Feedback Sandwich!

Last week we learned how to practice our lessons with our collab before we actually give the lesson to a class. In order to properly improve, we were introduced to the Feedback Sandwich. It is delicious. What this means: when you are giving feedback on someone's rehearsal, or lesson plan, or really anything, first give them positive feedback, followed by the meaty criticism, and lastly some more compliments. Not bad. I'd be happy with a feedback sandwich every day, although it might get time-consuming (fattening?).

I received a feedback sandwich on my first lesson plan. I really appreciated being told what was good in addition to what needed work (not much). I also like the specific comments, that tell me exactly why something is good and what exactly is missing elsewhere. It makes it much more productive for me to spend my time revising it when I know exactly what is being revised.

You know what's better than a feedback sandwich? A weekend with no homework, that involved sweaty firefighters, fireworks, a swimming pool, a vegetable sandwich, two kinds of pasta salad, a birthday present, and several good hugs.

I keep noticing, to more of a degree, that our classes exhibit the teaching techniques that we are supposed to be doing. Today it was explained to us that all of the sitting and listening we did for the first couple of weeks was part of the I Do, We Do, You Do plan. We first learned about lesson plans (investment plans, management plans), then we critiqued some examples, and finally we are beginning to craft our own. Though it was a bit long-winded, I understand the point of it. Cool!

Everyone is a little frustrated about having to work on Independence Day. Not only do I get to sit and work all morning, I get to visit the Apple store to sort out some software problems with my computer before them become crippling. Great. At least they let us wear casual dress today.

Fireworks? Nope. I plan on being asleep by 9:30 because...

...tomorrow is our first day of school! I'm so excited/nervous/anxious. I finally get to teach, but there are so many things to worry about. There's teaching the lesson, but there's also motivating students and controlling the classroom and giving assessments and updating trackers...

Tomorrow, we have the students for two hours (like we will every weekday throughout July). The middle hour will be spent on a pre-class assessment of the material, which will help us better plan the summer based on the students' gaps in knowledge. The first half hour, led by my collab, Kevin (with some help by me) involves getting the students invested in the class, sharing our system of rules/rewards/consequences, and introducing the assessments. I have the last half hour, which includes an ice-breaker/goal-setting activity. Homework is a personal survey for the students, so we can learn a little about them and their learning styles.

I think I'm developing an unhealthy relationship with the photocopier.

I think I'm becoming a teacher!