I always find it interesting to work in groups--everyone has an opinion yet we have to somehow bring those opinions together to form some kind of coherent thought. While our group did have its disagreements, I found the lesson planning activity to be enlightening. I came into the group with a completely different idea as to how I would structure the lesson, but I found my group members' opinions opened my mind to new possibilities. We found we could agree on the overall structure/main ideas of the lesson, but there were certain points where we left room for flexibility. For example, in our lesson, we wanted to hold some kind of Skype session where students could talk to those affected by or associated with the New York Soda Ban. While some group members preferred to divide the students and have groups interview certain people, others preferred a Google "hangout" type situation that would act as more of a panel than an interview. We found that it was best to leave it open ended--we did not have to agree on every single aspect of the lesson plan.
I also found it interesting to compare ideas with other groups. While we focused more on the article itself and incorporated it into every aspect of our lesson plan, others simply used the article as a reading activity that prefaced the rest of the lesson. Finally, I really enjoyed getting to work with a librarian, as she gave us excellent advice regarding technology resources we can use in the classroom. She also explained the ways in which technology is currently being introduced in classrooms (for example, Nooks that students can check out from the library), which is helpful in gauging where schools could be going technology-wise.
Finally, I found podcasting to be an interesting process, as I have never done it before. I can definitely see the merit of using podcasts in the classroom. I immediately thought of them as being useful in having students record short responses to a reading or feedback from a group project. They really open up the idea of student response--students do not simply have to respond in written form but can respond verbally. I think it is giving students choices like this that actively engage them in their learning while also letting teachers learn the best practices for students.
I enjoy your humble approach to how group work and planning can open one's own mind. I agree that we must put our ego's aside and plan the best possible lesson.
ReplyDeleteFlexibility will need to be all of our middle names in light of our future profession. Each class and student will end up throwing us a curveball and we must be ready to catch it and throw it back. By this I mean that we will need to be ready to adapt to our class learning strategies and unexpected teachable moments. Just like your group did on Friday.
I also loved the podcasts, it was fun and I will make great use of it in the future. I think students would also have a fun time making podcasts and find the on-line lessons beneficial.
Grahm, I like your comment that we must be ready to adapt class learning strategies. I think this is really important to keep in mind when planning with others. Two heads are always better than one and I look forward to seeing how group planning sessions can influence lesson plans.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed learning from the librarians, I had not realized that they were available to help as much as they are. They will definitely be a good resource to use in the classroom. I like how your group included some flexibility into the lesson plan for each of the group members to add a little something extra to their individual presentations. I noticed that some groups also used the ban more extensively than other groups. We did base our lesson around the ban, but it was one project. I liked the idea of using skype or google hang out to talk with those that may have been affected by the ban, this is a good way for the students to see others point of view on the subject.
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