Week One - Training and Preparation

On Monday, I began my Real-World Teacher Externship at the State Hygienic Laboratory (SHL) in Ankeny. I am looking forward to the experience and the opportunity to experience real-world applications of the STEM disciplines and reflecting on how I can transfer these experiences back into the classroom. I have no doubt that my students will benefit from being able to explore new problems that are relevant to their world and experiences.

Just like in school, the first part of my externship required several days of training and preparation. It reminded me of the first days of school when I spend countless hours teaching important procedures, rules, and expectations (i.e. classroom expectations, turning in homework, attendance, hallway procedures, etc.). All the practice helps create a safe work/school environment. One thing I think is imperative for any learner to understand is the rationale behind the training. If the learner does not see the importance of the training, then they are less likely to pay attention or be motivated to learn the material. This objective is easy to lose sight of when we are faced with the challenge of introducing a high volume of information during the initial training period. I know it is a challenge for me in the first days of school to find relevant and interesting ways to teach my students new procedures. However, I need to always remember that my goal is for them to utilize the information in order for the rest of the year to run smoothly (and safely). Another key component in this training is to review the information. I was glad to see that SHL includes periodic training sessions to review policies and procedures. Of course, there will always be individuals/students that view the reviews as cumbersome, but they are important reminders for safety. It will be my challenge to find methods to make the information more engaging and beneficial to their learning.

During my training period, I have spent some time reflecting on how I can change my traditional format of introducing procedures at the beginning of the year. One idea I had this week for an easy implementation plan, was to create a checklist over the procedures covered in the first few weeks of school. As we went through my training, the checklist was helpful to track my progress. I believe my students would also appreciate the visual and would benefit from being able to self-monitor their own progress. Additionally, rather having a traditional teacher-led "training sessions", I would like to make the lessons more departmentalized by groups of students. Following the business model, I can group students into departments in which they can plan training lessons for other students:

• Human Resources: cover attendance policies, lunch count  
• Safety: classroom and hallway procedures
• Administration: assignmernt policy, late-work procedures, attention-getters
• Emergency Response: introduce tornado, fire, and other safety protocols

With some overarching guidance and control, I believe I am flexible enough in my teaching to allow my students to "take control" on creating these expectations. Additionally, I believe it will help them thoughtfully and purposefully reflect on classroom procedures.