No, I'm not teaching rookies, these are high school kids - they think they're experts at everything. It's me that's the rooky.
No, I don't mean a funny looking corner chess piece, I mean I get thrown in the deep end tomorrow in a school for the first time ever as a student teacher. Ok you say, that's not so bad, but I know jack squat about the stuff they want me teaching. I am apparently a history and geography teacher, and I've never studied either as long as I can remember. Go figure huh?
So, apart from bizarre escapist accidents, and incidents with high powered rifles and tall buildings, or nuking the place to kingdom come so I never have to face the little grommits, does anybody have any real, constructive advice for somebody who CAN teach, but not the crud they want you to teach while they don't pay you to work full time? I got four weeks of swimming to do (I hope I swim at any rate - I might be the clown on the bottom of the proverbial pool before too long!)
Any advice for a rooky teacher?
Sounds like you have to bite the proverbial bullet there Ant. I have no experience with teaching, only managing. All I can say is wear loose clothing (something comfortable) and lots of anti-perspirant. LOL
Look at it as a challange or opportunity as opposed to being a problem.
They must have a curriculum for you to follow, so just beef up abit.
You don't have to know it all.
The best thing you can do for students is teach them how to learn, not what to learn. If they are interested they will teach themselfs, with you guidance of course. Learning how to learn was greatest thing my best instructors ever showed me. They kept me interested by incouraging and relating to me.
Give them acknowledgement and prasie. They will respect you for it.
Be stern if you must, but never lose your cool. Flippin out will only raise their primative hormone levels.
Keep their attention. Don't be afraid to drift from the subject now and then. History and geography could possibly bore just about anyone to death if it is beaten into them. If your good you can tie topics together and relate to current world events and such.
Good Luck, Ant
Keep us informed on your progress. It accually sounds like fun.
Look at it as a challange or opportunity as opposed to being a problem.
They must have a curriculum for you to follow, so just beef up abit.
You don't have to know it all.
The best thing you can do for students is teach them how to learn, not what to learn. If they are interested they will teach themselfs, with you guidance of course. Learning how to learn was greatest thing my best instructors ever showed me. They kept me interested by incouraging and relating to me.
Give them acknowledgement and prasie. They will respect you for it.
Be stern if you must, but never lose your cool. Flippin out will only raise their primative hormone levels.
Keep their attention. Don't be afraid to drift from the subject now and then. History and geography could possibly bore just about anyone to death if it is beaten into them. If your good you can tie topics together and relate to current world events and such.
LOL, that reminds me of the chalkboard eraser fights we use to have.locutus wrote:duck a lot, rookie
Good Luck, Ant
Keep us informed on your progress. It accually sounds like fun.
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nicolas.b
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some real nice stuff, there, RK. and i wish i had had more teachers like that.
one thing that pops into mind is "don't try to bluff em". if you're there long enuff they will eventually catch on to bluffing. instead, one possibility... you walk into the room and say: "well, i'm very rusty on this stuff, guys, so i'm not sure if I'LL be teaching YOU or YOU'LL be teaching ME. anybody care to wager? let's set up this spare blackboard as the odds table..."
so if you don't know the material very well, then explore it together and let the material teach you and the kids equally. ask them how interesting or stupid they think bits of it are. make up some little games out of the material. one thing that always struck me was how much more of a sense of humor subs had than regulars...
one thing that pops into mind is "don't try to bluff em". if you're there long enuff they will eventually catch on to bluffing. instead, one possibility... you walk into the room and say: "well, i'm very rusty on this stuff, guys, so i'm not sure if I'LL be teaching YOU or YOU'LL be teaching ME. anybody care to wager? let's set up this spare blackboard as the odds table..."
so if you don't know the material very well, then explore it together and let the material teach you and the kids equally. ask them how interesting or stupid they think bits of it are. make up some little games out of the material. one thing that always struck me was how much more of a sense of humor subs had than regulars...
ProfessorPap 
JohnnyEnzyme 
QuirkyCrow-
Tank Program
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games: excellent way to start. to gain an extra day playsome name games that will take up the whole class. they'll like you for it for not doing work, and you'll like it cause you'll know everyone's name and have an extra day to check back here for more advice 
. just keep the students interested somehow. heck, I am a highschool student. my advice should be GOLDEN lol. but seriously, the most important thing is to keep their attention. tell them a funny story or two about a game in armagetron every now and then. once you loose their attention tho you're doomed. also, group work should be helpful, students always like groupwork, cause they can just talk. (i'm serious) so give them something that they'll be interested in (like amd vs intel or ati vs nvidia ) and don't give too much homework. if you teach them the information following the curicullum, make classes fun, don't give too, too much homework (as much as you'd want to do, rememer, you have to grade it too), and stick away from serious pop quizes (it's ok to give the instant 5 seconds to answer, next person, those can be fun.) then you should be ok. just some advice from what a current highschool student likes to see in a class 
.
. just keep the students interested somehow. heck, I am a highschool student. my advice should be GOLDEN lol. but seriously, the most important thing is to keep their attention. tell them a funny story or two about a game in armagetron every now and then. once you loose their attention tho you're doomed. also, group work should be helpful, students always like groupwork, cause they can just talk. (i'm serious) so give them something that they'll be interested in (like amd vs intel or ati vs nvidia ) and don't give too much homework. if you teach them the information following the curicullum, make classes fun, don't give too, too much homework (as much as you'd want to do, rememer, you have to grade it too), and stick away from serious pop quizes (it's ok to give the instant 5 seconds to answer, next person, those can be fun.) then you should be ok. just some advice from what a current highschool student likes to see in a class .
Thanks guys! that's some great advice from you all.
I'll bee shore two lett yous all gnow how iI is as teaching... (hehe)
Funny - a lot of the stuff teachers used to do at my school way back when I was a brat... Uh, What? still am? oh ok, when I was young, is not allowed now.
anyhow, I'm sure it'll go ok.
I'll bee shore two lett yous all gnow how iI is as teaching...
(hehe) Funny - a lot of the stuff teachers used to do at my school way back when I was a brat... Uh, What? still am? oh ok, when I was young, is not allowed now.
anyhow, I'm sure it'll go ok.
i've been a teacher in computer science (different certifications including mcp/mcse and ccna) so i'll throw in some inside info i think applies even though the subjects differ a lot:
- don't pretend you know everything as nobody does and nobody can
- if you don't know an answer then tell them that you don't know and that you will try to find out + write it down! (right there and then so they see you doing it) and tell them what you discovered the next day at startup (this is a very good practice and makes you better and better over time and in addition it shows them that they're not the only ones working) btw it's ok to happen once in a while but not on every question
- don't try to be someone you're not, be yourself and not some conception you might have of what a teacher is (of course the focus is still learning/teaching)
- love the stuff you're teaching - it shows and is infectious
and the old secret which has been true since god created adam and eve (or at least since a&e created a bunch of kids who had to go to school):
- in every class there is always two - 2 - people. you might not notice them the first day, or maybe even the first week, but trust me - you will find them! these 2 are the hopeless and nobody has the power to help them no matter how patient or willing to work extra hours you are... they cannot be saved! (no this is absolutely not a joke! ask the other teachers!)
i enjoyed teaching but i'm kinda happy i don't do it any more
- don't pretend you know everything as nobody does and nobody can
- if you don't know an answer then tell them that you don't know and that you will try to find out + write it down! (right there and then so they see you doing it) and tell them what you discovered the next day at startup (this is a very good practice and makes you better and better over time and in addition it shows them that they're not the only ones working) btw it's ok to happen once in a while but not on every question
- don't try to be someone you're not, be yourself and not some conception you might have of what a teacher is (of course the focus is still learning/teaching)
- love the stuff you're teaching - it shows and is infectious
and the old secret which has been true since god created adam and eve (or at least since a&e created a bunch of kids who had to go to school):
- in every class there is always two - 2 - people. you might not notice them the first day, or maybe even the first week, but trust me - you will find them! these 2 are the hopeless and nobody has the power to help them no matter how patient or willing to work extra hours you are... they cannot be saved! (no this is absolutely not a joke! ask the other teachers!)
i enjoyed teaching but i'm kinda happy i don't do it any more
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nicolas.b
- Grid Clown
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- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2004 7:18 am
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- Contact:
okay, all this talk has inspired me to make a little schoolhouse aussie flash movie for you..... i hope you like it:
http://uploads.ungrounded.net/164000/164193_FFA_.swf
.
.
.
(well, actually, i wasn't the one who made it)
(actually, it's set in japan, not oz)
(yeah, and, the theme is final fantasy, but it does involve school, okay?)
look, i really don't see why you're being so critical of me- i'm only trying to help.
btw, here's the full page link:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/164193
http://uploads.ungrounded.net/164000/164193_FFA_.swf
.
.
.
(well, actually, i wasn't the one who made it)
(actually, it's set in japan, not oz)
(yeah, and, the theme is final fantasy, but it does involve school, okay?)
look, i really don't see why you're being so critical of me- i'm only trying to help.
btw, here's the full page link:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/164193
Things I was asked by kids today:
MTP: Excuse me sir, did you star in Labyrinth?
ME: No
MTP: are you sure?
ME: Yes, I'm pretty sure, allthough I might have been luke skywalker. I really can't remember tho....
MTP: Excuse Me Sir, But what ship did you get off?
ME: .... (I mean really, what could I say to that?)
MTP: Escuse me sir, are you Mr ...... 's new boyfirend?
ME: .... (see above)
MTP: Escuse me sir, What's it like having long hair?
ME: Well, its kinda like having short hair, only its not short.
MTP: Escuse me sir, Who are you? (about 400 times) usually followed by:
MTP: Escuse me sir, what's your name again? (as above - 400)
MTP: Excuse me sir, are you a new teacher?
ME: yes.
MTP: Excuse me sir, are you a new teacher?(two minutes later)
ME: No, I'm just a psychopathic bricky that went troppo on a building site, then wandered in off the street because I felt like standing up here in front of you guys, answering questions like that one. (no offense to bricky's, anyone could go psycho)
MTP: Excuse me sir, I hope your not like mr ...., he was a wanker. We got him fired.
ME: ....
All told not too bad - I fly solo from friday.
*MTP = Miscelaneous Teenage Person.
**Note that "Excuse me" may not have been actually said....
ME: No
MTP: are you sure?
ME: Yes, I'm pretty sure, allthough I might have been luke skywalker. I really can't remember tho....
MTP: Excuse Me Sir, But what ship did you get off?
ME: .... (I mean really, what could I say to that?)
MTP: Escuse me sir, are you Mr ...... 's new boyfirend?
ME: .... (see above)
MTP: Escuse me sir, What's it like having long hair?
ME: Well, its kinda like having short hair, only its not short.
MTP: Escuse me sir, Who are you? (about 400 times) usually followed by:
MTP: Escuse me sir, what's your name again? (as above - 400)
MTP: Excuse me sir, are you a new teacher?
ME: yes.
MTP: Excuse me sir, are you a new teacher?(two minutes later)
ME: No, I'm just a psychopathic bricky that went troppo on a building site, then wandered in off the street because I felt like standing up here in front of you guys, answering questions like that one. (no offense to bricky's, anyone could go psycho)
MTP: Excuse me sir, I hope your not like mr ...., he was a wanker. We got him fired.
ME: ....
All told not too bad - I fly solo from friday.
*MTP = Miscelaneous Teenage Person.
**Note that "Excuse me" may not have been actually said....
A teacher should now the basics of a computer.
The son of a friend told me about a computer lesson:
Q-Kid:What is the different between ALT and ALT GR?
A-Teacher: Nothing
My Comment: try @
Q-Kid: What das STRG mean?
A-Teacher: Strong
My Comment: CTRL is Control, STRG is Steuerung (German)
Whats wrong with the system, as N54 told: the teacher has to say "i dunno but i find it out"
The son of a friend told me about a computer lesson:
Q-Kid:What is the different between ALT and ALT GR?
A-Teacher: Nothing
My Comment: try @
Q-Kid: What das STRG mean?
A-Teacher: Strong
My Comment: CTRL is Control, STRG is Steuerung (German)
Whats wrong with the system, as N54 told: the teacher has to say "i dunno but i find it out"
POP 3 Quiz
MTP: Who are you?
Ant: Who put a coin in you?
SMTP: Who are you?
Ant: Are you related to a Armagetron player named after a South American country? (Geography question)
MTP: Why ye...s...s...s...s...
Ant action: pulls out elctro shock gun, shoots SMTP, Watches SMTP bounce around like a pinball.
Ant: Anyone else?
*SMTP = Same Miscelaneous Teenage Person.
MTP: Who are you?
Ant: Who put a coin in you?
SMTP: Who are you?
Ant: Are you related to a Armagetron player named after a South American country? (Geography question)
MTP: Why ye...s...s...s...s...
Ant action: pulls out elctro shock gun, shoots SMTP, Watches SMTP bounce around like a pinball.
Ant: Anyone else?
*SMTP = Same Miscelaneous Teenage Person.