Taking EDU 1010 was the best decision ever, My friends and family often tell me that I will be in school for the rest of my life because I keep adding courses to my major. After I decided to add education/teaching into my courses I was nervous. I have always wanted to be a teacher of some kind, I just never took the leap into doing so. I am glad that I finally did. This beginning course has taught me so many different and valuable lessons about education I am eager to continue. I never really realized there was so much that goes into teaching until I did my field experience hours and started learning from the text.
The field experience was by far the greatest enjoyment of the course. I have always been somewhat of a she person especially while speaking in front of others but being able to teach in a couple different classrooms I have slowly overcame that fear. It takes a lot to prepare a lesson, more than I thought. Because I am a well organized person preparing and planning lessons came somewhat natural. Although I know that will change once I have an entire classroom to myself. Planning everyday lessons for about seven different subjects will most likely be more difficult and time consuming than just a couple lessons two to three times per week. Another thing that may or may not change when I get my own classroom is how much the students like me. In all of the three classrooms I have taught in the students often tell me how great of a teacher I am, even the students I sometimes have to be more stern with. The text we used this semester for the course mentions that teachers often love to hear compliments from parents, other teachers, students, I agree. Receiving a compliment from a teacher or a student about the way I teacher present my lessons is probably one of the greatest compliments ever. Compliments definitely give motivation and confidence to only become a better effective teacher.
The text also tells teacher to become comfortable with students, have a personal relationship, and get to know them by name, this also is something that adds a positive influence on the way you teach and the way the students learn. My first couple of times in the classrooms I only observed and helped the teachers grade papers, run copy errands, organize, etc, as I was doing these things I was able to watch the class, stand back and get to know them with their teacher. I was able to recognize the students that were shy, not confidents, talkers, strayers, and so forth. Observing the classrooms first was helpful because once it was my turn to take full control I acted as if I didn't know which ones were different by doing this it gave all the students a fair opportunity in being fully active in my lessons. The text book tells us to get the students involves, to not just tell and lecture, instead lecture and discuss, teach while getting the students motivated to learn, achieve and succeed. Every time I taught I did my best to remember those guidelines and they all were more than helpful.
In the beginning of the text it talks about faking it until you make it and I definitely had to fake it but because I did I gained confidence and respect. There were some moments when I didn't know the exact definition or proper way to spell something but, because technology is literally at our finger tips I was able to type it into the computer really quick and find a correct answer. Sometimes it feels as if you forget how to spell your name when you begin to teach and have full control of the classroom, at least for myself it felt that way from time to time. My hardest lesson yet was teaching physical education. Boys love sports whereas a some girls don’t, plus there are certain school rules to follow about which sports can be taught or played. It was my day to teach PE and I had a lesson planned in advance. It was a soccer relay game. I split the class up into even groups of 11 and they relayed back and forth from cone to cone dibbling a soccer ball with their feet. They loved it! In the beginning I felt as if they were board but they began to cheer and root their teammates on and kept asking to play again. Once the lesson was over they all said the game was fun and rushed into the classroom for water. I know I am not the bed student teacher but I sure have gained a lot of knowledge from my experience and only hope to gain more.
There are many positive and negative issues that come along with teacher pay and licensees yet I feel as if I am not too worried about them. I am not into teaching students for the pay, I am in it to give all the intellectual experience I can give, I am in it to inspire. Education has always been a major part of my life and I currently teach my children how important education is, so I believe if I strive for the best, stick to the rules, don't take shortcuts, teaching effectively should come more natural than forced. I am okay with being a new teacher with a specific contract and a low pay, I am ok with having to prove my worth by my students’ test results, as a matter fact these rules often give me motivation to do just that. I want my students to get hundred-percents on all their work, because high scores are rewarding. Yes, to receive a high score you have to work a little bit more but I am ok with providing that attention. I want to be and inspirational teacher to all my students.
The fieldwork experience has only strengthened my philosophies of teaching, I stated that I want to give students a high quality of learning, high goals, high standards, high-stake test, and I still stand by those motives. I want my students to feel smart and proud of themselves, I want to help boost their esteems, self-confidence, and be motivated to learn more not just from me but from every teacher after me. I want my students to know and learn how education is a huge item in their lives and without a solid education its hard to succeed and be happy. The students we teach today may be our leaders tomorrow. My teaching experience in the last couple of weeks has given me motivation to only get better, more confident, and more creative in my teaching skills. I am very eager to become a teacher but only after I have gone through all my education courses and have received the most experience I can through field experience.
