Transformation and Transition
-What perspectives/strategies/practices did you learn from the first placement that revised/enhanced/transformed your previous perspectives or assumptions about teaching and learning?
My high school placement played a crucial role in my perspective and approach to teaching today. I really believe that relationships are the most important part of teaching. The first couple of days, I spent a lot of my time getting to know my students, what their interest were etc. This made it easier for me to design lessons that would be of interest to them since I knew what was important in their lives. I also found that building relationships with my students helped with classroom management and developing a mutual respect between the students and I.
The biggest realization that I made was that although lesson planning is important, reading the room and changing what you had originally thought was going to happen while teaching is greater. As a teacher, it's important to constantly make changes and expect the unexpected. I used to worry about following my lesson plans to a "t", but in doing so, you forget to read your students and make quick changes that are needed.
-What changes have you made or adjusted to adapt to the second placement?
Adjusting to my second placement at the elementary school has been one of the most difficult experiences for me to tackle. As of right now, my school has just made the decision to completely change our instruction to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only has the change to remote learning been difficult but the ramifications of not having the in person instruction is crushing. I miss my students, I miss the relationships that I had built, I'm devastated that I never got to say goodbye and now have to hope and trust that they are receiving the information that I post online for them. For me, I had to not only adjust to the online learning but change my attitude and outlook. It's easy to see the broken and negativity happening in the world, but whats important is to be the positive light and find what is good and share that with my students and community. I find myself taking circumstances not for granted anymore and realizing that even though we are on lockdown, there are still beautiful things all around me. For example:
1. Art is not cancelled
2. Reading is not cancelled
3. Listening to music is not cancelled
4. Spending quality time with family members while in quarantine is not cancelled
5. The sunrise and sunset, the beauty of the Colorado outdoors are not cancelled
6. Baking is not cancelled
7. Board games, cards and puzzles are not cancelled
8. Jokes and laughter are not cancelled
9. Gardening is not cancelled
10. Smiling is not cancelled :)
I try to embed this positive mindset in the lessons that I create for my students and remind them of these things. For my recent lesson, I decided to have my students go on a nature walk and find interesting plants, rocks and nature items to collect and bring back inside.Going out and looking for good in the world is what is going to help us all get through this pandemic. My hope for the future is that we will count our blessing and not take for granted the little things in life that we sometimes miss.
The artwork that I chose to create was a self portrait on my Ipad. The image I used for a reference was actually taken back when I was in my first placement and wanted to re create it as a digital drawing and add a touch of light and happiness to it. To do so, I added pink bubbles and "happy" bright colors to remind myself that things will get better and there is positive all around me, I just have to look for it. Digital drawing is a medium that overwhelms me from lack of experience and knowledge, that being said, I wanted to practice this so I could make a lesson on digital drawing (most of my students have Ipads and tablets at home).