Thoughts on Ch 1&2 .. 9/3/13

Throughout my methods courses, I have heard that "teachers are the best thieves".  I have also seen exchanges such as the one Smagorinsky mentions in "Students' Way of Knowing". As I have continued my education, through classes or observations, I have been under the assumption for some time now that I will be sharing and receiving information from my future coworkers. Of course, Smagorinsky used that example to lead to the topic of assessment. What does it really mean "to know" something? I sure as heck know that in high school that I felt as though my knowledge of a subject was not properly measured by the school's assessment. While it might have worked for some students, I know that I would have benefitted from another form, such as an essay or project (as opposed to a scantron, yuck). We all learn differently, therefore, we retain information differently as well. Just because I remember a certain piece of information one way, does that make me more knowledgeable than someone who remembered that same piece in an alternative way? As I read the Transmission section, I began to wonder how I would address this in my future classroom. Is there a way to properly assess ALL students, especially considering the CPS's diverse student bodies? A "great" teacher, I'm sure will find a way to make this a possibility.

Everyone has had a teacher/professor (or two or three) that has literally bored them to tears. In a high school setting especially, it is imperative that teachers do not let this happen. Smagorinsky emphasizes that teachers and their learners should be alive and animated. However, while we lead a classroom, we must be mindful or our students' progress. It is a mutual relationship; one influences the other. I think that this is important to remember. Since I don't have much experience leading a classroom yet, I tend to forget that I cannot be very successful as an educator without the help of my students. As I mentioned before, animation and energy will be a primary part of my pedagogy. Not every topic in the subject is exciting, so it's my job to find a way to keep my students engaged and ready to learn. I know I'm not the first future teacher to say this, and I won't be the last, but I plan to work hard to make this possible.

Why teach English? Well, why not? Whether it's grammar, literature, spelling, etc. we need to help students understand and excel in each subject. In order to understand history, math or science, to a certain degree one must be knowledgeable in language. I believe that I personally gained a wealth of knowledge from my speech, journalism and general English courses throughout my life, and I know that they have allowed me to get to this point in my life. I would love to bring that knowledge to young adults. I'm also one of those nerds where I can read a book, and I can honestly say it has affected my life in some way. If I can bring pieces of literature into someone's life and have it influence them, or my teaching style helps them learn, than this job is so worth doing.