I really have to say that although I'm new to blogging, it seems that I'll have to learn more to keep up with my kids. By 'my kids' I mean my students. Last month I attended a workshop at U. Vic. on how to use technology in the classroom. I related well to the older presenter, (my age or thereabouts), while being fully engaged in the information conveyed by the other woman, clearly of my daughters' generation. I seem to be in the minority among the 4th floor at work. We, the tutors, are generally a cloned bunch, who: love to please, want to help the needy, and are always worried we aren't doing the best job we can. We toil away in our offices in back-to-back one-on-one sessions with students from grades 2 - 12. We are given 2 minutes to switch gears between each student, marked by a fire-alarm sounding bell, which if you forget and happen to be making a mad dash to the bathroom at that moment, almost fries the hair cells in your ears and you wonder if the medical plan covers hearing damage. At times, we surface and meet in the hallways, or usually at the photocopier, while preparing our next lessons. When an opportunity presents itself to "share", we cling to the conversation like glue, often seeming to grovel at others' approaches and fresh ideas as if that was our salvation. We have fleeting thoughts that maybe if we try that, our student would sail through...
If only. The truth is, each student is unique and even a combination of approaches will ensure only that you have tried your best. But getting back to my original thought about blogging.
Some teachers have had success in 'closed' blogging, which is accessible only to that class, or that school. The students seem to feel better communicating this way and those who are shy, have the stress removed of speaking up in class and having others watching them the whole time.
I've offered to join a team at the school to explore the possibilities of using more technology in teaching and tutoring. We're also considering converting to imacs, but that's another chapter.
On another note, I sent each of my girls an advent calendar on a card, so on Tuesday, hopefully they'll give dear old Mum a brief thought before they head off to whatever lecture they have that morning at university. I wish you (my readers) all well...