So it's week 4(!) of the MAC program, and I'm still trying to get my head around all the information there is for us to take in. It's amazing how much more I know about teaching than I knew a month ago, and I'm already finding myself using ed-speak more frequently (metacognition, anyone?). At the middle school where we're interning, though, I'm finding myself increasingly intimidated by my classmates who seem to be "natural" teachers. There are some among us who can walk into a classroom and make an immediate connection with the kids, engaging them in easy, free-flowing conversation and finding novel ways to help them learn. Meanwhile, I often stumble over what to say to the students, still a little unsure about my role (friend? mentor? authority figure? fellow student?). And I'm having trouble implementing the practices that the MAC program has already convinced me are so vital, such as helping students get to an answer on their own rather than providing it myself. It sounds relatively intuitive to say to students, when they come across an unfamiliar word, "What does it sound like? Have you heard it anywhere before?," etc. But what do you do when the reply is "no" or "I don't know"? I find myself constantly fighting the urge to just tell them the answer. Just throwing that out there in case anyone else is struggling with this! I'm sure we'll get much better at handling these situations as the year goes on, and we'll become more adept at keeping thinking alive through questioning rather than imposing a definitive answer.
As I mentioned in my last post, our professors in 504 were really good about keeping thinking alive in their classroom as we discussed the NYC soda ban. This type of engaging classroom discussion is something I would love to implement in my future French classes. It would be interesting to spend some class time discussing the reactions a similar law might elicit in France. I might ask students to brainstorm some of the differences between France and the U.S. in terms of cultural values and ideas about the role of government, then ask them how those things might shape the public's perception of a law like this. I could use the lesson as an opportunity to teach some vocabulary related to policy-making and government.
As I'm writing this, I'm aware that my proposed lesson is very France-specific. I find myself getting caught up in thinking about how France would respond because that's where I've spent time, but I recognize that my class discussions would benefit greatly from the incorporation of perspectives of other French-speaking countries. I'd like to learn more about the government and culture of other francophone nations; I want my students to understand that the language they are learning is being constantly adapted, expanded and enriched by the many cultures who share it. I'm looking forward to navigating these and other challenges throughout the coming year.
First of all, awesome entry title. Secondly, I definitely feel you on the uncertainty surrounding the experience at Scarlett - it's definitely an unnatural situation for most of us, but it seems like we're all making great strides into making everything feel more second-nature. Your idea about comparing the ramifications of something like this in France is certainly a unique one and something I would fully embrace - your students should feel very lucky if you end up being their instructor!
ReplyDeleteI agree, I was honestly very uncomfortable at first, but I think it comes down to expectations and respect for our students. I progressively let my student struggle with the reading a little more, while only providing help when I thought he had no chance of figuring things out, and in the long run he became more independent. I think everyone has struggled with the question "should I help right now?", but ultimately you being there I'm sure has a very positive impact. You probably do a much better job than you are giving yourself credit for! I also think relating the NY ban to French culture is a great way to get kids involved with both your material and current events in the U.S. They will have a lot of prior knowledge to build on, plus they probably won't feel quite as lost, because they'll have a grasp at least on parts of the lesson.
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