Sunday, April 25, 2010

Final Reflection

After completing this course I have come to realize that I am actually doing a better job than I thought in terms of adjusting my instruction to my students' learning. In week 1 I said that I thought I was more into Social Constructionism in terms of learning theories, and I still do believe that this is what I focus on. I love to hear my students talking about solving the equations during work time instead of what they are going to do on the weekend, which is what social construction focuses on (Laureate, 2009).

One thing that I will immediately change is the amount of time that I lecture. I will try my hardest to give my students a chance to teach themselves and others instead of myself standing at the front of the class the entire class period. I will try to use powerpoints in class more and also have my students learn how to interact using the SmartBoard that I have in my classroom. If they become aware of the technology, they will be much more intrigued to learn.

Over time I would like to integrate a wiki into my classroom to encourage students to discuss subjects that we are learning about in class in different ways. I also would like to have my students design lessons so to understand what is necessary to be prepared for a lesson. I think by teaching eachother they will gain a deeper understanding of the subject.

I have truely taken a step back and looked at my teaching styles this term. I feel that I am actually doing a fairly good job, but have obviously found places to grow.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). 2009. Brain Research and Learning [Motion picture]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Author