Taking Democratic Engagement Out of the Classroom

The grade 10 Citizenship & Careers course includes an introduction to democratic engagement.  I decided to make this as real as possible. First we took a democratic vote using three voting systems -by riding, proportional and preferential – to decide on a cause the group felt passionate about. In the end  the votes led to PPM 150, the 2011 Ontario law regulating food in schools. The students wanted to advocate for choice in the food dispensers and cafeteria.  They interviewed the school kitchen staff, the company representatives loading the dispensers and other students. Others researched the details of PPM 150. Then we made placards and went onto the main street of our town and demonstrated for Food Choice and Honk for Health! The students also wrote a letter to the chair of our board of education, to which he responded by coming to the classroom to commend the students for getting involved in the political process. He explained that he was impressed that the students were making a political statement in public and that politics is not just a dirty word. He even suggested other ways they could get their message out! A gratifying teaching experience!

The Risk of Losing My Colleague's Respect

A colleague in another department of my school has a son whom I have taught twice. I taught Ivan in grade nine and noted he was intelligent and sometimes too talkative in class. His behaviour was not too difficult to manage however. In grade ten he was in Madame R’s French class. His behaviour was inappropriate at times and Madame R. went to speak to his dad, our colleague, about it.  Ivan’s dad’s view was that she was the problem. This year Ivan is in my class again.  I’ve had to confiscate his hat on a couple of occasions. The school rule is no hats on in the building. Yesterday his outbursts, mostly loud verbal exchanges with another student, and the hat issue led to a talk in the hall with him. I know he wants to apply to RMC and train for the military. I asked him if the value of respect for authority was something he valued as someone entering the military. He agreed it was. I then told him I expected him to be a leader of respectful behaviour, not just someone who tries to behave on or under the line of respect.  To date my relationship with his dad has been very cordial.  I don’t know if his dad’s attitude toward me will change…..

Wanting Out?

Brad is in grade 11 French immersion. He is pleasant but shows no initiative except for minor in-class assignments he does manage to complete and hand in.  At mid-term his mark was 30%. I invited him on several occasions to come in at lunch to catch up. He did not come. I called home and spoke to his dad who thanked me for calling and said he would speak with Brad about this. A couple of weeks went by with no work coming in.  I called home again and set up a meeting with Brad and his dad. I prepared a contract that Brad filled out in our presence and we signed. It stated the extension dates and tasks he thought he could complete by those dates.  I stressed to Brad the importance of taking the initiative to fix a problem rather than let it slide. On the due date Brad came in with a USB stick and said he had not printed of the work yet. I told him that as long as he printed the work and handed it in the same day that was fine. I never saw the work.  I called the dad back to let him know. He was upset that Brad had lied to him about having the work done and handed in. I told the dad that at this late date, with four weeks left of classes, they should probably consider alternative courses for next year. I wondered out loud whether Brad was passively sending a message that he wanted out of the immersion program.  What would you have done? 

Overachiever syndrome

She came in with her mother to speak with me as I was having lunch. Hailey went home after her oral Independent Study Unit performance mark was posted and was not able to speak, eat or sleep. Her cumulative grade had fallen from 97% to 95%. She was devastated. She is currently the top student of the school in grade 11.
The mother, who spoke for her 16 year old, wanted to know what could be done. I said I didn't know what to say. "Is this an issue of fairness in your view?", I queried. No. She went on to say that Hailey had prepared so much good research material, of which a lot was not used in the time allotted to present her views. I agreed that it must be frustrating to be so well prepared and not be able to use it all in the time frame given for presenting one's point of view (the ISU was a timed informal debate in groups of four). I applauded her for the quality of her arguments and her ISU mark of 90% was in my view still excellent. I just ended with "I don't know what to say". They left my office with the realization that I was not going to make some kind of concession here.
Philosophically I take issue with giving extra opportunities to students who are already well above average academically. What will happen to her psychologically and emotionally in her post-secondary studies when she is no longer always at the top of the class? 
I asked one of my colleagues whether I was missing something here, and immediately she quipped "She can't take not being first". Indeed, another very capable student scored 100% on the ISU. 
Are we educators breeding a generation of "must haves" in terms of high marks who cannot live with the "personal failure" of anything under 97%? 

Why So Difficult?

I asked my students today why the quiz was difficult for many of them. They responded by saying that when the questions are on the screen they find it difficult to look and transfer the correct answer to their page, especially when there is a multiple choice format on the screen. Many need to have the choices in front of them on a printed sheet so they can cross off, eliminate, see what's right in front of them. I agreed with them but explained that the reason the screen was used was to save on photocopying costs. So economics militates against success?

Into My Head

Why does evaluation often seem like a crap shoot? The other day a student came in during lunch to write a quiz she had missed. I was getting her quiz questions out when she said "Wait! I have to get this back into my head!" as she quickly flipped through her notes. The information needed for the quiz had been reviewed in class. She had all of this. But now it seemed she knew almost nothing, as if it was a matter of cramming some information at the last minute so she could remember bits of information enough to pass the quiz. Is most of what we do in quizzes and tests "getting it into my head" long enough to pass and then it's gone again?

Unexpected Response

Maggie stayed at lunch in my room to finish a reading assignment. I noticed she was looking perplexed. Her face was slightly contorted. I said in a light-hearted way "Maggie, you look like you're in pain! ( meaning because of the reading ). She quickly replied " Yeah, it sucks always being alone". My heart sank. I was not expecting that response. She took my words in the deeper emotional sense. I immediately understood. Maggie's the girl with the purple hair who sits by herself and neve joins a group. My words were a trigger for her, bringing to the surface her feelings about being socially isolated. Other students worked in reading groups. She worked by herself. I stayed close to her desk just long enough to say "I understand" and to make sure she had my support in understanding the reading. My next step will be to look for an opportunity to pair her up with a willing student, and to connect with her daily to help her with her work so she doesn't fall behind....other thoughts?