Week 5

Surveys and Experiments

A class I took last semester involved gathering data on how students felt about breaks and recess. The results weren't that surprising. A quick break down of the survey showed that majority of the students enjoy breaks and recess and believe class times are too long and breaks are too short. Like I said, not surprising to find that kids want more time to play and less time to work. Me too 🤣 but that's not something I have control over. I can only control what goes in my class and did an experiment to test the effectiveness of brain breaks.

I did a series of 3 types of brain breaks: academic games, breathing, and physical. The physical brain breaks were considered the most fun while the academic games proved to be most effective with content retention and applying that knowledge on a test. The breathing exercises just reinforced my opinion of yoga and meditation. It can be useful when students need to clear their minds and relieve their stress, but I can't prove that relaxing improves their performance. It can definitely improve their mood though. Taking a breather has always helped cool a hothead. The experiments of brain breaks encourages me to implement these throughout the year when they're most advantageous. Can't wait to throw brain breaks in between lessons and throw some students off guard 😃

The video below is a fun dance/exercise break for kids to get motivated and energized to learn.

Week 4

Breaks and recess

My action research project for this masters program is on breaks and recess. The past school year has been especially stressful with work, school, and other personal obligations so this week I want to reflect on the importance of breaks and recess from life and responsibilities. Looking at how I started  and ended SY 2017-2018, I can't help but notice that I definitely wasn't as active and present as I was the school year before. Compared to last year, this year I didn't serve as a girls volleyball assistant coach, take part in planning events and field trips, and whiz in to replace the former teacher as the Academic Challenge Bowl coach. Starting this program put a huge dent in my free time and made me really appreciate time. Time spent to relax and take a break away from constant obligations. I've been doing research on this topic for almost a year and every article emphasized the same thing. Our brains can only handle so much information and our bodies can only take so much stress. How we handle and manage the everyday strain of work, school, etc. makes all the difference.

The struggle of juggling work and school and still trying to maintain a semblance of a social life has taken a huge toll on me physically and mentally. My weight constantly shifts from either overeating or skipping meals. I was constantly anxious and worried to a point where I my breaks and recesses were spent thinking about all the things I should be doing because "they're not going to do themselves." That's a little mantra I use to motivate myself to do things. I found myself waking up stressed about daily to-do lists and going to bed wondering what the next day brings. I need to find an outlet. A healthy alternative or hobby to implement into my schedule and allow me to stop thinking about my worries and anxieties. I recently tried yoga and immediately loved it. It was challenging with the excitement of new positions to try. It's something you can do almost anywhere and you don't need equipment for it. I admire the benefits of meditation and breathing exercises and also believe this is something students can use. Often times we're so wrapped up in life that we forget to live. I don't want to stress more than I should.

Week 3

Internet and technology

It's no secret that a large population of students and families do not have access to computers or internet. I can only imagine all the benefits of implementing Google Classroom into my class. I think one of the most minuscule yet irritating chores of being a teacher is having to go to the office to make copies of documents. The machine is temperamental but has definitely improved in the last few years. Having Google Classroom would take that strain away and give students access to all the documents and worksheets and assignments as I need. It make students accountable and would even be helpful for parents to know what's going on in class. I wish the department had the funds to provide every school with updated technology so that our students can be more competent with computer applications and understand how these skills are vital in the college or career path.

The video below perfectly sums up the advantages and disadvantages that students have when they lack technology. As a social studies teacher, I often have my students conduct basic research to find information whether it's a fun fact or for an assignment. Students are often allowed to access their cellphones as well because that's the beauty of technology. We can find information within seconds as opposed to those who still lack access to these tools and are stuck trailing those with internet, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Most of what I teach can be found on the internet. If you want to know the significance of the pyramids of Giza or the causes of WWII, I bet someone has an answer online. We now need to teach students what to do with that information. Is it a credible source, do you sense biases, what's the author's point of view and message, etc. Technology can be extremely useful in the classroom when used properly.

Week 2

Upcoming projects and ideas

The cohort for the masters program I'm in is taking a grant writing course this summer. I'm aware that grants are available and many teachers have applied for them to gain money and resources for their respective schools. I was just under the assumption that to write these grants, you needed at least 5 years of teaching experience. You need to be a candidate for teacher of the year and have the superintendent as a contact in your phone. I'm going into my fourth year of teaching and I still feel as inexperienced as the first year. I still have my doubts as an educator, but that shouldn't limit me. It's possible that putting my foot in the door of grant writing can enhance my teaching strategies and make me more confident in my teaching abilities.

As I work on this grant writing proposal, I can't help but get excited about the fake money I'm requesting to be able to purchase a variety of resources and technology to use in class. The one piece of equipment that I'd love to get my hands on is the virtual reality headsets. This would allow me to bring the world to the classroom. Although this is for a fake grant, the idea of having these resources has given me ideas for projects and ideas that I can implement for the new school year. The virtual reality technology inspired me to step outside the classroom and really learn the history of our island.

Week 1

The pros and cons of summer class: a narrative.

As the first year of the masters program comes to an end, I can't help but look back at not only how far the cohort has come, but how my personal determination to finish has slowly been depleting. I know, two totally different ends of the spectrum. From one perspective, I'm ecstatic that I got the ball rolling and I'm highly anticipating reaping the benefits of finishing the program. But on the other hand, I'm cursing at myself for thinking I was mentally and physically ready for the challenge of going to school and working. It has been a challenging year and we still have one more to go with a little break in the middle. Which brings me to the issue of summer classes. Alas, summer has arrived and for educators and students alike, it is a cherished time that flies by and next thing you know, it's the first day of school again. As an undergraduate, I absolutely adored intersession courses. They were shorter, notorious for being easier because of the time constraints, but still worth the same amount of credits and the same quality of work! Condensed classes that get straight to the point of what you need to know and learn to avoid wasting precious time should be practiced in most educational institutions and I believe this concept of time management says something about teaching practices. There are incidences where educators are told to maximize time and use up every minute of it but if we are able to achieve the same results within less time, that's something to be celebrated as well. Anyway, back to summer classes. Don't get me wrong, summer classes can also be a bummer because it takes you away from your precious vacation, but at least we only sacrifice one month and one summer to the program. So to recap, summer classes are preferred because I feel like I learned the gist of what needed to be learned in less time than regular courses, but summer vacation should be at least 3 months. Too bad we're starting school on time this year.