There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all.
Michel Foucault
This quote says exactly what I felt this semester. I have learned that if you really want to learn about what you are reading and learning you need to take time to reflect. When I started this course I had a very hard time with the syllabus because I did not think I would be able to reflect well enough. This course has really taught me how I need to sit and really think about what I am reading, ask questions as I read, and not just read it. Had I just read and not thought about things I would not have gleaned nearly as much information then if I spent the time reflecting on my reading. There are many times that my principal tells me, that I need to reflect more about what I am teaching. I need to spend time and think about my day and think about how it went and how I can improve. I need to spend more time thinking critically and reflect in learning, and in everyday life. If I do this I will be able to establish a better understanding as to what I need to do to help my students increase literacy, and in their lives in general.
When I think about the different articles that we read this semester there are a few examples that come to my mind that go along with this quote. The Dowdy article made me realize I need to really think about how I interact with my students. After reading that article and doing my blog post I realized that I am like that mother. I am constantly correcting my students about how they speak. I make them constantly speak English, which I think is a good thing, but I find that I am constantly correcting their English. It made me feel really bad. I need to be more reflective at the end of every day and think, did I say the right thing, and did I handle that particular situation correctly? How can I correct my students without hurting them? I need to make sure that I don’t expect them to speak perfect English but encourage them to speak as best as they can.
Kristen Perry’s article was one of my favorite articles. I found that I really connected with the lost boys. I think that they are so inspiring and I wish that my students were able to learn more from them. These boys grew up in complete and utter turmoil yet they did not give up. Instead of saying “woe is me” they took their turmoil and created literary works. This really struck me, how many times do I look at what my students have been through and turned it into a piece of work? I can honestly say very rarely. I think that as a class we need to be more reflective on what goes on around us when we do our writing. We need to write for the “small moments”. I need to spend more time talking with my students about what we did on any given day and have them pick a “small moment” to write about it I think this will really encourage them as writers and help them be more proficient writer. If a child is having a rough day I also need to make sure that I give that child the time to express their feelings. I think that students, like adults, need to be able to write everything down and we don’t give them enough opportunities. I need to be a more reflective teacher and watch my students better, if someone is having a rough day I need to address that and not just blow it off for another day.
The Noll article really opened my eyes. When I read this article I was very frustrated and annoyed. I could not believe how these students acted. I was also very confused as to why the teachers were not helping these students more than they were. It seemed to me like these students were very bright students yet something was missing. This article really showed me I need to look at each student as an individual and think about what he or she like and what they are good at. Daniel was a very good horror-story writer yet his teachers did not see it. Zonnie was a great poet yet her teachers did not see it either! This really struck me I wish that these teachers were more reflective on their practice. I have learned that if I have a student that is a great horror-story writer I as a teacher need to make sure that I allow them the ability to flourish in that area. If I have a student that is better at writing poems then they should be able to flourish. This is not something that comes from just looking. I need to take the time to look at each student and really talk to my students. If I do not spend time talking to them and finding out their strengths and weaknesses they will end up just like Daniel and Zonnie.
The final reading that I am going to touch on that impacted me as a reflective teacher, is Reading Lives. Hicks did a research study on Laurie, a typical little girl in a working class family that needed some extra love and was trying to get it. Her mom and grandmother did all that they could to provide for her and her siblings so I think that she acted out in order to gain more love. My students have the same kind of lives, they have parents that work hard just to make ends meet and they still struggle. I find that as a teacher this makes my job more of a challenge. Just like Laurie’s mom, my students’ parents do not have extra time to read with them at home, so I have to work harder with my students at school. At the beginning of the year I have to really sit down and reflect about these students. I have to think about who I will need to give that extra little bit of love to and those that I will need to spend a little bit more time reading with just to make sure that they get what they need. These students love school and try so hard but sometimes what they get at home is not enough to push them through. I also, like Laurie, have students that like to act out. Sometimes I’m not sure if they do it just to do it, or if they do it because they can’t help it. I have to think about what I can do to help those students. Sometimes what I try to help with their attention problems does not help. I need to then take the time to really reflect about what my options are and keep trying. I find that if I just rush to a decision it is not always a good one and I end up getting in trouble.
Hicks also did a research study on Jake, a very rambunctious boy who liked to stay busy. Jake loved to learn but he had to have a purpose for what he was learning. He did not like to sit down and do busy work there had to be a reason for this. I think that Jake needed more structure in the home and if he had that I think he would have done better at school. Jake loved Nascar and cars in general and I do not think that is teacher took that into consideration during his learning. I have learned that I need to spend time reflecting about what my students like. If they like cars I need to give them the opportunity during the day to write about them. I think that if I have a boy that does not like to work during school I need to make it more applicable to them. I should find interesting ways to help him learn, whether that’s give him cars to work with during math to help him in his subtraction, or allow him to write about his favorite car during writing. I need to make sure that I have more resources in my classroom to allow all students to use what they love to help them in their learning.
To summarize what I have learned this semester can be said in one word, REFLECT! If I do not take the time every day to really reflect on what I am doing as a teacher and the decisions that I have made I will not be as effective. I need to make sure that every day I spend time walking through my day and making notes on what I can change and make better. I need to reflect on what my students’ strengths and weaknesses are. I also need to reflect on what I can do to help my students succeed to the best of their abilities. I have learned so much in this program, and I am so excited to take what I have learned and apply it as I gain a new classroom next year.
Natalie Enns