Ideas and Advice from Teachers
Interview: Mary Rau
Ainsworth High School, Ainsworth, NE
Language Arts
What is the first thing you do to prepare for a summit?
Before I do anything with the Summit, I check to make sure that the topic and activities included will mesh with one of the classes I'm teaching. If I'm teaching a speech class, the summit activities work well with the curriculum. I haven't yet been able to work a summit into a literature or writing course because the state assessments don't allow for much "play" with what I teach.
How much time do you spend planning for the summit before it begins? How much time do you spend per week during the summit (class time and planning time)?
Summit planning takes quite a bit of time. So much groundwork is done before I start the Summit, though, that it's really well laid-out when the time comes to begin the activities. Once the Summit starts, more time is spent on evaluation and online response than planning. I would estimate approximately five hours per week pre-Summit planning and one hour per week once activities start.
How do you integrate the summit topic and curriculum into your course?
Integration of the topic into my speech curriculum was quite easy because one of the curriculum objectives is persuasive speaking/writing. The Summit is always a controversial topic, so that is helpful in teaching persuasion.
Does teaching the summit present particular challenges in a government class?
Sometimes the students see the topics as being a little bit more "social studies" related, but bringing back the language arts factor (reading, writing, speaking, listening) is very easy to do.
Does the summit help you meet applicable standards?
Sometimes the activities have to be "tweaked" a little to meet the standards. An example of this was the use of a debate as a final project. The NOYS staff was very accommodating in allowing me the freedom to adapt the final project to meet my students' needs. "The Great Debate" is an annual event that the students who have participated in the Summit keep track of every year. All eyes are on the brackets!
What is your biggest challenge in the summit, and how have you addressed it?
My biggest challenge in the summit is trying to explain to my students why their "discussion partners" in some of the activities don't respond to them. I realize that sometimes "things happen," but prospective teachers need to know that other teachers and their students are counting on them! By not meeting deadlines, other teachers can throw my plans off schedule, too. As I have participated in more summits, I have become more flexible and more creative in coming up with alternatives in order to meet this challenge.
Do you have any tips for teachers thinking about participating in the summit in 2007?
Give it a try! But don't think that the Summit will make your job easier. Instead, the topic, the technology, and the networking with other teachers and students may make you think pretty hard. But that's why we work in a school, isn't it?
I love the Summit because it makes the students THINK, not just "do a worksheet" to pass the class. I also love the Summit because of the great support staff that the ABA provides. :)
