Team-teaching with Dr Jannie Van Hees #2: Deep diving into text

In our double Social Studies class this week, Dr Jannie and I team taught a lesson in deep dive session looking at the article 'Fossil of ancient four-legged whale found in Peru'.  Students often skim read current events articles without really understanding what it is telling them and what they have learnt.  The purpose was show the students how to put the lense of the language and make meaning from text.

Jannie went through the reasons for focussing on reading and ways to go about it.  I videoed much of the presentation below.

Reflection:
I admire the patience that Jannie had in drawing information from students who otherwise would have annoyed the heck out of me.  My idea of a successful learning environment has always been, teacher talk, students ask questions, students work either individually, in pairs or group.  There was none of this back and forth rhetoric that I saw happening in the class.

From a teaching perspective, I struggled with pace.  During the lesson, we had only focussed on one sentence and I was anxious nearing the end.  Jannie had to leave early and so I was left to test the students understanding and I was gobsmacked at how much information they had retained!  I asked my student teacher Sam to record them and I see now how successful the deep dive was.  Although I see the end results as rewarding, the process to get there is what I need to get my head around.

For my next steps, I need to re-evaluate the mindset that I have around pace in the lesson and really thinking about the essential language I want the students to have to better prepare them for success in their reading and writing.