All of us SMAC'ers are almost there before having one month off before the real work begins. Today I felt was one of the best of the term. I felt our visitors, provided some great advice. Kevin's advice to model tech use really stuck with me. I am a tech person by heart. When I get a new piece of software or hardware or join a new social networking site I dive right into it. I love getting to know the ins and outs of technology, taking things apart to see how they work and can be put new uses. However, when I am teaching I cannot assume my students, even though they are a part of the Generation M they may not have that assumed computer literacy. Students need to know what the teacher expects for performance.
Larry said student teaching should be our one time where we as teachers can experiment with our pedagogy and classroom management. Even though I have been taught general chemistry at the University of Michigan for the past two years, I have never received the chance to experiment with my teaching. The curriculum, syllabus, lesson plans, assessments, and lab protocols were always designed ahead of time by the professor. I am excited to take ownership of my teaching. In the fall, I will be teaching integrated science and physics in an inquiry-based classroom. I have some cool ideas I would love to try out. So, I feel bad for my mentor teacher if my ideas bomb.
At the end of class we skyped in with Lauren's class from the New York. It was great hearing from her students what they expect from teachers. I want to make my lessons content rich and utilize higher order thinking, but I also want them to be fun. I had some really cool science teachers in my past, so I would like to pay it forward all that was given to me. Lauren had a great idea when she said holds Facebook office hours. This would allow students to reach me easily when they are not in class. My only worry is that not every student has the internet resources to be able to take part in online office hours. However, hearing that most students in her low-income area have a smart phone (which was surprising) this should not be in issue as Facebook is integrated into the majority of phones (android, iOS, Windows7 Mobile, Symbian, and BBOS).
I had a great first term in the SMAC program. I met some great new friends and future teachers. I also learned a lot about reform, using technology in the classroom, pedagogy, enhancing literacy, how to hit higher order thinking in my lessons. Therefore, my fellow SMAC'ers, have a great August and see you in a few weeks!
I had a great term as well. If I wasn't stressed about finishing homework assignments, I would have loved to stay and keep talking about today's topics.
ReplyDeleteI was amazed as well that about 70% of the students had access to the Internet. I never would have guessed it was that high of a percentage.
I really valued the advise that one of teacherL's students gave about mixing up the lessons. She made a valid point that made me think about not just continually create big community projects, variation is most important.
Glad you enjoyed our guest speakers and the term in general. Enjoy your month off -- and rest up! :)
ReplyDeleteJosh, I'm really glad that Larry's point about taking risks during your student teaching resonated with you. It sounds like you'll be in a classroom where you'll have some freedom, and I think you really have to take advantage of the opportunity. I think that it's an opportunity to not only stretch yourself and make things more interesting for your students, but also to model some risk-taking for your students, and such opportunities are really valuable.
ReplyDeleteI had a great term, too. It was great to meet everyone, and it's good to have company in this journey ahead in our pursuit of becoming great teachers :)
ReplyDeleteI also really enjoyed our speakers on Friday. It was great to hear first hand what works well in terms of technology in the classroom, and what doesn't.
I thought it was nice to hear Larry's perspective on our student teaching as a time where we can experiment with our pedagogy and teaching styles, as opposed to when we are completely responsible for the students and their success. It's nice to realize that we have the flexibility to see what works best and what maybe doesn't work so well, before we get a classroom of our own.
Thanks for your thoughts and it's great to hear you had a good start to the year! Have a great August and see you in a month!
It is so shocking to think that students who are definitely a part of Generation M in terms of the era in which they are born, and yet they have not assumed computer literacy.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to experiment with my teaching as well! I really appreciate how this program has given us an appropriate area to which we can fail and get back up and try again! I feel that this will be a cycle that will go over and over again during this program, to our benefit of course.
Have a great August Josh! Looking forward to more of your insights especially since I am in the social sciences and you are in the math area. I would love to hear your thoughts throughout the year!