Monday, 11/11
Today was a fun class. We worked together to analyze different statements that I had created or found about organizations. Projecting the statements on the chalkboard, I left the screen up and wrote and circled the things that the students pointed out in the statements. I think it was a really valuable activity for my students because they struggled with the analysis in Unit 2.
It was really shocking to see how much they struggled with the analysis in Unit 2. Most of their "analysis" wasn't even surface level, it was literally just summary. It made me really doubtful about my skill and purpose as an instructor if this was something that I could do or was even meant to do.
I've been thinking about my future a lot lately, and teaching is something that I have been considering as my career path. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it is definitely something that I could do. Seeing the results of their Unit 2 papers knocked my confidence quite a bit, but I think today, and their reaction to today's activity, really helped it grow back.
They responded really well to the activity - well, after I finally lost my patience and told them to close their laptops, as they literally were not needed for the activity. I think I've finally developed my nerve as a leader. I've always been really shy and really soft as a person; I don't enforce things. That is actually a critique that I've received from some of the students, that I am not strict.
I think I definitely need to develop more of a backbone when it comes to being a leader in the classroom and having control. I don't want to be a tyrant, but I think, for me, ideology like bell hooks is a little too fanciful for my freshman class. I think I need to have a more firm and structured approach to the classroom, and update my teaching style to be less flexible and stand my ground. This relates to my journal entry from Wednesday 10/16, Week 9. In that entry, I wondered if I worried too much about creating a space for collaboration, and allowed this worry to take over my ability to manage and organize and structure my lesson plans in a way that was solid and fully realized. I worried a lot about my effectiveness as an instructor, and I think I'm still working on answering the questions from that entry. I'm going to add them in here, just in case I return to this one and have something to say...
Today, we looked at my favorite thing: poetry.
I had the students go to poetryfoundation.org and pick poems that interested them. I think this activity was appealing to my students, because they were allowed to choose. I found it great because it gave them the opportunity (or the excuse) to explore the world of poetry and poetics.
Some of my students were a little boring and chose Hemingway. One of them, Katelynn W., I can't remember who she chose but she struggled with the metaphor about birds. I can't remember the exchange exactly, but she was shocked when I told her that birds are often used for metaphors about becoming free, gaining freedom or being liberated, since they are often kept in cages. Exposing her to something that is common symbolism for me was really eye-opening. I think it was one of my favorite moments this semester.
Friday, 11/15
Today was revision scramble. I had them pass around their essays every 5-6 minutes so that multiple eyes examined their work. They absolutely loved it. They said it was their favorite peer review session that we had had. I think I will definitely use it next semester.
Today was a fun class. We worked together to analyze different statements that I had created or found about organizations. Projecting the statements on the chalkboard, I left the screen up and wrote and circled the things that the students pointed out in the statements. I think it was a really valuable activity for my students because they struggled with the analysis in Unit 2.
It was really shocking to see how much they struggled with the analysis in Unit 2. Most of their "analysis" wasn't even surface level, it was literally just summary. It made me really doubtful about my skill and purpose as an instructor if this was something that I could do or was even meant to do.
I've been thinking about my future a lot lately, and teaching is something that I have been considering as my career path. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it is definitely something that I could do. Seeing the results of their Unit 2 papers knocked my confidence quite a bit, but I think today, and their reaction to today's activity, really helped it grow back.
They responded really well to the activity - well, after I finally lost my patience and told them to close their laptops, as they literally were not needed for the activity. I think I've finally developed my nerve as a leader. I've always been really shy and really soft as a person; I don't enforce things. That is actually a critique that I've received from some of the students, that I am not strict.
I think I definitely need to develop more of a backbone when it comes to being a leader in the classroom and having control. I don't want to be a tyrant, but I think, for me, ideology like bell hooks is a little too fanciful for my freshman class. I think I need to have a more firm and structured approach to the classroom, and update my teaching style to be less flexible and stand my ground. This relates to my journal entry from Wednesday 10/16, Week 9. In that entry, I wondered if I worried too much about creating a space for collaboration, and allowed this worry to take over my ability to manage and organize and structure my lesson plans in a way that was solid and fully realized. I worried a lot about my effectiveness as an instructor, and I think I'm still working on answering the questions from that entry. I'm going to add them in here, just in case I return to this one and have something to say...
Am I an effective instructor? It's a
question that feels important, even as or more important than the necessity to
create the "brave space" and a sense of openness. How can I be
effective while allowing for equal exchange and reciprocal communication, if I
struggle to remain organized and structured when giving opportunities for
reciprocal communication and student input? I think that question really
highlights my secondary struggle, the one that has come after my struggle to
adopt a voice. But, yet, it seems to be in coordination with the struggle to be
an authoritative voice.
Wednesday, 11/13Today, we looked at my favorite thing: poetry.
I had the students go to poetryfoundation.org and pick poems that interested them. I think this activity was appealing to my students, because they were allowed to choose. I found it great because it gave them the opportunity (or the excuse) to explore the world of poetry and poetics.
Some of my students were a little boring and chose Hemingway. One of them, Katelynn W., I can't remember who she chose but she struggled with the metaphor about birds. I can't remember the exchange exactly, but she was shocked when I told her that birds are often used for metaphors about becoming free, gaining freedom or being liberated, since they are often kept in cages. Exposing her to something that is common symbolism for me was really eye-opening. I think it was one of my favorite moments this semester.
Friday, 11/15
Today was revision scramble. I had them pass around their essays every 5-6 minutes so that multiple eyes examined their work. They absolutely loved it. They said it was their favorite peer review session that we had had. I think I will definitely use it next semester.
Comments
Post a Comment