Finally We Begin

I've been meaning to start this blog for the last few weeks. Tomorrow begins my student teaching experience, wrapping up a 5 semester journey toward adolescent teacher certification. My initial certification will be in Math, but my goal is to immediately apply for additional certifications in Physics and Chemistry. By my count, I have sufficient content credits to meet the NYSED requirements, and I've already passed the Physics CST, and I'll find out tomorrow if I passed the Chemistry CST.


My initial placement is with the same teacher whose classroom I observed during the past Fall semester, Mr. Larry Federman, at the School Without Walls. It should allow for a much richer experience, given that I know Larry and I should know most of the students.


The only class Larry actually has scheduled on Tuesdays is a 120 minute block of "TechKnow", his extended class. At SWW, extended classes meet for a total of 6.5 hours per week, and form one of the key differences at this alternative school.


I've put together a "bonus" assignment related to energy sources and alternative energy. It's a bonus in the sense that while I observed in the Fall, a taught several classes while Larry was on jury duty, and the level of effort and quality in the returned student work was not the greatest. Larry suggested I create some additional tasks for those who want to bump up their grade for the end of the quarter on 1/19.


I also hope to implement class blogs, modeled on a teacher from Winnipeg, Manitoba - Darren Kuropatwa. His class blogs have been underway for several years, and are especially useful as a tool to allow students to reframe and paraphrase the daily lesson. The goal is to provide enough clear information and content to allow a student who may have been absent to understand the material. Students are also expected to review and comment on the daily "scribe" post, reinforcing everyone's understanding.


My effort at student blogging is centered around a "Home Base". Much more on this later.