In today's class we basically just revised our papers and helped other students try to get a good idea what to talk about in our papers. There were no readings for this week, and we didn't get to headlines but I think that by letting our peers help revise, we each got a better idea of what to discuss.
This semester has been great. I learned many important issues and strategies to run my future classroom. My experience in Newark was great and I consider myself lucky to have had the oppurtunity to spend briefly 30 hours in a new, high tech elementary school.
This school has changed some of my ideas about becoming a teacher. I was so set on teaching high school but elementary school [the higher grades] seems like it would be a good idea as well.
The host teacher I worked with gave me a lot of great ideas and advice for my future and I really enjoyed working with her and her students. I really felt at home when I was in Newark. It is a wonderful experience to start your initial field work with someone who is very knowlegable, caring, and dedicated to his or her career.
This class inspired me to want to still apply to the Teacher Educaiton program, and I look forward to keeping up the good work during the initiation process.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
December already!
Wow, it is unbelievable how fast this semester passed by! Before we know it, we will be in front of classrooms lecturing and being TEACHERS! It is simply amazing how this course helped me establish that I DEFINITELY want to be a teacher. I had doubts but, I think I am pretty sure on my choice.
As for today's class, once again, there were three great headlines. First, No Child Left Behind.. an important issue that gets teachers and parents are both upset about, but is it good or bad? The ranking process of standardized testing can brutally damage a school's image. What is important.. Math? English? Should this test be taken in English?
The second article includes a VERY controversial issue on Japan's new idea of taking a college course via cell phone. In my opinion, this is a joke because there is no interaction nor learning process that is going on when taking a course over the phone or even the Internet.. in this case. I think that the whole purpose of higher education is to interact with the teacher and get a good learning experience - not to teach yourself via cell phone.
The last article deals with a major issue that I am probably going to encounter a few times within my career. Since I want to become an English teacher - especially for high school, the "Frightening Fiction," article really hit home for me. It is a scary thought to have to double check each individual student's work for emotional content as well. How do you know what is not acceptable for school or what is simply a fictional story?
As for the readings - I was especially interested in the steps to be a teacher. I think as far as we go, for now, we need to focus on the preparation and the sequence stages in school. It is important to know that this is what we really want to do with the rest of our lives. It is also important to take care of the first few years of teaching [by being totally focused, organized, and interested in the content]. Once tenured, the interest factor will probably not be an issue but there will be days we will want to quit. The frustrations and negativity of teaching shouldn’t stick with us as a problem. I think that before we are preparing to retired, we should all tell everyone that we truly LOVE teaching.
As for today's class, once again, there were three great headlines. First, No Child Left Behind.. an important issue that gets teachers and parents are both upset about, but is it good or bad? The ranking process of standardized testing can brutally damage a school's image. What is important.. Math? English? Should this test be taken in English?
The second article includes a VERY controversial issue on Japan's new idea of taking a college course via cell phone. In my opinion, this is a joke because there is no interaction nor learning process that is going on when taking a course over the phone or even the Internet.. in this case. I think that the whole purpose of higher education is to interact with the teacher and get a good learning experience - not to teach yourself via cell phone.
The last article deals with a major issue that I am probably going to encounter a few times within my career. Since I want to become an English teacher - especially for high school, the "Frightening Fiction," article really hit home for me. It is a scary thought to have to double check each individual student's work for emotional content as well. How do you know what is not acceptable for school or what is simply a fictional story?
As for the readings - I was especially interested in the steps to be a teacher. I think as far as we go, for now, we need to focus on the preparation and the sequence stages in school. It is important to know that this is what we really want to do with the rest of our lives. It is also important to take care of the first few years of teaching [by being totally focused, organized, and interested in the content]. Once tenured, the interest factor will probably not be an issue but there will be days we will want to quit. The frustrations and negativity of teaching shouldn’t stick with us as a problem. I think that before we are preparing to retired, we should all tell everyone that we truly LOVE teaching.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
My Last Day of Community Service
After going to the school to help out three other times, I was a bit sad when I went my last time, Friday. It was a very busy day in class because the 5th grade, along with the the other grades as well because there was a Hispanic assembly celebrating important Hispanic people in the U.S.
I got to the classroom around 12:30 p.m., and was greeted by the host teacher. She asked me if I can do her a great favor and organize VERY LARGE piles of tests and papers for her. She was absent a few days last week, so EVERYTHING was out of order and she needed a hand getting organized again. She had me organize each paper into which assignment it was, the class, and the student's number. [Every student from each section had a number that coinsides with their name alphabetically to help make recording grades easier.]
It took me about an hour just to organize each paper from worksheets, homework, and test packets. Then, after I was finished organizing, I had to put everything in order by class. I didn't complete what she had for me because the time simply flew away! I finished three homework assignments, two stacks of tests, and one stack of worksheets that was done in class.
It was sad when I had to leave around 3:00, but the teacher wants to keep in contact and I would love helping her out whenever I can.
I got to the classroom around 12:30 p.m., and was greeted by the host teacher. She asked me if I can do her a great favor and organize VERY LARGE piles of tests and papers for her. She was absent a few days last week, so EVERYTHING was out of order and she needed a hand getting organized again. She had me organize each paper into which assignment it was, the class, and the student's number. [Every student from each section had a number that coinsides with their name alphabetically to help make recording grades easier.]
It took me about an hour just to organize each paper from worksheets, homework, and test packets. Then, after I was finished organizing, I had to put everything in order by class. I didn't complete what she had for me because the time simply flew away! I finished three homework assignments, two stacks of tests, and one stack of worksheets that was done in class.
It was sad when I had to leave around 3:00, but the teacher wants to keep in contact and I would love helping her out whenever I can.
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