Personal Reflective Journal

Reflection what it is to teach

I don't feel my views on teaching have changed all that much so far... Looking over my journal... I am still confused over course content and the order of things. And i still lack a bit of direction. But as a teacher i still want to be – and think that i can be: an influence facilitator, listener, mentor, be able to reach out to those who are yearning, Inspire with a range of teaching methods- particularly hands on in the field approach. A certain practicality that could demonstrate to students meaning, helping with the persistent question “why do we need to know this/what good is this to me”. I want to be available to the students- however i am aware that as i want this too much it might make is more difficult. I think empathy would help here,.. I guess it may be the opposite to learning or asking them what they “like” - it would be taking what they have presented to me (as a subject of issue) they are already interested in and running with it. Involving my self with the students ideas.

One main theme i have changed perspective on though would be the extent that the students would be involved in the class plans. Boomer (1992) talks of the need to ensure the student is suitably engaged- in that they have a real investment tot he curricular -through involvement with it. It really makes sense as a way of getting people involved and excited about the learning, as they have chosen it. The students own it. I can remember how boring most didactic learning is! I can imagine this would be a good method for teachers not so competent at “theatrics” - or just not such a large “personality” as some.

Such a flexible curriculum may play havoc with my own desire ( and preconceptions) of classes and how they would run.. That is my wish to make the aims and topics of the year/semester abundantly clear right from the start. With, for example, a university style program of topics and assessments given to the students. Thinking, i was, that this might allow the smarter or harder working kids to excel or excelorate (accelerate!) and do some self directed study.. Also ensure that not so smart kids or kids that don't work so hard, know what's ahead- to see the big picture.... However i guess i can concede that this also may over whelm people that have no or little conception at all on the topics presented. But with dates time lines and reassurances this may be overcome.

Also, i have to work more on assessing what the class knows already -and individual – as well as their interest. This would tie into involvements in class “plans” .

'Make the facts straight” i wrote- have to be aware of didactic learning and seeing the students s thinkers (Brunner 1996).

I think i had an assumption on the whole that once “taught” the topic would be finished. I can know see that a topic or idea may -and probably must be revisited many times – and in different methods to be sure to over come any preconceptions or new misconceptions. Leach &Scott (2000) talks about this as to make the scientific story available though talking. In particular i love what Lemarke says about learning science, that is is “learned” through “talking to others... we practice it by talking to others, and use it in talking to them” (1990: 122). This certainly helps explain to me why i have trouble talking to some people (e.g. artistic house mates) that may have no or very little learning of science and conversely have learned in their art classes “it just is” (intrinsic values), where as i have grown up in a household of scientist, forever asking “why is it so” or “how does that fit”.

Bibliography

Boomer, G.(1992). Negotiating the Curriculum, Negotiating the Curriculum, (pp. 4-14). The Falmer

Press, London & Washington, DC.

Bruner, J. (1996) Chapter 2: Folk Pedagogy, The Culture of Education, (pp.44-65). Cambridge,

Harvard.

Leach, J. and Scott, P. (2000). Children's Thinking, Learning, Teaching and Constructiveness. In M,

Monk and J, Osborne (eds.), Good Practice In Science Teaching: what research has to say, (pp 41

-56). OUP.

Lemarke, J.L. (1990) Talking Science: Language, Learning and Values. Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex

Publishing Corporation