Observations in the Classroom [Reflection Four]

This past week I had the opportunity to visit a 7th grade (what seemed to be engineering) class. What a fun experience! It honestly got me extremely excited to become a teacher myself, and picturing how fun that is going to be. The teacher had decorated his room with many BYU football posters, which I found hilarious. I started brainstorming ideas in which I'll be able to portray my personality in my classroom as well. He was also very hands-on with the kids. Walking around, checking in on, and helping all of them. He started his class right after the bell rang and I was impressed at how smoothly it all ran.

The 7th grade age was a fun one for me to observe. Not too long ago I was in 7th grade, and I remember all of the drama, heartache, and becoming who you are-ness of that year. I want to be a teacher so that I can help those kids have a great experience in school, learn, grow, and feel good about themselves! Jr. High may not be what I end up teaching, but I know for sure that I'd love it!

My last thought comes from the lecture this morning on standards in the classroom. The comment came up about students doing an assignment to learn, vs. doing an assignment for a grade. After reading "The First Days of School," I keep having all of these thoughts about what I need to do on those first few days to set the bar in my classroom for the rest of the year. To an extent I believe that the first day can make a huge impact, but I also feel like a continued effort throughout the year would be just as effective. One of those continued 'mottos' I would like to have in my classroom is telling the kids that I want them to "grow" for their grades, not just work for them. I want them to push it further, to actually absorb what they are hearing, and learn.

Teacher vs. Student [Reflection Three]

I've heard a lot lately about the fact that in order to be a good teacher, you also need to be a good learner, or student - and vice versa for the actual students. I love this.

It was said that perfection can grow to perfection - or in other words, there are always new things to be learned. I feel that part of being a teacher, especially a technology teacher, is constantly learning everything you can. Most likely using the same lesson plans over and over for thirty years like teachers I've had in the past have done, will not do. Not only will the teachers need to be learning these new things but the students will need to be teaching them! I hope to make my future classroom a place of constant growth. It doesn't matter if you are a student or teacher, we will all progress together.
When talking about knowledge, Walter Gong said,

"We have the power. We want you to have the power too."

How neat is that! You might possibly find this quote on the future wall of my classroom. I love seeing that excited look in people's eyes, and feeling it in myself, when you learn something new or finally understand a concept. It is almost like gaining a new 'power.' I'd like to see that happen to my students as well as let them see me excited about what we are learning!

A Learning Experience [Reflection Two]

During the past two weeks I've had the opportunity in class to prepare a few lessons to teach my peers.  What an experience. At first it freaked me out, I kept telling myself  I chose the wrong major and that I should never become a teacher. I surprised myself once I got up and started teaching though, things went smoothly and I had fun! I am grateful for the experience and the many, many things I learned from my own teaching and that of my classmates. For this entry I wanted to compile all of the feedback I wrote down and benefited from during those teaching days in class. I'll list them below.

• When teaching, start off with something to catch attention.
• Give instructions first and then supplies. 
• Walk around as the students work.
• Use mixed media while teaching.
• Act as a salesman when starting off with a lesson. Why should they want to learn this?
• Know where you are going beforehand! Be explicit with the direction of your lesson.
• When showing videos, tell the students what to be looking for while watching it.
• Reduce the nerves of the students by not calling on just one person, let them learn together.
• Don't be too PowerPoint dependent.
• Use the classroom.
• Have the students drive the computer instead of you stuck behind the screen for extended periods of time.
• Don't be self-depreciating. YOU are the expert!
• Stay away from open questions.
• Board display -- use different colors and write neatly!
• Write the objectives of the class on the board each day.
• Don't use public voting throughout the entire lesson.
• Focus in on one thing, don't be too broad in a lesson.
• Formatively assess!
• BE EXCITED.
• Presentation performance is important! Create your own teaching style!
• Involve the class, don't be too lecture driven.
• Use rhetoric in situations where it will be successful.
• Let other people teach themselves.

The Beginning [Reflection One]

After attending our first day of class and reading out of "The First Days of School," I've realized that boy, it's a whole lot harder to become a good teacher than I had expected.  I say good, because I feel like anyone can go through the motions to become a teacher, but it takes hard work and dedication to do it right. There are so many things to do that take you out of your comfort zone, so many different approaches to teaching something, and always something new to learn.

To be honest, I have always wanted to become a teacher. There are many reasons for that, but I have a few that have kept me going. First, I love the logistics of it- the paper copying, the setting up of the classroom, the organizing, the preparation. Second, the fact that I could help one of God's children, who year after year has been told they're not good enough, be able to believe in themselves again. And third, I love using technology to create art, to design things, and have fun with it. The opportunity to teach that sounds amazing to me.

My last thought comes from the "First Days of School" book. At the bottom of page 6 it says, "Effective teachers know how to open the door and invite their students to learn." I like this. In my future classroom I would love for my students to always feel like I am inviting them to come inside and learn something new, not be another class they feel they are being forced to come to. I would like them to know that I care for them, I may not be their best friend, but I am their equal, never above them. I've learned through further reading that these wishes will be hard things to balance but I hope to find a way to do it.

I've realized there are so many things I can do now during my education to push myself toward becoming that great teacher I know I can one day be. I've seen many examples of good and not so good teachers. One day I hope to be numbered among the good ones.