Mr. McClung started off by noting that in your classroom, it’s not 100% about delivering the content, it’s about checking for student comprehension. I think that is very true. Although teachers should be able to deliver the material well, the students have to be able to understand what they are being taught. He also talks about being flexible because your lessons will not always go as planned. I feel that with lesson plans there is room for adjustment for the lessons because it may take longer for your class to comprehend one topic longer than another. Mr. McClung next talks about communication and how important it is within the work place. Teachers should always communicate with other teachers and staff for help, questions, and teaching advice. Communication is the best way to have a better work environment. One of the most important points he makes is to not be afraid of technology. I have truly conquered that fear while in EDM310. I know that technology can be overwhelming, but I’ve learned that I’m a lot more knowledgeable of computers than I give myself credit for. Another point Mr. McClung makes is listen to your students. I feel that the more you know your class the better the learning experience will be for both the student and teacher. The last thing he talks about is that teachers should never stop learning. As a student I learn something new every day and it makes me a better person. As a future educator I know that I am going to learn so much from my students as they will from me. Allowing ourselves to learn only makes us more mature and intelligent.
The first point Mr. McClung makes is to remember the reason we are in this profession. As teachers we are here for the students, not to please the other staff in our school. The next thing he talks about is change. Although some teachers may not jump on the new ideas for teaching methods, it shouldn’t influence your way of teaching. I know that when I start teaching I will always be open to change. There is always going to be something that changes within our lives, instead of fight it, why not go with it and see how much more you can improve your teaching methods. We may surprise ourselves. One very important thing Mr. McClung states is that he is happy with the teacher he has become. He accepts the fact that he may sometimes be an outsider compared to the other staff, but that only shows him that his focus is on the student. He also states that it is very important to resist the urge to take control of how a student learns. If a student has a harder time grasping a topic, teachers should put more effort into making sure they master the topic. If teachers just do the work for the students then they haven’t learned any thing and will continue to get further behind causing the teacher and student to have to work even harder. Lastly Mr. McClung states that teachers shouldn’t get too comfortable. Although routines do help in certain aspects, it’s sometimes better to change things up and have more variety within the classroom.
Hey Courtney! I read the same two posts as you did. I like how you said, "I know that technology can be overwhelming, but I’ve learned that I’m a lot more knowledgeable of computers than I give myself credit for." I really like how you talked about how technology can be overwhelming at times. I also was terrified of taking this class because I thought I knew nothing about a computer. It turns out I knew more than what I thought I did. Great blog post! :-)
ReplyDeleteCourtney,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post!
I like this sentence: "As a student I learn something new every day and it makes me a better person. As a future educator I know that I am going to learn so much from my students as they will from me."
As McClung states, never stop learning! We only stand to gain from learning; no one had a miserable life from knowing too much. Can you ever know or learn too much? I think it is more important what we learn. If we are receiving life lessons from our students, we will not only become better people whom they might emulate, as children often do of their teachers, but also...better teachers. The more McClung seems to learn and reflect, the better teacher he has become.
Great post :)