Category Archives: Teaming

Not a history teacher…

During a discussion with a colleague yesterday, I was asked what my goal was for a new elective that she and I will be proposing this fall for next year.  I said, “to get students to see that race is … Continue reading

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What are your interests and aspirations for next year?

In response to that question from one of my dept heads, after much thought I finally sent the following response.  It is somewhat overstated and deliberately provocative in the hope that even motivating people to say, “That’s crap!” would be … Continue reading

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Group Work 2

Certainly the topic of the hour: http://www.nais.org/about/article.cfm?ItemNumber=156788&sn.ItemNumber=4181&tn.ItemNumber=147271 I get the point, and I know Pat Bassett is arguing in favor of a particular position, but I am reminded that correlation is not causation.  Also, the Nobel Prize information seems to … Continue reading

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“Group work”

This article is worth reading at some point, I think. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2012/07/study_deeper_learning_needs_st_1.html Apart from content- or tech-specific skills, perhaps, I think the biggest challenge in pedagogy at SJS is finding successful ways to encourage the appropriate mix of group and individual … Continue reading

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ISAS Day 1

It was good to see colleagues from other schools whom I get to see only too rarely these days.  It was also interesting to hear so many of my basic principles of teaching from the last many years affirmed by … Continue reading

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“Principles of Great Teaching”

Our school is again (as schools should do periodically) considering what makes “great teaching”, trying to distill our collective wisdom/experience down into a few pithy principles that can be elaborated as needed at various grade levels or for different courses. … Continue reading

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Responses to student surveys: potential teaching tool?

In the math 3 classes, the students completed online surveys awhile back, and I compiled the responses for the benefit of my coteachers.  It occurred to me while I was reading the responses that although most were predictable or entertaining, … Continue reading

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Coaching: How I Teach

The New Yorker had an interesting article recently that I was sent because it reminded the sender of me.  After reading it, I totally agreed.  I have excerpt from the article the parts that seem most relevant to teaching and … Continue reading

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Philosophy lecture series

Apart from the beginning of school, which has been incredibly hectic, I’ve been thinking about the philosophy lecture series that we’re starting next week.  It was inspired by a request from a student, Thomas Lewis, and we’ll see where it … Continue reading

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Ambiguity

There are a number of ways in which ambiguity comes into play in life, and its existence allows for creativity, excitement, innovation.  It also allows for frustration, anger, and disillusionment. In teaching, ambiguity can, when applied appropriately, be a powerful, … Continue reading

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