My Last Class

Yes, it is true, this is my last class!

I am so looking forward to moving on to the student teaching experience. I want to create lessons that use all of these innovative tools that I've learned. I am definitely not afraid to use any type of technology...so let's bring out the SmartBoards. Basically, if I had to sum up my experience from this class, I would say that I have grown professionally as well as personally. I feel that I have become more confident. I am proud of who I have become and can't wait to work in the classroom.

"Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
~ Aldous Huxley

The Evaluation Roll

There is a purpose in evaluating myself and others. I feel that the role of this evaluation allowed me to reflect on what was created. If you always say that everything is great, you won't be helping yourself or others. It's best to be encouraging and supportive, yet honest. Personally, I found it sometimes hard to do because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and half the time I wasn't sure if I was even in a position to correct anyone else. During the microteaching, Heather S. and I carefully reviewed our peers lesson plans and made suggestions that we thought would help them the most. I feel that it was good for us because we also learned what to look for in evaluating.

Did I Get What I Paid For?

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My expectations from this class were to learn HOW to teach, HOW to present the information, and HOW to develop my lessons and myself as a teacher. I believe that I have met my expectations successfully. The proof is my ability to create such things as my Unit Plan and WebQuest. A compilation of work that I would have never thought I could manage, but I DID IT! My expectations are directly in line with what I have actually experienced because of the teaching style used. It was up to me to make my work either mediocre or outstanding. I tried my hardest to be creative and give 100%, which in turn enriched my experiences.

Under Construction

I plan to continuously expand my knowledge of technology. I remember Susan's question at our last meeting. She asked how do we stay on top of everything and not lose our edge. The answer was simply stated, "It's up to you!" Teachers that have been out of school only five years do not have the knowledge that we have gained in this class. In order to remain on top, we must read and stay involved with technology. We must remain active learners. It is the way of the evolving classroom and the evolving teacher.

Who Pitched In?

There are a lot of people that have helped me throughout my continued education experiences. My professors have guided me, and my peers and my family have supported me. Dr. Smirnova has become a guide on my side. I have taken many classes with Dr. Smirnova and have gotten used to her teaching style as one that makes you explore much on your own. At times, I felt like this style was very difficult, but I find that it has helped me to retain the information. I hope to actualize this technique to a certain degree with my students.

Seeing the Light

At this point in my career, I still feel like this little seedling instead of a strong oak tree. I know that my growth as a teacher will continue to grow now in a different direction. My experiences in student teaching will help me to apply what I've learned in a "real" classroom setting. The light that encourages my growth will be my students and their inquisitive minds. We've all seen those experienced teachers that just seem to handle everything that comes their way with ease. I can't wait to become one of those teachers.

Combo Platter

I think that working with children requires a combination of different teaching methods. I would definitely say that any age student would benefit from chunks of direct instruction to give the basic knowledge and facts. From that point, any form of collaborative group work that requires students to use and/or develop their critical thinking skills would create the greatest learning experiences. In the elementary school setting it is sometimes difficult to get the students to focus on the task at hand because group work sometimes means "fun time" for them, but this is also the best setting for young children to learn from each other too. Elementary students are open to try new things because they have been exposed to so many different ways of communicating.

On the Job Training

The fieldwork that I had to complete all along and especially in my last two classes, General Methods and Research in Literacy, were the most productive hours and gave me the greatest sense of accomplishment. When I was in the classroom observing, I would watch the teacher and the student interactions and then think of how I would act in that situation. When I was teaching the lessons for General Methods, I felt pretty comfortable in front of the room. I was well received by the students and any glitches in my lesson plans went unnoticed. The glitches, however, did not go unnoticed by me. I would go home after the lesson and analyze what I could have done differently. For my SIM lesson plan, I had the students do the Jigsaw Learning Method. I got thrown off by the number of students and the home/expert groups and then got a bit anxious because I thought the whole Jigsaw portion of the lesson would be ruined. I had to take the experts from the groups at the end and then make new groups but it all worked out. I discovered that as long as the students were learning, I shouldn't think of my first Jigsaw learning experience as a failure.

Surprise!

I think the biggest surprise I've had throughout my whole graduate experience is my ability to achieve the high standards expected from me by my professors. Being a returning student with a family creates a lot of distractions. I think my determination to perform at such a dedicated level has both impressed and surprised me.

Putting It Into Words

In order to tell you what I've learned about being a teacher, I would have to write a book. It begins with the smallest of conversations in the classroom and goes to the implementation of one of my lessons. In fact, I want my life to be full of learning. The social interactions we had as a class helped me a great deal to learn about others, create presentations and stand up in front of everyone to present. Having Dr. Smirnova as a professor also brought a different perspective to the world of teaching. When I learned about why Dr. Smirnova became such a technology expert, I realized that if you take what you have learned, you can create a any type of positive learning environment for your students.

Change is Good

I am definitely different today than at the start of this semester. When I entered this class, I had no idea what Methods of teaching was all about. I had no clue on how to deliver the information to the students. By exploring and actually creating a lesson plan on each method of instruction, I not only found out how to do the lessons but when to use each one. This Methods class has given me the tools to draw from when I need to prepare a lesson.