A SECOND CLASSROOM
Up until this point in time (mid-March) my 2nd period global chemistry class has been the only focus of my inquiry, but I began to incorporate my 7th period global chemistry class after reading “Homework Inoculation and the Limits of Research” by Bruce Jackson (2007). This piece of literature is particularly interesting and relevant to my own teacher research. Jackson (2007) is very candid about the uncertainty of even expert researchers when discussing homework in education. A piece that the author deems crucial yet missing from current research on homework is a longitudinal perspective. He also lists possible reasons why there have been few longitudinal perspective studies done on homework such as high expense, time-consuming, and the challenge to reduce to the treatments currently favored in “expert” research. This long-term data is essential to Jackson’s (2007) “inoculation hypothesis” where he argues that “for a substantial portion of our students, the experience of constantly facing routine homework assignments in the name of developing ‘good homework habits’ during the early elementary years has a perverse effect on later attitudes toward truly important homework” (p. 56). I do not have a response to the inoculation hypothesis since I have only worked with high school students for a limited time but based on the “Chemistry Homework Survey #1” I gave my second period it was evident that many of my students have negative or indifferent opinions about homework such as “homework is a waste of time” or “homework is something I have to do” (Artifact 2B). The incorporation of my 7th period class increases my sample size and allows for comparison of the beliefs of my 2nd period class.
Two classes (Artifact 5) meant that I needed to take into consideration differences between the students and classroom culture between the classes. Something I noticed between my classes is that when my students in 2nd period are talking during a lesson, the laughter or over the top responses lead me to believe the conversations are off-topic (unrelated to chemistry). Consequently, the students who were talking completely miss the notes, directions, or announcements made while they are talking. In comparison, I thought the same dynamic was occurring in 7th period, but I find that the chatter during class is usually an indication of peer teaching or boredom. This is an important observation because I was making assumptions about 7th period based on my experience with 2nd period. Another observation I have made as a result of the teacher research I have already conducted in my 2nd period class is that my emphasis on homework (mostly through asking students to reflect about homework) has made my students more forthright about their homework completion. One outcome of this teacher practice has been that students are following through with my directions in class and they are writing the due date of homework assignments at the top of their pages. I can also see students more consistently writing class notes and notes for themselves for what I will be checking. Overall, I am starting to see students being proactive in their learning through their use of questioning and recognition that they need help.
This classroom culture had not been established in 7th period since I only began teaching the class in mid-February; the existing classroom culture of 7th period, however, made it easier for me to work with the varying learning needs and English language levels in the class. I have observed a strong collective culture in 7th period. Students will take the initiative to seek a classmate whom they can ask questions and get clarification for content, something that was not implemented by my classroom mentor to my knowledge. It is unusual for students to ask me questions before asking a peer unless the majority of the class needs me to review content material. The students in my 7th period class are comedians and they are always joking around with each another, but the seemingly rude jokes tend to encourage students to master the class material with the support of one another and myself. I wanted to use this classroom dynamic where students are less reliant on me as their “fund of knowledge” and they trust one another for validation, as an advantage for my teaching experience.
Two classes (Artifact 5) meant that I needed to take into consideration differences between the students and classroom culture between the classes. Something I noticed between my classes is that when my students in 2nd period are talking during a lesson, the laughter or over the top responses lead me to believe the conversations are off-topic (unrelated to chemistry). Consequently, the students who were talking completely miss the notes, directions, or announcements made while they are talking. In comparison, I thought the same dynamic was occurring in 7th period, but I find that the chatter during class is usually an indication of peer teaching or boredom. This is an important observation because I was making assumptions about 7th period based on my experience with 2nd period. Another observation I have made as a result of the teacher research I have already conducted in my 2nd period class is that my emphasis on homework (mostly through asking students to reflect about homework) has made my students more forthright about their homework completion. One outcome of this teacher practice has been that students are following through with my directions in class and they are writing the due date of homework assignments at the top of their pages. I can also see students more consistently writing class notes and notes for themselves for what I will be checking. Overall, I am starting to see students being proactive in their learning through their use of questioning and recognition that they need help.
This classroom culture had not been established in 7th period since I only began teaching the class in mid-February; the existing classroom culture of 7th period, however, made it easier for me to work with the varying learning needs and English language levels in the class. I have observed a strong collective culture in 7th period. Students will take the initiative to seek a classmate whom they can ask questions and get clarification for content, something that was not implemented by my classroom mentor to my knowledge. It is unusual for students to ask me questions before asking a peer unless the majority of the class needs me to review content material. The students in my 7th period class are comedians and they are always joking around with each another, but the seemingly rude jokes tend to encourage students to master the class material with the support of one another and myself. I wanted to use this classroom dynamic where students are less reliant on me as their “fund of knowledge” and they trust one another for validation, as an advantage for my teaching experience.