This
semester has made me look at writing and reading differently. Although,
throughout the education program the reading and writing have been a huge
focus, as they should be, this class has helped me look at things in a
different perspective. I think of the biggest things I have learned is how to
be an innovative teacher. Don’t be afraid to take risks in a classroom because
one of two things could happen. One, it could be incredibly successful and the
students will learn a lot from a lesson. Or, two, it could completely fail and
you as a teacher will be able to reflect on your teaching and develop a way to
make it even better. Often times, I think it is a combination of these two
things.
One
thing that I did not value enough until this course was assessment. This is
something that teachers, administrators, parents, and many people value in a
classroom setting. While it is of course important to me, it has kind of has
taken a back seat in my mind. As a pre-teacher, I love to focus on the great
ideas I have to teach and the new and innovative ways to teach students. But
what many administrators really emphasize is “How are we going to know that the
students are learning?” or “What evidence do you have that the students are
making progress?” I have quickly learned that everything I teach must have a
way to assess the students. Many of the authors that we focused on such as
Peter Johnson and Carl Anderson really provide good ideas to focus on when
assessing students. For example, Anderson explains a lot about how to
specifically link what we learn in an assessment to our instruction. How do we
use what we learn and help carry this out while teaching our students?
These
books really highlighted of ideas for me and they will become resources to me
in the future. Johnson discussed how social imagination is used everyday in our
society. I agree with him in saying that often times we take this for granted
and do not consider this part of schooling. Social imagination is what helps
make our society work. It is the foundation of what makes relationships work or
not work. What many people do not understand is that there is a considerable
difference in people’s ability to make sense of social cues, and to think
through their implications, and these discrepancies have consequences for
children’s lives for now and for their futures. Developing this social
imagination is something that needs to be valued in a classroom. Although this
not something that is tested directly on state tests, it is still something that
students need to learn at a young age to be part of society.
