I teach 3 classes - my own form class (Literature and Geography), another Arts class (History class) and a science class (Physics/Chemistry).
I like to think that I treat them all equally (but not the same) and sometimes, it is amusing to see how their chosen subjects affect the way they work.
So on Tuesday and Wednesday, for the History class and the Science class respectively, I conducted this icebreaker game. Basically, we are starting on a new unit on Science and Technology, so I made about 25 flash cards, each containing either a scientific or technological breakthrough, and asked each group to arrange each card in chronological order.
Not that easy ok –> which came first - the Human Genome project or Dolly the Sheep? Did Einstein come up with eequalsmcsquared first or did they discover cell theory first?
So what the Science class did was this (both groups):
1. Categorise the cards into medicine/chemistry/physics, etc.
2. Each group to be split into different sub-groups.
3. Each sub-group to organise their assigned cards. In the meantime, you could see them consulting their physics/chem notes.
4. Come together.
What did the History class do? This is what one group did that cracked me up.
Leader-esque boy: "Okay, we’ll just divide up these cards into Pre-WWI, Between WWI and WWII, and After WWII.
T_T
And so that was what they did.
My own class? They just got together, and tried to use logical reasoning to arrange them "Eh must discover bacteria first then only can they discover *something else* what."
One of the best things about teaching is how unique each student is, though they are all fed the same stuff and all pushed through the same examination machine.
And one of the best things about teaching GP/English/other related subjects is that one gets to learn so much about the student through his/her writing. And I am not just talking about journal entries (which are ALWAYS featured in movies I don’t know why), but just their assignments, their *gasp* AQ responses. The kind of values they hold onto, the views they have - all these are just there for you to read and respond to in black and white.
It’s been a tough week so far but yes, can you tell that I still love my job, after one year (Yes, it has been a year! Just got confirmed!)
OK I’m biased because I’m a History, English and Lit student, but it’s so typical nerdy scientist to go break up into groups and sub-groups to analyse something—without a concrete plan on how to do that.
The history group had it down pat: the task asked for chronologically, so yup, separate into time periods and eras, and sort from there. Plus the periods of greatest and fastest technological progress in human history have always been in times of war.
The English and Lit guys used logic to work on the problem, which isn’t bad too—except that progress in science and technology is sometimes… illogical.
What’s AQ? I have a definition for it but not sure if it’s the same as yours: mine’s Artistic Quotient.
Comment by AA — July 15, 2008 @ 11:55 pm
AQ is actually Application Question. It’s the last section of the GP comprehension paper - don’t think you’d be familiar with it as it was only introduced in the 2002 ‘A’ levels. It’s the nightmare for most GP students…this is where they have to use the writer’s arguments, combine it with their own viewpoints and supporting arguments, to answer a question which often involves some form of evaluation of the Singaporean society.
Comment by picnicbasket — July 16, 2008 @ 6:49 am
Sounds fun!
Comment by AA — July 19, 2008 @ 3:50 am