Week of November 9th, 2020
Good morning everyone. Thanks for a very good class on Tuesday and for your google form responses. As we said (multiple times?), we are here for you as are your other profs. Based on what we learned from the Google “How Ya Doin’?” form, we have included some resources for stress reduction and well-being at the end of the post. Meditation, when practiced, can be really helpful. And, let’s hope that by the end of this week, there may be some positive news politically.
Practicalities and Practicum: 3150 and 3151 profs met with Tracy Crowe on Thursday to ask questions on your behalf and to get as much information as can be had at this point on first-year practicums. Any information we learn we will send to you in an organized, logical way. We will also be sending you a few, but very good resources to help you prepare with your practicum. Any questions – please let us know.
Module 8 is now up on Brightspace including links to Sensoy and DiAngelo
Sensoy and DiAngelo Chapter 10
Your Digital Hub – this week, the featured video is on Edublogs – you will see in the side menu and you can access it here
Google sign-up sheet – Digital Hub Support from Drake
UCC Teaching Assistant Drake is happy to provide support during the following days and times. If you would like support, please add your name and email into the google form and will send you a Zoom link and help you out with questions and queries. Thanks to Linda for arranging this.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y95IsUBVLHXfgNVhR6IKcs3rYRwOy2P8Nf468ZUKLmU/edit?usp=sharing
Next week’s PLC will focus on racism in schools and communities and will feature a Principals’ Panel with Geordie Walker, Sherwyn Solomon, and Kristin Kopra, all forward-thinking, proactive administrators of urban schools. A break-out case study will follow. Set your calendars for 9:00 am on Tuesday. The class will conclude at around 11 am so you have some breathing and stretching time before 3141. More details in the Sunday blog.
9:30 Informal Discussion Lobbies – we will continue this, if you would like, on November 17th. We will be there, quietly in the background. We ask that all remember that in an on-line discussion, small group conversations can become available to all. Respectful conversation and careful listening – as always – are essential. If conversations become too intense or controversial or “unsafe” for this unique on-line environment, we will come in and stop the conversation.
Returning Correspondence and the basics of good communication
We are concerned that e-mails/communication we have sent to some of you have not been acknowledged nor responded to. Firstly and basically, it is not polite to not respond to someone’s inquiry about work or well-being. We are putting out the effort and concern – and there is no response. Secondly, teachers are professionals who communicate A LOT. Administrators, colleagues, parents, and students will be communicating with you by e-mail and they will expect a response. Not responding is not good and can cause a lot of conflict for teachers.
E-mail essentially is the only way to communicate with you right now, aside from brief on-line classes. So, please, if you receive an e-mail from us that is an inquiry or explicitly or implicitly requires a reply, get back to us. We will do the same for you.
Also, during class, keep the chat line for messages regarding the class only. Text chatting – off-topic – during a class is the same as talking off-topic right in front of colleagues and teachers who are presenting. Thank you.
Well-being resources. We do not pretend to be experts on well-being but we know a few ways to manage and alleviate stress. For now, here are links to some free meditation and calming apps. A ten-minute break with a guided meditation can make a difference.
https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app
The Ingenuity of Squirrels and People
Squirrelly, Going Nuts? Squirrels get some misleading modifiers as they are pretty purposeful animals and highly determined. We thought some of you might want to take a look at this youtube video featuring former NASA scientist and inventor, Mark Rober and his squirrel obstacle course built during the first weeks of COVID. This could be used in a classroom – maybe in segments. It could also be distracting and make you laugh – and that is good as well.
https://mashable.com/video/squirrel-obstacle-course-video/
Noth Poll Results:
