Reflection on Elementary Education 514

Reflection for Dr. Stryker:


Two weeks can seem like an eternity when you are waiting to go on vacation. Two weeks seems like a lifetime when you are expecting test results. Two weeks zip past incredibly fast when you are studying Eled 514 with Dr. Aggie Stryker.

One thing strikes me most when reflecting on this class and it nearly brings me to tears every time I contemplate it. I am humbled by this profession I have chosen. There is no question that I love children and that I get excited when working with them. I adore watching them learn. At the same time, I hold a question in my mind and ask myself, "Will I be good enough?"

I have heard it said that teaching is an honorable profession and of this there is no question. My goal is to be the kind of teacher who reflects that statement in my daily life, both inside and outside of the classroom.

There are many things I have learned as a result of taking this course. Teaching encompasses far more than I ever imagined. Let me try that again. Being an effective teacher encompasses far more than I ever imagined. For example, I now know how important classroom design is to set the stage for learning. I am also aware of the significance of monitoring students.

Will I be able to remember all of this and integrate it into my classroom in such a way as to positively affect all students as a good teacher should? I doubt that I will be able to hold all of this in my mind when I first start teaching. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to student teach this fall. I can "practice" without the overwhelming concern that I am going to fall flat on my face. There will always be my mentor teacher to guide me along the way.

Mentoring is so important and it's a role you play, Dr. Stryker, with amazing talent and grace. I promise I'm not trying to butter you up. I am simply in awe of all that you know and how simple you make teaching appear to your students. I know that you have taught for many years and you have content knowledge that most teachers can only dream of, me included. Teaching really is not easy. I know that. You have shown us all in class that with preparation and attention to detail, that we, too, can impact the lives of others.

While I have learned a great deal of information in this class, I have many ideas and concepts yet to fully grasp. Some of those concepts are: providing appropriate lesson plan extensions, properly assessing for mastery, effectively closing a lesson, being proactive in my classroom management style, and re-teaching in a different way when students are not understanding my explanations.

This class has been awesome. I only wish we had more time to explore some of these topics in depth.