The big takeaway from What Should I Do? Confronting Dilemmas of Teaching in Urban Schools book, is that a teacher must be a dilemma manager. Teachers have to deal with dilemmas on a daily basis. The book highlights some of the biggest challenges that teachers face in urban schools. The dilemmas I still struggle with are the curriculum and deciding on how much control I should have over the video projects students produce. My second dilemma revolves around assessment and how to critique the content presented, as well as, the way it is presented in a video. The most important part is understanding my struggle, is trying to evolve and make choices that can make effective change.
My focus group of students also provided me with some feedback on my dilemmas, yet the suggestions were not as useful as the feedback I received from colleagues. One interesting suggestion that was given was to have video project roles. Some of the suggested roles included director, producer, researcher, script writer, artist, set designer, camera operator, sound, and actors. Depending on the number of people involved with the video project, roles could be combined and assigned to one person, or could be assigned to two people to work as partners in the same role. Students also suggested that they assess each other's projects.
After explaining my ImaginIT project and dilemmas, my colleagues provided me with some great suggestions. Both Sandra and Preston thought that it was important to create a balance for both my dilemmas. My colleagues thought that I should require students to outline project goals before searching or creating media to use in the project. They also suggested that I require students to write a script and submit it before they start using the production tools. Once an outline has been established and approved, I can then encourage them to use their creativity to interpret and demonstrate their understanding of the required content.
The biggest insight I have with my ImagineIT seems to revolve around the concept of power. Effective teachers providing students with many ways of meeting their students’ need for power. If I empower students by giving them a voice in the classroom and really listen to what they say, if I provide all students with recognition for the unique strengths they bring to the class, and if I provide students with other ways of feeling like they make important contributions to the class, I just might create an empowering environment.
My focus group of students also provided me with some feedback on my dilemmas, yet the suggestions were not as useful as the feedback I received from colleagues. One interesting suggestion that was given was to have video project roles. Some of the suggested roles included director, producer, researcher, script writer, artist, set designer, camera operator, sound, and actors. Depending on the number of people involved with the video project, roles could be combined and assigned to one person, or could be assigned to two people to work as partners in the same role. Students also suggested that they assess each other's projects.
After explaining my ImaginIT project and dilemmas, my colleagues provided me with some great suggestions. Both Sandra and Preston thought that it was important to create a balance for both my dilemmas. My colleagues thought that I should require students to outline project goals before searching or creating media to use in the project. They also suggested that I require students to write a script and submit it before they start using the production tools. Once an outline has been established and approved, I can then encourage them to use their creativity to interpret and demonstrate their understanding of the required content.
The biggest insight I have with my ImagineIT seems to revolve around the concept of power. Effective teachers providing students with many ways of meeting their students’ need for power. If I empower students by giving them a voice in the classroom and really listen to what they say, if I provide all students with recognition for the unique strengths they bring to the class, and if I provide students with other ways of feeling like they make important contributions to the class, I just might create an empowering environment.
- Looking forward, what key items would I change when I implement round 2?