Design

Design

Design: clean and organized, but plain and boring- same old stuff

My thoughts on becoming a teacher

I want to be a teacher because I want to make a difference in the lives of others. I want to enable their life to be better. I love seeing the joy and the light in someone's eyes when they finally understand. I love the challenge of figuring out how to help them figure something out and to make sense of it. I love that I will have have the opportunity to associate with many great young minds.

I think I can be a good teacher. I still understand the trials and feelings of the younger years- they are still fresh in my mind. I know that I have many things to polish before I can become a good teacher and be able to go out in confidence to help students learn.

What a great blessing it is to be able to be a teacher! The chance to be someone in the lives of so many students, and oh what a great responsibility. I hope I always keep this in mind and never forget this. How can I let one student down? How can I neglect in keeping watch over my class? I can't and I will strive with all my might to not let them leave lacking what I could have given them! I know I have much to learn, and will always have much to learn- that is part of the fun of it :). But, I will strive to do my best to give my students as much strength as I can. I love them, though I don't really know them, and I won't give up being my best and making, each day, that best even better for them :).

And I hope and I pray that this,

my promise, will not be forgotten.

Teaching them skills that they can take with them

When I am a teacher, I want my students to leave my class, having become greater learners and liking, if not yet loving, to learn new things. Of course, love for learning is important to have as the teacher and is perhaps the beginning step for them to attain it. My level of enthusiasm is the climate control for the students. Learning isn't always just a piece of cake or exactly fun, however it is most always provides wonderful benefits and fulfillment. In light of this fact, my enthusiasm must be coupled with serious dedication. I must be clear that the best learning comes from hard work, and that they will find that the the things that cause them to work the hardest in life to achieve, are the most rewarding and fulfilling. I will give them simple assignments (such as worksheets that ask for simple recording of what was done ie lab sheets), coupled with challenging assignments and projects that ask them to spend extra time and effort to analyze and come to their own conclusions; asking them to use their resourcefulness and best efforts. They will work in groups sometimes and sometimes alone, and perhaps in both orders for one two to three part assignment. This will give them experience in collaborating and brainstorming with others, and also to analyze on their own the things discussed in the group; and then to go back with new ideas and collaborate again in one or two groups. These are only two ways, and they are definitely going to be elaborated on with up and coming experience.

Reflections in the pool of teaching

What does it take to be an effective teacher?

-consistency

*in discipline

*in expectations

-well done lesson plans

*meet (diversity overall) different learning needs, (interpersonal, kinesthetic, etc.)

*meets criteria for school and STLs

*is clear with a stated objective

*expands on previous learning

*challenges the student to think

-love of teaching

*dedication for continual improvement in reaching the students and aiding them in their learning now and in the future

*preparation (putting in the amount of time, however long, to create an effective teaching strategy

*allowing time in class and out of class, before and after, to have students come ask questions and seek help with assignments

*being aware of students (paying attention to dozers, day-dreamers, studious doers, attention seekers: and meeting there needs as best as one can in a positive way)

*caring about students (what hobbies, interests, dreams they have)

*Good learning environment (pictures of things they love hung around, goals of the class hung up, examples of previous projects, examples of possible projects (drawings), inspiring pictures, people and quotes. +welcoming, caring, encouraging and knowledgeable self, as teacher.

My own Nutty Tendencies: ...sure to be added upon:)

I really struggle with getting nervous before I teach. Everytime- no fail. The first time I taught in class, I was okay at the beginning, but then I slowly got more anxious and nervous. I was glad that right before I was to go, Bro. Wright called for a break. I got out in the hall, drank some water, and ran a few laps in the hallway trying to get my mind off of being so nervous. When I got up to teach, however, I was out of breath and I found myself speed talking and unable to notice what was happening in the classroom and unable to sense whether I was teaching comprehensibly or not.

The next time I taught, was when I taught Stl #18. Unfortunately, that time I did not do my running before hand. One of the responses I got back was "watching you walk in circles made me dizzy." :).

The major thing I am worried about in being nervous is as I stated above- I don't want to be too occupied with myself that I can't be aware of how my students are doing. I don't want to be too rushed in my anxiety that I don't spend enough time on an aspect of the learning or even on the question a student asks.

I hope I will get better with time