Oct.13, 06

Today during Ms. Carson's prep. time, Ms. Curry came in to teach the students Health. She talked about the different categories of the Canadian Food Guide, e.g., Grains, Milk and Diary Product, etc. After the lesson, she gave each of the group an envelope. Each envelope contains some paper slips, which has different kinds of food written on them (e.g., ice-cream). As a group, they had to arrange the paper slips into the categories of the food guide.

As I was walking around, I felt a bit intimidated. This is a difficult activity! I don't know where "oil", and a lot of other food, belong to. I asked Ms. Curry, and she explained it to me so I could help the students. I realize that if I'm planning a lesson, I must really know what I'm doing, or else the students would be confused. I need to show them that I know what I'm talking about, and I can help them and let them learn. I was talking to a friend afterwards, who is also a teacher candidate. She is doing her placement in a Grade Six class, and last time there was a supply teacher during French class, who doesn't know French. My friend doens't know French either, but when the student asked her a question, she went up to another student who knew, so she was able to go back to the student who didn't understand it. I think she handled it very well, and I'm going to learn from her. Facing the problem is an important aspect of being a teacher. Sometimes it requires us to do what we don't usually do, but we must adjust to the situation and make the best out of it.

I noticed that the seating plan is changed in about every two weeks. I think this is helpful for the students in terms of their social skills. I saw that one of the groups didn't work really well together. One of the students in the group likes everything to be done according to his way; one doesn't speak much, but she doesn't listen to the group either; one is frustrated when the rest of the group don't work together; and the other one doesn't get involved in the arguments. It is interesting to see how they work things out, because situations like this don't always require teacher interference. We have to trust that students have the capability to handle it themselves, to let them learn how to communicate and cooperate in a group when they are not good friends with each other. Two weeks later, the groups are going to be changed again, and they are going to deal with other students with different personalities and working habits. Then it's a new experience all over!