This class has been a great preview in what is yet to come for me as a teacher. I am getting ready to take the Praxis this summer, and I applying for the program in the fall. I am half way there and can't believe how far I have come. There is finally light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to enter the teaching program. My family comes from a long line of artists, and although I have the talent I don't have the desire. My creativity will come in my methods of teaching.
The Finale will only come on the day I decide to retire. Graduation will be the beginning of great new journey. I will have accomplished part of my goal. Later on down the road I will go on to get my masters, and then my PhD. All my life it seems that I have had obstacles to overcome, and by now I would have quit. This not to say that I still have anxiety about certain things, but now I have the tools to overcome some of these fears.
I just want to say Thank You Dr. Rasmussen for his encouragement and his great teaching methods. I hope someday to be a great educator like him. His class has been one of my favorites thus far, and I hope to take more classes from him in the near future. Until next time my journey will continue, and maybe even this blog!!!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
A Student's Choice
After just watching the documentary, "Waiting for Superman", the question arose: Should students have a choice on which school they attend, or should it be mandated by where live? Why?
I really had to think about this one. Yes, in an ideal world I do think students should have a right to choose where they attend school because all students should learn in environment where they thrive, feel safe, and desire to learn. We live in a state where the average class size is quite large and students don't always get the attention they need or deserve, so seeking a better option of different school would be great. However, student's choice is not clearly possible unless their parents are willing to pay for private school or hope they get picked in the lottery for the local charter school. Student's choice would cause for major reform, and as we know that reform is not possible with our current teacher's union.
Students shouldn't have to want to attend another school. They should love their current one. The improvement needs to begin with schools, so students don't want to leave. Teachers need to begin asking themselves what is their motivation? What are their goals? How do they achieve success? How do they engage students? Is their current teaching methods effective? And how can they be the best teacher they can be?
The change begins in the classroom. Students should not want to leave their current schools, but take pride in their school, and know that this school is providing them with the BEST!
I really had to think about this one. Yes, in an ideal world I do think students should have a right to choose where they attend school because all students should learn in environment where they thrive, feel safe, and desire to learn. We live in a state where the average class size is quite large and students don't always get the attention they need or deserve, so seeking a better option of different school would be great. However, student's choice is not clearly possible unless their parents are willing to pay for private school or hope they get picked in the lottery for the local charter school. Student's choice would cause for major reform, and as we know that reform is not possible with our current teacher's union.
Students shouldn't have to want to attend another school. They should love their current one. The improvement needs to begin with schools, so students don't want to leave. Teachers need to begin asking themselves what is their motivation? What are their goals? How do they achieve success? How do they engage students? Is their current teaching methods effective? And how can they be the best teacher they can be?
The change begins in the classroom. Students should not want to leave their current schools, but take pride in their school, and know that this school is providing them with the BEST!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Motivation
When it comes to school most children are not to ecstatic that they have to go, and then are a few who love learning. I loved learning when I was growing up but to be quite honest most of my teachers were not real motivators. They lacked passion, heart, and drive for career. Why would anyone want to be in a career they are not passion about?
First and foremost make sure you love teaching because you will not be a great motivator if you do not love it. Second, you must love young people and want to build relationships with them. When a teacher builds a relationship with a student and gains their trust the student is more likely motivated to participate and achieve in that teacher's class. Think of yourself as a coach. What do coach's do? They motivate their team, and they design a plan to help their team score or even win!
Instruction can be a key role in how a teacher motivates their students. The teacher who gets up in front of class in that boring, monotone voice, and just starts lecturing with no engagement from her class, will likely be the one who has students that are not motivated to flow. Then we have the teacher who starts Spanish class wearing a sombrero singing La Bama and is very excited about class. The students may think your a dork but you know you have got their attention. This teacher keeps the gain rolling by a little bit a of lecture, discussion, and then role playing. If you don't use the language in everyday life how can the student learn it?
How teacher's apply learning to everyday life? This a question that must be constantly asked and reviewed. There are so many resources teacher's can use, and today technology is a big one. More and more classrooms have I-pads and are using interactive learning. The majority of standardize testing is all done on computers. Technology can also have its draw backs. It can be very distracting for some students, and it can be used for Cyber-bullying. The way the teacher motivates her classroom will determine the success of how technology is used.
Teachers have so much to take from to motivate their students. I want to be remembered for that teacher that taught me to love school and our education is a privilege. I want students to know I have rules but within those rule learning can be fun and engaging. My motivation to be a great teacher is that someday I want my students to come back to my class and say you influenced me by........ and that will be more rewarding than anything.
First and foremost make sure you love teaching because you will not be a great motivator if you do not love it. Second, you must love young people and want to build relationships with them. When a teacher builds a relationship with a student and gains their trust the student is more likely motivated to participate and achieve in that teacher's class. Think of yourself as a coach. What do coach's do? They motivate their team, and they design a plan to help their team score or even win!
Instruction can be a key role in how a teacher motivates their students. The teacher who gets up in front of class in that boring, monotone voice, and just starts lecturing with no engagement from her class, will likely be the one who has students that are not motivated to flow. Then we have the teacher who starts Spanish class wearing a sombrero singing La Bama and is very excited about class. The students may think your a dork but you know you have got their attention. This teacher keeps the gain rolling by a little bit a of lecture, discussion, and then role playing. If you don't use the language in everyday life how can the student learn it?
How teacher's apply learning to everyday life? This a question that must be constantly asked and reviewed. There are so many resources teacher's can use, and today technology is a big one. More and more classrooms have I-pads and are using interactive learning. The majority of standardize testing is all done on computers. Technology can also have its draw backs. It can be very distracting for some students, and it can be used for Cyber-bullying. The way the teacher motivates her classroom will determine the success of how technology is used.
Teachers have so much to take from to motivate their students. I want to be remembered for that teacher that taught me to love school and our education is a privilege. I want students to know I have rules but within those rule learning can be fun and engaging. My motivation to be a great teacher is that someday I want my students to come back to my class and say you influenced me by........ and that will be more rewarding than anything.
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