After reading "What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung. I realize that getting nervous about lessons and how you present them are not effective methods of learning if you expect everything to just fall into place and work out beautifully. As a first year teacher Mr. McClung gives some useful advice and helpful hints to help with just starting out in the classroom. We do have expectations of our students as we should; we want the best for them but don't make them feel the goals you have given them are unattainable. Teaching is an interesting field but very worrisome also because you may constantly focus on getting the right lesson plan and it does not work for your students.
If you have ever been able to see any of Mr. Henry Wong's material then you know you do not want to be stuck in survival mode where your main goal is to just make it through the day and not care if your students actually learn anything. Unfortunately some teachers do get stuck in that rut but not Mr. McClung he was very aware of his abilities to apply different techniques to learning and going with the flow. He also knows how to communicate like he mentioned just listen to your students and they will reciprocate the respect. I am pleased to see a first year teacher catch on so quickly and pass his help along to others.
It is very inspiring to see a new teacher grasp the concept of individuality in teaching his class. His ability to adapt is what we all need to work on with diffeent scenarios simply because life is not a set blueprint we are able to change our attitude and environment at any time which is what I will do.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
You write: "...we are able to change our attitude and environment at any time which is what I will do.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Well, a lot of people do NOT easily change attitudes and approaches!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the most important thing about Mr. McClung's post? It is that he did it. And he keeps doing an annual, public, honest, thorough self reflection. That is what we desire our EDM310 students to do. Can you do that? Will you do that? Are you doing it now?