| JOURNAL ENTRY 2 | | | | inquiry based. I felt that the teaching style of laying |
| "A giant leap into the past - observational reflections in | | | | down rules to begin with every day e.g. "bags off |
| the classroom" | | | | desk, books out, pens out and eyes this way thanks" |
| I was hit with a familiar sense of dejavu when walking | | | | meant there was a sense of routine for the class and |
| through the gates of Glendowie College. I had been | | | | a basic knowledge of what was expected of them. |
| here before but in a different time. Passing the school | | | | The teacher gave specific instructions and probed |
| corridors I passed a photo of myself taken by my first | | | | them with many teacher directed questions e.g. "What |
| boyfriend for bursary photography in 1994. Is it really | | | | makes an effective static image?" The teacher drew |
| already 2004? I felt an eerie sense of stopped time, | | | | up a poster according to the class input which resulted |
| me with the same school bag, the same length hair | | | | in a lopsided attempt of a static image. This bought |
| and (unfortunately) same height. Nothing had changed | | | | about a sense of hilarity to the class, but also proved |
| at all, nothing except the reason for being here. | | | | the aim of the lesson - what to do and what not to do |
| As an ex-student of Glendowie College this area of | | | | when planning their static images. This 'teacher is boss' |
| school had been out of bounds. It was reserved only | | | | type style also bought about a sense of respect for |
| for 'appointments' with the Deputy Head or Principal. It | | | | the teacher. I found that the tiniest of things would |
| felt like an absolute privilege to be here which made | | | | trigger the whole class off. One boy who was spotted |
| me feel all the more nervous. My hands were sweaty | | | | to have his eyes closed during a speech had the class |
| when I knocked on the Deputy Head's door but all | | | | in an upheaval. The teacher let them have their laugh, |
| anxiety disappeared as I received a very warm | | | | dealt with the situation briefly and then used body |
| welcome. I was briefed on the school's policies and | | | | language that they obviously recognized to mean 'it's |
| then on the classes I would be observing. I had been | | | | time to focus'. If the teacher had not adopted this |
| given 4 classes, a Year 13 accelerate English class, a | | | | authoritarian style from the beginning of the year, the |
| Year 9 English class, a Year 10 Drama class and a | | | | upheaval could easily have escalated. This type of |
| Year 12 Media class. Before I headed towards the | | | | style gave the class a focus, a spokesperson and a |
| staffroom to meet my associates, I mentally prepared | | | | leader. A written task was usually expected of them |
| myself for what was going to be a nostalgic trip down | | | | at the end of the lesson which would be entered in |
| memory lane. It had been exactly 10 years since I had | | | | their journals. |
| stepped foot in these classes - only this time I would | | | | My year 13 was a contrast to this bundle of |
| be introduced as their student teacher. | | | | inquisitiveness. I felt like I had walked into a den of |
| School had always been a positive experience for me. | | | | lionesses. Proud, sultry and indifferent. Heavily female |
| As a family we moved around a lot. I calculated I have | | | | dominated, there were only five boys who in |
| attended 3 primary schools and 4 secondary schools | | | | comparison appeared easily distracted and in need of |
| during my 13 years of education. Schools offered | | | | more instruction than their feline counterparts. As soon |
| structure and stability in an otherwise unstable | | | | as I walked into the classroom I was instantly reminded |
| environment. It was an arena where I could muck | | | | of how I felt at that age. Pre-occupied with 'larger life |
| around with peers and explore my own skills and | | | | issues' such as who was seeing who, setting full |
| personality. I found school self-defining and the people I | | | | driver's license, part time jobs, what did I want to do |
| met and things I learnt impacted a great deal on who I | | | | after this year, what did I want to do with my life, |
| am today. | | | | feeling misunderstood by my parents and on top of all |
| My memories of particular teaching styles during | | | | of these issues I had exams and assessments coming |
| school are a bit hazy. I probably never recognized | | | | out of my ears. Life was very serious indeed! |
| them in terms of 'styles'. Instead we judged the | | | | The class had been described as an accelerated |
| teachers in terms of whether they were | | | | class, with several wanting to sit scholarship. However |
| knowledgeable, approachable and showed an | | | | there were two boys who should not have been |
| understanding of what 'struggles' we were all going | | | | placed in this class who were under-achieving which |
| through! (God, we had it easy then! If only we knew!). | | | | the teacher had to take into account in her lessons. |
| Upon reflection I can certainly pinpoint those lessons | | | | The teaching style was a mixture of direct instruction, |
| that made lasting impressions. They were ones that | | | | class discussions and self directed learning. Within the |
| had interest, choice, challenge and recognition. I | | | | two weeks I was there they were preparing for |
| remember my Year 9 science class at Takapuna | | | | achievement standard 3.2, focusing on short stories. |
| Grammar held great interest for me because it was | | | | The texts that they were studying were similar to |
| enjoyable and fun. The teacher was enthusiastic | | | | ones I had studied in my bursary year which covered |
| beyond belief. We used to work outside and hug trees | | | | themes of loss, grief and relationships. At The River, |
| in order to understand photosynthesis! His approach | | | | Dolls House, A Great Day Out, Hooks and Feelers, |
| was very hands-on and involved loads of group-work. | | | | Sticks and Stones and The Birthday Party. All the |
| We were once given a choice of a topic which we | | | | teaching I observed within this class was inquiry based. |
| had to research and present in pairs. I will never forget | | | | They would read the stories; close read them together |
| how much time my friend and I put into this project. | | | | and then were asked to answer questions which |
| We were thoroughly engaged, to the point where our | | | | were written on the board. In contrast to the Year 9 |
| presentation had the whole class lying on the floor for | | | | otters where answers were plentiful, if not, |
| a whole period in an effort to try and hypnotise them. | | | | uncontrollable, I observed that it took much probing |
| Style was therefore important to my learning. They | | | | from the teacher to encourage answers from the |
| nearly always had that certain bit of quirkiness or | | | | Year 13 students. The answers required more critical |
| eccentricity that captured my interest. | | | | thought but possibly also less inhibition. This class |
| Reflecting on my own experiences, the most effective | | | | tended to work by discussing their answers quietly in |
| teaching techniques that worked for me involved | | | | pairs. One technique the teacher used was relating the |
| group projects; such as individual assignments where | | | | stories to her own personal experiences. The class |
| we were given a choice and ownership of what to | | | | became really engaged in her story-telling and they |
| study; character studies in Othello or being sent outside | | | | tended to joke together on a mature level. |
| to write poetry. I wrote about an ant that I watched | | | | Overall my impressions of being an English teacher |
| that morning and still have it to this day. If I were to | | | | was 'Eek'. To be effective one truly needs to be a |
| focus on Gardner's seven intelligences I would say I | | | | superhero. Multi-skilled, flexible, witty, highly organized |
| learnt more where the teaching style was visual, | | | | and above all confident, in control and worthy of their |
| interpersonal and intrapersonal. An example of this | | | | respect. It is a lot to ask. Students in Year 9 can take |
| would be in 6th form history. I did not have an affinity | | | | the teacher on all sorts of tangents, whereas in Year |
| to dates and politics however one lesson we were | | | | 13 I feel one needs to encourage the students to take |
| taken to see the Magnum Photography Exhibition. | | | | the teacher on tangents. Knowledgeable was one |
| These photos changed my whole perspective on | | | | word that struck me as well. If anything, I feel that the |
| history. I did a study of Don McCullin's work and | | | | passion for the subject needs to show. It needs to instill |
| learned about history through his lenses. So in | | | | a spark in the students and motivate them to want to |
| summary I think I tended to learn more through doing | | | | learn. |
| having to research, collate and compile information in a | | | | I guess one of my biggest shocks in the observation |
| way that was understandable to me. | | | | was something I had expected, but not quite so |
| My classes from memory were of mixed ability. | | | | extreme. The issue of "Academic Learning Time' - or |
| Although I was more aware of what my peers had | | | | lack of it! Of the 40 or so lessons I observed about 10 |
| done the night before than whether they were | | | | of them were 'replaced' by guest speaker lectures in |
| excelling or bombing out in the subject. There also | | | | the hall, dean activities, camps or relievers. Almost all of |
| tended to be a healthy bit of competition between | | | | them had some extra-curricular activity interruption at |
| some of us girls. We used to joke around about our | | | | some point whether it be having to move to a |
| marks and downplay it if we got a high mark, although | | | | different classroom, a sports announcement, a school |
| secretly we were quite chuffed with ourselves. It is | | | | play rehearsal announcement or merely students |
| interesting to note I saw similar behaviour in both of my | | | | arriving late and disrupting the flow of the lesson. 60 |
| English classes. The intelligent students, seem to be the | | | | minutes can very easily become 40 so it really |
| ones that tend not to take part in the discussions, they | | | | emphasized the importance of flexibility, good planning |
| sit at the back and pretend not to care. Every now | | | | and the alignment of goals to take these time |
| and then they will ask the teacher privately for some | | | | constraints into account. An interesting tip I learnt was |
| input, but hardly ever in front of their peers. | | | | 'reading the class for indicators'. I learnt with the Year 9 |
| My time at Glendowie to observe particular teaching | | | | class was that the teacher uses the girls at the back |
| styles within 4 different classes was invaluable. | | | | as an indicator of the entire class engagement. |
| Although I learnt much from shadowing one student | | | | Apparently they are the brightest of the class and |
| and also from observing the media and drama classes, | | | | when she sees them off-task or talking, she knows |
| I am already over my 250 word limit (sorry), so will | | | | that the whole class will erupt a few minutes later so |
| focus on what I observed within the two English | | | | she needs to intercept and re-engage them before |
| classes. | | | | they do. |
| To start with I can strongly say that all of my | | | | As a whole I feel that I would fit in as a teacher in a |
| associates treated their classes with respect as a | | | | smaller school such as Glendowie. The staff were |
| whole and then again as individuals. They made it their | | | | incredibly friendly and interesting. We had some |
| prerogative to know their students names and | | | | fantastic debates between the English and Science |
| showed interest in their own lives outside of the | | | | departments! The staffroom seemed to be an adult |
| classroom. For example the Year 9 English associate | | | | reflection of the cultures and personalities one would |
| was involved in the school debating team, of which 4 | | | | find in a classroom! Personally I find that supportive |
| were from her class and she included their | | | | environment very important in any work I do. I feel that |
| accomplishments in discussion at the beginning of the | | | | in a school like Glendowie one is also are given an |
| lesson. This engaged their interest as they all want to | | | | opportunity to know the students on an individual basis. |
| hear about what their buddies have been up to, | | | | You can see them as personalities rather than just a |
| especially if the teacher had noticed! | | | | mass of faces. As a student I have experienced |
| My first impression of sitting in on a Year 9 English | | | | larger schools (Takapuna Grammar) verses smaller |
| class was of 'ants in their pants'. These students had | | | | schools (Glendowie) and my experiences of each |
| oodles of energy, excitement, cheekiness and an air of | | | | were hugely different in terms of where I felt |
| constant inquisitiveness. It was like diving into a pool of | | | | accepted and recognized. I do wonder if this may also |
| otters. They had just completed reading their novel | | | | be the same in the shoes of a teacher and the |
| 'The Whole of the Moon' and were about to embark | | | | second placement is possibly an opportunity to explore |
| on static images designing a poster and then onto | | | | this further. |
| speeches. As I was witness to one lesson on static | | | | My main aims for this year in doing this post graduate |
| images and the other 4 were watching speeches, I did | | | | are to focus on building on my subject knowledge, my |
| not have a full opportunity to observe an exact | | | | confidence to teach, the skills to plan, and the |
| teaching style, however the overall impression I was | | | | experience with hands-on teaching in order to identify |
| given was that the teaching style when handling these | | | | what style I would like to adopt. I have a few larger |
| little otters was definitely 'direct instruction'. In | | | | schools in mind in order to focus on working in a larger |
| comparison to Year 12 or 13 classes, where much of | | | | subject department and my choices will probably be |
| the learning seemed to be self directed and discussion | | | | further filtered by the subject areas that are available |
| based, these lessons tended to be teacher driven and | | | | in those schools. |