I was struck today by the vastly different reactions today's lesson received from each of my three World History classes. The lesson was an introduction to combat during World War I (trench warfare, tanks, mustard gas, etc.) and consisted mostly of lecture accompanied by some video clips. I expected the material to carry the day; it was gory and action-packed--the kind of stuff that my students typically enjoy. I was dismayed, however, when my 4th hour class barely stopped chattering long enough to watch the clips. This forced me to spend much of the hour clamping down on behavioral problems and deliver the content in a way that was dull for myself and the students. Fifth hour presented a different challenge, as the students were more willing to engage with the material, but seemed completely unable to grasp it. I tried several times to explain the concept of military alliances, for instance, to no avail. I even used the chalkboard to attempt a visual approximation of the concept...with little success. My 7th hour was by far the most interested in the material. Students asked insightful questions and even debated potential tactics that could be used to break through entrenched positions! Unfortunately, I allowed the conversation to detour well outside of the class material...meaning that 7th hour actually covered less "history" than their less engaged peers.
All in all, a somewhat frustratingly varied day. Each class presented unique challenges whose potential solutions should be outlined in this blog in the coming days and weeks.
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I wouldn't be too worried about the fact that your 7th hour received less "history" instruction than the others. I had a similar type of experience with one of my classes and reacted the same way. My mentor-teacher settled my nerves by telling me that facilitating a discussion where the students are actively engaged in thinking and inquiring is educational on its own, regardless if the topic is off-base from what I intended on teaching them. He mentioned that very few of them will remember the different topics discussed throughout the year, but what they will remember is the process of thinking they go through when having a group discussion. So don't worry too much. I'm excited to hear more about your classes.
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