Exit slip 10/19

 Competition / Cooperation

I thought that was a very interesting idea, that I really hadn't spent time considering the negative side to competition.  Competition has always been present in my schooling experience. I spent a lot of time competing against myself and my peers to have the highest grade. I do not think that was a healthy experience for me, as I ended up putting a lot of self-worth into how well I was doing in school. This actually made my transition to University very difficult as I was expecting to continue my "success". I think it is important to consider who is benefiting in a competitive situation and who is not. While some may have a lot of fun, others may feel like they don't even have a chance, feel embarrassed or feel like they have let others down. Further, the student who wins may actually have a burden being put on them to continue a standard. This has challenged me to rethink the competition games I have previously used as a fun activity in my classes and try to find ways to make them more cooperative. 

Inquiry 1 Project

 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y18pLK129KCaTPQHYSYb3_2tiDl-1EjO_-BH3jrEvc4/edit?usp=sharing

Scientific Language and the language of animacy 10/17

I appreciate the idea that scientific language can actually distance us from what something really is. I think a way to Indigenize a classroom is to get more connected with the root idea rather than just learning the new language of mathematics. I think our time in the Orchard Garden was a great way to connect with nature and maybe there's a way to connect mathematical terminology to things observed outside or in students' personal lives.

I also thought it was so interesting how English is such a noun-based language and this means it is defined by humans. However, in other languages, especially Indigenous languages, other things are animated. I think this gives more respect to objects and living things around us. This reminds me that students come from various linguistic backgrounds and they already have a bank of knowledge that informs their understandings of different concepts. Their ideas are so valuable and giving them the opportunity to share their understanding is important.

Another stop for me was the importance of knowing who we are and where we are - this applies to the educator as well as the students. I think this is another way to Indigenize my classroom is to recognize that people come from prior knowledge and experiences and that adds immense value to the classroom. "English doesn't give us many tools for incorporating respect for animacy" (56) which means we have to be intentional about having respect for all living things as well as the beautiful objects around us and inviting our students to do the same.

Exit Slip 10/05

 I really appreciated our conversation about gender biases in Math and Science classrooms. It made me reflect on my own unconscious bias and reminded me of a time in University when my Math professor offered me a research position and I felt like I would not be capable of contributing in a significant way. He challenged me by saying that many students who identify as women and who are in STEM often don't have confidence in their ability to do research, but it's not true. I appreciated that he challenged my bias and I think teachers have many opportunities to challenge gender norms in the classroom. Even in the way students are affirmed or the roles they are encouraged to follow in the class can encourage or discourage societal norms. Students who are gender nonconforming also desire to have a deep sense of belonging in their classrooms and see themselves as equal contributors. Some things I want to do differently from my teachers include: not splitting classes up by gender, not celebrating sitting well/being quiet, introducing mathematicians of varying identities and backgrounds and encouraging students in their abilities to pursue Math/science.

Entrance Slip 10/05

I resonate with the idea that we don't need to accept or reject the grid, it can be used by as something to "swing" between. I think it acknowledges that there are tools that we need to use to have some structure in our classroom - there are lots of different needs to consider and sometimes structure helps certain learners. However, freedom and creativity are essential components of an inquisitive classroom where lots of learning and discovery can take place. I hope to engage students in creative ways and to be adaptive to students' needs. I thought the metaphor of how we "tame" children by having them sit in confined rows, like grids was interesting. Even when a garden has structure it will grow out of its boundaries, and that is not a bad thing. I have appreciated our time in the garden and it has challenged me to think about ways to push against the structure of traditional classroom teaching and to see the benefits of that. I still think some students do need structure and routines can allow for learning just as much as outdoor exploration can. I think this article is saying that we don't need to reject one methodology or the other but rather expand our perspective and be creative.