A day of hard work

Today I feel really tired at the end of the day. We had much on the program and worked almost every minute.

 

I always look forward to read the blogs of my fellow students. It is realy interesting. Mark had a good reflection on the cafe as a good place to make 'social contact' with each other. It gave me a good idea of the difference between the cafe and the discussion theme. In the powerpoint of Grete Oline about ‘transparency’we got in to the difference to be there as a person or a teacher. I recognized the background/foreground perspective. We use that also in our first year, when we are training on social skills. I think it is very important to think about how you want people to see you. But it is very important to be as you really are. I believe that even in a virtual classroom, it is impossible to hide yourself. Because you go in to discussions, give feedback, chat … You will always give a certain image.

The tip of Anne Karin, to print out the personal page from the students and put it in front of you when you are in interaction with the students is good to remember.

Then we started with the exercises about feedback. It was easy to comment the feedback of the other teachers. We agreed all three of us that one was too short and, even it was positive, you got the impression that the teacher didn’t take much time to read the text. The other teacher was too negative. He said much about the content but it was his own opinion. The student had no other choice then to write what the teacher wanted. But then we had to give feedback ourselves, it was not easy. I noticed that the student had difficulties with the language and I wanted to make a difference between these skills and the content. When I read Alexanders feedback, I was not sure anymore of my feedback, because I had seen more positive things, and so I wrote this in the theme discussion.
I know how difficult it is in our own University when we try to get on a same level in giving feedback and decide about the marks we give.
I see an advantage in the ‘transparency’ of this course. When you can see feedback other teachers give, you can learn and reflect on the way and the level you give feedback yourself. But I am also convinced that it is important to talk about this with each other. That can be in a discussion between teachers or in a Vitero session. Not related to one student, but just read the feedback of each other and give feedback on the feedback and set up a discussion about it. I think it is the only way to come on a same level. In that way, this was a very good exercise.

We also had an interesting ‘it’s learning’ session. Aasmund was really fast in explaining everything. I was able to get and do all what he said, but I had to be very alert. But I think I know now what I need to know as a teacher.

At the end of the day, my fellow students wanted some time on their own and I can understand that, because we had worked hard. But I didn’t like to stay in my room. So I decided to follow all the tips the teachers gave me. I went to Godbrot and I bought that special Norwegian cook with cinnamon in it. Then I took the Flobanen up. It was a very beautiful view up there and walking down was very relaxing. Especially when I saw all this people running up. And I ended with a very delicious meal in that restaurant called Pinguin.