Learning to teach

I feel like learning to teach is a very odd process. One I believe to be beneficial, but very weird at the same time. We have talked a lot about different types of learners and different approaches to teaching. Those are the lectures that make me step back and wonder if I am in the right major. I feel so inadequate so much of the time. Am I going to know enough to teach these kids? Am I going to be manage my classroom? How am I going to deal with behavior problems? I think 276 is helping to build my confidence but I am excited to get into the other teaching classes as well, to hopefully develop my skills further.

Educational Theorists, and such

Learning about the educational theorists was very interesting. I just wish we had more time to spend on each theorist and their ideas. I feel like so many things we learn in this major are just barely touched on and then we quickly move onto new ground before we actually delve too deep. Which is something that frustrates me. I want to be proficient at all of the different skills but I feel that we never explore them enough in class for me to become as good as I wish to be. I realize that a lot of that is up to me just messing around with stuff and figuring things out for myself, but at the same time I need the time to mess around, which is not given as we rush on to new topics to only become mediocre at those as well. I could offer a solution to this but I don't really have one. I just wanted to share this problem that I am sure people have complained about before and is nothing new to the major.

Motivation

Motivation. This is what I have been thinking about for the past few days. As I observed in the second Jr. High class I began thinking about what I can do as a teacher in the future to motivate my students to WANT to do well in class. What gives someone that drive, the determination to succeed? I am not entirely sure what makes individual people tick, but I feel that a large part of wanting to be successful, and feeling like you can be, is having solid encouragement. Encouragement from family, encouragement from peers, and encouragement from different authority figures, such as teachers. I never want to feel like if I had just supported or encouraged someone more, they would have done better, they would have believed in themselves enough to try harder and do more. I have also noticed that within my major there are those who are super competitive who won't always help others and seem to want to get ahead and do better than everyone, and then there are those who are always willing to help those who are struggling or confused and wish to see everyone succeed. I want to be in the later group and I am starting now to learn how to encourage everyone and help EVERYONE succeed. 

Knowledge Framework and Marci

I LOVED lecture today. I was interested in what Geoff was saying the entire time, I did not fall asleep and I was not super tired, like I usually am in any of my classes, regardless of how much I like that class. I loved class even more when we started talking about the four parts of knowledge framework. I could really relate to that. It is so true, when you are emotionally invested in something, whether positively or negatively, you will remember details about it. And I have found this to be very true concerning school. Since I like my classes this semester and I care to do well in them it is easier for me to pay attention, do my assignments, and learn from what is being taught. I am also very excited to try to inspire the students that I will one day teach to be emotionally invested in what they are learning.

Also I taught today, which I had been dreading since I read about it in the syllabus. But once I got in front of the class today I was not nervous at all really. I simply forgot myself and went to work. It was great. I love that feeling, although it makes me feel slightly silly since I worry so much about it before. Once I get up there though, things generally go very well. I also discovered that when I do a lot to prepare for a presentation I am giving I tend to never go with what I have prepared, which, according to my father, is neither a bad thing nor uncommon. As I was discussing my teaching experience with him today he told me that when you are the most prepared for something that is when you think of all these other things relating to that topic and you can "wing" it since you have done your research and you know what you are talking about. That is also what helps get rid of my nervousness, knowing what I am talking about. Anyway, this is starting to get long and stream of conscious-y so I am going to peace out, so make sure you are standing on the correct side of my hand Geoff.

First-year

Ever since I joined the TEE family I knew I was going to be teaching, but during that time not once did the first year of teaching ever cross my mind. Then we started reading The First Days of School. Ever since then I have been thinking about it a lot. I was nervous when I first started reading and thinking about the first year of teaching, but being forced to think about it has helped me to not be as scared of that first year and to think through possible scenarios and to be able to anticipate what might be encountered so I won't be as scared when the time comes for that first year of teaching.