Strategy Journal #1

So far I've completed about 12 hours of my clinical work and I absolutely love my placement. The students are a great group of kids, my school supervisor is so easy to work with, and I get to teach in my specialization--marketing. I am very happy with where I am and it makes me that much more excited to see where it will go. My school supervisor encourages me to be creative and do whatever I want or need to do in order to teach the material. He even encouraged me to utilize field trips (which I do plan on taking advantage of :). If you were to look at this class through Marzano's eyes, I think you would be really pleased. He (supervisor) is constantly implementing hands-on activities, different teaching styles, constant feedback, and he is "#1 all about the kids." He gave me some advice the other day: "No matter where you end up teaching or what you end up teaching always remember this--make the students understand that you are there for them, that you support them, and that you aren't going anywhere." He encouraged me to attend some of the sporting events and really take part in the kids' lives. Now, again, I will say I am very happy with my placement. We think along the same lines and those schools of thought tend to correlate with a lot of what Marzano has been teaching us over these past weeks. 

Every Friday my school supervisor brings in taped episodes of The Apprentice. This is a great activity to really allow the students to relate what is popular in their lives (a hit television show) to the content being taught. He asks the students to write down the "Four P's of Marketing" (price, promotion, product, place). He then has the students watch The Apprentice and evaluate each challenge listing the information that correlates with the Four P's. As a final question he always asks the students to choose who they think will be fired this episode. It's a great activity and an excellent form of authentic evaluation and real-world relation.

As far as the students are concerned, they are some of the most well-behaved students I have seen. They all hold respect for each other and for the educators. I have not heard one rude comment, one instance of down-talk, or one inappropriate outburst since I have been there. Granted, I have only been there for 12 hours, but in those 12 hours I have been thoroughly impressed (knock on wood :).