EdCamp: May 6, 2015

I was enjoying myself so much I didn't even take any photos!  Sorry!  You'll have to visualize the experience through my words.

This EdCamp experience was probably the smoothest of all the ones I've done so far, though it did have some bumps. The venue was free (because of what happened last time with us getting bumped the morning of - read that post here: http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.com/2015/01/edcamp-again.html).  I went on Monday to confirm it wasn't booked. I went Tuesday morning to make sure I could come clean the classrooms in the afternoon.  I went back in the afternoon with Memory (who works as our house help on Tuesdays and Thursdays).  She actually let me sweep and dust the classrooms with her this time.  The times before this she  "chases" me (shoos me out of the room) and doesn't let me help.  We were done in a record 30 minutes or so - that included finding keys to get us into the classrooms.  (It usually takes 30 minutes just to do that but they were ready with the keys when we arrived!)  I peeked into the hall - which for every other EdCamp has been presentable. It had a load of garbage on the floor.  I figured Memory could do it in the morning before everyone arrived (it was locked).  

The next morning, Memory didn't show up at my place so I left without her - but with fellow MCC worker, Stacey.  (Small glitch, I knew she'd show up eventually).  We arrived about 8:30 (I've gone at 8 before and just waited for keys). The program was set to start at 9.  I went to the office (without checking the lock) only to be told that it was already open!  Sure enough! That was a first!  Stacey was a dear and started sweeping the garbage up. I started up the large tea kettle and then started with my general setting up: putting out the tea items, putting up posters helping to explain things, setting out the sign-in book and topic list, laying out the door prizes.

The posters to help facilitate EdCamp:

When you arrive at EdCamp

General agenda for the day

The first teacher showed up right at 9:00 just as Stacey was almost finished sweeping.  Memory showed up on foot shortly after.  About 20 minutes later another teacher showed up.  By 9:40 we had at least 14 people (I was told 25 teachers would attend by the schools).  

Topics: pick 3 or write your own new topic on a blank (and check it!)

We filled this out based on topics that were most
popular

For the first session we had Classroom Management and Remedial Work as the options.  Everyone ended up in Classroom Management.  I started the discussion by asking everyone to share something that they do in their class that works. Some good ideas came out (though many seem obvious to those of us who are teachers in Canada / USA, the ideas presented are not always done here).  Such as walk around the classroom monitoring instead of just sitting at the teacher desk up front.  (I see the latter very frequently).  Some had class rules posted. Others shared openly about using punishment for classroom management. (Such as one teacher who makes disruptive students sit in the corner - with their hands in the air). We discussed putting rules into positive wording and why.  "No noisemaking" was a popular rule.  I demonstrated how we could make the classroom rule "Be Respectful - of peers, teachers, others, classroom materials" and it covers almost all of the "No…." rules.  We also discussed making expectations achievable and how to vary the day so the students didn't need to be quiet all day.  I also used the opportunity to have them help me write a list of expectations that the students have of the teacher.  

The buzz word "Teacher Attitude" is something I learned here.  Something I've never thought about in Canada because in Canada you only become a teacher if you care for the students and like the job (at least all the teachers I've ever met! Or you quit after a couple years tops!) Here, when many of the teachers chose teaching because they didn't get accepted to their preferred profession: doctor, nurse, accountant, teacher attitude is important. One interesting moment during EdCamp (and I'm loving EdCamps - especially now that the teachers know me and feel very free around me) one experienced teacher put out the question, "Should a teacher go teach if they are having a bad day?"  (There's no substitute teachers around here)!  After a minute of silence I asked a question back, "Do you expect your students to come to school if they are having a bad day?"  There were a lot of smiles, smirks and laughter at that!  Others pointed out that they've had teachers who you can tell when they are in a foul mood and you try to jump out the window (they have no glass and are on ground level) to skip out of school if you notice in time! One teacher brought up a good point that it depends why you are in a bad mood.  There are obviously reasons (death in family, etc.) where you should miss a day or two. Discussion followed stating that a teacher needs to separate professional and personal lives.  Students shouldn't be able to notice personal issues. Another teacher noted you could plan differently for that day (have students read books and do less up front teaching), finally one teacher just said out loud that a teacher shouldn't miss class due to laziness. It was a very interesting discussion.

We moved on to Session #2: Reading Comprehension and PME&R - Planning, Monitoring, Evaluating, and Reporting. (Everyone ended up in the PME&R session).  This is why Stacey was around and she had volunteered to facilitate this discussion and get it started.  Stacey's job with MCC Zambia is PME&R, which means she does a lot of project proposals, planning, reporting, monitoring!  She presented the different ways of learning: 1) Vertical - having an expert or outside speaker come in.  2) Horizontal - EdCamp is an example as you are learning from each other and 3) Action Learning - which comes with the Action Learning Cycle.

Picture it in a circle:

-----> Planning ------> Action --------> Evaluation -------> Learning ------> (repeat)

After she presented I put it into a teaching context using two examples (action): Classroom Management  and Lesson Planning and Delivery.

Then we discussed the importance of planning, how there can be many small action cycles in a larger one.  Stacey shared how you can plot yourself on the cycle if you can see your strengths (and weaknesses!) I fall between learning and planning.  I do action because I have to - but I thrive on the learning and planning.  An interesting part of the discussion at the end was what happens when you skip part of the action learning cycle? Because it's possible. Very interesting. We talked about assessment (it can be an action but you can also put it between the action and the evaluation section). But what if you do your assessment, evaluate it and don't learn from it before you plan again.  (Ex: add another lesson since your students didn't get the first one). Math was used as an example of this, since each concept builds on the next.  If you miss one section you can't catch up until you go back and build that understanding.  

During session #2 there were some teachers who chose to stay in the hall and make teaching resources for their classrooms.  I had brought my bin of supplies for those interested.  There were about 4-5 working at that.

Lunch was only half an hour late. Not too bad for Zambian time. :)

At lunch door prizes were given away (mainly leftover resources from last term that I had extras of sitting around).  The top 3 topics (not yet covered): Computer Studies, Reading Comprehension, Remedial Work were put to a new vote.  Remedial Work lost.  So, teachers divided up into Computer Studies and Reading Comprehension.  It was split pretty evenly.

We continued with our last sessions: Computer Studies and Reading Comprehension.  A couple teachers remained in the hall making teaching aids.  3 teachers continued making aids but attended Reading Comprehension while they coloured.  I attended the reading topic because I've been asked by a specific school if I can do a workshop on this topic!  A Deputy Head teacher (Vice principal), Mr. Mpasela, went to the computer studies discussion.  He's led an EdCamp discussion on it before so I felt very comfortable not even checking in there (except at the beginning to make sure he had chalk to write on the board!)  I could hear that group talking for the entire hour so I'm sure it went well and lots was learned, despite the fact that there was no actual computer in the room!

Reading Comprehension started slowly. Lack of materials were cited as a big challenge.  How true! How can you teach reading comprehension with very little to read?! Especially if you have one book for 60 students!  When I asked if it was just English Reading Comprehension the teachers shared that the students struggled even with ChiTonga Reading Comprehension. Suggestions for teaching it ranged from teaching new vocabulary words, asking questions: What is it about? Who are the main characters? Predicting what happens next? When? Why? And inferring. Then a suggestion to start in the young grades with pictures (ex: a tree) and have them write 3-4 descriptive words about that object.  And then put it into a sentence or a paragraph.  We also briefly discussed (for my benefit) the textbooks used. One teacher stressed the importance of reading daily and also how she puts one group leader in charge of the other group members. The group leaders job is to help those struggling to read.  At the end one teacher asked "How do you teach new vocabulary?" Responses were: dictionary skills, put words on a flip chart paper and explain them, use word cards / flash cards.

That ended the EdCamp day - though when I started to clean up I found teachers still in the hall making teaching aids for their classroom.  We arranged that I would come to their school next week Wednesday so they could continue.  I also discovered the 3 teachers in the Reading Comprehension Discussion room were still frantically making teaching aids.  One said, "we don't have these things at school." Crayons, scissors, paper, markers!  And that's the teachers that didn't have access to these materials. You better believe their students sure don't either! They were from the same school (Nahumba) so I also reassured them that I could come on Weds. and I'd ask their head teacher / deputy teacher if that was okay. (Principal / Vice).

A very good day.  I'm always very tired afterwards!  I was very happy to note that it seems we've made progression.  Instead of discussing Phonics, we discussed Reading Comprehension.  Instead of Corporal Punishment and why it's not okay, we've moved on to Classroom Management (what to do instead!)  The planning and the computer studies also seemed to be very relevant topics.