The difference Between Mixtures and Compounds

This is all I’ve got, year 8 lesson, one hour, the difference between mixtures and compounds. This will be the first time I’ve taught an interview lesson so I don’t really know what to expect. I hate teaching when I don’t know the students at all, so should I try to figure them out at the start of the lesson? A colleague of mine told me this tip, and I’ve used it in nearly all my classes, is to give them a post-it, get them to write their name on the top and draw a picture of themselves that tells me something about them. It’s useful for learning names fast, and getting to know the students quickly as well. It usually stays on the bench in front of them for the first lesson, then I keep them for reference afterwards. I could stick them to a seating plan (but I don’t use them) or get the students to reflect on themselves later in the year, or at the end of their course… but, should I bother for this class I’m teaching for an interview lesson?

I’m leaning towards yes anyway here to be honest. It’s awkward not knowing them, and this is a five minute trick that could be very useful, but will the observers think I’m wasting time?

A very wise lady once told me not to fuss too much about what the school expects from a lesson, and go with what I expect from a lesson. If the school doesn’t like it, would I want to work in a school where they’d expect me to do other than that which I think is best? I guess not! I’ll go with the post-it notes. Maybe.

It’s been a while since I’ve had to teach KS3, and I don’t know if it has changed much, so I went to the standards site, looked at the units again, ran 8F Compounds and Mixtures through wordle and came up with the above. I like using wordle for this, it helps me focus and draws out some things I might have missed.

This wasn’t my original topic for interview lesson, but the #uksnow scuppered the respiration, gas exchange and composition of the air lesson. So I think I can almost safely assume they’ve done that now and composition of the air is something that could be brought up maybe.

I’m finding this hard to plan because I don’t know where they are, if this is new information, revision, mid-topic.. Should I plan a lesson for all eventualities? Am I thinking too hard about this?

Aaaargh! This is difficult!

To play with fire, or not to play with fire….

The job I’m applying for is an aspiring AST position. It’s quite bold, I’ve not been teaching that long really but I’ve worked really hard and taken on every chance to try something new I can, so I don’t feel completely out of line with this. Plus, thanks to amazing ofsted feedback, I’m a bit braver and ready to take it on.

Because it’s this sort of a position, I really feel the need to prove myself for this interview lesson, I’m a science teacher, I want there to be a practical element to the lesson. There’s the classic mixtures and compounds practical:

Not super interesting maybe but it makes the point. There’s also:

To consider, a bit flashier maybe, but both potentially risky with a class I don’t know. The magnesium ribbon I could demo, but teacher demo’s are so dull. Sigh.

I could maybe have some non too drastic illustrations of mixtures of compounds, do some modelling with marbles and jars or something. It hasn’t clicked into place yet, and knowing my luck it’ll click the night before the interview when I’m too tired to prepare resources.

I think it’ll be OK, not knowing what to expect is hard, not knowing the students is hard, not knowing where they are in the course is hard, but then I like this teaching gig, so once the lesson starts, it’ll all be fine I’m sure.

Eep!

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