This week was quite busy with many exciting things happening. I chose to title this blog post with "more questions than answers" because I feel that this week has brought about questions that I am searching to find the answers to.
First Exciting Thing
I started teaching my first class, Ag Science 1 which mainly consists of freshmen. On my first day teaching, I chose to do a bunch of ice-breaker activities to let the students warm up to me before going straight into content. The students seemed to really enjoy the activities I had planned and over-all I feel that starting fun activities was the way to start off before going straight for content.The next exciting thing that occurred this week was getting to go over welding safety with Ag Mechanics 1 & 3. I only had a few minutes to teach this as both sections are still finishing their current projects before we fully kick off into welding!
Second Exciting Thing
The second new thing I got to experience was attending my first in-service day. I participated the entire day in the professional development that the school selected to focus on. It was fascinating to hear the views on education from all the other teachers employed at the school. One of the biggest topics discussed was teacher centered vs. student centered learning. This sparked many deep conversations amongst the teachers and myself. Even though I enjoyed my first in-service day, I couldn't help but feel that I was left with more questions than answers.
Burning Thoughts
This week I have been evaluating myself based on my lessons and my performance in front of the classroom. I am constantly over analyzing things and I feel that that was definitely the case for this past week. Below I have shared some of my most burning questions that have been playing in my mind throughout the week. As I continue my student teaching journey, I hope to find the answers to these questions.
- With so many different techniques, theories, and activities out there, how do you know what to implement and what to leave out?
- Should you try as many different things as you can?
- Can there be such a thing as too much variety within a lesson?
- How do you make sure that things are cohesive for the students?
- The most important question that I find myself struggling with is, how do you find your teaching identity?
- Should you change your teaching style based on the new education fad out there?
Olivia, sounds like things are really picking up now. I know exactly what you mean about there being so many possibilities when it comes to instructional strategy, learner type, etc. How are you supposed to choose? My first answer is YES, there is such a thing as too much variety. You want to be sure that learners of each BIG type have something in the lesson that they can connect with, however, be careful not to have the lesson be to "busy" with variety. This can lead to all students being confused. Your teaching identity will come with time and practice. Now is the time to try different things and "experiment" with teaching styles/activities. I DO NOT agree with changing your teaching style based on the new education fad out there. It frustrates, teachers, parents, and students. It can take some time, but try different things and over time you'll find the right combination for each topic you cover. When you find that golden recipe that works well, keep it, tweak it, improve it, and stick to it. Sound like your internship is starting off strong and you are learning just as much as your students are. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteLots of questions Olivia (I like that!)
ReplyDeleteI do encourage you to find a way to answer those questions one class period at a time and use trial and error to determine things.
I will respond to two of the questions:
1) Yes, there can be too much variability. Remember the rule of 1 minute per year of age, so think about shifting gears 2-4 times during your class period.
2) Changing your teaching style. The best teachers never stop learning or adapting, but they do not do it in response to a "fad", rather to make sure they can meet the needs of the students in their rooms. The most important question is: Am I meeting the needs of all my students? Are they engaged?