Today in my ED 101 class, there was a panel made up of five kids from various school sites around the city. Two of them were in middle school and three were in high school. The first hour of class, my professor asked questions which the students took turns answering. The last half hour was opened up to our questions. Though I found some of my professor's questions and the students' answers useful, I think it would have been more helpful if the whole time had been spent working through our questions, since those were the ones whose answers I found most helpful. Here are some interesting points gathered at the panel:
Grading/Homework - it helps to have homework worth a bigger percentage of the final grade, since test and quiz grades might not necessarily demonstrate student effort. This thinking kind of goes along with what I did last year; homework counted for about a third of the grade, and it only mattered whether the student completed the assignment or not. The students also mentioned that it's helpful for homework to be useful and for the students to really be able to see the connection between the assignment and what they're working on in class. In short, busy work is useless.
Expectations - It's *very* important to have clear, understandable expectations for each and every assignment. If not, make sure that students understand why they got the grade they did. It's important that kids understand what they're being graded on before they get an assignment.
General Advice - Be outgoing! Don't be hesitant, just go for it! Make sure you're energetic. Confidence is a big thing. Look like you know what you're talking about so that students take you seriously (don't become "fodder for teenagers"). Relate to students and pay attention to them. Most importantly, try your best!
So, interesting things to think about! And tomorrow, I'll be shadowing a student for my "Experiencing a Student's Day" paper, so THAT should be pretty interesting, too!
ciao
