Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
Add eval
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
  • Loading branch information
richelbilderbeek committed Aug 27, 2023
1 parent 9e71c2c commit 6c2b6a4
Showing 1 changed file with 291 additions and 0 deletions.
291 changes: 291 additions & 0 deletions evaluations/reflections/20230827_richel/README.md
View file
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,291 @@
# Reflection 2023-08-27

## Planning before the lesson

This was the first lesson of the season and this means
one can not predict how many students will be there and which course
they follow. I did receive about six emails from people that wanted
to take the course, but I did not remember which course, not did I think
that was relevant to memorize. I did know there would be some adults (which
I really like!). The Fixardag before, I ensure there would be
enough teaching materials: I printed some extra booklets, so
that each course has 8 copies of the first booklet, 4 of the second,
3 of the third and 2 of each following one.

I knew that this day, each course would have one volunteer
and that one volunteer would be there for the first time.

There were some new rules to be shared with all students
from last evaluation. To not forget this, I prepared a detailed
lesson plan. Also, I want us to teach more actively, with
max 15 mins of teaching per hour.
The most important reason I want that, is because
I *can*: the team of volunteers has built up enough experience
and I trust them to handle whatever I ask of them.
The one-but-most important reason I want more active teaching
is because I think I *should*, because (1) it adds variation
to the lessons, (2) it helps students to connect the dots (by showing
the bigger picture, etc), (3) it adds more fun for me (which was a
weakness in past seasons; I was too serious for myself).

## Preparation on the day

I did not know how clean the space would be, so I was there early,
at around 8:00.
I built up the tables in two groups, cleaned the room and tables,
checked everything to be present.
I wanted to be ready at 9:30, to be able to talk to the other volunteers
and build up a bit more together, but that was not how it unfolded.
Instead, the first student came in at around 9:30, the second at 9:40,
the third at 9:45, etc.: we had to adapt.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
10:00-10:15|Welcome students

Because the other two volunteers were there as well, this was easy
and went smoothly: B took care of Blender, M opened the door
and set the Arduino students to work. M was helping for the first time,
but he sees work that needs to be done himself, which was delightfully
convenient.

Like is tradition for good reason, all students that were early, I showed
the whiteboard with the lesson times, so that they will less likely be early
next week. I also immediately coupled adults and minors together so they
could help each other out and showed this with M, encouraging him to
copy this way.

There were four new students, which means there was no time to properly
get the started before 10:15. I gave them simple instructions without a
next step, e.g. 'Build up your computer', 'Google and download Processing',
etc. I told their respective parents that the start is a bit chaotic when there
are many new students and that there will be more time when the lesson
properly starts.

Maybe this is a good idea:

* TODO: Add 'Första gången här, för elever'
and 'Första gången här, för föräldrar' booklets

I did not know exactly when 10:15 would be, because the Chromecast
thing did not work. Luckily, B noticed and informed me. Additionally,
he suggested to also have a discussion point, about how
the lektionkort and lesson card works. I accepted this.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
10:15-10:25|Plenary:
. |ADDED: B discusses lektionkort and lesson card
. |ADDED: Kulturnatten
. |New payment system, all are UMS members now
. |No teams anymore, can form new ones with people that have 1 certificate
. |Ask volunteers for elevråd: what to do in the break?
. |Mention: one can buy food in the breaks. Warn!
. |Discord will be shut down earlier

The plenary took 10 mins. 1 students joined the elevråd, so she would have
all the power. After this, I told the Blender students to stay with B
and the Arduino students to follow me to the electronics department.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
10:25-10:40|Arduino students @ electronics: the reason of using Arduino

Goal of these 15 minutes is to build up a bigger picture of Arduino.
I did not prepare this session in detail, as I relied on my experience
and I did have a clear goal in mind anyways. I asked the students
randomly what Arduino is and all definitions were partially
right. Then I asked all students randomly why Arduino is important.
I heard good reasons such as that electronics and programming are
common, need, have jobs and are fun. I ended with my personal
reason: to improve the world and rebuild Optimus Prime.

After that I had a simple game: look for cool things in the room,
show it to me, then we ask the group for answers. The students came
with many cool things. For each thing, I stopped all students, got their
attention and tried to together answer the question what it was.

After this exercise, I told why this exercise is important: we can use all
these parts and even build all these machines with Arduino. Also, I
made explicit that we will also solder our own machines in the course.

I took the students back to the main room. Everything seemed under control
there.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
10:40-10:55|Elevråd @ hallway: what to do in the break?

I asked all attention for the Elevråd and got one students.
I took her to the metal workshop and kept the door open for social security.
I told her why the break is as it is and asked her for her ideas.
She came across as if she felt embarrassed for not having ideas,
which I said is unneeded. Instead, I suggested her to think about
the coming breaks instead and try again later. I hope the student
did feel herself heard and feels more connected to the course due to
this meeting. We went back to the central room and everything there
was under control.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
10:55-11:00|Plenary: elevråd result

I decided to skip the plenary of the elevråd result,
as the decision was to keep doing what we did.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
11:00-11:15|Break

Usually, I have the lemonade and glasses prepared for the break,
so that some kids can have a drink quick, and the others can
discover where it is they can make new lemonade.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
11:15-11:30|Arduino students @ outside: electricity: plus, minus, circuit, from plus to minus, constant speed

After the break, I forgot about this.
There was still too much to do: talk to students, talk to parents,
talk to the other volunteers.
I was in a good mood and used that to emphasize the students'
first progress, such as their first running programs.
One student that cried at the start of the lesson,
now had discovered the joy of programming and went through the
materials fast. A duo of students went from being shy to
being more talkative. One parent slowly took more distance from his
kid during the lessons. Students started to feel at home.

* TODO: couple experienced and beginner students!

Parents were talk with, adult students later:
these all understood that they will be ignored when needed :-)

When |What
-----------|---------------------
11:30-12:00|Work

At this time, the course was smooth sailing:
everyone was talked with.
Most parents were already gone or agreed to be absent the
week after.

There was a student that came in 1 hour too early:
he wanted to do Processing, but hey, we don't teach that
at that time. Instead, he was taught Arduino for 1 hour.
I kept to that idea and he accepted. I think being clear
in the rules was the reason for this; I never showed
doubt if he maybe should start Processing. And, there was the
time to build up a bond and he did learn how the courses work;
i.e. with a booklet and lesson card.

There was time for soldering with a smaller subgroup,
as I had a volunteer for the Arduino course.
It started with a parent having a soldering problem.
I asked him if I could invite some students to demonstrate
and that was OK. With the dad and two students,
we went to the electronics place and I showed how to solder.
I told it would not be teaching; just showing.
Then I encouraged parent to let him and the other students
to do at least one soldering each. I told the parent to
take responsibility over the students and
bring back the students when he wanted. He agreed.
I enjoyed these 5 minutes that were completely improvised,
yet making 1 parent feel (even more) useful and 2 students feeling
important/selected/picked due to their shown skills.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
12:00-12:15|Welcome students

The transition is messy: students of the second course cannot chose a seat
when a student of the first course has not left. I do think this will fade
over time, when students of the second course arrive after 12:00.

There was a minor student and an adult student that wanted to stay longer.
I asked the adult student if she wanted to take responsibility and that
was OK. In the end, both stayed another two hours! I am thankful
how helpful the adult was, as I feel this will have been an important
moment to the younger student.

At the end of the break B asked me for a 1-on-1: there was a student
that 'hoped she could be a teacher at Kulturnatten as well'.
The problem is: that was the entire point; yes, I asked all students
to help me by being a teacher. I asked B if my Swedish was the problem
and he claimed not. I shared that it *was* however stupid that I
did not visit all students for a 1-on-1 about Kulturnatten to be sure the
message came across. I thanked B for helping us re-discover this.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
12:15-12:25|Plenary:
. |Kultunatten
. |New payment system, all are UMS members now
. |No teams anymore, can form new ones with people that have 1 certificate
. |Ask volunteers for elevråd: what to do in the break?
. |Mention: one can buy food in the breaks. Warn!
. |Discord will be shut down earlier

This plenary was the same as previous time.
There were no students for the elevraad, which was fine.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
12:25-12:40|Lecture: the reason of using Processing

This went the same as Arduino: I asked all students, or random students,
what programming is and why it is important. Answers were given, in the end I
gave mine.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
12:40-12:55|Elevråd @ hallway: what to do in the break?
12:55-13:00|Plenary: elevråd result

There was no elevraad, so I skipped this.
Instead we worked.
And I asked students 1-on-1 about Kulturnatten.
Halfway, however, I did forget this goal,
but I can out this in my lesson plan for next week

* TODO: visit all students for Kulturnatten

One volunteer of the first lessons session was having diner
and I found 5 minutes with him to evaluate. B stated that
the dishes should have been done at the start of the first lesson,
so that there are enough glasses for the second group. I thanked
him for his insight. Flashforward: after the lesson I checked and I
found plenty of mugs. I feel mugs are just as fine, so planning the
dishes like that will be unnecessary after all.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
13:00-13:15|Break

Break was usual.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
13:15-13:30|Outside: coordinats

We went outside. I had an exercise in which I first use all kids
to draw a raster, after which I ask them to run to a coordinat.
I did not start why this is important, as I feel in this case it is
more fun to gradually realize why something is useful.
At the end, I finally shared the importance of the exercise,
repeating the most important things on coordinats.

When |What
-----------|---------------------
13:30-14:00|Work

After that, it was smooth sailing again.

In the break, I asked the volunteer how he thinks the lesson went and how we
could improve. He had no suggestion; he claimed it was good.
We discussed the outside exercise: although the exercise is useful for the
students, its most impact is me having fun. I offered the volunteer
that if he wants to try out things like that, he is welcome to do so.

The extratimme was simple, with 5 students, divided over 2 teams.
One team has given itself 'The Crew' as a name.

0 comments on commit 6c2b6a4

Please sign in to comment.