Journal of my experience at Homewood High School in Birmingham, Alabama. I spent 21 days throughout my fourth semester at this school where I carried out an action research project with a 10th grade history class.
The contents of this journal deal with all kinds of experiences I made, not only those concerning the project work.
Table of Contents
Day 1: 09/13/2007
Day 2: 09/18/2007
Day 3: 09/20/2007
Day 4: 09/25/2007
Day 5: 09/27/2007
Day 6: 10/04/2007
Day 7: 10/09/2007
Day 9: 10/18/2007
Day 10: 10/23/2007
Day 11: 10/25/2007
Day 12: 10/30/2007
Day 13: 11/01/2007
Day 14: 11/06/2007
Day 15: 11/08/2007
Day 16: 11/13/2007
Day 17: 11/15/2007
Day 18: 11/27/2007
Day 19: 11/29/2007
Day 20: 04/12/2007
Day 21: 06/12/2007
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this journal is to document the teaching experience at an American high school and to implement action research aimed at increasing students' homework completion rates through structured interventions, such as group discussions.
- Comparative analysis of American and German educational systems.
- Implementation and evaluation of pedagogical interventions to improve student participation.
- Observation of classroom management strategies and teacher-student dynamics.
- Reflection on the effectiveness of interactive teaching methods like student-led group work.
- Integration of historical content with current events to enhance student engagement.
Excerpt from the Book
Day 8: 10/11/2007
Today was special. I went to school with a feeling of excitement. This was due to my first day of intervention in order to improve students’ homework completion. However, I will write more specifically upon the action research further down.
The 5th period which serves as a continuation of lunch hour passed by as usual. Opposed to the last time, students were chattering quite a lot, but that’s about it. Some accomplished their homework assignments, just as normally. The minute the classroom was too loud, my mentor teacher exclaimed unambiguously: “Guys, you’re too loud. Quiet down a little bit!” Once again, lunch break was an opportunity for me to talk to him about my action research. Today, of course, in particular about my intervention. He was, as discussed on Tuesday, totally fine with my suggestions and told me do whatever I felt was convenient. He gave me quite a big “pedagogical freedom” which I appreciated.
6th period began by handing in some homework assignments. Mr.Esslinger then went on telling his class about my action research and told them to fulfill what I want them do. Afterwards, my time had come to start my actual measure. Surprisingly, me nervousness had almost entirely disappeared. I was looking forward to talking to the 10th graders. Some uncertainties due to my English and their partially slang English remained though. Starting with giving them a general overview on my little research project, I managed to get their entire attention quickly.
Summary of Chapters
Day 1: 09/13/2007: The author describes his first day at the high school, his introduction to the mentor teacher, and the initial identification of the homework completion problem in the 10th-grade history class.
Day 2: 09/18/2007: Focuses on observing classroom technology and the mentor’s casual yet authoritative teaching style while addressing student homework issues.
Day 3: 09/20/2007: Details a discussion on potential measures to improve homework completion, specifically proposing group work and graphical performance tracking.
Day 4: 09/25/2007: Compares American and German school cultures and notes the behavioral patterns of 10th-grade students during lessons.
Day 5: 09/27/2007: Evaluates the “Review Game” as a pedagogical tool and reflects on the balance between student engagement and effective learning.
Day 6: 10/04/2007: Documents a quiz-based lesson and observes student reactions to multimedia-supported history instruction.
Day 7: 10/09/2007: Explores the use of “WebCT” and discusses the implementation strategy for the upcoming action research intervention.
Day 9: 10/18/2007: Reviews a lecture on the War of Independence and Iraq War, while assessing the impact of student focus during lessons.
Day 10: 10/23/2007: Briefly notes the cancellation of lessons due to parent-teacher conferences.
Day 11: 10/25/2007: Describes the difficulties faced by a substitute teacher in maintaining classroom control.
Day 12: 10/30/2007: Discusses student handwriting, work ethic, and the ongoing challenge of maintaining order during individual study periods.
Day 13: 11/01/2007: Reflects on student concentration levels and the mentor’s frustration with student interest in assignments.
Day 14: 11/06/2007: Records the routine during lunch breaks and preparation for upcoming interventions.
Day 15: 11/08/2007: Highlights a successful test-taking session and the anticipation of the next group discussion intervention.
Day 16: 11/13/2007: Documents the second intervention session and observes an active class debate on contemporary political issues.
Day 17: 11/15/2007: Describes the final implementation of the group discussion measure and the teacher’s strategy for mediating political debates.
Day 18: 11/27/2007: Summarizes the final evaluation of the action research and student performance on writing assignments.
Day 19: 11/29/2007: Covers the conclusion of the research project and the mentor’s feedback on the process.
Day 20: 04/12/2007: Explains absence due to a scheduled examination in the classroom.
Day 21: 06/12/2007: Reflects on the overall semester experience, the departure from the school, and the professional growth gained during the internship.
Keywords
Action research, homework completion, pedagogical intervention, American high school, teacher-mentor relationship, group discussion, classroom management, student engagement, educational systems comparison, history education, professional development, teaching methods, secondary education, classroom dynamics, pedagogical freedom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core purpose of this journal?
This journal documents the author's 21-day internship at an American high school, focusing on pedagogical observations and an action research project designed to improve student homework completion.
What are the central themes of the work?
The central themes include comparing American and German educational systems, implementing collaborative learning strategies, observing classroom authority dynamics, and reflecting on the professional development of a student teacher.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to find effective measures to increase homework completion rates among 10th-grade history students, leading to the testing of student-led group discussions.
Which methodology is employed for the research?
The author uses action research, involving cyclical phases of planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting on interventions in the classroom setting.
What does the main body cover?
The main body provides daily entries covering observations on classroom culture, technology use, the impact of substitute teachers, student attitudes, and the systematic implementation of group work interventions.
Which keywords characterize this document?
Key terms include Action research, homework completion, pedagogical intervention, classroom management, and student engagement.
How does the author evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions?
The author evaluates effectiveness by observing changes in classroom atmosphere, student participation, and the completion levels of assigned homework tasks throughout the research period.
What specific challenges did the substitute teacher face?
The substitute teacher struggled significantly with maintaining classroom authority, resulting in student disorder and a failure to secure the students' respect during the lesson.
What role did political debates play in the classroom?
Political debates, such as those on stem cell research and the death penalty, served as interactive tools to engage students in critical thinking and social interaction, which the author used to observe social learning.
What was the author's final reflection on the experience?
The author concluded that the internship was a transformative experience, highlighting the value of observing different educational systems and the practical application of pedagogical theory in real-world settings.
- Citation du texte
- Johannes Vees (Auteur), 2007, Journal (21 days) of my experience at an American High School, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/139856
