Reflection

Classroom Organization and environment: I really think that the classroom should be organized in a way that makes students comfortable. For example, all students should be able to see me as well as each other. This is important to foster conversation and discussion. Students should also have some say as to what they see in the classroom. One idea on how to promote this is to give each class a section of a wall and have them decorate it themselves. Also with things such as lighting that will depend on the day. I would say that on a particularly sunny day it would be better to use natural light instead of the normal classroom lights and if it closer to the beginning or end of the year, even find reasons to go outside. These kinds on accommodations can really help students be comfortable in the environment and help foster their learning experience.

Motivation: This is one of the toughest areas I think. The key for motivation is that students need to be interested in what I am teaching. It needs to be interesting to them and it needs to relate to their everyday lives, or what they want to do in the future. This in itself should help students be motivated to learn. Also giving a choice of assignments could do this as well. Every student is different so the areas in which they express themselves the best is also different. Also I think that giving students a day every so often to have fun, just a silly activity that has a relation to the activity, would be a great motivator in itself.

Discipline: This is going to have to change depending on the situation at hand. I think it is beneficial for the class to come up with its own set of rules for most things and also the consequence for breaking the rule as well. This gives students the freedom to decide what they think is acceptable in the classroom. However, some situations might force me to be extremely authoritative in the classroom. Issues like any type of violence have school policies that I have to follow and students will not be given a choice on the matter of the consequence.

Assessment: Assessment will be a combination of formative and summative assessments. Unfortunately some “normal” exams and quizzes will be given, but will be done in such a way that students are forced to use deeper thinking methods. Students will apply what they know from theory and apply it to new situations. This will be done, for example, in labs, especially in inquiry labs where students decide what they want to test. Students will also have options of portfolios, videos, music, and a variety of other options to get away from the traditional testing methods.

Learning focus: This will have to be on a multitude of things. One would have to be the nature of science. This is critical because it demonstrates how all science works and the possible flaws of science as well. Also this will coincide with key facts and knowledge of the biological world. I also think that learning needs to focus on the individual and the development of the student. It is also important for students to learn how to work together because after all we all live in a society and thus need to learn how to talk and work with one another.

Technology Integration: Technology is a must have in the modern day classroom. Students use it and are surrounded by it in their everyday lives both inside and outside of school. In order to be an effective teacher, I need to take this into account and use it to my advantage and the advantage of my students. This also includes teaching the students the skills they need in order to live in a world that is completely dominated by technology.

Teaching and Leadership Style: I think as a teacher I will have to embody three different types of teaching styles. One is realism that is more teacher centered. It focuses on helping students arrive at the causes of things and explore their own intelligence. I also really agree that both students and teachers are considered students, because even as a teacher I will not stop learning. However, there is some inflexibility with only teaching in this method and also include some pragmatism and existentialism as well.