GRAD 6100 Blog #6

Since I am not yet in a classroom, I will share a couple of writing strategies I used in the long-term substitute position I held last year as a high school English teacher. Early on, I noticed a few of the students had very shaky writing skills. I found out that each of them hated to read even though every school day gifted them with a half-hour for free-choice reading. With a little bit of guidance and encouragement, we eventually found a genre that each enjoyed. As the next five months passed, their writing really improved.

Another tool I used with them was free writing. Our text describes this type of exercise on pages 141-142. I used free writes quite often as “bell-ringers”…quick starts to the day so that the students could get right back into the subject we had been working on in the previous session.

I always used an announced, and discussed, rubric to guide grading. The rubric method was not yet in use when I was a student. I really appreciate how using a rubric allows grading to be much more just.

I realize I neglected to reflect on the CETaL workshop I attended September 3. It was quite informative and speedy. Dr. Rudy Rincones presented a comprehensive and effective discussion of “Designing Valid Assessments of Student Learning” in only 90 minutes. It was well worth attending.

I came away with several ideas and one question…why do teachers (when they are the students) think it is appropriate for them to arrive late to class -or- to leave a class early? I’m pretty sure they frown on their own students doing that sort of thing. I also noticed several attendees doing only partial work; they left without completing their feedback form. My bad attitude thinks professionals should be and/or act professional. The actions of this few made me wonder how they are in their own classrooms.

GRAD 6100 Blog #5

According to Felder & Soloman’s Learning Styles Inventory, my learning styles are not well balanced. I have strong (9 on a scale of 1 through 11) preferences for both the intuitive and the global dimensions, with moderate (5) preferences for both the active and the visual dimensions.
After studying the indicative descriptors of these preferences, I realize my scores do illustrate a great deal about me.

Since this inventory unconcealed so much about my predispositions, I am looking forward to using it in my classroom. Given that I am still an aspiring teacher, I feel fortunate to be adding these tools to my toolbox now -- to becoming that much better prepared for the day I have my own classroom.

Our text examines, compares, and contrasts the work of Kolb, Fleming and Mills, and Krause. As a result, Chapter 12 proposes teaching with a mix of multiple sensory elements as well as varied teaching methodology. I found their assertion interesting that teachers who take the time and go through the trouble to put these components into their practice can enhance their own experience of teaching while also offering the most for their students’ education.

I can see how having a sense of my students’ learning styles can allow me the opportunity to better prepare class work that can be engaging for the entire class, not for just a few of them...those few that may have learning styles that are similar to mine. Being aware of, and present to, my students’ strengths allows me the opening to do right by all of them. After all, that’s a huge part of why I want to be a teacher, to make a difference.