This document outlines the agenda for an 8-week teaching practices seminar. It provides logistical details such as the course number, title, meeting times, and instructor contact information. The document then lists several discussion topics and activities that will take place during seminar meetings, including sharing teaching metaphors, reviewing cohort personality descriptions, discussing challenges of the teaching profession, and planning for the upcoming school year by identifying strategies students want to adopt. Students are instructed to actively participate in discussions and activities without electronics. The document concludes with reminders about assignments and questions from students.

1. TED 453
Teaching Practices Seminar
8 Wednesdays, 1-4 p.m.
Jill Aguilar, PhD
jaguilar@csudh.edu 213-631-8835

3. Cognitive scientists tell us we
make meaning through
metaphor.
One at a time, rise and share a
metaphor that best describes
your experience so far in your
program.

4. • Don’t wait to be called on, and try to go
relatively quickly
• Introduce yourself by your “teacher name”—
e.g., “I’m Mr. Garcia.”
• Use your “teacher voice”– be loud, confident,
and enunciate
• Stand tall, hands at your sides, both feet on the
ground
• Make 1 clear, concise statement– e.g., “It’s
been like a ____ because ____.” Don’t go on
• We need 2 scribes at the board, writing the
metaphors

5. Please do not use
your computer,
tablet, phone, etc.
for any non-class
purpose during
class…

6. http://todaysmeet.com/TED4539-4-13
What does Kobe Bryant do at practice?

7. Advice from
an old
teacher

8. • If you think teaching is easy, you’re doing it
wrong.
• What you are doing is difficult;
• It’s important
• You can do it
• We are here to help
• Don’t’ be afraid to shine
• Teaching requires your best
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help
• There is no such thing as a successful
individual teacher
• Share. Collaborate. Grow.

9. Cohort IV

10. How would you describe the
personality of your cohort?
• Write 1 adjective per Post-It, or todaysmeet… as many as
you like
• Fold them in half, and stick them on the board
• I’ll read them aloud
• What do you think?
• Is this an accurate description, or not?
• What would you change? How do you want your cohort
to feel

11. Syllabus
Review

12. Why do I have to
take this class?

13. What if you had to compete to get students
in your class at the beginning of the year?
What would your pitch be?
• I’m 15 years old. You have 3 minutes to convince me
to take your class. If you don’t convince me, I don’t
have to take your class.
• Get in content-alike groups of 4-5. Think about what,
how, and why students want to learn your content.
• Prepare your pitch
• In 10 minutes, you will make a presentation to
the rest of the class
• (who are 15-year-olds)

14. Steal
This
Trick

15. Having observed how your mentors opened the school year, what
ideas/strategies/activities/methods do you want to steal?
• Think about policies, procedures, organizational strategies, and
classroom tone that you saw. Think about how your mentor
introduced or established it.
• Get out your Post-Its or todaysmeet again and write down what
you want to steal
• Place the Post-It on the board where it best goes– under Policies,
Procedures, Organizational Strategies, Tone Setting, or Something
Else
• Let’s take a picture and here about these in coming seminar
sessions.

16. Questions?
• Bring your syllabus and PACT Handbook to
every seminar
• FNT: Teaching Analysis Paper #1 is DUE
• What standards were addressed?
• What were the lesson objectives
(SWBAT)?
• Were the objective met? What is your
evidence?