I hope everyone else is feeling less overwhelmed today than yesterday. I am feeling more comfortable now. Of course I won't be tomorrow morning but after my demo I'm sure I will once again be feeling a bit lighter.
It's nice to feel supported in my belief that it is the process not the product that we should be investing the majority of time in. I've felt since I began my career that too much emphasis is put on the final product sometimes eliminating any thought of the process it took to get us where we are. It's not the finish line but the race that we call living/learning (whoa- profound)
My concern is this, however. As a 5th grade teacher there are so many years after they leave my class for someone (more traditional in their teaching) that may come along and mess up this well rounded, W2L, reflexive student. How do I ensure that the impact of 9 months in my classroom is such that the student will carry it with them for the remainder of their schooling in spite of these 'more traditional' teachers?
Have a good evening and don't fall asleep while reading :)
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Process...not product - YES! That's why over the years, I rarely give a 'grade' on the final product of a writing assignment. If I have to give a grade, I grade the process. If the students have made a considerable effort to make it through, then give them the credit. Eventually, that can lead to assessing the final product. In my opinion, so much of this has to be a blended approach.
ReplyDeleteCher-I think your 5th graders will remember you for how you made them think. We all, I'm sure, can remember teachers who were clearly trying to make a critical impact and those who were just phoning it in.
ReplyDeleteThat would be disheartening to think that your students might lose what you've taught them. But think of it this way: Who were your favorite teachers and why? Probably, they weren't all high school teachers, but a mixture. Great teachers get us to think for ourselves and encourage us to find learning outside of the traditional context. That's the stuff that sticks with us forever. I know you'll do great!
ReplyDeleteYou will be fine. Just pretend we are your normal class. hahah!
ReplyDeleteI gotta an idea about protecting our investment with these students--let's see that the AWP, and programs like it, continue to flourish in our area and offer alternative professional development spaces for, well, people like us! :-)
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