Putting theory into action

Teaching is not easy. In theory, it seems straight forward; you follow the curriculum that you are taught to critically analyze and stick to, you follow classroom management methods that you repetitively work through, and you become aware and listen to your students' needs each year - all of which you learn while completing your undergraduate degrees. All of this sounds like it'll work smoothly, in theory. Stepping into a classroom is going to be a lot different, and is bound to require a lot of work to implement all of these theories that we have learned in university to a real-life classroom environment that challenge us with complications. Realistically, most of us are not going to remember the theoretical steps to dealing with certain situations that are occurring in our classrooms. We are going to deal with the situation in a way that seems right at the time. The information and theoretical learning isn't useless though. When times get stressful, and we find ourselves in a crunch, these theoretical frameworks are going to come in handy to fall back on, I'm sure. Also, some of the information that we have learned is inspiring, and I'm looking forward to trying certain concepts in my own classroom someday.

Image from: http://sallywanlessblog.wordpress.com

A couple of major concepts from the course have stuck with me since I first learned about them. One of them is assessment for learning. When first introduced to this concept, it sounded pretty boring. Frankly, I dismissed the concept when I first learned about it, as I looked at it as another common sense theoretical framework that the faculty of education is shoving into my brain in hopes that it'll help me in the future. After revisiting the concept, I realized that this one will ACTUALLY help me in the future, and is something that I stand for in attempting to conquer and work within the flawed education system that is in place right now. The spirit that prioritizes learning over grading - this is at the heart of assessment for learning, and I believe that this is the key to effective teaching. We need to zone in on the process, rather than the product. Take the pressure off of the students, and LET them learn.

Just today, in another education class, we were discussing ways in which we could allow for students to feel confident in what they are learning, as well as how to create environments that don't single students out if they're at a different points in their learning processes. Assessment for learning is the answer. By focusing on the process of the learning with a class instead of the product, and allowing for students to use their creative license in terms of how they develop their process of learning, then the students can experience some freedom and enjoyment in what they are studying. This concept could be used to drastically reduce the amount of exclusion in a classroom based on student ability, and lend itself to a constructive learning environment where all of the students learn from each other through the differing learning styles of each student in the class. Again, this sounds great in theory, but hopefully this framework will be applicable to my future classroom.

Another concept that was learned, or at least resurfaced for me was to think outside of the box when it comes to creating lessons for students. It sounds pretty simple, but the rigid curriculum structures can be extremely limiting to teachers, especially new teachers, so I hope that I can remember to keep an open mind, and stretch the limits that are in place. The concepts that I am referring to presented themselves in the videos that we watched in class on online learning communities, and the use of Skype in some instances to learn from people and cultures that are unfamiliar and on the other side of the world. Working hard to include these types of opportunities for advanced and innovative learning through technology is a priority for me to include in my plan as a prospective teacher.

Of course, even these two stand-out concepts that have inspired me through this curriculum course are just working through my brain in theory. I expect that when I enter my first classroom and begin to attempt to implement them through practice, that there will be many complications and challenges that I will have to face. Either way, I have taken pieces of this course away with me as essential resources for my future teaching experience, and I am dedicated to giving them a shot in my future classroom. Teaching is not going to be easy, but I'm determined to use the concepts learned in this class and others to help influence and create an incredible learning environment.

Image from: http://blogs.uab.cat/meriter/teaching-activities