Monday, 6 June 2016

7/6: Health Reflection

Health Reflection - Year 11 Boys
7th June

After several different health classes with some of my Year 11 boys I am still trying to trial strategies to see how they best learn. To date I have mainly trialed group work and class discussion.

I first trialed group work as this is generally my first strategy when teaching health. I trialed this over 2 lessons while trying to recap the boys knowledge of Hauora (Lesson #1 LI: to recap students prior knowledge of Hauora & Lesson #2 LI: students are to reflect on what they believe health education is and start to learn how to challenge assumptions) - aspects of the first lesson flowed through to the second. Key finding from group work; boys of task majority of the time - although they were talking they were off topic, when they would share their groups answers they would share ideas just to get laughs out of other students, work took twice as long to complete - hence work from first lesson flowing through to second (this was also due to the introduction of reflective logs from PE as a do now & students being late to class).

After what felt like a couple of failed lessons Alex Smith came in and ran a health lesson with the boys. The lesson was composed of a continuum regarding the age of consent, a article in regards to lowering the age of consent and then revisiting the continuum. They were all based around class discussion. Overall the lesson ran really well. The boys were engaged with the lesson. I took some tips from Alex regarding classroom management e.g. reading of an article and then screens down, bringing up the idea of respect and listening to each other when sharing ideas.

The next lesson was also based on class discussion about consent. This started with a scenario and then class discussion was lead through a series of discussion questions. Although the class was a bit immature at times they were engaged and majority of the class was participating within discussions.

After continuing with the topic of consent with key focuses on legalities and local stories (as asked by the boys in our previous lesson) in the form of class discussions (which have been the most effective and engaging form of delivery so far) today's class was disruptive and unsettled. After leaving the class, especially with the last few lessons going so well, I tried to reflect on where I had gone wrong.  

*After hearing Alex talk to her student teacher, about where his lesson went wrong he blamed the students for their behaviour. She explained if the lesson didn't go well and the kids are misbehaving you need to look at why this is the case. The idea really stuck with me that if the lesson went wrong it isn't the students fault - instead there is something that you could have done to change the class dynamics

Reflection on where I may have gone wrong in that lesson:

  • even though boys had asked to learn about this content they were disengaged from the lesson and activities - maybe topic of consent had gone on for too long
  • class discussions may be becoming boring/irrelevant for some students e.g. they aren't having much input
  • boys who are adding to the discussion are just calling out their answers which makes the conversation/discussion harder to continue - students to put hands up
  • some students are starting their own personal discussions when a class discussion is in progress - if class was quiet and hands were going up to add to the discussion this may minimize this, also if it continues split up groups that are talking
Strategies for the future:
  • more visual queues/outlines for boys to see on the board
  • reinforcing respect - only one person talking at a time, hands up to add input, split students who are talking
  • "Are you aware you are being rude right now?"
  • World Kaf (to possibly help with group work) - write up on the board person's number and what they need to talk about e.g. discussion topic or question (for number of people within the group). Time limit per person (visual timer on board?).  They are only allowed to talk within time limit. If they haven't finished getting across their point they stop talking. If they don't have enough to say to fill up their time limit they sit quietly as a group





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