Thursday, August 26, 2010

Reflections on My First Week of Teaching EDUC 210 Technology for Teachers

I am requiring my EDUC 210 students to write a reflection from each weeks readings and class discussion. Obviously I need to model this as well. Here is the top three things I learned from the first class:

1. I talked way too much. I need to allow time for conversations to develop, and not to dominate the group time. While it is true that I have a lot of experience (and a lot of opinions) this class is not about me. I can't get to know my students if I don't let them talk.

2. Developing a one hour a day class is much different than developing a one night a week class. I need to better anticipate difficulties my students may have. For example, when a student at school has a problem in class. We can find the solution the next day. When I have a similar problem with the night class, that student will have to wait a week for help unless we can sort it out through a call or email.

3. A group of pre-service teachers can really get me excited. Who doesn't want to talk shop with people so excited about what they want to do?

I am really excited for the next class. Now that I have the first one down and I feel much better prepared for the next one, I am ready to jump back in and share and learn together.

7 comments:

  1. You'll be great! Look how much energy you infused in our class last Spring 700+ miles away on an intermittent basis!

    Being a good teacher (and parent for that matter) requires good self critique and self adjustment. I think you've mentioned that a time or two to us.

    Enjoy! The best to you Mr. C.!

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  2. Thanks, Jackie. It was a definite wake up call for me to experience a different teaching setting.I hope this experience will translate into better me becoming a better teacher.

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  4. How many students? Moving to a blended class was finally successful in quieting me. You might try recording what you have to say ahead of time and posting it to a blog. Then have students discuss while you remain quite or until you offer a summary. Or you could write it in a blog post and try the same. Push if they didn't listen or read your comments. Or you could start with questions, have debates, switch sides of groups, have summary developed and they add your 2¢ worth. Oh, by the way, much of this may sound familiar since I learned a lot from you!

    Or you could Skype me and I could talk too much!

    Original replaced. I had only one "o" on too in the final line!

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  5. Those are great ideas, but I only have 10 students and it does seem a little cold to pull a Max Headroom on them. I think it was a combination of excitement, nervousness, and the "newness" of it. I can't wait to read the responses the students wrote and am looking forward to a better experience this Tuesday.

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  6. I am Cassandra Williams in Dr. Strange EDM310 class. I think that was a great idea, what better way can you educate a student, by doing what you ask them to do so they can see they are not the only ones working and learning.

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