Forum

My management advice: don't panic.

Seriously. We are talking about classrooms of students that we want to engage. Let them engage. Let them get a little noisy. There is such a thing as good noise. Have them receive the noise in a neat email digest. As has been pointed out in these discussions, however, forum posts are never spam, they are students communicating. How much do you want your students to communicate? How do you check their quality of content and volume?

My answer to the question you have posed:  use your teaching skills to figure this one out. Class A needs more attention from me and fewer questions. Class B can move faster, but the kids still aren't listening to each other. Checking the temperature of students in a course is something we do every day or every week.  In Moodle the teacher can use the forum as a tool to maintain the right heat/cool of a classroom.

I hope I don't sound preachy. Maybe teaching secondary school feels more clear cut to me than other grade levels or groups.

-Tom

This is a very timely post for us at Aiken High. Here's what's happening...

In one of our forums, a student posted remarks that were well received. In a nutshell, she advised students in our most advanced, rigorous programs (International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement) to relax. "It will all work out," she wrote, and advised students to prioritize, basically. As a veteran of these programs, she has some credibility. (Post below, in blue.)

So, what's the problem? Pretty good advice, right? But she actually FAILED several of her important exams and students reading her posts have no way of knowing this, no way of putting the advice in context.

A problem, as I see it. (She did, however, graduate and receive her IB diploma, so one could certainly argue that it did, indeed, all work out for her.)


Do we delete the thread? Certainly not. Do we post her scores? Of course not. We are considering several possibilities, including simply letting the thread stand as it is or inviting the student to make additional remarks in the hopes that she will provide the context that is missing. (I suspect we will simply add a disclaimer to all of our forums, reminding students that they cannot take everything they read at face value.)

The point is simply that these issues will come up over and over again. It is nice that we have someplace to discuss them.

-- Art









****It will all work out.*****

That's it, it's the secret to everything. So when you got 12 major grades due, a scholarship essay to do and goodness knows how many other pressing responsablities--somehow you'll live though it.

Goodness knows I'm not saying that you won't sweat tears and cry blood, and scream screams that would make banshees run for cover. But, other than that, you'll be fine.

Well, I think everyone should listen to David's advice about the sleep. Infact, I say ya'll should all set a bedtime. A bed-WHAT????????? You know where you go to bed at like 10:00. Some nights if you have lots of homework, stay up an extra thirty minutes. If it doesn't get done that night, then don't do it. I'm serious.

"But Jennifer not do my work???"

Yes. (Now teachers before you go all postal on me read the rest of my paper). I'm not saying never do it. Make sure you don't put off the major major things. Don't put anything off for more than a day. And don't do this alot. But you can do this. You have to pick and choose what to do sometimes. (I understand you people who absolutly abhore the idea of turning in something a day late, the first time I did this I was a basketcase, but it will be okay.)

I hear you over there thinking "well I'm going to stay up till my homework is done, I work best at night"

I work best at night too, but here's the thing. After you stay up till 4:30 you still have to wake up in the morning and function in class. So if you're bad at functioning in the morning in the first place, I'm still not sure how that will benifit you. (also after so much sleep deprivsion your judgement is gone. You honestly will not be able to tell that you are messed-up)

Also when you get back those great papers you wrote, your first question will be "What in the junk was I smoking when I wrote this?"
Examples include: Access the validity of this statement; In order to explain the matter of this fact one must examine the former fact which is...; This paper is gay and everything sucks. (these are all quotes taken from other people's papers)

Okay, there is still more to all this than just sleep.

Don't do homework during lunch. Maybe glance over a few quick vocab words or scribble down a few more math problems. But otherwise Dude just chill. I mean because lunch is the safe time, nothing can touch you....well except for biology labs and well, meetings with teachers, etc...

Sometimes when you get sick and you're under alot of stress, you will just stay misrabely sick for a long time. So if you've been sick with a cold for a month, take a day off from school. You can even choose a day where it will not be academic sucide to take the day off (and sleep during this day, don't study).

Understand, that a C is average and a D can be pulled up. Also understand that some classes you will always have about the same grade even if you don't study.

Also understand that getting a failing grade does not mean you are a failure as a person.

To summ it all up. Just live your life (have a bit of a life outside of IB Work to the best of your ablity, but know when to say "that's enough for now"

Well May ya'll always have a reason to smile, and may the overlly oppressive IB not get to you.