21 June 2012

Ideas for Bringing the Classroom Outdoors: Quick Frozen Critters


Quick Frozen Critters is widely popular elementary school lesson on wildlife adaptations and the food chain that comes from our friends at Project WILD. In addition to being educational, it is active, aerobic and immensely entertaining for children (and adults). Although the focus is on wildlife and the food chain; core science concepts in Texas elementary schools, this particular activity is infinitely adaptable across content areas. There are some great mathematics concepts (graphing population curves, predicting outcomes, fractions, percentages etc.) as well as some really cool social studies themes. In one session I held, the students began thinking about human-related influences on wildlife population...such as development, roads, and diminishing habitats. Although the lesson content is best suited for elementary school, I've also used this with high school and college students. If you're like a lot of teachers, particularly in Texas, who struggle with just trying to teach to the standardized test and faced with the challenge of constantly having to apply for authorization to use anything new in the classroom...here is an option. During recess..why not play the game with your students...and then apply what they learned having fun, in the classroom to supplement a pre-approved lesson? Remember, it's not just educational...it's fun and recreational. Maybe even talk to the PE coach, ask him to play the game with your students. Even if you can't get it approved as an educational resource, use it as a supplemental and recreational one. Basically what I am saying is; there's no excuse....so have fun!
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My Philosophy of Teaching

My Philosophy of Teaching:

I just finished my masters in Curriculum and Instruction. I have a firm commitment to my continuing education and strong love of teaching. My greatest draw to education is the opportunity to work daily with students, particularly students for whom success has been elusive or who struggle in the academic setting. I strongly believe in preventative behavior management and, as a student teacher, I have turned the success of lower performing students around using differentiated instructional techniques including collaborative learning, project-based learning and service learning. I do not accept the notion that some students fit a profile of failure and should be side-tracked. I am committed to the success of each and every one of my students. I believe no student should be given up on. I love that none of my students are the same and I value their diversity, linguistic, behavioral, cognitive or otherwise. I do not accept the notion that a student's difference is, necessarily, a hindrance towards their learning and hold the onus upon myself to find ways to facilitate learning for all of my students. Finally, I am aware of the importance of collaboration between faculty and staff. Cross-content instruction is not only important for the student's cognition, but is also important for a teacher's professional development. I believe strongly that a teacher's classroom is a place of constant innovation and improvement, and the sharing of ideas between faculty and staff, as well as the close cross-content collaboration of teachers, is important in improving the overall success of teachers, and, by proxy, our students. We are all responsible for the success of every student in the school, not just those who are in our classroom.