Real Conversation With 7th Grade Students
The 2 classes of the 7th grade are a big challenge for all of their teachers. Will they stay in their seats? Will they come to class with books, notebooks, pencils? Did they do their homework? If so, did they bother to use their book or did they just guess? (Yes, class, “Directed Reading” contains the word “Reading”. That means you have to read while you fill out the worksheet.) And will they ever stop talking? Since all of my students are English as a Second Language learners, they are sometimes actually amusing as they (occassionally) try to express scientific thoughts in their 2nd language.
This week, we are learning mitosis and meiosis, otherwise known as cell division, something that is not quite in the realm of a Structural Engineer. It’s challenging. I found some videos on Encarta Encyclopedia and we are drawing out the processes together in class. It’s actually going fairly well, for the 7th graders. Friday, we drew mitosis, or single cell division. The video was at the point where the cell was starting to split and the chromotids (parts of chromosomes) have split apart with half moving to either side of the splitting cell from their previous location lined up neatly down the center of the cell.
The cast of characters: Miss Amy (me), Jose Rodolfo (one of the brightest kids in the class who loves cell division because it’s so easy), Anuar (a very bright student who gets into trouble all of the time because he’s had a lot of family problems and craves the attention of any adult available), and the other 10 members of the class.
Miss Amy: Let’s draw the next step. What’s different about this next step from our last drawing?
Jose Rodolfo: The chromatids are moving to their final destiny.
Miss Amy: (Trying not to laugh) Very good answer. It’s actually “destination”, though. A destination is a place. Destiny is more of a calling. Such as the chromatids’ destiny is to become a new cell. Or perhaps my destiny is to be a teacher.
Anuar: I don’t think so.
Ha! At least you're trying it. I need to get caught up with the rest of your blog. I miss you - glad things are going well :)
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