Orientation / Week 1

In the spirit (and celebration) of the Narrative Writing unit I am co-teaching and co-planning with two other Midtowners, I am going to attempt to write my four blog entries in line with the four elements, or parts, of the narrative form we are teaching our grade 5s: orientation; initiating event; complication; and resolution.  

So here we go:

Orientation

The setting

Ecole Owen Public School: As soon as you walk into Owen, you feel at ease. The design of the school is amazing: all 13 classrooms circle the library. Oh – and the classrooms DON’T HAVE ANY DOORS. That’s right, people. No doors. Prior to seeing / experiencing this no doors situation for myself, I was skeptical that it could actually work. But it does. It contributes to the "community-ness" and openness of the school. You feel it when you’re there – it’s palpable. And I especially love that the library is at the centre of it all and acts as a common area for the students.

The characters

Me: feeling tired. (Even before practicum began I was exhausted. I had a lot of projects and assignments due the week prior. I was hoping to start this practicum well rested, with all of my lesson plans completed. In reality: not so much. )

My AT: a creative and generous teacher who gives helpful feedback on my lessons.

My class: 23 interesting, amazing grade 5 students.

And more! Two other grade 5 TCs (we co-teach and co-plan the grade 5 lessons), their students and their ATs. 

First week at a glance:

Although I’d had seven STEP days at the school, I felt pretty rusty on my first official day of teaching. Was I talking too much? (Probably.) Was my voice too quiet? (Perhaps.) Too loud?  (Not likely.) Was I asking the right questions?

Speaking of asking questions: during that first week I was reminded of some observations / realizations from my last practicum. For example, the need to ask good, clear questions of the students. Case in point:

Me: Can someone tell me what types, or kinds, of writing you have learned this year? (Hoping for the answer: persuasive writing or procedural writing.)

Student answer: Cursive?

(Needless to say, I wasn't expecting that answer - which was absolutely correct - and I made a mental note that I really should be asking better questions.)

Other first week highlights include:

During a discussion of the possible resolution in the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, one student was having a hard time accepting the connection between the complication and resolution as it was presented by his classmates. “I’m just not buying it,” he insisted. (He finally did get a resolution that he felt was satisfactory.)

During the "Ice Race" competition (where students had to see how quickly they could melt an ice cube and changing the state of matter from a solid to a liquid), one student put 10 coats on an ice cube, in an attempt to make it melt faster. (That strategy did not make the ice cube melt faster.)

One student used the word “frittered” in a poem. As in “to tear or break away”. Awesome. 

We had the opportunity to get all 75 of the grade 5 students involved in the Sandal Design project, in which they applied their knowledge of using cylinders and triangles to resist the forces of nature to make sandals out of bristol board. The students then tested out their sandals in a fashion show in the library.

(Let me just say here that it took me a couple of attempts at making the sandals before I could construct them strong enough to actually walk in / on.) Great job grade 5s!

So, it's been a great week be teaching grade 5 at Owen. Now, onto week 2...