was the way I have a problem with it.

Firstly, all of the questions were calculations. Normally, with calculation questions, you get marks for showing your work. Obviously in multiple choice tests, this is not possible.

But that wasn't even my biggest problem with the exams.

It was the fact that they TRIED to make us do poorly.

I'll explain. When you don't HAVE to show your work (ie-aren't getting marked for it), you usually do most of the questions right on your calculator. You would punch in the numbers, hit the equals sign, look down at the question, see the number on your calculator on the page, circle the answer, and move on!

But wait, you forgot to add a minus sign. But your answer was still there. Funny enough, if you'd accidentally divided instead of multiplied, that answer would have been there too. If you'd made some other silly math error, that answer was there. Oh, and of course, the right answer.

If you get an answer, and its one of the options, why would you think that you've made a mistake? More importantly, does making a silly math error mean you don't know the chemistry concepts? Does it mean you should get NO MARKS for the knowledge you have pertaining to that question?

Just sillyness. Make one of the answers the answer. The rest, random. That way, if you made a silly mistake, you can go back, FIND your mistake and LEARN from it.

Novel concept I know.

Rant. End.

(Longest rant ever, sorry about that, had more to say, thought I should end it)

Let's Debate the Debate!

Ok, not a debate if I'm the only one talking.

So the day came! The one where it was MY turn to lead the class in discussion, and boy, did we get an opportunity.

The topic: Giftedness

The style: Debate.. but what else?

It is without question the most controversial of exceptionalities. Everyone has their own opinion on it. Me personally? I think we should treat gifted students the same way I think we should treat all students; celebrate, and use their abilities, and push them to the limits on the this things they find most difficult.

But maybe thats just me.

Mainly, I liked that our topic and style blended so well together (not to mention doing debates with gifted students is a great idea... higher thinking!)

Overall I liked the debate as a teaching style. I obviously would have liked to do it in my own classroom, give the students some time to research their own points (so that they had ownership over them), but I think it worked well.

For sure my favourite aspect was the four mini-debates, giving everyone a chance. In class, we were able to do it because we had the three of us and Prof. Sandhu, but I'm unsure how I could make that work when I'm the only one in the room.

EA's? Peer helpers? Student teachers? Resource?

I guess I don't have to worry about it to much yet. Cross that bridge when I get there!

The gift of Choice

And I'm not talking multiple choice.

I'm talking CHOICE. On a test, on an exam. Exams are behind me, and once again, I find myself constantly thinking;

What have I learned this period that will help me be a fantastic teacher?

And I've got a dandy; Choice.

Its so simple really, just an extension of differentiated instruction, but it gives the opportunity for SUCCESS on tests, and thats something that really interests me.

For my third year advanced organic chemistry class, all tests/exams were a)open book (another discussion for another day) and b) featured choice.

What I mean is, each exam section would say, pick 3 of the following 5 questions and answer them, or answer 2 of the following 3 problems. And it was genius, on so many levels.

Firstly, it gives students the opportunity to answer questions about the material they find most interesting, giving them a chance for success.

Secondly, eventually we learned that this was the way our prof did his exams, and we knew that if we accidentally forgot to study one certain aspect, and a question was asked about it, it would not be the end of the world. This took much of the stress out of the "lead up" to the exam, and allowed me to enter with an eased mind.

Thirdly, it allowed him to make short exams. 4 problems, answer three. There was no need for him to add unnecessary questions to dilute the test (such that a student not knowing one would lower their mark substantially)

And lastly, from a teachers perspective, it would spice up the marking a little bit, with not every test looking the same.

I thought it was great, and intend to give it a try.