Trials and Tribulations of an Inclusion teacher
Sometimes those lessons that happen on a whim turn out to be the best lessons you teach all year. This was the case for me right before winter break. I had a 30 minute time period between lunch and our winter party and I had to find something to do with my 25 students who were VERY ready for break. My husband had sent me a youtube link to videos made by this awesome science teacher named Bruce Yeany. My husband had come across this video of him making cartesian divers. I watched it and thought, my students would enjoy doing this.
Being a teacher who lives on soft drinks instead of coffee, I had a bunch of plastic bottles waiting to be recycled. I decided to have my students watch the youtube video (https:///youtu.be/TMju6WzDnHI) and then I would give them the materials (plastic bottle with water, paper clip, and straw) and allowed them to explore. It was the FIRST time ALL year that ALL my students were engaged at the SAME TIME! It was awesome. In the 30 minutes given, three of my students were able to successfully make a cartesian diver, but all students were working. The three students who were successful were very different students. One student is an outspoken gifted child, one has had some behavioral issues and has a learning disability, and the third student is a very smart child who lacks confidence. They were all so excited that they they were able to complete the task. I always find it interesting that sometimes the most well planned lessons are the least successful and the ones that are done on the fly are some of the most enaging. What do I learn from this? -Go with your gut -Monitor and adjust (My college professors would be so proud!) -Let the students be your guide
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January 2017
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