Used to love substituting. Really kept me on my toes for a couple of years. Never knew what the situation would be when I walked in the door. Greatest training in the world. Ever pelted somebody with erasers?
Across nearly 40 years as an educator, I learned to not be a ‘teacher’. My job was to maintain a culture of learning. When I focused on ‘teaching’ my students focused on ‘test and forget’ habits. (Quick: Name the 50 states’ capitols. Uh huh, test and forget)
Different strategy, different results. We searched together for things to learn. Then we planned how we each would make sure we all learned them. Finally, based upon district and state learning goals we placed the newly mastered knowledge as branches and leaves on each of our mind-trees. (Anything on the class’ tree could show up at any time in games, activities, or ‘things to learn’, later on.)
The result? My kids (and I) developed life-long habits of mind. . .and also retained the content, mostly, to this day. I know, because many of them stay in touch with me and each other.
@chuckbowen1 That’s what I call successfully reaching the teacher’s best product. Often wished our rural VA system had the flexibility to work with and around limitations of the ‘follow the guidelines religiously’ mind set.
Also, secondary levels don’t allow much room for improvisation once the term ‘getting them ready for college’ enters the mix.
Many public school systems have not yet begun to understand that, while you can attempt o prepare every student for entry into college, not every student wants or needs to go, because he or she desires to ‘follow a distant drummer.’ Lots of examples of successful people who did not become part of the ‘cookie cutter’ diploma programs. Also lots who did not at first succeed but who later found their way to lives that were satisfying to them.
And while I am using up space, I will add that I hold the firm belief that the ‘traditional liberal arts curriculum’ still offers a much broader field of educational experience from which to make choices for one’s future than the ‘cafeteria’ style with its attenuated length of time to graduate.
But, as always, that’s just me, and I am good with it.
@Scherzo, here is your answer from the man himself.
Frazz
10 hrs ·
Screwing up the timeline has always been a staple of comedy. We form conclusions and then we do the research. Hilarious! We purchase things we desire before we save up for them. Snort! We criticize things before we know what we’re talking about. Oh, my sides, my sides. We enter events without a real clear idea of what we’re getting ourselves into or how we should have trained. Wait, forget that one. That’s just silly.
@arianne from yesterday. Good luck to your son. The profession is tougher now but if he keeps this one precept in mind, he will come out having achieved his aim.
The precept: each day you must go into the classroom believing that you will reach at least one student in a way that will move him/her to a high plane. You may never know which student or exactly what you said to effect that change, but you must believe it happens. Else why become a teacher?
Not getting the joke is caused by misunderstanding a core bit of info that is the pivot of the joke. One tiny bit is what makes the messed up timeline work. as humor.
“Show and Tell” is much easier and quicker than “Demonstration Speech”.
Show and Tell, used in grades K-2, starts kids on speaking publicly. They bring something to hold up *show) and say something about it (tell). Preparation time is basically zero-; I once had a 2nd grade boy who didn’t remember to bring a “show” improvised about his hair needing to be cut.
Demonstration Speech, used in grades 3-10, teaches older students to organize procedures into logical, discrete steps, to compose clear instructions for each step, and to explain and demonstrate the procedure by following the directions in front of the class.
The joke hinges on the student’s assumption that the assignment is only Show and Tell, basically bringing a juggling set to class. Easy-peasy and no prep. Then she finds that it’s a Demonstration Speech, meaning she must start by learning to juggle and keep track if how she did it. Much much more prep, and much more difficult.
GreasyOldTam over 6 years ago
At her age it usually takes about 10 minutes. Plus 7 weeks of procrastination, of course.
Phred Premium Member over 6 years ago
Demonstration speeches… How about if she juggles while reciting the Gettysburg Address.
whiteheron over 6 years ago
I don’t know. Can you juggle?
LesliePiper over 6 years ago
Used to love substituting. Really kept me on my toes for a couple of years. Never knew what the situation would be when I walked in the door. Greatest training in the world. Ever pelted somebody with erasers?
chuckbowen1 over 6 years ago
Across nearly 40 years as an educator, I learned to not be a ‘teacher’. My job was to maintain a culture of learning. When I focused on ‘teaching’ my students focused on ‘test and forget’ habits. (Quick: Name the 50 states’ capitols. Uh huh, test and forget)
Different strategy, different results. We searched together for things to learn. Then we planned how we each would make sure we all learned them. Finally, based upon district and state learning goals we placed the newly mastered knowledge as branches and leaves on each of our mind-trees. (Anything on the class’ tree could show up at any time in games, activities, or ‘things to learn’, later on.)
The result? My kids (and I) developed life-long habits of mind. . .and also retained the content, mostly, to this day. I know, because many of them stay in touch with me and each other.
sandpiper over 6 years ago
@chuckbowen1 That’s what I call successfully reaching the teacher’s best product. Often wished our rural VA system had the flexibility to work with and around limitations of the ‘follow the guidelines religiously’ mind set.
Also, secondary levels don’t allow much room for improvisation once the term ‘getting them ready for college’ enters the mix.
Many public school systems have not yet begun to understand that, while you can attempt o prepare every student for entry into college, not every student wants or needs to go, because he or she desires to ‘follow a distant drummer.’ Lots of examples of successful people who did not become part of the ‘cookie cutter’ diploma programs. Also lots who did not at first succeed but who later found their way to lives that were satisfying to them.
And while I am using up space, I will add that I hold the firm belief that the ‘traditional liberal arts curriculum’ still offers a much broader field of educational experience from which to make choices for one’s future than the ‘cafeteria’ style with its attenuated length of time to graduate.
But, as always, that’s just me, and I am good with it.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 6 years ago
The “like” has arrived.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 6 years ago
@Scherzo, here is your answer from the man himself.
Frazz
10 hrs ·
Screwing up the timeline has always been a staple of comedy. We form conclusions and then we do the research. Hilarious! We purchase things we desire before we save up for them. Snort! We criticize things before we know what we’re talking about. Oh, my sides, my sides. We enter events without a real clear idea of what we’re getting ourselves into or how we should have trained. Wait, forget that one. That’s just silly.
Pipe Tobacco Premium Member over 6 years ago
I actually am still scratching my head about this one. I do not get it. If you can explain with more detail, maybe I will understand.
sandpiper over 6 years ago
@arianne from yesterday. Good luck to your son. The profession is tougher now but if he keeps this one precept in mind, he will come out having achieved his aim.
The precept: each day you must go into the classroom believing that you will reach at least one student in a way that will move him/her to a high plane. You may never know which student or exactly what you said to effect that change, but you must believe it happens. Else why become a teacher?
chuckbowen1 over 6 years ago
Not getting the joke is caused by misunderstanding a core bit of info that is the pivot of the joke. One tiny bit is what makes the messed up timeline work. as humor.
“Show and Tell” is much easier and quicker than “Demonstration Speech”.
Show and Tell, used in grades K-2, starts kids on speaking publicly. They bring something to hold up *show) and say something about it (tell). Preparation time is basically zero-; I once had a 2nd grade boy who didn’t remember to bring a “show” improvised about his hair needing to be cut.
Demonstration Speech, used in grades 3-10, teaches older students to organize procedures into logical, discrete steps, to compose clear instructions for each step, and to explain and demonstrate the procedure by following the directions in front of the class.
The joke hinges on the student’s assumption that the assignment is only Show and Tell, basically bringing a juggling set to class. Easy-peasy and no prep. Then she finds that it’s a Demonstration Speech, meaning she must start by learning to juggle and keep track if how she did it. Much much more prep, and much more difficult.