Meet Mr. Ware - part deux

Yesterday marked the conclusion of summer school 2k10 at Holly Springs High School.  It was apparent that relief was felt by the students and teachers alike.  I taught two classes, both being a review for the final they would take immediately after.  Final reflections on summer school will probably come in a different post at a different time, but currently I get to respond to a filming of myself teaching.  The last post was a reflection from a lesson I taught earlier in the summer, and this second filming hopes to document the progress I have made as an instructor.  Now I'm not going to be gloomy and act like I haven't improved or learned anything over the past five weeks, but I am going to say that I'm not there yet.  In light of this, I'm going to try and focus on some takeaways for the upcoming school year.

Informal assessments - Informal assessments are various ways to assess the student's comprehension of the subject being taught.  You can informally assess a class by asking a general true or false question to everyone or you can walk around during the independent practice and discern on an individual basis.  I have grown to enjoy informal assessments.  They are not only an opportunity for the teacher to see progress, but more importantly they are an opportunity for providing individual praise.  It is neat for a kid to call you over solely because they know you'll tell them "good job".

Consistency - Everyone has good days and bad days.  That's part of life.  Good days and bad days don't need to be part of your classroom management though.  As I watched this video, I was amazed at how well managed it was in comparison to classes in the past.  I know other factor go into it, but again, I think consistency makes a big difference, regardless of how your day is going.  Don't wait for the second or third outbreak to correct bad behavior (even if you're having a bad day).  Start strong, finish strong.  Yes it takes more energy and requires more of you, but I think ultimately the pay off is greater.

Detailed lesson plans do help - I don't love lesson planning.  I'll admit it.  It doesn't make my heart sing.  Consequently I wouldn't say that I love spending hours on them.  It is hard for me to get really excited about it, and also get really detailed with it.  I fall into the temptation of thinking that I can just fill the holes and improvise, but the truth is, the detail on lesson plans helps.  It serves as a more useful guide for the class, and at this point, I need all the help I can get.

All in all, I think I have a pretty good presence in front of the classroom.  It helps that I have a relatively loud voice and a decent amount of energy.  I looked and felt much more comfortable in front of the class as the days passed by, which is an encouraging step to take going into the fall.  Summer school was a very beneficial time for training.  I am grateful for the opportunity I had with it, and feel it has helped me prepare for the storm that will be August.

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