The countdown!

I can't believe that winter break is so soon! At this point with all of the things we have to do before then, it seems way too soon. Who would have known that it takes so much work to become a teacher? That said, I do feel like teaching has to be one of the more challenging professions. There are so aspects to being a good teacher. There is not just one right or effective way to teach, and that is one of the things that excites me about teaching. I am looking forward to seeing what kinds of lessons other teachers come up with, and whether they are ones that I can adapt for my classroom. The thing that I've been focusing on lately has been cooperative learning and encouraging student engagement. It seems like a lot of the students in my placement are wonderful students, but have a hard time staying engaged during the classes. It's very easy to blame students for getting off task, but I think this may be a way of letting the teacher know that he or she is not teaching in a way that encourages student involvement or learning. How can I get more students involved? How can I gauge student involvement? What methods are the best ones for students right now? These are all questions that I ask myself every tuesday and thursday.

Becoming Bilingual

Does anyone ever feel like we are missing out on so many opportunities by having most language classes not begin until high school? Think about how easy it is to acquire language when you're in elementary school. I've spent 6 years trying to get to where I am right now, and I often think about how many other languages I would be able to speak if I had exposure earlier on. When I first decided that I wanted to become a spanish teacher, I thought it would be fun to teach at an elementary immersion school. While there are increasingly more schools like this, I found that if I wanted to have more job security I would have to teach at the higher level. In all practicality, I am very pleased with the decision that I've made. I just wish that there were more language programs in elementary schools. That said, I am so excited to educated at the level where I can push my students to examine the language and culture they are learning!

Una semana casi entera sin dormir

Wow! This week has been crazy! Even though it didn't seem like there was that much due, I still felt exhausted. I'm not sure how much of this was due to the emotional/ controversial interactions that have taken place in some our classes, or whether it is an entirely personal feeling I've had this week. I was looking around the room this morning and noticed that even the most energetic characters seemed to be lagging. Don't blame it all on Pat's class, she's an exciting lady! : )

I have been trying to come up with ways to rejuvenate myself during this intensive program. My fear is that fall is going to be even more demanding, and that I am going to miss out on the great aspects of the program because I feel so worn out. Any body else feeling overwhelmed?

EDUC 504: June 26th Class reflections

This first class was informative and surprising. I was unaware of the many aspects in which our lives are affected by everyday technology. To be honest, it left me with a feeling of wariness regarding the amount of information I have displayed on the web. I realize that the internet as well as other technology can greatly serve us in beneficial ways, but find that I am already engaging in more cautious behavior online.

Because potential employers can access this information with ease, I am making conscious efforts to be more self critical when I post on my own or others' facebook profiles, myspace pages, etc. I would be incredibly disappointed with myself if I sabotaged my potential career with a single comment or photo, as the teacher mentioned in class did with her comment about working with "little chitlinz in the ghetto". Although this was not appropriate conduct for a professional, it is alarming to consider the ways in which we make ourselves vulnerable by simply participating in social networking.

The drawing activity in which we were to draw the types of technology that we expect will be present in our own classrooms was helpful because it emphasized the need to be knowledgeable about those types of technology. I included computers, a television, a DVD player, and a projector. Although I feel fairly competent with the basic functioning of all of these devices, I began to speculate about the potential of having more technology, and knowing how to use it more productively and extensively.

This course seems as though it will really improve my technological awareness within the classroom setting. I am hoping to learn more about technology's usefulness in the high school classroom so that I will be able to meet the current needs of today's high school students. I want to gain a more fluent understanding of how modern technology is present in the lives of adolescents. It is through these understandings that I will discover yet another way to relate to my future students.