EGGcellent Interest Approaches = Engaged Class

 

I was so excited to teach the "Interest Approach Lab" in 412 this week because I LOVE that moment. I love building up anticipation and excitement in people so that they want to learn things. The best teachers are those who make learning a process that the student internalizes and makes their own. By creating a felt need in the student to want to learn more, half the battle of a lesson is won! Engaged students don't create problems by being distracted or bored, and they ask good questions that can help elevate the conversation with students.

 

So, with my passion for my feathery friends, I decided to make an EGGcellent interest approach on ... well you guessed it eggs! EGGS FOR DAYS! In a hypothetical earlier lesson, we examined how to grade eggs into the categories of AA, A or B after candling them. So this prior knowledge would help the students with the task I gave them in lab, which was to grade the eggs without a candler! Tricky right! This relates to Lancelot's Principles of Interest

- Interest increases with the acquisition of any given ability

- The novel unexpected are interesting

 

 

 

 

 

We examined the broken out eggs and reviewed the albumen and yolk height to determine a grade. After comparing this to candling, we talked about how efficient (or inefficient) these practices are, and what is commonly used in the industry.

 

Reflection:

 

My goals from the last lab were:

1) Speed

2) Filler Words

3) Clarity of Instruction

 

 I think that I was still talking pretty fast, but it's certainly a work in progress. This lab didn't have nearly as many filler words, but I am very familiar with eggs and poultry. Because this was a topic that I am more comfortable with, I was definitely less nervous than the first day of class lab! Finally clarity of instruction... well... I think it was decent. I think I could have been a lot more clear about the initial task, however, after I gave directions I knew that it was a bit jumbled, so I asked one of my students to recap our goals. I think that this helped!

 

I definitely could have let them explore a little more on their own. I want to be engaged, but not a helicopter teacher!





 

For next lab:

 

1) Always be watching my speed, and make sure that I pronounce words clearly, etc.

2) Be watching the filler words, ummmmmmmm not cool if like there are a ton of fillers

3) Work on clarity of verbal instructions

4) Watch body language, what is my stance saying? What are my facial expressions portraying

5) LESSON PLAN! Make sure that the lesson plan is solid and that transitions are good etc.

 

Thanks for reading,

Best

-Sarabeth