My end of year reflection, following the template here:
I learned that
there is a lot more to teaching than what you’re told about in college.
In college we learned about theory, history, methods. We developed
wonderful, standard-aligned, perfectly packaged lessons and units with
all the elements that perfectly packages lessons and units are
“supposed” to have. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. What they
don’t tell you, however, is that your typical school day does not
contain perfectly packaged students listening to your perfectly packaged
lessons and taking perfectly packaged assessments. Again, not that
there is anything wrong with that. What have I learned in my first year
teaching? What haven’t I learned?! My whole year was learning!
I was stretched by trying
to define what exactly I want the kids to know when they walk out my
door at the end of the course. There is SO much out there that might
possibly be taught by a course called “technology” that I couldn’t begin
to cover it all in 10 weeks, 20 weeks, even 400 weeks (Not a typo).
How do I take knowledge, skills, and attitudes from every corner of what
we call technology and pare it down into the most important pieces for
kids to learn. And then how do they prove that they’ve learned it? It’s a
gigantic task, one that gets bigger every year with the expanding and
ever-changing scope of technology in the world.
I am excited about getting
to try it all again. I’m not dissatisfied with my first year of
teaching, overwhelming as it was at times. I was told by one of my
principals that after his first year teaching he could only remember all
the things he did wrong. That’s about where I’m at. But to me that’s
exciting, not discouraging. Next year I get to do it all again! I get to
make it better, tweaking what works and blowing up what doesn’t! To
some that might be scary, but I’m ready to tackle it head-on, and do it
until I get it right or they tell me to move on....
I’m beginning to realize: That I really do have the freedom to develop my classroom the way I see
fit. I am beginning to realize that, at least for now, I don’t have a
specific, state-issued curriculum that I must teach to, with a
state-issued test that I must deliver. That is a liberating feeling, but
also a scary one. That means it’s up to me.
I love that you are pushing the limits as a technology teacher. I think you will really get kids to be involved in meaningful ways. I wish I had you as a tech teacher! I love that you will bring your passion into your class, and I can't wait to see what this next school year will bring!
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed meeting and learning from you. Your students are very lucky to have such a reflective, thoughtful teacher. It is a great thing that you are shaking things up and attending to the need to see technology learning take other forms than the "traditional"
ReplyDeleteEven though we teach completely different subjects (some might even say that English and Tech Ed. are pretty much complete opposites as "school experiences") I think there's a great similarity. What stood out to me was the idea that there is just too much interesting stuff to learn out there. That's the same way I feel about reading. There are so many amazing books for so many diverse readers that to choose from that list and identify the "most important" is impossible. So I just stopped doing it.
ReplyDeleteOne way I reconciled that was to do a lot less choosing of what we'll all do, and made room for students to choose their own goals, materials, questions, learning path. I still organize things loosely on a topic, but once I started using a workshop model that lets students run with the idea they have we have been able to create a learning space where everyone benefits from the vast array of knowledge available. I can imagine an "energy workshop" or a "manufacturing workshop" where everyone gets to work on their own inquiry side by side, learning from one another. Maybe it would be a management/logistical nightmare, but it could also be really cool.
I feel like I have walked in your shoes, and I completely echo your sentiments. I often look back and notice the things I did wrong, and how I need to improve them. I learn the most from my mistakes, and from the kids that aren't perfectly packaged! They challenge me and force me to grow, which I really hope I continue to do.
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