How do I start thinking like a teacher (instead of a student)?

I feel that I am already beginning to think like a teacher. Over the last year, I have had many opportunities to take on the role of teaching others. I know I still have a lot to learn, and thus accept the fact that I will think, at least partially, like a student for quite some time, but still hold firm that I am well on my way. During my senior year of high school, I started my school’s first public forum debate team, and was able to learn along with those I was teaching. I was able to evoke inspiration into my fellow public forum debaters, and help them in the public speaking skills, having done lincoln douglas debate for three years. However, at the same time, we were both learning the finite details of this new activity that none of us had ever participated in before. Also, during my senior year, my debate coach placed me into the seat of presidency of my high school’s first program for debate development of middle school students. The club was enacted in order to find students interested in debate at a younger age, and help them learn more about lincoln douglas debate, as we have always had a problem recruiting new debaters. There, I was able to take a first hand role at passing on my knowledge of the various realms of the National Forensics League to younger students. The most fulfilling part of the experience is going back to my old high school to help out with upcoming tournaments and seeing all those I’ve helped along the way shining in their rounds. And of course, getting the opportunity to withhold modesty as they thank me for my dedication to the team even after I’ve graduated is always a plus. But I can’t help it, I will always be a debate junkie. During the summer, I volunteer as a Camp Counselor for a day camp called Foothills that takes place in nearby Wilton. There, it’s a slightly different experience, as I am working with much younger kids. Last summer, I spent a lot of the time cutting cardboard for elementary school kids, and was often on lunch duty. This showed me the other side to teaching, the part where I must uphold the rules, and apply the proper punishment for misbehavior. Before I was a counselor there, I had attended the camp every summer for almost 8 years. I love being able to give back to a place that gave me so much growing up. And though I enjoy working with younger kids every summer, I still choose a preference for wanting to teach in a high school setting, but I will continue to volunteer my efforts each summer to the arts camp, as it really does arouse many talents within younger children, and is also tons of fun! It is for all these reasons, that I believe that I am well on my way to thinking like teacher.

I don’t really have any questions or concerns in this subject area. I know I am still thinking like a student somewhat, and will for some time, but I know it will come to me in time. I don’t believe there is anything in class we could really do to improve our mindsets, as the best way is to actually do it. Experience is the best teacher, after all.

Which theories and historical influences should most impact the schools we'd like to have?

To be perfectly honest, I don’t know very much at all in this subject field. EDU 101 helped a lot with wiki projects to introduce us to the idea that educational changes do happen. Also, the in-class project where we created our own schools opened us up to the fact that everyone is looking for something different. Schools are constantly changing as new ideas come into play. Right now, there is a debate over the consolidation of school districts. This seems like a pretty good idea, however, with Maine’s many rural communities, it may be a challenge to do so effectively. This may have an effect on schooling, it may not. One topic that will/is effecting our schools is the No Child Left Behind Act, and though that is happening right now, I know surprisingly little about it. I do know that it will supposedly help more children to pass though our school systems by "teaching to the test." I am strongly opposed to this act, though, the fact that I know little about it, does leave me open for new interpretations of the issue.

My question for this subject area is to learn more about NCLB. Also, are there any other acts being put into place currently that I should be aware of? What are they and what are they about?

How can i use the knowledge of the learner to be a better teacher?

I never considered this before I came to EDU 101, but is indeed a very important question in the life of a teacher. Every student learns a little differently. Every summer I go on to leadership conferences that discuss different learning styles as well as different ways to cope in given situations, such as choosing a positive attitude, etc. Children are either visual, auditory, or hands-on, or any combination of the three. Personally, I am hands-on. I have to do it, to learn it. However, my best friend, who I do a great deal of studying with, is not. She needs to keep hearing it over and over, so she reads each section aloud, or tells me for practice. Knowing this, I will try to come up with ways to incorporate different learning styles into my lectures. One way to incorporate hands-on skills, is to have students occasionally come up to the board to work out problems on their own, or with input from the class as a group. My lectures themselves will benefit auditory learners, as they will hear it over and over, and my visual learners will be able to see my explanations through diagrams on the board. A large part of trigonometry and calculus is diagrams and formulas so I don’t think incorporating different learning styles will be too difficult. However, finding activities to go along with the subject to break from the norm on occasion, may prove to be more difficult. But I have plenty of time to think of that.

Which brings me to my concern in this subject field. I am concerned that it may prove very difficult to find activities to break from the monotonous class work. EDU 101 has given me a few suggestions, such as stop and swap, however, I personally don’t see that applying to higher level math effectively, though I must admit, it is very clever technique indeed, and may prove useful. I am open to new suggestions, or ideas that could help me spark some neat math related activities.

How do I become a teacher?

So far, I have a learned quite a bit about becoming a teacher. Most of what I know, I have learned through my brother Danny, who graduated from UMF in 2001, and is currently a Math Teacher at Leavitt High School. When I expressed my interest to follow in his footsteps, so to speak, he was more than willing to fill me in on his path to success. I am already on my way to becoming a teacher. I took the Praxis 1 in November and did amazingly well, and I will take the Praxis 2 as a junior, I believe. To gain professional standing as a teacher, a 2.5 GPA is also needed. Without a 2.5 GPA, a student can not move on to take Practicum as a Sophomore. Then, as I mentioned, Praxis 2 is taken as a Junior, and Student Teaching is done as a Senior.

I don’t have any questions or concerns in this topic area because as soon as a question arises, I simply ask my brother Danny, or his wife, Jessica, an Ed. Tech at Peru Elementary, and my question is thoroughly answered.