Here is a great idea for a grade 7 Language Arts/Media Literacy lesson. Have your students create public service announcements. Here is a video of multiple student examples.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCtGJ3kNs1M
Friday, March 26, 2010
Grade 8 Science Lesson Plan
Topic: Cell Membrane: Permeability, Impermeably and Selective Permeability
Strand: Grade 8 – Understanding Life Systems: Cells
Time: 50 minutes
Expectations
Overall Expectations:
• Investigate functions and processes of plant and animal cells;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic structure and function of plant and animal cells and cell processes.
Specific Expectations
Developing Investigation and Communication Skills:
• Use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate the processes of diffusion and cells;
• Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including: diffusion, cell membrane, impermeable, permeable and selectively permeable in oral and written communication;
• Use a variety of forms (oral, written and graphic) to communicate with audiences and for a variety of purposes (draw and label permeable, impermeable and selectively permeable membranes as seen in the experiment).
Understanding basic Concepts:
• Explain the processes of membrane diffusion and its roles within a cell.
Resources: Science notebook, pencil, pencil crayons, Nelson Science and Technology 8
Experiment: jar, piece of glass, piece of mesh, piece of cloth, water, sugar, sugar-water solution.
Introductory Activity(15 minutes): Teacher will complete a mini-lesson about the membranes (permeable, impermeable, selectively permeable) in order to create oral awareness of the topic at hand. This main concept will be defined (a separating layer) and examples will be provided.
Developmental Strategies(30 minutes):
1) Now that students have gathered an awareness of the membranes a visual representation through experiment will take place;
2) The teacher will complete the experiment:
a) Place glass over water-filled jar and drop 1. sugar 2. sugar-water solution 3. water;
b) Place mesh over water-filled jar and drop 1. sugar 2. sugar-water solution 3. water;
c) Place cloth over water-filled jar and drop 1. sugar 2. sugar-water solution 3. water;
3) During the experiment students will have been drawing, labelling and describing the observations they made during the experiment for future reference;
4) The class will discuss, with teacher guidance, the relevance of the experiment to different types of membranes (some are permeable, impermeable and selectively permeable) and decide which type of membrane a cell has and why (selectively permeable because it allows some things to enter and keeps some out).
Concluding Activity: At their own desks students will answer the questions written on the board:
1) Explain what is meant by permeable, impermeable and selectively permeable membranes using examples from the experiment;
2) What type of membrane do cells have? Explain why.
They will be expected to use graphic and written tactics to explain the process.
Methods of Evaluation: Students will be evaluated based on their participation during class discussion. Their observations and answers to the questions in the concluding activity will also be collected and marked accordingly. These materials will show where each student stands in their understanding of the subjects.
Follow-Up Ideas: Students will use the knowledge gathered to continue their learning for the next subject: Osmosis.
Strand: Grade 8 – Understanding Life Systems: Cells
Time: 50 minutes
Expectations
Overall Expectations:
• Investigate functions and processes of plant and animal cells;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic structure and function of plant and animal cells and cell processes.
Specific Expectations
Developing Investigation and Communication Skills:
• Use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate the processes of diffusion and cells;
• Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including: diffusion, cell membrane, impermeable, permeable and selectively permeable in oral and written communication;
• Use a variety of forms (oral, written and graphic) to communicate with audiences and for a variety of purposes (draw and label permeable, impermeable and selectively permeable membranes as seen in the experiment).
Understanding basic Concepts:
• Explain the processes of membrane diffusion and its roles within a cell.
Resources: Science notebook, pencil, pencil crayons, Nelson Science and Technology 8
Experiment: jar, piece of glass, piece of mesh, piece of cloth, water, sugar, sugar-water solution.
Introductory Activity(15 minutes): Teacher will complete a mini-lesson about the membranes (permeable, impermeable, selectively permeable) in order to create oral awareness of the topic at hand. This main concept will be defined (a separating layer) and examples will be provided.
Developmental Strategies(30 minutes):
1) Now that students have gathered an awareness of the membranes a visual representation through experiment will take place;
2) The teacher will complete the experiment:
a) Place glass over water-filled jar and drop 1. sugar 2. sugar-water solution 3. water;
b) Place mesh over water-filled jar and drop 1. sugar 2. sugar-water solution 3. water;
c) Place cloth over water-filled jar and drop 1. sugar 2. sugar-water solution 3. water;
3) During the experiment students will have been drawing, labelling and describing the observations they made during the experiment for future reference;
4) The class will discuss, with teacher guidance, the relevance of the experiment to different types of membranes (some are permeable, impermeable and selectively permeable) and decide which type of membrane a cell has and why (selectively permeable because it allows some things to enter and keeps some out).
Concluding Activity: At their own desks students will answer the questions written on the board:
1) Explain what is meant by permeable, impermeable and selectively permeable membranes using examples from the experiment;
2) What type of membrane do cells have? Explain why.
They will be expected to use graphic and written tactics to explain the process.
Methods of Evaluation: Students will be evaluated based on their participation during class discussion. Their observations and answers to the questions in the concluding activity will also be collected and marked accordingly. These materials will show where each student stands in their understanding of the subjects.
Follow-Up Ideas: Students will use the knowledge gathered to continue their learning for the next subject: Osmosis.
Grade 8 Science Lesson Plan
Topic: Diffusion
Strand: Grade 8 – Understanding Life Systems: Cells
Time: 50 minutes
Expectations
Overall Expectations:
• Investigate functions and processes of plant and animal cells;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic structure and function of plant and animal cells and cell processes.
Specific Expectations
Developing Investigation and Communication Skills:
• Use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate the processes of diffusion;
• Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including: diffusion and molecules in oral and written communication;
• Use a variety of forms (oral, written and graphic) to communicate with audiences and for a variety of purposes (draw and label the process of diffusion as seen in the experiment).
Understanding basic Concepts:
• Explain the processes of diffusion and its roles within a cell.
Resources: Science notebook, pencil, pencil crayons, Nelson Science and Technology 8
Experiment: dye, beaker, water.
Introductory Activity(15 minutes): Teacher will complete a mini-lesson about diffusion in order to create oral awareness of the topic at hand. This main concept will be defined (the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration) and examples will be provided.
Developmental Strategies(20 minutes):
1) Now that students have gathered an awareness of diffusion a visual representation through experiment will take place;
2) The teacher will complete the experiment by dropping a small amount of dye into a beaker which is half-full of water to represent diffusion;
3) The class will discuss, with teacher guidance, the relevance of the experiment to diffusion (the ink spreads because the molecules from the dye and water bounce off of one another and causes the dye to spread);
4) The students will record their observations in three steps (1. water 2. water one second after dye is dropped 3. water once dye is set in) first by drawing and then describing them for future reference;
Concluding Activity: At their own desks students will answer the question written on the board:
1) Explain, in your own words, the process of diffusion.
Students will be expected to use graphic and written tactics to explain the process.
Methods of Evaluation: Students will be evaluated based on their participation during class discussion. Their observations and answers to question #1 in the concluding activity will also be collected and marked accordingly. These materials will show where each student stands in their understanding of the subjects.
Follow-Up Ideas: Students will use the knowledge gathered to continue their learning for the next subject: Permeability, impermeably and selective permeability.
Strand: Grade 8 – Understanding Life Systems: Cells
Time: 50 minutes
Expectations
Overall Expectations:
• Investigate functions and processes of plant and animal cells;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic structure and function of plant and animal cells and cell processes.
Specific Expectations
Developing Investigation and Communication Skills:
• Use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate the processes of diffusion;
• Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including: diffusion and molecules in oral and written communication;
• Use a variety of forms (oral, written and graphic) to communicate with audiences and for a variety of purposes (draw and label the process of diffusion as seen in the experiment).
Understanding basic Concepts:
• Explain the processes of diffusion and its roles within a cell.
Resources: Science notebook, pencil, pencil crayons, Nelson Science and Technology 8
Experiment: dye, beaker, water.
Introductory Activity(15 minutes): Teacher will complete a mini-lesson about diffusion in order to create oral awareness of the topic at hand. This main concept will be defined (the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration) and examples will be provided.
Developmental Strategies(20 minutes):
1) Now that students have gathered an awareness of diffusion a visual representation through experiment will take place;
2) The teacher will complete the experiment by dropping a small amount of dye into a beaker which is half-full of water to represent diffusion;
3) The class will discuss, with teacher guidance, the relevance of the experiment to diffusion (the ink spreads because the molecules from the dye and water bounce off of one another and causes the dye to spread);
4) The students will record their observations in three steps (1. water 2. water one second after dye is dropped 3. water once dye is set in) first by drawing and then describing them for future reference;
Concluding Activity: At their own desks students will answer the question written on the board:
1) Explain, in your own words, the process of diffusion.
Students will be expected to use graphic and written tactics to explain the process.
Methods of Evaluation: Students will be evaluated based on their participation during class discussion. Their observations and answers to question #1 in the concluding activity will also be collected and marked accordingly. These materials will show where each student stands in their understanding of the subjects.
Follow-Up Ideas: Students will use the knowledge gathered to continue their learning for the next subject: Permeability, impermeably and selective permeability.
Language Lesson Plan
Monster Needed!
After listening to Frank Rodgers’ Looking After Your First Monster you should have plenty of information about monsters! You will be creating your very own Domestic Monster.
a) Your audience:
Mary and Stanley Orange have 4 young children and very busy jobs. They had a Domestic Monster who helped with the children before but she was fired because she was soooo boring. How can they ever keep up without a helping hand!? Stanley suggested having a new Domestic Monster join their family. The most important thing is to entertain and take care of the children when the Orange’s cannot be around.
b) Your purpose:
Create an original monster who will appeal to the Orange’s in order to apply for the job posting:
Hello!
We are desperately looking for a Domestic Monster who has a personality that will fit our family perfectly! It is a full-time job so be prepared to live with us! We love surprises, having fun and trying new things and would be happy to hear about you! Here are some things that should be included in your resume for us to consider you:
1) A detailed photograph along with your name
2) What is your personality like? Name at least 2 characteristics you feel you have.
3) What do you like to eat? Name at least 2 meals.
4) Are you a fairly hygienic monster? We have no preference but would like forewarning.
5) Do you know any tricks?
6) What kinds of things do you like?
7) Have you ever had a job for another family? If so, why do you not work with them any longer? If you have not what have you been up to all of your life?
8) Your favourite outing.
9) Anything extra you feel we should know about you.
Hope to hear from you original monsters soon!
Mary and Stanley Orange
Your Assignment
You will create your own Domestic Monster and a resume as the monster in order to apply for the job posting above. You will also present monster and resume to the class as a sort of interview. One monster will be chosen for the Orange’s according to his/her originality!
Remember: Your monster can answer the questions in any way they choose. Not all monsters are ordinary! They may like to ride bikes upside-down or dance to rock and roll. There are no limits to who your monster is. Don’t limit the potential of your monster because you think they won’t get the job. The Orange’s would just get a nanny if they wanted someone ordinary.
BE CREATIVE! GOOD LUCK!
After listening to Frank Rodgers’ Looking After Your First Monster you should have plenty of information about monsters! You will be creating your very own Domestic Monster.
a) Your audience:
Mary and Stanley Orange have 4 young children and very busy jobs. They had a Domestic Monster who helped with the children before but she was fired because she was soooo boring. How can they ever keep up without a helping hand!? Stanley suggested having a new Domestic Monster join their family. The most important thing is to entertain and take care of the children when the Orange’s cannot be around.
b) Your purpose:
Create an original monster who will appeal to the Orange’s in order to apply for the job posting:
Hello!
We are desperately looking for a Domestic Monster who has a personality that will fit our family perfectly! It is a full-time job so be prepared to live with us! We love surprises, having fun and trying new things and would be happy to hear about you! Here are some things that should be included in your resume for us to consider you:
1) A detailed photograph along with your name
2) What is your personality like? Name at least 2 characteristics you feel you have.
3) What do you like to eat? Name at least 2 meals.
4) Are you a fairly hygienic monster? We have no preference but would like forewarning.
5) Do you know any tricks?
6) What kinds of things do you like?
7) Have you ever had a job for another family? If so, why do you not work with them any longer? If you have not what have you been up to all of your life?
8) Your favourite outing.
9) Anything extra you feel we should know about you.
Hope to hear from you original monsters soon!
Mary and Stanley Orange
Your Assignment
You will create your own Domestic Monster and a resume as the monster in order to apply for the job posting above. You will also present monster and resume to the class as a sort of interview. One monster will be chosen for the Orange’s according to his/her originality!
Remember: Your monster can answer the questions in any way they choose. Not all monsters are ordinary! They may like to ride bikes upside-down or dance to rock and roll. There are no limits to who your monster is. Don’t limit the potential of your monster because you think they won’t get the job. The Orange’s would just get a nanny if they wanted someone ordinary.
BE CREATIVE! GOOD LUCK!
Physical Education Lesson Plan
Time: 50 mins
Topic: Leadership
Strand: Fundamental Movement Skills
Expectations:
Overall Expectations:
• perform the movement skills required to participate in games, gymnastics, dance, and outdoor pursuits alone and with others: locomotion/travelling (e.g., running in patterns in game activities), manipulation (e.g., catching, throwing), and stability (e.g., transferring their weight);
• demonstrate the principles of movement while refining their movement skills (e.g., matching the movements of a partner in a sequence).
Specific Expectations
Locomotion/Travelling Skills:
– perform a combination of locomotion/travelling movements, incorporating a variety of speeds, in relationship to objects or others (e.g., square dancing, dodging or faking to escape or deceive an opponent);
Manipulation Skills
– catch, while moving, objects of various sizes and shapes (e.g., balls, Frisbees) using
one or two hands;
Stability Skills
– perform a sequence of movements (e.g., rolling, balancing, jumping, landing);
– transfer body weight in a variety of ways, using changes in direction and speed;
Resources: Instructional movements written on paper, 1 basketball, one hula hoop, other materials that can be found in the gym. Anything the teacher sees as useful for improving movement.
Introductory Activity (10 mins): Students will stretch their muscles in order to warm up for the developmental activity. One student will have a chance to lead the group in the stretches the teacher has previously provided. This should happen in every class.
Developmental Strategies (30 mins): This game is just like the “mirror game” in which students mimic the movements of their partners. However, in this game the movement instructions will be designated by the teacher to only one student. For example, when Mathew gets a turn he goes to the front of the class, is given a piece of paper with instructions, and completes the 2-3 movements on the page as the rest of the students mimic him. The movements will become much more complicated as time goes on. The movements will be complicated by speed, materials (ex. balls) and type of movement. When the instruction involves a ball only the student leader will be using a ball while the others simply mimic the movement. Each student will likely receive two turns.
Task Example:
- throw the basketball in the air
- balance on your left foot and then your right
- turn in two circles while waving your hands
Concluding Activity(10 mins): Students will sit in a circle in the gym with a volleyball while they pass it around to different people who they compliment on their job in gym that day.
Method of Evaluation: Evaluate each student during their turn for their ability to complete the specific movements designated to them in relation to its difficulty. Each student should be able to demonstrate their ability to change movements, speed and direction, use different objects and balance. I would evaluate based on leadership as well: Did the student obviously exemplify the actions? Last, because this is an interdisciplinary task I would evaluate on ability to follow instruction: Could the student read and follow the instructions on their instructional movement page properly?
Topic: Leadership
Strand: Fundamental Movement Skills
Expectations:
Overall Expectations:
• perform the movement skills required to participate in games, gymnastics, dance, and outdoor pursuits alone and with others: locomotion/travelling (e.g., running in patterns in game activities), manipulation (e.g., catching, throwing), and stability (e.g., transferring their weight);
• demonstrate the principles of movement while refining their movement skills (e.g., matching the movements of a partner in a sequence).
Specific Expectations
Locomotion/Travelling Skills:
– perform a combination of locomotion/travelling movements, incorporating a variety of speeds, in relationship to objects or others (e.g., square dancing, dodging or faking to escape or deceive an opponent);
Manipulation Skills
– catch, while moving, objects of various sizes and shapes (e.g., balls, Frisbees) using
one or two hands;
Stability Skills
– perform a sequence of movements (e.g., rolling, balancing, jumping, landing);
– transfer body weight in a variety of ways, using changes in direction and speed;
Resources: Instructional movements written on paper, 1 basketball, one hula hoop, other materials that can be found in the gym. Anything the teacher sees as useful for improving movement.
Introductory Activity (10 mins): Students will stretch their muscles in order to warm up for the developmental activity. One student will have a chance to lead the group in the stretches the teacher has previously provided. This should happen in every class.
Developmental Strategies (30 mins): This game is just like the “mirror game” in which students mimic the movements of their partners. However, in this game the movement instructions will be designated by the teacher to only one student. For example, when Mathew gets a turn he goes to the front of the class, is given a piece of paper with instructions, and completes the 2-3 movements on the page as the rest of the students mimic him. The movements will become much more complicated as time goes on. The movements will be complicated by speed, materials (ex. balls) and type of movement. When the instruction involves a ball only the student leader will be using a ball while the others simply mimic the movement. Each student will likely receive two turns.
Task Example:
- throw the basketball in the air
- balance on your left foot and then your right
- turn in two circles while waving your hands
Concluding Activity(10 mins): Students will sit in a circle in the gym with a volleyball while they pass it around to different people who they compliment on their job in gym that day.
Method of Evaluation: Evaluate each student during their turn for their ability to complete the specific movements designated to them in relation to its difficulty. Each student should be able to demonstrate their ability to change movements, speed and direction, use different objects and balance. I would evaluate based on leadership as well: Did the student obviously exemplify the actions? Last, because this is an interdisciplinary task I would evaluate on ability to follow instruction: Could the student read and follow the instructions on their instructional movement page properly?
Science Lesson Plan
Topic: Conservation of Energy and Resources
Strand: Grade 5 – Understanding Earth and Space Systems
Time: 50 minutes
Expectations
Overall Expectations:
• Analyse the immediate and long-term effects of energy and resource use on society and the environment, and evaluate options for conserving energy and resources.
Specific Expectations
Relating Science and Technology to Society and the Environment:
• Analyse the long-term impacts on society and the environment of human uses of energy and natural resources, and suggest ways to reduce these impacts.
Developing Investigation and Communication Skills:
• Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary;
• Use a variety of forms to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes.
Resources: 2L of water, clear bowl or container, teaspoon, glass, eyedropper, poster paper, art supplies.
Introductory Activity(15 minutes):
Object Lesson - The teacher will place 2L of water into a clear bowl or container. This water represents all of the world’s water. The teacher will then place 1 teaspoon of water from the original 2L into a separate glass. This represents the 3% of drinkable water in the world. Next, take an eyedropper and remove one small drop of water. This water represents the true amount of water available for drinking since much 99.4% of the fresh water is in polar ice caps and other places unattainable to us. The class will then have a short discussion about the object lesson for the remainder of the 15 minutes. Ex. What does this visual representation mean to you?
Developmental Strategies(20 minutes):
Having gained an insight on the amount of fresh water available to humans and plants students will be told that, “A human only needs 2.4 litres of water per day to survive, but in Canada we use approximately 343 litres per person per day.” On the board, the teacher will create a T chart with the headings: need/human right & commodity (definitions should be provided depending). As a class students will brainstorm about the uses of water in Canada. This chart should give the students a relatable and visual idea of how water is being used everyday when it could be conserved. Next, students will brainstorm in small groups about how we could conserve water in our daily lives. Each group will be expected to produce at least one idea. Finally, students will choose one of the conservation ideas which applies to their school (i.e. stop buying water bottles). The teacher will then explain that students are expected to work together in their groups to create a poster for the cause.
Concluding Activity (15 minutes): The teacher will provide the materials needed and students will be given the remainder of the class to work on their posters.
Methods of Evaluation: Students will be evaluated for their participation during the class discussion and for the finished product of their poster.
Follow-Up Ideas: As a follow-up to this lesson the teacher could get permission from principal to put posters up in appropriate places in the school.
Strand: Grade 5 – Understanding Earth and Space Systems
Time: 50 minutes
Expectations
Overall Expectations:
• Analyse the immediate and long-term effects of energy and resource use on society and the environment, and evaluate options for conserving energy and resources.
Specific Expectations
Relating Science and Technology to Society and the Environment:
• Analyse the long-term impacts on society and the environment of human uses of energy and natural resources, and suggest ways to reduce these impacts.
Developing Investigation and Communication Skills:
• Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary;
• Use a variety of forms to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes.
Resources: 2L of water, clear bowl or container, teaspoon, glass, eyedropper, poster paper, art supplies.
Introductory Activity(15 minutes):
Object Lesson - The teacher will place 2L of water into a clear bowl or container. This water represents all of the world’s water. The teacher will then place 1 teaspoon of water from the original 2L into a separate glass. This represents the 3% of drinkable water in the world. Next, take an eyedropper and remove one small drop of water. This water represents the true amount of water available for drinking since much 99.4% of the fresh water is in polar ice caps and other places unattainable to us. The class will then have a short discussion about the object lesson for the remainder of the 15 minutes. Ex. What does this visual representation mean to you?
Developmental Strategies(20 minutes):
Having gained an insight on the amount of fresh water available to humans and plants students will be told that, “A human only needs 2.4 litres of water per day to survive, but in Canada we use approximately 343 litres per person per day.” On the board, the teacher will create a T chart with the headings: need/human right & commodity (definitions should be provided depending). As a class students will brainstorm about the uses of water in Canada. This chart should give the students a relatable and visual idea of how water is being used everyday when it could be conserved. Next, students will brainstorm in small groups about how we could conserve water in our daily lives. Each group will be expected to produce at least one idea. Finally, students will choose one of the conservation ideas which applies to their school (i.e. stop buying water bottles). The teacher will then explain that students are expected to work together in their groups to create a poster for the cause.
Concluding Activity (15 minutes): The teacher will provide the materials needed and students will be given the remainder of the class to work on their posters.
Methods of Evaluation: Students will be evaluated for their participation during the class discussion and for the finished product of their poster.
Follow-Up Ideas: As a follow-up to this lesson the teacher could get permission from principal to put posters up in appropriate places in the school.
Hey All!
This is a spoken word Poetry that I wrote as advice for new teachers. It's a teacher-take on Baz Luhrmann's speech "Everybody's Free to wear Sunscreen"
Hope you enjoy it!
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 2010....Become a teacher, if I could offer you only one tip for the future, teaching would be it.
The long term benefits of teaching have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.....
Enjoy the power and beauty of your students, Oh never mind, you will not understand the power and beauty of your students until they have left you. But trust me in 20 years you'll look back at class photos and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility laid before them and how fabulous they really were.
They are not as badly behaved as you imagine.
Don't worry about finding a job, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be the things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blind side you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Don't waste time in jealousy, sometimes your ahead, sometimes your behind, the race is long and in the end it's only with yourself.
Remember great assignments your receive; forget the bad ones. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what grade you want to teach yet, some of the most interesting people I know taught a different grade at 22 then they do now at 40.
Be kind to your Secretary, you'll miss her when she's gone.
Maybe you'll be a principal, maybe you won't,
Maybe you'll coach a team, maybe you won't,
Maybe you'll quit after 5 years ,
Maybe you'll celebrate your 40th teaching anniversary with your family.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either, your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's .
Get to know your students, because at the end of the year they're gone for good
Be nice to their siblings, they are the best link to their past, and the people most likely to stick with them in the future.
Understand people from the Faculty of Education will come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on, work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get the most you need the people you knew at the Faculty of Education.
Teach in an urban school once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Teach in a county school once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Accept certain inalienable truths, educational costs will rise, students will cheat and you too will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young educational costs were reasonable, students were noble, and children respected their elders.
Don't expect anyone else to mark for you.
Maybe you have a TA, maybe you have an eager student, but you never know when either one will run out.
Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth
But trust me on the Teaching.....
This is a spoken word Poetry that I wrote as advice for new teachers. It's a teacher-take on Baz Luhrmann's speech "Everybody's Free to wear Sunscreen"
Hope you enjoy it!
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 2010....Become a teacher, if I could offer you only one tip for the future, teaching would be it.
The long term benefits of teaching have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.....
Enjoy the power and beauty of your students, Oh never mind, you will not understand the power and beauty of your students until they have left you. But trust me in 20 years you'll look back at class photos and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility laid before them and how fabulous they really were.
They are not as badly behaved as you imagine.
Don't worry about finding a job, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be the things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blind side you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Don't waste time in jealousy, sometimes your ahead, sometimes your behind, the race is long and in the end it's only with yourself.
Remember great assignments your receive; forget the bad ones. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what grade you want to teach yet, some of the most interesting people I know taught a different grade at 22 then they do now at 40.
Be kind to your Secretary, you'll miss her when she's gone.
Maybe you'll be a principal, maybe you won't,
Maybe you'll coach a team, maybe you won't,
Maybe you'll quit after 5 years ,
Maybe you'll celebrate your 40th teaching anniversary with your family.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either, your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's .
Get to know your students, because at the end of the year they're gone for good
Be nice to their siblings, they are the best link to their past, and the people most likely to stick with them in the future.
Understand people from the Faculty of Education will come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on, work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get the most you need the people you knew at the Faculty of Education.
Teach in an urban school once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Teach in a county school once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Accept certain inalienable truths, educational costs will rise, students will cheat and you too will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young educational costs were reasonable, students were noble, and children respected their elders.
Don't expect anyone else to mark for you.
Maybe you have a TA, maybe you have an eager student, but you never know when either one will run out.
Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth
But trust me on the Teaching.....
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