My first Wordle

This morning, I was looking at the resource package created by H. after our Mentor Mash. The application Worlde looked similar to Tagxedo, so I decided to explore that application.

My fisrt step was to look at "what to do with wordle". So I googled it and followed that website:

http://www.edudemic.com/45-interesting-ways-to-use-wordle-in-the-classroom/

All the ideas were very interesting and one in particular caught my attention for the purpose of my blog:

#19: Create a custom header for you blog

Brilliant !!!

So, I went to http://www.wordle.net/create copy and paste the url of my blog, played with the color and layout. It took me a while to figure out how to put the worlde on my blog, but thanks to the FAQ answers and some patience (teacher needs patience, excellent practice), I did it.

Here is the Worlde of my blog on September 15th, 2014!!!

Let's try again on October 15th to see how my blog grows and changes...

Inclusion

During our class about Special Learning Needs, we watched a short video about the closing Woodlands in New Westminster, the last asylum / hospital / school for people with developmental disorders in BC. The video was based on the art and testimony from past residents of Woodlands which closed in 1996.

The video is the perfect counter example of what inclusion means. In the past, when people where born different, the society chose to lock them behind closed doors and barred windows...

As human beings, we are all born with the same rights and freedoms. We are also born with the same needs to belong, be respect and be loved. By excluding some members of our society, we create a dangerous balance of power where the one in charge reflect the normality and commonality. Knowing that we are all very diverse, the acceptance of exclusion remind me of same very shameful part of our past were people were killed because they did not have blue eyes...

Creating a community of learners who are respectful of diversity is a key element in inclusion both in the school system and in the community. All human beings have a gift and our role as educators is to help the youngster member of our society to bloom and find their path in life.

While I believe in inclusion in a classroom, full inclusion has its limits. I think that a differentiated education that focus on the need of the diverse students create a safe place for students to sometimes leave the classroom and be supported in their learning by trained professionals.

Kindness

A wonderful day about learning how to be kind in Ms. S. class. Journal entry and awesome brainstorming from the students. Great second day at Central ! I love my students already, I can not wait to come back in October.

Languages

During our diversity group presentation, I took my English speaking colleagues on a virtual field-trip to France and I read La Princesse dans un Sac by Robert Munsch. The majority of my colleagues don't speak French and my purpose was to let them experience the feeling of English Learner students in their future classroom. The experience was really powerful and our class created a visual with tagxedo. Sometimes a picture is worth a million words...


Language in diverse students is a topic very close to my heart. Teaching English and French, maintaining mother tongues, restoring Natives languages and promoting multilingualism are key elements to support diversity and help students affirm their identity. As a teacher, I will be an ambassador of languages, and I will fill my classroom with words and stories from all over the world.

The Power of a Teacher

In our management class, we discussed the power bases in the classroom. I feel that my power sits somewhere around the expert power and the legitimate power (closer to expert).

Expert power is based on the content of the lessons and the passion that the teacher has for the subjects. I believe that I have professional competences to teach math and science because I totally love them. Language arts, social studies, etc... are subjects that I have learn to enjoy as an adult and I developed a genuine appreciation for them. French is who I am !!!

Having done my schooling in France in the 80s and 90s, I also believe that students should behave because teachers have  a legitimate power to be respected. The teacher has authority because he is a teacher...

While I am still unsure about how I will use my power in the classroom, I am convinced that I will not use Reward and Coercive Power... I have nothing against it and it think it can be very useful with young children. It is mostly because I know myself and I can not be unbiased with rewards or manage to keep track of points, stickers...