Kelly's+Reflection+Letter

Dear Reader,

A fellow educator, Maria Montessori, once said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’” This is the teacher I aspire to be. A classroom is not a dictatorship, rather a democracy. Students should have a say in their learning and be inspired to learn more; learning should not be a chore. I plan to approach teaching English in an engaging and relevant light. Regardless of the population of students, the classroom must always be a safe environment for students to express their thoughts and feelings towards the lessons presented.

As a teacher, there are clearly responsibilities to the curriculum that must be met. However, in working on my unit, “__Persuasion: Reading/Writing Workshop__,” I found ways to incorporate these requirements in a fun, free way. Students need to feel they have a choice; they have their own voice that can be heard. In this unit, students investigate forms of persuasion and then are given the chance to research and write about something they care about. This “structured freedom” allows students to feel ownership towards their work. Linda Christensen’s book, //Teaching for Joy and Justice,// offered many tips in creating this unit. The greatest help came from her notes on grading. She admitted that she had never graded an essay; she believed that writing was a process and a process that never ended.

I could see this theory very clearly in a project I completed for my English 408 course in which we wrote a memoir to reflect on the __Teacher as a Writer__. Through this project, I focused on my writing process and reflected on how I learned each stage of the process. I came to realize that your process can start as early as preschool. One of my earliest writing memories included a photo of, “I love you,” that was in my parent’s bedroom. This writing was in the sand on the beach and began my interest in integrating writing (or any English) into the arts and humanities. English does not always have to be formal 10-page essays or the reading of Shakespeare, English can be taught through many different forms of expression. After reflecting on my process, I hope to be able to incorporate photography, music, and other art forms within my English classroom to encourage individuality of each member of my class. My first attempt of doing this came with the __Persuasion Unit__ previously mentioned. As a final, summative assessment, students will create a 60 second public service announcement based upon their findings written in their formal persuasive essay. By incorporating this form of creativity, students not only gain appreciation for the art form of PSAs, they also learn that there are multiple ways to express an idea. Writing has always been a passion of mine and I hope that by integrating subjects and assessments, students will find that writing can be more than just a 5 paragraph essay.

A novel can be the gateway into an unimaginable world. Reading can provide comfort and adventure in ways that noth ing else can. While watching a movie allows you to watch something unrealistic, reading a book can put you right in the story running alongside the characters. Teaching reading is a challenging but potentially rewarding opportunity for English teachers. John Gaughan wrote a piece, //Cultural Reflections: Critical Teaching and Learning in the English Classroom,// in which he presented three different teachers with three different ways of presenting material. Of the three teachers, an ideal English teacher will be a combination of all three of their qualities: lectures are inevitable, comprehension assessments necessary, language acknowledgement crucial, meaning, choice, and application all required. The challenge becomes finding the correct, effective balance of all these aspects. As a teacher of English, it is important to recognize the “triggers” of each one of your students: what engages them? It’s like the old saying, “If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” An easy way to do this is to study multiple genres of literature. For my English 408 class, we were given the opportunity to explore an unfamiliar genre, reflect on that research, and then write a piece of our own. I decided to research and write a fairy tale (can be found under, “__Teacher as a Writer in an Unfamiliar Genre__”). It turned out to be a rather challenging experience. While I had read countless fairy tales, trying to write one was a whole other story. This kind of project can be very fun for an English classroom and can challenge students to reach outside of their comfort zone. This sort of project also allows students to explore various genres that may interest them.

With projects such as these, language study becomes a very important element. I have had several opportunities to explore different forms of written and spoken language and actually created my own __Style Guide__ for a previous class. Understanding language makes everything else clearer. For example, in my Persuasion Unit, I added a lesson specifically on __Language__. Persuasion, in particular, uses very specific words; word choice can either make or break your argument. Learning the proper use of words will not only help students on those dreaded standardized tests but will also help to make tasks in school much easier.

In coming up with ways to incorporate elements of reading, writing and language, multiple minds working together are always better than a single mind working alone. In English 409, we were given the opportunity to work with others to create a thematic unit. While all the novels chosen were of the same genre (young adult literature), it was interesting to see the different approaches for each novel. One unit was on //Marcello in the Real World,// in which a teen with Asperger’s Syndrome tries to work in a mail room at an office. The issue of disabilities is a very relevant topic and talking about it in a safe, classroom environment is a great way to educate students and make them more aware, possibly, of their own peers or classmates. My group decided to tackle the novel, //__Speak__,// by Laurie Anderson. This novel is of a dark nature, a young teen dealing with the aftermath of being raped. This topic, again, is crucial to talk to students about in a mature and safe environment. Working with other colleagues on this unit was very rewarding because we were all able to contribute our own ideas to create a well-rounded and thought out plan. By working with others, not only does it save time but it also benefits a wider range of students. We all have our comfort ways of teaching and by combining them into a single unit is the most beneficial way to address all styles of learning. I hope that this experience is a taste of what collaboration will be like in a real school environment.

I did get a taste for what professional collaboration can do by attending a conference. My Grandfathers both served in World War II thus I have always had a soft spot when it comes to learning about this event in history. In fact, World War II sparked my interest in history to encourage me to become a teacher in that subject area. The Holocaust is a particular focus I have read many novels about, the humanity (rather inhumanity) element always struck a heart string. How do you teach such an emotional event in history? Jennifer Walsh and Chelly Eifert presented some tips of the trade that I deem very useful. Some suggested approaches included the use of poetry, examining photographs to understand the “why,” and perhaps my favorite, writing a Holocaust journal. The activities done in this conference in addition to the resources provided will offer a good foundation to teach a unit on the Holocaust or any social injustice for that matter. I was impressed at all the different angles to look at one issue/event. I feel much more confident in approaching an emotional topic such as this in a classroom of my own.

Following this conference, I was given the opportunity to __interview__ a role model of mine to find out more ways to effectively teach and evaluate in an English classroom. Following this interview, my follow-up research led me to some more intriguing ideas. Teacher Vision argues that students learn best if they, “Verbalize their inner speech.” In doing so, students confirm their understanding as they go. This can be done in a reading aloud manner in which the teacher breaks up a passage with comprehension questions as they go along. This way, it encourages students to check in on themselves to make sure they understand what they are reading as they are going along instead of waiting until the end. This reminded me of an activity I was taught to do all through high school, active read. It can be simple comments or questions along the way in addition to a brief summary and reaction at the end. This is not only helpful to check for comprehension but it also provides students with a quick reference for study without having to re-read all the material.

Through these projects, unit developments, and conferences, I feel confident in my game plan heading into an English Language Arts classroom. Being flexible and putting the needs of the students first will remain a priority. Working with others, especially in the early years will be of great value. Strategies, methods, and theories are constantly evolving; it is my duty to stay educated on the best tools to offer my students the best educational experience they deserve.

//“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.”// -Chinese proverb Sincerely, Kelly Herbeck