As a future teacher and a current intern, I have quickly taken "Watch and Learn" and transformed it from an overused and becomingly meaningless phrase to my daily action and take on life. I am currently taking a class called Education and Training, but before this I was in a class called Principles of Education. Though Principles was an outstanding introductory course, one can only learn so much from a textbook. Real learning comes when one is put into action and actually gets to experience what they want to learn. As I intern in schools and that desired action and experience are being put to the test, I realize that I must keep rules for myself to create the best results. One of my top rules for myself is to remember to watch and learn before anything else. I tend to get ahead of myself at times so I make time strictly for observing first. This way, I am learning all that is given to me first instead of jumping straight into teaching. Aside from using this in the classroom, I use this same strategy for my school work or when I want teach myself new things. One way I do this is by watching educational videos. Through educational videos, I am learning from others then applying it to my life. I use this when I want to learn more in any subject, but specifically in my teaching. Here are some example videos that would work nicely with my "Watch and Learn" strategy.
Here is a video about teaching strategies for English teachers but many of them are transferable.
And here is a video about differentiated learning in an elementary school and the effect it had.
There are many videos that can be viewed that don't only give examples like my videos but that actually teach directly. To be able to watch and to learn and experience through someone else is not only beneficial but an extreme time saver as well. One thing that I have learned very quickly through my intern experience is that you can't be afraid to ask questions. You aren't expected to know everything. Teachers who have been teaching for years still don't know everything and at times must ask questions as well. And through watching videos you are essentially asking questions just in a different form. Don't be too intimidated and let's start learning!
Humor is an essential part of teaching for it creates an environment that enhances learning and brings fun into education if used correctly. I have had many teachers who taught me the importance in using humor in teaching. These teachers brought brain breaks, happiness, and lighter moods into the average school day. Not only did this help our teacher, but it helped all of us as well. The most amazing thing that these teachers taught me through their humor is that anyone who aspires to be funny while teaching can be. You don't have to be a comedian or even naturally witty... all it takes is some understanding of ones plan and purpose. One must realize that humor in education can't be overpowering or embarrassing, but it must enhance the learning experience. One way to include humor in the classroom is to simply incorporate pictures or quotes that the students could relate to into a presentation. Instead of making a Powerpoint or a Prezi with nothing but written text, try including modern/appropriate pictures that will allow a short brain break. For example, while teaching how to properly add sources to writing and the importance in not using Wikipedia, the teacher could show this humous picture of the beloved Michael Scott from The Office.
This is just one example of how to incorporate humor, but one of my favorite ways to incorporate humor is to poke fun of myself. At times it is okay to joke around with students about themselves, but one must know the student well enough first and still be very careful while testing this. Because this is risky and could end up embarrassing or distracting a student, I personally take the safe route and joke about myself instead. Not only do the kids find humor in their teacher making jokes about herself, but it also builds a bond that lets the students know that [I] the teacher doesn't believe she is superior.
Lastly, a teacher can make entire lessons based off humor. They can use interactive educational websites like Giggle Poetry which has lots of different & entertaining ways to introduce and play with poetry, or a website like Funology which includes Science, trivia, jokes, and magic!
Don't let TEKS or Standards get in your way of having fun with your kids! It just takes a few more minutes to change the entire atmosphere of your classroom! What would you rather have... three more minutes for yourself or a classroom of happy and engaged kids with passing tests scores? The choice is yours... lets bring humor into our classrooms!
This year I am interning in Paige Henderson's 5th grade class at North Ridge Elementary. I had Mrs. Henderson as my 5th grade teacher so it is amazing to be able to be her student again but in a whole new light. Mrs. Henderson is great about making me feel at home. What is hers is mine and vise-versa. She shares her classroom, ideas, experiences, and heart with me everyday. Mrs. Henderson is also does everything she can to assure that I experience what a teacher would. Every now and then I will have a student who wants me to be their friend instead of their teacher, but Mrs. Henderson makes sure that I maintain my authority so I get the full teacher experience. When I first walked into her classroom I was a bit intimidated just because it was so out of my comfort zone. I was use to being the student, the class clown, I wasn't use to being an academic leader in Mrs. Henderson's class. This wasn't the only aspect that intimidated me, first, the kids were younger then I was use to, second, the classroom felt smaller, and third, they were doing math, my least favorite subject. But even with it being so different, it didn't take me long to fall in love. After introducing myself we jumped into the lesson. Every student included me and wanted me to be involved. I absolutely love how needed/wanted I was. Though, I was needed and wanted to an extent last year, the older kids weren't as vocal about their feelings toward me. My 5th graders on the other hand, daily either ask my not to leave or thank me for coming. After the lesson (which was fun and interactive, like it is almost everyday) the students worked in partners and I worked with a group who needed extra help. After math we move on to either reading or science and shortly after the intro it's time for me to leave. I am surprised at how much I love my 5th graders and the atmosphere and the curriculum, but mostly, I am beyond thankful for the opportunity. I have been blessed with a willing site school teacher and a sweet class. My students help each other and are quick learners and almost always have a good attitude. I couldn't have asked for a better class to work with for my senior year. I can't wait for the rest of the year so I can continue to build relationships and continue to show them how fun education can be!
Region was the same as last year in that it was stressful and very fun, but different since we were only there for the day. I began my day riding with Mrs. Stevens to do some last minute prep for my group project. I competed in four different events. I started competing with service project, then I moved on to my high pressure public speaking competition, then I took the ELF test, and last but not least I competed in the job interview competition. Though I thought the public speaking competition would bring the most grief, it didn't. Surprisingly, my speech went smoothly and without nerves. However, my job interview on the other hand went completely opposite of how I envisioned. My first interview, though it went south, I was grateful for the learning opportunity. I feel as though I only did so well in my final interview because I took my first interview and reflected as much as I could. I learned the atmosphere and what to expect. I also learned what they were expecting from me, which was the most important. If I happen to make the next round, I will continually remind myself that the judges are just people and usually they are volunteers. The main thing that I will do, that I did in my final interview which helped me, is to instead of viewing each question as an opportunity to impress with an answer or to distract myself by thinking to hard of what I prepared for if they asked me this, I will tell myself to be honest and transparent. If I do that, my passion for the career shines through and my answers are more genuine. I think I psyched myself out by thinking they would ask me extremely hard questions, when really since I am so prepared and have so much experience, I know the answers. The best part of region competition for me was redeeming myself in my second interview. Even if I don't advance, I will still be content because I did all I could and it was a world of difference in comparison to my first interview. Yes, going to state is ideal, but it was more of a personal accomplishment, so for that alone I am happy.
If this interests you and you would like to learn more about TAFE, click here.
Genius hour is a idea that was created to see what would happen if students are given the chance to spend an our hour doing something productive of their choice. Our teacher assigned us to this creative challenge and I jumped on the opportunity. I first had to pick an issue that I was passionate about. I took a few days to think about issues that consistently bothered me and I decided to come up with a solution that wouldn't just help me and my friends but a broader audience.
Every now and then volunteering has it's time in the lime light. Its popularity is waning. But why must we wait until it's popular or the "cool thing to do" to help people? What is stopping us from helping people who need us the most? For most people, the heart is there but they don't know what to do or where to go or who to talk to. And for all of those people, I'm here to help. I created a website called Reaching Hands to provide people with the next step in their volunteering adventure. My site gives ideas, a place to share passions and endeavors, and an inside look to my heart and how this site originated. Whether you don't know what you want to do and are desperate for ideas or you have ideas but don't know how to put it into action, Reaching Hands is for you.
Click here to get ideas and information for your next volunteering endeavor!
(The website is still being developed! On the opportunity tab, links are being installed to take the viewer to a written document with all the information they need.)
Many people think that teaching is simply teaching, meaning a teacher walks into a classroom spills the information and the students absorb it. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Teaching is one of the most difficult careers because what many people don't realize is that some students don't attend school to learn. For many, school is simply a social event, or even worse just a place to go for the day. Teachers must learn how to engage each student in a way that applies to them personally. The best way to get every student engaged is to form relationships. This isn't as easy as it may sound. Every student is different and every person needs something different out of a relationship. Some students need constant support, while some need a small nudge. So the daunting task for teachers is to master the art of forming relationships because its proves to be the most important.
I had the opportunity of interning with Mrs. Donna Russell this past year and it wasn't the first time she has surpassed my expectations. I was lucky enough to not only be her intern but her student in 8th grade as well. It was Mrs. Russell who opened my eyes to the amazing world of education. Before I was in her class, I pushed away idea of becoming a teacher because of the shallow mindset of not wanting a teacher's income for the rest of my life. But by simply watching Mrs. Russell's daily passion, my unfounded mindset immediately changed. Mrs. Russell began forming relationships from day one and continued building them until her students left her class. With her comforting smile and accepting nature, her vibrant room quickly became home for many. I witnessed all different types of students meeting in her room before and after school just because they liked being around her. And because they liked being around her, they gave her respect during class so in turn their learning was enhanced. Aside from relationships increasing learning in the classroom, relationships build individuals into better people. Mrs. Russell was a comforter, encourager, friend and an inspiration. Through her relationships with her students she taught them aspects in life that are much more important then grammar or spelling. She taught them empathy, patience, and most importantly love. What is so amazing about Mrs. Russell and what continues to impress me is her precise intention within her teaching. She strategically thinks out her actions and sentences to her students. She realizes that something as small as her tone can dramatically impact her students. And it is through this strength of hers that helps her form even closer bonds with her students. Because of Mrs. Russell's warm personality and her genuine intentions, she creates relationships that help her students throughout the year and throughout their lives. I'm not sure if Mrs. Russell realizes how much she is truly impacting people, but if I can be just half the teacher she is then I will consider myself successful.
When I become a teacher I plan to develop the skill of intention so I can reap the benefits like Mrs.Russell. I think that intention is an extremely important and honorable quality because something so small can make such a huge difference. I think the difference between a good teacher and a great teacher is based on intention. When I see a teacher being intentional, I can tell immediately that they truly care for their students because being intentional takes time and effort. I hope to create a thought process that is constantly empathetic and understanding. I want to express compassion and love through my actions. And I aspire to create excitement and passion when I speak. I know that the only way I can make this happen is if I thoroughly think out my actions and words, because actions and words hold great power.
Here are some great resources for lesson planning for English Language Arts and more!
1. NCTE- National Council of Teachers of English
This website is designed around all of the needs of English teachers. It has everything from grammar to advanced literacy practices. The website is not only divided into practices but it is also divided into grade level. I suggest using this website to liven up a lesson plan. It is easy to find what TEKS you are needing to match and this website helps teachers integrate fun and complexity into lessons.
2. ReadWriteThink- Lesson Planning Tool
This website is handy and well organized. This site separates by grade level, lesson plan type, learning objective, and theme. It is useful because if you draw a blank when lesson planning for a boring TEK then this website will assist you in finding the perfect fit. Whether you need a full lesson or a short mini lesson, this site will help.
3. UE- Using English
This website gives the user many options such as testing opportunities, references and resources, and even articles. If you ever want to advance a lesson plan then try this site! UE will give you great resources to give to your students or even supply you with text that can help you create critical thinking from your students.
I'm excited to use these sites and I'm sure you will enjoy them just as much as I do!
I recently read a semi-contreversial article named, "Does Spelling Count?". In this article the author expressed how she viewed the current education system and its ways of putting learning into subjects. Her view is commonly known as problem-based learning or project-based learning. This type of learning isn't restricted by subjects. The author asks a good question, "How did these skills become the be-all and end-all of education? How did "math" become a stand-alone subject that has to be taught between 9:15 and 10:00 five days a week?". She understands the positives to having education divided into subjects, such as teaching children order and having steps in the learning process...but she does't ignore the negatives. Why put subjects on learning so that as a product, true education is suppressed? Why create a boundary on ever-so-reaching concepts? Why constrain a certain way of problem solving to the name "math" or a certain way of expressing ones thoughts or ideas to "english"? The authors main point is to draw attention to the idea that maybe by having subjects in school we are actually just limiting our children rather then expanding their knowledge. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and evaluating this article! This article definitely made me think about what I prefer on a topic that I originally thought was non negotiable. Who would have thought there was an option on how schooling has been done for centuries? Not me! But now that the idea is a plausible one, it sparks my interest to say the least. But I must say, as much as I enjoy the thought of this, I am skeptical when it comes to applying it to our schools. How would we create such a change without too many protesters? Will we only know if this method is successful by trial and error? Will we really have to put children's education at stake to experiment with a new method? Is it worth it? These questions may remain unanswered, but at least we have given them the thought, right? Because in the end, very good action begins with a good idea.
I am so excited for TAFE next year!
I plan on competing in Job interview, Impromptu Speaking, and Service Project and My TAFE Moment is an option to choose from as well. I think that these would be good for me because I am a confident speaker and I am good with my words. And the service project is a good option because I have this year as an advantage, plus volunteering is my favorite thing in the world. I plan on executing my plan by coming after school and taking my own time to work ahead and be completely prepared. I also want to get lots of advice from the wise, Mrs. Stevens. I am so pumped for the next year that I will not let deadlines be the deciding factor. And I hope to be have a leadership position next year as well. I would like to be the President of the class or at least a VP of LES again. I want to be involved as much as Mrs. Stevens will allow me.
It is really hard for my to pick my favorite memory because I have had so many great opportunities and experiences this year. At first, my favorite memory was when in the midst of all the anxiety of stepping up in front of people who are barely 3 years younger then me and being so nervous about them just liking me, I checked my Instagram and I had twenty-five new followers. I had twenty-five set of eyes watching my every move… but instead of finding this nerve-racking like it may sound, I found comfort and hope in the fact that my students wanted to know me on a personal level. I had done something right… my kids already liked me. And on a side note- many teachers claim that it shouldn't matter if your students like you or not because you aren't there to be liked but to teach. To me, that's complete rubbish. If a student doesn't like you it's nearly impossible to get respect. If a student doesn't like you or doesn't respect you, how can you think that you, as a person who isn't liked or respected, will get through to them and teach them things that they probably don't really care about. You can't. Not to mention the relationship aspect of teaching. Relationships are the basis of a strong educational experience. Being liked is just a realistic factor of teaching, it isn't only important, but necessary.
My other favorite memory is when I had to help one of my students with writing their essay. It is easy to get a student to find the correct answer with giving them clues or keys to understand… but it is a totally different story when you must get the student to find and understand a whole concept. I was having to teach how to properly condense writing without taking out details you need. I worked with this one student for most of the class period because this is a skill that he must have and his writing was strong, but extremely lengthy. After finally getting him to not only understand but to also feel confident, he finished revising his essay. Then after having time for the essays to be graded and returned, he proudly rushed up to me to tell me that he received a 4, the highest grade for an essay. I was beaming with pride… to many people this would be a good moment because their student got a good grade or because the student no longer needs the teachers help anymore, but to me this moment meant the world… I had helped a student reached their goal, I had done my job as a teacher. My sweet student quickly yet softly replied with, "It's all because of you. Thank you." and then I was able to reply, "Oh no, it was all because of you!" My student and I both left with smiles that day. Despite how cliche and cheesy this story sounds, it is completely true and I will never forget it.
The fear of failure is beginning to control todays society. Many see it as a positive, because it causes people to work harder to prevent themselves from failing...but this concept is wrong. Without failure, how do you really learn what true success is? Without failure how do you appreciate success and its worth?
As a current student, weirdly enough, failure is one of my good friends. The more I fail, the more I realize that I have room to grow. If I were to never fail, I would have no want or need to try harder. And without the want or need to try harder, I wouldn't push myself. Just because you aren't "failing" doesn't mean that you are succeeding. To succeed, you must fail. And to fear the stepping stone to success is just illogical. I've also put thought into how this would come into play as I begin my career as a teacher. And my stance stands strong. Failure is a teacher and one must learn from it. If I expect my students to learn from their teacher, then I must learn from mine. Failure is a good teacher... it doesn't just tell you what you've done wrong, but also shows you what you can do right from now on. I hope people don't take this teacher for granted. When I embark on my career, I plan on showing my kids that failure isn't something to be afraid of...because it has all the right intentions. Failure is purposeful and exists to make life easier. It isn't there to be bothersome but instead, to help you see what you did wrong so you don't trouble yourself and repeat it. Many students believe that a bad grade indicates failure, but I disagree with this as well. A bad grade doesn't indicate failure, it indicates that the student doesn't fully understand the topic or that they didn't have time to finish it, or maybe even that the teacher didn't teach to his or her ability...but it doesn't indicate failure from the student. To say that a bad grade indicates failure would be to call all of my students failures. Everyone gets a bad grade every now and then and it has no reflection on their level of success. Many students also believe that their grades indicate their knowledge. This in certain circumstances can be true, but very rarely. The grading system is simply the easiest and most effective way to evaluate a students progress at the moment. It can not gage a students intelligence. Intelligence is a concept that is far too broad to be held down by a grading system. "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
And lastly I want to touch on criticism. Criticism can be used as the sticks and stones or it can be just what someone needs. The key is to keep it constructive. If criticism is used for the pure purpose of critiquing then it isn't needed. Sure, it's a good tool to learn how to take criticism such as this and to not let it effect you...but if one has to purposefully block out or strategically take in criticism so they don't get hurt, then is isn't useful and I would advise to against using it.
Failure shouldn't be feared. It should be viewed as a friend. "Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement" - C. S. Lewis
Click here to view some more inspiring quotes on failure!
Incorporate web 2.0 tools to introduce lessons in a fun and engaging form! Many teachers get stuck in the unoriginal pattern of passing out worksheets and expecting their students to stay on task and remained focused. But by investigating different tools to introduce lessons in a unique way and to reach different learning styles, you are truly bettering your classroom and furthering the students retention.
I am going to use Blabberize in my classroom!
Blabberize is a website that allows limitless creativity to explain or teach anything you would like. In blabberize you pick any picture and crop the mouth out to create the allusion of a moving mouth. You then record your voice and blabberize does the rest. The website creates the movement based on the recording and it appears as if the picture is talking. Click here to go directly to the Blabberize website!
Here is Blabberize's cute introduction!
Watch this tutorial so you better understand this tool!
How do you establish an account one may ask?
1. Open the application and click register
2. Create a username and password
3. Let the creativity begin
This program is completely free and doesn't require parent permission nor does it have any age restrictions.
Applying it to real life:
I am using this web 2.0 tool in my 8th grade English class. I will be using this to liven up a vocabulary lesson. The class will be divided into groups and each group will be given a iPad. They will all log into my personal Blabberize account for convenience. (Blabberize allows you to log into the same account from different devices at the same time). I will then give each group five SAT words, each word having a different level of difficulty. The students will then need to give a definition of the word in their own words and put the word into a sentence being as creative as they can. All of which they can make fun and unique by using silly pictures and voices, thanks to Blabberize. Then once the class has finished, each group will show their Blabberize videos explaining their words so that the whole class learns the other words as well!
I wouldn't use this in high school for the students to do... but I would definitely use it as a teaching tool. I plan on randomly inserting funny blabberize videos into my lessons to keep the students interested. So whether it be for student use or teacher use, this is a great tool!
I picked this tool to present because though it may sound simple, it can work for ANY subject and any introductive activity. It is a very handy and versatile tool.
Rigor- the quality of being extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate.
How do you include rigor in your classroom?
First read this article to get a better understanding rigor. This article shows the most common myths of rigor and how to avoid them.
I plan to involve rigor in my classroom by lesson planing to include lots of critical thinking. I do not plan of including lots of work. More work doesn't mean more rigor. Though my assignment may seem short or even easy to the wondering eye, it will involve lots of deep thinking to create a stronger understanding. I think this is one of the funniest parts of teaching! As a teacher it is you're job to be creative and not only give assignments that cover the material but that cover it in a way that involves a higher level of thinking while keeping all of the students interested. And that is what real rigor is.
My views on creativity and how it impacts education.
Before I even started watching the TED Talk I really thought about my own opinion of creativity and all its effects. I started from the beginning. What is creativity? To me creativity is the capability to be able to think of original material or ideas. Creativity is the basis for individualization. Without creativity everyone would be the same and we would be stuck in a monotone world. Creativity not only makes things fun but it finds a way to apply an idea or even material to every individual specifically. Education would be lost without creativity. Students would be without interest and engagement. Some wouldn't understand anything because their learning style isn't being met. Creativity is a must in education. It keeps needs met and interests peeking.
After the TED talk, my original beliefs were confirmed. But that's not all... This video showed me that creativity has more of an impact then just keeping the students attention or meeting basic needs. Creativity can determine someone's whole future. If a teacher isn't being creative to help an average or a creative student then that teacher is potentially ruining that students future. Creativity unleashes aspirations and goals for students. It reveals capabilities that may have not ever been seen otherwise.
So be creative. Teach creativity. And inspire others to be creative as well... because without it not only education, but people, are doomed.
Click here to view the interesting TED Talk that reminded me just how important something as simple as creativity truly is!
Monday, January 27, 2014
My thoughts about Wendy Davis' educational plans for Texas... click here to read the article for yourself!
Though Wendy Davis may have only good intentions for Texas and it's education programs, I do not fully agree with everything she has to say. Wendy states her number one rule in her plan for Texas as, "High school students in the top 20% of his or her class during junior year who commit to teaching will be guaranteed early acceptance to college and a guaranteed teaching job in a Texas classroom upon completing his or her requirements and certification". Sounds nice to me as a junior in the top 20% of my class planning to become a teacher... but one must realize that not all juniors, in the top 20% or not, will make an adequate teacher. People should be hired on their capabilities and teaching skills... not on their high school ranking and or their plan to become a teacher. On the other hand, I do support one of Wendy's others rules being to "Reestablish the educational aide exemption to help teachers aides go back to school for certification as full-time teachers". I know many fantastic aides that would make incredible teachers but unfortunately they weren't able to go back to college. So if she would stay true to her word and really support aides in this way, I would be impressed. She has a plan for teachers pay being to "Attract and retain highly-qualified teachers by bringing Texas teacher pay in line with the rest of the country". Though I love this as well, I am a bit skeptical of this due to it being seemingly impossible without raising taxes.
I think Wendy Davis has some fixing to do with her planning before Texas should follow along, but I will agree that she has some good ideas when it comes to the education system.
