To think a zombie plan makes a reasonable teaching presentation?

[zombieplanmum]

I have an interview this week for a biology lecturer at a local college. I was thinking of using a "zombie plan" as an analogy for an immune response, and then present a ten minute intro to the immune system after introducing it as the body's "zombie plan" against infection. Just to add a bit of a spin to the lesson really.

I mentioned this to a few geeky scientist friends and they thought it was a good idea, but when i mentioned it to my DP and another non-scientist but very geeky friend they both made faces and didn't really know what a zombie plan is - firstly, they are being unreasonable, i thought everyone knew bout zombie plans, or is that just everyone on mumsnet?

So my question really is - will the interview panel even know what a zombie plan is?

and if they do, will they think its a bit patroising? I am not sure exactly what courses i will be teaching on, they do a range from GCSE, A levels, HNC and health science courses, but all of the students will be post sixteen and assumably chosing college so they are treated more as adults etc, so would the "zombie plan" analogy be a tad silly?

My hope is that it would be seen to be a bit quirky and engaging and of course most of my ten minutes will be proper science talking about components of the immune system and what they do?

Any thoughts on this, i only have until wednesday to do this and i'm busy all this weekend so i need to be focused and have a good idea to work on. This is knocking around in my head and i think i cn make a good lesson out of it, i need to kick it out if people think its odd - i don't want to have to explain what a zombie plan actually is, that would be worse than a comedian having to explain a joke

[zombieplanmum]

right so, you all think im mad? I can't the place where the teachers all hang out, can anyone direct me please

[GhostShip]

I think that's brilliant!

Not silly at all, it really animates what can be a potentially really boring topic. I'd love to do this ha.

[zombieplanmum]

thats one vote for the zombie plan then - thanks :) although i don't think immunology is THAT boring ;)

[GhostShip]

Depends on the tutor.. Mine couldn't have made it any worse!

[ll31]

I think I'd def do in classroom but would be more traditional in interview

[zombieplanmum]

Why is that? I appreciate that the message musn't get lost in the quirkiness but i need to stand out from the others, if i deliver a standard lesson, surely i will struggle to do that?

[DameFannyGallopsAtaGhost]

Sounds like a fantastic idea to me, and demonstrates how you'd be able to engage students

[HappyJustToBe]

I think its different enough for you to stand out without losing the message. A couple of my friends teach secondary and use things like this to keep pupils interested.

When studying property law at Uni the lecturer did a blind date thing for different rights and I got more confused so I'd say keep it simple.

[tethersend]

Absolutely do it at interview. It will make you stand out from the other candidates. It's a great idea.

I made the interview panel search round the room for a hidden fiver for a teaching interview once. I got the job

[Anniegetyourgun]

Some of them might be put off by your quirkiness, but ask yourself: do you really want to work with a bunch of stuffed shirts who don't even smile a bit at the concept of a zombie plan?

Personally I wouldn't risk it for a post I really wanted (unless it was most of the way through the interview and we were already on best-buddy terms) but then I do have stuffed shirt tendencies.

[lovebunny]

engagement and compelling learning experiences are all the rage. do it!
i had to google 'zombie plan'. now i'm going to use it to start my next scheme of work for year 10, after half term...ta!

[OxfordBags]

I hated science but I wouldnt've have done if there were zombies involved! I say go for it. The panel will see how you've thought of a fresh way to approach a subject with a theme that youngsters will really enjoy sinking their teeth into (pun intended ). If you're unsure as to it being patronising, why not prepare two versions: a more fun one and one that's a bit more scary/gruesome for older kids.

[PurplePidjin]

I work with 16-19 yos and they'd love you forever if you taught like that!

[zombieplanmum]

thanks guys, have had to remind myself about immunity :) I think i can incorporate a zombie plan pretty simply without it interfering, so really, all i will be saying is - if you don't have a zombie plan, don't worry, your body already has one! Then just talk about the immune response in a traditional way - that should keep the stuffed shirts happy while i'm perceived (wrongly!) as being "down with the kids" heres hoping! two days - god help me!

[zombieplanmum]

tethersend did they get to keep the fiver? and if so, was you not worried that would be seen as bribery?

[medievaljacqui]

Another 'yes' for Zombieplan!

These are the types of teaching techniques we use in my dept are we are regularly ranked 'outstanding' for teaching and learning. As long as the sound acadmic knowledge is explicit and not lost in the 'fun' it should work really well.

Sorry if this is obvious, if you are teaching a class in the interview make sure you do a mini plenary to demonstrate the amount of learning that has been achieved during the lesson.
Good luck!

[JeezyOrangePips]

I'm not sure. I think it's a great idea - but would they know what a zombie plan is? I just asked my 17yo daughter is she knows what one is, and she said no, although when I explained what it is she said 'oh, yeah, I know what that is, I just didn't know what it was called'.

So I guess my answer is yes, go for it - as long as you make it clear what a zombie plan is.

[DameFannyGallopsAtaGhost]

Surely with a zombie plan the answer's in the question?

[ravenAK]

Fab idea (& can you PM me your lesson plan so I can nick it? )

[MamaBear17]

At my school we employed a science teacher whose 'starter' activity used a clip from 'The Simpsons'. Fun is important in lessons, just make sure that whatever you do has a purpose; using the zombie plan demonstrates x,y and/orZ to the pupils which improves their understanding of whatever. You are going to be ultimately assessed on what is learned in your lesson, so as long as you have ticked that box you should be as creative as you like. And, if the interviewer doesnt know what a zombie plan is, but you teach them, it will make the lesson more interesting anyway!

[ghoulelocks]

I brought my own teddy along to a teaching interview (deputy head) and straight-faced informed the CoG it was there just to help calm my nerves.

He wasn't present for the lesson observation where year two made sad teddy's boring book more interesting so may have actually though I was nuts.

I got the job (and still happily chat to teddies in assembly occasionally)

I think being a tad mad helps.

(I hope I haven't outed myself!)

[Shagmundfreud]

Sounds bloody marvellous.

Last year I created a scheme of work for KS3 English based on a zombie attack.

Kids loved it!

[runnerblade]

Like others have said, I think it's a great idea, as long as a serious point is being made (about immunity). I don't know if you remember (it was covered in the news last year, I think), but some very eminent scholars attempted to show (using epidemiological modelling technqiues) what might happen to the human race in the event of a zombie attack. Of course, they were making a serious point (about the spread of infection) but did so in a fun way (couldn't get my head round the maths, I 'm afraid, but enjoyed the paper anyway). The link is here:
//mysite.science.uottawa.ca/rsmith43/Zombies.pdf
Good luck!

[monkeysbignuts]

I love it! why not give a little back ground (for those who don't know) to what a zombie plan is :) Just a few minutes at the start.

[zombieplanmum]

runner a friend of mine works for the WHO and they also produced a zombie plan which, whilst could be used for a zombie apocalypse, contained the information needed to cope with other more "natural" disasters. I suppose that may be where i spawned my feindish plan idea.