Class Reflection

Dear Reader, 

Over the past three months, you have read many posts about education, English literature, being a college student and teaching methods. One huge teaching method is the method of continued reflection. As teachers, we are only as good as our worst day, and without reflection, our worst day will become multiple days and soon they will outnumber our best days. 

This course has taught me a lot about what I am capable of as students and an educator. The most important thing it has taught me is that I do not have to attempt this job alone. The huge project for this class was the Unit Plan, and I would not have finished it without my friends and colleagues. They gave me support, resources, ideas, encouragement and references I wouldn't have found on my own. I have also learned that I love reading and while I think reading in the classroom is important, students will not become lifelong readers in the classroom, they will fall in love with books outside of the classroom. I think my favorite project of the quarter was the mini-lessons because for the first time I got to see my fellow students teach in a "real" way, and I was able to collect even more valuable insight and resources from their lessons to use in my own classroom. 

In this class we also looked at a lot of theory and to be honest I didn't retain much of it, I think I'm just more of a hands-on person than a theory person. I am going to use what I know works in a classroom and that is all the research I will need to help my students, however, this class as taught me that not all theory is written y suits in offices who have never set foot in a real classroom. I think the biggest breakthrough for me was learning that CCSS is not out to get teachers or make our lives harder but to help us help students. While I think in some ways they value certain subjects over others I think at its core there is a good purpose. 

Finally a reflection of myself. Looking at the teacher I was at the begining of this course and the teacher I am now I know I am more confident in my ability to run a classroom on my own. As a student teacher its hard to think of the classroom as yours because at the end of the day it is, but I now feel 10x more confident in my ability to choose curriculum, create cohesive lessons, integrate standards and introduce students to new and different forms of reading. I can't wait to have my own class and be my own teacher. 

Sincerely, 

Meraki