Field Study – Day 1
I expected problems in starting my field study as I had heard enough from the past TLITE cohort members to be prepared, so I thought..
I expected glitches and boy did I get them. I saved the PowerPoint in the wrong format and had to correct that. Should have known better.
I had a class of 30 grade 6/7’s coming in and I wanted them in the library where there were tables to write on, but I needed a laptop and projector for my PowerPoint presentation part of the lesson. The laptop would not log on to the District server, the remaining laptops logged on, but the cords to connect them to the projectors were lost. Surprise! Saved by my TECHIE MAN. Thanks bud, those brownies are coming your way.
Tech problems were solved in the last minute of the final hour before the kids came in. Phew, nothing went wrong technically. But at the end of the lesson, I realized that I was so focused on the technology that I completely blew the teaching! Shocked would be the descriptor. I was floored. I’ve been teaching long enough that this is EMBARRASSING! The mapping work that the kids handed in was appalling to say the least.
LEARNING: Remember to focus on the content, the skills, the expectations, NOT the technology. I considered this a trial run for the second gr 6/7 class to come for the same lesson, re-vamped the lesson plan. Glitch: had to have a sub teach the lesson! Notes from sub – new realization: technology does not make an uninteresting topic any better. Topic was directly related to the need for no prior knowledge and it is going to be a problem. Once again, I was too focused on the field study and not focused on the PLO’s or on connecting the research project for the kids with their ability to connect with the topic. Should win the “stupid teacher award” for this. Possible solution: cut the lessons to the minimum to meet the prescribed learning outcomes, finish with students creating a short PowerPoint presentation and cut my losses.
The Ah-Ha moment: attempting to tackle a field study as a prep relief teacher in a new school, in a new position is not the best of plans. It may be the reality, but it is not a good reality.
