Reflection

I don't even know where to begin when thinking about reflecting on what I have learned in this class. I can honestly say that this class was extremely beneficial to me, and you can't always say that about every class that you take.

The topic that is in the forefront of my mind at the moment is the writing process. When we first discussed the writing process in this class, I kind of thought to myself well that was a nice reminder. I didn't think much beyond this nice reminder until I had to observe and apply the writing process. Actually, I can say that this incident rang true a couple of other times as well. I didn't truly grasp the concepts that we talked about in class and until I observed them in my field experience or was asked to apply those concepts in some other way.

Normally you might not hear a student say that they enjoyed having to write up observations. I can truthfully say that in the moment I do no enjoy writing up observations either. However, I have learned that I learn more and have a deeper understanding of concepts and topics when I observe them taking place in a classroom and then have to connect what I observed back to my readings.

In general, I have found myself reflecting more. You always hear, especially in Teacher Education, that one of the teacher's most important tasks is to reflect. Reflect on the lesson that you just taught, reflect on what went well, reflect on what could have gone better...I hear it in all of my classes. It may just be because of where I am at on my journey towards becoming a teacher, it may have been because I've heard it so many times that it finally just stuck, or it may have been a result of this class, either way I am reflecting more willingly than I have in the past. I have found that reflecting is indeed useful and sometimes a bit fun (especially when you realize that you actually do understand a concept that you thought you had no idea about).

As far as things that I will take with me to my future classroom goes I know I will willing and excitedly be taking the writing process and probably writer's workshop. Of course, you never know what kind of class that you will have before hand, but after I have seen the writing workshop take place in my field experience and talking with the teacher of that classroom about it I definitely see it's benefits. I will also be taking books galore to create a reading enriched atmosphere. And most importantly, my Intro to Language Arts textbook, just in case there is something that I forget! :)