Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Wikipedia
There's something that's really getting on my nerves about this program.
Wikipedia is probably the most powerful educational tool ever created, and this program does little to nothing in order to teach us how to incorporate and employ this incredible source of information.
The only time Wikipedia has been brought up as a subject in any class so far, it has been in the context of focusing on an exaggerated negative: that the information on the site is unreliable because anyone and everyone can edit it. This is hardly the reality. Just try to edit any Wikipedia site and falsify the information. You'll probably either find the specific page is locked but to authorized editors, or else that the incorrect information you added will be removed by another editor within a very short time span.
I realize Wikipedia isn't perfect, but it is the most complete well of human knowledge ever assembled, the vast majority of which is accurate, or very close to (contrary to what we are led to believe). Why educators so adamantly shun this tool rather than embrace its awesome potential is completely beyond me.
Wikipedia is probably the most powerful educational tool ever created, and this program does little to nothing in order to teach us how to incorporate and employ this incredible source of information.
The only time Wikipedia has been brought up as a subject in any class so far, it has been in the context of focusing on an exaggerated negative: that the information on the site is unreliable because anyone and everyone can edit it. This is hardly the reality. Just try to edit any Wikipedia site and falsify the information. You'll probably either find the specific page is locked but to authorized editors, or else that the incorrect information you added will be removed by another editor within a very short time span.
I realize Wikipedia isn't perfect, but it is the most complete well of human knowledge ever assembled, the vast majority of which is accurate, or very close to (contrary to what we are led to believe). Why educators so adamantly shun this tool rather than embrace its awesome potential is completely beyond me.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Technology at S.J. Willis
Because I never got around to summarizing the technology progam of my observation period...
There were lots of computers in use around S.J. Willis, but these were mostly for the distance education program, meaning they were used as tools towards teaching other (mainstream) subject areas as opposed to learning directly about computers or technology.
Some alternative computing courses were offered in the distance education program. They had a keyboarding course and a basic computer skills course that were designed to help adults deficient in computing skills become more functional in computer skills tehy may need for their jobs. These courses were useful for the adults who took them, but would seemingly be completely redundant for the younger generation of typically computer-literate kids.
In terms of the formal computing skill "pathways" laid out by the PLO's we studied in the class before leaving on observation, there were no courses developed along the lines of government-directed subject material. Computer education was either very basic or self-paced.
If the some students seemed relatively backwards with technologically backwards, this seemed even more to be the case among the staff (so I fit right in!). For example, the school had multiple smart boards, but teachers either didn't know how or didn't want to use them. The most extreme example was my mentor teacher, who is part of the small minority of Canadians who still doesn't even use e-mail!
There were lots of computers in use around S.J. Willis, but these were mostly for the distance education program, meaning they were used as tools towards teaching other (mainstream) subject areas as opposed to learning directly about computers or technology.
Some alternative computing courses were offered in the distance education program. They had a keyboarding course and a basic computer skills course that were designed to help adults deficient in computing skills become more functional in computer skills tehy may need for their jobs. These courses were useful for the adults who took them, but would seemingly be completely redundant for the younger generation of typically computer-literate kids.
In terms of the formal computing skill "pathways" laid out by the PLO's we studied in the class before leaving on observation, there were no courses developed along the lines of government-directed subject material. Computer education was either very basic or self-paced.
If the some students seemed relatively backwards with technologically backwards, this seemed even more to be the case among the staff (so I fit right in!). For example, the school had multiple smart boards, but teachers either didn't know how or didn't want to use them. The most extreme example was my mentor teacher, who is part of the small minority of Canadians who still doesn't even use e-mail!
the good, the bad, and the ugly at S.J. Willis
The good: My "mentor teacher," Mike Greenwood. An excellent math (and physics and chemistry) teacher in the continuing education program, he was very helpful in making me feel welcome and productive during my observation period. He provided me with some lecture notes/lesson plans (one and the same in his teaching style), examples of tests and assignments, and even allowed me to try out teaching a class, which was a nervous but important experience. As I understand it, I will be teaching two of his math classes when I return to the school in April.
The bad: The general school environment for a student teacher. Thanks to the different nature of the school setting, there were very few active classes to observe, including not a single active social studies course despite 3 of the 4 of us student teachers sent to S.J. Willis having social studies as a teaching area. While most the staff tried to be helpful and welcoming, the school had never before had student teachers posted there, and as a result most people weren't too sure what to think about us or what we were doing there. Particularly in the two blocks before lunch, I felt as if a lot of the time I spent in the school was largely unproductive.
The ugly: My left eye, for the second week of the observation. Playing as a soccer goalkeeper, my game on the Sunday between the two observation weeks saw me scramble to recover after knocking clear an initial shot, and in the ensuing chaos I took a full force volley from about a meter away straight in the face. This resulted in a fat black eye (and a mild concussion), making it look as if I had been on the wrong end of a fistfight, earning me countless strange or puzzled looks from students or staff. Though I tried to fire off brief explanations at possible occasions, I think lots of the students and staff think I was off engaging in activities unfit for a professional, which was not the case.
The bad: The general school environment for a student teacher. Thanks to the different nature of the school setting, there were very few active classes to observe, including not a single active social studies course despite 3 of the 4 of us student teachers sent to S.J. Willis having social studies as a teaching area. While most the staff tried to be helpful and welcoming, the school had never before had student teachers posted there, and as a result most people weren't too sure what to think about us or what we were doing there. Particularly in the two blocks before lunch, I felt as if a lot of the time I spent in the school was largely unproductive.
The ugly: My left eye, for the second week of the observation. Playing as a soccer goalkeeper, my game on the Sunday between the two observation weeks saw me scramble to recover after knocking clear an initial shot, and in the ensuing chaos I took a full force volley from about a meter away straight in the face. This resulted in a fat black eye (and a mild concussion), making it look as if I had been on the wrong end of a fistfight, earning me countless strange or puzzled looks from students or staff. Though I tried to fire off brief explanations at possible occasions, I think lots of the students and staff think I was off engaging in activities unfit for a professional, which was not the case.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
"Education Center" posting, not school posting
Like most the rest of us students in this teaching program, I had been long since waiting to find out what school I would be going to for my practicum periods. I was surprised and initially a bit distraught to find out I'm going to an "alternative school" or (remedial) "education center" at S.J. Willis.
To be fair...I don't know a whole lot about the school, and I'm sure that some of my negative impression about it stem from the fact that my Sciences Humaines (French immersion social studies) teachers' favourite way to get people to stop talking/misbehaving in class was to tell us "ta bouche, ou je t'envoie a S.J. Willis" (shut up or I'm sending you to S.J. Willis).
But I am legitimately concerned about the fact I will have significantly less experience in a normal public school setting than the rest of my colleagues in this program, as well as the fact my first attempt at teaching will be a very difficult one in a class with a lot of problematic and/or struggling students. Furthermore, the fact that 3 of the 4 of the students from this program going to S.J. Willis are Social Studies teachers means that I will almost certainly be used strictly as a Math teacher and gain little to no experience in my Social Studies teaching area.
Perhaps even more troubling than my initial reaction was the fact that, when I called my mom (who has spent decades teaching in schools around Victoria), she had an equally if not more shocked reaction than I did. A long pause, "they can do that?" and "well you should ask to get trasfered right away" was about the least reassuring thing I could have possibly heard.
I guess I'm preparing myself for the worst case scenario and it might not be as bad as I fear, but I definitely feel like I've been handed a pretty raw deal by our field experience co-ordinator
To be fair...I don't know a whole lot about the school, and I'm sure that some of my negative impression about it stem from the fact that my Sciences Humaines (French immersion social studies) teachers' favourite way to get people to stop talking/misbehaving in class was to tell us "ta bouche, ou je t'envoie a S.J. Willis" (shut up or I'm sending you to S.J. Willis).
But I am legitimately concerned about the fact I will have significantly less experience in a normal public school setting than the rest of my colleagues in this program, as well as the fact my first attempt at teaching will be a very difficult one in a class with a lot of problematic and/or struggling students. Furthermore, the fact that 3 of the 4 of the students from this program going to S.J. Willis are Social Studies teachers means that I will almost certainly be used strictly as a Math teacher and gain little to no experience in my Social Studies teaching area.
Perhaps even more troubling than my initial reaction was the fact that, when I called my mom (who has spent decades teaching in schools around Victoria), she had an equally if not more shocked reaction than I did. A long pause, "they can do that?" and "well you should ask to get trasfered right away" was about the least reassuring thing I could have possibly heard.
I guess I'm preparing myself for the worst case scenario and it might not be as bad as I fear, but I definitely feel like I've been handed a pretty raw deal by our field experience co-ordinator
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
edci336 artsy photos requirement from an artistically impaired mathematician
Original photo:
http://search.creativecommons.org/?q=Canada&derivatives=on&format=Image
credit: from Creative Commons Canada
no name provided, only e-mail: jons2 at pdphoto.org
photo is of Banff, Alberta, Canada; dated 2004-06-19
liscense: "This image is public domain, because I took the picture and I've made it public domain. I don't care at all what you use this picture for."
edit 1:
edited with Sumopaint
tools: blur, smudge, pain bucket, free transform/rotate
edit 2:
edited with Picnik
tools: sharpen, exposure
review: I found Picnik a little non-intuitive and didn't really like it much. Sumopaint was much more straitforward in the use of its tools and such, but the website itself was a little choppy, the mouse cursor cutting in and out intermittently was rather frustrating.
http://search.creativecommons.org/?q=Canada&derivatives=on&format=Image
credit: from Creative Commons Canada
no name provided, only e-mail: jons2 at pdphoto.org
photo is of Banff, Alberta, Canada; dated 2004-06-19
liscense: "This image is public domain, because I took the picture and I've made it public domain. I don't care at all what you use this picture for."
edit 1:
tools: blur, smudge, pain bucket, free transform/rotate
edit 2:
tools: sharpen, exposure
review: I found Picnik a little non-intuitive and didn't really like it much. Sumopaint was much more straitforward in the use of its tools and such, but the website itself was a little choppy, the mouse cursor cutting in and out intermittently was rather frustrating.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Who am I
My full name is Alexander Brendan Kirkpatrick Frey, but I just go by Brendan (because a few weeks after being born, my mom got terrified that people might call me Al Frey)
by the way, "Frey" is pronounced 'fry' and not 'frei' (I think the only person who ever pronounced it right was a native German speaking prof here at UVic who taught me German history)
Immediate family is Michael (father/lawyer), Mary (mother/teacher), younger brothers Connell and Keith
Born in Vancouver July 24th 1986, moved to Victoria part-way through grade 4 and lived here ever since, so that makes a life-time here on the wet coast...
Took 6 years to do it (2 full-time years to start and then 4 years of intermingling classes and work trying to keep the bank account non-empty)...finally got my double-major in Mathematics and History this spring (2010)...and yes, I realize that is a very strange combination
a few things about me...
I LOVE the Vancouver Canucks...I saw my first game at the Pacific Coliseum when I was 5 years old (Dave Babych erased a 1-0 Boston Bruins lead in the 3rd period before Pavel Bure won it in overtime), used all my saved up birthday and christmas gift money to buy a jersey a few months later, and have been a very devoted fan ever since
I also play hockey in some local recreational leagues having grown up playing minor hockey, and in more recent years I've picked up playing soccer too...I enjoy playing team sports a lot, which is a good thing because I don't particuarly like running or working out (at least on a regular basis) so it keeps me from being lazy
I like music...didn't particularly like high school band, where I played french horn and trumpet, but I do enjoy playing both guitar and bass (for what it's worth, I'm a more proficient bassist than guitarist). Of course I like listening to music, but I hate the business of getting into what styles and bands I listen to, so let's leave it at that
I make beer! 30-35$ brew-kits making 20 litres of beer (for the mathematically non-inclined, that's just over 50 cents per beer) are both much tastier and much more affordable than the cheap beer I'd probably be buying from liquor stores otherwise
I don't have Facebook (*gasp*). I'm probably one of the last people under 50 years of age who can still say this. People often have trouble undertanding this, but I just don't think I need it...I have a telephone, an e-mail, and a hockey pool with my close friends where we basically use the message board for the same purpose. There's a South Park episode called "You have 0 friends" that pretty much sums up my opinion...definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it yet.
me in a nutshell, I guess
by the way, "Frey" is pronounced 'fry' and not 'frei' (I think the only person who ever pronounced it right was a native German speaking prof here at UVic who taught me German history)
Immediate family is Michael (father/lawyer), Mary (mother/teacher), younger brothers Connell and Keith
Born in Vancouver July 24th 1986, moved to Victoria part-way through grade 4 and lived here ever since, so that makes a life-time here on the wet coast...
Took 6 years to do it (2 full-time years to start and then 4 years of intermingling classes and work trying to keep the bank account non-empty)...finally got my double-major in Mathematics and History this spring (2010)...and yes, I realize that is a very strange combination
a few things about me...
I LOVE the Vancouver Canucks...I saw my first game at the Pacific Coliseum when I was 5 years old (Dave Babych erased a 1-0 Boston Bruins lead in the 3rd period before Pavel Bure won it in overtime), used all my saved up birthday and christmas gift money to buy a jersey a few months later, and have been a very devoted fan ever since
I also play hockey in some local recreational leagues having grown up playing minor hockey, and in more recent years I've picked up playing soccer too...I enjoy playing team sports a lot, which is a good thing because I don't particuarly like running or working out (at least on a regular basis) so it keeps me from being lazy
I like music...didn't particularly like high school band, where I played french horn and trumpet, but I do enjoy playing both guitar and bass (for what it's worth, I'm a more proficient bassist than guitarist). Of course I like listening to music, but I hate the business of getting into what styles and bands I listen to, so let's leave it at that
I make beer! 30-35$ brew-kits making 20 litres of beer (for the mathematically non-inclined, that's just over 50 cents per beer) are both much tastier and much more affordable than the cheap beer I'd probably be buying from liquor stores otherwise
I don't have Facebook (*gasp*). I'm probably one of the last people under 50 years of age who can still say this. People often have trouble undertanding this, but I just don't think I need it...I have a telephone, an e-mail, and a hockey pool with my close friends where we basically use the message board for the same purpose. There's a South Park episode called "You have 0 friends" that pretty much sums up my opinion...definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it yet.
me in a nutshell, I guess
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