Weekly Reflection 1

 Weekly Reflection 1 (05/14/2023):

So far I am enjoying Senior Project, and I think I’m learning a lot as well. This week I’ve spent an hour or two every day shadowing Ben Bartoldus during his US History classes, and while watching him I’ve learned a lot about teaching. I’ve observed him lead students to the right answer instead of just giving it to them, have conversations with students that form connections, and motivate students to work by helping them realize their individual strengths and weaknesses. The second half of my day is normally independent work, things like writing mock official notes and reading a text Ben gave me, Evolving Education, by Dr. Katie Martin. I’ve also done a little bit of grading (which I enjoyed), and some research for Ben, things like finding Youtube videos that support the current curriculum topic.

I’ve had some major takeaways from working with Ben this week. One big thing I learned is that you have to personalize your teaching approach to each student. Some need a firm reminder that they have to get work done, whereas others respond better to a softer approach. Another big thing I’ve learned is that students are easily distracted. I already knew this, having been a student for many years, but it's different when you’re a teacher. I also now understand why teachers hate side conversations, or people zoning out during class. You can give instructions for 5 minutes, and as soon as you stop talking you get the inevitable “What are we doing again?”. It’s pretty annoying when you get that 3 times every class, and so commanding the attention of your students is very important.

Finally, I’m going to reflect a little bit on Evolving Education. The text is centered on the idea that a learner-centered approach is better than a curriculum-centered approach. For those who don’t know, a learner-centered approach is where the teacher tries to personalize their teaching to each student's strengths and weaknesses, versus a curriculum-centered approach where you stick to the plan and everyone else has to adjust to fit the stereotypical mold. I agree with this idea, and so this book has captivated me. I’m through the third chapter of the book, and so far the major takeaways have been that you need to build students up, and connect with them as a friend and not just authority figures, and finally, you need to believe in them, as that will give them the confidence to succeed. This book recommends you do a thing like visit students at home, do a daily check-in with students, give students responsibilities like classroom jobs, and anything else that helps create an environment where students are confident and comfortable.

So far I’ve worked on my Senior Project for about 26 hours. I’ve had some major takeaways from both shadowing my mentor and reading my assigned text. I’ve gotten to do a little bit of grading, I’ve written 6 mock official notes, and I’m formulating a lesson plan to teach on Saturday, May 20. I’ve also done some independent research to find and present videos about the JFK assasination.