Today's class asked the question, "How does what I bring to the mix impact teaching and learning?" What I bring to the mix certainly impacts my teaching and students' learning; however, there are other influences that also impact the mix such as context and development of students' identities.
Today, we looked at how the educator is the moral agent as well as the more expert learner in the classroom. The educator's beliefs on how students' learn is based on the conscious and unconscious behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs that embody the individual teacher. We bring these beliefs and morals with us to the classroom every day. Therefore, it is important for us, as pre-service teachers, to challenge ourselves to reflect on our behaviors and beliefs and think about how these are affecting the "mix" either positively or negatively.
One significant takeaway from today's discussion was that there is a lot that I cannot control in student learning (which is unnerving). For example, I can't control the context (e.g. environment, standards), especially when teaching middle and high school students. I need to exist within the context of my school community and district. As I develop my stance on education and learning, I can challenge and question the context that I am teaching in. But, at the end of the day, I do not control the context.
However, the one thing that I can control is myself and what I bring to the learning environment. We discussed today a lot of different ideas of what makes "good teaching" and how that affects our students' ability to develop competency in our disciplines. Here are a few examples of some of the ideas that I gleaned from this analysis. I want to be prepared for the day with the understanding that it may not go as planned; because of this I will have to be flexible and in tune with my students' needs. As a "guide on the side," I want to ensure that my goal as a guide is to focus on the students' learning and know that they come to the mix with experiences, beliefs, and knowledge just as I do.
T2P Statement: If a teacher is well-prepared, focused on her students' learning, and confident in the value of the students' understanding the content, then the learners will feel supported and encouraged that the work they are doing is meaningful and relevant because their guide has demonstrated her to commitment to her students' learning.
Reflections on Week 1 T2P / Fill in the T2P:
If ..., then both the teacher and learners will experience a high-level of energy and motivation throughout the day because...
If the teacher is passionate about the content and learning, then both the teachers and learners will experience a high-level of energy and motivation throughout the day because both parties are excited about what they will discover as a class and as individuals.
A good example of this "If, then" statement is the Dead Poet's Society case study. In this example, the teacher was passionate about poetry. As the teacher walked around the room with the waste basket, he exuded energy and excitement when telling the class about what they would soon discover about themselves and the world as they read and interpreted poetry. When a teacher is excited about the content, then that excitement often positively affects the students and intrinsically motivates them to learn more about the subject area.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteYour analysis is on point. You are reflecting critically on the teaching and learning going on in our classroom and imagining yourself in the future. Excellent work here.
A challenge: attempt to incorporate one or two specific examples of strategies you might include in your teaching to ensure: "learners will feel supported and encouraged that the work they are doing is meaningful."
Keep pressing!
GNA
GNA,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback.
One strategy that I would use to ensure that learners feel that the work they are doing is meaningful is to intentionally plan detailed lessons. This will not only allow me to focus on the learners as opposed to focusing on what I will do next, but it will also ensure that I am tying my lessons to the big idea concepts that I am trying to work students towards.
I also believe that students are very intuitive. They can tell the teachers that are prepared and thoughtful from the ones who "wing it." I think this will demonstrate for them that I take my job and their learning seriously.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your sentiment that learners are intuitive and easily distinguish b/t prepared and under-prepared teachers. In relation, I find the concept of "doing school" i.e., performing learning e.g., the whole brain teaching techniques intriguing b/c it evidences students willingness and ability to adapt to teachers of all types and quality levels--and perform, but not necessarily learn.
GNA
I think that is why I have issue with teaching techniques that encourage memorizing rhymes and acronyms as a means to acquire knowledge. As a student, I distinctly remember teachers providing mnemonic devices as a way to "learn" content. I was able to recall the information for the test, and then it would be magically erased from my brain. Again, not what I would call learning.
ReplyDelete