Dear Reader,
Upon my completion of English 493, Teaching Literature to
Adolescents, I would like to reflect on what I have learned in this class.
English 493 has made me think about who I want to be as a teacher and how I can
become that teacher.
In this course, I have completed a book talk, mini lesson,
and a unit plan. I am proud that I attempted all of these assignments, and
completed each with a monumental amount of care and thought. For my book talk,
I chose Looking for Alaska by John
Green. I chose this book because I would like the chance to try to use it in my
future classroom. I think many students can relate to what Green writes about,
and may lead students to be engaged in the text. I want to be the kind of
teacher that considers her students interests and lives, and apply it to the
classroom to allow students as much room to grow as possible. Looking for Alaska deals with issues
many teens face. If students have a chance to confront those ideas in a
academic setting, they will be engaged while working toward state standards and
unit objective. Also, John Green helps give teachers supplement material and
ideas how to use his books in the classroom. (Which is fantastic and helpful
for both new and veteran teachers.)
In my mini-lesson, I subjected my peers to my first attempt
(ever) at teaching material I created. It was a requirement to use pop culture
in some way, but I didn’t want to take the easy way out with a meme. I chose to
use a comic because it appeals to reluctant readers and students who love
comics. Using a comic also gave a fresh second reading that can be helpful for
students understanding of the material. I wish I would have waited to group the
students and would have given guided notes to help their discussion and reading
of the comic.
I am extremely proud of my unit plan. I put a lot of blood,
sweat, and tears into its creation. (Not really the blood or sweat, but I did
cry in frustration a few times.) I got really down on myself a few times
because obviously if I can’t write a unit plan perfectly I won’t be a good
teacher. After talking to a few students, and having the last class discussion,
I felt better about the fact that this was a hard project. I sighed in relief
when I realized I wasn’t the only one who struggled. I learned that I was to
allow a lot of guided discussion time with lots of practice. I don’t want to be
a teacher that lectures. I want to be a teacher that helps her students do
activities and readings to improve their skills. I want to be the teacher that picks
exciting material and students actually want to come to class. (I loathed one
of my English teachers, so I want to be the exact opposite of her. I don’t want
students to dread coming to my class.) The unit plan gave me a look into all
the work teachers put into their ideas. I actually had fun when I wasn’t having
a mental break down. Poe is one of my favorite authors, so it was nice to
explore the endless possibilities I could do in a classroom. I also loved the
idea of a creative project instead of a paper. (There’s still part of me that
wants to get an art minor because crafts are life.) Writing papers develop
important skills, but there are other skills that are just as important for
students. (Not all students will go to college, and that is perfectly fine.)
We have gone over a ton of ideas and theories in class. We
have talked about Common Core State Standards. I like the idea that I could
have a chance to create my own units and curriculum as I follow standards. I
liked that the article “Teaching to Exceed the English Language Arts Common Core
State Standards” by Beach, Thein, and Webb talked about the goods and bad of
CCSS in the classroom. I think that article paired with the CCSS website will
be a nice resource to refer back too while teaching. Along with standards, we
have discussed how to assess students on standards. It’s a wild idea to me that
we create the way we assess our students, (unless it’s set by the school.) As
long as I make sure my rational for everything makes sense, assessing students
will be effective.
In our discussions and readings, we also talked about
discussion, social justice, pop culture, and empowerment in the classroom. All
of these topics are extensive on their own, but I think they work well together.
All of these ideas should be used in the most appropriate way for students to
learn about literacy and the world around them. Discussion and open dialog
classrooms give students time to explore ideas without a teacher telling them
exactly what they need to know. Students aren’t vessels waiting to be filled
with knowledge, they are learning individuals who should be guided and given opportunity
to arrive at the answer, or at least think about the answer. (This includes
giving appropriate wait time.) Students don’t necessarily need to become social
justice warriors, but they should be aware of problems and oppressions in their
local area, state, and country. (Knowing problems in other countries could benefit
students as well, but I think local is the best teaching tool.) Pop culture
helps students engage in the lesson and build bridges to their life outside the
classroom. Pop culture can also make a lesson fun, and who doesn’t love a fun
lesson. It is important to empower our students and allow them to realize what
they have to say is important. I like the idea of bringing the typical outside
world into the classroom. (Hip hop and poetry sounds like a great idea!) All
these ideas are just the tip of the iceberg when thinking about having a meaningful
classroom space for students. I feel like the longer I’m in the program and when
I’m physically in the classroom, I will learn what works best for me and my
students.
I also think that the books we read (I Read it, but I don’t get it and Readicide) will be important tools for me as a teacher. Readicide
has helped me want to get back into reading, but also has allowed me ideas on how
to not overwork students. Reading is important, and the more we have students read
where choice and interest are involved, the more they’ll be engaged in the classroom.
I Read it, but I don’t get it will
help me organize the reading assignments, so students have a chance to comprehend
what they are reading. I love the double entry journals, so I will definitely
use them for my classroom.
Participating in this class has allowed me to think of who I
want to be as a teacher. I have realized, I do feel a responsibility to help
students become productive young adults. This includes allowing open dialog and
giving students the chance be answer hard questions. Also, integrating students’
interests will allow them room for self-exploration and time to think about who
they want to be. I know teachers need to follow the standards set by their
state, but I think there is no reason to use that as an excuse why you can’t integrate
student interest in the classroom. I also want to back my units with pop culture,
social justice, and history, news, or facts. I think it’s important for
students to engage with class material, and connect the material to outside the
classroom. I remember being in high school, and I hated when teachers treated
me like a child. Some teachers refused to talk about things that were happening
in everyday life. We didn’t ever discuss race issues or politics. I think
students should be treated like adults in the classroom. They need to have time
to form their own opinion about different topics, and they can’t do that if we’re
shielding them from the world. Of course, topics need to be age appropriate
just like the material that is chosen. As a teacher, I want to help my students
learn the literacy skills that are important for future academics, job opportunities,
and participation in things outside the classroom (voting, traveling, and
experiencing and appreciating other cultures to name a few.) I hope to be a great teacher, and this class has given me an introduction on how to do so. I will learn more about who I am as I participate in my own classroom and with my future mentor teacher.
