Learning Letter

Hey Sean!

This class this quarter has been so insightful!  There are a lot of things that I had never really thought about when it came to an English classroom.

The ideas of what goes into the curriculum in an English class is something I never out much thought into. I just assumed that I would do the state required readings, along with tsing of the classics that I want to teach. But I really love the idea of using alternative books sources, like using graphic novels for students in the classroom. I think that was one of my favorite book mediums to read with the class.

I also didn't think much about interactions with students and classroom management. I mean, I know that a lot goes into that, but it is not something I thought needed to be planned. But it does. It's going to be a lot harder to just wing it than it is to reall plan your classroom management.

I think the most important thing I learned this quarter was really about myself. Sometime, I really doubt whether or not I am cut out to teach. It's when I'm allowed to do it in a safe space that I actually realize that I just need to trust myself. I may be nervous, but I look more comfortable than I actually am, and that this is something I want and can do.

I love taking your classes because it gives us these opportunities to grow and learn without fear if rejection.

Thanks so much!
Makenzie Curtis

American Born Chinese -- Mini Reflection

Teaching a lesson to students is already difficult. Teaching a lesson to your peers and getting feedback is even worse. Or at least that how I always imagine it to be. I always have what turns out to be an irrational fear that someone is going to tell me, “maybe teaching just isn’t for you,” or, “maybe you should choose a different career path.” But this never happens.

Looking back now, I think getting feedback on your lesson is a great source for teacher candidates. It allows us to see what awesome things we are doing that we might not have been aware of, and what we could do to improve. For example, I did not think that I seemed very confident in front of the class. However, apparently I hide my nerves better than I give myself credit for, and appear more comfortable than I am. For some people, it’s easy to act confident, that is, until you start looking at the little nervous habits people have that they are unaware of. Usually, mine is fidgeting with some item of clothing, but that day it was keeping my hands in my pockets. By doing this, I was unintentionally closing myself off to students, limiting my interactions with them.

I think that, overall, I did a good job connecting each part of my lesson together, and had good transitions between them. There are definitely a fews things that I can improve, such as leaving definitions up, or making sure the information on pictures I give students actually match up. When I printed up the pictures for them to discuss had the text printed on the wrong pages with ridiculous amounts of hyperlinks. This is something that I should always double check before handing out information to my students because it will become very difficult to understand for them. I'm really glad that we do our lessons in class this way, because it really does give us a safe environment to practice and improve our teaching.