Sunday, March 27, 2011

Blog Post #9

At the Teacher's Desk
Mr. McClung
"What I've Learned This Year"

I'm really glad we were required to read this post because although I love learning and reading about different technology posts and blogs, it is refreshing to just read a post about teaching...after all that's what we will all be doing in the near future. Mr. McClung's post is something I needed to read. Thanks Dr. Strange!

Mr. McClung talks about all the things he's learned as a first year teacher: How to read the crowd, Be flexible, Communicate, Be Reasonable, Don't be afraid of Technology, Listen to your students, Never stop learning. He says that lessons need to be student centered and we shouldn't worry so much about what other people think (our superiors) because our primary concern is whether the students learn the material. We need to be flexible because no lesson will ever be perfect. If something we really want to work doesn't, then move on from and it and learn from it...but with a smile! :) Learn to communicate not only with our students but with our fellow teachers too because we need a good rapport with them. They're a great resource. Be reasonable with our expectations because when we have high expectations for our students and they fail, we shouldn't beat ourself up about it. Just encourage the student to try again. Let technology be our best friend because it is essential in our society. Listen to students and show that we care about them. We should really know our students. Never stop learning because we expect our students to continue to grow and learn on a daily basis and teachers must do the same.

I really like all the points that Mr. McClung made in his post but the one that speaks out to me the most is the one about listening to students. I really have a desire to impact a child's life in my classroom and I want to be more than just a teacher to all my kids. I want them to realize I care about them as a person and not just another face in the classroom year after year. I hope I never get tired of teaching and just consider it a job. I know that every child has value and can accomplish great things and some of these kids don't get the motivation and respect at home. Therefore I must do my part in helping the best way I can and just listen.

I also like the comment about how as teachers we never need to stop learning because we expect our students to never stop. I have never had a teacher as motivated and as committed to daily learning as Dr. Strange. Every time I'm in the lab he's always looking up something about new technology. He is definitely an inspiration to me as a future teacher. Thankyou Dr. Strange!

1 comment:

  1. Hey Jessica, I really enjoyed reading your comments on Mr. McClung's blog post. I am also really glad that Dr. Strange assigned this post to us. It was nice having a teacher's first experiences right there to view.

    Mr. McClung's lesson about listening to students was also very important to me. You were right when you said that some students don't get any attention or respect at home and that as teachers we need to provide this for our students. I also agree that it is important for us to continue learning with our students. If we expect to keep up with current methods of teaching and interacting with our students, then we must always be willing to learn. I thought you had some great opinions on the blog and enjoyed reading them. Good luck with the rest of EDM310!

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