Reflection 5

This past week I went to Pleasant Grove Junior High and sat in on Mr. Frey's class. The class was very similar to the last one I sat in on. He quickly lectured and then put them to work in the shop on their CO2 cars. As I observed this class, I could see that Mr. Frey liked to teach like Dewy. He preferred to have to students run the class and try and learn things on their own. He stayed out of their way except when they really did not know how to do something.

For the most part, the students knew what they were doing, but there were certain areas that I felt the students needed more direction. I felt like there were some things that they should have received instruction on but did not. With this there were a few things happening in the classroom that should not have. Besides this, the class seemed to be under control and ran smoothly.

What I gained most from this experience was what I learned from Mr. Frey. He talked to us about being a teacher and what he recommended for us. One thing he mentioned to us is that we should try and get out in the schools as much as possible. The only experience I have had in the schools is what I have had this semester in this class. He recommended that we sit in and observe whenever we can. He also said that we should try and be substitute teachers whenever possible as well. Talking to him about this made me realize that no matter what we will not be completely prepared for teaching our first year. The best way to prepare myself now is by actually going into the schools. I need to take advantage of the time I have now as a student to learn everything I can about being in a classroom. I need to try and find time now for all of this.

Another thing that Mr. Frey talked to me about was my emphasis. Just like me, he was a multi-media emphasis. BUT here he has primarily been a tech teacher doing woods and metals. This somewhat frightened me! What he is teaching now has nothing to do with his emphasis. He told us how sometimes you have to take what jobs are available and that they don't always relate to your emphasis. He told us how we need to try not to focus on just one area in our major but to try and learn it all. Even though electronics, circuits, and robotics may not be my favorite areas, I still need to learn them!! I need to know all of the areas in TEE, as I do not know EXACTLY what I will be teaching. I need to keep my options open by being well-learned in all areas of TEE. Before I had talked to him, I would sometimes dismiss things I did not understand in Shum's classes, but now I think more about what I am learning in those areas of technology and realize I need to be focused on learning those areas of my major as well. For all I know, I might have to end up teaching such areas that are not my preference! I need to prepare myself now so I will be able to teach any area in TEE.

Reflection 4

Last Thursday we had the opportunity to go to the Junior Highs. When we first got to the school, excitement to become a teacher hit me! Going to the school first made me remember those awkward years and feelings of wanting to belong. Those years are such impressionable years in which teachers can have such a great impact!

As for the class we got to sit in on, we got to watch Mr. Meeks teach tech 1 and econ. Overall, he was a great teacher. The things we were learning in class could be boring to some of the students, but with Mr. Meeks, he was very talented at tying in what the class was learning to things that related to the students. I think this is very important because it helps the students to relate the subjects to their own personal lives. Just as he did, I want to try and be similar in my way of making things relatable to the students.

As for things to watch for, I think mind tools used in class need to be better evaluated before put in to class activities. In the econ class, they had a computer program they used in which they sold and bought goods. The game did not help the kids learn at all about how economics work by playing this game. For majority of them, it was a guessing game in what to do with the program. It is very important that such programs help the kids develop skills rather than just wasting their time.

Overall, what I gained most from this experience was the actual realization of how impactful teachers can be on their students. I've always known that they can be, but going in and sitting in on these classes made me really see how impressionable students can be and how it is up to you how much they learn. I once heard a quote that your students are like sponges. They absorb as much as you put into them. As a current student, I need to learn not only the materials of what I'll be teaching, but also the best ways to teach my kids. I want to be able to help them capture, expand, teach, and evaluate what they learn. I hope I can one day help my kids learn and enjoy what they are learning.

Reflection 3

In class, we have been reading Learning & Teaching Exponential Growth by Susan Gong. This little book is full of intriguing thoughts about teaching and learning. In the book, it discusses 4 different experiences, capture, expand, teach, and evaluate. Each of these are very important to the Learner/Teacher (L/T) and are ways that an L/T gains experience.

While reading about this, there was one quote that stuck out to me. "When you expect to teach, your mind is prepared to learn." This is so true! This made me really reflect on my own life and how I learn. When I am learning something, I may understand it mostly, but if I don't, I don't stress it and move on. When I am learning something though and know that I must teach it, I have such a different attitude! It makes me question things of the material more and makes me think about the material more because I subconsciously have the mindset that I must teach it to others. I MUST grasp the material because I will have to share it with others.

With the help of this quote making me aware of this learning differences in me based on the purpose, I want to try and go into learning things with the one mindset of being expected to teach it. By doing this, I will feel more pressed to gain as much knowledge about what I am learning rather than being the occasional floater (as shum would say) and not always focusing. As I learn, I want to try and incorporate Gong's principles of capture, expand, teach, and evaluate and to do so with the new mindset of teaching others.

Reflection 2

In Wong's book there is a quote that stuck out to me. "Learning is an individual activity but not a solitary one. It is more effective when it takes place within a supportive community of learners." I find this quote to be very true. Learning indeed is something each of us must personally achieve, but it is something that we can accomplish in a support group of others learning the same things. As a student, being in a community of supportive learners just like me is comforting and helpful. Such a community helps buoy me up in my studies. Times where I felt learning was most effective was when I felt that community.

In the Technology and Engineering Education program, the supportive community is very prominent. I think this is something that helped attract me to this major. Many of the things we do are in group settings. We must each learn for ourselves but doing so all together. Being in a 'supportive community of learners' first is beneficial because it allows multiple minds to all contribute and share thoughts and outlooks on material. Secondly, it also creates a support system that feels similar to the family. You feel like you can work with them, get help from them and you can accomplish things personally.

In the classroom, I want to offer this same community to my students. I want to help them to feel comfortable with each other and to work with each other to individually grow. I understand that not everything needs to be in a group setting, but it is effective in helping students grow in ways they cannot do alone. I want them to feel brought up and able to learn and do things just as I have felt in the past.

Reflection 1

For class, we've been reading The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher by Harry K. Wong. This book has been thought provoking as I've been reading it. One thing that I enjoyed most was the importance of a teachers expectations. It is up to the teacher how much the student learns. The student will learn as little or as much as the teacher expects. This makes me think back to Miss Parker, my senior English teacher. She had high expectations for me and wanted me to succeed and do well. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was because of her high expectations that I worked so hard on my papers for her class. She had a certain bar that she wanted so I had to work hard to achieve that level. It was hard work, but I remember at the end I felt accomplished and like I had actually reached something and had become better.

It is easy to think you do as well or not so well as you personally expect. In reality, the teacher plays a big role in this . Miss Parker had high expectations, thus I worked hard to achieve the high academic performance that she wanted. She expected me to do well and at the same time made me feel that I could do well. She did not change my ways of thinking but instead changed the way I felt about how I could write. I felt I could do better because of her, thus I did better. The expectations and support from the teacher are crucial to each individual student's learning.

As a teacher, I want to be as Miss Parker and make clear my expectations of my students. I want to encourage them and make them feel too that they can do well. My expectations will play a large role in determining my students' academic performance.