Criteria

Just wrapped up a whirlwind enviroscience class. I had a sweet hour-and-a-half planned that went off pretty well but I didn't really take into account the squirrely-nature of a last class of the day on a Friday. I am realizing how important it is to set out criteria or expectations prior to asking students to do something. Otherwise, things can go all over the place, or nowhere at all.

This enviroscience class is great - lots of room to integrate many different topics. Today, for example, we talked about how electricity works, the way dams generate electricity, and where Argentina gets it's energy from. This segued into a resource consumption activity students did based upon things they use. I'm trying to make this stuff relevant to them, a challenge given that there are seven different countries represented in my classroom. As members of developed nations, however, I think they have as much in common as a student from Washington and one from Maryland, for example.

When I'm teaching, I feel like I can tell students what I think they need to know, but that they aren't really listening or thinking about what I'm saying unless I can create opportunities for them to experience or find an answer themself. At the same time, time is limited and it is much easier to dispense information. Also, letting students explore (today students discovered how to light a light bulb with a battery) is lots of fun but it is hard to keep them on task.

The weekend is here. Will be doing some lesson planning on Saturday and paintballing with some departing teachers on Sunday. Yee-Haw!!!