Discussion Week #7 Responses

Anne Marie Lanning

February 20, 2015

ED 7722-Week #7

Discussion

Please discuss the most potent points in the discussion this week. What instructional and pedagogical opportunities are out there to build student voice, choice, and agency? How will you create learning experiences for your unique learners?

I really enjoyed watching the discussion forums about Teaching Like a Pirate.  Dave Burgess is a dynamic presenter that makes the audience really want to listen to what he is saying.  Lee Graham clearly is his number fan!  She really loves everything the man says.  Which shows how his passion is contagious.  I also thought it was interesting she brought up the administration piece.  Did Dave have any resistant to what he wanted to do?  Lucky for him he has had good experiences with his administration supporting what he wants to do which is teach but do it in a way that isn’t about content but it’s also about presentation.

Last month I had my formal observation for the school year, last week I had my conference with my principal to discuss how I did and if I met the CCT Rubric, etc.  The first comment she made was how tired I must be after being on all day.  I can honestly say from the minute I pull into the school parking lot until the moment I leave I am “on”.  I say good morning to anyone I see and after being at my school for five years I am able to catch up with former students and parents in the morning.  I am happy to have these relationships with these families because it creates a welcoming school environment.  I have a great class this year.  The kids are so excited to learn and are disappointed when we don’t have school.  In a way they are part of the reason I am excited to come to work.  Back to my observation, I had a student who had an accident prior to the lesson starting which the kids were talking about.  I was sure to let the students and my principal (who knew the whole story) know that I had spilled something prior to the lesson, I didn’t want that student to be embarrassed.  We are using a new phonics program for the past two school years and my students love it.  It’s called “Fundations” and it’s very hands on and fun.  As I share the objectives of my lesson one of my students says how, “Fundations is fun and everything is fun in our classroom.”  I seriously didn’t pay the student to say it but during my post observation conference my principal was sure to reference it.  She said how the transitions were smooth and done quickly and how engaged my students were through out the lesson.  For a group of five year olds that can be difficult but I was certainty happy to hear, honestly I didn’t notice I was more focused on the lesson.  I bring this up because I think in some ways I Teach Like a Pirate without even knowing it.  I’m excited about what we are doing.  I’m happy to see my students engaged in their learning.  And most of all I’m happy they are excited about learning and instead of being bored with our everyday routines they enjoy them and that translates to their learning.

After watching the videos and reading about Teach Like a Pirate it is something that I would like to incorporate into my classroom.  Dave left me continuing to think about “Don’t just teach a lesson, create an experience.”  I think that should be a bumper sticker.