Ni hao [Hello]

This is the second summer that I have worked for the Chemistry REU [Research Experience for Undergraduates] program. Here, I am a resource for undergraduates who come to do research at UM for 10 weeks, having done research for 2 years in the department.

A big part of this program is the UM/China exchange. Three years ago, 3 UM students went to China and 3 came to the US. Now, the program has expanded to both chemistry and biology and the 24 [that would be an 8 fold increase] students arrived about 18 hours ago. After a 2AM pizza party, 2.5 hour [rather extended] tour of campus, a trip to the Arb, and dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings [amazingly only cost just under $500 to feed 26 people], I would have to conclude that the program is officially off to a great start. I am very much in awe of these students. Most are just a year or two younger than me, and they all decided to fly half-way across the world to live, study, and do scientific research for 10 weeks in a country that does not speak my native language. And... most of them came with one [relatively] small roller suitcase. Adventurous and efficient! In all seriousness, it's really cool to watch them joke around, take a ton of pictures in the city, worry about the future [do I really enjoy my field? Masters of Ph. D. program? Should I come to study in America?], and ask a million random American culture questions. It fondly reminds me of when I have traveled abroad and this really shows me how universal the spirit of adventure and exploration is among [what appear to be] two vastly different cultures.

Designing my future classroom.

This past Friday in my Educational Technology, I tentatively designed my future chemistry classroom. It proved to be much more difficult to complete than expected. A crux of my teaching philosophy is based upon the importance of collaboration and clear communication, and piece of facilitating this is the physical environment.

In spite of these lofty goals, my drawing was pretty bare. It had an easily accessible whiteboard in the front. There were lab benches/fume hoods. The room itself was spacious and allowed for free movement of bodies, desks, and [hopefully] ideas as well. In the back of the room, there was a "science resource center" [computers, books, etc.] for students to use as necessary. I did not think about the walls, but I want them to be easily accessible for students to communicate/create artifacts of their ideas [I am a big fan of giant sticky notes].

This description says a lot about how I want to run my class and the expectations I have for my students. I plan to treat my students as the adults they are becoming. However, the students' respect for self and others will determine if this atmosphere will be conducive for learning or a place to babysit teenagers.

It will be funny to see how my views will change after student teaching.

The end of the beginning.

Events in the past week:

1. The death of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.
2. Espresso Royale Cafe will see another week of business [partly] because of my contributions.
3. I finished the first week of graduate school in the University of Michigan's Secondary Master of Arts and Certification program.