All In a Tizzy

Motivation is tough, especially when the learners in your room are 10-12 years old. The most effective thing I found to motivate them, apart from dangling the carrot of computer games, was giving them room to choose subjects for themselves.

While doing a paragraph unit this was incredibly evident. We co-wrote a paragraph about burgers and very few students were engaged and giving answers. Most just went with the flow and some were downright distracted by other things going on. When they were allowed to choose their own topics though? It was a different story. While some still needed help ideating and creating fluent sentences, most were able to whip up a paragraph telling me all about their favourite foods, games, sports, or even skin walkers (?). I received beautiful paragraphs on salmiyakkis (a Finnish liquorice), peanut butter, how to identify a skin walker versus a wendigo and all the types of unicorns.

Learners who were checked out during the co-authorship were stoked to tell me all about their passions. Even if they needed help with spelling, details and some other aspects of grammar they produced work that showed engagement. Even my tough nut to crack students gave me paragraphs, and ended up seeking my help with the editing process for our second and third drafts on the computer.

Over a few weeks we as a class entered Harwin Elementary and went through three linked lessons on Careers in groups. What a learning curve for us.

We started with a a selection of careers, where the learners had to choose from what we provided. While the trust wasn’t there yet, they were also not very engaged with what we provided them for options. The interest wasn’t there yet.

When the second week came we asked them to think of a career and see what they thought a person doing it would make, have a schedule like etc. There was a slight perk up but not enough.

The biggest change came the last week, where learners were asked to choose a field they wanted to pursue and research what that would actually look like in BC. Using the Job Profiles at https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/career-planning/search-job-profile made it straight forward while also giving the learners true autonomy on what they chose. That autonomy was what sparked diligent work from almost every learner, especially with support from the adults in the room. They worked hard and were genuinely interested in finding out about a career. We didn’t have to worry about motivating them, the choice was enough.

I mostly learned that I have strong feelings but…When looking at the 3 big ideas I’ve taken away from this course there are some very clear front runners.

We want to create learners instead of do-ers. Grades are a way to check in on the progress of learning on the individuals road, not a determination of their intelligence. Placing less emphasis on the grades themselves will boost intrinsic motivation, and lower the cheating rate — which in a rapidly more AI accessibly space this seems very pertinent.

Retakes might be the most recent, but the ability to turn summative into formative feedback to enhance learning is something that really turned my head. Allowing students to take their feedback and revise work or reattempt tests just seems like the best practice to encourage a deeper understanding of the content. Why judge a student on one take, when they could delve deeper as a learner and present information again or in a new way and demonstrate their learning better.

My top dog take away, though, was that the 4 point proficiency scale might be our current best option but it has led me to look more at why that is so. It is more standardizable than a 100 pt scale sure, and the range of the grades allows for flexibility, but the emphasis on exceeding expectations is where I draw the line. My argument would be to pivot to a 4 pt scale that is only Insufficient Evidence, Emerging, Developing, and Proficient. Exceeding should be in the notes, as it seems to pertain more to the work habits and effort than in the content itself. This conclusion comes from conversations around the grading systems, and with other teachers. I was challenged in my thoughts when I was told it was sad that I didn’t want my learners to strive for Exceeding, but I remain unswayed. Once a learner is proficient in the content I have asked them to learn, there isn’t more above that without going onto the next grade level expectations– which I was explicitly told would NOT constitute Exceeding. If a student put massive amounts of effort to make their demonstration of knowledge beautiful and detailed it would be acknowledged in comment or in person praise, but would not get them a higher value grade. To make it simpler, IE means they haven’t given me enough evidence to assess their learning. Emerging would be the learner just getting on the path towards the knowledge, with Developing being well on their way. Proficient means that they have demonstrated themselves to have learned what I asked of them, and shown me it.

Entering this course as a math anxious adult who had an LOP in Mathematics 8 was an EXPERIENCE. It opened my eyes to how common the intimidation of math concepts is, and how much we as teachers can do to curb that reaction. We are ALL mathematicians, and not knowing does not equal (pun intended) failure.

1. Seeing the different ways we can present topics to learners, and give them options to process through math problems in the best way for them was amazing. With many different learners in our classrooms playing with tactile, and visual ways to work through numeracy lessons is something I’ll make sure to refer back to in my career. You’ll definitely catch me spending a chunk of change, when I’m given the budget, on tactile math tools like the rods, or other math tools.
2. High Yield Routines! Being able to incorporate numeracy outside of the math lessons is something so simple, and yet so beneficial. Creating a positive classroom environment while encouraging students to think flexibly about numbers shouldn’t be overlooked. Using many online or text resources makes it an easy addition (again, pun intended) to the routine in class. You could look up esti-mysteries, what one doesn’t belong squares, or how many questions and put them on the board with little to no effort, and have a meaningful numeracy discussion with the whole class. The access point is so low, especially when being strategic in calling on lower or shy learners first then getting to those who are more advanced in their math journeys.
3. Honestly the biggest thing I took away was making sure all learners can see themselves as mathematician. I plan on incorporating “mathematician hats” into my fine arts at the start of the year to build that idea up, and really focus on the building of skills with a growth mindset. You can’t do it YET, not knowing isn’t failure.

We were able to take on a full day of numeracy with Carole Fullerton as a PD with SD57. While it went through primary, intermediate and middle years math, it all played with Cuisenaire Rods.

In the primary section the focus was on meaning making, with parts and wholes, and little to no focus on the numbers themselves. We asked questions like “how can you…”, “how many ways…” and “what do you know about…”. Some subtraction work was done around difference by comparison and taking away.

In the intermediate portion of our day we looked more at division as sharing, and fractional thinking. Going from small parts to a larger whole is factoring, and reversing that, going from big to small is multiples (all multiplicative thinking). With fractional thinking we could compare parts of a whole and see if it was more or less than a half and seeing where that would be placed on a number line, which made a concept that can be tricky for learners to grasp seem much friendlier.

Algebraic reasoning was the focus for the third session, targeted at the curriculum for grade 7 to 9. While the rods were left behind, there was still some fun ways to enter the conversation around algebra and expressions versus equations. We looked at preservation of equality, and making sure learners remembered that when you do something to one side, you must do it on the other. The values of cats compared to raccoons, and green squares compared to another made it a visually appealing lesson, and less intimidating than a typical variable or unknown.

Our math night at an elementary school was a fantastic experience. We were able to use games we designed in numeracy class, and play with actual students and the their adults.

While it was an intimidating thought, especially as folks started to filter in for the evening, it wound up being a lesson for us all. Learners who had already started working on fractions avoided us like the plague… it was a touch hurtful but not unexpected. What was unexpected was the way younger learners took to the game. Even though they had not started to play around with equivalent fractions or comparing fractions they seemed to get the gist of it quite quickly.

It was amazing to sit there and see a learner quickly go from not really understanding what was going on but enjoying the ride, to being able to use the fraction bar chart to quickly check and see if they had the larger fraction compared to their adult. Seeing joy in math was quite refreshing for someone who suffers from math anxiety myself.

The gamification and competition with a trusted adult or older sibling was a great motivator and led to the hearty engagement we saw. At least in those learners who didn’t scamper away from us when they saw fractions on our poster. I would also say that using a laminated chart with bar fractions made it very accessible for learners to use a whiteboard marker or their fingers to compare fractions quickly. Being hands on and having movement built in with the dice seemed to really help too.

1. I learned to take risks in my class, if entering anything genuinely and with respect it will- at worst- be a learning opportunity.
2. Collaborate with my cohort, they will have strengths that balance mine so we can make each other even stronger educators.
3. Leaving the classroom can deepen learning, becoming an immersive experience.
4. Curriculum and Assessment don’t have top be treated one singular way, they can be looked at through many lenses that can benefit my practice.
5. Sometimes plans change, being flexible in my planning will go a long way.
6. Who I am as an educator will change and evolve throughout my life, just as who I am as a person changes.
7. There are many ways to create inclusive lessons, and many supports out there if I only LOOK for them.
8. Authenticity goes a long way, I can learn with my students about diverse cultures.
9. Lesson resources can come from a multitude of places, I shouldn’t overlook the public library.
10. That this is what I want to do with my life, like for sure. Seeing the passion my educators have for this field has only bolstered my excitement to enter the field. Formal post-secondary education really dulled my shine for academics, and being able to support learners earlier in their journey gives me so much hope.

Land Based Learning was demonstrated to us several times, at West Lake and at Cottonwood Park. Being out on the land while developing our personal land acknowledgments was so important to me.

Looking over this beautiful lake and being able to drown my senses in this scene led to such a feeling of gratitude. Dipping my toes into the cold water, smelling the wind as it ran through the branches of nearby trees deepened my understanding of why Land Based Learning is so important. Not only did the grounding effect allow for clarity, but being able to truly contextualize what I was acknowledging and being grateful for left a lasting impact on my pedagogy.

I truly hope to learn about the land surrounding my future schools at both the micro (neighbourhood) and macro (city/province) level, then bring it into the class for learners to also grasp.

Looking at my teaching metaphor at the beginning of my BEd journey…

My original copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone means so many things to me. It was the first book that sparked my love of reading. It was a narrative my young mind glommed onto and related to. It was a source of community, with a love of the story spanning my whole family.

Thinking about it now, I like to think of it as a sign to follow your passions in learning. Allow a love of subject to guide a curious mind. Learning about math intimidated me, still does in all honesty, but the idea that if 30 new students arrived at Hogwarts and they had to be divided into 4 houses seems a lot more digestible. If 9 were Hufflepuffs, and 6 were Slytherin how many were left? Spun in the right narrative it all feels easier. What is chemistry if not really dry potions class?

Outside of my own fanaticism, following a spark of passion with students in LA made getting some necessary assignments done much more palatable. Oh, you’re interested in skiing? Write me a story about a time you were challenged on the ski hill. If your whole run took 35 minutes, but only 5 minutes downhill, how long was the chairlift ride? Why does waxing your board allow for a smoother and faster run? Not only does leaning in to passion, hopefully, engage a learner more but it also shows the relevance to the learner’s life outside of the class room.

I would like to note that in this instance I very much love the art, but dislike the artist and their transphobic statements.

EDIT:

My metaphor at the start of EDUC 394 versus at the end has shifted somewhat, while meeting learners where they are and embracing their special interests is amazing I would much rather find another book to represent that. Maybe a book in the process of being written to signify the potential of the future too.

Being able to visit Two Rivers Art Gallery was a wonderful experience as part of EDUC 394. Leaving campus to focus in on some fine arts learning was such a welcome change of pace, and forced myself, along with my many colleagues, to stretch ourselves taking in the art pieces and trying to understand them.

Many of us come from science and mathematics backgrounds, so being dropped into this sea of art of immersive. Even those of us with humanities backgrounds were able to dive deeper, especially looking at the art in the A Walk In Sunflowers exhibit. Mykola Zhuravel is a Ukrainian artist currently living in Toronto, their art is very indicative of the struggles Ukrainians are facing in these times of war. The knowledge of the artist contextualized much of the art we struggled to grasp fully, but we didn’t need it to feel the emotion behind the multi-medium pieces.

The art director, Rebecca, allowed us to travel our own journey through the permanent collection, and Zhuravel’s– demonstrating some student led education.

Had we been taken through a power point of all these pieces and told exactly what some academic thought each one meant we would not have taken as much away. Being able to immerse ourselves in the PLACE, in this artistic setting, allowed for a depth of knowledge I am so grateful for. I was lucky enough to have done some Art History courses so this was less of a stretch and more a coming home for me. I loved hearing other people’s perspectives, not all having colours resonate the same way. What was blood to one, was holiday sunburns or blush to another. Being able to be close to the art also allowed for a detailed look at the individual strokes of the brush, and the way some textures created a 3D effect on the canvases.

All in all if this had not occurred in the gallery it would have fallen flat, or at least landed in a different way– the demonstration of Place Based Learning made field trips feel even more important when looking at my future classes.