Class Meeting 9: Mon Feb 22, 2010 Coordinating Field Experiences/Driving Questions

Ms. Ekberg ran most of the class today, connecting and specifically clarifying the various parts of the PBI Field-based Experience to students.

When class started, students came into classroom, sitting in specific groups according to the subject/teacher they will be working with at Manor New Tech High. Ms. Ekberg had printed out calendars for March and April for all students to work together on when they can schedule being at MNTH for 4 days: Launch, End, and 2 days in between.

First, Ms. Ekberg reminds students in the Geogebra and Biology groups that they will be going on a field trip with the teachers and students at MNTH on March 27^th, which is a Saturday. They will also be going on an orientation trip this weekend coming to scope out the Blanton Museum and McKinney Falls State Park, and all other PBI students are welcome to come along as well.

Then, Ms. Ekberg describes specifically what the field-based experience entails: a field trip for the Geogebra and Biology students, followed by 4 days of actual classroom teaching. Students then work together in their groups to put together the schedule for when they can be at MNTH for the 4-days they need to be there. Each group is organized into even smaller sub-groups for the different periods that each teacher teaches. Students must find another member from this sub-group to be their partner during the field-based experience (this partner teacher can also be from the other PBI class section). Ms. Ekberg then went around from group to group to answer questions about logistics, why they should to partner with, when they can go out to MNTH, and when they will plan on actually teaching.

When students have finished working out their schedule, they all fill out and sign a group contract to commit to the days and key roles for their group. Most importantly, each group designates a liaison that will be in charge of communicating with their MNTH teacher

Finally, the class ends with a Driving Question gallery walk. Students write one or two of their Driving Questions on poster paper, post them on the wall, then walk around giving input to each other’s driving questions.

Picture: Taken near the Eschelon building crash site on Saturday, Feb 20, 2010.