Reflection 07/03/07

Class today was one of the most beneficial classes we have had this year. The instruction was the same, but the content was something that all teachers in teacherED programs are looking for, strategies and ideas!!

One of my goals for the coming year is to try to do an exit slip everyday. I believe that they are very beneficial but I often run out of time to do them because of my time management and the question of what actually to do during an exit slip without repeating something or making it just busy work.

Today in class I felt like I learned a lot of tools that will help with both of these. Actually in class we checked out Toondo specifically and I loved and know that my kids will love it too. It will allow them to answer questions and review while also being creative.

I can also use ToonDo in class for activities. My students look comics and for them to write them in Spanish and then develop them on this site would be fun and educational for them. I have them do comics on paper but they often complain about having to draw because they are terrible but this will cut that aspect out and still allow them to be creative.

Chapter 18 Reflection

What is a natural teacher? Can you teacher a teacher to teach? These are two questions I often think about because I truly believe in the "something special" aspect of effective teaching of natural teachers and wonder if that can be taught. How effective can an un-natural teacher actually be?

I have come to the conclusion that every teacher can be effective and that teaching can be taught. However, I think teachers/administrators/theorists/etc. must recognize the ranges of effective teachers; not everyone is going to be the best teacher; natural teachers are going to naturally be better than others when putting their best step forward.

I also want to say that I completely disagree with the book when they say that effective teachers often come out of a successful lesson thinking about what they did wrong, and how this is unproductive. I believe that a natural teacher accepts their ability and accomplishments but refuses to accept mediocracy and realizes that there is always room for improvement. A great lesson can always be a better lesson. Natural teachers naturally see how things can be better, and this to me is very productive.

This I believe...

I believe that you cannot teach without teaching writing. Think about what is writing. It can be directions for an assignment, an article that concerns your content, a blog, an email. As a teacher you are a model for writing because without it you cannot teach. Your students will see and maybe not at first recognize this, but eventually or subconsciously realize that you have been one of the greatest influences on their writing. Do you ever write and the voice of your writing sounds familiar, yet you cannot give a name to the voice? I sometimes wonder if the voices that I hear in my head as I am reading and/or writing aren't the voices from my teachers years ago. They modeled for me the importance of writing, the need for writing skills and how to write in order to be successful. Now, I do have to say that I am a pitiful writer, I don't know as this says much for me, since I now realize that they were modeling success and I just didn't grasp that concept, but I am still learning and listening to those voices from so many years ago.