March Madness

Sorry for the long period of absence, but not a lot happened during the month of March except the usual routines.  The sun was gradually staying visible in the sky for longer periods of time, but the temperature wasn’t getting warmer.  It’s common for there to be extremely cold days during the month even though one would assume this would only happen in January & February.  In fact, the school had to close for the morning of March 1 because the temperature was -50°C with wind chill.  The extreme cold warning ended in the afternoon and classes continued.

My teaching schedule remained the same as the previous semester with one exception: I teach high school guitar instead of drums for the winter semester.  My other classes are high school socials studies and middle school guitar.

For the month of March, my guitar students learned a variety of melodies, chords, rhythms, and strumming techniques.  The lessons and content weren’t the same because of the different grades.  Also, my high school guitarists have formal performance tests and learning how to read traditional notation.  I do a little bit in the middle school classes but not intensively. 

My Grade 10 social studies students studied the history of the 4 Inuit land claims agreements while my Grade 11 social studies students examined how globalization affects quality of life and standards of living. 

The Grade 12 social studies students looked at the characteristics of collectivism & individualism and began working on their social studies project (SSP).  The SSP replaces the final exam and requires the investment of much time and effort.  Students pick a topic from an approved list, then write an essay, make a product, and then present their findings to a panel of judges.  The product is like a visual aid and/or something that goes with the essay, like a video, map, PowerPoint presentation, or grant proposal.  There is a list of suggested products for students to select if they can’t decide.  Thankfully, students are allowed to start working on their projects immediately.

The middle of the month was the most intense because I had to write midterm report card comments for all my classes.  I needed the whole week because I write slowly and meticulously.  I completed & submitted my comments on time.

And that’s pretty much what happened in March.  Next month, April, is usually filled with exciting activities & events, so stay tuned.