Reflective Commentary
How did you develop ideas?
Developing ideas for my year long plan (YLP) was a steady process throughout the semester. I kept a specific place in my planner where I could jot down ideas from class discussions, observing teachers, and personal brainstorming. When I eventually sat down to create my YLP, I kept those notes on hand. That way, if I was stuck on what to do for a class discussion or how to address a specific novel I was able to pull ideas from these notes.
How did you make decisions as you planned?
The major issue I grappled with in regards to making decisions was time management. While I was extremely excited about a few of the lessons (especially from Into the Wild), it was necessary to take a step back to assess what was important in the unit and what I could do in the short amount of time. When deciding these factors, I asked myself one question: Am I doing this to benefit myself or to help my students learn? This question allowed me to decide which lessons I should keep, how much time I should spend on each unit, and what the primary focus of the units would be.
How did you address questions– including lingering questions?
I addressed questions by getting a lot of feedback from peers and colleagues. If I had grappled with an idea for some time and had come to no conclusion, I would use advice from colleagues and professors to help address my questions and concerns. Without this critical and honest feedback my questions would still be left unanswered. For me, this reiterated the importance of community and collaboration within the field of teaching.
How do you think this yearlong plan will play out in the classroom?
I feel that this YLP will be work very well within the classroom. Since I am a firm advocate for student choice and individuality, I feel that students will understand that my classroom is a place for exploration and learning rather than an environment where I am the only teacher. When given a choice, (as I do in determining reading, class expectations, and more) students are more likely to be engaged and interested in their own learning process. Along with this, I provide a lot of opportunity for creativity and fun within the classroom. With Trivia on Fridays, creative multi-genre projects, and actively engaging lesson plans, I show that the classroom doesn't have to be redundant or tedious.
Anything else you want to share?
This assignment has taught me a lot about what it takes to think backwards and forwards when designing
a plan for the entire year. I feel that because of this project I am more than ready to design engaging and student-based lessons, to strongly and efficiently validate my teaching philosophy, and to work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure student learning.
Developing ideas for my year long plan (YLP) was a steady process throughout the semester. I kept a specific place in my planner where I could jot down ideas from class discussions, observing teachers, and personal brainstorming. When I eventually sat down to create my YLP, I kept those notes on hand. That way, if I was stuck on what to do for a class discussion or how to address a specific novel I was able to pull ideas from these notes.
How did you make decisions as you planned?
The major issue I grappled with in regards to making decisions was time management. While I was extremely excited about a few of the lessons (especially from Into the Wild), it was necessary to take a step back to assess what was important in the unit and what I could do in the short amount of time. When deciding these factors, I asked myself one question: Am I doing this to benefit myself or to help my students learn? This question allowed me to decide which lessons I should keep, how much time I should spend on each unit, and what the primary focus of the units would be.
How did you address questions– including lingering questions?
I addressed questions by getting a lot of feedback from peers and colleagues. If I had grappled with an idea for some time and had come to no conclusion, I would use advice from colleagues and professors to help address my questions and concerns. Without this critical and honest feedback my questions would still be left unanswered. For me, this reiterated the importance of community and collaboration within the field of teaching.
How do you think this yearlong plan will play out in the classroom?
I feel that this YLP will be work very well within the classroom. Since I am a firm advocate for student choice and individuality, I feel that students will understand that my classroom is a place for exploration and learning rather than an environment where I am the only teacher. When given a choice, (as I do in determining reading, class expectations, and more) students are more likely to be engaged and interested in their own learning process. Along with this, I provide a lot of opportunity for creativity and fun within the classroom. With Trivia on Fridays, creative multi-genre projects, and actively engaging lesson plans, I show that the classroom doesn't have to be redundant or tedious.
Anything else you want to share?
This assignment has taught me a lot about what it takes to think backwards and forwards when designing
a plan for the entire year. I feel that because of this project I am more than ready to design engaging and student-based lessons, to strongly and efficiently validate my teaching philosophy, and to work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure student learning.