This week, I had the opportunity to teach a 20 minute lesson! Initially I worried myself; that is longer than I've ever taught before (besides a Relief Society lesson). Then I realized that in just one year when I student teach, I'll be teaching that much times 3 (for one class), times 6 (periods in a day), times 5 (days in a week), times 30 (days in a month), times.. much more. So, I better get used to it. It turned out, however, to be the most fun experience I've ever had teaching. I really enjoyed preparing things, but even more so, reacting to how the class was going.
For example - I wasn't sure anybody would be really opposed to being green, but one student was! I was pretty positive nobody would be, so I wasn't exactly sure how to respond. These are his opinions and who am I to tell him they are wrong? It was a tough spot, but I think I handled it smoothly. I made references to him throughout the class, because I thought that would keep things light. After, though, I wondered if I had been a little hard. I didn't receive any feedback on that particular area, so I guess I was okay in doing it that way.
The feedback was really interesting. Surprisingly I'm a quiet person - who would have guessed that one
To be honest, I'm surprised at how calm and comfortable I feel when I'm teaching. I feel like I speak loudest and most confidently when I am teaching a class. I really didn't think I was being quiet, but on a few of the feedback responses I received, my peers mentioned that I was. "But it works," they said. I'm not sure then if I should work on that. Would that be better? Probably not if it isn't my personality.
Some feedback was really flattering. One student said, "I'm trying, but I really can't find anything wrong to say about the presentation. Really really good."
Now if all my students could have their exact personality... I'd do okay haha.
The most helpful feedback was the fact I'm a double pocketer, something I do only when I'm teaching I think. Also, no closure. I really didn't have time to do everything I prepared as a closing, but thinking back, there should be more closure and summing up during the teaching too. Also - I need to work on assessing the students. I feel that discussion is appropriate for that, and also when I asked Johny how he felt about it, I was pinpointing maybe the student that would pay attention the least, and finding out how he was doing during the class. But, no real assessment. That I really need to work on.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Reflection 4
Our last field study was an interesting experience. Both opportunities to observe have been rewarding, but this last week I had a special experience to actually teach the Middle Schools.
The teacher of these 7th graders began a movie for the students. There was mixed feedback by the students as to the sensibility of showing a movie of a teacher teaching instead of teaching the students yourselves. I didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing, especially how he focused the students into certain aspects of the movie by preparing a fill-in worksheet that went along with concepts and applications the movie taught. What was most appreciate,however, was the initiative of the teacher to stop the movie every 5 minutes or so and direct the students. He asked questions, they read from their sheets. Then he asked applications and they thought about it, and then the teacher proceeded to prep them for the next segment of the movie.
He had half the students in another classroom, finishing up an assignment, so this was a good way to engage and facilitate both groups from across the classroom.
After the first debriefing point, the teacher handed over his VCR remote and asked one of us to teach or facilitate for him. I grabbed the remote, played the video, and began to teach. Teaching is much much easier when you understand or at least know something.. about the subject the students are learning. I jumped in, looked at the questions, and did my best to recap. That was hard. At one point, I asked the teacher what he thought about an answer to the question and then it was about over.
My during-thought was: Wow, they're actually listening to me. They looked at me. They answered questions. They responded when I asked them to pay certain attention or bring in real-life examples. Amazing, ya?
My after-thought was: I'm really excited to teach. Also - I need to know what I'm teaching, but I'm very very excited to be a teacher. Thoughts of appreciating the youthfulness of middle school crept into my head either. My excitement increased with the positive feedback from my peers. They said nobody could know that I didn't know what I meant and that I had a calm, authoritative presence. They loved hearing me teach in 276 and it was fun to watch me in the classroom.
With all that said, I'm still excited, and amazed at the effort that goes into teaching. Going over lesson plans and reading philosophies and writing student objectives is one thing, but to look at a student (YOUR student) and realize that he/she has full confidence that you are going to tell him something
1. is important
2. he will understand
3. is exciting to them
is quite overwhelming. It's good though. This has helped me to get excited. This has helped me to get focused. This has helped me to get a kind of love for the students all teachers, exciting or boring or funny or strict, need to have to be successful.
The teacher of these 7th graders began a movie for the students. There was mixed feedback by the students as to the sensibility of showing a movie of a teacher teaching instead of teaching the students yourselves. I didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing, especially how he focused the students into certain aspects of the movie by preparing a fill-in worksheet that went along with concepts and applications the movie taught. What was most appreciate,however, was the initiative of the teacher to stop the movie every 5 minutes or so and direct the students. He asked questions, they read from their sheets. Then he asked applications and they thought about it, and then the teacher proceeded to prep them for the next segment of the movie.
He had half the students in another classroom, finishing up an assignment, so this was a good way to engage and facilitate both groups from across the classroom.
After the first debriefing point, the teacher handed over his VCR remote and asked one of us to teach or facilitate for him. I grabbed the remote, played the video, and began to teach. Teaching is much much easier when you understand or at least know something.. about the subject the students are learning. I jumped in, looked at the questions, and did my best to recap. That was hard. At one point, I asked the teacher what he thought about an answer to the question and then it was about over.
My during-thought was: Wow, they're actually listening to me. They looked at me. They answered questions. They responded when I asked them to pay certain attention or bring in real-life examples. Amazing, ya?
My after-thought was: I'm really excited to teach. Also - I need to know what I'm teaching, but I'm very very excited to be a teacher. Thoughts of appreciating the youthfulness of middle school crept into my head either. My excitement increased with the positive feedback from my peers. They said nobody could know that I didn't know what I meant and that I had a calm, authoritative presence. They loved hearing me teach in 276 and it was fun to watch me in the classroom.
With all that said, I'm still excited, and amazed at the effort that goes into teaching. Going over lesson plans and reading philosophies and writing student objectives is one thing, but to look at a student (YOUR student) and realize that he/she has full confidence that you are going to tell him something
1. is important
2. he will understand
3. is exciting to them
is quite overwhelming. It's good though. This has helped me to get excited. This has helped me to get focused. This has helped me to get a kind of love for the students all teachers, exciting or boring or funny or strict, need to have to be successful.
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