Week 15 Reflection

Week 15 Reflections

The semester has finally come to a close, and I am very relieved. It has been one busy semester. I learned a lot, did many assignments, and was enlightened to a great many topics in education. All I have left to do is the final assignment regarding technology. I am looking forward to relaxing this break and then on to internship next semester!

Discussion prompt: This week’s discussion prompt was a little confusing to me because the question did not match what we all did for our microteaching assignment. One of the classmates quickly changed the question into something applicable and we all ran with that idea. The micro-teaching videos themselves were interesting to watch. One was of a teacher actually teaching and the other was about a woman explaining what she did for a history lesson. The first teacher’s classroom was very chaotic, and needed a lot of structure. However, the woman’s lesson seemed to be much more organized and she explained how her use of blocks facilitated the students learning.

Website Recommendation: http://www.funbrain.com/
This website is a great resource for educational games.

Week 14 Reflections

I thought this week’s discussion was very important. I did not realize how many rules and regulations were connected to copyright issues. After looking over some of the rules, and taking the copyright quiz, I was shocked by how many rules I did not know. I found some rules to be absurd, but others I could understand why they were in place. I know it is important to protect the original writers, producers, or makers of products or works, but some rules seem a little extreme.

Module 8

This chapter was entitled, “Media, Aids, and Resources” and was a very good chapter. I thought Figure 8.4 on page 303 was great to use as a quick reference for what is allowed regarding printing material. I know that I would need to keep a copy of regulations with me in my classroom, or have access to a website that details what is allowed and what is not. I would definitely not want to violate any copyright laws no matter how extreme they seem.

Website Recommendation: http://www.copyright.gov/
This site is the main site for information for the US government regarding copyright laws and how to register original work.

Week 13 Reflections

This week was one busy, busy week. So many things are due that I am running around in circles! Even though there was a lot to do, it was a good week. I have begun working on the Lesson Plan and am hoping to finish and submit that soon. I’ve realized if I don’t start early, projects become very stressful.

This week’s discussion was about “Self-Reflection.” Our discussion prompt asked us to consider what aspects of the class we particularly enjoyed and will find useful in the future. I mentioned that I thought that the creation of the Unit Plan was one of the most useful activities we did because it is something I will have to do in my future teaching career. It was interesting to read my classmates’ thoughts on the semester. Some thought the class would have been better in person, but others did not mention their feelings on “location.” I know that if I could take this class again, I would definitely choose to take it in person, but that is probably because I enjoy interacting in real life settings rather than through virtual means.

Module 10

This chapter was about “Self-Assessment of Teaching,” and I thought it was much like a send-off chapter. There were sections that talked about our future student internships, how to behave and dress professionally, and even a section on how to relate to students. I thought this chapter was insightful as it brought up topics that new teachers need to consider. One section I thought was useful was the section on creating a portfolio. I am close to graduating, so this is something I will be doing in the future, and will need to know the best way of organizing one. The chapter gave tips for how to create an effective portfolio.

Website Recommendation: http://www.worldteach.org
This website might be a good place to start if one is wishing to volunteer or work abroad in the teaching field.

Week 12 Reflections

This week’s discussion was about the validity of open-book tests and how to combat cheating. Firstly, although I do not generally like open-book tests, I can now see some merit in them after reading some of my classmates’ responses. Originally, I thought students might have the misconception that open-book tests were easy and then come unprepared for the exam, shocked by how long it was taking to find the answer. However, after reading my classmates’ responses, I can see how some students might dive deeper into the book, familiarizing themselves with it in order to effectively use it in the exam. I found this view to be very valid. In regards to the second prompt about cheating, I thought my classmates’ responses were really good. Some thought that effectively preparing students for exams and reducing the point value for each exam may prompt real study instead of cheating. Others felt that teaching on how cheating was unethical could be an effective method for reducing cheating.

Module 9

This chapter was about “Assessing and Reporting Student Achievement” and was most insightful for me. I particularly liked the section entitled “Using Student Portfolios.” This section was about assessing students through a comprehensive portfolio. I found this subject to be interesting because within the MoST program, they have switched from “comprehensive exams” in the traditional sense to “portfolios.” I like the concept of portfolio’s better in that you take the best of your work and place it into an easy to access portfolio. Teacher and students can quickly see the projects the student has done and how they have improved overtime. Also, the students are judged in a more holistic manner, which tends to be good for students who may not test well, but can show proficiency in a subject through non-traditional methods. I think more programs should consider switching from the summative assessments to a portfolio method.

Website Recommendation: www.bedycasa.com
This site seems like it might be a good site for finding homestays abroad. This would be helpful for those of us who want to teach abroad for a short time, but haven’t figured out housing.

Week 11 Reflections

This week was a bit of a better week than last week. The work seemed more manageable for some reason. I enjoyed this week’s topic and discussion points entitled, “Teacher Talk” and “Socratic Questioning.” I thought my classmates’ suggestions for how to conduct a Socratic discussion were useful, and I think that this method of discussion would work well in many lessons.

Module 7

After reading Module 7, I understood how complex thinking about, preparing for, and actually speaking in a class can be, and what aspects of speaking I might need to work on before I actually teach. I learned that the speed in which you speak is very important. I know that I tend to speak rather quickly, and I know that I will need to monitor my speed when I speak in front of students. Also, I learned that both informal and formal speech can be used and that there are varying times to use either. For example, when conducting a lecture, the teacher might speak in formal speech, but when having a group discussion with students, the teacher might speak in informal speech. I never realized how complex teacher talk is and how many different aspects there are to consider.

Website Recommendation: http://www.teachingtips.com
This website could be used as an excellent source for struggling teachers. The website provides helpful tips for many different issues that teacher face.

Week 10 Reflections

It seems like the semester is starting to wind down to the end. I am surprised at how quickly it has gone by, but also I am realizing how much more work there is to do! This week’s discussion board prompt about “The Pedagogical Continuum” was very engaging because it is a topic that has been on my mind for a number of months. I exerted my opinion that I tend to like “direct teaching” and “teacher-centered instruction” over “discovery learning” and “student-centered instruction.” I was wary about posting my true opinion because I know it is against the most recent movement in education. Although I do maintain that I personally enjoy “teacher-centered” classrooms, one of my classmates brought up the point that students that are going through the education system now are growing up with “student-lead instruction” methods and it is normal to them. This was a point I had not considered and it was a very relevant point. It made me think about how the way in which a person learns as a child directly effects how they are comfortable learning later in life.

Module 6

This chapter was entitled, “Student-Centered Instructional Strategies” and was a most interesting chapter. Through this chapter I really examined the difference between “delivery mode” and “access mode.” I could clearly see the strengths and weaknesses of both ways of teaching. I also enjoyed reading my classmates’ posts about their college experiences and what level on the ladder (pg. 236, figure 6.4) their experience was positioned.

Website Recommendation: http://www.inspiringteachers.com/index.html
This website is a great general resource for teachers. It contains helpful hints on how to deal with a gamut of issues including irate parents.

Week 9 Reflections

This week’s decision about what “special needs” means to us was very interesting. I had not even considered that students who are “gifted” students could be placed in the category of “special needs.” I enjoyed reading my classmates’ responses to that prompt.

This week has been busy due to planning for Assignment 2. I have found that it was bigger than I expected, but I am certain I will get it done if I just stick to it. I found Module 5 to be helpful in working on Assignment 2.

Module 5

This chapter turned out to be a great resource for the preparation for Assignment 2. I thought the outlines of various units and lesson plans were very helpful. I had been having a difficult time picturing what a unit would look like on paper. It was nice to see a sample of what a unit might be like and what is really included. I am finding that since I have only had one year of teaching experience (which was to adult students), I am lacking the knowledge of how to line up my ideas with Florida Standards, specific instructional objectives, and the general procedure of a k-12 class. I am not sure if that makes sense, but my experience in teaching was in English as a second language, and I worked with Korean college students so Florida standards and all of that was not included in my lesson plans. I am sure that in time I will understand exactly what is expected and will be able to construct a unit plan and a lesson plan with ease.

Website Recommendation

http://www.teach.gov/
This website would be useful for when people are looking for teaching jobs after they graduate.