Blog 7 chapter 9- Alex Pergolizzi
Literary luminator
1. "Your best bet for improving your teaching is to practice teaching...Experience means you are simply engaged in the activity. Practice means you are trying to improve your performance." (p. 192) We gain experience just by being in the classroom and producing lesson plans and executing them. But is that it? Of course not, as teachers we try to improve our methods and to do this we must practice. I like that Willingham shows the reader that just the experience of teaching is not enough. A teacher simply can't get comfortable with having 20 years experience and that's it, one must always strive for improvement.
2. "It is usually quite informative to see your class through someone else's eyes...You should recognize that working on your teaching will be a threat to your ego." (p. 194-195) I thought these quotes went really well together because when another teacher or supervisor observes my classroom I know that I get nervous and somewhat dread the "post-conference." However, I do enjoy getting constructive criticism and discussing ways to improve my classroom. I can see how it would be a little threat to your ego when you thought your lesson was amazing and then the observer really lets you know what went on while you were busy teaching.
3. "...They refer to it as a mental place where we juggle several things at once and where, if we try to juggle too many things, one or more things will be dropped." (p. 191) This is important for all educators to remember. Teachers don't just balance teaching they are dealing with school issues, student issues, family issues and probably tons of other things too! It is important to simplify things because if not, something important may slip through the cracks without intention.
Essence Extractor
Experience does not make the teacher, practice & improvement does.
I like your essence extractor. I feel like there are so many teachers that have the feeling that 'I've been doing this for so many years, I'm the best.' Which is not always true. If the teacher does not try to improve themselves and their lessons they are not being the best they can be. They could be putting a damper on their students education.
ReplyDeleteMelissa Lochner
I agree with Melissa's comment. There are a few times that I have run into teachers who do things their way and think that it is perfectly fine no to try and change their ways. I understand that sometimes you don't need to change lesson plans much but changing them to your students is what is really important. There is a teacher at my work place that is like this. Never really helping the students. Also, the students do not like his class at all.
ReplyDeleteStacey LaFountain
This is kinda off topic but thats one of the reasons why I don't mind if some teachers are forced to retire or to get rid of ten year. I mean it would suck if you actually are ten yeared but I think it would open up alot of job for young people who are not all beaten down and lazy cause they can be and get all the old miserable ones out ya know!
ReplyDeleteNatalie Gregorski