Reflections on Lesson 8

At the school where I teach, it is a requirement for all teachers to maintain a blog on a weekly basis.  Unlike the thoughtful, response-oriented blog we completed for this class, my teacher blog is a place to post information such as assignments, lesson plans, activities, or special school events.  Last year as the Computer/Library teacher, I also attached to my blog copies of my PowerPoints, lesson plans, handouts, and anything else that made it easy for a student to catch up after missing a class.  In fact, some of my students were able to complete assignments they had missed before they even returned to school.

My teacher blog was also a great place to communicate with parents.  Unlike newsletters or flyers sent home with students that found their way to crumpled heaps at the bottoms of backpacks, the blog could be checked anytime by interested parents and did not depend on the inconsistent reliability of student messengers.  Parents could also, at the click of a button, send me an email after reviewing my updates, allowing me instant communication with parents and the ability to alleviate concerns, answer questions, or provide feedback.

This year, I would like to make it a requirement for my Jr. High computer students to check my blog on a regular basis.  A completion grade can be given when a student leaves a brief comment, ensuring that students, as well as their parents, are up to date on what is required of them in class that week.  This could help alleviate the common, “I didn’t know that was due!” or “I didn’t know what I was supposed to do!”  The blog can be a great tool for helping students stay on task, or at least eliminate the excuses for those who choose not to.   

With the electronic nature of our culture, I believe that many schools are slowly moving to online methods of parent-teacher communications.  Large amounts of time and expense are saved every week by not copying thousands of fliers to go home.  Emails and blogs can be more personal and include pictures, stories, and successful moments of the school day, something I thoroughly enjoy.  But most importantly, online communication resources such as blogs, websites, and emails have the added benefit of being instantly updated, correcting misinformation at the time it is discovered.  In an age where instant information is king, a blog can make a teacher feel like royalty.

Reflections on Lesson 7

When I lived in California, I sat for 2 months on a jury for a trial involving three minors and one 18-year-old who kidnapped and brutally assaulted and raped four other teenagers.  We were called to give judgment on 42 separate counts, and in the end, we found all four defendants guilty of multiple counts.  The one 18-year-old defendant was to receive multiple life-sentences, ensuring that he would be spending the rest of his long remaining years behind bars.  The other three were tried as minors, and while being found guilty of the same violence, would be set free after their 25^th birthdays.  Did the fact that one of the accused had turned 18 a few months before the others mean that he was automatically capable of better judgment than his comrades?  Was he more deserving of a lifetime’s worth of punishment than they were because he had reached a magical pre-determined age where good judgment is required by the law?  Was his crime any more heinous?  Were their crimes any less? These are powerful questions and I’m not sure that my time on the jury necessarily answered them for me.  In the end, I don’t know who I felt worse for—the victims that endured such a horrific event, or the 4 young defendants whose lives were forever destroyed for one reckless irreversible night.

I teach Jr. High and see crazy, silly, and sometimes outright senseless behavior on a daily basis.  I also see a lot of kind, gracious, and noble behavior, as well.  Young people are developing the life skills they need to succeed in the adult world, and like toddlers, stumble, regress, and throw temper tantrums along the way.  But that does not mean we need to lower our expectations for them.  I believe that in spite of their lack of adult reasoning capacity, adolescents should not be given a pass on responsibility.  Even toddlers can learn what is expected of them and get time-outs for bad behavior.  Instead, I believe it is important to establish a strong foundation for students that will provide stability as they begin their tenuous steps into adulthood.  Students are much more likely to raise their personal standard higher when their goal is set higher and they understand what they are aiming for.  As teachers, what we need to do is give them the guidance, instruction, understanding, and the tools they need to reach the goal.  When mistakes are made, we as teachers can use these moments to teach and strengthen our students so they hopefully won’t make the same mistakes again.  Each learning moment, whether it originates from a positive or a negative experience, can strengthen their brain foundation, giving them greater capacity for judicious thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving as they mature into adulthood.  For some students, their path to adulthood will be relatively smooth, marked with moments of true wisdom and foresight.  For many students, the process will require much trial and error, but strong role-models like positive teachers can keep minor mistakes from progressing into pattern of behavior that can derail a lifetime of opportunity.  My goal as a teacher:  To give my students the tools, the guidance, the encouragement, and when necessary, the reproof they need to aspire to excellence as a teen and as an adult.  This is true teaching success.

Reflections on Lesson 6

At my university, all students took their tests at the dreaded Testing Center.  Above the main testing room was a smaller, sound-proof room where students could take their test while listening to classical music.  I always thought this seemed odd as I am one who requires absolute silence in order to focus.  I have always loved music, studied both piano and organ as a child, and sang in every choir my schools offered.  I currently lead the music for my church’s congregational meeting each week and sing in the church’s choir.  But when it comes to learning and testing, silence has always been golden for me.  For this reason, I have never incorporated music in my classroom.  However, after studying the material in this lesson, I feel I may be overlooking a powerful tool that can help my students, if used properly. 

At the beginning of each class, my students practice their typing skills as part of their Bellwork.  They work through lesson on a computer program and seek to improve both their speed and accuracy while employing proper fingering and typing technique.  If I had some fun, upbeat music playing in the background, would my students’ fingers naturally begin to fall in step with the beat?   Can I encourage a positive mood and help my students feel more comfortable and excited to learn?  Can I lower test-taking anxiety with the right background music played before a test?  Each individual student is unique and some might find music distracting, as I did, but others may excel with the addition of the right musical atmosphere?  It may just be worth an experiment.

 

Reflections on Lesson 5

Because a large part of my job description involves teaching children in grades K-6 about the library, I have a unique opportunity to impart my love of book and of reading everyday with students.  What I have learned over the past year or so is the importance of finding the right book for the right student.  When a child finds that book that “speaks” to him and ignites his imagination, whether it is Green Eggs and Ham, Harry Potter, or a real-life book on reptiles, that child will want to read and will subconsciously be unlocking reading proficiency skills that will help him in all other academic areas of his life.

One of the activities I love to do with my younger students is reading books aloud to them.  Unfortunately, as enrollment has increased and time has become more limited, much of the reading time has been reallocated to my library aide, but I try to hold on to as much of the read aloud time as I can.  Listening to the students’ reactions to a particularly funny part or discussing their predictions to what they think the next page will bring is fun and exciting.  All children should have an opportunity to read and/or be read to daily.

While I have never attempted this before, I think I may allow my older students a chance to select and read a short book aloud to their peers this year.  This may not only increase their reading skills, but also their language development as they analyze the author’s inflections and purpose and attempt to match their own voice to that of the author.  What a great opportunity this might give to brave and willing students to develop another layer of reading and language proficiency.   I look forward to incorporating this activity into my curriculum and watching as others share their love of a good book.

Reflections on Lesson 4

To be relational as a teacher is to make a connection with the students—to remember that you are there to teach students, not just teach subjects.  As teachers connect with students, the students will begin to connect themselves to the lessons and subjects you teach.  I have seen numerous examples of teachers who have created a love for a subject in their students because the students loved and respected that teacher.  Conversely, I have seen too many examples of teachers who have created dread for a subject in their students because their students actually feared the teacher, not the subject.

Being relational is the part of teaching that I thrive on.  It’s what drives my passion for being in the classroom.  Because I love and respect my students and treat them as capable young adults and not merely receptacles of my input, I feel my students want to be in my class and want to learn.  Some students are harder to reach out to than others, and those are probably the ones I should focus on the most, but ultimately, my goal is to make a difference in the lives of my students.  If they learn a little computers along the way, all the better!

Reflections on Lesson 3

Ironically, the reading for lessons 1-3, while being fascinating from a teacher’s perspective, has actually been more applicable for me as a parent, maybe because it is summer and I am home with my two sweet children.  For example, after finishing the videos and the textbook reading for lesson 3 on the importance of nurturing in the development of not only social, but cognitive development, my 7 year-old daughter entered the room a little sad and grumpy because she was no longer playing with her friends.  While my initial instinct was to dismiss her so that I could finish my homework, the overall message of the lesson hit me and I was compelled to sit with her, talk to her, and then spend some quality time together with her as we talked, laughed, and shopped for a plant for her room (an idea I had gotten from a previous lesson regarding the importance of one’s environment on cognitive development!)  Nurturing the development of my children, both my own children and my students, is a huge and joyous responsibility, and I have cherished the opportunity to hone and develop my skills for this monumental task.

Reflections on Lesson 2

As someone who has always been fascinated with the impact of external environmental considerations on performance, this lesson was fascinating to me.  I especially enjoyed the section on the importance of nutrition on learning. 

Several years ago I was asked to teach an ESL class that consisted of 14 students from grades 1-6, all at varying levels of English proficiency.  The one common trend I saw was the improved performance of those students who ate a healthy breakfast versus those who did not.  By 9am, the students who had not eaten breakfast were noticeably lethargic and unfocused, while those who had enjoyed a nutritious meal were able to continue learning and progressing.  I began requiring my students to bring a nutritious snack and a water bottle to school each day (and even providing one for those who were unable), and after a short 9am break, all of my students were ready to focus and learn again.  As a student myself, I find that I am able to focus better and learn more when I have eaten healthier and am well-hydrated.

Lesson 2 inspired me to consider my classroom environment as an extension of my teaching.  From increasing natural lighting and visual cues to incorporating plants in my décor to focusing on delivering lessons to my students’ dominant hearing side, I can give my students tools for success without them changing a single habit.  I find that very empowering as a teacher, and as a student, I plan to incorporate these same techniques in my learning environment, as well!