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Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Tuesday, Autumn Semester Day 3
How can it be raining again? Dripping wet by the time I got home, like I can see my puter freezing up as my hair drips on the keyboard sort of thing…
I indulged in talking to two colleagues on the way home, about three of my students who are moving into their class, and the why and how of it, but I checked with the head of department, and all is well. I also had some positive feedback on a blog entry I made a while back! So you are reading, but no comments lately, sigh…this will make my blog-classroom motivation loop look rather thin, but then I guess a verbal comment in person is good too. My colleague suggested I insert a clicker counter, to count how many people drop by. Now if I could only manage the technology?!
Today at 9:15 I closed the computer room door, and put out slips marked with an L for latecomers to sign attendance. I asked students to sit in presentation groups to work, and moved one group, only to realize they had all been sitting in a row. They were kind enough to move into a more circular seating pattern, but come to think of it a row makes it easier to stand up and peep in on somebody else. A lot cleverer than me. Unfortunately although I suggested they go back to the line format, too late, they all sat in a circular group, saying it didn’t really matter. But I think for Thursday I will borrow their wisdom.
Basically I spent the whole two periods circling, discussing how to proceed and showing google tips, showing how to scroll down and click on the left for an English version of wikipedia, pointing out that translation software was pretty useless, leading to the Merriam Webster for pronunciation, (they have headphones under the table) pointing out that graphs need clear titles, sources, and working on vocab, showing how to make files and folders in the yahoo group. Nobody really seemed to need help with ppt, but out of each group only two odd seemed confident. I did not use the mainscreen function, or pushing sites on each computer, but walked round the individual groups helping as it was needed/ according to how things were progressing. Sort of very loose, if you didn’t call me and signal for attention, you were working ok attitude.
Remains to be seen how some groups fare, where the will to do work seems low, and the aim is to get by with least hassle…including dumping everything on a willing worker….when is the break?? No break today, work through til 10:45…but three still sneaked out, as I noticed when they sidled back in the classroom. Moments like that I guess I should bear down on things like a galleon of British righteousness, and reconfirm basic rules for leaving the room, but I seemed frozen to the spot, or more sort of detached even, and shrugged it off. No input no output, the presentations will show….
Renata 10:19 pm
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