February!

A lot of new experiences have happened over the past month, and a lot of those were learning experiences. The month of February has been a little bit overwhelming but I have gotten through it so far! This month was so different from the last because we had the opportunity to go into three different schools (Elementary, Middle, and High) and observe to see what it is really like and what the teachers go through. I learned more than I thought I would by just observing at the schools. Overall this month has been great!

The coursework this month has mostly been group work. We have completed a few presentations on different standards for teachers. We have also done more walking classrooms to understand different concepts better. The group presentations have helped me to break down different teacher responsibilities and standards so I can understand them better. The walking classrooms have also done the same thing but in a different way. Instead of doing a presentation and figuring the information out in a group setting, I get to listen to the information while enjoying the outdoors. 

Personally I feel that the greatest learning experience that I have had this month was the observations in the schools. There may have only been three observations but they were all so insightful. The first observation that we completed was at an Elementary School. This was a more comfortable setting for me because I plan to be an Elementary age teacher. At the time, the classroom that I was placed in was doing a lot of work to catch up because many students had been out from sickness. Even though I may not have been able to identify all the parts of the lesson plan in the class time, I learned how things really are. This showed me what teachers have to deal with everyday. When a student is out, you as a teacher are responsible for catching them up on what they missed. It was especially important for this class because they were in 3rd grade, which meant they had big tests coming up soon. The second observation was done at a Middle School. This observation was enlightening in a sense; it showed me that I really didn't want to be a middle school teacher. It was a very interesting observation but once again, I learned quite a bit from it. And lastly, we observed at a high school. I actually enjoyed this experience more than I thought I would. I definitely am still set on elementary but high school wasn't so bad. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to observe in all three schools. 

I have tried to do more learning outside of the classroom this month. I took the advice of some of my peers and professor and found teachers on Twitter. By doing this I have gotten to see and experience the thoughts of real teachers. I have also tried to research different teaching methods and lessons through various sources. 

The NCTCS has taught me many things about what is expected of teachers. One thing that has really stuck out to me this month was Standard 2. This standard focused on diversity and how teachers should accept and respect ALL students. I believe that this is one of the most important things for a teacher to do because it greatly effects a student's learning experience. I know that when I was in school, a welcoming and accepting classroom made me feel more comfortable than one in which I had no relationship with the teacher in. It is important for teachers to be respectful, in return they will receive respect from others. All students should be treated equally by the teacher and all students should feel comfortable in their classroom. 

In my future classroom, I will use the skills that I have learned through my observations, my outside learning, and from the NCTCS. I will use good classroom management like the teachers did during my observations. I will use good communication skills like those in my observations and from the outside learning. I will also treat all of my students equally and with respect so they feel that they are all important. 

This month has been a great month and I am very excited to continue this journey through the education program! 

January!

Beginning this education program, I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I was so right. The semester has just started and it has been a bit challenging already. I am thankful for the challenge because it is preparing me for my future career and life, and life isn't easy. This semester in Education 250 so far has taught me so much. If anyone ever says that teaching is easy, someone needs to show them the NCSCOS (North Carolina Standard Course of Study). I'm sure that they will change their mind quickly. This is one of the many things that I have learned about so far, this also leads to the lesson plan that we have started. I have heard many horror stories about lesson plans but I think it is going okay so far. I have enjoyed trying to figure out activities to do for my 2nd grade science lesson. I have also learned a lot about the subject from finding ways to teach it. Another thing that we have done in class that helped me learn better was the podcast that we listened to while walking around outside. Not only did it get us active, but it helped me to focus. I enjoy listening to podcasts and I really liked this lesson. We have also used a lot of Twitter this semester. By doing this, I have found a lot of my peers who are also doing education on twitter. It helps to see what other people are thinking when going through the same situation as you.
I have tried to do some research outside of the classroom to better my understanding of some of the topics that we have covered. I have done a lot of research for my lesson plan, trying to figure out how to teach it. I have also talked with my mom who works in the school system. She tells me a lot about lesson plans and all the complicated things that she has to do everyday. She tells me the rough stuff but the good things she tells me outweighs those greatly.
I have learned that students do not all learn the same way and at the same pace. I understand that in my future classroom, I will most likely have to make adjustments to my lessons so that all of the students can understand them. I know that this is a skill that all teachers should acquire because there will always be students who learn faster or slower than other students. The NCTCS specifies that teachers should meet the needs of all of their students.
I know that one day, I will have my own classroom. And I know for sure that I will be using all of this information that I have learned so far. I have learned the different styles of teaching by learning through the podcast, the presentations, and the other lessons. I have also learned about the different philosophies that will help me to create my own for my future classroom. I have also learned through the NCTCS how I can be a successful teacher. I look forward to continuing my education this semester and the years to come. There is still a ton left to learn!