Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

This has been a pretty tough week for me. I just want to share some of my feelings on classes.

It's difficult after more than a month away to jump back into classes and assignments that I have a varying amount of interest in. I think it's especially challenging for me, because I'm going into an outdoors placement in February, and I've finished all of my math and physics placements. Additionally, I don't know when, if ever, I'll be working in a classroom. It's difficult to write assignments when I don't have a plan of when I would put it into use.

So why am I so excited for our physics class? I'm not always fully present with what we're doing (I have always struggled to sit still in classrooms - the break, and time for chatting really helps me). But right now this class stands out as the one I'm really happy to get up and go to in the mornings (even though it's at 830). I think that a lot of it is just feeling like we're being treated with respect, and like there's been a lot of thought put into spending our class time doing things that we see value in. I

Another part of it is that I've been really excited about learning physics this year. I have realized that there are a lot of concepts that I don't quite understand, or couldn't explain. I can see some of the gaps in how I was taught physics, and it makes me want to be part of changing that.

Lastly, I feel that when I have an interest I want to pursue in this class, I have the freedom, and your encouragement to do so.

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I'm really happy with my unit choice for the unit planning assignment for this class. I'm doing grade 9 electricity, which is the unit that I taught in December. I felt that since I won't be back in a physics class this year, it makes a lot of sense to work on a unit that I've already taught, and have a lot of ideas of things I would keep or change. Honestly, I don't think I'd keep much from that class, but I feel like that still gives me a lot of direction and focus in this project.
One idea someone mentioned to me is having students do the wiring for a cardboard box model house. They saw students who were incredibly engaged in that project, and I could see it fitting in pretty well with the goals I have in mind. I'm interested in looking into this idea more with Siobhain (my partner for the project).

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 I really like the new google site you put up....seems really clear and straightforward. Any way you can enable comments? It would be interesting if it could allow discussions on what you post.

Thanks,

Jamie