I’m out on my first placement for the second term. This one is 3 weeks long and I’m placed with a small grade 4 class – only 18 students! One week has passed and it’s been GREAT!
Over the next few weeks I’ll be doing an art unit on Monet. Although I’ve searched the internet and skimmed over my book resources at home, I wanted to be VERY SURE that the ideas I presented would go over well with the rambunctious gang I have. I was looking for ‘more personal’ advice like, “I did this with my students and they really liked it”…… or even, “I’d advise against blah, blah, it went over like a lead balloon with my students”. I can have all the great ideas in the world but until a gang of students has had the opportunity to truample over them a few times, the lesson plan will simply be that – a plan!
Now, I know not all students are the same so what might not work with one group may go over well with another… I guess that’s why I’m suggesting I’m not so much interested in the idea but rather the conversation that goes along with it. Otherwise, if I’m surfing lesson plans on the net or in a book, the conversation is only going on in my head…which is kind of a dead end since I don’t have much experience with Grade 4 students.
To solve this problem of getting ‘good’ ideas or perhaps, I should call them “recommendations”, I decided to set up a Lesson Idea Exchange Wiki. It’s located here: http://lessonideas.pbwiki.com/. I’ve invited my fellow classmates to join in and either add their ideas or post requests for ideas.
So far, I’ve got a great start on my Monet unit thanks to the generousity of others – and I’m hoping I can be as helpful to someone else!
If you want to join in on the Lesson Idea Exchange use the password: “Lessonideas” (without the quotes).
[...] Take Sue, for example. She’s doing a unit on Monet and wants some advice, tips, tricks, and so on. Rather than just limit herself to asking a handful of teachers, she’s set up a wiki where lesson ideas can be exchanged. [...]