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My journey into teaching science began with the science teachers I had
in grade school up to my college years. The teachers that I
learned
the most from were the ones who made learning fun, who were energetic
and
enthusiastic in their classroom. In these classes we took notes
for
a section of the period, and then moved to “hands-on” activities.
This is the kind of teacher that I strive to be.
I believe that learning should be meaningful. Students are able to apply the information they have been taught once they are able to relate it to something that has meaning to them. This type of learning should encompass several different forms in the curriculum, including lectures for passive learners, small group activities for active learners and self-directed activities for independent learners. I believe that the classroom should be a place where students are willing to take responsibility for meaningful learning. In order to create this type of environment, students should be allowed many opportunities to express what they have learned in a variety of ways. Some examples include, poster presentations, skits, trading cards, and PowerPoint presentations. I believe that teachers should develop as much of their curriculum as possible around real life issues in order to help students realize that what they are learning is important. Teachers need to give students the opportunity to express their interests and questions about the topic they are learning. When students think their opinions do not matter, participation in class tends to decline. Active student participation shows interest in the topic being covered, and could give the teacher an idea about a future class project. I believe that assessment should be done in a variety of ways, such as trading cards or presentations. Assessment needs to reinforce what has been taught in the classroom, but does not always need to be done through tests. Often times tests only show what the students have memorized and written down on the test. The students have not shown that they know how to apply what they have learned. By using different varieties of assessments, students would have to apply what they have learned. By applying what they learned, these students would have a better chance of recalling the information later on in the year. I believe that teachers need to use a variety of evaluation tools to go along with their assessment strategies. These could include checklists, rubrics, or individual conferences with the students. Teachers should monitor their students’ progress throughout a project, not just at the end of a project. Students should have some input on how they are graded on assignments and projects. If students are allowed to choose some of the parameters, more effort, on their part, may be put into the project they are assigned. I believe that everything that I have mentioned above is something that I will eventually be able to attain. I know it will take hard work, but I know I can do it. All I need is to continue to let my love of science show through my teaching, and I think I will be able to attain everything that I believe in. |