Post 111!

I'm back at Agincourt today. I'm switching host teachers, too. So far, I've been working with grade 11 physics and grade 12 chemistry classes, both at the "university preparation" level (so it's the 11U and 12U classes I've been working with). The teacher I'll be working with today (for the sake of those who went to Agincourt: it's Mr. Frank Behrend, though I don't know how long he's been at Agincourt) does have some 11U chemistry classes, but according to one of my previous host teachers he wants to hang onto those. I will be working with only his grade 9 and 10 classes, at least at first. There are 3 sections of the grade 10s. They are all at the "applied" level, which was called the "general" level when I was in high school (as opposed to what was then called "advanced" and is now called "academic"). Ok, so 3 sections of 10P science. I'll also have one section that is made up of grade 9 and grade 10 students and is an "open" course at the "essential" level. "Open" means the curriculum is not one that is government-designed...depending on the course, it may be designed by the school board or the school or a group of schools. "Essential" means, well, they aren't even at the "applied" level. When I observed a class that combined both essential and applied students at Woburn last year, it became clear that the essential students, at least (if not some of the applied students as well) don't just need instruction in the subject matter...they need instruction in how to come to class prepared (not forgetting your binder, textbook, pencil, paper, etc. in your locker) and so on. I hope I'm not sounding negative towards the students; I'm just trying to describe the reality that I will probably face with these students.

Overall, this is going to give me a lot of good experience. When I was working with the 11U and 12U classes, I was working with students who had chosen to be in those classes. See, diploma guidelines require the students to complete the grade 9 and grade 10 science courses, plus either one senior science (giving them lots of choices, since at these levels they can choose chemistry or physics or biology or earth and space science or even, at some schools, to continue with generic "science" courses that aren't divided up by discipline) or a tech course (i.e., auto shop or some such thing) at any grade level. This means that when I work with the grade 9 and 10 students from this point on, I'll be working with students who don't necessarily want to be in that class. This will give me more experience learning to engage the students in the material, and probably with "classroom management" (what one author calls "getting the buggers to behave") as well.

I know this is good for me. I know it will be great preparation for my career and will look good on a résumé as well. I know they're just individual human beings whom I should not view with labels over their heads like "essential," "applied," "brat," etc. I know some of them will make me very proud and love teaching. That doesn't mean I'm not scared :).