Reflections....

Wow, I can not believe that this semester is over! There was so much work and so much learned. This methods class has taught me so much that I don't think it is possible to fit every piece of knowledge in my blog, but I will reflect on everything I have learned about myself, as a person and future teacher. Academically and personally, I feel that I grew a lot since the beginning of the semester. Academically I learned how to create lesson plans, including Direct, Inquiry-Based, and Social Interactive Model. Before this class I never knew how to write a lesson plan, or even that there was a difference. Personally, I feel that I am different in the fact that I am much more confident with myself, and teaching. This was the first time that I created lesson plans and taught them in front of a class. I learned a lot about being a teacher this semester. It was amazing being able to see your lessons come to life, and how the students react to them. I realized that I am much more confident and comfortable in front of a classroom of students than I thought I would be. I realized that I can get the class in order when they become rowdy in group work. I was also always nervous about teaching a lesson in front of adults in the classroom. When I got in front of the class I completely forgot that other adults were in the room and taught the lessons with no worries. It surprised me that I could discipline the students. I have always been scared that I could not control a classroom and raise my voice at students. During my fieldwork, the students were getting rowdy in their groups and not listening to me. As soon as I gained their attention I told them that whoever is not listening to me and being quiet is going to get their flashlight taken away, which was being used in their project. After I said that, every student was silent and had their eyes on me. It made me much more confident that I was able to control a classroom of 28 rowdy second graders.

Being in the classroom made me think of when I get my own classroom. Looking around the classroom inspired me for what I want in my classroom. Seeing the students interact with the teacher, and how much they look up to their teacher for advice and help with their work. It made me realize how much I love teaching and how much of an impact that teachers have on students lives. I am also so grateful for my cooperating teacher. She allowed me into her classroom and to teach lessons to her class. I know that when I am a teacher I will have the door open to my class for any student who wants to come in and do fieldwork for class. It made me realize how teachers want to help others who are studying to become one of their own. The cooperating teacher also helped me feel comfortable in the class, and shared stories of her first times teaching. Having her share how nervous she was in front of the classroom to see how she interacted with the students made me realize that one day I will be in her shoes, with my own classroom, and made me realize that all the work I am doing now is going to pay off in a big way.

There is always room for improvement, and I have a lot more to learn. The more experience I have in the classroom and creating lesson plans will give me more knowledge than I thought I would ever have. I take everything I learn to heart and know that one day I will be using it in the classroom. I am still learning how to react when different situations arise in the classroom, such as "This student is crying etc." But I know once I have more experience under my belt I will be able to handle any situation as it approaches.

I had no idea what to expect from this class. Besides the fact that it was with Dr. Smirnova and I would be engaged in technology! All I knew was that we learn how to create lesson plans with Methods. I never knew everything else I would learn. I never knew that I would go into a classroom and teach lessons to students who after two times of being in the classroom knew my name and would come up to me with questions while I was just observing. I experienced being able to be in front of the class and what kind of teacher I am shaping into. I experienced students learning what I was teaching them and how excited they are to learn about new things. I got to experience the joy in the student's eyes when they were watching things be created, and how they felt when they understood something new.

Overall, I am so grateful for Dr. Smirnova and my classmates. I feel like aside from Dr. Smirnova, I learned so much from my classmates with group work and peer and self evaluations. No other class has had so much focus on evaluation our own work and each others. It is great practice for teaching that is for sure. I got to evaluate my efforts and focus on places where I could improve which was a great experience for me I never would have thought to do if I was not assigned it. This was one of my favorite semesters and one that I will never forget.

The takeover of technology

Technology is taking over beyond Dr. Smirnova's classroom! I came across this article and decided that it fit perfectly for my methods class and decided to share!

Here is the link

Enjoy! Hope you like it as much as I did!

Let's process this information....

I don't want to even believe that it has been a month since I have blogged! I do not even know where to start. Needless to say this has been the craziest semester yet. Taking three grad classes I have come to find is not the easiest thing in the world. On the other side, I have been learning to much. So as I look back on my blog I have not talked much since Direct Instruction. While I think that DI is great for introducing the lesson, Information processing model, and Social Interactive model has turned out to be two other great teaching models! In Information Processing, the teacher poses a question for the students, and the students have to find solutions on their own. A great example of this is the WebQuest! My WebQuest, "Adventure with Plants" was made for second graders to learn all about plants. I presented them with a problem that people did not believe that plants were living, and they had to research websites to prove that they were in fact, real! Information Processing allows students to practice their problem solving skills, and a chance for the students to take the lead in the classroom. In this model the teacher is there as a guide. They are there to answer questions if they come up, but for the most part the students are in charge of the classroom. This is a great model to use for science in particular. By providing students a problem and asking for a solution, you are giving students an opportunity to take charge and experiment. I will be sure to use this model in my classroom as I teach science lessons. I had an opportunity to use the IPM lesson plan in a second grade classroom this week. The students loved being able to experiment and find a solution to a problem. Being so involved in the lesson made them learn and understand the lesson more than if they were sitting in their seats listening to me lecture. Overall, I love this model of instruction, especially for science. This will be another thing I will carry with me to the classroom!