Sept 24th Exit Slip

When I sat down to start writing this exit slip, I started by trying to choose weather I wanted to focus on writing about the activity we did where we tried to measure the garden or, the one where we tracked the sun. I immediately decided I wanted to talk about the activity where we measured the garden. This immediate reaction made me question why I was more drawn to this activity than the other one. For me I think a big part of it is that that activity felt like a challenge we were being offered. I am a person who really enjoys a challenge. Particularly this type of challenge where we were all trying to do it and were all doing it in different ways, but where it was not a competition is something, I enjoy (although I do enjoy competition as well). The particular nature of this activity made it so that we were able to compare our results and methods with other groups in a way that was more about learning and, interest in what others had done and less about being right. The fact that it was challenging and that I had the chance to try it myself made me more interested to see what others had done than I would have been if I hadn’t tried it myself first. This being said tracking the sun with our bodies was also an interesting activity and I wouldn’t be surprised if many people enjoyed it more. If you simply asked me if I would have preferred to examine the movement of celestial objects or measure the area of a section of land I probably would not have guessed I would be more drawn to measuring the area of the land. So, I think that the reason I resonated more with the first activity had less to do with the natures of the activities and more to do with how they are set up.

I am not saying that I think the way that the first activity was set up is objectively better than the set-up of the second activity. It was just better for my preferences and my personality. When I begin teaching in a classroom I will have many kids with many personalities. Some who may prefer an activity that feels like a challenge, like the first activity, and some who may prefer and activity that highlights wonder and curiosity about the way our world works, like the second activity. So, it is important that as a teacher I make sure my lessons include variety. Even two activities that were outside and made use of the natural world had large differences and would each would appeal more to some students than others. So, it seems to me that it is not enough to say, “I had one lesson that was outside and physical and one that was inside and more wrote.” and to claim that your lessons are varied. Instead, I think that I should be incorporating lessons in different locations but also some that are challenges, some that are competitive, some that are contemplative, some that are discussion heavy, some that leave time for silence and personal reflection, some that are more physical, and some where you have to move less. In general, I think a big thing I took away from this class was a reminder of the value of having variety in lots of different ways when you are teaching.