Teaching economics this semester, I have started to change up some of my routines. I am trying new things in class to keep things interesting... for me! I found some great online resources for video and audio clips of famous economists, entrepreneurs, thinkers, etc... and have begun to incorporate these clips into the class. I am enjoying it right now, but we'll see where it goes!
Swimming has really taken me places! Well, coaching swimming has allowed me to travel to some great places in the last two weeks. The weekend before last, I spent Saturday at Poly Prep in Brooklyn (Google Maps). It was a pretty great bus ride - as we crossed the Verazano-Narrows Bridge, on my right was the Atlantic, to my left were NJ and Manhattan, behind me was Staten Island, and straight ahead was Brooklyn. Poly Prep is an enormous school, but they had the smallest pool I have ever seen - it was originally a three-lane pool, but they converted it by adding an extra lane lines! The team is doing well; we have won our last few meets.
This last Saturday, I went with the team to West Windsor, NJ. It was an all-day tournament and I had prior engagements, so I took a train back to Newark. The closest train station was Princeton Junction and it turns out it has some cool history: Albert Einstein used to enjoy sitting at the station and watching trains go by, and these experiences helped him with his General Theory of Relativity.
After returning to Newark, Pat, Jake, and I went to Manhattan to see Fr. Bob Koopmann. We saw a play, Earnest in Love, at the Irish Repertory Theatre and had great paella and sangria at El Quijote on 23rd and 7th - right below the Chelsea Hotel. It was really nice to see Fr. Bob, and it is great that he is able to take a vacation!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
A New Year, A New Post
First of all, it has been a long time since the last post. For that, I apologize.
Much has happened since September. Water polo season ended and swimming season began and continues. I finished my first semester of teaching economics. And with the first semester fresh in my mind, I am teaching the second semester (with all new students) differently.
I am trying to reflect on what I liked about my first semester experience, as well as what I wished went differently: I think we should have covered more material and I would have liked having more command over the class. In general, the class became a little less productive and less focused over the course of the semester.
It took me a little while to become aware of the importance of being consistent and persistent, as well as the power of inertia. Jumping right into a position of leadership, I was not always sure of myself. As the block period is 80 minutes, there were many opportunities for this characteristic to present itself. The most frequent apparition was a lack of persistence regarding talking out of turn. Occasionally I would get tired of quieting down the entire class and gaining everyone's attention before speaking. This inconsistency provided room for some students to push limits and impede in-class work, notes, group work, etc... Once it became apparent that this would be an issue that would not go away, I became more persistent and actively tried to counteract this development. However, the inertia of this habit was so powerful that it continued to be a problem.
With all of this in mind, I wanted to begin the second semester with a good first impression. Andy Dirksen, who was a benedictine volunteer at Saint Benedict's a few years ago, visited over break and provided some inspiration. It was good to see Andy because he is fun to go out with, is a good conversationalist, and has a great knowledge of Benedict's. When speaking about how to begin a new class, he mentioned that he started by giving the students a book, told them to read and outline the first chapter, had a quiz on the second day, and did not go over the syllabus and introductions until the third day. I liked this idea and started my first day of class by having the students read the first section of chapter one and outline it. I was amazed by the results: everyone, all 27 students, read and took notes in silence. After a half-hour of silence, during which I felt satisfied yet uncomfortable due to its foreignness, I asked the class to describe certain portions of the chapter they read, and finished with the fact that there would be a quiz tomorrow on the first section.
It is early in the semester and I must work hard to keep the class interesting, but so far everything is going swimmingly. I am really happy with my new class, and hope the things I learned during the highs and lows of first semester will aid me in my efforts this semester.
Much has happened since September. Water polo season ended and swimming season began and continues. I finished my first semester of teaching economics. And with the first semester fresh in my mind, I am teaching the second semester (with all new students) differently.
I am trying to reflect on what I liked about my first semester experience, as well as what I wished went differently: I think we should have covered more material and I would have liked having more command over the class. In general, the class became a little less productive and less focused over the course of the semester.
It took me a little while to become aware of the importance of being consistent and persistent, as well as the power of inertia. Jumping right into a position of leadership, I was not always sure of myself. As the block period is 80 minutes, there were many opportunities for this characteristic to present itself. The most frequent apparition was a lack of persistence regarding talking out of turn. Occasionally I would get tired of quieting down the entire class and gaining everyone's attention before speaking. This inconsistency provided room for some students to push limits and impede in-class work, notes, group work, etc... Once it became apparent that this would be an issue that would not go away, I became more persistent and actively tried to counteract this development. However, the inertia of this habit was so powerful that it continued to be a problem.
With all of this in mind, I wanted to begin the second semester with a good first impression. Andy Dirksen, who was a benedictine volunteer at Saint Benedict's a few years ago, visited over break and provided some inspiration. It was good to see Andy because he is fun to go out with, is a good conversationalist, and has a great knowledge of Benedict's. When speaking about how to begin a new class, he mentioned that he started by giving the students a book, told them to read and outline the first chapter, had a quiz on the second day, and did not go over the syllabus and introductions until the third day. I liked this idea and started my first day of class by having the students read the first section of chapter one and outline it. I was amazed by the results: everyone, all 27 students, read and took notes in silence. After a half-hour of silence, during which I felt satisfied yet uncomfortable due to its foreignness, I asked the class to describe certain portions of the chapter they read, and finished with the fact that there would be a quiz tomorrow on the first section.
It is early in the semester and I must work hard to keep the class interesting, but so far everything is going swimmingly. I am really happy with my new class, and hope the things I learned during the highs and lows of first semester will aid me in my efforts this semester.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Mid-terms
Within a week I will have ventured through Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Mid-terms.
Our team went to a water polo tournament last Friday and Saturday, just south of Philadelphia. Coach Cassidy and I rented vans Friday during school, and each drove eight polo players to Pennsylvania. We played three games Friday and two Saturday. After returning Saturday evening, I can now say that I have driven on the New Jersey Turnpike and survived.
Mid-terms grades and comments were due today at 6:00 PM. I have a pretty good idea of how all my students are doing, and now just need to keep the material interesting. I am starting to see some students get into routines that I do not especially like: purposefully asking questions that lead the class in different directions, not being productive during group work, and complaining about notes. I tried to address some of those topics with my comments and have been working to change up the way class flows.
We are getting into some of the tougher-beginning concepts of economics: supply and demand, changes in demand vs. changes in quantity demanded, and graphing price as a dependent variable - even though it is much easier for them to think of it as an independent variable.
Today we beat Horace Mann, and now have a 4 and 6 record - I think? It is amazing how dirty and disrespectful some high school sports teams can be. Juan-Carlos De Jesus, one of our senior captains, got punched in the face in today's game - the player that did it was kicked-out (taken out of the game for 20 seconds, until a goal is scored, or until a change of possession),
Isiah, a junior, was headbutted and got a black-eye, one of the Horace Mann players spit on his hand before shaking our hands, and during the tournament last weekend one of the opposing players called Troy the N-word during a free-throw. It is kind of disheartening when things like those happen - I can imagine how a parent feels telling their kid not to start fights, but at the same time not wanting their kid to get beat up.
Saturday morning we will be going down to a tournament in Bethesda, Maryland. We will be taking a coach bus (praise be to God), so I will not have to drive during the four hour trip!
I enjoy being with the team and coaching, but sometimes I need a little time off. I look forward to the events on October 13th and 14th when Father Bob Koopmann comes out to NJ and NY. It will be nice to catch up with him and see what his new job is like.
Our team went to a water polo tournament last Friday and Saturday, just south of Philadelphia. Coach Cassidy and I rented vans Friday during school, and each drove eight polo players to Pennsylvania. We played three games Friday and two Saturday. After returning Saturday evening, I can now say that I have driven on the New Jersey Turnpike and survived.
Mid-terms grades and comments were due today at 6:00 PM. I have a pretty good idea of how all my students are doing, and now just need to keep the material interesting. I am starting to see some students get into routines that I do not especially like: purposefully asking questions that lead the class in different directions, not being productive during group work, and complaining about notes. I tried to address some of those topics with my comments and have been working to change up the way class flows.
We are getting into some of the tougher-beginning concepts of economics: supply and demand, changes in demand vs. changes in quantity demanded, and graphing price as a dependent variable - even though it is much easier for them to think of it as an independent variable.
Today we beat Horace Mann, and now have a 4 and 6 record - I think? It is amazing how dirty and disrespectful some high school sports teams can be. Juan-Carlos De Jesus, one of our senior captains, got punched in the face in today's game - the player that did it was kicked-out (taken out of the game for 20 seconds, until a goal is scored, or until a change of possession),
Isiah, a junior, was headbutted and got a black-eye, one of the Horace Mann players spit on his hand before shaking our hands, and during the tournament last weekend one of the opposing players called Troy the N-word during a free-throw. It is kind of disheartening when things like those happen - I can imagine how a parent feels telling their kid not to start fights, but at the same time not wanting their kid to get beat up.
Saturday morning we will be going down to a tournament in Bethesda, Maryland. We will be taking a coach bus (praise be to God), so I will not have to drive during the four hour trip!
I enjoy being with the team and coaching, but sometimes I need a little time off. I look forward to the events on October 13th and 14th when Father Bob Koopmann comes out to NJ and NY. It will be nice to catch up with him and see what his new job is like.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Last Weekend of Summer
Father Maynard was nice enough to take me down to Sea Girt, New Jersey this weekend. For the last thirty or so years he has spent his weekends in Sea Girt, giving mass at Saint Mark’s Church. From Newark, it is about an hour south. That short distance makes a world of difference. We took the freeway about half the way, and drove the rest along the shore. We passed through the cities of Deal, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Belmar, and Spring Lake before reaching Sea Girt. Each town/city had its own appeal. Deal, Belmar, Spring Lake, and Sea Girt where made up of modern Oceanside mansions. Asbury Park had remnants of abandoned apartment buildings cross-street from forgotten boardwalk hotspots like the Berkeley Hotel and the Paramount Theatre. Ocean Grove was a very interesting town. A strict Methodist community, the Victorian houses and narrow streets hint at its interesting past: it was founded as a religious community and for many years no cars were allowed inside the city on Sundays.
Father Maynard and I went for a walk along the boardwalk on Saturday, and spent the early afternoon of Sunday reading on the beach. Hopefully it was not the last weekend of “summer,” but if it was, it was beautiful: clear skies, a breeze now and then, and temperatures in the 70’s.
Saturday night Father Maynard and I went out to dinner with a parishioner named Collette. We ate at Maria’s in Sea Girt. I had an eggplant appetizer, a Beck’s, and Veal Saltimbocca. Collette had the Veal Saltimbocca as well, and Father Maynard had an artichoke appetizer and the Scrod. Every meal came with a bowl of pasta and a salad. Needless to say, I was stuffed.
As I write this, I am back in Newark, listening to “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got,” by William DeVaughn. If you are not familiar with this song, youtube it.
Father Maynard and I went for a walk along the boardwalk on Saturday, and spent the early afternoon of Sunday reading on the beach. Hopefully it was not the last weekend of “summer,” but if it was, it was beautiful: clear skies, a breeze now and then, and temperatures in the 70’s.
Saturday night Father Maynard and I went out to dinner with a parishioner named Collette. We ate at Maria’s in Sea Girt. I had an eggplant appetizer, a Beck’s, and Veal Saltimbocca. Collette had the Veal Saltimbocca as well, and Father Maynard had an artichoke appetizer and the Scrod. Every meal came with a bowl of pasta and a salad. Needless to say, I was stuffed.
As I write this, I am back in Newark, listening to “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got,” by William DeVaughn. If you are not familiar with this song, youtube it.
Teaching and Water Polo
I am teaching one 80 minute block each day of economics, and helping cover classes for absent teachers. Making lesson plans for each period has been a headache, so far. I know how much time I need to fill, but estimating how long each activity will take is hit or miss at the moment. I am having trouble gauging how much homework to give, how to grade it, and how challenging to make quizzes and tests. I hear after the first year it gets easier, but I spend about two hours each night working on class for the next day.
On Sunday the 13th, the water polo team had its first scrimmage of the year. We drove down to Rutgers, New Brunswick early that morning, played a game against a team comprised of Army club players, Rutgers club players, and some of our own players. It was fun to see, but it was hard to get an impression of the team, considering the opponent. This last Wednesday, we had our first real game. It was at home, against a high school from Pennsylvania. We had a good start in the first quarter with a couple early goals, but fell apart in the second quarter. Down by four goals in the third period, we rallied to a 15-14 victory! I know the general rules of water polo, but really need to see some games before I feel comfortable leading a team – thankfully I will not have those responsibilities unless, as coach Cassidy jokingly pointed out, he gets ejected. We have games at home on Monday the 21st, and Wednesday the 23rd. This Friday we will be going to a tournament, lasting until Saturday. We lost our game today – 14-12. Hopefully it will motivate the team to get focused and practice harder.
On Sunday the 13th, the water polo team had its first scrimmage of the year. We drove down to Rutgers, New Brunswick early that morning, played a game against a team comprised of Army club players, Rutgers club players, and some of our own players. It was fun to see, but it was hard to get an impression of the team, considering the opponent. This last Wednesday, we had our first real game. It was at home, against a high school from Pennsylvania. We had a good start in the first quarter with a couple early goals, but fell apart in the second quarter. Down by four goals in the third period, we rallied to a 15-14 victory! I know the general rules of water polo, but really need to see some games before I feel comfortable leading a team – thankfully I will not have those responsibilities unless, as coach Cassidy jokingly pointed out, he gets ejected. We have games at home on Monday the 21st, and Wednesday the 23rd. This Friday we will be going to a tournament, lasting until Saturday. We lost our game today – 14-12. Hopefully it will motivate the team to get focused and practice harder.
Week-long Break
At the end of August we had a weeklong break from classes. The other volunteers spent time travelling, but I stayed around. I visited Hoboken once, Manhattan a few times, Brooklyn twice, and Munsee, NJ.
My goal for the week was to find a guitar to buy. I visited a shop in Hoboken, one in Brooklyn, and one in Manhattan. Not really satisfied with the options available, I turned to Craigslist. I found a great Spanish-made classical with solid Cedar top and Rosewood back and sides for $200. Knowing the guitar would not come with a case, I went to Guitar Center on 14th St in Manhattan, bought a soft-shell case, and took the subway to Brooklyn. The guy I bought the guitar from had been given it by a friend who gave up trying to learn. About ten minutes after getting off the train, I had the guitar and was on my way back to Manhattan. Later the night, guitar in hand, I met up with a fellow teacher from Saint Benedict’s at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village. We saw some so-so live music, but it was nice to see a historic concert venue.
My goal for the week was to find a guitar to buy. I visited a shop in Hoboken, one in Brooklyn, and one in Manhattan. Not really satisfied with the options available, I turned to Craigslist. I found a great Spanish-made classical with solid Cedar top and Rosewood back and sides for $200. Knowing the guitar would not come with a case, I went to Guitar Center on 14th St in Manhattan, bought a soft-shell case, and took the subway to Brooklyn. The guy I bought the guitar from had been given it by a friend who gave up trying to learn. About ten minutes after getting off the train, I had the guitar and was on my way back to Manhattan. Later the night, guitar in hand, I met up with a fellow teacher from Saint Benedict’s at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village. We saw some so-so live music, but it was nice to see a historic concert venue.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
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