This week I started my Computer Science placement. I will be in two courses, each having two sections. The courses are AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science JAVA. While both contain AP tests that must be taken at the end of the year the AP CSP course is done through Code.org and includes a project component while APCS JAVA is taught through codeHS. The technology software and hardware included at my school are noted below in my list noted between teacher resources and student resources.
Teacher:
- Personal Laptop
- Projectors
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Code.org
- CodeHS
- Canvas
Student:
- Laptop Rentals (Most students bring their own)
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Code.org
- CodeHS
- Canvas
Overall this first week went well, most students were towards the end of their unit in both classes as we prepare for the start of spring break next Friday. Code.org and CodeHS are module-based learning so many students are able to pace themselves when it comes to the current and past curriculum with the teacher acting as an instructor for foundational content. This is a double-edged sword as it allows students to get work done and work ahead as needed however as was seen this week that some students as a result are very behind. This is concerning as by the end of next week we should be finished with content and moving into AP review. Some things that went well this week was also what we need to improve upon next week and that is time on task. It varied from class to class but some classes were more engaged and on task while others were not. A part of this is a strength of the classroom as the CT is focused on holistic education and recognizes that this is elective. This is one of the more in-depth conversations that we had as we both came to an agreement that the classroom is an environment of support and that the content is only a small fraction of the responsibilities of an educator.
The content learned this week was cybersecurity for Code.org and inheritance for CodeHS. For the most part, students were working well on this material. This also leads me to an observation about these classes is that the seating moves constantly in this classroom as students are forming groups, this leads to a sense of collaboration and comradery that is also a double-edged sword. Students make sure that they are accounting for each other but since it is a module-system it comes to a large self-discipline that is needed. Even as I write this in my 3rd-period CSP class, I count a desk group of 11 students when the typical desk group is 6. This super group is engaged in themselves but also varying activities such as review activities or for one student, yesterday's Michigan State game. This however is a reflection of the culture of the classroom, as even if there are ebbs and flows of productivity the culture seems to be one of care. My CT through my observations is a self-proclaimed "Mother of the Classroom" as she has a plate that is full of after-school extracurriculars and classes she teaches. This isn't what makes her the "Mother of the Classroom", what makes her this is her focus on the holistic education of students, content is only one aspect of her teaching, a genuine care and joy of her students allow her students to see that she truly cares. Not a period goes by without the occasional visitor stopping in to say hey or rather persuade her to let them stay for the period. This care for her students' holistic education gives her strength in knowing her students well and being able to express concerns not only in her class but others as well as she is always maintaining that her students are on the path to success making sure that her students are on the path to success in her class but also that they are also caught up in their work for other classes that are required for graduation.
At the end of each reflection, I want to share a quote that gives the overall summation of this week.
Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel —Socrates.
We all should strive to be educators that focus on holistic education or the kindling of the flame of our students. Part of that is letting go of our ego as an educator and understanding that our class is just another class, the subject doesn't matter, its the people and their development that do.
Comments
Post a Comment