Reflection

Reflections of Class/Practicum
//Question: What teaching strategies (in any class at UOIT) have you like or not liked so far? Please describe the strategy and your explanation.//

In all the strategies I have witnessed, there have been a few energizers which I feel would not necessarily fit well with the 7 - 12 grade level. In Tribes we did several activities to get our minds working and in sync with the learning environment. As energizers go, the idea of them is very good and I like getting the energy flowing in the room in an inclusive and interesting way. However I just felt that there were a few that I could see most teenagers finding to be more of a deterrent than fun and interesting. The age group we are teaching have a bit more awareness of themselves in both mental, physical, and spiritual sense. That awareness can leave them more vulnerable to certain tasks and cause discomfort and stress leading to depression. I would be careful about which energizers I brought out for my class to partake in, keeping in mind that there are certain limitations in personal space and emotional stress that could compromise the entire activity.

//Question: Would you use manipulatives? Why or why not? Which ones do you like?//

I would use manipulatives in class because, even if I do not find them useful for my own learning, other students in the class may find that it helps them understand the lessons better. The point of manipulatives is to add the kinesthetic learners to the lesson by allowing them to see the math through using tools that they can visualize with their hands. It gives the students a chance to connect to the class with some different types of learning methods other than just doing work on paper and on the board. All of the manipulatives have their strengths and weaknesses, so for me it would be up to the students to determine which manipulatives work best for them. I would show them the different manipulatives and what they are good for, then let them decide how best they can use them.

//Question: What strategies work for you? Why?//

The story strategy is something I would definitely use in class. It is always interesting for students to have stories read or acted out to them to get that connection with the topic they will be learning for the day. I think that stories can be applied to all levels, grades, and subjects to entice all kinds of students to understand the importance of the learning topic. Also using the Fermi problems is a great way to tie students to things that they may use or find in every day life while at the same time giving them freedom to set their own rules about the problem.

//Question: What will you do when a month concept like "order of operations" is really not that important to learn? How will you sell this topic to the students?//

I think that all students question whether the material they learn is valid in the real world. It is important as a teacher to try and relay the knowledge as something they will see in the rest of their education, and of course, in their lives. By using examples that relate to the real world, we can try to show students how their learning is going to be useful for them in the future. Counting their money in their wallet for example, where they can count how many five dollar bills they have then multiply that number by 5 to see the amount of money they have can really have an impact on why order of operations is important to them.

//Question: What are your thoughts about the use of rewards and punishments in class?//

Before today, I felt like I had a good understanding that it was okay to praise students for doing good work and reward them for their efforts. Seeing the video from Kohn has put me in a bit of a confusing area about the fine line between politeness and praise. I always felt that encouraging remarks were part of being a teacher (or parent, etc.) and would help the student to feel that their efforts were not going unnoticed. I never expected that it would impact them negatively by causing them to have the need for the praise rather than the education itself. Now I must reflect on the notion of when it is appropriate to offer praise and when it could be causing more problems rather than seeming like harmless positive reinforcement. The punishment problem also exists and brings to mind more about not whether it is right or not, but rather whether it is the right punishment. In class though, it seems to me that there is a fine line between classroom management and discipline. Discipline is definitely something that should not fall within the classroom walls in its definitive form. But combined with classroom management, I think it should be enforced as a notion that respect and politeness are values that the teacher would like their students to exhibit, and not following those should have consequences, and by that I mean the right consequences. Consequences does not have to be a negative concept and should only be utilized when appropriate. Overall, it seems that my ideas about rewards and punishments may not fully coincide and could lead to a life long conundrum that leaves me wondering if that's one of life's little mysteries that has no definitive answer.

//Question: What do you fear most about classroom management?//

The thing I fear most about classroom management is the ability to keep control of the class and find the boundary between a good teacher and a good friend. I am a fairly easygoing individual but I feel that there will be both good and bad traits associated with that. Displaying my sense of humour, conversing with the students, and trying to be generally friendly will be helpful in connecting with them. But being easygoing may allow the students to find a way to essentially walk over me and try to take advantage of the situation. I hope that I will learn some really good class management techniques here that allow me to take on the class in an interesting and fun way, while at the same time provide structure to the dynamic of the learning environment.