Mid Term Break

Later than my usual reflections but I will be making an extra long one here for the very special purpose that this is the Mid – Term break Reflection.

In addition to the Mid-term finally arriving, it also marks the second 4 week milestone, ergo two combined teaching placement lengths from MDI, and very similar to my last milestone, I have certainly learned a hell of a lot more, not only about teaching but also about myself. What I’m good at, where I’m going wrong, whether or not I’m being too hard on myself or even too easy. These reflections have been supportive in reminding myself. One thing I have certainly reflected on this week was my classroom presence, I had mentioned in my Leadership & Mentoring lecture about how leadership presence itself in the classroom. One thing I had said to myself is that the Authoritarian certainly makes life easier for a teacher, whilst the delegate takes a lot more work and preparation than I had originally believed so it was intriguing to understand the difference between the two from my own reading and my teaching. It is still difficult to say which one is better but it is definitely something aim to examine in the coming weeks.

On another note, it is the mid-term break. A chance to put the feet up and catch up on work I fell behind on (perhaps I will do both at the same time). The past 8 weeks were certainly intense. I’ve been lucky with my location however which has saved me great time and effort. As much as i loved my teaching placements in Drimnagh and Cabra, the time it took to get to those schools certainly made it difficult to any other work once i returned home. Either way I’m looking forward to regroup the mind and enjoy a good week off. My plans once the work is done certainly should be good too.

Survivor Series Challenge!!

The Month of November is coming and you know what that means right?

No it doesn’t mean Christmas is coming.
No it has nothing to do with thanksgiving.

It is the month of Survivor Series!! That’s right, the fourth biggest WWE PPV of the year and also my opportunity to create imaginative ways assessing students with a month long challenge.

The rules will be as follows:
i) A glass group will be divided, mostly into groups of four.
ii) Two groups will go head to head in traditional Survivor Series Rules.
iii) One team wins when all four opponents have been eliminated.

So what happens in the classroom. The last thing I want to encourage is an all out wrestling like brawl in a classroom.

1. The matches will done in a quiz show like format in the last 5 or ten minutes of each lesson.
2. Questions will be asked based on what was covered during this lesson, previous lesson and the odd miscellaneous subject.
3. The team will nominate one person from their team to go against one person from the other team. The questions will be done in a best 2 out of 3 format.
4. Players will be eliminated if their opponent gets 2 questions right before them.
   Players will be eliminated if teammates give away answers when they are not playing.

However players will have abilities. If they buzz in onto time they can use the Hot Tag mechanism: This will allow a different member from their team to run in and replace their teammate.
A second ability will be Pin Break Up! A team can decide to use pin break up if he is eliminated in order to save a teammate if they feel he is valuable. However they only have one pin break up, and only each student has a one Hot Tag ability.

The challenge will take place more than likely for two or three weeks. The quizzes will take place at the end of class and there will be only 3 rounds max per lesson period.