Dec. 10, 2012
Implementing the First 5 Days – An Interview with Ian VanderSchee
In this episode of the November Learning Podcast Series, Alan November speaks to Ian VanderSchee, an upper level mathematics teacher at Coppell High School, in Texas. The two discuss Ian’s implementation of Alan’s “First 5 Days” ideas at the start of this school year and how these ideas have positively impacted his students ever since.
To learn more about these and other possible “First 5 Days” implementations, we encourage you to read Alan’s book, Who Owns the Learning, and we urge you to attend the Building Learning Communities conference being held this summer in Boston. You can learn about both of these on our Web site at http://www.novemberlearning.com. You might also share your thoughts and stories about the “First 5 Days” on Twitter, using the hashtag #1st5days.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
One Response to “Implementing the First 5 Days – An Interview with Ian VanderSchee”
Leave a Reply
Mr. VanderSchee is my IB math teacher and I experienced the “First 5 Days” for the very first time this year. I thought it was very odd at first that we did not begin learning content on the first day like I had in all my previous math classes at Coppell High School. However, it turned out to be a great opportunity to learn new methods of researching that I wouldn’t normally have learned without Mr. VanderSchee (or as we call him VSchee). In addition, it was convenient for me to use this 5 day “grace period” to adjust to the schedule of school without being bombarded with Calculus after doing not doing math all summer. I have used the researching skills learned in the First 5 Days on my history IA and English presentations and they have saved me quite a bit of time and effort. Lastly, Mr. VanderSchee is an amazing teacher and probably should be teacher of the year, but unfortunately I don’t get to vote in that election. Thanks VSchee for everything you do!