I found this week's discussion topics to be very interesting. I enjoyed reading everyone's response to the two prompts. It seems like most people in the class felt that laying out the rules and conducting a "getting to know you" exercise was pretty standard for the first day. I did read one post that stated that he would immediately start teaching on the first day. I thought this was definitely a different way to begin the school year, but he was right, I am sure he would have the student's attention. I know that on my first day of teaching, I was very nervous. Looking back, I think I would have prepared more and taken the time to run through the rules of my class. I am glad that this class is engaging me in the subject of preparation. I realize now that I need to take the time to fully prepare for the first day. I also know that the first day and week really impact how the rest of the school year will go.
In regards to the prompt about the definition of “discipline,” everyone either took one stance or the other. People either thought that “discipline” was a negative thing and that it referred to inflicting punishment on students or people thought that “discipline” was connected to managing one’s own behavior. I liked the prompt because it provided an arena for discussing the way to define discipline in the classroom.
In general this week went pretty well. The only thing that stressed me out was the fear that assignment 1 was due today. I panicked for a moment because I thought I somehow missed the fact that it was due today, but thankfully it is not due until next week! I am still getting used to online classes and worry at times that I will miss something very important.
Website Recommendation
http://feaweb.org/
This week I had to join the FEA (Florida Education Association) which cost $31.00 in order to obtain liability insurance. I needed liability insurance to go into Leon County Schools and in order to participate in my student teaching internship. I thought this website might be of some use to those of you looking to find a way to purchase liability insurance.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Week 4 Reflections
Now that we are approaching the end of Week 4, I was glad that I had read Module 3 and Wong Chapters 11-14 and blogged about them last week because this week was very busy. It seems like the semester is picking up and everything is getting more intense.
I was surprised that our discussion this week was to find an article. To be honest, I am not overly fond of articles because it always seems like the researchers are out to prove something, but end up with little real results. I am learning though, that articles must be read and even though I feel at times that they do not really "say" much, I try to glean something from them. (I hesitate even saying that, but that is how I feel). If anyone had any suggestions as to where to find more interesting articles, I would be much obliged. My article this week was about a study done with over 300 pre-service teachers in Canada. What I mentioned in my discussion post was that some of the teachers in the article felt that they were unprepared for teaching even after their training. They wanted more real experiences, and I guess I feel the same. I wonder if I will be ready to teach when I finish the program, but I do take solace in the fact that most teachers basically use the "sink or swim" method as they begin teaching. I know that when I first started teaching in Korea, it was much like that. I really was thrown in with seemingly little preparation, but the truth is, you figure out how to do it. So, that is what I will rely on, the ability to learn as you go, and to just go with the flow.
Website Recommendation:
http://www.ilovethatteachingidea.com/ideas/subj_classroom_management.htm
This website is great for creative ideas for teaching in general.
I was surprised that our discussion this week was to find an article. To be honest, I am not overly fond of articles because it always seems like the researchers are out to prove something, but end up with little real results. I am learning though, that articles must be read and even though I feel at times that they do not really "say" much, I try to glean something from them. (I hesitate even saying that, but that is how I feel). If anyone had any suggestions as to where to find more interesting articles, I would be much obliged. My article this week was about a study done with over 300 pre-service teachers in Canada. What I mentioned in my discussion post was that some of the teachers in the article felt that they were unprepared for teaching even after their training. They wanted more real experiences, and I guess I feel the same. I wonder if I will be ready to teach when I finish the program, but I do take solace in the fact that most teachers basically use the "sink or swim" method as they begin teaching. I know that when I first started teaching in Korea, it was much like that. I really was thrown in with seemingly little preparation, but the truth is, you figure out how to do it. So, that is what I will rely on, the ability to learn as you go, and to just go with the flow.
Website Recommendation:
http://www.ilovethatteachingidea.com/ideas/subj_classroom_management.htm
This website is great for creative ideas for teaching in general.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Week 3 Reflection Blog
Week 3: General Reflection
I thought that the articles that we were required to read this week were intriguing. The Dotger article was the most interesting because it detailed the parent-teacher simulation and how the prospective teachers handled each situation. I thought the simulation was an interesting way to engage pre-service teachers in conversations with “parents” that all have differing problems and perspectives about their children.
Kellough Module 3: Page 70-93
Module 3 entitled, “Establishing and Maintaining a Safe and Supportive Classroom Learning Environment” described how historically the concept of classroom management has changed over the years and also explained how teachers can effectively manage their classrooms. The idea of classroom management has greatly changed in the last century. On page 72, the authors explain how teachers used to approach classroom management which in the early 1800’s meant classroom discipline and punishment. Much has changed as time progressed and now modern teachers view classroom management as classroom control where the teacher is in control of the classroom, but not actively disciplining the student. The idea now is to take preventative measures by planning and effectively communicating to students what is expected in the classroom. One portion of this chapter that I found particularly interesting was the “Guidelines for developing withitness.” Although I found the term, “withitness” to be humorous, I did like the components found in the guidelines. New teachers could use this guideline for a quick reference on how to be aware at all times about what is going on in the classroom. For example, “move around the room,” though this concept seems simple, new teachers may feel most comfortable in the front of the room and fail to move around the room thus allowing students to occupy themselves with non-classroom related material and/or conversations. Overall, I thought this chapter was very useful for understanding the importance of classroom management in general as well as explain how to step-by-step create a classroom that is management efficiently and successfully.
Wong Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14
Chapter 11 was a reinforcement of Module 3 in the Kellough book. It explicitly stated that “classroom management overarches everything in curriculum” (Wong, 80). It is easy to see from both books that classroom management is essential for aiding students learning process. In chapter 11, it explains how consistency is extremely important for students and if the teacher has prepared a through classroom management plan before the start of the first day of class and then establishes the plan as the norm for the classroom on the first day, the students will understand the parameters of the classroom and will act accordingly.
Chapter 12 expounded on the importance on preparation. Teachers must be ready for their students on the first day. One component of this chapter that I found interesting was how on page 93 under the title “Before You Move a Single Desk” the teacher must establish the classroom management plan. I liked how the book explained that it is more important to have your plan ready than your classroom perfect. I do not think it had occurred to me that the room can wait for the sake of the creation of an effective management plan.
Chapter 13 was about introducing yourself to your class and their parents. The focus of this chapter was on how to communicate with parents before the start of the school year and why this simple act can make a lasting impression with the parents of your future students. The chapter also outlines how to greet your students on their first day. I liked the tips for what to include in an email to each parent. A picture of the teacher was on the list and I can see why this would be a useful to the parents. I know that once I have a face to connect with a name, I feel more connected to the person.
Chapter 14 is entitled “How to Arrange and Assign Seating.” I found this chapter to be interesting because it explained that if the teacher greets each student before the student enters the classroom and the student feels welcomed, this will set the stage for a great year. Also, when each student is given a seat assignment, the students feel that they belong and will quickly adjust to their new environment. The chapter talks about seat assignments and how each way of arranging the desks can facilitate a different activity. For the first day, however it is important that all the desks are facing the front and that all the students can see the teacher.
Website Recommendation: http://www.daveseslcafe.com/
This website is great for educators who are looking to teach English in another country. It posts job opportunities in numerous countries and can aid in the successful apprehension of an English teaching position.
I thought that the articles that we were required to read this week were intriguing. The Dotger article was the most interesting because it detailed the parent-teacher simulation and how the prospective teachers handled each situation. I thought the simulation was an interesting way to engage pre-service teachers in conversations with “parents” that all have differing problems and perspectives about their children.
Kellough Module 3: Page 70-93
Module 3 entitled, “Establishing and Maintaining a Safe and Supportive Classroom Learning Environment” described how historically the concept of classroom management has changed over the years and also explained how teachers can effectively manage their classrooms. The idea of classroom management has greatly changed in the last century. On page 72, the authors explain how teachers used to approach classroom management which in the early 1800’s meant classroom discipline and punishment. Much has changed as time progressed and now modern teachers view classroom management as classroom control where the teacher is in control of the classroom, but not actively disciplining the student. The idea now is to take preventative measures by planning and effectively communicating to students what is expected in the classroom. One portion of this chapter that I found particularly interesting was the “Guidelines for developing withitness.” Although I found the term, “withitness” to be humorous, I did like the components found in the guidelines. New teachers could use this guideline for a quick reference on how to be aware at all times about what is going on in the classroom. For example, “move around the room,” though this concept seems simple, new teachers may feel most comfortable in the front of the room and fail to move around the room thus allowing students to occupy themselves with non-classroom related material and/or conversations. Overall, I thought this chapter was very useful for understanding the importance of classroom management in general as well as explain how to step-by-step create a classroom that is management efficiently and successfully.
Wong Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14
Chapter 11 was a reinforcement of Module 3 in the Kellough book. It explicitly stated that “classroom management overarches everything in curriculum” (Wong, 80). It is easy to see from both books that classroom management is essential for aiding students learning process. In chapter 11, it explains how consistency is extremely important for students and if the teacher has prepared a through classroom management plan before the start of the first day of class and then establishes the plan as the norm for the classroom on the first day, the students will understand the parameters of the classroom and will act accordingly.
Chapter 12 expounded on the importance on preparation. Teachers must be ready for their students on the first day. One component of this chapter that I found interesting was how on page 93 under the title “Before You Move a Single Desk” the teacher must establish the classroom management plan. I liked how the book explained that it is more important to have your plan ready than your classroom perfect. I do not think it had occurred to me that the room can wait for the sake of the creation of an effective management plan.
Chapter 13 was about introducing yourself to your class and their parents. The focus of this chapter was on how to communicate with parents before the start of the school year and why this simple act can make a lasting impression with the parents of your future students. The chapter also outlines how to greet your students on their first day. I liked the tips for what to include in an email to each parent. A picture of the teacher was on the list and I can see why this would be a useful to the parents. I know that once I have a face to connect with a name, I feel more connected to the person.
Chapter 14 is entitled “How to Arrange and Assign Seating.” I found this chapter to be interesting because it explained that if the teacher greets each student before the student enters the classroom and the student feels welcomed, this will set the stage for a great year. Also, when each student is given a seat assignment, the students feel that they belong and will quickly adjust to their new environment. The chapter talks about seat assignments and how each way of arranging the desks can facilitate a different activity. For the first day, however it is important that all the desks are facing the front and that all the students can see the teacher.
Website Recommendation: http://www.daveseslcafe.com/
This website is great for educators who are looking to teach English in another country. It posts job opportunities in numerous countries and can aid in the successful apprehension of an English teaching position.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Week 2 Reflection
General reflections
This week's discussion I found to be very interesting. I enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences with good and bad teachers. I think the general consensus is that a teacher needs to be organized, energetic, caring and challenging to be a good teacher. Some teachers that people disliked were the teachers who were too friendly and very relaxed-these teachers were generally not respected and the students did not seem to learn a lot from them.
Wang Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10
Although I have not taught in a k-12 US school, I felt that the information in Chapter 7 was intuitive, and did not need to be explicitly taught in a book. I can’t imagine a school not celebrating the first day of school. Again, I may be naive in my opinion, but I would imagine most schools would have proper signs indicating where to go, have people welcoming the students, and might even have an open house before the start of school to make the families and students feel welcome.
Chapter 8 focuses on dressing appropriately for the classroom. Although this seems like a basic concept, I do think teachers need to be reminded to dress professionally. I am sure that the more comfortable a teacher becomes the less they feel the need to impress and might therefore wear relaxed clothing.
Chapter 9 I thought was an interesting chapter. I liked what Haim Ginott (pg. 61) had to say about the power that the teacher has in the classroom. Haim explained how the teacher’s mood directly affects the classroom attitude. I found this to be true in my teaching experience. I realized that if wasn’t feeling well that day, my students reacted to my negative mood and the general classroom attitude and productiveness was bad.
In Chapter 10, it basically overviews the importance of using people’s names, of saying “please” and “thank you” and how a loving attitude and a smile can make a huge difference. This chapter also seemed like information that was obvious for any teacher that cares about making a difference in student’s lives. It was good information, but probably did not need to be addressed.
Kellough / Carjuzaa book: Module 2
This chapter seemed very useful as a brief overview of the definition of the various groups of students and how to work with them. I liked how it included the names of people who are well known for working with particular groups of students. This chapter seemed like a great resource for new teachers.
Website Recommendation: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/
This website is great for use with English Language Learners (ELLs). It basically takes modern news articles and adapts them to ELLs. It simplifies the sentence structure and makes the news comprehensible for ELLs. It’s great for listening and reading exercises.
This week's discussion I found to be very interesting. I enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences with good and bad teachers. I think the general consensus is that a teacher needs to be organized, energetic, caring and challenging to be a good teacher. Some teachers that people disliked were the teachers who were too friendly and very relaxed-these teachers were generally not respected and the students did not seem to learn a lot from them.
Wang Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10
Although I have not taught in a k-12 US school, I felt that the information in Chapter 7 was intuitive, and did not need to be explicitly taught in a book. I can’t imagine a school not celebrating the first day of school. Again, I may be naive in my opinion, but I would imagine most schools would have proper signs indicating where to go, have people welcoming the students, and might even have an open house before the start of school to make the families and students feel welcome.
Chapter 8 focuses on dressing appropriately for the classroom. Although this seems like a basic concept, I do think teachers need to be reminded to dress professionally. I am sure that the more comfortable a teacher becomes the less they feel the need to impress and might therefore wear relaxed clothing.
Chapter 9 I thought was an interesting chapter. I liked what Haim Ginott (pg. 61) had to say about the power that the teacher has in the classroom. Haim explained how the teacher’s mood directly affects the classroom attitude. I found this to be true in my teaching experience. I realized that if wasn’t feeling well that day, my students reacted to my negative mood and the general classroom attitude and productiveness was bad.
In Chapter 10, it basically overviews the importance of using people’s names, of saying “please” and “thank you” and how a loving attitude and a smile can make a huge difference. This chapter also seemed like information that was obvious for any teacher that cares about making a difference in student’s lives. It was good information, but probably did not need to be addressed.
Kellough / Carjuzaa book: Module 2
This chapter seemed very useful as a brief overview of the definition of the various groups of students and how to work with them. I liked how it included the names of people who are well known for working with particular groups of students. This chapter seemed like a great resource for new teachers.
Website Recommendation: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/
This website is great for use with English Language Learners (ELLs). It basically takes modern news articles and adapts them to ELLs. It simplifies the sentence structure and makes the news comprehensible for ELLs. It’s great for listening and reading exercises.
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