From+My+Heart

This was one of my very first teaching courses. I walked into this class terrified about all of the wrong things. My concerns centered on how I would do in regard to the technology itself. Computers and I do not always get along. As the first couple of classes progressed I realized that this was not at all what the class was about. Then I became terrified for all new reasons. You told us that if we could not be creative, we were in the wrong field. I seriously considered this for several days and thought a bit further. When it comes to the critical choices in my life, I always consider running very fast in the other direction, but I come back pretty quickly. I have come back to this teaching thing several times, I’m certain that I’m here to stay now.

I learned a great deal about being a teacher over the course of this semester. It had never occurred to me how much time and effort teachers put into the lesson plans that we dealt with everyday. I had also never been shown that there were so very many other options when it comes to presenting information. One thing that would definitely do differently next time is to map out my whole unit before I even start it. I did this several lessons in, and wasted time moving things around. I created some work that I’m not crazy about. I also made some things that I love. I really enjoyed creating the podcasts. I liked mapping out the content and presenting things in an organized fashion. My sentimental favorite podcast is the one on the Emancipation Proclamation. I had some family involvement, and it was truly fun to create.

I was already aware that technology can take you anywhere you want to go, but I hadn’t considered how much of a role it can take in education. When I was in school, we were lucky if we got to watch the occasional movie, but there was no opportunity for alternate technologies. We very seldom did anything FUN to help us learn. I intend to use these many tools that I have learned to connect students to history in a way that you simply cannot do with just lecture. If it’s bright and vibrant and REAL, they may take more of an interest in it. One of the biggest obstacles in my subject matter is student boredom. We have to wow them. My classroom will be a 21st century classroom signified by creativity, engagement, and adaptability to what comes next. Technology is always changing so we as teachers have to adapt with it. That in and of itself is what intimidates me most about technology. You can never really learn it all. But the way that digital media can interact with students overcomes all objections in my mind. What I am most excited to see in terms of technology is what the students can do with it. Every class is filled with young minds that can produce the most interesting of work, and I can’t wait to see it.

I will readily admit that I am still somewhat terrified. But over these few months, my confidence increased exponentially, and a bit of excitement crept in. I had been talking about going back to school and how much I desperately wanted to do something that mattered for quite some time when a twist of fate brought me face to face with one of my very favorite teachers from the 8th grade. She has been a great source of encouragement for me personally and professionally, and I’m actually considering showing her the work that I have done here. In terms of teaching itself, I think that I’m concerned about the normal things: will I be any good at it, will my students learn to care about History, will I make a difference? I think that the fact that I care about all of those things gives me a head start. I will make a difference by teaching young minds to see things in ways that they haven’t looked at before. I will show them the world as it was, and therefore help them try to make sense of how it is today.