This is Day 7 of the Reflective Teaching Blogging Challenge. Well, technically, it's day 8, but I'm behind. In part I'm behind because this day's topic--Who was or is your most inspirational colleague, and why?-- is kind of a big one, and I want to do it justice. I'm not sure that I will, but I'm taking a stab at it.
(I think the "roll your sleeves up and do it anyway" thing is just part of a daily blogging challenge. It won't be perfect. It can't be.)
The topic is kind of overwhelming to me because I freakin' love my colleagues. I mean, I love them to death. Every person I have worked with inspires me in some way. Susan, precision and attention to detail. Steve, dedication to each student as an individual, belief in their ability to "get it." Henry, passion for the job and joy at being in the classroom. Jenn, a love of writing as art and how to bring that love to students. Andrew, humor and play in the classroom. Tracy, engagement and innovation online.
I could go on.
To get specific, there are a couple of folks who have had a pretty measurable impact on me. One, Eileen, was a mentor in a way the first couple of years teaching, as I transitioned to a full-time employee. She is now retired and teaches On Course around the country, but when she was still at the college, she regularly offered these workshops for us. From her I learned to understand why many students struggle and how to help them, no matter what their obstacles are. On Course emphasizes personal responsibility, awareness of the choices they make. On Course instructors engage students in learning who they are, what motivates them, what their goals are, what adjustments they may need to make to meet them and more.
Lest I sound like an OC advertisement, know that I haven't adopted all its strategies, and the ones I have, I have definitely modified and made my own, but Eileen's workshops and mentorship had a tremendous impact on how I teach basic writing. Coming straight from the university, these practical techniques were so needed.
(For more on On Course and some strategies you can visit this link. There is also a textbook on Amazon that I think is helpful for any instructor teaching basic skills classes and would be great at the high school level, too.)
My other colleague, Leslie, helped me continue my academic engagement. English instructors at the college level often joke that our degrees don't do much to prepare us to teach composition. (I can write you a damn good paper on Faulkner's Light in August, though!) I left my masters program not knowing what disability theory was. I hadn't read McIntosh's "White Privilege." Race or gender as a social construct? Eh, we probably touched on that at university, but it was subsumed beneath the professors' desire to get us to understand Derrida's concept of differance.
Leslie was the department chair when I started as a part-timer, and I am so grateful for her willingness to engage with me as I built my first college-level courses. She is one of the brightest people I have met, and she has figured out how to integrate her PhD-level insights into the college classroom so that the work we have our students do is meaningful and relevant for our ambitious students. So many of my best assignments have emerged from what I blatantly stole from her.
Yay, inspiring colleagues!
Monday, September 8, 2014
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Day 6: What Does a Good Mentor Do?
Day 6 of the Reflective Teaching Challenge: What Does a Good Mentor Do?
Cliches are popping into my head. "Strive for understanding over being understood" is a good one for describing the mentor/mentee relationship.
I can think of a couple of analogies that more specifically describe a mentor relationship. The first is kind of like the analogy I throw composition students the first day of class. I tell them that I'm a guide, not some old wizard. We're going to take a nice hike together. I'll be there, and I can point out some cool stuff they might not see otherwise, but they're walking with me, and they're doing the looking, listening, and feeling the burn when their legs get sore and tired. I think mentors function in a similar way.
The other way in which a mentor might function is as a liaison. If you're in a mentor/protege relationship, it's likely because the protege is going through something that is going to get rocky at times. The mentor, having been in protege's shoes, can refer them to people, tricks, tips--resources, really--that can help them get through it. Is the student trying to get through the semester with a 3.5 GPA? Does she have excellent study skills, but is struggling with an issue with family at home? Maybe she'd be willing to talk to a school psychologist. Maybe you could walk her over there. Do you recognize a bright, diligent student who just can't get over a particular hurdle, who consistently struggles with a kind of learning or social interaction? Maybe they'd be willing to talk about a potential learning disability (or, again, counseling). Mentors aware of available resources can point students in the right direction.
Again, the protege still needs to be willing to walk in that direction.
One other thing a mentor does is get enriched by the experience. Is there anything as intellectually stimulating as observing a class and exchanging ideas with the instructor afterward? Everyone gets something from those exchanges--in no way is the exchange in one direction.
Cliches are popping into my head. "Strive for understanding over being understood" is a good one for describing the mentor/mentee relationship.
I can think of a couple of analogies that more specifically describe a mentor relationship. The first is kind of like the analogy I throw composition students the first day of class. I tell them that I'm a guide, not some old wizard. We're going to take a nice hike together. I'll be there, and I can point out some cool stuff they might not see otherwise, but they're walking with me, and they're doing the looking, listening, and feeling the burn when their legs get sore and tired. I think mentors function in a similar way.
The other way in which a mentor might function is as a liaison. If you're in a mentor/protege relationship, it's likely because the protege is going through something that is going to get rocky at times. The mentor, having been in protege's shoes, can refer them to people, tricks, tips--resources, really--that can help them get through it. Is the student trying to get through the semester with a 3.5 GPA? Does she have excellent study skills, but is struggling with an issue with family at home? Maybe she'd be willing to talk to a school psychologist. Maybe you could walk her over there. Do you recognize a bright, diligent student who just can't get over a particular hurdle, who consistently struggles with a kind of learning or social interaction? Maybe they'd be willing to talk about a potential learning disability (or, again, counseling). Mentors aware of available resources can point students in the right direction.
Again, the protege still needs to be willing to walk in that direction.
One other thing a mentor does is get enriched by the experience. Is there anything as intellectually stimulating as observing a class and exchanging ideas with the instructor afterward? Everyone gets something from those exchanges--in no way is the exchange in one direction.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Day 5: What I see (and don't see)
Day 5 of the Reflective Teaching Blogging Challenge asks us to post a photo of our class and discuss what we see and don't see.
I don't teach f2f on Fridays, so here are two images from my hybrid course. The students are doing peer review of their first essay. They post their essay, and their classmates (and I) write about 250 words in response to the essay and several questions intended to focus their review.
I don't teach f2f on Fridays, so here are two images from my hybrid course. The students are doing peer review of their first essay. They post their essay, and their classmates (and I) write about 250 words in response to the essay and several questions intended to focus their review.
A student reply
What I see are students on the right track. Almost the entire class--28 out of 30--posted their draft on time. Almost all the peer replies seemed to have read their partners' essays and tried to answer the questions prompted. I also see that the original author, Miguel, replied to Adam, after reading his comment, which is cool. In a f2f setting, students would do the same--have a conversation about their paper, not just listen silently while they received feedback.
What I don't see is that the responder, Adam's, replies could be just a bit more thorough and connected to the author. He technically answered the questions and expresses himself well enough, but the reply runs a little short and lacks a meaningful connection with the author. As my husband likes to cynically report: "School is a video game. Get your points. Get your A." A lot of the work I get online seems composed in such a way that it fits the "let's just do this and get the points" category.
Oh, the humanity!
Day 4: What Do I Love Most about Teaching?
Day 4 of the Reflective Teaching Challenge
I'm glad to get a chance to write about this one. At least once a week, a moment of calm passes over me, and I think, "I can't believe this is my job. I can't believe I get to work at this incredible school with such wonderful students every day."
Selfish reasons to love teaching include the high I get while facilitating a class and I perceive things going well. When students are responsive and engaged, when they laugh at my stupid jokes, that is just a high that cannot be replicated. This ego boost is not the primary reason I love teaching, but it's a huge plus.
In a tutor training course I took/taught, we talk about the lightbulb moment, now referred to by Oprah lovers as an aha moment :-) Lightbulb moments are when the student seems to get something that they hadn't before. There is usually evidence of pride in themselves for having understood something they previously struggled with. Most easily seen when working with a student one-on-one, lightbulb moments can occasionally be observed in the classroom as a whole.
Sometimes, these moments are not rapturous for students, but they're important realizations nevertheless. I've had students' eyes fill up with tears when they realize they're too overloaded in their personal lives or with their class schedules to perform in their classes as they want to. I remember a tearful conversation with a college composition student who had gotten through two developmental writing courses despite minimal comprehension and expression of English. In my class, she hit a wall, and we talked and she agreed that she needed to take some time off and take some ESL courses before trying comp again. That was a hard moment (for me too!) but it was a realization she needed to have. When she left my office, she seemed resolved to continue her educational path with just a little detour.
Lightbulb moments! They come in many forms.
I'm glad to get a chance to write about this one. At least once a week, a moment of calm passes over me, and I think, "I can't believe this is my job. I can't believe I get to work at this incredible school with such wonderful students every day."
Selfish reasons to love teaching include the high I get while facilitating a class and I perceive things going well. When students are responsive and engaged, when they laugh at my stupid jokes, that is just a high that cannot be replicated. This ego boost is not the primary reason I love teaching, but it's a huge plus.
In a tutor training course I took/taught, we talk about the lightbulb moment, now referred to by Oprah lovers as an aha moment :-) Lightbulb moments are when the student seems to get something that they hadn't before. There is usually evidence of pride in themselves for having understood something they previously struggled with. Most easily seen when working with a student one-on-one, lightbulb moments can occasionally be observed in the classroom as a whole.
Sometimes, these moments are not rapturous for students, but they're important realizations nevertheless. I've had students' eyes fill up with tears when they realize they're too overloaded in their personal lives or with their class schedules to perform in their classes as they want to. I remember a tearful conversation with a college composition student who had gotten through two developmental writing courses despite minimal comprehension and expression of English. In my class, she hit a wall, and we talked and she agreed that she needed to take some time off and take some ESL courses before trying comp again. That was a hard moment (for me too!) but it was a realization she needed to have. When she left my office, she seemed resolved to continue her educational path with just a little detour.
Lightbulb moments! They come in many forms.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Day 3: Evaluation (of me!)
Day 3 of the Reflective Teaching Challenge
What is an observation area I'd like to see improved when being evaluated?
I hope I answer this one correctly! I so want to be a "good" student.
There is a criteria on our faculty evaluation forms sheet for student engagement. My classes have a combination of lecture, class discussion, as well as small group and individual activities. I think one of my weakest areas is the large class discussion.
When I was at the university, I had an instructor who excelled at calling on students to keep the class engaged. Yes, she would accept raised hands when she asked a question to the class, but more than half the time she called on various students first. There was a pace, an urgency to her calling on us that I have not seen another instructor match. Overall, the technique came across as a great way to keep students on their toes and encourage them to do the reading. It also encouraged some of the quieter students (like me, back in the day!) to speak.
As a student, I remember lots of times when instructors asked us questions as a class. The professor usually didn't give us much time to formulate an answer, as the fastest-thinking (and loudest) student would typically shout out an answer quickly. And, it was usually the same five people. But I often had something to say, and with the other teacher calling on me directly, I was happy to have my moment to share. It was a chance to prove myself again and again in the class. Fortunately, she was not cruel if we didn't happen to have an answer, which is important.
I tell my students on the first day of class that I will call on them sometimes, either to read something aloud or to share an answer. I swear I will achieve that perfect pacing the university instructor did, but I never get the rhythm down. Then, something happens once I know the students. Thoughts cross my mind, like, "Oh, X hasn't done the homework in two weeks. They won't have the answer, so why bother?" or "Y is so shy. Give them a pass this time around." I probably do better than the prof who only asked open-ended questions and never called on anyone, but I got a long way to go.
The uni instructor I'm remembering highly wouldn't do that. I shouldn't, either. I hope the next time I evaluate I don't hesitate to call on a truly random person in the class--even if they have a less-than-stellar record of participation.
What is an observation area I'd like to see improved when being evaluated?
I hope I answer this one correctly! I so want to be a "good" student.
There is a criteria on our faculty evaluation forms sheet for student engagement. My classes have a combination of lecture, class discussion, as well as small group and individual activities. I think one of my weakest areas is the large class discussion.
When I was at the university, I had an instructor who excelled at calling on students to keep the class engaged. Yes, she would accept raised hands when she asked a question to the class, but more than half the time she called on various students first. There was a pace, an urgency to her calling on us that I have not seen another instructor match. Overall, the technique came across as a great way to keep students on their toes and encourage them to do the reading. It also encouraged some of the quieter students (like me, back in the day!) to speak.
As a student, I remember lots of times when instructors asked us questions as a class. The professor usually didn't give us much time to formulate an answer, as the fastest-thinking (and loudest) student would typically shout out an answer quickly. And, it was usually the same five people. But I often had something to say, and with the other teacher calling on me directly, I was happy to have my moment to share. It was a chance to prove myself again and again in the class. Fortunately, she was not cruel if we didn't happen to have an answer, which is important.
I tell my students on the first day of class that I will call on them sometimes, either to read something aloud or to share an answer. I swear I will achieve that perfect pacing the university instructor did, but I never get the rhythm down. Then, something happens once I know the students. Thoughts cross my mind, like, "Oh, X hasn't done the homework in two weeks. They won't have the answer, so why bother?" or "Y is so shy. Give them a pass this time around." I probably do better than the prof who only asked open-ended questions and never called on anyone, but I got a long way to go.
The uni instructor I'm remembering highly wouldn't do that. I shouldn't, either. I hope the next time I evaluate I don't hesitate to call on a truly random person in the class--even if they have a less-than-stellar record of participation.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Reflective Teaching Challenge: Day 2
Day 2 prompt: what is one new piece of technology I'd like to try this year and what I hope to see from it
My idea for the week is not super cutting-edge, so sorry. I teach online and use Blackboard, its inline grading features and VoiceThread, but this prompt asks for something new.
VoiceThread and BBoard's in-line grading
What I'd like to do is play around with Google Docs a bit more. It has the ability to do so much, but for the purposes of a composition course I see two main advantages: free, portable technology (PowerPoint, MSWord) for those who don't have it at home, and the ability to collaboratively build assignments.
The first advantage is pretty self-explanatory. If you don't have MS Word or PPT at home, you can access basic versions of the programs online. Docs allows you to save the file in proper format to a flash drive and open it on another computer that actually has the program, but why would you need to do that? Your files are stored on the Google cloud and can be accessed from anywhere. Lest I sound like a Google ad, let me say that it's not perfect and the features are limited and often placed differently than they would be in the full program.
To fully implement this I would need to walk through the process of creating a docs account (by myself first! I forgot the process), or at least locate helpful handouts and videos online. Perhaps in a lab setting or with a Screencast video I record, I could show students how to create an account if they don't already have one. Do this at the beginning of the semester, and I know that from then on, everyone has access to these programs essential to their experience in my class and beyond.
The ability to collaboratively build assignments is something I'd need to hash out. I could see doing a lab activity for a developmental writing course where students work individually on parts of an essay or paragraph and then putting them in small groups to share the paragraph/essay and edit it online. Obviously, an end-of-the-semester group project could be worked on online this way, too. I'd love ideas on using docs in the classroom!
My idea for the week is not super cutting-edge, so sorry. I teach online and use Blackboard, its inline grading features and VoiceThread, but this prompt asks for something new.
What I'd like to do is play around with Google Docs a bit more. It has the ability to do so much, but for the purposes of a composition course I see two main advantages: free, portable technology (PowerPoint, MSWord) for those who don't have it at home, and the ability to collaboratively build assignments.
The first advantage is pretty self-explanatory. If you don't have MS Word or PPT at home, you can access basic versions of the programs online. Docs allows you to save the file in proper format to a flash drive and open it on another computer that actually has the program, but why would you need to do that? Your files are stored on the Google cloud and can be accessed from anywhere. Lest I sound like a Google ad, let me say that it's not perfect and the features are limited and often placed differently than they would be in the full program.
To fully implement this I would need to walk through the process of creating a docs account (by myself first! I forgot the process), or at least locate helpful handouts and videos online. Perhaps in a lab setting or with a Screencast video I record, I could show students how to create an account if they don't already have one. Do this at the beginning of the semester, and I know that from then on, everyone has access to these programs essential to their experience in my class and beyond.
The ability to collaboratively build assignments is something I'd need to hash out. I could see doing a lab activity for a developmental writing course where students work individually on parts of an essay or paragraph and then putting them in small groups to share the paragraph/essay and edit it online. Obviously, an end-of-the-semester group project could be worked on online this way, too. I'd love ideas on using docs in the classroom!
Reflective Teaching Challenge: Day 1
Hi!
Eat the Yolk is surfacing... to talk about teaching!
My colleague over at bayanprofessor.blogspot.com encouraged me to participate in a Reflective Teaching Blogging Challenge for the month of September. It being a little crazy around here I am already behind, but I am committed to seeing this through as best I can, so here goes!
The first prompt asks us to write our goals for the school year. As this is college, and as I'll likely be gone in spring on maternity leave, I'll keep the goals to a semester. So here goes:
Goal 1: Be Fearless in the Classroom... at least once a week!
I admit it: I crave routine. Teaching is a wild and whimsical process, and I spent much of my first 8 years (or has it been longer?) trying to tame the classroom and figure out perfect lesson plans, assignments, and readings that can be eventually constructed into The Perfect Composition X class.
The thought of constructing Perfect Composition X class is a dreamy one to the woman who goes to bed at more or less the same time each night. But I also know that spontaneity and relevance are key to keeping students engaged. What is one of the ways a student can be engaged? When they see an instructor who is excited about the material. Excitement is infectious, so for me, finding that zone where the materials are familiar without being stale is key.
At least once a week I will commit to trying something new, whether it be bringing in an article on the Ferguson shootings to walk through a successful article summary and response, or playing a song as the students walk into class, or lecturing from the middle of the room instead of the front.
Goal 2: Tighten up on organization. At least a little bit.
Goal 2 might seem in conflict with goal 1, but I gotta be honest: dates and long-term planning have slipped through the cracks so far this semester. (Maybe it's the pregnancy brain.) Example: I set out to plan for my afternoon composition course. I started with the syllabus schedule, saw what was due the next class period, and worked my way back from that. The problem? I was looking at the wrong week. It wasn't until the end of class that a student politely pointed out that I was a week ahead of myself.
(Students are very forgiving about pushing assignments back. But if you ask them to do something early? Uhh, no, that's not cool. Nor is it fair to them. Gotta tighten up on this kinda stuff.)
Goal 3: Continue to work on connecting with students and making sure they feel heard.
There have been some great articles lately about the need for students to feel connected to the class and the instructor. I can't emphasize enough how much I believe in the need to really connect with students. To do so requires constant self-reflection: what went well about that encounter? What didn't go so well? Why did I feel the exchange was so great with her but not him? What biases might I have that are getting in the way?
I've found that I've gotten better feedback from students the more I learn to ask them good questions and take time for a one-on-one exchange, ideally once a week.
One idea I've incorporated into my online (or in this case, hybrid) course to build community is to give weekly "shout-outs." Yes, I give them for your eyes only feedback on their work at least once a week, but after perusing quizzes or discussion boards, I can easily copy/paste a few key ideas from students who have really got it and email them to the course as an announcement. Since it's all online, it's easy to see who I've given shout-outs to before so I can vary them.
Goals! Teaching! So exciting!
The first prompt asks us to write our goals for the school year. As this is college, and as I'll likely be gone in spring on maternity leave, I'll keep the goals to a semester. So here goes:
Goal 1: Be Fearless in the Classroom... at least once a week!
I admit it: I crave routine. Teaching is a wild and whimsical process, and I spent much of my first 8 years (or has it been longer?) trying to tame the classroom and figure out perfect lesson plans, assignments, and readings that can be eventually constructed into The Perfect Composition X class.
The thought of constructing Perfect Composition X class is a dreamy one to the woman who goes to bed at more or less the same time each night. But I also know that spontaneity and relevance are key to keeping students engaged. What is one of the ways a student can be engaged? When they see an instructor who is excited about the material. Excitement is infectious, so for me, finding that zone where the materials are familiar without being stale is key.
At least once a week I will commit to trying something new, whether it be bringing in an article on the Ferguson shootings to walk through a successful article summary and response, or playing a song as the students walk into class, or lecturing from the middle of the room instead of the front.
Goal 2: Tighten up on organization. At least a little bit.
Goal 2 might seem in conflict with goal 1, but I gotta be honest: dates and long-term planning have slipped through the cracks so far this semester. (Maybe it's the pregnancy brain.) Example: I set out to plan for my afternoon composition course. I started with the syllabus schedule, saw what was due the next class period, and worked my way back from that. The problem? I was looking at the wrong week. It wasn't until the end of class that a student politely pointed out that I was a week ahead of myself.
(Students are very forgiving about pushing assignments back. But if you ask them to do something early? Uhh, no, that's not cool. Nor is it fair to them. Gotta tighten up on this kinda stuff.)
Goal 3: Continue to work on connecting with students and making sure they feel heard.
There have been some great articles lately about the need for students to feel connected to the class and the instructor. I can't emphasize enough how much I believe in the need to really connect with students. To do so requires constant self-reflection: what went well about that encounter? What didn't go so well? Why did I feel the exchange was so great with her but not him? What biases might I have that are getting in the way?
I've found that I've gotten better feedback from students the more I learn to ask them good questions and take time for a one-on-one exchange, ideally once a week.
One idea I've incorporated into my online (or in this case, hybrid) course to build community is to give weekly "shout-outs." Yes, I give them for your eyes only feedback on their work at least once a week, but after perusing quizzes or discussion boards, I can easily copy/paste a few key ideas from students who have really got it and email them to the course as an announcement. Since it's all online, it's easy to see who I've given shout-outs to before so I can vary them.
Goals! Teaching! So exciting!
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