Looking+Back...

I learned about a lot of great resources throughout the semester. Here are some of my favourites:


 * **Bell Work** - I really like the idea of beginning classes with Bell Work because it's a creative way to get the students thinking in different ways; it stretches their minds, allowing them to explore outside of the box. From the list provided in class, there are two "types" of Bell Work I admire. The first is an "Imagine a world without…" question. I like this type of Bell Work because it requires students to take a look at their lives and the world around them, and ponder what it would be like to live in the absence of a particular item. I also like this type of activity because students may begin to realize the importance of certain criteria taught and understand how it can be applied in their everyday lives. The second type of Bell Work that appeals to me is the challenging/never-before-seen questions/problems. I like this type of Bell Work because it stretches the minds of students, requiring them to apply their acquired knowledge to solve a problem they've never seen before. As such, it allows the teacher to examine the creative thought-process of his/her students, which is always an intriguing observation.


 * **Why Math?** - This was a very meaningful topic for me because I know that students are always eager to know why they need to learn Math. Unfortunately, many students have bad experiences with Math; many students associate Math with sitting down at their desks doing truckloads of the same types of questions (aka "drilling"). This sad reality keeps me challenging myself to construct creative, engaging and interactive Math lesson plans to make this subject enjoyable and attractive to all students, but especially those who dislike it.


 * **Clickers** - I thoroughly enjoyed the use of clickers in class. They were very engaging and safe because we answered the questions anonymously. Furthermore, the questions asked were open-ended and/or personal, so there wasn't always a right or wrong answer, and when there were such questions, I felt no fear in getting them wrong (e.g. questions pertaining to Ontario EQAO statistics). I didn't get to sign a set of clickers out for my last placement, so I just had to sign one out for my second one. I really hope I get to use them...I'm sure the students will love them!


 * **Videos on Students with Learning Disabilities (2)** - I'm a visual learner, so videos always catch my attention. Although I had seen the first video a few years ago in my Learning and Human Development course, I enjoyed watching it again because the information in the videos is always relevant to how educators must accommodate students with learning disabilities. Personally, I often feel that students who are identified with a learning disability are treated in a way such that their learning potential is limited. Rather than looking at how we can work with students' abilities to help them perform at their best, many educators make the assumption that this group of students can only do so much, so they don't go any further. Watching the two videos opened my eyes to these facts and have enlightened me on my responsibility, as an educator, to accommodate these students in my classroom.


 * // Consider this... //**

One of the great things about reflecting is that you learn a lot about yourself as well. With all of the reflecting I've been doing on my lesson plans, I've come to realize that I'm getting a little tired of writing everything down ALL the time. Then it occurred to me, I like to talk...a lot. So, why not start a voice recording blog/collection of reflections. It can be something like an audio book. I think I might just try this...I might even try it as a pilot project while out on placement//!// Stay tuned...