Overall this class was challenging and exciting. I learned more
about being a teacher than I ever expected and spent time having quality
discussions with others who want to go into the same field as myself. As a future
teacher I think one of the most important and simple ways to encourage student
learning is by having peer discussion and in this class peer discussion was our
main form of learning. Being presented with new ideas or being asked to reflect
on preexisting ones helped me grow in my critical thinking skills, which I believe
is the most important thing a student can get out of an education.
One part of this class that surprised me in how much I
enjoyed it were the book talks. Discussing literature is one of my favorite
things to do and being able to listen and discuss books that people were very
passionate about reading themselves and including in the classroom made for
meaningful discussions. It also gave me numerous ideas about possible material
I can use in my own classroom if I run out of ideas or draw a blank.
The most difficult aspect of this class was the
three-week unit plan. Having never done a project like this even on a smaller
scale increased the level in which this project challenged me. However, the overall
quantity of time and effort put into this project would be difficult at any
level to some extent. The feeling of pride and accomplishment at the completion
of the unit plan can only be compared with few other projects I have ever
completed in my college career so far. I know there is much I can improve on as
a teacher and specifically with the plan I created but now knowing how to start
and complete a project like this will only make the next one easier.
