Field Blog St. Helens School

   For my final school observation, I chose to observe at my old grade school. The teacher I happened to observe was Mrs. Dasch, the 5th grade teacher (aka my mom). I decided to observe at St. Helen because I wanted to further enhance my belief that I want to teach in a high school. However, I actually really enjoyed my observation at St. Helen's School. Maybe I enjoyed the observation more than my other observations because I was able to spend the entire day there. I was also able to proctor a spelling test and interact more with the students than I previously have.
   The first thing I noticed about Mrs. Dasch's 5th grade classroom were all the bright and colorful posters that had motivational sayings on them. I thought they were a very good addition to the classroom because they all had a unifying theme: hard work will help you succeed. This reminded me of our own class discussions and how important intrinsic motivation is. Another major thing I noticed was that Mrs. Dasch had the entire Monday schedule on the board for the students to see what subject they would be learning and at what time. Mrs. Dasch thoroughly explained what she expected her class to do throughout the entire day and kept her cool even when students would ask what the directions were a few minutes after she had just explained them. This was the only time of the day were I found myself getting a little upset with the class. Some of them were just so rude to the teacher and to other students who were called on to talk. Then, they would get upset when Mrs. Dasch would write their names on the whiteboard which meant they would have to stay in for recess.
   The most astonishing part of the day to me was the fact that 80% of the students had cell phones. When I was in grade school, no one had a cell phone! I did not get my first cell phone until I graduated 8th grade!  Mrs. Dasch had a zero cell phone policy and any student who was caught using their phone was subject to getting it taken for the rest of the day. I agreed with this because I do not think 5th graders need to be using their cellphones in class.

Field blog NDCL #3

I sat in on another one of Mr. Plumley's senior theology classes. This time the seniors were much more well behaved. Mr. Plumley started the class off by reviewing the previous material and asking very detailed questions. This forced the students to look back through their notebooks and answer the questions that he was asking. It also showed the students who did not take good notes, how important detailed note taking is. He also made sure to remind the students that the end of the quarter is rapidly approaching and said that the exam is cumulative. However, he told them that the exam would focus more heavily on the recent material than the material at the beginning of the school year. I thought that this was very generous of him. He also said that he is almost finished with the study guide for the exam. This showed me that he genuinely wants his students to do well on the exam because the exam is not for another two weeks. Most teachers that I've had gave out study guides a few days before the exam. Rarely would a teacher give us a study guide a whole week in advance.

Field Blog Agnon

   I thought Agnon was a very interesting school. There was a very different and unique feel to the school. I really liked the school however. I thought that the teachers were very down to earth and personable, as well as professional. I was also very impressed with how well behaved the students were. Honestly, it was an eye opener to see how well behaved the students were. It was nothing like my elementary school and I thought that we were well behaved for the most part. These kids blew my class out of the water. They had so much freedom and did not try to test their limits. Also, I thought it was so cool how the teachers gave the students choices when it came to what they wanted to do in the classroom. For instance, the math teacher in the 4th grade told the students they could play a game call "domino war" or work on their homework in their math workbooks. When I was in grade school, we had no choices. We did whatever the teacher wanted us to do and if we did not we were punished. I think that by allowing the students to have a choice, they are able to learn at an earlier age the consequences or benefits of certain decisions. For example, a student who chose to play the game rather than working on their math workbook and vise versa. Putting off work usually makes it even harder to do later and that is something that I did not learn in grade school. Luckily enough for the students at Agnon, they are able to experience this at a young age.

Field blog NDCL #2

   I went back to NDCL high school again to obtain some valuable observation hours. This time when I went back and observed, I sat in on a 12th grade theology class. The class started out with a pop quiz that was used to show the teacher (Mr. Plumley) how much each student was able to recall from the last section. He told the students after the quiz that it was only counted as a participation quiz rather than a quiz based on how many questions each student got right. There were many sighs of relief after he said this. I thought this was a very interesting and unique way of seeing how well students actually paid attention from the previous class. Once he collected the quizzes, he introduced new notes in the form of a power point. When I had Mr. Plumley in high school for theology, he always used the chalk board to write down all of his notes. I was very proud to see that he was able to make the switch to power point because I felt that we used to spend so much time on a few notes that he would hand-write during class. I could tell that by having a power point, the students were able to write down what he told them and then participate in an insightful class conversation about the material,

This I Believe Proposal

   I am a firm believer that a students attitude and effort should determine their success, not their test scores. Results of standardized tests should indicate the strengths of students rather than focusing on their weaknesses. In today's educational society, test scores are used to define students from the time they are in elementary school, to the time they are in graduate school. These students are tested more than students in any other country. Even though this is the case, test scores are still not "high enough" in the U.S.   

    Not only do test scores negatively affect students, they affect teachers and school districts as well. These test scores are thought to be an accurate assessment of how "good" a teacher is. Therefore, if students score high on standardized tests then they have a good teacher and if they score low on standardized tests, their teacher is bad. This is a very ignorant and elementary way of judging teachers. 

Field blog NDCL #1

   I chose to go to NDCL for my first school visit on my own. I'm glad I did this because I was able to see things through the eyes of my teachers, rather than as a student. I observed my old chemistry teacher, Mr. Poulos who is a basketball coach at NDCL as well as a bio/chem teacher. Before he started class he introduced me to the class and had me tell the class a little bit about myself. Once I was done talking, Mr. Poulos had a thorough review of the most recent chemistry test. He started the review off explaining the problems that the majority of the class missed. As he was handing the tests back he congratulated students who did well. I thought this was a very good thing to do because it showed that he was still working on the bridge between himself and his students. I noticed that at NDCL the students were much more behaved than those at other high schools. This allowed Mr. Poulos to have complete control of the classroom and offer assistance whenever the students needed it. Some more things I noticed within the classroom were that each student had their own assignment notebooks that were given to them by the school, the teacher used the chalkboard and pull down periodic table of elements effectively, and when the students were told to fill out a worksheet, they could go in the lab or stay in the classroom with or without two partners.

Annotated Bibliography

With technology being so prevalent in today’s schools, the “use of primary data sources and interactive websites or software provides teachers with opportunities to engage students in inquiry-based science lessons from preschool to college level” (Irving 2006). I feel as though it is very important to utilize such tools and it would be foolish not to. In recent years, advances in technology have allowed teachers and students to have endless information right in the palm of their hands. This new age technology is easily obtainable by many students and is used in nearly every assignment. Not only do these savvy new tools help students in the classroom, these tools are often very helpful outside the classroom as well. For instance, I have used my laptop to check due dates for assignments in my education class 200 times this semester if not more. These advances in technology are very powerful when used the right way and can help students at any level.

“Teachers in small classes have higher morale, which enables them to provide a more supportive environment for initial student learning” (Biddle 2014). I think that in order to be the best teacher one can be, the teacher needs to be passionate about helping others. It is more likely that a teacher will push students to reach their full potential if the teacher has a good personal relationship with his/her students. In my past experiences in the classroom, I’ve noticed that the best teachers have always supported me and made me want to learn and take intellectual risks. They did this by posing questions and providing insight after asking questions about new material. As long as the classroom in a positive and supportive environment, I believe any student can reach their potential.

“Exams used to be administered mostly to decide where to place kids or what kind of help they needed; only recently have scores been published in the newspaper and used as the primary criteria for judging children, teachers, and schools—indeed, as the basis for flunking students or denying them a diploma, deciding where money should be spent, and so on” (Kohn 2000). First off, I strongly believe that test scores do not show if a teacher is good or not. Secondly, I do not think that test scores should determine where a student goes to school or determine the type of special treatment that certain students receive. Test scores should be used to help students improve in areas that they are struggling, rather than point out what they not good at. Too often students are categorized by what they scored on a test. I think this makes it hard for students who aren’t great test takers because it’s just a slap in the face and reminds certain students time and time again that no matter how hard they work, it doesn’t matter. I believe that hard working students should be the ones that are catered to rather than the students who are “gifted.”

 “Coming to know something is not a spectator sport, although numerous textbooks, especially in mathematics, and traditional modes of instruction may give that impression. As Dewey asserted many years ago, and as the constructivist school of thought has vigorously argued more recently to claim that “coming to know” is a participant sport is to require that we operate on and even modify the things we are trying to understand” (Brown 2014)

           

Works Cited

Brown, Stephen I., and Marion I. Walter, eds. Problem posing: Reflections and applications. Psychology Press, 2014.

Irving, Karen E. "The impact of technology on the 21st century classroom." Teaching science in the 21st century (2006): 3-19.

Sacks, Peter. Standardized minds: The high price of America's testing culture and what we can do to change it. Da Capo Press, 2000.

Kohn, Alfie. The case against standardized testing: Raising the scores, ruining the schools. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000.

Biddle, Bruce J., and David C. Berliner. "Small class size and its effects." Schools and Society (2014): 76.

Freire, Paulo. "The banking concept of education." Educational foundations: An anthology of critical readings (1970): 99-111.

Clinical Experience

   Before our group got up in front of the class and taught the lesson, I was very nervous. I was not worried about us presenting the material, however, I was worried that the class would have trouble actively participating in group/class discussions. Once we got into our small groups, I was very pleased with the participation of my group. It was very apparent that my classmates felt comfortable with me and I think that is essential for teacher-student relationships. If they were not comfortable with me, they probably would have not wanted to consistently engage in conversation. I know personally I have felt that many a time with teachers and it makes discussion awkward and one sided. I think playing the video really helped with keeping the attention of the class as well as the comments that our group would make when we paused the video. The video allowed the students to see the things we talk about in class in practice and I thought that was good because it allowed them to hear what our group had to say about the topic then they could see it in practice.
   Even though I thought our group did very well in presenting the material to the class, I thought I could have done better explaining certain details that were left out. For example, I think I should have handed out an article on GERM or TFA. This would have allowed the students to better understand what both of those topics were. Another thing I could have done better is rotating from group to group so each of them didn't focus on one single topic from the chapter. All in all, I think our group did very well and worked well each other.

Blog Post 10

  I can honestly say that I've learned some very valuable information from this class. It exposed me to things that I've been around my whole life but never took the time to appreciate/understand. I really liked how we were able to go on school visits as a class and talk about our observations right then and there. Then, when I went on my own visits to schools I was able to pick up on things we discussed in class right away. As a result of taking this class, I can genuinely say that I am looking forward to becoming a teacher one day. I know being a teacher has its negatives (what job doesn't) but I know that I will wake up every day and be doing something that I love. To me personally, money isn't everything. I truly believe that if someone is able to wake up and go to "work" at a job they love, they really aren't working. They are doing what God put them on earth to do: making it a better place than they found it.
   The unifying theme from each of my blog post was that in order to be a "good teacher," teachers must be passionate and show a genuine interest in making a difference in students lives inside and out of the classroom. If students are able to see how passionate a teacher is about the material they are teaching, then it is more likely that students will WANT to learn.

Blog Post 8

    A bridge between the teacher and his/her students is essential for any positive learning to take place. This bridge is not just built overnight however. It requires constant effort from teacher and student. Trust, comfort, and consistency are a few of the key elements that need to be in place for a positive teacher-student relationship. In the book, Ayers has the children physically build a bridge which allows the class pet turtle to get to his food. By having the children perform this activity, they are able to see that a little work by each individual can ultimately help everyone in achieving a common goal. Personally, I think this is the most important aspect of education and being a "good teacher". In order for an entire class to make gains and become more educated in the class that they are in, they need to work hard to make themselves better before they can help others. The same goes for the teacher as well.
   The adult literacy class example in the book shows empowered students changing the community in which they live to better their own personal lives and the lives of those in their community. This example is very similar to the turtle example in the fact that the teacher/students are making small changes in their own selves to benefit the class as a whole. This also means that everyone is motivated to work for a common goal. Even though the pattern of these two examples are not the same, they are very similar.
    Let's say I'm going to teach my class about organelles and how they contribute to the cell. Each of the students will be given an organelle and asked to complete a task around the room that corresponds to the organelles function. After some time, I am going to have tell some of the students to stop doing their job. This is going to upset the students who are still working and picking up the slack of the students who do not have to work. This cell organelle example is a perfect for showing that in order for the class to reach its ultimate goal, everyone needs to do their job and work together.
----------------------------------------------------------
   In order for learning to take place, students have to WANT to learn the material. The challenge with this is that students do not all learn the same, nor have the same work ethic. It is up to the teacher to encourage each student to perform at their full potential. A good teacher does not give up on students just because they don't want to learn the material. A good teacher will do whatever he/she can do to ensure that each student strives for greatness. But before any of this is possible, the students need to feel comfortable with the teacher. This is why a bridge between students and teacher is so important. I think the most important thing is that the teacher is passionate about his/her profession. If the students are able to draw on this passion, they too will work hard.

Blog Post 9

   There are plenty of definitions of what a "good school" is in today's world. To some, a good school is one that meets all the states expectations. To others, a good school is one that has a high graduation rate. To me personally, a good school is one that brings out the best in teachers and students alike and encourages consistent learning and development. I believe that it is the teachers duty to always bring out the best in each student no matter what. I say this because there is greatness in each and every person on this planet and teachers are one of the most important ambassadors in helping others achieve their full potential. With this being said, I think a "good school" has passionate, enthusiastic, warm, and open teachers in each classroom. These teachers should always stress that attitude and effort are more important than ability. Also, I think it is important for class sizes to be relatively small (< 20) because then a teacher is able to get to know each student on a personal level. This allows for plenty of teacher-student discussion where no question is a stupid question. Teachers should also be involved in extracurricular activities that show they are not only passionate about their profession, but that they are also passionate about things many students are. 

   As far as the school day goes, I think a good school has open classrooms where students have a say and students can let the teacher know how they feel. Each class should be no longer than 50-60 minutes because after this amount of time, students often have difficulty paying attention. I also think that technology in the classroom should be utilized as much as possible because there are so many tools now a days that teachers/students can use to enhance learning in a positive way. For instance, instead of trying to fight cell phone use, a good school will look for ways to allow the students to use their phones to participate in class. 

Field Blog Cleveland Heights High

   Visiting Cleveland Heights High School really opened up my mind to what other high schools are like. I only have personal experience in one private high school and that is Notre Dame - Cathedral Latin high school. When I was walking through the halls of Cleveland Heights however, it brought me right back to my high school days. They were some of the best times with some of the best people I will ever know. The teachers at Cleveland Heights were also similar to the teachers that I had at NDCL in the fact that they were all very welcoming and patient with their students. While observing my first class, I noticed that once the students walked in they were given a question that they had to fill out using their notes from the previous class. They were all given 5 minutes to come up with the correct answer and received points if they had the correct answer, I thought this was a great way to start class because this allowed the students to freshen up their minds about what they had been learning the day before and show that they had been taking adequate notes. The next thing the teacher did was ask a problem posing question. The question was about the difference between speed and velocity. Then, after calling on several students, she wrote the definition of the two on the smart board.
   The next class I observed was a physical science class. The students were being asked questions about elements, compounds, heterogeneous mixtures, and homogeneous mixtures. The teacher had a unique style of asking the questions. She did this by showing pictures of things such as fruit salad to show an example of heterogeneous mixtures. I thought this was a very creative way of showing visual learners how to remember the difference between a homogeneous mixture and heterogeneous mixture. Another technique the teacher used was allowing each student to have a white board and draw examples of what compounds and elements look like at the molecular level.
   Visiting CHHS made me very excited about the profession that I have chosen. I am really looking forward to changing the lives of students in a positive manner, as well as continuing to learn more about myself. I firmly believe that no one is ever to old to stop learning and should always try to pass along knowledge to others.

Blog post 7

   A bridge between the teacher and his/her students is essential for any positive learning to take place. This bridge is not just built overnight however. It requires constant effort from teacher and student. Trust, comfort, and consistency are a few of the key elements that need to be in place for a positive teacher-student relationship. In the book, Ayers has the children physically build a bridge which allows the class pet turtle to get to his food. By having the children perform this activity, they are able to see that a little work by each individual can ultimately help everyone in achieving a common goal. Personally, I think this is the most important aspect of education and being a "good teacher". In order for an entire class to make gains and become more educated in the class that they are in, they need to work hard to make themselves better before they can help others. The same goes for the teacher as well.
   The adult literacy class example in the book shows empowered students changing the community in which they live to better their own personal lives and the lives of those in their community. This example is very similar to the turtle example in the fact that the teacher/students are making small changes in their own selves to benefit the class as a whole. This also means that everyone is motivated to work for a common goal. Even though the pattern of these two examples are not the same, they are very similar.
    Let's say I'm going to teach my class about organelles and how they contribute to the cell. Each of the students will be given an organelle and asked to complete a task around the room that corresponds to the organelles function. After some time, I am going to have tell some of the students to stop doing their job. This is going to upset the students who are still working and picking up the slack of the students who do not have to work. This cell organelle example is a perfect for showing that in order for the class to reach its ultimate goal, everyone needs to do their job and work together.

Field Blog Beachwood middle school

 Visiting Beachwood Middle School was a great opportunity to see how what we have been learning in ED 100 is translated into practice by other professionals. The first class I sat in was a 6th grade science class. The topic of the class was plate tectonics, which in my opinion is not one of the most enjoyable things to teach about. However, the teacher was able to keep the attention of his students with constant problem-posing questions. He would pose question after question to the class and look for responses from a number of his students. Once the teacher had decided that the correct answer had been found, he told them to fill the answer in the space provided on their laptops. Each student had their own individual laptops with the exact same notes that were being projected onto the screen. I really liked how the teacher provided all of his students with the same material that he was looking at, rather than having his own set of notes that he kept at his desk. Therefore the class was able to feel unified and there could be no discrepancy on the notes. The teacher also did a great job of using YouTube videos as examples to keep the attention of the class. I even noticed that when the teacher put on the video, a student who had been trying to sleep watched the entire video and started participating more than he had before once the video was over. Another thing I really liked about this class was that each student had their own colored in map and could see exactly where the different plates were pushing into one another. This allowed all the students to see what the result of these plates coming together (or pulling apart) was doing to the landscape.
   The second class I sat in on was also a science class. However, this class was for the advanced students. The teacher in this class was very professional as well, but talked to his students in a much more serious tone. This was probably due to the fact that these students were working on finding scientific research articles that they could use for their own science experiments. Once the teacher was done talking and told the students to start looking for articles with their partners, they did just that. The students were able to explore freely using their own laptops and could ask questions whenever they felt the needed help.
   The reoccurring theme that kept popping into my head throughout the two classes was that now a days, technology is so important in the classroom. When used correctly a student has a seemingly endless amount of information right at their fingertips. Even when the teachers were not using laptops and powerpoints, they were providing their students with tools such as maps to allow the student to see how what they were learning effects the world.

blog post 6

After reading chapter 8 and learning about the banking concept of education, several things really stuck out to me. The first of which is the idea that teachers are "filling" their students brains with material that they have to know. To me, this sounds like students are forced to learn and if they do not actually comprehend what is being taught to them, it is their fault. In order for students to learn and comprehend to the best of their ability, they need the teacher to be passionate about what the student needs to learn. Personally, when I have to learn extensive material, I've found that I learn much better when I focus on piece by piece. When a teacher just throws a bunch of handouts in my face and makes me watch hours of power points and then tells me we have a test in a few days, I stress out and it makes learning the material much harder. However, when I feel as though my teacher is working with me rather than against me, I learn the material much better and I do not have to set aside hours and hours outside of class to try and absorb the load of information crammed in a short class period. The second topic in this chapter that really stuck out to me was problem-posing education. I really like the idea of thinking critically in "the way they exist in the world with which and in which they find themselves." To me, this means that before a student can learn about all that is around them in the world, they need to understand why they are learning the material they are and how this information translates into their everyday life. It also allows students to think of their future and how the information will help them down the road.

Blog post 5

   Rofes starts out by explaining that there are two ways to see LBGT youth. He says that we can see the youth as "outsiders, vulnerable, or fragile but also see them as powerful, daring, and rebellious. We can see them as survivors of repeated traumas, or we can see LGBT youth as engaged in a lengthy effort to undermine gender roles. Or, we can see both." I think Rofes does a really nice job here of exploiting a problem with so many people today and that is how people see things. He encourages us to think more positively than negatively and I've always thought that if people see the good in situations rather than the bad, then the world would be a much better place. This way of thinking was definitely present where I went to high school. I went to Notre Dame - Cathedral Latin High School and there were two openly gay/bisexual boys who were older than me. Instead of these two boys being bullied and neglected by others, they were accepted for who they were and got along well with almost everyone in the school. Even though there was no GSA in my high school or anything of that nature, they were still able to have their own friend groups. Also, the teachers were always very respectful of their thoughts and beliefs and treated them like any other straight student. Personally, I want to be a teacher who straight and gay students feel comfortable with. I do not want any student to feel as an outcast in my classroom. Like I mentioned earlier, I truly believe that there is good in each and every person. Sexual orientation should play no part in finding good in another individual. Everyone is different and is entitled to live their own life. All we need to do is think positively of others who have a different sexual orientation instead of negatively, then the world will be a much better place.

blog post 4

   As a teacher, getting to know your students on a personal level is very important. Not only does this break down the barrier between the student and teacher, but it allows the teacher to understand things about the student that others may  not know. In doing so, the student then is able to feel comfortable with the teacher and will be more willing to take chances in the classroom. Since everyone has their own story and home life, teachers need to be able to adapt to those differences in the classroom. A students home life has a lot to do with how students behave/learn at school. For example, a student with a healthy home life and nurturing environment at home will most likely come to school up beat and happy. On the other hand, a student who comes from a rough background with almost no sense of a family will most likely come to school quiet and with a bad attitude. The way a student talks or behaves in school should never be judged by a teacher. From my experiences in the classroom, I've learned that a positive and upbeat atmosphere is the best environment to learn in. The most important thing however is that students should never feel judged by their professors. Especially for the way they talk.

Blog post 3

   Throughout my years as a student, I have never took the time to thoroughly analyze what exactly it is that makes a teacher "good." I have had many different teachers that I believed to be good and I know that I am going to try my best to be a great teacher. The first thing that all my favorite teachers have done is make me feel like they genuinely care about me and what my goals are. These teachers also have made me feel like they are my teammates in a sense rather than an opponent who is standing in the way of something I want to accomplish. This is probably the most important aspect for me because I do not feel like I'm constantly on edge stressing out. No one is capable of doing their best when they feel stressed out and a good teacher knows this. However, the teachers also made sure the students knew that he/she was in charge. There was a time and place for having fun and goofing off but not when the teacher was teaching new material.

People Watching (blogpost 2)

Descriptions

1. Girls walking with a lot of shopping bags from different stores.
2. Some people had one or two really full bags.
3. A lot of the girls who were shopping had a lot of jewelry.
4. Many of the people shopping were wandering in and out of the stores without buying anything.
5. Many people were eating large amounts of food.

Interpretations

1. The girls who had a lot of bags were buying clothes for themselves.
2. These shoppers placed all the clothes that they bought into one bag so they did not waste smaller bags. 
3. The girls had a lot of jewelry because they wanted to show off their bling.
4. People were looking for clothes that they would like to purchase later on when they had their funds straight. 
5. People were eating a lot of food because they were hungry and maybe it was the first meal they had to eat all day. 

"Parking lot"

• A lot of the girls who were shopping were rich; I thought this because they had bags from expensive clothing stores. 
• The girls who had a lot of jewelry were spoiled.
• People were wasting a lot of their food; I thought this because there was a lot of food that was thrown away in the trash can. 
• People who didn't buy anything were surprised at such high prices.
• People were stealing from the stores; It just seemed suspicious to me how many people would walk in and out so fast of different stores. 
• A lot of people were talking on their cell phones. 
• There were a lot of couples holding hands; a gesture showing affection for one another. 

The biggest lesson that I learned through this exercise is that it is very easy to judge a person or a situation. We (as future teachers) need to try and be open minded know matter what. Too often, people judge other people and try to stick them with a label that they will never be able to change. For example, during this exercise I thought that the girls who were wearing elaborate clothes and jewelry were spoiled and rich. I have no way of knowing if this is actually true or not unless I made the effort to try and get to know these women. Who knows, maybe they were actually some of the nicest people in the world. This exercise really drove home the point that you can not judge a book by it's cover. If more people (including myself) would just try and find good in people right off the bat instead of the bad, then the world would be a much better place. We need to take care of one another. Not judge one another.

The Real First Post!

1. My name is Josh Dasch and I am from Burton, OH. I am a junior here at John Carroll University. My goal is to one day teach high school biology as well as be a football coach. I have been playing football since I was in 6th grade. I started out playing for the Geauga Lions and then played 4 years of high school football at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School. Now, I am apart of the John Carroll University football team. Needless to say, I love football as well as other sports. I enjoy fishing, riding quads, working on cars, working out, and helping others. The biggest thing that sets me apart from most people is that I am very consistent in my actions. I always strive to work hard and treat others the way I want to be treated.


2. In order for me to take risks in the classroom, I need to feel that I am able to connect with my professor and ask questions that receive adequate responses. Personally, I feel as though it is very hard to excel in any classroom if the professor is stuck in their ways and has one mindset. For example, a teacher who tries not to give students the benefit of the doubt is doing more harm than good for the students learning sake. This may cause the student to be very unconfident and timid during class time.
    Seeing that I have been a student for 15 years now, I feel it is time for me to start passing along the knowledge that I have gained over my years in the classroom. I strongly believe that knowledge is to be learned and then passed along so that others may succeed. Personally, I know that I learn best when I am interacting with my professor and when they consistently hold my attention. I see myself as much more of a kinesthetic learner, rather than an audio or visual learner. I definitely am one of the students who tries to answer questions in class because this allows me to stay in tune with what is being talked about. I also think attending class is very important because when students miss one class, they are playing catch-up the rest of the semester. "stay ready so there is no need to get ready."


3. There are many memories that have gathered in my brain seeing that I have been a student for the majority of my life thus far. There is no exact memory that I can recall upon at this point in time, however, there are a few lessons I have learned that will stick with me forever. The biggest of these lessons is to not depend on others when accomplishing your academic goals. The only people any student should ever heavily depend on are their professors and all the resources they have around them. This leads me to my next point and that is that now-a-days, the amount of resources that surround students is almost ridiculous. There are resources all over that can help anyone accomplish anything they want. The only thing that separates almost every student is the effort that they put into their work. In order to get a lot out of life, you need to put in a lot. The amount of effort students put forth in their studies is what concerns me about education today. Too many people have become complacent and think just doing enough to get by is good enough. The work ethic of students is definitely a big issue that I look to address when I become a teacher.




4. Will we be able to choose some of the institutions that we observe throughout the semester?