Saturday, October 27, 2012

Blog post #9

Keep clam and pretend it's on the lesson plan
What I have learned.

The first year at a new school is difficult for anyone, especially the teacher. Mr. Joe McClung was no exception to this rule. He shared his reflection in his blog "At the Teacher's Desk" This blog is invaluable to anyone who is about to begin their teaching career.

The first year

Mr. McClung learned a lot during his first year. One thing he learned was to be able to "read the crowd". The most beneficial part to this lesson is to see that a teacher cannot be focused on themselves. The student is the most important person in the classroom. Teachers must be able to decipher their students' reactions and act without any regard to the lesson plan. This lesson ties in with the next which is "be flexible". He remarks that trying to maintain total control in the classroom is harmful to the students. He also states that:"No lesson is ever perfect. The lesson you teach and the one you plan are always different." Next was "be reasonable". High expectations from students are a common thread among teachers. From time to time students don't perform as well as expected. The most dangerous thing to do at this point is to get upset. Don't allow emotions to ruin a classroom setting. "Don't be afraid of new technology." Technology is a tool that must be used if students are to be successful. "Listen to your students." This will build respect between student and teacher. The last point is "never stop learning". The best thing educators can do for their students is to never stop learning. This will allow for a much more engaging experience.

The fourth year

In the fourth year of his teaching Mr. McClung claimed that he didn't learn as much as had in previous years. He said that he spent a large portion of the year worrying about how his peers were viewing him as an educator. He decided that this was the wrong thing to do. He had built a strong relationship with his students, so why should he sacrifice everything that he had accomplished by trying to change his ways? Next he began to talk about challenging yourself. This will ensure that lessons stay fresh and creative. If the lesson plan goes stale the students will no longer be as engaged by the subject material and grades will surely suffer.

The take home message

Why is this blog an important one for educators? Mr. McClung prepares teachers for what lies ahead. He tells his audience that it is ok to be yourself. In fact if you stay true to yourself, the amount the students will learn will increase. To bring this full circle it is the utmost importance that the teachers remember that the student is most important person in the classroom. It is not the teacher, other educators, or even the administration staff. If teachers can hold on to this principle then the classroom will surely become a better place for learning. The last important thing to remember is to be flexible. Teachers cannot exercise too much control over any classroom setting and expect children to learn. The lesson plan must allow for changes that will ensure the maximum amount of learning is achieved.

5 comments:

  1. Hello Daniel! This is Ashaunte and I was assigned to critique your blog this week. I have to say that your blog is so refreshing to read because you are such a great writer. I especially loved how you separated the take home message from everything else. Keep up the great work.
    -Ashaunte

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  2. Hi Daniel,

    I thought this post was thoughtful and it was apparent that you took your time. Your links worked and were placed appropriately in the post. All that I would suggest would be to make sure that you proof read your posts before you publish in order to avoid simple punctuation and grammar mistakes. Ex: "In fact if you stay true to yourself.." and "remember that the student is most important person in the classroom."

    Mr. McClung really has a gift and zeal for teaching. I, like yourself, think that reading his posts gives teachers a great "heads-up", if you will, for what is to come. Good job following Dr. Strange's directions by summarizing Mr. McClung's comments and then explaining your reactions.

    P.S. I used the same image. I love it!

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  3. Hey Daniel,

    I enjoyed reading you blog. You had several great points. I liked how you broke down the paragraphs. I would suggest the same thing that Taylor did previously. Other than those few errors, it was a great post.

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  4. Hi, Daniel
    It’s my second time commenting on one of your blog post and the only thing I can say is good work. I agreed with your points but your comment about not getting upset when your students are not meeting your expectations really stuck out to me. I think that several teachers from my experience in school stress out when the majority of the class is not meeting their expectations. I think the teacher looking at better ways to get the information to the students could resolve this issue and then stick with whatever way is the best. Also, I agreed with your take home message. Teachers should always put their students first because the kids are the reason teachers get up for work every morning.
    Thanks, Giorgio Lymon
    EDM310

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