Reflection Week 8

Beginning this week, I started teaching the grade 8 classes. This experience has been

interesting since it is much different than teaching the grade 10s. In terms of classroom

management, it is an entirely different dynamic. I found there to be less interruptions and when I

asked them to do something then there was less resistance to do it. My CT observed the first

class I had with them but after that it became a situation where she would just peak in. She said

that she noticed that with the grade 8s I was a lot more laid back and that I was able to make

jokes with them. This is something I reflected on and I think there might be a few reasons for

this. One would be the nature of the material. The material that the grade 8s were covering was

the renaissance. So, this encompasses ideas around humanism, the change in art and the ideas

around. I think for me this material was much more interesting and that might have been

reflected within the classes I taught. On the other hand, the grade 10 history class covered topics

that have to do with topics such as assimilation of indigenous peoples and the National Policy. In

ethics I covered topics in terms of intolerance which is also a serious topic. Therefore, it could

be a situation where they were topics that were more difficult to bring humor to. . Another area

is possibly my view towards the grade 10 curriculum. The grade 10 work has a final exam that is

attached to it. As a result, I feel that I really need to do it right and that could possibly be

affecting the way in which I teach it. I might be bringing a seriousness to it that . However,

despite the reason for this difference the way in which I taught the grade 8 class is closer to the

image of the teacher that I would like to be. As a teacher I want my students to enjoy the

learning process and bringing humor into the classroom is a great way to do that.

Another area was with the ethics assignments. When it comes to the ethics assignments,

I had them do research and then they had to cite their sources. With a few of my classes they did
not know how to cite their sources. I told them how to do in text citations and how to create a

bibliography but they still did not know how to do it. As a result, I had to reexplain in text

citations and how to do a proper bibliography and in text citations. This was an important

learning experience. When explaining instructions, I have to make sure to be extremely clear. In

text citations and a proper bibliography is something that is difficult for many students to grasp.

In the future I could see myself building a whole lesson on how to properly cite common

sources. It would involve creating groups and having them practice citing several different kinds

of sources.

Reflecting on the use of my hands I feel that there is something to be said about it. It

looks as if it is a nervous movement but I believe it’s just something that I do out of habit.

However, this is something that I should address. As a teacher I have to display confidence in

my abilities. With that particular movement with my hands it can something that is perceived by

students as nervousness and uncertainty. Therefore, while teaching it would be a good idea for

me to work on addressing it as I move forward as a teacher.