Reflection
BLOGGING
Throughout my semester in the W200 course, I have learned far more than I could have ever imagined. The skills, lessons, and applications I have learned will stick with me as I further my education and career. Below you will find an in-depth reflection of my time in the course and the aspects of it that have had the most impact.
IMPACTFUL TOPIC
The topic that impacted me the most was the diversity and inclusion section. As a minority, understand the importance was making sure my classroom is a welcoming environment for every student. I learned that not only should my classroom be inclusive, but my lessons as well. Not every student is able to learn the same way so it is up to me to have a variety of resources that meets their needs. My classroom should be a place where all students are able to learn, be comfortable, and able to participate in the way they can. With the section, I learned the multitudes of ways I can be inclusive while encouraging other students to do the same. I can add subtitles that are in different languages to videos, add audio features for articles, and offer different hands-on activities. Every student deserves to learn and as a future educator, I must be ready to meet their needs so that they can succeed.
FAVORITE ASSIGNMENT
I found the online lesson module to be the most overall thought-provoking. Each step of the lesson made me think about what types of activities I could do that would fit in the section. I also had to carefully consider each student’s needs and make sure that I have a variety of activities. I really enjoyed making each activity and personalizing them to fit my objectives. I also loved designing the lesson module and being able to show my creativity. The way that the project was stepped up, with at least one step per week, made the project much more attainable and I did not feel too overwhelmed. This allowed me to pay careful attention to each section and ensure that the work I was providing was to my greatest abilities. As a first-year student who has never created a lesson, this was my biggest struggle and accomplishment throughout the course. I could not be prouder of the outcome of my online lesson module.
PEDAGOGY EVOLUTION
My pedagogy has grown immensely during the course of this semester. When I came into this class I thought good teaching was respecting your students, having a welcoming environment, and being prepared for lessons. But, I have learned that to be a good teacher is so much more than surface-level things. A good teacher is emotionally connected to their practice and wants their students to be prepared for the ever-evolving real world. That means teaching students school standards while teaching them real-world applications for them. For example, teaching students how to be safe online, being good digital citizens, being kind to each other, and helping peers when they need it. Now, I see that a good teacher is someone who continues learning and treats students as students; understanding that children make mistakes and as a teacher, they must guide them. I have learned that a teacher’s role is far greater than I had imagined.
GREATEST TOOLS
Each tool that I have used in my W200 course will be extremely beneficial as I continue on with my education. Each of the 10 badges I have used will be used in my future classroom, and I cannot wait to implement them in lessons. For example, the Fakebook activity I created will be extremely useful to use when students read a new book in class. It is a creative way for students to make inferences on a literary character and practice citing evidence. Another form of technology I found useful was screencasting since I can make videos along with lessons. That way, if a student is absent or needs to stay home I can send them the video and they will have me directing them. Students’ health should be prioritized, and with screencasting, I can make sure no student falls behind. Another form of technology I will be sure to use is Flippity since there are a large number of fun activities that I can use for self-assessment.