Questions Answered
I've decided to keep it simple and answer the questions:
Why do you still want to be a teacher? (or, if you don't, what's changed your mind?)
I've wanted to be a teacher for at least 8 years now, and although I had absolutely no clue what I was getting into when I started thinking this, for some reason, I am continuously in love with it.
The things I love most are:
- the kids that I teach (every group is interesting and different... and a challenge)
- that I am continuously learning from my students about my subject, and more
- seeing the moment when the penny drops
- being part of a learning community -- teachers helping each other, students helping each other, teachers helping students
- finding new ways to explain things -- improving myself
How have your practicum experiences changed your ideas about WHY you want to teach?
I don't think that they have, for the most part. If anything, my experience in my practica have just deepened my ideas of why I want to teach. I have always cared deeply about the success of my students, and genuinely want them to do well, not just in the subject area, but also in other aspects of their lives. I also want to teach because I really enjoy doing it! I love going to a job every day where I can leave smiling -- laugh a few times, and help students.
How have your practicum experiences (and your BEd classes) changed your ideas about HOW you want to teach (when you get your very own students)?
I think that when I started my first placement in a high school in second year, I had very little clue about what happens "behind the scenes" at school -- all the marking, planning etc. At that point I didn't register how much WORK has to happen in order for a lesson to happen. Once I found this out, and began planning my own lessons and assessments, I kind of figured out how this worked best for me. I think that by the time I got to my final year of education, I knew roughly how I like to teach, and was able to refine it this year, and get a chance to try new things and experiment a little -- which I've found very valuable. Also, teaching physics classes has given me a perpective into teaching science. I had very little science teaching experience before this year.
What are your main insights into the learning process developed since September?
I think that at the beginning of the year, I was concerned with figuring out whether or not the kids were "getting it". I have since discovered formative assessment, and feel much more comfortable about what the kids understood right away, and what I needed to give them more time to learn fully. This semester with extremely small classes, it hasn't been as important, as I have ample time to ask them directly and watch them do problems, but in a regular-sized (27 students) grade nine math class, it was KEY.
I also have learned that sometimes ideas need to almost "incubate" before they get internalized, and DOING something is a great way to learn it -- well, I already knew that.
Are you becoming the teacher you want to be?
I hope so. I think that the fact that I'm continually looking at improving myself means that I'm beginning to become the teacher I want to be. I think that I'll be forever learning, and trying new things, which in turn makes me the type of teacher that I want to be.
Why do you still want to be a teacher? (or, if you don't, what's changed your mind?)
I've wanted to be a teacher for at least 8 years now, and although I had absolutely no clue what I was getting into when I started thinking this, for some reason, I am continuously in love with it.
The things I love most are:
- the kids that I teach (every group is interesting and different... and a challenge)
- that I am continuously learning from my students about my subject, and more
- seeing the moment when the penny drops
- being part of a learning community -- teachers helping each other, students helping each other, teachers helping students
- finding new ways to explain things -- improving myself
How have your practicum experiences changed your ideas about WHY you want to teach?
I don't think that they have, for the most part. If anything, my experience in my practica have just deepened my ideas of why I want to teach. I have always cared deeply about the success of my students, and genuinely want them to do well, not just in the subject area, but also in other aspects of their lives. I also want to teach because I really enjoy doing it! I love going to a job every day where I can leave smiling -- laugh a few times, and help students.
How have your practicum experiences (and your BEd classes) changed your ideas about HOW you want to teach (when you get your very own students)?
I think that when I started my first placement in a high school in second year, I had very little clue about what happens "behind the scenes" at school -- all the marking, planning etc. At that point I didn't register how much WORK has to happen in order for a lesson to happen. Once I found this out, and began planning my own lessons and assessments, I kind of figured out how this worked best for me. I think that by the time I got to my final year of education, I knew roughly how I like to teach, and was able to refine it this year, and get a chance to try new things and experiment a little -- which I've found very valuable. Also, teaching physics classes has given me a perpective into teaching science. I had very little science teaching experience before this year.
What are your main insights into the learning process developed since September?
I think that at the beginning of the year, I was concerned with figuring out whether or not the kids were "getting it". I have since discovered formative assessment, and feel much more comfortable about what the kids understood right away, and what I needed to give them more time to learn fully. This semester with extremely small classes, it hasn't been as important, as I have ample time to ask them directly and watch them do problems, but in a regular-sized (27 students) grade nine math class, it was KEY.
I also have learned that sometimes ideas need to almost "incubate" before they get internalized, and DOING something is a great way to learn it -- well, I already knew that.
Are you becoming the teacher you want to be?
I hope so. I think that the fact that I'm continually looking at improving myself means that I'm beginning to become the teacher I want to be. I think that I'll be forever learning, and trying new things, which in turn makes me the type of teacher that I want to be.
Comments
Post a Comment