I really enjoyed reading this blog. I definantely agree with what he said about "reading the crowd" I believe that when I become a teacher I will do the same thing. I think that with being a first year teacher, one can be too concerned with impressing other people. We must remember that we are there to teach the children. The lessons should be fun and revolve around the kids. Being flexible in definantely important in education. Things will not always go the way they are planed. We as educators should be prepared for this. I am kind of a control freak, I like things done a certain way, so this will be my hardest thing to overcome. Communication is always important, in no matter what you do. We must try and get along with everyone, the other teachers, the janitors, and the principal. Without communication this would be impossible. It is also important to be reasonable and not hold too high of expectations. We have to remember that we are dealing with children. We should encourage and lift them up all the time, no matter what. I love when he said,"Adults everywhere are afraid of technology..." This is so true. At first technology can be a little bit confusing, but once you understand it, its a breeze. Listening to students is also very important. We should get to know the students outside of the classroom. Its never to late to learn something new! I loved reading this blog. Although the things that were talked about were simple, they are very important things to remember, especially in the first year of teaching.
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Kindra,
ReplyDeleteYou pointed out some excellent points from Mr. McClung's post. We have become teachers for the students and hopefully to continue our learning. As teachers, we should find productive ways to manage our classroom to create a great learning climate. I definitely agree that fun lessons, flexibility, communication, encouragement, and listening all help create a functional environment. Technology is also important; however, we must remember that we will not all have access to technology. I think being creative is a key aspect for teachers. We have to find new ways to present information to reach all of our students.
It’s very important that you mention that as teachers, we can’t be too concerned with impression other people. On the other hand, I think it’s important that we make a great first impression on our students. The impression that we give our students will determine how they will deal with us throughout the entire year, this is very important when you have to teach middle school or high school students. I think it really ties into how effectively we can manage our classrooms and how effective we will be as a teacher. Next, I agree that it’s defiantly important to be flexible with students. As with all things, we must operate with balance because some students would try to take advantage of that flexibility or accuse the teacher of not keep their word. Finally, I agree that listening to students is important if not one of the most important thing you can do as a teacher. Some teachers teach with an iron rod and refuse to hear anything a student has to say and lose that student’s trust. Listening to your students will gain your students trust which would create an environment conducive for learning. Well great post Kindra, keep up the good work!
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